He need only give 100 Philistine foreskins as dowry. Who Were the 12 Disciples of Jesus? Maacah, whose father Talmai was king of Geshur, married David while he was in exile and her children included a son named Absalom and a daughter named Tamar. Click here to read it. After this, the Lord struck Nabal and took his life. Join Pastor Dougs church for special music, inspiring sermons, and empowering church training. Gods providence. See how your gifts made a lasting difference recently. David already had three wives before he married Bathsheba. Michals husband Paltiel trails behind her, weeping (2 Samuel 3:13-17). If you ever find yourself as a victim or a victimizer, please remember that Gods love is everlasting, and he is full of grace and mercy. Discover all the informative and inspiring books from the speaker and president of Amazing Facts. The first is that everything in the Bible is worth learning on some level. Thus King David was relaxing on a palace balcony above the city when he spied a beautiful woman taking a bath. Similarly, sin and bad character can set the example for our children to learn from and imitate. After she was taken away from him, he married Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. Updated on May 07, 2019. Bathshebawas Davids last wife (at least the last one mentioned in the Bible) and probably his most famous. They are: David's remaining children that we know of were born in Jerusalem to unnamed wives. God restored David to intimate spiritual fellowship. David, (flourished c. 1000 bce), second ruler of the united kingdom of ancient Israel and Judah. Bathsheba told her aged husband that only their son Solomon remained loyal, so the king named Solomon his co-regent. Others have speculated that in the pagan societies surrounding Israel, having multiple wives was a way kings showed their power. If Christians are not ready, they will get blind-sided by such objections and may even suffer doubt of their own faith. David sent this letter to Joab by Uriah, who had no idea that he was carrying his own death sentence. David sends for Bathshebas husband to come home to try to cover up his sin. God removes Davids guilt and shame, but God does not remove the natural consequences that Davids sinful patterns produced. The Bible does not say the rape was an act of violence (violent rape elsewhere in the Bible uses a different Hebrew word), it also does not say the sex was mutual, and it also does not say whether Bathsheba has any choice in the matter. Absolutely not! If you have a Bible question for Pastor Doug Batchelor or the Amazing Facts Bible answer team, please submit it by clicking here. According to 1 Kings 1:11, the prophet Nathan urged Bathsheba to tell David that Adonijah was preparing to take the throne by force. David plotted to have Uriah killed. As the last of Jesses eight sons, Jesse thought David was unimportant, and his brothers thought he was an annoying pest (1 Samuel 16-17). Much like his son Solomon, David had lots of wives, but it created trouble and strife. Although feminist biblical interpretation contends that Bathsheba was a victim of David, other scholars find a clue to Bathsheba's complicity among King David's wives in 2 Samuel 4:11. How much of Absalom's arrogance and ambition was born of David's passivity and neglect in dealing with Amnon? Bible Answer: 2 Samuel 12:8 does not record God's approval of polygamy but God's gift of the possessions that He gave David. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. 2 Samuel 5 says "David married more wives in Jerusalem.". Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The Bible routinely describes polygamy in a negative light, so it may be hard to understand why David, a man after Gods own heart, (1 Samuel 13:14) had multiple wives. An inspiring passage from Scripture delivered to your inbox every day! By now David was old and feeble, and his oldest surviving son, Adonijah, attempted to usurp the throne before his father died. Heres the plot summary, and its spicy enough for any Netflix series: King David stays home when hes supposed to go to war. Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon, Wife of King David, David and Goliath Bible Story Study Guide, Battle of Jericho Bible Story Study Guide, Meet Absalom, Rebellious Son of King David, Was It Rape? None of this is necessary and it can be avoided if Christians take their studies of the Scripture seriously instead of shying away from difficult passages in the Bible. However, no matter how faithful or righteous David may have been, David's children and descendants were responsible for their actions and accountable to God for their choices, not David's (Deuteronomy 24:16). How many of them learned these bad habits from their father? Did King David Rape Bathsheba? May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. As mentioned earlier, Adonijah then used the almost concubine status of Abishag to try and get closer to the throne. We know Michal was devoted to David, enough to hide him from her own father. If we count the son who died in infancy after having been conceived through David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba ( 2 Samuel 12:16-23 ), David . Ahinoam married David while he was in exile from Saul, and had Davids firstborn son, Amnon. Please be patient. We strive to approve comments the day they are made, but please allow at least 24 hours for your comment to appear. No other account in the Bible so vividly captures the heart-wrenching struggle of a sinful man who earnestly sought after the Lord yet failed to measure up. Because of King Saul's sin, which is recorded in 1 Samuel 15:10-23, Saul lost the kingdom given to him by God. Free will is a tremendous gift given to us by God because it enables our actions to have meaning and purpose; however, we can abuse it to do unspeakable things in pursuit of our selfish ambitions. And he executed plenty of criminals. Ahinoam: Introduced in 1 Samuel 25:43, Ahinoam is mostly mentioned alongside Abigail, since both wives accompanied David together while He fled Saul. The Bible tells us that Bathsheba gave birth to a child following her adulterous affair with David. Chileab (or Daniel), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, who David married after the death her husband (1 Samuel 25).3. Integrity guards your heart, mind, emotions, and actions. On-demand Amazing Facts audio featuring a wealth of spiritual guidance and inspiration. In addition, David had an unknown number of concubines. (1 Chr 3:9)(2 Sam 5:13)(2 Sam 16:21-22)(2 Sam 20:3 tells us he had at least 10). Saul had no choice but to give Michal to David as his wife ( 1 Samuel 18:20-27 ). Bathsheba(2 Sam ch.11 ch.12)(1 Kin ch. Bathsheba was disposable to David until a pregnancy threatened to expose his actions (rape and then murder) before the nation. The first was the baby that was the fruit of the sinful and murderous romance between him and Bathsheba. David was married to Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah during the 7-1/2 years he reigned in Hebron as king of Judah. And David did repent before the Lord. Find out more about his work here. Abigail: David's second wife, Abigail, is found in 1 Samuel 25 during the saga of David's life when he fled King Saul. Consumed with lust for power, Saul sought to destroy David because Gods favor rested on him, and David was deemed a contender for the throne (1 Samuel 18:12-16). David had seven wives prior to Bathsheba. Chileab (or Daniel . How many of David's sons became lustful, greedy, and ambitious like their father? She loves traveling, reading, missions, art, and dessert. When hes not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world. He sends for her and has sexual relations with her, knowing it's wrong. The fact that an innocent child diesinstead of the guilty pairis troubling in light of what we know of God's . Davids background influenced him. At first, David called Bathshebas husband, Uriah, away from the battle to give him a report of the army. David - passionate poet and in love, lyrical singer, courageous in battle and completely Gd-fearing, yet humble and willing to take responsibility and admit his mistakes. She later helped David escape before her father could kill him (1 Samuel 19:11-18) and was married off to a man named Palti. Who Were the 12 Disciples of Jesus? We dont have to look far to see that power corrupts. He sees a beautiful woman bathing in the next house. It stands as a clear warning to every leader, every spouse, and every believer who loves God and feels secure in their own perspectives. When it comes to Gods children, Scripture places much emphasis on the importance of making good decisions (Joshua 24:14-15; 1 Corinthians 10:13). A Case Study in Narrative Theology in Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/2 (Autumn 2006): 8195. The Bible doesnt outright say which of Davids wives he favored the most, nor does it give us enough information to guess. Even though God favored his second son with Bathsheba, this doesnt mean that God wanted their relationship to happen. "The third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. But God blessed Bathsheba with her son Solomon who would become king after his father. Admittedly, its not always the most exciting part of the Bible to read, however it is incredibly important for understanding the historical accounts recorded. There is a dangerous assumption which accompanies many Bible readers and serves as the root of numerous stumbling blocks. Our sin nature gravitates toward selfishness and self-pleasure. However, while we may see David as a legend and hero of the faith, we must also remember that he was just as much a son, a brother, a husband, and a father as he was a king or a warrior. You can choose not to excuse or normalize your behavior. Apart from the last point given in the previous section, Christians should know the accounts given of these women to strengthen their witness for Christ. Thus, although Abishag was not Davids wife or concubine, her intimate connection with the king resulted in people using her as a pawn. How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible, 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It's our job as parents to build a biblical foundation for our children, teaching them to know God and stand firm in the truth of God's Word early. The stories and names of some of them have transcended more in history, while others have simply been mentioned without specifying the origin. This trend continued through the succession of Israel's kings. 8. When a reader has a grasp on the Law, they have the standard by which they are to discern the behavior of the people recorded. Depending on the length of a woman's period, this seven-day injunction before purification virtually guarantees that a woman will most likely be ovulating, or close to ovulating when she resumes having sex. But power and money makes us feel like we deserve certain indulgences we might not have without a position of power. You can lean into Gods calling for your life and let him use your circumstances to create good. Available atLifeAudio.com. Now the pressure was really on the king, who might have concealed his affair with Bathsheba, but couldn't hide her pregnancy for long. Following Amnon's murder, Absalom fled Jerusalem and did not return for another three years. While reading through this account, we inevitably stumble across the puzzling records ofKing Davids wives and concubines. Although she seems passive at the beginning of her relationship with David, Bathsheba becameKing David's active support at the end of his life, as she secured David's throne for their son, Solomon, who was destined to become a wise, if flawed, ruler of Israel. The lesson here is that David often took a more passive approach to discipline his children, allowing their base emotions, sin, and selfish ambitions to go unchallenged and grow into reckless, even deadly behavior. David, like all other human beings, was not a robot. Seek humility because its a proven weapon against the sins that come with power and prestige. He also lost the respect of his people, and his reputation was permanently besmirched. If so, the sons of David with his wives would total at least 20. Sadly, that judgment included the death of David and Bathsheba's infant son (verse 14). In the springtime, when all kings ride out to war, David neglected his responsibilities as king and sent Joab, the commander of his army, to fight in his stead. As told in 2 . He recalled Uriah from the front, supposedly to give him a report on the battle, and then told him to take some leave and visit his wife. Haggith(1 Chr 3:2)(2 Sam 3:4) After David moved his capital to Jerusalem, he married Bathsheba. The source for everything happening at Amazing Facts. In fact, the Bibles narrative makes it clear Davids marriage choices created big problems. Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, yet another wife of David. Why did God allow David to keep Bathsheba as his wife? After Bathsheba mourns for her deceased husband, David sends for and marries Bathsheba. But Uriah is a man of integrity (he doesnt want to enjoy anything his fellow-soldiers cant enjoy), so he sleeps outside the palace. Later she and David had a second son, Solomon, who God favored (2 Samuel 12:25). All rights reserved. I dont think so. What Does the Bible Tell Us about the Prophet Daniel? (1 John 1:9-10), David and Bathsheba's story is a traumatic one, but also one that God redeems. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Uriah still wont go home. Thus, it also means that he was between 44-48 years old when he first encountered Bathsheba, who was 7-9 years old. This is often seen as the cop-out answer anytime the question of why God allows evil in the world comes up.