Did David RAPE Bathsheba or Did They Commit ADULTERY?

To answer this question, it’s necessary to brush up on 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 12.

Those who support the idea that David raped Bathsheba argue that:

Adultery implies mutual consent, but the scriptural account supports David’s abuse of power, which suggests rape.
While Bathsheba was bathing nude on the (flat) rooftop of her abode (2 Samuel 11:2), which was visible from the palace of King David, she likely thought he was at war with his army (2 Samuel 11:1).
She was summoned by the king to go to the palace. In those days, when a king requested your presence, you went. She no doubt assumed it concerned news of her husband, who was at war. In other words, she didn’t go to the palace thinking she’d have sex with the king.
That verse reads “Then David sent messengers to get her” (2 Samuel 11:4). The Hebrew word for “to get her” is laqach (lah-KAKH), which means “To take, receive, seize, acquire, buy, bring, marry, accept.” As such, she didn’t necessarily want to go. David’s men basically seized her.
The text says “She came to him, and he slept with her,” not “She came to him and they slept together” (2 Samuel 11:4). This suggests a one-way act.
Nathan and God admonished David, yet there’s no verse indicating that they admonished Bathsheba as well.
The account says “But the thing David had done displeased the LORD” (2 Samuel 11:27). It does not say anything about God being displeased with Bathsheba or that she provoked the misdeed or willingly participating in it.

Those who support the idea that the scenario was a case of adultery would answer each point thusly:

David definitely abused his position of authority, but that doesn’t automatically mean that the sex act wasn’t consensual.
Since Bathsheba’s husband was in the army, she would’ve known if King David had went out with the troops or was home in his palace.
It is true that subjects in that culture would naturally acquiesce to the king’s summoning and that Bathsheba might not have been aware of the reason for it. However, if she caught a glance of David eying her while bathing on the roof, she would’ve suspected the intent behind his summoning. Keep in mind that this was 2800 years before telescopes or binoculars came into vogue; so, if David could see her close enough to stir up lust, she could see him as well.
David’s men came to get her and she went with them. There’s no indication that they seized her in a rough way or that she fought with them over it.
There’s a big difference between A. “he slept with her” and B. “he forced himself upon her” or “he raped her.”
We don’t know how the LORD dealt with Bathsheba after the occasion, or if Nathan said anything to her. The Bible’s simply silent on this front.
David’s actions displeased the LORD because he A. had sex with another man’s wife and B. had the husband killed in battle after he got Bathsheba pregnant. God held David responsible because he was the national authority of Israel and he was the one who instigated the illicit union by ordering his men to bring her to him due to his out-of-control lust.

Consider the example of a high school teacher taking advantage of a 17 years-old student: Even if the student was a willing partner in the tryst, it’s the teacher who is blamed because he (or she) is the responsible authority figure.

A few other things to consider:

Bathsheba could have simply refused to have sex with the king, regardless of the perceived penalty. Bear in mind that there’s no history of David having women put to death for refusing his sexual advances. So the likelihood of her dying for doing so is nil.
She willingly and readily became David’s wife after the time of grieving for Uriah (2 Samuel 11:27).
There’s no verse in Scripture that follows up this account with something to the effect of: “And so Bathsheba loathed David because he raped her; and intentionally had her husband killed in battle.”
David was said to be “glowing with health” and “handsome” (1 Samuel 16:12 & 1 Samuel 17:42) along with being “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14 & Acts 13:22), not to mention being the king of God’s chosen nation on Earth during its height of health and prosperity. It would’ve been below David to resort to raping a woman, as well as unnecessary. The only reason he resorted to having Uriah killed was because he had gotten Bathsheba pregnant while Uriah was away at war and he was desperately trying to cover up his sin.

In light of all this, I suspect Bathsheba was guilty to some degree in the sexual union even though the LORD pinned the blame on David, and rightly so. As such, if I refer to this incident in my teachings I say that David committed adultery and not that he raped her.

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