Old Testament Story List

King David

After David went to live at Hebron, the men of Judah made David their king. For a few years the other tribes of Israel were ruled by Ishbosheth, Saul's son.

When Abner, captain of Saul's army, and Ishbosheth were dead, the other leaders of Israel came to David with this message: We are all your brothers, and

we know God has chosen you to be our ruler." They made him king over all the land.

David wanted to make Jerusalem the chief city. First he drove out the Jebusites, a strange people who had lived around Jerusalem for many years. On Mount Zion he had his royal palace built.

The Philistines were still ruling many places throughout the land of Israel. David did exactly as the Lord commanded, and God helped him drive all the Philistines out of the land. Never again did they come back to bother Israel while David was king.

David wanted to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. He knew about God's plan for the ark to be kept inside the tabernacle, and so he built a new tabernacle for it. Then he sent word to the people throughout the land telling them that the ark was to be moved to Jerusalem.

An army of thirty thousand men came to see the ark moved. A new cart had been built to carry the ark. David and a company of musicians walked in front. They played on harps and other instruments and sang praises to God. Everyone rejoiced.

Some time later, one evening, as David was taking a walk on the roof of his palace, he saw bathing in a neighboring house a beautiful woman. He inquired after her and found she was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, the Hittite. David fell in love with her and wished to marry her - so he devised a wicked plan whereby he might do so.

He sent word to Joab, the captain of his armies, to put Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle and leave him there, so that he might be killed. That very day Uriah was among the valiant slain in battle.

When Uriah's wife heard the news, she mourned for him. When the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

But the Lord was displeased with what David had done and sent Nathan, the prophet, to him. Nathan told him, "Though God delivered you from the hand of Saul, gave you his house and wives, you had Uriah killed so that you could take his wife from him."

David had nothing to say, for he knew that what he had done was wicked. Nathan said, "You shall not die. But because by this deed you gave occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that was born shall die."

And the child which Bathsheba bore him sickened and died. Within the year, Bathsheba bore him another son, whom they called Solomon; and the Lord loved Solomon.