National Geographic explores notable biblical figures in our ongoing series People in the Bible, as part of our coverage of the history of the Bible and the search for sacred texts.
King David was not born into royalty. He entered life as a humble shepherd, rose to found a dynasty, and became a central figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
In the Book of Samuel, Saul, the first king of Israel, failed to reach a decisive victory against an enemy tribe, the Philistines. God sent the Prophet Samuel to Bethlehem and guided him to David, a humble shepherd and talented musician. He brought the young man to Saul's court, where his harp was so soothing that Saul called for David whenever he was vexed by an “evil spirit” sent by God (I Samuel 9:16). Saul was so taken with this young man that he appointed David his armor bearer.
Soon thereafter, a major
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