David

David was the beloved second king of Israel. God sent Samuel to anoint him as king when he was merely a boy. A young shepherd when he was growing up, he became famous as a very young man when he faced the Philistine giant, Goliath, and defeated him with a sling and a stone (shown in picture). Eventually, he was made a leader in King Saul’s army, who became very jealous of David and his success and sought to kill him. After years of moving around and living in hiding because of Saul, David returned to the land of Judah following Saul’s death and was made king. Seven years later, he became king over all of Israel and reigned another 33 years in Jerusalem, expanding the kingdom throughout his reign. God promised David that the coming Savior, the Messiah, would come from his family line (2 Samuel 7; Luke 1:26-38). Before his death, David made his son, Solomon, king over Israel.