Pt1 David and the Sin of Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12 and in Psalms (Sanhedrin 107a)

This is the first part of a two-part series. The outline of the series is below.

This sugya on David and Bathsheba opens with a startling premise: David was not passively ensnared by temptation, but actively requested a divine test (נסיון) to merit the same title as the Patriarchs — that God be called ‘the God of David’. God granted the request but warned David that the trial would involve sexual temptation.¹ The result was catastrophic.

The rabbis proceed not to excuse David’s actions, but to explore their spiritual, psychological, and national consequences in detail. Satan appears in bird form, Bathsheba is accidentally exposed, and David fails spectacularly. But from there the sugya turns introspective: David’s strategies for suppressing desire, his theological regrets, and his long dialogue with God about guilt, repentance, and divine justice.

The sugya weaves together halakhic mockery from David’s enemies, cosmic consequences, and even Solomon’s future moral teachings as retroactive divine rebuke.

The sugya’s extensive intertextual use of Psalms shows the rabbis’ method of reinterpreting Psalms--traditionally understood as David’s own poetry--as referencing known stories from his life.²

Outline

Intro

The Passage - David and the Sin of Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12 and in Psalms (Sanhedrin 107a)

Part 1

1. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - A person should never subject himself to a (moral) trial—David did and failed

   1. David requested a divine trial to merit the title “God of David” in prayer

   2. Psalms 26:2

   3. God informed him that the test would involve sexual temptation - II Samuel 11:2

2. Rav Yehuda - David tried to suppress desire by having sex during the day, but this increased his lust--since if you starve the sexual drive, it is satisfied, if you feed it, it becomes hungrier

3. The Satan appeared as a bird; David shot at it, accidentally exposed Bathsheba - II Samuel 11:2

   1. (II Samuel 11:3-4)

4. David regrets his request to be tested - Psalms 17:3

5. Rava - David begged for forgiveness to avoid people saying he was brought down by a bird - Psalms 11:1

6. Rava - David said he chose to sin rather than make it seem he bested God’s test - Psalms 51:6

7. Rava - Bathsheba was destined for David but came to him “in pain” - Psalms 38:18

Part 2

1. R’ Yishmael’s School - Bathsheba was “unripe fruit”—appropriate for David but mistimed

2. Rava - David’s enemies mocked him during his downfall, yet he claimed that even if they tore his flesh, no blood would flow due to his suffering - Psalms 35:15

   1. People mocked David during halakhic discourse, using his sin to ask legal questions about adultery. David replies: adulterer is executed by the court and has a share in the World-to-Come; one who shames another in public has no share

3. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - Even while sick, David had sex with 18 wives - Psalms 6:7

4. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - David contemplated idol worship - II Samuel 15:32; Daniel 2:32

   1. Hushai rebukes David for this plan, David defends it as preferable to the chillul hashem of a righteous person being killed - II Samuel 15:32

   2. Hushai critiques David’s marriage to the biblical law of a “beautiful woman” (יפת תואר - ‘yefat to’ar’), linking it to Absalom’s rebellion via the biblical law of “rebellious son” (בן סורר ומורה - ‘ben sorer u’moreh’) - Deuteronomy 21:10–18

5. R’ Dostai of Biri - David compared to a Samaritan merchant, who keeps lowering his price. In 4 successive pleas, David asks forgiveness for various levels of sin, God forgives him for each - Psalms 19:13–14

6. God refuses to omit the narrative from Scripture--Even a single letter (‘yod’) was not forgotten; how much more a whole story - Numbers 13:16

7. David accepts afflictions as atonement after hearing Solomon will say adultery has unavoidable consequences - Proverbs 6:27–29

8. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - David suffered 6 months of tzara’at, separation from Shekhina and the Sanhedrin - Psalms 51:9, 51:14, 119:79

Appendix - the interpretations in the sugya, organized in the order of Biblical verses

Deuteronomy

1. Deut. 21:10–18 – Yefat To’ar → Ben Sorer u’Moreh

Numbers

1. Num. 13:16 – The ‘Yod’ Protest

II Samuel

1. II Sam. 11:2–4 – Bathsheba Episode as Divinely Announced Trial

2. II Sam. 11:2–4 – Satan Appears as a Bird

3. II Sam. 15:32 – David Contemplates Idol Worship

Psalms

1. Psalm 6

   1. Ps. 6:7 – “I melt my bed with tears” = conjugal relations even in illness

2. Psalm 11

   1. Ps. 11:1 – “Flee like a bird”

3. Psalm 17

   1. Ps. 17:3 – Regret Over Request for Trial

4. Psalm 19

   1. Ps. 19:13–14 – Four-Stage Plea for Forgiveness

5. Psalm 26

   1. Ps. 26:2 – David’s Request for a Divine Ordeal

6. Psalm 35

   1. Ps. 35:15 – Enemies Mock David Mercilessly

7. Psalm 38

   1. Ps. 38:18 – “La-tzela” = Destined Mate

8. Psalm 51

   1. Ps. 51:6 – “Against You alone have I sinned”

   2. Ps. 51:9, 14 – David’s Six-Month Punishment

   3. Ps. 51:6 (again) + Prov. 6 – Consequences of Adultery

9. Psalm 119

   1. Ps. 119:79 – Sanhedrin’s Withdrawal

10. Proverbs

    1. Prov. 6:27–29 – Adultery as Inescapably Damaging

Dan. 2:32 – “Head of gold” (rosh)

The Passage

Sanhedrin.107a.2-107b.1

Rav Yehuda citing Rav - A person should never subject himself to a (moral) trial, as David subjected himself and failed

אמר רב יהודה, אמר רב:

לעולם אל יביא אדם עצמו לידי נסיון,

שהרי דוד מלך ישראל הביא עצמו לידי נסיון, ונכשל.

§ Apropos Ahithophel, the Talmud relates the events that led to his death.

Rav Yehuda says that Rav says:³

A person should never bring himself to undergo an ordeal,

as David, king of Israel, brought himself to undergo an ordeal and failed.

David asked why there’s no “God of David” in prayer, same as the biblical Patriarchs; God responds that the Patriarchs had undergone moral trials

אמר לפניו:

רבונו של עולם!

מפני מה אומרים ״אלהי אברהם, אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב״,

ואין אומרים ״אלהי דוד״?

אמר:

• אינהו

  • מינסו לי

• ואת

  • לא מינסית לי

David said before God:

God!

for what reason does one say in prayer: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob,⁴

and one does not say: God of David?

God said to David:

• They

  • have undergone ordeals⁵ before Me,

• and you

  • have not undergone an ordeal before Me.

David requested a moral trial (Psalms 26:2)

אמר לפניו:

רבונו של עולם!

בחנני ונסני,

שנאמר:

״בחנני ה׳

ונסני וגו׳״.

David said before Him:

God!

Examine me and subject me to an ordeal (נסני),

as it is stated:

“Examine me, YHWH,

and subject me to an ordeal; try my kidneys and my heart” (Psalms 26:2).

God informed him that the test would involve sexual temptation - II Samuel 11:2

אמר:

מינסינא לך,

ועבידנא מילתא בהדך,

דלדידהו לא הודעתינהו,

ואילו אנא קא מודענא לך

דמנסינא לך בדבר ערוה.

מיד,

״ויהי לעת הערב

ויקם דוד מעל משכבו וגו׳״.

God said to him:

I will subject you to an ordeal,

and I will perform a matter for you that I did not perform for the Patriarchs,

as for them, I did not inform them (הודעתינהו) beforehand of the nature of the ordeal,

while I am informing you

that I will subject you to an ordeal involving a matter of forbidden sex (ערוה).

Immediately, it is written:

“And it came to pass one evening

that David rose from his bed” (II Samuel 11:2).

Rav Yehuda - David tried to suppress desire by having sex during the day, but this increased his lust--since if you “starve” the sexual drive, it is satisfied, if you feed it, it becomes hungrier

אמר רב יהודה:

שהפך משכבו של לילה למשכבו של יום,

ונתעלמה ממנו הלכה:

אבר קטן יש באדם,

• משביעו –

  • רעב,

• ומרעיבו –

  • שבע.

Rav Yehuda says:

Once David heard the nature of his ordeal, he sought to prevent himself from experiencing lust.

He transformed his nighttime bed into his daytime bed, i.e., he had sex with his wives during the day, in an attempt to quell his lust.

But a halakha, i.e., a Torah statement, escaped him:

There is a small limb⁶ in man

• If he starves the penis, and does not overindulge in sex --

  • it is satiated;

• but if he satiates the penis and overindulges in sex --

  • it is starving, and desires more.

Therefore, his plan had the opposite effect.⁷

The Satan appeared as a bird; David shot at it, accidentally exposed Bathsheba - II Samuel 11:2

״ויתהלך על גג בית המלך

וירא אשה רוחצת מעל הגג

והאשה טובת מראה מאד״.

בת שבע הוה קא חייפא רישא תותי חלתא.

אתא שטן, אידמי ליה כציפרתא.

פתק ביה גירא,

פתקה לחלתא,

איגליה

וחזייה.

The verse states: “And he walked upon the roof of the king’s house;

from the roof he saw a woman bathing,

and the woman was very fair to look upon” (II Samuel 11:2).

Bathsheba was washing her hair⁸ behind a beehive, which concealed her from sight.

Satan came and appeared to David as a bird.⁹

David shot an arrow at the bird,

the arrow severed the beehive,

Bathsheba was exposed,

and David saw her.

(II Samuel 11:3-4)

מיד:

״וישלח דוד וידרש לאשה

ויאמר:

הלוא זאת בת שבע

בת אליעם

אשת אוריה החתי.

וישלח דוד מלאכים ויקחה

ותבוא אליו

וישכב עמה

והיא מתקדשת מטמאתה

ותשב אל ביתה״.

Immediately, it is written:

“And David sent and inquired after the woman.

And one said:

Is not this Bathsheba,

daughter of Eliam,

the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

And David sent messengers, and took her,

and she came to him,

and he lay with her,

for she was purified from her impurity,

and then she returned to her house” (II Samuel 11:3–4).

David regrets his request to be tested - Psalms 17:3

והיינו דכתיב:

״בחנת לבי

פקדת לילה

צרפתני, בל תמצא זמתי

בל יעבר פי״.

אמר:

איכו זממא נפל בפומיה דמאן דסני לי,

ולא אמר כי הא מילתא!

And that is the meaning of that which is written:

“You have proved my heart;

You have visited me in the night

You have tried me (צרפתני), but You find nothing (בל תמצא זמתי);

let no presumptuous thought pass my lips” (Psalms 17:3).

David said:

Oh, that a muzzle¹⁰ would have fallen upon the mouth of the one who hates me, a euphemism for his own mouth,

and I would not have said anything like that and I would have withstood the ordeal.

Rava - David begged for forgiveness to avoid people saying he was brought down by a bird - Psalms 11:1

דרש רבא:

מאי דכתיב:

״למנצח לדוד

בה׳ חסיתי

איך תאמרו לנפשי:

נודי הרכם צפר״?

Rava taught:

What is the meaning of that which is written:

“To the leader, of David.

In YHWH I put my trust;

how can you say to my soul:

Flee like a bird to your mountain” (Psalms 11:1)?

אמר דוד לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא:

רבונו של עולם!

מחול לי על אותו עון

שלא יאמרו:

״הר שבכם

צפור נדדתו״.

David said before God:

God!

pardon me for that sin with Bathsheba

so that the wicked people will not say:

The mountain that is among you, i.e., the luminary of the generation, David,

was driven from the world due to a bird that led to his transgression.

Rava - David said he chose to sin rather than make it seem he bested God’s test - Psalms 51:6

דרש רבא:

מאי דכתיב:

״לך לבדך חטאתי

והרע בעיניך עשיתי

למען תצדק בדברך

תזכה בשפטך״?

Rava taught:

What is the meaning of that which is written:

“Against You, only You, have I sinned,

and done what is evil in Your eyes;

that You are justified when You speak,

and right when You judge” (Psalms 51:6)?

אמר דוד לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא:

גליא וידיעא קמך,

דאי בעאי למכפייה ליצרי --

הוה כייפינא,

אלא אמינא:

דלא לימרו:

״עבדא זכיה למריה״.

David said before God:

It is revealed and known before You

that if I sought to suppress (למכפייה) my evil inclination --

I would have suppressed it;

but I said:

I will sin, so that they will not say:

a servant overcame (זכיה) his master

and withstood the ordeal even though God said that he would not.

1. Compare the extended piece earlier in this chapter on a different story of David, where many of the initial elements of the story are paralleled with those here, as I note there: “ “One day David went falcon-hunting”: The Demilitarized, Rabbinized, and Enchanted Story of Avishai Saving David From Yishbi-benov (II Samuel 21:15-17; Sanhedrin 95a)“.

2. See “Pt1 Expressions of praise in the Book of Psalms and the Origin of the Hallel Prayer (Pesachim 117a)“, sections “R’ Meir: David Composed All of Psalms“ and “About Whom Did David Compose the Psalms?: About himself or about the community“.

3. It’s worth noting that throughout this sugya, the Babylonian amoraim Rav Yehuda and Rava are the major tradents.

4. Referring to the first blessing of ‘Shemoneh Esreh’, see Wikipedia, “Amidah“, section “The nineteen blessings“, list item #1:

Avot (’ancestors’) – praises of God as the God of the biblical patriarchs: the “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.

And see the exact formula in Hebrew Wikipedia, “ברכת אבות“, section “נוסח הברכה“.

5. מינסו.

See my “Pt1 Aggadic Lists of Ten, Seven, Four, and Two Items in Tractate Avot Chapter 5 (Avot 5:1-19)“, section “Abraham’s Trials - 10 trials - Abraham was tested 10 times and passed them all, showing his exceptional merit (5:3)“, and note there.

6. אבר קטן.

A euphemism for the penis.

7. Note that the Talmud in a number of places elsewhere is adamant about the prohibition of having sex during the day; see my “Talmudic Interpretations of the Book of Esther: Esther 2:6-20 (Megillah 13a)“, section “Ahasuerus’ Conduct with Women (Esther 2:14): although Ahasuerus was wicked, he only had sex at night“, and my note there.

8. חייפא רישא.

See Jastrow (modernized), חוּף:

• Gittin 68a:13 - חַף ביה he scratched himself against it.

• Sanhedrin 95a:9 - הוה קא חָיֵיף רישיה he cleansed his head.

• Sanhedrin 107a - (חָיְיפָה) חָיְיפָא she etc.

• Niddah 66b:21 - למֵיחַף (fr. חפף) to wash her hair.

Steinsaltz’s translation “shampooing her head” is anachronistic, as shampoo did not exist at the time.

And see “Hillel vs. the Heckler: A Friday Afternoon Challenge to Hillel’s Composure and Physical Anthropology in the Talmud (Shabbat 31a)“, section “Testing the Limits of Hillel’s Patience: A Friday Afternoon Challenge to His Composure“, where I summarize:

Two individuals made a bet (המרו) of 400 zuz that one of them could provoke (יקניט) Hillel (to lose his composure).

One accepted the challenge and chose to test Hillel on Friday afternoon, while Hillel was washing (חפף) his hair.

And see my note there.

9. On this in general, see my “ “He appeared to him as a [X]”: Talmudic Stories of Incarnations of God, Eliyahu, Satan, and Demons“.

10. זממא.

Compare “Pt2 Mapping Roman-Era Eretz Yisrael: From Biblical Place-Names to the Powers of Edom (Megillah 6a-b)“, section “R’ Yitzḥak - Reads verse as Jacob asking God not to grant Esau’s desires and not to remove the “muzzle” restraining him; identifies this “zemam” with the threat of Germamya of Edom (=Germany), which, if unleashed, would destroy the world - Psalms 140:9“.