Bath-Sheba

BATH-SHEBA. The Daughter of Eliam or Ammiel, and Wife to Uriah the Hittite. She dwelt at Jerusalem, in a house very near David’s palace. This Prince rising one day from his bed, after he had been sleeping at noon-day, as is customary in warm countries, went upon the terras of his 2 Sam. xi. 2, 3, & seq.Palace, and in the court or garden belonging to a neighbouring house saw Bathsheba bathing herself¹. As she was a woman of an uncommon beauty, David sent to inquire who she was. He was told that her name was Bathsheba, and that she was the Wife of Uriah the Hittite. Immediately he had her brought to him, and abused her. She returned to her own house, purified herself, and some time after sent David word, that she was with child. Hereupon David sent In the Year of the World 2969, before J. C. 1031, before the vulg. Æra 1034.to Joab, General of his Army then imployed in the siege of Rabbah, the capital City of the Ammonites, to dispatch Uriah to him. Joab obeyed; and upon the arrival of Uriah, David asked him news of what passed in the Army, and afterwards bid him go home wash his feet, and rest himself. At the same time he sent him provision from his own table, that he might eat and drink at home with his Wife. David proposed by this means to conceal his Adultery, because the child which Bathsheba was to be delivered of, might pass for Uriah’s, if he returned, and spent a night with her. But Uriah instead of going home, spent the night with the King’s guards at the Palace gate. David being inform’d of it, asked why after returning from his journey he did not go home; to which Uriah answered, The ark and all the people abide in tents, and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in the open fields, shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink, and to lye with my Wife? As thou livest and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. The next day the King invited him to his own table, and there made him drunk. But Uriah instead of going home, lay in his bed with others of the King’s guards; for he was in David’s service, and as is believed, one of his guards. David perceiving that he was not able this way to secure Bathsheba’s Honour, resolved to get rid of Uriah, and marry her. He sent orders therefore to Joab, to expose Uriah in places of the greatest danger, that so he might be killed. Uriah was himself the bearer of these orders; which were too punctually executed.

2 Sam. xii. 1, 2, 3, &c.Bathsheba hearing of her Husband’s death, mourned after the customary manner; and when the season for this ceremony was over, David brought her to his own house and married her. Soon after this she was delivered of a Son. Now this action was extremely displeasing to the Lord, who therefore sent the Prophet Nathan unto David, to reproach him with his sin. Nathan upon this occasion proposed the Parable to him of a rich man, who had abundance of sheep and oxen, but instead of taking any out of his own flocks to entertain his friend, who was come out of the country, he went to a poor man’s, who had only one ewe-lamb, took it and dressed it for his friend the traveller. David at first did not discern that this picture was drawn for himself; but said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, he who hath done this action shall surely die: the lamb he shall restore fourfold. Then said Nathan to him, Thou art the man; and continuing to reproach him with his ingratitude and infidelity to God, who had bestowed so many blessings on him; he threatned him in a terrible manner, and said, The sword shall never depart from thine house; I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbour: and he shall lye with thy wives. Thou hast done this action secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the Sun.

David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord Nathan answered, The Lord has transferr’d the punishment of thy sin; thou shalt not die, but the Child which is born unto thee shall surely die. Accordingly the Child was struck by God, and its health very soon despaired of. David intreated the Lord for him, fasted, retired, and continued lying on the earth; the principal persons of his family came and pressed him earnestly to rise, and receive some nourishment, but he refused, and persisted in this state of humiliation and repentance. On the seventh day the Child¹ In the year of the World 2971, before J. C. 1029. before the vulgar Æra 1033.Child died: and David’s servants did not dare to tell him of it. But he observing their perplexity, and knowing he was dead, rose from the earth, bathed himself, anointed himself with oil², changed his dress, entred into the house of the Lord, worshipped him, returned to his house, and took nourishment. His Officers thought this behaviour very singular, and were surprized at it; but when they asked him the reason of it, he told them, that he had fasted and wept while the Child was yet living; because he had then room to hope that God would restore him to his health; now he is dead, says he, wherefore should I fast and mourn? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

After this David comforted Bathsheba, and she conceived a Son, who was named Solomon. Nathan came and told David, that the Lord loved this Child, and called him Jedidiah, that is to say, the well-beloved of the Lord. God afterwards declared, that he should succeed David in the Throne, that he should build a Temple to him, that he should be blessed with Psalm cxxxi. 11. 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13, &c.a great measure of wisdom, riches, and understanding. Towards the end of David’s life and reign, Adonijah having formed a party, presumed upon the privilege of his Age, and pretended that he ought to reign preferably to Solomon, who was much younger than himself. Nathan gave notice of his design to Bathsheba, and advised her to speak of it to the King, promising her, that he would come himself and second what she should say.

1 Kings i. 15.Bathsheba went therefore to David; she found him in his chamber, and bowed with great respect before him. He asked her what it was she desired of him. My Lord, said she, you promised my Son Solomon your servant with an oath, that he should reign after you, and be seated in your Throne, nevertheless Adonijah has proclaimed himself King, without your knowledge or approbation. He hath slain many sheep and oxen, and hath made a great entertainment, to which he has invited all the King’s Children together with Abiathar the High Priest, and Joab the General of your Armies; but Solomon he did not invite. In the mean time the eyes of all Israel are upon you, expecting you to declare your Successor. For when it shall come to pass, that my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers, I and my Son Solomon shall be treated as criminals.

She was still speaking to the King when notice was given him that the Prophet Nathan was there, and waited for admission. When he was called in, he made his reverences in a very profound manner to the King, and said, My Lord, O King, have you appointed Adonijah for Successor in the Throne? for he has this day made a great entertainment for the King’s Sons, the High Priest Abiathar, and Generals of the Army, and the cry is, Long live King Adonijah. But he did not invite Zadok the High Priest, nor Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada, nor Solomon, nor myself, who am thy servant. The King directed immediately that Bathsheba should be called in again; and when she entred, he said to her, As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered me from so many dangers, I will this day execute the promise which I have sworn to perform, saying, Solomon thy Son assuredly shall reign after me. Bathsheba threw herself prostrate on the earth before him, and said, Let my Lord King David live for ever. The King said farther, Call me Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah; when they came, he commanded them to put Solomon on his own mule, and conduct him to Gihon; that there the High Priest Zadok and the Prophet Nathan should crown him; that they should sound the trumpets and say, Long live King Solomon; then return and seat him on his Throne: for, says he, he shall be King in my stead, and I have appointed him to be Ruler over Israel and over Judah. All this was executed, as we shall shew elsewhere; and after the death of David, Solomon reigned peaceably over all his Dominions.

Now when Adonijah saw Solomon thus seated on the Throne of David, he came to 1 Kings xi. 12, & seq.Bathsheba and said, You know that the Kingdom of right belonged to me, and that all Israel had chosen me for their King: but the Lord hath otherwise disposed of it, and the Kingdom has been given to Solomon. Now therefore I have only one small favour to ask, which is, that Solomon would give me Abishag the Shunamite, that I may marry her. Bathsheba promised to propose it to the King, and accordingly went to him. Solomon seeing her, rose from his Throne, met her, saluted her with profound respect, sat down on his Throne, and commanded another to be placed on his right hand for his Mother. Bathsheba then told him, that she had an inconsiderable favour to ask of him, which she desired him not to refuse her. Solomon encouraged her to proceed, and said it would by no means be just for him to send her back dissatisfied. Whereupon she said, Give Adonijah thy Brother the Shunamite Abishag for his Wife. Solomon penetrating the design of Adonijah, replied to his Mother, Why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunamite for Adonijah? ask for him the Kingdom also. Thou knowest, that Abiathar the High Priest, and Joab the Son of Zerviah General of the Troops are for him, and that he is my elder Brother. I swear therefore by my life and by my throne, that Adonijah shall be In the Year of the World 3990, before J. C. 1010, before the vulgar Æra 1014. 1 Chr. iii. 5. 2 Sam. v. 14.put to death this day. Accordingly he sent Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada, who fell upon Adonijah and killed him. From this time, we have no more mention of Bathsheba.

The first book of Chronicles, and the second book of Samuel take notice of other Sons, which Bathsheba had by David, such as Shammuah, Shobab and Nathan, besides Solomon, of whom we have been speaking. Some Interpreters are of opinion, that these three Sons Shammuah, Shobab, and Nathan, were the Sons of Uriah the Hittite; but the generality maintain, that they were the Sons of David. The Text in the second book of Samuel is very clear for this opinion; and S. Luke gives us the genealogy of Nathan the Son of David, as one of the Messiah’s anceстors. The passage in the Prov. iv. 3.Proverbs, where Solomon says, that he was the beloved Son of his Father, and the only Son of his Mother, proves no more than the very tender affection which David and Bathsheba had for him, by reason of the promises of God, and the favours he vouchsafed to him.

The xxxist Chapter of the Proverbs is commonly believed to be Bathsheba’s instruction to her Son Solomon, to consecrate the memory whereof this Prince determined to place it in the collection of his Proverbs, or Maxims of Morality. There are some who go so far as to say, that Bathsheba was inspired, as she intimates in these words, The Prophecy that his Mother taught him. And if it be acknowledged, that this Chapter as it stands in the book of Proverbs, was written by Bathsheba, it must be necessarily owned to be inspired. But it is very possible, that Solomon to do honour to his Mother, might have reduced the instructions which he received from her into this form, and published them as if she herself had either dictated or written them.

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