King David (1985) Movie Script
In addition, all Amalechite land
between Edom and Gereh
to be given to Israel,
together with a ransom
of 100,000 shekels.
The prophet Samuel wishes
to speak with Saul.
He cannot speak with him now.
The king is engaged
in the affairs of state.
Since when have
the affairs of state
taken precedence
over the affairs of God?
Samuel.
We welcome you.
With God's blessing, our victory
is complete.
Is this how you show
Him your gratitude-
by robbing the Amalechites
of their women and cattle,
and holding their king
in chains?
We were... discussing
a possible treaty.
The king is to be ransomed...
A treaty?
Ransom?!
Saul, for this
you have betrayed your own soul
in the sight of God.
His instructions
were plain enough.
He said, "I am resolved
to blot out these heathen
"from the face of the land,
for I am a jealous God,
"and I abhor
their abominable practices.
"Therefore, send for My servant,
"Saul...
"and tell him to fall
upon the Amalechites
"and utterly destroy them.
"Put them all to death.
"Men and women, children,
babes in arms, sheep and cattle.
Spare nothing from the sword. "
Nothing.
When our tribes
clamored for a king,
to make us like other nations,
I answered them,
"We are not like other nations.
The Lord of Hosts
is both our God and our King. "
The people said,
"We want a king we can see.
We want a king
of our own flesh and blood. "
Here are your kings
of flesh and blood.
Here is a king you can see.
I have sinned.
Saul, I weep in the dark
for you.
Forgive me.
I beg of you!
Even so has the Lord torn
the kingdom of Israel
from the house of Saul.
Soon, he shall
give it to another-
a man after his own heart,
and a worthier man than you.
"And the Lord said to Samuel,
'Do not mourn for Saul.
"'Fill your horn with oil,
for I am sending you
to Jesse of Bethlehem. "'
Blessings be upon you, Jesse.
On this day
shall the Lord God of Israel
choose Himself a king
from among your sons.
But... but Saul is our king.
God is not a man
that He should deceive you.
Which of my sons must it be?
My first son, Eliab.
The Lord does not see
as man sees.
Men judge by
outward appearances,
but the Lord judges
by the heart alone.
My second son, Abinadab.
My third son, Shammah.
The Lord has chosen
none of these men.
Have you no other sons?
David.
You kneel before me
as the shepherd
of your father's flock,
but God has chosen you...
to be the shepherd
of His people Israel,
to unite His
scattered tribes
into one nation...
and to send the heathen
from His promised land.
My brothers are all soldiers.
Why not choose one of them?
It was not I who chose you.
It was the Lord God of Israel.
But I am the least
in my father's house.
You are a child
after God's own heart.
If I stand so well in His sight,
let Him command me face to face.
No man may see God face to face
and live.
God speaks to man through
the mouth of his prophet.
So be it.
When I have gone
the way of all flesh,
you shall be brought
before the king
by one of his sons.
Then shall the Lord
challenge you,
even as you
have challenged Him...
to defend His name
and His honor.
Have no fear, David.
The Lord shall not forsake you
so long as you keep His laws
and obey His prophets
without question.
There's no sense in waiting
any longer, My Lord.
Samuel will not come.
He will come.
No, My Lord, he's...
He will come!
Is Israel governed
by a king, Father,
or by the whim's
of a senile old prophet?
You cannot have the one
without the other.
And who's to say that Samuel
is not a false prophet?
If Samuel is a false prophet,
I'm a false king.
It was Samuel who anointed me,
even as he has rejected me.
The people still look to you
as their king, Father.
They have not rejected you.
The people will not fight
without Samuel's blessing.
Then at least permit me
to move them into position
while we await his arrival!
Abner's right, Father.
But what was his name?
The man who wrestled with me
until daybreak.
What man, My Lord?
It was only a dream, Father.
Well, if it was a dream,
send in my musician,
let me dream on.
Where is Samuel?
These are the last words
of the prophet Samuel.
"Tell Saul to lead
the people out
"against the Philistines
"and the Lord
shall deliver them
"into their hands,
"for though
He has rejected Saul,
He will not forsake
His people Israel. "
Samuel is dead?
He is, My Lord.
His soul rests at peace.
The Levite Nathan
will perform...
Peace?
You talk to me of peace?
Dear God, my God,
why have You forsaken me?
David!
You're David?
I'm Jonathan, son of Saul.
Your cousin Joab tells us
you're a fine singer.
You've come
to bring me to the king.
How do you know?
The prophet Samuel is dead,
isn't he?
Who told you?
David.
What are you doing here?
Who's minding Father's sheep?
I know, you've just come
to watch the battle.
What are you doing here?
Father.
I've brought the boy, Father.
Have you seen Him?
Face to face?
I saw Him... once.
He smiled on me, too.
But at daybreak...
He was gone.
The Lord
Is my shepherd
I shall not want
He lies me down
In green pastures
He leads me beside still waters
He restores my soul.
Slaves of a nameless God,
once again I bring you
the challenge
of Goliath of Goth,
champion of the Philistines.
Where is your faith in your god?
Where is your trust
in his protection?
You boast
that he can move mountains,
and yet, he cannot move
one man among you
to defend his honor.
Six times have we challenged you
to put forward a champion,
and six times
have you cowered in silence.
Send down a champion,
and whoever wins the combat
wins the day
for his country and his god.
Well, Israelites,
what is your answer?
Then let all the world
bear witness.
There is no god in Israel!
Yea, though I walk
Through the valley
of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
For Thou art with me.
Goliath?
He will feed your flesh
to the fowls of the air
and the beasts of the field.
So be it, Lord.
So be it!
An entire army at my command.
It takes a shepherd boy
to wipe out our disgrace.
He's given us back our pride.
From that day,
David did not return
to his father's house
but remained with Saul
at Kabeir,
where he served in the army
for ten years.
He fought so bravely
that Saul placed him
over his men of war.
Each victory was greeted
with exultation
in the sight of all the people.
David!
David!
Saul has killed his thousands,
and David
his tens of thousands! David!
Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands!
Saul has killed his thousands...
May the Lord bless you
and keep you.
May the Lord lift up the light
of His face toward you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up His face
towards you and give you peace.
From this day forth...
no man shall cover thee but me.
It was I
who taught him the harp.
Ah, but it was I who
taught him to use a sling.
Father taught him both.
Didn't you, Father?
Any man can teach,
but David's gifts
are the gifts of God.
There he goes again.
David's a man
after God's own heart,
isn't he, Father?
Is it true
that he once killed a lion?
With his own bare hands.
Which were tied
behind his back, no doubt.
Yes. And with a blindfold.
David's a man after
God's own heart, you see.
That's what the prophet said,
wasn't it, Father?
Did I please you, My Lord?
You only have to smile,
and I am pleased.
Did I smile... My Lord?
My name is David.
Ah, forgive me.
The confusion is easily made.
By whom?
The people worship you
as their god.
While as for Jonathan...
He loves me as a brother.
As I love him.
And his sister?
Hm?
The resemblance is marked.
But I suspect
it's only skin deep.
Then why did you marry me?
You're my prize
for Goliath's head.
Was that your only reason?
Is love not reason enough?
You scarcely know me.
Your mystery overwhelms me.
And my beauty.
Plus your modesty.
Uh.
A king's daughter
has cause to be proud.
As does the man who has won her.
Because it was a moonlit night,
and David and I led the way.
We were climbing up the hill
on our hands and feet,
and when we got to the top,
we found the Hittites
and the Ammonites
facing us on either side
of the valley.
I urged David to turn back,
but he said,
"God will deliver them
into our hands. "
Hear how he warbles in praise
of the cuckoo bird.
What cuckoo bird?
He who has fed from my table
and now lies with my daughter.
He has robbed me of my God,
my people,
even my children.
What else can he take
but my crown?
That's a lie.
So long as David lives,
neither I nor you
nor the throne
shall be safe.
What proof do you have
of such an accusation?
Did Samuel anoint
your brother?
The prophet blessed him,
My Lord.
David has done
nothing wrong, Father.
You cannot harm an innocent man.
Samuel
anointed him in my place!
David!
The boy I-I trusted
and loved as my own son.
Then be glad of it!
Give thanks that the future
of Israel belongs
to a man worthy of your love.
Where have you hidden him?
I don't know where he is.
Don't lie to me!
When I awoke, he was gone.
Shammah.
That's the important thing.
Who cares about her mother, eh?
Find David ben Jesse!
We must wait until light.
Get horses!
Find David ben Jesse!
Jabus, you look
in the storage room!
You go to the south tower!
North tower!
David,
you must go at once
to the sanctuary at Nob.
Ask for the high priest,
Ahimelech
and show him this.
Come with me.
I cannot.
But we have a covenant
to friendship between us.
What of the covenant of honor
between a father and his son?
I would lay down my life
for you willingly,
but I will not break faith
with my father,
as I will not
break faith with you.
Forgive me.
You have the love of one
far greater than I
to care for you.
My father has no one.
May the Lord be with you.
May His light shine
within your heart...
even as you shine within mine.
"So Jacob was alone,
"and a man struggled
with him there until daybreak,
"and the man said, 'Let me go,
the day is breaking. '
"But Jacob replied,
"'I will not go,
unless you tell me your name. '
"And the man said,
'Why do you ask my name?
"'I am that I am.
"That is who I am. '
"And so Jacob called the place
Peniel, which means,
"'The Face of God'
"'because,' he said,
"'I have seen God face to face
and my life has been spared. "'
Were Moses and Jacob
the only men
to have seen him face to face?
Even Abraham was denied
the supreme revelation.
Then why did God choose Jacob?
Why has he chosen you?
God may have created man
in his own image and likeness,
but he has denied us
all understanding
of his purpose.
I knew Him once.
As a boy, I could feel
His presence all around me.
If only I, too, could see Him.
Are you aware of the presence
that you're in?
The Ark of the Covenant.
None but a priest
may gaze upon it.
The Ten Commandments
lie within,
written on tablets of stone
by the finger of God Himself.
Why is it kept here?
It should be enthroned on high,
not hidden away like this.
For 250 years,
it has awaited such a home.
Then hear, O Lord,
the vow of Thy servant, David.
When once my feet
have found their rest,
I will give no sleep to my eyes
until I have built
a temple for the Lord.
A dwelling place
for the mighty one of Jacob.
Shammah.
Prince Jonathan says that...
Who are you?
I am the high priest Ahimelech.
Where is the guardian
of the Ark?
He's at his station
in the cavern.
Prince Jonathan
says the guardian
sent word to the king
that you are here.
Joab and our brothers
have escaped
to the caves of Adullam.
Stand before the Ark.
Now swear to me,
in the sight of God,
that you have not
betrayed our guest.
Showbread. The law forbids
anyone but a priest
to partake of it,
may God forgive us both.
This I return to you
with a clear conscience.
Goliath's sword.
It was sent here
for safekeeping.
David!
May the Lord bless you
for your kindness.
And protect you, my son.
We must bar the gates.
No, we have no one to hide.
It is good to give thanks
to the Lord
Whose love endures forever
Declare it, people of Israel
For His love endures forever
Give thanks to the God of gods
For His love endures forever
He made the great lights
His love endures forever
A sun to rule by day...
Silence!
Where is David ben Jesse?
I do not know.
You are lying.
A priest does not lie.
He was here, was he not?
He was here.
When did he leave?
Some time ago.
In what direction did he go?
I did not see.
The guardian of the Ark,
My Lord-
he will know.
Where is the guardian?
He, too, is no longer with us.
Abner.
I want these priests killed
one by one until their
high priest changes his mind.
Then the killing will stop.
No soldier
would carry out such an order.
These priests...
are maggots!
In carrion!
Fattening themselves
on the offerings
people give to the Lord!
They are traitors,
every one of them!
And so is any soldier
who refuses to obey
the king's command.
You.
I cannot.
You!
No, Father!
Will no one obey the king?
I will, My Lord.
It takes a gentile to obey.
It is good
To give thanks
To the Lord
His love endures forever
He brought Israel out of Egypt
His love endures forever
No king shall bring Him low
His love endures forever
No enemy shall strike
Him down
His love endures forever
For the
Lord has sworn
To His servant
David...
His love for him endures...
forever.
And it came to pass
that David remained in
the wilderness for six years,
where Saul sought him
day after day.
Everyone that was in distress,
everyone that was in debt,
and everyone
that was discontented
gathered themselves unto him.
David took unto himself
three wives:
Abigail, Ahinoam and Maacah.
Ahinoam bore David a firstborn,
whom he called Amnon,
and Maacah bore him
a second son,
whom he called Absalom.
And David loved Absalom
with all his heart.
Oh, Lord God of all Israel,
King of the universe,
we have circumcised the flesh
of this child
Absalom ben David,
that he may enter into
the covenant of Abraham.
Oh, Lord, God of our fathers,
preserve this child.
And, even as he is entered
into the covenant,
so may he enter into the law,
the nuptial grace,
and into good deeds.
David.
David.
Where's Saul?
In the cave.
Abner and his men
are in there, too.
We must move the women
and children at once.
They'll move against us
at daybreak.
Where are you going?
To visit Saul.
David.
David! Don't be a fool.
Saul hasn't come to talk;
he's come to kill.
The Lord did not anoint me
to die at the hand of Saul.
My Lord, the day
has broken.
He was here.
He was here.
Who?
David.
That's not possible, My Lord.
- I guarded you...
- He was here!
He was very close.
I felt him.
I'm so stiff I can hardly move.
Have the scouts found David?
They think they're in the cave.
Saul!
Can you not answer me, Saul?
Who are you, David ben Jesse,
to shout down at
the King of Israel?
Who are you, Abner ben Ner,
to call yourself commander
in the king's army?
Why did you not keep watch
over my lord the king
while he slept?
Where is the king's sword
that was by his side?
Here is the king's sword!
In the hands of a man
he calls his enemy.
A lie!
The Lord delivered you
into my hands,
and I spared your life.
David...
my son...
may the Lord bless you.
Let all Israel witness
how the king loves David.
He has held my life
precious this day.
Put up your arms.
We return to Gibeah.
But he's in our palm, My Lord.
Abner...
The king... has spoken.
He'll be back.
I know.
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
My master wishes to see Akiss,
Lord of the Philistines.
He is Israelite?
He is mad.
Therefore Israelite.
My master has a message
for the king.
From who?
God.
I apologize for the necessity
of your performance,
but in our country,
madmen are held to be sacred.
Grasp that and you
have perhaps grasped
the very essence of religion.
Another Samson?
My son Absalom.
Hmm.
Absalom.
I would be obliged
if you were to keep well away
from those pillars, hmm?
Youth is no barrier to strength,
as you yourself
so ably demonstrated, David.
God's victory, not mine.
I was but the means to His end.
Of Goliath, perhaps.
It's the motive of your God
that seems less clear.
If he can deliver you
of a giant,
why can he not free you of Saul?
If you will grant us refuge,
he will have done so.
What about the God
in whose temple you stand?
Will not Dagon deserve some...
measure of thanks?
Hmm?
It's you who will have
good cause to thank him,
for we shall be yours to command
against any enemy
you choose to name.
Except Saul, of course.
I will not raise my hand against
the Lord's anointed king.
He's very ready to raise
his hand against you, hmm?
He could no sooner
rid himself of me
than I could ever
bring myself to kill him.
To love one's enemy
is a fine sentiment,
but for a poet, not for a king.
Very well.
We'll grant you Ziklag
as a place of refuge...
but in addition to the services
of your men,
we want a sworn undertaking
from you
that once you become king
in Israel,
you will renounce all claims
to Philistine lands.
Respect what is ours,
and we shall keep faith
with you.
I refer to the so-called, uh...
promised land.
Did not your God promise Moses-
or was it Abraham?-
all the lands between
the Lebanon and Egypt?
Between the Syrian wilderness
and the western sea?
The land of the Hittites,
the Jebuzites, the Amurites...
and, uh, need I add,
the Philistines, hmm?
What God chooses to give,
we cannot refuse.
The law of Moses is not renowned
for its impartiality
towards heathen races,
hmm?
The law of David shall
deal justly with all men,
Hebrew and heathen alike.
On that, I give you
my solemn oath.
The Lord of Hosts
is the God of Israel!
If you leave the promised land,
you will be placing yourself
beyond the bounds
of His divine protection
and into the mercy
of heathen gods.
We've been hounded
out of every cesspit
and rat hole
in the promised land.
Is that your idea of protection?
By whose shield
have you been guarded
thus far?
And by what miracle
have you survived
every onslaught if not for
the grace of the Lord Himself?
You're right.
And yet
will His sun be less warm,
His wind less cool...
across this border?
Go, then.
And may the Lord be with you,
for I cannot.
Hi-yo.
David dwelt in the country
of the Philistines
a full year and four months,
so that Akiss said,
"He shall be
my servant forever. "
And it came to pass
that the Philistines
sent word to Saul
challenging the men of Israel
to battle at Mount Gilboa.
My Lord, I honestly
beg you to reconsider.
The Philistines outnumber us
by 20,000 men.
Let us withdraw now
while we still have the chance.
Still tarnished.
Polish again, again.
David is not
among the enemy, Father.
It's not your honor
that's at stake.
It's the lives of our men.
I will ride out
against the Philistines.
If I ride alone...
so be it.
The prophet Nathan
is ready to offer
the sacrifice, My Lord.
There will be no sacrifice.
It's still tarnished
at the bottom. Polish.
More, more, more.
Father, our men will not fight
without the blessing
of the prophet.
Rouse yourselves in anger!
Lord God of vengeance!
Lay nations at our feet!
Lord God of vengeance!
Whet your flashing swords!
Lord God of vengeance!
Make your arrows
drunk with blood!
Lord God of vengeance!
There will be no sacrifice!
My Lord...
I am your sacrifice.
This day, you will surely die.
Then my prayer
will be answered at last.
The Lord scorns your prayers.
He has utterly rejected you.
And Samuel, too.
And Abraham and Isaac...
and Jacob!
Even David will be
forsaken at the end,
for in death, we are all
cut off from God's care.
What purpose, then,
in-in serving Him?
He wrestles with man
for the nighttime of his life,
but at daybreak, He is gone.
Gone.
Father?
Huh?
Who marches
with the king?!
Who marches with the king...
and his son?!
I march with
the king and his son!
And his sons!
The sword of the Lord,
and of Saul!
The beauty of Israel
is slain upon its high places.
How are the mighty fallen.
You mountains of Gilboa,
let their be no dew
or rain upon you,
for there the life of Jonathan
is vilely cast away.
From the blood of the slain,
the bow of Jonathan
held not back,
and the sword of Saul
returned not empty.
In life and in their death,
they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles,
stronger than lions.
You daughters of Israel,
weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet
and ornaments of gold.
My brother Jonathan,
thy love to me was wonderful.
How are the mighty fallen
and the weapons of war perished.
This is the word
of the Lord of Hosts.
I took you from the pastures
and from following the sheep
to be prince
over My people, Israel.
I have been with you
wherever you have gone
and have destroyed
all the enemies in your path.
I will make you a great name
among the great ones
of the earth,
and will assign a place
for My people in Israel.
There I will plant them,
and they shall dwell
in their own land.
Why am I brought before you?
Does a husband not
have the right
to enjoy the company
of his wife?
My husband is
Paltiel ben Laish.
The king knows that
well enough.
I am your husband.
Your first and only husband
in the eyes of God.
I've never loved another woman
as I once loved you.
If you truly cared for me,
you would let me go home
to the man that I love.
You have many wives,
but he has only me.
But I need you.
Indeed you do, My Lord,
as a symbol of unity
between the house of David
and the house of my father.
I'm nothing more to you
than a political necessity.
Today, all of Israel
praised the Lord,
except you.
By your absence,
you insult both your
God and your king.
I saw no king.
I saw only a dancing man,
flaunting his nakedness
in the sight of every
- common whore in the city.
- In the sight of God,
who created man in the
perfection of His own image.
So your search is over.
What search?
Behold.
The king of glory.
Face to face.
Your other women are better able
to flatter your vanity than I.
A love untouched by human care.
A love that endures forever.
He who has saved us
from our enemies,
who has delivered Jerusalem
into our hands.
How have we repaid him?
By rewarding ourselves alone
with the wealth
He has bestowed upon us.
Now I, too, am guilty,
for here I live
in a palace of cedar,
while the Ark of God
is housed in a tent.
How then can we demonstrate
our love for him?
I will tell you how.
By building him this- a great
and glorious temple!
Here on this holy hill of Zion,
in which His sacred presence
may abide forevermore.
Is there a man among you,
indeed, is there a man
in this nation
who would not gladly give
one tenth
of his God-given wealth
to such an endeavor?
Has the Lord considered
my request?
God is not a man that
He should gird himself about
with the trappings of kingship.
If He desired
that the Ark reside
in a temple instead of a tent,
would He not have commanded
Moses to build Him one?
Perhaps He didn't consider
was either the time or place
for such a venture.
The tent was intended
as a symbol of simplicity
and humility,
the two virtues
you seem to have forsaken.
Let the Lord be my judge.
When will you bring me
His answer?
When you have first
carried out the task
you were chosen to perform-
destroy the heathen nations
that occupy our lands.
Have I not already done so?
Their armies but not
their inhabitants.
The law of Moses commands
that not a single living
thing be left alive.
I don't believe God's kingdom
can be brought about
by the slaughter
of women and children.
Who are you
to question His laws?
A man after God's own heart.
God gave the law unto Moses
face to face.
Absalom.
Now, it came to pass
that Maacah bore David
a daughter...
Absalom.
...that he called Tamar.
And Amnon, his first born,
was sick with love for her.
Where's Absalom?
Am I my brother's keeper?
Half-brother.
Let go!
Stand back, stand back.
I have a petition!
Father!
Absalom.
My Lord, my petition!
Have you some grievance
against me?
On behalf of one of
your subjects, Father.
Has he a good case?
He has an excellent case.
My niece awaits your presence
in the throne room.
Who?
Why, Bathsheba, My Lord.
The petition, Father.
Will you read it?
Your Excellency!
My Lord!
Perhaps you and Absalom
would care to consider
the other petitions
until my return.
Certainly, My Lord.
Shall we begin, My Prince?
Guards...
Silence!
By his command, I am authorized
to dispense his subjects.
No petitioners.
That's all.
I've seen you once before.
I know.
My Lord, I am married.
To Captain Uriah,
an alien... Hittite.
He is still my husband.
How long have you
been married to Uriah?
Five years, My Lord.
And yet you have no children?
He scorns to lie with me.
He refuses even to touch me,
except with a whip.
He shall be punished.
Woman has no redress
against her husband, My Lord.
I can endure the pain,
but where is the child
for whom I have suffered?
You shall have him.
No, My Lord.
Not while my husband lives.
Deliver this to Captain Joab.
Yes, My Lord.
Uriah.
See that Joab receives it
in person.
Yes, My Lord.
And the messenger said
to David,
"The bowmen upon the walls
of Akron fired their arrows
"at your servants.
"Among the dead is Uriah,
the Hittite,
"who had been placed
in the forefront
of the attack. "
David said, "Who knows
where the Angel of Death
will strike?"
He'll marry me.
He said so.
Who? Who said so?
Who did this thing?
- Your brother, Amnon.
- Half-brother.
Half-brother, half-brother.
Half-brother marry half-sister.
He will marry me.
Oh...
Absalom.
Forgive me, Father.
"Wherever hurt is done,
you shall show no mercy.
"You shall take eye for eye,
tooth for tooth,
"hand for hand,
"burn for burn,
"wound for wound,
"stripe for stripe,
life for life. "
Prince Absalom must die.
The law has long recognized
a brother's right
to avenge his sister's death.
But the princess is alive.
She...
She is dead.
Both here and here.
Now, the king's sentence-
Prince Absalom shall be banished
to our estates in Hebron,
there to live
in permanent exile.
May the Lord be with you.
May His light shine
within your heart,
even as you shine within mine.
Save me, O God,
for the waters are coming
unto my soul.
I sink in deep mire
where there is no standing.
I am come into deep waters
where the floods overflow me.
I am weary of my crying.
My throat is dry.
My eyes fail
while I wait for my God.
I have become a stranger
unto my children.
I would much value
your judgment on a matter.
Since when have you
ever valued my judgment?
Have your powers of divination
forsaken you?
It is a civil petition, David,
concerning a wealthy merchant
and one of his servants.
The, uh, merchant is a man
of... great prominence
who owns large flocks and herds.
But the servant
on whose behalf I speak
owned nothing
but one small ewe lamb.
He had reared it himself,
and it grew up in his own home.
Indeed, it was
as an only child to him.
It ate from his dish,
drank from his cup, and...
even slept in his arms.
Not long ago,
a traveler came
to the merchant's house
to dine with him...
but the merchant was too selfish
to take a sheep
from his own flock to serve
before his guests, so...
he took his servant's lamb,
and killed it,
and served that instead.
As the Lord lives,
the man who did this
deserves to die.
Thou art the man.
This is the word
of the Lord, thy God:
"I anointed you king
over Israel
and gave you the daughters
of Israel for your own.
I have blessed you
with honor and glory.
I have given you
silver and gold,
and the peculiar treasures
of kings.
Why, then,
did you murder my servant Uriah
and take his wife-
his only wife- to be your own?"
Do with me what You will, Lord,
only do not take her from me.
You shall not die...
nor shall the wife of Uriah
be taken from you,
but as a punishment
for your great sin,
the first child born to you
shall not survive,
and you will never again
have rest from the sword.
Wash away my guilt,
cleanse me of my sin.
Wash me,
that I may become
whiter than snow.
And the first child
of David and Bathsheba
lived only seven days.
Then Bathsheba bore
a second child- a son-
and the Lord loved him.
The prophet Nathan
has made it known
that the Lord has chosen Solomon
to be your heir.
Might I therefore
urge you to name him so?
Prince Absalom is my oldest son.
But, My Lord, Absalom
is not only in exile...
Let the king's wish
prevail, Ahitophel.
Is he not a fine looking son?
Solomon found favor
in the sight of David,
but his love remained bound
to Absalom,
and his heart went out to him
in longings...
and Absalom remained in exile
for three years.
Everyone that was in distress,
everyone that was in debt,
and everyone
that was discontented
gathered themselves unto him.
It makes no difference
how good a man's case is.
He will receive no audience
with the king
unless he can bribe his way
into his presence,
and even if he does,
that will not help his cause,
for the king's judgment
means nothing
without the approval
of Uriah's widow, Bathsheba.
If only I were made a judge
in the land,
I would see that everyone
who brought a petition
received justice!
Promise?
I think all the pillars
should be octagonal
like this one, instead of round,
like that one.
What do you think?
Every day, he stands
in the marketplace
preaching to the people,
stealing their affections.
Well?
Um... that one.
The round ones?
The rabble are flocking
to his side, David.
Some say he's planning
a rebellion.
Why?
I would've thought
that was obvious!
Why do you prefer
the round ones?
David, listen to me!
Absalom is a traitor
who must be dealt with...
Absalom is my son!
Any man who dares to call
the king's son a traitor
without the evidence
to support such a claim
shall himself meet the
fate of a traitor...
by my own hand!
I am giving you the evidence.
"Some say" is not evidence.
On the morning of the Passover,
your father
will publicly proclaim
Prince Solomon
as heir to the throne
of Israel.
He swore to me
as long as I'd live
he'd never name another.
His promises mean nothing.
You once loved him.
Why have you turned
against him?
How many men can he muster?
Because I love my king
beyond all others...
and it breaks my heart...
Your love blinds you, my friend.
There are a thousand supporters
in Jerusalem alone-
more than sufficient
for the task.
Strike now, my prince...
or regret it
for the rest of your life.
Who is Absalom, Father?
A boy who was once like you.
Is he your enemy?
Perhaps I am his,
but he could never be mine.
Jerusalem!
For the sword
of the Lord
and for David!
Ho.
Turn back!
Keep firing!
Ya!
Ya!
Ya!
Ya! Ya!
My Lord!
My Lord!
Is the young man Absalom safe?
All praise be to God,
for he has this day
delivered you
from all those that
rose up against you!
Is the young man Absalom safe?!
May all the enemies of my lord
be as that young man is.
All praise be to God!
Oh, my son.
My son.
Absalom, my son.
Oh, my son.
Oh, my son, Absalom.
Would God I had died for you!
My son.
My son, my son.
Why does the king
lie in the dust
like a beggar at his own gate?
Why do you weep for your enemies
and scorn those who serve you?
When will you learn
to obey the Lord your God
instead of your emotions?
He has forsaken me.
David, it is you
who have forsaken Him.
You have continuously
disobeyed His laws,
and have stubbornly
presumed to know His will
better than we, his prophets.
I am beyond care.
I'll go to my grave
mourning for my son.
I shall go to him,
but he shall never
come back to me.
You have your will of me.
So be it.
Fear the Lord, and serve Him
in truth with all your heart.
Consider the great things
He has done for you.
And behold, it came to pass
that David sinned no more.
And the Lord smiled
upon His servant, David,
and strengthened his hand,
and gave him victory
over his enemies
wheresoever he went.
And David smote the Philistines
and conquered them,
and drove them into the sea.
And he went forth
and smote the Moabites
and the Ammonites
and the Edomites,
and put them all to the sword.
And David ruled over
the kingdom of Israel
for 40 years, and he was
a lamp unto his people
like the light of the sun.
And when David was old
and stricken in years,
he caused the prophet Nathan
to anoint Solomon, his son,
king over Israel.
Mark this above all.
Be guided by the instincts
of your own heart,
no matter what
the prophets tell you,
for it is through the heart,
and the heart alone,
that God speaks to man.
Must you record
every word I utter?
It's for "The Book of Samuel,"
My Lord.
You ordered it yourself.
May the Lord bless you.
May His light
shine within your heart,
even as you shine
within mine.
I'm waiting, Lord.
Hide Your face no more.
between Edom and Gereh
to be given to Israel,
together with a ransom
of 100,000 shekels.
The prophet Samuel wishes
to speak with Saul.
He cannot speak with him now.
The king is engaged
in the affairs of state.
Since when have
the affairs of state
taken precedence
over the affairs of God?
Samuel.
We welcome you.
With God's blessing, our victory
is complete.
Is this how you show
Him your gratitude-
by robbing the Amalechites
of their women and cattle,
and holding their king
in chains?
We were... discussing
a possible treaty.
The king is to be ransomed...
A treaty?
Ransom?!
Saul, for this
you have betrayed your own soul
in the sight of God.
His instructions
were plain enough.
He said, "I am resolved
to blot out these heathen
"from the face of the land,
for I am a jealous God,
"and I abhor
their abominable practices.
"Therefore, send for My servant,
"Saul...
"and tell him to fall
upon the Amalechites
"and utterly destroy them.
"Put them all to death.
"Men and women, children,
babes in arms, sheep and cattle.
Spare nothing from the sword. "
Nothing.
When our tribes
clamored for a king,
to make us like other nations,
I answered them,
"We are not like other nations.
The Lord of Hosts
is both our God and our King. "
The people said,
"We want a king we can see.
We want a king
of our own flesh and blood. "
Here are your kings
of flesh and blood.
Here is a king you can see.
I have sinned.
Saul, I weep in the dark
for you.
Forgive me.
I beg of you!
Even so has the Lord torn
the kingdom of Israel
from the house of Saul.
Soon, he shall
give it to another-
a man after his own heart,
and a worthier man than you.
"And the Lord said to Samuel,
'Do not mourn for Saul.
"'Fill your horn with oil,
for I am sending you
to Jesse of Bethlehem. "'
Blessings be upon you, Jesse.
On this day
shall the Lord God of Israel
choose Himself a king
from among your sons.
But... but Saul is our king.
God is not a man
that He should deceive you.
Which of my sons must it be?
My first son, Eliab.
The Lord does not see
as man sees.
Men judge by
outward appearances,
but the Lord judges
by the heart alone.
My second son, Abinadab.
My third son, Shammah.
The Lord has chosen
none of these men.
Have you no other sons?
David.
You kneel before me
as the shepherd
of your father's flock,
but God has chosen you...
to be the shepherd
of His people Israel,
to unite His
scattered tribes
into one nation...
and to send the heathen
from His promised land.
My brothers are all soldiers.
Why not choose one of them?
It was not I who chose you.
It was the Lord God of Israel.
But I am the least
in my father's house.
You are a child
after God's own heart.
If I stand so well in His sight,
let Him command me face to face.
No man may see God face to face
and live.
God speaks to man through
the mouth of his prophet.
So be it.
When I have gone
the way of all flesh,
you shall be brought
before the king
by one of his sons.
Then shall the Lord
challenge you,
even as you
have challenged Him...
to defend His name
and His honor.
Have no fear, David.
The Lord shall not forsake you
so long as you keep His laws
and obey His prophets
without question.
There's no sense in waiting
any longer, My Lord.
Samuel will not come.
He will come.
No, My Lord, he's...
He will come!
Is Israel governed
by a king, Father,
or by the whim's
of a senile old prophet?
You cannot have the one
without the other.
And who's to say that Samuel
is not a false prophet?
If Samuel is a false prophet,
I'm a false king.
It was Samuel who anointed me,
even as he has rejected me.
The people still look to you
as their king, Father.
They have not rejected you.
The people will not fight
without Samuel's blessing.
Then at least permit me
to move them into position
while we await his arrival!
Abner's right, Father.
But what was his name?
The man who wrestled with me
until daybreak.
What man, My Lord?
It was only a dream, Father.
Well, if it was a dream,
send in my musician,
let me dream on.
Where is Samuel?
These are the last words
of the prophet Samuel.
"Tell Saul to lead
the people out
"against the Philistines
"and the Lord
shall deliver them
"into their hands,
"for though
He has rejected Saul,
He will not forsake
His people Israel. "
Samuel is dead?
He is, My Lord.
His soul rests at peace.
The Levite Nathan
will perform...
Peace?
You talk to me of peace?
Dear God, my God,
why have You forsaken me?
David!
You're David?
I'm Jonathan, son of Saul.
Your cousin Joab tells us
you're a fine singer.
You've come
to bring me to the king.
How do you know?
The prophet Samuel is dead,
isn't he?
Who told you?
David.
What are you doing here?
Who's minding Father's sheep?
I know, you've just come
to watch the battle.
What are you doing here?
Father.
I've brought the boy, Father.
Have you seen Him?
Face to face?
I saw Him... once.
He smiled on me, too.
But at daybreak...
He was gone.
The Lord
Is my shepherd
I shall not want
He lies me down
In green pastures
He leads me beside still waters
He restores my soul.
Slaves of a nameless God,
once again I bring you
the challenge
of Goliath of Goth,
champion of the Philistines.
Where is your faith in your god?
Where is your trust
in his protection?
You boast
that he can move mountains,
and yet, he cannot move
one man among you
to defend his honor.
Six times have we challenged you
to put forward a champion,
and six times
have you cowered in silence.
Send down a champion,
and whoever wins the combat
wins the day
for his country and his god.
Well, Israelites,
what is your answer?
Then let all the world
bear witness.
There is no god in Israel!
Yea, though I walk
Through the valley
of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
For Thou art with me.
Goliath?
He will feed your flesh
to the fowls of the air
and the beasts of the field.
So be it, Lord.
So be it!
An entire army at my command.
It takes a shepherd boy
to wipe out our disgrace.
He's given us back our pride.
From that day,
David did not return
to his father's house
but remained with Saul
at Kabeir,
where he served in the army
for ten years.
He fought so bravely
that Saul placed him
over his men of war.
Each victory was greeted
with exultation
in the sight of all the people.
David!
David!
Saul has killed his thousands,
and David
his tens of thousands! David!
Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands!
Saul has killed his thousands...
May the Lord bless you
and keep you.
May the Lord lift up the light
of His face toward you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up His face
towards you and give you peace.
From this day forth...
no man shall cover thee but me.
It was I
who taught him the harp.
Ah, but it was I who
taught him to use a sling.
Father taught him both.
Didn't you, Father?
Any man can teach,
but David's gifts
are the gifts of God.
There he goes again.
David's a man
after God's own heart,
isn't he, Father?
Is it true
that he once killed a lion?
With his own bare hands.
Which were tied
behind his back, no doubt.
Yes. And with a blindfold.
David's a man after
God's own heart, you see.
That's what the prophet said,
wasn't it, Father?
Did I please you, My Lord?
You only have to smile,
and I am pleased.
Did I smile... My Lord?
My name is David.
Ah, forgive me.
The confusion is easily made.
By whom?
The people worship you
as their god.
While as for Jonathan...
He loves me as a brother.
As I love him.
And his sister?
Hm?
The resemblance is marked.
But I suspect
it's only skin deep.
Then why did you marry me?
You're my prize
for Goliath's head.
Was that your only reason?
Is love not reason enough?
You scarcely know me.
Your mystery overwhelms me.
And my beauty.
Plus your modesty.
Uh.
A king's daughter
has cause to be proud.
As does the man who has won her.
Because it was a moonlit night,
and David and I led the way.
We were climbing up the hill
on our hands and feet,
and when we got to the top,
we found the Hittites
and the Ammonites
facing us on either side
of the valley.
I urged David to turn back,
but he said,
"God will deliver them
into our hands. "
Hear how he warbles in praise
of the cuckoo bird.
What cuckoo bird?
He who has fed from my table
and now lies with my daughter.
He has robbed me of my God,
my people,
even my children.
What else can he take
but my crown?
That's a lie.
So long as David lives,
neither I nor you
nor the throne
shall be safe.
What proof do you have
of such an accusation?
Did Samuel anoint
your brother?
The prophet blessed him,
My Lord.
David has done
nothing wrong, Father.
You cannot harm an innocent man.
Samuel
anointed him in my place!
David!
The boy I-I trusted
and loved as my own son.
Then be glad of it!
Give thanks that the future
of Israel belongs
to a man worthy of your love.
Where have you hidden him?
I don't know where he is.
Don't lie to me!
When I awoke, he was gone.
Shammah.
That's the important thing.
Who cares about her mother, eh?
Find David ben Jesse!
We must wait until light.
Get horses!
Find David ben Jesse!
Jabus, you look
in the storage room!
You go to the south tower!
North tower!
David,
you must go at once
to the sanctuary at Nob.
Ask for the high priest,
Ahimelech
and show him this.
Come with me.
I cannot.
But we have a covenant
to friendship between us.
What of the covenant of honor
between a father and his son?
I would lay down my life
for you willingly,
but I will not break faith
with my father,
as I will not
break faith with you.
Forgive me.
You have the love of one
far greater than I
to care for you.
My father has no one.
May the Lord be with you.
May His light shine
within your heart...
even as you shine within mine.
"So Jacob was alone,
"and a man struggled
with him there until daybreak,
"and the man said, 'Let me go,
the day is breaking. '
"But Jacob replied,
"'I will not go,
unless you tell me your name. '
"And the man said,
'Why do you ask my name?
"'I am that I am.
"That is who I am. '
"And so Jacob called the place
Peniel, which means,
"'The Face of God'
"'because,' he said,
"'I have seen God face to face
and my life has been spared. "'
Were Moses and Jacob
the only men
to have seen him face to face?
Even Abraham was denied
the supreme revelation.
Then why did God choose Jacob?
Why has he chosen you?
God may have created man
in his own image and likeness,
but he has denied us
all understanding
of his purpose.
I knew Him once.
As a boy, I could feel
His presence all around me.
If only I, too, could see Him.
Are you aware of the presence
that you're in?
The Ark of the Covenant.
None but a priest
may gaze upon it.
The Ten Commandments
lie within,
written on tablets of stone
by the finger of God Himself.
Why is it kept here?
It should be enthroned on high,
not hidden away like this.
For 250 years,
it has awaited such a home.
Then hear, O Lord,
the vow of Thy servant, David.
When once my feet
have found their rest,
I will give no sleep to my eyes
until I have built
a temple for the Lord.
A dwelling place
for the mighty one of Jacob.
Shammah.
Prince Jonathan says that...
Who are you?
I am the high priest Ahimelech.
Where is the guardian
of the Ark?
He's at his station
in the cavern.
Prince Jonathan
says the guardian
sent word to the king
that you are here.
Joab and our brothers
have escaped
to the caves of Adullam.
Stand before the Ark.
Now swear to me,
in the sight of God,
that you have not
betrayed our guest.
Showbread. The law forbids
anyone but a priest
to partake of it,
may God forgive us both.
This I return to you
with a clear conscience.
Goliath's sword.
It was sent here
for safekeeping.
David!
May the Lord bless you
for your kindness.
And protect you, my son.
We must bar the gates.
No, we have no one to hide.
It is good to give thanks
to the Lord
Whose love endures forever
Declare it, people of Israel
For His love endures forever
Give thanks to the God of gods
For His love endures forever
He made the great lights
His love endures forever
A sun to rule by day...
Silence!
Where is David ben Jesse?
I do not know.
You are lying.
A priest does not lie.
He was here, was he not?
He was here.
When did he leave?
Some time ago.
In what direction did he go?
I did not see.
The guardian of the Ark,
My Lord-
he will know.
Where is the guardian?
He, too, is no longer with us.
Abner.
I want these priests killed
one by one until their
high priest changes his mind.
Then the killing will stop.
No soldier
would carry out such an order.
These priests...
are maggots!
In carrion!
Fattening themselves
on the offerings
people give to the Lord!
They are traitors,
every one of them!
And so is any soldier
who refuses to obey
the king's command.
You.
I cannot.
You!
No, Father!
Will no one obey the king?
I will, My Lord.
It takes a gentile to obey.
It is good
To give thanks
To the Lord
His love endures forever
He brought Israel out of Egypt
His love endures forever
No king shall bring Him low
His love endures forever
No enemy shall strike
Him down
His love endures forever
For the
Lord has sworn
To His servant
David...
His love for him endures...
forever.
And it came to pass
that David remained in
the wilderness for six years,
where Saul sought him
day after day.
Everyone that was in distress,
everyone that was in debt,
and everyone
that was discontented
gathered themselves unto him.
David took unto himself
three wives:
Abigail, Ahinoam and Maacah.
Ahinoam bore David a firstborn,
whom he called Amnon,
and Maacah bore him
a second son,
whom he called Absalom.
And David loved Absalom
with all his heart.
Oh, Lord God of all Israel,
King of the universe,
we have circumcised the flesh
of this child
Absalom ben David,
that he may enter into
the covenant of Abraham.
Oh, Lord, God of our fathers,
preserve this child.
And, even as he is entered
into the covenant,
so may he enter into the law,
the nuptial grace,
and into good deeds.
David.
David.
Where's Saul?
In the cave.
Abner and his men
are in there, too.
We must move the women
and children at once.
They'll move against us
at daybreak.
Where are you going?
To visit Saul.
David.
David! Don't be a fool.
Saul hasn't come to talk;
he's come to kill.
The Lord did not anoint me
to die at the hand of Saul.
My Lord, the day
has broken.
He was here.
He was here.
Who?
David.
That's not possible, My Lord.
- I guarded you...
- He was here!
He was very close.
I felt him.
I'm so stiff I can hardly move.
Have the scouts found David?
They think they're in the cave.
Saul!
Can you not answer me, Saul?
Who are you, David ben Jesse,
to shout down at
the King of Israel?
Who are you, Abner ben Ner,
to call yourself commander
in the king's army?
Why did you not keep watch
over my lord the king
while he slept?
Where is the king's sword
that was by his side?
Here is the king's sword!
In the hands of a man
he calls his enemy.
A lie!
The Lord delivered you
into my hands,
and I spared your life.
David...
my son...
may the Lord bless you.
Let all Israel witness
how the king loves David.
He has held my life
precious this day.
Put up your arms.
We return to Gibeah.
But he's in our palm, My Lord.
Abner...
The king... has spoken.
He'll be back.
I know.
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
Make way for the man!
Make way for the blind!
My master wishes to see Akiss,
Lord of the Philistines.
He is Israelite?
He is mad.
Therefore Israelite.
My master has a message
for the king.
From who?
God.
I apologize for the necessity
of your performance,
but in our country,
madmen are held to be sacred.
Grasp that and you
have perhaps grasped
the very essence of religion.
Another Samson?
My son Absalom.
Hmm.
Absalom.
I would be obliged
if you were to keep well away
from those pillars, hmm?
Youth is no barrier to strength,
as you yourself
so ably demonstrated, David.
God's victory, not mine.
I was but the means to His end.
Of Goliath, perhaps.
It's the motive of your God
that seems less clear.
If he can deliver you
of a giant,
why can he not free you of Saul?
If you will grant us refuge,
he will have done so.
What about the God
in whose temple you stand?
Will not Dagon deserve some...
measure of thanks?
Hmm?
It's you who will have
good cause to thank him,
for we shall be yours to command
against any enemy
you choose to name.
Except Saul, of course.
I will not raise my hand against
the Lord's anointed king.
He's very ready to raise
his hand against you, hmm?
He could no sooner
rid himself of me
than I could ever
bring myself to kill him.
To love one's enemy
is a fine sentiment,
but for a poet, not for a king.
Very well.
We'll grant you Ziklag
as a place of refuge...
but in addition to the services
of your men,
we want a sworn undertaking
from you
that once you become king
in Israel,
you will renounce all claims
to Philistine lands.
Respect what is ours,
and we shall keep faith
with you.
I refer to the so-called, uh...
promised land.
Did not your God promise Moses-
or was it Abraham?-
all the lands between
the Lebanon and Egypt?
Between the Syrian wilderness
and the western sea?
The land of the Hittites,
the Jebuzites, the Amurites...
and, uh, need I add,
the Philistines, hmm?
What God chooses to give,
we cannot refuse.
The law of Moses is not renowned
for its impartiality
towards heathen races,
hmm?
The law of David shall
deal justly with all men,
Hebrew and heathen alike.
On that, I give you
my solemn oath.
The Lord of Hosts
is the God of Israel!
If you leave the promised land,
you will be placing yourself
beyond the bounds
of His divine protection
and into the mercy
of heathen gods.
We've been hounded
out of every cesspit
and rat hole
in the promised land.
Is that your idea of protection?
By whose shield
have you been guarded
thus far?
And by what miracle
have you survived
every onslaught if not for
the grace of the Lord Himself?
You're right.
And yet
will His sun be less warm,
His wind less cool...
across this border?
Go, then.
And may the Lord be with you,
for I cannot.
Hi-yo.
David dwelt in the country
of the Philistines
a full year and four months,
so that Akiss said,
"He shall be
my servant forever. "
And it came to pass
that the Philistines
sent word to Saul
challenging the men of Israel
to battle at Mount Gilboa.
My Lord, I honestly
beg you to reconsider.
The Philistines outnumber us
by 20,000 men.
Let us withdraw now
while we still have the chance.
Still tarnished.
Polish again, again.
David is not
among the enemy, Father.
It's not your honor
that's at stake.
It's the lives of our men.
I will ride out
against the Philistines.
If I ride alone...
so be it.
The prophet Nathan
is ready to offer
the sacrifice, My Lord.
There will be no sacrifice.
It's still tarnished
at the bottom. Polish.
More, more, more.
Father, our men will not fight
without the blessing
of the prophet.
Rouse yourselves in anger!
Lord God of vengeance!
Lay nations at our feet!
Lord God of vengeance!
Whet your flashing swords!
Lord God of vengeance!
Make your arrows
drunk with blood!
Lord God of vengeance!
There will be no sacrifice!
My Lord...
I am your sacrifice.
This day, you will surely die.
Then my prayer
will be answered at last.
The Lord scorns your prayers.
He has utterly rejected you.
And Samuel, too.
And Abraham and Isaac...
and Jacob!
Even David will be
forsaken at the end,
for in death, we are all
cut off from God's care.
What purpose, then,
in-in serving Him?
He wrestles with man
for the nighttime of his life,
but at daybreak, He is gone.
Gone.
Father?
Huh?
Who marches
with the king?!
Who marches with the king...
and his son?!
I march with
the king and his son!
And his sons!
The sword of the Lord,
and of Saul!
The beauty of Israel
is slain upon its high places.
How are the mighty fallen.
You mountains of Gilboa,
let their be no dew
or rain upon you,
for there the life of Jonathan
is vilely cast away.
From the blood of the slain,
the bow of Jonathan
held not back,
and the sword of Saul
returned not empty.
In life and in their death,
they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles,
stronger than lions.
You daughters of Israel,
weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet
and ornaments of gold.
My brother Jonathan,
thy love to me was wonderful.
How are the mighty fallen
and the weapons of war perished.
This is the word
of the Lord of Hosts.
I took you from the pastures
and from following the sheep
to be prince
over My people, Israel.
I have been with you
wherever you have gone
and have destroyed
all the enemies in your path.
I will make you a great name
among the great ones
of the earth,
and will assign a place
for My people in Israel.
There I will plant them,
and they shall dwell
in their own land.
Why am I brought before you?
Does a husband not
have the right
to enjoy the company
of his wife?
My husband is
Paltiel ben Laish.
The king knows that
well enough.
I am your husband.
Your first and only husband
in the eyes of God.
I've never loved another woman
as I once loved you.
If you truly cared for me,
you would let me go home
to the man that I love.
You have many wives,
but he has only me.
But I need you.
Indeed you do, My Lord,
as a symbol of unity
between the house of David
and the house of my father.
I'm nothing more to you
than a political necessity.
Today, all of Israel
praised the Lord,
except you.
By your absence,
you insult both your
God and your king.
I saw no king.
I saw only a dancing man,
flaunting his nakedness
in the sight of every
- common whore in the city.
- In the sight of God,
who created man in the
perfection of His own image.
So your search is over.
What search?
Behold.
The king of glory.
Face to face.
Your other women are better able
to flatter your vanity than I.
A love untouched by human care.
A love that endures forever.
He who has saved us
from our enemies,
who has delivered Jerusalem
into our hands.
How have we repaid him?
By rewarding ourselves alone
with the wealth
He has bestowed upon us.
Now I, too, am guilty,
for here I live
in a palace of cedar,
while the Ark of God
is housed in a tent.
How then can we demonstrate
our love for him?
I will tell you how.
By building him this- a great
and glorious temple!
Here on this holy hill of Zion,
in which His sacred presence
may abide forevermore.
Is there a man among you,
indeed, is there a man
in this nation
who would not gladly give
one tenth
of his God-given wealth
to such an endeavor?
Has the Lord considered
my request?
God is not a man that
He should gird himself about
with the trappings of kingship.
If He desired
that the Ark reside
in a temple instead of a tent,
would He not have commanded
Moses to build Him one?
Perhaps He didn't consider
was either the time or place
for such a venture.
The tent was intended
as a symbol of simplicity
and humility,
the two virtues
you seem to have forsaken.
Let the Lord be my judge.
When will you bring me
His answer?
When you have first
carried out the task
you were chosen to perform-
destroy the heathen nations
that occupy our lands.
Have I not already done so?
Their armies but not
their inhabitants.
The law of Moses commands
that not a single living
thing be left alive.
I don't believe God's kingdom
can be brought about
by the slaughter
of women and children.
Who are you
to question His laws?
A man after God's own heart.
God gave the law unto Moses
face to face.
Absalom.
Now, it came to pass
that Maacah bore David
a daughter...
Absalom.
...that he called Tamar.
And Amnon, his first born,
was sick with love for her.
Where's Absalom?
Am I my brother's keeper?
Half-brother.
Let go!
Stand back, stand back.
I have a petition!
Father!
Absalom.
My Lord, my petition!
Have you some grievance
against me?
On behalf of one of
your subjects, Father.
Has he a good case?
He has an excellent case.
My niece awaits your presence
in the throne room.
Who?
Why, Bathsheba, My Lord.
The petition, Father.
Will you read it?
Your Excellency!
My Lord!
Perhaps you and Absalom
would care to consider
the other petitions
until my return.
Certainly, My Lord.
Shall we begin, My Prince?
Guards...
Silence!
By his command, I am authorized
to dispense his subjects.
No petitioners.
That's all.
I've seen you once before.
I know.
My Lord, I am married.
To Captain Uriah,
an alien... Hittite.
He is still my husband.
How long have you
been married to Uriah?
Five years, My Lord.
And yet you have no children?
He scorns to lie with me.
He refuses even to touch me,
except with a whip.
He shall be punished.
Woman has no redress
against her husband, My Lord.
I can endure the pain,
but where is the child
for whom I have suffered?
You shall have him.
No, My Lord.
Not while my husband lives.
Deliver this to Captain Joab.
Yes, My Lord.
Uriah.
See that Joab receives it
in person.
Yes, My Lord.
And the messenger said
to David,
"The bowmen upon the walls
of Akron fired their arrows
"at your servants.
"Among the dead is Uriah,
the Hittite,
"who had been placed
in the forefront
of the attack. "
David said, "Who knows
where the Angel of Death
will strike?"
He'll marry me.
He said so.
Who? Who said so?
Who did this thing?
- Your brother, Amnon.
- Half-brother.
Half-brother, half-brother.
Half-brother marry half-sister.
He will marry me.
Oh...
Absalom.
Forgive me, Father.
"Wherever hurt is done,
you shall show no mercy.
"You shall take eye for eye,
tooth for tooth,
"hand for hand,
"burn for burn,
"wound for wound,
"stripe for stripe,
life for life. "
Prince Absalom must die.
The law has long recognized
a brother's right
to avenge his sister's death.
But the princess is alive.
She...
She is dead.
Both here and here.
Now, the king's sentence-
Prince Absalom shall be banished
to our estates in Hebron,
there to live
in permanent exile.
May the Lord be with you.
May His light shine
within your heart,
even as you shine within mine.
Save me, O God,
for the waters are coming
unto my soul.
I sink in deep mire
where there is no standing.
I am come into deep waters
where the floods overflow me.
I am weary of my crying.
My throat is dry.
My eyes fail
while I wait for my God.
I have become a stranger
unto my children.
I would much value
your judgment on a matter.
Since when have you
ever valued my judgment?
Have your powers of divination
forsaken you?
It is a civil petition, David,
concerning a wealthy merchant
and one of his servants.
The, uh, merchant is a man
of... great prominence
who owns large flocks and herds.
But the servant
on whose behalf I speak
owned nothing
but one small ewe lamb.
He had reared it himself,
and it grew up in his own home.
Indeed, it was
as an only child to him.
It ate from his dish,
drank from his cup, and...
even slept in his arms.
Not long ago,
a traveler came
to the merchant's house
to dine with him...
but the merchant was too selfish
to take a sheep
from his own flock to serve
before his guests, so...
he took his servant's lamb,
and killed it,
and served that instead.
As the Lord lives,
the man who did this
deserves to die.
Thou art the man.
This is the word
of the Lord, thy God:
"I anointed you king
over Israel
and gave you the daughters
of Israel for your own.
I have blessed you
with honor and glory.
I have given you
silver and gold,
and the peculiar treasures
of kings.
Why, then,
did you murder my servant Uriah
and take his wife-
his only wife- to be your own?"
Do with me what You will, Lord,
only do not take her from me.
You shall not die...
nor shall the wife of Uriah
be taken from you,
but as a punishment
for your great sin,
the first child born to you
shall not survive,
and you will never again
have rest from the sword.
Wash away my guilt,
cleanse me of my sin.
Wash me,
that I may become
whiter than snow.
And the first child
of David and Bathsheba
lived only seven days.
Then Bathsheba bore
a second child- a son-
and the Lord loved him.
The prophet Nathan
has made it known
that the Lord has chosen Solomon
to be your heir.
Might I therefore
urge you to name him so?
Prince Absalom is my oldest son.
But, My Lord, Absalom
is not only in exile...
Let the king's wish
prevail, Ahitophel.
Is he not a fine looking son?
Solomon found favor
in the sight of David,
but his love remained bound
to Absalom,
and his heart went out to him
in longings...
and Absalom remained in exile
for three years.
Everyone that was in distress,
everyone that was in debt,
and everyone
that was discontented
gathered themselves unto him.
It makes no difference
how good a man's case is.
He will receive no audience
with the king
unless he can bribe his way
into his presence,
and even if he does,
that will not help his cause,
for the king's judgment
means nothing
without the approval
of Uriah's widow, Bathsheba.
If only I were made a judge
in the land,
I would see that everyone
who brought a petition
received justice!
Promise?
I think all the pillars
should be octagonal
like this one, instead of round,
like that one.
What do you think?
Every day, he stands
in the marketplace
preaching to the people,
stealing their affections.
Well?
Um... that one.
The round ones?
The rabble are flocking
to his side, David.
Some say he's planning
a rebellion.
Why?
I would've thought
that was obvious!
Why do you prefer
the round ones?
David, listen to me!
Absalom is a traitor
who must be dealt with...
Absalom is my son!
Any man who dares to call
the king's son a traitor
without the evidence
to support such a claim
shall himself meet the
fate of a traitor...
by my own hand!
I am giving you the evidence.
"Some say" is not evidence.
On the morning of the Passover,
your father
will publicly proclaim
Prince Solomon
as heir to the throne
of Israel.
He swore to me
as long as I'd live
he'd never name another.
His promises mean nothing.
You once loved him.
Why have you turned
against him?
How many men can he muster?
Because I love my king
beyond all others...
and it breaks my heart...
Your love blinds you, my friend.
There are a thousand supporters
in Jerusalem alone-
more than sufficient
for the task.
Strike now, my prince...
or regret it
for the rest of your life.
Who is Absalom, Father?
A boy who was once like you.
Is he your enemy?
Perhaps I am his,
but he could never be mine.
Jerusalem!
For the sword
of the Lord
and for David!
Ho.
Turn back!
Keep firing!
Ya!
Ya!
Ya!
Ya! Ya!
My Lord!
My Lord!
Is the young man Absalom safe?
All praise be to God,
for he has this day
delivered you
from all those that
rose up against you!
Is the young man Absalom safe?!
May all the enemies of my lord
be as that young man is.
All praise be to God!
Oh, my son.
My son.
Absalom, my son.
Oh, my son.
Oh, my son, Absalom.
Would God I had died for you!
My son.
My son, my son.
Why does the king
lie in the dust
like a beggar at his own gate?
Why do you weep for your enemies
and scorn those who serve you?
When will you learn
to obey the Lord your God
instead of your emotions?
He has forsaken me.
David, it is you
who have forsaken Him.
You have continuously
disobeyed His laws,
and have stubbornly
presumed to know His will
better than we, his prophets.
I am beyond care.
I'll go to my grave
mourning for my son.
I shall go to him,
but he shall never
come back to me.
You have your will of me.
So be it.
Fear the Lord, and serve Him
in truth with all your heart.
Consider the great things
He has done for you.
And behold, it came to pass
that David sinned no more.
And the Lord smiled
upon His servant, David,
and strengthened his hand,
and gave him victory
over his enemies
wheresoever he went.
And David smote the Philistines
and conquered them,
and drove them into the sea.
And he went forth
and smote the Moabites
and the Ammonites
and the Edomites,
and put them all to the sword.
And David ruled over
the kingdom of Israel
for 40 years, and he was
a lamp unto his people
like the light of the sun.
And when David was old
and stricken in years,
he caused the prophet Nathan
to anoint Solomon, his son,
king over Israel.
Mark this above all.
Be guided by the instincts
of your own heart,
no matter what
the prophets tell you,
for it is through the heart,
and the heart alone,
that God speaks to man.
Must you record
every word I utter?
It's for "The Book of Samuel,"
My Lord.
You ordered it yourself.
May the Lord bless you.
May His light
shine within your heart,
even as you shine
within mine.
I'm waiting, Lord.
Hide Your face no more.