Can one stone change the course of history?
Can one act of defiance create a legend?
I will tell you the story of David, a simple shepherd boy,
an outcast,
who became one of the most famous kings who ever lived.
There was a time Israel had no king.
500 years after Moses split the sea,
the people were leaderless and divided.
So, Samuel, the last of the great seers,
anointed Saul of the tribe of Benjamin as Israel's first king.
But Samuel warned the people not to forget the god that delivered them from Egypt.
For 25 years, Saul has reigned,
beloved by the people, triumphant in every battle.
As Saul's arrogance grows, a rift between him and Samuel festers.
With each new victory,
the people of Israel trust more in a throne than in their god.
May the house of Saul endure forever.
- Forever. - Forever.
How many are there?
Upwards of 200,000.
He's just a man, Father.
Is he?
How many days must we duress?
Send me your champion!
Cowards!
All of you, cowards!
Goliath!
God give me this ground.
Every step, just one step.
I ask for a champion!
You come against me with a stick?
You will become the victim of my wrath!
Give me another.
Another.
No.
So, as the fate of a people hangs in the balance,
again I ask this question…
can one stone change the course of history?
What are you doing?
That's better. It's all right.
Oh, no. Oh.
All right. All right.
Little one, I'm so sorry.
I've got you.
Quiet now. Quiet.
…you will lead. This very land.
Why could Moses not go? Why did he have to die?
Because when he was very, very old--
Like you?
Yes, very old like me.
Having led Israel 40 years, Moses died on that mountain.
Disobedience comes at a cost, you see.
Even for a great one, like Moses.
So what did Joshua do without Moses?
Well, God said to him three times…
"Be strong and courageous." Do not fear, for fear is the enemy.
You see?
Fear is the thief.
Then why must we still hide?
Because his work is not yet complete.
That's right, David.
So we must not fear.
We must face fear,
because God will always be there on the other side waiting.
Aren't you supposed to be minding the sheep, little shepherd?
I did.
Not well enough.
I saw what you brought home.
The lion has returned.
Oh, a lion. And where were you?
Off…
singing about your mother?
Speak of my mother again.
Nathaneel, David.
Does the story of our people mean nothing to you?
Forgive us, Father.
I was distracted by the shepherd.
Poor lamb.
She survived.
Does your Father know you have that?
Avva, go inside.
- David. - Father.
How many did you lose?
Four sheep.
I'm not a rich man, David.
It was the old king.
That lion is dead.
It was him.
Until we truly kill him, the sheep cannot graze there.
We will lose more.
David, you know I can graze no other lands.
Then let's gather some men and hunt it down.
- They wouldn't come. - Why?
Because of me.
It is not because of you.
All of Bethlehem treats me like it is.
Just as my brothers do.
I'm nothing more than a bastard in this house.
You are my son, as they are.
I will kill the lion.
You will not. I will take care of it.
Like you did last time.
I should've buried that with your mother.
I don't want to hear that instrument in my house ever again.
Heed my words, David.
Father, this is all I have left of her.
- Where are you going? - Where I belong.
David.
David!
Show me your purpose.
Show me your will for me.
Show me who I am.
Please.
The song must be found and tended, you know, like a living thing.
Now you try.
The last great battle Israel would face
before Goliath was against the Amalekites,
a brutal nation of blood drinkers who had tormented Israel for generations.
King Saul was instructed by the great seer, Samuel,
to keep no spoils of war.
To take nothing from the Amalekites and to slay their king,
a vicious cannibal called Agag.
After days of fighting, my father, King Saul,
and my brother, Jonathan, were once again triumphant.
Victory!
For God and for Israel!
And for your king!
My prince.
The Lord has shined upon us this day.
How many did we lose?
5,000.
Heavy price to pay.
But the Amalekites are defeated.
We have news of a border village destroyed north of Bethlehem.
Border village? By who?
I'm sending a scouting party to find out.
Get me a horse.
My prince, it is a full day's ride
and you have been on the field of battle for many days.
Take me there.
Let's go to the border village.
Are you tired, Eliab?
No, I am not tired.
While we slay enemies on our right, our people are attacked on our left.
No defense.
Unarmed.
Who would do this?
Philistines.
Why so deep in our territory?
There's nothing to gain here.
Have any of you ever seen anything like this?
Eliab?
They have been torn to pieces without the kindness of a blade.
- How? - Survivor!
Put him down.
Gently.
He's been through enough.
Boy, this is your prince, the son of King Saul.
Speak only the truth, all right?
My name is Jonathan.
What is yours?
Can you tell me who did this?
Lord.
Run!
- Run! - Run!
Abba! Abba! Abba!
- Run. - Abba!
I am so sorry.
I'm your prince and I failed to protect you.
It's my job to protect you.
Now, I need you to tell me who did this.
And I swear I will find them and I will return them to the dust.
Only for you.
There were giants on the earth in those days.
And also after.
You're getting very good.
Uh, all the sheep are accounted for.
Just as you asked.
I did not come to see the flock.
I apologize for last night.
How I spoke to you.
Your spirit is hers.
A horse that can never be bridled.
Father, why do you keep me in the hills?
- You hide me away like a leper. - David.
Why not send me to the king's army?
Let me prove myself.
There is no glory to be earned by serving that king.
- Tell that to Eliab. - I have. Many times.
So, why do my brothers get to fight and I'm stuck here?
Because he took them.
And he takes our taxes and our lands, just as the seer warned.
Israel should never have had a king.
He has taken enough.
I am not going to let him take you.
I don't belong here, Father.
I know I do not.
I was meant for more than this.
How do you know that, David?
Because God speaks to me.
When I'm alone in the hills, I hear his voice like Mother did.
He tells me--
Avva.
Avva!
Oh, no. Avva?
David.
Come here.
You all right?
Why does God judge me?
This demon attacks my home.
David, stop.
You cannot face it alone.
I can and I will.
- For all of us. - No, wait.
Wait.
I am done waiting.
David, wait!
What about the boy?
He'll stay with me.
My prince, children tell tales.
Nothing spreads like fear.
And this boy--
Hasn't spoken a word.
Go.
Be with your men.
Enjoy your victory.
Bless Gibeah! Bless the house of Saul, son of Kish,
pride of Benjamin,
who fills our bellies with the wine of Agag!
Be sure the king's throne is raised from the ground
a half cubit.
Honestly, Mother, what does it matter?
Every detail matters.
Mychal, put it in.
Your work is meaningful, Sedan.
If only we had you on the battlefield.
We would have won the first day.
- Jonathan. - My queen.
The Lord has returned my son to me.
No injuries?
Not a scratch.
Well, not many.
Jonathan!
- I prayed every day. - Sister.
- And who's this? - Jonathan, you cannot save every stray.
I could save this one.
What happened to him?
His entire village was destroyed on the border. He's the only survivor.
Mychal, those silks are from Egypt.
Mother.
The silks.
What is your name?
Doesn't speak.
Reuben.
Hello, Reuben. Come.
Do you like figs?
I love figs.
How was the journey?
Enough to make me vomit.
Palace games must be dull indeed if you seek a battlefield.
The perils of the palace dwarf the perils of the field.
At least here you know who your enemies are.
Oh, not always.
- Why have you come? - Father summoned us.
We are here to show unity.
The tribes must be honored and battles have heroes.
And heroes need brides.
As do princes.
- You have grieved long enough. - Mother.
I just won a battle.
I do not wish to fight another.
- Where is Father? - Up on a mountain somewhere.
That one.
Setting up a victory monument.
And Eshbaal?
Surely you will find him if you follow the plunder.
- How else might I serve you, my prince? - Hmm.
Well, my cup is full for now but, uh, stay close.
Appetites replenish quickly.
I have never been so near royalty.
Come.
Sit.
Sit. I don't bite.
Here.
You have such a beautiful face.
Tell me…
what is your name?
Kezia.
If I were to be assigned to your sister's care…
mmm, you would see much more of me.
Clever girl, aren't you?
Perhaps I could, um,
have that arranged.
Will you be king one day?
I, um…
I much prefer the…
…decadence of power to the burden of the crown.
- Eshbaal. - Oh, speaking of burdens.
Lord prince.
Greetings, brother.
You seem distressed.
Did I miss an engagement?
You know too well.
You missed a great battle.
Did I? Battle.
The battle was fought and won by men with a hunger for blood and conquest.
You had no need of me.
I'm far too young and cultured for that drama.
Men younger than you fought and died in that battle.
Good for them.
May God reward their sacrifices.
This was your doing.
Brother, be more specific. I--
You convinced Father to keep these cursed objects.
Cursed.
They're quite shiny, don't you think? To be cursed.
Anyway, the king did not raise any objections so…
Come now, brother.
Revel in our great victory.
It's what you deserve.
Okay.
Suit yourself.
My prince.
Joab and Lord Abner request you.
Run along.
We will speak of this again.
Well, I can't wait.
I can portion you 50 oxen and 400 sheep.
Why should we be least among the houses of Israel?
Because you are.
Now go.
Abner, double their portion.
You are not least in my eyes.
May the king live forever.
You give too much.
I am generous.
Loyalty achieved through commerce is fleeting.
As is youth. But it delights while it lasts, my old friend.
Father.
Jonathan. My son.
My king.
Quite the stele, no?
And what a great honor.
Defeat of the Amalekites.
More than that.
It will be a memorial of all time.
To the greatness of our house.
The glory of Israel.
Greatness of God.
Our greatness is his greatness.
What of the border village?
Completely destroyed.
- Hmm. - One survivor.
- A child. Brought him here. - Destroyed by whom?
Unknown.
Except I saw the print of a hand larger than a weaver's basket.
And arrows the size of spears.
Giants have not roamed these lands since the days of Joshua.
Not for hundreds of years.
This is a Philistine trick to intimidate us.
To terrify us back into caves.
Let us hope.
You are still troubled?
Why are we dividing the spoils of the blood drinkers?
Slaving their people?
We're told to keep nothing.
By Samuel.
Yes, Father. By Samuel.
Yes.
Son, his time has passed.
The age of judges is over.
This is the age of kings and we are its stewards.
The first dynasty of Israel.
Well, we should still honor him.
He speaks for God.
Why can God not speak to me?
His anointed.
Anointed by Samuel.
Jonathan.
When you are king someone will always be angry with you.
Always.
So who should I appease?
The leaders of the 12 tribes, men who fought for us,
died in service of our throne?
Or one man?
I have no love for these politics.
Life is politics, son.
Even more so on the throne.
Even now.
Come.
We have a celebration to enjoy.
Oh, Saul…
My son…
What have you done?
Does the Lord speak?
We must go.
Where?
To speak the words that were spoken to me.
To unmake what has been made.
Master, wait, your shoes.
Look at all the joy and prosperity you have brought our people.
Enjoy it.
The king!
Sorry.
Here. Take some of that.
- Yes, Mother? - Behave.
When do I not?
You have your own wine.
They save the best wine for the king's table.
But that's… No…
Then you should stay at the king's table.
Please.
Please, please, please, please.
Please.
Sons. My king, my king.
Lord of all Israel.
I am Adriel, son of Barzillai.
Elder of the tribe of Judah.
Greetings, Adriel, son of Barzillai.
Judah has long been a lion among the sons of Abraham.
Just as Benjamin has produced a great light in you
for such a small tribe.
The greatest has come from the least, huh?
When I was young we were scattered,
hiding in caves from the enemies you have now conquered.
Leaderless, divided, preyed upon by every neighboring nation.
But the Lord of hosts heard our cry and blessed us with a king.
Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin.
And you, Saul, have made us a nation.
You have made us feared.
You have made us wealthy with the spoils of the Amalekites.
We now feast on their cattle and drink their wine.
And their mighty King Agag sits humiliated at your feet.
So the tribe of Judah renews its pledge of fealty to the anointed
of the Lord Most High, to the house of Saul, king of all Israel.
May your reign endure for all generations.
I thank Judah for their loyalty and raise this cup not for myself,
but I raise it
for my son
whose courage and conviction go before him always.
Whose heart is steadfast.
I pray I am remembered as a good king,
but he will be greater than I.
To your prince and my beloved son.
To Jonathan and his coming reign.
To Jonathan, my beloved brother.
Perfect in every way.
To the house of Saul.
Who can stand against the hero of Issachar and claim the sword of Agag?
Eliab. Come, fight for the tribe of Judah!
Who will take a bet on Eliab of Judah?
My lord.
Why does the witch king live?
I will not gift him death without humiliation.
He has tormented our people for a generation.
His kind have cannibals and sorcerers.
He does not belong here.
He's exactly where he belongs. Beneath my feet. Powerless.
His presence here, believe me when I say--
I think you need wine.
Relax.
Place a wager.
Your time is done, blood drinker.
Is it?
Fear is the enemy.
Fear is the thief.
Lion!
On the hill above this feast I found a stele which reads,
"To the glory of the house of Saul, he has defeated the Amalekites.
May his fame reach every sea.
May his throne endure for all generations.
To the glory of Saul…"
The glory of Saul.
We have a prophet of the Most High God in our midst.
Greetings, Samuel, son of Elkanah.
Blessed are you, seer of the Lord of hosts.
Greetings, Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin.
The least of the tribes of Israel has produced a great line.
Have you come to sacrifice with us?
To consecrate this victory and this day with us?
I've come to speak the words of the Lord God
spoken to me last night.
We have obeyed the commands of the Lord.
The Amalekites have been utterly destroyed.
Is it so?
Then why is the bleating of sheep in my ears? Hmm?
Why the lowing of cattle?
Huh?
Why has filth been brought in to pollute what is meant to be holy?
Come.
Come, my old friend.
Tonight we celebrate.
We tell the old stories.
We remember the greatness of God.
Come.
Speak with me alone.
Save the sacrifice.
We have sacrificed thousands of men on the field.
Is that not enough?
Now you come and shame me in front of the tribes of Israel.
You scold me like a boy.
I anointed a boy.
Humble in his own eyes.
As king, I am what you made me.
I wept for you, Saul.
In rage and tears all night.
I pleaded with the Lord of all Heaven but he would not relent.
Now I must speak as he has spoken.
Convenient, is it not?
How am I to know the difference between the words of the Most High
and the rumblings of a jealous old man?
I loved you like a son.
And yet, your sons did not love you.
They did not follow in your ways.
Is that not why the people demanded a king?
All right, Saul,
I will tell you what the Lord God of Israel has said to me.
Speak.
"I regret I made Saul king.
He has turned his back on me
and has not followed my command."
Mychal.
What have we done?
I obeyed the voice of the Lord.
I utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
Yet Agag lives.
Chained beneath my table like a dog.
You were told to slay him.
I built a kingdom from nothing, from scattered tribes.
Why is this not enough?
You built a kingdom?
You?
Saul, when you were small in your own eyes the Lord lifted you up and made you king.
Now that you are great in your own eyes you have rebelled
and made yourself even in the eyes of the Lord.
Even?
You have twisted the throne of Israel to your own glory
so you will be given to a twisted power and your own torment.
Your mind will be cursed.
Get out of my head, sorcerer.
I am no sorcerer.
I am a messenger only.
Samuel.
I was afraid of the people.
I kept back the best to sacrifice.
I-I would sacrifice them all.
To obey is better than sacrifice,
to heed better than the fat of the rams.
Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
stubbornness is as inequity and idolatry.
I was afraid of them.
Why? Why would you be afraid of the people?
Why are you not afraid of God instead of man?
I loved you.
I anointed you.
Bless me.
Sacrifice with me.
You chose me as a king. You are a father to me.
God chose you.
Now he chooses another
because you have rejected the word of the Lord your God,
so the Lord your God now rejects you as king.
His spirit is withdrawn from you.
This is my kingdom and my son's after me.
Jonathan will rule.
He will never rule.
Samuel.
The Lord has torn a kingdom from you and given it to one greater than you.
Who is he?
Samuel?
Samuel!
I'm sorry, my child.
Samuel!
Father, what happened?
- Samuel! - Father. What happened?
Get away from me!
Get away!
Samuel.
Father.
Help!
Help me!
I'm tired of being afraid.
God said to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous.
Do not fear."
Why have the gods come to this place?
The God of gods has come.
Surely the wrath of Saul has passed.
The wrath of Saul has passed.
But the wrath of God has not.
As your sword has made women childless,
so shall your mother be childless for all time.
God is not mocked.
Master, where are we going now?
To find a king.
So can one stone change the course of history?
Yes, it can.
But destiny comes at a cost.
And the rise of David would cost my family everything.