David

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: David, Men in the Old Testament, Old Testament Kings

  • David lives from 1040-970 BCE.
  • His father is Jesse; his great-grandmother is Ruth the Moabitess.
  • He is the youngest of 8 sons.
  • He spends his youth as a shepherd.
  • David is described as “ruddy and handsome with beautiful eyes.”
  • Samuel, the Prophet, anoints him with oil after rejecting all of his older brothers.
  • They agree to keep everything secret for a while.
  • Some time later the spirit of the Lord departs from Saul, and he is tormented.
  • He instructs his servants to find someone skillful in playing the lyre.
  • One of them knows David and describes him as “skillful in playing, a man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.”
  • Saul sends word to Jesse to send David.
  • Saul loves David and makes him his armor bearer. He carries Saul’s shield, spear, and sword.
  • Whenever Saul grapples with the evil spirit, David plays for him and Saul feels better.
  • Sometime later Saul goes out to fight against the Philistines.
  • Every day Goliath, a giant, comes out of the Philistine camp and taunts the Israelites.
  • Three of David’s brothers are in the army, and while he is visiting them, Goliath comes out.
  • David wonders why someone doesn’t fight against him and then offers to do it.
  • He says he has already fought against lions and bears. He is not afraid of Goliath.
  • Saul wants David to wear a full set of armor, but David says he isn’t used to them.
  • So he goes out to face Goliath armed only with his sling and five smooth stones.
  • Goliath looks at him and despises him asking, “Am I a dog that this boy comes with a staff?”
  • Then he curses David.
  • David says, “This day the Lord will give you into my hand.”
  • As he runs toward the giant, David hurls a stone at his forehead.
  • The giant falls to the ground, and David kills him.
  • Even though the Israelites rout the rest of the Philistines, David is known as the hero.
  • By the end of the day, Saul’s son, Jonathan, “is bound to the soul of David and loves him as his own soul.”
  • Saul takes David to his house.
  • Jonathan makes a covenant with David—giving him his robe, his armor, sword, bow, and belt.
  • Fully armed David goes out under Saul’s orders and is successful in whatever he does.
  • Saul puts David in charge of military operations, and everyone admires him.
  • Saul begins to be jealous of David’s popularity.
  • Twice while David is playing his lyre for Saul, Saul throws a spear at him.
  • Saul begins to fear David.
  • Finally, he makes David an officer—putting him in a dangerous combat role.
  • David continues to be very successful.
  • Then Saul arranges for his eldest daughter to marry David, effectively becoming his father-in-law.
  • At the last minute, Saul gives that daughter to someone else; another daughter, Michal, confesses that she is in love with David.
  • For his bride price, Saul orders David to kill 100 Philistines (expecting that they will kill him instead).
  • However, David goes out and fulfills his quota.
  • By now Saul hates David and orders his servants to kill him.
  • Jonathan, however, still loves David and finds a way to bring Saul and David together.
  • That lasts until Saul has another bout of ill-temper.
  • He sends his men to kill David at home, but Michal intervenes and warns David.
  • David escapes to Ramah and meets up with Samuel.
  • He briefly returns to talk with Jonathan and asks if Saul is still trying to kill him.
  • Jonathan sets up a test and determines that Saul wants David dead.
  • Jonathan and David make a pact for peace, but David flees for good.
  • David goes to Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, and convinces him to give him the sword used to kill Goliath.
  • When Saul finds out about this, he sends for Ahimelech and accuses him of siding with David. He orders his henchmen to kill the priests.
  • David flees to Moab and begins to amass an army of 600 followers.
  • Saul chases after him and, by chance, ends up relieving himself in the cave in which David and his men are hiding.
  • David creeps up and cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe.
  • After Saul leaves, David calls to him and shows him the piece from his robe saying he chose not to kill him.
  • Saul breaks down and says he knows David will be king. He asks for leniency for his descendants.
  • David agrees, but Saul continues to pursue him.
  • David and his men go to Maon where Nabal insults them. His wife, Abigail, placates David and his men. He marries Abigail after her husband dies.
  • David encounters Saul again when Saul camps close to David’s hiding place.
  • David sneaks into camp and takes Saul’s spear and water jug.
  • He calls to Saul the next morning and reiterates that he chose not to harm him.
  • Saul apologizes and returns home.
  • Tired of being on the run, David goes to Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, and offers to serve him. Achish gives him the city of Ziklag.
  • Achish puts his trust in him, but David raids neighboring cities and gives the spoils to the leaders of Judah.
  • Saul and Jonathan are killed in a battle with the Philistines.
  • David and his men move to Hebron; the citizens of Judah come there and make him king.
  • Seven years later, he is crowned king of all Israel; he is 30 years old.
  • His first task is to capture Jerusalem and rename it the “City of David.”
  • He fortifies the city and builds his palace.
  • David and his armies successfully drive the Philistines out of Israel.
  • He brings the Holy Ark to Jerusalem amid a great celebration.
  • He establishes a central government with tribal administrators.
  • David is a brilliant military strategist and warrior.
  • Under his watchful eye, Jerusalem becomes the religious and secular center of the country.
  • God makes a covenant that the house of David will remain forever.
  • To honor the memory of Jonathan, David brings Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and the only remaining heir of Saul’s house, into the palace.
  • One day he sees a beautiful woman from his rooftop.
  • Even though he knows Bathsheba is married, he impregnates her.
  • He arranges to have her husband, Uriah, killed in battle.
  • He marries Bathsheba.
  • Nathan, the prophet, confronts him, and David confesses his sin.
  • After the child dies, David and Bathsheba have another son, Solomon.
  • Among his 8 wives and many concubines, David has dozens of children. Twenty-two sons are named.
  • There is much strife in his family.
  • Eventually, his son, Absalom, rebels against him and takes the city of Jerusalem.
  • David and his men leave Jerusalem for a time.
  • Nonetheless, in the battle that ensues, Absalom is killed and David returns as the king.
  • Near the end of his life, David buys the threshing floor that will become the Temple.
  • As David ages, his sons struggle over which will succeed him.
  • But David has already promised Bathsheba that Solomon will be the next king – and so he is.
  • David instructs Solomon to follow the word of God and to repay those that have helped him throughout the years.
  • David dies; he has ruled Israel for 40 years. He is buried in the City of David.
  • Many scholars believe David wrote or edited most of the Psalms. 3-5 Years of Age
  • David lives from 1040-970 BCE.
  • He is the youngest of 8 sons.
  • He spends his youth as a shepherd.
  • David is described as “ruddy and handsome with beautiful eyes.”
  • He plays the lyre for Saul when he has bad moods.
  • David offers to fight Goliath, a giant Philistine.
  • He runs toward the giant and hurls a stone at his forehead.
  • The giant falls to the ground, and David kills him.
  • David becomes a hero.
  • Saul’s son, Jonathan, loves David.
  • Saul hates David and orders his servants to kill him.
  • David escapes.
  • Jonathan and David make a pact for peace, but David flees for good.
  • He goes to Moab and 600 men join him.
  • Saul chases after him.
  • Twice, Saul unknowingly camps near David.
  • The first time, David creeps up and cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe.
  • The second time, he steals his spear and water jug.
  • David calls to him and shows him what he has and says he chose not to kill him.
  • Saul apologizes.
  • When Saul and Jonathan are killed, the citizens of Judah make David king.
  • Seven years later, he is crowned king of all Israel; he is 30 years old.
  • He renames Jerusalem the “City of David.”
  • He builds his palace there.
  • Jerusalem becomes an important city.
  • God promises that the house of David will remain forever.
  • One day he sees Bathsheba from his rooftop.
  • Even though he knows Bathsheba is married, he gets her pregnant.
  • He has her husband, Uriah, killed in battle.
  • He marries Bathsheba.
  • Nathan, the prophet, confronts him, and David confesses his sin.
  • After the child dies, David and Bathsheba have another son, Solomon.
  • David has 8 wives, many concubines, and dozens of children. Twenty-two sons are named.
  • His children do not get along.
  • David promises Bathsheba that Solomon will be the next king – and so he is.
  • David tells Solomon to follow the word of God.
  • David dies; he has ruled Israel for 40 years.
  • Many scholars believe David wrote or edited most of the Psalms. 6-12 Years of Age
  • David lives from 1040-970 BCE.
  • His father is Jesse; his great-grandmother is Ruth the Moabitess.
  • He is the youngest of 8 sons.
  • He spends his youth as a shepherd.
  • David is described as “ruddy and handsome with beautiful eyes.”
  • Samuel anoints him to be a future king.
  • Saul has bad dreams.
  • David is “skillful in playing, a man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.”
  • David carries Saul’s shield, spear, and sword.
  • Sometime later, Saul goes out to fight against the Philistines.
  • Every day Goliath, a giant Philistine, taunts the Israelites.
  • David offers to fight him.
  • Saul wants David to wear a full set of armor, but David says he isn’t used to them.
  • So he goes out to face Goliath armed only with his sling and five smooth stones.
  • As he runs toward the giant, David hurls a stone at his forehead.
  • The giant falls to the ground, and David kills him.
  • David becomes a hero.
  • Saul’s son, Jonathan, loves David.
  • Jonathan makes a covenant with David giving him his robe, his armor, sword, bow, and belt.
  • Saul becomes jealous of David’s popularity and begins to fear him.
  • Saul gives his daughter, Michal, to David.
  • David kills 100 Philistines for Saul.
  • Saul hates David and orders his servants to kill him.
  • David escapes to Ramah and meets up with Samuel.
  • He briefly returns to talk with Jonathan and asks if Saul is still trying to kill him.
  • Jonathan finds out that Saul still wants David dead.
  • Jonathan and David make a pact for peace, but David flees for good.
  • He goes to Moab and 600 men join him.
  • Saul chases after him.
  • Twice, Saul unknowingly camps near David.
  • The first time, David creeps up and cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe.
  • The second time he steals his spear and water jug.
  • David calls to him and shows him what he has and says he chose not to kill him.
  • Saul apologizes.
  • Tired of being on the run, David hides in a Philistine city.
  • He is not part of the battle when Saul and Jonathan are killed.
  • After their deaths, the citizens of Judah make David king.
  • Seven years later he is crowned king of all Israel; he is 30 years old.
  • He takes over Jerusalem and renames it the “City of David.”
  • He builds his palace there.
  • Under his leadership, Jerusalem becomes the religious and secular center of the country.
  • God makes a covenant that the house of David will remain forever.
  • One day he sees Bathsheba from his rooftop.
  • Even though he knows Bathsheba is married, he gets her pregnant.
  • He has her husband, Uriah, killed in battle.
  • He marries Bathsheba.
  • Nathan, the prophet, confronts him, and David confesses his sin.
  • After the child dies, David and Bathsheba have another son, Solomon.
  • David has 8 wives, many concubines, and dozens of children. Twenty-two sons are named.
  • There is much strife in his family.
  • Near the end of his life, David buys the threshing floor that will become the Temple.
  • David promises Bathsheba that Solomon will be the next king – and so he is.
  • David instructs Solomon to follow the word of God and to repay those that have helped him throughout the years.
  • David dies; he has ruled Israel for 40 years. He is buried in the City of David.
  • Many scholars believe David wrote or edited most of the Psalms.

Bible Characters