The absolute date of David's reign is based primarily on counting backwards from a fixed event, the Battle of Qarqar in 853 BC, in which Israel's King Ahab took part, as recorded on the Kurkh stela.[333] It's pretty complex when you get into it. K.A. Kitchen determines the date for David's 40-year reign to be from about 1010 to 970 BC.[334]
It is difficult to pinpoint relative dates for events in David's life. The primary scripture with relative dates of David's life follows:
"David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years." (2 Samuel 5:4-5; cf. 1 Kings 2:11)
Here and there the scripture tells us the number of years for some event. But the rest of the dates in David's life are only approximate, suppositions based on the amount of time something might take.
Date
David's Age
Event
Reference
1040 BC