King Davids Marriage To 12 Year Old Abishag - Bible. Whenever I teach about the story of Davids sin against Bathsheba, I encourage my students to stand up for her. shall not half their days; that is, shall be soon cut off, die in the flower of their age, come to an untimely end [] Absalom and Ahithophel came to tragic and unhappy ends; so did all the primitive persecutors, those cruel crafties.[55], Other commentators also explain the verse this way. Abigail was David's second wife, after Saul and Ahinoam's daughter, Michal, whom Saul later married to Palti, son of Laish, when David went into hiding. 34,) was one of Davids valiant men, [92] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/2-samuel-11.html#3, Eliam. He didnt lure her. He started off being a shepherd. Then he killed Goliath. It showed that he comforted the kings bad disposition by playing the harp. King Saul chas In verse 1, David, who was nearing death, described Solomon as young and inexperienced: Then King David said to the whole assembly: My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young [naar] and inexperienced [rak]., According to Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, the Hebrew word naar can refer to a newborn child or a young man as old as twenty:[74], As for rak, it is usually translated as tender or weak, and is generally used for little children:[75]. At the time of Absaloms revolt he deserted David (Psalms 41:9 ; 55:12-14). 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? Thus, Bathsheba could have been around 12-14 years old at the time of the birth of Solomon, which means that she was around 10-12 years old at the time David first encountered her. The adultery scandal and the subsequent revolt by Absalom and Ahithophel would have required a clarification, but only if the author meant to refer to different people. [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. [68] Sanhedrin 69b, https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.69b.11?lang=bi. It was common enough for the women to marry as young as 15, she was possibly 1518 when [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). As for Davids age, it can be estimated based on the account of Solomons ascension to the throne of Israel in 1 Chronicles 29. 2. There is simply no reason to make assume otherwise, other than to avoid the embarrassment of finding out Bathshebas true age. There is no hint that the writer is a king whose authority is threatened by a formidable insurrection. And David sent and inquired about the woman. [100] Perhaps most controversial is his refusal to assign a particular age to serve as a cutoff. And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. This does not mean that Muslims should marry their 9-year old children in modern times, because as stated above (see objection #5), people we would consider children in our times were not necessarily considered as such in ancient times. Ellicotts Commentary for English Readers not only questions this interpretation but also the traditional assumption of Davidic authorship: Its date and authorship must be left in the region of mere conjecture. I reccommend you telling him to respond to this video. Less than eight years old. She was eight when she had her first child. (Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 69b). In this article. Called Ammiel, 1 Chronicles 3:5. Bathsheba was described as having Since David died when he was 70 years old, it means that he was 50 years old when Bathsheba (9-11 years old) gave birth to Solomon. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges concurs: Much of the Psalm is sufficiently appropriate to Davids circumstances to account for its having been regarded as an expression of his feelings at that bitter crisis: but a closer examination makes it difficult, if not impossible, to suppose that it was actually written by him. Son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, and one of Davids heroes ( 2 Samuel 23:34 ). Would David have called Ahithophel a man mine equal (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/psalms/55.htm). WebIt means that Bathsheba grew up around the palace of David. Tomorrow Ill send you back. So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day. Yes, we do believe that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a role-model for all times. While the enemies are not named, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I enjoyed sweet fellowship. Then she returned home. Credit Line: Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913. Furthermore, according to 2 Samuel 15:31, upon finding out about Ahithophel, David prayed to God to: turn Ahithophels counsel into foolishness.. We will use two main sources for this: 2 Samuel and Psalm 55 (though other books will also be used). The Targum is, but thou Ahithophel; of whom the words are literally to be understood, and so they are in the Talmud (u); and mystically and typically of Judas[30], Other commentaries, such as those of Matthew Poole,[31] John Phillips,[32] C. H. Spurgeon,[33] Chuck Smith,[34] E.W. A minority of scholars questioned the application of the psalm to Ahithophel. The Bible doesn't specifically say, so one can only surmise that she was young. [68] Similarly, Smiths Bible Dictionary states that he was approximately 32 years old and died around 1023 BCE (emphasis ours): a native of Giloh, was a privy councillor of David, whose wisdom was highly esteemed, though his name had an exactly opposite signification. 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. Bekldve: 2022. mjus 29. vasrnap Szerz: . He states that: an arbitrary age cutoff necessarily allows incompetent people to gain rights and privileges they probably shouldnt have.[101]. But what if we can use the Bible to reliably estimate the age of another famous female character in the Bible: But how did the rabbis come to this conclusion if the Bible does not directly provide such information? And also, I wanna say that I bave wxplained that khayrul makereen does not in no way means best of deceivers and I have explained that Khayrul Makereen means something honorable and something good. If Solomon was 11 years old at the time of Ahithophels death (the non-conservative estimate), then Bathsheba would have been around 9 years old at the time of Solomons birth. [86] https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/a/ahithophel.html, [Ahithophel] may have been the grandfather of Bathsheba, Davids partner in sin and wife, [87] https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hdb/e/eliam.html, 1. [61], Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that Ahithophel must have died at a relatively young age. This fits quite well with Psalm 55:9, which states: Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city., [50] https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16276/showrashi/true/jewish/Chapter-55.htm. Called Ammiel, 1 Chronicles 3:5. If we assume that the four years refers to the time from the commencement of the criminal schemes (per Barnes), that means that Solomon was no older than 9 years (2+3+2+2=9). Indeed, the account in 2 Samuel 1517 shows a man who was quite active, thereby suggesting that he was not an old man. Rather, by the onset of puberty, they were adults and were treated as such. Contrast Bathshebas husband Uriah to Abigails husband Nabal. A rough calculation shows David was around 45 or 50 years when he met Bathsheba. In this section, I will try to pre-empt some possible Christian objections. Why didnt you go home?, 11 The chest and Israel and Judah are all living in tents, Uriah told David. Despite the loss of Temple Judaism in 70 AD, Redemptive Judeo-Christianity will triumph. King David Create. [49], Among the Jewish commentaries besides the Talmud and the Targums, Rashi also identified Ahithophel as the subject of the psalm,[50] and this was also the view of the Pirkei Avot.[51]. 1055-1023.) I (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1988), p. 439. Bathsheba did not take a ritual bath when she was spied on. This is not the Muslims problem because we do not believe in the Bible as a reliable source of information. Moreover, Bathsheba was previously married to Uriah the Hittite, which means she could have been as young as 6 (or 8) when she married him. Notice that the sin was in killing Uriah the Hittite and taking his wife! There is an obvious contradiction. We can reasonably assume that she could not be older than 20. A minority of scholars questioned the application of the psalm to Ahithophel. (LogOut/ 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]. 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. Her father and grandfather were often at the How old was Bathsheba when she first met King David? Interestingly, the inspired text states that Ahithophels advice to Absalom was good but that Absalom instead chose to follow the bad advice of Hushai the Arkite (2 Samuel 17:14), who was in fact a double-agent sent by David. And also, can you subscribe and follow my website? WebAPI Access. We have already seen evidence in a previous article that the marriage was Biblically valid. My bad. 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. 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). Both of them agreed to help. 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. First, the account in Chronicles omits the sordid stories of David and Bathsheba and Absaloms revolt, and only mentions some characters in passing, so we do not have much information about Bathsheba, Eliam, or Ahithophel. So says the Benson Commentary (emphasis ours): Not half so long as men ordinarily live, and as they, by the course of nature, might have lived, and as they themselves expected to live, but shall be cut off by Gods just judgment, by an untimely and violent death.[52]. She was most likely between the ages of 12-14, which means a 40 year old man married such a young girl. 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). [78] Finally, in Acts 13:22, God is quoted as testifying about David as a man after my own heart. Thus, they were following the Jewish customs of the time, which included marriage at around 12 years of age for girls. See here for the sheep ate the Quran polemic: Could you also tell or contact the author of this article telling him that a man having a channel called Islam Critiqued claimed to have refuted or debunked the marriage of Rebekah and Isaac. This relationship probably led to Ahithophels disloyalty (2 Samuel 15:12)., [18] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ghe/2-samuel-15.html#1, Ahithophel was very likely the grandfather of Bathsheba, [19] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/2-samuel-11.html#3, The grandfather of Bethsabee is supposed to have revolted against David, to revenge the wrong done to her., [20] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/2-samuel-23.html#34, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite , [ Eliy`aam (Hebrew #463)] omitted in the parallel list of 1 Chronicles 11:1-47; traditionally believed to be the same as the person mentioned, 2 Samuel 11:23 (Jerome, Quaest. WebEvery step was taken at the initiative of David. Practically, I have helped the authors of DTT website and after I have done that, Im gonna deal with websites like wikiIslam and answering islam. shall not half their days; that is, shall be soon cut off. My wife was Mrs Wallace, and still is. Nathans rebuke places the entire blame on David, and not on Bathsheba. In his commentary, Ibn Kathir stated that the age of marriage coincides with the age of puberty. For Davids close counselor and friend, Ahithophel, actually revolted against David when Absalom did. 22. [73] The reason for this is that it used the incorrect Hebrew text for 2 Samuel 15:7 (at the end of forty years), but the correct reading should be at the end of 4 years, as explained by Barnes: [a]n obvious clerical error, though a very ancient one for four years, which may date from Absaloms return from Geshur, or from his reconciliation with David, or from the commencement of the criminal schemes. When she came to him, he had sex with her. Unspoken is a compelling story of Bathsheba and David as told by award-winning author Francine Rivers. [76] Moreover, he did not live in the time of David but more than 100 years after him. There is no doubt that, initially, many will go into denial-overdrive. Psalm 55 is a prayer of David asking God to save him from his enemies. One competing interpretation may be that the subject of the psalm was Sauls murderous overtures towards David. a native of Giloh, was a privy councillor of David, whose wisdom was highly esteemed, though his name had an exactly opposite signification. 12 Then David told Uriah, Stay here one more day. So, either way, it seems that the name in 1 Chronicles 11:36 was a textual corruption, and thus, unreliable. We have already seen evidence in a previous article that the marriage was Biblically valid. for so we find with David, king of Israel, who learned from Ahitophel no more than two things, yet called him his master, his guide and his beloved friend, as it is said, But it was you, a man mine equal, my guide and my beloved friend (Psalms 55:14)., [52] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/55-23.htm, [53] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/55-23.htm, [54] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/psalms/55.htm, [55] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/psalms-55.html#23, [56] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/psalms/55.htm, So we find, if there be an appointed time to man upon earth, beyond which he cannot pass; yet he may so live as to provoke the justice of God to cut him off before he arrives at that period; yea, before he has reached half way to that limit. [] This was also based on the Prophets marriage to Aisha. 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