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David 

Text: beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of 
Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His 
mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 
17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was 
redhaired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42). 
His early occupation was that of tending his father's sheep on the 
uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he 
frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd's 
flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied 
scenes spread around him. 

His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts 
of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a 
lion and also a bear, when they came out against his flock, beating 
them to death in open conflict with his club (1 Sam. 17:34, 35). 

While David, in the freshness of ruddy youth, was thus engaged with 
his flocks, Samuel paid an unexpected visit to Bethlehem, having been 
guided thither by divine direction (1 Sam. 16:1-13). There he offered 
up sacrifice, and called the elders of Israel and Jesse's family to 
the sacrificial meal. Among all who appeared before him he failed to 
discover the one he sought. David was sent for, and the prophet 
immediately recognized him as the chosen of God--chosen to succeed 
Saul, who was now departing from the ways of God, on the throne of the 
kingdom. He accordingly, in anticipation, poured on his head the 
anointing oil. 

David went back again to his shepherd life, but "the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon David from that day forward," and "the Spirit of the 
Lord departed from Saul" (1 Sam. 16:13, 14). Not long after this David 
was sent for to soothe with his harp the troubled spirit of Saul, who 
suffered from a strange melancholy dejection. He played before the 
king so skilfully that Saul was greatly cheered, and began to 
entertain great affection for the young shepherd. After this he went 
home to Bethlehem. But he soon again came into prominence. The armies 
of the Philistines and of Israel were in battle array in the valley of 
Elah, some 16 miles south-west of Bethlehem; and David was sent by his 
father with provisions for his three brothers, who were then fighting 
on the side of the king. 

On his arrival in the camp of Israel, David (now about twenty years of 
age) was made aware of the state of matters when the champion of the 
Philistines, Goliath of Gath, came forth to defy Israel. David took 
his sling, and with a well-trained aim threw a stone "out of the 
brook," which struck the giant's forehead, so that he fell senseless 
to the ground. David then ran and slew him, and cut off his head with 
his own sword (1 Sam. 17). The result was a great victory to the 
Israelites, who pursued the Philistines to the gates of Gath and 
Ekron. 

David's popularity consequent on this heroic exploit awakened Saul's 
jealousy (1 Sam. 18:6-16), which he showed in various ways. He 
conceived a bitter hatred toward him, and by various stratagems sought 
his death (1 Sam.18-ch. 30). The deep-laid plots of the enraged king, 
who could not fail to observe that David "prospered exceedingly," all 
proved futile, and only endeared the young hero the more to the 
people, and very specially to Jonathan, Saul's son, between whom and 
David a life-long warm friendship was formed. 

A fugitive. 

To escape from the vengeance of Saul, David fled to Ramah (1 Sam. 19: 
12-18) to Samuel, who received him, and he dwelt among the sons of the 
sons of the prophets, who were there under Samuel's training. It is 
supposed by some that the sixth, seventh, and eleventh Psalms were 
composed by him at this time. This place was only 3 miles from the 
residence of Saul, who soon discovered whither the fugitive had gone, 
and tried ineffectually to bring him back. Jonathan made a fruitless 
effort to bring his father to a better state of mind toward David (1 
Sam. 20), who, being made aware of the fact, saw no hope of safety but 
in flight to a distance. We accordingly find him first at Nob (21:1-9) 
and then at Gath, the chief city of the Philistines. The king of the 
Philistines would not admit him into his service, as he expected that 
he would, and David accordingly now betook himself to the strong-hold 
of Adullam (22:1-4; 1 Chr. 12:8-18). 

Here in a short time 400 men gathered around him and acknowledged him 
as their leader. It was at this time that David, amid the harassment 
and perils of his position, cried, "Oh that one would give me drink of 
the water of the well of Bethlehem;" when three of his heroes broke 
through the lines of the Philistines and brought him the water for 
which he longed (2 Sam. 23:13-17), but which he would not drink. 

In his rage at the failure of all his efforts to seize David, Saul 
gave orders for the massacre of the entire priestly family at 
Nob,"persons who wore a linen ephod", to the number of eighty-five 
persons, who were put to death by Doeg the Edomite. The sad tidings of 
the massacre were brought to David by Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech, 
the only one who escaped. Comp. Ps. 52. Hearing that Keilah, a town on 
the western frontier, was harassed by the Philistines, David with his 
men relieved it (1 Sam. 23:1-14); and then, for fear of Saul, he fled 
to the strongholds in the "hill country" of Judah. 

Comp. Ps. 31. While encamped there, in the forest in the district of 
Ziph, he was visited by Jonathan, who spoke to him words of 
encouragement (23:16-18). The two now parted never to meet again. 

Saul continued his pursuit of David, who narrowly escaped from him at 
this time, and fled to the crags and ravines of Engedi, on the western 
shore of the Dead Sea (1 Sam. 23:29). Here Saul, who still pursued him 
with his army, narrowly escaped, through the generous forbearance of 
David, and was greatly affected by what David had done for him. He 
returned home from pursuing him, and David betook himself to Maon, 
where, with his 600 men, he maintained himself by contributions 
gathered from the district. 

Here occurred the incident connected with Nabal and his wife Abigail 
(1 Sam. 25), whom David married after Nabal's death. Saul again went 
forth (1 Sam. 26) in pursuit of David, who had hid himself "in the 
hill Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon," in the wilderness of Ziph, 
and was a second time spared through his forbearance. He returned 
home, professing shame and penitence for the way in which he had 
treated David, and predicting his elevation to the throne. 

Fighting against Israel. 

Harassed by the necessity of moving from place to place through fear 
of Saul, David once more sought refuge among the Philistines (1 Sam. 
27). He was welcomed by the king, who assigned him Ziklag as his 
residence. Here David lived among his followers for some time as an 
independent chief engaged in frequent war with the Amalekites and 
other tribes on the south of Judah. 

Achish summoned David with his men to join his army against Saul; but 
the lords of the Philistines were suspicious of David's loyalty, and 
therefore he was sent back to Ziklag, which he found to his dismay may 
had been pillaged and burnt during his brief absence. David pursued 
after the raiders, the Amalekites, and completely routed them. 

On his return to Ziklag tidings reached him of Saul's death (2 Sam. 
1). An Amalekite brought Saul's crown and bracelet and laid them at 
his feet. David and his men rent their clothes and mourned for Saul, 
who had been defeated in battle near Mount Gilboa. David composed a 
beautiful elegy, the most beautiful of all extant Hebrew odes, a 
"lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son" (2 Sam. 1:18-27). It 
bore the title of "The Bow," and was to be taught to the children, 
that the memory of Saul and Jonathan might be preserved among them. 
"Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher" (q.v.). David king over 
Judah.

David and his men now set out for Hebron under divine direction (2 
Sam. 2:1-4). There they were cordially welcomed, and he was at once 
anointed as king. He was now about thirty years of age. 

But his title to the throne was not undisputed. Abner took 
Ish-bosheth, Saul's only remaining son, over the Jordan to Mahanaim, 
and there crowned him as king. Then began a civil war in Israel. The 
first encounter between the two opposing armies, led on the one side 
by Abner, and on the other by Joab, took place at the pool of Gibeon. 
It resulted in the defeat of Abner. Other encounters, however, between 
Israel and Judah followed (2 Sam. 3:1, 5), but still success was on 
the side of David. For the space of seven and a half years David 
reigned in Hebron. 

Abner now sided with David, and sought to promote his advancement; but 
was treacherously put to death by Joab in revenge for his having slain 
his brother Asahel at Gibeon (3:22-39). This was greatly to David's 
regret. He mourned for the death of Abner. Shortly after this 
Ish-bosheth was also treacherously put to death by two Canaanites of 
Beeroth; and there being now no rival, David was anointed king over 
all Israel (4:1-12). 

David king over all Israel (2 Sam. 5:1-5; 1 Chr. 11:1-3). 

The elders of Israel now repaired to Hebron and offered allegiance to 
David in name of all the people, among whom the greatest enthusiasm 
prevailed. He was anointed king over all Israel, and sought out a new 
seat of government, more suitable than Hebron, as the capital of his 
empire. At this time there was a Jebusite fortress, "the stronghold", 
on the hill of Zion, called also Jebus. This David took from the 
Jebusites, and made it Israel's capital, and established here his 
residence, and afterwards built for himself a palace by the aid of 
Tyrian tradesmen. 

The Philistines, who had for some time observed a kind of truce, now 
made war against David; but were defeated in battle at a place 
afterwards called, in remembrance of the victory, Baal-perazim. Again 
they invaded the land, and were a second time routed by him. He thus 
delivered Israel from their enemies. David now resolved to bring up 
the ark of the covenant to his new capital (2 Sam. 6). It was in the 
house of Abinadab at Kirjath-jearim, about 7 miles from Jerusalem, 
where it had been for many years, from the time when the Philistines 
had sent it home (1 Sam. 6; 7). 

In consequence of the death of Uzzah (for it was a divine ordinance 
that only the Levites should handle the ark, Num.4), who had put forth 
his hand to steady the ark when the cart in which it was being 
conveyed shook by reason of the roughness of the road, David stayed 
the procession, and conveyed the ark into the house of Obededom, a 
Philistine from Gath. 

After three months David brought the ark from the house of Obed-edom 
up to Jerusalem. Comp. Ps. 24. Here it was placed in a new tent or 
tabernacle which David erected for the purpose. About seventy years 
had passed since it had stood in the tabernacle at Shiloh. The old 
tabernacle was now at Gibeah, at which Zadok ministered. David now (1 
Chr. 16) carefully set in order all the ritual of divine worship at 
Jerusalem, along with Abiathar the high priest. 

A new religious era began. The service of praise was for the first 
time introduced into public worship. Zion became henceforth "God's 
holy hill." David's wars. David now entered on a series of conquests 
which greatly extended and strengthened his kingdom (2 Sam. 8). In a 
few years the whole territory from the Euphrates to the river of 
Egypt, and from Gaza on the west to Thapsacus on the east, was under 
his sway (2 Sam. 8:3-13; 10).

David's fall. 

He had now reached the height of his glory. He ruled over a vast 
empire, and his capital was enriched with the poils of many lands. But 
in the midst of all this success he fell, and his character became 
stained with the sin of adultery (2 Sam. 11:2-27). 

It has been noted as characteristic of the Bible that while his 
military triumphs are recorded in a few verses, the sad story of his 
fall is given in detail, a story full of warning, and therefore 
recorded. This crime, in the attempt to conceal it, led to another. He 
was guilty of murder. Uriah, whom he had foully wronged, an officer of 
the Gibborim, the corps of heros (23:39), was, by his order, "set in 
the front of the hottest battle" at the siege of Rabbah, in order that 
he might be put to death. 

Nathan the prophet (2 Sam. 7:1-17; 12:1-23) was sent by God to bring 
home his crimes to the conscience of the guilty monarch. He became a 
true penitent. He bitterly bewailed his sins before God. The 
thirty-second and fifty-first Psalms reveal the deep struggles of his 
soul, and his spiritual recovery. Bathsheba became his wife after 
Uriah's death. Her first-born son died, according to the word of the 
prophet. She gave birth to a second son, whom David called Solomon, 
and who ultimately succeeded him on the throne (2 Sam. 12:24, 25). 

Peace. 

After the successful termination of all his wars, David formed the 
idea of building a temple for the ark of God. This he was not 
permitted to carry into execution, because he had been a man of war. 
God, however, sent Nathan to him with a gracious message (2 Sam. 
7:1-16). On receiving it he went into the sanctuary the tent where the 
ark was, and sat before the Lord, and poured out his heart in words of 
devout thanksgiving (18-29). The building of the temple was reserved 
for his son Solomon, who would be a man of peace (1 Chr. 22:9; 28:3). 

A cloudy evening. 

Hitherto David's carrer had been one of great prosperity and success. 
Now cloudy and dark days cam. His eldest son Amnon, whose mother was 
Ahinoam of Jezreel, was guilty of a great and shameful crime (2 Sam. 
13). This was the beginning of the disasters of his later years. After 
two years Absalom terribly avenged the crime against Tamar, and put 
Amnon to death. This brought sore trouble to David's heart. Absalom, 
afraid of the consequences of his guilt, fled to Geshur beyond Jordan, 
where he remained for three years, when he was brought back through 
the intrigue of Joab (2 Sam. 14). 

After this there fell upon the land the calamity of three years' 
famine (2 Sam. 21:1-14). This was son after followed by a pestilence, 
brought upon the land as a punishment for David's sinful pride in 
numbering the people (2 Sam. 24), in which no fewer than 70,000 
perished in the space of three days. Rebellion of Absalom. The 
personal respect for David was sadly lowered by the incident of 
Bathsheba. 

There was a strong popular sentiment against the taking of the census, 
and the outburst of the plague in connection with it deepened the 
feeling of jealously that had begun to manifest itself among some of 
the tribes against David. Absalom, taking full advantage of this state 
of things, gradually gained over the people, and at length openly 
rebelled against his father, and usurped the throne. Ahithophel was 
Absalom's chief counsellor. 

The revolt began in Hebron, the capital of Judah. Absalom was there 
proclaimed king. David was now in imminent danger, and he left 
Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15: 13-20), and once more became a fugitive. It was 
a momentous day in Israel. The incidents of it are recorded with a 
fulness of detail greater than of any other day in Old Testament 
history. 

David fled with his followers to Mahanarm, on the east of Jordan. An 
unnatural civil war broke out. After a few weeks the rival armies were 
mustered and organized. They met in hostile array at the wood of 
Ephraim (2 Sam. 18:1-8). Absalom's army was defeated, and himself put 
to death by the hand of Joab (9-18). The tidings of the death of his 
rebellious son filled the heart of David with the most poignant grief. 
He "went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept" (33), giving 
utterance to the heart-broken cry, "Would God I had died for thee, O 
Absalom, my son, my son!" 

Peace was now restored, and David returned to Jerusalem and resumedthe 
direction of affairs. An unhappy dispute arose between the men of 
Judah and the men of Israel (19:41-43). Sheba, a Benjamite, headed a 
revolt of the men of Israel. He waspursued to Abelbeth-maachah, and 
was there put to death, and so the revolt came to an end. 

The end. 

After the suppression of the rebellion of Absalom and that of Sheba, 
ten comparatively peaceful years of David's life passed away. During 
those years he seems to have been principally engaged in accumulating 
treasures of every kind for the great temple at Jerusalem, which it 
was reserved to his successor to build (1 Chr. 22; 28; 29), a house 
which was to be "exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout 
all countries" (22:5). 

The exciting and laborious life he had spent, and the dangers and 
trials through which he had passed, had left him an enfeebled man, 
prematurely old. It became apparent that his life was now drawing to 
its close. A new palace conspiracy broke out as to who should be his 
successor. Joab favoured Adonijah. The chiefs of his party met at the 
"Fuller's spring," in the valley of Kidron, to proclaim him king; but 
Nathan hastened on a decision on the part of David in favour of 
Solomon, and so the aim of Adonijah's party failed. Solomon was 
brought to Jerusalem, and was anointed king and seated on his father's 
throne (1 Kings 1:11-53). 

David's last words are a grand utterance, revealing his unfailing 
faith in God, and his joyful confidence in his gracious covenant 
promises (2 Sam. 23: 1-7). After a regn of forty years and six months 
(2 Sam. 5:5; 1 Chr. 3:4) David died (B.C. 1015) at the age of seventy 
years, "and was buriedin the city of David." His tomb is still pointed 
out on Mount Zion. 

Both in his prophetical and in his regal character David was a type of 
the Messiah (1 Sam. 16:13). The book of Psalms commonly bears the 
title of the "Psalms of David," from the circumstance that he was the 
largest contributor (about eighty psalms) to the collection. (See 
PSALMS.) 

"The greatness of David was felt when he was gone. He had lived in 
harmony with both the priesthood and the prophets; a sure sign that 
the spirit of his government had been throughly loyal to the higher 
aims of the theocracy. The nation had not been oppressed by him, but 
had been left in the free enjoyment of its ancient liberties. As far 
as his power went he had striven to act justly to all (2 Sam. 8:15). 
His weak indulgence to his sons, and his own great sin besides, had 
been bitterly atoned, and were forgotten at his death in the 
remembrance of his long-tried worth. He had reigned thirty-three years 
in Jerusalem and seven and a half at Hebron (2 Sam. 5:5). Israel at 
his accession had reached the lowest point of national depression; its 
new-born unity rudely dissolved; its territory assailed by the 
Philistines. But he had left it an imperial power, with dominions like 
those of Egypt or Assyria. The sceptre of Solomon was already, before 
his father's death, owned from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates, and 
from the Orontes to the Red Sea.",,Geikie's Hours etc., iii.