Bathsheba is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "daughter of the oath" from the elements baṯ ("daughter") and shavaʿ ("oath"). In the Old Testament, she is a central figure whose story is primarily told in 2 Samuel 11–12.EtymologyThe name Bathsheba is often interpreted as "daughter of the oath" or "daughter of Sheba" (referring to a place or people). In Biblical Hebrew, it is spelled בַּת־שֶׁבַע (Baṯ-šeḇaʿ). The Greek Septuagint renders it as Bērsabee, while the Latin Vulgate has Bethsabee. Variant forms include Bethsabée in Biblical French and Bat-sheva in Modern Hebrew.Biblical NarrativeBathsheba was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, a soldier in King David's army. According to 2 Samuel 11, David saw Bathsheba bathing and, desiring her, summoned her and she became pregnant. To conceal the affair, David ordered Uriah to be placed in the front lines of battle, where he was killed. David then married Bathsheba. The prophet Nathan confronted David, leading to David's repentance and the death of the couple's first child as divine punishment. Later, Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon, who succeeded David as king. Bathsheba played a key role in securing Solomon's succession (1 Kings 1), serving as Gebirah ("Great Lady") of the kingdom.Cultural SignificanceIn Jewish and Christian traditions, Bathsheba is often a figure of controversy: sometimes depicted as a victim of David's power, other times criticized as a seductress. She is also an ancestor of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (1:6). Her name has been used in Western art and literature, including Rembrandt's painting Bathsheba at Her Bath. In modern times, Batsheva and Bathsheba are used as given names, particularly among Jewish and Christian communities.Notable BearersWhile the Bible's Bathsheba is the primary bearer, other notable figures include Barbados's Bathsheba (a coastal town named after her) and Bathsheba Smyth (an 18th-century Irish apologist). The name also appears in works of fiction such as Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd.Meaning: "daughter of the oath"Origin: HebrewType: Biblical given nameUsage: English Bible, Hebrew (as Batsheva)