Bathsheba: Who Was She?
That is quite a circle of men in her life, but we are still left to ask the question, who was Bathsheba? What do we know about her?
Bathsheba: Who Was She?
Like most women in the ancient world, Bathsheba‘s identity was tied primarily to the men that were in her life, rather than to her own deeds and actions. Having said that, let’s recognize what an incredible group of men they were.
Her father was the great warrior Eliam, one of the “30 Mighty Heroes” of Israel (2 Samuel 23:34). Her husband, Uriah, was a respected and faithful warrior in the same army. Her partner in adultery - King David - was the greatest king Israel would ever know and her son was Solomon; literally the wisest man who ever lived.
That is quite a circle of men in her life, but we are still left to ask the question, who was Bathsheba? What do we know about her? What kind of woman was she?
As a daughter, she lived in the shadow of a great national hero. The shadow was great, but she lived in a good home, right next to the palace, and was probably well off and respected.
As a wife, what little we know about her husband is admirable. He was obedient and loyal to his king and acted with integrity and honor. She was the wife of a well respected and loyal man.
We also know that she possessed such beauty that the most powerful man in the nation was willing to risk everything after seeing her. That beauty would take her down a road that would lead her to infamy beyond measure. Yet, it would also bring her face to face with the shame and guilt of infidelity followed by the pain and sorrow of great personal loss.
Bathsheba was not so average, as it turns out. She was able to navigate very delicate terrain through some very difficult times.
More on that tomorrow.
