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SEDUCTION OF LEADERSHIP SUCCESS: A RECONSIDERATION OF KING DAVID AND BATHSHEBA SEDUCTIVE PRACTICE

Authors:

Abstract

Seductive practice is a bane of contemporary leadership. It is thus a thing of concern for secular and sacred worlds. Previous studies on the subject blamed King David and all men in positions of power (civil, ecclesiastical or academic) who take advantage of their “power” to abuse women sexually. Despite their usefulness, the studies neglected the seduction of leadership success by the seductress. The paper, therefore, discusses seduction from this perspective, as well as its implications on contemporary society. Existential is adopted as a critical, descriptive and analytical tool to study and interpret seductive practice. The paper concludes that the parasitic role of the seductress should be reconsidered while casting aspersions on King David and male leaders on the ground of sexual harassment. It also recommends that avoidance of the seductress in Nigeria and the wider world would enable leaders work to achieve efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. Key words: Seductive practice, The Seductress, Seduction, Leadership success
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Insight: Journal of Religious Studies, Volume 10, June/December 2014, pp. 51-66,
ISSN: 2141-0852
SEDUCTION OF LEADERSHIP SUCCESS: A RECONSIDERATION OF KING
DAVID AND BATHSHEBA SEDUCTIVE PRACTICE
Honor Sewapo, PhD
honorsewapo@gmail.com
Department of Religious Studies,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract
Seductive practice is a bane of contemporary leadership. It is thus
a thing of concern for secular and sacred worlds. Previous studies
on the subject blamed King David and all men in positions of
power (civil, ecclesiastical or academic) who take advantage of
their “power” to abuse women sexually. Despite their usefulness,
the studies neglected the seduction of leadership success by the
seductress. The paper, therefore, discusses seduction from this
perspective, as well as its implications on contemporary society.
Existential is adopted as a critical, descriptive and analytical tool
to study and interpret seductive practice. The paper concludes that
the parasitic role of the seductress should be reconsidered while
casting aspersions on King David and male leaders on the ground
of sexual harassment. It also recommends that avoidance of the
seductress in Nigeria and the wider world would enable leaders
work to achieve efficiency, calculability, predictability and control.
Key words: Seductive practice, The Seductress, Seduction,
Leadership success
I. Introduction
The paper is an examination of King David’s reign, as influenced by the seductress,
which led to seduction of his leadership success. The approach is critical, descriptive and
analytical, and would be done within the ambit of existential theory expanded by R. C.
Sproul. The theory states that the text is only a vehicle that God uses to have a direct,
immediate encounter with human souls. This approach results in a radical subjectivism that
assumes the text can mean totally different things to different people.1The theory is relevant
to our examination of King David’s leadership success, which was marred by his illicit affair
with Bathsheba.
Morier avers that the Hebrews, like other Orientals, rose at day-break, and always
took a nap during the heat of the day. Afterwards, they lounged in the cool of the evening on
their flat-roofed terraces. It is probable that, since the climate of Palestine in spring is
exceedingly mild and balmy; the custom of sleeping on the housetop may have obtained
among the Hebrews, as is still universal in Persia and other Eastern countries. The repose in
the open air is much more refreshing than in the confinement of a room.2 David, like other
Orientals, had been reposing on the roof of his house to enjoy the breeze, as the noonday was
too hot for any performance of business.
κα ἐγένετο πρς σπέραν καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ ἀπὸ τῆς
κοίτης αύτο κα περιεπάτει ἐπὶ το δώματος τοῦ οκο το βασιλέως καὶ εἶδεν γυναῖκα ἀπὸ το
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δώματος καὶ γυν καλ τῷ εἶδει σϕόδρα
It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose
from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the kings house, that he saw from the roof
a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful” (2 Samuel 11:2). To say that
Bathsheba was “taking a bath in her house may be misleading. She was not inside a building
where David was able to see her through a window, but in the courtyard of her house and
plainly visible to David, whose palace was at a higher elevation. On this, Keil and Delitzsch
say: Bathsheba is not to be regarded as free from blame. The
very act of bathing in the uncovered court of a house in
the heart of the city, into which it was possible for
anyone to look down from the roofs of the houses on
higher ground, does not say much for her feminine
modesty, even if it was not done with an ulterior
purpose, as some commentators suppose.3
How could any woman of delicacy expose herself where she could be so fully and openly
viewed? Did Bathsheba not know that she was at least in view of the kings terrace? How
could she claim to be ignorant of the king’s presence in his palace, as well as to be ignorant
of the Orientals’ custom of lounging in the cool of the evening on their housetop (flat-roofed)
terraces? Did she miss her husbands love and take her purification bath in public as a
deliberate invitation to King David who happened to be watching? David saw her bathing and
sent for her. However, there seems to be no evidence of force or violence in the text and the
reader assumes that Bathsheba co-operated with the messengers. For example, Randall Bailey
argues at some length that Bathsheba is “a willing and equal partner to the events that
transpire.4 H. W. Hertzberg suggests a possible element of “feminine flirtation.5 But why?
Did Bathsheba even know why David wanted her? If so, didnt she stop to consider that,
having just finished her monthly period (2 Samuel 11:2), she was ripe for conception? Maybe
she wanted to have a baby by the king! 1 Kings 1 reveals that Bathsheba was more a tiger
than a housecat. Blaiklock asks, Did the young wife construct the situation? Indeed, There
is more than suspicion that she spread the net into which David so promptly fell.6 David
bears the responsibility and the condemnation, and from this point on he is beset by problems
within his family, which had political implications for his reign. However the seductive role
of the beautiful young woman, Bathsheba, who bathed on the roof under the last rays of
dusk7, is intentionally minimized to focus the seductive practice on David. The seductress can
wrap any man around her little finger, with perfect smiles, cute winks and nakedness; and
contemporary leaders must be informed of the seductress role in the seduction of leadership
success.
Leadership has greatly diminished in societal value-set, primarily because it is based
less upon avoidance of seductive practice, and more upon political expediency of political
issues. Institutionalised civil, ecclesiastical or academic leadership has suffered because many
public leaders, even within the highest elected offices of the nation, have all but abdicated
social responsibility and moral rectitude in favour of romancing with the seductress. When
this happens, political and religious crises inevitably result, and the consequences generally
devastate civil society. For instance, Hollywood movies, television, and modern fiction use
stories about adultery as a means of entertainment, which only shows how bad things have
become. Famous people admit they have been unfaithful to their spouses, but it seem to hurt
both their popularity and their incomes.Today, more than ever before, leadership is captured
within the tantalizing grip of the seductress. The Bible neither minces words nor waxes
eloquent about its protagonists, but presents them with all the faults and foibles inherent in
the human condition. The biblical character David, the archetypal king and messianic
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prototype, is the best example. The Scripture makes no apology for depicting not only his
triumphs but also his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. David’s inability to run away
from the seductress ultimately unleashed a torrent of problems upon him in his kingdom. It is
in this context that we can ask the following fundamental questions, which the paper would
address appropriately: What is seduction? What are the purpose and nature of the seductress?
What are the causes and effects of seduction? In what ways can our study of King David and
Bathsheba’s seductive practice remediate the position which singles out King David for all
the blames, as well as to warn contemporary leaders about seduction of leadership success by
the seductress?
II. Concept of Seduction
The word seduction stems from Latin seductionem and it literally means “to lead
astray”. It is an act of winning the love or sexual favour of someone. It involves temptation
and enticement, often sexual in nature, to lead a person astray into a behavioural choice
which the person would not have made if not in a state of sexual arousal.
The Holy Bible is not alien to seductive practices; it has records of a fascinating
reading of the stories of Lot and his daughters, Dinah and Shechem, Judah and Tamar, David
and Bathsheba, Ammon and Tamar, and Ruth and Boaz. The identification of women with
seduction is established in the Old Testament. It is important to understand that the story told
in Genesis about Eve and the serpent has a larger religious and political context which is the
real historical struggle waged by the prophets of Yahweh and the indigenous Canaanite cult
of Baal. Baal, who appears to have arrived in Canaan with the Phoenicians, was the son and
consort of the Mother Goddess Asherah. In the story of the temptation and fall in Genesis 3,
Baal is represented in his potent serpent form and exposed as a seducer and deceiver and as
Yahweh’s evil adversary. In the Yahwists’ scathing condemnation of the cult of
Baal/Asherah, women are frequently singled out and blamed for leading Israelites astray.
Solomon, for example, has his heart “turned away” from Yahweh by women (I Kings 11:3)
and he worships “Astarthe, the goddess of the Sidonians” (I Kings 11:5). The Phoenician city
of Sidon was a centre for the worship of Asherah. In another case, Jezebel, the daughter of
Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (Ethbaal, of course, is a cognate of Baal, as is Jeze-baal),
caused her husband, King Ahab (873-852 BCE), to worship Baal and Asherah (I Kings
16:31-33). Accordingly, Jezebel has been portrayed ever since as the seductress. The Baal-
Asherah cult, therefore, was demonised not only because it was perceived as inimical to
Yahwism, but also because its principal adherents were women. This may explain some
important features of the Genesis story.8 Likewise Delilah seduced Samson, the most
powerful man of his days.
The Hindu scriptures Rg in Bin Veda 10:10 says that woman is the seductress who
even tempts the sages and the gods. In Bhagavata Purana 3:31; 39:42 “ Woman is the door to
hell, like grass which covers the well, leads a man to sure death; like the alluring call of
hunter out to trap its victim”. The text goes so far to say that woman was created Brahma
precisely to arouse the desire in man (6:18, 30).9 According to the chanter, the Yoruba have it
that in Iywó Ala
̍igbrn “the stubborn bride”, woman is depicted as an embodiment of
extreme disobedience and stubbornness.10 Thus we had Paula Broadwell conquer David
Patraeus, leader of America’s CIA. In many instances, expert Jezebels and Delilahs stroll into
the hallways, onto the gridiron, hardwood courts and slip backstages with little resistance.
Some of these women layer themselves as writers, artists, photographers, models, agents,
stylists, socialites or even simple interns.
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There are two major seductions of success that can poison our hearts with pride and
cause a leader to fall prey to the seductress: First, the misconception of promotion’s true
nature. Promotion comes from God. But worldly promotion leads quickly to pride. It often
results not only in gaining more power, but also in filling a person with pride. When pride
comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom. (Prov. 11:2). Power itself is
amoral. It is neither good nor evil, though it can be dangerous without proper boundaries. The
“power” of a leader cannot make him sweep seduction under the carpet. King David’s
inability to cover up his illicit affair with Bathsheba is a good example of this scenario. Truly,
such a seduced leader can never remain the same. Second, there is the misconception that all
increase is from God. When promotion comes from God it results in sphere of influence
increase. This involves people’s perceptions of someone or institution changing, which
results in the person or establishment growing. At that moment the seductress is already
within the vicinity bathing on the roof under the last rays of dusk as Bathsheba did to King
David.11
III. Nature of the Seductress
The seductress is known by her peculiar nature. The outward appearance of the
seductress sends out obvious sexual energy by the way she dresses and looks. Female sex
addicts admit that they consciously choose specific outfits in order to hook their prey. The
inward part of the seductress introduced in Proverbs 7:10 reveals a heart filled with crafty
intent. Some women really do embrace evil and an inappropriate sexual intent. They desire
to use men sexually and then ditch them.
The behaviour and attitude of the seductress are clearly described in Proverbs 7:11-
12, which says “She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in
the squares, at every corner she lurks.” This woman does whatever she pleases; she is not
submissive but loud and defiant. This may not be obvious to most men when they first
meet her. Though she may appear demure, maybe even quiet and spiritual at first, her inward
rebellion will reveal itself as a man develops a relationship with her. She likes to be about
town, so to speak. She will not show interest in responsible activities of a virtuous woman to
make a home or raise children.
The false sense of mens sexual indulgence that motivates them to engage in
pornography, masturbation and other wrong behaviour leaves them easy prey for the
seductress. Her most powerful weapon is her words. With persuasive words she led him
astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to
the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose (Proverbs 7:21-22). The most powerful
weapon of the seductress is her words. Thats why its not good to even talk to her. Many
men have found the longer they talk to her, the weaker they become and the easier she can
conquer them. Her words are smooth, kind, enticing and full of promises for immediate
pleasure. They are trademarks of the seductress. She grabs and kisses men. This is the edge of
the hook that goes into a mans spirit, soul and body. All of a sudden man’s brain turns off
and his body ignites. The seductress readily reveals her crafty intent; she is not afraid to
initiate the next step. (Proverbs 7:13).
The seductress believes that sex is love. But she is not offering man lovejust a one-
night stand.12 Love involves lifelong commitment and monogamy. It means working out
differences and serving each other for a lifetime, till death do the couple part. Love is not a
quick jump in the sack. If any woman tries to sell man on sex outside of marriage, no matter
who she is or how much of a Christian”, “Muslim” or “traditionalist” she seems to be, run
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from her. She is the seductress. Nothing good can happen here. Beware of the seductress
because she is the epitome of sexiness.
Another feature of the seductress is that she walks up to talk to a male, takes a second
to “discreetly” adjust her bra strap or bend low to adjust her heel. To make this easy, the
seductress shows skin and covers it back up with a shy, mischievous smile and a line like
‘oops… you shouldn’t have seen that!’13
Habitually, the seductress wears indecent dressing. Indecent dressing is the deliberate
exposure of one’s body to the public. It is dressing in a way that is likely to shock or offend
people. What may offend people, are parts of the body, usually sexual organs, which
normally should be covered. These are breasts, thighs and buttocks. Indecent dressing is a
social malady that cuts across many countries of the world.14 In today’s Nigeria, over
exposure to foreign culture through modern day channels of mass communication like
satellite broadcast, internet and unregulated pirated videos, especially musical videos have
taken their toll on the moral rectitude of our girls.
The concept of dressing from the biblical point of view started from the Garden of
Eden where Adam and Eve used leaves to cover their nakedness. Right from then, dressing
became part of humankind. The Qur’an also captures it right when it says “Tell the believing
women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.15 This clearly shows that
both Christianity and Islam combat indecent dressing. Dressing in a manner that parents,
society and religion frown at is not civilization. Indecent dressing, no matter how well we try
to link it with ‘civilization’, has no place in the African culture. The African culture places so
much prestige on the African woman. Whether in the Western or African society, indecent
dressing is the major cause of the various assaults and sexual harassment recorded in the
society over time. As a result of this ‘civilization’, the seductress dresses half naked to
schools, events and even religious gatherings, all in the name of fashion.
To the society this menace is gradually becoming a norm and the etiquette that
African society is known for is gradually becoming a thing of the past. African culture is
being eroded by indecent dressing. Culturally, you know a country is advancing when the
citizens honour their own culture, but the reverse is the case in our society today. These types
of dressing include mini skirt, bumper short, armless, show back popularly known as
spaghetti tops, etc. Applied to our culture, this woman would be one who dresses
seductivelytight pants, cleavage showing, lots of attention paid to perfecting her hair and
makeup. One needs more than a gift of discernment to distinguish and differentiate a
prostitute from the seductress in provocative wears.
Contrary to oversimplified beliefs, these women are not stupid, gullible or even naive.
They are shrewd, calculating and business minded. In other words, do not let the short skirt
or pouty lips deceive you, these ladies are smart networking specialists with tenacity of
investigative reporters. Like undercover law enforcement, they take on the roles and become
the characters they need to be in order to establish credibility. Professional skills, confidence,
articulate grasp of language and most of all intuitive insight are common characteristics
which help lady libertines get their heels in the door to meet the people that make
decisions. For instance, Delilah was a government informant. Paula Broadwell is an
established academic and writer. Heather Clem is a model. Karinne Stephans is a model
turned writer. Heidi Fleiss started as an upscale escort. Marilyn Monroe started as a model
and actress. These women seduced the power of their victims’ success. Therefore, the
seductress can transform a normally strong and responsible man into a childlike slave.
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IV. Purpose of the Seductress
The seductress is not without her purpose. The intent of the seductress is to kill what
you love, leave you and then move on to another victim. The goal of the seductress is to strip
you of your destiny, your wife, your role as the father of your children and leadership
success. Muslim and Christian men have somehow been lulled into a stupor sexually.
Remember that many are the victims she has brought down, which means you are not as
special as she would make you think. She is bent on massive spiritual, social and financial
destruction. Contemporary leaders need to guard their heart and life from the seductress; she
is death.
V. Causes of Seduction
The causes of seduction are pervasive. It is evident that the lures of selfish ambition,
illicit sex and financial greed have caused many leaders to fall from grace and become slave
to seductresses. You do not have to be their next victim.16 It is unfortunate that religious
leaders have experienced a spiritual or moral collapse caused by seductresses.
It is observed that many children have gone haywire, all in the name of dressing.
Indecent dressing has been closely associated with poor parenting, peer pressure, wrong use
of the internet, fading moral values, as well as demonic influences among others. Indecent
dressing is a social malady that cuts across many countries of the world.17
Also, insecurity drives men to sexual sin. No matter how much success a man
achieves, insecurity will cause him to feel that something is still missing in his life. Many
times, he will try to fill that void through sex or illicit relationships.
VI. Effects of Seduction
Effects of seduction could be caustic. The destructive power of seduction can lead a
spiritual leader down a wrong path and cause him to lose every good thing for which he was
created.18 It is interesting to note that King Solomon gave priority to the discussion of
seduction in the book of Proverbs. In chapter five the folly of adultery is addressed, complete
with graphic detail of how an adulterous woman can cost a man everything. The price a man
pays for that encounter is that the rest of his life will become a living hell.
VII. King David and Bathsheba Seductive Practice
David, the first king of a united Israel, conqueror of an empire running from the edge
of Egypt to the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq, is one of the Bibles greatest heroes. His
life and his character are documented in the Old Testaments books of Samuel and the first of
the books of Chronicles. In many ways, David is the Old Testaments golden child: a
charismatic shepherd boy who manages to slay Goliath with a slingshot, a successful warrior,
and later a pious ruler.19 As author Jonathan Kirsch wrote in his biography of David, David is
the original alpha male, the first superstar. But men have weaknesses, even men after
God’s own heart. And God is not ashamed to share with us the weaknesses of His greatest
saints. We learn some indispensable lessons from their mistakes, such as the utter vileness of
our hearts, the horrible consequences of our sin, and the unfathomable depths of God’s
forgiving grace.
Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite, a beautiful young
woman, bathes on the roof under the last rays of dusk.20 The king succumbs to her
overwhelming desire. He sends his minions to bring Bathsheba to the palace. And she came
in unto him, and he lay with her. So begins a story of sex and politics that resonates even
today. Most recently, President Clintons affair with Monica Lewinsky as well as President
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François Hollande’s affair with French actress Julie Gayet drew comparisons to David and
Bathsheba: a king, made weak by momentary lust, and his lover, at times both powerless and
slyly manipulative. In contrast to David, Bathshebas thoughts and her character are, in most
circumstances mute, well cloaked in the sparse lines of the Hebrew text. Some biblical
scholars describe Bathsheba as articulate and wilful21; while others say those accounts consist
of unsubstantiated speculation.22 But one thing about Bathsheba is clear. It is she alone who
sparks a sudden transition in Davids life. The implications of their affair dominate his
remaining years. Through the life of David and into the life of her son King Solomon,
Bathsheba plays many roles: object of lust, wife, mother, and influential queen.23
Some scholars aver that there is absolutely no account of Bathsheba seducing the
king. In those days, a woman who had very little social status and whose husband was an
employee of the king could have done little to protest the desires of that all-powerful king,
and would have had no recourse should he violate her.24 Bathsheba may not have purposely
enticed David, but she was immodest and indiscreet. To disrobe and bathe in an open
courtyard in full view of any number of rooftop patios in the neighbourhood was asking for
trouble. She could easily have bathed indoors. Even so in our day, some women do not seem
to realize what the sight of their flesh can do to a man. They allow themselves to be pushed
into the fashion mould of the world and wear revealing clothes, or nearly nothing; then they
marvel why the men they meet cannot think of anything but sex. Parents must not fail to
instruct younger girls in these matters, particularly as they enter their teen years. Christian
and Muslim parents should teach their daughters facts about the nature of man and the
meaning of modesty, then agree on standards for their dress.
The historical narrative of David’s adultery involving Bathsheba (2 Sam 11-12) has
often been interpreted as implicating Bathsheba as co-conspirator or at least as partly to
blame. For example, Randall Bailey argues at some length that Bathsheba is “a willing and
equal partner to the events that transpire”25; Hertzberg suggests a possible element of
“feminine flirtation”26; and Lillian Klein speaks of “Bathsheba’s complicity in the sexual
adventure.”27 Similarly, according to Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, “the text seems to imply that
Bathsheba asked to be ‘sent for’ and ‘taken.’”28
The older you are, the more power and influence you have, the less those around you
will tell you the truth. King David was relaxing on a palace balcony above the city when he
spied a beautiful woman taking a bath. Through his messengers, David learned that she was
Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, who had gone to battle for David.
This raises a key question: did Bathsheba set her cap for the king, or did David force
his lust on her? Traditional biblical scholarship holds that Bathsheba couldnt have been
ignorant of her homes proximity to the palace, given that David was close enough that he
could see her taking a bath outside. There is no evidence that this was a forcible rape.
Bathsheba seems to have been a willing partner. Her husband was off to war and she was
lonely. The glamour of being desired by the attractive king meant more to her than her
commitment to her husband and her dedication to God. They probably cherished those
moments together; maybe they even assured themselves that it was a tender and beautiful
experience. But in God’s sight, it was hideous and ugly. Satan had baited his trap and they
were now in his clutches.29
Although feminist biblical interpretation contends that Bathsheba was a victim of
David. After all, who can say no to a king? Other scholars find a clue to Bathshebas
complicity among King Davids wives in 2 Samuel 4:11. This verse says unequivocally that
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when David sent messengers to fetch her, she came back with them. She wasnt coerced, nor
did she use any of the many excuses she could have for not seeing another man, even a king,
while her husband was away. Instead, she went to David of her own free will, and thus bears
some responsibility for what happened afterward.
In Africa, all sexual problems can rightly be taken as arising from a misuse of sex.
The African milieu does not really permit the use of sex outside marriage and childbearing. In
the words of Kisembo Magesa and Shorter30, while the pleasure of sex was indeed legitimate,
its outcome, whenever possible, was to raise children. Childbearing was to the African a
religious and social duty and so everywhere in Africa, rape, homosexuality, bestiality were
condemned and severely punished. They could bring nothing but disaster, not only to the
people concerned, but to the whole community. The use of sex and sexuality for fun is not,
strictly speaking part of African culture. It is for this reason the African frowns seriously at
the pre-marital indulgence in sexual intercourse.31 The seductresses engage in extra-marital
affairs and adulterous associations and the like. They invent sugar-daddies who spoil
innocent but misguided teenage girls by luring them with money, affairs which have
continued to lead to divorce proceedings that eventually wreck homes and families.32
Bathsheba’s morality could, perhaps, also be questioned but the biblical author put all
the blame on David: David was the king, and was acting in a very high-handed fashion,
abusing his power and position.33 Are Nigerian political, religious and traditional leaders free
from Bathsheba syndrome? Had there never been Davidlike leaders among these
contemporary leaders of our society? To what extent is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, justified when he says ... Nigeria had no Mandela but
tiny minds who think they can direct affairs from their bedrooms.”34
Many of our leaders appear to be weak, ineffectual, out of touch with reality and
unlikely to lead anyone anywhere. They just let things happen. The seductress easily preys on
them and as a result of this they leave their wives and run off with other women. They abuse
their power and so damage those they lead and destroy trust in leaders on a broad scale. There
is a league of ladies called the “Abuja Girls”. They fall in the category of seductresses.
The consequences of seduction of leadership success by the seductress are glaring. It
debases womanhood. It devastates entire families, communities and the society at large. It
speaks evil of the society where it obtains. It makes irresponsible, undisciplined, ungodly,
and greedy men to be attracted; and it earns young girls rape. Others are prostitution, sexually
transmitted diseases (for example, HIV/AIDS and other venereal diseases), robbery and poor
academic performance. Like the old will always say, “girls in decent attire are less likely to
misbehave.” This is very true to some extent.
VIII. Conclusion
The paper has given a broad definition to the word “seduction”. It has also discussed
the purpose and nature of the seductress. Attention has equally been given to causes and
effects of seduction. It has explored the seductive practice which took place between King
David and Bathsheba. Furthermore, the seductress activities in our society are discussed,
together with their consequences on the victims and their community. The paper reveals that
various women have seduced leaders of their success. In most cases, men are often blamed
for the deed, not recognising the fact that women also seduce either by their nakedness or by
exposing their private parts. This was the case of King David and Bathsheba, the bather.
In addition, we are obliged to warn men, particularly those in secular and spiritual
leadership, regarding the seductress who can be found not only in the world, but also in the
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Mosque and in the Church. We know it is hard to believe that there are women in the Mosque
and in the Church who are seductresses, but it is true. So, stay alert! To be sexually successful
for your entire life, you must stay on guard against the seductress. This type of woman needs
to be clearly identified and avoided so that you can live happily ever after with God and your
precious wife.
Finally, to curb the menace of indecent dressing, parents are urged to be good models
in morals to their children, give them attention and regulate the type of films they watch at
homes. The mass media should promote good moral values while religious leaders should
combat it, counsel and deliver those under demonic influences. Today, avoidance of the
seductress in Nigeria and in the wider society would enable leaders work to achieve
efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. These insights should be adopted by
contemporary leadership for the growth of our society. Men, particularly our contemporary
leaders, can totally escape the seductress trap by loving God and living a life based upon
principles rather than seeking immediate pleasure. Besides, they would do well to avoid
people, places and literature which tempt them to yield to unholy passions. Again, any female
displaying the signs we have discussed above should be avoided.
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Endnotes
1. R. C. Sproul. (2009). Knowing Scripture. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 66.
2. James Justinian Morier. (1818). A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and
Asia, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816 with a Journal of the
Voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. London: Paternoster-Row.
3. Keil C. F. and Delitzsch F. (1982). “I & II Samuel” in Vol.2: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I
& II Samuel. Translated by James Martin. Commentary on the Old Testament. 10
Vols. N.p.; reprinted. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 383.
4. Randall C. Bailey. (1990). David in Love and War: The Pursuit of Power in 2 Samuel
10-12. Sheffield: JSOT, 86.
5. H. W. Hertzberg. (1964). I and II Samuel: A Commentary, OTL. London: SCM, 309.
6. E. M. Blaiklock. (1979). Professor Blaikiock's Handbook of Bible People. London:
Scripture Union, 210.
7. Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling
Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust.
http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathsheba-is-one-of-the-
most-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible Accessed November 26, 2013. He opines that
the setting, on a late afternoon in Jerusalem some 3,000 years ago, could easily be
mistaken for the subject of a boudoir painting: Bathsheba, a beautiful young woman
bathes on the roof under the last rays of dusk, espied by the lustful eyes of a hidden
admirer.
8. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. The Old Testament, Women and Evil. Eve and the
Identity of Women. http://witcombe.sbc.edu/evewomen/6womenevil.html Accessed
December 19, 2013.
9. Margaret Shanti. (June, 1994). Hinduism and Violence against Women. Voices from
the Third World, Vol. xvii, No.1: 50-54. See Edward A. Boje. The Value of a
Woman: A Critical and Theological Interpretation of Leviticus 27:1-8. Biblical
Studies and Women Issues in Africa. Biblical Studies Series No.1. S. O. Abogunrin et
al. Eds. Ibadan: Philarem Corporate Printers, 37-48 (43).
10. Bisi Ogunsina. (October, 1997). Gender Theology: Portrayal of Women in Yoruba
JÁLÁ. Inquiry in African Languages and Literatures, No. 2, (Ado-Ekiti): 78-91.
11. Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling
Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust.
http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathsheba-
is-one-of-the-most-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible. Accessed November
26, 2013.
12. Douglas Weiss. Beware the Seductress.
http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/counseling/8447-beware-
the-seductress. Accessed November 20, 2013.
13. How to be a Seductress without Being Obvious - Lovepanky”.
http://www.lovepanky.com/women/dating-men-tips-for-women/how-to-be-a-
seductress. Accessed November 19, 2013.
14. Sharifatu Ja’afaru. (May 17, 2013). The Menace of Indecent Dressing on Campus.
http://unijosecho.com/2013/05/17/the-menace-of-indecent-dressing-on-campus/
Accessed November 22, 2013.
15. Sura 24:30-31.
16. Mike Fehlauer. The Seduction of Success.
11
http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/217-the-seduction-
of-success. Accessed November 20, 2013.
17. Sharifatu Ja’afaru. (May 17, 2013). The Menace of Indecent Dressing on Campus.
http://unijosecho.com/2013/05/17/the-menace-of-indecent-dressing-on-campus/
Accessed November 22, 2013.
18. Douglas Weiss. Beware the Seductress.
http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/counseling/8447-beware-
the-seductress. Accessed November 20, 2013.
19. 1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22
20. Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling
Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust.
http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathsheba-is-one-of-the-
most-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible. Accessed November 26, 2013.
21. Samuel Cheon. (2012). Reconsidering Bathsheba and Her Husband Uriah in Asian
Perspective. Journal of Korean American Ministries & Theology, No. 5 (Columbia):
2-30. Dean C. Ludwig & Clinton O. Longenecker. (1993). The Bathsheba Syndrome:
The Ethical Failure of Successful Leaders. Journal of Business Ethics 12 (Toledo):
265-273.
22. Richard M. Davidson. (2006). Did King David Rape Bathsheba? A Case Study in
Narrative Theology. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/2 (Autumn):
8195.
23. Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling
Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust.
http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathsheba-is-one-of-the-
most-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible. Accessed November 26, 2013.
24. Ann Naffziger. Why did Bathsheba commit adultery with King David?
http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/why-did-bathsheba-commit-adultery-with-king-
david. Accessed November 27, 2013. See Adele Berlin. (1993). Poetics and
Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Sheffield, England.
25. Randall C. Bailey. (1990). David in Love and War: The Pursuit of Power in 2 Samuel
1012. Sheffield: JSOT, 86.
26. H. W. Hertzberg. (1964). I and II Samuel: A Commentary, OTL. London: SCM, 309.
27. Lillian R. Klein. (2003). From Deborah to Esther: Sexual Politics in the Hebrew
Bible. Minneapolis: Fortress, 56. Cf. idem, “Bathsheba Revealed,” in Samuel and
Kings: A Feminist Companion to the Bible. Athalya Brenner, (ed.). (2000). Feminist
Companion to the Bible 2/7. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 4764.
28. Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan. (2003). “Slingshots, Ships, and Personal Psychosis: Murder,
Sexual Intrigue, and Power in the Lives of David and Othello,” in Pregnant Passion:
Gender, Sex, and Violence in the Bible, Semeia Studies 44. Atlanta: Society of
Biblical Literature, 59. Cf. the commentary of Keil and Delitzsch: “In the expression
‘he took her, and she came to him,’ there is no intimation whatever that David
brought Bathsheba into his palace through craft or violence, but rather that she came
at his request and without any hesitation, and offered no resistance to his desires.
Consequently Bathsheba is not to be regarded as free from blame. The very act of
bathing in the uncovered court of a house in the heart of the city, into which it was
possible for anyone to look down from the roofs of the houses on higher ground, does
not say much for her feminine modesty, even if it was not done with an ulterior
purpose, as some commentators suppose” (C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Biblical
Commentary on the Books of Samuel, trans. James Martin, 1872 [Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1950], 383).
12
29. “Caught in the Tempter’s Trap—The Story of David and Bathsheba.
https://bible.org/seriespage/caught-tempter%E2%80%99s-trap%E2%80%94-story-
david-and-bathsheba. Accessed November 26, 2013.
30. Kisembo Magesa and Shorter. (1977). African Christian Marriage. London: Dublin.
31. Akinyele Omoyajowo. (2001). Religion, Society and the Home. Ijebu-Ode: Vicoo
International Press, 134.
32. Akinyele Omoyajowo. (2001). Religion, Society and the Home. Ijebu-Ode: Vicoo
International Press, 142.
33. D. F. Payne. (1994). 1 & 2 Samuel. New Bible Commentary. D. A. Carson, (et.al).
(Eds.) England: Inter-Varsity Press, 327.
34. Yusuf Alli and Augustine Ehikioya. Obasanjo joins Jonathan, aides at breakfast in
Kenya. The Nation. http://thenationonlineng.net/new/obasanjo-joins-jonathan-aides-
breakfast-kenya/. Accessed December 13, 2013.
... Ada perbedaan pendapat dalam penyebutan kisah ini. Sebagian menyebutnya sebagai skandal perselingkuhan atau perzinahan di antara keduanya (Sewakpo, 2014). Namun, ada pula yang menyebutnya sebagai penyalahgunaan kekuasaan oleh Daud (Ademiluka, 2021), atau dapat disamakan dengan tindak pemerkosaan (Andruska, 2017). ...
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The relationship recorded in 2 Samuel 11 between David and Bathsheba has been interpreted differently by scholars and clergies. Some see it as a love story or a story of infidelity or adultery, but some view it as David’s crime of taking his subordinate’s wife by force. The author reviewed Bathsheba’s position in this article, whether as a tempter or victim, by exposing 2 Samuel 11. The research method used qualitative with a descriptive analysis approach. The author revealed the story by exegeses and analyzed the story presented in it. From the research results, the writer believes that Bathsheba is not a tempter but a victim of David’s power manipulation. We need to be careful with this story since failing to see Bathsheba’s story as sexual manipulation case would make us blind to sin dissemination that lurks in believers’ life. Likes coercion or raping, subtly intimidating like what happens in this story is a sex crime. Thus, we need to be wary not to entrap in a trite concept that places a woman from a victim to a perpetrator.AbstrakRelasi yang tercatat di dalam 2 Samuel 11 antara Daud dan Batsyeba telah ditafsirkan dengan istilah yang berbeda oleh para ahli dan rohaniwan. Ada yang menganggapnya sebagai kisah cinta atau kisah perselingkuhan atau perzinahan, tetapi ada pula yang memandangnya sebagai kisah kejahatan Daud, yang mengambil istri orang secara paksa. Melalui artikel ini penulis meninjau posisi Batsyeba, apakah sebagai penggoda atau sebagai korban dengan mengeksposisi 2 Samuel 11. Metode penelitian adalah kualitatif dengan menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif analisis. Penulis mengeksposisi kisah tersebut dengan mengeksegesis dan menganalisis kisah yang tersaji di dalamnya. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan penulis meyakini Batsyeba bukanlah penggoda melainkan korban manipulasi kekuasaan Daud. Kita perlu berhati-hati menyikapi kisah ini sebab kegagalan melihat kisah Batsyeba sebagai kisah penyalahgunaan seksual akan membuat kita buta terhadap penyebarluasan dosa seksual yang mengintai umat Tuhan. Selain pemaksaan atau pemerkosaan, intimidasi secara halus seperti yang dialami Batsyeba juga merupakan kejahatan seks. Oleh sebab itu, jangan sampai kita terjebak dalam pemahaman tipikal yang mendudukkan wanita dari korban menjadi pelaku. Kata-Kata Kunci: 2 Samuel 11, Daud, Batsyeba, penggoda, korban, perselingkuhan, pemerkosaan
A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816 with a Journal of the Voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf
  • James Justinian Morier
James Justinian Morier. (1818). A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816 with a Journal of the Voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. London: Paternoster-Row.
Professor Blaikiock's Handbook of Bible People. London: Scripture Union
  • E M Blaiklock
E. M. Blaiklock. (1979). Professor Blaikiock's Handbook of Bible People. London: Scripture Union, 210.
He opines that the setting, on a late afternoon in Jerusalem some 3,000 years ago, could easily be mistaken for the subject of a boudoir painting: Bathsheba, a beautiful young woman bathes on the roof under the last rays of dusk
  • Jessica Feinstein
Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). "Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust." http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathsheba-is-one-of-themost-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible Accessed November 26, 2013. He opines that the setting, on a late afternoon in Jerusalem some 3,000 years ago, could easily be mistaken for the subject of a boudoir painting: Bathsheba, a beautiful young woman bathes on the roof under the last rays of dusk, espied by the lustful eyes of a hidden admirer.
The Old Testament, Women and Evil. Eve and the Identity of Women
  • L C E Christopher
  • Witcombe
Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. The Old Testament, Women and Evil. Eve and the Identity of Women. http://witcombe.sbc.edu/evewomen/6womenevil.html Accessed December 19, 2013.
See Edward A. Boje. The Value of a Woman: A Critical and Theological Interpretation of Leviticus 27:1-8. Biblical Studies and Women Issues in Africa
  • Margaret Shanti
Margaret Shanti. (June, 1994). Hinduism and Violence against Women. Voices from the Third World, Vol. xvii, No.1: 50-54. See Edward A. Boje. The Value of a Woman: A Critical and Theological Interpretation of Leviticus 27:1-8. Biblical Studies and Women Issues in Africa. Biblical Studies Series No.1. S. O. Abogunrin et al. Eds. Ibadan: Philarem Corporate Printers, 37-48 (43).
Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust
  • Jessica Feinstein
Jessica Feinstein. (January 25, 2008). "Bathsheba is one of the Most Beguiling Characters in the Bible: Wife, mother, queen, object of royal lust." http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/bathshebais-one-of-the-most-beguiling-characters-in-the-bible. Accessed November 26, 2013.
The Seduction of Success
  • Mike Fehlauer
Mike Fehlauer. "The Seduction of Success." http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/217-the-seductionof-success. Accessed November 20, 2013.
Reconsidering Bathsheba and Her Husband Uriah in Asian Perspective
  • Samuel Cheon
Samuel Cheon. (2012). Reconsidering Bathsheba and Her Husband Uriah in Asian Perspective. Journal of Korean American Ministries & Theology, No. 5 (Columbia): 2-30. Dean C. Ludwig & Clinton O. Longenecker. (1993). The Bathsheba Syndrome: The Ethical Failure of Successful Leaders. Journal of Business Ethics 12 (Toledo): 265-273.
Did King David Rape Bathsheba? A Case Study in Narrative Theology
  • Richard M Davidson
Richard M. Davidson. (2006). Did King David Rape Bathsheba? A Case Study in Narrative Theology. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/2 (Autumn): 81-95.