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Ask Pastor John

Did Bathsheba Sin with David?

Ask Pastor John

Desiring God

John Piper, Unknown, 163859, Pastor, Ask, Theology, Desiring God, Religion & Spirituality/christianity, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Questions

4.83.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 January 2022

⏱️ 13 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Does the story of David and Bathsheba suggest that Bathsheba was a willing partner in his adultery, or that David took her against her will?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Well, did Bathsheba sin with David?

0:08.4

Now, was she complicit in the sin or was she simply taken advantage of?

0:13.3

It's an important Bible question and one that I see pop up on social media every now and

0:17.6

again.

0:18.6

Of course, it's also a sensitive question too.

0:20.2

So a heads up to those of you who listen with kids around.

0:24.5

The particular question this time arrived recently in the inbox from a listener named

0:27.7

Micah, who lives in Toronto.

0:29.4

Micah asks this, Pastor John, hello, I have a delicate Bible question I have been thinking

0:35.0

about for a long time about the misuse of a woman back in APJ 234.

0:39.6

You came right out and said that Bathsheba was raped by King David, a violation that

0:46.5

went against her will.

0:49.1

Most Bible scholars I read today leave the situation more vague and simply say that David

0:53.0

committed adultery with her, leaving her volition ambiguous, maybe even suggesting that

0:59.1

she was a willing participant in the sin.

1:02.4

Is there any evidence in the Bible text of whether Bathsheba was willing or unwilling

1:07.7

and from what I hear from feminists on the text?

1:10.7

His power as a male king over her, a subject would immediately classify this as a rape even

1:16.8

of she put up no resistance herself.

1:20.0

Are there any pointers for us in the text itself?

1:23.8

Yes, I think there are pointers that David exerted a kind of pressure on her to warrant

1:33.5

the accusation of rape.

...

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