King David Page #3

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

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