

It uses the relationships between a man named Boaz, a woman named Ruth, and her mother-in-law, Naomi, to paint a picture of God’s compassion for Israel.ĭavid is directly descended from Ruth and Boaz. The Book of Ruth is a story of love and redemption. David’s line ruled in Jerusalem for about 400 years, until King Nebuchadnezzar captured the city and broke the line of kings. When David became king, he established Jerusalem as the nation’s capital and God’s headquarters, permanently altering Judah’s importance in Jewish life and culture. Judah’s territory included the city of Jerusalem. Judah was the son who “prevailed over his brothers” (1 Chronicles 5:2), and while Saul-Israel’s first king-was from the tribe of Benjamin, Judah became the tribe of kings. The 12 tribes of Israel descended from Jacob’s 12 sons, and with the exception of Levi, each tribe controlled a specific territory within the nation of Israel. Here are some of the things we know about David. Between 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Psalms, and 1 Chronicles, you could practically write his biography! (Don’t worry, it’s been done. The Bible gives us a lot of information about King David. So who was King David? What do we know about him? In this guide, we’ll cover the basic facts about who he is and what the Bible says about him. David was far from perfect, but his faith and zeal made him the standard against which all Israel’s future kings would be measured against. But what makes David such a significant biblical figure is his role in establishing God’s earthly headquarters in Jerusalem.ĭespite his glaring flaws, the David is described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). In fact, the famous narrative of “David and Goliath” has been so prolific in literature, art, and culture that it’s become a common trope for describing other stories about underdogs. Today, David is most famous for being the boy who defeated a giant with a slingshot. He’s also mentioned in several other books, and nearly half of the Psalms are attributed to him. He’s the most frequently mentioned human in the Old Testament, and the second most frequently mentioned human in the entire Bible (only Jesus Christ is mentioned more).ĭavid is a main character in the Old Testament books 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and 2 Chronicles. King David was a shepherd boy who became Israel’s third and most important king.
