Bas-Sheve Background Story Synopsis


1.     David, while walking on the roof of his palace, sees a very beautiful woman bathing. He orders inquiries and finds out that she is Bathsheba, wife of Uriah and orders a messenger to retrieve her.

2.     He sleeps with Bathsheba and impregnates her.

3.     In an effort to conceal his sin, David summons Uriah from the army (who is fighting David’s war) in the hope that Uriah will sleep with his wife, and believe that the future child will be his.

4.     But Uriah is unwilling to violate the ancient code applying to warriors in active service; rather than go home to his own bed, he chooses to remain with the palace troops.

5.     After repeated efforts to convince Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba the King gives orders to his general, Joab, that Uriah should be placed on the front lines of the battle, where Uriah is most likely to be killed.

6.     Uriah is killed and David marries Bathsheba.

7.     David's actions are displeasing to the Lord, who sends Nathan the prophet to reprove the King. After Nathan relates the parable of the rich man who took away the one little lamb of his poor neighbor (2 Samuel 12:1–6), and exciting David's anger against the unrighteous act, the Prophet applies the case directly to David's action with regard to Bathsheba. David at once confesses his sin and expresses sincere repentance.

8.     Bathsheba's first child by David is struck with a severe illness and dies, unnamed, a few days after birth, which the King accepts as his punishment. Nathan also notes that David's house shall be punished for Uriah's murder.

Bas-Sheve  Yiddish opera

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