how old was king david when he married bathsheba

The two apparently had no intentions of further complicating their sin by forming an adulterous marital union. An older king could certainly have a younger counselor, and since early marriages were very common, it is not surprising for a 3040-year-old man to have grandchildren. Who Was Bathsheba in the Bible Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in a commentary he gave on Thru the Bible Radio, also identified the betrayal by Ahithophel as the subject of the psalm,[48] and so does Eastons Bible Dictionary (among many others). Brother can you refute this also. What was the age of both Bathsheba and King David when they He didnt go down to his own house. Rather, Ahithophel must be the close friend, since he was Davids counselor. and Ali Al-Ridha said "At that time, women whose husbands passed away or got killed in the war would never get married again (and this was the source of many evils). After repeated efforts to convince Uriah to have sexual intercourse with Bathsheba failed, king David gave the order to his general, Joab, that Uriah should be placed on the front lines of the battle, where Uriah would be more likely to die. [31] Andrew J. Schmutzer stated that "David's 'taking' Bathsheba makes him responsible for her coming to him. But the inference is really not a probable one. Actually, God had no problem with it. In his commentary, Ibn Kathir stated that the age of marriage coincides with the age of puberty. After relating the parable of the rich man who took away the one little ewe lamb of his poor neighbor (2 Samuel 12:16), and exciting the king's anger against the unrighteous act, the prophet applied the case directly to David's action with regard to Bathsheba. By the way, Im not a non-Muslim, but a Sunni Muslim and I apologize if I have by mistake made these allegations. Eliam, in turn, was the son of Ahitophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 23:34). This view was based on the Quran, which states regarding the orphans who have not reached the marriageable age (emphasis ours): And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness. Based on the example of Barzillai, 80 years seems to have been the upper limit of life in Davids time. So, we should follow Muhammads example and only allow marriage at an age that is appropriate for the time. [4] Sanhedrin 69b, https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.69b.11?lang=bi. Born: c. 1000 BCE in Bethlehem, Israel Parents: Jesse and Nitzevet (according to the However, this was clearly not the norm (even if true). Part of the reason for some Christians denial about child marriage in the Bible is that the Bible does not mention any specific age at which marriage could occur. What About David and Bathshebas Marriage 2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.. 1 Chronicles 23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. King David once saw Bathsheba bathing on her terrace. David was married to Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah during the 7-1/2 years he reigned from Hebron. As the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary, Jehoiadas life was protracted to unusual longevity. If David was a sinner who had slept with a 7-year old, how could God describe him as a man after my own heart? But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; Of course, the statement is not intended for a universal law, and indeed was probably pointed especially at the bloody and deceitful men of whom the psalmist had been speaking. Thus, the Talmud sages did not left out the 4 years that went by between Absalom and Davids reconciliation and the beginning of Absaloms revolt. Could you also so a video refuting Islam Critiqued on the age of Mary. And Im about to make articles as a form of ultimate refutations to your silly allegations. The norm that the ulama did come to consensus on was only a general guideline: they prohibited sexual intercourse for girls not able to undergo it, on the basis that otherwise sex could be physically harmful. An Eliam is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:34 as the son of Ahithophel, who is described as the Gilonite. When David was dying, Bathsheba successfully conspired with the prophet Nathan to block Adonijahs succession to the throne and to win it for Solomon. He went with Absalom. Would David have called Ahithophel a man mine equal (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/psalms/55.htm). That Ahitophel is the subject of Psalm 55:12-14; Psalm 55:20-21, is contrary to all we know of the history of the rebellion of Absalom (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/psalms/55.htm). It should be noted that the Bible does not state Bathsheba was _ years old. [74] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5288&t=KJV, [75] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7390&t=KJV, [76] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/2-chronicles-24.html#15, [79] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque. The success of Absalom would probably have been fatal to Bath-sheba; it would certainly have barred Solomon, Ahithophels great-grandson, from the throne. II". However, that is not what I am claiming. This is where Psalm 55 comes in. Satan is depicted as coming in the disguise of a bird. Note that this is the most conservative estimate. Was David not praying to God for this to happen? He never kept time or season with God, and surely God will not keep or regard his time or season., In the Jewish account threescore years was the age of a man, and death at any time before that was looked upon as untimely, The more sins we do commit, the more we hasten our own death; because as the wise man saith, The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened (Pro 10:27); and the prophet David saith, Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; for sin is an epitomiser or shortener of everything: it consumes our wealth, it confines our liberty, it impeaches our health, and it abbreviates our life, and brings us speedily unto our grave., [61] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/psalms-55.html#23, But shall be cut off by an untimely and violent death., David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years., Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.. WebHe was killed by Joab (1 Chronicles 3:1-2) after he mounted a rebellion against his aging father David. See my videos here: I agree that Rebekah was not 3 years old. That Ahithophel had then a married grand-daughter is less probable than that there were in Israel two Eliams.[81]. David's punishment came to pass years later when one of David's much-loved sons, Absalom, led an insurrection that plunged the kingdom into civil war. Regardless, most sources reasonably identify the two Eliams as the same person, including Naves Topical Bible,[82] Eastons Bible Dictionary,[83] the American Tract Society Bible Dictionary,[84] Faussets Bible Dictionary,[85] the Holman Bible Dictionary,[86] Hastings Dictionary of the Bible,[87] and the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. He identified Ahithophel in the commentary on verse 12: Ahithophels perfidy and villany troubled David more than all the rest., [40] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/55.htm, the general sentiment of commentators has always been that Ahithophel is intended. When she came to him, he had sex with her. Moreover, according to the Fausset Dictionary, Ahijah the Pelonite was probably a corruption of text. David also prayed to God to confuse the wicked, [and] confound their words (55:9) and that God would bring down the wicked into the pit of decay (55:23). Even if the psalm itself did not refer to Ahithophel, the verse could still be applied to him, as he was a bloody and deceitful man (from Davids perspective) whose life was violently cut short. Illustration of David and Bathsheba. BibleArtLibrary / Getty Images 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 1005965 BCE). Nathan was the first child of Bathsheba that she was given the right to name. So does Barnes Notes on the Bible (emphasis ours): The meaning is, that they do not live half as long as they might do, and would do, if they were not bloody and deceitful.[53]. See the same link to the playlist. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Not only was this marriage permitted, it resulted in the birth of yet another beloved figure, Solomon. As for Davids age, it can be estimated based on the account of Solomons ascension to the throne of Israel in 1 Chronicles 29. Notice that the sin was in killing Uriah the Hittite and taking his wife! Ironically, from an Islamic point of view, marriage at such a young age is prohibited (unless Bathsheba had somehow entered puberty as such an early age and was both socially and physically mature, which is unlikely). Updates? Nathan noted that Yahweh would punish David's house for Uriah's murder and taking his wife, and would let someone close ( rea) to David take away / seize ( laqach) all his wives and have him lie with / rape ( kab) them in broad daylight for everyone to see (2 Samuel 12:912). One of Davids faithful soldiers (2 Samuel 23:39. The Age Of Rebecca When She Married Isaac - Biblical Perspective, A Detailed Historical Examination Of Numbers 31:18, King Davids Marriage To 12 Year Old Abishag - Bible. Thus, he went back to his home and hanged himself (2 Samuel 17:23). Bullingers Companion Bible Notes,[17] Gary H. Everetts Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures,[18] George Haydocks Catholic Bible Commentary,[19] the Jamiesson-Fausset-Brown Commentary,[20] John Trapps Complete Commentary,[21] Ironsides Notes on Selected Books,[22] L.M. In the case of Ahithophel, not only was his wise council rejected by Absalom (55:9), he also committed met a violent and untimely death by suicide (55:23). [67] Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the average lifespan at the time was around 7080 years (note that this is a very generous assumption). It reads like a song of the time of Absalom and Ahithophel. Hence, this appeal fails to prove that the two Eliams in 2 Samuel were different people. As stated above, Saul was in his 70s when he died. Psychologist Dr. Robert Epstein has made the controversial suggestion that young people, regardless of how young, should be allowed to make decisions about marriage and sex provided that they demonstrate that he or she knows about the risks of sexis physically and emotionally mature, and so on, an arbitrary age cutoff necessarily allows incompetent people to gain rights and privileges they probably shouldnt have., The norm that the ulama did come to consensus on was only a general guideline: they prohibited sexual intercourse for girls not able to undergo it, on the basis that otherwise sex could be physically harmful. Since David died when he was 70 years old, it means that he was 50 years old when Bathsheba (911 years old) gave birth to Solomon. And my master Joab and my masters troops are camping in the open field. Though this is said to be a prayer of Moses, who probably lived some 250 years before the reign of David, it still finds corroboration in the time of David, since Barzillai was 80 years old at the time of Absaloms revolt, and David himself lived for 70 years. That Ahitophel is the subject of Psalm 55:12-14; Psalm 55:20-21, is contrary to all we know of the history of the rebellion of Absalom (, There is no hint that the writer is a king whose authority is threatened by a formidable insurrection. The reason for this was: [f]or the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.. The fact is that the context fits well with Absaloms revolt and especially with Ahithophels betrayal of David. All which agrees to Achitophel., [47] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/psalms-55.html#13, From this rapid survey of the general calamity, David turns to the chief supporter of the rebellion, his former chief counsellor, Ahithophel. Bathsheba receiving letter from David, by Willem Drost (1630-1680). As Jonathan Brown explains: the medieval ulama considered the point at which a girl was fit for intercourse to be too varied to be firmly legislated for. [13] Most commentaries also share this view, including Barnes Notes on the Bible,[14] Coffmans Commentaries on the Bible,[15] the Expository Notes by Dr. Thomas Constable,[16] E.W. Because, I have proven that Allah is not moon god and I have proven also that that khayrul makereen is not something bad but something good and praiseworthy. He could have been as old as 11 years if we assume that the four years in 2 Samuel 15:7 refers to the time from Absaloms return from Geshur (2+3+2+4=11). The oldest man in the Bible, after the patriarchs, was Jehoiada, who supposedly died at the age of 130 (2 Chronicles 24:15). word was brought to him [David] that Ahithophel had gone over to the side of Absalom, [49] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/ahithophel.html, brother of insipidity or impiety, a man greatly renowned for his sagacity among the Jews. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Since this is now firmly established, we may ask what relevance it has in determining Bathshebas age at the time of her marriage to David. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David. A Mosque in the area of Medina, possibly: This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 21:50. We can see from the example of Barzillai that people could have lived into their 80s at that time, but this seems to have been the upper limit. Rather, Ahithophel must be the close friend, since he was Davids counselor. But this is not reasonable. Also already taken care of. Psalm 55 is a prayer of David asking God to save him from his enemies. An argument has been founded on this to account for the hostility of Ahithophel to king David, [89] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/2_samuel/11.htm, Eliam Or Ammiel, 1 Chronicles 3:5, the component words being placed in an inverse order. [80] Some others do question the identification of Bathshebas father with Eliam the son of Ahithophel but do not provide concrete evidence. No, this is not a tu quoque fallacy, which is defined as: an informal fallacy that intends to discredit the opponents argument by asserting the opponents failure to act consistently in accordance with its conclusion(s).[79]. The traditional ascription to David cannot on any ground be maintained. [24], Another hadith narrated from Shia scholars states that Ali Al-Ridha, during the discussions with the scholars of other religions about prophets' infallibility, asked one of them, "What do you say about David?" They will vociferously deny that Bathsheba was around 7 years old (or perhaps as old as 9) when she first encountered David and they will deny that she was the granddaughter of Ahithophel. The Woman Was Very Beautiful: The Shocking Truth About Bathshebas Marriage to David in the Bible, Originally posted on the Quran and Bible Blog, From the roof he saw a woman bathing. David pleaded with God to spare his child, fasting and spending the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground (2 Samuel 12:1617), but after seven days the child died (2 Samuel 12:18). In this section, I will try to pre-empt some possible Christian objections. Bullinger,[35] Thomas Cooke,[36] the Benson Commentary,[37] Clarkes Commentary,[38] John Trapp,[39] the Pulpit Commentary,[40] Hawkers Poor Mans Commentary,[41] the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary,[42] Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary,[43] the Lange Commentary on the Holy Scriptures,[44] the MacArthur Bible Commentary,[45] Wesleys Explanatory Notes,[46] and Whedons Commentary on the Bible,[47] also identify Ahithophel as the subject of the psalm. I dont think Mohamad was saying he believes those things (?). This was also the conclusion of the classical Jewish sources, such as the Targums and the Talmud, as explained in Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible: But it was thou,. [11] The argument is that she is called the daughter of Eliam in 2 Sam. There is disagreement among the experts as to what age that should be. The name Eliam is only mentioned twice in the, But 1 Chronicles 11:36 gives the alternate name for Eliam, the son of Ahithophel as Ahijah the Pelonite, so he cannot be the same person as the father of Bathsheba!, Third, if Ahijah is an alternate name for Eliam, it still does not refute the claim that Eliam was the son of Ahithophel and the father of Bathsheba, simply because the Chronicler does not provide any additional information. Before we begin, let us see what the Jewish scholars said about Bathshebas age when she gave birth to Solomon (dont worry, this is not the main evidence). In David's old age, Bathsheba, based on David's promise, secured the succession to the throne by Solomon, instead of David's elder surviving sons by his other wives, such as Chileab (2 Samuel 3:16), Adonijah (1 Kings 1:1131) and others (2 Samuel 3:16). He founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under Why would the author of 2 Samuel have mentioned Eliam in passing on two different occasions and yet have meant them to be two different people and not clarify it, especially since Bathsheba was the daughter of one Eliam, whereas another Eliam was part of Davids elite military unit? he said "David was praying, when a beautiful bird appeared in front of him, and David left his prayer and went after the bird. Most, though not all, of the evidence for the age of marriage comes from outside the Bible (i.e., from outside scripture), which some Christians ignore because it is not inspired. Great. Heb. [62] Later, Ahithophel was with Absalom in Jerusalem. Did king david get married to bathsheba? Father of Bathsheba, whose first husband was a Hittite, 1 Samuel 11:3 (= 1 Chronicles 3:5 , where Eliam is called Ammiel ). (LogOut/ This is not a matter of controversy. ], [21] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/2-samuel-11.html#3, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam?] After Uriah had been killed in the siege of Rabbah (2 Samuel 11:17), Bathsheba mourned Uriah, but then David took Bathsheba into his house and made her his wife, and she gave birth (2 Samuel 11:2627). [33], The Bathsheba incident leads to a shift in the book's perspective; afterwards David "is largely at the mercy of events rather than directing them". Rather, my argument is that there was nothing Biblically wrong or immoral about Muhammads marriage to Aisha and that it was common practice in virtually all cultures for people to marry young (usually by the onset of puberty). David married the widowed Bathsheba, but their first child died as punishment from God for Davids adultery and murder of Uriah. According to the chronology of 2 Samuel 1315, two years had passed since Amnon had raped his half-sister Tamar (Absaloms sister),[70] when after killing Amnon, Absalom fled to Geshur, where he lived for 3 years. [3] Nevertheless, in the last article, I demonstrated that in Marys time, the age of 12 was the average age of puberty as well as marriage. In an effort to conceal his sin, David summoned Uriah from the army (with whom he was on campaign) in the hope that Uriah would have sex with her and think that the child belonged to him. In fact, the ages of women are not mentioned except in a few places (e.g., the age of Sarah when she gave birth to Isaac). WebHe was a younger brother of Shammuah (sometimes referred to as Shammua or Shimea), Shobab, and Solomon. Bathsheba From this rapid survey of the general calamity, David turns to the chief supporter of the rebellion, his former chief counsellor. [15] As a queen and mother, she was also associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. another great academic article. We will use two main sources for this: 2 Samuel and Psalm 55 (though other books will also be used). Note that this is the most. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) knows best! This demonstrates her exalted status and share in the royal kingdom. [80] For example, see the Morrish Bible Dictionary, https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/mbd/e/eliam-.html. [29][30][31] Lawrence O. Richards states that the biblical text supports the innocence of Bathsheba, that David took the initiative to find out her identity and summon her, and that she was alone at the time and had no way to refuse the requests of a King. Son of Ahithophrl and father of Bathsheba (https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/fbd/e/eliam.html). In a previous article, I demonstrated that the Bible generally allowed marriage and sex at the onset of puberty (with the exception of Numbers 31:18 which seemingly allowed sex even before puberty). [] Altogether it seems to us to relate to that mournful era when the King was betrayed by his trusted counsellor., [34] https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Psa/Psa_051.cfm?a=533001, Now David evidently wrote this psalm when he was fleeing from Absalom. Omissions? King David's Wives and Marriages in the Bible - Learn If we add these numbers together, we determine that Solomon was around 911 years old. However, this does not fit well due to the contradiction between Sauls age at the time of his death and Davids prophecy in Psalm 55:23. Based on this seemingly contradictory information, let us follow the conservative route, as always, and assume that Solomon was around 20 years old at the time of his ascension. In the evening Uriah went out to sleep in the same place, alongside his masters servants, but he did not go down to his own home. By the way, I made a website and I have debunked the claim which you have made Allah the Moon God. Budde later connected it with the Jahwist document of the Hexateuch. [72] Sometime after, probably 4 years (2 Samuel 15:7) after reconciling with his father David, Absalom began his rebellion. And the woman, Bathsheba, is married. And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness. Ahithophel was known as Davids counsellor, [41] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pmc/psalms-55.html#23, And the prayer here used is followed with another in the history, to turn the counsel of Ahitophel, an enemy of his, but held in great reputation, into foolishness., [42] https://www.studylight.org/commentary/psalms/55-13.html, My guide my counselor; as Ahithophel was to David (1 Samuel 15:12; 1 Samuel 16:23)., [43] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/kad/psalms/55.htm, This Old Testament Judas is none other than Ahithphel, the right hand of Absalom., [44] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/lange/psalms/55.htm, In retaining this reference to David, however, we are not to think of Doeg, Ps. [95] Holmans Bible Dictionary argues that the Chronicler may have confused the title of Helez the Paltite (2 Samuel 23:26) and that Ahijah the Pelonite was a textual corruption. From the roof he saw a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. Oops, Im sorry, I thought you were Christian. So, here is a summary about Ahithophel and his role during Davids reign: If Ahithophel was Bathshebas grandfather, then determining his approximate age would allow us to estimate Bathshebas age as well. [81] https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/ahithophel.html, [82] https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/naves-topical-bible/eliam.html, [83] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/eliam.html, [84] https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ats/a/ahithophel.html. David repented of his sins, and Bathsheba later gave birth to Solomon. Learn how your comment data is processed. This is confirmed by most dictionaries, including Smiths Bible Dictionary,[6] the American Tract Society Bible Dictionary,[7] Fausetts Bible Dictionary,[8] the Holman Bible Dictionary,[9] Hastings Bible Dictionary,[10] the Morrish Bible Dictionary,[11] the Peoples Dictionary of the Bible,[12] and the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. It was most appropriate for the bride, groom and brides guardian to determine the appropriate age for intercourse. Furthermore, God approved of David remaining married to Bathsheba, which resulted in the birth of Solomon, whom God loved. The Talmud states that Ahithophels age at the time of his death was a mere 33 years (since the sages considered 70 years to be the average lifespan). There is virtual consensus among the commentators that the meaning of this phrase is that Davids betrayers would not live half as long as people normally lived at the time. Uriah. And in the list of David's thirty in 1 Chronicles 11:36 we have Ahijah the Pelonite. A minority of scholars questioned the application of the psalm to Ahithophel. Figure 1: Map showing how far Ahithophel would have travelled in the short-lived coup attempt by Absalom. The reality is that they were the most likely the same person. Christians should try to be consistent. Sometimes Bathsheba's maids or the "messengers" sent by David are shown, and often a distant David watching from his roof. Absalom summoned Ahithophel to come to Hebron from his hometown of Giloh (hence, Ahithophel was known as the Gilohite). on 2 Samuel 11:3, and 1 Chronicles 3:5) is that the two Eliams are the same person. However, he did not further complicate or solidify his adultery by marrying her. She was the mother of Solomon, who succeeded David as king, making her the Gebirah (queen mother). Bathsheba's son, King Solomon, rises to greet her, bows down in veneration, and furnishes her a seat at his right hand. [32] John Phillips, The John Phillips Commentary Series: Exploring Psalms: An Expository Commentary, Vol. Uriah the Hittite and Eliam, being both of the kings guard (consisting of 37 officers), were intimate, and Uriah married the daughter of his brother officer (https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/fbd/a/ahithophel.html). Thus, it also means that he was between 4448 years old when he first encountered Bathsheba, who was 79 years old.

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