Judah: Leah’s fourth son with Jacob
Zilpah: Leah’s serving girl
Bilhah: Rachel’s serving girl
Dan: Bilhah’s first son that she gave to Rachel
Naphtali: Bilhah’s second son that she gave to Rachel
Gad: Zilpah’s first son given to Leah
Asher: Zilpah’s second son given to Leah
Issachar: Leah’s fifth son with Jacob
Zebulun: Leah’s sixth son with Jacob
Joseph: Rachel’s firstborn with Jacob
Dinah: Leah’s daughter with Jacob
Benjamin: Rachel’s second born with Jacob
Manasseh: Joseph’s older son
Ephraim: Joseph’s younger son
Now that you’ve enjoyed The Sons of Isaac, here’s a look at more biblical fiction from Roberta.
Here’s what others have to say about David & Bathsheba:
“David & Bathsheba is the kind of reading experience hard to find these days…engrossing, enriching…so that you do not want the book to end.” –Catherine Marshal, author of “CHRISTY”
“The troubled passion of Bathsheba and David is evoked with rare scholarly fidelity but more important to art, with profound insight into the well springs of human motivation. In our time the Bible has never prompted a finer fiction.” –Dr. Philip Herzbrun, Professor of English Literature, Georgetown
Prologue
It was evident to everyone in the crowded, darkened room that the king could not last through the night. There was a silence that seemed part of the very atmosphere. It was not a fearful, foreboding silence but a waiting silence, as though something very important and awesome were about to happen.
Family and friends tiptoed in and out of the room; old warriors awkwardly brushed tears from their eyes as they filed past his bed for a last glimpse; small grandchildren were held up to look at him and the women of the harem gathered together soberly in a frightened knot at the foot of his bed. They all sensed how barren and empty life would be without him and wanted to cling to every precious moment left to them.
The king reached out his hand to Bathsheba, and she took it and held it in both of hers bending over to hear the words he was struggling to speak. “You must not weep for me. This illness is unto death, but do not grieve. The Lord, Himself, has come to see me. His Shekinah glory has filled the room, and He has spoken to me of all that shall come to pass in the future. He has given me a message of hope for my people.” His voice was so weak she could barely hear him. “Nathan the prophet,” he continued with great effort, “has written it, that all may hear and be comforted.”
He motioned for Bathsheba to bring out a rolled parchment from under his mattress. He watched her unroll it and hand it to Nathan to read to the people.
The room grew quiet, the king’s eyes closed, and a gust of wind made the lamp’s flame bend and flutter as Nathan held the parchment to the light to see more clearly. When he finally spoke, his voice was strong and vibrant but mellowed with emotion. “These are the last words of David,” he said, pointing to the scroll. “David the son of Jesse speaks. David, the man whom God gave such wonderful success; David, the anointed one; David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.”
At these words the people wept and tore their robes and covered their faces. Their grief was that of small children who have heard their father is dying and don’t know where to turn for comfort. “These are the last words of your king,” Nathan spoke in a loud voice that carried over the noise of their grief. “Listen and be comforted.” Slowly the weeping quieted and the keening died down. A young scribe raised the lamp so that it shone on the scroll, and Nathan began to read the words that God had given to David.
The Spirit of the Lord spoke to me,
And His word was on my tongue.
The Rock of Israel said to me,
“One shall come who rules righteously,
Who rules in the fear of God.”
He shall be as the light of the morning;
A cloudless sunrise
When the tender grass springs forth upon the earth;
As sunshine after rain.
And, it is my family He has chosen.
Yes, God has made an everlasting covenant with me;
His agreement is eternal, final, sealed.
He will constantly look after
My safety and success.
The godless are as thorns to be
Thrown away, for they tear the hand that touches them.
One must be armed to chop them down;
They shall be burned.
When the reading stopped the room was quiet, no one moved, it had grown dark and the shutters were drawn against the mounting gusts of wind. The king’s bed was outlined by two flickering lamps at its head and by the lamp held by the young scribe. With a great effort the old king opened his eyes and looked out past Bathsheba and the people who stood round his bed. He struggled to speak, “A great one is coming—an anointed one, Messiah, will sit on my throne, and He will rule righteously.”