David, rise of

David rose from humble origins to become Israel's greatest king. His rise to power is seen by OT writers as evidence of God's guiding hand upon both David and Israel.

David was the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz

Ruth 4:13–22

David was anointed king by Samuel

1 Samuel 16:1–13

David was a member of Saul's court

1 Samuel 16:17–23 See also 1 Samuel 18:2, 1 Samuel 18:5

And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.” So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

David's defeat of Goliath

1 Samuel 17:50–51 See also 1 Samuel 17:4–11, 1 Samuel 17:17–26, 1 Samuel 17:32–54

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

David's friendship with Jonathan

1 Samuel 18:1 See also 1 Samuel 19:1–7, 1 Samuel 20:1–42, 1 Samuel 23:16–18; 2 Samuel 1:25–27

After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

The relationship between David and Saul

Saul's jealousy of David

1 Samuel 18:9–12 See also 1 Samuel 18:15, 1 Samuel 18:28–29, 1 Samuel 19:1, 1 Samuel 19:9–17; Psalm 59:1–4

And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David. The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear, and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

His flight from Saul

1 Samuel 23:14 See also 1 Samuel 21:10, 1 Samuel 22:1–5, 1 Samuel 27:1–6; Psalm 52:1, Psalm 54:1–7, Psalm 56:1–2, Psalm 57:1–6

And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

His refusal to harm Saul

1 Samuel 24:3–7 See also 1 Samuel 26:7–25

Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

His reaction to Saul's death

2 Samuel 1:11–12 See also 2 Samuel 1:17–27

Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.