David desires to build a temple to Yahweh, but he is denied because of the bloodshed in his reign. He dies at age 70 and chooses Solomon, his son with Bathsheba, as his successor instead of his eldest son Adonijah.

Having felled the seemingly invincible adversary by slinging a stone that struck the giant on the forehead, he used Goliath's own sword to decapitate him. The present painting depicts David after the victory, when he brought the severed head to Jerusalem.

Upon Solomon's death, his son, Rehoboam, succeeded him, but ten of the Tribes of Israel refused him as king, splitting the monarchy into the northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, while Rehoboam continued to reign over the smaller southern Kingdom of Judah. Henceforth the two kingdoms were never again united.

David was a youth, so he may have been shorter than 5' tall, at an enormous disadvantage in any match of physical strength. Goliath was a Philistine champion, fighting to dominate the territory.