15. In the letter David wrote, “Put Uriah on the front lines where the fighting is worst and leave him there alone. Let him be killed in battle.”
16. Joab watched the city and saw where its strongest defenders were and put Uriah there.
17. When the men of the city came out to fight against Joab, some of David’s men were killed. And Uriah the Hittite was one of them.
18. Then Joab sent David a complete account of the war.
19. Joab told the messenger, “Tell King David what happened in the war.
20. After you finish, the king may be angry and ask, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the city wall?
21. Do you remember who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth? It was a woman on the city wall. She threw a large stone for grinding grain on Abimelech and killed him there in Thebez. Why did you go so near the wall?’ If King David asks that, tell him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’ ”
22. The messenger left and went to David and told him everything Joab had told him to say.
23. The messenger told David, “The men of Ammon were winning. They came out and attacked us in the field, but we fought them back to the city gate.
24. The archers on the city wall shot at your servants, and some of your men were killed. Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.”