‘Hush-hush’: Hearing the Silent and Silenced Screams of Bathsheba and Tamar in 2 Samuel 11 and 13

• Tiana Bosman University of the Western Cape https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3624-8895

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7833/124-1-2296

Keywords: 2 Samuel 11-13, Bathsheba, Tamar, David, Amnon, Rape, Protest, #MeToo

Abstract

In the narrative accounts in 2 Samuel 11-13 (better known under the titles ‘David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba’ and ‘Amnon and Tamar’) the intersection of the stories lie in their common, but often overlooked or perhaps rather covered-up theme – that of rape. In 2 Samuel 11, King David sees, sends for and rapes Bathsheba while her husband is at war. Likewise, in 2 Samuel 13 David’s son, Amnon, cannot contain his infatuation with his half-sister Tamar and rapes her. Different circumstances, but the same act of violence. These events played out in a patriarchal society where men were the power holders over women. This applied even more to kings and princes who were used to getting their way. It appears that the story of Bathsheba transgresses that of Tamar since Tamar protests vehemently before and after Amnon rapes her, while Bathsheba is never said to have spoken a word of protest. Throughout history, Bathsheba has often been portrayed as an adulterer or, at the very least, as consenting to David having sex with her. This paper explores the two different contexts and argues that Bathsheba screamed just as loudly as Tamar did, however, if she had allowed the sounds to escape her lips, she would have had more to lose. She did not dare speak up. (Sadly, she nevertheless lost what she wished to protect.) Today #MeToo gives a voice to the Tamars who are silenced when trying to speak up and to the Bathshebas who keep silent to stay safe.