Δαυίδ
David
Translated by Lee Fields17 May 2001Vetting: high9 revisions
Translation
This man8 was outstanding in wars and was a careful observer of the laws and subdued all his enemies, and because of a few false steps he was distressed in life and disciplined with divine strokes. For in the sight of his own children he was all but driven from his kingdom and was made an object of laughter for his enemies. And he attended to these matters with repentance and with tears.9
But David was valiant and courageous like no one else. In his struggles for his subjects he was the first one to rush headlong into dangerous situations, in this way commanding his soldiers to labor and fight at their tasks, and not by giving orders as a despot would. He was competent both to consider and decide about arrangement of things about to take place and things already set in place. He was temperate, sensible, kind towards those who were in difficult circumstances, and without sin, except in the case of the wife of Uriah. And he left wealth such as no other king did, neither among the Hebrews nor among other nations.10
David was anointed for kingship three times.11