How Tall Was King David?

If David was short, how could he fit into a tall man’s armor?

How tall was King David? Tall enough to wear King Saul’s armor as a young man! “Saul Puts His Armour Upon David” by James Tissot, 1899

Question: “Approximately how tall was David in the Bible?”

Answer: The Bible doesn’t tell us how tall David was, but rather that he was “na’ar” which means a young person. ( 1 Samuel 17:33) ( David: Little Guy or Mighty Man of War?)

David, As A Young Man

“And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.’” — 1 Samuel 17:33 ESV

We see this na’ar root used to describe “youth” in verses such as:

• An infant — Exodus 2:6 “and openeth, and seeth him — the lad, and lo, a child weeping! and she hath pity on him, and saith, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’”
• Marrying age — Proverbs 5:18 “Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of thy youth,”
• Fighting age — 1 Samuel 25:12 “And the young men of David turn on their way, and turn back, and come in, and declare to him according to all these words.”

What modern westerners consider “young” vs what “youth” described in the Bible are worlds apart.

Does The Armor Fit?