2 Samuel 11:1-13 ▼

1 And it came to passe that after the yere was expired, in the time when kinges go foorth to battaile, Dauid sent Ioab & his seruautes with him, and all Israel, which destroyed the children of Ammon, & besieged Rabba: But Dauid taryed still at Hierusalem.

2 And in an euening tyde, Dauid arose out of his bed, and walked vpon the roofe of the kinges palace, and from the roofe he sawe a woman washing her selfe, and the woman was very beautifull to loke vpon.

3 And Dauid sent to enquire what woman it should be: And one saide, Is not this Bethsabe the daughter of Eliam, and wyfe to Urias the Hethite?

4 And Dauid sent messengers, and toke her away: And she came in vnto him, and he lay with her (and she was purified from her vnclennesse) and returned vnto her house.

5 And the woman conceaued, and sent and tolde Dauid, & sayde: I am with childe.

6 And Dauid sent to Ioab, saying: Send me Urias the Hethite. And Ioab sent Urias to Dauid.

7 And whe Urias was come vnto him, Dauid demaunded of him howe Ioab did, and how the people fared, and how the warre prospered?

8 And Dauid sayde to Urias: Go downe to thy house, & washe thy feete. And Urias departed out of the kinges palace, and there folowed him a present from the king.

9 But Urias slept at the doore of ye kinges palace, with all the seruauntes of his lorde, and went not downe to his house.

10 Which when they had tolde Dauid, saying, Urias went not downe vnto his house: Dauid saide vnto Urias, Camest thou not from thy iourney? why diddest thou not go downe then vnto thyne house?

11 Urias aunswered Dauid: The arke, & Israel, and Iuda dwell in pauilions, and my lorde Ioab and the seruauntes of my lorde abyde in the open fieldes, and shall I then go into myne house, to eate, and drinke, & lye with my wyfe? By thy lyfe, and by the lyfe of thy soule, I will not do this thing.

12 And Dauid saide vnto Urias: Tary here this day also, and to morow I wil let thee departe. And so Urias abode in Hierusalem that day, and the morow.

13 And when Dauid had called him, he did eate and drinke before him, and he made him drunke: And at euen he went out to lye on his couch with ye seruautes of his lorde, but went not downe to his house.