#bathsheba mother of solomon

[ladymarys-blog]

Women of Jesus Genealogy by Saint Mathew.

1. Tamar, the righteous woman.

2. Rhab, heroine of the faith.

3. Saint Ruth, virtuous woman.

4. Queen Bathsheba, the gebirah (the great lady).

5. Saint Mary, mother of God.

[anniflamma]

Headcanons! Could I please ask for your headcanons on how David would have been like if Jonathan had lived!

(or, for the sake of not deviating the whole story altoghether bc either way David was meant to be king at some point. What if like, Jonathan had gone into hidding like what happened to Mephibosheth and later on met with David to tell him that, hey, he's actually alive so :D. Honestly im just asking bc the idea of Jonathan teaching Jedediah/Solomon how to court and judge others got stuck to my head when I was writting my Testament of Solomon rewritte and that got me to think even more like, would Jonathan get along with Abigail, would David had stopped seeking out women to marry if Jonathan had run away with him, would Absalom or the other childre of David had confided secrets in him more than with his father because they trusted him more, or would the court had tried to make Jonathan guilty of a coup at some point, maybe a lot of times, due to his past royal background, and ofc how would Jonathan have raised his son?)

Sorry if this was long ᓚᘏᗢ boop!

You are giving me food and being able to talk about it!!! :D

My headcanon would be if Jonathan had lived, his and David's relationship would have continued to be romantic and supportive!

I think Jonathan would first go into hiding and try to find his son first. Mephibosheth would still become disabled due to all the chaos when the news comes to the palace. But I don't think they would go into hiding for too long. Abner was supportive to Saul’s family first, heck, he probably would see David as a threat towards Jonathan instead.

And when they reunite, Jonathan would have either stepped down from his role as the next king or maximized David's status, so they would essentially be two kings ruling one kingdom. He did give an oath and his title as king to David when they last met each other, so it would make sense that he kept his word.

David would still pursue other marriages for political alliances, likewise Jonathan too. However, I do believe that David wouldn't take Michal back because the only reason why he forced her to be his wife again was that he pretty much wanted to secure his political position as a king. Having Jonathan there on his side already supporting him, it wouldn't be necessary to marry her. All his other wives, I think he would still marry them for political reasons. Bathsheba though… I don't think he would seek her out… Or maybe David would. For me, he is a bit promiscuous. But I do like the idea that he wouldn't be as interested if Jonathan were still around.

There is a scene in The Prince's Psalm where David and Jonathan talk to each other about their boundaries in their relationship. Jonathan wants children, but he doesn't want to pick a random woman only to discard her after giving birth to a child, he wants to honor his children's mother by marrying her and taking care of her. But also secured David by saying that it's okay for him as well to marry and love another woman too, but ended with the decision that they are not allowed to take any male lovers.

It sounds fun that Jonathan would be friends with Abigail. Maybe they are two peas in a pod because David picked Abigail for love, unlike the other wives. And Abigail is the same "type" as Jonathan. That would be cute.

I do think that the majority of the royal drama would be more about people not trusting David. The second book of Samuel is just David getting rid of all his political enemies and marrying every high-royal-woman to secure his position. The reason why Saul's other family members, such as Jonathan's half-brothers, revolt against David is that they are the "true" line of the royal lineage. So if Jonathan was still in the picture and became king, then that drama of power wouldn't be so much on the nose.

Absalom and David's other children might have indeed confided in Jonathan, finding solace and other stuff when David wasn't emotionally available. Especially when Amnon attacks Tamar and everything just crumbles. Maybe the situation would look different when David forgives Absalom for killing Amnon, and by having another parental figure, maybe Absalom wouldn't decide to revolt against his father?

And if Absalom still decided to revolt against David, Mephibosheth would still be left behind in safety in the royal palace. And I don't think that the servant Ziba would be able to trick David into "disowning" Mephibosheth when Absalom takes over the palace. I don't think Jonathan would ever let that happen, but also David and Mephibosheth's relationship would be different in a way. I have a headcanon that David is very overprotective of Mephibosheth but he also puts him on a pedestal, so when someone lies about him, David immediately believes that lie because he actually doesn't really know who Mephibosheth actually is.

But that is all I have to say for now! I probably missed some thoughts I would like to bring up. But my brain is empty at the moment!

[misc-obeyme]

I remember reading a fanfic where Solomon is visiting his mother's grave which fuels in this headcanon I have where he actually has a strong bond with his mom, who I assume is Bathsheba, and she dotes on him as well. And that is why I like to imagine that she was very hesitant and heartbroken to lock him up in the basement which followed up with the guilt that's shrouded over her.

Awww, that's so cute! Solomon would be a mama's boy lol.

I mean you could probably use whatever name you wanted for her, but yeah in the Biblical sense it'd be Bathsheba. I just don't think the canon follows that story closely enough for it to matter, so you can do whatever you want!

It is sad to think about pretty much any of Solomon's family, in my opinion. Even if he was close with his mom, he inevitably outlives her. Just like he'd outlive any children he had and all his siblings and so on and so on.

But it just adds another layer of sadness if his mom was really opposed to locking him up. She might have thought it was safest for him if magic was something that was persecuted where they lived. Moms will go to great lengths to keep their children safe, I think, even if it's not the ideal situation. There often isn't another choice. Especially in ye olden times, you know?

Ahh now I'm just thinking about Solomon as a girl dad with a daughter that looks like his mom...

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Creator Set's Free's (Jesus') Tribal Ancestry

1 Here is the record of the ancestry of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, a descendant of Much Loved One (David) and of Father of Many Nations (Abraham). From Father of Many Nations (Abraham) to Much Loved One (David), his ancestors were: 2 Father of Many Nations (Abraham), He Made Us Laugh (Isaac), Heel Grabber (Jacob), Give Him Praise (Judah) and his brothers, 3 He Breaks Through (Perez) and his brother First Light (Zerah), whose mother was Fruit of Palm Tree (Tamar), Circle of Tipis (Hezron), Lifted Up (Ram), 4 Noble Relative (Amminadab), Talks with Snakes (Nahshon), He Makes Peace (Salmon), 5 Moves with Strength (Boaz), whose mother was Boastful Woman (Rahab), He Works Hard (Obed), whose mother was Beautiful Friend (Ruth), Original Man (Jesse), 6 who was the father of the great chief Much Loved One (David). From Much Loved One (David) to the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon), the ancestors of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) were: Much Loved One (David), Stands in Peace (Solomon), whose mother, Daughter of Seven (Bathsheba), was the wife of Fire from Creator (Uriah), 7 Big People Maker (Rehoboam), He Is My Father (Abijah), Gathers the People (Asa), 8 He Makes Wrongs Right Again (Jehoshaphat), Creator Is Above (Jehoram), My Great Power (Uzziah), 9 Creator Has No Equal (Jotham), Held by Creator (Ahaz), He Will Be Strong (Hezekiah), 10 He Made Them Forget (Manasseh), Burden Bearer (Amon), Good Medicine (Josiah), 11 and Chosen by Creator (Jeconiah) and his brothers at the time of the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon).

12 From the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon) to the birth of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), his ancestors were: Chosen by Creator (Jeconiah), Ask Creator (Shealtiel), Born in Village of Confusion (Zerubbabel), 13 Father Boasts in Him (Abihud), He Builds Up (Eliakim), He Helps (Azor), 14 Stands with a Good Heart (Zadok), Stands Firm (Achim), Power of Creator (Eliud), 15 Creator Helps Him (Eleazar), Gifted by Creator (Matthan), Heel Grabber (Jacob), 16 and He Gives Sons (Joseph), who was the husband of Bitter Tears (Mary), who gave birth to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), who is the Chosen One.

17 And so there were fourteen generations from Father of Many Nations (Abraham) to Much Loved One (David), fourteen more generations from Much Loved One (David) until the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon), and then fourteen more from the removal to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the Chosen One.

Birth of the Chosen One

18 Here is the story of how the Chosen One was born: His mother, Bitter Tears (Mary), had been promised in marriage to He Gives Sons (Joseph). But before they came together in marriage, while still a virgin, she found out that she was carrying a baby in her womb from the Holy Spirit. 19 He Gives Sons (Joseph) was a man of honor. He did not want to bring her trouble and open shame, so he thought about secretly releasing her from the marriage promise.

20 As he wondered about these things, a messenger from the Great Spirit appeared to him in a dream and said, “He Gives Sons (Joseph), descendant of Much Loved One (David), do not be afraid to take Bitter Tears (Mary) to be your wife, because the Holy Spirit has given her this child. 21 She will give birth to a son. You will name him Creator Sets Free (Jesus), because he will set his people free from their bad hearts and broken ways.”

22 This gave full meaning to the words of Creator spoken long ago by the prophet, 23 “A young virgin will be with child and give birth to a son. They will call his name Immanuel, which in our tribal language means Creator Is with Us.”

24 When He Gives Sons (Joseph) woke up, he followed the guidance given him in the dream and took Bitter Tears (Mary) to be his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until after the child was born, and he named the child Creator Sets Free (Jesus). — Gift From Creator Tells The Good Story 1 (Matthew 1) | First Nations Version (FNV) First Nations Version Bible Copyright ©2023 InterVarsity Press. Cross References: Genesis 22:18; Genesis 25:19; Deuteronomy 22:23; Deuteronomy 24:1; Ruth 4:18; Ruth 4:20; 1 Samuel 1:20; 2 Samuel 7:12; 2 Samuel 11:27; 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Kings 11:43; 1 Kings 15:24; 2 Kings 24:14; 1 Chronicles 2:12; 1 Chronicles 3:14; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 27:20; Haggai 1:1; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:20; Matthew 27:17; Luke 1:31; Luke 2:7; Acts 5:19; Romans 1:2

[nerdygaymormon]

Matthew 1 & Luke 3 - Jesus’ Geneology : What does it say about found family?

The prophecy is that the Messiah would be descended from King David.

The New Testament provides two accounts of the genealogy of Jesus, one in the Gospel of Matthew and another in the Gospel of Luke.

The first verse in Matthew begins by declaring Jesus Christ is descended from King David and also from Abraham. It then begins with Abraham and gives a list of descendants down to Joseph, who was married to Mary who gave birth to Jesus.

Luke says “Jesus...being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph.” In other words, people assumed Joseph was the biological dad of Jesus. It then lists Joseph’s father and his father and his father all the way back to King David, Abraham, and to Adam. 

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Even though Joseph isn’t the biological father of Jesus, his forefathers are listed as Jesus’ ancestors as it makes Jesus descended from the royal line of King David. 

This confirms that adoption counts. Adopted families are valid and real. In the LDS Church, we further affirm this as we seal children to their adopted parent(s). Chosen family is real family.  

Many Christians say gay couples shouldn’t be allowed to marry because they can’t biologically create children with each other. Yet per the Bible, Jesus’ conception didn’t involve Joseph nor any other human male. Adoption is one way that gay couples can have kids, and the story of Jesus shows this is valid, it counts.

Queer people often have family who choose to limit contact because they have a hard time accepting someone as trans or gay or queer. The concept of ‘found family’ or ‘chosen family’ is strong in the queer community. The Bible validates this approach. The New Testament assigns Joseph’s lineage to Jesus, and in Matthew 12:50 Jesus defines family based on what someone does and not based on if we’re related by blood or DNA.   

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The lists of ancestors in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 do not match up. Each assigns a different father to Joseph. Some people explain this by saying the list in Matthew is the lineage of Joseph, who married Mary, and the other is the lineage of Mary’s father, who they assume was also named Joseph.

Regardless of whether or not one of these is the lineage of Mary, she was chosen because of her character. Mary was courageous, she was faithful, she was a young woman of integrity. Who we are as a person matters more than the circumstances around our conception or birth, or who our ancestors are. 

I think Matthew’s list of ancestors reinforces this idea as it includes 4 women, each of these women are associated with scandal. Tamar disguised herself as a sex worker and tricked Judah into impregnating her. Rahab was an actual sex worker who helped the Israelites conquer the city of Jericho. Ruth was a Moabite which means she’s a non-Israelite, and she is the child of an incestuous relationship. Bathsheba had an affair with the king which resulted in the death of her husband and the birth of the next king, Solomon. Actually, there’s a 5th woman listed, Mary the mother of Jesus, and she is pregnant outside of wedlock.

————————————————————

People are complex. I know I only discussed the women listed in Jesus’ genealogy, but the men also are a mix of good and bad. People make mistakes, they use bad judgement, they do bad things, and yet none of their circumstances are so far gone that God couldn’t work through them. God shows this family line with adultery and murder can be redeemed. What a great way to show humans that we can be redeemed, too.  

————————————————————

No matter who we’re descended from or who we’re related to, what matters most is who we are, the choices we make, and how we treat others. Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Christ because of who she is. 

[twiggy-in-pink]

Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.

Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.

Abijah was the father of Asa.

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.

Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.

Uzziah was the father of Jotham.

Jotham was the father of Ahaz.

Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.

Manasseh was the father of Amon.

Amon was the father of Josiah.

Matthew 1:6-10

[paganimagevault]

Tomb of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae 6th C. BCE

"The Tomb of Cyrus (Persian: آرامگاه کوروش بزرگ) is the final resting place of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the ancient Achaemenid Empire. The mausoleum is located in Pasargadae, an archaeological site in the Fars Province of Iran.

It was first identified as Cyrus' tomb in modern times by James Justinian Morier, who compared the monument to that described in the writings of Greek historian Arrian.

The mausoleum is a significant historical example of earthquake engineering as it is said to be the oldest base-isolated structure in the world, allowing it great resilience against seismic hazards. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites. On the 29th of October 2021, Iranian police barred people from visiting the mausoleum.

The site of the tomb is shut down every year during Cyrus the Great Day following a pro-monarchy protest in 2016.

The tomb, previously known as the Tomb of Madre Suleiman (referring either to Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik or the biblical Bathsheba, mother of Solomon), was first identified by Venetian traveler Giosafat Barbaro and later by Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo. It was first identified as the Tomb of Cyrus in the early nineteenth century, first by James Justinian Morier and then by Robert Ker Porter. Morier described the tomb as follows:

'[It] is a building of a form so extraordinary that the people of the country often call it the court of the deevis or devil. It rests upon a square base of large blocks of marble, which rise in seven layers pyramidically... On every part of the monument itself are carved inscriptions, which attest the reverence of its visitors; but there is no vestige of any of the characters of ancient Persia or even of the older Arabic. The key is kept by women, and none but females are permitted to enter. The people generally regard it as the monument of the mother of Solomon, and still connect some efficacy with the name; for they point out near the spot a certain water to which those who may have received the bite of a mad dog resort, and by which, if drank within thirty days, the evil effects of the wound are obviated. In eastern story almost every thing wonderful is attached to the Solomon of Scripture: the King however, to whose mother this tomb is said to be raised, is less incredibly, (as the Carmelites of Shiraz suggested to Mandelsloe), Shah Soleiman, the fourteenth Caliph of the race of Ali. But though this supposition is more probable than that it is the monument of Bathsheba, it is not to my mind satisfactory, as it differs totally from all the tombs of Mahomedan saints which I have ever seen in Persia, Asia Minor, or Turkey.'

Morier then proposed that the tomb may be that of Cyrus, based on the description of Arrian. He noted the similarities, as well as the differences including the lack of the inscription noted by Arrian, the lack of a grove of trees, and the triangular roof against Arrian's "arched" description:

'If the position of the place had corresponded with the site of Passagardae as well as the form of this structure accords with the description of the tomb of Cyrus near that city, I should have been tempted to assign to the present building so illustrious an origin. That tomb was raised in a grove; it was a small edifice covered with an arched roof of stone, and its entrance was so narrow that the slenderest man could scarcely pass through: it rested on a quadrangular base of a single stone, and contained the celebrated inscription, "mortals, I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, founder of the Persian monarchy, and Sovereign of Asia, grudge me not therefore this monument". That the plain around Mesjed Madre Suleiman was the site of a great city, is proved by the ruins with which it is strewed; and that this city was of the same general antiquity as Persepolis may be inferred from the existence of a similar character in the inscriptions on the remains of both, though this particular edifice does not happen to display that internal evidence of a contemporaneous date. A grove would naturally have disappeared in modern Persia; the structures correspond in size; the triangular roof of that which I visited might be called arched in an age when the true semi-circular arch was probably unknown; the door was so narrow, that, if I had been allowed to make the attempt, I could scarcely have forced myself through it; and those who kept the key affirmed that the only object within was an immense stone, which might be "the base of a single piece" described by Arrian; but as he was repeating the account of another, the difference is of little consequence, if it exists. I suspect however, as many of the buildings at Persepolis are so put together that they might once have seemed one vast block, that the present structure might also at one time have possessed a similar appearance. The eternity of his monument indeed, which Cyrus contemplated by fixing it on one enormous stone, would be equally attained by the construction of this fabric, which seems destined to survive the revolutions of ages. And in the lapse of two thousand four hundred years, the absence of an inscription on Mesjed Madre Suleiman would not be a decisive evidence against its identity with the tomb of Cyrus.'

The most extensive description of the structure, based on a lost account by Aristobulus (who had accompanied Alexander the Great on his eastern campaigns in the late fourth century BC), is to be found in The Anabasis of Alexander (6.29), written by Arrian in the second century AD.

Arrian, writing in the second century AD, described the tomb as follows:

'He (Alexander) was grieved by the outrage committed upon the tomb of Cyrus, son of Cambyses; for according to Aristobulus, he found it dug through and pillaged. The tomb of the famous Cyrus was in the royal park at Pasargadae, and around it a grove of all kinds of trees had been planted. The park was also watered by a stream, and high grass grew in the meadow. The base of the tomb itself had been made of squared stone in the form of a rectangle. Above it there was a stone building surmounted by a roof, with a door leading within, so narrow that even a small man could with difficulty enter, after suffering much discomfort. In the building lay a golden coffin, in which the body of Cyrus had been buried, and by the side of the coffin was a couch, the feet of which were of gold wrought with the hammer. A carpet of Babylonian tapestry with purple rugs formed the bedding ; upon it were also a Median coat with sleeves and other tunics of Babylonian manufacture. Aristobulus adds that Median trousers and robes dyed the colour of hyacinth were also lying upon it, as well as others of purple and various other colours; moreover there were collars, sabres, and earrings of gold and precious stones soldered together, and near them stood a table. On the middle of the couch lay the coffin which contained the body of Cyrus. Within the inclosure, near the ascent leading to the tomb, there was a small house built for the Magians who guarded the tomb; a duty which they had discharged ever since the time of Cambyses, son of Cyrus, son succeeding father as guard. To these men a sheep and specified quantities of wheaten flour and wine were given daily by the king; and a horse once a month as a sacrifice to Cyrus. Upon the tomb an inscription in Persian letters had been placed, which bore the following meaning in the Persian language: "O man, I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who founded the empire of the Persians, and was king of Asia. Do not therefore grudge me this monument.” As soon as Alexander had conquered Persia, he was very desirous of entering the tomb of Cyrus; but he found that everything else had been carried off except the coffin and couch.'

Strabo stated that when Alexander the Great looted and destroyed Persepolis, he paid a visit to the tomb of Cyrus and commanded Aristobulus, one of his warriors, to enter the monument. Inside he found a golden bed, a table set with drinking vessels, a gold coffin, some ornaments studded with precious stones and an inscription on the tomb. No trace of any such inscription survives. Strabo (Geography Book 15.3) described it as follows:

'Alexander then went to Pasargadae; and this too was an ancient royal residence. Here he saw also, in a park, the tomb of Cyrus; it was a small tower and was concealed within the dense growth of trees. The tomb was solid below, but had a roof and sepulchre above, which latter had an extremely narrow entrance. Aristobulus says that at the behest of the king he passed through this entrance and decorated the tomb; and that he saw a golden couch, a table with cups, a golden coffin, and numerous garments and ornaments set with precious stones; and that he saw all these things on his first visit, but that on a later visit the place had been robbed and everything had been carried off except the couch and the coffin, which had only been broken to pieces, and that the robbers had removed the corpse to another place, a fact which plainly proved that it was an act of plunderers, not of the satrap, since they left behind only what could not easily be carried off; and that the robbery took place even though the tomb was surrounded by a guard of Magi, who received for their maintenance a sheep every day and a horse every month. But just as the remoteness of the countries to which Alexander's army advanced, Bactra and India, had led to numerous other revolutionary acts, so too this was one of the revolutionary acts. Now Aristobulus so states it, and he goes to record the following inscription on the tomb: "O man, I am Cyrus, who acquired the empire for the Persians and was king of Asia; grudge me not, therefore, my monument." Onesicritus, however, states that the tower had ten stories and that Cyrus lay in the uppermost story, and that there was one inscription in Greek, carved in Persian letters, "Here I lie, Cyrus, king of kings," and another written in the Persian language with the same meaning.'"

-taken from wikipedia

[cheerfullycatholic]

Where is the phrase "Queen of Heaven" in the Bible?

If you're referring specifically to Mary as Queen of Heaven, I don't believe she's ever blatantly called that in the Bible. That belief is a long one to explain, I found an article that does so way better than I could, but instead of just linking it I thought I'd copy and paste it so you don't have to leave the website.

Mary’s title as “Queen of Heaven and Earth” is a great scandal to many non-Catholic Christians. After all, the Bible doesn’t mention anything about there being a queen in God’s kingdom. All this royal attention Catholics give to Mary—whether it’s singing “Hail, holy queen enthroned above” or portraying Mary in statues and paintings with a crown on her head—seems to many non-Catholics to detract from the royalty of Christ, who alone is King of Kings. Besides, how could Mary be a queen, since she is not the wife of the Jesus but only his mother?

One biblical theme sheds light on these questions and serves as a key for unlocking the mystery of Mary’s queenship: the Old Testament tradition of the “queen mother” in the Davidic kingdom.

In the monarchy of King David, as well as in other ancient kingdoms of the Near East, the mother of the ruling king held an important office in the royal court and played a key part in the process of dynastic succession. In fact, the king’s mother ruled as queen, not his wife.

The great pre-eminence of the king’s mother may seem odd from our modern Western perspective, in which we think of a queen as being the wife of a king. However, recall that most ancient Near-Eastern kings practiced polygamy. King Solomon had seven hundred wives (1 Kgs. 11:3)—imagine the chaos in the royal court if all seven hundred were awarded the queenship! But since each king had only one mother, one can see the practical wisdom in bestowing the queenship upon her.

A number of Old Testament passages reflect the important role of the queen mother in the Davidic kingdom. For example, almost every time the narrative of 1 and 2 Kings introduces a new monarch in Judah, it mentions the king’s mother as well, showing the mother’s intimate involvement in her royal son’s reign. Similarly, the queen mother is listed among the members of the royal court whom king Jehoiachin surrendered to the king of Babylon in 2 Kings 24:12.

Her royal office is also described by the prophet Jeremiah, who tells how the queen mother possessed a throne and a crown, symbolic of her position of authority in the kingdom: “Say to the king and the queen mother: ‘Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head. . . . Lift up your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?’” (Jer. 13:18, 20). It is significant that God directed this oracle about the upcoming fall of Judah to both the king and his mother. Addressing both king and queen mother, Jeremiah portrays her as sharing in her son’s rule over the kingdom.

Probably the clearest example of the queen mother’s role is that of Bathsheba, wife of David and mother of Solomon. Scholars have noted the excellence of Bathsheba’s position in the kingdom once she became queen mother during Solomon’s rule. Compare the humble attitude of Bathsheba as spouse of King David (1 Kgs. 1:16–17, 31) with her majestic dignity as mother of the next king, Solomon (1 Kgs. 2:19–20). As spouse of the king, Bathsheba bows with her face to the ground and does obeisance to her husband, David, upon entering his royal chamber. In striking contrast, after her son Solomon assumed the throne and she became queen mother, Bathsheba receives a glorious reception upon meeting with her royal son:

“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’” (1 Kgs. 2:19–20).

This account reveals the sovereign prerogatives of the queen mother. Note how the king rises and bows as she enters. Bathsheba’s seat at the king’s right hand has the greatest significance. In the Bible, the right hand is the place of ultimate honor. This is seen in particular in the messianic Psalm 110 (“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”). In fact, many New Testament passages refer to the right-hand imagery of Psalm 110 to show Christ’s divinity and his reign with the Father over the whole universe (e.g., Hebrews 1:13). Thus, the queen mother sitting at the king’s right hand symbolizes her sharing in the king’s royal authority and illustrates how she holds the most important position in the kingdom, second only to the king.

This passage regarding Bathsheba also shows how the queen mother served as an advocate for the people, carrying petitions to the king. In 1 Kings 2:17, Adonijah asks Bathsheba to take a petition for him to King Solomon. He says to her: “Pray ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife” (1 Kgs. 2:17). It is clear that Adonijah recognizes the queen mother’s position of influence over the king, so he confidently turns to Bathsheba as an intercessor for his request.

A few Old Testament prophecies incorporate the queen mother tradition when telling of the future Messiah. One example is Isaiah 7:14, which originated during a time of dynastic crisis in Judah when Syria and Israel were threatening Jerusalem and plotting to overthrow King Ahaz. God offers Ahaz a sign that the kingdom will continue: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel” (Isa. 7:13–14).

On one level, this passage points to the next king (Hezekiah) as a pledge that the Davidic dynasty will continue despite the threats of invading armies. At the same time, the royal son who is to be named “Emmanuel” points to the future messianic king (cf., Isa. 9:6–7, 11:1–2). This is why the New Testament says Jesus fulfills this prophecy from Isaiah (Matt. 1:23).

For our purposes we should note how this prophecy links the mother to her royal son. Since the oracle is addressed specifically to the Davidic household and concerns the continuation of the dynasty, the young woman bearing forth the royal son would be understood as a queen mother. This has implications for our understanding of Mary. Since the mother of the king always ruled as queen mother, we should expect to find the mother of the messianic king playing the role of the true queen mother in the everlasting Kingdom of God.

With this Old Testament background, we can now more clearly see how the New Testament portrays Mary in light of the queen mother tradition.

The Gospel of Matthew has often been called the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is “the Son of David,” who is the true King of the Jews establishing the “Kingdom of Heaven.” With all this kingly imagery, it should not be surprising to find queen mother themes as well.

Right away, Matthew shows explicitly how the infant Jesus is the “Emmanuel” child as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 (Matt. 1:23). As we saw above, this prophecy links the royal messianic child with his queen mother. Further, Matthew singles out the intimate relationship between the mother and her royal son by using the phrase “the child and his mother” five times in the first two chapters, recalling the close association between queen mother and royal son as described in the Books of Kings. Just as the queen mother was constantly mentioned alongside the Judean kings in 1 and 2 Kings, so Mary is frequently mentioned alongside her royal son, Jesus, in Matthew’s infancy narrative (Matt. 1:18; 2:11, 13, 14, 20, 21).

We find Mary portrayed against the background of Davidic kingdom motifs in Luke’s Gospel as well, especially in his accounts of the Annunciation and Visitation. First, the angel Gabriel is said to appear to a virgin betrothed to a man “of the house of David” (1:27). Then the angel tells Mary, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31–33).

Hear the strong Davidic overtones describing Mary and her royal son: a woman from the house of David giving birth to a son who will be the new king whose reign will never end. With echoes from the queen mother tradition of the Davidic kingdom and the mother-son prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, we can conclude that Mary is being given the vocation of queen mother.

Mary’s royal office is made even more explicit in Luke’s account of the Visitation. Elizabeth greets Mary with the title “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43). This title is charged with great queenly significance. In the royal court language of the ancient NearEast, the title “Mother of my Lord” was used to address the queen mother of the reigning king (who himself was addressed as “my Lord”; cf., 2 Sam. 24:21). Thus with this title Elizabeth is recognizing the great dignity of Mary’s role as the royal mother of the king, Jesus.

Finally, Mary’s queenship can be seen in the great vision described in Revelation 12: “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery” (Rev. 12:1–2). Who is this newborn child? He is described as the messianic king exercising his dominion. In verse 5, the author of Revelation chose the messianic Psalm 2 to describe how this child will “rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5, Ps. 2:9). This royal son is taken up to heaven to sit on a throne (Rev. 12:5), and he ushers in the kingdom of God by defeating the devil: “Now the kingdom of our God has come, for the accuser has been throne down” (12:10). Certainly, this newborn child is the royal Messiah, King Jesus.

In this light it is clear who this woman is who gave birth to the messiah: It is Mary. Some people have interpreted this woman in Revelation 12 as merely a symbol either for the Old Testament people of Israel or for the New Testament Church and therefore have concluded that the woman cannot be an individual (i.e., Mary). However, this “either-or” proposition is foreign to the biblical worldview, in which individuals often symbolically represent collective groups. For instance, Adam represented all humanity (Rom. 5:19), and Jacob stood for all of Israel (Ps. 44:4). Given this biblical notion called “corporate personality,” the woman in Revelation 12 should be understood as both an individual (Mary) and a symbol for the people of God.

But for our purposes, once we see that this woman is Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is important to note how she is portrayed as queen in this passage. Her royal office is hinted at by the imagery of the sun, moon, and twelve stars, which recalls the Old Testament story of Joseph’s dream in which the sun, moon, and stars bow down before him, symbolizing his future authority (Gen. 37:9–11). Her queenship is made even clearer by the crown of twelve stars on her head. Just like the queen mother in Jeremiah 13:18, here Mary is wearing a crown, symbolizing her royal office in the kingdom of heaven. In sum, Revelation 12 portrays Mary as the new queen mother in the Kingdom of God, sharing in her son’s rule over the universe.

We have seen how the Old Testament queen mother tradition serves as an important background for understanding Mary’s royal office. Indeed, the New Testament portrays Mary as the queen mother par excellence. Thus, prayers, hymns, and art giving honor to Mary’s queenship are most fitting biblical responses for Christians. In honoring her as queen mother we do not take anything away from Christ’s glory, but rather we exalt him even more by recognizing the great work he has done in her and through her.

Understanding Mary as queen mother sheds light on her important intercessory role in the Christian life. Just like the queen mother of the Davidic kingdom, Mary serves as advocate for the people in the Kingdom of God today. Thus, we should approach our queen mother with confidence, knowing that she carries our petitions to her royal son and that he responds to her as Solomon did to Bathsheba: “I will never refuse you.”

[gatekeeperwatchman]

Daily Devotional for December 19, 2022 Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-3 (KJV): 1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. Daily Devotional for December 19, 2022 Proverbs 31:1-3 (AMP): 1 The words of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him: 2 What, my son? What, son of my womb? What (shall I advise you), son of my vows and dedication to God? 3 Give not your strength to (loose) women, nor your ways to those who and that which ruin and destroy kings.

  Thought for the Day

Verse 1 - Chapter 31, the last chapter of Proverbs, was written by King Lemuel. "Lemuel" is thought to have been another name for Solomon, a loving appellation his mother used. As a young man, he was a person of splendid, godly character. This can be attributed not only to his father David, whose instructions to Solomon are recorded in Proverbs 4 but also to Bathsheba, his mother, whose instructions are recorded in this chapter. She called Solomon the "son of her vows." Like the name "Lemuel," this phrase meant that she had dedicated him to the Lord. This chapter reveals her aim to teach him the responsibilities that he would have as a king, that he might please God, to whom she had dedicated him.

Verse 2 - Through the centuries, many mothers have dedicated their children to God and He has used those children mightily. Hannah, another great woman of faith and prayer dedicated her son to the Lord, and he was used mightily during a time in Israel's history when the light of God's revelation burned dimly. Her son was the great prophet, Samuel (1 Samuel 3:20-21).

More recently, we have the example of Susanna Wesley. God used her two sons, John and Charles, to touch the lives of many people for Christ. John Wesley founded Methodism, while his brother Charles wrote over 9,000 hymns and poems. John Wesley received much of his early spiritual and academic training from his mother. The year 2003 marked the 300th anniversary of John Wesley's birth. His life still influences people today, for which much credit is due to his mother's faithfulness and dedication to teaching her children the ways of the Lord.

Verse 3 - The prayerful woman who gives her children to the Lord will also instruct them in His ways. The first instruction that Bathsheba gave Lemuel was to reject loose women, bad companions, and promiscuous ways. She realized the awesome responsibility her son would have as a king. She knew that if he were to please God, he must learn to fear the Lord. This would make him a man of integrity and help him to resist the three greatest temptations of those in authority: the misuse of wealth; yielding to pride, or yielding to lust. While these are especially tempting for those in authority, we all face the same temptations at various levels. We must remember, as Bathsheba did, our responsibility to warn our children of sin's dangers, and to teach them to walk in the reverence of God. Prayer Devotional for the Day Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the many women over the years who have dedicated their children to the Lord, and those children have, in turn, served You. May we all as mothers and fathers realize the awesome responsibility and opportunity we have to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Use our children in Your kingdom and cause them to become strong Christian witnesses. May they speak the Word of the Lord, even as we speak and teach the Word to them. Use them as Your humble servants and keep them from evil. I ask this in the name of the Lord, Jesus. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller CEO/ Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman URL: linkedin.com/in/steven-miller-b1ab21259 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElderStevenMiller

GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

[andrewpcannon]

Foundations for a Good Marriage: Bathsheba as The Biblical Example of an Excellent Woman in Proverbs 31

Solomon has already passed his mother’s advice on to his sons, Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings (Proverbs 31:3). He now poses an interesting question in that context, An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels (Proverbs 31:10).  As we saw when we looked at verse 3, the worldly dating scene and everything it represents is…

[jeffersonvann]

problems before plans

20240902 Photo by Disha Sheta on Pexels.com problems before plans 1 Kings 2:12-46 (JDV) 1 Kings 2:12 Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his reign was firmly established.1 Kings 2:13 Now Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peacefully?” “Peacefully,” he replied,1 Kings 2:14 and then asked, “May I talk with you?” “Go ahead,” she…

[lordgodjehovahsway]

1 Kings 2: David Gives Charge To Solomon Before He Dies

1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 

3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 

4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 

6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 

9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 

11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 

12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

Solomon’s Throne Established

13 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 

14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 

16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 

24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 

25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.” 

27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar. 

29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

30 So Benaiah entered the tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”

But he answered, “No, I will die here.”

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. 

32 The Lord will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better men and more upright than he. 

33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 

35 The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 

37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 

40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 

42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 

43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 

45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died.

The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.

[marysittingathisfeet]

Let's talk about Bathsheba. Seductress or Innocent?

Bathsheba is one of the most controversial female figure sin the bible. David had sent his army off to war. At that time, in the spring, the Bible tells us, Kings went to war in the spring. David decides not to go with his army, but hang out at home. Proverbs 16:27-29 tells us that Idle hands are the devil's workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece. If David had gone to battle with his army as he should have the whole story of Bathsheba would never have transpired. In those days after a woman completed her menstrual cycle she was supposed to cleanse herself ritually. (Levitical laws stated that a woman was unclean during her period. This law also states that anything a menstruating woman touches becomes impure.) The woman would bathe themselves in a mikveh. The mikveh was a pool of stationary water and was supposed to have water from a natural source like the rain, stream, lake, or ocean. A mikveh had to be built into the ground or built as an essential part of a building. It cannot be portable. The water must flow naturally into the mikveh- ex rainwater, gravity, flowing streams. So naturally the mikveh would be outside.

2 Samuel 2-4. We are told that David got out of bed after his midday rest. It is late afternoon. He is walking on his roof and he looks out over the city. He notices a beautiful woman taking a bath. Of course it is Bathsheba- a married woman whose husband is out fighting unlike David. David should have looked away and walked back into his place, but instead he watches this woman bathe. Now it does not say that Bathsheba was on her roof. All it says was that she was bathing. Perhaps the Mikveh was in an isolated part of the courtyard. Bathsheba was doing what she was supposed to do. She was cleansing herself. She was being obedient to God's laws. David has her brought to him. Bathsheba did not seek out David's attention. She wasn't finding ways to get herself into the palace so she could flirt with him. At no time could she refuse the king any commands he gave. I think of it as a Hollywood executive that forced many a starlet to have sex with him. Or a senator who forces himself on a woman.

When Nathan confronts David about what happened, Bathsheba is referred to as a lamb. (Nathan talks about how much the man loved this little lamb. Uriah must have loved his wife very much.) Lambs are generally thought to be innocent and helpless. Her innocence and kindness is exemplified in 1 Kings :18 when she agrees to speak to Solomon her son on behalf of Adonijah, her step son who had plotted to be king. He asked Bathsheba to get Solomon to agree to marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem. Solomon's response to Bathsheba is thus. " How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah? King Solomon demanded. "You might as well ask me to give him my kingdom!- 1 Kings 2:22. Bathsheba could have responded to Adonijah with a vengeful heart. She could have refused to see him. She could have responded to him with anger and scorn, but instead she agreed to help him. She must have had a forgiving heart for if he had become king, as Nathan tells us, not only would Solomon had been killed but herself as well. She must have forgiven him. She kindly agreed to help Adonijah. She was so naïve she did not see what his request really was. An attempt to get the throne. Solomon though recognized right away what it was. Thank God for his wisdom.

At no time do we read Nathan chastising Bathsheba. He only scolds David and sets the crime squarely on David's shoulders. And it is David who fasts for a week, hoping to sway God's judgment. The child born to Bathsheba and David does die. Like ALL sin and poor choices, the actions not only have consequences for the sinner, but on those closest to the sinner.

Nathan shows respect to Bathsheba when he comes to her asking for help in establishing her son Solomon as the next king. 1 Kings 11. Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, "have you not heard that Adonijah the son Haggith has become king and David our Lord does not know it? So now come, please let me give you advice, and save the life and the life of your son Solomon. Go at once to King David and say to him, ''Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, saying, "Solomon your son certainly shall be king after me, and he she'll sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?- Did Nathan really need Bathsheba to address David first. Probably not. David respected Nathan as God's prophet.

Would Nathan have interceded for Bathsheba if she had been a seductress? Nathan is not only worried about the life of Solomon, but also Bathsheba? Solomon when he became king had a heart after God like his father. Could Solomon have been a man who asked God for wisdom, if his mother was not a godly woman herself. The Jewish law states you are Jewish if your mother is Jewish even if your father is not. It doesn't work the other way. If your father is Jewish and your mother is not, you are not considered Jewish. Why is this? Because it is usually the mother who does the early religious training.

God honors Bathsheba as well. When Solomon becomes king, he has his mother placed on a throne at his right hand- right hand symbolizes power since (on most people) that hand that is most used and strongest. Remember also that Bathsheba is an ancestor of Jesus.

So no I don't think she was a seductress. The bible tells us that we will know someone by their fruit. Her fruit was good. Was she perfect. Of course not. None of us are. But she is someone who should be looked on with respect and honor- not condemned or vilified.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

Solomon Anointed King (1 Kings 1:28-39)

The life of David was troubled to its close. The tragic death of Absalom ended his rebellion against the king but David found little of that love and restful quiet which make old age ideal in its peace. There were continuous strifes and dissensions in his kingdom. In his own home also there were jealousies and quarrels.

David incurred the divine displeasure by numbering the people, and had his choice of judgments. Three days of pestilence was followed by the king’s setting up an altar and offering sacrifices in the threshing floor of Araunah when pestilence ceased. When the king was very old another rebellion was plotted by Adonijah. Bathsheba, aided by Nathan the prophet, aroused David to have Solomon declared king at once, before Adonijah could be crowned. It was a strong appeal which was made to the king. “Is this thing done by my lord the king,” demanded Nathan, “and you have not showed unto your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” David replied: “Call Bathsheba.” And she came into the king’s presence.

The mother was very deeply interested in the future of her son. She was ambitious for him. What true mother is not interested in her boy’s career, and ambitious for his success? No mother wants to see her boy make a failure of his life. It is a part of mother-love to wish great things for her children. They need not always be things that are great in this world’s estimation. Indeed, the mother who has the truest aspirations for her children, cares far more that they may live worthily and grow into noble character; into “whatever things are true,. .. whatever things are lovely” and fulfill God’s purpose for their life than that they may win high places in this world.

Yet every mother has lofty yearnings for her children. The mother of James and John craved for her sons places at the right and left hand of Jesus in His kingdom. Bathsheba wished to see her son crowned a king. As we think of these longings in the universal mother-heart, we need not be surprised at Bathsheba’s eagerness and earnestness in this matter. She was quick to have Solomon’s right to the throne protected. Boys do not know what great things their mothers dream for them, and how they strive and toil to have them win honor and attain lofty and worthy things. It ought to be every boy’s aim not to disappoint his mother but to become what she wishes him to be.

David had sworn to Bathsheba in the past that Solomon, her son, should reign as king. He now declares to her that his oath will be sacredly kept. He would not disappoint her. We should learn a lesson here on the sacredness of keeping engagements and promises. Whatever we have solemnly pledged ourselves to do we should do at any cost to ourselves. One of the marks of the man who shall abide in God’s presence, we are told, is, “That he swears to his own hurt, and changes not.” Many people’s conscience needs toning up in this regard. There is altogether too much carelessness in keeping promises. Too many people find it very easy to “forget” to do what they have solemnly said they would do. Pledges sit very lightly upon their conscience. Vows are thoughtlessly made and just as thoughtlessly broken. We ought to learn a lesson from David’s assurance to Bathsheba. He had made an oath to her, and now he declares to her that he will certainly do what he has sworn to do.

The solemnity of an oath should not be needed, however, to make an engagement sacred and inviolable. One’s simple word should be held irrevocably binding just as binding as one’s most sacred oath. We should be absolutely true. To speak anything but the truth is a degradation of our whole nature. Forgetfulness is no excuse for failing to keep a promise. We have no right to forget things that we promise. If our memory is defective we should put down our promises in writing, and keep them so before our mind that it will be impossible for us to forget them. We ought to be so careful in keeping our word even in the very smallest matters that people shall learn to trust absolutely every lightest promise we make. One who can be implicitly relied upon, who never fails those who trust in him, is like a fragment of the Rock of Ages.

David’s assurance to Bathsheba must have given strong comfort to her. It was a great thing to succeed such a man as David. Indeed, it is a great thing, a high honor, for any boy or young man to be the successor of a good and worthy father. Many young people who study this lesson, have fathers and mothers who have lived nobly, who have brought to them a rich inheritance of blessing a good name, honor, influence, if not money. It is a high honor to a son to be a successful father’s successor in business. When a father dies, and the son is called to take up his work, it is as if a crown had been put upon his head. Every son should seek to be a worthy successor to his father.

We may profitably compare Adonijah and Solomon, two sons of the same royal father. Adonijah sought to be his father’s successor in place and in power but sought it in such a way as to make himself a criminal in the eyes of the world. On the other hand, Solomon was thoughtful, studious, faithful to all duties as a young man, discarding the vices that his brother Adonijah loved, and striving after the true, manly virtues.

So far as we know, Solomon himself made no claim to the throne and made no effort to get it. He was God’s choice for David’s successor. Whatever we may say about his later life, he certainly began well. He was worthy to take his father’s place.

We find these two types of sons in a great many homes. We find those who desire to profit in a father’s inheritance but have no desire to wear the garments of a father’s worthy name and character. There are too many prodigal sons who demand their portion of the father’s substance but have no intention of succeeding their father in character, in moral principle, in his place in the Church, and in the doing of good. A young man who would be a worthy successor to a good father, must remember that he has his father’s name to bear and to keep unsullied before the world, as well as to share his father’s patrimony. The responsibility of being a godly man’s successor is very great. We have a sacred trust committed to us which we must guard with sedulous care.

David showed his old-time spirit and energy in the way he carried out his determination regarding Solomon. He called Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah, and commanded them to make Solomon king. “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel.”

The old fire in David’s heart flamed up into brightness again. Although he had been so feeble, when he now saw his throne about to be seized unlawfully by his prodigal son, all the man in him awoke the old warrior, the brave master of circumstances.

We must admire his promptness, his firmness, his courage, and his unfaltering purpose. He knew it was God’s will that Solomon should reign in his place, and he was eager to carry out God’s thought for Solomon. No nobler ambition could be in any parent’s heart than so to lead his child that the child shall fulfill the plan of God for his life. A great many parents are ambitious for their children, without asking what God would have them to do. David’s example is better. He was swift in duty, although so feeble, because he knew what God’s will was, and he was determined to carry it out. He was ready to make a sacrifice of himself, giving up the throne in order that Solomon might be crowned at once.

The swiftness of David’s course probably saved him and the country from a repetition of the experiences which marked the time of Absalom’s rebellion. If he had lingered a little longer, Adonijah would have been declared king, and probably would have had a great following among the people. David might have been driven away from his palace, Solomon might have been killed, and the future of the empire imperiled. But the promptness of David saved the country from this danger and himself from humiliation and sorrow.

Many men lose all the best opportunities of their life for lack of promptness. They dally until it is too late to do anything. Then they wake up and try to do their duty but the time is gone! They might as well sleep on now and take their rest.

The men whom David had charged with the duty of anointing Solomon lost no time but carried out the king’s commandment instantly. “And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon.”

The oil was the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The anointing was a type of the anointing of the Spirit. The meaning of the ceremony was that, as men anointed the young king with oil, so God would anoint him with divine grace, setting him apart as king and gifting him for His service. Something like this is the sacrament of baptism, when water is used. The water has no power to cleanse or change a heart but it is a symbol of the Divine Spirit. As we baptize with water, we pray that God may baptize with His own grace. When Jesus was being baptized He prayed, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. Thus He was anointed for His ministry as Redeemer of the world. God anoints every one of us, as we wait at His feet in consecration, giving us His Spirit to fit us for His work.

Solomon must have felt a new responsibility in his soul as the holy oil touched his brow. New duties were his now. He was separated from his fellows and set apart for a new life. It is related of a Russian prince that he was in Paris, having for his companions certain rich young men who passed their time in reveling. One night they were feasting, and in the midst of their revels a sealed message was handed to the prince. He opened and read it, then, rising, said to his companions, “I am emperor now.” He then turned away and left them, separating himself forever from his past life. When we are called to any new duty we should break with whatever in our past life has been unworthy.

[lennart11412]

King James Bible Par ▾ 

Abishag Cares for David

1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom

5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. 7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants: 10But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

Nathan and Bathsheba Before David

11Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? 12Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. 13Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? 14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. 16And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? 17And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. 18And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: 19And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? 25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. 26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. 27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

David Renews his Oath to Bathsheba

28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. 29And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Solomon Anointed King

(1 Chronicles 29:21-25)

32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. 33The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. 37As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon. 40And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

Adonijah Informed of Solomon's Kingship

41And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. 43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. 44And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule: 45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard. 46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. 47And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. 48And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. 50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword. 52And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die. 53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

[casmong]

The Hittites

"And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." Exodus 3:8

The Hittites were mentioned as one of the tribes dwelling in the land of Canaan at the exodus, but their origins and history is complex and ancient. The Hittites were an Indo-European people who began to settle in what is now Turkey (1900 B.C.). By the 16th century B.C they had become a powerful nation, strong enough to invade Babylon. Their power continued to increase until they became a world power on par with the Egyptians and Assyrians. Their relationship with Egypt was particularly volatile, and included the famous Battle of Kadesh which led to one of the world’s first peace treaties. The Hittite were a formidable military and religious empire, and this once great and powerful nation had almost faded from history; but their monuments and inscriptions are just now beginning to be discovered and deciphered.

The Hittites began abandoning the land of Hatti during the region-wide decline at the end of the 12th century B.C, with many relocating to Carchemish in northern Syria, which they made a vice-regal seat. Their capital city was Hattusa, which was eventually invaded and destroyed in the early 12th century B.C, but by this point it was already largely abandoned.

The Hittites played a prominent role at key places in the scriptures: notable mentions are Ephron the Hittite who sold Abraham the Cave of Machpelah where he buried Sarah, which later became the family burial ground ( [Genesis 23]. Esau married Hittite women, which scripture says was "a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah."[Genesis 26:34]. The Hittites were frequently listed as one of the inhabitants of Canaan [Exodus 13:5; Numbers 13:29; Joshua 11:3] who were supposed to be destroyed[Exodus 23:23]. King David had his friend Uriah the Hittite killed in order to acquire Uriah’s wife, and to cover up the shame of the adultery he committed with Bathsheba [2 Samuel 11]. King Solomon had Hittites among his many wives [1 Kings 10:29–11:2; 2 Chronicles 1:17], and the prophet Ezekiel degrades Israel with the metaphor of a Hittite mother [Ezekiel 16:3, 45].

Many Hittites were one of the major tribes living in the land of Canaan during the time of the patriarchs[(Genesis 23; Genesis 26:34-35; Genesis 27:46; Genesis 28:1; Genesis 28:6-8], and there are also references to Hittites during the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

The Hittite people existed in two major phases: when they were a world power, and later when they declined to become one of the Canaanite tribes dwelling in the region. Originally, the Hiittites never self-identified as Hittites, but called their language Nesite and their land Hatti, referring to themselves as the people of Hatti. These people would most likely refer to themselves as Nesites or perhaps Nesians, but they later became known as Hittites in scriptures. When the once-mighty kingdom collapsed, those in the former Syrian vassal states kept the culture alive, becoming a type of Neo-Hittites.