2 Samuel 11:18-24 ▼

18 Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle.

19 He commanded the messenger, “When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle—

20 if 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?

21 At 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.’ ”

22 Then the messenger left. When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

23 The 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.

24 However, 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.”