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David (King and Prophet of Israel)

King and Prophet of Israel; born in Bethlehem, 1085 в. c.; was the eighth youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem. He was keeping his father's flocks when he was selected and anointed by the prophet Samuel, at the age of 15, to succeed Saul. Brought to the court of Saul to soothe the melancholy of the king by his harp, he first signalized himself by slaying Goliath of Gath, a gigangantic Philistine. He won the friendship of Jonathan, and the love of his daughter Michal, but drew upon himself the jealousy, and finally the fury of the unhappy king, who repeatedly attempted to kill DAVID II. him. David fled into the wilderness. At the head of a band of outlaws and malcontents he baffled every attempt of Saul to capture him. When Saul fell, David was acknowledged king by the tribe of Judah; but the other tribes, at the instigation of Abner, placed Ishbosheth, the younger son of of 'Saul, Saul, on the throne, thus occasioning a civil war. On the death of Ishbosheth, however, the contending parties submitted to David, who reigned for 30 years. He took Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and gained considerable victories over the Philistines and other neighboring nations; but tar-