Bathsheba

Bathsheba by Jill Eileen Smith is the third book in the Wives of King David Series. Bathsheba is the beautiful young wife of Uriah, one of King David's Thirty, his leading warriors. War often keeps Uriah away from home, and Bathsheba is lonely and a bit angry that his absence has kept her from becoming pregnant. She knows a child would fill her heart and keep her from missing her husband quite so much, but Uriah is devoted to all of the various rules and rituals of the church, as well as his king. King David has just faced the death of his beloved Abigail, the only wife he has truly loved and the one that kept him from marrying other wives. Her faith in Adonai fueled his, but now that she's gone, David feels lost and refuses to lead his troops into battle in his depression. Smith has a wonderful talent for bringing to life the well-known stories of the Bible, breathing fresh air into them and giving readers new perspective and insight. The story is rich with historical detail until readers can practically see the bustling markets. King David's court is thick is manipulation and jostling for power from Ahithopel, Bathsheba's grandfather, to David's son's who fear any threat to their control. Smith makes Bathsheba and David both incredibly sympathetic and real. Even readers who are familiar with the story and know how it ends will find themselves holding their breath at each turn of the page. Smith is one of the best writers of biblical fiction today.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book for review. Available March 2011 from Revell, a division of the Baker Publishing Group at your favorite bookseller.