Bath-sheba (2 Samuel 11:2–5; 2 Samuel 11:26–27; 2 Samuel 12:9–10; 2 Samuel 12:15–18; 2 Samuel 12:24–25; 1 Kings 1:11–21; 1 Kings 1:28–31; 1 Kings 2:13–25; 1 Chronicles 3:5; Psalms 51:1; Matthew 1:6)

Wife of Uriah, Mother of Solomon

The daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite, whom David sent messengers to take; after Uriah's death she became David's wife, bore him Solomon, and later went in to the aged king to remind him of his oath that Solomon should reign.

She first appears as a woman David saw from the roof of the king's house: “And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” (2 Samuel 11:3). The text says: “And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her” (2 Samuel 11:4). It records nothing of her thoughts there; her first words are “I am with child” (2 Samuel 11:5). David then had Uriah set where he would be killed in battle (2 Samuel 11:14-17). “And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband” (2 Samuel 11:26). The text's verdict falls on David: “But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah” (2 Samuel 11:27), and Nathan tells him, “thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife” (2 Samuel 12:9).

The first child she bore David was struck by the LORD and died on the seventh day (2 Samuel 12:15-18). Afterward “David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him” (2 Samuel 12:24). Chronicles lists four sons born to David in Jerusalem, “Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel” (1 Chronicles 3:5); it gives her name and her father's name in that form.

In 1 Kings she speaks for herself and her son. When Adonijah reigned without David's knowledge, she went in to the king and said, “thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me” (1 Kings 1:17); David swore that it would be so, and she “bowed with her face to the earth” (1 Kings 1:31). Under King Solomon, “a throne” (1 Kings 2:19) was set for her, “the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand” (1 Kings 2:19). Matthew's genealogy, though it does not name her, says that “David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah” (Matthew 1:6).

Strengths

• Speaking before the king for her son

Themes

• Wife of Uriah
• David's sin and the LORD's verdict
• Mother of Solomon
• The succession
• Counsel of Nathan

Seen from the roof (2 Samuel 11:2–3)

David walks on the roof at eventide, sees a woman bathing, and inquires after her; he is told she is Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

Taken by David (2 Samuel 11:4–5)

David sends messengers and takes her; she returns to her house, conceives, and sends word to David that she is with child.

Taken by David

“And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned unto her house” (2 Samuel 11:4).

“And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child” (2 Samuel 11:5). These are her first recorded words. David then sent for Uriah from the army and, when Uriah would not go down to his house, wrote to Joab: “Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die” (2 Samuel 11:15).

Mourning, marriage, and the LORD's displeasure (2 Samuel 11:26–27; 2 Samuel 12:7–10)

Uriah dies in battle; she makes lamentation for him, and when the mourning is past David takes her to his house as his wife; but the thing David had done displeases the LORD, and Nathan charges him with it.

Mourning, marriage, and the LORD's displeasure

“And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah” (2 Samuel 11:26-27).

The LORD sent Nathan to David, who said, “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:7), and: “thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon” (2 Samuel 12:9). The charge is laid against David.

The child struck (2 Samuel 12:15–18)

The LORD strikes the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and on the seventh day the child dies.

Solomon is born (2 Samuel 12:24–25)

David comforts Bath-sheba his wife; she bears a son whom he names Solomon, and the LORD loves him.

Goes in to David for Solomon (1 Kings 1:11–31)

Nathan tells her that Adonijah reigns, and she goes in to the aged king and reminds him of his oath that Solomon should reign; David swears again, and she bows with her face to the earth and says, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Goes in to David for Solomon

“Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?” (1 Kings 1:11). He gave her counsel “that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon” (1 Kings 1:12). “And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king” (1 Kings 1:15).

“My lord, thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne … Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders” (1 Kings 1:17-21).

King David answered, “verily as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me … verily so will I do this day” (1 Kings 1:30). “Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever” (1 Kings 1:31).

Adonijah's request (1 Kings 2:13–25)

Adonijah asks her to speak to King Solomon for him; she goes to Solomon, who rises to meet her and sets a throne for her, but he refuses the request and Adonijah is put to death.

Adonijah's request

“Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably” (1 Kings 2:13). He asked her to speak to Solomon that he might be given Abishag the Shunammite to wife, and “Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king” (1 Kings 2:18).

“And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. Then she said, I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee” (1 Kings 2:19-20).

She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife” (1 Kings 2:21). Solomon answered: “And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother” (1 Kings 2:22). Then he swore by Jehovah that “surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day” (1 Kings 2:24), and sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who fell upon him, “so that he died” (1 Kings 2:25).

David (2 Samuel 11:4; 2 Samuel 11:27; 2 Samuel 12:24)

He sent messengers and took her; she became his wife, and he comforted her and she bore Solomon.

Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 11:26)

Her husband; when she heard he was dead she made lamentation for him.

Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24; 1 Kings 1:17–21; 1 Kings 2:19)

Her son, for whom she pleaded before David and who set a throne for her at his right hand.

Eliam (2 Samuel 11:3; 1 Chronicles 3:5)

Her father, named when David inquired after her; Chronicles calls Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel.

Nathan the prophet (1 Kings 1:11–14)

He counseled her to go in to David about Adonijah, and promised to come in after her and confirm her words.

Adonijah (1 Kings 1:18–19; 1 Kings 2:13–25)

The son of Haggith and Solomon's elder brother, who reigned without David's knowledge and later asked her to speak to Solomon for him.

Major sections

• 2 Samuel 11–12
• 1 Kings 1:11–31
• 1 Kings 2:13–25
• 1 Chronicles 3:5
• Matthew 1:6

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