David’s first occupation is as a shepherd. He probably starts before he is ten years old, likely as an apprentice. For the next several years, he spends time in solitude protecting the sheep and enjoying nature. It is during this time that he learns to use a sling and staff, play a harp, and compose songs and poems. It is also during this time that he is secretly anointed to be a future king, and the Spirit of God comes upon him powerfully…and stays upon him.
Although the timing of events is uncertain, the second segment of David’s life starts when he takes his brothers some lunch. Before the trip is over, he kills Goliath and takes the giant’s bloody head to Jerusalem. He goes into the service of Saul, where he becomes a mighty warrior. As Saul becomes more and more paranoid, David is forced to run for his life. He lives in the countryside and forms a small army. He avoids Saul, gathers support from the common people, and lives among the Philistines long enough to learn about them and their methods of warfare. This part of his life ends when Saul and Jonathan are killed and David becomes the second king of Israel.
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