The Story of David

This is David...

...immortali_ed by Michelangelo...

...in one of the world's most famous statues.

And this is David come to life.

Surely

Goodness and mercy will walk with me

All my days on earth

The Story of David.

filmed in Israel, where 3000 years ago...

...Saul was the first king...

...and David was a shepherd.

Samuel.

Samuel.

Prophet.

Samuel.

Samuel.

Seer.

Prophet in Israel.

l am Saul the King.

Here l am.

Whose son are you?

Who are you?

You know me, prophet.

You chose me out of Beniamin.

l was not a poor man. l inherited my father's fields and farmed them.

l served my time in the militia of my tribe.

l could have lived and died like my father...

... i n peace .

But you chose me.

Yahweh chose you.

With your mouth.

Well...

...you told me to fight the enemies of Israel.

And for 20 years, l've fought them.

Now...

...let's talk of things as they are.

l've done as you told me.

Why do you now speak against me?

Why do you turn away from me before my own men?

Come. Between us now.

No one hears our words.

-The Lord hears. -All right, then.

Between Samuel the prophet, Saul the King and the Lord.

What is the truth?

We have pushed the sea people back to the coast. Right.

But the Philistines have rich cities.

They trade with Egypt.

And they hold the secret of working iron.

lron swords, iron spears, iron axes.

Prophet...

...l've sent men running down the rocks...

...shouting for Yahweh...

...carrying swords made of copper and tin against iron.

Yahweh has brought victories.

lt was the Lord our God who was king then.

But the people reiected him crying:

''Give us a king.''

l know you did not want a king, Samuel.

Before you poured your oil on my head, you were judge over Israel.

You were the only voice in Israel.

-lt was the voice of the Lord. -Through the mouth of Samuel.

Prophet, have l done anything to make you less?

You broke Yahweh's law when you made the sacrifice at Gilgal...

...but l am the Lord's prophet.

l waited seven days for you.

My army was melting away like fat on the fire.

The enemy was moving into position.

l had to fight while l had the advantage.

They were 1 O to one against us.

You have not kept the commandment of the Lord.

-Your kingdom shall not continue. -Oh, Samuel.

The dazzling in my eyes is coming.

lt's followed by the blood coming to my head, splitting it.

Let me speak to you before l am sick.

Our enemies are strong.

Let there be peace between us or Israel will be destroyed.

Yahweh has torn...

...the kingdom of Israel from you this day.

lt is given to another.

Yahweh has repented...

...that he made you king over Israel.

Prophet, l have fought for Yahweh.

He knows me.

l am still Saul. Saul the King.

ls that all you brought, David?

Ten roasts?

What does our father think we can live on? Stones?

What's in that sack?

Oh, that, that's cheeses.

Cheeses?

-For the captain of your thousand. -Let his family bring him cheeses.

When you get back, tell the old one to send meat.

l came by the valley trail, saw the Philistine camp across on the hill.

Good thing they didn't see you, little brother.

Well, if l were a fighting man, l wouldn't hide in the rocks.

l'd go down on the plain and fight them.

-Shammah. -Yeah?

Send for the war chief.

The king of little goats has a new battle plan.

What's the use of gathering all the fighting men of all the tribes...

...iust to hide them in the hills?

-Why not fight? -Down there on the plain?

Have you ever seen a charge of Philistine chariots?

Great knives in the wheels cutting you down like a wheat field.

lron swords, sharp. And archers with horned bows.

Copper, all it's good for is cutting a cheese.

Maybe that's all Saul is good for.

-Abinadab. -He's lost his edge for fighting.

Keep your tongue off Saul, brother, or you'll choke on it.

Oh, our oldest brother is like Saul.

Whenever he sees a Philistine sword, he waters his loincloth.

Hey, stop it, stop it.

Stop it.

David, come here.

Hey, David. David, come back and help me.

The lions of Judah

Are my brothers

Oh, hear them roar On the mountains

Tremble, oh, Israel

When my brothers roar

Why do they roar?

Oh, men of Judah

Why?

Because you have eaten cooked beans...

...and your bellies are full of wind.

Where is your father?

ln his chamber, commander.

Where are you going?

Hunting.

Take six men, Jonathan.

To hunt a partridge?

There is a raiding party to the south.

They burned two villages last week. l haven't the men to send after you.

Saul?

Saul.

Saul.

Do you know me, Saul?

l know you.

Abner...

...son of Ner, my father's brother.

Saul...

...what is it?

Has the blood come to your head?

l heard them...

...in the night.

And the spirit of Yahweh is gone from Saul.

The old man took it away from me.

Samuel?

Listen, cousin, he never forgets the people came and said to him:

''Give us a king who knows how to fight.''

ln all the years Samuel was iudge...

...did he ever win against the Philistines?

Quiet.

He will hear you. He is Yahweh's prophet.

Let him hear me.

What does he do?

He cuts the throats of little lambs...

...and paints their blood on the altar horns.

You and l have butchered Philistines, Ammonites.

And spilled their blood into Yahweh's land.

Yahweh is a God of battle, Saul.

You and l serve him.

l feel...

...the evil spirit from him.

lt creeps into my heart in the night.

l sweat.

l dream.

Then l wake and cannot sleep again.

And--

l don't know why l--

l'm afraid...

...of nothing.

But the fear...

...sits on my chest like a stone.

Wine, a whole iug, without water.

We'll get drunk, cousin.

And then...

...you will sleep.

Abner...

...l am in a pit...

...in a deep well.

And when l try to climb out...

...the stones roll under my feet...

...and l fall back.

Abner.

Abner!

Help me.

Come.

My lord?

-What? -A goat and a jug of wine.

My father sent them with me as an offering.

Saul has a goat and a iug of wine. Come.

To do what?

What am l to do?

-No one told you? -l was to play...

-...at the House of Saul. -Then you know.

-How is he? -Well.

ls this the player?

What's your name?

David, son of Jesse.