David! - Chronicle Online/The WORD 05/02/2026

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah

April 30, 2026

13 Iyar 5786

Parashat Emor

One of the first Hebrew songs I remember learning was “David Melech Yisrael” (David, King of Israel), complete with the nifty hand gestures. The Jewish star I wear around my neck is called a Magen David—the Shield of David. And perhaps the best-known prayer after the Sh'ma is Psalm 23, which begins, “Mizmor L'David”—A Psalm of David.

This David fellow seems to be everywhere in Jewish tradition.

So imagine my surprise when I turned on Amazon Prime Video and stumbled across the series House of David. So far, there are two seasons (16 episodes) telling the story of how a shepherd boy from the tribe of Judah succeeded Saul and became King of Israel some 3,000 years ago. The second season ended with Saul's reign beginning to crumble, while David was growing in strength and popularity. A third season is currently in production.

Since I was about to begin co-teaching an interfaith class on David, I decided to binge-watch both seasons in the name of research. The show's creators truly brought the biblical stories to life. It was remarkable to watch the series while simultaneously studying and teaching the text of the Book of Samuel.

One of my favorite parts of the show is the disclaimer that appears at the beginning of every episode:

This message assumes that the stories of King David, as preserved in the Hebrew Bible, are in fact historical, and not merely a collection of myths and legends. As contemporary news reminds us almost daily, we cannot simply assume that every writer is telling the truth. Fortunately, archaeology can sometimes help us assess the Bible's historical reliability.

In 1993, archaeologists uncovered the Tel Dan Stele, which dates to the ninth century BCE, only a few generations after David's reign. Its inscription describes the victories of King Hazael of Aram over the kings of Judah and Israel. Those defeated kings are identified as belonging to "Beit David"—the House of David.

Together with more recent discoveries in the City of David, it is increasingly clear that the stories our people have told for centuries are rooted in history. I do not know exactly how tall Goliath was, nor can I confirm precisely how he met his end. But I think it is abundantly clear that the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel stretches back to the age of the kings, some 3,000 years ago.

And that makes me want to sing out loud: "David Melech Yisrael..."

Shalom,

RAF.