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I appreciated this installment of the Lineage of Grace series the farther I progressed in the book. The initial chapters centering the age discrepancy between Bathsheba and David suggest that Bathsheba may have cultivated a girlish crush on the (at the time future) King were� awkward and uncomfortable. However, having persevered, I can see where the author is coming from in suggesting such foundations to the marriage between King David and Bathsheba, who first became Uriah’s wife.

I also appreciated how Rivers handled the scandal of both the initial adulterous transgression, David’s cover-up and Uriah’s (righteous) reaction. The events ripple out from the couple (who presumably had their own trust and betrayal challenges), through their households (as the first to realize something was amiss and absorb the betrayal), to their extended family (who were deeply wounded), and the kingdom beyond (who lost members due to the King’s order). This approach highlighted that sin impacts not just ourselves, but the community around us.

Another tricky topic explored in Unspoken is the political conflicts that crowd polygamous households as each mother represents both herself and her offspring to the sole husband. Royal polygamous households are especially treacherous, which the Biblical narrative illuminates in King David’s biography, as not only personal but royal power is in play. Rivers does a good job maintaining a separation between the royal household and the responsibilities of monarchial governance by communicating there is much happening in David’s rule that is off-stage from Bathsheba’s experience, some which overflows to the family rooms and some of which remains a mystery.

Contrasting the wickedness and worldliness of the above, Rivers introduces themes of grace, forgiveness and restoration through Bathsheba’s side of the story, which culminates in Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, securing the kingdom. Yet even as River’s writes of Bathsheba’s repentance and peace, she maintains the tensions that shaped Bathsheba’s life: confinement to the royal household, appeals to the King (whether husband or son), political machinations that threaten both her and her offspring, and the great divides between the ruler, his family, and his kingdom.

There is one scaffolding, employed by Rivers, that stumped me. I had to do some research in the Bible to unravel it; Francine Rivers constructed a genealogy for Bathsheba. It took me a while to find it in the Biblical text, but here it is:

“Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?�1 Samuel 11:3b

“And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.� 2 Samuel 15:12

“Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.� 2 Samuel 16:23

“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had� among the thirty...Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite� and Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all…� 2 Samuel 23:8a, 24, 34b, 39

Rivers has made the assumption that Eliam, Bathsheba’s father, is the same Eliam, Ahithophel’s son. It’s not an unreasonable assumption, as the name Eliam only appears in the Old Testament in these two verses (1 Sam 11:3b and 2 Sam 23:34b). David’s account of his mighty men and Eliam and Uriah’s presence among them, provides a context in which Bathsheba’s family may have been one of those following David and his warriors through the period of Saul’s pursuit of David. It also puts her family in the position of desiring an alliance with another mighty man, Uriah, and in close proximity to King David. This link allows Rivers to image Bathsheba’s early years traveling with David, who is not yet King. It also connects Bathsheba to Ahithophel as his granddaughter. Ahithophel is not only a key character in the growth of David’s kingdom, but also a conspirator against David as he ages (after he has taken Bathsheba as his final wife); Ahithophel conspires with Absalom in his attempt to take the kingdom from his father. Could it be that Ahithophel, previously faithful to King David, betrayed King David to his son Absalom, because he was angry that King David had adulterously taken his granddaughter, Bathsheba, as his wife after killing her husband, the faithful Uriah? It is a reasonable theory.

We don’t know anything about Eliam beyond these two verses. However, you can learn more about Ahithophel and the role he played in King David’s reign, here:


The Biblical historical fiction I appreciate the most gets me into the text and context of the Biblical account. Unspoken certainly motivated me to engage with the text through fresh perspectives, which is why I recommend it.

As throughout the Lineage of Grace series, Bathsheba is followed by a 5-day Bible study. However, I was disappointed that the Bible study neither explored the reasons for/ against this genealogy that Francine Rivers uses to drive Bathsheba’s story forward, nor discussed Ahithophel, who was King David’s counselor and friend. In addition, the Bible study did not explore Bathsheba’s changing role when Solomon became King.

This made me look at the other Bible studies differently as well. I would prefer they establish a baseline for the line between Biblical fact and artistic fiction by structuring group discussion of the Biblical passages as well as decisions made by the author. This would bring more illumination to the text and the creative process, as well as provide a hedge against complete ingestion of fiction in neglect of both the real characters and real experiences documented in the Bible.

I was also somewhat annoyed by a question in the first section, “Look again at 2 Samuel 11:1-5. List the ways of escape you can see that David ignored. Do the same for the woman.� Clunk. Why not mention Bathsheba by name?

However, the Bible study did do a good job of using other passages throughout Scripture to explain David & Bathsheba’s sin, confession, restoration, and fellowship with God. Therefore, I cannot say it lacks value. Perhaps it is a milky study, which is more approachable to those being introduced to the Bible, while I desire something a bit meatier.

There’s more! I've read Francine Rivers Lineage of Grace series and will follow it up with the Sons of Encouragement. If you want to follow along, the final novella of Lineage of Grace is:
Unafraid: Mary, Rivers, 2001
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Want to start at the beginning? The first Lineage of Grace novella was:
Unveiled: Tamar, Rivers, 2000
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