what does the bible say?
In 2 Samuel 11, King David commits adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrates the death of her husband to conceal the sin. While some question whether this incident was rape, the text does not provide evidence of nonconsensual sex. This contrasts with the explicit description of rape in the case of Amnon and Tamar in 2 Samuel 13. The Bible's clear identification of Amnon's act as rape suggests it recognizes and condemns nonconsensual sex, implying that David's sin with Bathsheba, though grievous, was consensual. Modern readers must interpret these events within their historical context, avoiding the imposition of contemporary standards on ancient narratives.