וַיְהִי לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה לְעֵת צֵאת הַמְּלָאכִים וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶת יוֹאָב וְאֶת עֲבָדָיו עִמּוֹ וְאֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּשְׁחִתוּ אֶת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וַיָּצֻרוּ עַל רַבָּה ודָוִד יוֹשֵׁב בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

The war between David and the Amonites had not yet concluded. It was at the turn of the year, after a year, at the time when kings go forth to their battles, in the summer or the spring, and David sent Yoav, and his servants with him, and all Israel; they destroyed the children of Amon, they inflicted heavy damage upon them, and besieged their capital, Raba. And meanwhile, David stayed in Jerusalem.

וַיְהִי לְעֵת הָעֶרֶב וַיָּקָם דָּוִד מֵעַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ עַל גַּג בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּרְא אִשָּׁה רֹחֶצֶת מֵעַל הַגָּג וְהָאִשָּׁה טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד

It was one day at evening time, and David rose from upon his bed, after taking a rest, and he was walking on the roof of the king’s house. Most of the roofs at that time were flat. Among other purposes, they were used for taking a stroll. Evidently, the king’s house was taller than the surrounding houses, and therefore David could see the entire city from his roof without being seen. He saw a woman bathing in her house, while he was strolling on the roof. Alternatively, he saw a woman bathing on the roof of her house; and the woman was of very fair appearance and she found favor in David’s eyes.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד וַיִּדְרֹשׁ לאִשָּׁה וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹא זֹאת בַּת שֶׁבַע בַּת אֱלִיעָם אֵשֶׁת אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי

David sent and he inquired about the identity of the woman who lived there. One, the messenger, said: Isn’t that Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriya the Hitite? Eliam and Uriya were two of David’s warriors.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים וַיִּקָּחֶהָ וַתָּבוֹא אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִמָּהּ וְהִיא מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ וַתָּשָׁב אֶל בֵּיתָהּ

David sent messengers and he took her. She came to him, and he lay with her, and she had been purifying through her bathing from her impurity. She returned to her house.

וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתִּשְׁלַח וַתַּגֵּד לְדָוִד וַתֹּאמֶר הָרָה אָנֹכִי

This deed would have remained a one-off occurrence, but it had a consequence: The woman conceived, as this act of relations was performed at the appropriate time for conception; and she sent and told David. She said: I have conceived your child.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶל יוֹאָב שְׁלַח אֵלַי אֶת אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי וַיִּשְׁלַח יוֹאָב אֶת אוּרִיָּה אֶל דָּוִד

David sent an order to Yoav: Send me Uriya the Hitite. Yoav sent Uriya to David.

וַיָּבֹא אוּרִיָּה אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד לִשְׁלוֹם יוֹאָב וְלִשְׁלוֹם הָעָם וְלִשְׁלוֹם הַמִּלְחָמָה

Uriya came to him and David asked about the status of Yoav and the status of the people, and the status of the war, as Uriya was an officer in the army.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְאוּרִיָּה רֵד לְבֵיתְךָ וּרְחַץ רַגְלֶיךָ וַיֵּצֵא אוּרִיָּה מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתֵּצֵא אַחֲרָיו מַשְׂאַת הַמֶּלֶךְ

David said to Uriya: Now that I have received your report, go down, return to your house to rest, and wash your feet, a euphemism for marital relations. Uriya went out from the king’s house, and the king’s gift went out after him. As befitting a warrior returning from the battlefront, the king sent Uriya a gift. David thought that if Uriya returned home after a significant period’s absence, he would certainly engage in relations with his wife. Consequently, the child born in a few months’ time would naturally be considered Uriya’s own son, and the identity of the real father would never be revealed.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב אוּרִיָּה פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנָיו וְלֹא יָרַד אֶל בֵּיתוֹ

Uriya lay at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, the military force stationed around the house of the king, and he did not go down to his house.

וַיַּגִּדוּ לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר לֹא יָרַד אוּרִיָּה אֶל בֵּיתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל אוּרִיָּה הֲלוֹא מִדֶּרֶךְ אַתָּה בָא מַדּוּעַ לֹא יָרַדְתָּ אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ

They told David, saying: Uriya did not go down to his house. David said to Uriya: Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?

וַיֹּאמֶר אוּרִיָּה אֶל דָּוִד הָאָרוֹן וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה יֹשְׁבִים בַּסֻּכּוֹת וַאדֹנִי יוֹאָב וְעַבְדֵי אֲדֹנִי עַל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה חֹנִים וַאֲנִי אָבוֹא אֶל בֵּיתִי לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִשְׁכַּב עִם אִשְׁתִּי חַיֶּךָ וְחֵי נַפְשֶׁךָ אִם אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה

Uriya said to David: The ark that accompanied Israel to war, which presumably was not the actual Ark of the Covenant, and Israel and Judah, the rest of my tribe, are dwelling in booths, in a camp; and my lord Yoav, and the servants of my lord, are encamped out in the open field, far from their homes, and I should go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife and enjoy this respite? Uriya swore: By your life, the king, and by your soul, I will not do this thing. David’s plan failed.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל אוּרִיָּה שֵׁב בָּזֶה גַּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר אֲשַׁלְּחֶךָּ וַיֵּשֶׁב אוּרִיָּה בִירוּשָׁלִַם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וּמִמָּחֳרָת

David said to Uriya: Stay here today as well, and tomorrow I will send you away, back to the battlefront. Uriya stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ דָוִד וַיֹּאכַל לְפָנָיו וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַיְשַׁכְּרֵהוּ וַיֵּצֵא בָעֶרֶב לִשְׁכַּב בְּמִשְׁכָּבוֹ עִם עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנָיו וְאֶל בֵּיתוֹ לֹא יָרָד

David called him, and he, Uriya, ate and drank before him, and he got him drunk. David gave Uriya wine in the hope that he would change his mind, return home, and engage in relations with his wife. But he came out from David in the evening to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his house.

וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וַיִּכְתֹּב דָּוִד סֵפֶר אֶל יוֹאָב וַיִּשְׁלַח בְּיַד אוּרִיָּה

The problem remained unresolved. Since Uriya had not returned home, it would be obvious to all that the child was illegitimate. It was in the morning that David wrote a letter, which supposedly contained orders about the war, to Yoav, his commander-in-chief, and he sent it in the hand of Uriya.

וַיִּכְתֹּב בַּסֵּפֶר לֵאמֹר הָבוּ אֶת אוּרִיָּה אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַחֲזָקָה וְשַׁבְתֶּם מֵאַחֲרָיו וְנִכָּה וָמֵת

He wrote in the letter, saying: Place Uriya at the front of the fighting. He would certainly have been standing in the frontlines, as in ancient times commanders in the army of Israel would enter battle before their soldiers, and retreat from behind him, so that no one would be protecting him, that he be smitten by the enemy, and die.

וַיְהִי בִּשְׁמוֹר יוֹאָב אֶל הָעִיר וַיִּתֵּן אֶת אוּרִיָּה אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יָדַע כִּי אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל שָׁם

David did not instruct Yoav to kill Uriya himself, but rather to cause his death indirectly. He gave the sealed letter to Uriya, under the assumption that Uriya would not open a letter that was not meant for him. Yoav accepted these unusual orders without question. He may have thought that they were based on important tactical considerations on David’s part, and therefore he was prepared to execute the command. It was while Yoav was guarding the city, Rabat Amon, that he positioned Uriya at, across from, a place that he knew that valiant men were there, waiting inside.

וַיֵּצְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ אֶת יוֹאָב וַיִּפֹל מִן הָעָם מֵעַבְדֵי דָוִד וַיָּמָת גַּם אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי

The men of the city emerged, as is the manner of a besieged army to send out soldiers every so often for a surprise attack against those waiting on the other side, and they battled with Yoav, and some of the people of the servants of David fell, and also Uriya the Hitite died during the course of the battle.

וַיִּשְׁלַח יוֹאָב וַיַּגֵּד לְדָוִד אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה

Yoav sent a letter or a messenger and reported to David all the matters of the war. Several days had passed since Uriya had reported the latest from the battlefront, and Yoav wished to update David on the new developments.

וַיְצַו אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ לֵאמֹר כְּכַלּוֹתְךָ אֵת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה לְדַבֵּר אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ

He commanded the messenger, saying: When you conclude telling all the matters of the war to the king,

וְהָיָה אִם תַּעֲלֶה חֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאָמַר לְךָ מַדוּעַ נִגַּשְׁתֶּם אֶל הָעִיר לְהִלָּחֵם הֲלוֹא יְדַעְתֶּם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֹרוּ מֵעַל הַחוֹמָה

it shall be that if the king’s fury is aroused, and he says to you: Why did you approach the city to fight without all necessary precautions? Didn’t you know that they shoot arrows and throw stones from atop the wall?

מִי הִכָּה אֶת אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן יְרֻבֶּשֶׁת הֲלוֹא אִשָּׁה הִשְׁלִיכָה עָלָיו פֶּלַח רֶכֶב מֵעַל הַחוֹמָה וַיָּמָת בּתֵבֵץ לָמָּה נִגַּשְׁתֶּם אֶל הַחוֹמָה וְאָמַרְתָּ גַּם עַבְדְּךָ אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי מֵת

Who smote Avimelekh son of Yerubeshet, Yerubaal, also known as the judge Gideon? Didn’t a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from atop the wall, and he died at the city of Tevetz? Some identify this city with the modern-day Palestinian city of Tubas. If so, why did you approach the wall with such impulsiveness? You shall say, in response to his angry reaction: Also your servant Uriya the Hitite is dead. Yoav knew that David wanted Uriya dead, for whatever reason. However, as he wanted to report about the mission without arousing the messenger’s suspicion, he gave him an ambiguous message. The messenger was instructed to explain to David that the operation was not undertaken by a small or incapable unit which had no chance of success. Rather, the unit was led by a commander whom the king had known for many years, and he himself was a casualty. Therefore, the decision would appear to be a tactical error on the part of the commander who authorized the mission, and Yoav could thus let David know of Uriya’s death in an apparently innocent manner.

וַיֵּלֶךְ הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיָּבֹא וַיַּגֵּד לְדָוִד אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחוֹ יוֹאָב

The messenger went, and he arrived and reported to David everything that Yoav had sent him.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶל דָּוִד כִּי גָבְרוּ עָלֵינוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיֵּצְאוּ אֵלֵינוּ הַשָּׂדֶה וַנִּהְיֶה עֲלֵיהֶם עַד פֶּתַח הַשָּׁעַר

The messenger said to David: When the men overpowered us, and came out to us from the besieged city to the field to fight us, and we attacked back, we were upon them, and repelled them up to the entrance of the gate.

וַיּוֹרוּ הַמּוֹרִים אֶל עֲבָדֶךָ מֵעַל הַחוֹמָה וַיָּמוּתוּ מֵעַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְגַם עַבְדְּךָ אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי מֵת

During the battle on the ground, the archers shot at your servants from atop the wall, and some of the king’s servants died, and your servant, Uriya the Hitite, also died. The messenger related the entire incident in all its details. Just as Uriya was unaware that he was conveying a letter with instructions for his own death, so too, Yoav’s messenger did not fully understand the true significance of his report.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל הַמַּלְאָךְ כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל יוֹאָב אַל יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה כִּי כָזֹה וְכָזֶה תֹּאכַל הֶחָרֶב הַחֲזֵק מִלְחַמְתְּךָ אֶל הָעִיר וְהָרְסָהּ וְחַזְּקֵהוּ

David said to the messenger: So you shall say to Yoav: Let this matter not be grave in your eyes, as you know that war always exacts a price, as in this or that one the sword will consume, and even quality soldiers are sometimes killed. Intensify your war against the city, and destroy it. Encourage him, Yoav. Tell him that the king has heard the report, understands the situation, and wants the fight to continue.

וַתִּשְׁמַע אֵשֶׁת אוּרִיָּה כִּי מֵת אוּרִיָּה אִישָׁהּ וַתִּסְפֹּד עַל בַּעְלָהּ

The wife of Uriya heard that Uriya her husband died, and she lamented properly over her husband. His death was not kept a secret; the messenger may even have informed her personally.

וַיַּעֲבֹר הָאֵבֶל וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד וַיַּאַסְפָהּ אֶל בֵּיתוֹ וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ בֵּן וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָוִד בְּעֵינֵי ה'

The mourning passed, and David sent and brought her to his house; she became his wife. To all appearances, the story was simple: The king comforted a widow whose husband died in battle, and married her, perhaps out of the goodness of his heart. And she bore him a son, who had, of course, been fathered by David while her husband was still alive. The matter that David did was grave in the eyes of the Lord. This incident, as described in the text, involved two transgressions, both of which entail the death penalty. First, adultery with a married woman, for which the primary responsibility was David’s. Even if Bathsheba was a willing participant to a certain extent, the deed was not primarily in her control. The second transgression was murder.