The story of David - his surprising selection by the prophet Samuel, his tortured relations with Saul and his family, his passionate and reckless love for Bathsheba, and the appalling tragedies within his own family - has made this flawed but courageous king one of the most exciting characters in the Bible. Yet despite his turbulent life, he remained the 'man after God's own heart' and the inspiration for Israel's future Messiah. In David: A story of passion and tragedy, Anthony Phillips reflects on the life and work of the great warrior-king of Israel. He shows how David's story came to be written and what it really meant for the ancient Israelites and their religion. By taking a fresh and original look at some of the best-known narratives in the Hebrew Bible, Phillips enables us to revel in the passion and excitement of this unsurpassed literature of the ancient world, including its extraordinary psychological insight into the human condition - a perception as relevant now as when it was written. He also raises important issues about the Hebrews' understanding of the nature of their God.