David recalls her husband Uriah from active military service and sends him home to rest. We are worlds apart from the society these people lived in, and what was honourable for them is sometimes very different to what is honourable for us. WHO WAS BATHSHEBA IN THE BIBLE? A strumpet or a rape victim? He will sit on my throne? I like the note the CEB Study Bible has for 2 Samuel 11:25. He came to him and said to him, There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. As David lies on his deathbed, a man ruined by family strife, one of his sons, Adonijah, has already claimed the throne. Even if he is being tricked, the king reproclaims Solomon his heir. Great treatment of Bathsheba. 3. 12:24-25).). Bible Study 4 Women: Bathsheba - Blogger However, it is likely she believed that David had gone to war with his fighting menmen who included her husband (2 Sam. Uriah seems to have known what was going on, and why he was summoned. The footnote to 1 Samuel 11:4 reads, Bathsheba evidently was not an unwilling participant in this sin. When, despite her beauty, the king could not have sexual relations with Abishag, it was considered time for a co-regency. Whatever the case, the Scriptures are clear that David was the youngest of Jesses eight sons. Having sex without someones consent is rape and there is no hint that Bathsheba consented, or had the power to consent, to either the royal summons or the seduction. Solomon becomes king in Davids place and Bathsheba becomes the queen mother. She and Solomon organized the death of Solomons older half-brother who had been the popular choice to succeed King David. Her father, Eliam, was one of David's thirty mighty men (2 Samuel 11:3 & 23:34). Im aware of the assumptions of Richards and OBrien, and of the ignorance they admit to. Danna Nolan Fewell, professor of Hebrew Bible at Drew University in New Jersey, says some scholars claim that modern notions of bathingtotal nudity in a tub of waterdo not translate to the historical reign of David. Leah is described as plain-looking, in contrast to her sister Rachel, who "had a lovely figure and was beautiful" ( Genesis 29:17 ). We are all guilty of cherrypicking what it is we seek from scripture. "There are a lot of times when you're told that people love David," Fewell says, referring in part to David's first wife, Michal, and King Saul's son Jonathan. Bathsheba - Her Story and 7 Facts from the Bible You Should Know - iBelieve Notice that King David bears a striking resemblance to King Henry VIII as he appeared at the time of the Bibles publication. Most Bible scholars I read today leave this situation more vague and simply say David committed adultery with her, leaving her volition ambiguous, maybe even suggesting that she was a willing participant in the sin. LOL, I cant see how this point in the article is incongruent, and it contains my thoughts (which Ive italicised in this quotation): Solomon also wrote some of the material he compiled in the book of Proverbs. The parable was primarily designed to vividly show David that he had been cruel and unjust. She was not his mate but a purchased nanny who was like a daughter to him (2Sa. We are not being completely honest and we are certainly never objective. Bathsheba, a still from the movie David and Bathsheba. [12] With the removal of Adonijah, Solomons kingdom is now established (c. 968 BCE). David had sex with Bathsheba, a married woman; he committed adultery, and worse, by taking her. According to values in modern western society, it was rape. Roofs were used much like we use porches and decks. Davids sex with Bathsheba is adultery under the menace of power. The discharge of semen during sex required bathing and then a one-day quarantine period of being unclean. [Judith] stayed in the camp three days. I think there is a clear implication by Matthew that Bathsheba had a tainted reputation. And even if he didnt, David may have been sure of his power over Uriah even if he objected. I see no evidence that David loved Michal. She could rest on her laurels. She was taken advantage of by David and probably sexually abused. Some assume Bathsheba was hoping to attract the king's attention and that she bathed in a seductive manner. According to both The Conjuring film and the books authored by Andrea Perron, Bathsheba is portrayed as an evil, Satan-worshipping witch who sacrificed a baby by impaling a sewing needle into the . This was also the color that symbolized sin. He visited sins down the generations. Uriah, however, has a strong sense of honour and stays with Davids servants instead of going home to his wife. when I confronted a #ChurchToo situation in my former church that had been handled poorly. His logic is that if Bathsheba had said no to David, assuming that was even possible, Uriah would not have been murdered. Regardless of what David did or didnt do, I dont see how this is building up Bathsheba as much as setting the record straight. Bathsheba, also spelled Bethsabee, in the Hebrew Bible (2 Samuel 11, 12; 1 Kings 1, 2), wife of Uriah the Hittite; she later became one of the wives of King David and the mother of King Solomon. The admirer, King David, is not where he is supposed to be, on the battlefield with his troops, but instead has tarried at his palace. Hi Andrea, Bathsheba probably had no idea she was being watched. There is not the slightest hint of impropriety or guilt on Bathshebas part in the biblical text. Good observation on David and Bathesheba. Even Solomon was named Jedidiah by God (2 Sam. 13:1-19). Do they have biblical warrant to do so. ~ In Callimachuss version of the myth of Actaeon, the Greek goddess Artemis turns Actaeon into a stag after he happens to see her bathing naked in the woods. In US English an overlook is also a place where one gets a spectacular scenic view as in a scenic overlook or it can refer to a window, balcony, roof overlooking a sight. He made allowances for polygamy, slavery, patriarchy, wars, etc. King David was above, on the castle walls. She grew up with him and with his children. Solomon had a great deal of respect for his mother and he gives her a place of honour. He did not encounter her (CSB) or find her (KJV). Also David was shattered when his wife Michal had fallen out of love with him. Her punishment was banishment from the presence of the king, but thats what she wanted anyways?? It assumes, however, that Bathsheba was bathing on her roof which may not have been the case. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. The last sentence is telling. It doesnt just leave us with pointers to the reality, and the danger, and the sinfulness of the misuse of official authority or power in order to exploit, or threaten, or manipulate, or mistreat, or demean, or destroy other people. A Sympathetic Look at Bathsheba - Marg Mowczko There is no Hebrew word for rape or rapist in biblical Hebrew as there is for murder, etc, so we have to go by what actually happened as the Bible records it. Bathsheba: Bat daughter of, sheba abundance. According to the Bible, the color symbolizing wealth and elegance was scarlet. Abigail: A Bible Women with Beauty and Brains It was reported This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. I love Nathan. The Shame of the Unnamed Women in the Old Testament. The 2nd person pronoun is masculine, so it must be Shulamit speaking. Then 10 of his concubines was forced to have sex with Absalom. David expected Bathsheba to resume her life as Uriahs wife. He seems such an honourable man I think he would have understood and stood by her. After seeing the young[5] and beautiful Bathsheba, David sends for someone to tell him who she is. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent . He ordered this to be announced to all the people. But no matter the serenity of the vignettethere is something amiss in this vision, a scene that seems wrought with irony. This came up in context of a woman who was impregnated by a rapist. Despite the illustrations of breadth and complexity, such as with Hagar, interpreters assume a wife unless explicitly told otherwise. However, we are not told that she was seen. and shame on those who try so hard to make it the victims fault. https://margmowczko.com/the-shame-of-the-unnamed-women-of-the-old-testament/, https://margmowczko.com/women-matthew-genealogy-jesus-tamar-rahab-ruth-bathsheba/, https://margmowczko.com/esther-commentary/, 3 Formidable Bible Women with Strange Stories, Why 1 Timothy 2:12 shouldnt be used to ban women ministers, Philip Payne on Hairstyles vs. Head Coverings in Corinth. Bathsheba was a respectable young woman who suffered greatly because of King Davids actions. She came from a respectable family and married a respectable man. In either case, Bathsheba has no choice but to comply when summoned by the king. David, (flourished c. 1000 bce ), second ruler of the united kingdom of ancient Israel and Judah. Outside. In ancient times, respectable women could bathe outside, might be seen while bathing, and become innocent victims. Having concubines is not adultery unless the concubines are taken when they are already married. You are completely correct because after all is said and done it was David who comforted Bathsheba. David | Biography, Summary, Goliath, Bathsheba, Reign, & Facts Popular culture chooses to view their relationship as a classic romancelust turned to love. And so Uriah is exposed to the enemy and killed (2 Sam. I am writing a series of Bible Studies on the women in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. But David is drawn to Bathsheba by a powerful sexual attraction. It is refreshing to find a few people out there who see Bathsheba the way I do. He learns her name and the name of her husband, Uriah, a general in his army. Also he must have loved her as they had a lot of children together. God, however, is extremely objective and must be if he is just and portrays all Biblical heroes in truth. The narrative in 2 Samuel 11:614 recounts the ways David tries to cover up his involvement with Bathshebas pregnancy. [10] The parable of the little ewe lamb is about ownership and theft. When Josephus wrote about the account, he said that David saw a woman washing herself in her own house (Jewish Antiquities 7.7.1 130) What we do know is that it was eveningthe usual time for bathingso the light level may have been low. Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. When she bathes in the garden, things get nasty (Susanna 1:1516ff). In contrast to David, Bathsheba's thoughts and her character are in most circumstances mute, well cloaked in the sparse lines of the Hebrew text. Nathan does not call David an adulterer, and he does not call David a murderer, but David did commit adultery (or rape) and he was responsible for the murder of Uriah. Did Bathsheba know that David had arranged to have her husband killed? He writes a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, with instructions that ensure Uriah will be killeda letter that David callously places in Uriahs own hand to deliver to Joab. But the sword that devours now hangs over David's own house. As far as I can make out, the Old Testament Law only recognises rape when the victim is an unmarried, virgin. It is likely Bathsheba was neither naked nor brazenly exposed when she was bathing. The nation of Israel thrived under Solomons wise leadership. It is followed later by a 2nd chapter on her (per 1Ki.). I am not sure if rabbinic law was this in Davids time, I have read that according to Hebrew law a child of a married woman is legally the child of her husband. Eliams father was Ahithophel, one of Davids top advisers (2 Sam. Have I ascribed to her anything other than what the Bible says of her? What did David achieve? Ammiel means my kinsman is God while Eliam means my God is kinsman. Davids oldest surviving son was Adonijah, a young man impatient for power. Nathan did not have to create a parable in which there was a single, harmless pet lamb who wasnt just taken, which it was, but was taken and killed and eaten. (I named my third son after Prince Jonathan and he lives up to that name). (More on mikvaot here: Jewish Virtual Library), [5] Nathans parable recorded in 2 Samuel 12:14 of the shepherd and his one little ewe lamb might indicate Bathshebas young age. In I Chron. David saw her and summoned her. The Bible plainly states a couple of times that Michal loved David, but it never says he loved her. I strongly dislike how the author disrespects people he disagrees with. You must purge the evil from among you. Dion, too, the philosopher, tells that a certain woman Lysidica, through excess of modesty, bathed in her clothes; and that Philotera, when she was to enter the bath, gradually drew back her tunic as the water covered the naked parts; and then rising by degrees, put it on. I really should write a rebuttal to Richards and OBriens assumptions. David finally realises what he has done. It is hard to say what the cultural pressures would have been like to refuse the kings orders, wouldnt it? A similar principle may be meant in Leviticus 15:19. Nathan tells David a parable about a rich man with many sheep and cattle, and a poor shepherd with one precious lamb. In fact, thats exactly what I was told by a womens minister, no less! Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. The only reason we know about Bathsheba is because the situation escalated: Bathsheba became pregnant and had the courage to tell David about it, and David had Uriah executed. 2 Samuel 12:24-25 King James Version (KJV). He is hoping that Uriah will take responsibility for the pregnancy. BATHSHEBA in the BIBLE: power behind the throne Look Right! ~ Screaming was useless. David proclaims in his confessional Psalm 51:13, Then I will teach transgressors Your ways but that is exactly what David does not do when he learns that Amnon has raped Tamar. Years passed, and Bathsheba and King David grew older. https://margmowczko.com/esther-commentary/. It is possible for a woman to be sinfully complicit in committing adultery with a very powerful man. His son Solomon expanded the empire that David built. Sexual misconduct was seen as a crime against the family rather than just a crime against the woman herself. However, the three main characters of the parable were not designed to correspond with Uriah, Bathsheba and David in all, or even most, details. He is then torn apart by his own hunting dogs. And once she was in the palace, it would have been difficult to refuse the kings advances. ~ In chapter one of The Shepherd of Hermas, a Christian work written in the early second century, Hermas, a slave, struggles with lustful thoughts after he helped Rhoda, his owner and a Christian, out of the river where she was bathing. Her baby died. Uriah speaks plainly to the king, The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lords men are camped in the open country. *sigh*, The person who feels that Bathsheba had any rights to say no is clearly a man who has no idea what it feels like to be disempowered in a relationship, Also, I dont think Ive ever seen someone take a male blogger to task over how theyve written their blog but Ive seen it often with female bloggers its hard to understand why that is, but it feels very patronising. Her father and husband were stationed at Jerusalem, directly under the control of the king. I do not think the ewe lamb in Nathans parable is comparable to Bathsheba is every detail, or even in most details. The parenthetical aside about her purifying herself may refer back to the roof bath as a ritual cleansing at the end of her period, which would affirm . Its an important Bible question, one that I see pop up on social media every now and again. Id say that whoever wrote that footnote did not stop to think how difficult it would have been for a young woman, whose husband was away at war, to refuse a royal summons from a king who was more like a warlord. They were Davids personal bodyguards, his champions, renowned for their bravery. He was very attracted to Bathsheba and certainly you feel he really loved her. Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust. Solomon Overcomes Adonijah 's Rebellion Solomon's Childhood. What did people in the Bible look like? | GotQuestions.org Here Pharaohs daughter goes to the river to bathe (Exod. Solomons hold on the throne was not initially strong enough for him to kill his half-brother outright, though this would have to be done if Solomon was to have a firm grasp on power. Prov. Let me give you some advice on how you and your son Solomon can survive this. Bathsheba and Her Menstrual Period. [14] Her husband was murdered and then her first-born baby died. While it says that David didnt know her, it also says that Abishag slept with David, she nursed him, and she ministered to him. One evening, after David woke up from an afternoon nap, he . The implications of their affair will dominate his remaining years. she astutely reminded David that he, not Adonijah, was king. One night in Jerusalem, King David was walking upon his rooftop when he spotted a beautiful woman bathing nearby (2 Samuel 11:2). He acted exactly that same way with his authority toward Philemon when he wrote to him in Philemon 89, Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for loves sake I prefer to appeal to you. Thats the apostles picking up on Jesuss example and teaching. She may even have felt relieved. See what has gone before and comes after. Paul didnt kill anyone! Updated on May 07, 2019. In the story, the rich man takes the one lamb of the poor shepherd. But what a disservice he did to her. I have read that Hebrew law considers the child of a married woman to be the child of her husband. Once more, the Bible tells us little of Bathsheba's reaction. In his novel God Knows, Joseph Heller envisions Bathsheba as the love of David's life, as does the 1951 Gregory Peck movie, David and Bathsheba. Not sure if that was the law at the time of David. Here is a truthful account that unravels the mystery. She went. To read anything into Bathshebas character is to add to the Word (seductress, whore, etc). But perhaps Bathsheba is best honored by the 31st Proverb, which some traditions hold that she recited to Solomon on the day of his marriage: "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.". It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the kings house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. Bathsheba did not have the same kind of power or status (or experience?) God punished David for this and you have his wonderful Psalm of contrition in Psalm 51. Are there any pointers for us in the text itself?. If something that other people taught didnt conform to what the apostles taught, they were not acknowledged (1 Corinthians 14:38). He writes a song, Psalm 51, that expresses his contrition. Dions comment seems to presuppose that the women bathed in public spaces and that their modesty was extraordinary. The Real Bathsheba Sherman And The True Story Of 'The Conjuring' This part of her story is mentioned in just a few verses of the Bible with few details. ~ In the pseudepigraphical Testament of Reuben, Reuben laments that he had sex with Bilhah after he watched her bathing in a covered/ secret place (Test. She may have been helpless. 2) Going into a mikveh does not imply being naked; if she was this implies she thought no one was watching. Then he returned to his throne and had a throne set up for the queen mother. [2] Most of the following accounts were composed hundreds of years after the David and Bathsheba story, but they illustrate that respectable women (and goddesses) could innocently bathe outside and might be seen while bathing. So, lets just take a brief look at each of those stages. This paper argues for the idea that Judith purified herself for military action, namely, the assassination of the Assyrian general Holofernes: Joseph Scales, Preparing for Military Action: Judiths Purificatory Washing in Judith 12:7, Vetus Testamentum 71 (2021): 687703. In fact, she is identified in respect to both her father and her husband. Several Hebrew stories in the Bible are coy about sexuality, especially where sexuality is used by a woman. Bathsheba enters Israel's history in the most unusual of ways. When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him.. Sure, the disastrous, violent family strife around Absaloms rebellion is part of Davids punishment for his sin with Bathsheba. In the Deuteronomistic scheme of things, the text is able to draw out both positives and negatives about Solomon. So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. 3:5). Reub 1.3740; cf. So, a prostitute can be mentioned by name, but not Bathsheba? Even supposing the rape was not violent, rape is the expressing of power over another human being sexually, which is what David did. Adultery: Verse 22 If a man is found sleeping with another mans wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. "I think she's among the most compelling and beguiling [women] in the Bible," argues Kirsch. Bathsheba bore other children with David, including three more sons after Solomon: Shammua, Shobab, and Nathan (1 Chron. David is an important figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Had she screamed, it is highly unlikely one of Davids friends or servants would have rescued her from the king. Fewell asks. Deut. Bathsheba: The Real Story - Theopolis Institute John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. The following passage sheds some light on ancient attitudes: Deuteronomy 22:22-29 I feel for Bathsheba and the ordeal she faced because of Davids wickedness. He does not realise that he has acted just like the ruthless rich man, and Nathan has to point out to David, You are that man![10]. So I believe he did promise and was being reminded indirectly by Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet. Bathsheba is now pregnant and widowed, and she mourns for her murdered husband. A Case Study in Narrative Theology, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17.2 (Autumn 2006): 8195. The throne room in Solomons palace was probably similar, in size if not in decoration, to the throne room at Knossos. David was living in another time and place, with a culture and value system very different to that of first world countries today, and I find much of his behaviour reprehensible. David tells Bathsheba, As surely as theLordlives, who rescued me from every trouble, regarding what I swore to you by theLord, Israels God, Your son Solomon will certainly succeed me; he will sit on the throne after meIll see that it happens today (1 Kings 1:29b30 CEB). Bathsheba, now a pregnant widow, sorrowfully weeped for Uriah during the Jewish required 30-day period of mourning. So illuminating and helpful. In the Song of Solomon, he mentions his mother fondly: that she crowned him with a wedding crown (Song 3:11). His life went downhill after that. Worse, she begins to suspect he does not love her. Working with her chief adviser Nathan, Bathsheba warned David what was happening behind his back. The traditional reading imposes todays culture on the text, ignoring the realities of the power connected with Davids monarchy. 148 David And Bathsheba Stock Photos & High Res Pictures This idea that women were somewhat owned by men may be one of the reasons Bathsheba is so silent in the text, and why she is referred to as a lamb in the parable, while Uriah and David are referred to as men. 11:2 (twice), 11:3 (twice), 11:5, 11:11, 11:26, 27). Bathsheba soon discovers that her new husband is an improvident gambler with little interest in farming. Or in a garden courtyard, like Susanna (Susanna 1:15ff). David is blind to his guilt, so God sends Nathan the prophet to him with a message. If you've already read my previous article, Uriah: Bathsheba's African Husband and David's Mighty Man, then you know that Bathsheba was originally married to a black man from the line of Ham. So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. Read 2 Samuel 11:2-4. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her. Did you see footnote 2? Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. In this case Bathsheba was washing herself after her menstrual period. This first lesson will deal with "David and Bathsheba," as described in 11:1-4. David does repent for the adultery and murder committed by him . Bathsheba is the daughter (bat) of Eliambat is the same Hebrew word used in 2 Samuel 12:3and she is Uriahs wife (ishshah) (2 Sam. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. And it worked. Perhaps she looks like a Rembrandt nudeall dark shadows and pale flesh. He didnt invite her. When she came to him, he had sex with her (2 Sam. Its exacly the same in modern western culture. What is meant by the term his woman? Your email address will not be published. SeeAbishag: Youtube. She may have even been bathing in her own home and then summoned to Davids palace, where the crime happened. In todays language we call what happened to Bathsheba as rape. [9] David sees the injustice in the story. And there it is it all circles back to Christ: Which is yours in Christ Jesus. It all circles back to Christ. So maybe he did pick Solomon and forgot. She married Uriah, one of the top soldiers in King David's army. Most people took it for granted that this co-regent would be the next king. Bathsheba | Women in the Bible [1], Customs of bathing in the ancient world, and in some cultures today, are very different from the way most westerners bathe. Your comment about the absence of Bathshebas name in the Matthew genealogy isnt congruent with the fact that Ruth and Rahab are mentioned by name in the preceding verses. Jezebel: The Reigning Icon of Womanly Evil, Deborah: Facing Down 900 Chariots of Iron, Bathsheba: Wife, Mother, Queen, Object of Royal Lust. Ive removed identifying information. This was after she had heard that her husband Uriah had been killed in the war. ~ In the Book of Judith, also part of the Septuagint, the heroine bathes at night in the stream of the enemy camp. The issue of force versus consent, which is crucial for constructing the womans point of view, is not raised. Bathsheba is One of the Most Beguiling Characters in the Bible Prodded into action by his mother, Solomon snuffed out the threat posed by his half-brother by ordering his death. When Uriahs wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband. So with Bathsheba David seems to have recapture that love he once had as a youth. (Above) Illustration from one of the first English translations of the Bible. The text, as so often the case, tells us less than what we might want to know allowing us the full use of our imagination. Marg did not turn King David into a rapist; David, as a powerful, head-removing king abused his power over his subjects and sinned against the Lord. Bathshebas rape is semiotic; that is to say, her violation occurs not so much in the story as by means of the story. I used to question if Nathan was telling her this to save her and Solomons life. William, your comment is an exaggeration. (btw, I agree with the sexually charge interpretation.). Thanks Derek. So begins a story of sex and politics that resonates even today.
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