1 Chron. This may conceivably be a measure of her helplessness before the power of the king ( there was definitely a power differential there ). Have I built up Bathsheba? The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most dramatic accounts in the Old Testament. I like the note the CEB Study Bible has for 2 Samuel 11:25. My question is why were these so called God fearing men even allowed to have concubine s in the first place? She is simply foolish. Some think she was taking a ritual bath (Hebrew, mikveh) after her menstrual period (citing 2Sam 11:4), but neither text nor archaeology offer clear support. So maybe he did pick Solomon and forgot. I feel for Bathsheba and the ordeal she faced because of Davids wickedness. FAQs about Bathsheba in the Bible Bathsheba Bathing: Artistic Views. 9:5054). Also, nothing bad happened to Vashti as far as we know. He did not encounter her (CSB) or find her (KJV). [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. For example, it is the lamb that is slaughtered and Uriah that is slaughtered, so a straight comparison between Batsheba and the lamb is too direct. What was it about his analogy that felt so off? 11); may we suggest that the parallel with Tamar adds weight to that proposal? So, lets just take a brief look at each of those stages. A Sympathetic Look at Bathsheba - Marg Mowczko David was pacing on the roof of his palace. Calvary Chapel Cork (The text doesnt say where they were bathing.) David has become an old man and is losing competence, and his eldest son Adonijah has set himself up as king. This contrast highlights the wisdom motif of the woman who brings death. It seems to me that you have it backwards William. Being referred to as Uriahs wife seems to be a reminder of Davids treacherous behaviour (1 Kings 15:5). The biblical text simply never says that Bathsheba sinned. What is her story, do you know it? Lev 7:19; 13:6, 13, 17, 34, 37, 3941; 14:79; 15:13; 17:15; 22:7; Deut 23:1011; Isa 1:16). Still others would characterize her as a victim of the abusive power of kingship. (2 Samuel 11:24). David expected Bathsheba to resume her life as Uriahs wife. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent . Im guessing heating up water probably took quite a lot of time. She must have to become the figure of influence this story shows her to be. However, I tend not to trust any interpretation that puts equal blame on Bathsheba as both MacArthur and my NASB do. I include this quotation because of the unsupported claim that respectable Israelite or Jewish women did not bathe at night for ritual purification. Did Bathsheba sin with David? Bathsheba is now pregnant and widowed, and she mourns for her murdered husband. But not so with you. Here, however, the similarities end. Thoughts? The discharge of semen during sex required bathing and then a one-day quarantine period of being unclean. Maybe so, although there are other possibilities. I completely agree, Brenda. And she returned to her house. by David M. Gunn. Those who dont want to see the sexual innuendo in the Hebrew stories therefore may do so, but are up against the grain of the way Hebrew narratives are told. Regardless of what David did or didnt do, I dont see how this is building up Bathsheba as much as setting the record straight. On the other hand, many books of hours were made for and used by women. And even if he didnt, David may have been sure of his power over Uriah even if he objected. My ancestors were German Jews living in Lithuania. 148 David And Bathsheba Stock Photos & High-Res Pictures What would have happened if David did not have Uriah killed? My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. While I never heard back from them, I noticed that they removed the offending statement. If we are in Christ, then God has saved us from our sins in the past, and he will save us from his wrath in the future. Lockyers chapters on Dinah and a few other Bible women are equally heartless and unjust. Go to King David and say, Didnt my master the king swear to your servant, Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. The particular question arrived recently in the inbox from a listener named Micah, who lives in Toronto. However, we are not told that she was seen. He was the one that took the second look at Bathsheba. The following comes from On Sovereign Wings. The words describing Bathshebas actions in 11:45 gave no hint of resistance, and certainly the text records no words of protest. Does David take her by force, or does she come willingly? (p. 231). Ye cannot behold for the present time the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. Davids Deathbed LOL, I cant see how this point in the article is incongruent, and it contains my thoughts (which Ive italicised in this quotation): As a consequence of her role in the succession narrative, her name Bathsheba, which might mean daughter of abundance or daughter of seven, takes on a whole new meaning as woman of oath [bat-shvuah]. Given her contrasting rolesthe earlier passive and opaque, the latter influential and perhaps connivingwe can read her story as either two very different characters or as a narrative of psychological transformation. Just as David sent for Bathsheba, so he innocently sends his daughter Tamar to Amnons house (13:7). Actually, being identified by a male relative was, and is, a sign of respect in honor-shame cultures, such as those in Bible times. A. Bradford Professor Emeritus of Religion at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Hi Andrea, The same is true of Tamar. Bathshebas washing was a faithful and personal act of devotion to God. Bathing - Inexplicable. Was she complicit in the sin? Nabal commits a foolish act potentially leading to his death at the hands of David, but Abigail intercedes and saves him thus saving David from shedding innocent blood. She is on a throne at the right hand of her son, the king. His life went downhill after that. She believes she was sent to minister to her sick brother; the true purpose of her visit has been concealed from her. They misunderstood much more than just messianic prophecies. ~ 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. What does the Bible say? The story of Bathsheba and David has proved so enduring that religious commentators still debate the quality . Rembrandt: Bathsheba at Her Bath Bathsheba was a daughter of Eliam and was probably of noble birth. If we were to hold court on Bathshebas character, based on the evidence of 2 Samuel 11 and our two witnesses, we would have to conclude she is not a cunning, manipulative, or malicious person. So what else would Bathsheba be doing but having a foot bath? Paul didnt kill anyone! 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 knew very little about the circumstances surrounding our friends arrest, and blessedly I was not his judge. Bathsheba (9/26/2011) - All the Women of the Bible - Bible Gateway Ill fix it now. The text says, The king stood up to meet her and bowed low to her. Davids palace would command a view of the rooftops of most of the city, and many people might have been in view while bathing. Are We Losing? Then comes elders. Bathsheba is in a position of power and honour. Required fields are marked *. Reub 1.3740; cf. I do not think the ewe lamb in Nathans parable is comparable to Bathsheba is every detail, or even in most details. The last sentence is telling. Then she returned purified (kathara) to the tent and remained there until her food was brought to her toward evening. Judith 12:79. Her punishment was banishment from the presence of the king, but thats what she wanted anyways?? 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. Im aware of the assumptions of Richards and OBrien, and of the ignorance they admit to. [3] In book 2 of his Jewish War, Josephus writes aboutfirst-century Essene women and men bathing in mikvaot (ritual baths) with some clothing on: Now the women go into the bath with some of their garments on, as do the men with something girded about them (Jewish War 2.8.13 161; cf. Surely, being a doorway through which humanitys Savior would come to mortality is a great honor indeed. For that reason, I would not assume she is very young from the little lamb part, or that a woman was dehumanized in comparing her to a sheep. The parable was designed to vividly show David that he had been cruel and unjust. The witness of Abigail and Tamar seems to solidify our suggestion that Bathsheba is a naive and passive woman who does not have the wisdom or strength to extricate herself from a dangerous situation. Rape and murder recycled itself in his house due to the sins of the father. 25:2831), anticipate Davids actions in 2 Samuel 11 (see esp. MacArthurs Bible commentary says that Bathshebas ritual purification bath took place after David had sex with her, because this shows clearly that her child was Davids. Your Hardest Family Question: How do I respond to being blocked from seeing my grandchildren? Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible - Bathsheba. Bathsheba follows Nathans instruction and goes to David and tells him what has happened. God spares David life, but others will suffer because of his sins. Accountability and honesty are the keys that will set both parties free. Briefly, he does not accept the rape accusation, but does ascribe most or all of the wrongdoing to David. Like Bathsheba, Tamar is said to be beautiful (13:1, although a different Hebrew word is used). Bathsheba: Tale of an Abused Woman - annien.com Wisdom motifs and vocabulary are once again prevalent in 2 Samuel 13, indicating a further link with chapters 1112. The contrast between David and Uriah implies a searing critique of the kings power, when the corrupt king takes his loyal soldiers wife to bed. To build up Bathsheba you make King David into a rapist. Scripture affirms the importance of more than one witness in determining a conviction (Deut. We must respect their body, their wishes, and their desires; while simultaneously respecting the laws of God. You can support my work for as little as $3 USD a month at Patreon. And can you offer a source on Solomons wisdom deriving from Egyptian civil servants? Carole Fontaine has noted the clustering of typical wisdom motifs in vocabulary and theme found in 2 Samuel 1112 (The Bearing of Wisdom on the Shape of 2 Samuel 11-12, and 1 Kings 3, JSOT, 34, 1986, pp. In todays language we call what happened to Bathsheba as rape. Perhaps I could contribute one minor detail to our understanding of why shes not refered to by name but as her fathers daughter or Uriahs wife. The only hope that David would ever have that he could be forgiven and be happily in heaven with Uriah and Bathsheba and a holy God is that Jesus Christ lived and served and died in a way radically different from David. Bathsheba - Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible - Bible Gateway The strength she must have had astounds me. Bathsheba lived to see her son Herbert, a farmer like his . I have chosen to expound these chapters in three lessons. David raped Bathsheba, and why that matters - Religion News Service document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage? Ive written about the custom of identifying women in Old Testament times primarily by her connection to a male relative: https://margmowczko.com/the-shame-of-the-unnamed-women-of-the-old-testament/. I have highlighted the words walk and lie down because they are precisely the words that characterize Davids action in 2 Samuel 11:2, 4. ~ 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. David waits the requisite mourning period and then summons her to become his wife. The correlation of theme and vocabulary indicates that a comparison between Abigail and Bathsheba would be fruitful and might unveil some of the ambiguity present in Bathshebas character in 2 Samuel 11. Great post anyway. And David sent and inquired about the woman. Unless she knew that David stood out on that roof every night she holds no blame for what happened. Bathsheba Sherman was a real woman who died in Rhode Island in 1885 so how did she end up being depicted as the baby-killing witch featured in The Conjuring?. To properly identify rape and murder with a major author of the psalms is too much for most. Plotted, Shot, and Painted: Cultural Representations of Biblical Women (Sheffield Academic Press, 1996), 22. 2 Samuel 12:24-25 King James Version (KJV). 25), followed by those in the Bathsheba story (2 Sam. There was no drainage system inside a house for bathing. Evidence in the Bible Dions comment seems to presuppose that the women bathed in public spaces and that their modesty was extraordinary. 1:89; 6:20 cf. Exploring the biblical theology of Christian egalitarianism, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), (7) Phoebe: Deacon of the Church in Cenchrea. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam ( 2 Samuel 11:3, Ammiel in 1 Chronicles 3:5 ). What am I trying to say is this: We have no right to point a finger to any of them we weren`t there, I don`t think for a minute that our own lives are perfect we all have ups and downs we are not by any means perfect humans, so please stop calling King David rapist or, bathsheba seducer respect them we all will someday heading there means the other side of the veil and our own eyes will be open to the perfect truth of what or how really happens meanwhile be respectful and focussed on our own personal progress. had sex with her) after the death of their son. When one adds up Bathshebas naivet and passivity the sum total is foolishness. Bathsheba became the wife of Uriah, the most loyal of David's men. November 29, 2022 Bathsheba Sherman, who was featured as a baby-killing demon in "The Conjuring" isn't a fictional character. It is, unfortunately, the default of both men and women to blame the victim rather than the perpetrator. 2 Samuel 11 NIV - David and Bathsheba - Bible Gateway Who Was Bathsheba? How Intertextuality helps - Bible Study With Randy Their water source, a stream or spring-fed fountain, was often in a public place. Perhaps because northerners were prudish. ~ David did not just happen to meet Bathsheba (NIV). Solomon also wrote some of the material he compiled in the book of Proverbs. It is followed later by a 2nd chapter on her (per 1Ki.). Even though the stories of powerful women often go unnoticed, God used women to usher in his kingdom throughout scripture. The Bible does not tell us where Bathsheba was bathing but it does tell us where David was. When Nathan corroborates her words, David, in turn, swears in the name of God and Israel to make Solomon king. 11:1425). If Bathsheba was crowned with glory in this life, how much more will she, and we all, receive in the world to come? [3] An Eliam is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:34 as the son of Ahithophel, who is described as the Gilonite. Indeed, justice is meted out tragically, the sons mirroring and amplifying the sins of the father. Of course, its also a sensitive question too, so a heads up to those of listening with the kids around. If you ask me, she played the king and won. Mens lust was the problem. Did David rape Bathsheba? | GotQuestions.org David takes care of Bathsheba as his legal wife and we are told he consoled her (i.e. ~ Screaming was useless. The other wives he had did not seem to lighten him up though he did seem to have a lot of respect for Abigail (whose children were supportive of Solomon). He became a rapist, murderer, liar, and schemer. According to the values of that time, what David did to Bathsheba was adultery. Sin (v. 1-5) 2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. These parallels once again suggest that we may profit from a comparison between Bathsheba and Tamar in order to gain a clearer understanding of her character. However, we have actual literary evidence that women bathed in courtyards and at rivers, etc. Your email address will not be published. In order to cover for his paternity and free Bathsheba from suspicion of adultery, he summons Uriah from the front to sleep with his wife. Several Hebrew stories in the Bible are coy about sexuality, especially where sexuality is used by a woman. As to Bathshebas father, 2 Samuel 11:3 says: She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. This double identification indicates that she was a respectable person, as women with a dubious reputation were sometimes not identified by, and associated with, a named male relative. Why does Bathsheba come? 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. Tamar protests the foolish act being forced upon her; Bathsheba acquiesces. David becomes guilty of shedding innocent blood and she does nothing (perhaps can do nothing) to prevent it. Good observation on David and Bathesheba. I wasnt aware of Bathsheba being villified. The footnote also seems to assume that the reference to purification in 2 Samuel 11:14 was after David had sex with Bathsheba. And it was an honor extended to Bathsheba. I see no evidence that David loved Michal. Because Solomons kingship is the result of so much intrigue traced all the way back to Davids use of his power to exercise his will over Bathsehba and Uriah, tarnishing his best warriors in the process his reign is tainted from the beginning. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Prov. Our portrait of Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 proposed that she was naive (not included in this post but explored earlier in my examination of 2 Sam. Thanks. Bathsheba represents women who have been abused, victimized, taken advantage of. Ammiel means my kinsman is God while Eliam means my God is kinsman. Bathsheba may have been as innocent as a lamb. Thanks Derek. shepherd the flock of God that is among you . However, it is likely she believed that David had gone to war with his fighting menmen who included her husband (2 Sam. Even supposing the rape was not violent, rape is the expressing of power over another human being sexually, which is what David did. Someday, I should learn Hebrew and Greek. ~ 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. [7] Cheryl Exum makes an interesting comment on Bathshebas difficult situation: Whether David rapes Bathsheba is a moot question . You made the point that Solomon referred to his mothers teaching in Song 8:2. He took her. On the contrary, I see two indications that David threw his weight around threw his power, his influence, his position in such a way as to force her, apart from and against her commitment to her husband, to have sex with him. I would love to know where she got that information but its a few decades old. When she came to him, he had sex with her (2 Sam. By denying her subjectivity. It is imperative that we let go of Bathsheba as adulteress! ~ In the Book of Susanna, which is part of the Septuagint, two elders lust after the virtuous Susanna when they see her walking alone in her husbands private garden (Susanna 1:78). But the soldier repeatedly refuses to go to his house, swearing loyalty to the troops. In the first scene of the Bathsheba narrative, David, who remains in the palace while his troops are deployed in war, spies a woman bathing from his rooftop after a late afternoon siesta. Answer (1 of 5): It is worth noticing, that there is absolutely no hint that Bathsheba put up any resistance to the seduction initiated by David. A Case Study in Narrative Theology, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17.2 (Autumn 2006): 8195. It is the beginning of the fulfillment of the Lords word of judgment in 2 Samuel 12:11: Behold I will raise up evil against you from your own house (my translation). I dont think anyone blames Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah the Hittite . Bathing was often on the roof. These men had fought alongside David; they were his trusted comrades. Anyone who relies on a translation of the Hebrew scriptures isnt worth listening to. Oh, I love that. Anyway, glory be to God above all we say. Women whose husbands were prematurely and unjustly taken from them. Calvary Chapel York But as you say, even in modern societies we identify women, to some extent, by her relation to her father or husband. Set against the background of the siege of the Ammonite town, Rabbah(1 Samuel 11), the battle occasions Bathshebas husband Uriahs absence from home and the adultery, his summons from the front to cover for the resultant pregnancy, and his eventual death. Through out the. Todays Western culture has also made any evaluation of Bathsheba, an extremely sensitive issue. Both are married when David meets them and both become his wife after the death of their respective husbands. I cannot even imagine what that must have been like for Bathsheba. So, heres the first pointer that I see in the way the story itself is narrated. Abigails words that the one who fights the Lords battles should not be guilty of evil (1 Sam. She plays an almost entirely passive role in this chapter and utters only three words (two in Hebrew). (Source) ), [4] Mikvaot, ritual Jewish baths, were common in Jerusalem between 100 BCAD 70 (less common in other parts of Judea and in Galilee), but there is no surviving literary or archaeological evidence of similar ritual baths that date from around Davids time, 1000 BC. So with Bathsheba David seems to have recapture that love he once had as a youth. All this reminds me of a beautiful promise contained inThe Doctrine and Covenants. In some ways Abigails account is a mirror image of Bathshebas story with a few interesting twists (This observation, and some of the insights that follow, are from Adele Berlin, Characterization in Biblical Narrative: Davids Wives, JSOT, 23, 1982, pp. On the other hand, if Bathshebas bath was to purify herself when menstruation was over, plus seven days (Lev. Christians are operating without the aid of the Talmud, which explains whats written in the Hebrew Bible. (Some English translations such as the NASB add Bathshebas name in Matthew 1:6, but her name is absent from the Greek text.) The nation of Israel thrived under Solomons wise leadership. Bathsheba's Bath | Hebrew Word Study | Skip Moen David knew she was married when he got his men to get her. They had a big shipping industry but in the 1800s they became Lutherans as it was financially better. Mathews Gospel does not mention her name, She is known only as She who was the Wife of Uriah the Hittite. I can only imagine that if multiple people wrote and offered an alternative the bigotry might stop. 27:6-12). Only once have I made a reference to todays culture, and that is in an endnote. In a certain sense, I dont want to compare Nathans little ewe lamb story too closely to Davids. Was the bathing woman a warning against being seduced? (past tense, years ago). This was in the context of a woman who was impregnated by a rapist. David Gunn is A. Hi Mark, Ive read numerous comments from Bible teachers and remarks from pastors that blame Bathsheba. Bathsheba was bathing late at night, most likely in an enclosed courtyard or garden of her home, and only someone from a higher vantage would be able to see her at allshe was not flaunting herself in public. God is the lifter of the heads of women who have been through these things. Solomon is traditionally credited as the author of the biblical books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. As was the custom in biblical times, Bathsheba is identified by her relation to a man. : A Gospel Perspective on Imperfect Families, The Telling Responses of 19th Century Saints; Unexpectedly Called to Serve Missions, Meridians Come, Follow Me Podcast (New Testament Episodes). He was very attracted to Bathsheba and certainly you feel he really loved her. . Its exacly the same in modern western culture. Ive removed identifying information. And you are right we dont know she was completely undressed. The traditional reading imposes todays culture on the text, ignoring the realities of the power connected with Davids monarchy. 11:2627 CEB). 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. 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/, The Daughter of the King of the South (Daniel 11:6), 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. This part of her story is mentioned in just a few verses of the Bible with few details. The regulations of the Torah do not cover precisely what happened to Bathsheba. This custom continued into the Christian era, and still today, in some cultures, womens names are not spoken. It is incredibly unlikely that Bathsheba would have participated in this washing ritual somewhere as public as on a rooftop! 9. David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-4) | Bible.org Although Bathshebas portrait in 2 Samuel 11 is ambiguous, there is enough circumstantial evidence to suggest a certain understanding of her character. David absolutely raped Bathsheba. She had heard her father and grandfather praise him. This excerpt from Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships looks again at the story of Bathsheba and David, exploring the dynamics of abuse of power, survival, and God's working through even the most troubled and troubling family dynamics (2 Samuel 11:1-4a*). Each night she went out to the valley of Bethulia, where she bathed herself at the spring of the camp. 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. Are there any pointers for us in the text itself?. . Associates for Biblical Research. As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!. Both texts share similar themes, motifs, and words with the David and Bathsheba story in 2 Samuel 11. For example, he said, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. Needless to say, values and customs in Bible times are very different to those in modern western society. Did you see footnote 2? It seems, however, that he wants her only for that one time; she alone risks the death penalty for adultery, given her husbands absence, the resulting pregnancy, and the kings absolute power.

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