David & Jonathan’s Bond

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: One final chance, King of Israel. Send your champion now, or we will march through your camps like wildfire and raze your cities to ash. 00:00:23 Speaker 3: That's enough! 00:00:25 Speaker 1: The shepherd boy burst into a sprint, sling swinging behind him. Goliath roared in delight, raising his sword high above his head, ready to cleave the boy in two. But David was faster. With a flick of his wrist, the sling released its payload. The stone hissed through the air like a viper, slicing through the silence. 00:00:49 Speaker 3: With lethal precision. 00:00:52 Speaker 1: The giant, the beast, the terror of Israel lay motionless. 00:00:58 Speaker 3: Love the Lord, you chosen people. 00:01:02 Speaker 4: The Lord preserves the faithful. Be strong and let your heart take courage. 00:01:09 Speaker 3: All of you who wait for the Lord. 00:01:11 Speaker 1: None spoke of Jonathan. Jonathan did not mind. He had never fought for glory. Jonathan's demeanor was calm, steady. He composed himself in stark contrast to his father's frenetic and trembling rage. Jonathan was not their king, but they followed him as if he were. Not out of duty or fear, but. 00:01:36 Speaker 3: Out of trust. 00:01:40 Speaker 1: Jonathan's breath came hard and fast, each gasp a knife in his lungs. His legs burned, but still he ran. The jagged rocks of the canyon walls blurred past him. Behind him, the thunder of Philistine chariots grew louder. their wheels grinding against stone, their drivers howling like wolves on the hunt. Jonathan risked a glance over his shoulder. Too close, far too close. Ahead, the path narrowed, and then. 00:02:13 Speaker 3: nothing. 00:02:14 Speaker 1: The path halted at a sheer wall of rock, a dead end. Jonathan's heart pounded harder. He cursed under his breath. No time, no choice. He flung aside his sword, leapt for the wall and clawed at the jagged surface. His fingers found purchase. 00:02:33 Speaker 2: Barely. 00:02:34 Speaker 1: He swung his left hand up, then his right foot. Higher, just a few feet more. The Philistines rounded the corner. Jonathan heard the snap of reins, the creak of wood, the hiss of steel being drawn back. A spear whistled through the air, barely missing his head but shattering the ledge he clung to. His grip failed and the prince fell. The impact stole what little breath he had left. Jonathan rolled onto his back, dazed, blood trickling down his temple. His vision blurred. The Philistine soldiers leered down at him, spears poised for the kill. Jonathan forced himself upright, wavering on unsteady feet. His fists clenched despite the tremor in his hands. 00:03:23 Speaker 3: Come then, come to me, you Philistine dogs. 00:03:26 Speaker 1: Jonathan knew he was probably done for, but refused to back down. A soldier raised his spear, lips curled in a grin. Then a whistle cut through the air. A stone struck the soldier's throat with a sickening crack. Blood spurted as the man tumbled from his chariot, eyes wide in disbelief. The others froze, their heads snapping up to the canyon ridge. There stood a figure, the sun casting him in shadow. The wind stirred his light curls and the leather sling hung loose in his hand. 00:04:02 Speaker 2: They knew him. 00:04:04 Speaker 3: It's him! It's the giant slayer! 00:04:09 Speaker 1: But the canyon was too narrow for them to make a full turn on their chariots. David didn't wait. Another stone flew from his sling, striking the next Philistine in the shoulder. The man cried out, dropping his spear. David moved swiftly, scaling down the rocks with the ease of a mountain cat. He darted past Jonathan, unsheathing his sword, and met the last soldier head on. Steel clashed. David ducked and weaved, faster than his opponent could track. A quick slice to the calf brought the Philistine to his knees. Another sharp thrust to the neck ended him. The final soldier fumbled with his reins, trying desperately to turn the chariot. David wrenched the fallen man's spear from his limp hand, balanced it for a moment, and then hurled it with all his strength. It found its mark, pinning the last Philistine to the side of his own chariot. Jonathan stared, still catching his breath. as David turned with that familiar cocky grin. 00:05:18 Speaker 4: Getting too old for all this, huh? 00:05:20 Speaker 3: What are you talking about? I had them right where I wanted them. 00:05:26 Speaker 4: Well, I was here just in case. 00:05:29 Speaker 3: My own guardian angel. 00:05:31 Speaker 4: At your service, my prince. Come on! 00:05:34 Speaker 1: David helped Jonathan to his feet. The prince leaned on him, the weight of exhaustion fading with each step back to camp. 00:05:43 Speaker 3: I love you more than a brother, giant slayer. Thanks for having my back. 00:05:49 Speaker 4: You know I hate that name. 00:05:51 Speaker 1: Together, the two friends staggered into the camp, greeted by the cheers of their men. This was another victory against the Philistines, one that Jonathan owed to the boy they now called the giant slayer. David only laughed when he heard them. He knew he was just a shepherd with a sling. But war, it seemed, suited him well. Ever since Goliath fell beneath his stone, Saul had placed him in command of a thousand men. And alongside Jonathan, David had beaten back the Philistines more times than he could count. That night, David and Jonathan leaned back underneath the stars. The fire crackled softly, its glow casting long shadows across the camp. David stretched his weary legs before him, the warmth of the flames a welcome balm to muscles worn from battle. Above, the night sky stretched endlessly, stars scattered like a thousand shimmering swords across a velvet battlefield. Jonathan sat across from him, silent, thoughtful. Jonathan, the son of a king, the prince of Israel, was born to lead men. Yet there was no weight in his heart for crowns or thrones. He could feel it. He had always felt it. Jonathan knew that the Lord's hand was resting not on him, but on the young shepherd boy who now stirred the coals in front of him. Without a word, Jonathan rose and disappeared into his tent. When he returned, a wooden chest lay in his arms. He placed it beside David with a quiet thud. 00:07:48 Speaker 3: What's this? 00:07:49 Speaker 2: Open it. 00:07:50 Speaker 1: David obeyed. The chest creaked open to reveal gleaming armor. Light steel scales laid over hardened leather, each plate polished to a mirror's shine. Firelight danced across its surface. Beneath the armour rested a sword wrapped in bearskin. David lifted the blade, its edge whispering through the air as he examined it. It was perfect. Balanced, sturdy, yet light enough to move swiftly in battle. A far cry from the battered sword he had wielded until now. Jonathan unclasped his royal robe and draped it over David's shoulders. The deep, crimson fabric, trimmed in gold, fell over the shepherd's worn tunic, a striking contrast. 00:08:43 Speaker 3: These are yours now, my royal armor and robe. Take care of them as you would your flock. 00:08:48 Speaker 4: Why are you giving me these? 00:08:50 Speaker 3: Are you leaving? I sure hope not. I would stand beside you in battle until my last breath. But a warrior's armor is his life, and I give mine to you freely. Not because I must, because I love you as my own soul. 00:09:04 Speaker 1: David stared at him, words failing him. His own brothers had mocked and belittled him his whole life, and his father had dismissed him. Love, true love, was a rare gift. He ran a hand over the robe, its fine fabric foreign beneath his rough fingers. 00:09:25 Speaker 4: This robe is not armor. Why give it to me along. 00:09:31 Speaker 2: With the rest? 00:09:32 Speaker 1: Jonathan's smile faded into something deeper, more solemn. He leaned forward, the firelight flickering in his dark eyes. 00:09:42 Speaker 3: Because it belongs to the future king. You will sit on Israel's throne, David. Not I, not Saul. 00:09:49 Speaker 2: You. 00:09:50 Speaker 5: You're the prince, the firstborn son of a king. I'm the youngest son of a herdsman. What place do I have. 00:09:57 Speaker 3: In the palace? The men follow you. The servants of my father's household admire you. And once you marry Merab, you'll be a member of the royal family. 00:10:06 Speaker 4: But you're next in line. Then Ishvi, then Malkashur, then Ishbosheth. 00:10:12 Speaker 2: I'm not. 00:10:12 Speaker 3: David, stop. Listen to what I'm saying. 00:10:16 Speaker 1: Jonathan leaned back. his gaze shifting to the stars. 00:10:20 Speaker 3: The Lord raises the humble, my brother. You may be a shepherd now, but the hand of God is upon you. I see it as clearly as I see the stars. 00:10:29 Speaker 1: David's throat tightened and he nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He clasped the robe around his shoulders, the weight of it unfamiliar but not unwelcome. Rising to his feet, he extended a hand across the fire. 00:10:48 Speaker 5: Let there be a covenant between us. Under the eyes of God, we swear loyalty to one another. Our bond will be stronger than ambition, jealousy, marriage, or crown. 00:11:02 Speaker 1: Jonathan stood, clasping David's arm tightly. 00:11:06 Speaker 3: A covenant, a brotherhood. May God grant us favor. 00:11:10 Speaker 4: There are friends who stick closer than brothers. 00:11:13 Speaker 3: And there are fools who walk willingly into the lion's den. 00:11:16 Speaker 1: The two men made a covenant, then leaned back down beside the fire, staring up at the stars. The silence between them was something sweet, something safe. They had a bond that surpassed that of blood or marriage. David chuckled, then broke the silence. 00:11:37 Speaker 4: Your compliments are very kind. But you did have one thing wrong. 00:11:41 Speaker 3: What's that? 00:11:42 Speaker 4: I don't think Merrim can stand me. 00:11:44 Speaker 3: Ha ha ha ha ha! You're right about that, but I don't think Mirab likes anyone, to be honest with you. She's not as sweet as Michelle. 00:11:52 Speaker 4: No, not at all. 00:11:58 Speaker 1: The fire crackled softly between them as the night stretched on. They spoke of many things, of Israel's future, of war and peace, of God's power and grace. David's heart, long scarred by rejection and loneliness, began to heal. In Jonathan, God had given him not only a friend, but a brother. Neither of them knew how much that bond would be tested in the days to come. 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. You can hear 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.