Reference: Bathsheba
Hastings
Wife of Uriah the Hittite, seduced by David (2Sa 11:2-4), and afterwards married to him (2Sa 11:27). The child died (2Sa 12:18), but another son, Solomon, was subsequently born (2Sa 12:24). Bathsheba, instigated and supported by Nathan, successfully combated Adonijah's attempt to secure the throne (1Ki 1:11-53). Acting as Adonijah's intercessor in the matter of Abishag, she was most respectfully received by Solomon, but her unwise request was refused (1Ki 2:13-25).
J. Taylor.
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One evening David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, when from there he saw a woman bathing; and she was very lovely to behold. David sent and inquired about the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite? read more. And David sent messengers and took her. And she came in to him, and he lay with her -- "for she was purified from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house.
And when the mourning was past, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.
And on the seventh day the child died. David's servants feared to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, While the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he would not listen to our voices; will he then harm himself if we tell him the child is dead?
David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went to her and lay with her; and she bore a son, and she called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved [the child];
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, reigns and David our lord does not know it? Come now, let me advise you how to save your own life and your son Solomon's. read more. Go to King David and say, Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign? Behold, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words. So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. Now the king was very old and feeble, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to [him]. Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. The king said, What do you wish? And she said to him, My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me and sit upon my throne. And now, behold, Adonijah is reigning, and, my lord the king, you do not know it. He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite Solomon your servant. Now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after you. Otherwise, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted as offenders. While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. The king was told, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came before the king, he bowed himself before him with his face to the ground. And Nathan said, My lord the king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? He has gone this day and sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and they eat and drink before him and say, Long live King Adonijah! But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. Is this done by my lord the king and you have not shown your servants who shall succeed my lord the king? Then King David answered, Call Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence and stood before him. And the king took an oath and said, As the Lord lives, Who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, Even as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead -- "even so will I certainly do this day. Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king and said, Let my lord King David live forever! King David said, Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. The king told them, Take the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon [in the Kidron Valley]. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, Long live King Solomon! Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my stead; I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah. And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so too. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites [the king's bodyguards] went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule and brought him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet and all the people said, Long live King Solomon! All the people followed him; they played on pipes and rejoiced greatly, so that the earth [resounded] with the joyful sound. And Adonijah and all the guests with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the trumpet sound, he said, What does this uproar in the city mean? While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, Come in, for you are a trustworthy man and bring good news. Jonathan replied, Adonijah, truly our lord King David has made Solomon king! The king has sent him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule. Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; they have come up from there rejoicing, so the city resounds. This is the noise you heard. Solomon sits on the royal throne. Moreover, the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed And said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has granted me to see one of my offspring sitting on my throne this day. And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up and went every man his way. And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose and went [to the tabernacle tent on Mt. Zion] and caught hold of the horns of the altar [as a fugitive's refuge]. And it was told Solomon, Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword. Solomon said, If he will show himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die. So King Solomon sent, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar [in front of the tabernacle]. He came and bowed himself to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
Adonijah, the son of [David and] Haggith, came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. She said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. He said, I have something to say to you. And she said, Say on. read more. He said, You know that the kingdom belonged to me [as the eldest living son], and all Israel looked to me to reign. However, the kingdom has passed from me to my brother; for it was his from the Lord. Now I make one request of you; do not deny me. And she said, Say on. He said, I pray you, ask King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, to give me Abishag the Shunammite to be my wife. And Bathsheba said, Very well; I will speak for you to the king. So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set at his right hand for her, the king's mother. Then she said, I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me. The king said to her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not refuse you. She said, Give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah your brother to be his wife. King Solomon answered his mother, And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also -- "for he is my elder brother -- "[ask it] even for him and for [his supporters] Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah. Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not requested this against his own life. Therefore, as the Lord lives, Who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father and Who has made me a house as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who attacked [Adonijah] and he died.