Exegetical Paper: Women in the Bible
Exegetical Paper: Women in the Bible:
2 Samuel 11:1-5; 22-27; 13-25; 12:13-25: Bathsheba has sexual relations with David outside of her marriage with Uriah, prompting the marital union between her and the king.
I. Bathsheba comes to David (11:1-5)
a. David walks on his roof (v.1-2)
b. Bathsheba is bathing and David sees her (v. 3)
c. Bathsheba is sent to David through a messenger, and he sleeps with her (v.4)
d. Bathsheba says she is pregnant (v. 5)
II. Bathsheba mourns her husband (11:22-27)
a. David kills Uriah and hears he is dead (v. 22-25)
b. Bathsheba hears about Uriah’s death and mourns for the loss of her husband (v. 26-27)
III. Bathsheba loses her child (12:13-25)
a. Nathan communicates to David the consequences of his sin and David repents (v.13-14)
b. David stops fasting, comforts his wife, and conceives another child with her (v. 15-25)
1 Kings 1:11-31-2:13-25 Bathsheba responds to her duties as a wife to the King and as a mother.
I. Bathsheba hears of a plan (1:11-14)
a. Nathan tells Bathsheba of what Adonijah is planning (v. 11-12)
b. Nathan tells Bathsheba she has to go to king David and ask of his promise (v.13)
II. Bathsheba goes to David and helps set the plan in motion (1:15-21)
a. Bathsheba sees Abishag performing for the king and bows to David (v. 15-16)
b. Bathsheba implores to him about the promise he had made about their son (v. 17-21)
III. Bathsheba gets the promise for Solomon to be the king’s heir (1:22-31)
a. Nathan comes in after to confirm the promise made (v. 22-27)
b. Bathsheba is told David will make Solomon king after him (v. 28-30)
c. Bathsheba thanks the king for keeping his promise to her (v.31)
IV. Bathsheba secures Solomon’s throne and ends her duties (2:13-25)
a. Bathsheba is confronted by Adonijah about his want for Abishag (v.13-18)
b. Bathsheba talks to King Solomon about Adonijah’s request and asks him not to refuse her of this request (v. 19-25)
Women in the Bible are not looked at as individuals, but as a part of a household. The biblical authors are under the cultural assumption women should be seen, not heard, and if they are heard the credit is given to their male counterparts associated with them (Hood, 2016). In genealogies, there is an obvious dominance of male names over female ones; however, the word man(‘îš) and the word woman (‘iššâ) is recorded as a ratio of 2160:775 times from former to latter (Bird, 1992). While the statistics prove there are more unnamed men over women, there is also the title of wife to contend with. Rarely, if ever, is a man in the Bible called the husband of “X.” What is interesting is the role of women in the biblical context. For instance, men are prominent in genealogies, legal codes, speech, and historical records, but women are central to the economic and social unit of family life in the domestic sphere under the head of the public sphere (Bird, 1992). As a result, the central focus of Deborah as a prophet, Esther as a Jewish Queen of Persia, and Ruth as “redeemer” seems out of place in the dominating world of man.
In the context of the historical books (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther), the public sphere is the area of interest designed to keep women in check with their speech and behaviors under the male regime. Within the Bible, the women hardly get to speak for themselves because of the public sphere and cultural traditions, being limited to supporting roles to their family and reproductive purposes (Hood, 2016). The cultural view of women throughout the Bible may be connected to the Garden of Eden where the first recorded woman, Eve, made a grave error by listening and responding to what the serpent said (Gen 3:1-24). Throughout Christian history, Eve has been accused of causing Adam to sin as well, and her decision to take from the tree has been thought of by male evangelists as the sole culprit of sin descending on the world, evidenced by Genesis 3:2-3. Nevertheless, God made women out of His image as much as He did with men (Gen. 1:26-27). The only difference is Adam was made from the dust, while Eve was made from Adam’s rib—a difference that chained women as property of their fathers and husbands (Hood, 2016). To further explain, a woman can have her vow by which she bound herself (Num. 30:1-15) be overruled by her father and husband, can be sold as a slave by her father, can be divorced by her husband over any reason, and, if sexually violated, can be forced to marry whoever raped her, the compensation for the rape going to her father instead of her (Hood, 2016). While the Israelites may use women as degrading examples of Israel’s sins against God, viewing the women as objects for domestic and reproductive purposes of the Promise, God sees them as equal to men.
If Jesus’ genealogy is taken into context, then it is clear to see he is the defining marker of treating women justly, especially those of foreign nature. For instance, Rahab was a Gentile living in Jericho before she joined the Israelites 9 (Heb. 11:31), Ruth was a Moabite who married an Israelite man (Ruth 4:13-17), and Bathsheba, who could potentially be a foreigner as well, bore the son of David (2 Sam. 12:24). All these women are in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:1-17). The challenge with Bathsheba is that many perceive her to be an evil, dangerous woman who took advantage of the weak and foolish David, but that may not be the case (Bird, 1992). Others may make out Bathsheba to be the victim, but that may not be the case, either. The story is very complex in nature, and, given there is very little to say about Bathsheba, the concluding thoughts should not be taken at face value; rather, it should only be considered and pondered based on biblical facts and sound reason. The story of David and Bathsheba is about David committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband (2 Sam.11:1-5; 22-25; 12:13-25), but after David’s death Bathsheba takes on a more prominent role as the Queen Mother of Solomon (1 Kings 1:11-31; 2:13-25) until her disappearance from the text with no mention of her death. Therefore, the role of Bathsheba, under biblical and social context, must be considered and questioned.
Context:
The book of 2 Samuel focuses on the cosmic kingship of David orchestrated by God, the Davidic covenant, and the messianic promise between God and His people. While the author is unknown, Tsumura (2008) explains David's story (1 Sam. 16-31; 2 Sam. 1-20) could have been written during, or a generation or two after, David’s reign. There is another theory to the date of 1-2 Samuel. Fox (2014) surmises they must “have been put into final form by a great artist or artists in the waning days of Judah or perhaps even during the sixth-century B.C.E. or later” (p. 271). As a sequel to 1 Samuel, the second book continues with the relationship of Saul and David through the former king’s barren daughter Michel. Many of the other characters, however, also play a part in the forming of David, such as Jonathan, Joab, Abigail, Nathan, Bathsheba, and Absalom (Fox, 2014). Though there is not much said on Bathsheba, nor Abigail and Michel, they are just as important to the story as their male counterparts. Their lives are shaped by David, just as he is shaped through them.
The book of 1 Kings, also on the account of David, is more conclusive and wrapped around the many other kings of Israel in the Davidic line leading up to the capture and oppression of the Israelites in 586 B.C. While 1-2 Kings, presumably written before the exile of Judeans to Babylon in 586 B.C., does not have an identified author, it is likely the one who wrote the books were Deuteronomists (i.e. Yahwist priests) because of the Deuteronomic language throughout “as first Solomon himself (1 Kings 11), and then almost all the succeeding kings of Israel and Judah, weighed in relation to the Mosaic law code and found wanting” (Provan, 2008, p. 585). Like that of 1-2 Samuel, 1 Kings does not care to paint any of the kings in a good light, but rather only in a way which is historically accurate of the time. In the context of David’s sin with Bathsheba, his actions affected his descendants, tainting the Israel throne for many generations after him until the Romans captured Israel.
The most important surrounding context of 2 Samuel 11-12 is the Ammonite war. After Hanun takes the Ammonite throne, David sends emissaries to offer condolences for the death of the previous king, but his motives are questioned (Lawlor, 1982). Considering David’s previous actions toward the Ammonites, and even toward Saul, it would make sense his motives are inconclusive to the Ammonites. There may even have been a possibility the emissaries David had sent had the secret job of being spies under the illusion of offering condolences for the previous king’s death (Lawlor, 1982). Nevertheless, the messengers are shamed, and David through them, by Hanun. Thus, with the slight Hanun must have felt, especially if the shame was rightfully justified in the circumstance, the Ammonites set to war against David and Israel with the help of the Arameans.
As the commander of David’s armies, Joab was sent to lead the charge against the Ammonites and Syrians. Upon the arrival of Joab, the Ammonites and Arameans fled, leaving Joab to return to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 10:13-14). Not long after Joab’s encounter with the Ammonites and Arameans, David defeats the Arameans, which is why the Ammonites have no means of help as they are dealt the final blow by David’s army. In 2 Samuel 12:26-31, Joab is again sent to battle against the Ammonites, subdues their royal capitol, and invites David to perform the final blow to enact total victory (Lawlor, 1982). To be more precise, without David, the victory was not full because his mind was elsewhere, but with David, God was also there with the promise of a full victory against both the Ammonites and David’s heart. However, the full focus of David in the story takes away the significance of the role Bathsheba played in the adulterous act.
Content, Bathsheba comes to David ( 2 Samuel 11:1-5, NIV):
"In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.And David sent and inquired about the woman. 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. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant”.
What makes everything even more unclear is why David was walking on his roof in the late afternoon and looking down. The architecture in the biblical age was vastly different from the structures of today. Out of all the buildings, the palace rose above them all, and so if David was on the roof, he could see a vast majority (and perhaps all) of the residential roofs, not just Bathsheba’s (Tsumura, 2008). The action of peering down, even when he knows doing so may violate someone’s privacy, speaks volumes of his lapse of judgment and alludes to the element described in the book of Judges where everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Bathsheba may have been on the roof bathing because it was hot and she needed to perform kiddeish, or Bat-Sheva, which is a type of purification washing after the uncleanliness of her menstrual period (Gaebelein, 1992). The mention of menstrual purification signifies the importance of how her upcoming pregnancy is not Uriah’s but David’s.
Most importantly, the action of purifying herself on her roof can be from the hot weather forcing her outdoors, or the desire for children through seduction. While the latter may not be likely, Bathsheba is not mentioned to have any children by Uriah, and since her husband is off to war for most of their marital relationship the timeline for trying with him may be very short, rushed, or nonexistent (Klien, 2003). In the time of 2 Samuel, and for perhaps all the Bible, women had the important job of bearing children. There is a significance to the children in gender roles. For men, children are a means of continuing their family line. However, for women, children mean high status, security, and power, even if it is through the means of female-initiated seduction or adultery, made righteous in procreation (Klien, 2003). If women do not bear children, they are not treated kindly, especially if the husband blames her for being infertile, or if he has taken another wife for the purpose of continuing their line. Uriah is not said to treat Bathsheba unkindly, though he may have expressed his desire for a child of which Bathsheba could not deliver, perhaps unintentionally burdening her with the loss of motherhood.
When David “sends” for Bathsheba, she comes to him. The word “come” can possibly mean a connotation of sexuality, describing Bathsheba’s potential passivity to David’s invitation (Klien, 2003). There can be another explanation, however. The most important role David has is being the Lord’s Anointed, a king to the people. As anointed by God, David cannot be touched with intent of harm or murder. As a king, David is not likely to be refused. Thus, when David commands Bathsheba to be brought to him, how could she possibly refuse as a woman?
Furthermore, when David begins to touch her, how could Bathsheba fight back or resist? There is a possibility Bathsheba could have shouted for help, but she was in the palace and the king was attacking her. The soldiers were unlikely to help and more than likely knew what David was doing. Another explanation is Bathsheba secretly had feelings for David and may not just be using him for bearing a child. Rivers (2001) remarks on how Bathsheba, a possible non-Israelite, fell for David’s charm, anointed role, leadership, and bravery long before she married Uriah. The possibility of this theory can make sense, especially if paired with the suggestion of rape or if paired with her wanting of a child. When David made a move to touch her, she probably was too enamored with her desire for him to think clearly, and when he laid with her, she perhaps could not resist the way he made her body feel and ultimately gave in to his advances.
One thing that must be mentioned is how David perceived Bathsheba as an object throughout this entire affair, not giving her a voice the whole time. The Hebrew phrase “had her brought” stresses the prospect of the abuse of David’s status as king (Gaebelein, 1992). As it can be seen in the text, David was the one who sent for her and only lies with her because he sees her as beautiful. To him, it was basically a one-night stand—that is, until Bathsheba’s conception gives her the power to send for him this time, speaking directly to David—no hedging, apology, or intimidation—that she was pregnant with his child (Klien, 2003). Regardless of Bathsheba’s role in the affair, those three words give her the power to secure her safety; at the same time, however, by saying she is pregnant she condemns David for his sin.
Bathsheba mourns her husband (11:22-27 NIV):
"So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, 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 displeased the LORD".
The comparisons between David’s reaction and Bathsheba’s reaction to Uriah’s death are vastly different. On the one hand, David does not show any guilt, sorrow, or remorse for what he has done, let alone anger at the extra lives lost in his plan. Bathsheba, on the other hand, is not even mentioned by name but by a label of ownership of her husbands, expressing how she is viewed as an object of lust to David (Glahn, 2017). Though the referencing of women by their husbands is not unusual in the Bible, the use of it in the David story after Uriah’s death speaks volumes. Bathsheba is no longer someone David pines for and is now his property, an object for his sexual gratification. There are some scholars who may vie for David marrying Bathsheba to legitimize the offspring he made by her, but others have concluded Ahithophel’s—her grandfather—powerful position as counselor in court, until he defected to Absalom, alone legitimized her right to marry king David (Salvseen, 2005). Even without Ahithophel’s relation to Bathsheba, it is understandable for her to marry David because of her pregnancy alone after Uriah’s death. When her husband was alive, Bathsheba was in danger in the face of her pregnancy because she would have been seen as adulterous, and since no one can lay a finger on David’s head as the anointed, all the blame would have been directed at her. According to the Israelite law, Bathsheba would have been divorced and put to death.
When Bathsheba hears of Uriah’s death, she is seen mourning. Though there is no exact timeframe of the process Bathsheba took to mourn her husband, it was possibly done for the typical seven days (Tsumura, 2008). There is a strong indication Bathsheba loved Uriah because of her mourning for him, especially as she is said to lament over him—a possible reminiscence of her memories of him and of her immense guilt at betraying him, whether an intentional betrayal or not. Furthermore, there is no indication throughout the entire passage whether she knew of what David had done, but it is very likely considering people love to talk, even in biblical times. At the same time, it is very unlikely Bathsheba was a part of the plan to kill Uriah. All she did was tell David of her pregnancy. If she was a part of the plan to murder Uriah, the text would have described that.
Bathsheba loses her child (12:13-25):
"David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house.
And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD".
When Nathan confronts David in 12:1-12, he attempts to hide what he had done, like when Adam had hidden from God in the Garden of Eden when they ate the forbidden fruit. David knew that he took and ate what was forbidden, and so he hid until the self-deception to his sin left him. God knew what David had done, and when David did not take responsibility for what he had done and repented, God sent Nathan to bring David out of hiding.
The act of mourning for the dying child conceived in sin puts into focus how David may be grieving for far much more, but it can also be a hope for a final appeal to his judgment, as evidenced by his “who knows” comment to his confused servants. When the child dies, David nakhams Bathsheba, which means to “comfort” and “repent or change one’s mind” (Hamilton, 2001). Though the former is used in translations, it is possible David still held on to the hope he had in his mourning that God will nakham. The latter definition of nakham can also be applied to how David changed his focus from selfish reasons to comfort after the death of the child. Ironically, the focus on men in the patriarchy places David as the sole culprit in need of judgment. Glahn (2017) explains how “The Lord specifically indicted David only, however, as evidenced both by the text in verses 7 through 9, as well as in the implications of Nathan’s story about the man who stole his neighbor’s ewe lamb” (p. 97). Of course, the indictment of David over Bathsheba does not automatically mean she is without blame, but what it does indicate is David, as a leader and example as the LORD’s anointed, failed to keep care of God’s flock. Through the context of failed leadership, Bathsheba is considered a victim, whether it be she was led or encouraged to sin.
Bathsheba hears of a plan (1 Kings 1:11-14, NIV):
"Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
There is a reason Nathan went to Bathsheba about Adonijah’s plans. He trusted her, and he knew God had plans for her son Solomon. More importantly, it is because Bathsheba, now a mother, has standing within the court of David. Unfortunately, the birth of a son does not prevent hostility between other wives and concubines under the king but, perhaps, only sows discord, dishonesty, and murder (Provan, 2008). Bathsheba is the mother of Solomon, so she would not do anything to harm him or his chances for kingship. Therefore, Nathan tells Bathsheba, or rather warns her, of Haggith’s son Adonijah to save her and Solomon’s life. His efforts lie with the prospect of keeping Bathsheba and her son from God’s wrath to continue the vitality of David’s line of which Jesus will be born in generations later (Klien, 2003). What is interesting is how similar, yet different, Ruth’s story is to Bathsheba’s. While Ruth clearly took charge of her decisions, Bathsheba’s is murky, and while Ruth’s former husband died from natural means, Bathsheba’s died by the hands of her current husband. What they have in common in this parallel situation is both their current husbands give them a child after the death of their former husbands, possibly inferring that, despite his sin, David redeemed Bathsheba in both the domestic and public sphere of Israelite culture. The revelation of redeeming could be another reason Nathan talked to Bathsheba about what is going on with Adonijah and Haggith. Bathsheba already paid for the sin with the death of her child, but she has been redeemed by God, given a chance to be a part of a greater plan.
There is no evidence if David ever made the promise to Bathsheba to make Solomon king after him, as shown when Nathan said he will be coming in David’s room after Bathsheba.
Everything in 2 Solomon is silent on the matter of heirship, and the problem is first brought up in 1 Kings when the battle of inheritance is fought during David’s growing frailness. As a result, it is increasingly possible Nathan and Bathsheba joined forces in lying to David (Klien, 2003). Now, ever since Nathan condemned David through the LORD, the king has been wary of the prophet and willing to listen to whatever he says or risk the wrath of God even more, so it is evident Nathan knew what he was doing.
Bathsheba goes to David and helps set the plan in motion (1:15-21 NIV):
"So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king). Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited. And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.”
The interesting person here is Abishag, the Shunammite attending the king whom Bathsheba pointedly ignored. From this point on, it is clear David still lets his lust for young women drive him, though Abishag is not capable of arousing nor getting pregnant by him, which may be what drives the possible tension between the two women (Klien, 2003). Bathsheba is no longer beautiful in his eyes, and none of his other wives are enough to service him anymore. The main implication here regarding women is their fertility and a man’s arousal. Women in the biblical age were often blamed for their inability to conceive, and those such as Sarah, Hannah, and Rachel only get pregnant through the help of a male (Klien, 2003). David, or perhaps his advisors, may not see the king as infertile or incapable of arousal through his old age and frailty, which is why David tries with a younger woman. However, Abishag is used to comfort and warm the king, and while it could be that the advisors for the king may have wanted Abishag to also please the king sexually, the fact that it is said that the king did not know her (1 Kings 1:4) proves he did not have sexual relations for her. Therefore, it could be that at that point his old age and inability to be sexually aroused is well known for Abishag to not be needed for that purpose. The Bible says, "’Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm’" (1 Kings 1:2, ESV). To be more precise, she was not intimate with the king during her stay in the palace and concubine status with the king, but she was in service to make sure he was kept warm.
There are some interesting changes Bathsheba makes to what Nathan told her to say to David. For instance, she changes “swear” to “swore,” “Did you not swear” to “My lord, you swore,” “Why then is Adonijah king?” to “Adonijah has become king, although you did not know it,” draws attention to Adonijah’s banquet and Solomon’s exclusion from it, and adds that all Israel is awaiting David’s announcement of his successor, though Adonijah has already proclaimed himself king (Hamilton, 2001). Bathsheba’s changes to the speech enforce assertiveness in her womanhood over the strong elements of being docile and submissive throughout biblical patriarchal history. What must be mentioned is how the view of women back then contributed to her speech toward David. Women were only timid, docile, and submissive in the face of male domination, which is what Bathsheba was in 2 Samuel 11-12 (Bird,). Her new role as a mother to a potential heir gave her a dominating force she did not have when she was barren.
Bathsheba gets the promise for Solomon to be the king’s heir (1:22-31 NIV):
"While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, 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’? For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the commander of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. And the king swore, saying, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
When Nathan comes in after Bathsheba, she is not described to leave the room, but the lack of her presence constitutes her leaving. In addition, Bathsheba’s lack of presence may also impart this understanding that David is more focused on Nathan, mainly because the last time Nathan was heard talking to him his sin was brought into the open, consequences lining up. Furthermore, Nathan changes his argument to match that of Bathsheba’s, which may indicate he was not only listening at the door before entering the room, but he also recognizes and respects her personality and assertiveness (Klein, 2003). There are some notable differences, however, from her speech to David, such as describing Adonijah’s sacrifices, saying Joab’s name before Abiathar, and then listing all barred names. The reasons Nathan changes some aspects of the speech may be because “The effect of this whole process of repeating and adding is to overwhelm David with a crescendo of arguments” (Hamilton, 2001, p. 384). In this instance, Nathan uses his position to God to wield authority to the king. There is some merit to this, because the roles of the prophet, king, and priest are all connected, all balancing each other out with equal importance. Therefore, they must all be respected but still be held accountable for their failings by one another. Thus, Nathan, through this process, is saving Bathsheba and her son from David’s continued mistakes.
David reinforces his authority and dominance by calling Bathsheba to him, and he tells her of his fulfillment of his promise by proclaiming Solomon’s right to his throne, which indicates the effect of the plan worked in Nathan and Bathsheba’s favor. There is a difference between when Bathsheba enters here and when she entered the king’s chambers when she confronted David. Some scholars have debated it is because she is expressing resentment toward David of his frailty and his use of Abishag (Glahn, 2017). Other scholars have a different opinion. For instance, the lack of bowing the second time could be she is too overwhelmed about the situation, fearing the outcome if David did not make Solomon his heir to the throne (Rivers, 2001). However, Bathsheba could also be refusing to bow because she knows David is too weak to do anything to her, that he can no longer hurt her. The phrase Bathsheba uses “may my lord King David live forever” (1 Kings 1:31) implies Bathsheba may be restating her loyalty to King David as consequence of his proclamation of making Solomon his heir (Provan, 2008). One thing is clear, though; as Bathsheba bows low to the ground and blesses David when he gives Solomon the throne, her reaction can be akin to that of relief as well as renewed loyalty, because of the immense love a woman has for their son, and the amount of faith she has in God. Bathsheba not only blesses David but God as well, because God anointed David to be king of Israel.
Bathsheba secures Solomon’s throne and ends her duties (2:13-25 NIV):
"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the LORD. And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.” So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as 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 older brother, and on his side are Abiathar[a]the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died".
As is evident in Bathsheba’s question, “Do you come peacefully?” to Adonijah, there is sensible tension between the two. Bathsheba does not trust him, and rightfully so considering his previous attempt at securing the throne. Adonijah even reinforces and reminds her of the reason for this tension by telling her, “…the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign” (v.15). Despite the tension, and perhaps resentment, overlaying his words, he does show respect to Bathsheba as the Queen Mother (royal title for king’s mother) by asking her if he can speak. What is interesting is how Adonijah asks Bathsheba to request on his behalf to Solomon instead of going to the king himself. Klein (2003) theorizes Adonijah’s belief Solomon would not refuse Bathsheba is because of her honor as the king’s mother, especially since she sits on a throne to the right of Solomon’s. There are other possibilities for Adonijah’s push for Bathsheba to talk to Solomon in his stead, which were either because he feared any repercussions if he were to ask, or it could be that he assumed having Solomon’s mother ask would hide the true intent behind his request (Glahn, 2017).
Bathsheba complies with his request. However, as a woman in the court she would be more in tune with the trickery and etiquette of the court in which she lived, so it makes no sense she would tell Solomon not to refuse her of Adonijah’s request to make Abishag his wife. Glahn (2017) explains, “Her tone of voice may have indicated to Solomon that she did not expect him to grant her request or hinted that he should get rid of his brother” (p. 89). The theory Bathsheba knew of Adonijah’s true plan is possible, but it is also something to consider that perhaps Bathsheba was deceived by Adonijah instead (Hamilton, 2001). Adonijah’s request for Abishag is more than a love confession, because a king’s harem is solely the king’s property affirming his and his heir’s reign.
Throughout the Bible, sexual prowess has equated itself to political power for both men and women, and within the realm of kings in Israel, whoever were to sleep with a woman belonging to the king were practically king themselves (Klein, 2003). Essentially, the act of sleeping with the king’s women was a bold move for anyone to make and would threaten Solomon’s throne if it were to be granted. Though Abishag never conceived or was penetrated by David, she was still considered a part of David’s harem, and Solomon knew this, which is why he ordered the death of his brother Adonijah.
Application:
No matter the circumstances of Bathsheba’s role in the adulterous act, she is not found guilty by God, or at least not to the extent of being called out about it in the passage. Instead, God had sent Nathan to confront David of his deeds, while Bathsheba is made a part of Nathan’s plans to bring Solomon, her son, to the throne. The first key principle to take note of is the corruption caused by power and that of absolute power. Throughout the passages where David and Bathsheba are both mentioned, David uses his power to satisfy whatever pleasure he has instead of through the will of God. The second key principle is the danger of prosperity. When David was on the run from Saul in his adventure for the throne, he was faithful to God, his people, and his role (1 Samuel 30:4-9). However, once David’s throne was secured, he no longer was satisfied. The third key principle is secrecy, and the risks that come with it.
To simplify it, the entirety of Bathsheba and David’s story revolves around the wisdom of the inability of a person to control the consequences of their own sin, and that all sin made by one person can affect others. Therefore, the best situation in the modern day that parallels the original situation is the church. God is shown throughout the Bible comparing Israel to a wife and Him to a husband (though this does not imply men are on the same level as God). The temple has turned into the body of the church, as each believer is their own temple. In the church, someone of high authority can take advantage of someone else for their own benefit, a sin or adultery of the heart.
The someone of high authority can be a married pastor who sexually assaults a woman of God in the church because he desires her, but then blames her for it while simultaneously thinking he can get away with it. The truth for him is there are consequences—to him and to her because of him. He gets removed from the church, loses respect from the church, separation or divorce from his spouse, and the possibility of being taken to court or imprisoned. The unfortunate consequence for the woman is she can lose her faith, stop going to church, and suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. If the woman was also married, her relationship with her husband would be strained. In this situation, there is nothing the man can do to remove his sin, nor is there any way the woman can turn back the clock to refrain from putting her trust in him. The pastor can apologize, and the woman can forgive, but that does not mean the consequences of sin ever go away.
Throughout Biblical and Christian history, women have been accused of being unfit for marriage or society for the slightest infractions. Whether by stones, divorce, discreditation, lack of respect, or mention of names, women are thrown under the bus, the bottom of the barrel in a society where men often take the helm. Bathsheba is taken advantage of, and, whether she willingly participated or not, she was a victim of ultimate proportions. For instance, the evidence discussed earlier states that David’s anointed status puts him in the position of leadership being responsible over the Israelite people. For him to look down from the palace to gaze at Bathsheba bathing is an infraction against God and against her, and even more so for calling her to the palace and having sexual relations for which she could not have refused without a fuss that would damage her reputation. The whole story proves how much women are viewed as objects in a patriarchal society such as the one that continues to present itself in Biblical society, but it also shows how much God loves both men and women. God forgives David and warns him of the consequences that would follow regardless of the change of heart in the king, and God gives Bathsheba a chance of supreme redemption in the form of Jesus after the loss of her son. From Rahab to Bathsheba, God has used women to further His Promise to His people, and He will continue to do so for many generations more to come before Jesus makes his second appearance on Earth.
References:
Bird, P. A. (1992). Women in the Old Testament. In The Anchor Bible Dictionary. (6th volume). Doubleday. Fox, E. (2014). The early prophets. Schocken.
Gaebelein, F. E. (1992). The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. (3rd volume). Zondervan Publishing House. Glahn, S. (2017). Vindicating the vixens: Revisiting the sexualized, vilified, and marginalized women of the Bible. Kregal Academic.
Hamilton, V.P. (2001). Handbook on the historical books: Joshua, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther. Baker Academic.
Hood, R. V. (2016). Lexham Bible Dictionary: Women of the Bible: Portrayal of women in the Bible. Lexham Press.
Klien, L. R. From Deborah to Esther: Sexual politics in the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press. McCarter, K. P. (1984). II Samuel: A new translation with introduction and commentary. Doubleday. Rivers, F. (2001). Unspoken: One of the five unlikely women who changed eternity. Tyndale House Publishers.
The English Standard Version Bible. (2016). Crossway Bibles. (Originally published 2001).
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