The story of David appears in two sections of the Bible

The story of David appears in two sections of the Bible
1 Samuel 16 - 1 Kings 2:11, and
1 Chronicles 10:14 - 29:30



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Instead, topic headings and references are given



David's Genealogy 1 Samuel 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chronicles 2:315

David as a shepherd, 1 Samuel 16:11.

David kills a lion and a bear, 1 Samuel 17:34-36.


Pre-Israelite ivory plaque found at Megiddo. A harpist plays
for his prince much as David did for Saul (1 Samuel 18:10)

Anointed king while a youth by the prophet Samuel, 1 Samuel 16:1,13

Described to Saul, 1 Samuel 16:18.

Armor bearer and musician at Saul's court, 1 Samuel 16:21-23.

Slays Goliath, 1 Samuel 17.

Love of Jonathan for David, 1 Samuel 18:1-4.

Popularity and discreetness of David, 1 Samuel 18.

Saul's jealousy of David, 1 Samuel 18:8-30.

David is given Michal as wife, 1 Samuel 18:17-27.

Jonathan intercedes for David, 1 Samuel 19:1-7.

David fights the Philistines and defeats them , 1 Samuel 19-8.

Saul attempts to slay him; he escapes to Ramah, and lives at Naioth, where Saul pursues him, 1 Samuel 19:924.

David returns, and Jonathan makes covenant with him, 1 Samuel 20.

David escapes by way of Nob, where he obtains shewbread and Goliath's sword from Abimelech, 1 Samuel 21:1-6;

David recruits an army of insurgents, goes to Moab, returns to Hareth, 1 Samuel 22.

David saves Keilah, 1 Samuel 23:1-13.

David makes a second covenant with Jonathan, 1 Samuel 23:16-18.

David goes to the wilderness of Ziph, is betrayed to Saul, 1 Samuel 23:13-26.

Saul is diverted from pursuit of David, 1 Samuel 23:27,28.

David goes to En-gedi, I Samuel 23:29.

David refrains from slaying Saul, 1 Samuel 24.

David covenants with Saul, I Samuel 26.

David marries Nabal's widow, Abigail, and Ahinoam, 1 Samuel 25.

David has the opportunity to kill Saul but takes his spear only, Saul is contrite, I Samuel 26.

David flees to Achish and dwells in Ziklag, 1 Samuel 27.

List of men who join him, 1 Chronicles 12:1-22.


Ancient Canaanite weapons

David conducts an expedition against Amalekites, lies to Achish, 1 Samuel 27:8-12.

David is refused permission to accompany the Philistines to battle against the Israelites, 1 Samuel 28:1,2; 29.

David rescues the people of Ziklag, who had been captured by the Amalekites, 1 Samuel 30.

Death and burial of Saul and his sons, 1 Samuel 31; 2 Samuel 21:1-14.

David slays the murderer of Saul, 2 Samuel 1:1-16.

Lamentation over Saul, 2 Samuel 1:17-27.

David goes to Hebron and is anointed king of Judah, 2 Samuel 2:1-4,11;5:5; 1 Kings 2:11; 1 Chr. 3:4; 11:1-3.

List of those who join him at Hebron, 1 Chr. 12:23-40.

Ishbosheth, son of Saul, is crowned, 2 Sam. chapters 2-4.


Head of a Warrior, da Vinci

David wages war against, and defeats, Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 2:13-32; 3:4.

David demands the restoration of Michal, his wife, 2 Sam. 3:14-16.

Abner revolts from Ish-bosheth, and joins David, but is slain by Joab, 2 Sam. 3.

David punishes Ish-bosheth's murderers, 2 Sam. 4.

David anointed king over all Israel, after reigning over Judah at Hebron seven years and six months, and reigns thirty-three years, 2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5; 1 Chr. 3:4; 11:1-3; 12:23-40; 29:27.

David makes conquest of Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 5:6; 1 Chr. 11:4-8; Isa. 29:1.

David builds a palace, 2 Sam. 5:11; 2 Chr. 2:3.

Friendship of David with Hiram, king of Tyre, 2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kin. 5:1.

Philistines make war against David, and are defeated by him, 2 Sam. 5:17,25.

David assembles thirty thousand men to escort the ark to Jerusalem with music and thanksgiving, 2 Sam. 6:1-5.

Uzzah is stricken when he attempts to steady the ark, 2 Sam. 6:6-11.

David is terrified, and leaves the ark at the house of Obed-edom, 2 Sam. 6:9-11.

David brings the ark to Jerusalem with dancing and great joy, 2 Sam. 6:12-16; 1 Chr. 13.

David organized the tabernacle service, 1 Chr. 9:22; 15:16-24; 16:4-6,37-43.

David offers sacrifice, distributes gifts, and blesses the people, 2 Sam. 6:17-19.

Michal upbraids him for his unseemly behaviour, 2 Sam. 6:20-23.

David desires to build a temple, is forbidden, but receives promise that his seed should reign forever, 2 Sam. 7:12-16; 23:5; 1 Chr. 17:11-14; 2 Chr. 6:16;

David conquers the Philistines, Moabites, and Syria, 2 Sam. 8.

David allows Mephibosheth, the lame son of Saul, to live, 2 Sam. 9:6; 19:24-30.


Bathsheba Bathing,
from the Book of Hours of Louis XII

David sends commissioners with a message of sympathy to Hanun, son of the king of Ammon; the message misinterpreted, and commissioners treated with indignity; David retaliates by invading his kingdom, and defeating the combined armies of the Ammonites and Syrians, 2 Sam. 10; 1 Chr. 19.

David commits adultery with Bath-sheba, 2 Sam. 11:2-5.

David wickedly causes the death of Uriah, 2 Sam. 11:6-25.

David takes Bath-sheba to be his wife, 2 Sam. 11:26,27.

David is rebuked by the prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. 12:1-14.

Death of his infant son by Bath-sheba, 2 Sam. 12:15-23.

Solomon is born to David, 2 Sam. 12:24,25.

David defeats and tortures the Ammonites, 2 Sa--7 12:26-31.

Amnon's crime, his murder by Ablom, and Absalom's flight, 2 Sam. 13.

AbsaIom returns, 2 Sam. 14:1-24.

Absalom's usurpation 2 Sam. 14; 15.

David's flight from Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 15:13-37.

Shimei curses him, 2 Sam. 16.

David crosses the Jordan, 2 Sam. 17:21-29.


The Death of Absalom, woodcut

Absalom's defeat and death, 2 Sam. 18.

David laments the death of Absalom, 2 Sam. 18:33; 19:1-4.

David upbraided by Joab 2 Sam. 19:5-7.

David upbraids the priests for not showing loyalty amid the murmurings the people against him, 2 Sam. 19:9-15.

Shimei sues for clemency, 2 Sam. 19:16-23.

Mephibosheth sues for the king's favor, 2 Samuel 19:24-30.

Barzillai rewarded, 2 Sam. 19:31-40

Judah accused by the ten tribes of stealing him away, 2 Sam. 19:41-43.

David returns to Jerusalem 2 Samuel 20:1-3.

Sheba's conspiracy against David, and his death, 2 Samuel 20.

David makes Amasa general, 2 19:13.

Amasa is slain, 2 Samuel 20:4-10.

David gives the seven sons of Saul to the Gibeonities to be slain to atone for Saul's persecution of the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. 21:1-14.

David buries Saul's bones, and his sons, 2 Samuel 21:12-14.

David defeats the Philistines, 2 Sam. 21:15-22, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8.

David takes the military strength of Israel without divine authority, and is reproved 2 Sam. 24; 1 Chr. 21; 27:24.


Painting by Sir Frank Dicksee, 'Leila'

David cannot have intercourse with Abishag, 1 Kings 1:1-4.

Adonijah attempts to gain the throne, Solomon and Bathsheba outwit him, 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles.

David's instructions to Solomon, 1 Kin. 2:I-11, 1 Chr. 22:6-19; 28; 29.

Last words of David, 2 Sam. 23:1-7.

Death of David, I Kings 2:10; 1 Chr. 29:28;

Age of David at death, 2 Sam. 5:4,5,- 29:28.

Length of reign forty years, 1 Kings, 1 Chr. 29:27,28.

Wives of David, 2 Sam. 3:2-5; 11:3,27; 1 Chronicles 3:5

Children born at Hebron, 2 Samuel 3:2-5, 3:4; children born at Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 5:14-16; 1 Chronicles. 14:4-7.