10. When they reported to David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
11. Uriah responded to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah dwell in makeshift shelters. My lord Joab and the officers of my lord are camping in the open field. But I may enter my house to eat, to drink, and to sleep with my wife? As you live and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”
12. So David said to Uriah, “Remain here another day, and I will send you back tomorrow.” Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the following day.
13. Now David invited him to eat in his presence, and he drank until he got Uriah drunk. In the evening, he went to lie down in his lodging with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14. That morning, David wrote a message to Joab and sent it by way of Uriah.
15. He wrote in the message, “Send Uriah to the front of the line where the fighting is heaviest then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.”
16. So as Joab was besieging the city, he stationed Uriah in a place where he knew fierce men were.
17. When the men of the city came out, they fought with Joab, and some people among those who served David fell; Uriah the Hittite died among them.
18. Joab sent word to inform David of all of the events of the battle.
19. He instructed the messenger, “When you finish telling the king all the details of the battle,
20. if his anger rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you approach so near to the city? Did you not know that they might shoot from the city wall?
21. Who killed Abimelek the son of Jerub-Besheth? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the city wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you approach so near to the city wall?’ You shall then say, ‘Additionally your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ ”
22. So the messenger departed and came to report to David everything that Joab had sent with him.
23. The messenger reported to David, “The men prevailed over us when they came out against us in the open field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.
24. Then the archers shot at your servants from upon the city wall, and some of those who serve the king are dead. Even your servant Uriah the Hittite died.”
25. So David replied to the messenger, “Thus you shall report to Joab, ‘Do not allow this thing to dismay you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Sustain your attack against the city and bring it to ruin.’ Encourage him with this reply.”