The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero

An Old Testament scholar offers a controversial look at the history of King David, the founder of the nation of Israel whose bloodline leads to Jesus.

Challenging prevailing popular beliefs about the king’s legend in The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero, Joel Baden makes clear that the biblical account of David is an attempt to shape the events of his life politically and theologically. Going beyond the biblical bias, he explores the events that lie behind the David story, events that are grounded in the context of the ancient Near East and continue to inform modern Israel.

Exposing an ambitious, ruthless, flesh-and-blood man who achieved power by any means necessary, including murder, theft, bribery, sex, deceit, and treason, Baden makes clear that the historical David stands in opposition not only to the virtuous and heroic legends, but to our very own self-definition as David’s national and religious descendants.

Provocative and enlightening, The Historical David provides the lost truth about David and poses a challenge to us: how do we come to terms with the reality of a celebrated hero who was, in fact, similar to the ambitious power-players of his day?

“An invigoratingly grown-up reading of the Bible. . . . Baden’s scholarly analysis leaves the usurper-king as one of the most crucial shapers of world history in the last three millennia.” —New York Times bestselling author Diarmaid MacCulloch

“Baden succeeds positively, powerfully, and persuasively in locating Israel’s once and future king as an actual historical figure.” —John Dominic Crossan, national bestselling author of The Historical Jesus

© 2023 HarperOne (Ebook): 9780062188335

Release date

Ebook: November 21, 2023