David the King

David's great victory over Goliath made him famous, and King Saul was so pleased, he ordered David to stay with him. 

There, David met King Saul's son. Jonathan, and he and David instantly became the greatest of friends.

They loved each other as if they were brothers. Jonathan gave David his cloak and a sword. They vowed they would be friends forever.

King Saul put David in charge of his army, and told him he could marry his daughter, Merab. David soon became a great soldier and was very popular. 

Everywhere he went, people sang his praises. But King Saul soon became jealous of him, fearing he wanted to be king in his place. 

So King Saul made Merab marry another man, but when he saw that David loved his other daughter. 

Michal, he made a plan. 'You may marry Michal, he said. 'But first you must kill a hundred Philistines. 

King Saul was sure David would be killed in the battle, but David fought the Philistines and killed two hundred of them. Then he married Michal, but all was not well.

Jonathan warned David that King Saul wanted to kill him. He begged his father to save David. And King Saul promised that he would, but he soon changed his mind. 

One evening, when David was playing his harp for King Saul, the King hurled a spear at him. It whistled past David and stuck into the wall. Just by his head. David knew then that his life was in danger.

That night. King Saul ordered his guards to watch David's house and to kill him in the morning. David and Jonathan sadly said goodbye to each other and swore they would always be friends. 

Michal helped David to climb out of a window and slide down a rope to avoid the guards. David escaped in the dark to the hills, where he lived as an outlaw with a band of men. 

They fought many battles with the Philistines, but constantly had to move their camp around the country because King Saul had sent his army to find and kill David.

When King Saul's army was getting very close. David and his men pretended to be on the side of the Philistines, and stayed in their town of Ziklag where they were safe. 

The Philistines marched out to fight King Saul's army, and David and his men went with them. 

There was a terrible battle on the mountains of Gilboa, and Jonathan and King Saul's other sons were killed. King Saul was so badly wounded that, rather than be taken prisoner by the Philistines, he killed himself.

When David heard that Jonathan was dead, he wept with sorrow, and mourned for his beloved friend. He cried a great lament; 'Saul and Jonathan were lovely and much loved in their lives. In death, they were still together. 

They were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions. How the mighty have fallen in battle."

David went to Hebron, where he was crowned king of Israel, but he had to fight many battles against King Saul's followers and against the Philistines.

 Then he marched to Jerusalem and captured the city from a tribe of Canaanites. He made it his capital. And had the Ark of the Covenant, the box containing the blocks of stone on which God had written the laws, brought there. 

When it arrived, there was a huge celebration, with singing, dancing and feasting.

David was a good king, a brave soldier, and a great leader, and he was loved by his people. He had many sons and daughters, and always remained faithful to God.

For many years, all went well, until one of David's sons. Absalom, wanted to be king. He gathered an army and fought with David's army, but David's army won. 

Absolom tried to escape on a mule, but was caught in the low branches of a tree. David's men found him hanging there and, against David's orders, killed him. 

So. instead of celebrating his victory. David deeply mourned the death of his son.

Over the years of peace that followed, David grew old and tired, and there was trouble about who should be king after him. 

Before he died, David called for Zadok the priest and said; 'My son Solomon is to be king when I die. Take him to the spring at Gihon and annoint him king.  

The people there brought Solomon back to Jerusalem, shouting with joy. 

David told Solomon; 'Obey God and keep his commands. If you do, He will keep His promise to me that my descendants will always rule this nation. 

Later, David died and Solomon became King of Israel.


↪ David the King

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