Bathshua, the daughter of Ammiel - Both names are here given in an unusual form, but it may be doubted whether in either case there has been any corruption. In "Bathshua," for "Bathsheba," a ו (v) replaces the ב (b) of the earlier writer, "w" and "b" having nearly the same sound. In "Ammiel," for "Eliam," the two elements which form the name are inverted, as in Jehoiachin equals Jechoniah, and the like.

Shimea, and Shobab - Solomon is mentioned last, though he was the eldest of these four sons, because the genealogy was to be continued from him. Bath-shua בת שוע is the same as Bath-sheba, בת שבע the ו vau being put by mistake in the former for ב beth in the latter.

And these were born unto him in Jerusalem,.... Whose names follow, in all nine; there are but seven mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:14 the reason of which see in the notes there; See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:14. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:15. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:16. it may be observed that Bathsheba is here called Bathshua, and her father Ammiel, whose name is Eliam in 2 Samuel 11:3, names of much the same signification.

In Jerusalem thirteen other sons were born to him, of whom four were the children of Bathsheba. The thirteen names are again enumerated in the history of David, in 1 Chronicles 14:7-11, which in the parallel passage, 2 Samuel 5:14-16, only eleven are mentioned, the two last being omitted (see on the passage). Some of the names are somewhat differently given in these passages, owing the differences of pronunciation and form: שׁמעה is in both places שׁמוּע; אלישׁמע, between Ibhar and Eliphalet, is in 1 Chronicles 14 more correctly written אלישׁוּע. Elishama is clearly a transcriber's error, occasioned by one of the following sons bearing this name. אליפלט, shortened in 1 Chronicles 14:6 into אלפּלט, and נוגה, are wanting in 2 Samuel 5:15, probably because they died early. אלידע, 1 Chronicles 3:8, 2 Samuel 5:16, appears in 1 Chronicles 14:7 as בּעלידע; the mother also of the four first named, בּתשׁוּע, the daughter of Ammiel, is elsewhere always בּת־שׁבע, e.g., 2 Samuel 11:3, and 1 Kings 1:11, 1 Kings 1:15, etc.; and her father, Eliam (2 Samuel 11:3). בּתשׁוּע has been derived from בּתשׁוע, and בּתשׁוע is softened from בּתשׁבע; but אליעם has arisen by transposition of the two parts of the name עמּיאל, or Ammiel has been altered to Eliam. Besides these, David had also sons by concubines, whose names, however, are nowhere met with. Of David's daughters only Tamar is mentioned as "their sister," i.e., sister of the before-mentioned sons, because she had become known in history through Amnon's crime (2 Samuel 13).

And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of {c} Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:

(c) Called also Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam: for they gave them various names.

3:5 Four - All David's children by her, as the text positively affirms: and therefore Solomon is called her, only son, Prov 4:3, because she loved him as if he had been so. Ammiel - Called also Eliam, 2Sam 11:3.

Shimea: or, Shammua

Bathshua: or, Bathsheba

Ammiel: or, Eliam

5. four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel-or, "Bath-sheba" (2Sa 11:3), and there her father is called "Eliam." Of course Solomon was not her "only son," but he is called so (Pr 4:3) from the distinguished affection of which he was the object; and though the oldest, he is named the last of Bath-sheba's children.

3:1-24 Genealogies. - Of all the families of Israel, none were so illustrious as the family of David: here we have a full account of it. From this family, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. The attentive observer will perceive that the children of the righteous enjoy many advantages.