For the source text click/tap here: Moed Katan 16
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The first two kings of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel were both plagued by actions so severe that they brought censure by God and His prophets. In King Saul’s case (see I Shmuel, chapter 15), the war against Amalek – where he allowed King Agag to live and did not destroy the animals of the Amalek nation, as commanded – led to Shmu’el’s rebuke, Saul’s admission of fault (see ibid:24), and the loss of his kingdom. In the case of his successor, King David (see 2 Shmuel, chapter 11), the incident with Bat-Sheva leads to Natan’s parable of the rich man who steals a poor man’s sheep, David’s admission of fault (see ibid 12:13) and a series of family tragedies.
On our daf Zutra bar Toviyya was once reading the portion of the Bible before Rav Yehuda. When he reached the verse: “Now these are the last words of David” (II Samuel 23:1), Zutra bar Toviyya said to Rav Yehuda: If it is written that these are the last of David’s words, by inference there are first words as well.
We explore the difference between the Tanach's portrayal of King David's character with the Midrashic, and possible reasons for the difference.