The Complex Life of King David

I. David’s Introduction

A. Samuel anointed David, the youngest of seven brothers, to be the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13, 2 Chronicles 2:13-15)

B. Preview/Overview of David’s relationship with Saul:

1. Would play music to soothe Saul when a harmful spirit from God tormented him (16:14-20, 23; see 18:10)
   • Preview: “man of valor, man of war” is later.
2. Would become Saul’s armor bearer later and remain in Saul’s service (16:21-22; see 18:2).

C. David defeats Goliath through faith in God (17:1-58)

D. Preview/Overview: Becoming a man of war

1. Saul keeps David in his service and David’s strong friendship with Jonathan begins (18:1-4).
2. David is a successful warrior, is appointed as an officer over the soldiers, and is popular with the people and Saul’s servants (18:5; see 18:12-16).

E. The people’s praise of David leads to Saul’s jealousy (18:6-9)

II. Conflict in Saul’s Service

A. The day after the victor’s song Saul tried to kill David, the first of two times (18:10-11 see 19:10).

B. Saul makes David a commander whose success in warfare makes him popular with the people (18:12-16).

C. Saul offers his daughter Megan, but ultimately gives his daughter Michal to marry David with a promise from David to fight the battles, hoping the Philistines will kill him (18:17-27).

D. Michal’s love for David caused more concern with Saul (18:28-29).

E. David continued to prevail against the Philistines (18:30)

F. Saul plotted to kill David in his house but Jonathan intervened on his behalf (19:1-7)

G. Saul tried to spear David a second time after David was victorious against the Philistines (19:8-10).

H. Saul tried to kill David in his house but Michal helped him escape. David fled to Samuel and they both went to Naioth in Ramah (19:11-18).

I. Saul sent multiple messengers to take David, then went himself, but God made them all prophesy which allowed David to escape (19:19-24).

J. David fled to Jonathan and they devised a plan to determine whether Saul was still angry. David and Jonathan made a friendship oath (20:1-23)

1. David hid in the field during the New Moon Feast and Saul bitterly rebuked Jonathan for aligning himself with David which would end their dynasty (20:24-40)
2. David and Jonathan pledged friendship again then David became an exile (20:41-42).

III. David as a Fugitive

A. David fled to Nob with a few men and after deceiving the priests about his appearance, was given provisions and Goliath’s sword (21:1-9).

B. David fled to Gath for refuge but then became frightened and acted like a madman to escape from Philistia (21:10-15; see also Psalm 34; later seeks refuge in Gath in ch 27).

C. David fled to the cave of Adullam where his brothers and desperate men join him, totalling 400 men (22:1-2; 1 Chronicles 12:1-22)

D. David entrusted his parents with the king of Moab and the prophet Gad told him to return to Judah, so David went to the forest of Hereth (22:3-5).

E. Abiathar the priest joins David in exile.

1. Slaughter of the priests
   • Saul accuses his brethren of betraying him by keeping information from him, after which Doeg the Edomite told about David’s visit to the priests at Nob (22:6-10).
   • Saul accused the priests of Nob of being allied with David, not realizing that David had deceived them (22:11-15).
   • Doeg killed the 85 priests and the people and animals of the city of Nob (22:16-19).
   • Abiathar the priest escaped to David, David accepted responsibility for those who were slain, and invited Abiathar to stay with him in exile (22:20-23).

F. David saved the city of Keliah from the Philistine attack but had to flee when Saul came to besiege the city for harboring him (23:1-13).

G. David fled to the wilderness of Ziph and evaded Saul who hunted him constantly (23:14).

1. Jonathan met David in Ziph to encourage him and they renewed their oath (23:15-18).
2. The Ziphites told Saul that David was hiding among them and Saul wants them to track his movements and map his hiding places (23:19-24).

H. Saul pursued David who fled to the wilderness of Maon (Arabah) but had to cease pursuit to stop a Philistine raid (23:25-28).

I. David fled to the wilderness of Engedi (23:29).

1. Saul was alone, relieving himself, in the cave where David and his men were hiding. David spared Saul’s life (24:1-15).
2. Saul asked for David’s forgiveness and a promise that David would not kill his offspring when he becomes king (24:16-21).
3. David stayed in the wilderness as Saul returned home (24:22)

J. David received news of Samuel’s death and went to the wilderness of Paran (25:1).

1. David almost incurred bloodguilt for avenging insulting treatment by Nabal, but Abigail intercedes (25:2-38).
2. David married Nabal’s widow and was also married to Ahinoam of Jezreel. Saul gave Michal to another man (25:39-44).

K. The Ziphites told Saul David was in their territory and Saul went with three thousand men to find David (26:1-4).

1. David went with two men into Saul’s camp and took Saul’s spear and water jug from Saul’s presence while he slept but spared Saul’s life (26:5-12).
2. David rebuked Abner for not protecting Saul whereas they spared him (26:13-16).
3. David complained about Saul’s mistrust and pursuit and Saul asked for forgiveness (26:17-24).
4. Saul returned home but David did not (26:25).

IV. David’s Time of Despair and Weakened Faith

A. Instead of trusting that God would protect him until he assumed the throne, David felt that Saul will eventually kill him (27:1).

B. David fled again to Gath (see 21:10-15) to live under the protection of the Philistines (27:2–4).

1. David did not seek God’s guidance for this place of refuge though God had protected him in Judah, where the prophet Gad told him to go.
2. Achish gave David the city of Ziklag where he and his men lived for a year and four months (27:5-7).
3. David and his men raided the enemies of Judah from Shur to the land of Egypt but he lied to Achish saying that he was raiding Judah, leading Achish to think that David was hated by his people (27:8-12).

C. David tried to join the Philistines who gathered in battle against Saul and the Israelites but the Philistine lords would not let David join them (29:1-11).

1. It’s likely that the lords were right in their suspicions about David. It’s likely when David said that he would fight against the enemies of “my lord the king” that he was deceiving Achish again and intended to fight for his lord the king—Saul.
2. David and his men returned to Ziklag.

D. David and his men pursued and destroyed the Amelekites who raided Ziklag and took their families as slaves (30:1-25).

1. David shared spoils with the cities of Judah where he had roamed when in exile (30:26-31).
2. Saul died in the Philistine battle (31:1-13).

V. Jewish Civil War

A. David mourns the deaths of Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1)

B. Two kings in Israel

1. David anointed the king of Judah in Hebron and praises the men of Jabesh-Gilead who honored Saul and his sons (2:1-7).
2. Abner appointed Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, as king of Israel, who reigned for 2 years (2:8-11).

C. Joel and Judah prevail against Abner and Israel in the battle at Gibeon but, after Joab’s pursuit, Abner appeals to him to cease following lest the conflict between the Jewish brethren becomes more bitter (2:12-32).

D. Throughout the long war David’s house became stronger and David fathered six sons by his six wives (3:1-5).

E. Abner, leader of Ish-bosheth’s army, defected to David when the king of Israel questioned his allegiance (3:6-12).

1. David required that Michal be returned to him as a wife (3:13-16).
2. Abner appealed to the elders of Israel and the tribe of Ish-bosheth to submit to David (3:17-19).
3. Abner feasted with David to celebrate the alliance (3:20-21).
4. Joab accused Abner of treachery and secretly killed him (3:22-27).
5. David rebuked and cursed Joab for the vengeful killing of Abner, writes a lament for Abner, and led the people in mourning for him (3:28-39).

F. The captains of Ish-bosheth kill him in his bed and bring his head to David, who killed the captains for their treachery (4:1-12).

VI. David United the Kingdom and Ruled from Jerusalem

A. The tribes of Israel anointed David as king, uniting God’s people under one king (5:1-5; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3; 12:23-40).

B. David captured Jerusalem and built it up as his city with support from the king of Tyre for building his palace (5:6-12; 1 Chronicles 11:4-8; 14:1-2).

C. David took more wives and concubines and had more children (5:13-16; 1 Chronicles 14:3-5).

D. David defeated the Philistines in a series of battles (5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 14:8-17).

E. David brought the Ark of the Covenant back to tabernacle and made many offerings (6:1-23; 1 Chronicles 13:1-14; 15 :1-16:43).

F. David not allowed to build a permanent temple for God but God, through Nathan, promises to establish his family dynasty if they will be faithful (7:1-29; 1 Chronicles 17:1-27).

G. David had success against surrounding enemies and established his political administration (8:1-18; 1 Chronicles 18:1-17).

H. David was merciful to Saul’s disabled son Mephibosheth and given a seat at his table while Ziba took care of the house of Saul (9:1-13).

I. David defeated a large Ammonite and Syrian coalition and broke their alliance, making peace with Syria (10:1-19; 1 Chronicles 19:1-19).

VII. Trouble in David’s House

A. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, impregnated her, and had her husband Uriah, one of his mighty men, killed in a battle with the Ammonites to cover up his sin (11:1-26)

1. Nathan rebuked David for his sin and David repented (12:1-15, see Psalm 51).
2. David and Bathsheba’s baby died (12:16-23).
3. Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon (12:24-25).
4. Joab conquered Rabbah and all the cities of the Ammonites (12:26-31; 1 Chronicles 20:1-3).

B. Amnon raped Absalom’s sister, Tamar, and Absalom waited for two years then killed him and fled in exile to Geshur for three years (13:1-39).

C. Joab conspired with a wise woman to urge David to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. Absalom couldn’t come into David’s presence but, after two years, compelled Joab to persuade David to welcome him (14:1-33).

VIII. Absalom’s Rebellion

A. Absalom spent four years developing a consipiracy to be crowned king in Hebron and succeeded in enticing Israel to follow him (15:1-12).

B. David fled Jerusalem but left spies in Absalom’s service (15:13-37).

1. Ziba lied, saying Mephibosheth had turned to follow Absalom and David granted the possessions of Saul’s house to him (16:1-4).
2. Amid the curses of Shimei, David and the people with him reached the Jordan River (16:5-14).
3. Absalom entered Jerusalem and defiled David’s concubines but Hushai, one of David’s spies, earned Absalom’s trust (16:15-23).

C. After Hushai gave better advice to Absalom than Ahithophel, David’s traitorous advisor, Ahithophel killed himself. Hushai used his spy network to warn David about Absalom’s plan to pursue him (17:1-23).

D. David escaped to Mahanaim where the people brought provisions for David and his people and Absalom also came to the land of Gilead (17:24-29).

E. Joab killed Absalom who was hanging from a tree by his hair (18:1-18).

F. David wept bitterly for Absalom’s death and was rebuked by Joab for his excessive mourning that may cause Israel to desert him (18:19-19:7).

G. David returned to Jerusalem and, with difficulty, united the people under him again although a rift developed between the ten tribes of Israel and Judah. He also appointed Amasa as leader of the army (19:8-43).

IX. Years of Conflict and Suffering

A. Sheba, a Benjamite, led a rebellion of the ten tribes of Israel. Joab killed Amasa who was pursuing Sheba and, working with a wise woman in Abel, ended the rebellion when the Abelites beheaded Sheba. David reorganized his administration (20:1-26).

B. God punished Israel with a three year famine because Saul killed the Gibeonites with whom Joshua had made a covenant. The Gibeonites asked David to give them seven sons of Saul to be hanged. David gathered the bones of Saul, Jonathan, and the other sons of Saul and buried them in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s father (21:1-14).

C. David defeated the Philistines again but his men would not let him go out to battle anymore because of his weakened health (21:15-22; 1 Chronicles 20:4-7).

D. David sinned against God by conducting a census, then repented, but God killed 70,000 Israelites as punishment (24:1-25; 1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1).

E. Temple preparation

1. David collected material and instructed Solomon on building the temple (1 Chronicles 22:2-19)
2. David organized the Levites, priests, musicians, gatekeepers, officials, and military structure (1 Chronicles 23:1-27:34).
3. David instructed Israel and Solomon to build the temple, collects offerings for the temple, and prays for the congregation of Israel (1 Chronicles 28:1-22).

X. Succession Struggle

A. David was old and feeble (1 Kings 1:1-4).

B. Struggle for the throne of David.

1. Adonijah set himself up as the king and engaged some of David’s servants to assist (1:5-10).
2. Nathan worked with Bathsheba to get David to name Solomon as successor and coronate him before his death (1:11-48; 1 Chronicles 29:22-25).
3. Solomon showed Adonijah mercy (1:49-53).

XI. David’s Last Instructions to Solomon (2:1-9).

A. Be faithful to God.

B. Avenge Abner and Amasa by killing Joel.

C. Be loyal to Barzillai who aided David when he was on the run from Absalom.

D. Kill Shimei for cursing David (God’s anointed) when he fled from Absalom.

XII. David’s Death (2:10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30).

XIII. Cast of characters

XIV. -family tree

XV. NT references

XVI. Later OT references