Thread by @RabbiHarvey

Well friends, we've been seeing a lot of Christian nonsense about the David/Bat Sheva story and a few of you wonderful followers, especially @_nomadic_soul have been asking for a #thread on the matter, so how can I say no? Sit back, and enjoy this one. #threadsofthreads

As a Jew, and biblical scholar, it is difficult to see how anyone could read this story as a David apologist, but apparently it's out there and I think it's important to understand the biblical author's intentions, and the commentator's reactions, and who they were. /1

These are men who are the authors, men who are the commentators, and men who are the church fathers later looking to make David their hero and unblemished. But let's set the stage: /2

So David is just hanging out, feeling peckish, and gets up and looks from his room down into a window and sees a beautiful naked woman. As a King and warrior, he is used to getting what he wants (whether that be women, men, or spoils of war) so he uses his power to find out.../3

...who she is. Turns out, she's the wife of one of his commanders, Uriah. Apparently, David doesn't care. He wants her. So as a King, he sends servants to go "fetch her" meaning basically to kidnap her, and bring her to his castle, to have sex with her..../4

Let's take a moment and realize how much happens between verse 4 and 5, this is rapid succession of time. So let's talk about verse 4. What's important here on the surface is that the text is silent on her reactions. Nothing. No dialogue, no fighting back, nothing. /5

A historical look would indicate that the author didn't need to put anything in there because what could a woman in the biblical world have to say that would matter to a king who pulls her from her house to have sex with her? Her submission is expected and forced. /6

Not only is this an act of adultery, but rape. Moreover, it is not a secret act. David had to send messengers and thus he was so bold and arrogant that he couldn't care less who knew he was taking another man's wife and raping her, then sending her back home defiled. /7

Now, some biblical scholars and sages will argue that Bat Sheva's later actions on the matter of her son's succession to the throne would indicate an "active" role in the rape. I find this view absurd and insulting, and a heartless view. What a woman chooses to do.../8

...regarding her son (from a rape) has nothing to do with her passive or active response to the rape itself, and to insinuate that during the rape, Bat Sheva was thinking she could gain something from this is also disgusting and misogynistic. Nevertheless, it is a common.../9

...male view of the story.
But, as we continue to read, we recognize just how devious David is. He attempts to cover up the rape and impregnation of another man's wife by getting her husband to sleep with her and cover it up. /10

When this plan doesn't work, David uses his power as King to literally send Uriah, the husband of his rape victim, to the front lines to die. Apologists will (and have) argue that David didn't actually kill Uriah, but that's absurd. It's as clear as day that David wishes.../11

...to send Uriah to the front in order to die and erase any issues. We learn of course that Bat Sheva mourns the death of her husband, which again takes away any idea that she was "in on it" or had any active role. /12

Imagine, you're a woman living in biblical times, the king sends men to come take you to him, he rapes you, sends you home, you end up pregnant, he tries to send your husband to cover it up and when that fails, he sends your husband to the front lines to kill him. /13

David, gentleman that he is, waits until the mourning period is over and then kidnaps her and marries her. Remember the power dynamic here. David is the King. Women don't agree to marry Kings. Kings decide to whom they're marrying. And finally, how on earth.../14

Can the male commentators do gymnastics around the last sentence of that verse, "God was displeased with what David had done!" And a punishment and prophecy is laid out where David admits his wrongdoing! Hello??? David is no hero here, he is guilty as hell. /15

Rashi, the famous french 10th century commentator, who comments on EVERYTHING, has very little to say about the rape incident, most likely because he found it so problematic. But with the death of Uriah he says: . "In order for [Batsheva] to be divorced [from Urioh].../16

...retroactively. the result would be that [Dovid] did not cohabit with a married woman. Because all [soldiers] who went out to war wrote a conditional divorce document for their wife should they die in battle." That's it, that's all he has to say. /17

The truth is, men commentators will always attempt to defend male biblical characters. Hell, the rabbis try their best to reckon with Job saying that he must've done something unwritten to deserve it or that he was good but not "as good" as Abraham. It's in there! /18

But a critical look at the text shows that based on the political climate, power dynamics, and events, David forced himself onto a married woman, got her pregnant, tried to cover it up, got her husband killed, and pissed off God. Bat Sheva is innocent of any wrong doing../19

...despite what the David loving men would wish us to believe. She was not an active participant in the rape, and what she did later to help make a future for her son has nothing to do with her victimhood under David's power. I hope this thread helps!
/END

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