1And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.11.1 after…: Heb. at the return of the year, or, in the spring
2¶ And it came to pass in an eveningtide, 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 washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?11.3 Bath-sheba: or, Bath-shuah11.3 Eliam: or Ammiel 4And 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.11.4 for she…: or, and when she had purified herself, etc, she returned 5And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.11.7 how Joab…: Heb. of the peace of, etc 8And 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 meat from the king.11.8 followed…: Heb. went out after him 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 10And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine 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. 12And 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. 13And 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¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15And 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.11.15 hottest: Heb. strong11.15 from him: Heb. from after him 16And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18¶ Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.11.21 Jerubbesheth: also called, Jerubbaal
22¶ So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 24And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.11.25 displease…: Heb. be evil in thine eyes11.25 one…: Heb. so and such
26¶ And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.11.27 displeased: Heb. was evil in the eyes of
Davide ndi Batiseba
1Nthawi ya mphukira, nthawi imene mafumu amapita ku nkhondo, Davide anatumiza Yowabu ndi ankhondo a mfumu pamodzi ndi gulu lonse lankhondo la Aisraeli. Iwo anawononga Aamoni ndi kuzungulira mzinda wa Raba. Koma Davide anatsala ku Yerusalemu.
2Tsiku lina cha kumadzulo Davide anadzuka pa bedi lake ndipo ankayenda pamwamba pa nyumba yake. Ali pa dengapo anaona mkazi akusamba. Mkaziyo anali wokongola kwambiri. 3Ndipo Davide anatuma munthu wina kuti akafufuze za iye. Munthuyo anati, “Kodi uyu si Batiseba, mwana wa Eliamu, mkazi wa Uriya Mhiti?” 4Ndipo Davide anatumiza amithenga kwa iye kukamuyitana. Batiseba anabwera kwa Davide ndipo anagona naye. (Nʼkuti mkaziyu atayeretsedwa ku masiku ake osamba). Kenaka anabwerera ku nyumba yake. 5Mkaziyo anakhala woyembekezera ndipo anatumiza mawu kwa Davide kunena kuti, “Ine ndine woyembekezera.”
6Ndipo Davide anatumiza mawu awa kwa Yowabu: “Nditumizire Uriya Mhiti.” Ndipo Yowabu anamutumiza kwa Davide. 7Uriya atafika kwa Davide, Davide anamufunsa za momwe analili Yowabu, za asilikali ndi momwe nkhondo inkayendera. 8Kenaka Davide anati kwa Uriya, “Pita ku nyumba yako ukapumule.” Choncho Uriya anachoka ku nyumba yaufumu, ndipo mfumuyo inatumiza mphatso kwa Uriya. 9Koma Uriya anagona pa chipata cha nyumba yaufumu pamodzi ndi antchito onse a mbuye wake ndipo sanapite ku nyumba yake.
10Davide atawuzidwa kuti, “Uriya sanapite ku nyumba yake.” Iye anafunsa kuti, “Kodi iwe sunachokera kutali? Nʼchifukwa chiyani sunapite ku nyumba yako?”
11Uriya anayankha Davide kuti, “Bokosi la Chipangano ndi Israeli ndiponso Yuda akukhala mʼmatenti, ndipo mbuye wanga Yowabu ndi ankhondo anu mbuye wanga amanga misasa pa mtetete. Ine ndingapite bwanji ku nyumba yanga kukadya ndi kumwa ndiponso kugona ndi mkazi wanga? Pali inu wamoyo, ine sindidzachita chinthu chimenechi.”
12Ndipo Davide anati kwa iye, “Ukhale konkuno tsiku lina limodzi, ndipo mawa ndikulola kuti upite.” Kotero Uriya anakhala mu Yerusalemu tsiku limenelo ndi tsiku linalo. 13Davide anayitana Uriya nadya ndi kumwa naye, ndipo Davide anamuledzeretsa. Koma madzulo Uriya anapita kukagona pa mphasa pamodzi ndi antchito a mbuye wake. Iye sanapite ku nyumba yake.
14Mmawa Davide analemba kalata kwa Yowabu ndipo anayitumiza ndi Uriya. 15Mʼkalatayo analembamo kuti, “Uriya mumuyike patsogolo penipeni, pamene pali nkhondo yoopsa. Ndipo mumusiye yekha kuti akanthidwe ndi kufa.”
16Kotero Yowabu atawuzinga mzindawo, anamuyika Uriya pamalo pamene amadziwa kuti pali asilikali amphamvu. 17Ankhondo a mu mzindawo atabwera kudzamenyana ndi Yowabu, anthu ena a gulu la ankhondo la Davide anaphedwa ndipo Uriya Mhiti uja anaphedwanso.
18Yowabu anatumiza wamthenga kwa Davide kukafotokoza mwatsatanetsatane za nkhondoyo. 19Iye anamulangiza wa mthengayo kuti, “Pamene ukatsiriza kufotokozera mfumu za ku nkhondozi, 20mfumu ikapsa mtima, ndipo akakakufunsa kuti, ‘Nʼchifukwa chiyani munapita pafupi ndi mzindawo kukamenya nkhondo? Inu simunadziwe kuti atha kukuponyerani mivi kuchokera pa khoma? 21Kodi anapha Abimeleki mwana wa Yerubeseti ndani? Kodi mkazi sanamuponyere mphero kuchokera pa khoma? Kotero kuti anakafera ku Tebezi. Nʼchifukwa chiyani munafika pafupi ndi khoma?’ Ngati iye akafunsa zimenezi, iwe ukanene kwa iye kuti, ‘Mtumiki wanunso Uriya Mhiti wafa.’ ”
22Mthengayo ananyamuka, ndipo atafika anamuwuza Davide zonse zimene Yowabu anamutuma kuti akanene. 23Mthengayo anati kwa Davide, “Anthuwo anatiposa mphamvu ndipo anabwera kudzalimbana nafe poyera, koma ife tinawabwezera ku chipata cha mzindawo. 24Ndipo anthu oponya mivi anatiponyera kuchokera pa khoma, anthu ena a mfumu afa. Kuwonjezera apo, mtumiki wanu Uriya Mhiti wafanso.”
25Davide anamuwuza mthengayo kuti, “Ukanene izi kwa Yowabu: ‘Zimenezi zisakukhumudwitse; lupanga limapha wina nthawi zinanso wina. Limbikitsa nkhondo pa mzindawo ndipo uwuwononge!’ Ukanene zimenezi pomulimbikitsa Yowabu.”
26Mkazi wa Uriya atamva kuti mwamuna wake wafa, analira maliro. 27Nthawi yolira maliro itatha, Davide anamubweretsa ku nyumba yake, ndipo anakhala mkazi wake nabala mwana wamwamuna. Koma Yehova sanakondwe ndi zimene Davide anachitazo.
