Bath-sheba

bath-she'-ba, bath'-she-ba (bath-shebha`, "the seventh daughter," or "the daughter of an oath," also called Bathshua bath-shua`, "the daughter of opulence" (1Ch 3:5); the Septuagint however reads Bersabee everywhere; compare BATHSHUA;HPN , 65, 67, 77, 206 for Bath-sheba, and 67, 69, note 3, for Bathshua): Bath-sheba was the daughter of Eliam (2Sa 11:3) or Ammiel (1Ch 3:5); both names have the same meaning. She was the beautiful wife of Uriah the Hittite, and because of her beauty was forced by David to commit adultery (2Sa 11:2 ff; Ps 51:1-19). Her husband Uriah was treacherously killed by the order of David (2Sa 11:6 ff). After the death of her husband David made her his wife and she lived with him in the palace (2Sa 11:27). Four sons sprang from this marriage (2Sa 5:14; 1Ch 3:5), after the first child, the adulterine, had died (2Sa 12:14 ff). With the help of the prophet Nathan she renders futile the usurpation of Adonijah and craftily secures the throne for her son Solomon (1Ki 1:11 ff). Later Adonijah succeeds in deceiving Bath-sheba, but his plan is frustrated by the king (1Ki 2:13 ff). According to Jewish tradition, Pr 31:1-31 is written by Solomon in memory of his mother. In the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 16:1-28) Bath-sheba is mentioned as the former wife of Uriah and the mother of Solomon by David.

See ADONIJAH; AMMIEL; BATHSHUA; DAVID; ELIAM; NATHAN; SOLOMON.

A. L. Breslich