The youngest son of Jesse and titular founder of the dynasty that ruled for 40 years a united kingdom of Israel (though for only two generations) and for the southern kingdom of Judah for another five centuries, and from which the promised Messiah would come.
☰ Open Family Tree (Generation 12)
David was a complex figure. We probably know more about him as a person than any other figure, not least because his story is reported in more than one and a half books (1 & 2 Sam, and early chapters of 1 Ki) of the OT. For those of us who grow up in Christian homes, his victory over Goliath already makes him more familiar than Spider Man. We feel closer to him than to any other OT figure also because of the many psalms attributed to him; he was a man who shared our pains and struggle as well as praise and adoration and could speak what we find difficult putting into words. He was brave, confident (probably dashing, as well), but also, some would think, a rascal, a thug, and was not above lying and imposturing, if only to survive. After he became king, he also added adultery and murder to his CV. As a result his personal and family life suffered, having to witness, e.g., the rape of his daughter by her half-brother (2 Sam 13) as well as the terrible and public humiliation of Absalom's attempt to overthrow him (2 Sam 15). Despite all these, however, his heart was with and for God, and when he repented he did so with authenticity. Though he caould be vengeful (see, e.g., his treatment of Shimei in 1 Ki 2:8ff.) his sense of loyalty and honour when it was displayed was true and heart-felt (e.g., his refusal to do harm to Saul (e.g., 1 Sam 24) and his pouring out the water that his men had broken through the Philistine to fetch from the well near the gate of Bethlehem (2 Sam 23:15)). For that we find it easy to make peace with him, and regard him as "our kind of person." God may not respond to human foibles the way we do, but David did find a special place in God's favour as well: promised protection for his family and an everlasting kingdom, and the longed for Saviour.
Despite the amount of space devoted to David in Scriptures, archaeological evidences of David's existence remain absent for a long time, leading many sceptical scholars to wonder if he was a real historical figure, or simply a fictional creation of the ancient Israel's historians. In 1993 a most surrendipitous accident brought the first piece of archeological artifact witnessing to the historical David. Read more about the Tel Dan Inscription.
Read the entry in:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia M
Eaton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary M
Further Reading & Resources
"David's Rise to Power (1 Samuel 17-30), Bible Commentary from Theology of Work .
html N 5-6 (Open on Phone)
D. F. Payne, "Estimates of the Character of David," Irish Biblical Studies 6 (1984):54-70.
Pdf N 7 (Open on Phone)
F.F. Bruce, The Sure Mercies of David (The Annual Lecture of the Evangelical Library, 1954. London: The Evangelical Library, 1954).
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)
For more print-resources see BiblicalStudies.org.uk.
©ALBERITH
u250422lch