The writers of First and Second Samuel present a full view of David, from heroics to transgressions. Early on, David brings salvation to Israel by defeating the Philistine, Goliath. Yet before First Samuel concludes, David has agreed to fight for the Philistines against Israel, casting him as “an outlaw, a deserter, and a Philistine mercenary” (Collins 151).
In Second Samuel, David ascends to the throne after Saul’s death and is rewarded by the Lord with the Davidic covenant, promising that “the Davidic kingship would be restored and last forever” (156). Throughout David’s reign, the favor of the Lord shines upon him, despite the sinfulness of sexual conquest and murder. For in the end, David stands as a testament to the “imperfection of human nature” (165).
In telling David’s story following the fall of Jerusalem, the message reinforces the tremendous value placed upon the “nation” of Israel. All told, David’s kingship represents what Wright would designate as the “state” of Israel. In or following exile in Babylon, “the authorial voice is not that of a king” because the Bible centers around “the ‘vox populi,’ – the voice of the people” (Wright 88). This allows the story of David to provide an allegory for the people of Israel – ones who are chosen, ones who act against their calling, ones who are saved and exalted, ones who cannot escape the sins of humanity, and ones who still hold a covenantal relationship with the Lord. For with David’s brokenness and eventual defeat, the narrative serves to hold the people of Israel together, furthering the establishment of “a national consciousness” (85).