20. if it happens that the king’s wrath flares up and he says to you, ‘Why did you come so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?
21. Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you come so close to the wall?’ Then you will say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead, too.’”
22. So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to report.
23. The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the open field, but we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.
24. Then the archers shot at your troops from the wall, and some of the king’s officers fell dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite died, too.”
25. Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Don’t let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Press your attack against the city and overthrow it!’ So tell him, chazak!”
26. Now when the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah had died, she mourned over her husband.