Bathsheba (The Wives of King David Book #3): (A Creative Retelling of One Of the Most Famous Women in the Bible)

When David had Uriah killed I really identified with Bathsheba's conflicted emotions and pain. I understood--wrong as it was-- why he thought Uriah's death in battle was the only solution. I felt for Uriah because he was truly a good man and trusting servant. He was innocent and his only real fault

was being a warrior with a beautiful wife. I could see how David's men lost even more respect for him when everything came out.

The grieving that David did over his sin was well done. I felt his agony. I could almost see him stealing away to write some of the Psalms as a way of dealing with his guilt and sorrow. I loved how he truly recognized the calamity he had brought on his family by following his fleshly desires.

I also loved the way the author showed Bathsheba's anger and conflicted emotions about the situation she'd found herself in. I could see how she hated what happened and her life at that point, yet at the same time she worked through the pain and loss. She was a strong woman and I could see why she was David's favorite wife. She was also beautiful on the inside.

The story of David and Bathsheba is a great example of God making beauty come from ashes and joy from mourning. Not because the sin committed was of no consequence, but the Grace of God is powerful enough to cover all sin and restore any life if there is true repentance. There are always consequences, though, and this story shows that while God had forgiven them, there was still a plethora of long-lasting repercussions that existed. The ramifications resulting from their transgression had to be dealt with on a regular basis, but God saw them through it when they called upon His name.

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LibraryThing member ReviewsbyMolly

am so happy to have had the chance to read this stunningly, emotional, long awaited conclusion to Jill Eileen Smith's Wives of King David series. Next to Julie Lessman, she is my favorite Christian historical author. Her ability to take true accounts of the women in the Bible, and tenderly weave

them into works of fiction, is absolutely incredible. The fiction aspect of the story was incredibly written that it ALL felt real to me. I was completely captured by this richly detailed, deeply researched novel of a beautiful woman who's story became my own.

Bathsheba's story is, I think, the best one of the three. Michal and Abigail were wonderfully written and both captivating, but Bathsheba was more delicately written and the power it held over me was breathtaking. She was a lonely woman who just wanted to spend time with her husband, but King David and war kept calling him away. She felt useless at times because she wasn't able to produce a child for husband. But what happens when Uriah goes off to war and King David, grieving the loss of Abigail, stays behind? Bathsheba is faced with uncertainty as she can't deny the attraction she feels towards the King. Is it betrayal? What of pleasing her dear Adonai? And, what is to happen, when she finds herself with child.....with the King's baby?

Oh, this book's power over it's reader is indescribable! God is there in the middle of it all. I, as I am sure many readers will, felt as if I stepped back into time, among the Kings, and the soldiers. To a time when women were sought out to be a mother to many sons for the armies. To a time that was BC. That feeling is breathtaking and emotionally moving.

Giving this book 5 million stars would be more justified than simply 5 stars! I urge everyone to pick up a copy of this story who's message of forgiveness and redemption and grace is ever powerful. You'll loose yourself among the vivid pages and scenes of an unforgettable story. Praise to Jill Eileen Smith for being a masterful Biblical fiction author!

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LibraryThing member wbarker

Bathsheba is a beautifully written story. It is one thing to read the basic names and facts in the Bible, it is a whole new experience to live through the happenings as told in the Bible in such vivid detail. With her careful attention to detail and the emotion and realism she has given to the

characters, Jill Eileen Smith has brought to life the Biblical characters of Bathsheba, Uriah, and David and those who surrounded them.

The author has given us a deeper look into what might have reasonably happened between Bathsheba and King David using the culture and what would have been considered acceptable views at that time. She really gave me a new perspective on the attitudes surrounding Bathsheba and King David, more specifically how their feelings and beliefs would have been affected in a time when women were raised to obey the men in their life without question. I also loved the redemptive quality of the story: yes, they sinned by committing adultery, yes there were consequences to those actions... she also showed the importance of gaining forgiveness and the honor that ultimately came from their actions.

This is the third and final book of The Wives of King David, but it reads just fine as a stand-alone. The two previous books are Michal and Abigail. This would be a very interesting book to read in a Bible Study Group as well as a book club. The publisher has provided Bible Study Questions and a Reading Group Guide online.

I always love to read stories surrounding women in the Bible, and I will be recommending this one to our book club.

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LibraryThing member alabraham

I picked up the book Bathsheba because a friend wanted to learn more about her and have a discussion. I have never read any other books written by Jill Eileen Smith. She took a character out of the Old Testament and made her very real. She did a great job introducing the reader to the beliefs,

customs and traditions of the time period and telling a love story between Bathsheba, her husband Uriah, her father, her sons and of course, David.

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LibraryThing member Lifeisfiction

Again, the author has spun another riveting tale, adding biblical passages, bringing the most important book to mind; The Holy Bible. After reading Bathsheba's account with David, I came to like her and all she had to endure. Understanding why she might have adored King David, what he saw in her,

all the hardships they endured, and how difficult it must have been to be one of many wives, one who was never accepted.

This was an amazing read and a lot of the accounts are actual accounts from the Bible--1st and 2nd Samuel. What a great way to get one curious enough to pick up the Bible and read some amazing accounts. Loved this one!

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LibraryThing member judyg54

This is book three in "The Wives of King David" series. They were all very good, but I must admit I liked book two the best, "Abigail". This story is of David and Bathsheba and goes from their earliest meeting and follows through to their son Solomon reigning. My heart was grieved over sin and its

consequences, but was also overjoyed at God's love and forgiveness. We don't really know the behind the scenes conversation of David and Bathsheba, but this author did a good job of helping you to understand how it might have been between these two real people. I believe she stayed true to the historical facts and it makes me want to go back to the Bible and read about David and his struggles with taking many wives. Any book that makes you want to "search the scriptures" and learn more, I believe is a book worth reading. This story would use many of David's psalms from the Bible and insert them at times and struggles in his life where he might have written them, and it makes those psalms come more alive in their meaning.

As a side note, I would like to thank the person who did the covers for each of these books. They did a great job!

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LibraryThing member passionforbooks

Excellent Story!

I have read several books by author Jill Eileen Smith. Her Historical Biblical fiction is awesome. What I like about her books is that the Biblical and Historical facts match what the scriptures say. I am so looking forward to reading more books by this author.

At first I was a

little upset with how the author was portraying Bathsheba. I always wanted to put the blame totally on King David. After all, she had to do what the King wanted didn’t she? Well, perhaps not. I realize this is a fiction read and the story perhaps might have been a little or a lot off but why couldn’t it have happened this way? It sure made for a good read!

For an unbeliever reading this book I would hope the person would be so curious about the life of King David and all his wives that they might just pick up a Bible and read what the scriptures say. Just maybe, this would give them a thirst to want to know more about God and His word.

I highly recommend this book. I was certainly engrossed in it!

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LibraryThing member Sandralb

There is very little written about Bathsheba in the Bible. Once again Jill Smith has done a wonderful job on helping us to see what it would be like to live in that time period. Taking the known facts that are found in the Bible and using her imagination, we get a more complete picture. I found the

novel to be interesting and enjoyed reading it in one setting.

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LibraryThing member abbieriddle

This is book 3 in the Wives of David Series and is a keeper. I don't think I will ever look at the story of Bathsheba the same. I think when reading the scriptural account I have all too often not thought about the emotional implications of the acts perpetrated by David and Bathsheba or the extreme

ramifications that occurred. For instance, I never considered how others thought of Bathsheba after Nathan confronted David with his sins in front of people. Nor have I ever given much thought as to what drove either of them to participate in the act of adultery. In this age adultery was punishable by stoning; I guess I never stopped to think of how Bathsheba would have been a "marked" woman deeply scorned and possibly shunned in the household of David and in society in general. It never occured to me that her safety might be in danger, as well as the safety of her children. This book is profoundly interesting. I read it in 2 days and found it difficult to put it down. I was deeply intrigued by the author's character development and the deep emotions that she brought to the story. This author did an excellent job on this book. I will have to go back and read the first two books in this series.

Thank you Revell for this review copy.

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