1 Samuel 16 – 1 Kings 2
David, shepherd and king
A shepherd boy who defeats a giant, a fugitive who spares his enemy, a king who falls deeply and prays for mercy. And a promise that reaches further than his own life.
From shepherd to king
From the sheepfold in Bethlehem to the fortress on Zion: follow David’s road on the map.
The youngest, with the sheep
God sends Samuel to Jesse in Bethlehem. Seven sons pass by, and each time God says: not this one. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. The youngest is fetched from the sheep: David. Samuel anoints him, and the Spirit of the LORD comes upon him.
God did not choose the biggest brother, but the youngest: David, the shepherd boy. God looks at your heart!
How it points to Jesus
Centuries later the Son of David is born in that same town of Bethlehem, and shepherds are the first to hear it.
David and Goliath, to scale
How tall was Goliath? The manuscripts give two measurements. Choose one and see the difference.
A bronze helmet and a coat of armour of 5,000 shekels of bronze: about 57 kilos.
1 Samuel 17:5A spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod and an iron point of 600 shekels, almost 7 kilos.
1 Samuel 17:7David takes five smooth stones from the stream, and his sling. A trained slinger throws a stone as fast as a bullet from an old rifle.
1 Samuel 17:40David to Goliath: you come against me with sword and spear, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.
1 Samuel 17:45–47
King in Jerusalem
On the throne David receives a great promise, and he falls deeply. The Bible tells us both.
Step 1 of 6: A house for ever
A house for ever
David wants to build a house for God, a temple. But through the prophet Nathan God says: you will not build Me a house, I will build you a house. I will raise up one of your offspring to the throne, and I will establish his kingdom for ever.
David wanted to build a house for God. But God said: I will take care of you. A child from your family will be king for ever.
How it points to Jesus
The angel says to Mary about Jesus: the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and His kingdom will never end.
Psalms from his life
Above many psalms it says which moment in David’s life they belong to. Turn the cards over and read the story that goes with them.
Psalm 23
‘The LORD is my shepherd.’ The heading names no moment, but David knew the shepherd’s life from the inside.
Psalm 59
When Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. Michal let him escape through the window.
Psalm 34
When David pretended to be insane before the king of Gath in order to escape. ‘Taste and see that the LORD is good.’
Psalm 57
When he had fled from Saul into the cave. ‘I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings.’
Psalm 18
On the day the LORD delivered him from the hand of Saul. The same song is also found in 2 Samuel 22.
Psalm 51
When the prophet Nathan came to him after he had been with Bathsheba. The great prayer for forgiveness.
Psalm 3
When he fled from his son Absalom. He can lie down and sleep, and wake again, because the LORD sustains him.
Psalm 30
A song for the dedication of ‘the house’: weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
The Son of David
The promise of 2 Samuel 7 runs like a common thread through the prophets, all the way to Jesus.
8th century BC
Isaiah: to us a child is born; on David’s throne there will be no end to his peace. A shoot from the stump of Jesse.
Isaiah 9:6–76th century BC
After the fall of the kings Jeremiah promises: I will raise up for David a righteous Branch.
Jeremiah 23:5–6Matthew 1
The New Testament begins with: ‘This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David’.
Matthew 1:1Revelation 22
At the very end Jesus calls Himself the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.
Revelation 22:16
Do you remember?
Six questions about David.
6 questions about the story. Each answer shows where you can read it.
Questions people ask
Honest, also where Christians think differently.
Did David really exist?
Lang twijfelden sommige geleerden. In 1993 werd in Tel Dan een stenen inscriptie uit de 9e eeuw voor Christus gevonden die spreekt over ‘het huis van David’: een koningshuis dat zich op hem beriep. Hoe groot zijn rijk precies was, daarover verschillen archeologen.
How tall was Goliath?
De Hebreeuwse tekst zegt zes el en een span, bijna drie meter. De oudste handschriften (bij de Dode Zee gevonden) en de Griekse vertaling zeggen vier el en een span, ongeveer twee meter: nog altijd een reus naast mannen van 1,60 meter. Het verhaal blijft hetzelfde.
Who actually killed Goliath?
2 Samuel 21:19 noemt een zekere Elhanan die ‘Goliath uit Gat’ doodde. 1 Kronieken 20:5 zegt dat Elhanan de broer van Goliath doodde. Uitleggers denken aan een fout bij het overschrijven, of aan twee reuzen met dezelfde naam.
How can David be called ‘a man after God’s own heart’?
Niet omdat hij foutloos was: overspel en moord staan zwart op wit. Wel omdat hij, als hij zondigde, terugkeerde naar God en Hem bleef vertrouwen (1 Samuel 13:14; Handelingen 13:22). Psalm 51 laat zien hoe.
All that violence, and all those wives?
De boeken Samuel vertellen eerlijk hoe het ging, zonder het mooier te maken. Ze laten ook de gevolgen zien: verdriet, ruzie, broedermoord in Davids eigen huis. De Bijbel verwacht de echte vrede van een koning die nog komen moest.