David

King during Israel’s time of greatest glory. He was a skilled leader and musician who wrote about seventy-three psalms in the book of Psalms. David was born in 1040 BC, the youngest of eight sons in a family of shepherds. He served first as a musician in Saul’s court and later as his armor-bearer. David grew popular after he killed Goliath, a Philistine giant. Fearing that David would take over his throne, Saul tried to kill David. David was on the run from Saul and his men for many years.

After the deaths of Saul and his sons, David became king only of Judah (the southern portion of Canaan). After seven years, the northern tribes also accepted him as their king. David then captured Jerusalem and made it the capital of Israel. Though David was a great king, his family life was sad. He had many wives, among them Bathsheba, whom he took from another man. Some of his own children killed each other, and two sons led rebellions against him.

Near the end of his life, David ordered that the people be counted. This was against the will of God, and God sent a plague that killed seventy thousand people. It was miraculously stopped at a place just north of Jerusalem. David purchased that land and built an altar to God there. Later Solomon built the temple there. Jesus was born in David’s family line.