Spoke 7

Judges, Joel, Colossians

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Seventh Commandment

The Sin of David with Bathsheba is the greatest violation of the Seventh Commandment to be found in Scripture. There is a deep relation between his sin, the person he committed it with, and the ordinal placement of the Commandment. As discussed at length in the article Seven and Scripture, the Hebrew word for Seven - (Sheva) - is a triliteral root that also means Oath, and to Swear. Thus, Bathsheba means either Daughter of an Oath, or Daughter of Seven. In either case, her name is intimately associated with the commandment that was violated.

This is also integrated with the Psalms Cycle, where the name Bathsheba is found only in the heading to Psalm 51 which is on Cycle 3 of Spoke 7:

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Integration with the Seventh Commandment is amplified in the punishment the Lord poured out upon both David and Bathsheba with the death of the child of their illicit union occurring on the seventh day. (II Samuel 12.18).