Read It for Yourself!

Many are the ideas and suppositions about the stories of the Bible. I read with interest an article on King David and his sin with Bathsheba in a Christian magazine. The author called David a rapist. Shocking? Yes, I have to count myself among those who heard and once believed Bathsheba was at fault too. But, years ago, I researched (read the scriptures) and wrote an article on the subject. Although I did not go so far as to label David a rapist, I did point out that Bathsheba had few options under the circumstances. For those who believe she seduced David, look at the prophet Nathan’s analogy when he confronted David with his sin (2 Samuel 12). King David is portrayed as the greedy rich man with many sheep, who takes the poor man’s (Uriah’s) one beloved lamb (Bathsheba). Nathan’s rebuke showed Bathsheba as no more guilty than the little lamb forcibly taken by the rich man. Just as the rich man used his overbearing power to take what he wanted, so did David. Bathsheba was forced to submit to the king. But, don’t believe me, read it for yourself!