She shook her head. “You are doing it now. That’s all that matters.” Yet he could tell by her expression that she agreed with him but was too kind to say so.

  He lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. “You should go with them. Watch your son wear the crown in my place.”

  “I would stay with you, my lord.”

  He clasped both hands around hers, then released them to pull the signet ring from his finger. “Give this to your son Solomon. When he sits on my throne, send someone to tell me.”

  She shook her head again, and he could tell she would not leave unless he insisted. How he loved her!

  “It is not every day a man becomes a king, beloved. Go, join the procession and rejoice at our son’s side in my place. Then come to me and we will celebrate together.”

  A tentative wistfulness crossed her face. “You’re sure?”

  He patted her hand and released it. “I’m sure.”

  She smiled, and he knew he would never see anything again so beautiful, the memories between them a treasure to cherish always.

  “You are my priceless jewel, Bathsheba.” She stood, her eyes shining. “Now go in peace. Then come and return to me.”

  She bowed low once more, then kissed him and left his chambers to watch her son Solomon become king in his place.

  Epilogue

  Two Years Later

  Bathsheba sat on a gilded chair, a circle of gold ringing her hair, the symbol that David had finally chosen his queen. In front of her, the two kings sat on royal thrones—David looking thin and frail, his body marred by age, and Solomon, his youthful frame filling out the royal robes with vigor, majesty, and splendor. Her heart surged with wistfulness and pride. Before them all stood a multitude of commanders and leaders in Israel, their numbers filling the courtyard and spilling around the sides of the palace.

  A gentle breeze rustled the leaves on the trees spaced about the courtyard, a reminder that spring had come again, a time when kings went out to war, but there were no more wars for David or Solomon to fight. Adonai had indeed brought about a kingdom of peace for Solomon to rule in David’s stead. And David had lived to see it.

  She looked over the crowd, her gaze settling on the women of David’s court. She missed Michal most of all, whose friendship she had sought and gained in the past few years before her death. Ahinoam had joined Michal soon after, their bodies resting in David’s tomb, while Maacah and her daughter Tamar had at last returned to Geshur. Only the younger wives and concubines were left for Solomon to inherit. He had vowed when his father passed on to treat them as widows.

  As she would soon be.

  Much too soon.

  David rose slowly to his feet, the effort difficult, and she wondered what pains he suffered in doing so and how long his newfound strength would last. Sadness filtered through her, and she wished not for the first time that their lives could truly go on forever, as the blessing offered to kings proclaimed. But though the people might wish it, even loudly assert, “May my lord King David live forever,” no one remained exempt from Sheol. Not even their beloved King David.

  She turned her attention to catch his every word.

  “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of Adonai, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’

  “Yet Adonai Elohei Yisrael chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my family, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel. Of all my sons—and Adonai has given me many—He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Adonai over Israel. He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father. I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out My commands and laws, as is being done at this time.’”

  He paused, looking out over the people as though he were seeing the sheep of his pasture rather than the commanders of hundreds and thousands of his troops. He stretched his arms wide before them. “So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of Adonai, and in the hearing of our God: be careful to follow all the commands of Adonai Eloheynu, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.”

  He turned, facing Solomon, who knelt at David’s feet. Bathsheba’s tears filmed, and she blinked away the moisture, proud of the image they made, a father blessing and counseling his son.

  David rested both hands on Solomon’s crowned head and cleared his throat. “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge Adonai Avinu, the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for Adonai searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, you will find Him, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Consider now, for Adonai has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

  He lifted his hands from Solomon’s head and offered Solomon his hand. Solomon took it and stood at his father’s side, though Bathsheba knew by the way David swayed slightly that it was Solomon’s strength now holding him up. Silence followed, and a look passed between them. Bathsheba’s heart gave a soft kick at the love they shared.

  Oh, Adonai, how blessed I am to see this! How good You have been to Your servant David.

  David’s voice pulled her thoughts back to him. She straightened, seeing that he had turned to face the crowd once more.

  “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for Adonai, the Lord God. With all my resources, I have provided for the temple of Elohai, my God, gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood, as well as onyx, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. In addition, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver—three thousand talents of gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver—for all of the work to be done by the craftsmen.” He paused, drew in a breath, and let his gaze take in the crowd. “Who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?”

  Bathsheba looked toward the threshing floor and the king’s storehouse directly behind the palace. David was giving a staggering amount to the work. But she would expect nothing less of him. He was a man devoted, consumed, in his passion for the Lord his God. A generous man who had learned the gratitude that comes of sins forgiven.

  The king took his seat again, and the people moved forward, bringing gifts presented first to David and then transferred into the care of the man in charge of the king’s treasuries.

  The sun rose high in the heavens, warming the pavement and the skin beneath Bathsheba’s robes. Servants lifted palm fronds to cool the air around them and brought golden cups of wine to refresh them.

  As the last of the gifts were placed at David’s feet, he spoke. “Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Adonai Eloheynu, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building You a temple for Your holy name, it comes from Your hand, and all of it belongs to You. Adonai, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of Your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to You. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep Your commands, requirements, and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

  David lowered his hands and bowed his head. Silence followed his prayer for the space of several heartbeats, and Bathsheba’s own heart lifted with joy and gratitude and great pride in this man whom she called husband and king.

  Oh, Adonai Eloheynu, hear the prayer of Your servant David. Give my son Solomon a heart to follow You with wholehearted devotion, as his father David has done.

  She opened her eyes at the sound of movement in time to see Solomon standing once again at David’s side. David clutched Solomon’s arm, his strength ebbing with the setting sun, but his voice carried, sure and strong. “Praise Adonai Eloheynu, the Lord your God.”

  A shout of praise shook the earth beneath the portico. Bathsheba stood, lifting her voice to join the others, joy in Adonai’s goodness to her overwhelming her once again. That He should choose to bless her when she was so unworthy . . . David’s own words had said it all. All of this abundance, every blessing poured out on them, belonged to Adonai. He would grant Solomon the wisdom to build the temple David loved, and, God willing, she would live to see it.

  She moved from her place behind the king and came to join him, taking his arm, feeling the strength of his joy. He turned to her and smiled.

  “Adonai El Yisrael has given rest to His people, beloved, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever.” He took her hand and pulled her close, kissing her lightly on the cheek. The light in his eyes reflected the love that had not diminished with the years. “I am glad I lived to see my promise to you fulfilled.” He stroked her palm as his gaze shifted to Solomon. “Pray for him, beloved. He will need great wisdom to lead such a people.”

  The shouts and singing dwindled, and Bathsheba could see the light fading from David’s eyes. “You are tired, my lord. Come inside now and rest. Tomorrow we will celebrate once more.”

  He nodded, slowly stepping forward, raising his hands to quiet the crowd.

  “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” David sang, the words lilting with his sweet tenor, still beautiful despite the slight warble age had brought. Bathsheba’s heart stirred with the tune, knowing that peace had at last truly come, but David was right. Peace could be lost too easily. She must pray for shalom every moment of Solomon’s reign.

  “May they prosper who love you, O Jerusalem. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of Adonai Eloheynu, I will seek your good.”

  The words echoed to the far reaches of the crowd, and one by one the men and women sank to the ground and bowed low before Adonai and the king.

  Note from the Author

  The biblical account of David and Bathsheba’s story contains more details than I could flesh out in this book. How David acquired the land to build the temple, for instance, and how Absalom was killed are some of the things I chose to leave out in order to create a more solidified picture of my main characters’ lives. Much research has gone into the study of these passages, but as always, any inaccuracies in historical or biblical detail are my own. I would encourage you to read 2 Samuel 7 through 1 Kings 2, along with 1 Chronicles 17–29 to get the full picture of their lives.

  To you, dear readers, a prayer:

  Lord, these really aren’t my stories. You immortalized King David and his wives in the pages of Your Word. All I did was imagine how things might have been. But in the imagining, I pray that I have given hope to Your people, the men and women who will read these words.

  To those who have fallen far from Your grace as David and Bathsheba once did, let them know that with You, there is forgiveness.

  To those who are lonely and desperate and think that life will be better if only this or that would change, give them Your contentment.

  To those who are angry or fearful or estranged from Your love, give them grace and peace to know You.

  Let those who read Bathsheba’s story come away changed for having known her. Let her life resonate with the theme of redemption and grace as only You can give.

  To all who will read these words, thank you for giving of your time to this story. May you know the love of God, who loved David and Bathsheba in spite of what they did, and who loves you just the same.

  In His grace,

  Jill Eileen Smith

  Acknowledgments

  Though a writer may work alone getting the initial words down on paper (or computer screen), a book is never produced by one person. Without the many people who have given of their time, expertise, and prayers, my words would have never seen print. To thank them seems like an understatement, but I will do so anyway, from the bottom of my heart.

  To the team at Revell—I love working with you! You all have made my publishing experience one of great gratitude and joy. As Paul said to the Philippians, “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

  Special thanks to Lonnie Hull DuPont for loving Bathsheba as much as I do, and to Jessica Miles for helping me make this book the best it can be! To Cheryl Van Andel for another fabulous cover. If covers sell books, your designs would not need any words! To Twila, Michele, Claudia, Deonne, and the rest of the marketing/publicity team—I am in your debt. Thank you for believing in my work.

  To Wendy Lawton, agent extraordinaire—I have to say it, we make a great team! I’m so grateful God put you in my life.

  Jill Marie—we finished another one! I will always be grateful for the day God made us friends. Thank you for reading the first 40,000 words and telling me the truth. Starting over was tough but well worth the effort. The story rings true to me now.

  A special thank-you to Dean Stengl for helping me understand Uriah’s military mind-set and how he could ignore David’s insistence that he go home to his wife. Your advice was most appreciated!

  A special thank-you as well to Sarah Andreski for giving me insight into the heart of a military family and what it feels like to have your loved ones in danger and far from home.

  To my family and friends and faithful prayer partners—I hope you know how much I appreciate and love you!

  Randy—there are no heroes or kings who can compare to you. King David was an amazing man and a favorite Bible hero whom I look forward to meeting in heaven someday, but he doesn’t come close to your character, your devotion, and your faithfulness. Writing this series has reminded me of just what a great man I have!

  Jeff, Chris, and Ryan—my beloved sons and some great storytellers in your own right. I like to think you were doomed to love stories from birth—since Dad and I began reading to you before you could talk. Wherever life takes you, I will always treasure that we share this passion. And you know, you are always close in heart and prayer.

  Adonai Yeshua, Lord Jesus, I love You. Thank You for giving us King David’s story.

  Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of Michal and Abigail, books 1 and 2 in the Wives of King David series. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family—in person, over the webcam, or by hopping a plane to fly across the country. She can often be found reading Christian fiction, testing new recipes, grabbing lunch with friends, or snuggling one or both of her adorable cats. She lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

  To learn more about Jill or the Wives of King David series, visit http://www.jilleileensmith.com or http://www.thewivesofkingdavid.com. You can also contact Jill at jill@jilleileensmith.com. She loves hearing from her readers.

  Books by Jill Eileen Smith

  The Wives of King David

  Michal

  Abigail

  Bathsheba

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  Jill Eileen Smith, Bathsheba

 

 

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