2 Samuel chapter 11
English Standard Version
2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king 's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant."
6So David sent word to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. 8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." And Uriah went out of the king 's house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king 's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10When they told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?" 11Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing." 12Then David said to Uriah, "Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die." 16And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. 18Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. 19And he instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, 20then, if the king 's anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’"
22So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23The messenger said to David, "The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king 's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also." 25David said to the messenger, "Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him."
New International Version
2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."
6So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.
12Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.
14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15In it he wrote, "Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."
16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.
18Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth ? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ "
22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. 24Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead."
New American Standard Bible
2Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, 'Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' 4Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, 'I am pregnant.'
6Then David sent word to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked about Joab’s well-being and that of the people, and the condition of the war. 8Then David said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house, and wash your feet.' So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10Now when they informed David, saying, 'Uriah did not go down to his house,' David said to Uriah, 'Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?' 11And Uriah said to David, 'The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.' 12Then David said to Uriah, 'Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go back.' So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the day after. 13Now David summoned Uriah, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he made Uriah drunk; and in the evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, and he still did not go down to his house.
14So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15He had written in the letter the following: 'Station Uriah on the front line of the fiercest battle and pull back from him, so that he may be struck and killed.' 16So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died. 18Then Joab sent a messenger and reported to David all the events of the war. 19He ordered the messenger, saying, 'When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king, 20then it shall be that if the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you move against the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you move against the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’?'
22So the messenger departed and came and reported to David everything that Joab had sent him to tell. 23The messenger said to David, 'The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24Also, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.' 25Then David said to the messenger, 'This is what you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.'
26Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and had her brought to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Christian Standard Bible
2One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, "Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?"
4David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to inform David: "I am pregnant."
6David sent orders to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hethite." So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going. 8Then he said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.
12"Stay here today also," David said to Uriah, "and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. He went out in the evening to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.
16When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hethite also died.
18Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle. 19He commanded the messenger, "When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle— 20if the king’s anger gets stirred up and he asks you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the top of the wall? 21At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall?’—then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.’"
22Then the messenger left. When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23The messenger reported to David, "The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the city gate. 24However, the archers shot down on your servants from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s servants died. Your servant Uriah the Hethite is also dead."
New Living Translation
2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, 'She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.' 4Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, 'I’m pregnant.'
6Then David sent word to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8Then he told Uriah, 'Go on home and relax. ' David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
12Well, stay here today,' David told him, 'and tomorrow you may return to the army.' So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
14So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15The letter instructed Joab, 'Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.' 16So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
18Then Joab sent a battle report to David. 19He told his messenger, 'Report all the news of the battle to the king. 20But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 21Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’'
King James Version
1And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 5And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 8And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 12And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. 13And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
14And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15And 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.
16And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17And 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.
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who 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.
22So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23And 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 entering of the gate. 24And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
New King James Version
2Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “ Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
6Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. 8And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
12Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” 16So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. 17Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, 19and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, 20if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”
22So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. 23And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. 24The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”
What does 2 Samuel chapter 11 mean?
Second Samuel 11 tells one of the most infamous and controversial stories in the Bible: the affair of David with Bathsheba, leading to the planned death of her husband Uriah. The story lands with an unexpected shock: so far, David has been portrayed as nearly perfect. His sins against Bathsheba and Uriah seem greatly out of character. Succeeding stories are also scandalous; the order of events in 2 Samuel makes it seem that David spent the first half of his reign only doing right and the second half only in sin and misery. In truth, the stories seem to be arranged by theme, not order. Like all of us, David's life is a mix of good and bad.Traditional teaching has been quick to condemn Bathsheba for seducing David. More recently, greater sensitivity towards coercion from authority figures has emerged. Her motives are never stated, and it's important to note that God never condemns her. In a parable, she's compared to an innocent lamb who is helplessly taken (2 Samuel 12:1–4). Just as important is how Scripture charges David with serious sin but doesn't discard him in condemnation. His heartfelt repentance is proof that God loves to give us grace when we sin. Solomon's birth from this relationship proves He loves to make good out of bad situations. Instead of disparaging Bathsheba, we should recognize her vulnerability and resolve to protect people in similar situations. Instead of rejecting David entirely, we should thank God for His willingness to forgive our worst sin.
The setting is the continuation of the war in 2 Samuel 10. The Ammonites disrespected the honor of Israel. When Joab and the Israelite army arrived, the Ammonites locked themselves in their walled city, Rabbah. David now wants them destroyed and sends Joab to finish the job. As he did at the beginning of the previous war, David remains in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1).
Late one afternoon, David goes to his roof. From that uniquely tall position, he can see into the courtyards and windows of the homes nearby. At one home, David sees Bathsheba bathing. She is performing a Mikvah: a ceremonial bath performed seven days after menstruation (Leviticus 15:28). David finds her beautiful, sends servants to bring her to his house, and has sex with her. A few weeks later, she sends word that she's pregnant (2 Samuel 11:2–5).
Bathsheba is married to Uriah, one of David's "mighty men," who is with Joab fighting the Ammonites (2 Samuel 23:39). David commands Uriah to return to Jerusalem, expecting he'll sleep with his wife. But Uriah refuses, following David's own policy of abstaining from sex during a mission (1 Samuel 21:4–5). Even when David gets Uriah drunk, he will not leave David's house (2 Samuel 11:6–13).
Out of options to cover his adultery the easiest way, David chooses murder. He sends Uriah back to the battle with a note for Joab. Joab is to send Uriah into the heaviest fighting and then withdraw his support so the Ammonite army can kill him. Joab does as the king orders. Several men are killed along with Uriah. When David receives the report, he sends back encouragement to Joab to overthrow the Ammonites for good (2 Samuel 11:14–25).
After the required period of mourning for a lost spouse, David marries Bathsheba. He wants it to appear that the baby is legitimate. The king has apparently succeeded in both the crime and the cover-up, except for one fact: God knows. The Lord is displeased with David (2 Samuel 11:26–27). In judgment, God orders the prophet Nathan to confront David and announce that the baby will die (2 Samuel 12).
The purpose of First and Second Chronicles was to remind the Jews returning from Babylon to Jerusalem of their heritage as God's chosen people and warn them against idolatry. Except for a note about the battle (1 Chronicles 20:1), this story isn't included.
