Bathsheba
the mother of Solomon
Who was Bathsheba?
- Daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite. King David had her brought to him and committed adultery with her. 2 Samuel 11:3-4
- David had Uriah killed and took her as his wife. Later their son Solomon was born. 2 Samuel 11:15-17, 27; 2 Samuel 12:24
- Matthew names her in the genealogy of Jesus as “the wife of Uriah.” Matthew 1:6
- Also called
- “The wife of Uriah” Matthew 1:6
- From
- Daughter of Eliam (in Chronicles, Ammiel) 2 Samuel 11:3; 1 Chronicles 3:5
What the Bible says
2 Samuel 11:3-4
3And the king sent, and inquired who the woman was. And it was told him, that she was Bethsabee the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urias the Hethite. 4And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness:
2 Samuel 11:15-17, 27; 2 Samuel 12:24
15Writing in the letter: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die. 16Wherefore as Joab was besieging the city, he put Urias in the place where he knew the bravest men were. 17And the men coming out of the city, fought against Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Urias the Hethite was killed also. 27And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.
Matthew 1:6
And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
The path of Bathsheba
- Before Jesus. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Uriah was away at war with the king’s army. 2 Samuel 11:1, 3, 11
- Before Jesus. David saw her from the roof of the palace. He had her brought to him and committed adultery with her. 2 Samuel 11:2-4
- With Jesus. Bathsheba became pregnant and sent word to David. David had Uriah placed where the fighting was fiercest, and Uriah died. 2 Samuel 11:5, 15-17
- With Jesus. Bathsheba mourned for her husband. When the mourning was over, David brought her to his house, and she became his wife. 2 Samuel 11:26-27
- With Jesus. The child they had fell ill and died. David comforted her, and later Solomon was born. 2 Samuel 12:15, 18, 24
- Afterward. When David was old, Adonijah made himself king. On Nathan’s advice, Bathsheba reminded David of his oath: Solomon would reign. 1 Kings 1:11-17
- Afterward. David kept his oath that same day, and Solomon was anointed king. 1 Kings 1:30, 39
- Afterward. Solomon, now king, stood up to meet her, bowed before her and seated her on a throne at his right hand. 1 Kings 2:19
Words of Bathsheba
“My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.” 1 Kings 1:17
To King David, now old, when Adonijah had made himself king.
“May my lord David live for ever.” 1 Kings 1:31
When David swore to her that Solomon would be king that very day.
“I desire one small petition of thee, do not put me to confusion.” 1 Kings 2:20
To her son, King Solomon, when she went to ask him a favor for Adonijah.
What they were like
- Brave: she went in to see the king to defend her son’s right. 1 Kings 1:15-21
- She mourned for her husband Uriah when she learned he had died. 2 Samuel 11:26
The greatest thing they did
- She was the mother of Solomon, the wise king. 2 Samuel 12:24
- With Nathan, she made sure David kept his oath. 1 Kings 1:28-30
Not to be confused with
- Abishag the Shunammite cared for David in his old age. Bathsheba was Solomon’s mother. 1 Kings 1:15
- Beersheba (in the Douay-Rheims Bible, “Bersabee”) is a city in the south. Bathsheba is a woman, the mother of Solomon. 1 Kings 19:3; 1 Kings 1:11
What people ask
Was Bathsheba to blame?
The Bible says David had her brought to him, and that what David did displeased the Lord. Nathan rebuked David for the sin. 2 Samuel 11:4, 27; 2 Samuel 12:7-9
What happened to her first son with David?
He became very ill and died on the seventh day. While the child was alive, David fasted and prayed for him. 2 Samuel 12:15-18
How many children did she have with David?
The First Book of Chronicles names four: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. Before them, the first child had died as a baby. 1 Chronicles 3:5; 2 Samuel 12:18
Why is she in the genealogy of Jesus?
Because she was the mother of Solomon, an ancestor of Joseph. Matthew does not give her name: he calls her “the wife of Uriah.” Matthew 1:6, 16
What did it mean to sit at the king’s right hand?
It was a place of honor. Solomon stood up to meet his mother, bowed before her and seated her at his right. 1 Kings 2:19
Little known In Chronicles, her father is called Ammiel; in Samuel, Eliam. 1 Chronicles 3:5; 2 Samuel 11:3 Her husband Uriah was a Hittite. 2 Samuel 11:3 When Adonijah asked…
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