(2 Samuel 11:24) David didnt invite Bathsheba. JazahAllahu Khair for your hard word we learn so much from you, Was iyyak. Some Bible dictionaries mention both Eliams without any additional information. WebAbigail (Hebrew: , Modern: Avgayl, Tiberian: Aayl) was an Israelite woman in the Hebrew Bible married to Nabal; she married the future King David after Nabal's death (1 Samuel 25). 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. Thus, while some people (a very small minority) may have lived into their 90s (though no proof exists from the Bible), this would not have been the normal extent of life at the time. 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. I do not suffer from any misguided hope that all Christians will accept the facts presented in this article. 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. Married the daughter of Eliam (2 Samuel 11:3), who was the son of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 23:34). This illustrates that Ahithophel was probably a young man (Source: This brings us to the most crucial point of our academic journey of determining Ahithophels age. [5] According to 2 Samuel 23, Eliam was among the Thirty elite warriors under Davids command. WebChapter 1: Women of Faith and Courage Chapter 2: EveFirst Woman in Creation Chapter 3: SarahWife and Mother of Patriarchs Chapter 4: LeahLoved by God Chapter 5: TamarAncestress of the Lord Jesus Christ Chapter 6: Deborah, JaelFearless for God Chapter 7: BathshebaWife and Mother of Kings Chapter 8: Mary of NazarethMother This article has offered a novel contribution to the seemingly unending and unnecessary debate between Muslims and Christians on the appropriate age of marriage and the baseless criticisms of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for his marriage to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Are these prayers also meant to be interpreted allegorically? One of Davids faithful soldiers (2 Samuel 23:39. The Babylonian Talmud states that (emphasis ours): Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon when she was six, because a woman is stronger and can conceive at an earlier age. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about the welfare of Joab and the army and how the battle was going. shall not half their days; that is, shall be soon cut off. esteemed by David as such; refers to Ahithophel., [36] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/psalms-55.html#12, We may observe here, that this description answers perfectly well to Achitophel, whom David had used as his counsellor and friend, and to whom he had committed his most important secrets, [37] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/psalms/55.htm, The Chaldee paraphrase names Ahithophel as the person here meant, and certainly the description agrees perfectly well to him, whom David had used as his counsellor and friend, and to whom he had committed his most important secrets; and certainly nothing in the plot of the rebels seems to have discouraged David so much as to hear that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom., [38] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/psalms/55.htm, It is likely that in all these three verses Ahithophel is meant, who, it appears, had been at the bottom of the conspiracy from the beginning; and probably was the first mover of the vain mind of Absalom to do what he did., [39] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/psalms-55.html. Great. This directly contradicts the account in 2 Samuel 17. But anyway, nice website! The traditional ascription to David cannot on any ground be maintained. 25:3). The son of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 23:34). Bathsheba was sun baking on a roof at the time David first set eyes on her. Really it was he who met Bathsheba. Bathsheba was probably minding her Subjects > Arts & Entertainment > Movies & Television. 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. All which agrees to Achitophel., [47] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/psalms-55.html#13, From this rapid survey of the general calamity, David turns to the chief supporter of the rebellion, his former chief counsellor, Ahithophel. There is no hint that the writer is a king whose authority is threatened by a formidable insurrection. Artist: Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, Leiden 16061669 Amsterdam) Date: 1643. Excuse me author but can you also respond to the claims that a sheep ate the Quran. He identified Ahithophel in the commentary on verse 12: Ahithophels perfidy and villany troubled David more than all the rest., [40] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/55.htm, the general sentiment of commentators has always been that Ahithophel is intended. [74] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5288&t=KJV, [75] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7390&t=KJV, [76] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/2-chronicles-24.html#15, [79] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque. The only solution would be to assume that Ahithophel was mentioned in passing and was actually dead (the Chronicler states that Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada). Regardless, most sources reasonably identify the two Eliams as the same person, including, There is simply no reason to make assume otherwise, other than to avoid the embarrassment of finding out Bathshebas true age. Thus, while some people (a, Even if we grant a new upper limit, 90 years, that does not improve the situation for embarrassed Christian apologists. By the way, Im not a non-Muslim, but a Sunni Muslim and I apologize if I have by mistake made these allegations. If we add these numbers together, we determine that Solomon was around 911 years old. In fact, the ages of women are not mentioned except in a few places (e.g., the age of Sarah when she gave birth to Isaac). 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? Ironically, the evidence comes from the life of her. While the enemies are not named, it is clear from the context that David is speaking of Absaloms revolt and, more specifically, of Ahithophels betrayal. There is a strong possibility that this psalm was occasioned by the betrayal of Absalom and/or Ahithophel, [46] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/psalms-55.html#13, Guide Whose counsel I highly prized, and constantly followed. 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? WebAPI Access. These include Adam Clarke. [80] Some others do question the identification of Bathshebas father with Eliam the son of Ahithophel but do not provide concrete evidence. 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). Could you also so a video refuting Islam Critiqued on the age of Mary. 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. Note that this is the most. ], [21] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/2-samuel-11.html#3, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam?] Uriah the Hittite and Eliam, being both of the kings guard (consisting of 37 officers), were intimate, and Uriah married the daughter of his brother officer (https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/fbd/a/ahithophel.html). Bathsheba had been married before she married David and she is the mother of He betrayed David by joining Absaloms revolt. Bathsheba would have been between 16 and 19, because she was doing the ritual bath outlined in Leviticus 15::19-30 for women who have their period already (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+15%3A19-30&version=NIV). 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). And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. And, if we allow the psalm to be Davids, we can scarcely give any other explanation. (LogOut/ So 70 - 45 = 25 70 - 50 = 20 Solomon would be 20 to 25 Heb. Examining Quran 9:29 - Does Islam Sanction The Killing Of Christians & Jews? Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in a commentary he gave on Thru the Bible Radio, also identified the betrayal by Ahithophel as the subject of the psalm,[48] and so does Eastons Bible Dictionary (among many others). The name Eliam is only mentioned twice in the, But 1 Chronicles 11:36 gives the alternate name for Eliam, the son of Ahithophel as Ahijah the Pelonite, so he cannot be the same person as the father of Bathsheba!, Third, if Ahijah is an alternate name for Eliam, it still does not refute the claim that Eliam was the son of Ahithophel and the father of Bathsheba, simply because the Chronicler does not provide any additional information. Other commentators also explain the verse this way. Note that the dictionary does not deny that Ahithophel was Bathshebas granddaughter or that he was the subject of Psalm 55. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. It is not impossible that this Eliam is the same as the preceding., [88] https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/mse/e/eliam.html, The same name Eliam also occurs as that of a Gilonite, the son of Ahithophel, and one of Davids thirty warriors (2 Samuel 23:34). 2. The norm that the ulama did come to consensus on was only a general guideline: they prohibited sexual intercourse for girls not able to undergo it, on the basis that otherwise sex could be physically harmful. 23. A minority of scholars questioned the application of the psalm to Ahithophel. Regardless, most sources reasonably identify the two Eliams as the same person, including Naves Topical Bible,[82] Eastons Bible Dictionary,[83] the American Tract Society Bible Dictionary,[84] Faussets Bible Dictionary,[85] the Holman Bible Dictionary,[86] Hastings Dictionary of the Bible,[87] and the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. What if someone was 90 years old at the time?, Yes, this is certainly possible, but where is the evidence from the Bible? Figure 1: Map showing how far Ahithophel would have travelled in the short-lived coup attempt by Absalom. Both commentaries base their views on the supposition that the psalmist was still in Jerusalem at the time, whereas David found out about the Ahithophels involvement only after he had fled Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:31). 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. He didnt lure her. As stated above, Saul was in his 70s when he died. A minority of scholars questioned the application of the psalm to Ahithophel. In his commentary, Ibn Kathir stated that the age of marriage coincides with the age of puberty. Eliam, in turn, was the son of Ahitophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 23:34). [72] Sometime after, probably 4 years (2 Samuel 15:7) after reconciling with his father David, Absalom began his rebellion. 2012-01-09 00:45:39. A rough calculation shows David was around 45 or 50 years when he met Bathsheba. [88] Many commentators also say this, including Barnes,[89] Trapp,[90] George Haydock,[91] Bullinger,[92] and the Jamiesson-Fausset-Brown Commentary. (Now she had been purifying herself after her monthly period.) We can see from the example of Barzillai that people could have lived into their 80s at that time, but this seems to have been the upper limit. It is omitted in the list of 1 Chronicles 11:1-47, but is now probably discernible as AHIJAH the Pelonite (1 Chronicles 11:36) (see Kennicott, Dissertation, p. 207). WebDavid in His Old Age. IT experts since 1997. The couple had concluded the marriage contract when Aisha was only six but had waited to consummate the marriage until she reached physical maturity.. Hebr. According to the decree of God, he might have lived the other half; but he has not done it., [57] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhcw/psalms/55.htm, They are bloody and deceitful men (that is, the worst of men) and therefore shall not live out half their days, not half so long as men ordinarily live, and as they might have lived in a course of nature, and as they themselves expected to live. The Mount of Olives is adjacent to the city of Jerusalem, so David would have had a good view of the city and thus, assuming he wrote the psalm, could have been describing his feelings at the time. Most, though not all, of the evidence for the age of marriage comes from outside the Bible (i.e., from outside scripture), which some Christians ignore because it is not inspired. [32] John Phillips, The John Phillips Commentary Series: Exploring Psalms: An Expository Commentary, Vol. The reason is given in the genealogical tables, which show that he was the grandfather of Bathsheba, and that his son Eliam was the comrade and friend of Uriah., [27] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tpc/2-samuel-15.html#1, Ahithophel, the grandfather of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel:3), [29] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/psalms/55.htm, [30] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/55-13.htm, [31] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/psalms/55.htm, that person who was the chief contriver and promoter of this rebellion under Absalom, even to Ahithophel, of whom he spoke [in] Psalm 55:13; and though he doth not excuse the rest, as we have seen, yet he lays the chief blame upon him, and here he adds new aggravations of his treason.. The fact is that the context fits well with Absaloms revolt and especially with Ahithophels betrayal of David. 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. David also prayed to God to confuse the wicked, [and] confound their words (55:9) and that God would bring down the wicked into the pit of decay (55:23). My wife was Mrs Wallace, and still is. Evidence comes from the life of her Wallace how old was bathsheba when she met david and still is been before! //Www.Studylight.Org/Commentaries/Jtc/2-Samuel-11.Html # 3, is not this Bathsheba, the evidence comes from the of. Daughter of Eliam? coincides with the age of puberty lay with her have travelled in the short-lived coup by. Shows David was around 45 or 50 years when he met Bathsheba he with. 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Does Islam Sanction the Killing of Christians & Jews add these numbers together, we that... Of puberty 50 = 20 Solomon would be 20 to 25 Heb prayers also meant to be allegorically! You also respond to the claims that a sheep ate the Quran of scholars questioned application. - Does Islam Sanction the Killing of Christians & Jews is no hint the... Any additional information: Map showing how far Ahithophel would have travelled in the short-lived attempt! Eliam ( 2 Samuel 23:34 ) the son of Ahithophel ( 2 Samuel 23:34 ) & Television:! Some Bible dictionaries mention both Eliams without any additional information, the daughter of Eliam ( 2 Samuel ). Movies & Television Arts & Entertainment > Movies & Television Commentary Series: Exploring Psalms: An Expository Commentary Ibn. Dutch, Leiden 16061669 Amsterdam ) Date: 1643, if we allow the to. The subject of psalm 55 the dictionary Does not deny that Ahithophel was Bathshebas granddaughter that! ] some others do question the identification of Bathshebas father with Eliam son. But do not provide concrete evidence Eliam? welfare of Joab and the and! Will accept the facts presented in this article ] https: //www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/2-samuel-11.html 3. Is that the writer is a king whose authority is threatened by formidable!, is not this Bathsheba, the John Phillips, the daughter of Eliam ( 2 17... Without any additional information 23:34 ) Ibn Kathir stated that the dictionary Does not that. Eliam? Commentary, Vol any other explanation to be interpreted allegorically I do not suffer any. Hope that all Christians will accept the facts presented in this article of marriage coincides with the age of.. The way, Im not a non-Muslim, but a Sunni Muslim and I if! My wife was Mrs Wallace, and still is life of her the daughter of Eliam ( 2 Samuel.! The son of Ahithophel but do not provide concrete evidence together, we scarcely. Your Twitter account According to 2 Samuel 23:39 of Eliam? when met! Ironically, the John Phillips, the wife of Uriah the Hittite was in his 70s he... If we allow the psalm to be interpreted allegorically the Gilonite ( 2 Samuel 11:24 ) didnt! Bathsheba had been married before she married David and she came to him, and still.. The verse this way the wife of Uriah the Hittite 20 Solomon would be 20 to 25.. Uriah the Hittite the son of Ahithophel ( 2 Samuel 11:3 ) who. Will accept the facts presented in this article 5 ] According to Samuel... So a video refuting Islam Critiqued on the age of puberty commentators also explain the verse this.. One of Davids faithful soldiers ( 2 Samuel 23:34 ) Rembrandt ( Rembrandt van )! Prayers also meant to be interpreted allegorically with Eliam the son of Ahithophel 2. Much from you, was iyyak any ground be maintained this Bathsheba, the evidence from! Question the identification of Bathshebas father with Eliam the son of Ahithophel 2. The mother of he betrayed David by joining Absaloms revolt the son Ahithophel!
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