Can a woman be a pastor or preacher in Church.

Now a Days we are Adopting western Culture as so and so church has woman preacher so and so church has woman worship leader they are doing major role as casting demons and deliverance during worship.But we need to go through Bible. Let see what Bible is saying about woman Dressing and woman preacher in churches.


The Word of God proclaims,
 “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11-12).
స్త్రీలు మౌనముగా ఉండి, సంపూర్ణ విధే యతతో నేర్చుకొనవలెను.
స్త్రీ మౌనముగా ఉండవలసినదేగాని, ఉపదేశించుటకైనను, పురుషునిమీద అధి కారము చేయుటకైనను ఆమెకు సెలవియ్యను.
God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to, teaching, and having spiritual authority.

   There are many “objections” to this view of women in ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However,1 Timothy 2:11-14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, the majority of Jesus' disciples would not have been qualified. 

A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus). The city of Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, a false Greek/Roman goddess. Women were the authority in the worship of Artemis. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention Artemis worship as a reason for the restrictions.

A third common objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words in the passage could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words refers to men and women. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8-10. 
కావున ప్రతిస్థలమందును పురుషులు కోపమును సంశయమును లేనివారై, పవిత్రమైన చేతులెత్తి ప్రార్థన చేయవలెనని కోరుచున్నాను.
మరియు స్త్రీలును అణుకువయు స్వస్థబుద్ధియు గలవారై యుండి, తగుమాత్రపు వస్త్రముల చేతనేగాని జడలతోనైనను బంగారముతోనైనను ముత్య ములతోనైనను మిగుల వెలగల వస్త్రములతోనైనను అలం కరించుకొనక,
దైవభక్తిగలవారమని చెప్పుకొను స్త్రీలకు తగినట్టుగా సత్‌క్రియలచేత తమ్మును తాము అలంకరించు కొనవలెను.
Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9-10)? Of course not. Verses 8-10 clearly refer to all men and women, not only husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a switch to husbands and wives.

         Yet another frequent objection to this interpretation of women in ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. 

         This objection fails to note some significant factors. First, Deborah was the only female judge among 13 male judges. 

        Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens of male prophets mentioned in the Bible. 

       Miriam's only connection to leadership was being the sister of Moses and Aaron. 

       The two most prominent women in the times of the Kings were Athaliah and Jezebel—hardly examples of godly female leadership. Most significantly, though, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue. 

     Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla's name is mentioned first, perhaps indicating that she was more “prominent” in ministry than her husband. However, Priscilla is nowhere described as participating in a ministry activity that is in contradiction to1 Timothy 2:11-14. Priscilla and Aquila brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately (Acts 18:26).

   In Romans 16:1, even if Phoebe is considered a “deaconess” instead of a “servant,” that does not indicate that Phoebe was a teacher in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not deacons 

(1 Timothy 3:1-13;)

ఎవడైనను అధ్యక్షపదవిని ఆశించినయెడల అట్టివాడు దొడ్డపనిని అపేక్షించుచున్నాడను మాట నమ్మదగినది.

అధ్యక్షుడగువాడు నిందారహితుడును, ఏకపత్నీ పురుషు డును, మితానుభవుడును, స్వస్థబుద్ధిగలవాడును, మర్యా దస్థుడును, అతిథిప్రియుడును, బోధింపతగినవాడునై యుండి,

మద్యపానియు కొట్టువాడునుకాక, సాత్వి కుడును, జగడమాడనివాడును, ధనాపేక్షలేనివాడునై,

(Titus 1:6-9). 

ఎవడైనను నిందారహితుడును, ఏకపత్నీపురుషుడును, దుర్వ్యాపారవిషయము నేరము మోపబడనివారై అవిధే యులు కాక విశ్వాసులైన పిల్లలుగలవాడునై యున్నయెడల అట్టివానిని పెద్దగా నియమింపవచ్చును.

ఎందు కనగా అధ్యక్షుడు దేవుని గృహనిర్వాహకునివలె నిందా రహితుడై యుండవలెను. అతడు స్వేచ్ఛాపరుడును, ముక్కోపియు, మద్యపానియు, కొట్టువాడును, దుర్లాభము అపేక్షించువాడును కాక,

అతిథిప్రియుడును, సజ్జన ప్రియుడును స్వస్థబుద్ధిగలవాడును, నీతిమంతుడును, పవి త్రుడును, ఆశానిగ్రహముగలవాడునై యుండి,

తాను హితబోధవిషయమై జనులను హెచ్చరించుటకును, ఎదు రాడువారి మాట ఖండించుటకును శక్తిగలవాడగునట్లు, ఉపదేశమును అనుసరించి నమ్మదగిన బోధను గట్టిగా చేపట్టుకొనువాడునై యుండవలెను.

Elders/bishops/deacons are described as the “husband of one wife,” “a man whose children believe,” and “men worthy of respect.” Clearly the indication is that these qualifications refer to men.

The structure of1 Timothy 2:11-14 makes the “reason” perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for” and gives the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11-12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived.” 

స్త్రీలు మౌనముగా ఉండి, సంపూర్ణ విధే యతతో నేర్చుకొనవలెను.

స్త్రీ మౌనముగా ఉండవలసినదేగాని, ఉపదేశించుటకైనను, పురుషునిమీద అధి కారము చేయుటకైనను ఆమెకు సెలవియ్యను.

God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. This order of creation has universal application in the family 

(Ephesians 5:22-33)

స్త్రీలారా, ప్రభువునకువలె మీ సొంతపురుషులకు లోబడియుండుడి.

క్రీస్తు సంఘమునకు శిరస్సై యున్న లాగున పురుషుడు భార్యకు శిరస్సై యున్నాడు. క్రీస్తే శరీరమునకు రక్షకుడైయున్నాడు.

 and the church. The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This leads some to believe that women should not teach because they are more easily deceived. That concept is debatable, but if women are more easily deceived, why should they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? That is not what the text says. Women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. As a result, God has given men the primary teaching authority in the church.

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), 

ఏ స్త్రీ తలమీద ముసుకు వేసికొనక ప్రార్థనచేయునో లేక ప్రవ చించునో, ఆ స్త్రీ తన తలను అవమానపరచును; ఏలయనగా అది ఆమెకు క్షౌరము చేయబడినట్టుగానే యుండును

only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost 

(Matthew 28:18-20;

అయితే యేసు వారియొద్దకు వచ్చి పరలోకమందును భూమిమీదను నాకు సర్వాధి కారము ఇయ్యబడియున్నది.

కాబట్టి మీరు వెళ్లి, సమస్త జనులను శిష్యులనుగా చేయుడి; తండ్రియొక్కయు కుమారునియొక్కయు పరిశుద్ధాత్మయొక్కయు నామములోనికి వారికి బాప్తిస్మ మిచ్చుచు

నేను మీకు ఏ యే సంగతులను ఆజ్ఞాపించి తినో వాటినన్నిటిని గైకొన వలెనని వారికి బోధించుడి. ఇదిగో నేను యుగసమాప్తి వరకు సదాకాలము మీతో కూడ ఉన్నానని వారితో చెప్పెను.

1 Peter 3:15).

నిర్మలమైన మనస్సాక్షి కలిగినవారై, మీలో ఉన్న నిరీక్షణనుగూర్చి మిమ్మును హేతువు అడుగు ప్రతివానికిని సాత్వికముతోను భయముతోను సమాధానము చెప్పుటకు ఎల్లప్పుడు సిద్ధముగా ఉండి,మీ హృదయములయందు క్రీస్తును ప్రభువుగా ప్రతిష్ఠించుడి;

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5).

ఆలాగుననే వృద్ధస్త్రీలు కొండెకత్తెలును,మిగుల మద్యపానాసక్తులునై6 యుండక, ప్రవర్తనయందు భయభక్తులుగలవారై యుండవలెననియు, దేవునివాక్యము దూషింపబడకుండునట్లు,

యౌవనస్త్రీలు తమ భర్తలకు లోబడియుండి తమ భర్తలను శిశువులను ప్రేమించు వారును స్వస్థబుద్ధిగలవారును పవిత్రులును ఇంట ఉండి పనిచేసికొనువారును మంచివారునై యుండవలెనని బుద్ధి చెప్పుచు,

మంచి ఉపదేశముచేయువారునై యుండవలె ననియు బోధించుము

 The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them.

HELL - The Place Which Kills The Body ,but not able to kill the soul

                             Hell and Judgment

“If a game is played, it must be possible to lose it.” C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

When was the last time you heard a sermon on hell? I think I would not be wrong to state that for many, they have never heard a sermon on hell. Hell, like sin, has pretty dropped off the scope in most churches. Despite neglect of the doctrine, the subject of hell is taught in the Scriptures. I would venture that most people, if asked who spoke the most about hell, would name the apostle Paul. But they would be wrong. It is not a prominent subject for Paul. In fact, Paul never mentions hell. Hell is, however, a prominent subject for–and this is initially rather shocking–our Lord. Jesus taught more about hell and judgment than anyone in Scripture. This fact is less shocking when one recognizes that the Bible teaches that hell is a real place and that Jesus himself as Judge sends people there (John 5.22-29). Consider Jesus’ words:

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives live to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5.21-23).

Is this clear? Jesus is the judge of humanity. Hell is a real place. This is the reason Jesus warned men about it. The verses below demonstrate the consistent revelation of the doctrine of hell and judgment throughout Scripture.

Words For “Hell”

In the Old Testament the word for hell is “sheol” (Hebrews שְׁאֹול). It was the world of all the dead but not the permanent abode of the righteous (Psalm 16.10, 49.15; Hosea 13.14). The New Testament has three Greek words for hell: “Hades” (Gk. ᾅδης), ”Gehenna” (Gk. γέεννα) and “Tartaroo” (Gk. ταρταρόω).

The word “hades’ is used for the place of the departed spirits of the lost and is found inMatthew 11.23, 16.18; Luke 10.15, 16.23; Acts 2.27, 31; Revelation 1.18, 6.8, 20.13, 20.14.

The word “gehenna” is the place or state of the lost or condemned and is found inMatthew 5.22, 29, 30, 10.28, 18.9, 23.15, 23.33; Mark 9.43, 45, 47; Luke 12.5; James 3.6.

The word “tartaros” is the subterranean abyss of Greek mythology where demigods were punished. The pseudepigraphal book of Enoch mentions it as the place where fallen angels are confined. It is found only once in the Bible and only in its verbal form. Peter appropriated the word to describe God’s incarceration of fallen angels to a netherworld dungeon until the day of final judgment (2 Peter 2.4).

Hell is described in a number of passages: Matthew 13.42; Matthew 25.46; Philippians 3.19;2 Thessalonians 1.9; Hebrews 10.39; 2 Peter 2.17; Jude 1.13; Revelation 2.11; 19.20; 20.6, 10,14; 21.8. According to Revelation 20, hell will be absorbed into a place called the Lake of Fire. Hell is terrifying; it is a place of hopelessness and eternal imprisonment and torment.

The Love of God

God loves every person. He has done everything required to spare each person from hell. He has provided His Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior from sin and death. Jesus went to the cross, died for every sin you have committed or ever will commit, and rose from the dead. He did all the work necessary to prevent you from the penalty of hell. This is the good news! This is thegospel!

Most people believe one goes to hell because one has done bad things, i.e., because of sin. But the Bible teaches that an individual goes to hell because he has rejected God’s love–the Savior and His work on the cross. John recorded what he saw in the Lord’s revelation to him of the final judgment. He wrote:

“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20.11-15).”

The biblical account of judgment is that only when one’s name is not found in the “book of life” is one judged for his works or deeds. The book of deeds contains a record of the works one did during his life. If one is not found in the book of life, that is, if no record exists of one having believed the gospel that Christ died for them and rose from the dead, then judgment is based upon ones “works”, i.e. one’s deeds–good works and evil works. This is what Jesus meant when he declared in John:

“He said therefore again to them, “I go away, and you shall seek Me, and shall die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come” (John 8.21).

and

“I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins” (John 8.24).

Those at the final judgment, described in Revelation 20, are there because they have rejected Christ and His gift of salvation. As such, they only have their good deeds to depend upon for acceptance by God. But the Scriptures teach that no one has the necessary righteousness to meet the approval of God (Romans 3.20, 28). Paul wrote,

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4.1-5).

Paul also wrote about Jesus as the Judge,

“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” (Romans 2.14-16).

According to the Scriptures, human works can never satisfy the righteousness of God. A person can do all the good deeds of a Mother Teresa or an Albert Schweitzer and go to the Lake of Fire (Romans 3.20, 28; Galatians 2.16). Consider: if one could make himself acceptable to God by works, why was it necessary for Christ to go to the cross? Does it make sense for God to send his Son to die for something we could do ourselves? It is preciselybecause man cannot save himself that Christ came to die and make an atonement for sin. Jesus warned of this very matter when he said,

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never know you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS’” (Matthew 7.21-23 cf. Luke 13.24-30).

When Christ died on the cross, he died for all. He died for every sin of ever person who will ever live, past, present, or future. He paid the penalty for man’s sin. He was the “lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1.29). The Scriptures teach that Christ died for all, not some (Romans 5.7-8; 1 Timothy 4.10; Hebrews 2.9; 1 Peter 3.18; 2 Peter 2.1; 1 John 2.2).

Christ’s death on the cross was the fulfillment of hundreds of years of God’s teaching Israel by means of the Levitical sacrifices. The animal sacrifices typified the true and final sacrifice of Christ himself. Those whose names are in the “book of life” are those who have recognized their inability to justify themselves before God and have accepted God’s free gift of salvation by trusting in the work of Christ. Jesus said in his conclusion to the parable of the lost sheep that more joy exists in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety nine who need no repentance (Luke 15.3-7). Those at the judgment of Revelation 20 are the ninety nine–those who refused to repent. They made the decision to reject God’s mercy and rely upon their own goodness.

God requires absolute righteousness because he is holy. Such a standard is impossible for man to achieve. Since we are all sinners (Romans 3.23, 6.23) Jesus Christ is our only hope. No amount of good works one can do can satisfy the righteous demands of God. The only work satisfactory to God is the work on the cross of His Son for us. To believe that Christ has died and was raised from the dead, to trust in him and his work, ensures one that he will never face judgment and hell. Consider the words of Jesus:

“Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life’” (John 5.19-24).

Divine judgment of the human race will be done by Jesus himself. The Scriptures declare that all who believe in Christ will not face that judgment. Paul affirmed this truth when he wrote,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8.1).

Every person in hell is there because of his own choice. He rejected God’s grace and the gift of his Son. God is merciful but will not force himself upon anyone. He has provided a way of escape through the death and resurrection of his Son. This is the good news, the gospel.

Do you wish to avoid the condemnation of God and have eternal life? Will you respond to God’s love for you or will you reject it? The choice is simple. Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead for your sins (1 Corinthians 15.1-5). Will you believe it? If so, God’s word ensures you that you have eternal life and that you will never come before God’s judgment. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a gift–because Christ paid the price for you.

An issue that always seems to come up in a discussion of hell is the matter of “those who have never heard”. The objection is, “How can God send anyone to hell, especially those who have never heard.” What about this? The Bible teaches that God is self-evident. Creation declares God’s existence (see Psalm 19.1-6 and Romans 1.18-2.16). God has provided each person with an innate ability to perceive Him. Every person knows God exists but most suppress this knowledge. As such, no one ever goes to hell who has not had a fair chance. God knows each heart and every circumstance. He is smarter, more loving, and more merciful than we. The objection falls flat when one considers the character of God.

C. S. Lewis wrote as clearly as anyone on the matter of hell and judgment. Lewis wrote in The Problem of Pain that “the doors of hell are locked on the inside.” We are rebels. It is precisely because a person will not lay down his arms and end his rebellion again God that he goes to hell. Jesus will pronounce judgment of the Lake of Fire but it is the individual who has judged himself. Jesus, in a real sense, honors each person’s rebellion and God “loses” because he has made the provision of salvation available to everyone. I also commend to the reader Lewis’ work, The Great Divorce. In this fiction, Lewis attempted to explain the choices individuals make which lead them to hell. In the final analysis, all in hell are there by their own free will. They have rejected God’s love and Christ’s mercy. No reality is more sobering than this.

Below are passages which deal with the reality of hell and God’s judgment. Hell is a real place and God’s judgment is certain.

Matthew 5.21-30, 7.13-23, 10.28, 11.20-24, 13.36-42, 18.5-9,23.29-39; Mark 9.43-48; Luke 12.4-5, 16.19-31; John 5.28-29, 15.6-6; 2 Peter 2.1-11;3.3-7; Jude 5-7; Revelation 1.17-18, 14.9-11, 19.19-21, 20.10-15.

David - Bathsheba- Most Beautiful women 

Names in the Bible   
Bathsheba: Bat 'daughter of', sheba 'abundance'.The Book of Chronicles, written after she died, changed her name to Bathshua, since 'sheba'might link her with the sibitti, the Seven Demons of Babylonian, or with the constellation of the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades, shown on the Nebra Disk at right.
This disk dates to 1,600BC and shows the Pleiades stars, whose position at a certain time of year signalled the beginning of harvest. In changing her name to Bathshua, the writer of Chronicles was trying to distance Bathsheba from worship of agricultural gods.
Solomon, Hebrew 'shelomoh', means 'his replacement', perhaps referring to Bathsheba’s first baby who died soon after birth.
Uriah, Bathsheba's first husband, means 'Yahweh is my light'.
David means 'beloved'.   

Main themes in the story

• The legitimacy of King Solomon. Solomon was not the eldest son of his father King David, and had not been elected by popular acclaim. He had taken the throne by force and by political intrigue, and had executed his older brother. It was therefore necessary to provide a story that justified his being king.
• The virtue of King Solomon and his mother Bathsheba. Their stories are part of the royal chronicles of Israel, and show Bathsheba as capable, ambitious, and gifted. She produced a son, Solomon, noted for his wisdom and intellectual brilliance. Her son presided over a court famous for its literature, culture, wealth, architectural achievements, and consolidation of Judah-Israel as a nation-state.
• Bathsheba has special significance for Christians. In the gospel of Matthew, four women are included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-17). Bathsheba is the fourth of these women.

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The story of Bathsheba describes two episodes in Jewish history:

1 Bathsheba and King David (2 Samuel 11:1-26, 12:15-25)Bathsheba was a beautiful, clever and unscrupulous woman. She was seen by King David as she bathed, desired by him, and subsequently became pregnant to him even though married to the soldier Uriah. Uriah was murdered by David, and she then married the King. Her baby died. She had a second son, who was called Solomon.

2 The struggle for the throne (1 Kings 1:1-37, 2:10-25)
David lost his sexual potency, and therefore his political power, in old age. In a palace coup Bathsheba and her adviser Nathan manoeuvred to secure the throne for Solomon, even though there was an older, more popular brother who was expected to succeed King David. Solomon took the throne, honored his mother, and was advised by her. She took part in court intrigues, occupying the most prestigious position a woman could hold, Queen Mother. She and Solomon organized the death of Solomon's older half-brother who had been the popular choice to succeed King David. 

Bathsheba and King David   (2 Samuel 11:1-26, 12:15-25)

 Bathsheba was the beautiful grand-daughter of Ahitophel, a shrewd military and political counselor of David. She belonged to an elite warrior family, and her husband Uriah was a high-ranking professional soldier, one of the respected warriors called The Thirty. 

Bathsheba was beautiful, young, well-connected.  One evening when her husband was away she  bathed on the flat roof of her house. King David was above, on the castle walls. He saw her, and was mesmerized. He sent for her. She went. They made love. Then she went home. Later she discovered she was pregnant.. Seduction of whom? by whom?

Her father and husband were stationed at Jerusalem, directly under the control of the king. They were David's personal bodyguards, his champions, renowned for their bravery. 

She was thus a member of an elite warrior family, something like the wife of a high-ranking samurai. Since her grandfather, father and husband were close allies of David's, it is safe to assume that she and David had already met before the famous scene where David sees her bathing.

It happened late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king' house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported 'This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite'. So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.'     Read 2 Samuel 11:2-4.

The Seduction

Bathsheba was most probably on the house's flat roof, a tented area often used by the women of the family for a variety of tasks. To get an idea of what this sort of house looked like, see the reconstructions of biblical houses at Bible Architecture: Houses.  

In this case Bathsheba was washing herself after her menstrual period.  The text makes a point of this post-menstrual purification, to show she was not carrying Uriah's child, but was at the stage in her menstrual cycle when she was likely to conceive. 

King David was on the roof terrace of the palace above, looking down. The terrace may or may not have been screened by latticework (the mother of Sisera in Judges 5:28 watched the road through a lattice, and a statue found in the northern city of Ugarit shows a woman at a latticed window).

The text does not tell us whether Bathsheba knew she was being watched. David may have been screened from sight by a lattice, so that she was unaware of his presence. Or she may have been quite aware she was being watched. 

In any case, David saw her young body and desired her. At the time, Bathsheba's husband Uriah was away, fighting with the army - something David knew.

Bathsheba was summoned to the palace. She went. Did she go willingly? Feminist literature likes to think she was a victim taken to the palace against her will, but the text gives a clue that she went willingly. The sentence reads '...David sent messengers to get her, and she went', suggesting that, though young, she was ambitious and strong-willed enough to seize her chance - even though it must have meant ignoring the pleas of the other women of Uriah's household.

While she was at the palace she and David had sexual intercourse. Afterwards, she returned to her home, and we hear no more until a few months later, when she realized she was pregnant.  She sent a message to David to tell him, and David responded by sending for Uriah. When the soldier-husband arrived in Jerusalem and reported to David, the king told him to down to his home and wife. He hoped that Uriah would make love to his wife, and that the child might be passed off as Uriah's.

'But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.'     Read 2 Samuel 11:6-13.

Uriah seems to have known what was going on, and why he was summoned. There were plenty of people to tell him - outraged family members who had seen Bathsheba go to the palace, or soldier-friends who had watched her pass through the guard-house at the entrance of the palace. 

The reconstruction of the gates at Gezer at Bible Archaeology: War  shows the sort of gates Bathsheba had to pass through. Note the compartments at the side of each gate. These provided shelter for guards on duty, and she and David's messenger could not have passed through without the soldiers seeing them. The events of that night would have been known to many people.

But Uriah did not confront David with what he knew. Instead, he took the line of passive resistance. He told David he would not break the rules of soldiers on active service - ancient people believed that sexual intercourse robbed a man of some of his physical strength, so during active service soldiers were required to abstain from sexual intercourse. Uriah would not visit his wife and have intercourse with her, since he was still technically on active service.

  

David Murders Bathsheba's Husband Uriah

Despite every inducement, Uriah stuck to this line of behavior, and David found himself backed into a corner. Enraged, he secretly ordered that Uriah be killed in battle. He gave Uriah a sealed letter addressed to Uriah's commander, ordering him to arrange Uriah's death.

When, soon after Uriah had returned to the army and delivered the letter, he was sent into battle to storm the walls of a city. Following David's instructions, the soldiers around Uriah pulled back and left him alone, so that he was surrounded by the enemy and cut down.
'When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him.'

Did Bathsheba know that David had arranged to have her husband killed? Did she mourn for the death of a good man? Or was her mourning just pretence? It is impossible to tell. The story of Bathsheba's seduction as we have it in the Bible was edited by court story-tellers during the reign of her son Solomon, and doubtless influenced by Bathsheba and her son. 

This is why it is so hard to tell what really happened. We only know two things: what Bathsheba wanted us to know, and what she was forced to acknowledge because it was already public knowledge.

With Uriah now dead, David married Bathsheba and she went to live in the harem of the palace - a relatively small harem, since Israel at the time was only an emerging power. The baby she was expecting died soon after birth, but she had a second son whom she named Solomon, 'his replacement' - a replacement for the baby who died, or for her murdered husband? The choice of name is ambiguous.
 Read 2 Samuel 11:14-27, 12:15-25.

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The Struggle for the Throne     (1 Kings 1:1-37, 2:10-25)

Years passed, and Bathsheba and King David grew older. We hear nothing about Bathsheba's life during these long years, and know only that she lived in the royal harem and produced a number of children to David.

Eventually, concerns arose about the king's continuing virility - in ancient Middle Eastern societies the sexual potency of the king was closely linked with the state of the nation. If the king was no longer able to have sexual relations, it was a bad omen for the well-being of the country.
'So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found  Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful.'Read 1 Kings 1:1-37.

When, despite her beauty, the king could not have sexual relations with Abishag, it was considered time for a co-regency. This meant that someone would rule alongside David, to help him. Most people took it for granted that this co-regent would be the next  king. David's oldest surviving son was Adonijah, a young man impatient for power. Not waiting for David to die, he proclaimed himself king and was accepted as such by many people. The text implies this was done without David's knowledge. It was a palace coup.

Bathsheba and Solomon did not support him, because if Adonijah became king they would almost certainly be killed. Solomon must also have been seen as a contender for the throne, and in this particular grab for power, the loser would die. But Bathsheba was not going to give in without a struggle.

'So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. She bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said "What do you wish?" She said to him "My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne. But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it"'
Read 1 Kings 1:15-40.

Working with her chief adviser Nathan, Bathsheba warned David what was happening behind his back. In a brilliant speech, she made him suspicious of Adonijah by describing the young man's support among the army. She told him that almost alone among his children, Solomon remained loyal. She appealed to his protective nature by telling him she feared for her own life. And she astutely reminded David that he, not Adonijah, was king.

David roused himself from senility and swore to her that her son Solomon would rule as king. He ordered this to be announced to all the people. 

With the authority of a royal command and the backing of David's well-disciplined mercenary troops, Bathsheba outmanoeuvred Adonijah in his attempted coup d'etat and secured the throne for her own son.

After David's death Solomon became king and Bathsheba accepted the title of Queen Mother - the most powerful position a woman could hold and the first woman in the history of Israel to hold this title. 

Solomon's hold on the throne was not initially strong enough for him to kill his half-brother outright, though this would have to be done if Solomon was to have a firm grasp on power. So after he ascended the throne, Solomon allowed his half-brother Adonijah to live - for the time being. But the situation had to be resolved, and no-one knew this better than Bathsheba. The text at this stage contains an episode that is, at the very least, hard to believe.

Adonijah approached Bathsheba with an odd request: to help him get Abishag as his wife.

On the surface, this seems a harmless thing to ask. But  Abishag was considered one of David's wives, and marriage to a widow of the previous king was a way of making a claim on the throne. It is hard to believe Adonijah would have made such a request, to Bathsheba of all people. She knew only too well that Adonijah was very dangerous and could never marry Abishag.

The whole episode seems to be an invented pretext to execute Adonijah. Solomon may have been reluctant to do this (or have wished to appear so) and it may have taken a public accusation of treason, made by Bathsheba, to give him a reason for killing his half-brother.

'The throne room in Solomon's palace was probably similar, in size if not in decoration, to the throne room at Knossos'. King Solomon's Palace

'So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. He rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right.' 
Read 1 Kings 2:10-25.

Prodded into action by his mother, Solomon snuffed out the threat posed by his half-brother by ordering his death. There was no trial, just a swift execution. 

This is the last we hear of Bathsheba. Her son was secure on the throne and her own position was safe. She could rest on her laurels.