JIll Eileen Smith

Dear Readers,

I have been looking forward to reading Jill Eileen Smith's Bathsheba since I found out Jill was writing about her.  I have to say that I actually like book 1, Michal, better.  I had a terrible time warming up to Bathsheba's character.  I am not sure what I wanted but I feel like she is a bit of a milktoast kind of person. 

 

She seems to not be able to make up her mind about anything.  She is excited to be invited with her family to the palace and then spends the entire time wishing she hadn't come.  She says she loves Uriah but finds herself looking for and trying to meet the King.

She is held captive by the rules of ancient Isreal and I do understand that.  She can't just go out on her own, she can't just say things or do things that modern times allow me to do.  But she just doesn't seem to have an opinion about anything at all.  Which is a personality I struggle with no matter where and how I meet it.

That said, it is an interesting look at one of the most familiar stories in the Bible.  You can ask just about anyone and they know who Bathsheba is and why she is famous or infamous.   But she is also not presented in the Bible as a person of great importance, she is just a bit character in David's most famous fall.  She isn't given any choice in her part.  She has no words to say and I think that is one of the reasons why she is a woman many people are intrigued with, especially fiction authors.

Bathsheba is married, but has yet to produce a child.  She struggles with her barrenness and blames it on her husband's job.  Uriah is a soldier in David's army and is away at war for months at a time.  He is constantly called to the palace to attend meetings and spends nights away at the barracks.  Bathsheba is frustrated with it all and doesn't understand why he always puts his job before her.  Does that sound familiar to anyone? I have heard that complaint from woman in modern times quite a few times.

David is restless and bored with his new wife.  He has suffered great loss, and he just doesn't feel like going to war with his men, so he stays home.  Which turns out to be a recipe for disaster.  When he spots Bathsheba he knows he wants to make her his wife, the only thing standing in the way is that she is married.  He decides that won't stop him and calls her to the palace anyways.

We all know the end of that story, but Jill's book doesn't end there.  We know that David does make her his wife, but is she happy?  Did she go as a willing partner in crime or does she grieve the loss of her husband?  These are all questions that I asked about this story.  I won't tell you whether or not I got them answered as I am afraid it will give away the story. 

Jill does mention at the end of the book that she hopes that if nothing else this book will remind us that God loves us and is ready to forgive us no matter our sin, when we ask. 

Happy Reading