how many wives did david have before bathsheba

He sees a beautiful woman bathing in the next house. (2 Samuel 12:11-12) Although David fasted and prayed for a week for his baby to survive, God did not answer his request. Prior to fleeing from King Saul, David had also married Michal, the daughter of Saul (1 Samuel 18:27-28). ), so he goes for a walk on the roof. Not exactly romantic. Astle, Cynthia. After David had moved his kingdom to Jerusalem, where he ruled for thirty-three years, he had four more children with Bathsheba. (1 John 1:9-10), David and Bathsheba's story is a traumatic one, but also one that God redeems. He also lost the respect of his people, and his reputation was permanently besmirched. By failing to provide justice for his daughter, David not only failed Tamar, but he also failed Amnon, whose sin had gone unpunished. David had many wives and concubines. The Holy Spirit is powerful enough to help you overcome trauma, guilt, or regret, but you might need professional help to navigate healing. Our sin nature gravitates toward selfishness and self-pleasure. David sent this letter to Joab by Uriah, who had no idea that he was carrying his own death sentence. While reading through Davids life, it is evident he did not always make good decisions. Early intervention, discipline, and instruction could mean the difference between life and death later on. Uriah still wont go home. The latest information on all of Pastor Dougs upcoming events. From that time forward, Michal despises David (2 Samuel 6:16). 2. 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. He cant sleep (maybe because hes not fulfilling his purpose? While he walked around on the roof of his house, David spied the married woman, Bathsheba, bathing. Ahinoam was the mother of Amnon, who raped his half-sister Tamar. David thought he pulled off this caper until the prophet Nathan came to visit in 2 Samuel 12. He didn't trick her. If you have perpetrated crimes or taken advantage of others, you can confess your sins and change your habits. 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. They are as follows: Michal:She is the first of Davids wives. Chileab (or Daniel), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, who David married after the death her husband (1 Samuel 25).3. His first six sons, recorded in 2 Samuel 3:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-4, are: 1. David betrayed his parental responsibilities. 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. Does it mean you cannot be forgiven or saved? The fact that an innocent child diesinstead of the guilty pairis troubling in light of what we know of God's . The earlier we can identify and address problematic habits and behavior in our children, the better. First, 2 Samuel 11:711 describes how David tried to attribute Bathsheba's pregnancy to Uriah. Listen to our episode on David right now: G. Connor Salter is a writer and editor, with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing from Taylor University. As Old Testament characters go, King David is probably the most famous. As told in 2 Samuel 11-12, Bathsheba was married to Uriah, one of Davids mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39). David offered his services to a man named Nabal, Abigails husband before David. Michal, however, did not bear David any children (2 Samuel 6:23). Abigail: Davids second wife, Abigail, is found in 1 Samuel 25 during the saga of Davids life when he fled King Saul. In brokering peace and power for Israel among neighboring nations, Solomon acquired 1000 women. Absalom was later killed by David's commander Joab, against David's wishes (2 Samuel 18). Even though God favored his second son with Bathsheba, this doesnt mean that God wanted their relationship to happen. At this point David was desperate. As a result, Bathsheba became pregnant with their illegitimate child and told David he was the father. Chileab (or Daniel . David enjoys a beautiful relationship with God after his sin, writing many more Psalms of worship and thanksgiving. Astle, Cynthia. Although feminist biblical interpretation contends that Bathsheba was a victim of David, other scholars find a clue to Bathsheba's complicity among King David's wives in 2 Samuel 4:11. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. God sends Nathan the prophet to tell David a story about injustice, and David takes the bait. While reading through this account, we inevitably stumble across the puzzling records of King Davids wives and concubines. (Because Michal was childless [2 Sam 6:23], it appears that she helped raise her sister Merabs 5 sons [2 Sam 21:8 see KJV translation].). Adonijah was later executed by his brother Solomon for his insurrection and failed attempts to steal the throne (1 Kings 1-2). 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. 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. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezekiel 18:20). The names of the eight wives of King David were: Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital, Egla and Bathsheba . Then God gave the kingdom and all of its possessions . He founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under a single monarch. It stands as a clear warning to every leader, every spouse, and every believer who loves God and feels secure in their own perspectives. Integrity guards your heart, mind, emotions, and actions. Solomon was known for his many foreign wives, who were able to turn his heart away from God to foreign gods (1 Kings 11). This opened an even bigger door for Absalom to take matters into his own hands. Her future child(ren) would be raised within a context of sexual misconduct, manipulation, competition, cover-up, and violence just as Nathan predicted. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. He gave them Solomon, whose name means "Peace.". 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. Their names are not recorded. In fact, it was probably one of his worst; and this sin had devastating consequences that rippled throughout David's family. God plainly told the Israelites when they selected a king, he was not to have multiple wives (Deuteronomy 17:17). An inspiring passage from Scripture delivered to your inbox every day! He has contributed over 1,200 articles to various publications, including interviews for Christian Communicator and book reviews for The Evangelical Church Library Association. How Many Wives Did King David Have and What Do We Know about Them? These deals on incredible witnessing and Bible resources dont last long! (2 Samuel 11:2-4) "David didn't invite Bathsheba. A beautiful woman, she became pregnant after David saw her bathing on a rooftop and had her brought to him. Years later, after Absalom killed his brother Amnon for what he did to Tamar, Absalom rebelled against David and forced him to flee Jerusalem. Bathsheba(2 Sam ch.11 ch.12)(1 Kin ch. Updated on May 07, 2019. Even a heart like Davids can be deceitful and wicked. Nathan told David a few scary consequences of his sin: 1) His secret sin would be made public. All rights reserved. 4. Financial missteps can impact families for generations. I dont think so. As the Apostle Paul says, the Law served to reveal our sin and shut all people up under sin (Galatians 3:19-22). His many wives resulted in many children with rivalries and unhealthy relationships with each other. The biblical text implies that this ritual purification was the bath that David saw Bathsheba taking. David loved the Lord and loved his children, but he too made mistakes, failed in many areas as a parent, and cried out to God for wisdom and forgiveness throughout his life. Keep in mind, he stayed on his face for seven days in genuine contrition and grief for his sinsbegging God for mercy. Solomon would repent and return his heart fully to God, going on to write many of the Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and the book of Ecclesiastes. David asked his servants about her and was told she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's mighty . David repents and worships. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel. The Bible doesnt outright say which of Davids wives he favored the most, nor does it give us enough information to guess. It's our job as parents to build a biblical foundation for our children, teaching them to know God and stand firm in the truth of God's Word early. Some scholars have suggested he married some of these women for political reasonsas noted earlier, Maacah was the daughter of a king. A shepherd, giant killer, folk hero, singer, songwriter, warrior, fugitive, exile, and eventually a king. Unfortunately for Adonijah, God had already chosen Solomon, Bathsheba's son, as David's successor. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay . 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! This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Why did God allow David to keep Bathsheba as his wife? 12. Who Were the 12 Disciples of Jesus? There are a variety of reasons to learn about them, with two particularly clear ones. Nathan ( Hebrew: , Modern: Natan, Tiberian: Nn) was the third of four sons born to King David and Bathsheba in Jerusalem. More importantly, God's mercy and promise to David remained true. Davids confession in 2 Samuel 12:13 is beautiful and simple: I have sinned against the Lord. First and foremost, our sin is always against God, so its his forgiveness we must seek first. They are: David's remaining children that we know of were born in Jerusalem to unnamed wives. There are several key places in the Bible that describe Davids wives. Fast access to all of Amazing Facts English and foreign-language Bible-based websites. Hes angry hearing the story. The story reveals the consequences of feeding secret lustful desires. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The gifts had previously been given to King Saul. Abigail of Carmel(1 Chr 3:1)(2 Sam 3:3)(2 Sam 2:2) This was done in accordance with the Mosaic law which gave instruction on how soldiers were to keep themselves pure during the time of war. How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Saul then promised David the eldest son . David took her back after he became king of Judah (2 Samuel 3:12-6). But one killing in particular "displeased the Lord" (2 Samuel 11:27). See how your gifts made a lasting difference recently. Solomon replied, you might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! (1 Kings 2:22). A Case Study in Narrative Theology in Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/2 (Autumn 2006): 8195. David killed a lot of people in battle. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Also, we find hope. Unfortunately, this is where David failed many of his other children. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? 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. Twenty-eight generations later, Jesus was born as Davids descendant. Because of King Saul's sin, which is recorded in 1 Samuel 15:10-23, Saul lost the kingdom given to him by God. The David and Bathsheba story involved the ironic and subtle juxtapositions comparing Uriah who was supremely faithful to his king and comrades to David who is not faithful to either but allowed his lust to blind him to his sin. Bathsheba was David's last wife (at least the last one mentioned in the Bible) and probably his most famous. Bathsheba was disposable to David until a pregnancy threatened to expose his actions (rape and then murder) before the nation. Is it any wonder that Amnon, Absalom, and even Solomon would also be caught in sexual sin later in life? Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Davids laziness in rooting out lust overlaps into a laziness of calling and purpose. After Bathsheba mourns for her deceased husband, David sends for and marries Bathsheba. He wasnt in love with her from what the text reveals. 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. Available atLifeAudio.com. The story of Bathsheba and David has proved so enduring that religious commentators still debate the quality . He began making poor decisions in areas of his life where he didnt think it mattered. The Rabbis are concerned with the causes and harsh consequences of David's sin, but completely disregard Bathsheba's . Ahinoam married David while he was in exile from Saul, and had Davids firstborn son, Amnon. Suppose you make some terrible decision in your life that is irreversible. 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. The womens pagan backgrounds wooed Solomon away from truth and introduced Israel to idolatry. Did King David Rape Bathsheba? Heres the plot summary, and its spicy enough for any Netflix series: King David stays home when hes supposed to go to war. Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, David's fifth wife.5. They are all mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:2-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-3. Notes:1. The heart can fool any of us and destroy the best of us (Jeremiah 17:9). Who Was Isaiah & Why Was He Important? What Does the Bible Tell Us about the Prophet Daniel? Apart from the last point given in the previous section, Christians should know the accounts given of these women to strengthen their witness for Christ. 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. After this, the Lord struck Nabal and took his life. 2 Samuel 12:10-12 . Similarly, sin and bad character can set the example for our children to learn from and imitate. As mentioned earlier, Adonijah then used the almost concubine status of Abishag to try and get closer to the throne. A total of nineteen sons are named here. Clearly, a liaison with her would violate the seventh commandment against adultery, and a king of Israel was supposed to be a religious leader as well as a political leader. Enraged by his brother's actions, Absalom, the son of Maacah and full brother of Tamar, murdered his half-brother Amnon in revenge (2 Samuel 13). In 2020, he won First Prize for Best Feature Story in a regional contest by the Colorado Press Association Network. He married 700 women of noble birth and took 300 concubines. A warrior, David becomes king to establish and lead Israel as a God-fearing nation, unlike the surrounding nations. Thus King David was relaxing on a palace balcony above the city when he spied a beautiful woman taking a bath. Let the demise of Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah be our warning. This plan failed as Uriah faithfully refused to even go home, lest he sleep with his wife. He was a man after Gods own heart, but that doesnt mean he got everything right. He had the capacity to make choices which either adhered to Gods Word or blatantly disobeyed it. And he executed plenty of criminals. This theory suggests Bathsheba did not say "no" to David, but neither did she say "yes.". If you have a Bible question for Pastor Doug Batchelor or the Amazing Facts Bible answer team, please submit it by clicking here. Here are the eight wives: Michalwas Davids original wife, Sauls daughter whom David won by killing 100 Philistines (1 Samuel 18:24-27). Seek humility because its a proven weapon against the sins that come with power and prestige. Since David died when he was 70 years old, it means that he was 50 years old when Bathsheba (9-11 years old) gave birth to Solomon. All rights reserved. Thus, although Abishag was not Davids wife or concubine, her intimate connection with the king resulted in people using her as a pawn. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay David and his men. Understand Bible prophecy and more at these local events in your area. Access dozens of Amazing Facts topical Scripture books from Pastor Doug and others. The baby has been born and at least nine months have passed, but David has not repented. Abigail was the second of Davids wives. A wife not covered in either list, Davids first wife, is mentioned in several stories about Davids exploit. When you post, you agree to the terms and conditions of our comments policy. So, they were at least on speaking terms later in life. 1 Chronicles 3:1-4 states that King David's first seven wives gave him six children, while they lived in Hebron. What Can Galileo Teach Us about Science and Faith? Politicians, mega-pastors, coaches, professional athletes, corporate leaders. 2. The infamous account of how she became Davids wife is found in 2 Samuel 11. Psalm 32 relays how Davids sin and restoration affected him physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Even so, it wasnt too late to ask for forgiveness and return to intimacy with the Father. Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, yet another wife of David. Even knowing she was another man's wife, David . When David danced before the Ark of the Covenant as it entered Jerusalem, Michal rebuked him for his undignified behavior. Paul Carter, in his TGC article 'Did King David Rape Bathsheba? He recalled Uriah from the front, supposedly to give him a report on the battle, and then told him to take some leave and visit his wife. 3. Sources:TheGospelCoalition.org, 'Did King David Rape Bathsheba? Understanding the latest news through a biblical lens. He gets distracted by power, fame, and success. We dont know. The second is that their stories show us a side of David we often forget. Find out more about his work here. Even though David had committed sins worthy of execution, said Nathan, God instead exacted judgment upon David and Bathsheba's newborn son, who subsequently died. Worship with Pastor Dougs church each week, featuring beautiful music and life-changing Bible study. Article Images Copyright . Others have speculated that in the pagan societies surrounding Israel, having multiple wives was a way kings showed their power. The Brown commentary states "In this conduct David transgressed an express law, which forbade the king of Israel to multiply . Abigail wisely entreated David not to kill Nabal, and he had mercy. Each of his first six wives bore David a son, while Bathsheba bore him four sons. He didn't woo her. How much of Absalom's arrogance and ambition was born of David's passivity and neglect in dealing with Amnon? David raped Bathsheba and sent her home. Though He will not always reverse the consequences of our poor decisions, with genuine repentance we may return to Him. The Bible does not say the rape was an act of violence (violent rape elsewhere in the Bible uses a different Hebrew word), it also does not say the sex was mutual, and it also does not say whether Bathsheba has any choice in the matter. On-demand Amazing Facts audio featuring a wealth of spiritual guidance and inspiration. Even Solomon was not exempt from Davids sin. The first is that everything in the Bible is worth learning on some level. Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon, Wife of King David, David and Goliath Bible Story Study Guide, Battle of Jericho Bible Story Study Guide, Meet Absalom, Rebellious Son of King David, Was It Rape? David, as well as kings which followed (including his son Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines: 1 Kin 11:3 ), disobeyed . In all of Scripture, the life of David may be the most dramatic recorded. Featuring courses and local seminars on how to be a better witness in your community. Saul reneged and gave him Michal instead because she was infatuated with David and Saul thought he could use her to get to David (1 Samuel 18:17-20). 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 lists sons that David had with seven women, six of which he married while living in exile in Hebron. In fact, the Bibles narrative makes it clear Davids marriage choices created big problems. Much like his son Solomon, David had lots of wives, but it created trouble and strife. (Proverbs 11:14), Lean into God for forgiveness, comfort, and direction. 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. In ( Deut 17:17 ), God forbid kings from taking multiple wives. This is done to give Uriah the opportunity to go home and sleep with his wife so that he can pass as the father of Bathshebas child. Nathan told the powerful king a tale of a poor shepherd whose lamb was stolen by a rich man. Astle, Cynthia. This verse says unequivocally that when David sent messengers to fetch her, she went to David of her own free will. Free Will. As the prophet Ezekiel wrote, "the soul who sins shall die. 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.

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