DAVID
642
DAVID
specimen and sent it to Europe. In the midst of his
work as a naturahst Father David did not neglect his
missionary labours, and was noted for his careful devo-
tion to his religious duties and for his obedience to
every detail of his rules.
Berthold, Katholiscke Studien, Die Forschungsreisen des franzosischen Missionars und Naturforschers Arrruind David (Wurzburg, 1878); Revue des Deux Mondes (1861); Annales de la Congregation de la Afission (Paris, 1901), XLVI; Congr^s Scientifique International des Catholiques (Paris, 1888).
J.\MES J. Walsh.
David, Gheeraert (or Gerard) , son of John Da\'id, painter and illuminator, b. at Oudewater, South Hol- land, c. 1450, d. 13 August, 1523, at Bruges, where he had been admitted, 14 January, 1484, as master-painter into the Guild of St. Luke, of which, after filling minor offices, he was elected dean in 1.501. It is not known where he learned his art, probably at Haarlem. On the completion of his apprenticeship, he no doubt, as was the custom, travelled to improve himself, working as an assistant under various masters wherever he found emplojTnent. He probably travelled to Italy, as his works show traces of Florentine and Venetian influ- ence. Tlieir landscape backgrounds prove that he knew the valley of the Meuse. On his way to Flan- ders he would not have failed to \'isit Louvain and study the works of his fellow-countryman. Dirk Bouts, nor to halt a while at Ghent to admire the polyptych of the Van Eycks. At Bruges he found the churches full of paintings by all the great masters, and one of these, Hans jlemhng, still living. He probably worked under him until he himself received commis- sions, for which he had not long to wait. In 1496 he married Cornelia Cnoop, daughter of the dean of the guild of goldsmiths, by whom he had one daughter, Barbara. Gheeraert was buried in the church of Our Lady, at the foot of the tower. He was not one of the greatest masters, nor did he strike out any new line like Van der Goes, but he gathered up all the best traditions of his predecessors, to which he faithfully adhered all through his life. His saints and angels compared with those of Meraling are more sedate. One new type he created, the charming figure of the Child Jesus, which made a lasting impression on the succeeding generation of painters. His portraits are very good, his brocaded stuffs, embroidery, and jew- ellery have never been surpassed, and his landscapes are remarkably fine. His works show that he was a great religious painter; he was also a pious and chari- table man. One of his finest paintings, the " Virgo in- ter Virgines", now in the museum at Rouen, was pre- sented Ijy him in 1509 to the Carmelite nuns of Sion at Bruges, to whom he lent a large sum of money free of interest. Gheeraert excelled in miniature-painting and illumination, which arts his wife also practised with success. David's principal works are in the National Gallery, London (2), National Gallery, Dublin (1), Town Gallery, Bruges (5), Town Gallery, Rouen (1), Museum, Sigmaringen (2), Imperial Gal- lery, Vienna (1).
Weale. Gerard David, Painter and Illuminator (London, 1895); BoDENHAusEN, Eberhard von, Gerard David und seine Schule (Munich, 1905).
W. H. James Weale.
David (nn or n<n, beloved), King. — In the Bible the name David is borne only by the second king of Israel, the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth, iv, 18 sqq.). He was the youngest of the eight sons of Isai, or Jesse (I Kings, xvi, 8; cf. I Par., ii, 13), a small proprietor, of the tribe of Juda, dwelling at Bethlehem, where David was born. Our knowledge of David's life and character is derived exclusively from the pages of Sacred Scripture, viz., I K., xvi; III K., ii; I Par., ii, iii, x-xxix; Ruth, iv, 18-22, and the titles of many Psalms. According to the usual chronology, David was born in 1085 and reigned from 1055 to 1015 b. c. Recent writers have been
induced by the Assyrian inscriptions to date his reign
from 30 to 50 years later. Within the hmits imposed
it is impossible to give more than a bare outline of the
events of his life and a brief estimate of his character
and his significance in the historj' of the chosen people,
as king, psalmist, prophet, and tj^pe of the Messias.
The history of David falls naturally into three periods: (1) before his elevation to the throne; (2) his reign, at Hebron over Juda, and at Jerusalem over all Israel, until his sin; (3) his sin and last years. He first appears in sacred history as a shepherd lad, tending his father's flocks in the fields near Bethle- hem, " ruddy and beautiful to behold and of a comely face". Samuel, the Prophet and last of the judges, had been sent to anoint him in place of Saul, whom God had rejected for disobedience. The relations of David do not seem to have recognized the significance of this unction, which marked him as the successor to the throne after the death of Saul.
During a period of Olness, when the evil spirit troubled Saul, David was brought to court to soothe the king by playing on the harp. He earned tlie gratitude of Saul and was made an armour-bearer, but his stay at court was brief. Not long afterwards, whilst his three elder brothei-s were in the field, fight- ing imder Saul against the Philistines, David was sent to the camp with some pro\'isions and presents; there he heard the words in which the giant, Goliath of Geth, defied all Israel to single combat, and he volun- teered with God's help to slay the Philistine. His victory over Goliath brought about the rout of the enemy. Saul's questions to Abner at this tune seem to imply that he had never seen Da\id before, though, as we have seen, David had already been at court. Various conjectures have been made to explain this difficulty. As the passage which suggests a contra- diction in the Hebrew text is omitted by Septuagint codices, some authors have accepted the Greek text in preference to the Hebrew. Others suppose that the order of the narratives has become confused in our present Hebrew text. A simpler and more likiiy solution maintains that on the second occasion Saul asked Abner only about the family of David and about his earlier life. Previously he had given the matter no attention.
David's victory over Goliath won for him the tender friendship of Jonathan, the son of Saul. He obtained a permanent position at court, but his great popularity and the imprudent songs of the women excited the jealousy of the king, who on two occasions attempted to kill him. As captain of a thousand men, he en- countered new dangers to win the hand of Merob, Saul's eldest daughter, but, in spite of the king's promise, she was given to Hadriel. Michol, Saul's other daughter, loved David, and, in the hope that the latter might be killed by the Philistines, her father promised to give her in marriage, provided David should slay one hundred Philistines. David succeeded and married Michol. This success, however, made Saul fear the more and finally induced him to order that David should be killed. Through the interven- tion of Jonathan he was spared for a time, but Saul's hatred finally obliged him to flee from the court.
First he went to Ramatha and thence, with Sam- uel, to Naioth. Saul's further attempts to murder him were frustrated by God's direct interposition. An interview with Jonathan convinced him that rec- onciliation with Saul was impossible, and for the rest of the reign he was an exile and an outlaw. At Nobe, whither he proceeded, David and his com- panions were harboured by the priest Achiraelech, who was afterwards accused of conspiracy and put to death with his fellow-priests. From Nobe David went to the court of Achis, king of Geth, where hei escaped death by feigning madness. On his return he became the head of a band of about four hundred' men, some of them his relations, others distressed
