Similarities Between King David And Goliath

As we examine the heroes of the faith outlined for us in the Old Testament, we would be hard pressed to find a more faithful man that King David. After the death of King Saul, David became the King of the Hebrew people. David, who was meek and pious, steadfastly believed in the true God and tried to do His will. He had endured much persecution from Saul and other enemies but did not become bitter, did not lift his hand against Saul, as he was the Lord’s anointed, but placed all his hope in God, and the Lord delivered him from all his enemies.

In 2 Samuel the narrative shifts to the reign of David as he rises above Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to become the king, first of Judah and then of all the tribes of Israel (5:1–4). The book records David’s wars of conquest including the capture of Jerusalem and the relocation of the ark of the covenant to the City of David (6:1–19). But the author also records David’s failures: his adultery with Bathsheba (11:1–26), Absalom’s rebellion (15:1–18:30), Sheba’s revolt (20:1–26), and the disastrous census (24:1–25). Like all the prophetic writers, the author presents a portrait of his historical figures from the perspective of their faithfulness to God’s covenant.

From that day on David showed his loyalty to God, by speaking victory into existence. For example, before David battled Goliath, he consulted how the Lord will help him have the strength to kill the mighty giant, and let it be known that there is a God among them. The end results were David being triumphant over Goliath. People saw him differently, no longer a shepherd boy but a warrior, and a future king of Israel.

Saul was the ideal king the Israelites desired. David was the king Israel needed. David was not tall or handsome but he was a man of God. When David defeated Goliath, not only did he fully trust God, David gave all the glory of his victory to God. David possessed the vital attribute that Saul never had, obedience to God. David trusted in God’s timing and plan. Despite David having the opportunity to kill Saul and reign over Israel , David continued to follow God's commands. In 1 Samuel 24:19-20 Saul said to David after spearing his life, “ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands (NIV).” Unlike Saul David was obedient to God. God rewarded David for his obedience by anointing him King and later

King David wrestled with sin, such as adultery, family disorder, and rebellion on a national level, however he also experienced great accomplishments as well. One great achievement was the unification of Israel. "Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are all members of your family. For a long time, even while Saul was our King, you were the one who really led Israel. And the Lord has told you, "You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be their leader" (2 Samuel 5:3). It is here that David makes a covenant with the leaders and becomes anointed as the

As Samuel grew in age he intended to appoint one of his sons as the king of Israel. His sons however did not follow the ways of their father or God. “They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (I Samuel 8:3). The people of Israel desired a king, “a king like all the other nations” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). The people had grown tired of oppression and felt that “the lack of a strong human leader as the cause and did not realize that the reason for the oppression was a spiritual on-their failure to serve God” (Harbin, 2005, p.219). Saul was not God’s choice for the throne but “he was the people’s choice” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). Saul’s appointment as king was against the “old

David and Jonathan are some of the most virtuous and good men in the Bible. They both share an amazing love for God, and both have the same goal of serving him and following his will. They are of one mind and one soul. "Now such unanimity is found among good men; for they are unanimous both in themselves and with one another, being, so to say, of one mind… and they wish for what is just and what is advantageous" (NE; bk.9, ch.6). Such unanimity is present in Jonathan and David’s relationship; unanimity through their relationship with the Lord. They share a unity that is only found among true friends. "Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever” (1 Samuel 20:42). The Lord was between David and Jonathan and their friendship. David and Jonathan were similar in virtue as well as being good men; two such shared virtues being those of courage and love. Both of these men are mighty warriors fighting with great courage in the face of evil. They both share the virtue of love as can be seen in their enduring and beautiful

Throughout the Old Testament, there are many examples of great kings that can be found. However, two of the greatest and most blessed Kings were King David and his son, King Solomon. Here, we will compare the lives and reigns of both kings by reviewing their faith, their triumphs, and their downfalls.

Both Saul and David were men of war. Each led armies against the enemies of Israel. They were both politically perceptive and operated prophetically. The difference between these two

However, Saul is soon abandoned by God because of his disobediences. Yet, Saul’s disobedience is controversial. Patricia K. Tull, the author of “1 and 2 Samuel” in Theological Bible Commentary, argues, “Saul’s exact offense is unclear, and commentators struggle to reconstruct it, augmenting the impression that he was given a test with no correct choices.” In contrast, Marvin Sweeney, the professor of the Hebrew Bible in Claremont School of Theology, asserts, “Although the narrative can hardly be considered anti-monarchic, it takes care to raise concerns about the character of kingship and its costs to the nation at large and it demands that proper kingship in Israel must be exercised in accordance with the divine will.” In this view, Saul has not been accorded with God’s will. Then, is this God’s intentional choice? If it is true, why he does this? If God did not choose Saul as the king, it would be possible that he is not deserted from God. Bible

Coogan expressed how YHWH disregarded traditional dominant status of the firstborn son and chose David as successor to the throne, despite him being the youngest of his brothers. Also, in David’s anointment, Coogan expresses how Samuel was not reluctant like he was when he anointed Saul. Coogan also portrays how David’s introduction to Saul’s court carried the theme of divine favor and promoted David to a legendary hero status. David is brought to Saul to provide him relief from an “evil spirit”, and David’s divine connection with God along with his musical talents provided Saul with the relief he needed. It was also David, not any other member of Saul’s army, which challenged and defeated the Philistine’s champion, Goliath. Coogan argues, however, that all of David’s actions were not solely done for his faithfulness to God, but to also establish himself in a position of power. Coogan supports this by pointing out David’s willingness to kill his fellow Israelites in 1 Samuel 25.13, 34, during his service to the Philistines. He also states that subsequent events that followed in Second Samuel proved that “David was in fact an opportunist who can be ruthless in using his power to advance his objectives” (Coogan 201), and that even his marriages were politically motivated. Coogan, more or less,

Samuel 8:5 NLT) The Israelites wanted a king as their leader, a leader who build and lead them to victory. God was going to send a king from the descendants of the tribe of Benjamin, to lead the Israelites. God chose Saul as their king, Saul was different from every men on Israel. He was tall and handsome just like the Israelites desire a king.

The nation of Israel was set apart as holy to the LORD. But they When the children of Israel demanded a king, they did so to be like the other nations. The first three kings were Saul, (outwardly tall, handsome and strong—a seemingly good choice for a king, but inwardly arrogant, proud and unrepentant—not God’s choice), David (a man after God’s own heart who repented of his sins and as such was God’s choice), and Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived, but because of covenant disobedience became the catalyst for the division and ultimate exile of Israel.

King David is known as one of the greatest kings that ever lived. He started out as lowly Sheppard boy to become one of the greatest kings of biblical times. Before David became King of Israel he herded his father’s sheep with his life in the fields; and was said to have killed a lion and a bear protecting them. The Old Testament prophet Samuel anointed David to become King Israel while Saul was still the king of Israel; because Saul was the King that the people wanted and he disobeyed God. David raise to fame began with him stepping up to face the giant Philistine Goliath; when King Saul seems to be fear of the giant. Smith (1933) tell us that,

David, on the other hand, is depicted as a character that is lacking brute strength and weaponry. We are told through the voice of Goliath that he is “only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance” (1 Samuel 17: 42). It is evident that David is meant to appear as an average kid with no exceedingly superior or spectacular qualities. This simple portrayal of David is significant because it sets in motion the development of realistic empathy from the implied reader towards David. It is important for the implied reader to feel empathetic towards David because even though David kills Goliath in the end, we are meant to view him as a hero, not a murder. Building a connection between the implied reader and David makes this possible.