Daniel P. Barron

1 And it was, at the return of the year at the time of the going out of the kings, so David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel. And they destroyed sons of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. And David stayed in Jerusalem. 2 And it was, at the evening time, so David arose from upon his bed and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And he saw a woman bathing from upon the roof. And the woman was very good looking. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And he said, “Is this not Bathsheba, ⁱ daughter of Eliam, ⁱⁱ woman of Uriah ⁱⁱⁱ the Hititte?” ^iv 4 And David sent messengers, and he took her and went in to her and lay with her, and she was sanctified from her uncleaness. And she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived and sent and told David, and said, “I am pregnant.”

6 And David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hititte.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And Uriah came to him. And David asked how Joab was and the people were and how the battle was. ^v 8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out from the king's house, and a portion ^vi from the king went out after him. 9 And Uriah laid down at the door of the king's house with all his servants of his lords', and did not go down to his house.

10 And they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house.” And David said to Uriah, “Are you not from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in huts, and my lord Joab and my lord's servants are encamped upon the face of the field. And I, I will go in to my house to eat and to drink and to lay with my woman? Your life and the life of your soul, if I do this thing!” 12 And David said to Uriah, “Stay on this also today and tomorrow. ^vii I will send you.” And Uriah stayed in Jerusalem on that day and the next. ^viii

13 And David called for him and he ate and drank and he made him drunk. ^ix And he went out in the evening to lay down in his bed with his lords' servants, and he did not go down to his house. 14 And it was, in the morning, so David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it in Uriah's hand. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah to the forefront of the hardest battle and turn back from after him and let him be stricken and die.”

16 And it was, when Joab was keeping watch to the city, so he put Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were there. 17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some from the people from David's servants fell; and also Uriah the Hittite died. 18 And Joab sent and told David all the matters of the war. 19 And he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished speaking to the king all the matters of the war, 20 and it is, if the anger of the king comes up, and he says to you, 'Why did you go near to the city to fight? Do you not know that they will shoot from upon the wall? 21 Who struck Abimelech, son of Jerubbesheth? ^x Did not a woman throw an upper millstone upon him from upon the wall and he died in Thebez? ^xi Why did you go near to the wall?' And you shall say, “Also, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.” ^xii

22 And the messenger went and came in and told David all of which Joab had sent him. 23 And the messenger said to David, “For the men were strong upon us, and they came out to us at the field. And we were upon them unto the entrance of the gate. 24 And the archers shot from upon the wall toward your servant, and some from the king's servants died. And also your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.” 25 And David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, 'Do not let this thing be bad in your eyes, for as this and as this the sword consumes. Strengthen your attack to the city and overthrow her.' So encourage him.”

26 And Uriah's woman heard that Uriah her man had died, and she lamented over her husband. ^xiii 27 And the mourning past, and David sent and gathered her to his house. And she was to him for a woman, and she bore to him a son. And the thing that David did was bad in Yehvah's eyes.

2 Samuel 10 - 2 Samuel 12

Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.

1. ע בע ת־שב בע) bat-sheva`) “Bathsheba” (= “daughter of seven”) - found also in 2 Samuel 12:24; 1 Kings 1:11, 15-16, 28, 31; 2:13, 18-19; Psalm 51:1. Also named, “Bathshua” עעַוּבעת־ש)bat-shua`) “daughter of Ammiel” ל ל יאל מי עע`) ammiyêl) in 1 Chronicles 3:5. ^
2. ם יעם לי אל') eliy`âm) “Eliam” - also called “Ammiel” ( 1 Chronicles 3:5); also the name of a mighty man in 2 Samuel 23:34. ^
3. ה וריּא') uriyyâh) “Uriah” (= “my flame is Yah”) - found also in 2 Samuel 11:6-12, 14-17, 21, 24, 26; 12:9-10, 15; 23:39; 1 Kings 15:5; 2 Kings 16:10-11 & 15-16 (NKJV “Urijah); 1 Chronicles 11:41; Ezra 8:33; Nehemiah 3:4 & 21 (NKJV “Urijah); 8:4 (NKJV “Urijah); Isaiah 8:2. 4 That should have been the end of it (Leviticus 20:1 ^
4. That should have been the end of it (Leviticus 20:10; Proverbs 6:23-35). ^
5. לום של לי) lishlom) – all three are more literally, “to peace,” but mean “how are they”. In other words, it reads more literally, “David asked to peace of Joab, and to peace of the people, and to peace of the battle.” ^
6. ת אע של מע) mas'at) “portion” - same word e.g. in Genesis 43:34 (“portions”/”portion”). ^
7. ר חם מם) mâchâr) “tomorrow” - this can mean “in time to come” (i.e. indefinite time in the future) e.g. Exodus 13:14. ^
8. ת רם חר מם) mâchârâh) “the next” - from the same root as above used also for “tomorrow” or the next day. ^
9. Habakkuk 2:15, similar, but not identical. ^
10. בבבשבתּילר) yerubbeshet) “Jerubbesheth” (appears to mean “Let shame contend”) = “Jerubbaal” (see Judges 6:32) - only here. ^
11. Judges 9:50-57 ^
12. Though physically committed by the enemy, God rightly blames David (2 Samuel 12:9). This is a big loss. Uriah was one of the mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39). ^
13. ה לם על בע) ba'lâh) “her husband” - here “Baal” is being used for “husband.” See appendix for more on “Baal.” ^