Bible
David in the Bible
Last updated: May 31, 2026
Written by Blake Boege
David was the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and a central figure in the biblical narrative. Anointed as a youth by the prophet Samuel while working as a shepherd, David rose to prominence by defeating the Philistine champion Goliath. He established Jerusalem as Israel's political and religious capital and is traditionally credited with writing many of the Psalms. Despite severe moral failures, including his adultery with Bathsheba, he is described as a man after God's own heart due to his repentance. Historians and religious students search for this topic to examine Israelite monarchy history, study the Davidic covenant, and explore messianic lineages.
David is one of the most important figures in the Old Testament: shepherd, giant-slayer, king of Israel, psalmist, and the man whose throne God promised to establish forever. The New Testament presents Jesus as the Son of David, the fulfillment of that promise.
Quick Answer
David was the second king of Israel, an ancestor of Jesus, a writer of many Psalms, and a warrior who defeated Goliath, described as a man after God's own heart.
Direct answer
David was a shepherd from Bethlehem who was anointed by Samuel as Israel's future king. He killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17), reigned as king for about forty years, wrote many of the Psalms, sinned grievously with Bathsheba, and repented (Psalm 51).
God's covenant promise to David (2 Samuel 7) is that his throne would be established forever. The New Testament presents Jesus, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1), as the fulfillment of that promise.
Examples
Anointed by Samuel
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Killing Goliath
1 Samuel 17
Fleeing from Saul
1 Samuel 18-26
King of Judah, then all Israel
2 Samuel 2-5
Davidic covenant
2 Samuel 7
Bathsheba and Uriah
2 Samuel 11-12
Repentance
Psalm 51
Son of David
Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32-33
How it works
The page surveys David from his anointing as a young shepherd to the messianic promise of an eternal throne. References are KJV.
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.2 Samuel 7:16, KJV
Shepherd and anointing (1 Samuel 16)
David was the youngest of Jesse's eight sons, keeping the sheep in Bethlehem while his older brothers served in Saul's army. When the LORD rejected Saul as king, he sent Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse. The brothers were paraded before Samuel; the LORD declined each one. David was finally brought in from the field, and the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him: for this is he.' From that day, 'the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward' (1 Samuel 16:13).
Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
The Philistine champion Goliath challenged Israel's army for forty days. David, sent by his father with provisions for his brothers, was outraged that no Israelite would face him. He volunteered. Refusing Saul's armor, he took five smooth stones from the brook and his sling. His confidence was in the LORD, not in equipment. One stone in the forehead felled the giant, and David killed him with his own sword.
Years of flight (1 Samuel 18-26)
As David's fame grew, Saul became jealous and tried to kill him. David fled. He was helped by Jonathan, Saul's son, who loved him as his own soul. For years David lived as a fugitive, gathering a band of loyal men, sparing Saul's life twice when he could have killed him, and trusting God to give him the throne in God's time. Many psalms come from this period.
King over Israel (2 Samuel 1-10)
After Saul died in battle, David was made king over Judah, and after seven and a half years also over all Israel. He captured the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem and made it his capital. He brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem with dancing and rejoicing. He defeated the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and others, establishing Israel as a regional power.
The Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7)
David wanted to build a house for the LORD. Nathan the prophet brought him God's answer: David would not build God a house, but God would build David a house, a dynasty. The covenant culminates in the promise: 'thy throne shall be established for ever.' The New Testament reads this covenant as finding its fulfillment in Jesus, the Son of David, whose kingdom is everlasting.
Bathsheba and repentance (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51)
At the height of his power, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband Uriah on the battlefield. Nathan the prophet confronted him with a parable. David's response was immediate: 'I have sinned against the LORD.' Psalm 51 records his prayer of repentance: 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.' God forgave the sin, but the consequences shaped David's family for years to come.
Psalms, last days, and the messianic line
About half of the Psalms are attributed to David. They span confidence, lament, repentance, and praise. David's last days included Solomon's anointing as his successor (1 Kings 1) and his charge to Solomon to walk in the ways of the LORD (1 Kings 2). The genealogies of Matthew and Luke trace Jesus through David. The New Testament repeatedly applies 'Son of David' to Jesus, presenting him as the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant.
Related Bible pages
- Bible verses about strength
- Who wrote the Bible including David's share of the Psalms.
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Frequently asked questions
David was the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a shepherd, anointed by Samuel as Israel's future king while Saul still reigned (1 Samuel 16). He defeated the Philistine champion Goliath (1 Samuel 17), served in Saul's court, fled from Saul for years, became king of Judah and then of all Israel, conquered Jerusalem, and reigned about forty years. He is the author or attributed author of about half of the Psalms. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband (2 Samuel 11), repented deeply (Psalm 51), and received God's covenant promise that his throne would last forever (2 Samuel 7).
In 1 Samuel 17, the Philistine giant Goliath challenged Israel for forty days. David, then a young shepherd, was sent by his father to bring food to his soldier brothers. He volunteered to fight, refused Saul's armor, and went out with five smooth stones from the brook and his sling. He told Goliath: 'thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts' (1 Samuel 17:45). One stone from his sling struck Goliath in the forehead, and David killed him with the giant's own sword.
Second Samuel 7 records God's covenant with David. David wanted to build a temple for the LORD; God responded that instead he would build David a 'house' (a dynasty). The key promise is in 2 Samuel 7:12-16: 'And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.' The New Testament treats this covenant as fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of David, whose kingdom has no end (Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:30-36).
Most famously, David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, while Uriah was at war (2 Samuel 11). When Bathsheba conceived, David arranged for Uriah to be placed on the front lines so he would be killed. Nathan the prophet confronted David with a parable (2 Samuel 12); David repented immediately, saying 'I have sinned against the LORD.' Psalm 51 is David's prayer of repentance. The child died, but Bathsheba later bore Solomon. David also numbered Israel against God's will (2 Samuel 24), and the consequences of his sins shaped his family for years.
The New Testament uses 'Son of David' as a messianic title applied to Jesus (Matthew 1:1; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 18:38-39). The title connects Jesus to the covenant promises made to David in 2 Samuel 7: a son of David who would reign forever. Jesus's genealogy in both Matthew and Luke traces his legal descent through David. The angel tells Mary that the Lord will give Jesus 'the throne of his father David' and that 'of his kingdom there shall be no end' (Luke 1:32-33).
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