The editors of "The Good News Bible" in their introduction to the Second Book of Samuel write: "The life and achievements of David impressed the people of Israel so much that in later times of national distress, when they longed for another king, it was for one who would be "a son of David," that is, a descendant of David who would be like him." This then was what the "messiah" was to be: a human like David who would be the anointed one and who would unite the people politically and militarily and kick the foreigners -- this time the foreigners are the Romans -- out of Palestine.