In the book of 2 Samuel, a woman changed the life of king David at one point. She was not one of the “protagonist” women with voices like Ruth, Esther, or even Rahab (etc.). But she had a great impact on the history of the Bible.
Bathsheba has been silent for the rest of her story. She became illegitimately pregnant with king David, then her husband was killed (staged by David and Joab), and soon after, her first son died at the age of seven days (because of an incurable disease caused by David and Bathsheba disobeying the commandments of God). But she gained her voice long after the birth of her second son, Solomon. It is when she talked to the old version of king David about her son Solomon taking over the throne after him. Her traits were impacted by the people around her.
In this episode of Bible Trivia, let’s talk about some of the men who surrounded Bathsheba throughout her life.
The Men in the Life of Bathsheba
Eliam
The father of Bathsheba.
Eliam was first introduced in the bible by Samuel as the father of Bathsheba.
3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”
2 Samuel 11
In other versions, Latin origin, Bathsheba’s name was Bathshua. And written in the scripture was her father Ammiel, the same Eliam who was one of David’s Mighty Warriors.
David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, 5 and these were the children born to him there:
1 Chronicles 3
Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba (birth name Bathshua) daughter of Ammiel.
He was ranked as one of “Mighty Warriors of King David” and was the son of Ahithophel.
David’s Mighty Warriors
2 Samuel 23:34
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
…
34Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.
…
Ahithophel
The grandfather of Bathsheba.
It is written in the Bible that King David was surrounded by close friends and faithful allies. Ahithophel was one of them.
33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor.
1 Chronicles 27
34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.
1 Chronicles 27
Absalom (one of David’s son), rebelled against his father. Ahithopel then changed side and went from David’s to Absalom’s. He went on to advice Absalom on what to do while planning to attack the king.
23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.
2 Samuel 16
1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king.
2 Samuel 17:2
Ahithophel must have felt justified by Nathan’s prophecy and planned to take over the king’s harem.
11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”
2 Samuel 12
As the patriarch of Bathsheba’s family, he must have felt ashamed and betrayed by David by taking his granddaughter, another man’s wife, and had her husband killed in battle. Ahithophel grudged against the king and wanted him killed in the process.
But his plan was foiled by David. The king had his trusted confidante, Hushai, pretend to be a traitor and warn Absalom. The two did not follow Ahithophel’s advice so he went home and hung himself.
Uriah
The first husband of Bathsheba
Uriah was first introduced in the Bible to be the husband of Bathsheba.
3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”
2 Samuel 11
He was one of the strongest men in David’s army.
David’s Mighty Warriors
2 Samuel 23
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
…
39 and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
One thing we know about this man named Uriah was that he was a man with character. Even though he was a Hittite and not a Jewish by blood, he chose to be in the battle (for the glory of God) with the others than to stay home and relax. Yet he was persuaded by David twice but he did not bite.
David told him to go home to his wife and sleep with her but was found sleeping outside the palace entrance. David asked why he did not go home and take a vacation for a day or two. Uriah told the king he will not take a break, not until his friends and colleagues are at war.
The second night, David made him drunk and sent him home but was found on the same spot the next day. So the only thing David thought of to escape from his sin was to eliminate the husband of Bathsheba. The king sent Uriah back with a message to Joab. It was written that he must be disposed of and before the war ended, Uriah died in battle.
But throughout history, Uriah’s name was not erased. Bathsheba was forever be known as the “wife of Uriah”. And it was written in the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah.
David
The second husband of Bathsheba.
David was “a man after God’s own heart.”
22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
Acts 13:22
14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
1 Samuel 13:14
But he had one thing that quite contradicts the first fact about him.
5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.
1 Kings 15
He took another man’s wife, tried to cover the mishap, took a wrong turn and murdered the husband. David had it a little too far from what the Lord commanded. Then he took Uriah’s wife for his own.
27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
2 Samuel 11
Nathan told the king a story of two men. One with plenty of sheep and cattle while another man was with a beloved lamb.
4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
2 Samuel 12
David was angry and asked who this man was and Nathan pointed out that the man was king David himself. The prophet told him that the Lord was displeased by his actions.
One thing we observe from David was his ability to repent whole-heartedly. He knew what he did wrong and asked forgiveness from the Lord.
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
2 Samuel 12
King David was spared but the sin he committed was not tolerable in the eyes of the Lord and the child that was born to him from Uriah’s wife was struck by an incurable disease. David mourned for the child but on the seventh day, the son died. He stepped out of the ground, anointed himself, changed clothes and went to the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own home and asked for food and he ate.
21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
2 Samuel 12
22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
King David comforted his wife and she conceived and bore him a son. They called him Solomon. And in his old age, Bathsheba asked him if what David told them was true, that Solomon will be next in line for the throne. David, with his trusted priests and people, anointed Solomon as the new king after him.
First Son
The first son of Bathsheba died before they could name him.
The first son of King David and Bathsheba was struck by an incurable disease and died on his seventh day. It didn’t say anything else in the Bible about this first son but it will always remind us that Solomon was not the first child but was second after his older brother died as a child.
15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
2 Samuel 12
18 On the seventh day the child died.
2 Samuel 12
Solomon
The second son of Bathsheba.
After the death of their first son, David went to comfort his now-wife Bathsheba. They made love and she gave birth to a son who they named Solomon.
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; 25 and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
2 Samuel 12
Though the firstborn was not written in the sons of David (because of its nameless state), Solomon was born to her with the love of the Lord in him.
3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
1 Chronicles 14
Solomon became the king of Judah next to David, his father. He asked God for wisdom to govern and judge his kingdom properly. But God gave him more than he asked because He was pleased by the sincerity of his heart.
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
1 Kings 3
He became the wisest, most valuable king of all history. No one before or after will be in comparison to his wisdom and prosperity.
Nathan
The third son of Bathsheba.
Most commentaries and studies about Nathan, the third son of Bathsheba, is that he was named by Bathsheba herself. The first son was not named because before it could happen, he died. Solomon was named by his father David and God loved him so much that he sent Nathan the prophet to name second son Jedidiah.
14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
2 Samuel 5
3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
1 Chronicles 14
If you find these stories useful and interesting, click Like and Share them with your friends!
Come back every Wednesdays and Fridays for more stories on People Just Like You.
