14
And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15
And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten and die."
16
And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17
And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab; and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18
Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war,
19
and charged the messenger, saying, "When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
20
and if so be that the king's wrath arise and he say unto thee, `Why approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye fought? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
21
Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? Why went ye nigh the wall?' -- then say thou, `Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"
22
So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23
And the messenger said unto David, "Surely the men prevailed against us and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.
24
And the shooters shot from the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."