DAVID, King of Israel, was the youngest son of Jesse, a man of considerable wealth, of the tribe of Judah, dwelling at Bethlehem. David when only a youth was selected from amoug his father's sons for the throne of Israel by Samuel, and anointed by him. But Saul was then living, and in apparent prosperity, and this consecration of David does not appear to have been made public ; for shortly after wards he was sent for to attend upon Saul in his malady, and by his skill in music to charm "the evil spirit" which possessed him. He became for a time the favourite of Saul, who made him his armour bearer. When a war commenced between Saul and the Philistines, the three eldest eons of Jesse joined Saul's army, but David returned to keep his father's sheep. Goliath however having challenged a champion of the Israelitish army to settle the contest by single combat, no one was found until David offered himself, and with his sling conquered the Philistine. From this time Jonathan, the son of Saul, conceived a tender friendship, "passing the love of women," for David ; and Saul at first was grateful for the service rendered, placing him over the men of war, and employing him hi his armies. Shortly however David became too popular with the people ; Saul's envy was excited, and he sought to kill him. He failed, and to conciliate him made him captain over a thousand, to remove him from his presence, and gave him Michel, his daughter, for a wife. Saul's hatred however con tinued, and he proposed to his son Jonathan and others to murder David ; but Jonathau disclosed the plot, David hid himself for a while, and Jonathan succeeded in conciliating his father towards his friend. Some further successes against the Philistines embittered Saul against him ; be again endeavoured to kill him, and again failed. He then sent emissaries to put him to death, but Michel, David's wife, effected his escape by letting him down from a window in a basket. David Bed to Samuel, and after a time withdrew to Adullam, where he assembled a force, and a sort of civil war commenced, David apparently acting only on the defensive, but at the same time employing his small army in defending his country from the Philistines. Saul pertinaciously pursued him, but at Engedi, while sleeping, David spared his life when it was in his power. Saul was moved by this magnanimity, acknow ledged that David was destined to succeed him, and made a treaty with him, David ewearing he would not destroy Saul's house; and Saul retired from the pursuit, but David continued to harbour in the rocky fastnesses around Engedi. Here David was straitened for pro visions, and applying to Nebel, a rich man, for relief, was churlishly refused ; but Abigail, Nabal'a wife, afforded the necessary assistance ; and Nebel dying suddenly, David took Abigail to wife, Saul having in the interval taken Michel and married her to another man.
Saul wes again incited to attack David, and marched with an army to the wilderness of Ziph, where David then was. Again David refused to take the life of "the Lord's anointed" when in his power, and Saul again became reconciled. David now removed to Oath, but continued to make war on the Amalekites, the enemies of his country. Saul and Jonathan both fell in a battle with the Philistines, the former by his own hand; and David, proceeding to Hebron, was recognised King of Judah ; but the Israelites under Abner made Ishboaheth king over them. A civil war commenced, which lasted a considerable time, until Ishbosheth was treacherously his own servants, when David, being then thirty years old, became king over all Israel, and reigued from me. 1048 to 1015. His first undertaking was against the Jebusites, whom he conquered, taking Mount Zion, which be made the capital of his kingdom and the residence of the ark. Ho then successively attacked and oouquered tho Philiatinea, the Anislekitea, the Edomites, the Moabite', the Ammonites, and Iladndezer, the king of Zohab, defeating the Syrians of Damascus with great slaughter who came to Hadadezer's aesistance. His kingdom then extended from tho Euphrates westward to the Mediterranean, and from Phoenicia southward to tho Arabian Gulf. lie cultivated commerce, particularly through Tyre, and encouraged the arts, especially that of building. His course for a considerable time was a prosperous one ; but the rebellions of his sons Absalom and Adouijah embittered his later years. He died after a reign of forty years. seven over Judah and thirty-three over the united king dons, appointing Solomon as his successor.
Independent of hie character as a warrior, a statesman, and a king, David holds a yet higher rank as a poet—the author of many of the Psalms. By whom the book as it now stands was compiled is some. what uncertain. The most probable opinion is; that David himself formed a collection, for the sacred service of the priests, of the psalms which be had himself composed, with others that were existiug before him or had beau written by his contemporaries, and that Ezra added others which bad been written subsequently. A large proportion were certaialy by David, and are distinguished by his name; but it is doubtful whether the titles prefixed to most of the psalms are not later additions. They are however certainly of great nutiquity, possibly earlier than the time of Ezra, and it is most probable that thoso under David's name are correctly ascribed to him.