Saul: The Rejected King

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: Well, I suppose it's settled then. You have the king you've begged for. He's here, he's grand, and... Well, I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong. Let's coronate this young man before the Lord and the people at Guilden. 00:00:22 Speaker 3: People need to see me with the favor of God. They need to know I am anointed. 00:00:34 Speaker 4: If they do not see the sacrifice, they will run. 00:00:39 Speaker 3: They will leave me as a king without a kingdom. 00:00:45 Speaker 4: What have you done? Come now, Samuel. 00:00:49 Speaker 5: It's no big deal. 00:00:51 Speaker 3: My people needed a bit of encouragement as their king. 00:00:55 Speaker 2: Who thinks they are your people? God's people, Saul, not yours. 00:01:02 Speaker 5: Who dares defy their king? 00:01:06 Speaker 4: Who has cursed this battle? 00:01:11 Speaker 5: I will slaughter the guilty man where he stands, even if it is my own son. 00:01:17 Speaker 1: The soldiers stepped back. The young prince stood alone. Saul drew back his arm, blade cocked and ready to drive into Jonathan's throat. But the men surged forward. Each man rallied to Jonathan's side, eventually surrounding their king, ready to pounce. And Saul, in his solitude, felt the weight of God's absence heavier than ever before. Blood fell like rain. Saul stood in the heart of the battlefield, his golden armor now painted in deep crimson. He wrenched his sword from a Moabite's chest, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The man collapsed at his feet, joining the heap of bodies that littered the ground. A slight smile escaped his lips. There was a fire in his eyes, wild and unrelenting. Another victory. Another nation humbled beneath his blade. But it was not enough. It was never enough. The king of Israel had become a creature of war. He waged battle like a starving man, consuming everything in his path, yet never feeling full. The Moabites had fallen, but there were always more enemies. The Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobar. He chased them all, striking and cutting, but never conquering. His armies clashed steel against steel, but his victories were shallow. His hands clenched the crown, but it was never truly his. There was no peace in war, but neither was there peace in stillness. Saul was a tortured soul. After his campaign against the Edomites, Saul returned to his fortress in Gibeah. The palace was a monument to his reign. Great tapestries told stories of his battles. Silver lampstands flickered along the walls, and the air was thick with the scent of burning cedarwood. His throne, carved from the finest trees of Lebanon, was draped in furs and purple linens. It was a king's seat, and yet he sat in it like a prisoner. The fire in the hearth crackled, its glow casting long shadows across the chamber. Saul slouched forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped. His body was weary from battle, but his mind raced, restless and unfulfilled. He had slain countless men, expanded the borders of his kingdom and fathered strong sons, but still something gnawed at his soul. He had sought victory, but found only emptiness. He had sought glory, but found only blood. And worst of all, God was silent. The Lord, whose spirit had once rested upon him, had turned his face away. Saul could feel it, like a void in his chest. He had ruled without God's strength for years now, and the weight of the crown was beginning. 00:04:41 Speaker 4: To crush him. 00:04:42 Speaker 1: He needed purpose. He needed direction. He needed to hear God's voice. The great doors of the hall groaned as they opened, letting in the light from outside. A lone figure entered, silhouetted against the firelight. The guards did not stop him. 00:05:01 Speaker 4: They knew who he was. 00:05:03 Speaker 1: The man limped forward, leaning heavily on his staff. Saul's breath caught in his throat. He recognized that staff, that gate, that hooded figure. 00:05:16 Speaker 5: Samuel, is that you? 00:05:19 Speaker 1: The old prophet moved without haste, settling himself near the fire. 00:05:24 Speaker 4: He did not speak. 00:05:26 Speaker 1: He simply beckoned with his hand, wordlessly summoning Saul forward. The king of Israel rose from his throne and fell to his knees before the prophet. His fingers clutched at Samuel's robe, pressing his forehead against the fabric. 00:05:42 Speaker 5: I thought you'd left me forever. 00:05:48 Speaker 1: And then, without warning, he broke. A great sob racked his chest. The sound of it filled the halls, echoing off the stone. His whole body shook with the weight of his sorrow. Samuel said nothing. He only placed a gnarled hand atop the king's head. The touch was gentle, pitying. Saul wept like a child. For all his might, for all his victories, for all his golden armor and sharp-edged swords... He was a lost man, and he knew it. A silence stretched between them, thick as the smoke curling from the fire. 00:06:30 Speaker 4: And then, at last, Samuel spoke. You are still king of Israel, are you not? 00:06:39 Speaker 1: Saul swallowed, nodding weakly. Samuel exhaled, the breath slow and measured. His voice, when it came, was like the groaning of old wood. 00:06:50 Speaker 2: The Lord has sent me to anoint you for this next battle. 00:06:55 Speaker 4: He has not forgotten the sins of Amalek. 00:07:00 Speaker 1: At the name, Saul lifted his head, blinking away the last remnants of his grief. 00:07:09 Speaker 4: The Amalekites? 00:07:10 Speaker 2: Long ago, when your ancestors fled from Egypt, Amalek struck them in their weakness... They ambushed Israel without cause, slaughtering. 00:07:24 Speaker 4: The weary and the weak. 00:07:26 Speaker 2: They have been a curse upon this land for generations. They are the first of our enemies. They hate our people without cause, and they slaughter our people without mercy. 00:07:41 Speaker 1: The old prophet leaned forward, his voice taking on the cadence of judgment. 00:07:47 Speaker 4: Thus says the Lord. 00:07:49 Speaker 2: I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel. I will wipe his name from the earth. Go now, Saul, and destroy them utterly. Leave none alive. 00:08:04 Speaker 5: Take no captives. 00:08:06 Speaker 2: Take no spoils. Burn it all. 00:08:10 Speaker 1: Saul met Samuel's gaze, searching for something. Perhaps a sign of softness, some room for mercy. He found none, but Samuel's eyes were hard as stone. 00:08:24 Speaker 5: Finally, the Lord has spoken to me. 00:08:27 Speaker 4: I will do it. 00:08:29 Speaker 5: I will show you that I'm still meant to be king. 00:08:35 Speaker 1: Saul pressed his lips to Samuel's hand, bowing in reverence. Then, without another word, he rose and strode from the hall, his mind already turning to the battle ahead. The order was given, the war horns sounded, the men gathered. Saul would ride for Amalek, and this time he would not fail. The morning sun blazed over the valleys of Tel Aim, casting golden fire over the ranks of Israel's great host. Two hundred thousand men stood shoulder to shoulder, armed with iron and clothed in bronze. The sight of them stretched to the horizon, a tide of steel waiting to break. At their head, clad in shining armor, stood Saul. His breastplate caught the sunlight, his great sword gleamed at his hip, and his helm, crested with a plume of dyed horsehair, marked him unmistakably as the King of Israel, a King of War. He raised his hand and the murmuring of the men fell silent. The only sound was the wind rolling over the hills. 00:09:49 Speaker 5: Send word to the Kittites. They have shown kindness to our fathers. Let them flee before we strike. 00:09:59 Speaker 1: The messenger. 00:10:00 Speaker 4: Rode out. 00:10:01 Speaker 1: In the villages of the Kenites, the word spread quickly, leave or perish. And so they fled, the wise among them vanishing into the hills, leaving the Amalekites to their fate. Saul watched them go, his expression unreadable. The mercy of a king was a precious thing. It made the men love him all the more. When the last of the Kenites disappeared, Saul turned back to his army. He unsheathed his sword and lifted it high into the air. The sun kissed the blade and the men roared as one. With a mighty swing of his arm, Saul pointed forward. 00:10:42 Speaker 4: Advance! 00:10:44 Speaker 1: The march to Havilah began. The Amalekites were ready for them. Agag, their warlord king, had gathered his fighters at the northern gate. Their banners snapped in the wind, their weapons glinting. They would not fall without a fight. But Saul had already seen through their plan. Even as Agag prepared his forces at the gate, half of Israel's army had already broken away. circling the western border. The Amalekites thought they were holding the line, until the second wave of Israelites struck their flank like a storm crashing against a ship. The battle was swift. The warriors of Israel poured into the streets, their swords swinging through the air. Amalekite men fell screaming. Blood ran through the city's gutters. From Havilah to Shur, The oppressors of Israel were torn apart. Saul had never known such a conquest. Saul strode through the wreckage of Havilah. He saw Amalekites weep and wail before him, their voices roar with terror. They knew his name. They knew his sword. This was what it meant to be feared, to be great. His soldiers cut down the last of the Amalekite resistance and Saul led a company of his best men to the palace. The doors were barred, but Saul was a mountain of a man. He lifted his leg and drove it forward. The woods splintered and the gates burst open. Inside, Agag stood waiting. 00:12:32 Speaker 6: King Saul! 00:12:35 Speaker 4: Not sending your son this time to do your dirty work? 00:12:40 Speaker 1: The Amalekite king was no coward. He gripped his sword tightly, his dark eyes burning with hatred. Around him, his finest warriors took up their weapons. The battle inside the palace was brutal. Swords clashed, men screamed, and blood spattered the marble floors. Saul's men overpowered the Amalekite warriors. disarming them and pinning them to the walls with their own spears. And then, only Agag remained. The warlord king snarled, raising his sword. He moved fast, too fast for a man burdened with armor. He went straight for Saul's throat. Steel met steel. Saul parried Agag's first strike. Agag returned with a sideswipe. Saul jolted back, then burst forward with his shield. Agag met Saul's advance with an aggressive onslaught of blows from his broadsword. Saul's shield splintered as he stumbled back. 00:13:43 Speaker 6: For all that glittering armor, you'll spill nothing. 00:13:47 Speaker 4: A pleasant king. 00:13:51 Speaker 1: Saul snarled, rolled to the side, and swiped his sword to the side, carving a line across Agag's ankles. The Amalekite king stumbled, collapsing to his knees. Saul pressed his sword to the man's throat. 00:14:08 Speaker 5: Do it! 00:14:09 Speaker 2: Cut me down and be done with it! 00:14:12 Speaker 1: Agag spat in Saul's face. Saul's eyes darkened. Agag grinned, unbroken. 00:14:22 Speaker 6: You conquered my city, but don't think that makes you a king. 00:14:27 Speaker 4: Your stench of a country. 00:14:29 Speaker 6: Will burn under a mightier and more noble army. 00:14:33 Speaker 4: Your name will be forgotten. 00:14:37 Speaker 3: No one will remember. 00:14:39 Speaker 4: Saul as a king. 00:14:43 Speaker 1: Saul grabbed Agag by the hair, wrenching his head back so their eyes met. 00:14:49 Speaker 3: You will know my glory. You will watch it rise before your very eyes. 00:15:00 Speaker 1: Then he threw the Amalekite king to the ground. 00:15:04 Speaker 5: Bind him and take everything i want all his treasures and prized possessions your reign will be eclipsed by mine. 00:15:14 Speaker 1: A gag stripping the palace of gold silver and fine cloth they took the best livestock the healthiest oxen and sheep saul walked through the burning city surrounded by his treasures Agag in ropes, wealth in carts, and men chanting his name. The conqueror had returned home. The streets of Israel were filled with celebration. As Saul entered the city in a stolen chariot, the people lined the roads, throwing flowers at his feet. Music rang from every house. Women sang his name in the marketplace. Saul paraded Agag through the streets like a dog on a leash, his prize for all to see. Children ran beside the chariot, laughing and pointing. Their fathers raised their cups in his honor. At last, Israel had what it had always wanted, a king who could conquer, a king who could expand their borders. Saul drank it in, the praise washing over him like sweet wine. That night, the halls of Gibeah were alive with revelry. The nobility of Israel filled the palace, feasting on the spoils of war. Meat roasted over open flames, filling the air with its rich scent. The wine flowed endlessly, poured into golden goblets and passed around without restraint. Musicians played, filling. 00:16:51 Speaker 4: The halls with music. 00:16:53 Speaker 1: Dancers swayed between the silver lampstands, their bodies twisting in rhythm. Laughter echoed from every corner. And at the center of it all, Saul. He lounged on his throne, a cup in his hand, his face flushed with drink. He watched it all, the wealth, the feasting, the celebration. And at his feet, still bound, sat Agag. The Amalekite king, once proud, was now stripped of his kingdom, his freedom, and his power. Saul, with women lounging on his lap and wine spilling from his cup, shouted. 00:17:34 Speaker 5: To victory! 00:17:36 Speaker 2: To the kingdom! To greatness! 00:17:39 Speaker 1: The room erupted in cheers. The music swelled, the wine poured, and Saul, king of Israel, basked in the glory of his conquest. for he had done what was right in his eyes, but in all his exploits he had forgotten the Lord's commands. Miles from the flickering torchlight of Saul's palace, beneath a sky thick with cold stars, Samuel sat alone. The night air carried whispers rustling through the valley. Samuel listened, His old eyes shut against the wind, and then, amidst the silence, a voice. 00:18:25 Speaker 7: I regret that I have made Saul king. He has turned his back to me. He has pursued his own glory instead of mine. 00:18:37 Speaker 1: Samuel bowed his head, his hands gripping his staff. A bitter grief took root in his chest. He had known this day would come. He had warned the people. 00:18:49 Speaker 4: They asked for a king, and a king they got. 00:18:54 Speaker 1: Samuel had seen flashes of goodness in Saul, glimmers of humility that shone through the cracks of his arrogance, but pride had taken root in him like weeds in an untended field. Samuel fell to his knees and wept. The wind howled, drowning out the sound of his sorrow. His tears hit the frozen earth and turned to frost. He did not take joy in being right. He only mourned that he was. The Lord had spoken, and Samuel knew what must be done. He had to go and reject the king of Israel. Samuel rode through the town of Carmel as the first light of dawn began to break over the hills. The air was crisp, and the hush of morning calmed his heart. But as he passed through the city gates... he saw something that stopped him cold. 00:19:53 Speaker 4: A monument. 00:19:54 Speaker 1: It stood tall, hewn from clay and stone, bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun. At its base, a gilded inscription. To the glory of King Saul. Samuel's lips pressed into a hard line. His heart, which had been heavy with grief, now burned with fury. This was what Saul had done with his victory. The battle had not been fought for God, it had been fought for himself. Saul had become his own idol, a golden calf for the people to bow before. Samuel's jaw clenched as he kicked his donkey forward. He would deal with the false king soon enough. The doors to Saul's palace creaked open. The stench of spilled wine, sweat and indulgence filled Samuel's nostrils. The throne room was littered with bodies. Nobles and warriors alike slumped against the walls, unconscious from a night of feasting. Some still clutched goblets in their sleeping hands. The embers of a dying fire cast flickering shadows over the scene of debauchery, and at the center of it all, sprawled upon his throne, lay Saul. His head rested against the armrest, his crown askew. One woman lay at his feet, another draped over his lap, both sleeping soundly. Beside him, bound in rope and bruised beyond recognition, was Agag. From outside, the sound of livestock filled the air, the lowing of oxen, the bleating of sheep. Samuel's fury grew. Slowly, deliberately, he raised his staff and brought it down upon the iron fire pit. The coals spilled onto the floor, crashing against the stone with a loud clatter. The sound sent a ripple of panic through the room. The nobles stirred, were startled awake, and blinked in confusion. Saul awoke with a start, his hands instinctively reaching for his sword. He saw Samuel standing in the center of the throne room, his eyes dark with judgment. The women at his side scrambled away, sensing the weight of the moment. The murmuring nobles followed suit, filing out in silence. Saul adjusted his crown, straightened his tunic, and forced a smile. He spread his arms wide in greeting, his voice warm and confident. 00:22:30 Speaker 5: Blessed be the name of the Lord, Samuel! I have done what was asked of me. The Amalekites are slain! 00:22:38 Speaker 1: Samuel did not move. His gaze swept over the room, the drunken nobles, the bound Amalekite king, and the stolen livestock outside. And then, at last... His eyes locked onto Saul's. 00:22:53 Speaker 2: Then why do I hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen outside? 00:23:00 Speaker 1: The king hesitated for only a moment before recovering his smile. 00:23:05 Speaker 5: Ah, the people brought them. They spared only the best of the flocks for sacrifice, of course, to honor the Lord. The rest was burned to ash just as he commanded. 00:23:16 Speaker 1: Saul's grin widened as if fishing for Samuel's approval. Samuel gave nothing. Saul continued in a flustered tone. 00:23:27 Speaker 5: In fact, I was just about to prepare everything for you so that you might offer the sacrifice. I even. 00:23:34 Speaker 1: The word cracked through the room like a whip. Saul took a step backward, nearly stumbling over the spilled coals. Samuel advanced, his staff gripped tightly in his hands, his voice now low and steady. cut through the silence. 00:23:52 Speaker 2: Are you so little in your own eyes that you must claw for more glory? 00:23:58 Speaker 4: Was it not enough that the Lord. 00:24:00 Speaker 2: Anointed you as king and he set you above all the tribes of Israel? 00:24:06 Speaker 1: Saul's smile faded. In its place was the scowl of a scolded child. 00:24:14 Speaker 2: He sent you on a mission. He told you to destroy the sinners who have oppressed his people. The command was to leave nothing standing and no one alive. And yet, you stand before me surrounded by stolen spoils. You parade a bound king through the streets like a trophy. Tell me, Saul, why did you disobey the voice of the Lord? 00:24:42 Speaker 1: The false humility vanished. Saul straightened his shoulders, his jaw tightening. His chest rose and fell, anger flaring in his eyes. 00:24:54 Speaker 6: I have. 00:24:56 Speaker 4: Obeyed! 00:24:59 Speaker 1: His voice rang through the chamber, his fury barely restrained. 00:25:04 Speaker 8: I marched forth and conquered Amalek! I devoted their cities to destruction! I brought Agag here to show our victory. The people took the spoils, yes, but. 00:25:16 Speaker 2: Only for sacrifice. 00:25:18 Speaker 5: I've done nothing wrong. 00:25:20 Speaker 2: You want to be a king when it suits you, but it's time to take responsibility. 00:25:25 Speaker 4: It's the people who have failed, not you. How convenient. 00:25:30 Speaker 8: I had every intention of sacrificing to the Lord. 00:25:34 Speaker 2: Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings over obedience? 00:25:38 Speaker 6: Yes. 00:25:39 Speaker 1: Samuel crushed a smoldering coal beneath his staff, grinding it into the stone. 00:25:45 Speaker 2: Rebellion is just a sin of witchcraft. 00:25:49 Speaker 4: Stubbornness is idolatry. 00:25:51 Speaker 2: Your heart matters, Saul! 00:25:54 Speaker 5: Who cares what offering. 00:25:55 Speaker 2: You give if in your heart the worship belongs to you and not the Lord? 00:26:01 Speaker 5: You can't see everything! You can't see my heart! 00:26:06 Speaker 4: The Lord can. He sees you, Saul. For all your strength, height, and stature, you are a pathetic, weak, small little man. 00:26:20 Speaker 1: Samuel turned, walking toward the throne. He grabbed the fine purple cloth draped over it and flung it to the ground. 00:26:29 Speaker 2: Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king. 00:26:36 Speaker 1: Saul's breath caught in his throat. No, no! The anger drained from the king's face, replaced with something raw. 00:26:47 Speaker 5: Samuel, please, I have sinned. 00:26:52 Speaker 4: I feared the people. 00:26:54 Speaker 5: I listened to them instead of God, but it was not my will. 00:26:59 Speaker 8: Please, pardon my sin. 00:27:01 Speaker 5: Return with me. Let me worship before the lord. 00:27:06 Speaker 1: A chuckle from the corner of the room agag smirked from his ropes his mouth bloody and broken liar samuel ignored agag and turned his back on. 00:27:23 Speaker 4: Saw i will not go with you. 00:27:26 Speaker 1: Saw's hands trembled he lunged forward grabbing samuel's robe the fabric tore samuel stopped Slowly he turned, looking down at the strip of cloth in Saul's hands. 00:27:41 Speaker 2: As you have torn my robe, so the Lord has torn the kingdom from you. He will give it to another. The Lord has already chosen him. He is a man that seeks after the heart of God more than the heart of the peoples. 00:28:00 Speaker 1: Saul fell to his knees, and from across the room, Agag laughed again. Samuel's eyes darkened. Samuel turned to the guards in attendance. 00:28:12 Speaker 2: Bring that wretch to me! 00:28:15 Speaker 1: Agag was dragged forward. The Amalekite king smiled. 00:28:21 Speaker 6: Now I see who the real king of Israel is. Let's reason together, old man. Surely the bitterness of death is past, and we can come. 00:28:33 Speaker 4: To an agreement. 00:28:36 Speaker 1: Samuel drove his staff into Agag's gut. He then turned and took Saul's sword from his sheath. 00:28:44 Speaker 4: Why appoint a king at all? If he won't, deal out justice! 00:28:52 Speaker 1: Samuel pressed one foot on Agag's chest. then swung downward. The old prophet hacked away at the Amalekite king. He swung and swung. It took several thrusts of the sword, but Agag finally perished and was cut to pieces. The room was silent but for the dripping of blood. Samuel dropped the sword. The clang echoed against the silent halls, and without a word, he turned and walked away. He would never see Saul again. This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard. Zach Schellewager, 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 Zaradok, 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.