If you have perpetrated crimes or taken advantage of others, you can confess your sins and change your habits. Through his messengers, David learned that she was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, who had gone to battle for David. We know Michal was devoted to David, enough to hide him from her own father. 3 Surprising Reasons to Be Like Doubting Thomas, 4 Reasons Why We Have a Hard Time Talking about Loneliness. Special insight and inspiration straight from the presidents desk. 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 . He lost four children. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. 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. If God remained faithful to David in spite of his failings, we can rest assured He will remain faithful to us despite ours. They are: David's remaining children that we know of were born in Jerusalem to unnamed wives. Instead, God gave David a second son (Solomon) later onand this son becomes the next king of Israel (leap-frogging over his older brothers from other marriages). Again, with sinister motives, Saul told David he could still become his son-in-law by marrying Michal. Article Images Copyright . Although the lists of his mighty men (2 Samuel 23:8-39 & 1 Chronicles 11:10-47) are given after David has become king, many of them may have been the loyal followers who stayed with him when he was fleeing King Saul.At the very least, they fought side by side with him. She and her husband Shane are launching a podcast called Stress Test: the heartbeat of healthy leadership in late April, 2023. Early intervention, discipline, and instruction could mean the difference between life and death later on. Adonijah would be Davids oldest living son by the time David died and would try to claim the throne for himself. It is likely David had even more sons and daughters that the Bible does not record since we know he had several more unnamed wives and perhaps even more concubines through which he fathered children (1 Chronicles 3:9). How many of David's sons became lustful, greedy, and ambitious like their father? Bathsheba(2 Sam ch.11 ch.12)(1 Kin ch. The list of wives married during his exile is repeated in 2 Samuel 3:2-5. David had four wives whose names we knowAhinoam, Abigail (2 Samuel 2:2), Eglah (2 Samuel 3:5), and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:27)and possibly others such as Absalom's mother Maakah. After this, the Lord struck Nabal and took his life. In every time and season, there is an opportunity to share hope in Christ. Politicians, mega-pastors, coaches, professional athletes, corporate leaders. 9. Is it any wonder that Amnon, Absalom, and even Solomon would also be caught in sexual sin later in life? We know Abigail was unusually wise, and nothing about how she related to David later in life. Who Were the 12 Disciples of Jesus? Bathsheba was disposable to David until a pregnancy threatened to expose his actions (rape and then murder) before the nation. Nathan told the powerful king a tale of a poor shepherd whose lamb was stolen by a rich man. Adonijah was later executed by his brother Solomon for his insurrection and failed attempts to steal the throne (1 Kings 1-2). Women had little protection in the ancient world, although the Bible has always outlined rules for treating them justly. 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). All rights reserved. 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. The world-renowned Amazing Facts Bible school will help you know Gods Word better than ever. David also had a son with Bathsheba before she bore Solomon. 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. Dig into the Word and become a Bible expert with Amazing Facts line of study Bibles and more. Obviously, David was secure enough on his throne that he no longer had a need to go to war to prove his military prowess; he could send his generals instead. After Abigail told her husband that she saved him, Nabal had a heart attack and died. From these unions, the Bible names nineteen sons and one daughter, Tamar ( 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 ). David plotted to have Uriah killed. Who Are King David's Children in the Bible? However, no matter how faithful or righteous David may have been, David's children and descendants were responsible for their actions and accountable to God for their choices, not David's (Deuteronomy 24:16). Why did God allow David to keep Bathsheba as his wife? 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. According to Jewish purity laws, a woman must wait seven days after her menses end before purifying herself ritually in a mikvah, a special immersion pool, so that she and her husband may resume sexual relations. The complex family David created was the source of much sorrow and strife. 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. Eglah married David while he was in exile, and had a son named Ithream. 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. Absalom was later killed by David's commander Joab, against David's wishes (2 Samuel 18). Helping you get the most out of your Sabbath School quarterly every week. He cant sleep (maybe because hes not fulfilling his purpose? (2021, September 10). Abigail wisely entreated David not to kill Nabal, and he had mercy. They are as follows: Michal:She is the first of Davids wives. Gods providence. Though He will not always reverse the consequences of our poor decisions, with genuine repentance we may return to Him. Eventually, all of his decisions were made poorly. He talks to Uriah about the battle and sends him home so hell sleep with his wife and the affair will be hidden. Heart-touching stories of lives impacted by the ministry. Though David had (probably) eight wives and (probably) 10 concubines, King Solomon seemed to take things up a notch in a Biblical case of "hold my beer." According to 1 Kings 11, Solomon was recorded to have at least 700 wives (though the text itself only mentions those wives "of royal birth"), and at least 300 concubines. Comments containing telephone numbers or email addresses will not be approved. In 2020, Sue won a Selah Award for her nonfiction book Soulspeak: Praying Change into Unexpected Places. When God gave Moses the Law, He established the moral and societal parameters within which He expected the nation of Israel to live. Rather, God works through the effects of our sin to bring about His purposes, though He still abhors our sinful actions. Get yours before supplies run out. Please reach out to a trusted pastor, counselor, therapist, or friend and share your struggles. Click here to read it. Nathan reminded David that his sin had removed Gods protection and blessing from his life. Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. While reading through Davids life, it is evident he did not always make good decisions. When a reader has a grasp on the Law, they have the standard by which they are to discern the behavior of the people recorded. Please do not comment in languages other than English. He need only give 100 Philistine foreskins as dowry. Following is a list of the wives of David that we know the names of, along with where they were from, and Bible verses that mention them. Most of the sons mentioned from these womencaused much strife and grief in Davids family. Strengthen your walk with Christ with these life-changing devotionals from your friends at Amazing Facts. 1), ***Note: Some believe that David was also married to Merab based upon (1 Sam 17:25), however (1 Sam 18:17-19)(2 Sam 21:8) appears to disprove this. This is often seen as the cop-out answer anytime the question of why God allows evil in the world comes up. David had many wives and concubines. Wives Of David, Where FromVerses Later, Saul takes Michal away from David and marries her to another man, Paltiel. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. David, as well as kings which followed (including his son Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines: 1 Kin 11:3), disobeyed this command. 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible Who Was Mary Magdalene in the Bible? But Uriah didn't go home; he stayed within the palace barracks. What Makes Makoto Fujimura a Great Christian Artist? David was a fallible human being who made poor choices as well as good ones and had to face those actions consequences. (2 Samuel 11:2-4) "David didn't invite Bathsheba. Amnom would create much grief for David and the rest of the family when he molested his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). However, most scholars believe there were two ladies named Ahinoam. The best evidence pointing to this is that Davids wife Ahinoam is always referred to as Ahinoam of Jezreel (1 Sam 25:43) or Ahinoam the Jezreelitess (1 Sam 27:3)(1 Sam 30:5)(2 Sam 2:2)(2 Sam 3:2)(1 Chr 3:1), while Sauls wife Ahinoam is referred to as the daughter of Ahimazz (1 Sam 14:50). Davids background influenced him. Like most of us, David must have grown tired of fighting spiritual and physical enemies. Ahinoam of Jezreel(1 Chr 3:1)(2 Sam 3:2)(2 Sam 2:2) The Jesus Revolution Comes to Hollywood: Will Thousands Be Converted? 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). Even in light of Davids polygamy, we can trust God worked through all things for His glory. The story reveals the consequences of feeding secret lustful desires. Prior to fleeing from King Saul, David had also married Michal, the daughter of Saul (1 Samuel 18:27-28). David killed a lot of people in battle. They are all mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:2-5 and 1 Chronicles 3:1-3. Astle, Cynthia. Repentance didnt reverse the effects of Davids sin. David's history suggests that he used many women to balance out his faults (lust, violence, and ego). 1 Chronicles 3:1-4 states that King David's first seven wives gave him six children, while they lived in Hebron. We learn more about Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, but not much about how David related to them over time. The Rabbis are concerned with the causes and harsh consequences of David's sin, but completely disregard Bathsheba's . Regarding Davids wives, we have a grim reminder of what happens when we neglect to live as God commands. And David sent and inquired about the woman. If Christians are not ready, they will get blind-sided by such objections and may even suffer doubt of their own faith. He attends Faith Fellowship Church in East Rochester, OH where he has given multiple sermons and is discipled by pastor Chet Howes. God calls us to holiness, not convenience. God always opens pathways to repentance and freedom for us and provides escape routes for every temptation we encounter (1 Corinthians 10:13) If we ignore those, God will provide conviction when we sin (1 John 1:9). The second is that their stories show us a side of David we often forget. God in His grace restored David back to a healthy spiritual relationship with Him. He gave them Solomon, whose name means "Peace.". All in all, the Bible makes it clear that Davids polygamy created an enormous amount of pain. Like many things in life, we are all impacted by the choices and behavior of our parents. 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. Later Absalom tried to usurp David. 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. David sent this letter to Joab by Uriah, who had no idea that he was carrying his own death sentence. Absalom Absalom, David's third son, or at least the third in line, was handsome, cunning, ambitious, and hot-tempered. When David danced before the Ark of the Covenant as it entered Jerusalem, Michal rebuked him for his undignified behavior. This opened an even bigger door for Absalom to take matters into his own hands. Bathsheba was David's last wife (at least the last one mentioned in the Bible) and probably his most famous. A beautiful woman, she became pregnant after David saw her bathing on a rooftop and had her brought to him. 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). This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. But after his sin, David thoroughly repented. 2 Samuel 12:10-12 . Bathsheba: Theres no doubt Bathsheba is the most known among Davids wives. Bathsheba, married David after he famously murdered her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11). Available atLifeAudio.com. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay . Bathsheba told her aged husband that only their son Solomon remained loyal, so the king named Solomon his co-regent. Solomon was known for his many foreign wives, who were able to turn his heart away from God to foreign gods (1 Kings 11). Gods Word is perfect, but if we dont take the time to understand what it actually means, the world will propagate its false understandings and leave us speechless. The slayer of giants, the hero of Israel, the man who pursued God with all his heart. And God not only forgave them, He even blessed their marriage with another child. In addition, David had an unknown number of concubines. (1 Chr 3:9)(2 Sam 5:13)(2 Sam 16:21-22)(2 Sam 20:3 tells us he had at least 10). ), so he goes for a walk on the roof. The account is given for our instruction and encouragement. Suppose you make some terrible decision in your life that is irreversible. This trend continued through the succession of Israel's kings. Nathan ( Hebrew: , Modern: Natan, Tiberian: Nn) was the third of four sons born to King David and Bathsheba in Jerusalem. The plan worked. Although Nathan is the third son raised by David and Bathsheba, he is the fourth born to Bathsheba. 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). Even if Bathsheba played a part, scriptures deem David's sin in their affair to be greater for two reasons. Comments that include name-calling, profanity, harassment, ridicule, etc. 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! Their names are not recorded. Bathsheba and David's Adultery Led Him to Greater Sins. David and Solomon would have grown up hearing the stories of Gods redemption of their family line through Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer. As king, his responsibility is to secure a peaceful nation. Since the Bible doesnt give us many details about Davids wives, and many of the details we get are so sad, its easy to wonder why we should study their story. Are they more prone to sexual sin than regular people? Not long after Bathsheba and David committed adultery, Bathsheba sent a message to David telling him she was pregnant. David slept with Bathsheba and arranged for Uriahs death when he discovered Bathsheba was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:14-27). He won King Saul's daughter . Comments made on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday may not be approved until the following Monday. Davids culture accepted polygamy and sexual misconduct from men of power. To that total we would add all the unnamed sons of his concubines. Our flagship program features the most informative and inspiring messages from Pastor Doug and more. Depending on what Sunday School you attended, you might not know there were multiple wives. As Davids life shows, nothing good comes of pretending a sin doesnt exist. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. Doing the right thing, regardless of circumstances, is true righteousness. Their later marriage seems to have been close ( 2 Samuel 12:24) and loyal ( 1 Kings 1:28-31 ). As a result, Bathsheba became pregnant with their illegitimate child and told David he was the father. David sends for Bathshebas husband to come home to try to cover up his sin. Abitalmarried David while he was in exile, and had a son named Shephatiah. And later David lost yet another son, Adonijah. In fact, the Bibles narrative makes it clear Davids marriage choices created big problems. How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? As told in 2 Samuel 11-12, Bathsheba was married to Uriah, one of Davids mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39). He had a daughter named Michal, who King Saul had given him in exchange for killing 400 Philistines. Adultery is still sin. How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? It may be shocking to suggest King David had sexual issues, but its not out of the question. By now David was old and feeble, and his oldest surviving son, Adonijah, attempted to usurp the throne before his father died. The gifts had previously been given to King Saul. The Bible tells us that Bathsheba gave birth to a child following her adulterous affair with David. David consoled Bathsheba by getting her pregnant again, this time with a son the named Solomon. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Her future child(ren) would be raised within a context of sexual misconduct, manipulation, competition, cover-up, and violence just as Nathan predicted. 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. The Bible doesn't mention the circumstances of David's marriage to Bathsheba, but it does mention that he had three wives before Bathsheba. By failing to provide justice for his daughter, David not only failed Tamar, but he also failed Amnon, whose sin had gone unpunished. As described in 1 Samuel 25, she was first married to a wealthy man named Nabal who treated David cheaply. We dont have to look far to see that power corrupts. David has committed adultery and murder. Maacah, whose father Talmai was king of Geshur, married David while he was in exile and her children included a son named Absalom and a daughter named Tamar. Davids character influenced his childrens character. Given that context, David may have had so many partners because he was in an addictive cycle. 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.