Yesterday’s post pointed out that according to both the Bible and the Talmud, Bathsheba was considered to be innocent. In spite of that, both medieval and Victorian artists portrayed her as a willing participant, perhaps the main seductress, and, at a minimum, one who should have known better, given the way she publicly exposed herself. […]

Was Bathsheba a victim or a perpetrator? Here is another inkblot test for you. The initial details of the story are deceptively simple: In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. […]