David and Bath Sheba (English)

[Manulaki]

It was the first time since the kingdom was given to him that he was spending the first days of the New Year in the palace. Everywhere people had celebrated the biggest event of the year. It was the eternal commandment from God since He had liberated them from the Egyptians that they should commemorate Passover, their salvation. It truly was one of the most beautiful moments of the year to think of God’s greatness, goodness and faithfulness toward Israel, but it also was one of the most difficult. In the beginning of every New Year, the king and his army were to fight against the enemies of the land that God had promised to them, but this year, something strange had kept him in the palace.
He had found himself in midst of a solitude that had given him a desire to meditate on what had happened. The passing year had been filled with events that had brought victory, longings, promises kept and, above all, goodness from God, whom he adored with all his power and might.
He was raised surrounded by the love of his parents and the romps of his brothers at a time when only love and grace could guard family and life. The people were under the yoke of their occupier, but not him and the spirit of his family. They were free in God of Israel, whom they worshiped, and awaited salvation from. Everyday, he would lean on his mother’s lap and with his curious eyes would wait to hear a story of deliverance from her. He would amaze himself at the miracles that his people had lived throughout the years with God, and caught in the passion of the Lord, he would ask the person who he thought knew everything: “Mom, why are we suffering now; don’t people remember God’s works anymore?” She would stroke his curly hair and with a warm voice would say: ”My son, people are weak, they are impatient, they forget goodness and they follow their own ways when they don’t understand. So is with our people; we have forgotten in our weakness. Keep your heart in the Lord’s will and you will always find grace and goodness in His ways.”
He would think of his mother ... that incredible being, fragile as he, strong like nothing else, undressed from life when near him, deep and endless in love toward the fruit of her womb. She would lose herself in his little bright eyes, which told her how much he loved her, and she would think of the time when she had given love unconditionally, without any doubts. In his deep glittery eyes, she would marvel herself, and she would bless that miracle that God Himself had given her. He was her beloved son. He was David.
He was her youngest son, but she regarded him as her firstborn. In her dreams and heart’s desires, she saw her son’s ways and knew that David was the pride of her hopes, in her soul she was the mother of the king, the mother of the victorious, and the mother of the one who was after God’s own heart. Delighting in this truth and humble in grace, she cherished... cherished his breathing, his little movements, cherished the looks in his eyes, cherished his curly hair that fell like little honeysuckle on his sweet face. She cherished him as she tried to stop time, to spend eternity with her little boy, who grew each day before her eyes. And he, he would follow every movement of her’s that would make the brightness in his eyes radiate, and smile of love. He would move his little hands to imitate her caresses and he would play with the goodness of her spirit. He would see himself in her eyes and would know he was their apple; he was their mirror of love, their splendor of dreams; he was her heart’s humility. He learned in her embrace that only God has such endless arms of warmth. He heard in her voice the sound of music, found poetry in her words, and met with love in her face. In her spirit he lived life, and was grateful that she was given to him. He, David, the man after God’s own heart, saw his future in the blessings and desires of his mother’s heart
He was but a youth, who didn’t know fighting with arms and human enemies, but his spirit was full of fire and passion for justice and freedom. It was a difficult time, his brothers were all in service to the king’s army, and they were fighting against the Philistines. David was the only one left home caring for his father’s sheep. Time after time he would visit his brothers and would bring them food or clothing, and he would encourage them with his spirit for victory in their battles. But his faith and desires alone were not enough for fighters like his brothers who had lost their hopes and strengths in a war where the enemy was more selfish than they were meek, more idolatrous than they were godly, more proud than they were humble, more coward than they were brave. A Philistine, with the body of a giant and the voice of a tyrant, had come out in the middle of the battlefield and was showing how swollen with pride he was inside his steel armor. None of the children of Israel would dare to even look at this blaring pretentious who with his big sized body, and his hoarse voice had won a battle that hadn’t even began. As David heard his voice, he was caught in his passion and was driven by his faith in God, and asked his brothers to take him before the king. They knew David well, they knew he was determined in his requests and achieved his goals, so they didn’t try to stop him, hoping that no matter what he would offer, the king would refuse him because of his young age.
As they were walking to the king’s tent, David started thinking of the times he had protected his father’s sheep from the beasts of the field. He would think of the words that he would say to the king, he would show him his faith in God, that faith that had never let him down, in caring for his father’s herd. When they got to the tent, the guards stopped them, questioned them, and then allowed them to get in. One of the brothers approached the king, who was in despair and disappointment:
“My lord and my king, our brother David, who has come here today to visit us, desires to offer you his service, for which my brothers and I disagree. “
David followed closely all the king’s movements, and was astonished at this man’s greatness, who was chosen by God to be the leader of Israel, but now was keeping his head low and his hand on his chin. He lifted up his eyes and started talking slowly:
“My son, son of my saddened hours, what has brought you here in this black day for my army? I know you play the harp so well; your songs are my peace, but what more can you do to save the honor of my fighters? Aren’t these valiant soldiers you see today set back by the yelling of this uncircumcised, the same soldiers that have fought by my side in battles? Don’t they know the zeal of fight and the way to victory? My son how can you come to me and what can you offer that will make these warriors and this army get on its feet again?”
His eyes were down with fatigue and his voice was drowned in the anguish of a battle that was fiercer than any other before. He had spent hours praying to God to give him this tyrant, but nobody, not even him, dared to face and fight him.
“My king and my lord, I don’t come to you in conceit, I don’t come to you in arrogance, otherwise I wouldn’t be more than this Philistine who’s blaspheming the name of our God. I have come to tell you that God keeps His promises. I have not fought with people, but I have fought beasts, and I know I don’t possess any strength other than what God gives me when I follow his promise. My father’s sheep are my promise, and not one of them have I lost, because God has been their guard. He has taught me how to wrestle the beasts, keep safe what is mine, and protect those gifts He has given me. I fear, but more than that I trust, more than fear I have God’s desire for this battle, and I know it is ours. I ask your blessing so that I may go out and conquer this fool dressed in iron. And if you don’t trust in God, just trust this, you will lose nothing, this battle has to start, give me the blessing to be the one to start it.”
Saul didn’t answer. He fixed his eyes on David’s body and was astounded at his faith and the strength of his spirit. He knew David, he was his comforter, and now he was offering him salvation, he was offering his life.
This youth had a heart full of melody and words of songs that made every evil flee, every difficulty ease, every darkness light, every obstacle solution, every enemy friend, and every hate love. This youth was showing the king that he wasn’t scared of fear, or shy of boldness, he was ready to take God and raid toward anything that didn’t let him prosper. Looking at his invincible eyes, his soul dressed with courage, Saul thought to himself: “Who am I to stop what God wants to do with this young man? He spoke to us, but we didn’t listen; now He comes to us with ears that hear, and a heart that obeys, who am I not let Him do what He has to do?”
“Go my son, and bring us the victory that God has promised you!”
These were his words, his blessing, and his acceptance. He let David go out in the field and watched him wearing nothing but his faith, approaching the Philistine fearlessly, holding a sling in his hand, and carrying five stones in his bag. God delivered the giant in his hands, and he put him down with a sling shot; a sling shot that made the field roar with shouts of victory, a sling shot that gave glory to God, whom he adored. David would never forget this moment that made him man and partaker in his peoples’ fight, a people who were in anguish for freedom and God’s Word

[Manulaki]

The celebration was over and his heart was filled with the events of that day, which had made him more than a king. He was the chosen of his people. As he was going to share his joy with his family, she came before him with a face where bitterness and irony had made their dwelling. She was like a golden dish filled with poison, she walked with beauty that was fading from the sorrows of the past, and she neared like a ghost that was hoping for a resurrection that was never promised. He could see in her eyes the rave of her father and Jonathan’s pure love. He could see the persecution of hate, and the support of affection, he could see his fight with the enemy, and the first love that she had given him. He could see the betrayal that had made her the woman of another man.
“You were really honorable today, o King of Israel, uncovering your nakedness in front of your servants, like only a foolish would.”
“I didn’t uncover in front of anyone but my God, and yes, I will make myself worthless to Him. As for my servants, they are the ones that will honor me.”
She remained embittered in her detestation and scorn, and departed to be but a past; a past that had secretly loved him for his greatness and boldness, a past that had longed for him and protected him, when the king wanted to kill him. A past that wouldn’t find peace in his glory as king and wouldn’t approve with the loss of her father’s life, who was the one that had taught her to be proud and pompous, who was the only king she ever knew. She left like a distant pain, like a past that gave him his manhood, but gave her poison and loss for all that her life was before he entered into it, as a crowned king.
As he was thinking on the love that she had given him, the hate and the scorn, the barrenness of her spirit, he realized that he was still walking on the terrace, and somewhere in the tail of his eye he captured something that was moving.
Curiosity took his sight to a slightly opened window, where he could notice in that half-darkened night the pleasing body of a graceful woman, whose face was reflecting sweetness in that embrace of night with the glowing splendor of the moon. He felt like his eyelashes were touching every dewdrop of water that had moistened her body, and the smoothness and softness of her milky skin filled his flesh with a rushing force of blood. Her brown hair, kissed by the sparkles of the stars, the eyes that gave charm to the night, her lips like sweet wine, her cheeks like fresh fruit, her delicate neck like a swan, her unadulterated shoulders, and her upright breasts, her belly like a field of drizzled green grass, her waist like a graceful stream, her legs like two marbled pillars, engraved with skillfulness; made him realize that none of his women was as perfect as she was, was as desirable as she was. He was stunned and lost in front of all he saw, and felt being in the middle of a struggle where he desired to fail.
A refreshing evening breeze helped him restrain these emotions, even though inside, he still was disturbed. He moved his feet that weren’t obeying, and with his mind possessed by this woman, walked toward his room. He was surprised at himself. He had never desired a woman this way before and never had he thought of her beauty so deeply. He was trying to convince himself that his wives were as beautiful as she, but her image stood like a soft-lighted shadow in his soul. “Was she married? To whom was she married?” These two questions made him feel exhausted and scared that she really was married to someone. He felt shame for this yearning that had invaded his heart and felt sadness at the thought that she might never be his. He looked around and found himself in his bed. Never had that bed been so big and so empty, nor had his room been filled so much with dreams and thoughts like that night. Scared that God would catch sight of this startling desire, he tried to gather one by one, all he had put into his mind, and bury them in the deep sea of his heart. He felt love for that woman, he felt need for her, and he felt embarrassed for all his feelings, because she could belong to someone else. He felt shame before his God, and for the first time he didn’t talk to Him for this beautiful thing that he experienced, he felt shame, because this time his heart was beating in injustice. He didn’t speak a word; he didn’t even ask for forgiveness. Touched with yearning, he felt chills go through his body, and his eyes shed tears of sorrow. Darkness was torturing him with thoughts and feelings he had never known before, and he felt mortified from all of them.

[Manulaki]

With the passion of a moment he had punished himself and the woman that he loved. How could he hide his guilt? He knew that God was his refuge, his secret place, but not now. Now he had become shameful to himself with something so beautiful. How could God accept him, when he didn’t accept himself? No, now he was on his own, and he had to think of something so that he or his beloved, or the child would not be punished.
Speechless, perplexed, stuck in his soul’s deception, he recalled God’s faithfulness, his own faithfulness toward God, he thought of that covenant that had made him special and different from Saul, the covenant of love and trust he had with God.
He had been king not for too long, when all the leaders of the tribes came to him with gifts and gratitude accepting him as king of all Israel and built him a palace in the city that he named after himself: City of David. Masterminded carpenters and bricklayers came and poured out their skills in building that palace, where he put his family, lived God’s faithfulness, and became king. Many times he had walked through the corridors of that palace, many times he had meditated on the terrace, and many times he had heard the cries and the laughters of the children filling the air. How many times had he heard the tip toeing steps of his concubines that walked with their heads down like buds that would bloom at the sound of his voice. How many times, the leaders of his army had shaken the foundations of that palace, in their rush to bring news from the battlefield. How many experiences, how many promises this palace held inside. And now, now he was filling it with the image of the one who had invaded his everything, even his faithfulness. He would dream of her walking that would make the tiles sound with joy, he would dream of the air moving through her clothes, the space fill with her voice, the house satisfy with the creature she would bring.

[Manulaki]

Her belly filled with a frightened joy, and she caressed it softly saying: “You, my child, the child of my transgression, innocence of my guilt, blessing of my curse, love of my sorrow, joy of my mourning, life of my loss, child of my king…” She was overwhelmed by sadness and couldn’t finish saying how much she loved that child. She felt the need of resting in Azubah’s lap, and stayed there with her lamentations, until weariness threw her inside herself to give her strength in the dawn of a new day, which would carry with it a season of loneliness and mourning.
And truly, that day left with the news that it had brought. Tomorrow came carrying other questions and doubts, another light, another life, another future. A future that seemed untouched by the past, unafraid of pain, filled with the same love that it hoped to find inside her.
She was sitting, dressed in black clothes that made her hair shine like sun rays in twilight, looking at Azubah as she was preparing the bread for the Shabbat. She had put the oil near the flower, and some crushed salt in a small plate of clay, while she was standing on her knees, and worked the dough that become whiter with every touch. She was pouring there all her strength, until it would become like a thin sheet, ready to bake.
As she saw her, and thought of her life, being pressed just like that dough, she heard a gentle knock on the door. She gestured to Azubah not to move, and got up to open the door. A little boy, with green eyes that seemed like a forest where you could get lost to find its beauty, with a face that radiated joy, and with dirty hands, holding a small oil dish spoke:
“Shabbat Shalom! My mother sent me for some oil for the bread. It’s almost sundown and she can’t go to the market.”
“Shabbat Shalom!” She answered and laughed with the little boy, who had remained faithful to his mother’s words. She turned toward Azubah, who was up by now, and was holding the oil dish in her hands.
“There you go my son, and tell your mother to not return it, because God will. Shabbat shalom!”
The little boy left walking carefully not to spill any of the oil that was given. Bath-Sheba saw him leaving till he became one with the road, and realized she hadn’t been out of the house for days. The air touched her pale face, the wind made her hair move under the black head-kerchief, and her clothes became bright from the sun. She lifted up her eyes to the sky; which was getting gloomy. She thought she heard God speak from that fog of clouds that was filling the horizon: “The sky is over the clouds, the sun comes after the storm, and you will go through your season of mourning to see joy in its season.” The baby inside her moved as if it heard those words. She went back inside and sat down to see Azubah preparing the bread. But the door knocked again, and this time, stronger than the first time.
“Don’t move my dear,” said Azubah, and got up to open the door. She was stunned seeing the king’s servant standing there holding a letter in his hands.
“Come on in,” she said looking around.
He entered, while Azubah closed the door.
“The king, my lord, has sent me to take Bath-Sheba in the palace. He requests that you become his wife."

[Manulaki]

. As he drew nearer, he heard her voice speaking to the infant with a sweetness that only a mother’s voice can have:
“One day, the Lord saw the most beautiful and the most shining star in the sky. He took it in his hand and brought it down on earth, and gave it to me. He put it in my tummy and one day that star came out of me in the form of a child. You are that child, you are, my precious Solomon!”
David felt his heart overwhelm with light and hope. He smiled and whispered gently:
“He will be called Solomon!”