David is Israel's second king, warrior, politician, psalmist, founder of the dynasty of Judean kings. The story of his career is the most detailed and exciting of all Biblical characters. David is introduced three times in the Book of Shmuel Alef. Following Shaul's failure in his battle against Amalek, the prophet Shmuel appears in David's home town of Beit Lehem (Bethlehem) to anoint a successor. God directs him to Yishai's youngest son, David, who remains silent and passive in this episode. Shortly after this secret selection, David is fetched by Shaul's aides to serve the king as court musician (I Samuel 16).
David's grand entrance onto the Biblical stage however, comes in the next story in which he defeats Goliat, the Plishti giant. During a standoff between the armies of Israel and the Philistines, Goliat challenges Israel to send a man out to engage in single representative combat fighting. None of Shaul's men are brave enough to accept this mission, but David convinces the king that with God's help he can succeed. Goliat and David exchange taunts and then David fells the giant with a stone from his slingshot. He then decapitates his adversary. The loss of their champion panics the Plishtim and they are routed by Israel. David emerges with Goliat's sword and a promise of marriage to the king's daughter as reward for his valour (Chapter 17).
David is universally adored; he is loved by Shaul (16:21), by Yonatan (18:1), by Shaul's daughter Michal (18:20), and by all the populace (18:16). He is sent on missions by the king and becomes a national celebrity. The people sing of his glory, to the dismay of the king. David accepts a challenge put to him by Shaul to kill 100 Plishtim in order to marry Michal, and kills 200 instead, returning with their foreskins as proof of his success (Chapter 18). David escapes several of Shaul's attempts on his life, once with the aid of his wife Michal, David runs to Shmuel for refuge and the king follows him there where Shaul is overcome by prophecy (Chapter 19). Yonatan proves his loyalty to David by helping him hide in a field where he conveys to him the measure of Shaul's hatred towards his friend. David knows that he must flee for good (Chapter 20).
David runs to Nov where he is assisted by the Kohen of the town, Ahimelekh son of Ahituv. The Kohen gives him bread and Goliat's sword which David has stored in Nov. David is aware that Doeg HaEdomi, a loyal servant to Shaul, is there but does nothing to stop him from reporting his presence to his master. This slip leads to the massacre of Nov's people. David then turns to Gat, a Plishti town. However, King Achish's men recognize David as the Plishti- slayer, and David, fearing for his life, feigns madness. This strategy gets him thrown out of the king's presence (Chapter 21).
David begins to attract rootless men and he soon has a band of 400. He moves his family to Moav to protect them from Shaul, but is told by the prophet Gad not to remain in Moav but to return to Yehuda (Chapter 22). David travels to the Israelite town of Keila where he saves the people from an attack by the Plishtim. Shaul learns of David's location and sets out after him, a move which David hears about. David calls Eviatar the Kohen to assist him in seeking God's advice and, using the Ephod, asks whether he is safe in Keila or whether its citizens will betray him. God warns David to take his 600 men and flee. David is again met by Yonatan who assures him all will be well (Chapter 23). David flees to Ein Gedi, but his location is again revealed to his adversary who tracks him with 3000 soldiers. David is hiding in a cave with his men when Shaul unknowingly enters in order to relieve himself. David's soldiers urge him to seize the moment and slay the pursuer, thus realizing the promise God has made to deliver the enemy into his hand. David is loath to raise a hand to God's anointed one and instead cuts off a piece of his robe, an act which he later regrets. When Shaul leaves the cave, David follows him, brandishing the cloth he has cut as evidence that he was in fact close enough to the king to take his life, and yet did not. Shaul seems persuaded (for now) that David means him no harm and the two part company (Chapter 24).
A short story follows which provides a break in the Shaul-David narrative. David is insulted by Naval, a local chieftain. David plans on slaughtering Naval's entire household as revenge, and perhaps to exert his authority over the region. On his march towards this end, he is intercepted by Naval's wife Avigayil who convinces him that such an action will be a stain on his career. David is grateful for the lesson in temperance and backs down. Naval is soon killed by God and David marries Avigayil (Chapter 25).
The Book of Shmuel returns us to Shaul's pursuit of David in an episode which is reminiscent of the pair's previous encounter. Shaul follows David and his men to the Wilderness of Zif. The king pitches camp and sleeps in the middle surrounded by his men. Assisted by God who insures that the company remains in a deep sleep, David sneaks down to the camp with his nephew and aide, Avishai son of Zeruya. The latter is eager to slay the king, but David restrains him, arguing that they dare not strike God's anointed one. Instead, David snatches the king's spear and canteen, and moving off to a safe distance, addresses Shaul's camp. He first rebukes Avner, Shaul's general, for not protecting the king. David then once again proclaims his loyalty to Shaul, arguing that had he really sought the king's life, Shaul would be dead. Shaul yields this point and blesses David. The two part, never to meet again (Chapter 26).
Tiring of the cat and mouse game with Shaul, David takes his 600 men and travels to the Plishti town of Gat, believing that this move will convince Shaul to give up the chase. Achish allows his guests to settle in the town of Ziklag. While based in Plishti territory, David spends his time raiding neighboring non-Israelite towns and getting rich. He allows Achish to believe that David is actually attacking Israelite communities, thus convincing Achish of David's loyalty to him and betrayal of his own people (Chapter 27).
Achish prepares for war against Israel and insists that David and his men join his forces. David has to maintain the facade, but of course is caught in a dilemma - he can't very well fight Israelites! Luckily for him, Achish's allies, the other Plishti princes, force Achish to get rid of David, arguing that perhaps in the pitch of battle, David will switch sides (Chapters 28 and 29). Returning to their base at Ziklag, David and his men find that in their absence Amalek has attacked their fortress, burned the town and made off with the women and children, including David's wives Ahinoam and Avigayil. An Egyptian servant of an Amalekite leads David to the Amalek camp where David thoroughly thrashes the enemy and retrieves his people and property (Chapter 30).
The second half of David's story, at the start of the Shmuel Bet, begins with the death of Shaul. News of Shaul's and Yonatan's deaths reaches David via an Amalekite who claims that upon Shaul's own request he killed the king. David and his men are distraught and tear their clothes. David then kills the Amalekite who has admitted to regicide, and expresses his grief over the warriors in a lamentation (II Samuel 1).
David settles in Hebron where he is anointed king by the men of Yehuda and where he reigns for seven years. Meanwhile, Avner, Shaul's general and cousin, establishes Ishboshet, Shaul's son, as king over Ephraim, Yizre’el, Asher, Gilead, and Binyamin. Men loyal to Ishboshet and Avner meet men loyal to David and his general (and nephew) Yoav in combat in the first battle of a civil war between the two sides: 20 of David's men die and 360 of Ishboshet's are killed (II Samuel 2). During the war, Ishboshet insults Avner who defects to David's camp. David demands that Ishboshet return his wife Michal to him, which Ishboshet does. Avner then convinces the elders of Israel to accept David as their king. Avner comes to Hebron to seal his relationship with David who later sends him away in peace. When Yoav discovers that Avner has been accepted by David, he is incensed and slays Avner - the killer of his brother Asael. David is appalled at this treachery and curses Yoav and his family for slaying a great warrior of Israel (Chapter 3).
Ishboshet is assassinated by two of Shaul's guards, Baana and Rekhav. The two decapitate the prince and bring his head to David, expecting him to be pleased. Instead, David kills them for this wretched deed (Chapter 4). The elders of Israel come to David in Hebron and accept him as king over the entire nation. David then captures Jerusalem from the Yevusim and makes it his capital. It is here that the terms “Zion” and “City of David” are first heard. David rules in the city for 33 years. Early in his kingship he strikes some hard blows against the Plishtim who come to challenge his position (Chapter 5). David's first major undertaking as king is to bring the Ark of God to the capital, Jerusalem, from Kiryat Yearim. Due to a mishap along the way, the move is delayed for three months, but is eventually carried out with great fanfare. David leads the procession himself and dances and makes merry in front of the people, behavior which disgusts his wife Michal. She believes that a king should act with dignity. When Michal rebukes David, he responds that he after all, was chosen by God to replace her father and that he will continue to debase himself if it connotes honor for God (Chapter 6).
David plans on taking the next logical step, which is to build a structure to house the Ark, a Temple. The prophet Natan informs him, however, that God disapproves of this project since a man who has killed so much (albeit on behalf of the nation) cannot build a House of God. David is further told that his son will eventually construct a Temple (Chapter 7) and the king lays down much of the groundwork for his son's project (I Chronicles 28, 11-12). God promises David an eternal dynasty (II Samuel 7, 16). In other indications of his interest in the ritual service of God, David directs his attention to ordering the divisions of the Kohanim, Leviim and singers for work in the sanctuary (I Chronicles 23-25) and provides his son Shlomo with plans for the future structure (I Chronicles 28, 11-12).
Chapter 8 describes David's military victories and the formation of his cabinet. In honouring his covenant with Yonatan David seeks and finds Yonatan's son Mephiboshet. The king promises to grant Mephiboshet his grandfather's land as well as a permanent place at the king's table (Chapter 9). David's righteousness is rebuffed by Hanun, king of Ammon which leads to war and Ammon's defeat. David had sent messengers to comfort Hanun over the loss of his father. Hanun is warned by his advisers that the comforters are really spies. The king has the messengers' beards cut as well as their clothes. This leads to a war between Israel and Ammon and Aram, which David's brother-generals Yoav and Avishai win handily (Chapter 10).
The tale of David and Batsheva represents the biggest setback in David's career. One evening, while his troops are at war, David is strolling on his roof top when he spots a neighboring beauty bathing on her roof. The king discovers that she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite who at that moment is away in Israel's army, at war against Ammon. He sends for Batsheva and sleeps with her. Batsheva soon informs David that she is pregnant, and in a move which seems designed to cover up his paternity, calls Uriah from battle and orders him to go home to his wife. When Uriah refuses, David sends him back to the field with a message to Yoav to put Uriah in the front lines so he will be killed. Uriah indeed falls in the fighting. David marries Batsheva and a son is born (Chapter 11). God dispatches the prophet Natan to rebuke David for his behavior, and this he does by first telling David a parable of a wealthy but selfish man. David admits his sin, but Natan tells him that he will be punished by seeing his own wives taken by another and by the death of the baby. The baby falls ill and despite David's praying and fasting, dies. Batsheva bears the king another son; this is Shlomo whom God names Yedidya - “beloved of God” (Chapter 12).
David plays a minor and unwitting role in the unpleasant story of Amnon and Tamar (Chapter 13). After Avshalom kills Amnon in revenge for the latter's rape of Tamar, the prince flees to Aram where he stays with his maternal grandfather. David pines for his son and his general Yoav devises a ruse to convince David to bring Avshalom back to Jerusalem. David eventually reconciles with Avshalom (Chapter 14) who soon betrays his father by amassing supporters in Hebron and declaring himself king. David takes a large company, and departs from Jerusalem. David tries to discourage Ittai the Gittite from going with him, but Ittai remains with the other loyalists in their flight from the city. Zadok the Kohen also joins the procession, leading Leviim carrying the Ark. David, however, instructs the holy men to take the Ark back to Jerusalem where it is to await the king's possible return: if God wishes David to be reunited with the Ark in the city, so be it.
David sends a confederate, Hushai the Arkit to Jerusalem to pretend to defect to Avshalom, but to really spy on the prince's actions (Chapter 15). Ziva, a servant of Mephiboshet appears with provisions for the king, claiming that his master has hopes of gaining the throne and restoring Shaul's family to power. David is then confronted by Shimi ben Gera, a loyalist to Shaul, who pelts David with stones and curses him. David leaves him be and accepts the abuse.
Meanwhile, Avshalom has arrived in Jerusalem, and following the advice of Ahitofel, has slept with David's concubines (Chapter 16). Thanks to information sent by Hushai, his inside man, David and his entire company escape across the Jordan River where they are met by several Ammonites who provide them with food and supplies (Chapter 17). In preparing for the showdown with Avshalom and his forces, David commands his generals Yoav, Avishai, and Ittai to deal gently with the prince when they subdue him. In the ensuing battle 20,000 of Avshalom's followers are killed. Avshalom, trapped in a terebinth tree, is slain by Yoav. Two messengers reach David with the news that the insurrection has been put down and that Avshalom has been killed (Chapter 18).
David is distraught over the death of his son, and in his mourning is rebuked by Yoav for appearing ungrateful for what his loyalists have achieved on his behalf. The people of Israel clamor for the return of their king who is brought back across the Jordan to the capital. During the journey he is met in turn by the elders of Yehuda, Shimi ben Gera, Mephiboshet (who claims Ziva had slandered him), and Barzilai the Gileadite (Chapter 19).
David next faces a challenge from Sheva son of Bikhri who leads all but the tribe of Yehuda away from the king. David dispatches Amasa and Avishai to deal with the rebel (Chapter 20). A famine strikes the land and God explains to David that the suffering is a punishment for Shaul's maltreatment of the Giveonim (the details of which are not recorded in Shmuel Alef). David approaches these people and asks how he can earn their forgiveness. The Giveonim demand that seven of Shaul's descendants be turned over to them. David agrees to this and hands over two of Shaul's sons and five of his grandsons.They are promptly hanged. David gives a proper burial to the bones of Shaul and Yonatan and the corpses of the seven.
David then leads the people in battle against the Plishtim and at one point is saved from a Plishti giant by Avishai (Chapter 21). Chapter 22 contains a song of thanks that David offers to God for deliverance from his enemies.
Chapter 23 of Shmuel Bet lists the heroes among David's forces. The last chapter of the book presents a story whose meaning is unclear. Due to an unnamed transgression, God provokes David to sin by encouraging him to take a census. In the account in Divrei HaYamim, the Satan (Accuser) causes the king to fail (I Chronicles 21). Yoav tries to discourage the project, but David insists. The counting takes almost 10 months to complete and yields a sum of 800,000 potential soldiers from Israel and 500,000 men from Yehuda (the numbers are slightly different in I Chronicles 21:5).
David recognizes that he has sinned (although the text does not explain why taking a census is wrong) and cries to God. God sends the prophet Gad to the king to instruct him to choose from among three possible punishments. David chooses a plague, and after three days of suffering, 70,000 people are dead. David buys a threshing floor from Aravna the Yevusi where he establishes an altar. The sacrifices he offers stay the plague (Chapter 24).
David's appearances in Melakhim Alef are as a passive character: he resolves a squabble surrounding his successor, and advises Shlomo ahead of his kingship. David is old and his servants attempt to warm him by providing him with a companion, Avishag the Shunammite. David's son Adoniahu longs to be king. He allies himself with a select group of David's followers, and claims that he will succeed his father. Natan the prophet and Batsheva agree to question the king regarding the future, imploring him to state unequivocally before he dies that Shlomo will be Israel's next king. David assures the two that indeed Shlomo will succeed him. David commands Zadok the Kohen, the prophet Natan, and Benayahu son of Yehoyada to take Shlomo down to the Gihon spring and anoint him king. This they do, and Shlomo takes his seat upon David's throne (Chapter 1).
David speaks to Shlomo before he dies, cautioning him to keep to the ways of the Lord, to follow His statutes and commandments. David also instructs Shlomo to finish some of his unfinished business: Shlomo is to punish Yoav for killing Avner and Amasa; he must extend kindness to the descendants of Barzilai the Giladi; he should deal wisely with Shimi ben Gera for the curses he hurled at David.
David dies after a 40-year reign and is buried in the City of David (Chapter 2). David is the author of much of the book of Tehillim and his name appears in the introductory verse to many of the chapters in that book.
David is sometimes referred to as “the sweet singer of Israel” (a phrase from II Samuel 23:1).
The story of David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem (II Samuel 2) is read as the Haftara for Parashat Shmini, and a song of thanks that David offers (II Samuel 22) represents the Haftara for Parashat Haazinu and for the seventh day of Pesach.
Adapted from Tanakhprofiles.org by HaTanakh.com Staff