The second Jewish King, and the first from the tribe of Yehudah (Judah).
14
votes
2answers
134 views
Why did Yonatan arrange the secret arrow sign with David?
In Shmuel Alef (20, 20-22) Yonatan arranges a whole scheme to secretly inform David whether or not it's safe for him to return. However, after the sign is given that it's not safe (20, 40), Yonatan ...
12
votes
2answers
320 views
When did David Hamelech become king?
The story of David in short, as requested:
Shmuel (Samuel) anoints Shaul (Saul) king of Israel at G-d's command. (1 Shmuel 10:1 and ibid. v 24
Shaul disobeys G-d, and G-d regrets his anointment. ...
11
votes
2answers
126 views
David called “hamelech”, “hamelech David”, and “David”
My son noticed in Ⅱ Sh'muel chapters 5–6 that, although David is generally called "David", there are times he's called "hamelech" (="the king") or "hamelech David" (="the king David"). (I'm ...
10
votes
4answers
246 views
Was King David also a Navi?
Is there any suggestion in the scripture (even implicitly) that King David might have been also a Navi?
10
votes
3answers
171 views
What does Dovid Melech Yisrael Chai Vkayam mean?
I'm pretty sure Dovid, the king of Israel is dead and buried. If so, what does this song really mean and why do we sing it? Why do we pick Dovid specifically and not some other tzadik, like Moshe?
9
votes
1answer
110 views
Why was Shlomo more worthy to build the Beis Hamikdash than David?
We see throughout the Navi that David does not want people killed on his behalf (Saul, Ish Boshet...) yet he does not get to build the Temple and the most common reason that David is told no by Hashem ...
8
votes
3answers
319 views
Touching a woman and the first Pesukim in Melachim
Shulhan Aruch Even HaEzer Siman 21 and 22 records the Halacha against men and women touching each other (especially Derech Hiba; whether it is Deorayta or Derabanan is a Mahloket Rishonim between ...
8
votes
3answers
301 views
How did the Star of David become iconic?
We all recognize the iconic symbol of the Star of David, do we know where it came from and where it got its name?
I always learned that the symbol appeared on King David's shield. True? How do we ...
6
votes
3answers
172 views
Dovid haMelech and Amalek
In Shmuel Alef chapter 15 Shaul HaMelech (King Saul) loses his kingship because in his battle against Amalek he failed to kill King Agag and saved livestock to offer as sacrifices.
Later we find ...
5
votes
2answers
72 views
How did Dovid Hamelech kill Amaleikim?
Similar to this question.
How did Dovid Hamelech kill the Amaleikim when they were almost completely obliterated (their only survivor was a baby fathered by Agag on his last day) by Shaul Hamelech ...
5
votes
3answers
117 views
Who is the author of Tehilim 137?
Who is the accepted author of Psalm 137, and if it was David Hamelech, then is it accepted as a prophecy?
5
votes
2answers
56 views
David and Jerusalem
David takes over Jerusalem (finally) in Shmuel II, Perek 5. It says that David wants to be rid of the סירך ועורים . This is commonly translated as the blind and the lame. Metzudat David understands ...
5
votes
1answer
61 views
Why honor someone who teaches one thing? Say dayo lihyos k'Achisofel!
In פרק קנין תורה (read as though it were the sixth chapter of Avos during the annual, repeated reading of Avos), we have:
הלא דברים קל וחומר ומה דוד מלך ישראל שלא למד מאחיתופל אלא שני דברים בלבד ...
5
votes
1answer
99 views
Was King David the head of the Sanhedrin?
It's widely assumed that Dovid HaMelech was the head of the Sanhedrin; see, for example, Kesef Mishneh in the beginning of Rambam's introduction to Yad HaChazaka. However, the Gemara in Berachos 4a ...
5
votes
0answers
108 views
Relations among King David, the Sanhedrin, and the high priest
Do we have any historical source that discusses the relations among King David, the Sanhedrin during his reign, and the high priest during his reign? Were they on friendly terms? Was there a power ...
4
votes
1answer
134 views
g'mara about David's conception
Where's the g'mara about Yishay's divorce (or was it separation?) and David's conception, please?
4
votes
2answers
125 views
Why does David say that he only sinned against G-d?
In Psalm 51:6 David says that
"Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight" (JPS)
I wondered why does he think that he sinned only against the Lord? I think he ...
4
votes
0answers
44 views
Different names for Dovid in regular Selichos vs Yom Kippur Selichos
Why do we refer to Dovid Hamelech as "Mashiach Tzidkecha" in Selichos (towards the end, paragraph begins with those words) except on Yom Kippur when we refer to him as "Dovid Avdecha" (in the same ...
3
votes
2answers
184 views
Is there an English collection of judgements of the prophet David?
Is there an English collection of judgements of the prophet David PBUH? I heard he had wonderful judgements and I am interested to study them. Are they available today?
3
votes
2answers
198 views
Should retroactive divorce (a la David & Batsheva) be reinstituted?
Almost all the commentaries on David and Batsheva's seeming indiscretion follow Rashi who points out during that time a retroactive divorce was given upon the husband leaving for war, therefore ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Why did David's kingdom split if he didn't sin?
According to one opinion in the Gemara (Bab. Shab. 56b), the reason David's kingdom split was because he sinned by believing Lashon HaRa'. According to another opinion, though, he never sinned at all. ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
When did David Hamelech write Tehillim?
When did David Hamelech write Tehillim? Or to be more technical, when did David write his first Tehillim and when did he write his last?
Also was there a certain period of time within which he wrote a ...
3
votes
0answers
73 views
Could one today be blessed with the wisdom of Solomon and love of David?
I am a Muslim, And I would like to know what the Jewish perspective is about attaining the wisdom of Solomon (may peace and blessings be upon him) and the love for G_d of David (may peace and ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views
Why did David HaMelech tell Shlomo to punish Shimei Ben Geira?
Melachim I 2:8-9 reads
And, behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went
to Mahanaim, and he came down ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
What did it mean for Saul to make David's father's house free?
In 1 Samuel 17:25 it says:
And the men of Israel said: 'Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to taunt Israel is he come up; and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will ...
0
votes
1answer
124 views
Dovid and the Foreskins of the Plishtim ( Philistines)
After Shaul promised his daugther to Dovid,he required him to pay the dowry for his daugther this was paid with the foreskins of the Plishtim(Philistines). The question that remains is that there is ...
0
votes
0answers
63 views
How could David lie with Bat Sheva if she had a Safek Get?
Tosafos version of Rashi in the Gemara 9b implies that there was a get on condition that Uria (Bat shevas husband) wont come back. So if David didn't know if Uria would come back or not how could he ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
Did King David really fast on alternate days?
Could you please let me know whether
King David fasted on alternate days? Have you got this tradition in Judaism? Any historical reference?
