Centering sleep :)

Dawn asks: "Got any suggestions for people like me, who tend to get really drowsy or fall asleep?"

The book says that one needs to sit comfortably while praying, but "not so comfortable that we encourage sleep but comfortable enough to avoid thinking about the discomfort of our bodies during the time of prayer." It goes on to say:

It is usually found to be most comfortable to sit with the back straight and well supported by the chair. The head should be free and both feet placed firmly on the floor. The hands can be left free or perhaps placed in one’s lap. There is nothing esoteric or mysterious about this position. It is simply what has been found by experience as most conducive to prayer for the majority of people.

I find that if I center at night or right away after getting up, I usually drift off to sleep. The best time for me to pray is in the mornings after a light breakfast and a 30-minute walk outside. I then get in the bathtub (hey, don’t knock ‘til you’ve tried it!), get comfy and begin my time of centering prayer.

A friend of mine keeps his eyes very slightly open, just enough to let some unfocused light come in. He finds that helpful both as a way to keep intrusive images out and to stay awake.

Phyllis says that if you fall asleep, don’t worry about it. Do what you can to pick a time and position conducive to staying awake, and then if you fall asleep it doesn’t mean that you’ve failed at centering. It simply means you got really relaxed, and that’s good.

Chapter 9: A Deeper Love

This final chapter of the book by the same name discusses several issues that come up as we approach our journey of transformation. Unfortunately, many will take centering prayer and incorporate it with their other strategies that originate from the false self. But the very nature of centering prayer is about loss of control. We are literally giving God control of our time of prayer.

Another problem is that we may not actually be ready for the type of transformation that centering prayer initiates, and we may resist the call of God to let go of the many hindrances he seeks to remove. The book continues with a discussion about what St. John of the Cross calls "beginners" and his writings about "the dark night of the soul." Just that phrase "dark night" sounds like something I’d like to avoid.

Fortunately even in this God leads our journey. St John of the Cross gives us three signs that we are being called to the dark night and the contemplative:

1. We begin to experience pervasive dryness and lack of consolation (the experience of his presence).
2. We still care deeply for God, but begin to feel that we are not being faithful to God, while all the time we are trying to be.
3. We become powerless to meditate—that is to say that we find that it is impossible for us to use our imagination and thinking powers to pray.

So here I am, committed to continuing my journey of centering prayer, wondering what it will be like as I go. As much as I’d like to think I’ve given a blank check to God, as I read this final chapter of the book I have some fear about how this will ultimately affect me.

Chapter 8: The False Self

As soon as I saw the title of this chapter, I said inside myself, "Oh, oh. I’ve been set up." Early in my Christian experience I had a bad experience being "discipled" by a man who taught an extreme version of "dying to self" while also having a place of unhealthy "authority" in my life. This combination resulted in my being spiritually abused. I came to understand that I was bad and God didn’t like me, because of how selfish I was. Thirty years later, I still struggle to comprehend just what it is that God loves about me. So I come to this chapter with a lot of baggage.

The point of the chapter is that we all start out with a lot of basic selfishness because of unmet needs and the desire to be loved and accepted by those around us. Because these needs and desires are unmet, we develop sinful survival strategies to meet these needs. We attempt to control our fate. While God intends for us to have our basic needs met, he doesn’t want us to get there through our own sinful strategies. All of this is why we need to exercise the spiritual disciplines.

As we exercise the discipline of centering prayer, the mysterious communion between God and my spirit begins to reveal ever so gently the ways that we give in to our "false self" instead of being directed from our "true self." The true self lies at the core of our being. It is the pure child of God that was created to serve him. Over the top of this core are layers of falseness that need to be sorted through by God’s spirit in order for our true nature to be revealed. As we yield to God in centering prayer, he "turns the lights on" to various parts of our soul he is ready for us to see from his perspective. Now, empowered by his love, grace, mercy, and courage, we begin to surrender our old sinful patterns to him. It is only then that we can learn to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with him.

I can think of no gentler, more respectful, or more peaceful way that this can be accomplished than by centering prayer. As I submit willingly to God’s action through centering prayer, tiny little miracles are happening. I am discovering who I really am, why I’m really here, and how I’m really supposed to be living. I’ve heard it said that that there are only two ways for God to accomplish this metamorphosis of our soul: 1) centering prayer and 2) suffering.

Hmmm. Somehow it seems I’m back to "Easy way, hard way" again. I think I’ll pick door number one.

Chapter 7: Extending into Daily Life

This chapter reminds the reader that this type of prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayers, and of course works best in conjunction with other forms of spiritual discipline. Best practices are that one would engage in centering prayer twice a day for 20 minutes. My advice is that you might start out with a more modest goal of five minutes three times per week and work up from there.

This chapter also discusses "breath" prayers, where a short prayer is uttered from time to time during the day that really represents a larger, longer prayer of our heart. Here are a few examples:

• Abba, I belong to you
• Jesus, come to my aid
• Do your will in me

I’ve always liked John Wimber’s favorite "breath" prayer: "O God, O God, O God!"

Chapter 6: Centering Prayer and Contemplative Prayer

I had often wondered if these were the same things or not. This chapter of the book explains the difference. Centering prayer is a method of prayer we follow. Contemplative prayer (or contemplation as it is sometimes called) is a gift that sometimes accompanies centering prayer. The authors posit that God’s main language is silence. Therefore, our way to approach him for communion is via silence. When our spirit meets with God’s spirit and a silent communication ensues, this is the beginning of contemplation. This kind of "being-to-being conversation" is an indescribable event, since it occurs in secret and is "directly infused into our being."

Have you experienced this? I think I have on occasion. I always wonder what my spirit and God's spirit are talking about though. Probably stuff like, "You know, he really could use more humility. Got any good ideas for how we could humble him?"

Chapter 5: The Fruit of Centering Prayer

At this point the book turns from the practical instruction about centering prayer to discuss the results that one can expect from centering prayer. The points that the book makes that I most resonate with are:

• An increase in our commitment toward God
• An increase in our unconditional love for others
• An increase in the virtue of Godly detachment
• An increase in the doing of God’s actual will
• An increase in our trust of God
• A decrease in our need to perform for God
• A decrease in our self-focus

I love this quote from St. John of the cross: "It matters little whether a bird is tied down by a stout cord or a slender thread. It cannot fly in either case." The beauty of centering prayer is that as we submit to the action of God in our lives, and release all control for a period of time, he begins to release us from the things that are holding us back and then begins to conform us to his specific action in our lives. We let go of our narrow vision of God, his will, and our lives, and begin the path of true conformity to the life of God.

For me, centering prayer is all about aiming my heart toward God.

Chapter 4: The Use of the Sacred Word

This chapter goes into much more detail than my previous post did about the use of the sacred word. There are several kinds of mental activity that present themselves when we begin to do centering prayer. The book cites the following categories, and goes into detail about each of them:

1. Ordinary Wanderings of the Imagination
2. Attractive Thoughts
3. Insights
4. Self-Reflection
5. Unloading of the Unconscious

To battle with these intrusive thoughts the book suggests Four Rs:

1. Resist no thought
2. Retain no thought
3. React emotionally to no thought
4. Return ever so gently to the sacred word

The key is when any kind of thinking occurs, to "let it come and let it go." I had been doing it all wrong. I had been emotionally reacting to many of my thoughts, actively resisting thoughts, and returning with too much force. I tried the four Rs yesterday and what I thought was only a five minute time of centering turned out to be 20 minutes. Wow! It was great.

Chapter 3: The Method of Centering Prayer

Chapter three of A Deeper Love (see my previous post) gives careful instruction for centering prayer. These are the four steps:

1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to the presence and action of God within.

2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action.

3. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever so gently to the sacred word.

4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence for a few minutes with eyes closed.

There is considerable discussion about the sacred word. It is not to be confused with a mantra, or anything magical. Also, I never knew this before, but it works best if it’s only a single syllable. And you shouldn’t be changing your sacred word, but instead stay with one sacred word over a long period of prayer times. I had been changing mine, in hopes of avoiding boredom, but apparently this only gives the mind more to think about, and is actually counterproductive to the goal of centering.

After praying about it some, I decided on the word "be." It best describes my intention to be in the presence of the Lord, as opposed to my normal mode of "doing." The book proposes a number of alternatives including "Lord," "Faith," "Peace," "Love," "Hope," "Calm," and "Trust." And you’re not really supposed to meditate on the meaning of your sacred word, but only use it when you catch yourself thinking. Then you ever so gently return, using the word to refocus.

Also, I wasn’t aware of the part about the "action of God." I wanted to do centering as a way to experience God’s presence, and to realign myself to a God who sits at rest on the throne. But it turns out that this is also about submitting to God’s action within us.

If we are to become a vessel of God’s presence in our world we need to be hollowed out, as it were, to make space for God. Usually we are so full of ourselves that we have no room for God or anyone else. The action of God then is to purify us of selfishness so that we can become filled with God.

I wonder what your experience has been with this. Do you find that centering empties you of yourself and makes room for God and others? What do you think about the sacred word? What word have you chosen to use? I’ll write more another time as I continue with this book, but I would love to hear about your experiences.

I only sort of did it . . .

Earlier this week, Vice President Dick Cheney was quoted as saying, "I'm the guy who pulled the trigger that fired the round that hit Harry."

Sometimes it just blows my mind when I read things like the quote above. There is so much political distancing and "spin" out there. Yes, it was me that pulled the trigger. But the trigger fired the round, and it was the round that hit Harry. It would be great if people would just take responsibility more directly. "Yes, I shot him, but not intentionally. I just wasn’t paying enough attention to the safety rules for hunting. I’m very sorry."

But no, first the whole thing is kept quiet, and then when a statement is given, it puts two levels of distance between Dick and Harry.

A Deeper Love

As part of my requirements for school, I am doing a learning contract on centering prayer. One of the requirements of my contract is that I read a book and report on it. So I thought I’d share this process with you. The book I’m reading is called A Deeper Love—An Introduction to Centering Prayer by Elizabeth Smith and Joseph Chalmers. The first chapter talks about prayer as relationship, and explains the natural progression in any relationship in four stages:

1. Acquaintanceship,
2. Friendliness,
3. Friendship, and
4. Intimacy.
   

Since prayer represents communication in a relationship, this progression tracks how our prayers change as we grow in our relationship with God. In the intimacy stage, talking gives way to silence and just being together without words. It is this stage that the book is most concerned with.

In chapter 2, "Growing in prayer," they begin with a discussion of Psalm 139, explaining how God is everywhere we go, and already knows every word we might want to say. I’ve believed for years that when it comes to praying, words are highly overrated. Of much more import is our simple focus. It’s great to find a book that agrees with me. Four levels of prayer are considered:

1. lectio—reading,
2. meditatio—meditation or reflecting,
3. oratio—prayer, and
4. contemplatio—contemplation.

Contemplation is a gift from God. "Prayer is what we do; contemplation is what God does." This is God’s response to our silent connection with him. The book quotes St John of the Cross:

"One word the Father spoke,
which word was His son,
and this word He speaks
ever in eternal silence,
and in silence must it
be heard by the soul."

Well, I’ve got my goal set out for me: to comprehend God’s spoken word in silence.

Easy way, hard way

That’s the actual phrase. It’s about healthy parenting where the kids are empowered to make good choices. So when it’s time for bed and the kids are resistant, you give them an "easy way, hard way" choice. The easy way to go to bed is that they go now willingly. With this option they get a story and some cuddle time. The hard way to go to bed is if they go later unwillingly. This option comes with no story and no cuddle time. Some negotiation is allowed to further empower your children know how to influence those who hold power over them in life.

Good stuff.

This is another thing I wish I could have learned about much sooner. My kids were adults by the time I came across this one. . .

Easy way, harsh way

Blogger's warning: don’t read this if you want to feel good – it’s too depressing.

This morning a thought came percolating back into my consciousness, still swimming around looking for more comprehension inside of me. It was something that I talked about with my dad back in November. My dad, who was brought up in the Great Depression under grave circumstances, still believes at the age of 80 that the best way to raise kids is harshly.

From my own experience of harshness at his hands, this included a lot of things that would be reportable child abuse in our era, but was considered to be normal then. A spanking was done with a razor strap or a belt, on a bare bottom. Or at least theoretically on the hind end. In actual practice, hands and arms got in the way and we wiggled around so much that large welts persisted for days on our arms and legs as well. And then there was the occasional backhand to the ground, the whack with the buggy whip, the kick in the pants … you get the idea.

But even harsher was the verbal and emotional abuse. Kids were to be seen and not heard. When we screwed up, we were addressed in a string of adjectives that would euphemistically be translated like this: "You are a person who God has damned to hell. You were born out of wedlock and your mother was a female dog. You have no value. You are liar by nature, filthy to the core, lazy, and currently performing crass sexual activity."

But the abuse didn’t stop there. Kids were there to serve the parents. It was my job to give my parents a good night kiss. It was expected that I would go to school, do my homework, help around the house, do chores (shoveling manure, feeding animals, grinding feed, etc.) before and after school during the school year. In the summer, long hours of bailing hay, hauling silage, plowing, mowing, raking hay, etc. were the standard fare.

But the one that got me thinking about all this was that my dad would set me up to fail. Intentionally vague instruction was given so that yelling, shaming, blaming, and defaming could occur later. More work was assigned so that punishment could be meted out. I suppose the reason for all of this was to get me so scared that I would obey without question, much as soldiers are conditioned for battle at boot camp. Scott Adams, in his comic strip "Dilbert," once pointed out in humorous way that evil Human Resource directors intentionally hire shame-based employees so that they can get them to work long hours without questioning it. Perhaps that’s why my dad thought I should be raised harshly.

So now I find myself being harsh with myself, and I’m sure I was harsh with my kids (Gloria and Justin: if you’re reading this, please forgive my sin in this).

But it still blows my mind to think that my dad still believes that this is how kids should be raised: harshly. Astonishing. I just can’t wrap my mind around the fact that anyone in this millennium still believes that.

Am I warm toward the things of God?

While I know that while my heart is warm toward God, I am having difficulty knowing how to regain warmth towards the church as instituted in America. I once again find myself on the outside looking in, and wondering if the good outweighs the bad. I have nothing in me right now that wants to press past my disillusionment to find out.

As far as I can tell God is fine with leading me in another direction for awhile. I am enjoying being in Seminary, as ironic as that may sound. It has been good to step back from the implementation of the local church, and to retool and study the Bible to get an idea of what Jesus might have had in mind when he came to earth to die for us. I feel very warm toward God, Christians as individuals, the Bible, and all ministries that care for and serve the people of the earth.

But right now it feels weird to say that I can’t get any warmth toward institutions that co-opt techniques from successful corporations to grow numerically, and that water down the gospel in order to become "seeker friendly." It’s weird for me to say that because I sense the Holy Spirit hovering over the church, looking for any opportunity to bring life and blessing, no matter how much of what we do as the church is misguided.

I got a call from a friend who is being asked to disregard the expressed needs of his home fellowship group, and embrace a new program that his pastor is excited about. Those that my friend provides spiritual care for are saying that they just can’t do another program that seeks to grow their church while siphoning their life away. If he doesn’t go along with the program, it seems pretty clear that he will be asked to stop serving those that he now is caring for.

Having said all that, I am very ready and willing to serve in any ministry that has the goal to set people free from things that have held them captive for years, and that cares for those doing the ministry while it serves the broken and needy.

Got my paper done!

I'm so happy! I have a life again! OT-512 is over! I'm going to post the paper I wrote for it here.

Enjoy!

David and Bathsheba: A Counselor’s Perspective

By Ted Mathis

Denver Seminary




January 31, 2006

OT 512: Understanding the Kingdom of Israel and Her Prophets

Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R



Introduction

This paper will examine the biblical story of David and Bathsheba, focusing in particular on the life of David. The applicable lessons from this story will be examined for possible use in counseling men at various stages of life. Initially, the context of this narrative will be examined, followed by a review of some important observations from the story, and concluding with implications for counselors with male clients.

Backdrop for the Story

The first mention of David is found in 1 Samuel 16 where Samuel anoints David to replace Saul as king over Israel. David is pictured as a young shepherd boy, who apparently “did not particularly look like a king, but his heart followed the Lord.”[1] From this humble beginning, David begins a journey that commences with him becoming an armor bearer to Saul (1 Sam 16:19-23), using his musical skill of playing his harp for Saul (16:23) with “an ongoing presence of the Lord’s Spirit, from the day of his anointing onward.”[2]

Next the Bible tells us “one of the greatest of all children’s stories,” the conquest of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.[3] By killing Goliath on the battlefield, David becomes a hero and demonstrates his faith in God to deliver his people from their enemies. 1 Samuel 18 tells how David becomes a lifelong friend to Jonathan, the son of King Saul. Chapters 18-20 contain “the details of Saul’s six attempts at murdering David.”[4]

Meanwhile Jonathan becomes instrumental in protecting David from being murdered (19:1-7, 20:1-42). The rest of 1 Samuel continues with David running for his life from Saul, hiding in the desert and in caves (22:1, 24:1-13), fighting the Philistines (23:1-5), and finally even hiding out in the land of the Philistines (27:1). David’s respect for authority is revealed as twice he turns from the opportunity to kill Saul (24:1-22, 26:1-25), refusing to touch the “LORD’S anointed” (24:6, 24:10, 26:9, 26:11, 26:16, 26:23). Much of David’s early years can be characterized by the picture of David running, “running toward Goliath, running from Saul, pursuing God, meeting Jonathan, rounding up sheep, whatever, but running.”[5]

The second book of Samuel opens with David pausing to lament the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. David establishes his rule over Judah in Hebron (2 Sam 2:1-4) for “seven years and six months” (2:11) and finally becomes king over all Israel (5:1). He captures Jerusalem, makes it his new capital city, establishes his harem (5:13), brings the ark to Jerusalem (6:1-23), and defeats his remaining enemies (8:1-2, 10:17-19). Finally it seems that David can stop running. His goals are achieved, and his place in life has never been better.

Commentary on the Story

Chapter eleven opens with an observation in the first verse that “at the time when kings go off to war . . . David remained in Jerusalem.” “The phrase which speaks of kings going forth (to war) turns a spotlight on the king who stays at home.”[6] The story continues in verse two: “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace.” David has kicked back from the thrills of his earlier life and is taking it easy. He doesn’t have to be out fighting anymore. He’s got generals to do that for him. It’s good to be the king.

But suddenly the verse continues with, “From the roof he saw a woman bathing.” While George Nicol speculates that “Bathsheba’s action of bathing in such close proximity to the royal palace was deliberately provocative,”[7] a better interpretation of the text is that a seed of lust has taken grip on David. He now “uses the power of his office to force a sexual encounter with Bathsheba.”[8]

Commenting on this passage, Eugene Peterson makes much of “the subtle repetition of a seemingly amoral word: send.”[9] This simple verb announces the “impersonal exercise of power.”[10] By following this repeated word, those exercising this type of power can be observed with more insight. The first use occurs in chapter eleven, verse one: “David sent Joab.” A king gives an order which is obeyed automatically. Next in verse three, “David sent someone to find out about her.” His lust activated, verse four tells us that “David sent messengers to get her.” Bathsheba, choosing in verse five to defer to the king to find a solution, “sent word to David, saying, ‘I am pregnant.’” David now conspires to commit the sin of murder as part of a scheme to cover up his sin of adultery. In verse six he once again uses the power of his throne, and the word send appears three more times: “So David sent this word to Joab: ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’ And Joab sent him to David.” Joab responds with the obedience of one under authority. In verse 18, “Joab sent David a full account of the battle,” letting him know that Bathsheba’s husband Uriah had been killed. David now sends for Bathsheba to marry her (11:27).

Finally in 12:1, “the LORD sent Nathan to David.” God has the final word, intervening with his ultimate authority and power. “Nathan rebukes David for stealing the poor man’s lamb and announces that his first child by Bathsheba will die.”[11]

The Consequences of the Story

David’s sin with Bathsheba marks the turning point in his life. No longer will everything go his way. When Joab sends for David in 12:27 to get back into action in battle, it appears that things might return to normal. Instead, his life is now devastated when his son Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar (13:1-22), and David’s son Absalom murders Amnon because of it (12:22-31). Absalom takes the kingdom from his father, and David is running for his life again (15:14). Even though he regains his palace after the death of Absalom, his troubles continue until his death is recorded in 1 Kings 2:10.

Observations from the Story

It is interesting to note that after Nathan forgives David’s sin (2 Sam 12:13), only two more mentions are made of David’s catastrophic failure. The first is in 1 Kings 15:5: “For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’S commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.” The other is recorded as part of the messianic lineage in Matthew 1:6: “David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.”

Even though David suffers huge consequences during the rest of his earthly life after his sin with Bathsheba, God seems to have no trouble forgiving David for his sin and remembering him in terms of their covenant relationship. David and “forever” are mentioned 15 times (2 Sam 7:26, 22:51, 1 Ki 1:31, 2:33, 9:5, 2 Ki 9:19, 21:7, 1 Chr 15:2, 17:24, 23:25, 2 Chr 13:5, 21:7, 33:7, Psa 18:50, and Ezek 37:25).

Another amazing commentary on this adulterer and murderer is 1 Kings 15:3: “He [Abijah] committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.” Clearly God’s standard for a fully devoted heart does not require one to never violate the law. In Acts 13:22, the New Testament remembers David as a “man after [God’s] own heart.” There are no qualifiers on that judgment. God is pleased to remember David based on his covenant with him and based on the quality of his devotion.

Conclusion

The story of David is the story of a man of passion—passion for God, battle, worship, love, and even sin. But it is also a story of God’s amazing and even more passionate forgiveness. For men seeking counseling, it is a warning for them to be on guard for the power of sexual temptation, especially when things are going well. Mighty kingdoms have been brought down from a root of sexual sin. Men of passion and heart especially need to be aware of the dark side of their passion. The consequences of sin are far reaching. Not only is the immediate family affected, but generations to come may also be affected. For those in leadership positions, this story highlights how greatly the power of a leader can negatively influence the lives of those under their authority.

For those who have already fallen, this narrative provides a powerful example of God’s response to those who earnestly repent. While consequences may follow in this life, their sin will be all but forgotten. For men who believe they can cover up their mistakes, it reveals the reality that sin will eventually be exposed, confronted, and dealt with. David’s life serves as a grim reminder that sin is never private. For those in the midst of trials, it provides encouragement that God is on their side, defining their relationship on the basis of covenant, and not on the basis of past sins that have already been forgiven. God will have the final word on our lives.

Bibliography

Arnold, Bill T. and Bryan E. Beyer. Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999.

Garsiel, Moshe. “The story of David and Bathsheba: A different approach.” Biblical Quarterly Vol. 55, Issue 2 (April 1993): 244-260.

Howard, David M. An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books. Chicago: Moody Press, 1993.

Lowery, Richard H. “David, Bathsheba, Nathan, and War.” Tikkun 08879982, Vol. 18, Issue 2 (March/April 2003): 23-25.

Nicol, George G. “The Alleged Rape of Bathsheba: Some Observations on Ambiguity in Biblical Narrative.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 73 (1997): 43-54.

Perry, M. and M. Sternberg. The King Through Ironic Eyes: The Narrator’s Devices in the Biblical Story of David and Bathsheba, and Two Excurses on the Theory of the Narrative Text. Hasifrut 1, 1968.

Peterson, Eugene H. Leap Over a Wall: Earthly Spirituality for Everyday Christians. New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

Reference Citings

[1] Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 201.
[2] David M. Howard, An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books (Chicago: Moody Press, 1993), 155-156.
[3] Eugene H. Peterson, Leap Over a Wall: Earthly Spirituality for Everyday Christians (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 36.
[4] Ibid., 52.
[5] Ibid., 11.
[6] M. Perry and M. Sternberg, The King Through Ironic Eyes: The Narrator’s Devices in the Biblical Story of David and Bathsheba, and Two Excurses on the Theory of the Narrative Text (Hasifrut 1, 1968), 195.
[7] George G. Nichol, “The Alleged Rape of Bathsheba: Some Observations on Ambiguity in Biblical Narrative,” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 73 (1997), 44.
[8] Richard H. Lowery, “David, Bathsheba, Nathan, and War,” Tikkun 08879982, Vol. 18, Issue 2 (March/April 2003), 24
[9] Peterson, Leap Over a Wall, 183.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Moshe Garsiel, “The Story of David and Bathsheba: A Different Approach,” Biblical Quarterly Vol. 55, Issue 2 (April 1993), 249.