King David Killed His Way to the Throne

Links Mentioned in this Episode: https://www.bartehrman.com/hbdeal - To celebrate the launch of Misquoting Moses, all through August Joel's course The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel is on sale at 50% off via this link. Episode Outline: 0:00 The darker story of King David’s rise to power and why “Mafia Don” may fit better than shepherd king 1:23 Saul, David, and the difference between the northern kingdom of Israel and Judah 4:41 Why the Bible turns the successful King Saul into a failed ruler rejected by God 8:26 Where David’s story appears in Samuel and when he likely lived historically 11:37 The Bible gives us multiple conflicting introductions to David 14:58 Why the Goliath story clashes with David’s earlier introduction to Saul 16:34 Did David really kill Goliath, or did the Bible give him someone else’s victory? 19:29 How David becomes king and why his rise resembles ancient political propaganda 26:10 David’s time with the Philistines and what the Bible may be trying to explain away 33:27 David’s band of 400 men, protection rackets, Abigail, and the “Mafia Don” comparison 41:43 Who wrote the story of David, and why might it have been written close to his own lifetime? 46:14 Hot Take: Did King David really exist, and what does the Tel Dan Stele prove? Episode Description When you think of King David, the familiar images are iconic: the shepherd boy chosen by God, the youth who kills Goliath, and the king who unites Israel. But when the biblical text is read closely, a more complicated and unsettling story emerges. In this episode of *Misquoting Moses*, host Megan Kraege joins Hebrew Bible scholar Dr. Joel Baden to examine David’s rise to power. Together, they explore a story filled with political maneuvering, violence, competing traditions, and carefully crafted propaganda. The discussion begins with David’s predecessor, Saul. Dr. Baden explains that Saul was likely a military leader of the northern tribes, while David came from Judah in the south. The Bible portrays Saul as unstable and rejected by God, but Baden argues that this negative portrayal also serves to justify how an outsider like David could eventually take his place. The episode then examines contradictory accounts of how David entered Saul’s court. In one story, David is secretly anointed by Samuel and later brought in as a musician to soothe Saul. In the next, after David kills Goliath, Saul appears not to know who he is. These contradictions suggest that different traditions were woven together. Another biblical passage even credits a warrior named Elhanan with killing Goliath, raising the possibility that the famous victory was later attributed to David. David’s years as a fugitive are equally revealing. The Bible says he gathered 400 “men in distress,” which Dr. Baden interprets as a band of outlaws. The story of Nabal and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25 becomes a striking example: David demands payment after protecting Nabal’s property and threatens to kill his household when Nabal refuses. Abigail prevents the violence by bringing David provisions and persuading him to stand down. Dr. Baden argues that David’s rise is a masterclass in ancient political spin. The narrative resembles a royal “apology,” a text designed to legitimize a ruler whose path to power raised uncomfortable questions. David works for the Philistines, yet the story insists he never truly turned against Israel. Saul’s heirs and supporters repeatedly die, clearing David’s path to power, while the narrative carefully emphasizes that David was never responsible and publicly mourned them. Rather than presenting a simple heroic biography, the story of David reveals how biblical authors shaped competing traditions into a powerful political and theological defense of Israel’s most famous king. Three Key Takeaways: 1. The Story of David's Rise is a Masterpiece of Political Spin: Samuel presents David’s rise not as neutral history but as an “apology” defending his violent path to power. The narrative repeatedly explains away troubling actions to portray him as God’s chosen king. 2. David Likely Operated as a Bandit and Racketeer: Before becoming king, David led a group of outlaws in the wilderness. The story of Nabal and Abigail can be read as David using threats of violence to demand payment for protection. 3. The Bible Contains Contradictory Accounts That Reveal Its Composite Nature: Conflicting stories about David, Saul, and Goliath point to multiple traditions preserved in the text. These differences reveal the Bible as a collection of sources edited together over time.