Meaning of the Name David
From the Hebrew name David, meaning 'beloved'; the same root appears in the Hebrew word for love.
Origin
The name David is of Hebrew origin.
Who is David in the Bible?
David is the king of Israel who rose from shepherding to the throne: the young man who defeated Goliath, the poet associated with much of the Psalms, and the leader who made Jerusalem his capital. The New Testament introduces Jesus as the 'Son of David'.
The story of David in the Bible
We first meet David in Bethlehem as a shepherd boy: the prophet Samuel passes over Jesse's older sons and anoints the youngest as Israel's future king. Young David faces the giant Goliath without armor, carrying only a sling and trusting in the name of the LORD; his victory makes him the people's favorite overnight. King Saul's jealousy forces him to live as a fugitive for years, yet even when chances arise he refuses to raise his hand against Saul. Eventually he takes the throne, captures Jerusalem, makes it his capital, and brings the Ark of the Covenant there. The Bible does not hide his darkest chapter either: his sin concerning Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan's confrontation, and his deep repentance all belong to the story. Much of the book of Psalms is linked with his name — his joy and his remorse alike poured into prayer. The New Testament opens by introducing Jesus as the son of David: the name meaning beloved carries one of Scripture's greatest lines of promise.
Is David mentioned in the Quran?
The name David (Dawud) also appears in the Quran, where he is honored as the prophet-king who received the Psalms. In the Bible, he is Israel's great king in the books of Samuel and Kings, and the name most closely tied to the Psalms.
Verses where David appears
- 1 Samuel 16:11-13 —
Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes…
- 1 Samuel 17:45-50 —
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today,…
- Matthew 1:1 —
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.