HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422 Page 1 of 11 Original Research Interpreting the David–Bathsheba narrative (2 Sm 11:2–4) as a response by the church in Nigeria to masculine abuse of power for sexual assault Author: Sexual violence against women is a social problem all over the world, including Nigeria. This 1 Solomon O. Ademiluka article examines the David–Bathsheba narrative against this background, relating it to the Affiliation: problem of masculine abuse of power for sexual assault in Nigeria. It also attempts to find out 1Department of Biblical and how the church in Nigeria could use the narrative as a textual basis for responding to this Ancient Studies, University problem. The article is targeted at Nigerians who abuse masculine power in this way, the women of South Africa, Pretoria, who need to be aware of sex predators and the church in employing the text as a response to South Africa sexual violence. The article employs the exegetical approach in the study of 2 Samuel 11:2–4, and Corresponding author: the descriptive method in the analysis of masculine abuse of power for sexual assault in Nigeria, Solomon Ademiluka, and how the church could combat it. The essay finds that David used his position as a king to
[email protected] assault Bathsheba, which makes the narrative relevant for the present-day Nigerian context of Dates: masculine abuse of power for sexual assault. The church in Nigeria could respond to the Received: 26 Aug. 2019 awareness of this relevance by making the narrative a textual basis for a response to the problem Accepted: 18 Nov.