1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the ^atime when kings go out to battle, that ^bDavid sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged ^cRabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.  ‡

2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed ^aand walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he ^bsaw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.  ‡

3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not¹ Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife ^aof Uriah the ^bHittite?”  ‡

4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and ^ahe lay with her, for she was ^bcleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.  ‡