By T.C. Lo; September 13, 2017
Recently, I was asked the following question and I decided to post my answer here to provoke further discussion.
Q: Was Solomon the second son of Bathsheba (拔示巴)? Or her fifth son? What does the modern Israel history say about him?
King David’s adulterous act with Bathsheba (and his murderous act against her husband Uriah the Hittite「赫人烏利亞」) entailed the birth of Bathsheba’s first son fathered by David as recorded in 2 Samuel 12. God struck the baby dead as a judgment against David even David had acknowledged his sin through fasting and intense prayers.
「14 只是你行這事、叫耶和華的仇敵大得褻瀆的機會、故此你所得的孩子、必定要死。
But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.” (2 Samuel 12:14) 」
David married Bathsheba after her husband was murdered by him. David consoled Bathsheba for the loss of their illegitimate son. As the story goes in verse 24, she gave birth to another son whom they named Solomon.
「24 大衛安慰他的妻拔示巴、與他同寢、他就生了兒子、給他起名叫所羅門。耶和華也喜愛他．Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him. (2 Samuel 12:24) 」
As it reads, it seemed clear that Solomon was Bathsheba’s second son from David. English commentator Theodore Austin-Sparks (史百克) and many others, held this view (Ref. 1). However, according to 2 Samuel 5:13-16, it says:
「13 大衛離開希伯崙之後、在耶路撒冷又立后妃、又生兒女。After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.
14 在耶路撒冷所生的兒子、是沙母亞、朔罷、拿單、所羅門、These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 益轄、以利書亞、尼斐、雅非亞、
Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16 以利沙瑪、以利雅大、以利法列。
Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet. （2 Samuel 5:13-26）」
Thus, David fathered 11 sons in Jerusalem and Solomon was, listed as the fourth. But the passage does not say anything about the mother(s).When we read 1 Chronicle 3:5-8, the text further qualifies that the first four sons’ mother was Bathsheba.
「5 大衛在耶路撒冷所生的兒子是示米亞、朔罷、拿單、所羅門．這四人是亞米利的女兒拔書亞 (或譯: 拔示巴) 生的。and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel.
6 還有益轄、以利沙瑪、以利法列、
There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet,
7 挪迦、尼斐、雅非亞、
Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,
8 以利沙瑪、以利雅大、以利法列、共九人 (不是拔書亞所生) 的。
Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet-nine in all. （1 Chronicle 3:5-8）」
Note that the Book of Samuel does not narrate events in chronological order. For example, the name of Solomon was first mentioned in Chapter 5 before the mentioning of his birth in chapter 12. The sons of David born in Jerusalem was reiterated in 1 Chronicles 14:4-7 without mentioning their mothers. Nevertheless, Solomon was still the fourth in the order of mentioning.
「4在耶路撒冷所生的眾子、是沙母亞、朔罷、拿單、所羅門、
These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
5益轄、以利書亞、以法列、
Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,
6挪迦、尼斐、雅非亞、
Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,
7以利沙瑪、比利雅大、以利法列。
Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.
（1 Chronicle 14:4-7）」
Therefore, if the order of names mentioned was also the order of their birth, Solomon would have been the fifth son of Bathsheba fathered by David (Ref. 2), and not her second son.
The succession of the throne in Israel was not necessary carried out by the first born. Therefore, the fact that Solomon being the king of Israel said nothing about his birth order.
Therefore, my conclusion is “Solomon’s Birth Oder was unclear” from the Scripture as I know. However, there may be extra-biblical information with which one may use to identify this great king’s birth order.
References:
- “聖城新耶路撒冷“ by 史百克；page 73.
- “The Apologetics Study Bible” by RZIM. Comment for 1 Chronicles 3:5 reads, “Solomon was the youngest of the sons of Bathsheba”; page 591.
