9
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace among his superior's mercenaries. He didn't go home.
10
When they told David, "Uriah didn't go home," David asked Uriah, "Didn't you just come from a journey? Why didn't you go home?"
11
Uriah answered David, "The ark and [the army of] Israel and Judah are in temporary shelters, and my commander Joab and Your Majesty's mercenaries are living in the field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? I solemnly swear, as sure as you're living, I won't do this!"
12
David said to Uriah, "Then stay here today, and tomorrow I'll send you back." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13
David summoned him, ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But that evening Uriah went to lie down on his bed among his superior's mercenaries. He didn't go home.
14
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.
15
In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is heaviest. Then abandon him so that he'll be struck down and die."
16
Since Joab had kept the city under observation, he put Uriah at the place where he knew the experienced warriors were.
17
The men of the city came out and fought Joab. Some of the people, namely, some of David's mercenaries, fell and died--including Uriah the Hittite.
18
Then Joab sent [a messenger] to report to David all the details of the battle.
19
And he commanded the messenger, "When you finish telling the king about the battle,