Commentary for Sanhedrin 138:10

ויצו אל ביתו ויחנק וכתיב (תהלים נה, כד) אנשי דמים ומרמה לא יחצו ימיהם ותניא כל שנותיו של דואג אינן אלא שלשים וארבע ושל אחיתופל אינן אלא שלשים ושלש כמה הויא להו תלתין ותלת דל שבע דהוה שלמה פש להו עשרים ושית דל תרתי שני לתלתא עבורי אשתכח דכל חד וחד בתמני אוליד

which leaves [Ahitophel] twenty-six years old at his birth. Now deduct two years for the three pregnancies, leaving each eight years old when he begot a child.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Ahitopel begat Eliam (ii), Eliam begat Bath Sheba (i), and Bath Sheba begat Jedidiah, i.e., Solomon (iii). Now even allowing only seven months for each pregnancy, these three must have taken nearly two years (Rashi tries to prove that it would take exactly two years, by allowing an additional month in each case for pre-conception menstruation and purification; but this is difficult, and it is preferable to assume with Tosaf. that the two years are approximate). Thus twenty four years are left for the three generations, giving eight years for each: Ahitopel must have been eight years at the conception of Eliam; Eliam eight years at the conception of Bath Sheba; Bath Sheba eight years at the conception of Solomon. ');">¹⁷</span> But why so? Perhaps both [Ahitophel and Eliam] were nine years old [at conception], Bath Sheba being only six years when she conceived, because a woman has more [generative] vitality; the proof being that she bore a child before Solomon?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that in any ease we are bound to assume a lower age for her conception. ');">¹⁸</span>

Explore commentary for Sanhedrin 138:10. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.