The Making of a Monarch: Samuel, Saul, and the Rise of David 2

We talked last time about some of the historical context and events leading up to the anointing of David by Samuel.

Just to give a short recap:

There was:

Joshua - then a people who did not remember Joshua

Judges - a 325 year span with 12 judges or leaders and a people who Judges 17:6 “6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

The story then leads us to Eli and his two wicked sons Hophni & Phineas.

It was in this setting that Samuel a prophet and the last judge was thrust into the scene by a mother’s desperate promise and prayer. -

A Basic Outline of 1 Samuel

1. The Role of Samuel. 1 Sam 1-8 (Prophet, priest, and Judge)

2. The Reign of King Saul. 1 Sam 9-15 (Israel’s first King)

3. The Rise of David. 1 Sam 16-31 (The “man after God’s heart”)

Samuel maintained his integrity with God - but unfortunately his sons, whom he tried to make judges over Israel - but we are told:

1 Samuel 8:3 KJV 1900

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

Which in turn - according to the author of Samuel - caused:

1 Samuel 8:4–5 KJV 1900

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

We are actually given in scripture three reasons for the elders to call for a king:

1. Prevent further military loss (1 Sam. 8:20; 12:12)

2. Corruption among Israel’s leaders (1 Sam. 4:2, 10)

3. They wanted to be like other nations (1 Sam. 8:5, 20).

They want a change from a theocracy to a monarchy

A theocracy is a form of government where it is believed that, in this case, God rules over the people. God rules through human figures such as prophets, priests, and judges who are in direct contact with him.

God sees this as a rejection of His Kingship over them

Lets read what happens after this brief encounter between Samuel and the Elders - as God and Samuel have quite the conversation about this:

Read 1 Samuel 8:5-18

1 Samuel 8:5–18 KJV 1900

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. 7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

Notice these are framed as warning about the exploitive nature of monarchy from God’s perspective—He was emphasizing how a human king will take from the people. A king will take rather than serve.

Did you notice all of the taking: let’s review them:

What the King of Israel Will Do (1 Samuel 8:5–18)

Take your sons and appoint them to:

Serve with his chariots and horses

Run in front of his chariots (as an honor guard or military display)

Be commanders of thousands and fifties

Plow his ground and reap his harvest

Make his weapons of war and chariot equipment

Take your daughters to:

Be perfumers

Be cooks and bakers

Take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his officials

Take a tenth of your grain and vintage and give it to his eunuchs and officials

Take your male and female servants, and your best young men (or cattle, depending on the translation), and put them to his work

Take a tenth of your flocks

You yourselves will become his slaves

AND THEN - - When you cry out because of the king you chose, the Lord will not answer you in that day - God saw this cry for a king as a direct rejection of him and his leadership.

You would think that after hearing all of these things they would have said, “Ah… nevermind! I change my mind.” but that is not the case:

As we read on 1 Sam 8:19-22

1 Samuel 8:19–22 KJV 1900

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

We find our first introduction of Saul in 1 Samuel 9

Saul – first king of Israel 1 Samuel 9

We are given a brief genealogy that leads up to the first mention of the name of Saul with an even briefer description of Saul in 1 Samuel 9:1-2

1 Samuel 9:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel [Abby-el], the son of Zeror [Zah-roar], the son of Bechorath[ Buh-kor-ath], the son of Aphiah [A-fi-ah], a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

Saul was a Benjamite meaning he was from the tribe of Benjamin - the young brother of Joseph we have been learning about so much in Sunday School

Benjamin was the smallest tribe in Israel even though

In fact - Saul will use that as part of his objection to be made king

1 Samuel 9:21 “21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?”

If you remember the tribe of Benjamin was nearly annihilated, after a very similar scenario to Sodom and Gomorrah in Judges 20-21

Saul’s Father, Kish is described as “a mighty man of power” this could mean

He was wealthy

He was a highly decorated officer in whatever military they had at that time

It could also mean he was a very influential person in that region.

Since this is said of Kish - Saul is thus a member of the ruling class even though he was from a "junior clan of the smallest tribe" (v.1 Sam:9:21). David Toshio Tsumura, The First Book of Samuel, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 263.

Saul is described in the scripture as having a number of qualities that would have commended him as a military leader.

a choice young man - expression refers to a man in the prime of life (Whitcomb) - “young and good (Tsumura)

a goodly (no other goodlier person in Israel) - without equal

This "goodness" is not so much a description of the physical appearance as of the nature and personality of a man; (Tsumura)

he was taller than any of the people (from the shoulders and upwards) - meaning he was a head taller than any of the others.

Saul is the only Israelite specifically noted in the Bible as being tall - in the rest of the Bible it is only the enemies of Israel who’s height is noted. (NAC)

While we are not told in this passage - we are told in 1 Sam 10:26 that he lived in Gibeah.

Donkeys, Detours, and Destiny: When Lost Livestock Leads to Leadership 1 Sam 9:3-

The story of Saul begins with an abrupt sentence that some of Kish’s (Saul’s father) had gotten lost some how.

Saul was told by his dad to go and search for them - how do you search for lost livestock?

Saul starts out seemingly dedicated to find the lost livestock- they seem to travel for days over at least a 30-50 mile radius traversing over several mountains and towns throughout Benjamin and Ephraim - but cannot find the lost animals.

Saul is getting tired of looking for things that obviously aren’t there.

We men take quit the rap for not being able to find things - I saw a clip recently of a man who was sent by his wife to get a roll of Scotch tape off the counter in the kitchen. He is there looking - and the camera is pointing right at it and there is nothing on the counter. The wife frustrated and exasperated finally walks in there - and as she reaches on the counter the tape suddenly appears -

Saul had looked and looked and was tired and ready to quit and go home. - Some see this as a foreshadowing of his later behavior and unfitness to serve as the shepherd of the Lord’s flock. (Bergen NAC)

This is when The servant traveling with Saul suggests they go to the next town and ask for the seer - or prophet - or man of God -

We are not told what town it was (Although I believe it was Ramah)

We are also not told who the Seer, or man of God is until we get to 1 Sam 9:14 we find it is none other than Samuel.

Saul finally agrees, but objects they don’t have anything to pay the man of God - and the servant comes through he had a fourth part of a shekel of silver with him - today that would be about $0.50(The servant had more money than Saul)

Bro. Johnson told about eating at a diner with someone else - the other man they were eating with only had a penny with him and left it for the tip. The waiter followed them outside and gave them the penny back and said, “I thought he might need this more than I do.” He had quite a laugh over that.

As they make their way into the town - they ask some maidens on their way to get water where they might find the man of God and are told that he is in town as they head into the city - “behold Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place” - 1 Sam 9:14

We are then given a parenthetical paragraph that informs us that God has prepared Samuel the day before of Saul’s arrival (1 Sam 9:15-16

1 Samuel 9:15–16 KJV 1900

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

The prophet is prepared and when he meets Saul and the servant coming into town - the Lord tells Samuel - “Behold the man whom I spake to the of! this same shall reign over my people.

Saul draws near to Samuel in the gate and says, 1 Samuel 9:18 “... Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.”

Samuel answers Saul, “I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morros I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart”

He goes on to tell him that the livestock he was searching for (three days ago) not to worry about them they have been found.

It is interesting that Saul didn’t have any knowledge of Samuel - even though Samuel lived nearby and was known to “all Israel (1 Sam 3:20; 4:1) Even the servant knew a little about him.

It is also interesting that Saul didn’t even think about seeking divine help - it was the servant not Saul - Saul seems to already be devoid of a spiritual sensitivity that looked to the Lord for help.

but Samuel had a knowledge of Saul (through God)

Then came a tremendous revelation to Saul: 1 Samuel 9:20 “...And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?”

Saul replies - “Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the parlour (or a room - probably to wait until he could escort them into the meal)

They were made to sit in the chiefest places of the invited guests (there were about 30)

1 Samuel 9:25–27 KJV 1900

25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

1 Samuel 10:1 KJV 1900

1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

Then Saul is given three signs to test the authenticity of the actions of Samuel: each with its own significance:

He would meet two men by Rachel’s sepulchre - they were to tell him that the donkeys you went to find are found: and, now your father is more concerned about you than the donkeys, saying, “what shall I do for my son?” (1 Sam 10:2)

Significance: God knows your needs and circumstances and it was confirming Samuel’s words

He would meet three men going up to God to Bethel - one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine - they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread that you will take (1 Sam 10:3-4)

Significance: A sign of God’s favor and the people’s respect -

Then you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy; and the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. (1 Sam 10:5-6)

Significance: The most dramatic sign - God’s Spirit empowering Saul and confirming the divine calling and a spiritual transformation.

God equips whom He calls.

Later David would refer to Saul as one of God’s anointed people.

1 Samuel 10:9 KJV 1900

9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

When Saul finally returns home his uncle somewhat scolds him and asks where they have been. Saul tells him that when they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere they went to Samuel

Uncle Ner (I assume) wants to know what Samuel had told him - everything.

Saul just tells him that Samuel said plainly the donkeys were found but… 1 Samuel 10:16 “...of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.”

Now I find this next part fascinating - (1 Sam 10:17-21) Samuel calls everyone together at Mizpah and gives a real encouraging pep talk:

1 Samuel 10:18–19 “18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us.

And then tells them to present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

So they all gather in to find out who the king is going to be

Now Samuel already knows and has privately anointed Saul but the public needs to see and hear from God

Samuel begins - at least we assume - to cast the sacred lots before the Lord. (An interesting side note - the only other time a method used like this in which an individual was selected using the casting of lots was Josh 7:16-18 the identifying of Achan and his rebellion)

The Tribe of Benjamin was taken so they were called to have a representative of each family of Benjamites come closer

Then the family of Matri was taken, Then Kish, then Saul

But Saul could not be found (David will have to be sent for as well remember when Samuel goes to anoint the second king)

1, 2 Samuel (6) Saul Is Publicly Installed as King (10:17–27)

Saul’s vacancy at his own coronation suitably foreshadows a reign that would vacate responsibilities associated with the exercise of godly rule and perhaps suggests the lack of wisdom of those who preferred such a king to Yahweh

Saul could not be found and when human endeavors at locating him had failed they inquired of the Lord further and God - God tells them where to find him - hiding in the luggage rack.

Well the Bible says, “behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.”

They brought him out and he stood out as he was taller than everyone else there.

Samuel shouts: 1 Samuel 10:24 “24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.”

I was hoping to get to David tonight - but we are getting there - we will pick up from here next week Lord willing.

After he became king of Israel, his actions and decisions soon revealed to the people that he was a selfish, angry, hateful, mean-spirited man.

While Saul seemed to be perfectly fitted as far as appearance, character, and call - yet it is as Charles Swindoll put it: “King Saul was a real piece of work.” C. Swindoll

Saul anointed as Israel’s first king - chosen by God, anointed by Samuel - appears to be a promising leader. 1 Sam 9-10

Baruch Halpern’s recent works, 20 from both biblical and extra-biblical sources, showing that leaders in early Israel came to power in the three stages, which he labeled: (1) designation, (2) demonstration, and (3) confirmation. The process appeared to work this way: first an individual was designated in some manner as God’s chosen instrument. This new appointee was expected to demonstrate the appropriateness of his new appointment by some military feat, whether real or merely ceremonial, that would distinguish him as a leader in the public’s eye. With this feat accomplished, he was then set to be confirmed publicly as that leader of the people of God.

Early victory seems to bear this out 1 Samuel 11

Not long after Saul began to reign we see Saul’s Flaws - he commits a series of disobedient acts which demonstrates his lack of trust in God

He makes a terrible decision - 1 Sam 13 - Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

He makes a rash vow against his own son 1 Sam. 14

He openly disobeyed God. 1 Samuel 15 - Saul Spares Agag

When Samuel pointed his finger at the king, Saul at first tried to rationalize what he had done, then finally admitted, “I am guilty.” But even then, he qualified his confession.

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the L ORD .” 1 Samuel 15:24–25 (emphasis added)

You can see here that Saul was greatly concerned about his image. He didn’t want the people to know that he had sinned.

So he said, “Samuel, why don’t you come with me, and nobody will know that I’ve disobeyed. You just return and let’s worship together like we’ve always done.” His greatest concern was his image.

Samuel didn’t buy it . . . not for a minute. His reply was a straight-from-the-shoulder jab that Saul would never forget: But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the L ORD , and the L ORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

And as Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, “The L ORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. “And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”

Then he [Saul] said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the L ORD your God.” 1 Samuel 15:26–30 Saul, the great rationalizer, again pleaded, “Look, Samuel, you’ve caught me in the act, and I’ve confessed it privately. Now why don’t you come on back with me and we’ll go right on as if nothing happened.”

But Samuel, being a man of integrity, saw through the whole thing. Clearly, Saul had failed God. So Samuel said to the king, “I won’t humiliate you before the people. I’ll go back and go through the ritual of this sacrificial act of worship, but, Saul, that’s the last day I want to see you.”

And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. . . . 1 Samuel 15:35 If you check your geography, you’ll see that Samuel went home in one direction and Saul went home in another . . . and they never met again until the day of Saul’s death.

This was the setting and situation of Samuel hunting down Jesse to anoint one of his sons for the kingship - that son we know to be David.

1 Samuel 16:13–14 KJV 1900

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

Saul was anointed by Samuel and by God - but the Spirit of God departed and an evil spirit took its place

The evil spirit - brought animosity and jealousy toward David

Next week I want us to look at the relationship between Saul and David

Think Root, Branch

The heritage of David’s line in Judah (1 Chron 2:3–3:24). Hayford, J. W., Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Hayford’s Bible handbook. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

The contribution of Ruth as a foundation for later revelation is also significant. Ruth provides the background of God's anointed king, David. It is a book of roots, whose genealogy at the end ties David with Judah, to whom the promise of God's future ruler was given (Gen. 49:10).

According to the Talmud, Ruth was regarded in Jewish tradition as having been originally part of the book of Judges. 9Along with the two incidents in the appendix of the book of Judges (chaps. 17-18 and chaps. 19-21), Ruth forms a part of the "Bethlehem trilogy," so called because in each story Bethlehem figures significantly

From <https://www.mywsb.com/4.v201/c.html>

A Biblical Theology of the OT Roy Zuck and others

DAVID, king and poet, “Isreal’s Versatile King”, De 17:17; Ru 4:22; 1 Sa 13:14; 1 Sa 16:12; 1 Sa 16:13; 1 Sa 17:14; 1 Sa 17:34–36; 1 Sa 17:40; 1 Sa 17:50; 1 Sa 18:1; 1 Sa 18:29; 2 Sa 5:7; 2 Sa 5:13; 2 Sa 7:5; 2 Sa 11:1–15; 2 Sa 12:1–31; 2 Sa 18:33; 2 Sa 23:1; 2 Sa 24:1; 1 Ki 1:1; 1 Ki 2:10; 1 Ki 15:5; 1 Ch 2:15; 1 Ch 3:1; 1 Ch 10:14; 1 Ch 17:1; 1 Ch 23:1; 1 Ch 28:3; 1 Ch 29:26; 2 Ch 6:6; 2 Ch 35:4; Ezr 8:20; Ne 12:46; Ps; Ps 8:1; Ps 19:1; Ps 23; Ps 51:1–19; Ps 72:20; Ps 89:20; Ps 132:10; Pr 1:1; Is 55:3; Eze 37:24; Mt 1:6; Mt 22:45; Mk 2:25; Lu 2:4; Lu 3:31; Jn 7:42; Ac 2:25; Ac 2:29; Ac 7:45; Ac 13:22; Ro 4:6; Ro 11:9; He 11:32. Beautiful, 1 S 16:12. Divinely Chosen, 1 S 16:13. Courageous, 1 S 17:34–36. A Champion, 1 S 17:40. A Great Soldier 2 S 5:7. Forbidden to Build the temple because he was a man of war, 1 Chr 28:3. A poet, Ps 8; 19; 23. General trend of his life was Spiritual, 1 S 13:14; 1 K 15:5. Was lead by passion to violate the Mosaic law, De 17:17; 2 S 5:13. Yielded to blatant sins in a period of ease, 2 S 11:1–15. Was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, 2 S 12:1–31. His repentance and confession, Ps 51:1–19. Thompson, F. C. (1997). Thompson Chain Reference Bible: Topical Index (p. 1727). Kirkbride Bible Company.

4296—David, the Greatest of the Kings of Israel I. He is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the world; a mountain peak among the Bible characters. He is the most famous ancestor of Christ. Jesus is not called the Son of Abraham or the Son of Jacob, but the Son of David. II. His life was a strange mixture of good and evil. It was filled with noble deeds, fine aspirations, and splendid accomplishments; yet it was stained with gross sins. No Bible character more fully illustrates the moral range of human nature. It seems impossible to conceive that the man who wrote the twenty-third Psalm could commit the sin that David did against Uriah, the Hittite. But the spirit of the times in which he lived must be considered as well as the temptation connected with unlimited power. In the early period of his life David is mentioned as a man after God’s own heart, 1 Samuel 1 Samuel 13:14. This was true only when he kept the divine commandments. It may be said to his credit that he never became an idolator and that he was loyal to the Lord in his testimony and worship. The fact that the general trend of his life was eminently religious and spiritual, if not always consistent, together with his great genius, accounts for the very high place he occupies in Hebrew history. His Outstanding Characteristic was his versatility. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) SYNOPSIS OF HIS CAREER I. (1) (2) (3) II. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) III. This is a dark period in his career. Pursued by King Saul, who hates him, David leads the perilous life of an outlaw. But there are some bright spots in the dark record. The magnanimous intercession of Jonathan, securing David’s temporary restoration to the king’s favor, 1 Samuel 19:4–7. The generosity of David in twice sparing his enemy’s life, 1 Samuel 24:1–15; 26:1–20. IV. (1) (2) NOTABLE EVENTS OF HIS LATER YEARS (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) V. (1) (2) (3) See also , . Thompson, F. C., & Jauchen, J. S., eds. (1997). Thompson Chain Outline Study Series (Updated and Expanded, pp. 2107–2108). B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co., Inc.He dies, 1 Chronicles 29:26–28.Gives him a solemn charge, 1 Kings 2:1–9.He appoints his son, Solomon, as his successor, 1 Kings 1:11–39.His Last Days.David’s preparation for building the temple, 1 Chronicles 22:5, 14; 1 Chronicles 29:2.Absalom’s rebellion against his father, 2 Samuel 15–18.His penitence, see Psalm 51.His sin against Uriah, the Hittite, 2 Samuel 11–12.The military victories and enlargement of the kingdom, 2 Samuel 8; 2 Samuel 10.The bringing of the ark to Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 6:1–11; 1 Chronicles 15:1–29.The capture of Jerusalem and the establishment of the capitol there, 2 Samuel 5:7.At the death of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, David becomes king of all Israel, 2 Samuel 5:3.After the death of Saul, the tribe of Judah anoints him as king and he reigns seven years in Hebron, 2 Samuel 5:1–5.David as King.David as a Fugitive.Soon David is compelled to flee for his life, 1 Samuel 19.This heroic feat wins the admiration of Jonathan, the king’s son, but the praises of the people given to David arouse the hatred of Saul, 1 Samuel 18:1–9.He next appears as champion of Israel and kills the giant, Goliath, which results in a great victory for God’s people, 1 Samuel 17:25–53.After remaining at court for a time he returns to the farm, 1 Samuel 17:15.He became the king’s harpist, 1 Samuel 16:14–23. Note: The chronological order of events during this period is somewhat uncertain.His Service under Saul.He was divinely chosen to succeed King Saul and quietly anointed by the prophet Samuel, 1 Samuel 16:12–13.As a shepherd he showed great courage in protecting the flock, 1 Samuel 17:34–36.Spent on his father’s farm at Bethlehem; he was the youngest of eight sons, 1 Samuel 16:10–11.His Early Life.He has generally been considered as the greatest king of Israel. He displayed unusual wisdom in the administration of government.He was an able general and conducted his military campaigns with great success.His poetic genius was of the very highest order. He wrote some of the greatest masterpieces of spiritual literature, a large number of the Psalms are accredited to him. No other poetry has been so constantly used by the church through all the centuries as the Psalms of David.He was a fine musician; his reputation was such that he was sent to play before the king, 1 Samuel 16:14–23.In his youth he was an athlete, 1 Samuel 17:34–36.His Real Character.His Place in History.