Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty
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After sending his army to besiege another king's capital, King David forces himself on Bathsheba, a loyal soldier's wife. When her resulting pregnancy forces the king to murder her husband and add her to his harem, Bathsheba struggles to protect her son while dealing with the effects of a dark prophecy and deadly curse on the king's household. Combining historical facts with detailed fiction, Angela Hunt paints a realistic portrait of the beautiful woman who struggled to survive the dire results of divine judgment on a king with a divided heart. Review: An extraordinary story of forgiveness and redemption! - The story of David and Bathsheba is arguably one of the Bible’s most notorious tales. It has all the trappings of a contemporary soap opera – love and lust, secrets and murder. And all of this drama stems from the unlikeliest of sources – the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22), the shepherd boy turned king, David. To believers David is often viewed as an unassailable paragon of virtue, one incapable of willfully being led astray by another man’s wife. And so setting aside any other possible truth, Bathsheba is all too often cast as a seductress, a woman who willingly sought to seduce the king and make her husband a cuckold. Scripture provides almost no insight into Bathsheba’s feelings during this episode – other than to say she mourned Uriah following his death (2 Samuel 11:26) – and much is assumed in the echoing silence. In film and fiction, even in a cursory reading of scripture, it is all too easy and tempting to romanticize David and Bathsheba’s relationship, because the alternative is too hard to comprehend. It is easier to view both as equal partners in adultery, overcome by passion, but historical reality paints a very different picture of the fateful night David summoned Bathsheba to his palace. In a patriarchal culture where women possessed little to no agency, as a woman alone, her husband away fighting the king’s war, Bathsheba would have had little if any recourse when faced with David’s demand for her body. Hunt is the first novelist I’ve encountered to portray the result of Bathsheba’s summons into David’s presence as a rape. This novel strips their meeting of any vestige of romance, forbidden or otherwise, and leaves readers with the unvarnished, unsettling truth that no man or woman, no matter how revered as a titan of the faith, is incapable of committing a horrific act. And in so doing, Hunt delivers one of the most powerful, heart-rending depictions of the cost of sin and the restorative power of forgiveness that I’ve ever encountered outside the pages of scripture. This novel is unsettling in the best sense of the term, a difficult, challenging read that has stayed with me long after I finished the final page. Little is known of Bathsheba’s life before or after her entry into David’s household. But given that she is one of only five women mentioned (though unnamed) in the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:6), it is safe to assume that she is included for a greater reason than simply as a token adulteress. As a tob woman (one of extraordinary beauty and sensual appeal), Hunt takes the liberty of positioning Bathsheba as a woman destined for greatness from birth thanks to a prophetic word from Samuel, claiming that she would be “’mother to a great man’ and ‘affect the future of Is’rael.’” But far from craving power, Bathsheba is passionately in love with her warrior husband, and thus the position she is put in when David claims that to which he has no right is extraordinarily untenable. For not only is she the survivor of an assault, the king’s actions strip her of the life she once expected and hoped to live. One of the things I appreciate most about this retelling of Bathsheba’s story is Hunt’s effort to place both the initial act and its cascading effects within the broader context of David’s reign and the socio-political challenges he faced during his rule. Although David attempted to conceal his sin, like all such acts they are not committed in a vacuum, and its affects would be felt long after the prophet Nathan unmasked his secret to the entire court (2 Samuel 12). In 2 Samuel 11:3 Bathsheba is identified as the daughter of Eliam, and several chapters later in 23:34, Eliam’s father is identified as Atithophel, who is also as one of David’s advisors in 2 Samuel 15. Atithophel chose to back Absalom’s revolt, a tragic and bloody episode that fulfilled Nathan’s prophesy that “the sword shall never depart” from David’s family as a consequence of his sin (2 Samuel 12:10). It is no great stretch to imagine that David's attack on Bathsheba and Uriah should give birth to her grandfather Atithopel’s desire for revenge against the king who dishonored his family. It’s a twist of deliciously Shakespearean proportions, a tragic example of the consequences of David’s sin bleeding far past the edges of his personal life. If David can rape Bathsheba – and make no mistake, his position left her with no choice other than to do what was required to survive, and choosing survival does nothing to make the act consensual – how then does one reconcile such an unflinchingly honest portrayal of David at his worst with the psalmist and penitent, from whose lineage came the promised redeemer? Within these pages Hunt explores the concepts of forgiveness and redemption, wrought to an extent far beyond that which this reader’s finite understanding can only hope to understand. For out of David’s worst choice and Bathsheba’s worst day, God in His infinite mercy brought redemption the form of Solomon, the son who would fulfill his father’s dream of building a permanent house of worship, and Jesus, the Davidic messiah who would fulfill the promise of seeing David’s throne established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). I’ve long loved biblical fiction for its potential to illuminate familiar scriptures in fresh ways, but rarely have I ever been quite as moved by a retelling as with this novel. David’s attack against Bathsheba seems insurmountable, but despite the sin, despite the reality that sin has consequences, woven throughout this tale of violence and heartbreak is an unmistakable thread of forgiveness birthed by a holy grace. David is redeemed and forgiven not simply because he was discovered and repented, but through Bathsheba’s forgiveness – and thus he loved her most “’because…[she] forgave the most.’” As Nathan reminds Bathsheba, “’no pain exists without purpose, no grief without comfort.’” Living out one’s faith when life is easy is an entirely different proposition from living it out when life cuts to the quick. Reluctant Beauty is a gorgeously-rendered reminder that God can bring forth breathtaking beauty as He births redemption from the ashes of our failings. Bathsheba’s story is a crowning achievement for Hunt, that rare novel that not only entertains and informs but challenges and edifies, cutting to the raw, hidden places where we hide our worst secret selves and reminding us that even there, even then, redemption is possible. Review: Great portrayal of David and Bathsheba - The best biblical fiction will send its readers to the ultimate authority, God’s Word, to find out what really happened. As I read Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty by Angela Hunt, I found myself referring to the biblical record over and over. I began to view the story of Bathsheba in a new way — the characters became multi-faceted with emotions and motives I had not considered. Hunt is faithful to scripture, but fills in the what ifs realistically. The story opens with Bathsheba’s wedding day to Uriah the Hittite. Eager to embark on a new life, the new bride is filled with the anticipation of a life of love and joy. A year and a half later, Bathsheba finds herself raped, her husband murdered and pregnant by a man she hates — the King of Israel. David loves Adonai, but he is a man who is deeply flawed. How can God redeem the brokenhearted and bring forgiveness and healing? Pages and pages have been written about the relationship between David and Bathsheba. Scholars are in disagreement about what really happened. Did David rape Bathsheba? Or was she a willing seductress? I think Hunt gives a balanced and unbiased explanation of what might have happened. Based on her own research into what scripture has to say about the incident, she has created a sympathetic character who must make a future despite abuse, violence and grief. David is Israel’s anointed king, a man after God’s own heart, but also a man who doesn’t rule his own household wisely and gives into lustful passions. This story doesn’t end here though. The turbulent history of the later years of David’s reign are told in a flowing narrative from the first person perspectives of Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet. The two viewpoints give unique insights. Others that play pivotal roles during this time in Israel’s history — David’s wives, sons, advisors and military leaders — are written with depth. Intrigue and betrayal are hallmarks of the time of David. His sin brings calamity down on his own house and the nation of Israel. Sin is never secret — a theme that is played over and over in Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty. David often acted according to his own desires because ” . . . he believed he would get away with sin”. Aren’t we all guilty of that? Repentance and forgiveness are the remedies, and this novel portrays that as well. If there is a take away from this novel it is that there is sorrow in sin, but joy in the Lord. Faithful to scripture and written with historical detail and a heart for the subject matter, Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty is a highly recommended read! Highly Recommended. Audience: adults. Great for Book Clubs. (Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
R**N
An extraordinary story of forgiveness and redemption!
The story of David and Bathsheba is arguably one of the Bible’s most notorious tales. It has all the trappings of a contemporary soap opera – love and lust, secrets and murder. And all of this drama stems from the unlikeliest of sources – the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22), the shepherd boy turned king, David. To believers David is often viewed as an unassailable paragon of virtue, one incapable of willfully being led astray by another man’s wife. And so setting aside any other possible truth, Bathsheba is all too often cast as a seductress, a woman who willingly sought to seduce the king and make her husband a cuckold. Scripture provides almost no insight into Bathsheba’s feelings during this episode – other than to say she mourned Uriah following his death (2 Samuel 11:26) – and much is assumed in the echoing silence. In film and fiction, even in a cursory reading of scripture, it is all too easy and tempting to romanticize David and Bathsheba’s relationship, because the alternative is too hard to comprehend. It is easier to view both as equal partners in adultery, overcome by passion, but historical reality paints a very different picture of the fateful night David summoned Bathsheba to his palace. In a patriarchal culture where women possessed little to no agency, as a woman alone, her husband away fighting the king’s war, Bathsheba would have had little if any recourse when faced with David’s demand for her body. Hunt is the first novelist I’ve encountered to portray the result of Bathsheba’s summons into David’s presence as a rape. This novel strips their meeting of any vestige of romance, forbidden or otherwise, and leaves readers with the unvarnished, unsettling truth that no man or woman, no matter how revered as a titan of the faith, is incapable of committing a horrific act. And in so doing, Hunt delivers one of the most powerful, heart-rending depictions of the cost of sin and the restorative power of forgiveness that I’ve ever encountered outside the pages of scripture. This novel is unsettling in the best sense of the term, a difficult, challenging read that has stayed with me long after I finished the final page. Little is known of Bathsheba’s life before or after her entry into David’s household. But given that she is one of only five women mentioned (though unnamed) in the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:6), it is safe to assume that she is included for a greater reason than simply as a token adulteress. As a tob woman (one of extraordinary beauty and sensual appeal), Hunt takes the liberty of positioning Bathsheba as a woman destined for greatness from birth thanks to a prophetic word from Samuel, claiming that she would be “’mother to a great man’ and ‘affect the future of Is’rael.’” But far from craving power, Bathsheba is passionately in love with her warrior husband, and thus the position she is put in when David claims that to which he has no right is extraordinarily untenable. For not only is she the survivor of an assault, the king’s actions strip her of the life she once expected and hoped to live. One of the things I appreciate most about this retelling of Bathsheba’s story is Hunt’s effort to place both the initial act and its cascading effects within the broader context of David’s reign and the socio-political challenges he faced during his rule. Although David attempted to conceal his sin, like all such acts they are not committed in a vacuum, and its affects would be felt long after the prophet Nathan unmasked his secret to the entire court (2 Samuel 12). In 2 Samuel 11:3 Bathsheba is identified as the daughter of Eliam, and several chapters later in 23:34, Eliam’s father is identified as Atithophel, who is also as one of David’s advisors in 2 Samuel 15. Atithophel chose to back Absalom’s revolt, a tragic and bloody episode that fulfilled Nathan’s prophesy that “the sword shall never depart” from David’s family as a consequence of his sin (2 Samuel 12:10). It is no great stretch to imagine that David's attack on Bathsheba and Uriah should give birth to her grandfather Atithopel’s desire for revenge against the king who dishonored his family. It’s a twist of deliciously Shakespearean proportions, a tragic example of the consequences of David’s sin bleeding far past the edges of his personal life. If David can rape Bathsheba – and make no mistake, his position left her with no choice other than to do what was required to survive, and choosing survival does nothing to make the act consensual – how then does one reconcile such an unflinchingly honest portrayal of David at his worst with the psalmist and penitent, from whose lineage came the promised redeemer? Within these pages Hunt explores the concepts of forgiveness and redemption, wrought to an extent far beyond that which this reader’s finite understanding can only hope to understand. For out of David’s worst choice and Bathsheba’s worst day, God in His infinite mercy brought redemption the form of Solomon, the son who would fulfill his father’s dream of building a permanent house of worship, and Jesus, the Davidic messiah who would fulfill the promise of seeing David’s throne established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). I’ve long loved biblical fiction for its potential to illuminate familiar scriptures in fresh ways, but rarely have I ever been quite as moved by a retelling as with this novel. David’s attack against Bathsheba seems insurmountable, but despite the sin, despite the reality that sin has consequences, woven throughout this tale of violence and heartbreak is an unmistakable thread of forgiveness birthed by a holy grace. David is redeemed and forgiven not simply because he was discovered and repented, but through Bathsheba’s forgiveness – and thus he loved her most “’because…[she] forgave the most.’” As Nathan reminds Bathsheba, “’no pain exists without purpose, no grief without comfort.’” Living out one’s faith when life is easy is an entirely different proposition from living it out when life cuts to the quick. Reluctant Beauty is a gorgeously-rendered reminder that God can bring forth breathtaking beauty as He births redemption from the ashes of our failings. Bathsheba’s story is a crowning achievement for Hunt, that rare novel that not only entertains and informs but challenges and edifies, cutting to the raw, hidden places where we hide our worst secret selves and reminding us that even there, even then, redemption is possible.
B**M
Great portrayal of David and Bathsheba
The best biblical fiction will send its readers to the ultimate authority, God’s Word, to find out what really happened. As I read Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty by Angela Hunt, I found myself referring to the biblical record over and over. I began to view the story of Bathsheba in a new way — the characters became multi-faceted with emotions and motives I had not considered. Hunt is faithful to scripture, but fills in the what ifs realistically. The story opens with Bathsheba’s wedding day to Uriah the Hittite. Eager to embark on a new life, the new bride is filled with the anticipation of a life of love and joy. A year and a half later, Bathsheba finds herself raped, her husband murdered and pregnant by a man she hates — the King of Israel. David loves Adonai, but he is a man who is deeply flawed. How can God redeem the brokenhearted and bring forgiveness and healing? Pages and pages have been written about the relationship between David and Bathsheba. Scholars are in disagreement about what really happened. Did David rape Bathsheba? Or was she a willing seductress? I think Hunt gives a balanced and unbiased explanation of what might have happened. Based on her own research into what scripture has to say about the incident, she has created a sympathetic character who must make a future despite abuse, violence and grief. David is Israel’s anointed king, a man after God’s own heart, but also a man who doesn’t rule his own household wisely and gives into lustful passions. This story doesn’t end here though. The turbulent history of the later years of David’s reign are told in a flowing narrative from the first person perspectives of Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet. The two viewpoints give unique insights. Others that play pivotal roles during this time in Israel’s history — David’s wives, sons, advisors and military leaders — are written with depth. Intrigue and betrayal are hallmarks of the time of David. His sin brings calamity down on his own house and the nation of Israel. Sin is never secret — a theme that is played over and over in Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty. David often acted according to his own desires because ” . . . he believed he would get away with sin”. Aren’t we all guilty of that? Repentance and forgiveness are the remedies, and this novel portrays that as well. If there is a take away from this novel it is that there is sorrow in sin, but joy in the Lord. Faithful to scripture and written with historical detail and a heart for the subject matter, Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty is a highly recommended read! Highly Recommended. Audience: adults. Great for Book Clubs. (Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
M**R
Riveting account of David and Bathsheba
The story of David and Bathsheba is brought to life in this vivid retelling that doesn’t gloss over the ugly edges to the beginning of one of the Bible’s most renowned love stories. Israel’s beloved King David is shown as both a strong leader and a man of the flesh who struggled with sin and often failed. The Bible tells us that despite David’s many sins God forgave him because of a repentant heart and a spirit that truly sought the will of the Lord. This book takes the reader from the start of David’s pursuit of Bathsheba through his death and Solomon’s ascension to king. Sandwiched in between, the author shares the turmoil that plagued David’s reign. From rape, incest, murder, family upheaval, political machinations, and attempted coups, the characters, time period, and setting are all portrayed with striking clarity. The message of forgiveness and God’s grace is abundantly clear. During his darkest times, David turned to the Lord for solace and trusted in His promises and guidance. I really liked the way the author shared Bathsheba’s point of view, and also that of Nathan the prophet. The book stayed with me long after finishing it, and I would highly recommend it, especially to readers who enjoy fictional retellings of the Old Testament.
S**L
Seductress or Saint? Which was Bathsheba--and What Can She Teach Us About God?
In Reluctant Beauty, Angela Hunt tackles one of the Bible's most sordid stories. With a lustful king, an eye-catching common woman, and the lush backdrop of ancient Israel, the story of David and Bathsheba has all the ingredients of the steamiest modern love story. Here though, Angela underlines the terrible consequences of the affair, and brings both characters to redemption despite the fact that those consequences continue for decades. Without compromising Scripture, Angela Hunt takes readers directly into the heart of Bathsheba, the woman whose beauty cost her everything, and the woman who eventually gained a pure and beautiful heart. Bathsheba, David, Nathan the prophet, and other familiar Biblical people leap off the page in Reluctant Beauty. In exquisite and painful detail, Angela lets readers see everyone's strong points and their flaws. She digs deep into each character's psyche, filing in details of what they might have thought or felt based on their circumstances, culture, and the commands of Adonai. Bathsheba in particular possesses a memorable voice, one that leaves nothing to the imagination. Readers empathize with and root for her as she copes with the aftermath of David's actions, attempts to love him, and attempts to raise Solomon safely to manhood. I loved the addition of Samuel's prophecy over Bathsheba; although not recorded in Scripture, it's not a stretch at all, considering Samuel's gift and perspicacity. The prophecy gives Bathsheba complex, but wholly relatable motivations even when she doesn't make the best decisions. Speaking of not making the best decisions, let's get to David. Whew, what a daring portrait Angela paints of Israel's most beloved king. In her historical note, she muses that Christians and Jews may have put David on too much of a pedestal to see his humanity. She's not shy about exploring the distinct possibility that Bathsheba was raped, or that David spent much of his later life as an extremely sinful man. That's what I love about this version of David, though. Through him, Angela lets readers live in the tension between sincerely loving God and daily battling the flesh. She lets readers see the face of a God who allows natural consequences of sin to play out, but still holds His children close and doesn't turn His back on them. Here, David is the furthest thing from saintly, innocent, or even wholly repentant at times. And I have to say, it's a refreshing change. Angela's secondary characters, from Nathan to Michal to Abigail to Absalom, add shading and color to this gorgeous oil painting of a book, while remaining true to the Bible's "sketches." By the end of Reluctant Beauty, I felt I knew these characters in new ways, and understood them as people. I related to their struggles, questions, and journeys, especially when each dealt with the hand of Adonai in their lives. Of particular note is the scene where Michal loses her five nephews/adopted sons, all casualties of war and court politics. Like Michal and Bathsheba, I have asked God, "Why? What were You thinking? How could this be part of Your plan, and why did You break my heart?" But as with Michal, Bathsheba, and so many other Biblical people, God is faithful and merciful even when He ultimately says, "You don't need the answer right now." Reluctant Beauty gets a little long-winded, especially near its end. I wonder if we needed to see every event in David's later life to get the point of his and Bathsheba's journeys. That being said, I fully appreciate Angela's dedication to detail, her painstaking work, and her finished product. Like Esther's story, Bathsheba's left me wanting much more Biblical fiction from this author.
M**E
I'm hooked!
This is my 5th Angela Hunt book. She has such an interesting and discerning mind, able to dig up Biblical history staying faithful to the word yet exploring possible narratives where there are gaps in the stories. I can't put her books down, and this book about Bathsheba is no different. What an amazing rendering of the woman, her life and her struggles. Being one of the wives of a great king had to be very challenging for her. Now I'm looking forward to meeting her in Heaven and hearing her stories from her own lips. Thank you, Angela Hunt! I'm on to Delilah next!
D**Y
I enjoyed this!
Fun book to read. Embellished history but was reasonably close to what we know from the Bible.
L**Y
Fair
Personal info
Q**E
A new view of a historic Biblical figure
I love this author! She makes Bible stories "3D" so to speak ... making these historical figures into real people with real problems, sin, and trials. She stays true to the Biblical base yet fleshes out the characters to people you can identify with. Not only was Bathseba brought to life in the book, but she made King David so real, so full of sin, yet so full of God's grace. I've read several other books of hers and they are all wonderful. She can keep writing about Biblical people ... and I will keep reading!
R**M
challenging preconcieved ideas
having fallen in livr eith Angela Hunts first book Esther in this series i struggled to start this as it reslly challenged my perception of David and Bathesheba. however i soon began to realise my preconceptions were based on chuld like naivety that meant i was too far removed from truly understanding the perspecrive of Bathesheba. i soon fell in llve with this young womeb abd began to feel her pain and joy throughoujt her johrney. i cannot recommend this hughly enough. if like me you struggle at first persevere it truly is worth it.
O**A
Five Stars
So interesting. Couldn't put it down.
S**R
Excellent yet again
One more for my library collection, very well researched. Angela Hunt holds the reader intrigued throughout. Would recommend this to all who enjoy Bible facts coming to life in today's world.
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