How many times is David mentioned in the Bible?
The word David appears 1,011 times in the King James Version, in 858 verses. Counting every form (David, David's), it appears 1,064 times in 895 verses across 28 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses David 922 times (1,063 with every form).
David in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of David counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| David | 1,011 | 922 |
| David's | 53 | 141 |
| Total | 1,064 | 1,063 |
What the name David means
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses David as "well-beloved, dear".
This is the 1869 traditional meaning; modern scholars often read names differently.
See every name and place with its meaning and count on Bible names and their meanings.
Source: Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869), checked 2026-10-06.
Which books mention David most
David appears in 28 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Samuel has the most (292), then 2 Samuel (286) and 1 Chronicles (190).
Also in: Ezekiel (4), Ezra (3), Romans (3), Revelation (3), Ruth (2), Amos (2), John (2), Hebrews (2), Proverbs (1), Ecclesiastes (1), Song of Solomon (1), Hosea (1), 2 Timothy (1).
First and last mention of David
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
The verse that uses it most is 1 Samuel 30:21, 4 times:
And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
Where the two translations differ
2 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 1 verse matches only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
1 Samuel 20:18: counted in the KJV only
Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
1 Chronicles 23:5: counted in the KJV only
Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
1 Chronicles 23:4: counted in the World English Bible only
Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:
David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, six thousand were officers and judges,
Verses with David on our topic pages
16 verses that use David in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
On: Jealousy
The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
David said to him, “Don’t be afraid; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”
On: Kindness
At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.
David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?”
David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.
The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.
Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.
On: Fasting
David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.
On: Fasting
Common questions
How many times is David in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 1,005 of the 1,064 uses are in the Old Testament and 59 in the New Testament. David appears in 28 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Samuel has the most (292), then 2 Samuel (286) and 1 Chronicles (190).
Where is David first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Ruth 4:17: "And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David." The last is Revelation 22:16.
What does the name David mean in the Bible?
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses David as "well-beloved, dear".
More word counts: Moses, Abraham, Mary, Paul, Peter, seven, forty, twelve, or all 253 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-06.