URIA (“Jahweh is my light”?)—A man of war, one of David’s thirty gibbārīm (II Sam., 23, 39). He was of Hittite origin; his name may be an adaptation of a foreign theophoric name.
Brave and loyal, he was doubly harmed by David’s sin (ibid. 11). He was at war against the Ammonites when the King committed adultery with his wife Bethsaea (v.). Summoned at once to Jerusalem on a pretext, so that, by spending a few days at home, the child to be born might be considered his, he unwittingly thwarted the King’s plans and spent the night at the Palace guardhouse. David then sent him back to the camp, Ioab (v.) a letter containing instructions that he should be exposed to danger in battle during the siege of Rabbath Ammon. And fighting, he died.
Other U. mentioned in the Bible: a priest in the time of Achaz (Is. 8,2; II Reg. 16, 10-16); a courageous prophet contemporary with Geremia (Ier. 26, 20-23); one or two priests in the time of Esdra (Esd. 8,33; Neh. 8,4).