Eliam אֱלִיעָם
Father of Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite
Who is Eliam in the Bible?
Eliam, also known as Ammiel, was the father of Bathsheba, mentioned in 2 Samuel 11:3. Bathsheba was initially the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's mighty men, but she became King David's wife after David committed adultery with her and arranged for Uriah's death in battle. Though Eliam appears only briefly in Scripture, his significance lies primarily in his connection to the events surrounding David's greatest moral failure and the subsequent birth of Solomon, who would become Israel's wisest king and David's successor. The variation between his two names, Eliam (meaning "God of the people") and Ammiel (meaning "my kinsman is God"), reflects the dual naming conventions sometimes found in biblical genealogies.
Biography
Eliam, also referred to as Ammiel, is mentioned in 2Sa.11.3 and 1Ch.3.5 as the father of Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's mighty men. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and after discovering that she was pregnant, he arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. David then married Bathsheba, and their first child died as a consequence of David's sin. Later, Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon, who would succeed David as king. The name Eliam means "God of the people," while Ammiel means "my kinsman is God." The reason for the variation in Eliam's name is not explicitly stated in the biblical text.
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 11:3
"So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”"
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 3:5
"and these sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. These four were born to him by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֱלִיעָם |
| Named | Hebrew | עַמִּיאֵל |