King David

Known For: After Saul, David was the second king of the Israelite kingdom.

Born: c. 1000 BCE in Bethlehem, Israel

Parents: Jesse and Nitzevet (according to the Talmud; only Jesse is named in the Bible)

Died: Unknown (according to the Bible he was 70 years old at the time of his death)

Spouse(s): Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bathsheba

Children: Amnon, Chileab, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream, Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphalet, Tamar

Early Life

According to the Bible, when David was just a young shepherd he was called to play music for King Saul in order to cure his melancholy. David later gained fame as a youth after he killed the giant Philistine Goliath with his slingshot. Saul made David his armor-bearer and son-in-law, and Saul's son Jonathan became David's loyal friend. Saul then appointed David the head of his army, a move that made David one of the most beloved leaders in the land. David's growing popularity eventually became a cause of concern for Saul, who feared that David would crave more power and desire to depose him. Saul made plans to have David killed; however, his son Jonathan warned David of his father's plans and David was able to escape to safety, hiding out for some time in the wilderness. Later, David and Saul made peace with each other.

Rise to Power

After Saul died, David rose to power by conquering Jerusalem. The northern tribes of Israel voluntarily submitted to David, and David became the second king of the united Israel (historians, however, doubt that this united kingdom actually existed). He founded a dynasty, centered in Jerusalem, that remained in power for about 500 years. David brought the Ark of the Covenant into the center of the Jewish nation, thereby infusing the Jewish national home with religion and a sense of ethics.

By creating a nation for the Jews with the Torah at its center, David brought the work of Moses to a practical conclusion and laid the foundation that would enable Judaism to survive for thousands of years to come, despite the efforts of many other nations to destroy it.

Kingship

After conquering Jerusalem, David expanded his kingdom by defeating the Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, and Philistines. As the king, David had an affair with a woman named Bathsheba, whose husband David later plotted to have killed in battle. Bathsheba gave birth to a son, Solomon.

Sometime later, another of David's sons, Absolom, launched a rebellion against him. Absolom's army met David's at the Battle of the Wood of Ephraim, which resulted in Absolom's defeat. Although David commanded his officers to spare Absolom's life, Joab—the leader of David's army—killed Absolom after the battle. David entered a period of mourning before returning to Jerusalem.