^{2 Ref} And it came to pass at eventide, 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 bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

^{3 Ref} And David send and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

^{4 Ref} And 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.

^{5 Ref} And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

^{6 Ref} And David sent to Joab, `saying', Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

^{7 Ref} And when Uriah was come unto him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

^{8 Ref} And 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 food' from the king.

^{9 Ref} But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

¹⁰ And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Art thou not come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go down unto thy house?

^{11 Ref} And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field; shall I then go into my 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.

^{12 Ref} And 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.

^{13 Ref} And 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.

^{14 Ref} And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

^{15 Ref} And 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.