Bathsheba David took many wives for himself (2 Samuel 1:3-5,14), but the circumstances surrounding his taking of Bathsheba brought him trouble for the rest of his life. While her husband Uriah was out fighting battles for David (he was one of David’s leading soldiers; 2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 23:39), David made love to her and she became pregnant (2 Samuel 1:11-5). He then thought of a murderous plan to have Uriah killed in battle, after which he took Bathsheba into his palace as a royal wife (2 Samuel 1:11-27).
Nathan the prophet condemned David for murder and adultery, assuring David that his own family would be torn apart by murder and adultery (2 Samuel 1:12). David repented of his sin (2 Samuel 12:13; Ps 51), but God’s forgiveness did not remove the evil example that David had already set before his family.
The child born to David and Bathsheba died (2 Samuel 1:12-23), but later they had another son, Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24). This son was the one chosen by God to succeed David as king (1 Chronicles 1:22-10). In David’s closing years another son, Adonijah, tried to outdo Solomon in their claims for the throne, but Bathsheba’s influence ensured that Solomon became king (1 Kings 1:1-31). When Adonijah then tried to use Bathsheba to advance himself in Solomon’s court, Solomon executed him for treason (1 Kings 1:2-25).