“She of Uriah” (Matthew 1,6): An Evocative and Multivalent Genealogical Annotation

Abstract

Abstract This article examines an aspect of Matthew’s unique reference to Bathsheba that is often neglected in discussions of the women in the genealogy, namely the position of this genealogical annotation within the three-part generational structure of Matthew’s genealogy (Matt 1,17). It will be argued that consideration of the structural position of this annotation points to its intentional multivalence. Matthew refers to Bathsheba as “she of Uriah” to create conceptual and structural connections with multiple components of Jesus’s genealogy. To develop this thesis, the article discusses the integrated narrative function of Matthew’s genealogical annotations, examines the distinct structural position of “she of Uriah” within the genealogy, and demonstrates how its multivalence sharpens contemporary readings of the women in Matthew’s genealogy.