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    STUDIA THEOLOGIA%20REFORMATA%20TRANSYLVANICA - Issue no. 1 / 2011  
         
  Article:   BATHSHEBA AND TAMAR: THE SEXUALLY ABUSED WOMEN IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL / BETSABÉ ÉS TÁMÁR, SZEXUÁLISAN BÁNTALMAZOTT NŐK SÁMUEL MÁSODIK KÖNYVÉBEN.

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  Abstract:   Bathsheba and Tamar: The Sexually Abused Women in the Books of Samuel. In the artistically narrated stories of Batsheba and Tamar, the two female characters who were subjects of sexual abuse in the Books of Samuel, only the male partners were condemned. Bathsheba is only an “agent” in the narrative, nothing being known about her attitude, emotions or will. The focus is on David, who had the main initiative: “saw… sent… inquired… sent… took her… and lay with her…”. The narrator enables us to see Bathsheba as “a tragic figure,” involved without complicity in adultery and murder, and forced to marry in haste to escape the consequences. The story of Tamar is related not only thematically, but historically: her rape by her half-brother, Amnon, is directly or indirectly a consequence of David’s sin. These two narratives are the most shocking stories of the Bible and are showing that any form of sexual perversion is repugnant to God and are carrying devastating consequences. These narratives are not about women or David, but mostly about the Covenant God of Israel, who keeps His promises in spite of the weakness of his instruments.

Keywords: narrative art, succession-narrative, rape, incest, bloodguilt, moral law.
 
         
     
         
         
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