Immorality and intolerance in the Bible? Natural ethicality and the interpretation of scripture in the writings of Pierre Bayle

Bayle steers clear of the debate on the authority of Scripture and literal inspiration, apparently entrenching himself within the orthodox doctrine. And yet his incursions into the biblical sphere are notable for their recklessness, because they increasingly highlight the incompatibility between the basic principles of natural morality and the conduct of some men of God, if not even of God himself. Judged against our moral standards, the divine course of action seems utterly as indefensible as that of King David.