And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of {c} Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:

(c) Called also Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam: for they gave them various names.

Wesley's Notes

3:5 Four - All David's children by her, as the text positively affirms: and therefore Solomon is called her, only son, Prov 4:3, because she loved him as if he had been so. Ammiel - Called also Eliam, 2Sam 11:3.

King James Translators' Notes

Shimea: or, Shammua

Bathshua: or, Bathsheba

Ammiel: or, Eliam

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel-or, "Bath-sheba" (2Sa 11:3), and there her father is called "Eliam." Of course Solomon was not her "only son," but he is called so (Pr 4:3) from the distinguished affection of which he was the object; and though the oldest, he is named the last of Bath-sheba's children.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-24 Genealogies. - Of all the families of Israel, none were so illustrious as the family of David: here we have a full account of it. From this family, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. The attentive observer will perceive that the children of the righteous enjoy many advantages.

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Chapter 3

Of all the families of Israel none was so illustrious as the family of David. That is the family which was mentioned in the foregoing chapter (v. 15). Here we have a full account of it. I. David's sons (v. 1-9). II. His successors in the throne as long as the kingdom continued (v. 10-16). III. The remains of his family in and after the captivity (v. 17-24). From this family, "as concerning the flesh, Christ came."

Verses 1-9

We had an account of David's sons, 2 Sa. 3:2, etc., and 5:14, etc. 1. He had many sons; and no doubt wrote as he thought, Ps. 127:5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of these arrows. 2. Some of them were a grief to him, as Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah; and we do not read of any of them that imitated his piety or devotion except Solomon, and he came far short of it. 3. One of them, which Bath-sheba bore to him, he called Nathan, probably in honour of Nathan the prophet, who reproved him for his sin in that matter and was instrumental to bring him to repentance. It seems he loved him the better for it as long as he lived. It is wisdom to esteem those our best friends that deal faithfully with us. From this son of David our Lord Jesus descended, as appears Lu. 3:31. 4. Here are two Elishamas, and two Eliphelets, v. 6, 8. Probably the two former were dead, and therefore David called two more by their names, which he would not have done if there had been any ill omen in this practice as some fancy. 5. David had many concubines; but their children are not named, as not worthy of the honour (v. 9), the rather because the concubines had dealt treacherously with David in the affair of Absalom. 6. Of all David's sons Solomon was chosen to succeed him, perhaps not for any personal merits (his wisdom was God's gift), but so, Father, because it seemed good unto thee.