David's history suggests that he used many women to balance out his faults (lust, violence, and ego). In the city of Jerusalem, David's eighth wife, Bathsheba, gave him four sons after the death of her first son. Our sins always affect future generations. As Davids life shows, nothing good comes of pretending a sin doesnt exist. Nathan calmly told the king: "You are the man," meaning that God had revealed to the prophet the truth of David's adultery, deceit, and murder of Uriah. Suppose you make some terrible decision in your life that is irreversible. For example, Bathsheba bore Solomon to David, and he was part of Jesus genealogy (Matthew 1:6-7). The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most dramatic accounts in the Old Testament. We only know that David could do whatever he wanted to do. In 2020, Sue won a Selah Award for her nonfiction book Soulspeak: Praying Change into Unexpected Places. Chileab (or Daniel . And he executed plenty of criminals. David consoled Bathsheba by getting her pregnant again, this time with a son the named Solomon. He won King Saul's daughter . While David did some great and wise things, he didnt always do the right thing. As told in 2 . [1] He was a younger brother of Shammuah (sometimes referred to as Shammua or Shimea), Shobab, and Solomon. Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel, one of David's first wives ( 1 Samuel 25:43 ). God exercises His power in harmony with our free will (even our sinful decisions) to accomplish His divine purposes. Free Will. A wife not covered in either list, Davids first wife, is mentioned in several stories about Davids exploit. Join Pastor Dougs church for special music, inspiring sermons, and empowering church training. When David couldn't get Uriah to sleep with his wife Bathsheba (and therefore conceal David's adultery), he . This theory suggests Bathsheba did not say "no" to David, but neither did she say "yes.". In fact, it was probably one of his worst; and this sin had devastating consequences that rippled throughout David's family. Cover 98.5 percent of the UK with Bible truth now! After Abigail told her husband that she saved him, Nabal had a heart attack and died. Psalm 32 relays how Davids sin and restoration affected him physically, psychologically, and spiritually. He attends Faith Fellowship Church in East Rochester, OH where he has given multiple sermons and is discipled by pastor Chet Howes. Amazing Facts 24/7 television station featuring the best in Bible study streamed lived and on-demand. Davids children repeated his sins. How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? Incongruence happens when we ignore or disobey Gods laws. God in His grace restored David back to a healthy spiritual relationship with Him. She was given by the hand of her treacherous father Saul the first king of Israelwhile he lingered on the throne in his fallen state. (Exodus 20:14, 17), Integrity isnt natural. At first, David called Bathshebas husband, Uriah, away from the battle to give him a report of the army. Bathsheba is portrayed by the midrash as a modest woman who carefully observed the laws of family purity, but who found herself, without any conscious action on her part, in an adulterous affair with the king. Sources:TheGospelCoalition.org, 'Did King David Rape Bathsheba? Though several of David's most loyal followers, including Joab and Abiathar, threw their support behind Adonijah, David turned to Nathan (the prophet), Benaiah (the mighty man), and Zadok (the priest) to establish Solomon as the rightful king of Israel. Davids character influenced his childrens character. A guide for walking through all of Scripture in just a yearwith catch-up days built in. Uriah the Hittite - Wikipedia A shepherd, giant killer, folk hero, singer, songwriter, warrior, fugitive, exile, and eventually a king. Her future child(ren) would be raised within a context of sexual misconduct, manipulation, competition, cover-up, and violence just as Nathan predicted. David has committed adultery and murder. While we talk a lot about his heroic might, we dont talk much about Davids wives. Here are the eight wives: Michalwas Davids original wife, Sauls daughter whom David won by killing 100 Philistines (1 Samuel 18:24-27). Remember that David did suffer terribly because of his sin with Bathsheba. 3) Davids actions would be repeated in his family for generations. 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. As he took note of her beauty, David abused his authority as King and forced her to lie with him. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Chileab (or Daniel), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, who David married after the death her husband (1 Samuel 25).3. Who Were King David's Wives in the Bible - Names and Importance Bathsheba, married David after he famously murdered her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11). We learn more about Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, but not much about how David related to them over time. But Uriah didn't go home; he stayed within the palace barracks. David, as well as kings which followed (including his son Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines: 1 Kin 11:3 ), disobeyed . Get yours before supplies run out. You can choose not to excuse or normalize your behavior. Bathsheba had no rights. In his old age, David could no longer stay warm in bed, so his advisors found a young virgin named Abishag to sleep in the same bed with David and provide warmth. An inspiring passage from Scripture delivered to your inbox every day! Bathsheba was a victim who suffered from multiple life-changing traumas in the same year. Discover all the informative and inspiring books from the speaker and president of Amazing Facts. Did she resist, beg, or comply? If Christians are not ready, they will get blind-sided by such objections and may even suffer doubt of their own faith. Also, we find hope. His many wives resulted in many children with rivalries and unhealthy relationships with each other. She was originally the wife of Uriah the Hittite, a trusted soldier in David's army. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay . David sends for Bathshebas husband to come home to try to cover up his sin. The story reveals the consequences of feeding secret lustful desires. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all 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. The Bible states he had many wives, but never adds anything like and this was accorded to him as wisdom which would imply God approved. Then when David ascends to the throne of Israel, David orders Michal to be taken from her new husband and children and brought back to the palace, apparently out of spite. She was separated from her husband as a military wife, was taken advantage of by her king, grieved a murdered spouse, became pregnant with the king's baby, married the king becoming his fourth wife, and then lost her baby. They are: David's remaining children that we know of were born in Jerusalem to unnamed wives. Don't forget to listen to Bible Answers Live onSirius XM Family Talk 131this Sunday at 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT.Find more ways to listen here! As a result, David took up arms with 400 of his men to seek vengeance and completely wipe out Nabals family line by killing all males. Does it mean you cannot be forgiven or saved? Available atLifeAudio.com. After Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom killed him (2 Samuel 13:23-38). Bathsheba mourned the death of her husband and David took her as his wife after her time of mourning. "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. That child died shortly after birth as a consequence of David's sin, which the prophet Nathan warned of (2 Samuel 12:14-23). Cynthia B. Astle is an award-winning journalist who covered religion for 25 years. The Rabbis are concerned with the causes and harsh consequences of David's sin, but completely disregard Bathsheba's . Ahinoam: Introduced in 1 Samuel 25:43, Ahinoam is mostly mentioned alongside Abigail, since both wives accompanied David together while He fled Saul. The latest information on all of Pastor Dougs upcoming events. Abigail was the second of Davids wives. We strive to approve comments the day they are made, but please allow at least 24 hours for your comment to appear. 1. This story shows that God can redeem us even after we have wandered far off the path. After David moved his capital to Jerusalem, he married Bathsheba. The heart can fool any of us and destroy the best of us (Jeremiah 17:9). Women had little protection in the ancient world, although the Bible has always outlined rules for treating them justly. We don't know if David dealt with Amnon's sin following Tamar's rape, but there's not much evidence in the Bible to confirm that he did much of anything. Regarding Davids wives, we have a grim reminder of what happens when we neglect to live as God commands. The stories and names of some of them have transcended more in history, while others have simply been mentioned without specifying the origin. Worship with Pastor Dougs church each week, featuring beautiful music and life-changing Bible study. Astle, Cynthia. This story is a classic example of a powerful man and a powerless woman. He asks someone who she is (Shes Bathsheba, married to Uriah, one of your elite fighting men). Similarly, sin and bad character can set the example for our children to learn from and imitate. 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible Who Was Mary Magdalene in the Bible? 9. Bathsheba in the Bible - character, marriage, and life lessons The David and Bathsheba Pericope Re-Examined, The Story of David and Bathsheba: A Different Approach, The Alleged Rape of Bathsheba: Some Observations on Ambiguity in Biblical Narrative. His first six sons, recorded in 2 Samuel 3:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-4, are: 1. Sue has a BA in Creative Writing and a Masters in Theology and Culture. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/bathsheba-king-davids-most-famous-wife-117306. However, for people seeking the truth in earnest, it would be disingenuous to ignore any of the relevant factors revealed in Scripture pertaining to this question. So David sends Uriah back to the front with a note for Joab, the general, to put Uriah in an exposed position where hell be killedto make sure by pulling the other troops back and leaving him stranded. (Ephesians 6:10-18). How Many Wives Did King David Have and What Do We Know about Them? 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). Ahinoam married David while he was in exile from Saul, and had Davids firstborn son, Amnon. 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. Rather, God works through the effects of our sin to bring about His purposes, though He still abhors our sinful actions. The first is that everything in the Bible is worth learning on some level. 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. Three of these wives, Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, are prominent in Scripture, but the other 5 are mentioned only in the verses given in the chart. 'ChristianityToday.com, 'Why It's Easier to Accept David as a Murderer Than a Rapist'. David then married Abigail, and she had a son named Daniel. 16 Facts About King David - OverviewBible You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Michal(1 Sam 18:20-27)(1 Sam 19:11-17)(1 Sam 25:44)(2 Sam 3:13-14) 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). Although the lists of his mighty men (2 Samuel 23:8-39 & 1 Chronicles 11:10-47) are given after David has become king, many of them may have been the loyal followers who stayed with him when he was fleeing King Saul.At the very least, they fought side by side with him. Sauls hopes of David falling by the hand of the Philistines is once again thwarted because David killed 200 Philistines and gave double the agreed-upon dowry. More importantly, God's mercy and promise to David remained true. Why did God allow David to keep Bathsheba as his wife? After she was taken away from him, he married Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. We must all be actively aware of the battle for our hearts (1 Peter 5:8-10) and respond accordingly, with the power of the Holy Spirit. David had many wives and concubines. Are they more prone to sexual sin than regular people? From these unions, the Bible names nineteen sons and one daughter, Tamar ( 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 ). 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. I dont think so. (2 Samuel 11:2-4) "David didn't invite Bathsheba. In other words, she was not truly willing to sleep with him, but he was the king. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Bathsheba Was King David's Most Famous Wife Our flagship program features the most informative and inspiring messages from Pastor Doug and more. 7. Comments made on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday may not be approved until the following Monday. He cant sleep (maybe because hes not fulfilling his purpose?