Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Second Book of Kingdoms, Chapter 11ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΝ Β′ ΙΑ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

David's adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah become the great turning point of his reign.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of 2 Kingdoms 11 (= 2 Samuel 11 MT) follows the standard critical text of the Septuagint as established in the Rahlfs–Hanhart edition (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. 2 Kingdoms 11 is the theological hinge of the whole David narrative: while Joab besieges Rabbah of the Ammonites, David remains in Jerusalem (v. 1), and the chapter charts his descent from idleness, through the sight of Bathsheba bathing (γυναῖκα λουομένην, v. 2), to adultery (vv. 3–4), conspiracy, and the judicial murder of Uriah the Hittite (vv. 14–25), closing on the narrator's verdict that 'the thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of the LORD' (καὶ πονηρὸν ἐφάνη τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου, v. 27). The translation Greek is consistently paratactic, reproducing the Hebrew waw-consecutive with the chain of καί + aorist that drives the narrative. Several features deserve note: the opening genitive absolute ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ('at the return of the year', v. 1) renders לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה and sets the campaigning season against which David's absence from the field is conspicuous; the parenthetical αὐτὴ ἁγιαζομένη ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς (v. 4) renders the Hebrew note on Bathsheba's purification from her uncleanness (וְהִיא מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ), establishing both that she was ritually clean and that the resulting pregnancy could only be David's; Uriah's pious refusal in v. 11 invokes the ark and the army encamped ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ with the oath πῶς ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου ('as your soul lives'), a Hebraism (חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ); the death-warrant carried in Uriah's own hand (v. 14) and Joab's anticipated rebuke citing the death of Abimelech son of Jerubbaal at Thebez (vv. 20–21, with the doublet at v. 22) frame the killing as a calculated military deceit; and David's chilling proverb μὴ πονηρὸν ἔστω … ὅτι ποτὲ μὲν οὕτως καὶ ποτὲ οὕτως φάγεται ἡ μάχαιρα ('the sword devours now one and now another', v. 25) exposes his attempt to normalize Uriah's murder as the ordinary attrition of war — an evaluative πονηρόν that the narrator deliberately turns back upon David in the closing πονηρὸν ἐφάνη of v. 27.

1

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἐξοδίας τῶν βασιλέων καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ τὸν Ιωαβ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν πάντα Ισραηλ καὶ διέφθειραν τοὺς υἱοὺς Αμμων καὶ διεκάθισαν ἐπὶ Ραββαθ καὶ Δαυιδ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ

And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to war, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah; but David remained in Jerusalem.

New narrative episode (temporal-circumstantial opening)καὶ ἐγένετο
The formula καὶ ἐγένετο + genitive absolute renders the Hebrew וַיְהִי + temporal clause, the standard LXX device for opening a narrative unit. The genitive absolute ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ('the year having come round') sets the campaigning season as the backdrop against which David's remaining in Jerusalem — placed pointedly at the verse's end (Δαυιδ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ) — becomes the narrative anomaly that drives the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 41 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (narrative-opening formula)→ constative aorist (episode-initiating)γίνομαι: 'become / happen / come to pass'; καὶ ἐγένετο renders the Hebrew narrative opener וַיְהִי, the conventional LXX signal that a new episode begins; here it introduces the temporal genitive absolute that follows.
ἐπιστρέψαντοςhaving returnedAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · ἐπιστρέφωparticiple of genitive absolute (temporal: 'when the year had come round')→ antecedent aorist participle (temporal setting)ἐπιστρέφω: 'turn back / return / come round again'; the genitive absolute ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ renders לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה ('at the return of the year'), i.e. spring, the season when armies took the field; the agricultural-military new year frames David's idleness as conspicuous dereliction.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνιαυτοῦyearGenitivesubject of the genitive absolute→ relational specificationἐνιαυτός: 'year / annual cycle'; renders שָׁנָה; the turning of the year marks the resumption of the campaigning season after winter.
εἰςat / towardpreposition + accusative (temporal goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'at'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (temporal goal).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καιρὸνseason / timeAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (temporal point)→ object specificationκαιρός: 'appointed time / season'; renders עֵת; here the specific 'time when kings go out' — the recognized season for military campaigns.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐξοδίαςgoing forth (to war)Genitivegenitive of definition (with καιρὸν: 'time of the going-out')→ relational specificationἐξοδία: 'expedition / going out (to campaign)'; a military sense of the noun, rendering the Hebrew idiom צֵאת ('going out to war'); the phrase καιρὸς τῆς ἐξοδίας τῶν βασιλέων = 'the season of the kings' campaigning.'
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωνkingsGenitivesubjective genitive (the kings who go out)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מְלָכִים; the season 'when kings go out' implicitly indicts David, the one king who stays behind.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming main clause after the temporal frame)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David dispatches the army)→ constative aorist (single completed dispatch)ἀποστέλλω: 'send / dispatch'; renders שָׁלַח; the verb of sending recurs throughout the chapter (vv. 1, 3, 4, 6, 12, 14, 18, 22, 27) as the leitmotif of a king who commands from a distance — sending others to act while he remains in Jerusalem.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliteration of Hebrew דָּוִד; indeclinable in the LXX; the subject of the dispatch — and, by the verse's close, the one who conspicuously fails to accompany it.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with proper name Ιωαβ)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙωαβJoabdirect object of ἀπέστειλεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: transliteration of Hebrew יוֹאָב, David's nephew and commander of the army; indeclinable, marked here as object by the preceding article τόν; Joab will become the agent of Uriah's death.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παῖδαςservantsAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν (coordinate with Ιωαβ)→ object specificationπαῖς: 'servant / attendant / soldier'; renders עֶבֶד; here David's military retainers; the same term in v. 11 will name the men sleeping rough in the field, sharpening the contrast with David at ease at home.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingμετ᾿: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided before vowel).
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά (referring to Joab)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of μετά (referring to Joab).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πάνταallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying Ισραηλ: 'all Israel')→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all / whole'; the masculine accusative πάντα modifies the collective Ισραηλ; τὸν πάντα Ισραηλ = 'all Israel' (the whole levy), renders כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל; the entire nation is mobilized — except its king.
ΙσραηλIsraeldirect object of ἀπέστειλεν (indeclinable, the collective levy)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable; here the national army as a whole, sent to the field while David stays behind.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διέφθειρανthey destroyed / ravagedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διαφθείρωmain verb (the army's action)→ constative aorist (completed devastation)διαφθείρω: 'destroy utterly / ruin / ravage'; the compound δια- intensifies; renders שָׁחַת; the army's effective devastation of Ammon stands in sharp counterpoint to the king's inactivity.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativedirect object of διέφθειραν→ object specificationυἱός: 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων = 'the sons of Ammon', the standard LXX rendering of בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, the Ammonite people.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'sons of Ammon')→ participant identificationΑμμων: transliteration of Hebrew עַמּוֹן; indeclinable; the Ammonites, whose capital Rabbah is the object of the siege.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διεκάθισανthey besieged / sat down againstAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διακαθίζωmain verb (laying siege)→ ingressive aorist (settling in to besiege)διακαθίζω: 'sit down (in siege) / encamp against'; the compound describes the army's settling in around the city; renders the Hebrew idiom for laying siege (צוּר עַל); the verb's root (καθίζω, 'sit') ironically echoes ἐκάθισεν of David in the same verse — both 'sit', but one before the enemy's wall, the other at home.
ἐπὶagainstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction: 'against Rabbah')→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'against'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (hostile direction: 'against Rabbah').
ΡαββαθRabbahobject of ἐπί (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΡαββαθ: transliteration of Hebrew רַבָּה, the capital of Ammon; indeclinable; the besieged city whose wall will become the scene of Uriah's death (vv. 20–24).
καὶbutnarrative conjunction (here mildly adversative: the contrasting clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: the paratactic conjunction here carries adversative force by context — the whole army is at the front, 'but David remained in Jerusalem'; the Hebrew waw is similarly contrastive.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable, fronted for contrast)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable, fronted for contrast).
ἐκάθισενremained / stayedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωmain verb (David's inaction, climactic clause)→ constative aorist (David's settled inactivity)καθίζω: 'sit / settle / remain'; renders יָשַׁב; the verb deliberately echoes διεκάθισαν (the army 'sitting' in siege): the army sits at war, the king sits at ease — the structural irony on which the chapter turns.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
ΙερουσαλημJerusalemobject of ἐν (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΙερουσαλημ: transliteration of Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלִַם; indeclinable; the royal city, here the scene of the king's idleness — the last word of the verse, leaving David fatefully at home.
2

καὶ ἐγένετο πρὸς ἑσπέραν καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ καὶ περιεπάτει ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶδεν γυναῖκα λουομένην ἀπὸ τοῦ δώματος καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα

And it came to pass toward evening that David arose from his bed and was walking on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.

Temporal continuation (the fateful evening within the same episode)καὶ ἐγένετο πρὸς ἑσπέραν
A second καὶ ἐγένετο sets the scene in time ('toward evening'). David's rising from his bed (κοίτη) and idle walking (imperfect περιεπάτει, durative) on the palace roof contrast with the army's labor at the wall; the elevated vantage of the βασιλεύς's house gives him sight of the woman. The closing nominal clause ἡ γυνὴ καλὴ … σφόδρα supplies the narrator's evaluation of her beauty, motivating what follows.
Word-by-word analysis· 34 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (temporal-scene-setting formula)→ constative aorist (scene-setting)γίνομαι: καὶ ἐγένετο πρὸς ἑσπέραν renders וַיְהִי לְעֵת הָעֶרֶב, fixing the time of the decisive sighting.
πρὸςtowardpreposition + accusative (temporal approximation)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'toward'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (temporal approximation).
ἑσπέρανeveningAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (temporal: 'toward evening')→ object specificationἑσπέρα: 'evening'; renders עֶרֶב; the hour at which David, having risen from his couch rather than gone to war, walks the roof — the time of rest becomes the occasion of temptation.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνέστηaroseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (David rises)→ constative aorist (single act of rising)ἀνίστημι (2nd aor. intrans.): 'stand up / arise'; renders קוּם; David's rising from his bed at evening signals leisure rather than the early rising of a man on campaign.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοίτηςbed / couchGenitivegenitive of source (with ἀπό: 'from his bed')→ relational specificationκοίτη: 'bed / couch'; renders מִשְׁכָּב; the noun also carries sexual connotation (cf. its use for the marriage bed), an ominous foreshadowing in this chapter of adultery.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περιεπάτειwas walkingImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · περιπατέωmain verb (durative background action)→ durative imperfect (idle strolling)περιπατέω: 'walk about / stroll'; renders הָלַךְ (Hithpael, 'walk to and fro'); the imperfect portrays leisurely, continuous pacing on the roof — the very picture of royal idleness during the campaigning season.
ἐπὶupon / onpreposition + genitive (location: 'on the roof')→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (location: 'on the roof').
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δώματοςroofGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (location)→ relational specificationδῶμα: 'housetop / flat roof'; renders גָּג; the flat roof of an ancient house served as living space; its height over the city gives David his fateful line of sight.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive of possession (the roof of the house)→ relational specificationοἶκος: 'house / palace'; renders בַּיִת; the king's palace, the highest dwelling, affording the commanding view.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's house)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מֶלֶךְ; the designation 'the king's house' (rather than 'David's house') subtly underscores the office David is failing to fulfill while kings are at war.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (the decisive perception)→ constative aorist (the fateful sighting)ὁράω (2nd aor. εἶδεν): 'see / look at'; renders רָאָה; the verb of seeing is the pivot of the temptation narrative (cf. Gen 3:6; 2 Sam 11:2) — David sees, desires, and sends; sight initiates the chain of sin.
γυναῖκαa womanAccusativedirect object of εἶδεν→ object specificationγυνή: 'woman / wife'; renders אִשָּׁה; introduced anonymously here ('a woman'), her identity — and crucially her marriage — will be disclosed only at v. 3.
λουομένηνbathingPres Mid Part Acc Sg Fem · λούωparticiple (predicate complement of εἶδεν: 'saw her bathing')→ durative present participle (action in progress when seen)λούω (mid. 'bathe oneself'): 'wash / bathe'; renders רָחַץ; the present participle depicts the bathing as ongoing at the moment of sight; the verse later (v. 4) clarifies this as ritual purification from her uncleanness, making the bathing both the object of David's gaze and a marker of her cycle's timing.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (vantage point: 'from the roof')→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (vantage point: 'from the roof').
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δώματοςroofGenitivegenitive of source (David's vantage: 'from the roof')→ relational specificationδῶμα: the repetition of δῶμα fixes David's vantage — he sees from above, the elevation of royal privilege turned to predation.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing evaluative clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
theNominativearticle (with γυνή)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυνὴwomanNominativesubject of the verbless evaluative clause→ participant prominenceγυνή: the woman now becomes the subject of a nominal (verbless) clause assessing her beauty, drawing the reader into David's evaluating gaze.
καλὴbeautifulNominativepredicate adjective (verbless clause: 'the woman was beautiful')→ participant prominenceκαλός: 'beautiful / fair / good'; renders טוֹב / יָפֶה; the predicate of the nominal clause; the Hebrew טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד ('very good of appearance') is rendered καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα.
τῷthe / inDativearticle (with εἴδει)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἴδειin appearanceDativedative of respect (specifying καλή: 'beautiful in form')→ sphere or referenceεἶδος: 'form / appearance / aspect'; renders מַרְאֶה; the dative of respect specifies the sphere of her beauty — her outward form; the same construction describes Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Joseph in Genesis.
σφόδραexceedinglyadverb of degree (intensifying καλή)→ clausal contributionσφόδρα: 'very / exceedingly'; standard LXX rendering of מְאֹד; the intensifier heightens the temptation and prepares the reader for David's response.
3

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ καὶ ἐζήτησεν τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ εἶπεν οὐχὶ αὕτη Βηρσαβεε θυγάτηρ Ελιαβ γυνὴ Ουριου τοῦ Χετταίου

And David sent and inquired about the woman, and one said, 'Is this not Bathsheba, daughter of Eliab, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?'

Sequential action (David acts on what he has seen)καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ
The leitmotif ἀπέστειλεν returns: David 'sends' to inquire. The reply, framed as a rhetorical question οὐχὶ αὕτη … ('Is this not …?'), delivers the three damning identifiers — Bathsheba, daughter of Eliab, and (climactically) wife of Uriah the Hittite — making explicit that the woman is married, and married to one of David's own loyal soldiers.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David dispatches to inquire)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the sending-motif recurs; here David sends messengers to discover the woman's identity — the first of the chapter's fateful sendings prompted by his gaze.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐζήτησενinquired / sought outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ζητέωmain verb (David investigates)→ constative aorist (act of inquiry)ζητέω: 'seek / inquire after'; renders דָּרַשׁ; here 'made inquiry about' the woman — David's deliberate investigation, which uncovers her marriage yet does not deter him.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυναῖκαwomanAccusativedirect object of ἐζήτησεν→ object specificationγυνή: 'woman'; the article (τὴν γυναῖκα) refers anaphorically to the woman of v. 2.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the report)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενone saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (impersonal/indefinite subject: the informant)→ constative aorist (single report)λέγω (2nd aor. εἶπεν): the 3rd singular has an indefinite subject ('someone said / it was said'); the informant relays the woman's identity in the form of a confirming rhetorical question.
οὐχὶis not?interrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: emphatic form of οὐ; introducing a question that expects the answer 'yes' ('Is this not …?'); renders הֲלוֹא; the form presents the woman's identity as common knowledge.
αὕτηthis (woman)Nominativesubject of the verbless question (demonstrative)→ participant referenceοὗτος (fem. αὕτη): 'this'; the demonstrative points to the woman David has seen; the verbless clause (οὐχὶ αὕτη Βηρσαβεε) is an identifying question.
ΒηρσαβεεBathshebapredicate nominative (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΒηρσαβεε: transliteration of Hebrew בַּת־שֶׁבַע (Bath-sheba); indeclinable in the LXX; not to be confused with the place-name Beersheba (also Βηρσαβεε); her naming makes the anonymous woman a known person — and a man's wife.
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativenominative in apposition to Βηρσαβεε→ participant prominenceθυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; renders בַּת; the patronymic situates Bathsheba in a known family (the parallel at 1 Chr 3:5 names her father Ammiel/Eliam).
Ελιαβof Eliabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'daughter of Eliab')→ participant identificationΕλιαβ: transliteration of Hebrew אֱלִיעָם / variant; indeclinable; Bathsheba's father, here named Eliab in this textual tradition.
γυνὴwifeNominativenominative in apposition (the climactic identifier: 'wife of Uriah')→ participant prominenceγυνή: here 'wife'; the decisive identifier — γυνὴ Ουριου, 'the wife of Uriah'; the disclosure of her marriage is the moral crux: David now knows she belongs to another man, and to one of his own soldiers.
Ουριουof UriahGenitivegenitive of relationship (declinable: 'wife of Uriah')→ relational specificationΟυριας (gen. Ουριου): hellenized form of Hebrew אוּרִיָּה ('Yah is my light'), declined as a first-declension masculine in Rahlfs' text; Uriah the Hittite, one of David's Thirty mighty men (cf. 2 Kgdms 23:39), whose loyalty the chapter will contrast with David's treachery.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Χετταίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
Χετταίουthe HittiteGenitivegenitive in apposition to Ουριου (gentilic)→ relational specificationΧετταῖος: 'Hittite'; gentilic adjective rendering חִתִּי; Uriah's foreign origin is emphasized by repetition through the chapter (vv. 3, 6, 17, 21, 24) — the loyal foreigner whose faithfulness shames the Israelite king.
4

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ ἀγγέλους καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτήν καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ αὐτὴ ἁγιαζομένη ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς

And David sent messengers and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her — and she was purifying herself from her uncleanness — and she returned to her house.

Climactic action of section A (the act of adultery)καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ ἀγγέλους
The sending-motif recurs a third time, now to fetch the woman: ἀπέστειλεν … ἔλαβεν ('sent … took'), the verb λαμβάνω carrying the overtones of seizure that Nathan's parable (12:4) will expose. The parenthetical αὐτὴ ἁγιαζομένη ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς establishes both Bathsheba's ritual purity and the timing of her cycle, so that the ensuing pregnancy (v. 5) can only be David's.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David dispatches to fetch her)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the third sending in three verses; the king who would not go out to battle sends repeatedly to satisfy his desire — the verb tracks the moral momentum of the episode.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν→ object specificationἄγγελος: 'messenger / envoy'; renders מַלְאָךְ; here human royal messengers (not angels); the king's agents who fetch Bathsheba — David acts at one remove, through intermediaries, throughout the chapter.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (David takes her)→ constative aorist (decisive seizure)λαμβάνω: 'take / seize / receive'; renders לָקַח; the verb of 'taking' is morally charged here — Nathan's parable (12:4) condemns precisely the rich man who 'took' the poor man's one ewe-lamb; David takes what is not his.
αὐτήνherAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν→ participant referenceαὐτήν: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἔλαβεν.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰσῆλθενshe came inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (Bathsheba enters to David)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'go in / enter'; renders בּוֹא; the subject is Bathsheba ('she came in to him'); the idiom εἰσέρχομαι πρός can carry sexual overtones (cf. Gen 6:4; 16:2 LXX), preparing for ἐκοιμήθη.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (David)→ participant referenceαὐτόν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (David).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκοιμήθηhe layAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάωmain verb (the act of intercourse)→ constative aorist (the sexual act)κοιμάω (aor. pass. dep. ἐκοιμήθη): 'lie down / sleep'; with μετά + gen. a euphemism for sexual intercourse, rendering שָׁכַב עִם; the deponent-passive form is the standard LXX idiom (cf. Gen 19:33); here the adultery itself, narrated with stark brevity.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετ᾿: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided).
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of μετά.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing parenthetical note)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
αὐτὴsheNominativesubject of the parenthetical clause (intensive pronoun)→ participant referenceαὐτή: 'she (herself)'; subject of the explanatory parenthetical that follows; the LXX renders the Hebrew circumstantial clause וְהִיא מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת with the periphrastic-style nominal construction αὐτὴ ἁγιαζομένη.
ἁγιαζομένηpurifying herselfPres Mid/Pass Part Nom Sg Fem · ἁγιάζωparticiple (circumstantial / predicate: 'she being purified')→ durative present participle (concurrent ritual state)ἁγιάζω (mid./pass. 'sanctify / purify oneself'): renders the Hithpael מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת ('consecrating / purifying herself'); the note that Bathsheba was completing her purification from her menstrual uncleanness (Lev 15:19–28) establishes both her ritual cleanness and that conception now must be from David, not Uriah.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
ἀκαθαρσίαςuncleannessGenitivegenitive of separation (with ἀπό: 'from her uncleanness')→ relational specificationἀκαθαρσία: 'uncleanness / impurity'; renders טֻמְאָה; the Levitical ritual impurity of menstruation; the detail is medically and legally precise, fixing the chronology of the pregnancy on David.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming main narrative)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστρεψενshe returnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (Bathsheba goes home)→ constative aorist (single return)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; renders שׁוּב; here intransitive ('she returned'); Bathsheba goes back to her house, the encounter narrated without comment — the moral weight withheld until v. 27.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house / home'; renders בַּיִת; 'her house' — the home she shares with Uriah, to which David will later try and fail to send her husband (vv. 8–13).
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
5

καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβεν ἡ γυνή καὶ ἀποστείλασα ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω

And the woman conceived; and she sent and reported to David, and said, 'I am pregnant.'

Consequence (the conception that drives the rest of the plot)καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβεν
The terse announcement of conception (ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβεν, 'conceived') triggers the whole cover-up. Bathsheba, in turn, becomes a sender (ἀποστείλασα), echoing David's repeated ἀπέστειλεν. Her two-word Hebraistic message ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω ('I am — I am pregnant') is the catalyst: a pregnant married woman whose husband is at the front exposes the adultery unless David acts.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (idiomatic with γαστρί: 'conceive')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (idiomatic with γαστρί: 'conceive').
γαστρὶwombDativedative in the idiom ἐν γαστρὶ λαμβάνω ('conceive')→ sphere or referenceγαστήρ: 'belly / womb'; the idiom ἐν γαστρὶ λαμβάνειν / ἔχειν ('to be pregnant') renders Hebrew הָרָה; standard LXX phrasing for conception (cf. Gen 25:21; Isa 7:14 LXX ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει).
ἔλαβενconceivedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (in the idiom: 'conceived')→ constative aorist (the conception)λαμβάνω: in the idiom ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβεν = 'conceived'; the same verb (ἔλαβεν) that named David's 'taking' of Bathsheba in v. 4 now names the conception that follows — the act and its consequence bound by one word.
theNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυνήwomanNominativesubject of ἔλαβεν→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'woman'; Bathsheba named generically again ('the woman'), keeping the focus on her status and act rather than personality.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποστείλασαhaving sentAor Act Part Nom Sg Fem · ἀποστέλλωcircumstantial participle (attendant: 'she sent and …')→ antecedent aorist participle (coordinate with main verb)ἀποστέλλω: 'send'; the feminine participle makes Bathsheba a sender in her own right; the sending-motif that has belonged to David now passes momentarily to her — the news she sends will set David's machinations in motion.
ἀπήγγειλενreported / toldAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (Bathsheba's report)→ constative aoristἀπαγγέλλω: 'report / announce / bring word'; renders נָגַד (Hiphil); the verb of formal reporting recurs in the chapter for the war-dispatches (vv. 18, 22); here it carries the private but explosive news of pregnancy.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Δαυιδ, marking dative)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΔαυιδDavidindirect object (indeclinable, dative marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: indeclinable; the article τῷ supplies the dative case-marking ('to David').
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing direct speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Bathsheba's terse direct message.
ἐγώINominativesubject (emphatic first-person pronoun)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun; ἐγώ εἰμι renders the Hebrew independent pronoun אָנֹכִי that opens her statement (אָנֹכִי הָרָה, 'I am pregnant').
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (with the predicate idiom 'pregnant')→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; the combination ἐγώ εἰμι … ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω is a Hebraistic doubling — the LXX renders the Hebrew nominal clause (אָנֹכִי הָרָה) by both supplying the copula and the idiom of pregnancy, yielding a slightly redundant 'I am — I am pregnant.'
ἐνinpreposition + dative (idiomatic: 'with child')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (idiomatic: 'with child').
γαστρὶwombDativedative in the idiom ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω ('am pregnant')→ sphere or referenceγαστήρ: the second occurrence in the verse; ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω ('I have in the womb' = 'I am pregnant') states plainly the fact that will drive David to murder.
ἔχωI have (am pregnant)Pres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἔχωmain verb of direct speech (in the pregnancy idiom)→ stative present (current condition)ἔχω: 'have / hold'; in the idiom ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχω = 'be pregnant'; the present tense states the ongoing condition; the bald two-word announcement is the hinge from sin to its concealment.
6

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωαβ λέγων ἀπόστειλον πρός με τὸν Ουριαν τὸν Χετταῖον καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιωαβ τὸν Ουριαν πρὸς Δαυιδ

And David sent to Joab, saying, 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' And Joab sent Uriah to David.

Initiation of the cover-up (section B)καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωαβ
The sending-motif intensifies: David sends to Joab (ἀπέστειλεν), commands Joab to send Uriah (ἀπόστειλον), and Joab duly sends him (ἀπέστειλεν) — three forms of ἀποστέλλω in one verse, the bureaucratic machinery of a king maneuvering soldiers like pieces. The plan: bring Uriah home so that he will sleep with his wife and the pregnancy can be attributed to him.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David sends word to Joab)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: David sends to his commander; the first of three sendings in the verse.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of message)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of message).
ΙωαβJoabobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: David's general at the siege of Rabbah; the recipient of David's order to dispatch Uriah.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωparticiple (speech-introducing, Hebraism for לֵאמֹר)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. part.): λέγων renders the Hebrew infinitive לֵאמֹר ('saying'), the standard LXX device for introducing the content of a message; here the wording of David's command to Joab.
ἀπόστειλονsendAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb of direct speech (David's command to Joab)→ ingressive aorist imperative (single decisive order)ἀποστέλλω (aor. impv.): 'send!'; David commands Joab to dispatch Uriah; the imperative of the very verb that has driven the chapter — the king who sends others is now ordering a sending that will end in murder.
πρόςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (David)→ participant referenceμε: meaning 'me'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (David).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ουριαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΟυριανUriahAccusativedirect object of ἀπόστειλον (declined accusative)→ object specificationΟυριας (acc. Ουριαν): hellenized first-declension form; the object of David's recall; Uriah is summoned home, unaware of the reason.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Χετταῖον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΧετταῖονHittiteAccusativeattributive gentilic (in apposition to Ουριαν)→ object specificationΧετταῖος: 'Hittite'; the recurring epithet keeps Uriah's foreign loyalty before the reader even as David plots against him.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Joab complies)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the third sending; Joab obeys without comment, dispatching Uriah to the king — the soldier walks unknowingly toward his doom.
ΙωαβJoabsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ουριαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΟυριανUriahAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν→ object specificationΟυριαν: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as direct object of ἀπέστειλεν.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
ΔαυιδDavidobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as object of πρός (indeclinable).
7

καὶ παραγίνεται Ουριας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν Δαυιδ εἰς εἰρήνην Ιωαβ καὶ εἰς εἰρήνην τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ εἰς εἰρήνην τοῦ πολέμου

And Uriah came and went in to him, and David asked how Joab fared, and how the people fared, and how the war went.

Arrival scene (the pretext interview)καὶ παραγίνεται Ουριας
The historic present παραγίνεται ('arrives') brings Uriah vividly onto the stage. David's interview is a charade: the threefold εἰς εἰρήνην (welfare of Joab, of the people, of the war) is a Hebraism (לְשָׁלוֹם) that disguises the king's real interest behind soldierly small-talk; the genuine aim is to send Uriah home to his wife (v. 8).
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παραγίνεταιcomes / arrivesPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · παραγίνομαιmain verb (historic present: Uriah's arrival)→ historic present (vivid narrative immediacy)παραγίνομαι: 'arrive / come / be present'; renders בּוֹא; the historic present (amid surrounding aorists) spotlights Uriah's entrance, drawing the reader into the scene as the unsuspecting soldier presents himself.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: the hellenized name in the nominative; Uriah, the loyal soldier, arrives from the front at the king's summons.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰσῆλθενwent inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (Uriah enters David's presence)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'go in / enter'; here in the neutral sense of entering the king's presence — pointedly different from the same verb's loaded use of Bathsheba in v. 4.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (David)→ participant referenceαὐτόν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (David).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπηρώτησενasked / inquiredAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπερωτάωmain verb (David's interrogation)→ constative aoristἐπερωτάω: 'ask / question / inquire'; renders שָׁאַל; David inquires after the welfare of army and campaign — a plausible royal interest that masks his true purpose.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
εἰςconcerningpreposition + accusative (in the idiom εἰς εἰρήνην: 'as to the welfare of')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: here in the Hebraistic idiom ἐπερωτάω εἰς εἰρήνην, rendering שָׁאַל לְשָׁלוֹם ('ask about the welfare/peace of') — the conventional inquiry after someone's well-being.
εἰρήνηνwelfare / peaceAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (first member: welfare of Joab)→ object specificationεἰρήνη: 'peace / welfare / well-being'; renders שָׁלוֹם; in the idiom 'how does X fare?'; the threefold repetition (Joab, the people, the war) mimics genuine concern while serving the deceit.
Ιωαβof Joabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'the welfare of Joab')→ participant identificationΙωαβ: indeclinable; David asks first after his commander's well-being.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰςconcerningpreposition + accusative (second member)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'concerning'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (second member).
εἰρήνηνwelfareAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (welfare of the people)→ object specificationεἰρήνην: meaning 'welfare'; it serves as accusative object of εἰς (welfare of the people).
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeople / armyGenitivegenitive of relationship ('the welfare of the people')→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; here the army in the field; David inquires after the troops' condition — the very men, including Uriah, whom he will soon endanger.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰςconcerningpreposition + accusative (third member)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'concerning'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (third member).
εἰρήνηνprogress / stateAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (state of the war)→ object specificationεἰρήνη: applied here oddly to 'the war' (εἰς εἰρήνην τοῦ πολέμου, 'as to the welfare of the war') — a literalistic rendering of the Hebrew idiom שְׁלוֹם הַמִּלְחָמָה ('how the war prospers'); the juxtaposition of 'peace' and 'war' is itself the kind of Hebraism the LXX preserves rather than smooths.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολέμουwarGenitivegenitive of relationship ('the state of the war')→ relational specificationπόλεμος: 'war / battle'; renders מִלְחָמָה; the war at Rabbah, into whose deadliest sector David will shortly order Uriah placed.
8

καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ Ουρια κατάβηθι εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου καὶ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας σου καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Ουριας ἐξ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ἄρσις τοῦ βασιλέως

And David said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet.' And Uriah went out from the king's house, and a portion from the king's table went out after him.

The first attempt to send Uriah homeκαὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ Ουρια
David's instruction κατάβηθι εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου καὶ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας σου ('go down to your house and wash your feet') is a euphemistic invitation to domestic and conjugal comfort — the plan that Uriah sleep with Bathsheba. The royal gift (ἄρσις τοῦ βασιλέως, a portion sent after him) is meant to ease his evening at home; the narrative leaves open whether Uriah obeyed, to be answered in v. 9.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces David's instruction to Uriah.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
τῷtoDativearticle (with Ουρια, marking dative)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΟυριαUriahDativeindirect object (declined dative)→ sphere or referenceΟυριας (dat. Ουρια): the hellenized name in the dative; David addresses the man he is about to betray.
κατάβηθιgo downAor Act Impv 2 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb of direct speech (David's command)→ ingressive aorist imperativeκαταβαίνω: 'go down / descend'; renders יָרַד; 'go down to your house' (from the palace height to the city) — the euphemism's surface is rest and refreshment, its aim that Uriah sleep with his wife.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνthe / yourAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκόνhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house / home'; Uriah's own house, where Bathsheba is — the destination David wants him to reach.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (2nd person)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (2nd person).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νίψαιwashAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · νίπτωmain verb of direct speech (second command)→ ingressive aorist imperative (middle: 'wash for yourself')νίπτω (aor. mid. impv. νίψαι): 'wash (a part of the body)'; renders רָחַץ; 'wash your feet' connotes settling in at home for the evening — rest, a meal, conjugal relations; the middle voice ('wash your own feet') heightens the picture of domestic ease.
τοὺςthe / yourAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόδαςfeetAccusativedirect object of νίψαι→ object specificationπούς: 'foot'; renders רֶגֶל; 'feet' in some OT contexts is a euphemism for the genitals, but here primarily denotes the homecoming ritual of washing road-dust — the comforts of home David wants Uriah to enjoy.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθενwent outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (Uriah departs the palace)→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / depart'; renders יָצָא; Uriah leaves the king's house — but, as v. 9 reveals, not for his own.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as subject (declined nominative).
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐξ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source).
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive of source (with ἐξ: 'from the house')→ relational specificationοἶκος: here the king's house (palace), from which Uriah departs.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's house)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; David's palace.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθενwent outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (the royal gift follows him)→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: repeated; here the subject is the king's portion that 'went out after' Uriah — a gift sent to his house to encourage him to stay and feast there.
ὀπίσωafter / behindpreposition + genitive (following: 'after him')→ spatial or relational framingὀπίσω: 'behind / after'; renders אַחֲרֵי; the royal gift is sent 'after' Uriah toward his home.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of ὀπίσω→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ὀπίσω.
ἄρσιςa portion (from the king's table)Nominativesubject of ἐξῆλθεν (the gift sent after Uriah)→ participant prominenceἄρσις: lit. 'a lifting / that which is carried'; here renders Hebrew מַשְׂאַת ('a portion / present from the royal table', cf. Gen 43:34); a gift of food and drink sent after Uriah to entice him to enjoy his home — part of David's stratagem.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of source (the king's gift)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; the gift comes from the royal table — David's lavish hospitality serving his concealment.
9

καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Ουριας παρὰ τῇ θύρᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως μετὰ τῶν δούλων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατέβη εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ

But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

Frustration of the plan (Uriah's refusal of home)καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Ουριας
The plan fails: ἐκοιμήθη ('slept'), the same verb used of David's adultery in v. 4, here describes Uriah sleeping not with his wife but at the palace door among the king's servants. The negated κατέβη ('did not go down') directly contradicts David's κατάβηθι of v. 8 — Uriah's soldierly self-denial silently rebukes the king's intent.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶbutnarrative conjunction (here adversative by context)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: paratactic, but contextually adversative — Uriah does the opposite of what David intended.
ἐκοιμήθηslept / lay downAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάωmain verb (Uriah's sleeping arrangement)→ constative aoristκοιμάω (aor. pass.): 'lie down / sleep'; the same verb used of David's lying with Bathsheba (v. 4), here pointedly desexualized — Uriah lies down to sleep at the palace door, not at home with his wife; the verbal echo measures the gulf between the two men.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as subject (declined nominative).
παρὰat / besidepreposition + dative (location: 'at the door')→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + dat.: 'beside / at'; locating Uriah's sleeping place at the palace entrance, among the guard.
τῇtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θύρᾳdoorDativedative object of παρά (location)→ sphere or referenceθύρα: 'door / entrance'; renders פֶּתַח; the palace gateway, where the king's servants bivouac — Uriah's chosen place of solidarity with the troops.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's door)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; the palace door belongs to David.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετὰ: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (accompaniment).
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δούλωνservantsGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Uriah's companions)→ relational specificationδοῦλος: 'slave / servant'; renders עֶבֶד; the royal servants/guard with whom Uriah sleeps; his solidarity with these men, while his commander camps in the open field, is the mark of his integrity.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίουlord / masterGenitivegenitive of possession (Uriah's master = David)→ relational specificationκύριος: here 'master / lord' in the human sense — τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ ('his lord') is David, Uriah's royal master; the term renders אָדוֹן, not the Tetragrammaton; the servants are 'the servants of his lord (David).'
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (Uriah's)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (Uriah's).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the contrasting negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (with κατέβη)→ participant referenceοὐ: negative particle; οὐ κατέβη directly negates David's command κατάβηθι (v. 8) — the verbal contradiction is the heart of the verse.
κατέβηwent downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb (negated: Uriah did not go home)→ constative aoristκαταβαίνω: 'go down'; the negated aorist 'he did not go down to his house' frustrates David's stratagem; the verb κατέβη will recur as the refrain of Uriah's refusal (vv. 10, 13).
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination not reached)→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house'; Uriah's home, which he refuses to enter while his comrades are at war.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
10

καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Δαυιδ λέγοντες ὅτι οὐ κατέβη Ουριας εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ουριαν οὐχὶ ἐξ ὁδοῦ σὺ ἔρχῃ τί ὅτι οὐ κατέβης εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου

And they reported to David, saying, 'Uriah did not go down to his house.' And David said to Uriah, 'Have you not come from a journey? Why is it that you did not go down to your house?'

Report and interrogation (David presses his frustrated plan)καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Δαυιδ
Informants report Uriah's refusal, and David questions him directly. His two rhetorical questions — οὐχὶ ἐξ ὁδοῦ σὺ ἔρχῃ ('Have you not come from a journey?') and τί ὅτι οὐ κατέβης ('Why did you not go down?') — feign concern for the weary soldier's comfort while probing why his scheme has failed.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνήγγειλανthey reportedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναγγέλλωmain verb (informants report to David)→ constative aoristἀναγγέλλω: 'report / announce / bring back word'; renders נָגַד (Hiphil); the indefinite 3rd plural ('they reported') represents court informants who tell David that his plan has miscarried.
τῷtoDativearticle (marking dative of Δαυιδ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΔαυιδDavidindirect object (indeclinable, dative marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as indirect object (indeclinable, dative marked by τῷ).
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · λέγωparticiple (speech-introducing, Hebraism for לֵאמֹר)→ progressive participleλέγω (pres. part. pl.): λέγοντες renders לֵאמֹר; introduces the content of the report.
ὅτιthatconjunction (introducing reported speech, recitative)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; here recitative, introducing the substance of the report (functionally like quotation marks).
οὐnotnegation (with κατέβη)→ participant referenceοὐ: meaning 'not'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as negation (with κατέβη).
κατέβηwent downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταβαίνωverb of reported clause (negated)→ constative aoristκαταβαίνω: the refrain 'he did not go down' is repeated verbatim from v. 9, the informants echoing the narrator.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject of κατέβη→ participant prominenceΟυριας: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as subject of κατέβη.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationοἶκον: meaning 'house'; it serves as accusative object of εἰς.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (David interrogates Uriah)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces David's questioning of Uriah.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΟυριανUriahAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ object specificationΟυριαν: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as accusative object of πρός.
οὐχὶnot?interrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: introduces a question anticipating 'yes' — 'Have you not come from a journey?'; David appeals to Uriah's presumed road-weariness as a reason he should welcome home comforts.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐξ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source).
ὁδοῦjourney / roadGenitivegenitive of source (with ἐξ: 'from a journey')→ relational specificationὁδός: 'way / road / journey'; renders דֶּרֶךְ; 'coming from a journey' (the march from the front) is David's pretext for expecting Uriah to seek rest at home.
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceσύ: emphatic second-person pronoun, heightening the personal address.
ἔρχῃyou comePres Mid Indic 2 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb of the first rhetorical question→ present (stative: 'you have come / are arrived')ἔρχομαι: 'come / go'; the present 'you come (from a journey)' describes Uriah's recent arrival; David's question implies the natural course would be to go home and rest.
τίwhyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (adverbial accusative: 'why?')→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'what / why'; τί ὅτι is an idiom ('why is it that …?'), rendering מַדּוּעַ; introduces David's pointed question about Uriah's refusal.
ὅτιthatconjunction (in the idiom τί ὅτι: 'why is it that')→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: in the idiom τί ὅτι ('why is it that …?'); the construction renders the Hebrew מַדּוּעַ / interrogative.
οὐnotnegation (with κατέβης)→ participant referenceοὐ: meaning 'not'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as negation (with κατέβης).
κατέβηςdid you go downAor Act Indic 2 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb of the second rhetorical question (2nd person)→ constative aoristκαταβαίνω: now in the 2nd person — David puts the refrain directly to Uriah: 'why did you not go down?'; the same verb-root binds command (v. 8), report (v. 9–10), and now interrogation.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκόνhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationοἶκόν: meaning 'house'; it serves as accusative object of εἰς.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
11

καὶ εἶπεν Ουριας πρὸς Δαυιδ ἡ κιβωτὸς καὶ Ισραηλ καὶ Ιουδας κατοικοῦσιν ἐν σκηναῖς καὶ ὁ κύριός μου Ιωαβ καὶ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ κυρίου μου ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ παρεμβάλλουσιν καὶ ἐγὼ εἰσελεύσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν καὶ κοιμηθῆναι μετὰ τῆς γυναικός μου πῶς ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου εἰ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο

And Uriah said to David, 'The ark, and Israel, and Judah dwell in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field; and shall I go into my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As your soul lives, I will not do this thing.'

Uriah's pious refusal (the moral center of section B)καὶ εἶπεν Ουριας πρὸς Δαυιδ
Uriah's speech is the ethical highpoint of the chapter and the foil to David's conduct. He invokes the ark, Israel, Judah, his commander Joab, and the soldiers encamped in the open field, and refuses the threefold comfort (φαγεῖν, πιεῖν, κοιμηθῆναι) that David's stratagem requires. The climactic oath πῶς ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου εἰ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ('as your soul lives, I will not do this thing') uses the Hebraic oath-idiom with εἰ as emphatic negation — the loyal foreigner binds himself by the king's own life not to do what the king most wants.
Word-by-word analysis· 56 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Uriah replies)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Uriah's principled answer to the king.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as subject (declined nominative).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΔαυιδDavidobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as object of πρός (indeclinable).
theNominativearticle (with κιβωτός)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κιβωτὸςarkNominativesubject (first of three: 'the ark … dwell in tents')→ participant prominenceκιβωτός: 'ark / chest'; renders אָרוֹן; the ark of the covenant, here accompanying the army in the field (cf. 1 Kgdms 4); Uriah names it first — the sacred presence of God among the troops makes his own homecoming unthinkable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject (indeclinable, coordinate)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the northern tribes, here as part of the army in the field.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΙουδαςJudahNominativesubject (declined nominative, coordinate)→ participant prominenceΙουδας: hellenized form of Hebrew יְהוּדָה; here the tribe/people of Judah; declined as a first-declension masculine; named alongside Israel as the host on campaign.
κατοικοῦσινdwellPres Act Indic 3 Pl · κατοικέωmain verb (the ark, Israel, Judah are encamped)→ stative present (current condition)κατοικέω: 'dwell / settle / reside'; renders יָשַׁב; here 'are quartered / lodging' in field tents — the present tense states the ongoing wartime condition that shames the idea of going home.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
σκηναῖςtentsDativedative object of ἐν (location)→ sphere or referenceσκηνή: 'tent / booth'; renders סֻכָּה / אֹהֶל; the army's field shelters; the contrast with David's palace and Uriah's house is pointed.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
theNominativearticle (with κύριος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κύριόςmy lordNominativesubject (human master: 'my lord Joab')→ participant prominenceκύριος: here 'lord / master' in the human, honorific sense — ὁ κύριός μου Ιωαβ ('my lord Joab') is Uriah's deferential title for his commander; renders אֲדֹנִי, not the Tetragrammaton.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of relationship (1st person)→ relational specificationμου: meaning 'my'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (1st person).
ΙωαβJoabnominative in apposition to κύριός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: Uriah's commander, named in apposition to 'my lord'; the soldier's loyalty to Joab — soon the instrument of his death — is part of the tragic irony.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with δοῦλοι)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δοῦλοιservantsNominativesubject (coordinate: 'and the servants … are encamped')→ participant prominenceδοῦλος: 'servant / soldier'; the troops of David, Uriah's comrades, with whom he identifies rather than seeking his own comfort.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίουmy lordGenitivegenitive of possession (human master)→ relational specificationκύριος: again human 'lord / master' (τοῦ κυρίου μου = 'of my lord', i.e. David, or generically Uriah's superiors); renders אֲדֹנִי; not the divine name.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationμου: meaning 'my'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship.
ἐπὶupon / onpreposition + accusative (in the idiom ἐπὶ πρόσωπον: 'on the face of')→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (in the idiom ἐπὶ πρόσωπον: 'on the face of').
πρόσωπονface / surfaceAccusativeaccusative in the locative idiom ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ→ object specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / surface'; the idiom ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ ('on the open face of the field') renders עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, i.e. encamped in the open country, exposed to the elements.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγροῦfieldGenitivegenitive (with πρόσωπον: 'the surface of the field')→ relational specificationἀγρός: 'field / open country'; renders שָׂדֶה; the exposed battlefield encampment, the hardship Uriah refuses to escape.
παρεμβάλλουσινare encampedPres Act Indic 3 Pl · παρεμβάλλωmain verb (Joab and the servants camp in the field)→ stative present (ongoing condition)παρεμβάλλω: 'encamp / pitch camp'; renders חָנָה; military term for setting up camp; the present tense fixes the army's current bivouac as the moral standard against which Uriah measures his own conduct.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing Uriah's rhetorical question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic pronoun, indignant contrast)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic 'and I —?'; the pronoun sets Uriah pointedly against the comfortless army: shall I alone indulge?
εἰσελεύσομαιshall I go inFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (deliberative future in a rhetorical question)→ deliberative future (indignant: 'am I to go in?')εἰσέρχομαι: 'go in / enter'; the future here is deliberative-rhetorical ('shall I really go into my house …?'), expecting the answer 'no'; the same verb described Bathsheba's entry to David in v. 4 — Uriah refuses the domestic intimacy David enjoyed illicitly.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκόνhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house'; Uriah's home, with Bathsheba in it — the very destination David has been engineering.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationμου: meaning 'my'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
φαγεῖνto eatAor Act Inf · ἐσθίωinfinitive of purpose (with εἰσελεύσομαι)→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. inf. φαγεῖν): 'eat'; renders אָכַל; the first of three domestic pleasures Uriah lists and rejects.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πιεῖνto drinkAor Act Inf · πίνωinfinitive of purpose (coordinate)→ aorist infinitive (the act of drinking)πίνω (aor. inf. πιεῖν): 'drink'; renders שָׁתָה; the second pleasure refused — ironic, since David will in fact make Uriah drunk in v. 13.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κοιμηθῆναιto lieAor Pass Inf · κοιμάωinfinitive of purpose (coordinate, the decisive one)→ ingressive aorist infinitive (to lie down / fall asleep)κοιμάω (aor. pass. inf.): 'lie / sleep'; with μετά + gen. the euphemism for marital relations; this is precisely what David needs Uriah to do — the same verb of his own adultery (v. 4) — and exactly what Uriah's integrity forbids.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετὰ: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (accompaniment).
τῆςthe / myGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυναικόςwifeGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Uriah's wife, Bathsheba)→ relational specificationγυνή: 'wife'; Bathsheba — the unnamed 'my wife' whom David has already violated; Uriah's refusal to go to her, ignorant of the betrayal, is the chapter's bitterest irony.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationμου: meaning 'my'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
πῶςas / howparticle introducing the oath-formula→ discourse linkage or contrastπῶς: lit. 'how'; here in the oath-formula πῶς ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου, a rendering of the Hebrew oath חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ ('as your soul lives'); the construction functions asseveratively ('as surely as your soul lives').
ζῇlivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ζάωverb of the oath-formula ('as your soul lives')→ gnomic/asseverative presentζάω: 'live / be alive'; in the oath ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου ('your soul lives'), the formula by which Uriah swears by the king's own life; renders the Hebrew asseverative חֵי.
theNominativearticle (with ψυχή)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ψυχήsoul / lifeNominativesubject of ζῇ (in the oath-formula)→ participant prominenceψυχή: 'soul / life / self'; renders נֶפֶשׁ; in the oath 'as your soul lives', i.e. by your very life; the irony is acute — Uriah swears by the life of the man plotting his death.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's life)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the king's life).
εἰ(surely not)conjunction (oath-particle of emphatic negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: in oath-contexts after an asseveration, εἰ + verb is an emphatic negative (the self-imprecation 'may such-and-such befall me if I do …' = 'I will surely not do'); a Hebraism rendering אִם in oaths; so εἰ ποιήσω = 'I will by no means do this thing.'
ποιήσωI will doFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ποιέωmain verb of the oath-clause (negated by εἰ)→ future (in oath: emphatic refusal)ποιέω: 'do / make'; renders עָשָׂה; in the oath-construction εἰ ποιήσω the future expresses Uriah's absolute refusal — he will not do 'this thing' (go home to his wife); the same verb ποιέω will name what David 'did' in the verdict of v. 27.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαthing / matterAccusativedirect object of ποιήσω→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / thing / matter'; renders דָּבָר (which means both 'word' and 'thing'); 'this thing' = going home for comfort; the noun ῥῆμα recurs at the chapter's close (v. 25 τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; v. 27 τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ), binding Uriah's refused 'thing' to David's evil 'thing.'
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ῥῆμα)→ participant referenceοὗτος (neut. τοῦτο): 'this'; specifies the 'thing' Uriah will not do.
12

καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ουριαν κάθισον ἐνταῦθα καί γε σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ἐξαποστελῶ σε καὶ ἐκάθισεν Ουριας ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον

And David said to Uriah, 'Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you off.' So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

David's second stratagem (detaining Uriah)καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ουριαν
David shifts tactics, keeping Uriah in Jerusalem an extra day (κάθισον … σήμερον … αὔριον) to make a second attempt. The verb καθίζω ('stay / sit') ironically echoes both David's and the army's 'sitting' in v. 1; Uriah complies, lodging in the city — but his staying will not include going down to his house.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (David instructs Uriah)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces David's second attempt.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΟυριανUriahAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ object specificationΟυριαν: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as accusative object of πρός.
κάθισονstay / remainAor Act Impv 2 Sg · καθίζωmain verb of direct speech (David's command)→ ingressive aorist imperativeκαθίζω: 'sit / stay / remain'; renders יָשַׁב; David tells Uriah to stay on in Jerusalem — buying time for a second attempt at sending him home.
ἐνταῦθαhereadverb of place→ adverbial qualificationἐνταῦθα: 'here / in this place'; locates Uriah's enforced stay in Jerusalem.
καίalso / evenparticle (in the emphatic combination καί γε)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: in καί γε ('also indeed / even'), an emphatic particle-cluster rendering the Hebrew גַּם; here intensifying 'today also.'
γεindeedemphatic enclitic particle (with καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastγε: enclitic emphasizing particle; καί γε is a characteristic LXX rendering of גַּם, frequent in the Kaige tradition that marks the text of 2 Kingdoms.
σήμερονtodayadverb of time→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; renders הַיּוֹם; the first of the two days of Uriah's detention.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
αὔριονtomorrowadverb of time→ clausal contributionαὔριον: 'tomorrow'; renders מָחָר; David promises to dismiss Uriah the next day — a promise that masks the murderous plan to come.
ἐξαποστελῶI will send you offFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξαποστέλλωmain verb of direct speech (David's promise)→ predictive futureἐξαποστέλλω: 'send away / dismiss'; the intensive compound of the chapter's leitmotif ἀποστέλλω; David promises to 'send Uriah off' — and indeed will, but back to the front carrying his own death-warrant (v. 14).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξαποστελῶ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐξαποστελῶ.
καὶsonarrative conjunction (consecutive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'so'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκάθισενstayedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωmain verb (Uriah complies)→ constative aoristκαθίζω: 'stay / remain'; Uriah obeys and stays — the verb echoes David's own ἐκάθισεν in v. 1 ('David remained in Jerusalem'): now both king and soldier 'sit' in Jerusalem, but for opposite reasons.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as subject (declined nominative).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
ΙερουσαλημJerusalemobject of ἐν (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΙερουσαλημ: indeclinable; the city where Uriah stays — the same place David 'sat' instead of going to war (v. 1).
ἐνonpreposition + dative (temporal)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (temporal).
τῇthe / thatDativearticle (with ἡμέρᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (with ἐκείνῃ: 'on that day')→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα: 'day'; renders יוֹם; the first day of Uriah's stay.
ἐκείνῃthatDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέρᾳ)→ sphere or referenceἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the demonstrative specifying the day of detention.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἐπαύριον: 'on the next day')→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐπαύριονnext dayadverb used substantivally (with τῇ: 'on the morrow')→ clausal contributionἐπαύριον: 'on the next day / on the morrow'; an adverb here substantivized with the article τῇ (sc. ἡμέρᾳ); renders מִמָּחֳרָת; the second day of Uriah's stay, on which David tries his drunken stratagem (v. 13).
13

καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν Δαυιδ καὶ ἔφαγεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔπιεν καὶ ἐμέθυσεν αὐτόν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἑσπέρας τοῦ κοιμηθῆναι ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν δούλων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ οὐ κατέβη

And David called him, and he ate before him and drank, and David made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, and to his house he did not go down.

Second stratagem fails (the drunken night)καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν Δαυιδ
David's final, cynical attempt: a feast at which he deliberately makes Uriah drunk (ἐμέθυσεν αὐτόν), hoping inebriation will overcome the soldier's scruples. Even drunk, Uriah sleeps among the king's servants and — the verse's emphatic last words, with the negation fronted (εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ οὐ κατέβη) — does not go down to his house. The cover-up is definitively dead; only murder remains.
Word-by-word analysis· 35 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκάλεσενcalled / invitedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb (David summons Uriah to table)→ constative aoristκαλέω: 'call / invite / summon'; renders קָרָא; David invites Uriah to dine — the hospitality is a calculated snare.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἐκάλεσεν→ participant referenceαὐτὸν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐκάλεσεν.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔφαγενateAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (Uriah eats)→ constative aoristἐσθίω (aor. ἔφαγεν): 'eat'; the subject is Uriah; the eating and drinking David offers are the very pleasures Uriah refused to take at home in v. 11 — David supplies them at his own table to lower the soldier's guard.
ἐνώπιονbefore / in the presence ofpreposition + genitive (in the king's presence)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the presence of'; renders לִפְנֵי; Uriah eats 'before' David — the king watching, plotting, as his guest dines.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον (David)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἐνώπιον (David).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔπιενdrankAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πίνωmain verb (Uriah drinks)→ constative aoristπίνω (aor. ἔπιεν): 'drink'; Uriah drinks at the king's urging — the prelude to David's deliberate intoxication of him.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐμέθυσενmade (him) drunkAor Act Indic 3 Sg · μεθύσκωmain verb (David intoxicates Uriah)→ causative aorist (David made him drunk)μεθύσκω: 'make drunk / intoxicate'; renders שָׁכַר (Piel); the causative — David himself plies Uriah with drink, a calculated attempt to break down his resolve; the subject shifts back to David.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of ἐμέθυσεν→ participant referenceαὐτόν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐμέθυσεν.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθενwent outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (Uriah leaves the feast)→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out'; even drunk, Uriah leaves to bed down with the servants, not to go home — his integrity holds despite the wine.
ἑσπέραςin the eveningGenitivegenitive of time (within which: 'in the evening')→ relational specificationἑσπέρα: 'evening'; the genitive of time ('at evening'); echoes the evening (πρὸς ἑσπέραν) of v. 2 when David first saw Bathsheba — the chapter's fateful hour.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with articular infinitive κοιμηθῆναι)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοιμηθῆναιto lie downAor Pass Inf · κοιμάωarticular infinitive of purpose (τοῦ + inf: 'in order to sleep')→ ingressive aorist infinitive (to lie down / fall asleep)κοιμάω (aor. pass. inf.): 'lie down / sleep'; the articular infinitive τοῦ κοιμηθῆναι expresses purpose ('to sleep'); here the non-sexual sense — Uriah lies down to sleep among the guard, not with his wife.
ἐπὶonpreposition + genitive (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (location).
τῆςthe / hisGenitivearticle (with κοίτης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοίτηςbed / palletGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (location)→ relational specificationκοίτη: 'bed / couch / pallet'; the same noun used of David's bed in v. 2 (ἀπὸ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ); Uriah's 'bed' is among the servants at the palace, not the marriage-bed at home — the deliberate echo measures the two men.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετὰ: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (accompaniment).
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δούλωνservantsGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Uriah's companions)→ relational specificationδοῦλος: 'servant / soldier'; the royal servants, with whom Uriah again chooses to sleep (cf. v. 9) rather than go home.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίουlord / masterGenitivegenitive of possession (human master = David)→ relational specificationκύριος: human 'lord / master' (David); τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ = 'his lord', as in v. 9; renders אֲדֹנָיו, not the divine name.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (Uriah's)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (Uriah's).
καὶand / butnarrative conjunction (introducing the emphatic negation)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction, fronted for emphasis)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction, fronted for emphasis).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (fronted: 'to his house')→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house'; the fronting of 'to his house' before the negated verb gives emphatic finality — that destination, above all, he would not reach.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
οὐnotnegation (with κατέβη)→ participant referenceοὐ: meaning 'not'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as negation (with κατέβη).
κατέβηdid go downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb (the climactic, fronted-object negation)→ constative aoristκαταβαίνω: 'go down'; the third and final occurrence of the refrain οὐ κατέβη (vv. 9, 10, 13); even drunk, Uriah will not go home — sealing the failure of David's plan and setting the stage for the death-warrant of v. 14.
14

καὶ ἐγένετο πρωὶ καὶ ἔγραψεν Δαυιδ βιβλίον πρὸς Ιωαβ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Ουριου

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

Turn to murder (opening of section C)καὶ ἐγένετο πρωὶ
With the cover-up failed, David turns to murder. The chilling detail ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Ουριου ('he sent it by the hand of Uriah') makes the victim the unwitting bearer of his own death-warrant — the leitmotif ἀπέστειλεν now carries its most sinister freight. The morning (πρωί) after the failed night marks the decisive moral descent.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (temporal-scene-setting formula)→ constative aorist (scene-setting)γίνομαι: καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί renders וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר, marking the morning of David's decisive turn to murder.
πρωὶmorningadverb of time→ clausal contributionπρωί: 'early / in the morning'; renders בֹּקֶר; the morning after the failed feast — David acts at first light to dispatch the death-warrant.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔγραψενwroteAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γράφωmain verb (David composes the letter)→ constative aoristγράφω: 'write'; renders כָּתַב; David writes — the act that converts private sin into premeditated, documented murder; writing makes Joab a co-conspirator.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
βιβλίονletter / documentAccusativedirect object of ἔγραψεν→ object specificationβιβλίον: 'document / letter / scroll'; renders סֵפֶר; the written order whose contents (v. 15) command Uriah's death — a physical instrument of treachery carried by its own victim.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient).
ΙωαβJoabobject of πρός (indeclinable, the addressee)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: the letter's recipient; David's general becomes the executor of the murder.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David dispatches the letter)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the leitmotif of sending reaches its darkest point — David 'sends' the order for Uriah's death, by Uriah's own hand.
ἐνbypreposition + dative (instrumental: 'by the hand of')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: instrumental, in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('by the hand of'), a Hebraism rendering בְּיַד.
χειρὶhandDativedative of means (in the idiom ἐν χειρὶ: 'by the hand of')→ sphere or referenceχείρ: 'hand'; the idiom ἐν χειρὶ Ουριου ('by the hand of Uriah') renders בְּיַד אוּרִיָּה; the appalling irony — Uriah carries the sealed order for his own killing.
Ουριουof UriahGenitivegenitive of relationship (whose hand carries the letter)→ relational specificationΟυριας (gen. Ουριου): the loyal courier of his own death-warrant; the genitive completes the most chilling detail of the chapter.
15

καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ λέγων εἰσάγαγε τὸν Ουριαν ἐξ ἐναντίας τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ κραταιοῦ καὶ ἀποστραφήσεσθε ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ καὶ πληγήσεται καὶ ἀποθανεῖται

And he wrote in the letter, saying, 'Set Uriah in the forefront of the fiercest fighting, and withdraw from behind him, that he may be struck down and die.'

Content of the death-warrant (the murder ordered)καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ λέγων
The letter's contents spell out a battlefield assassination: place Uriah ἐξ ἐναντίας τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ κραταιοῦ ('in the front of the fiercest fighting'), then withdraw support (ἀποστραφήσεσθε ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ), so that he is struck and dies (πληγήσεται καὶ ἀποθανεῖται). The two final futures coldly state the intended outcome; the plural imperative implicates the whole detachment in abandoning him.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔγραψενwroteAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γράφωmain verb (David writes the order's content)→ constative aoristγράφω: repeated from v. 14, now introducing the actual wording of the murderous command.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location: 'in the letter')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location: 'in the letter').
τῷtheDativearticle (with βιβλίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βιβλίῳletterDativedative object of ἐν (location of the writing)→ sphere or referenceβιβλίον: 'document / letter'; the same letter as v. 14, now its contents disclosed.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωparticiple (speech-introducing, Hebraism for לֵאמֹר)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. part.): λέγων renders לֵאמֹר; introduces the verbatim text of the order.
εἰσάγαγεset / bring inAor Act Impv 2 Sg · εἰσάγωmain verb of direct speech (David's command to Joab)→ ingressive aorist imperativeεἰσάγω: 'bring in / lead in / station'; renders the Hebrew imperative (הָבוּ / נְתֻנוּ); David orders Joab to position Uriah in the deadliest part of the line — a command framing murder as a tactical deployment.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ουριαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΟυριανUriahAccusativedirect object of εἰσάγαγε→ object specificationΟυριας (acc. Ουριαν): the object of the lethal order — to be stationed where he will die.
ἐξin / frompreposition + genitive (in the idiom ἐξ ἐναντίας: 'opposite, in front')→ spatial or relational framingἐξ: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (in the idiom ἐξ ἐναντίας: 'opposite, in front').
ἐναντίαςthe forefront / facing positionGenitivegenitive in the idiom ἐξ ἐναντίας ('over against, in the front line')→ relational specificationἐναντία (fem. subst.): in the idiom ἐξ ἐναντίας ('opposite / facing / in the forefront'), rendering מוּל ('in front of'); Uriah is to be set directly facing the strongest enemy resistance, the most exposed position.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with πολέμου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολέμουbattle / fightingGenitivegenitive (with ἐξ ἐναντίας: 'the front of the battle')→ relational specificationπόλεμος: 'war / battle'; here the fighting at the wall of Rabbah, in whose fiercest sector Uriah is to be placed.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with κραταιοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κραταιοῦfiercest / strongestGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying πολέμου: 'the fierce battle')→ relational specificationκραταιός: 'strong / mighty / fierce'; renders חָזָק; 'the fierce/hard fighting' — the deadliest point of the assault, chosen precisely so Uriah will not survive.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the betrayal-command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποστραφήσεσθεyou shall withdraw / turn backFut Pass Indic 2 Pl · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (command in future-imperatival force, 2nd plural)→ imperatival future (instruction to the detachment)ἀποστρέφω (fut. pass. with mid. sense): 'turn back / withdraw / retreat'; the plural addresses the soldiers around Uriah — they are to pull back from supporting him; the future has imperatival force ('you shall withdraw'), the second half of the assassination plan.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation, with ὄπισθεν)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation, with ὄπισθεν).
ὄπισθενbehindadverb/improper preposition (in the phrase ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ: 'from behind him')→ spatial or relational framingὄπισθεν: 'behind / from behind'; renders מֵאַחֲרָיו; the troops are to abandon Uriah's rear support, leaving him isolated and exposed to be cut down.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν (Uriah)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν (Uriah).
καὶthat / so thatcoordinate conjunction (here consecutive: the intended result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: paratactic but consecutive in force ('so that …'); the Hebrew waw similarly introduces the intended outcome.
πληγήσεταιhe shall be struck downFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · πλήσσωmain verb (intended result: Uriah struck)→ predictive future (intended outcome)πλήσσω (fut. pass. πληγήσεται): 'strike / smite / wound'; renders נָכָה (Niphal); the passive states the planned result — Uriah will be struck (by the enemy); David coldly anticipates the blow he is engineering.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποθανεῖταιhe shall dieFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (the intended end: Uriah's death)→ predictive future (the goal of the plot)ἀποθνῄσκω (fut. mid. ἀποθανεῖται): 'die'; renders מוּת; the blunt final word of the order names David's actual aim — not Uriah's exposure but his death; the verb ἀποθνῄσκω will recur as the chapter records the deaths at the wall (vv. 17, 21, 24, 26).
16

καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ φυλάσσειν Ιωαβ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἔθηκεν τὸν Ουριαν εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ᾔδει ὅτι ἄνδρες δυνάμεως ἐκεῖ

And it came to pass, while Joab was watching over the city, that he set Uriah in the place where he knew valiant men were.

Joab's compliance (the order executed)καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ φυλάσσειν Ιωαβ
Joab carries out the order without recorded protest. The temporal articular infinitive ἐν τῷ φυλάσσειν ('while besieging/watching') sets the scene; ἔθηκεν τὸν Ουριαν εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ᾔδει ('he set Uriah in the place where he knew') makes Joab a knowing accomplice — he deliberately stations Uriah where the defenders' best fighters (ἄνδρες δυνάμεως) will be.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγενήθηit came to passAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (scene-setting formula)→ constative aorist (scene-setting)γίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθη): καὶ ἐγενήθη + temporal clause renders וַיְהִי; the passive-form aorist is a common LXX alternate to ἐγένετο for this opener.
ἐνwhile / inpreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: in the construction ἐν τῷ + infinitive, expressing contemporaneous time ('while …'), a Hebraism rendering בְּ + infinitive construct.
τῷtheDativearticle (with articular infinitive φυλάσσειν)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλάσσεινwatching / besiegingPres Act Inf · φυλάσσωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'while Joab was besieging')→ durative present infinitive (ongoing siege)φυλάσσω: 'guard / watch / keep under watch'; here of maintaining the siege-watch over the city; renders שָׁמַר; the present infinitive denotes the ongoing investment of Rabbah.
ΙωαβJoabsubject of the articular infinitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: the subject of φυλάσσειν; the besieging commander who now becomes David's instrument of murder.
ἐπὶover / againstpreposition + accusative (object of the siege-watch)→ spatial or relational framingἐπὶ: meaning 'over'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (object of the siege-watch).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the besieged city)→ object specificationπόλις: 'city'; Rabbah of the Ammonites (v. 1), under siege; its wall is where Uriah will die.
καὶthat / andnarrative conjunction (apodosis of the ἐγενήθη clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'that'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔθηκενset / placedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τίθημιmain verb (Joab positions Uriah)→ constative aoristτίθημι (aor. ἔθηκεν): 'put / place / set'; renders שׂוּם / נָתַן; Joab deliberately positions Uriah at the lethal spot — the verb of calculated placement makes his complicity explicit.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ουριαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΟυριανUriahAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκεν→ object specificationΟυριαν: meaning 'Uriah'; it serves as direct object of ἔθηκεν.
εἰςin / atpreposition + accusative (location of placement)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (location of placement).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with τόπον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τόπονplace / positionAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the lethal position)→ object specificationτόπος: 'place / spot / position'; renders מָקוֹם; the dangerous sector of the line that Joab chooses for Uriah.
οὗwhererelative adverb of place ('where')→ participant referenceοὗ: relative adverb 'where'; introduces the clause specifying that Joab knew the spot was defended by the city's best warriors.
ᾔδειhe knewPlpf Act Indic 3 Sg · οἶδαmain verb of relative clause (Joab's knowledge)→ stative pluperfect (with imperfect sense: 'he knew')οἶδα (plpf. ᾔδει with imperfect/past sense): 'know'; renders יָדַע; the verb makes Joab's act premeditated — he knew exactly where the valiant defenders were and placed Uriah there on purpose.
ὅτιthatconjunction (introducing object clause of ᾔδει)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content of Joab's knowledge.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of the verbless object clause ('men of valor were there')→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: 'man / warrior'; here the city's defenders; the verbless clause (ἄνδρες δυνάμεως ἐκεῖ) supplies the verb 'were' by ellipsis.
δυνάμεωςof valor / mightGenitivegenitive of quality (with ἄνδρες: 'men of valor')→ relational specificationδύναμις: 'power / strength / valor'; the idiom ἄνδρες δυνάμεως renders אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל ('men of valor / mighty warriors'); these elite defenders make the chosen position lethal.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of place (predicate of the verbless clause)→ adverbial qualificationἐκεῖ: 'there'; renders שָׁם; locates the valiant defenders at the very spot where Joab stations Uriah.
17

καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐπολέμουν μετὰ Ιωαβ καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ἐκ τῶν δούλων Δαυιδ καὶ ἀπέθανεν καί γε Ουριας ὁ Χετταῖος

And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the people, of David's servants, fell; and Uriah the Hittite died too.

The death of Uriah (the plot fulfilled)καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως
The sortie unfolds as planned: the defenders sally out, some of David's men fall, and — the verse's point, marked by the emphatic καί γε ('and indeed / and even') — Uriah the Hittite is among the dead. The plural casualties show the moral cost: David's scheme kills not only Uriah but other loyal soldiers as collateral, a detail Joab's report (vv. 18–24) must manage.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθονcame outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (the defenders sally out)→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / sally forth'; the besieged make a sortie against the besiegers — the engagement that David and Joab have engineered to expose Uriah.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἐξῆλθον→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: 'man'; the defenders of Rabbah, the 'men of the city' who sortie against Joab's force.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of source/relationship (the men of the city)→ relational specificationπόλις: 'city'; Rabbah, whose defenders make the lethal sally.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπολέμουνfoughtImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · πολεμέωmain verb (durative: the fighting)→ durative imperfect (ongoing battle)πολεμέω: 'wage war / fight'; renders לָחַם (Niphal); the imperfect depicts the engagement as it unfolds — sustained fighting against Joab's force.
μετὰwith / againstpreposition + genitive (here 'with' in the sense of engaging Joab)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: lit. 'with'; in a martial context 'fought with Joab' = engaged him in battle; a Hebraism rendering נִלְחַם עִם ('fight against').
ΙωαβJoabgenitive object of μετά (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: the commander against whom the city's men fight.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔπεσανfellAor Act Indic 3 Pl · πίπτωmain verb (casualties among David's men)→ constative aoristπίπτω (aor. ἔπεσαν): 'fall / fall in battle'; renders נָפַל; the standard idiom for being slain in war; some of David's own troops fall — the collateral cost of the plot to kill one man.
ἐκof / from amongpreposition + genitive (partitive: 'some of')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: partitive 'some of'; renders מִן; introduces the group from which the casualties came.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeople / armyGenitivepartitive genitive (some of the people)→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; here the army; some of the troops fall in the engineered sortie.
ἐκof / from amongpreposition + genitive (partitive, in apposition: 'of David's servants')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'of'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (partitive, in apposition: 'of David's servants').
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δούλωνservantsGenitivepartitive genitive (in apposition: David's servants)→ relational specificationδοῦλος: 'servant / soldier'; 'of David's servants' specifies the casualties as David's own loyal men — the king's sin spends their lives.
Δαυιδof Davidgenitive of possession (indeclinable: David's servants)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as genitive of possession (indeclinable: David's servants).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the climactic death)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέθανενdiedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (the death of Uriah)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; renders מוּת; fulfils the death-warrant's ἀποθανεῖται (v. 15) — the future of the order becomes the aorist of the report; Uriah is dead.
καίalso / evenparticle (in the emphatic combination καί γε)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: in καί γε ('and indeed / even also'), rendering Hebrew גַּם; emphatically marks Uriah as the significant casualty among the fallen.
γεindeedemphatic enclitic particle (with καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastγε: emphasizing enclitic; καί γε (characteristic of the Kaige text of 2 Kingdoms) singles out Uriah's death as the point of the whole maneuver.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject of ἀπέθανεν (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: the loyal Hittite, now dead at the wall — the intended victim, killed as planned.
theNominativearticle (with Χετταῖος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΧετταῖοςHittiteNominativegentilic in apposition to Ουριας→ participant prominenceΧετταῖος: 'Hittite'; the recurring epithet sounds one last time over Uriah alive — the faithful foreigner whose death indicts the Israelite king.
18

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιωαβ καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ βασιλεῖ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τοῦ πολέμου

And Joab sent and reported to the king all the matters of the war.

Joab's dispatch to David (the report begins)καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιωαβ
Joab now becomes the sender (ἀπέστειλεν), reporting 'all the matters of the war' to David. The terse summary sets up the carefully managed message Joab coaches his courier to deliver (vv. 19–21), anticipating and defusing David's predictable anger at a costly approach to the wall.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Joab dispatches a messenger)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the sending-motif passes to Joab, who reports back to the king who sent the death-warrant — the loop of 'sendings' completing the conspiracy.
ΙωαβJoabsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπήγγειλενreportedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (Joab's report to the king)→ constative aoristἀπαγγέλλω: 'report / announce'; renders נָגַד (Hiphil); Joab reports the conduct of the battle to David.
τῷto theDativearticle (with βασιλεῖ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλεῖkingDativeindirect object of ἀπήγγειλεν→ sphere or referenceβασιλεύς: 'king'; David, here designated by office — the king who commissioned the murder receives the report of its success.
πάνταςallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λόγους)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; 'all the matters' — the complete account of the engagement.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with λόγους)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγουςwords / mattersAccusativedirect object of ἀπήγγειλεν→ object specificationλόγος: 'word / matter / account'; renders דָּבָר; here 'the matters/events of the war', the report's content.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολέμουwarGenitivegenitive of relationship (the matters of the war)→ relational specificationπόλεμος: 'war / battle'; the engagement at Rabbah, whose full account Joab sends.
19

καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ ἀγγέλῳ λέγων ἐν τῷ συντελέσαι σε πάντας τοὺς λόγους τοῦ πολέμου λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα

And he charged the messenger, saying, 'When you have finished telling all the matters of the war to the king,'

Joab's instructions to the courier (anticipating David's anger)καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ ἀγγέλῳ λέγων
Joab coaches his messenger with foresight. The temporal articular infinitive ἐν τῷ συντελέσαι σε ('when you have finished') sets up the contingency that occupies vv. 20–21: should the king grow angry at the report of a costly assault, the courier is to play his trump card — the news of Uriah's death. Joab manages David's expected reaction with shrewd political calculation.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνετείλατοcharged / instructedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιmain verb (Joab instructs the courier)→ constative aoristἐντέλλομαι: 'command / charge / give instructions'; renders צִוָּה (Piel); Joab gives the messenger precise orders on how to handle the king's reaction — political stage-management.
τῷtheDativearticle (with ἀγγέλῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγγέλῳmessengerDativeindirect object of ἐνετείλατο→ sphere or referenceἄγγελος: 'messenger / envoy'; renders מַלְאָךְ; the human courier (not an angel) who will carry Joab's report to David.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · λέγωparticiple (speech-introducing, Hebraism for לֵאמֹר)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. part.): λέγων renders לֵאמֹר; introduces Joab's instructions.
ἐνwhen / inpreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: in the construction ἐν τῷ + infinitive ('when …'), rendering בְּ + infinitive construct.
τῷtheDativearticle (with articular infinitive συντελέσαι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
συντελέσαιto finish / completeAor Act Inf · συντελέωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when you have finished')→ completive aorist infinitiveσυντελέω: 'complete / finish / bring to an end'; renders כָּלָה (Piel); 'when you have finished reporting' — the temporal hinge before the contingency about the king's anger.
σεyouAccusativeaccusative subject of the articular infinitive→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): the accusative subject of the infinitive συντελέσαι ('that you finish'); the courier.
πάνταςallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λόγους)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; the complete report.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with λόγους)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγουςwords / mattersAccusativedirect object of συντελέσαι→ object specificationλόγος: 'word / matter'; the matters of the war the courier must relate in full.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολέμουwarGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationπόλεμος: 'war'; the engagement reported.
λαλῆσαιto speak / tellAor Act Inf · λαλέωcomplementary infinitive (with συντελέσαι: 'finish telling')→ aorist infinitiveλαλέω: 'speak / tell'; renders דִּבֶּר; the infinitive completes συντελέσαι ('finish speaking all the matters … to the king').
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient of the report)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient of the report).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with βασιλέα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (David)→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; David, to whom the report is delivered.
20

καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν ἀναβῇ ὁ θυμὸς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἴπῃ σοι τί ὅτι ἠγγίσατε πρὸς τὴν πόλιν πολεμῆσαι οὐκ ᾔδειτε ὅτι τοξεύσουσιν ἀπάνωθεν τοῦ τείχους

'and it shall be, if the king's anger rises and he says to you, "Why did you draw near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from atop the wall?"'

Joab's anticipated scenario (the king's rebuke)καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν ἀναβῇ ὁ θυμὸς τοῦ βασιλέως
Joab scripts David's expected outburst. The idiom ἀναβῇ ὁ θυμός ('the anger rises') is a Hebraism for flaring rage; the anticipated rebuke — why approach the wall when defenders shoot from above? — recalls the cautionary precedent Joab knows David will cite (Abimelech at Thebez, v. 21). Joab's foresight is itself a confession that the approach to the wall was militarily reckless, justified only by the secret aim of killing Uriah.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (within Joab's instructions)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιit shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (apodosis-introducing formula: 'it shall be that …')→ predictive futureεἰμί (fut. ἔσται): καὶ ἔσται renders the Hebrew וְהָיָה, the conventional formula introducing a future contingency ('and it shall come to pass if …').
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (with subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces the conditional protasis (with subjunctive ἀναβῇ … εἴπῃ); renders אִם; frames David's anger as a probable contingency.
ἀναβῇrisesAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωverb of the conditional protasis (the king's anger flares)→ ingressive aorist subjunctiveἀναβαίνω: 'go up / rise'; in the idiom ἀναβῇ ὁ θυμός ('the anger rises/flares up'), a Hebraism rendering עָלָה חֲמַת ('wrath goes up'); pictures David's rage mounting at the costly report.
theNominativearticle (with θυμός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυμὸςanger / wrathNominativesubject of ἀναβῇ→ participant prominenceθυμός: 'anger / wrath / rage'; renders חֵמָה / אַף; David's anticipated fury at the news of a botched, costly assault on the wall.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's anger)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; David, whose temper Joab anticipates and pre-empts.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (second protasis verb)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἴπῃhe saysAor Act Subj 3 Sg · λέγωverb of the conditional protasis (the king speaks)→ aorist subjunctive (anticipated speech)λέγω (aor. subj. εἴπῃ): the second verb of the protasis; Joab predicts the very words David will say in his anger.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of εἴπῃ (the courier)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you', the messenger whom David will interrogate.
τίwhyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (adverbial accusative: 'why?')→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'why?'; in the idiom τί ὅτι ('why is it that …?'); the opening of David's anticipated rebuke.
ὅτιthatconjunction (in the idiom τί ὅτι: 'why is it that')→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: in τί ὅτι ('why is it that …?'), rendering the Hebrew interrogative idiom; introduces the king's rebuke about approaching the wall.
ἠγγίσατεyou drew nearAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐγγίζωmain verb of the king's anticipated question (2nd plural)→ constative aoristἐγγίζω: 'draw near / approach'; renders נָגַשׁ / קָרַב; the rebuke targets the recklessness of approaching the wall within bowshot — exactly the tactic Joab used to expose Uriah.
πρὸςto / towardpreposition + accusative (direction of approach)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of approach).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the city's wall)→ object specificationπόλις: 'city'; Rabbah, whose wall is the danger zone in David's anticipated rebuke.
πολεμῆσαιto fightAor Act Inf · πολεμέωinfinitive of purpose (with ἠγγίσατε: 'drew near to fight')→ verbal action or stateπολεμέω: 'wage war / fight'; the purpose infinitive ('to fight'); approaching the wall to engage was the rash act David is imagined to condemn.
οὐκnotnegation (in the rhetorical question οὐκ ᾔδειτε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): negative; οὐκ ᾔδειτε ('did you not know?') expects the answer 'yes', sharpening the rebuke.
ᾔδειτεyou knewPlpf Act Indic 2 Pl · οἶδαmain verb of the rhetorical question (2nd plural)→ stative pluperfect (with imperfect sense)οἶδα (plpf. 2 pl. ᾔδειτε, past sense): 'know'; 'did you not know they would shoot from the wall?' — David's imagined complaint about elementary siege-craft, ironic since the exposure was deliberate.
ὅτιthatconjunction (object clause of ᾔδειτε)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces what the soldiers should have known.
τοξεύσουσινthey will shootFut Act Indic 3 Pl · τοξεύωverb of the object clause (the defenders' archery)→ predictive future (within the anticipated speech)τοξεύω: 'shoot with the bow'; renders יָרָה (in the archery sense); the danger of approaching a defended wall — archers picking off attackers from above.
ἀπάνωθενfrom above / from atopadverb/improper preposition + genitive ('from atop the wall')→ spatial or relational framingἀπάνωθεν: 'from above / from on top of'; renders מֵעַל; the defenders shoot down from the wall's height — the lethal geometry of siege-assault.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τείχους)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τείχουςwallGenitivegenitive object of ἀπάνωθεν (the city wall)→ relational specificationτεῖχος: 'city wall / fortification'; renders חוֹמָה; the wall of Rabbah from which the fatal arrows come — the place of Uriah's death.
21

τίς ἐπάταξεν τὸν Αβιμελεχ υἱὸν Ιεροβααλ οὐχὶ γυνὴ ἔρριψεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν κλάσμα μύλου ἐπάνωθεν τοῦ τείχους καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν Θαμασι ἵνα τί προσηγάγετε πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος καὶ ἐρεῖς καί γε Ουριας ὁ δοῦλός σου ὁ Χετταῖος ἀπέθανεν

'Who struck down Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw a piece of a millstone on him from atop the wall, and he died at Thebez? Why did you approach the wall?' — then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.'

The cited precedent and the punch-line (still Joab's coaching)τίς ἐπάταξεν τὸν Αβιμελεχ
Joab predicts David will cite the cautionary tale of Abimelech son of Jerubbaal (Gideon), killed at Thebez when a woman dropped a millstone on his head from the wall (Judg 9:50–54) — the textbook lesson against approaching fortifications. To this rebuke the courier is to answer with the decisive line (καὶ ἐρεῖς …): 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.' The καί γε again spotlights Uriah; the news of his death is calculated to turn the king's anger to acceptance.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject of ἐπάταξεν)→ participant referenceτίς: 'who?'; opens the rhetorical historical question about Abimelech, expecting the hearer to recall the famous precedent.
ἐπάταξενstruck down / killedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb of the rhetorical question→ constative aoristπατάσσω: 'strike / smite / kill'; renders נָכָה (Hiphil); 'who struck down Abimelech?' — invoking the death of Gideon's son as the proverbial warning against assaulting a defended wall.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Αβιμελεχ)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑβιμελεχAbimelechdirect object of ἐπάταξεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΑβιμελεχ: transliteration of Hebrew אֲבִימֶלֶךְ; indeclinable; Gideon's son, who seized kingship at Shechem and died at Thebez (Judg 9); the marked object (τόν) shows the accusative function.
υἱὸνsonAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Αβιμελεχ→ object specificationυἱός: 'son'; identifies Abimelech as son of Jerubbaal.
Ιεροβααλof Jerubbaalgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'son of Jerubbaal')→ participant identificationΙεροβααλ: transliteration of Hebrew יְרֻבַּעַל (Jerubbaal), the alternate name of Gideon (Judg 6:32); indeclinable; Abimelech's father.
οὐχὶdid not?interrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: introduces a question expecting 'yes' — 'did not a woman …?'; the recollection that a woman killed the warrior-king is itself a humiliation, sharpening the warning.
γυνὴa womanNominativesubject of ἔρριψεν→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'woman'; the anonymous woman of Thebez whose millstone killed Abimelech — the disgrace of dying at a woman's hand underlines the folly of approaching a wall.
ἔρριψενthrew / castAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ῥίπτωmain verb (the woman casts the millstone)→ constative aoristῥίπτω: 'throw / cast / hurl'; renders שָׁלַךְ (Hiphil); the woman's hurling of the upper millstone from the wall, the lethal act recalled from Judg 9:53.
ἐπ᾿on / uponpreposition + accusative (target, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἐπ᾿: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (target, elided before vowel).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπ᾿ (Abimelech)→ participant referenceαὐτὸν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of ἐπ᾿ (Abimelech).
κλάσμαa piece / fragmentAccusativedirect object of ἔρριψεν→ object specificationκλάσμα: 'fragment / piece (broken off)'; renders פֶּלַח; the broken piece of an upper millstone the woman dropped on Abimelech's head.
μύλουof a millstoneGenitivegenitive of material/source (with κλάσμα: 'a piece of millstone')→ relational specificationμύλος: 'mill / millstone'; renders רֶכֶב ('upper millstone'); the heavy stone that crushed Abimelech's skull.
ἐπάνωθενfrom atopadverb/improper preposition + genitive ('from above the wall')→ spatial or relational framingἐπάνωθεν: 'from above / from on top'; renders מֵעַל; the woman cast the stone down from the wall's height — the same lethal geometry that killed Uriah.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τείχους)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τείχουςwallGenitivegenitive object of ἐπάνωθεν→ relational specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the wall of Thebez, parallel to the wall of Rabbah.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέθανενhe diedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (Abimelech's death)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; Abimelech's death at Thebez; the same verb that will end the verse with Uriah's death — binding the two wall-deaths together.
ἐνat / inpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'at'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
ΘαμασιThebezobject of ἐν (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΘαμασι: the LXX (Kaige) form of the place-name תֵּבֵץ (Thebez), where Abimelech died (Judg 9:50); indeclinable; the site of the proverbial wall-death.
ἵναwhyconjunction (in the idiom ἵνα τί: 'to what end / why')→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: in the idiom ἵνα τί ('why? / to what purpose?'), rendering לָמָּה; introduces the renewed rebuke about approaching the wall.
τίwhyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (in ἵνα τί: 'to what end')→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'why?'; with ἵνα forms the purpose-question 'why did you approach the wall?'
προσηγάγετεdid you approach / draw nearAor Act Indic 2 Pl · προσάγωmain verb of the rebuke (2nd plural)→ constative aoristπροσάγω: 'bring near / approach'; here intransitive/reflexive ('you drew near'); renders נָגַשׁ; the rebuke for advancing within deadly range of the wall.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with τεῖχος)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεῖχοςwallAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ object specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the wall of Rabbah, the focus of David's anticipated complaint.
καὶthennarrative conjunction (introducing the courier's scripted reply)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here introducing the apodosis of Joab's instructions ('then you shall say …').
ἐρεῖςyou shall sayFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Joab's instruction to the courier: the trump card)→ imperatival future (instruction)λέγω (fut. ἐρεῖς): 'you will say'; the future has imperatival force — Joab tells the messenger the exact words to deliver once the king's anger flares: the news of Uriah's death, which will silence the rebuke.
καίalso / evenparticle (in the emphatic combination καί γε)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: in καί γε ('also indeed'), rendering גַּם; introduces the climactic disclosure.
γεindeedemphatic enclitic particle (with καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastγε: emphasizing enclitic; καί γε spotlights the report of Uriah's death — the message designed to convert David's wrath into satisfaction.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject of ἀπέθανεν (in the scripted message)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: named with the deferential 'your servant', the courier's report frames Uriah's death as a loyal soldier's casualty.
theNominativearticle (with δοῦλός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δοῦλόςservantNominativenominative in apposition to Ουριας ('your servant')→ participant prominenceδοῦλος: 'servant'; ὁ δοῦλός σου ('your servant') is the deferential court formula; the courier presents Uriah's death respectfully — the very honorific underscoring the betrayal of a faithful man.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (the king's servant)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (the king's servant).
theNominativearticle (with Χετταῖος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΧετταῖοςHittiteNominativegentilic in apposition to Ουριας→ participant prominenceΧετταῖος: 'Hittite'; the recurring epithet sounds again, the faithful foreigner named in the report of his contrived death.
ἀπέθανενis dead / diedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb of the scripted message (Uriah's death)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the final word of Joab's coaching — 'Uriah the Hittite is dead too'; the verb echoes ἀπέθανεν of Abimelech in the same verse, equating the two wall-deaths and disguising murder as battlefield mischance.
22

καὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ ἄγγελος Ιωαβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ παρεγένετο καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Δαυιδ πάντα ὅσα ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ Ιωαβ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ πολέμου καὶ ἐθυμώθη Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωαβ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον ἵνα τί προσηγάγετε πρὸς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ πολεμῆσαι οὐκ ᾔδειτε ὅτι πληγήσεσθε ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους τίς ἐπάταξεν τὸν Αβιμελεχ υἱὸν Ιεροβααλ οὐχὶ γυνὴ ἔρριψεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν κλάσμα μύλου ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν Θαμασι ἵνα τί προσηγάγετε πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος

And Joab's messenger went to the king at Jerusalem; and he arrived and reported to David all that Joab had charged him, all the matters of the war. And David was angry with Joab and said to the messenger, 'Why did you approach the city to fight? Did you not know that you would be struck from the wall? Who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, and he died at Thebez? Why did you approach the wall?'

The report delivered; David's anger erupts as foreseenκαὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ ἄγγελος Ιωαβ
The narrator reports the courier's journey and message, then dramatizes David's outburst almost verbatim as Joab predicted (vv. 20–21) — the doublet (the Abimelech precedent, the wall, the rebuke) confirms Joab's shrewd reading of his king. David's anger (ἐθυμώθη) is the very θυμός Joab anticipated; the scene is poised for the courier's prepared answer in v. 24.
Word-by-word analysis· 77 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπορεύθηwent / journeyedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (the courier travels)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι (aor. pass. dep.): 'go / travel / journey'; renders הָלַךְ; the messenger sets out from the front to Jerusalem with Joab's report.
theNominativearticle (with ἄγγελος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄγγελοςmessengerNominativesubject of ἐπορεύθη→ participant prominenceἄγγελος: 'messenger'; Joab's courier (not an angel); the bearer of the carefully scripted report.
Ιωαβof Joabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'Joab's messenger')→ participant identificationΙωαβ: indeclinable; the messenger belongs to Joab, sent on his commander's errand.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with βασιλέα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (David)→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; David, the report's recipient.
εἰςto / atpreposition + accusative (destination)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (destination).
ΙερουσαλημJerusalemobject of εἰς (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΙερουσαλημ: indeclinable; the royal city where David has remained throughout (vv. 1, 12).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρεγένετοarrivedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · παραγίνομαιmain verb (the courier reaches David)→ constative aoristπαραγίνομαι: 'arrive / come / be present'; renders בּוֹא; the messenger's arrival; the same verb introduced Uriah's arrival in v. 7 — now another emissary comes, bearing news of his death.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπήγγειλενreportedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (the courier delivers the report)→ constative aoristἀπαγγέλλω: 'report / announce'; the messenger relays to David everything Joab charged him to say.
τῷtoDativearticle (marking dative of Δαυιδ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΔαυιδDavidindirect object (indeclinable, dative marked by τῷ)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as indirect object (indeclinable, dative marked by τῷ).
πάνταallAccusativedirect object of ἀπήγγειλεν (substantival: 'all things')→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; the whole of Joab's charge.
ὅσαwhatever / all thatAccusativerelative pronoun (introducing relative clause defining πάντα)→ participant referenceὅσος (neut. pl. ὅσα): 'as much as / whatever'; renders אֲשֶׁר / כֹּל אֲשֶׁר; defines the 'all things' as everything Joab had instructed.
ἀπήγγειλενhad charged / reportedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωverb of the relative clause (what Joab had instructed)→ constative aorist (anterior to the main report)ἀπαγγέλλω: here of Joab's prior instruction to the courier ('all that Joab had told/charged him'); the messenger faithfully repeats it.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object of the relative-clause verb (the courier)→ participant reference or interestαὐτῷ: meaning 'to him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as indirect object of the relative-clause verb (the courier).
ΙωαβJoabsubject of the relative-clause verb (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of the relative-clause verb (indeclinable).
πάνταallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying ῥήματα, resuming πάντα ὅσα)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; resumptive, summing up the report as 'all the matters of the war.'
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ῥήματα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥήματαwords / mattersAccusativeaccusative in apposition (the matters of the war)→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / matter'; renders דָּבָר; 'all the matters of the war'; the noun ῥῆμα will recur at vv. 25 and 27, binding the report to the verdict.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολέμουwarGenitivegenitive of relationship (the matters of the war)→ relational specificationπόλεμος: 'war'; the engagement at Rabbah, fully reported.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (David's reaction)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐθυμώθηwas angryAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · θυμόωmain verb (David's anger)→ ingressive aorist (became angry)θυμόω (aor. pass. dep. ἐθυμώθη): 'be angry / become enraged'; renders חָרָה אַף; David's anger flares exactly as Joab foresaw (the θυμός of v. 20), confirming the commander's shrewd reading of his king.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςwith / againstpreposition + accusative (object of anger)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + acc.: here 'with / against' (the object of David's anger), a Hebraism rendering the construction with אֶל.
ΙωαβJoabobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: the object of David's (feigned or genuine) anger at the costly assault — anger Joab has already neutralized with the prepared message.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (David rebukes the messenger)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces David's rebuke, which the narrator gives almost verbatim as Joab predicted.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἄγγελον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄγγελονmessengerAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the courier)→ object specificationἄγγελος: 'messenger'; the courier whom David interrogates in his anger.
ἵναwhyconjunction (in the idiom ἵνα τί: 'why')→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: in ἵνα τί ('why?'), rendering לָמָּה; opens David's rebuke.
τίwhyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (in ἵνα τί)→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'why?'; the purpose-question.
προσηγάγετεdid you approachAor Act Indic 2 Pl · προσάγωmain verb of David's rebuke (2nd plural)→ constative aoristπροσάγω: 'draw near / approach'; David's complaint about advancing on the city — matching Joab's prediction (v. 20).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ object specificationπόλις: 'city'; Rabbah, the object of the costly approach.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with articular infinitive πολεμῆσαι)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πολεμῆσαιto fightAor Act Inf · πολεμέωarticular infinitive of purpose (τοῦ + inf: 'in order to fight')→ verbal action or stateπολεμέω: 'fight / wage war'; the articular infinitive of purpose ('to fight'); approaching the wall to engage was the act David condemns.
οὐκnotnegation (in the rhetorical question)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
ᾔδειτεyou knewPlpf Act Indic 2 Pl · οἶδαmain verb of the rhetorical question→ stative pluperfect (with imperfect sense)οἶδα (plpf. 2 pl. ᾔδειτε): 'know'; 'did you not know you would be struck from the wall?' — the elementary tactical lesson David invokes.
ὅτιthatconjunction (object clause of ᾔδειτε)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: meaning 'that'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πληγήσεσθεyou would be struckFut Pass Indic 2 Pl · πλήσσωverb of the object clause (the expected casualties)→ predictive futureπλήσσω (fut. pass. πληγήσεσθε): 'be struck / smitten'; the same verb as the death-warrant's πληγήσεται (v. 15) — David's public rebuke unwittingly echoes his own secret order.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source of the blow)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source of the blow).
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τείχους)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τείχουςwallGenitivegenitive of source (with ἀπό: 'from the wall')→ relational specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the source of the deadly missiles.
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject of ἐπάταξεν)→ participant referenceτίς: 'who?'; David invokes the Abimelech precedent, just as Joab foresaw.
ἐπάταξενstruckAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb of the rhetorical question→ constative aoristπατάσσω: 'strike / kill'; 'who struck Abimelech?' — the proverbial wall-death cited by David.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Αβιμελεχ)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑβιμελεχAbimelechdirect object of ἐπάταξεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑβιμελεχ: Gideon's son, killed at Thebez (Judg 9); the cautionary example.
υἱὸνsonAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Αβιμελεχ→ object specificationυἱός: 'son'; identifies Abimelech.
Ιεροβααλof Jerubbaalgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙεροβααλ: Jerubbaal = Gideon; Abimelech's father.
οὐχὶdid not?interrogative negative (expecting affirmative)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: expects 'yes'; 'did not a woman …?'
γυνὴa womanNominativesubject of ἔρριψεν→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'woman'; the woman of Thebez.
ἔρριψενthrewAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ῥίπτωmain verb (the woman casts the millstone)→ constative aoristῥίπτω: 'throw / cast'; the lethal hurling of the millstone.
ἐπ᾿onpreposition + accusative (target, elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπ᾿: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (target, elided).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπ᾿ (Abimelech)→ participant referenceαὐτὸν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of ἐπ᾿ (Abimelech).
κλάσμαa pieceAccusativedirect object of ἔρριψεν→ object specificationκλάσμα: 'fragment / piece'; the broken millstone-piece.
μύλουof a millstoneGenitivegenitive of material (with κλάσμα)→ relational specificationμύλος: 'millstone'; the lethal object.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source: 'from the wall')→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: 'from'; here where v. 21 had ἐπάνωθεν ('from atop'), the doublet varies to the simpler ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους ('from the wall').
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τείχους)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τείχουςwallGenitivegenitive of source (with ἀπό)→ relational specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the wall of Thebez.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέθανενhe diedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (Abimelech's death)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; Abimelech's death at Thebez, the precedent David cites.
ἐνatpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'at'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
ΘαμασιThebezobject of ἐν (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΘαμασι: the LXX form of Thebez (תֵּבֵץ); the site of Abimelech's death.
ἵναwhyconjunction (in the idiom ἵνα τί: 'why')→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: in ἵνα τί ('why?'); repeats the rebuke.
τίwhyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (in ἵνα τί)→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'why?'; the closing repetition of the rebuke.
προσηγάγετεdid you approachAor Act Indic 2 Pl · προσάγωmain verb (the repeated rebuke)→ constative aoristπροσάγω: 'draw near'; David's rebuke ends as it began, with the question 'why did you approach the wall?' — the very recklessness Joab exploited to kill Uriah.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with τεῖχος)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεῖχοςwallAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ object specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the wall of Rabbah, the closing word of David's rebuke.
23

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς Δαυιδ ὅτι ἐκραταίωσαν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ ἐξῆλθαν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸν ἀγρόν καὶ ἐγενήθημεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἕως τῆς θύρας τῆς πύλης

And the messenger said to David, 'The men prevailed against us and came out against us into the field, and we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.'

The courier's account of the battle (setting up the death-report)καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς Δαυιδ
The courier explains the tactical situation that 'justified' the costly approach: the defenders prevailed and sallied into the open, and the besiegers pursued them back to the very gate (ἕως τῆς θύρας τῆς πύλης) — hence the dangerous proximity to the wall. The account prepares David (and the reader) for the climactic disclosure of Uriah's death in v. 24.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (the courier replies)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the messenger's explanation.
theNominativearticle (with ἄγγελος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄγγελοςmessengerNominativesubject of εἶπεν→ participant prominenceἄγγελος: 'messenger'; Joab's courier, now answering David's rebuke.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΔαυιδDavidobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as object of πρός (indeclinable).
ὅτι(that)conjunction (recitative, introducing direct speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: recitative ὅτι, functioning like quotation marks before the courier's words; left untranslated in English.
ἐκραταίωσανprevailed / grew strongAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κραταιόωmain verb of reported speech (the defenders prevailed)→ ingressive aorist (gained the upper hand)κραταιόω: 'be strong / prevail / gain mastery'; renders גָּבַר / חָזַק; the defenders 'prevailed against us', the courier's explanation for the besiegers' dangerous advance.
ἐφ᾿againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction, elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐφ᾿: meaning 'against'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (hostile direction, elided).
ἡμᾶςusAccusativeaccusative object of ἐφ᾿ (the besiegers)→ participant referenceἡμᾶς: meaning 'us'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of ἐφ᾿ (the besiegers).
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἐκραταίωσαν→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: 'man'; the defenders of the city, who gained the advantage and sallied out.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθανcame outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (the defenders sally into the open)→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι (late aor. ending -αν): 'go out / sally'; the defenders came out into the field, drawing the besiegers after them toward the wall.
ἐφ᾿againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)→ spatial or relational framingἐφ᾿: meaning 'against'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (hostile direction).
ἡμᾶςusAccusativeaccusative object of ἐφ᾿→ participant referenceἡμᾶς: meaning 'us'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of ἐφ᾿.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἀγρόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγρόνfield / open countryAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (where the sortie reached)→ object specificationἀγρός: 'field / open country'; renders שָׂדֶה; the open ground where the engagement took place — the same word Uriah used of the army's exposed camp (v. 11).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγενήθημενwe drove them / we were uponAor Pass Indic 1 Pl · γίνομαιmain verb (the besiegers' counter-thrust)→ constative aoristγίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθημεν): lit. 'we came to be (upon them)'; the idiom ἐγενήθημεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς means 'we pressed/drove them back', rendering the Hebrew idiom of pursuit; the besiegers counter-attacked, pursuing the sortie back to the gate.
ἐπ᾿upon / againstpreposition + accusative (direction of the counter-thrust)→ spatial or relational framingἐπ᾿: meaning 'upon'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of the counter-thrust).
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπ᾿ (the defenders)→ participant referenceαὐτοὺς: meaning 'them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as accusative object of ἐπ᾿ (the defenders).
ἕωςas far as / up topreposition + genitive (extent: 'up to the gate')→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'until / as far as'; renders עַד; marks how far the pursuit reached — right to the gate, hence within bowshot of the wall.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with θύρας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θύραςdoor / entranceGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (the gate's entrance)→ relational specificationθύρα: 'door / entrance'; here the opening of the city gate; the phrase ἕως τῆς θύρας τῆς πύλης ('to the entrance of the gate') explains the perilous nearness to the wall.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with πύλης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πύληςgateGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θύρας: 'the entrance of the gate')→ relational specificationπύλη: 'gate'; renders שַׁעַר; the city gate of Rabbah, to which the besiegers pursued the defenders — explaining how Uriah came under the wall's archers.
24

καὶ ἐτόξευσαν οἱ τοξεύοντες πρὸς τοὺς παῖδάς σου ἀπάνωθεν τοῦ τείχους καὶ ἀπέθαναν τῶν παίδων τοῦ βασιλέως καί γε ὁ δοῦλός σου Ουριας ὁ Χετταῖος ἀπέθανεν

'And the archers shot at your servants from atop the wall, and some of the king's servants died; and your servant Uriah the Hittite died too.'

The death-report delivered (Joab's trump card played)καὶ ἐτόξευσαν οἱ τοξεύοντες
The courier delivers the prepared climax: the archers shot from the wall, some of the king's servants fell, and — with the emphatic καί γε — 'your servant Uriah the Hittite died too.' The wording matches Joab's coaching (v. 21). The deferential ὁ δοῦλός σου frames Uriah's death as honorable loss, exactly the spin designed to convert David's anger into acceptance (v. 25).
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing the courier's report)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐτόξευσανshotAor Act Indic 3 Pl · τοξεύωmain verb (the archers shoot)→ constative aoristτοξεύω: 'shoot with the bow'; renders יָרָה; the defenders' archers fired from the wall — fulfilling the very danger David's rebuke named (v. 20).
οἱtheNominativearticle (with the substantival participle τοξεύοντες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τοξεύοντεςthe archers / those shootingPres Act Part Nom Pl Masc · τοξεύωsubstantival participle (subject: 'the shooters / archers')→ durative present participle (those engaged in shooting)τοξεύω (pres. part. subst.): 'the ones shooting' = the archers; the figura etymologica ἐτόξευσαν οἱ τοξεύοντες ('the shooters shot') is a Hebraistic cognate construction (cf. הַמּוֹרִים ... וַיֹּרוּ) emphasizing the volley from the wall.
πρὸςatpreposition + accusative (target)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'at'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (target).
τοὺςthe / yourAccusativearticle (with παῖδάς)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παῖδάςservantsAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the king's soldiers)→ object specificationπαῖς: 'servant / soldier'; 'your servants' — David's troops, the targets of the wall-archers; the deferential term casts the casualties as the king's loyal men.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (the king's servants)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (the king's servants).
ἀπάνωθενfrom atopadverb/improper preposition + genitive ('from atop the wall')→ spatial or relational framingἀπάνωθεν: 'from above'; the archers shot down from the wall's height — the lethal vantage that killed Uriah.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τείχους)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τείχουςwallGenitivegenitive object of ἀπάνωθεν→ relational specificationτεῖχος: 'wall'; the wall of Rabbah, from which the fatal arrows came.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέθανανdiedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (casualties among the king's servants)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω (late aor. 3 pl. ἀπέθαναν): 'die'; some of David's servants fell — the collateral deaths the report acknowledges before naming Uriah.
τῶνthe / some of theGenitivearticle (partitive: 'some of the servants')→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παίδωνservantsGenitivepartitive genitive (subject of ἀπέθαναν: 'some of the servants died')→ relational specificationπαῖς: 'servant / soldier'; partitive genitive — 'some of the king's servants died'; the casualties David's sin has cost.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with βασιλέως)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's servants)→ relational specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; David, whose own men died in the engineered assault.
καίalso / evenparticle (in the emphatic combination καί γε)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: in καί γε ('and indeed / even also'), rendering גַּם; introduces the climactic disclosure of Uriah's death.
γεindeedemphatic enclitic particle (with καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastγε: emphasizing enclitic; καί γε spotlights the message David has been waiting to hear — that Uriah is among the dead.
theNominativearticle (with δοῦλός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δοῦλόςservantNominativenominative in apposition to Ουριας ('your servant')→ participant prominenceδοῦλος: 'servant'; ὁ δοῦλός σου ('your servant') — the honorific that, in naming Uriah's loyalty, deepens the pathos of his betrayal.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject of ἀπέθανεν (declined nominative)→ participant prominenceΟυριας: the faithful soldier, named as the report's climax — the death David secretly ordered, now announced as a casualty of war.
theNominativearticle (with Χετταῖος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΧετταῖοςHittiteNominativegentilic in apposition to Ουριας→ participant prominenceΧετταῖος: 'Hittite'; the epithet sounds for the last time over Uriah — the loyal foreigner whose death the king engineered.
ἀπέθανενdiedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (Uriah's death announced)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the report's final word names Uriah's death — the fulfillment of the death-warrant (v. 15) and the news that will move David to call the murder mere battlefield chance (v. 25).
25

καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον τάδε ἐρεῖς πρὸς Ιωαβ μὴ πονηρὸν ἔστω ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὅτι ποτὲ μὲν οὕτως καὶ ποτὲ οὕτως φάγεται ἡ μάχαιρα κραταίωσον τὸν πόλεμόν σου πρὸς τὴν πόλιν καὶ κατάσπασον αὐτὴν καὶ κραταίωσον αὐτόν

And David said to the messenger, 'Thus shall you say to Joab: "Do not let this matter be evil in your eyes, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack against the city and overthrow it." And so encourage him.'

David's cynical reply (the murder normalized)καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον
David's reply is morally chilling. He tells Joab not to let 'this matter' (τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο) be πονηρόν ('evil / grievous') in his eyes, rationalizing Uriah's death with the fatalistic proverb φάγεται ἡ μάχαιρα ('the sword devours now one and now another'). He urges Joab to press the siege and encourages him. The key word πονηρόν, here used by David to dismiss the deed, is the very term the narrator will turn back upon him in the verdict of v. 27.
Word-by-word analysis· 42 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (David replies to the messenger)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces David's reply — his anger at once subsiding now that Uriah is dead.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἄγγελον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄγγελονmessengerAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the courier)→ object specificationἄγγελος: 'messenger'; the courier David sends back with his reply to Joab.
τάδεthus / these thingsAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (object of ἐρεῖς: the content to relay)→ participant referenceὅδε (neut. pl. τάδε): 'this / these things'; τάδε ἐρεῖς ('thus you shall say') is the messenger-formula, here introducing David's words for Joab.
ἐρεῖςyou shall sayFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (David's instruction to the courier)→ imperatival future (instruction)λέγω (fut. ἐρεῖς): 'you will say'; imperatival future, charging the courier with David's message to Joab.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient).
ΙωαβJoabobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙωαβ: the recipient of David's reassuring reply, his fellow-conspirator in the murder.
μὴnotnegation (with the imperative ἔστω)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: negative with the imperative ('let it not …'); David urges Joab not to be troubled by the deed.
πονηρὸνevil / grievousNominativepredicate adjective (with ἔστω: 'let it not be evil')→ participant prominenceπονηρός: 'evil / bad / grievous'; renders רַע; David tells Joab not to regard the matter as πονηρόν — the very word the narrator will use of David's deed in v. 27 (πονηρὸν ἐφάνη), turning David's dismissal into self-indictment; the idiom 'be evil in the eyes of' renders יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶי.
ἔστωlet it bePres Act Impv 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb of direct speech (3rd-person imperative)→ imperative (prohibition with μή)εἰμί (pres. impv. 3 sg. ἔστω): 'let it be'; with μή a prohibition — 'let not this matter be grievous to you'; David's attempt to set Joab's conscience at ease.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (in the idiom 'in your eyes')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (in the idiom 'in your eyes').
ὀφθαλμοῖςeyesDativedative in the idiom ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ('in the eyes/sight of')→ sphere or referenceὀφθαλμός: 'eye'; the idiom ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου ('in your eyes') renders בְּעֵינֶיךָ; the same idiom recurs in v. 27 (ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου, 'in the eyes of the LORD') — David tells Joab the deed is not evil in his eyes, but the narrator declares it evil in YHWH's.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (Joab's eyes)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (Joab's eyes).
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαmatter / thingNominativesubject of ἔστω→ participant prominenceῥῆμα: 'word / thing / matter'; renders דָּבָר; 'this matter' = Uriah's death; the noun ῥῆμα ties David's words here to Uriah's refused 'thing' (v. 11) and the LORD's verdict on the 'thing David did' (v. 27).
τοῦτοthisNominativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ῥῆμα)→ participant referenceοὗτος (neut. τοῦτο): 'this'; specifying 'this matter' — the death just reported.
ὅτιfor / becauseconjunction (causal: giving the rationalization)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces David's fatalistic justification.
ποτὲnow / at one timeadverb (in the correlative ποτὲ μὲν … ποτὲ: 'now … now')→ clausal contributionποτέ: 'at some time / now'; in the correlative ποτὲ μὲν … καὶ ποτὲ ('now this one … and now that one'), expressing the random impartiality with which the sword strikes.
μὲνon the one handparticle (correlative with the following ποτέ)→ discourse linkage or contrastμέν: correlative particle, pairing with the second ποτέ ('on the one hand … on the other'); part of the proverb of war's indiscriminate slaughter.
οὕτωςthus / soadverb (in the proverb: 'now in this way')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / in this way'; ποτὲ μὲν οὕτως καὶ ποτὲ οὕτως ('now thus and now thus') = the sword falls now on one, now on another — David's callous reduction of murder to the lottery of battle.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking the two halves of the proverb)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ποτὲnow / at another timeadverb (second member of the correlative)→ clausal contributionποτέ: the second 'now', completing the proverb.
οὕτωςthus / soadverb (second member of the proverb)→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus'; the repeated adverb completes the fatalistic saying.
φάγεταιdevoursFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb of the proverb (the sword 'devours')→ gnomic future (proverbial truth)ἐσθίω (fut. mid. φάγεται): 'eat / devour'; the metaphor 'the sword devours' renders the Hebrew idiom תֹּאכַל הַחֶרֶב (cf. 2 Sam 2:26; Deut 32:42); the gnomic future states war's inevitable consumption of lives — David's excuse for an engineered death.
theNominativearticle (with μάχαιρα)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μάχαιραswordNominativesubject of φάγεται→ participant prominenceμάχαιρα: 'sword / knife'; renders חֶרֶב; the personified sword that 'devours' indiscriminately; ironically, Nathan will declare that 'the sword shall never depart from your house' (12:10) precisely because of this deed.
κραταίωσονpress / strengthenAor Act Impv 2 Sg · κραταιόωmain verb of direct speech (David's order to Joab)→ ingressive aorist imperativeκραταιόω: 'strengthen / press hard / make strong'; renders חָזַק (Hiphil); David urges Joab to intensify the siege — business as usual, the murder dismissed and the campaign pressed on.
τὸνthe / yourAccusativearticle (with πόλεμόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεμόνwar / attackAccusativedirect object of κραταίωσον→ object specificationπόλεμος: 'war / battle'; here Joab's assault on the city, which David tells him to prosecute vigorously.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
πρὸςagainstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'against'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (hostile direction).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Rabbah)→ object specificationπόλις: 'city'; Rabbah, the siege David urges Joab to press to its conclusion (cf. 12:26–29).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατάσπασονoverthrow / tear downAor Act Impv 2 Sg · κατασπάωmain verb of direct speech (second command to Joab)→ ingressive aorist imperativeκατασπάω: 'pull down / overthrow / demolish'; renders הָרַס; David orders Joab to raze the city — the soldier's death subsumed under the ongoing prosecution of the war.
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of κατάσπασον (the city)→ participant referenceαὐτὴν: meaning 'it'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of κατάσπασον (the city).
καὶand socoordinate conjunction (David's closing instruction to the messenger)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and so'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κραταίωσονencourage / strengthenAor Act Impv 2 Sg · κραταιόωmain verb (final command: 'encourage him')→ ingressive aorist imperativeκραταιόω: 'strengthen / encourage'; the repeated verb, now with a personal object — David tells the messenger to embolden Joab; the addressee shifts from Joab back to the courier ('and so encourage him', i.e. Joab), capping the cynical reply with a word of reassurance to the murderer.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of κραταίωσον (Joab)→ participant referenceαὐτόν: 'him', i.e. Joab; David's final word is to embolden his fellow-conspirator — a grim solidarity in the deed.
26

καὶ ἤκουσεν ἡ γυνὴ Ουριου ὅτι ἀπέθανεν Ουριας ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκόψατο τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς

And the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, and she mourned for her husband.

Bathsheba's mourning (opening of section D)καὶ ἤκουσεν ἡ γυνὴ Ουριου
The narrative briefly gives Bathsheba her voice in grief. Still designated only as 'the wife of Uriah' (ἡ γυνὴ Ουριου) — the title that names the betrayed marriage — she mourns (ἐκόψατο) for 'her husband' (twice ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς / τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς). The repeated kinship terms quietly insist on the bond David has destroyed, even as the next verse will make her David's wife.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἤκουσενheardAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (Bathsheba hears the news)→ constative aoristἀκούω: 'hear / learn'; renders שָׁמַע; Bathsheba learns of Uriah's death — the news the whole machinery has produced.
theNominativearticle (with γυνὴ)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυνὴwifeNominativesubject of ἤκουσεν→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; ἡ γυνὴ Ουριου ('the wife of Uriah') — Bathsheba named by the very relationship David has violated and now ended; she remains 'Uriah's wife' until v. 27 makes her David's.
Ουριουof UriahGenitivegenitive of relationship (wife of Uriah)→ relational specificationΟυριας (gen. Ουριου): the murdered husband; the genitive keeps his name attached to Bathsheba in the moment of her widowhood.
ὅτιthatconjunction (object clause of ἤκουσεν)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content of what Bathsheba heard.
ἀπέθανενwas dead / had diedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωverb of the object clause (Uriah's death)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; Uriah's death, reported now to his wife; the verb recurs through the chapter as the drumbeat of the engineered killing.
ΟυριαςUriahNominativesubject of ἀπέθανεν→ participant prominenceΟυριας: named again in death; the repetition of his name underscores the reality of the loss.
theNominativearticle (with ἀνὴρ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνὴρhusbandNominativenominative in apposition to Ουριας ('her husband')→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: 'man / husband'; renders אִישׁ; ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ('her husband') stresses the marriage-bond; the word will be echoed in the next clause (τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς), insisting on the relationship destroyed.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of relationship (Bathsheba's husband)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (Bathsheba's husband).
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκόψατοmourned / lamentedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · κόπτωmain verb (Bathsheba's mourning)→ constative aorist (the period of mourning)κόπτω (mid. κόπτομαι): 'beat (oneself in grief) / mourn / lament'; the middle voice denotes ritual mourning (beating the breast); renders סָפַד; Bathsheba performs the customary lamentation for her husband — whether perfunctory or genuine, the narrator leaves unsaid.
τὸνthe / herAccusativearticle (with ἄνδρα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνδραhusbandAccusativedirect object of ἐκόψατο (the object of mourning)→ object specificationἀνήρ (acc. ἄνδρα): 'husband'; τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς ('her husband') — the second insistence on the marital bond in one verse, the relationship David's sin has dissolved.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of relationship→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship.
27

καὶ διῆλθεν τὸ πένθος καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ καὶ συνήγαγεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγενήθη αὐτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ υἱόν καὶ πονηρὸν ἐφάνη τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου

And when the mourning was past, David sent and gathered her into his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Resolution and divine verdict (the hinge of the David narrative)καὶ διῆλθεν τὸ πένθος
The apparent resolution — mourning ended, David sends (the leitmotif ἀπέστειλεν one last time) and gathers Bathsheba, she becomes his wife and bears a son — is abruptly overturned by the chapter's final, decisive clause: πονηρὸν ἐφάνη τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου ('the thing David had done was evil in the eyes of the LORD'). The narrator's verdict, using David's own dismissive word πονηρόν (v. 25), introduces the only voice that matters and launches Nathan's confrontation in ch. 12. THE THEOLOGICAL HINGE: human concealment fails before the divine gaze.
Word-by-word analysis· 34 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διῆλθενpassed / was overAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διέρχομαιmain verb (the mourning period ends)→ constative aoristδιέρχομαι: 'go through / pass / elapse'; renders עָבַר; 'the mourning passed' — the customary seven-day period of grief ended, after which David could decently act.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with πένθος)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πένθοςmourningNominativesubject of διῆλθεν→ participant prominenceπένθος: 'mourning / grief'; renders אֵבֶל; the formal period of lamentation; its passing clears the way for David to take Bathsheba — with unseemly haste, the text implies.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (David sends for Bathsheba)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: the chapter's leitmotif of sending recurs a final time — as David 'sent' to take her (v. 4), so now he 'sends' to make her his wife; the verb frames the whole episode of a king who acts by sending.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject (indeclinable).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
συνήγαγενgathered / broughtAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συνάγωmain verb (David takes Bathsheba into his house)→ constative aoristσυνάγω: 'gather / bring together / take in'; renders אָסַף; David 'gathered her into his house', i.e. took her as wife into his household — the cover-up's apparent success completed.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of συνήγαγεν (Bathsheba)→ participant referenceαὐτὴν: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of συνήγαγεν (Bathsheba).
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὸνthe / hisAccusativearticle (with οἶκον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (David's house)→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house / household'; David's house, into which Bathsheba is now brought — she who once 'returned to her house' (v. 4) now enters the king's.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγενήθηbecameAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (she becomes his wife)→ constative aoristγίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθη): 'become / come to be'; in the idiom ἐγενήθη αὐτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα ('she became a wife to him'), a Hebraism rendering וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה (הָיָה לְ = 'become'); Bathsheba's status changes from Uriah's wife to David's.
αὐτῷto himDativedative of advantage (in the idiom: 'became a wife to him')→ participant reference or interestαὐτῷ: meaning 'to him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (in the idiom: 'became a wife to him').
εἰςas / forpreposition + accusative (predicate, Hebraism: 'as a wife')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: predicate εἰς (the 'εἰς of becoming'), rendering the Hebrew לְ of state; ἐγενήθη … εἰς γυναῖκα = 'became a wife' — a Hebraism the LXX preserves.
γυναῖκαwifeAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἰς: 'as a wife')→ object specificationγυνή: 'wife'; Bathsheba becomes David's wife — the marriage that crowns the concealment; yet the very next clause exposes it as evil before God.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔτεκενboreAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τίκτωmain verb (Bathsheba bears a son)→ constative aoristτίκτω (aor. ἔτεκεν): 'give birth / bear'; renders יָלַד; she bears David a son — the child conceived in adultery (v. 5), who will die as the first stroke of judgment (12:18); the apparent happy ending is undercut by what follows.
αὐτῷto himDativedative of advantage (bore him a son)→ participant reference or interestαὐτῷ: meaning 'to him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (bore him a son).
υἱόνa sonAccusativedirect object of ἔτεκεν→ object specificationυἱός: 'son'; the child of David and Bathsheba, born of adultery; his death will be the opening judgment of ch. 12, before Solomon is later born to the same parents.
καὶbutnarrative conjunction (here strongly adversative: the divine verdict)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: paratactic but emphatically adversative — the whole tidy resolution is overturned by this 'but'; the Hebrew waw introduces the decisive evaluative clause.
πονηρὸνevilNominativepredicate adjective (fronted for emphasis: 'evil was the thing')→ participant prominenceπονηρός: 'evil / wicked'; renders רַע; the fronted predicate delivers the verdict with maximum force; it is the same word David used to tell Joab not to regard the deed as πονηρόν (v. 25) — the narrator turns David's own dismissal into God's condemnation.
ἐφάνηwas / appearedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · φαίνωmain verb (the divine evaluation)→ constative aorist (the settled verdict)φαίνω (aor. pass. ἐφάνη): 'appear / be seen / be manifest'; here 'the thing appeared evil', i.e. was evil, in the LORD's sight; renders וַיֵּרַע (from רָעַע, 'be evil'); the verb of 'appearing' fits the idiom 'in the eyes of' — what David hid from human eyes is manifest before YHWH's.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαthing / deedNominativesubject of ἐφάνη→ participant prominenceῥῆμα: 'word / thing / deed'; renders דָּבָר (which means both 'word' and 'thing/deed'); 'the thing David did' = the whole sequence of adultery and murder; the noun ῥῆμα binds the verdict to Uriah's refused 'thing' (v. 11) and David's dismissed 'matter' (v. 25).
whichNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἐποίησεν, modifying ῥῆμα)→ participant referenceὅς (neut. ὅ): relative pronoun 'which / that'; introduces the clause specifying the deed as David's own.
ἐποίησενdid / had doneAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of the relative clause (David's deed)→ constative aoristποιέω: 'do / make'; renders עָשָׂה; 'the thing David did'; the verb ποιέω echoes Uriah's oath that he would not 'do this thing' (εἰ ποιήσω, v. 11) — Uriah refused his lawful comfort, while David did the unlawful deed now judged evil.
ΔαυιδDavidsubject of ἐποίησεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΔαυιδ: named as the agent of the evil deed; the verdict places responsibility squarely on the king.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (in the idiom 'in the eyes of')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (in the idiom 'in the eyes of').
ὀφθαλμοῖςeyesDativedative in the idiom ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ('in the eyes/sight of')→ sphere or referenceὀφθαλμός: 'eye'; the idiom ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου ('in the eyes of the LORD') renders בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה; it deliberately answers David's 'in your eyes' to Joab (v. 25) — the deed not evil in human eyes is evil in God's; the divine gaze sees what the king concealed.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive (in the idiom 'in the eyes of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος: here the Tetragrammaton — ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κυρίου renders בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה ('in the eyes of YHWH'); the divine name appears for the first time in the chapter at its very last word, the only verdict that counts; YHWH's judgment overturns the human resolution and propels the narrative into Nathan's indictment (ch. 12).