The rise of King David for today. A dramatic exposition of 1 Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel 5:10. Pete Wilcox opens up the very human story of David's rise to power and shows him to be a complicated person full of light, dark and shades of grey; a man not so very different from ourselves, yet a man after God's own heart. 'Pete Wilcox notes that there are three subjects not traditionally discussed in polite company: sex, religion, and politics. Yet there are hardly three subjects that it is more important to discuss. The story of David is full of sex, of religion and of politics, and Pete Wilcox's dtamatic approach will help many readers to think about them.' - John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological College Seminary, California 'This is a book which does not reduce the Word of God to a sterile academic text. It brings me into the drama of the biblical story, raises challenges and encouragement for today, and allows me to encounter Jesus in a new way. In a world obsessed with the pursuit of power, Pete Wilcox allows the story of David to subvert this obsession and point us to a deeper and life-giving reality.' - David Wilkinson, Principal of St John's College, Durham 'The story of David invites us into a turbulent world of great highs and greal lows: faithfulness and deceit; worship and political intrigue; friendship and betrayal. In this book, Pete Wilcox brings to life this most inspiring of biblical characters, helping us to encounter anew not only David, but our innermost selves, which like him, try, fail and try again to be people after God's own heart' . - Paula Gooder, freelance writer and lecturer in Biblical Studies: Canon Theologian of Birmingham Cathedral 'Pete Wilcox is a stimulating writer. He holds together good scholarship and significant human experience so that the familiar stories of David become vehicles of wisdom and tranformation. Here is biblical exploration as we always wanted it - earthed, poignant and humane.' - John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford