Terry's Torah Musings

Alternative Views of Bathsheba in the David and Bathsheba Story

Review of the previous post

The previous post, post number 17 of 23, is the seventh post in a series of seven posts discussing the ramifications of Bathsheba’s actions as they relate to viewing her as a “victim”.

Preview of this post

This post, post number 18 of 23, poses the proposition that David was the victim in this episode.

David as the victim

Viewing Bathsheba as the driving force behind events in the episode might actually show David is the “victim.” However, David is not a “victim” in the sense discussed above due to his power and position. Therefore, Bathsheba is more like Lady Macbeth who instigates Macbeth to murder his king, Duncan, and usurp the throne, and David is more like Macbeth who is influenced by his wife and by the Three Witches. As such, David, like Macbeth and his interaction with the Three Witches, already had evil in his heart, and Bathsheba, like the Three Witches in Act 1 Scene 1 (“There to meet Macbeth”), Act 1, Scene 3, and Act 4, Scene 1 (“By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes”) and Lady Macbeth merely brought it out.

Preview of the next post

The next post, post number 19 of 23, presents a conclusion regarding whether or not Bathsheba was a victim.