The story of David and Bathsheba is often viewed simply as a moral lesson on lust, deceit, and repentance. Yet, through the teachings of Neville Goddard, it emerges as a profound allegory of consciousness, imagination, and the vital process of inner transformation necessary for true manifestation.
A Story of Desire, Deception, and Divine Order
King David, Israel’s beloved ruler, experiences a moment that forever changes his life. One evening, as he walks on the roof of his palace, he sees a woman bathing. The woman is Bathsheba, “very beautiful to look upon”:
“And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.”
— 2 Samuel 11:2 (KJV)
Struck by desire, David sends for her and sleeps with her, despite knowing she is the wife of Uriah, one of his most loyal soldiers. When Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David attempts to cover the truth. Uriah, however, refuses to go home while his comrades are in battle. Frustrated, David orchestrates Uriah’s death by sending him to the frontline of the fiercest battle:
“And David sent Uriah to the battle before the hottest fight, and commanded Joab, saying, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.’”
— 2 Samuel 11:15 (KJV)
After Uriah’s death, David marries Bathsheba. Their first child dies, but following repentance and inner change, they have another son: Solomon, whose name means “Peace.”
David: The “Beloved” State of Consciousness
In Neville Goddard’s framework, David symbolises the spiritually awakened self — the “I AM” in action. He represents the conscious director, the imaginative power aware of its role in creation. David is the beloved, favoured state capable of choosing and assuming new identities.
Yet, David’s actions reveal the danger of attempting to manifest new realities without a true inner shift. Instead of dying to the old self, he tries to forcibly take what he desires, leading to spiritual conflict.
Bathsheba: The “Daughter of the Oath” — Desire Waiting to be Fulfilled
Bathsheba’s name means “daughter of the oath” or “completion,” signalling a sacred promise or perfect desire awaiting union with consciousness. She is not temptation but the embodied vision of what is possible.
However, she is already “married” to Uriah — an old state or belief still binding that desire to the past self. Until Uriah is truly released, the desire cannot be lawfully assumed.
Uriah: The “God is My Light” — The Old State That Must Die
Uriah represents the former assumption of self — loyal, disciplined, but belonging to the past. David’s orchestrated death of Uriah symbolises an attempt to reject the old self without true surrender or transformation.
The Child That Dies: The Failure of Premature Manifestation
The death of David and Bathsheba’s first child reflects the failure of a manifestation born out of conflict and divided consciousness — an assumption made while still holding onto the old.
Redemption and Peace: The Birth of Solomon
After repentance and inner realignment, David and Bathsheba conceive Solomon, “Peace.” He embodies the fruit of lawful union between awakened imagination and fully embraced desire, a true inner harmony allowing manifestation to flourish.
“Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.”
— 2 Samuel 12:24 (KJV)
The Song of Solomon: The Poetic Celebration of Fulfilled Union
The Song of Solomon is traditionally attributed to Solomon and poetically celebrates the loving, intimate union between the beloved (David/the awakened self) and the bride (Bathsheba/the fully realised desire).
Some verses beautifully echo this sacred relationship:
“My beloved is mine, and I am his...”
— Song of Solomon 2:16
“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death...”
— Song of Solomon 8:6
These intimate declarations reflect the peace, wisdom, and inner harmony that arise when desire and consciousness unite in lawful assumption — the ultimate creative act Neville Goddard described.
Final Thoughts
David and Bathsheba’s story is not merely about human failing; it is a spiritual allegory showing that manifestation without transformation leads to failure. Desire must be lawfully assumed only after the old self is surrendered. Only then can peace (Solomon) be born, and the “Song of Solomon” — the poetic celebration of this divine union — resound.
This ancient story, read anew, offers a powerful map for anyone seeking to embody new states of being with true inner alignment.
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