Were they born in this order?
Radak: No. Shlomo was Bas Sheva's first son after the first baby died ? "va'Yinachem David Es Bas Sheva? va'Teled Ben va'Tikra Es Shmo Shlomo" (Shmuel II, 12:24).
Vilna Gaon: Shlomo was the greatest Chacham. We cannot say that they are listed in order of their Chachmah! (Rather, they are in order of birth 1 .) This is difficult, for Sanhedrin 69b inferred from Shlomo that previous generations were able to have children at the age of eight. (His great grandfather Achitofel was only 24 years older than him.) If he was the fourth son, we could have proved that they gave birth even younger, from her previous sons and the baby who died! 2
Malbim: No. Shlomo was first, like is clear from Sefer Shmuel 3 . Here he is listed last, like this Sefer often casts off the pebbles (what is not significant) first, for after it wants to begin the lineage of Shlomo and his sons (verse 10 4 ).
We find that children are listed in order of birth, or Chachmah, or [when relevant] kingship (refer to Melachim II, 24:7:1:2) or marriage (refer to Bamidbar 36:11:1:1). We do not find them listed in other orders, e.g. of their Yir'as Shamayim. (PF)
Perhaps we learn only from what is explicit in the verses. E.g. some learn from Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar that Reshus ha'Rabim must have 600,000 people, even though surely there were much more than this if we include women, children and the Erev Rav. In any case, we cannot prove that they gave birth earlier. Perhaps Shlomo was born the same year as Shim'a, e.g. the first three sons were triplets, and the first baby was a Nefel! (PF)
Presumably, he means like Radak says (refer to 3:5:1:1). Shmuel II, 5:14 lists them in the same order as here! Will Malbim say that also Sefer Shmuel casts off the pebbles first?
Bas Sheva bas Eli'am was Shlomo's mother. Why does it say here Bas Shu'a bas Ami'el?
Radak, Malbim: Some called her Bas Sheva and some Bas Shu'a, for these are close to each other. Also Eli'am and Ami'el are the same, just the letters are re-arranged.
