The life of King David. David is king over all Israel. David defeats Goliath. Engraving. Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld
Name: King David
Date of Birth: 1035 BC e.
Date of death: 965 BC e.
Age: 70 years old
Place of Birth: Bethlehem
A place of death: Jerusalem
Activity: second king of Israel
Family status: was married
King David - biography
During his long life, the Jewish king David changed many occupations. Herded sheep, hunted, fought. He composed poems and sang them to the accompaniment of a harp. He did a lot of evil, but always remained faithful to the one God - for which he was glorified by three world religions at once.
The descendants of David were kings and heroes, and Christ himself belonged to his family. But his ancestors were no different: his father Jesse raised cattle in the area of Beit Lehem (“house of bread”), which we call Bethlehem. By that time, the descendants of the twelve “tribes,” or tribes, of Israel had long lived in Palestine, fighting with the local inhabitants with varying degrees of success. In these wars they were led into battle by priests, or “judges,” (shoffetim), who were chosen to lead the army but were promptly dismissed when the danger had passed.
The lack of a unified government played a fatal role when the warlike Philistines, who lived on the Mediterranean coast, took up arms against the Jews. Thanks to their advanced iron weapons, they defeated the Israelites, capturing not only their lands, but also their greatest shrine - the Ark of the Covenant. The prophet Samuel, who was elected as a judge, somehow repulsed the attack, after which the people wanted to choose a king - “let the king be over us, and we will be like other nations.”
Samuel tried to dissuade them - “you will be his slaves and then rebel from your king” - but they did not listen to him. Saul, the son of Kish, a strong and brave man, but not too smart, was chosen as king by lot. He quickly made enemies, dividing the spoils of war between his relatives and his squad to the detriment of everyone else. In addition, he violated the commandment of Samuel - when defeating enemies, destroy not only themselves, but also their wives, children and all property. Out of pity or greed, Saul took strangers as slaves and their daughters as concubines, and the prophet reasonably feared that with them faith in foreign gods would come to the Jews.
After a couple of conflicts, Samuel decided to replace the king with a more worthy candidate. He found one like this in Bethlehem, in the house of Jesse, where he called the owner’s eight sons to him. Of these, he especially liked the youngest - “he was blond, with beautiful eyes and a pleasant face.” His name was David (“beloved of God”), and for all his seventeen years he tended his father’s flock. When he went to a distant pasture, he took a harp with him and played simple melodies to the sheep.
This harp, or “kinnor” (in Russian translation - gusli) was not at all similar to the current one - it was a triangular wooden frame with strings made of ox sinew - and easily fit in a shepherd's bag. There, the brave boy carried a sling - a throwing weapon, which he mastered perfectly. According to legend, he even killed lions and bears with stones from a sling (both of them then roamed freely throughout Israel). Impressed by the young man’s talents, Samuel secretly anointed him to the throne and began a complex operation to elevate the rootless shepherd boy to the throne.
The impressionable Saul became despondent because of the conflict with Samuel - they even said that he was “disturbed by an evil spirit,” that is, mentally ill. The courtiers, trained by the prophet, advised him to listen to music and hinted that an excellent harpist and singer lived in Bethlehem. Saul immediately summoned David, and with his melodies he immediately improved the king’s condition - “the evil spirit departed from him.” Now, according to Samuel’s plan, the young man had to win the love of not only the king, but also the people.
As if by order, the Philistines attacked the country again; ahead of their army walked the huge Goliath, a descendant of the ancient giants Rephaim, whose height was six cubits and a span, or almost three meters. Boasting, he challenged any Israeli to a duel, and David accepted the challenge. The Philistine hero was dressed in copper armor and a helmet, armed with a heavy spear and sword. They also wanted to dress David in armor, but he refused for the sake of ease of movement. He didn’t even take an unusual sword - armed only with a sling, from afar he hit the giant in the forehead with a stone, and when he fell unconscious, he ran up and cut off his head with his own sword. This was the end of the battle: the frightened enemies fled.
The victory of David over Goliath, of ingenuity over blunt force, was sung by hundreds of painters and sculptors centuries later. Michelangelo in marble depicted the hero preparing for battle, Donatello in bronze - triumphant over the head of the defeated giant. There is a version that this feat was attributed to him through the efforts of Samuel: the same biblical Book of Kings says that Goliath was killed by a certain Elchanan. True, there is another explanation: this is the real name of the young man, and he began to be called David (“beloved of God”) later, after becoming king. It is impossible to verify this: David, like many Jewish heroes, is spoken of only in the Bible. The chronicles of other nations paid almost no attention to such a remote place as Palestine. True, David is mentioned in two half-erased inscriptions of the kings of Aram and Moab, but even there it is not clear what is meant - a person or an honorary title.
Be that as it may, from now on David became the favorite of the Israelis. Saul promised to give his daughter Michal in marriage to him, although he asked for an eerie ransom - the foreskin of a hundred Philistines. The young hero, not at all embarrassed, went on a campaign and brought the king as many as two hundred enemy genitals. He not only became the husband of Saul’s daughter, but also became friends with his son Jonathan, which aroused painful suspicions in the king: his harpist was aiming for the throne! A smarter ruler would have organized the secret elimination of the upstart, but Saul - apparently truly mentally ill - behaved like an operetta villain.
First, during the feast, for no apparent reason, he threw a spear at David, but was so drunk that he missed. Then he publicly promised to throw the young man into prison. Warned, David managed to escape, gathered a gang of robbers and began to partisan in the vicinity of the capital Gibeah. One day he caught the king himself in a cave, where he went to relieve himself. Saul was so engrossed in the process that David managed to quietly cut off the edge of his cloak.
And then he appeared to him and showed him a piece of cloth with the words: “I have not sinned against you; and you are looking for my soul to take it away.” Bursting into tears, Saul forgave his son-in-law, but not for long - soon he had to flee again. The king turned into a cruel tyrant: he killed the priests suspected of helping David, almost killed Jonathan for his friendship with him, and married Michal to someone else. At this time, Samuel died, and there was no one to curb the king’s anger.
The Philistines helped put an end to him - in the battle of Mount Gilboa they killed the sons of Saul, including the noble Jonathan, and when they surrounded the king, he asked his own servant to stab him.
David, having received the news of Saul's death, burst into tears instead of joy. And then he captured the city of Hebron, where one of the tribes - the tribe of Judah - declared him king. True, the remaining tribes swore an oath of allegiance to Saul’s only surviving son, Ishbosheth. The country was divided into two parts - Judea and Israel, which began a war with each other. David's troops were led by the experienced commander Joab, and his opponents were led by the no less experienced Abner. The matter was again decided by betrayal: first Abner and then Ishbosheth were treacherously killed, and David united the Jewish kingdom.
For seven years he ruled in Hebron, and then captured the town of Jerusalem, located in the very center of his possessions, founded in time immemorial by the legendary Methuselah. Thanks to David, this city became the sacred center of the Jews, and then also of Christians and Muslims. Here, in a special tabernacle (tent), the Ark of the Covenant was moved, with priests on duty around the clock. Jerusalem is still often called the “city of David.” Another stable expression is “the shield of David” (Magen David), a six-pointed star, the shape of which was supposedly the shields of the royal guard. True, others call this ancient mystical symbol the “seal of Solomon,” attributing its invention to the son and heir of David.
The new king began to actively build his state. If earlier the Jews only fought off raids or attacked their neighbors themselves, then David began to conquer small tribes and principalities. He dealt the first blow to long-time enemies - the Ammonites - he burned their capital Rabbath Ammon (present-day Amman in Jordan) and killed all its inhabitants. The Ammonites entered into an alliance with the powerful Adra-azar king of the Amorites, but Joab also defeated his army. And then he switched to the Philistines - they were not defeated, but they were driven to the sea, making them forget about the raids on Israel.
David entered into an agreement with the Phoenicians, experienced traders who bought grain and livestock from him, giving in return timber and advanced technologies, including writing - the alphabet they invented was soon adopted by the Jews. So far, no chronicles have been kept at David's court, so we do not know when he reigned. Historians date the beginning of his reign either to 1005, then to 1012, or to 876 BC. There are those who consider him a fictional character, included in the series of mythical biblical patriarchs. But archaeologists confirm: in the 10th century, many cities of Palestine were destroyed and repopulated by new inhabitants - Jewish tribes.
The remains of palaces and gates built by David and Solomon have been found. Of course, they are not as big and beautiful as described in the Bible, but this is not surprising. You shouldn’t believe the biblical descriptions of huge armies: David’s squad numbered no more than 500 people, but at that time it was a formidable force. However, the king achieved his goal not only by military force, but also with the help of dynastic marriages. Among his dozens of wives there were representatives of almost all the conquered peoples. Michal also returned to him, but they had no children, and he had not had any love for Saul’s proud daughter for a long time.
One hot day, David saw a beauty from the high roof of the palace who was taking a bath in her garden. Having made inquiries, he learned that this was Bathsheba (Bat-Sheba), the wife of his commander Uriah, who at that time was fighting with the Ammonites. Without thinking twice, the king ordered Bathsheba to be delivered and made love to her, and then sent her home. Soon the woman became pregnant, and the king called Uriah from the campaign, hoping that he would spend the night with his wife and consider the unborn child his own. But he, apparently having found out something, refused to even enter his house.
In anger, the king sent him back, ordering Joab to put Uriah in the most dangerous place in the first battle and throw him among his enemies. He was killed, and David, as soon as the period of mourning ended, married Bathsheba, who bore him a son. However, the sin he committed cost David dearly - the Almighty, through the mouth of the prophet, announced that five severe punishments awaited him. The first was the death of Bathsheba's child. The second was the illness of the king himself, whose body was covered with bloody ulcers for six months.
It didn't end there. Discord began in the royal family. The heir to the throne, Amnon, as woman-loving as David himself, fell in love with his half-sister Tamar (Tamara) and raped her one night. Having learned about this, Tamar's brother, Absalom, killed the rapist and fled to Hebron, where he rebelled against his father and was anointed king. Many preferred the brave and handsome Absalom to the aging king; the story of Saul and David seemed to be repeating itself.
Unrest began in Jerusalem itself, and David had to flee across the Jordan. While pursuing him, Absalom's army collided with Joab's army and was defeated. The prince himself fled from pursuit on a mule, but his long locks became entangled in the branches of an oak tree, and Joab arrived in time and killed him with three arrows. Upon learning of this, David, as was his habit, burst into sobs. The death of his son put him at odds with his loyal military leader - Joab was soon deprived of his position. His fellow Israelis were outraged and rebelled, electing Sheba as their king. But Joab did not join them: loyal to the king, he defeated the rebels.
The death of Amnon with Absalom and the rebellion of the Israelites became three more punishments of David, after which God forgave him. A sign of this was the birth of Bathsheba's healthy son Solomon. The king loved his children more than all other children, although the official heir was considered the son of his eldest wife, Adonijah. This promised a new struggle for power, but for now the king, who had defeated all his opponents, took a break from worries and composed psalms full of gratitude to the Almighty. It is clear that most of the songs included in the biblical Psalter were not written by David - just as the sensual lines of the Song of Songs were not composed by his heir Solomon.
But they all express the mood that he introduced into the Old Testament canon and expresses not fear of God, but love and trust in Him. It is not for nothing that millions of believers in countries infinitely far from ancient Palestine still repeat their beautiful lines. For example, these (Psalm 138): “Where will I go from Your Spirit, and where will I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven - You are there; If I go down to the underworld, you will be there too. If I take the wings of the dawn and move to the edge of the sea, there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will hold me.”
But verses are verses, and in life David, who was already over sixty, remained hungry for power and pleasure. Even having lost the ability for love pleasures, he ordered young girls to be brought to him so that they would warm his bed. Of these, he loved Abishag (Abishag) the Shunammite most of all, but, as the Bible emphasizes with some surprise, “he did not know her.” And he had no time for girls - political intrigues began again at court. Adonia made more and more loud claims to the throne, got himself a personal squad and even fifty walkers, who were entitled only to the king in rank.
He was supported by Joab and the high priest Abiathar, but Solomon also had supporters - the commander of the hired guard Vanei and the prophet Nathan, whom the king obeyed unquestioningly. Of course, Bathsheba also fiercely defended her son’s rights to the throne. It was she who went to David and reported that Adonijah allegedly declared himself king and made royal sacrifices at the sacred spring of Ein Rogel. “But you promised,” she approached the king, “that Solomon would reign after you!” David, who no longer got out of bed, immediately ordered his youngest son to be anointed as king.
A few days later the king died, and his successor immediately dealt with Adonijah and Joab. During the reign of Solomon, the Jewish kingdom reached a new peak, but after his death it finally split into Judah and Israel. David was buried on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, in the very place where his descendant Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with the apostles. The Bible reports that he lived 70 years and was king for 40 of them. It also says that David entered into an agreement with God, according to which the Davidic dynasty would forever rule Israel, and after the coming of the Messiah, who also belonged to it, the whole world.
Some Jewish mystics even believed that the future world king would be David himself, who did not die, but continues to live forever. Among the people, this idea turned into a legend according to which the king of Israel sleeps soundly in a cave and wakes up when a magic horn heralds the end of the world. No historian will say what the real, and not the fabulous, David was like. His victories and laws have long been swallowed up by the abyss of time, but the sounds of his harp still reach us, praising not only God, but also a man faithful to his people and his calling.
Film about King David
In the scriptures
In the Old Testament
Origin and anointing
David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse, a Bethlehemite from the tribe of Judah, the great-grandson of Boaz (Boaz) and the Moabite Ruth (Ruth).
Therefore, God, having rejected King Saul (Shaul) for disobedience, sent the prophet Samuel (Shmuel) to anoint David in the presence of his father and brothers as the future king. With the anointing, the Spirit of God descended on David and rested on him (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
At the court of King Saul
Called to King Saul, David played the harp to drive away the evil spirit that was tormenting the king for his apostasy. After David, who came to the Israeli army to visit his brothers, accepted the challenge of the Philistine giant Goliath and killed him with a sling, thereby ensuring victory for the Israelites, Saul finally took him to court (1 Samuel 16:14 - 18:2).
As a courtier and warrior, David won the friendship of the king's son Jonathan (Jonathan), and his courage and success in the fight against the Philistines began to overshadow the glory of Saul himself in the eyes of the people. This aroused the envy and jealousy of the king, so “ from that day forward Saul looked at David suspiciously"(1 Samuel 18:7-9). Over time, suspicions grew stronger and Saul tried to kill David twice. When this failed, Saul began to act more cautiously. He put David in danger during the war with the Philistines - using the feelings of his daughter Michal for the young leader, he forced David to risk his life, but he proved himself to be a brave and courageous man (1 Sam. 18: 3-30).
Now Saul no longer hid his enmity. The incident with the spear that the king threw at David, and the threat of going to prison, from which only his wife Michal saved him, forced David to flee to Samuel in Ramah. At the last meeting, Jonathan confirmed to David that reconciliation with Saul was no longer possible (1 Samuel 19:20).
Flight and emigration
Under the pretext of fulfilling the king's secret order, David received the showbread and the sword of Goliath from the priest Ahimelech in Nob (Nove), and then fled to the Philistine king Achish in Gath (Gat). There they wanted to capture David, and in order to save himself, he pretended to be insane (1 Sam. 21; Ps. 33:1; 55:1).
Then David sought refuge in the cave of Adollam, where he gathered around him relatives and many oppressed and dissatisfied; he hid his parents with the Moabite king. David's hasty flight and his futile attempts to find safety were put an end to God's command conveyed to him through the prophet Gad to go to the land of Judah (1 Sam. 22:1-5). From there the Lord, in response to David's question, led him further to the liberation of Keilah from the Philistines, where Abiathar, the only priest from Nob who escaped Saul's vengeance, came to him with the ephod. Saul, having heard about David’s stay in Keilah, began many years of merciless persecution of his rival (1 Sam. 23). However, he eluded him again and again, while David twice refused the opportunity to kill the king, God’s anointed, so as not to suffer punishment for this (1 Samuel 23; 24; 26).
Realizing the possible consequences (1 Samuel 27:1), David, with 600 soldiers and both wives, whom he had married by that time, left for Gath. There he entered the service of the Philistine king Achish, who provided him with Ziklag (Ziklag) to live in (1 Sam. 27:2-7). Over the next 16 months, God forced David to drink the bitter cup to the end. He was supposed to appear to be an enemy of Israel without actually being one. Therefore, he deceived Achishus regarding the direction of his robber raids and killed mercilessly so that his lies would not be revealed. Having thus won the trust of the Philistine, David was forced to go with the army of Achish against Israel, but he and his people, as potential defectors, were sent home (1 Samuel 27:8 - 28:2; 29).
Finding upon their return that Ziklag had been burned and their wives and children taken captive, David’s people rebelled and wanted to stone him. Then David did something that he had not resorted to since Keilah: he turned to the Lord and received an answer. Pursuing the Amalekite army, David's detachment captured rich booty and captured all the captives alive and unharmed, and their property intact. Two days later, a certain Amalekite brought him news of the death of Saul on Gilboa (Gilboa). David grieved until evening, and his grief found vent in a song of lament dedicated to Saul and Jonathan. Then he ordered the execution of the messenger who confessed to the murder of the king of Israel (2 Sam. 1).
King in Hebron
After David again inquired of the Lord, he moved (possibly with the consent of Achish) to Hebron, where the tribe of Judah anointed him king. However, Abner, Saul's military commander, installed the latter's son, Ishbosheth, in Mahanaim, which was not under the rule of the Philistines, and established his authority over the remaining tribes.
In the many years of war between Judah and Israel, David's power constantly increased. He had 6 sons in Hebron, including Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah. Finally, Abner quarreled with Ishbosheth and entered into negotiations with David, who first of all demanded that his wife Michal be returned to him. This was fulfilled, but even before a final agreement was reached, Abner was killed by Joab, who avenged the death of Asahel. However, instead of trying his nephew Joab for murder, the king only publicly mourned Abner, thus trying to avert suspicions of incitement from himself.
When, soon after this, two Benjamites who served in the army of Ish-bosheth killed their king and brought his head to Hebron, David immediately ordered their execution (2 Sam. 2-4). After seven years of David's reign over the house of Judah, the path to power over all the people was clear. All the elders of Israel, prepared in advance by Abner, appeared in Hebron and anointed David as king (2 Sam. 5:1-5; 1 Chron. 11:1-3; -40).
King in Jerusalem
After his accession to the throne, David first took Jerusalem, which was considered impregnable and had previously belonged to the Jebusites, and made this city, located on the border between the inheritances of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the capital, the so-called “city of David” - from a military and political point of view, an unusually successful step (it did not turn out to be preference neither to the north nor to Judah). David re-fortified the city and ordered the construction of a royal palace there, using the labor of artisans sent to him by the Tyrian king.
New wives and concubines bore him new sons and daughters (2 Samuel 5:6-16; 1 Chronicles 3:4-9; 1 Chronicles 14:1-7). As soon as the first victories provided David with foreign policy peace, he began to transform Jerusalem into a cult-religious capital. From the time of his return from the land of the Philistines, the Ark of the Covenant was located in Kiriathiarim (Kiryat Jearim) (1 Sam. 7:1). Although the first attempt to transfer the Ark to Jerusalem ended in failure, David still managed to complete this task, and amid the rejoicing of the people, a solemn procession brought the Ark carried by the Levites to the capital, where it was placed in a pre-arranged tabernacle (cf. Ps. 23; 131). On the way, the king himself, dressed in a priestly cape (ephod), danced in front of the ark. Michal condemned this behavior as degrading the king's dignity before the people. As punishment for this, from that time on she remained childless (2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; 15 et seq.).
Foreign Wars
As soon as David became king of all Israel, the Philistines, to whom he seemed dependent and harmless in Hebron, again became active. Near Jerusalem, they were twice completely defeated by David, acting on the instructions of the Lord (2 Sam. 5:17-25). Subsequent battles (2 Kings 21:15-22) led to the conquest of the Philistines (2 Kings 8:1; 1 Chronicles 18:1). In the north, David defeated the Syrians of Damascus and Adraazar, king of Suva, which earned him the friendship of Adraazar’s opponent, Thoi, king of Hamath; in the south and southeast, David established his dominance over Moab, Edom, and the Amalekites (2 Sam. 8:2-14). Relations with the Ammonites under King Naash were peaceful, but his son Hannon provoked a war by insulting David’s ambassadors. With their first campaign, Joab and Abishai destroyed the alliance between Annon and the Arameans (Syrians) called to his aid, who then finally submitted to David. A year later, David took Rabbah.
The kingdom of David extended from Ezion-Geber on the Gulf of Aqaba in the south to the border of Hamath in the north and occupied, with the exception of narrow coastal strips inhabited by the Philistines and Phoenicians, the entire space between the sea and the Arabian desert. Thus, Israel basically reached the borders of the promised land (Num. 34:2-12; Ezek. 47:15-20).
State building
A vast kingdom required an orderly organization of administration and troops. At court, David created, largely following the Egyptian model, the positions of scribe and scribe (2 Sam. 8:16 et seq.).
Next we learn about the king's advisers (1 Chron. 27:32-34), about the officials who managed the king's property (27:25-31), and about the overseer of the collection of taxes (2 Sam. 20:24). Along with the leaders over individual tribes (1 Chronicles 27:16-22), the already mentioned Levitical judges and officials acted (1 Chronicles 26:29-32). David also carried out a general census of the people, which, however, was contrary to the will of the Lord and was not completed (1 Chron. 27:23 et seq.).
The highest military rank was possessed by the chief military commander, that is, the head of the people's militia, which consisted of 12 military units obliged to serve for a month, and the head of the personal guard of the king, the Chelethites and the Peletheites (2 Sam. 20:23), mercenaries of Cretan and Philistine origin.
A special position was occupied brave of David- his companions since the flight from Saul, famous for their exploits. Some of them (Joab, Abishai, Benei) subsequently occupied senior command positions (2 Samuel 23:8-39; 1 Chronicles 11:10 - 12:22; 20:4-8).
Gibeonites and Mephibosheth
When David asked the Lord about the cause of the three-year famine, he was ordered to atone for Saul's old blood debt to the Gibeonites. At the request of the latter, David gave them two sons and five grandsons of Saul, who were brutally executed. After David ordered their remains to be interred, “ God had mercy on the country"(2 Samuel 21:1-14). David was to act in this case as the supreme ruler and judge of his people, obeying the requirement of the Lord, who laid the debt of Saul's blood on his family; he himself did not harbor personal hatred for the family of Saul.
As a sign of this, David called Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, to his court and allowed him to eat at the royal table with his sons (2 Sam. 9). Because God had given him kingdom and victory, David showed royal mercy towards Saul's last grandson.
David and Bathsheba
At the height of his power, during the war with the Ammonites, David fell into sin. Seeing a beautiful woman bathing and learning that she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his brave men, David, despite this, sent for her.
Bathsheba was forced to comply. When the king learned that she was expecting a child from him, he called her husband from the campaign. However, Uriah refused to enter his house in front of the entire court, which confused the plans of David, who hoped that with the arrival of Uriah, Bathsheba’s pregnancy would be associated with the name of her husband. David sent orders to Joab to send Uriah to a place where he would die in battle. And this commander, who had not yet atoned for the sin of killing Abner, carried out the order. Uriah fell in battle. After the mourning period, Bathsheba officially became David’s wife and bore him a son. Then God sent the prophet Nathan to the king, who announced the verdict: the sword will not depart from the house of David forever, and his wives will be openly given to another. His son must die, but David himself will have his death sentence revoked because he admitted his sin. Forgiveness extended to the marriage with Bathsheba, from whom David’s successor, Solomon, was now born (2 Sam. 11:2 - 12:25).
From this time on, David's life was both subject to judgment and promise. The king's eldest son Amnon committed violence against his half-sister Tamar. David, having learned about this, did nothing and thus betrayed Amnon to the revenge of Tamar’s brother (Tamar) Absalom, who ordered him to be killed, and he himself fled to his grandfather in Geshur (chapter 13).
Joab came up with a pretext under which the king could, without passing judgment, call his son back. Absalom achieved complete forgiveness for himself (2 Samuel 14) and prepared a rebellion against David. Suddenly launching hostilities, he received the support of Ahithophel, Bathsheba's grandfather and adviser to the king. After the capture of Jerusalem, Ahithophel prompted Absalom to openly make his wives the concubines left in the palace by the fleeing David (2 Samuel 15; 16).
Thus, God's judgment was fulfilled, but another council of Ahithophel managed to disavow Hushai, David's confidant. This gave the king the opportunity to go beyond the Jordan with reliable troops and gather an army in Mahanaim. In the decisive battle, David did not take command, but gave his commanders a categorical order to spare the life of Absalom, which Joab deliberately ignored.
Infinitely grieving over the death of his son, the king, under the influence of Joab, who threatened him with new betrayals, nevertheless gathered his courage and showed himself to the people at the city gates (2 Samuel 17:1 - 19:9). On the way back to Jerusalem, David, fully aware of God's judgment, showed mercy to opponents and suspects.
By this, however, he was unable to prevent a new uprising that broke out under the leadership of Sheba, from the tribe of Benjamin, but was skillfully and mercilessly suppressed by Joab. At the same time, Joab, with the help of another murder, eliminated Amasa, who was appointed by David as military leader in his place (2 Samuel 19:10 - 20:22).
Transfer of the kingdom to Solomon and death
Peace reigned, but only until the time when the king’s condescension turned out to be fatal for Adonijah, the eldest king’s son at that time: knowing that his father was in old age, he lusted for power. The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba managed to motivate David to action. Having gathered his strength, he said: “ Take with you the servants of your lord, and put Solomon my son on my mule, and bring him to Gion, and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel, and blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon! Then bring him back, and he will come and sit on my throne; he will reign in my place; I bequeathed to him to be the leader of Israel and Judah"(1 Kings 1:33-35). They did so, and Solomon, having become king, solemnly returned to the palace, and Adonijah’s party disintegrated, but temporarily remained unpunished.
David felt that his end was near. He called Solomon to him and bequeathed him to faithfully serve God and build a Temple in Jerusalem from the gold and silver he had prepared. With his last will, David bequeathed to his son to carry out royal justice over Joab. He also ordered Solomon to reward the sons of Barzillai and not to leave Shimei unpunished. (1 Kings 2:7-8)
David died at the age of 70 after 40 years of reign and was buried in Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:10-11).
In the New Testament
In legends
In Jewish tradition
According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah should come from the line of David, who will transform the world of violence and selfishness into a world where there will be no wars, and the whole earth will be filled with love for God and people.
In Christianity
David in Islam
Image in art
Many works of art from different eras and generations are dedicated to David. For example, the famous sculpture by Michelangelo, paintings by Titian and Rembrandt, reflecting episodes from his life, the oratorio “King David” by the French composer Arthur Honegger, etc.
On October 7, 2008, a bronze monument to King David was erected on Mount Zion, received by the Israeli authorities as a gift from the Russian charitable foundation St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Footnotes and sources
see also
Links
- Article " David» in the Electronic Jewish Encyclopedia
| Rulers of Ancient Israel and Judah | |
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The holy king and prophet David went down in history as an ideal king, national hero and psalmist.
He is a descendant of the tribe of Judah from which, according to prophecy, the Messiah should come. He was chosen by God to rule the people of Israel for his meekness and faith.
He was anointed to the kingdom three times: in adolescence by the prophet Samuel, at 27 years old - for the kingdom of Judah, and at 30 - for the united kingdom of Israel.
Life of David
David was the youngest son of one of the elders of Bethlehem, Jesse. As a young man, he tended flocks of sheep, showing fearlessness in fights with wild animals. Thanks to his meek character and deep faith, even in adolescence he received a blessing from God to become the king of Israel.
Saul, who ruled the state at this time, became disliked and abandoned by the Lord for disobedience, and was obsessed with fits of uncontrollable anger. Having heard about David, who became a skilled musician, he invited him to the court to pacify his pain.
Soon, at the age of 18, he defeated the most powerful warrior of the Philistines, Goliath, ending the war. After this, he was appointed commander of the Jewish army and married the king’s youngest daughter, Michal. With his courage and military successes, he gained the love and respect of the people, thereby incurring assassination attempts and persecution from King Saul, which continued until the latter’s death.
Fleeing from persecution, David and his supporters (600 soldiers) fled to the lands of their former enemies - the Philistines. King Achish allowed him to settle in the city of Ziklag. David and a small army raided the Amalekites who lived in the area, giving part of the spoils to Achish. Michal was married off in his absence.
Sword of David
After David cut off Goliath's head, he took possession of his sword, but not wanting to use it as a weapon, he takes it to Nova.
For David, the sword is a symbol of the victory of faith in God over weapons. That is why, when he fled from Saul, he takes this sword from the priest Ahimelech.
King Saul at this time continued to fight the Philistines. After the death of him and his eldest son Jonathan and the defeat of the Israelites, David was proclaimed king of the Southern Kingdom with his capital in Hebron. Saul's youngest son Ishbosheth waged war with David for two years, but was treacherously killed by his own commanders. From the moment David becomes the ruler of all Israel.
Kingdom of David
David reigned for 40 years, of which 7 ruled Judah, 33 ruled Israel. In the 11th century BC. The Israelis occupied the city of Jerusalem during their conquests.
King David built a palace on the site of the old city and proclaimed Jerusalem the capital of Israel, greatly expanding it. The construction of the tabernacle and the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to it served the purpose of turning Jerusalem into the main cult center of the state. David carried out a series of successful conquests, annexing Moab, Syria and Idumea.
The lands of the Jewish kingdom extended from the Euphrates to Gaza. David's reign brought power and prosperity to Israel.
King David was a deeply religious man, his personality takes on the characteristics of holiness. He established the order of the temple service, introduced music into it, and composed songs of praise - psalms.
In religious ecstasy, he had prophetic visions about the events of the life and death of the Savior. These innovations were not to everyone's liking. For this reason, the rebellions that his sons Absalom and Adonijah staged towards the end of David’s life found supporters. To end the unrest, on the advice of the elders, David transferred the throne to his youngest son Solomon.
Book of David
King David created a book of psalms - the Psalter. This is a collection of 150 hymns of religious and lyrical content, which at one time were performed accompanied by a psaltery, a plucked string instrument - hence the name.
Although the authorship is traditionally attributed to David, it is clearly the result of collective creativity, many of the poems were created much later. The psalms were introduced into temple ritual under King David, and after they were translated into other languages, they became the basis of Christian worship.
The Psalter is divided into 20 sections, each of which, in turn, is divided into three parts. Nowadays, it is read in full in church once during the week, and twice during Lent.
King David's Wife
King David married several times; researchers agree that there were 8 wives. The first wife, Saul’s daughter, after David’s accession to Judea, was returned to him from her second husband. But soon the king lost interest in her and removed her from himself.
One day, David fell in love with the beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of the military leader Uriah, whom he sent to certain death in order to marry her. Solomon, the future legendary king of Israel, will be born from Bathsheba. The names of Abigail, Ahinoam, Maakhi, Aggif, Avital, and Egla are also known.
Children of King David
The Tsar had many children from his wives and numerous concubines. He had six sons in Hebron and seven in Jerusalem. And they all laid claim to the throne and quarreled among themselves, but the tenth son, Solomon, born to his beloved wife Bathsheba, became the heir.
Descendants of King David
David founded a royal dynasty that ruled the united kingdom of Israel and Judah for 400 years.
His successor, Solomon, was renowned for his wisdom and justice. He brought his father's plan to life by building the Jerusalem Temple. It is believed that one of the branches has ruled in Ethiopia since the 13th century AD.
Where is King David buried?
King David died at the age of 70 and was buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. His reign, as well as that of his son Solomon, is called the “golden age” of the state of Israel.
In the three leading world religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - he is revered as a righteous man and a prophet.
King David Award
Since 1963, the Harp of David Award has been established in Israel, which is awarded based on the results of public surveys to the best actors, directors, dancers and singers.
King David is the second leader of the Kingdom of Israel to make Jerusalem a center of spiritual pilgrimage. David was a God-fearing and wise ruler who, like all mortals, was prone to making mistakes: the monarch committed a crime for which he had to pay for a long time.
Origin of King David
King David was born around 1035 BC, on the west bank of the Jordan River, in Bethlehem. The historicity of David is a source of debate that continues to this day, because many stories about the life of the ruler are in the nature of legends and tales, however, some archaeological evidence proves the reality of the existence of the leader of the Israeli people.
The Copenhagen School, founded in 1990, has its own opinion on this matter. Adherents of biblical minimalism view the personality of King David and the reality of the existence of the so-called Kingdom of Israel as a single ideological concept created by the priests in Jerusalem.
Skeptics believed that David was as historical as the hero of the chivalric novels of the British epic - King Arthur. The biography of the descendant of Jesse, which is set out in the Holy Scriptures, says that he came from an ancient Jewish family (from which the Messiah Jesus Christ came) and was the youngest of his father’s eight sons.
Young David, working as a shepherd, showed himself to be a trustworthy and brave man: he could snatch his sheep from the clutches of a mighty bear or deal with a ferocious lion with his bare hands, since he was endowed with heroic strength from birth.
While the young man was working in the pasture, the founder of the united kingdom of Israel, Saul, sat on the throne, who became the leader of the people by the will of God, but soon seemed displeasing to the Creator. Therefore, the prophet Samuel, who repented of choosing by lot the “disobedient bearer of the crown,” began to look for a successor to his first anointed one.
His choice fell on David, who in those years delighted the monarch by playing a stringed musical instrument - the kinnor: flowing melodies calmed the anger of the king, who had a hot temper (according to legend, he was “outraged by an evil spirit”).
In his youth, young David, who arrived in the Israeli army to visit his brothers, was noted for his heroic deed: the future king defeated the unusually strong giant Goliath (in the Koran - Jalut). It is noteworthy that David’s opponent was armed to the teeth, while the young man had only a sling with him.
Saul, who believed in the young man’s ingenuity, promised to bless David’s marriage with his daughter Michal if he went on a campaign against the descendants of Kasluhim. The “heir to the throne” who returned from the battlefield brought a “gift” - a bag with two hundred male assets, because this was the demand of the cruel despot.
The valiant son of Jesse won laurels of honor, and his brilliant fight against the unbelieving Philistines aroused the envy of Saul, since the glory of David eclipsed all the honors of the current king. The zealous Saul began to be suspicious of the young man, and every day his contempt only intensified. Therefore, it is not surprising that the thought of killing his subject crept into Saul’s head.
It got to the point that the Israeli king, without hiding his enmity, put David in danger by throwing a spear at him during the celebration. But since Saul had too much alcoholic drinks, the gun flew past. But, nevertheless, the autocrat threatened to put the enemy in prison.
But it is worth noting that David revered the Creator and did not dare to raise his hand against God’s anointed Saul, but he had the opportunity when they found themselves alone in a cave. The young man quietly crept up to his opponent and cut off a piece of fabric from his cloak, thereby showing Saul that he was incapable of committing a crime and did not pose any danger.
This act did not relieve Saul of his paranoia, so David fled to Samuel in Ramah and arrived at a refuge where God's presence was strong. There David learned that reconciliation with Saul was impossible, and the king himself was filled with the Spirit of God. Consequently, the future ruler of the people spent many years in exile, trying to save his life and shelter his relatives from the wrath of the first anointed.
Saul angrily pursued the enemy, so David, along with numerous comrades, found support from his opponents - the Philistines. In the service of this people, David and his comrades (600 men) robbed the local Amalekites, and sent part of the stolen loot to King Achish.
David's companions, due to the objections of higher authorities, did not participate in the invasion of the Philistines, who went to conquer the lands of Israel and defeated the troops of the despot Saul. In the battle of Mount Gilboa, the soldiers killed the king's sons, and Saul himself asked his subject to wound his heart with a spear.
Beginning of reign
David was not happy at the news of the death of his pursuer, but, on the contrary, burst into bitter tears. Then he arrived at his homeland, Hebron, where he was proclaimed king of Judah by the descendants of Judah.
Consequently, Judah separated from Israel (Saul's only surviving son, Ishbosheth, became Saul's successor), resulting in a two-year internecine war.
Two armies opposed each other, and David’s comrades emerged victorious from this bloody battle, but, according to rumors, the outcome of the matter was decided by betrayal, for the two warring commanders were killed. David was eventually chosen by the elders to be king over all of Israel, later uniting the two states.
Domestic policy
Before becoming ruler, David, following a cruel custom, got rid of the descendants of King Saul. Then the commander went to war against the Jebusites, capturing the city of Jerusalem. Conquered Jerusalem became the capital of the principality and, at the same time, the sacred Jewish center, where the Ark of the Covenant was transferred, making the main city the center of the national cult.
By the way, the Ark of the Covenant is the greatest shrine of the Jewish people, which is located in a tent guarded by priests. David initially wanted to build a temple for the altar, but was unable to do so because his hands were stained with the blood of his enemies. Therefore, his son Solomon began building the church.
David, who rejected human sacrifice, carried out a religious reform and became the author of exalted psalms. The services acquired a melodic character, for David did not forget his passion for playing a stringed instrument.
The king subordinated spiritual life to secular life, and the priests began to submit to the high priests. David was also noted as a brilliant commander: the defeated peoples paid tribute to the owner of the throne, so the monarch organized the treasury and established a detachment of state bodyguards.
It is known that David began to strengthen his state, following the Egyptian model, and the royal property was managed by officials. On top of that, David was engaged in a census, but by the will of the Lord he never completed what he started.
Foreign policy
David expanded his territorial possessions, taking lands from neighboring states. He conquered the historical region in western Jordan, defeated the Arameans in Syria, and annexed Idumea. In addition, the king discovered treasures of copper and entered into business cooperation with the Phoenicians, who were known as experienced traders.
The Phoenicians bought cereals and livestock from David, paying by barter. In return, the king received wood and advanced technologies: David’s companions brought writing and the alphabet they invented to the state, which was later borrowed by the Jews.
Personal life
The biblical story says that David was smart, handsome, and also had a talent for oratory. As for amorous relationships, Saul’s daughter Michal was married to another young man. But nevertheless, the woman-loving David had many wives and concubines, which, in principle, was typical of the kings of that time.
But because of David’s amorousness, the king’s internal policy was not cloudless. The ruler of the united Israeli state angered God by darkening his life with a mortal sin - adultery. The fact is that the king, walking on the roof of his palace, was blinded by the beauty of bathing Bathsheba.
However, the woman who captivated his mind and feelings was married to the beneficent Uri the Hittite, who faithfully served David’s army. But, despite the beauty’s marriage, David ordered Bathsheba to be taken to the palace. After a while, the ruler’s beloved became pregnant, and David ordered the military commander in a letter to send Uriah to certain death.
Having learned about this treacherous act, the prophet Nathan cursed David, dooming his future to fratricidal conflicts and severe punishments. Thus, there was a lot of bitterness and sadness in David's life.
The king began to feel physically unwell, his body became covered with ulcers, and riots began in the palace. The leader's eldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar and was killed by his brother Absalom.
Absalom himself went against his father, but his army was crushed to smithereens. Despite the betrayal, David loved his son and waited for his return home. According to legend, a young man died when his long hair got tangled in the branches of an oak tree. This tragedy darkened the life of David, who lamented:
“My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Oh, who would let me die instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!
David had to literally beg God's forgiveness on his knees. The Creator forgave the sinful king, giving him a healthy son Solomon, but reminded him that
“...they must pay four times for a sheep.”
After repentance, the autocrat’s life was not calm, for another son of David, Adonijah, the actual heir to the throne, tried to organize a conspiracy against his father and usurp power, because he learned that the crown was destined for Solomon.
Death
David died at the age of seventy, having managed to transfer the crown to his heir. The successor continued his father’s policy of strengthening the state, however, he condemned bloody wars.
The famous marble statue of David by Michelangelo It is known that books were written in memory of King David, and in 1997 the television film “King David: The Ideal Ruler” was released. But the most famous cultural monument is the marble statue of David, skillfully made by the talented.
In Christianity
In the Christian religion, David appears as a prophet from whose family he came into the world. According to Orthodoxy, David became the author of the psalms included in the Psalter, which is considered an integral part of the Old Testament and Christian worship.
It is believed that the icon of King David and prayers addressed to him help people acquire the best human virtues - meekness, mercy and chastity.
In 965 BC. e. At the age of 70, the Israeli king David completed his life. He was buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, exactly where, many centuries later, the Last Supper took place, which preceded the suffering and agony of Jesus Christ on the cross. The image of this biblical character became the personification of the former greatness of the Jewish people and the hope for its future revival.
Young anointed of God
According to the Old Testament, the pious Bethlehemite Jesse and his Moabite wife Ruth, who lived in the 11th century BC. e., eight sons were growing up, the youngest of whom was the future biblical king David. It is generally accepted that he was born in 1035 BC. e.
The Holy Scripture tells that even in his youth the boy was distinguished not only by his beauty and strength, but by his amazing eloquence, as well as his ability to play the kinor, an ancient stringed instrument.
The life, or, more simply, the biography of King David, begins with the fact that he appears before the readers as a young shepherd, spending days and nights with flocks of sheep on the slopes of the hills surrounding his hometown of Bethlehem. The young man was distinguished by his courage, protecting his charges from bears and lions.
In those years, the people of Israel were ruled by King Saul, who became the first but was then rejected by Him for rebellion and pride. Therefore, the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to secretly anoint His new chosen one to reign, who became the young shepherd ─ the youngest son of the Bethlehemite Jesse. From the moment the prophet fulfilled this great mission, the Spirit of God rested on the future King David, and he became the executor of His holy will.
Royal favor, replaced by hatred
By the will of the Almighty, David found grace in the eyes of King Saul, who remained in power for several more years. This was inspired by two episodes described in the Old Testament. One of them is the young man’s wonderful playing of the kinor, with which he was able to calm the king’s mental anguish, and the other is his victory over the giant Goliath. The Scripture says that, on the eve of a decisive battle with the Philistines, he came to the camp of the Israelites, accepted a challenge to a duel from this formidable hero and, having defeated him with a stone fired from a sling, ensured victory for his people. This feat allowed David to enter the king's inner circle and win the friendship of his son Jonathan.
But it so happened that the glory of the young warrior, which reached all corners of the country, aroused burning envy in Saul and became the reason that the former favor was replaced by hatred. The king repeatedly tried to kill David, but he could not do it openly, fearing general outrage, and therefore resorted to various tricks and intrigues. When it became obvious that a bloody outcome was inevitable, the disgraced hero was forced to flee and wander in the desert for a long time, seeking salvation there from his pursuers. Over the years of wandering, he became closely acquainted with the life of the common people and learned compassion for people.
In the service of former enemies
However, his former glory was not forgotten, and gradually everyone who had become a victim of oppression and insults began to gather around the future King David. Over time, a large detachment of them was formed, at the head of which the disgraced anointed of God left the country and temporarily entered the service of his former enemies - the Philistines and their king Achish.
Having found a patron in him, David and his supporters settled in the border city of Ziklag, from where they raided the settlements of the neighboring Amolectian tribes. Part of the loot went to Achish according to the agreement, and the rest of the booty was divided among the exiles. David was loyal to the king, but when he called him to participate in a military campaign against the kingdom of Israel, he managed to cunningly avoid the need to fight with his own people.
The reign of David in Judea
The war that followed was disastrous for the Israelis. At the Battle of Gilboa, the Philistines inflicted a crushing defeat on them, costing the life of King Saul. Seriously wounded and facing imminent capture, he committed suicide by stabbing himself with his own sword. On the same day, his son Jonathan, who more than once saved David from his father’s persecution, also died.
Despite the fact that David did not personally take part in the battle, he nevertheless took advantage of the Philistine victory, and arriving with his detachment in the city of Hebron, located in the southern part of the kingdom of Israel, he was officially anointed king. However, over the next seven years, the power of King David did not extend to the entire country, but only to its part, called Judea. It received this name due to the fact that representatives of the tribe of Judah lived there - one of the twelve sons of the Jewish forefather Jacob. The rest of the territory was ruled by one of Saul's surviving sons.
At the head of all Israel
The division of the once united state led to internecine struggle, as a result of which the Jews won. Immediately after the end of hostilities, Israeli elders arrived in Hebron and called David to reign over the entire country. Thus, the Lord elevated His anointed one over the Jewish people, noted by His behavior by the prophet Samuel. In those days, David was barely 30 years old.
Construction of Jerusalem
Having become king of Israel, David showed the world an example of wisdom and unyielding determination in the fight against enemies. He won many victories, and soon none of the neighboring rulers dared to attack him. During the first seven years of his reign, while the royal residence was located in Hebron, construction was underway on the new capital of the state - Jerusalem, the name of which is translated from Hebrew as “City of Peace”.
In the center of it, a tabernacle was installed, into which the greatest shrine of the Jewish people was transferred - the Ark of the Covenant - a portable chest in which the stone Tablets with the commandments received by Moses were kept, as well as a vessel with Manna from Heaven and Aaron's staff. This further increased the status of the new capital.
The Great Psalmist
Through His prophet, the Lord announced to King David that from now on his house would reign forever, and from it in the future the Messiah would appear to the world. Note that followers of Judaism to this day expect the fulfillment of prophecy, while Christians believe that it was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
The Lord endowed His chosen one with many talents. In particular, He gifted him with the art of composing psalms - religious verses, then combined into a collection known as the “Psalter of King David”, and included among the sacred books of the Old Testament. His texts, which go beyond Judaism, are widely used in various Christian services. The 40th, 50th and 90th psalms of King David are especially popular. But besides this, reading the full text is included in the order of performance of many Christian rituals. For example, it is customary to read the Psalter over the bodies of the deceased.
Unfulfilled dreams
The forty years of King David's reign (that's how long he was in power) became a period of extraordinary prosperity for the entire Jewish people. Being a wise ruler, he did his best to organize the state and strengthen its inhabitants’ faith in the Almighty. Za helped him in all his endeavors, with the exception of only one.
The fact is that, having transferred the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and placed it in the camp tabernacle, David planned the construction of a grandiose Temple. However, with all his good will toward His chosen one, the Lord did not allow him to do this, but blessed the son of King David, Solomon, for such a great deed, whose birth will be described below. Through the lips of the prophet, he announced that, while participating in wars, he was forced to shed a lot of blood, and the House of God must be built only with clean hands.
Thus, David was forced to cede the honor of building the Temple to his son, but in subsequent years he did everything possible in this direction. He collected the necessary funds, developed drawings of the buildings included in the temple complex, and also prepared sketches of the attributes of future services. He passed all this on to Solomon, making it much easier for him to complete the upcoming task.
Enemy temptations
Despite the fact that the whole story of King David is a story about a true servant of God, who became the embodiment of countless benefactors, there was an episode in his life that spoiled the overall picture and even partially tarnished his reputation. The enemy of the human race, as we know, often chooses the most righteous people as the object of his machinations. He did not miss the opportunity to interfere with King David.
One evening, Satan led him to a balcony overlooking the courtyard of his neighbor, the military leader Uriah the Hittite, just as his naked wife Versheba was splashing in the pool. According to the custom of the East, the king had many wives and concubines, but he had never seen such a beauty.
Having riveted David's eyes to her, the enemy of the human race kindled an unbearable fire in his flesh (Satan is a master at these things). Knowing that Versheba’s husband was not at home, since he was sent on a long campaign, the king ordered the servants to bring to him a young woman who, by the way, did not express the slightest indignation at such obvious treachery, or, as it is now fashionable to say, sexual harassment.
Falling into even more serious sin
Further indulging the insatiable sensualist, she soon became pregnant by him and gave birth to a son. Unlike hundreds of other women who shared his bed with the king, Versheba captivated David’s heart to such an extent that he decided to make her his official wife, but this required somehow getting rid of her husband.
The evil one did not miss the opportunity to intervene here. At his instigation, the king sent the commander of the army in which Uriah fought a letter with an order to send him to the most dangerous place, where he would face inevitable death. He fulfilled the king’s command exactly. Widowed, Versheba soon became the legal wife of King David. Such an act aroused the wrath of the Lord God, and through the prophet Nathan, He convicted His anointed of the crime committed before Heaven and people.
Deep repentance
Realizing the depth of his guilt, the king brought the deepest repentance to the Lord, which formed the basis of the famous 50th Psalm, which to this day is pronounced when reading the “Morning Prayer Rule” by all church-going Orthodox people. After this moving text, it is customary to offer prayers to King David for his intercession before the Throne of God for the forgiveness of certain of our sins that burden our conscience.
Having heeded such passionate repentant speeches, the Lord, through the same prophet Nathan, informed David that he had been forgiven, but must suffer punishment, which would be the death of the son Versheba had given birth to him before his marriage. Soon the child actually died, but a year later his beloved wife gave him a new one, who became the future great king of Israel Solomon ─ the builder of the First. That is why in the prayers to King David there are requests not only for the remission of sins, but also for intercession with the Lord to send worthy heirs.
The end of life's journey
The main concern in the last years of King David's reign was problems related to the issue of succession to the throne. He had many sons. Without waiting for their father's death, some of them began to wage a fierce struggle for power. The eldest son Absalom turned out to be especially daring and indomitable. The Bible tells us that underneath his outer beauty and grace, he hid a treacherous and cruel soul. Gathering a large detachment from his supporters, he went to war against his own father, and only the will of God prevented the implementation of his insidious plans.
Before David’s sadness caused by the treachery of his eldest son had time to dissipate, the next in age, Sheba, raised a new rebellion, and when he was pacified, his third son, Adonijah, raised his sword against his father. This struggle with his own sons poisoned the last years of the king’s life and undermined his spiritual strength. Feeling the approach of death, he, at the insistence of Versheba and the prophet Nathan, declared his son Solomon heir to the throne, anointing him to reign. King David passed away in 965 BC. e., and today his grave is not one of the greatest shrines of the Jewish people.
