BIOGRAPHY
       

     
Around 1037 B.C.E, Jesse, the son of Boaz and Ruth, had a son and named him David. Living in Bethlehem, Palestine, David’s father was a shepherd. Early stories tell us that he was musical and courageous at an early age. Supposedly, he defeated the evil giant, Goliath in a fight against the Phillistines. After being recognized for his characteristics, he was appointed as an official for the first king of Israel, Saul.
    David was so successful at his position that Saul offered the hand of his daughter, Michal, to him. Eventually, Saul became threatened by David’s rising popularity and power. So he banished David from the court of his officials. David then joined the Phillistine government, still keeping ties with important and powerful men of Judean tribes. In 1000 B.C.E, Saul and his three sons ironically die in battle, against the Philistines, and David tried to take over as king, establishing Hebron as his capital. To ensure his position as king, David marries all of the Hebrew chief’s daughters and his courtiers murder his closest competitor as king. 
    Soon enough, in 933 B.C.E, David was anointed king of Israel. As king, King David quickly made friends by defeating the Philistine, Moabites, Arameans, Edomites, Ammonites, and Jebusites. In his defeat against the Jebusites, he conquered their Holy City, Zion or Shalom, and renamed it… Jerusalem. However, though he had been dominating outsiders to his kingdom, his kingdom had been dominated by rebellions within his own family. His first son, Absalom, became extremely rebellious and it led to David’s army, killing Absalom and his regiment. Adonijah, the next oldest sun, was furious when David named his heir to the throne, Solomon. Adonijah leaves Jerusalem and tries to force alliances against Solomon. In 961 David died a natural death, was buried in Jerusalem, and was succeeded by Solomon.