King David Story

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This particular Bible study is our Bible characters study on the King David story where we take an in-depth look into the story of King David from the Bible. We will focus on the Biblical prophecy and Spiritual events that occurred in the King David life, in particular when he was serving God.

King David Life History

The Story of King David from the Bible

Have you ever heard of king David? Did you know that Jesus Christ was a descendant of King David? This is the story of King David and many things that happened in his life. The people of Israel wanted a king, so even though God wasn't very happy about it, because God is the only REAL king, he allowed Israel to have one. The first king of Israel was named Saul, and Saul didn't obey all that God told him to do, so God took the kingdom away from him and sent the prophet Samuel to look for another king.

God sent Samuel to a man named Jesse, who lived in Bethlehem. God said, I have chosen me a king from Jesse's sons. Samuel was sure he knew which one of Jesse's many sons would be the next king when he first saw them, but Samuel was wrong, judging by their appearances, because God doesn't care what people look like, He cares what's in their heart. Seven of Jesse's sons met Samuel but none of them were the one God wanted to be the next king.

Samuel asked Jesse if these were all of his sons. Jesse said, No, there's also David, my youngest, out in the field. David was a shepherd and he spent much time playing his harp out in the field and singing songs, which back then were called psalms, to God. When Samuel met David, God told Samuel that this would be the next king of Israel, so, Samuel told David and the Spirit of God was with him from that day on. David wasn't old enough to rule Israel yet, so he remained at home and sang to God and played his harp in the fields and took care of the sheep.

After a while, Saul was very cross all the time because he didn't have the Spirit of God anymore. In fact, at times, God sent an evil spirit upon Saul. His servants told him that he should find someone who could play the harp and that might make him feel better. One of Saul's servants knew that David played the harp so David was brought to Saul. Saul loved David and every time a bad spirit came to Saul and he was feeling low, David would play his harp for him, and Saul would feel better again.

King David Story Miracles

The Story of King David from the Bible Vow

One day the Philistines gathered their army together again and lined up on top of a mountain to fight against Israel. David's three oldest brothers were there with Saul, because they were soldiers. So, Jesse sent David to take food to his brothers and find out how they were doing.

When David got there, he saw a giant Philistine soldier shouting to the men of Israel from the top of the mountain. He had a brass helmet on and heavy metal armor. He carried a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. His name was Goliath and he was almost 10 feet tall! The Philistines thought of Goliath as their hero. Goliath shouted, Send a man to fight with me and if he kills me, the Philistines will be your slaves, but if I kill him, the people of Israel will be our slaves. Saul and the men of Israel were all frightened, but David wasn't.

David said, I'll fight this Philistine for the army of God! Saul told David that he was just a boy and couldn't beat Goliath. But David told Saul that one time, when he was tending the sheep, he killed a lion and a bear that were after the sheep. David believed that God would keep him safe, just as He kept him safe from the lion.

Saul put a helmet and armor on David, but they were so big and clumsy that David took them off and said, I don't need these, God will protect me. So David took his staff, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook. He put the stones in his sack, took his sling in his hand and headed for the top of the mountain where Goliath stood. Goliath made fun of David and asked, Am I a dog, that you are coming at me with sticks? Come closer and I'll feed you to the birds and the animals to eat. David said, You come at me with a sword, a spear and a shield, but I come to you in the name of God! Today, the Lord will help me take off your head and the rest of the Philistines will be eaten by the birds and the animals. Then everyone on earth will know that God is in Israel!

King David Story of Goliath

The Story of King David from the Bible - Wars

When Goliath came forward, David took a stone out of his sack, put it in his sling and hurled it at the giant Goliath. The stone sank into Goliath's forehead and he fell to the ground on his face. Then David stepped up on top of Goliath and took Goliath's own sword and killed him with it and then cut off Goliath's head. When the other Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they were terrified. Many of them were killed and the rest of them ran for their lives.

Saul put David in charge of the army and all the people of Israel grew to love David. Saul's son Jonathan and David became best friends, and Jonathan loved David very much. They made a promise ("The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.") that they would be best friends forever.

But soon Saul became angry because he heard the people of Israel singing that Saul had killed thousands but David had killed tens of thousands! So Saul's bad spirit came back and he wanted to kill David! Another reason Saul wanted David to die was because he knew that the Lord had anointed David king, and Saul wanted Jonathan to be heir to his throne. Jonathan begged Saul not to kill him, because he had done great things for Saul and for Israel, and Saul listened to Jonathan and changed his mind about killing David ... for a little while.

Soon after, there was war again with the Philistines, so David went out with the men of Israel and won again, killing many more of the Philistines, and many more ran away. Saul became angry once again. He was so jealous of David that his bad spirit came back again. David was playing his harp for Saul one day and Saul threw his spear at David because he wanted to kill him, but David got away. David told Jonathan all about it.

King David Story of Jealousy

The Story of King David from the Bible - Danger

David was supposed to be at a special dinner at Saul's house the next night, so David and Jonathan came up with a plan. David said, I'll hide in the field and if your dad says good things about me, shoot an arrow a short way and I'll know to stay. But if he still wants to kill me, shoot the arrow very far, and I'll know to run for my life. They planned to meet in a secret place to say good-bye if they had to. When David saw Jonathan's arrow fly very far, he ran to the place to meet Jonathan. They were both very sad to say good-bye to each other because they swore they would be best friends forever.

David went from place to place, hiding from Saul. He took the sword with him that belonged to Goliath and many people who liked David, decided to help him fight against people who didn't believe in God, instead of helping Saul. Saul and his people searched for David over and over again, hoping they could find him and kill him. David and his people lived in a cave, hiding from Saul. Jonathan found David and warned him that Saul was still searching to kill him.

One day when Saul and his people were going home from another battle with the Philistines, they rested in the very same cave that David was in, but they didn't know David and his people were there. God told David that He would bring Saul to him and that David could do whatever he thought was best to Saul. David's people wanted him to kill Saul, but instead, David snuck up on Saul and cut off a piece of his coat. When Saul and his people left the cave, David called out. King Saul! David held up the piece of Saul's coat in his hand and said, I could've got you! But you are God's anointed king, so I cannot kill you.

Some time later, Saul and his men were searching for David once again. David took one of his people with him down to the camp where Saul and his army were sleeping on the ground. David snuck up on Saul again and this time he took the spear that was next to Saul's pillow, and his jar of water. They left and went to the top of a hill nearby and David called out. King Saul! Holding up the spear and the jar of water, David yelled, I could've got you! But you are God's anointed king, so I cannot kill you. Saul cried and said, You are a better man than I am. You have been good to me and I have been bad to you. Now I know that you will be a good king and Israel will be safe in your care.

King David Story of Hiding

The Story of King David from the Bible - Test

David spent many years hiding from king Saul. He wrote many psalms about this difficult time of his life, that you can read in the Book of Psalms.

There was a wicked rich man named Nabal. One day while David was hiding and hungry in the wilderness, he sent his men to ask Nabal for food for him and his army. He told his men to tell Nabal how good he and his men treated Nabal's shepherds. Nabal answered "Who is David?" This was a huge insult to David and with much anger he and his men set out without God's permission to destroy Nabal and all he owned. David felt like he treated Nabal's people kindly all for nothing.

Nabal's wife Abigail heard what happened and hurried out to try and stop David. She brought all kinds of food, but didn't tell Nabal. When Abigail met David she begged him to listen to her. She told him that Nabal was a foolish man but she reminded David that he was God's anointed and that he didn't need to kill innocent people just because Nabal hurt his feelings.

David blessed the Lord for sending Abigail to meet him and sent her home. When she got there, Nabal was drunk and she still didn't tell him about her meeting with David. The next morning when Nabal was sober, Abigail told him what happened. Nabal became as a stone and died about ten days later. David said that the Lord gave Nabal his own wickedness and David took Abigail to be one of his wives.

David was the apple of God's eye. That means that God loved him very, very much. David always talked to God and God always told him what to do, and when to go to battle. Even though Saul was jealous of David, David always remembered that Saul was God's first anointed king of Israel. When Saul died, people thought David would be glad, but David's heart was very, very sad.

King David Story of Bathsheba

The Story of King David from the Bible - Love

David took his army to Jerusalem and won over the city. He moved there and it became known as the City of David. David brought the ark (God's treasure box) to Jerusalem and he was so happy that he danced in the street, and all the people were happy with him. David's wife Michal, was embarrassed because David danced in front of the people. But David was dancing because he was happy for God, he wasn't dancing to show off for the people like Michal thought, so God never let Michal have children.

There was a time when Israel was at war, and David sent the captain of his army, Joab, out to battle with Israel, while he remained in Jerusalem. One night, while walking on the roof of the king's house, David saw a woman who he thought was beautiful, named Bathsheba. David sent for her and she became pregnant by King David while her husband was out at war defending his country and his king. David found out she was pregnant and even tried to get her husband to lay with her while he was on leave from the war so nobody would figure out what David had done. But Uriah, being a good man said he would not take rest and sleep with his wife while his fellow Israelite soldiers were at war.

David was in trouble ... Sooooooo, David ordered Joab to place Uriah on the front line of the war where the battle was heated up so that he would be sure to be killed. He was killed and David took his wife Bathsheba as his own wife.

But ... God was watching and sent a prophet to David to let David know that He was not pleased. David repented of his sin. God punished David, by killing the child that Bathsheba conceived by him, and then God forgave him.

King David Story of Forgiveness

The Story of King David from the Bible - Grace

Now here is the awesome part ... David is known as the "apple of God's eye," and all kings after him were compared to King David by God. David and Bathsheba went on to have another son named Solomon, and David's bloodline carried on through Solomon ... all the way to Jesus. So, if you ever think you've done something absolutely horrible and wonder if God could ever forgive you, remember that king David committed adultery, then murder, to try and cover it up, and God forgave him.

David was known as a man of war. He confided in God for guidance of when to go to battle, and the Lord always told him what the outcome would be. David wanted to build a house for God, but during his reign there were so many wars, and so much blood was shed that God told David that his son would build the house of the Lord in a time of peace, so David did all he could while he was alive to help prepare for the building of the Temple.

There never reigned another king in Israel or Judah that could compare to king David for honor and righteousness in the eyes of God.

King David Story Summary

The Story of King David from the Bible Continues

David, was a shepherd from his youth and then became King and reigned from approximately 1090-970 BCE. He is most famous for his psalms which was his way of worshiping God. Killing the Philistine giant, Goliath, with a slingshot is a very popular King David story. To study the life and times of king David and the times that led up to his reign, click on the links below to study the books of First and Second Samuel, chapter by chapter: