how many wives did david have before bathsheba

Please do not comment in languages other than English. Not only would God grant Solomon favor in the form of wisdom, riches, and long life (1 Kings 3), God would honor His promise to David by allowing Solomon to finish the construction of the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6). Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, David's fifth wife.5. The list of wives married during his exile is repeated in 2 Samuel 3:2-5. He has contributed over 1,200 articles to various publications, including interviews for Christian Communicator and book reviews for The Evangelical Church Library Association. David retorted that he was celebrating before God, and that story concludes by saying Michael remained childless throughout her entire life (2 Sam 6:23). While Uriah was away at war, David saw Bathsheba bathing in her courtyard one night; she was beautiful, and David lusted after her. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Pastor Dougs worldwide radio program will help you find answers to your biggest Bible questions. When God gave Moses the Law, He established the moral and societal parameters within which He expected the nation of Israel to live. The Bible tells us that Amnon lured his sister to his chambers one night under false pretenses and proceeded to rape her. All in all, the Bible makes it clear that Davids polygamy created an enormous amount of pain. David then married Abigail, and she had a son named Daniel. But Nathans prophecies still come true. What happened in the lives of David's children is mostly unknown; however, several of his sons, and one daughter, in particular, grew up to play a major role in David's later years and the future of Israel. We know that David's first children were born in Hebron, where David was made king following the death of Saul (2 Samuel 2:1-4, 1 Chronicles 3:4). 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. We dont have to look far to see that power corrupts. But Uriah is a man of integrity (he doesnt want to enjoy anything his fellow-soldiers cant enjoy), so he sleeps outside the palace. David raped Bathsheba and sent her home. The account is given for our instruction and encouragement. 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. Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah:Scripture does not give much detail about these four wives other than the fact they all bore sons to David while he dwelt in Hebron. In fact, the Bibles narrative makes it clear Davids marriage choices created big problems. In addition to Davids free will to stop his adulterous and murderous actions at any point, God also sent Nathan to confront David and remind him that God demanded his obedience. An inspiring passage from Scripture delivered to your inbox every day! David plotted to have Uriah killed. 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. Nathan reminded David that his sin had removed Gods protection and blessing from his life. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. He had a daughter named Michal, who King Saul had given him in exchange for killing 400 Philistines. Many theologians believe that the Proverbs 31 woman, whom Solomon wrote about, was Davids great-grandmother Ruth (Ruth 4:21-22). 5. God in His grace restored David back to a healthy spiritual relationship with Him. Dig into the Word and become a Bible expert with Amazing Facts line of study Bibles and more. All rights reserved. David was many things in life. 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. 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. Like many things in life, we are all impacted by the choices and behavior of our parents. (Actually, Saul promised David his older daughter Merab, hoping the Philistines would kill David. We dont know. 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. The prophet Nathan rebuked David, and Bathshebas child died. And God not only forgave them, He even blessed their marriage with another child. David and Solomon would have grown up hearing the stories of Gods redemption of their family line through Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer. He founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under a single monarch. Why did God punish David and Bathsheba's innocent child with death? We know Abigail was unusually wise, and nothing about how she related to David later in life. When David couldn't get Uriah to sleep with his wife Bathsheba (and therefore conceal David's adultery), he . Please be patient. Once he found out Bathsheba's identity, he knew that she was married and he had sent her husband off to war. Discover all the informative and inspiring books from the speaker and president of Amazing Facts. Years later, after Absalom killed his brother Amnon for what he did to Tamar, Absalom rebelled against David and forced him to flee Jerusalem. That child died shortly after birth as a consequence of David's sin, which the prophet Nathan warned of (2 Samuel 12:14-23). But Uriah didn't go home; he stayed within the palace barracks. Learning about Davids poor choices, and the results of those choices help us to understand he was more than the heroic figure we discover in Sunday School. Absalom killed Amnon his brother, and then Absalom was killed. David clearly struggled with this many times. Later she and David had a second son, Solomon, who God favored (2 Samuel 12:25). Depending on what Sunday School you attended, you might not know there were multiple wives. Our sin nature gravitates toward selfishness and self-pleasure. How much of Absalom's arrogance and ambition was born of David's passivity and neglect in dealing with Amnon? Gods providence. He sends for her and has sexual relations with her, knowing it's wrong. It was not David's best or brightest moment. Today, its common to say that someone has fallen out of love, married the wrong person, found the right person, etc., but if either part of love affair is married to someone else, its wrong. When you post, you agree to the terms and conditions of our comments policy. And he executed plenty of criminals. (Ephesians 6:10-18). Consequently, Bathsheba and David had sex at one of the best possible moments for her to conceivewhich she did, with tragic results. No matter how active we are in our children's lives, our children grow up and must one day choose for themselves whether they will serve the Lord or go their own way. Eglah married David while he was in exile, and had a son named Ithream. God plainly told the Israelites when they selected a king, he was not to have multiple wives (Deuteronomy 17:17). To that total we would add all the unnamed sons of his concubines. Not long after Bathsheba and David committed adultery, Bathsheba sent a message to David telling him she was pregnant. God makes the ultimate mockery of sin by taking our wicked decisions and using them for His good purposes (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Click here to read it. If you have a Bible question for Pastor Doug Batchelor or the Amazing Facts Bible answer team, please submit it by clicking here. Bathsheba: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive Astle, Cynthia. The story reveals the consequences of feeding secret lustful desires. The story of David and Bathsheba is told in 2 Samuel 11 and 12, set against the backdrop of David's war against the Ammonites, a tribe from a region east of the Dead Sea that is now part of present-day Jordan. There are a variety of reasons to learn about them, with two particularly clear ones. After David had moved his kingdom to Jerusalem, where he ruled for thirty-three years, he had four more children with Bathsheba. They are: David's remaining children that we know of were born in Jerusalem to unnamed wives. All rights reserved. A wife not covered in either list, Davids first wife, is mentioned in several stories about Davids exploit. There are several key places in the Bible that describe Davids wives. God restored David to intimate spiritual fellowship. In other words, she was not truly willing to sleep with him, but he was the king. They are all mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:2-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-3. (James 4:4-10), Reach out for help. You can lean into Gods calling for your life and let him use your circumstances to create good. 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. How many of David's sons became lustful, greedy, and ambitious like their father? In his arrogance and lust for power, Absalom eventually turned the hearts of the people against his father and later succeeded in taking the throne of Israel, plunging the nation into a civil war (2 Samuel 15). Among other things, the fact David chose to have multiple wives proves he was a sinner. All rights reserved. 2 Samuel 5 says "David married more wives in Jerusalem.". You read that correctly, God recorded Davids polygamous lifestyle for our instruction and encouragement. The Bible records at least twenty named children born to David and his many wives, though it is possible he had even more than those listed. Still, we dont know if David named Solomon his successor because he favored Bathsheba, because God favored Solomon, or to compensate for everything Bathsheba had suffered. (Exodus 20:14, 17), Integrity isnt natural. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay David and his men. While reading through this account, we inevitably stumble across the puzzling records ofKing Davids wives and concubines. (2 Samuel 11:2-4) "David didn't invite Bathsheba. 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 lists sons that David had with seven women, six of which he married while living in exile in Hebron. Abitalmarried David while he was in exile, and had a son named Shephatiah. David and Bathsheba Bible Story and 10 Important Lessons And David did repent before the Lord. Nathan little is known about Nathan, David's third son by Bathsheba; however, he is worth mentioning for his inclusion in Luke's account of the genealogy of Jesus as one of Jesus' ancestors via the line of David (Luke 3:31). How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. Bathsheba was a daughter of Eliam and was probably of noble birth. He sees a beautiful woman bathing in the next house. But who were David's children exactly, who did they grow up to be, and how were their lives shaped by their complicated and sometimes troubled relationship with their famous father? Sources:TheGospelCoalition.org, 'Did King David Rape Bathsheba? As king, his responsibility is to secure a peaceful nation. 6. Pastor and therapist Ted Roberts gives an interesting theory in his book Pure Desire and other resources: David may have been stuck in a cycle of sexual bondage. Like many men struggling with pornography or sexual issues, David had a harsh relationship with his father, who called David his youngest son, using a Hebrew word that also means unimportant. Men with sexual issues also have illicit behavior they try to hide (David hid his affair with Bathsheba), and pass on their dysfunctional behavior to their children without ever confronting the problem (Amnon rapes his half-sister, David got angry but did nothing about it). In verse 15, David is described writing a letter to his general, Joab, telling him to put Uriah on the front lines where the fighting is fiercest, and then to withdraw, leaving Uriah undefended. Chileab (or Daniel), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, who David married after the death her husband (1 Samuel 25).3. Bathsheba was King David's most famous and controversial wife, in part because their marriage came after an illicit extramarital affair at the height of David's reign over Judah and Israel (circa 1005-965 BCE). In all of Scripture, the life of David may be the most dramatic recorded. Parenting is never easy, and it really doesn't get easier or cheaper by the dozen, as the saying goes. However, after Solomon became king, Adonijah used Bathsheba to ask Solomon a favor: he wanted Abishags hand in marriage (1 Kings 2:13-23). We only know that David could do whatever he wanted to do. God never did. 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. Sadly, that judgment included the death of David and Bathsheba's infant son (verse 14). 10 Things You Need to Know about the Number 666, 10 Books of the Bible You Should Read Again and Again, 10 Most Encouraging Bible Verses That Will Uplift Your Heart and Soul, 5 Things That Hurt Relationships with Grandkids, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life Losses, 4 Things You Should Know about Big George Foreman, 8 Ways You Are Belittling Your Husband and What God Says about It, Maybe Money Can Buy Happiness, but Not Joy. These were born to David in Hebron" (2 Samuel 3:2-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-3). 2 Samuel 3:2-5 (NASB) Therefore, it appears that either 1) David never married Saul's wives, 2) the wives of Saul became David's wives or concubines since 2 Samuel 5:13-16 and 1 Chronicles 3:9 tells us that David had other wives and concubines or 3) David only cared for Saul's wives since they were . After she was taken away from him, he married Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. Michal, however, did not bear David any children (2 Samuel 6:23). 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! The Bible also mentions a woman who was not strictly a wife or a concubine, but close enough that it became a problem. 2 Samuel 11:1 records that the king sent his army out to wage war, but he himself stayed behind in Jerusalem. Did Bathsheba Sin with David? | Desiring God Davids children repeated his sins. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. "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. Whereas Saul lacked sufficient self-confidence to lead the nation appropriately, David was ever sure of himself [an important component of true trust in Gd] yet knew to repent in an instant and keep his teshuvah alive . It would have been a cruel act for David to put away Bathsheba after the death of her husband and baby through his influence. Like most of us, David must have grown tired of fighting spiritual and physical enemies. Who was King David's favorite wife? - remodelormove.com ***Note: Based upon (2 Sam 12:8), some believe that after Saul died, David married his wives. A warrior, David becomes king to establish and lead Israel as a God-fearing nation, unlike the surrounding nations. (2021, September 10). He married 700 women of noble birth and took 300 concubines. 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. Its the false assumption Scripture condones all behavior recorded in the historical narratives of the Bible, especially if Gods disapproval is not explicitly expressed in the immediate context of the behaviors in question. The source for everything happening at Amazing Facts. His first six sons, recorded in 2 Samuel 3:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-4, are: 1. Suppose you make some terrible decision in your life that is irreversible. Saul had no choice but to give Michal to David as his wife (1 Samuel 18:20-27). Shortly after Davids affair with Bathsheba, Davids oldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. Similarly, sin and bad character can set the example for our children to learn from and imitate. A:We cannot not know for certain how many wives David had. Given that Biblical genealogies are not always definitive (sometimes they just mention notable family members or the notable offspring), there could be wives the Bible doesnt mention. Why did God allow David to keep Bathsheba as his wife? He cant sleep (maybe because hes not fulfilling his purpose? Amazing Facts quarterly guide featuring news, articles, Bible answers, and more. "Bathsheba and David: Biblical Romance and Tragedy." Some of David's children did; many did not. God removes Davids guilt and shame, but God does not remove the natural consequences that Davids sinful patterns produced. Politicians, mega-pastors, coaches, professional athletes, corporate leaders. Access to our entire media library in one easy-to-use and easy-to-search location. David's Wives in the Bible - Who Were They and Their Story 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). 2 Samuel 12:8 Why did God give David the wives of - NeverThirsty Abigail was the second of Davids wives. Abigail: Davids second wife, Abigail, is found in 1 Samuel 25 during the saga of Davids life when he fled King Saul. will be automatically deleted and the invitation to participate revoked. He didn't woo her. As a result, Bathsheba became pregnant with their illegitimate child and told David he was the father. Nathan prophesied that Davids sin (metaphorically, the sword) would never depart from his family. You can choose not to excuse or normalize your behavior. 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. Amnom would create much grief for David and the rest of the family when he molested his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). This opened an even bigger door for Absalom to take matters into his own hands. Our sins always affect future generations. 7 Bibliography. Who Were the 12 Disciples of Jesus? 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. That example would come through his descendent, Jesus Christ, in whom David's broken, imperfect family would be redeemed, and all people could be forgiven, restored, and redeemed. We know that David promised Bathsheba her son Solomon would succeed him and that she warned him that Adonijah was trying to usurp the throne (1 Kings 1:17). How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? All rights reserved. All 27 lessons of our popular Bible lesson series available at the click of your mouse. However, we don't know how many more. Comments containing telephone numbers or email addresses will not be approved. Astle, Cynthia. In every time and season, there is an opportunity to share hope in Christ. 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. Thus, it also means that he was between 44-48 years old when he first encountered Bathsheba, who was 7-9 years old. Haggithmarried David while he was in exile, and had a son named Adonijah. https://www.learnreligions.com/bathsheba-king-davids-most-famous-wife-117306 (accessed May 2, 2023). Absalom, whose mother was Maacah (or Maakah), the daughter of Talmar, King of Geshur, and wife of David.4. David's mighty men were a group of his best thirty-seven fighters (later expanded to around eighty). David is an important figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is the writer of a special Scripture study/reflection addendum to Someplace to Be Somebody, authored by his wife, Lisa Loraine Baker (End Game Press Spring 2022). This story shows that God can redeem us even after we have wandered far off the path. Access dozens of Amazing Facts topical Scripture books from Pastor Doug and others. Updated on May 07, 2019. But God blessed Bathsheba with her son Solomon who would become king after his father. Unfortunately, neglect and sins of omission in parenting have lasting consequences in the lives of our children, who we are called to instruct, discipline, and lovingly reprove (Ephesians 6:4).
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