By Kenneth B.E. Roxburgh, Ph.D.
Professor of Religion, Samford University
See Their Worth
2 Samuel 11:1–17
It would be easy to ignore or gloss over the story of David and Bathsheba.
Often writers on this incident will speak about how “God can use people who make a mess of life” or “God’s grace is sufficient to meet our needs.”
While these statements are true, they tend to avoid the stark reality of a political and religious leader who abused his position of power.
In our own contemporary context when more and more incidents of sexual exploitation are coming to our attention, we would do well to listen carefully to this particular story.
The story begins by suggesting David should have been with his men, offering leadership and example on the field of battle.
The question for David is not whether his troops will engage in battle but if he will stay at home.
Many of the biblical heroes of faith had several wives.
For instance, David had sexual relations with at least six wives prior to taking Bathsheba.
From the security of his royal house, David “saw,” he “sent,” he “took” and he “lay.”
He has the power and the persuasive ways to manipulate those around him to get what he wants. He wants Bathsheba.
Often in the telling of this story, it is suggested that Bathsheba should not have been bathing on the top of her roof.
In a similar way female victims of abuse are often accused of placing themselves in situations of danger or even provoking men to accost them. This sexual act is nothing less than a coercive use of power.
The word in Hebrew for “take” in verse 4 looks back to Samuel’s warning in 1 Samuel 8 about the action of kings who will take your sons, your daughters, your fields and your wealth (vv. 11–18).
Neither Bathsheba nor the men who were ordered to bring her to David had any power to refuse the king.
Second Samuel 11 is not primarily a story about adultery, although that is often how the incident is played out in sermon material.
This is first and foremost a story of the way in which a person of power manipulates and exploits people, especially women.
The outcome of the assault is that Bathsheba is pregnant. She has to send him a message, another humiliation.
Normally such an occasion would be filled with joy and gladness but on this occasion it leads into a major cover-up.
David sets in motion the plan to have her husband, Uriah, killed. She then suffers the indignity of having to live with her attacker, share his bed and have at least four other children.
Bathsheba is never viewed as a guilty party in this story. She survives her experience and ensures that a later child, named Solomon, will succeed David as king.
In Matthew’s account of the genealogy of Jesus, she is referred to as the “wife of Uriah” (Matt. 1:6). Even Matthew struggles to make sense of the incident. He doesn’t mention David’s name.
I am glad these texts are to be found in sacred Scripture because they remind me that we live in a real world.
We live in the world of the international sex trade. We live in a culture of high profile sex scandals involving broadcasters, politicians of every party and even church leaders.
Grace forgives but we live with the consequences.
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