Bath-She´ba, also Bath-shua, daughter of Eliam, grand-daughter of Ahitophel, and wife of Uriah; she was seduced and became pregnant by King David during the absence of her husband, who was then engaged at the siege of Rabbah (2Sa 11:4-5; Psa 51:1. The child thus born in adultery became ill and died (2Sa 12:15-18). After the lapse of the period of mourning for her husband, who was slain by the contrivance of David (2Sa 11:15), she was legally married to the king (2Sa 11:27), and bore him Solomon (2Sa 12:24; 1Ki 1:11; 1Ki 2:13). In 1Ch 3:5, she is called Bath-shua instead of Bath-sheba; and her father Ammiel, instead of Eliam (compare Mat 1:6). The other children of Bath-sheba are named in 2Sa 5:14; 1Ch 3:5. She is afterwards mentioned only in consequence of her good-natured intercession for Adonijah, which incidentally displays the respect with which she was treated by king Solomon, her son (1Ki 2:19). [DAVID; ADONIJAH]
BATHSHEBA or BATH SHUA (a Canaanite name, Gen 38:2; Gen 38:12; 1Ch 2:3) Ahithophel, her grandfather. Eliam or Ammiel (1Ch 3:5), one of David’s officers, was her father.
[Bath’sheba]
Daughter of Eliam, or Ammiel, and wife of Uriah the Hittite. David’s lusting after her became the occasion of his sin in accomplishing the death of her husband. She afterwards became David’s wife and was the mother of Solomon and other children. When Adonijah sought to make himself king, Bathsheba, moved by Nathan, appealed to David to fulfil his promise to her that Solomon should be his successor. When Solomon was king Adonijah begged Bathsheba to use her influence to obtain Abishag for him as wife. She asked this of Solomon, but it led to Adonijah’s death. 2Sa 11:3; 2Sa 12:24; 1Ki 1:11-31; 1Ki 2:13-19; Psa 51 title .
BATHSHEBA (1Ch 3:5 Bathshua: this may be a mere textual error).—Wife of Uriah the Hittite, seduced by David (2Sa 11:2-4), and afterwards married to him (2Sa 11:27). The child died (2Sa 12:18), but another son, Solomon, was subsequently born (2Sa 12:24). Bathsheba, instigated and supported by Nathan, successfully combated Adonijah’s attempt to secure the throne (1Ki 1:11-53). Acting as Adonijah’s intercessor in the matter of Abishag, she was most respectfully received by Solomon, but her unwise request was refused (1Ki 2:13-25).
J. Taylor.
(Matt 1)
- possibly a Hittite, who committed adultery with King David. He then had her husband Uriah, killed in battle
David took many wives for himself (2Sa 3:2-5; 2Sa 3:14), but the circumstances surrounding his taking of Bathsheba brought him trouble for the rest of his life. While her husband Uriah was out fighting battles for David (he was one of David’s leading soldiers; 2Sa 11:3; 2Sa 23:39), David made love to her and she became pregnant (2Sa 11:2-5). He then thought of a murderous plan to have Uriah killed in battle, after which he took Bathsheba into his palace as a royal wife (2Sa 11:6-27).
Nathan the prophet condemned David for murder and adultery, assuring David that his own family would be torn apart by murder and adultery (2Sa 12:1-12). David repented of his sin (2Sa 12:13; Psalms 51), but God’s forgiveness did not remove the evil example that David had already set before his family.
The child born to David and Bathsheba died (2Sa 12:14-23), but later they had another son, Solomon (2Sa 12:24). This son was the one chosen by God to succeed David as king (1Ch 22:9-10). In David’s closing years another son, Adonijah, tried to outdo Solomon in their claims for the throne, but Bathsheba’s influence ensured that Solomon became king (1Ki 1:11-31). When Adonijah then tried to use Bathsheba to advance himself in Solomon’s court, Solomon executed him for treason (1Ki 2:13-25).