King David’s Crime-four levels summary 

King David’s Crime

Bible, Samuel II, Chapter 11
Unit: Ancient Tales
Subject: Adventures in English Volume I

Literal Comprehension:

Once King Devid send a job, his commander to fight, but he remained in Jerusalem. One evening he saw Bathsheba a beautiful woman taking a bath. She was the wife of Uriah an officer on the battlefield. The king sent for her and lay with her. When she became pregnant he asked her job to send Uriah. When Uriah came to the palace, the king asked him to go home, but Uriah refused to do so because his commander had been on the battlefield. When he did not go home the second time, the king sends him to the battlefield with a letter about his job. Then job appointed him to the forefront as ordered by the king a Uriah was killed. This message was sent to the king. And Bathsheba mourned for her husband. When the mourning was over the king married her and she bore him a son. But God was unhappy with the king.

Interpretation:

This story might be trying to tell us that everyone is a victim of passion. The rulers use their special power and enjoy it, but other persons suppress this desire. It may also be interpreted to mean that everyone is excusable in politics. The king is free to do whatever he likes. But an ordinary citizen is punished if he or she does not help rulers to satisfy their whims.

Critical Thinking:

When I read this story, I had the wrong impression of the Bible. Aren’t their other gods’ characters in the story of the Bible? Or does king Devid stand for a good king? If he is a good king, what are the other ruler’s views? If we read this story as a political story regardless of morality, we can appreciate it. It truly describes human weakness. Even the king is not free from passion.

Assimilation:

This story has helped me to understand myself better. It is also taught me that I should not follow the example of a great person if his action is bad. Absolute power corrupts the leadership of the rulers. If the rulers are corrupt the whole society decay. Now I know why my country has not improved. Immoral and undemocratic politician have used their power for their personal benefits, not for the development of the country. Therefore the condition of my country becoming worse every day.

Possible Questions:

a. Retell the plot of “King David’s Crime” in one paragraph.

Ans: King David rules over Israel. He sends Joab with his servant and other people to destroy Ammon and besiege Rabbah. The king stays back in Jerusalem. One day he sees a beautiful woman from the roof of his house. She is taking a bath. The king gets attracted to her. He sends his messengers for that woman. When she is brought, King David gets her purified from her uncleanliness and sleeps with her for sexual intercourse. When the woman conceives and goes back to her house. She sends the message that she is with his child. The woman was the wife of one of David’s men named U-RI-ah Hittite.

King David calls Uriah back from the battlefield and wants to know how the war prospered. Then he asks him to go to his house. U-ri-ah departs but instead of going to his house, sleeps at the door of the King’s house with all the servants of his lord. When King David asks him why he did not go to his house, Uriah replies how, he can go to his house to eat, drink and lie with his wife when so many people are encamped in the open field of the battle. Then David writes a letter to Joab telling him to put Uriah, in the forefront of the hottest battle so that he may die. Joab assigns Uriah, as per his King’s command, to a place where he knows that valiant men are.

The men of the city come out and fight with Joab and his men. Some of the people of the servants of David and Uriah the Hittle die in the battle. Joab sends a messenger to King David to inform him of how the enemies prevailed against them and how Uriah Hittite died.

When the wife of Uriah hears about the death of her husband, she is shocked and mourns for him. After some days, David brings the window to his house and makes her his wife. She then gives birth to his son. Thus, King David, having absolute power, does wrong by killing Uriah and marrying a hi wife. This work of King David displeases God.

b. King David enjoyed absolute power. Basking your answer to this brief tale, answer the following questions: Is absolute power a good thing? Why or why not?

Ans: I personally feel that absolute power is a bad thing. No ruler, however good he may be, should be vested with the unrestricted authority to use power. Ultimate power should lie with the people. One person’s control over power is bound to intoxicate him and in general, people are always suffering. So, power should be shared by the general people through their representatives elected through adult franchise. Absolute power always becomes a source of tyranny and other unlawful political excesses.

The present tale also makes it evident that absolute power is a bad thing. King David enjoys absolute power. No one dared to oppose him. When he saw Bath-she-ba taking bath in her home, he was blinded by her beauty. His baser instinct burst forth and though she was somebody else’s wife, he indulged in sexual intercourse with her. She could not oppose him because it could have brought her and her husband peril. So much so, King David resorted to killing her husband only to get Bath-she-ba.

Such examples of misuse of absolute power are innumerable in the history of mankind. Idi Amin enjoyed absolute power in Uganda. He lashed tyranny on his people. When have heard that he had about two hundred wives? Anyone raising his head against his power was simply killed.