David Escapes Saul

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People As. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: You have torn my robe, so the Lord has torn the kingdom from you. 00:00:10 Speaker 3: He will give it to another. 00:00:12 Speaker 1: The Lord has already chosen him. He is a man that seeks after the heart of God more than the. 00:00:19 Speaker 4: Heart of the people. 00:00:22 Speaker 5: They sang a song, one that rippled through the crowd like wildfire. Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands. 00:00:33 Speaker 6: He will take it from me. My kingdom, my throne, my legacy. 00:00:45 Speaker 1: I will not let him. 00:00:46 Speaker 2: I will not let him. 00:00:48 Speaker 5: Saul rose from his throne, the spear held firmly in his grasp. David's eyes fluttered open just as Saul whispered under his breath. 00:00:58 Speaker 7: Pin him to the wall. 00:01:04 Speaker 5: Saul was already reaching for a third spear when David darted to the window. 00:01:08 Speaker 6: I hope we can put our disagreement yesterday behind us. You and McCall shall be wed before God. You will be made my son and all the privileges of the kingdom will be yours. 00:01:24 Speaker 5: Saul felt his crown grow heavier with every cheer. His son loved David, his daughter loved David, and his people loved David. Soon, they would love him enough to make him king. The torchlight flickered against Saul's face, casting jagged shadows across the war room walls. 00:01:53 Speaker 1: His breath came. 00:01:54 Speaker 5: Hard and fast, his chest rising like a bellows. He towered over the table, his fingers curled into fists against the wood. Around him, his most trusted men stood silent, their faces grim. 00:02:09 Speaker 7: The unity of our nation is under attack! 00:02:13 Speaker 1: No one dared to move. 00:02:16 Speaker 5: The tapestry behind Saul hung heavy with the weight of history. Twelve tribes embroidered in gold thread, a symbol of the nation he had been chosen to rule. Saul turned, drew his dagger, and in one violent motion slashed the fabric down the middle. The sound of tearing cloth echoed like a war cry. 00:02:39 Speaker 3: Don't you see what he's doing? 00:02:44 Speaker 7: They chant his name in the streets. They look to him instead of me. The people praise him as though he were the Lord himself. 00:02:57 Speaker 5: Murmurs passed between the elders and generals. Some nodded, their faces twisted with concern. Others shifted uncomfortably, exchanging wary glances. 00:03:09 Speaker 6: If they do not trust me over David, we will have a civil war on our hands. He will revolt when the moment is right, and when he does... The kingdom will be split in two. 00:03:25 Speaker 5: Still, no one spoke. Jonathan stood at the back of the room, half hidden in the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest. He had heard his father's rants before, but never like this. This was something darker, something dangerous. He saw the madness creeping behind his father's eyes. twisting his mind like a thorny vine. Saul was pacing now, his dagger dancing between his fingers. 00:03:57 Speaker 6: It must be done quietly. If the people suspect me, they will turn against me. We will make it look like an. 00:04:05 Speaker 1: Accident, or perhaps the Philistines could take the blame. 00:04:09 Speaker 6: A few well-placed rumors, and the people. 00:04:12 Speaker 7: Will believe they assassinated their precious giant slayer. 00:04:17 Speaker 5: Jonathan's heart pounded. His father was going to kill David. Jonathan forced his face into a mask of indifference, waiting, listening. Saul's voice became a distant hum as his mind raced. He needed to get out, needed to warn David before the assassins could be sent. The moment came when Saul turned to speak to one of his commanders. Jonathan didn't hesitate. He slipped into the shadows, moving quickly through the halls of the palace. If he was fast enough, he could save David before it was too late. The stars stretched wide and endless over Gibeah. A cool breeze slipped through the narrow window of David's room, rustling the linen drapes before brushing against his cheek. He stirred, drawing the blankets tighter around him, instinctively shifting closer to Michal. For the first time in what felt like years, David allowed himself a moment of peace. He had earned this, this bed, this home, this wife who slept soundly at his side. His dreams were soft, wrapped in the memories of his boyhood, rolling hills, green and boundless. And then, a firm hand clamped over his mouth. David's body tensed. His fingers shot toward the dagger beneath his pillow, ready to plunge steel into flesh. He twisted, only for the moonlight to catch a familiar face. 00:05:56 Speaker 1: Jonathan. 00:05:57 Speaker 5: Jonathan pressed a finger to his lips. Michal stirred beside him, but did not wake. David exhaled sharply, setting the dagger down. He slipped from the bed without a sound, careful not to rouse his wife. and follow Jonathan outside. 00:06:16 Speaker 3: What's this about, Jonathan? 00:06:17 Speaker 8: You're in danger, little brother. My father seeks your life. It could be tonight. It could be next week. But his mind is made up. 00:06:26 Speaker 4: He means to kill you. He's possessed by jealousy and delusion. 00:06:30 Speaker 5: David's jaw tightened. He gave the smallest of nods. Jonathan peered at David, sensing something wasn't right. 00:06:40 Speaker 4: You don't seem surprised. Is there something you're not telling me? 00:06:44 Speaker 3: Your father has already tried to kill me. 00:06:47 Speaker 2: What? 00:06:48 Speaker 3: He threw a spear at me. When he missed, he threw another. I left before he could try a third. 00:06:56 Speaker 4: Why didn't you tell me? 00:06:58 Speaker 3: He's still my king. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. 00:07:03 Speaker 4: David, there's a line between loyalty and madness. You should have told me. You should have told Michael. 00:07:11 Speaker 3: Solace troubled. I didn't think he was out of hatred. Shortly after his attempt on my life, he gave me Michael's hand in marriage. 00:07:21 Speaker 4: You were wrong to give him that much grace. He's not in his right mind. 00:07:25 Speaker 3: Are you in danger for telling me this? I don't want you in trouble. 00:07:30 Speaker 4: You and I made a covenant. That bond is stronger than blood. I'll protect you. 00:07:36 Speaker 8: I swear. 00:07:37 Speaker 3: I'll follow your lead. 00:07:39 Speaker 1: Stay hidden tonight. 00:07:40 Speaker 4: In the morning. 00:07:41 Speaker 8: I will go out with my father into the fields. I will speak well of you and test his heart. Let me be your advocate. 00:07:47 Speaker 1: Michal called from inside. 00:07:50 Speaker 2: David? Where'd you go? 00:07:53 Speaker 5: David smiled at Jonathan, though there was sorrow behind it. He pulled Jonathan into a firm embrace, holding him tightly. 00:08:02 Speaker 3: There are friends who stick closer than brothers. 00:08:06 Speaker 4: There are fools who walk willingly into the lion's den. 00:08:09 Speaker 5: David gave a final nod before slipping back inside to Michal. He reached for his dagger the moment he stepped through the door, keeping it closer than ever. Jonathan disappeared into the night, weaving through the palace gardens with quiet urgency. The morning sun cast a golden glow over the fields of Gibeah, the wheat swaying gently in the breeze like ripples across a vast sea. Jonathan walked the fields beside his father, speaking of the kingdom, of battle, of their family. 00:08:47 Speaker 4: Father, there is a matter I wish to discuss. Speak. 00:08:52 Speaker 9: Your anger against David. I don't understand it. What has he done to deserve your hatred? 00:08:58 Speaker 5: Saul stopped. Slowly he turned to face his son, his expression unreadable. 00:09:05 Speaker 6: It is not what he has done. Jonathan, it is what he will do. The people praise him. They cheer his name louder than mine. They whisper of him in the streets and sing songs of his victories. It is only a matter of time before they seek to give him the kingdom. Your, your kingdom. 00:09:26 Speaker 4: It's God's kingdom, father. Not mine or yours. 00:09:31 Speaker 5: Saul scoffed and waved the correction away like an annoying fly. 00:09:36 Speaker 6: You don't understand, Jonathan. This is about establishing a stable lineage. If any shepherd boy or peddler from the streets can come and challenge the throne, this nation will never be an established kingdom. 00:09:51 Speaker 4: He isn't some peddler, father. He's the one who slew Goliath. 00:09:55 Speaker 5: Jonathan did not back down, desperate to find reason with his father. 00:09:59 Speaker 9: I beg you, do not sin against your servant David. His hands are clean, his heart loyal. His deeds have brought nothing but prosperity to this nation. 00:10:10 Speaker 6: Prosperity to you. 00:10:12 Speaker 4: Why would you strike down one whom God has chosen to bless? 00:10:16 Speaker 5: Saul said nothing. His gaze locked on the ground beneath his feet. He felt as though he was standing on shifting sand, unsteady, off balance. His mind had not felt clear in a very long time. He did not know if it ever would again. 00:10:36 Speaker 6: You are a wise man, my son. As the Lord lives, David, shall not be harmed by my hand. 00:10:44 Speaker 5: Jonathan released a breath he had not realized he was holding. That same day, Jonathan sought out David and told him what had passed between him and the king. The relief in David's eyes was clear, though caution still lingered behind them, and for a time, peace returned. David was restored to Saul's court. He sat once more at the king's table, partook in the feasts, and laughed with Jonathan as they had before. He played his harp beside Saul's throne, the melody soothing the restless spirit of the king. It was as if nothing had ever been wrong. David's fingers danced along the strings of his harp, weaving a melody unlike any he had played before. It climbed higher with each note, rising and rising like the wind before the breaking of dawn. It was hope given sound joy given breath, defiance of darkness that could not be silenced. Saul loathed it. The fire in the hearth flickered wildly as the king sat upon his throne, his hand clenched around the shaft of his spear. David did not sing this time. Lyrics were unnecessary, but Saul filled in the space on his own. The only words he could hear sung were Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands. Saul's grip on his spear tightened. The melody climbed, lifting higher, refusing to be dampened. Saul stood, his breath ragged, his fury tightening around his throat like a noose. He could not bear it. He would not bear it. David plucked the final note. 00:12:42 Speaker 1: Saul roared. 00:12:44 Speaker 2: Die, you miserable rat! 00:12:48 Speaker 5: The spear left his hand with a whistle, cutting through the air like lightning aimed straight for David's chest. But the shepherd had been waiting for this. He shifted to the left, barely escaping it. The spear shot past his shoulder, embedding itself into the cedar beam behind him with a deep. 00:13:09 Speaker 1: Shuddering thunk. Silence followed. 00:13:12 Speaker 5: David stood motionless, his eyes locked onto the king. Saul's nostrils flared, his hands shaking, his lips curling back in a snow. He was not a king at that moment. He was a beast, an animal cornered, desperate to destroy the thing that made him feel so small. 00:13:35 Speaker 1: David had seen. 00:13:36 Speaker 5: That look before, in the lion that stole his lamb, in the giant Goliath. 00:13:43 Speaker 1: The boy did not hesitate. 00:13:45 Speaker 5: The moment Saul's hand twitched toward another spear, David turned and fled. Saul's hatred had spilled over. 00:13:54 Speaker 4: Run, you peasant! 00:13:57 Speaker 3: You coward! 00:13:59 Speaker 6: You'll have nowhere to call home! 00:14:04 Speaker 3: You'll be a fugitive in this country! 00:14:08 Speaker 4: Your name will be a scar to all people! 00:14:11 Speaker 2: All people! All people! 00:14:15 Speaker 5: David slammed the door behind him breathless. The house was dark, but Michelle stirred from their bed, her eyes sharp with worry. 00:14:24 Speaker 1: What happened? 00:14:26 Speaker 5: David's hands shook as he ran them through his hair, pulling it back tight. 00:14:33 Speaker 3: Your father has tried to kill me again. 00:14:34 Speaker 1: Again? 00:14:37 Speaker 2: What do you mean, again? 00:14:38 Speaker 5: David fumbled through his chest of belongings and strapped Jonathan's armour around his chest. He packed his robe and a few daggers in a leather sack. 00:14:49 Speaker 3: The first time I thought it was rage, just an outburst. I forgave him, but now. 00:14:57 Speaker 3: Now I know he wants me dead. 00:15:00 Speaker 2: What did you do to make him want to kill you? 00:15:03 Speaker 3: Nothing! I've been nothing but faithful to your father, you know that! 00:15:07 Speaker 2: I'm... I'm not so sure. 00:15:13 Speaker 3: Michael, you know me. 00:15:15 Speaker 4: Do I? 00:15:17 Speaker 5: There was a sound in the distance. The two peered through the night. Flickering torchlight wavered in the distance. Shadows shifting. Men lurking just beyond the walls. 00:15:30 Speaker 4: Your father's men. 00:15:31 Speaker 2: They're waiting. 00:15:33 Speaker 3: They won't strike now. They'll wait for dawn when I step out. 00:15:36 Speaker 6: And then. 00:15:37 Speaker 3: Michael, I refuse to fight them. 00:15:39 Speaker 7: They're my countrymen. 00:15:41 Speaker 4: Brothers in arms. 00:15:42 Speaker 3: I won't spill their blood. Not even to save my own. 00:15:46 Speaker 1: Michelle paused, weighing every word. She was conflicted. 00:15:51 Speaker 5: In her heart, she knew David was innocent. But her life on the run filled her with dread. Michelle drew a deep breath and grabbed David's face between her hands. 00:16:04 Speaker 8: Okay. 00:16:05 Speaker 2: Okay, then listen to me. If you do not escape tonight, they will kill you. 00:16:12 Speaker 5: David shook his head. He gripped her wrists, his touch firm but pleading. 00:16:19 Speaker 3: Come with me, my love. 00:16:22 Speaker 5: Michal exhaled sharply, frustration flashing in her eyes. She yanked away from his grasp and snatched a sack, stuffing it with bread and dried meat. 00:16:35 Speaker 9: No, I can't. 00:16:38 Speaker 6: Michael! 00:16:40 Speaker 5: David hesitated, torn. But Michal's hands were swift, fastening the sack and pressing it into his arms. 00:16:48 Speaker 2: If I go with you, my father will think you kidnapped me. 00:16:52 Speaker 5: She cupped his face again, softer this time, and kissed him. A deep, desperate kiss, as if it would be their last. Then she pulled away. 00:17:04 Speaker 8: Go. 00:17:06 Speaker 1: David nodded, silent. 00:17:08 Speaker 5: He slung the sack over his shoulder and together they fastened a rope to the window. He climbed through, gripping tightly as he lowered himself down into the darkness. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was gone, swallowed by the hills beyond the city. Michal lingered at the window, watching the shadows until he disappeared. Then, swiftly, she moved. She gathered pillows, arranging them beneath the blankets to mimic a sleeping figure. She pulled goat's fur over the top, fashioning it to resemble David's hair. And then she climbed into bed, her heart pounding in her throat, waiting. The knock at the door was firm, deliberate. Michal sat upright in bed, her breath caught in her throat. 00:18:06 Speaker 2: Who is it? 00:18:08 Speaker 1: She knew. 00:18:08 Speaker 5: On the other side of the door stood Abner, commander of her father's armies. 00:18:15 Speaker 4: We come for your father, my lady. We're here to speak with your husband. 00:18:20 Speaker 2: Could you get him? He is ill. You will have to come by tomorrow. He is in his bed and cannot get up. 00:18:27 Speaker 1: A long silence, then a shift in tone. 00:18:32 Speaker 4: We have strict orders from the king. You will see him now. 00:18:36 Speaker 5: They were not asking. The door cracked open, Michal stood frozen, helpless, as Abner and his men entered, swords already drawn. They moved with careful precision, unwilling to take any chances against a man like David. Abner approached the bed. Slowly, he raised his sword above his head. Then, with all his weight, he plunged it downward. He cursed under his breath and ripped the blanket aside, revealing nothing but a pile of pillows, furs, and empty space. Michal gasped as Abner whirled on her. 00:19:16 Speaker 4: Where is he? 00:19:17 Speaker 5: Michal collapsed to the floor, her body trembling as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. Abner exhaled sharply through his nose. He rolled his eyes, then sheathed his blade with an irritated huff. 00:19:33 Speaker 6: Fetch the king. 00:19:35 Speaker 9: Last thing I want is to harm his daughter trying to get the truth. 00:19:39 Speaker 5: His men obeyed. It was not long before Saul arrived. His massive frame seemed to shrink the very walls around him. Michal cowered, trembling on the floor beside the bed. Saul bent down, his teeth clenched so tightly that Michal. 00:19:58 Speaker 1: Could hear them grinding. Daughter, where is he? 00:20:07 Speaker 5: Michelle's breath came in quick, panicked gasps. She had a choice to make. Would she honor her husband, or would she save herself? She thought of David running through the night, a fugitive now, a man on the run. Would she ever see him again? Would she be left alone, stripped of her title, her comforts, her security? Was he really worth it? Michal lifted her tear-streaked face. Her voice came out in a choked sob as she lunged forward, throwing her arms around her father's neck. 00:20:46 Speaker 2: Oh, Father, thank the Lord you have come. David, David threatened my life. He said he would kill me if I did not help him escape. 00:20:56 Speaker 5: Her body shook with shame. Saul stiffened, stunned. Even he, in all his hatred, could not fully believe it. 00:21:07 Speaker 1: David? 00:21:08 Speaker 5: Threaten Michal? It did not seem his way. But her tears were real, her voice broken. And in Saul's twisted mind, it made sense. The boy had stolen his throne in the people's hearts. Why not steal his daughter's life as well? Saul gripped Michal's arms, holding her close. 00:21:33 Speaker 6: I swear to you, my daughter, I will find him. I will destroy him. He will not hurt you again. 00:21:43 Speaker 5: Then he stood, his face carved from stone. 00:21:48 Speaker 6: Abner! 00:21:49 Speaker 1: The commander stepped forward. 00:21:52 Speaker 6: Send out scouts. Have them search the city for David Butt. Tell no one we seek his life. I cannot have the people rising up to protect him. 00:22:03 Speaker 1: Abner nodded, already moving. 00:22:06 Speaker 5: Michal stayed where she was, her face buried in her hands, her tears running hot with guilt. Steve Gatina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely and Chris Baig. 00:22:53 Speaker 1: You can hear. 00:22:54 Speaker 5: More Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.