KING DAVID’S ‘POWER RAPE’ AND PUNISHMENT; AN EXEGICAL STUDY OF 2SAMUEL 11:1-27

Abstract

David’s encounter with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11: 1 – 27 has always been considered as adultery (which implies sexual consent) and the sin of murder of Uriah the husband of Bathsheba. He has always been exempted from the sin of rape especially amongst Christian clerics and Christians at large. David was appointed king due to the demand on Prophet Samuel to give them a king that will lead them in war. David as a king understood the due process on how to appropriately take on a wife. This he showed in case of Abigail. Rape is explained as the use of one’s power, position and status over another person to force or coerce that person into sex acts without the person’s full consent. David in 2 Samuel 11, sent and ‘took’ (‘took’: from the Hebrew root word ‘ לקחlaqach’ pronounced ‘law-kakh’ meaning carry away, fetch, seize, takeaway) Bathsheba. This implied the use of force. David gave an order to his messengers to ‘fetch’, an order which must be obeyed and even if Bathsheba does not want to go with them. The instruction ‘ לקחlaqach’ meaning to fetch, seize implies to forcefully bring with them Bathsheba. This is a command that must be obeyed. Bathsheba at this point had no will power of saying no; this is in fact the use of force to summon Bathsheba before the King, for his sexual gratification despite having many wives and concubines at his disposal. Hence Bathsheba consent was not sort, she was simply taken forcefully to meet the King as he demanded, who then exercised his sexual desires by having sexual connections with her. Having re-examined this encounter between David and Bathsheba which has always been described as adultery (implying Bathsheba sexual consent) it is however evident that the act was actually that of sexual power in other words ‘rape’.