Upamanyu Biswas
With war looming on the horizon, episode 7 of ‘House of David,’ titled ‘David and Goliath Part 1,’ centers on Jesse and David coming to terms with their complicated father-son relationship as Philistine forces lay down their challenge against the Israelites. As the enemies gather strength, the House of Saul finds itself embroiled in a difficult position, especially as the enemies outnumber the Hebrews looking to defend the United Monarchy. King Saul faces an even greater dilemma on the frontlines as a terrifying new enemy makes itself known. His addled mind takes a toll on his psyche and body while the threat of King Achish’s gathered army spreads havoc among the ranks. Meanwhile, miles away, David learns the truth about his heritage and the secrets Jesse has kept from him since childhood. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The War Preparations Get Underway as the Philistines Show Their Hand
The episode begins with David singing a soothing melody in the open lands of Bethlehem. He is settling back into his life as a shepherd after a few days in the King’s court. When he returns home, Jesse sends all his sons off to serve in Saul’s army for the upcoming war with the Philistines. Nathaneel protests against the decision, fearing that he will die on the frontlines. However, his father does not budge on the choice, even after David offers to take Nathaneel’s place. Once his brothers leave, David questions Jesse about what he is hiding from him and why he refuses to let the shepherd seek out his destiny. Jesse remains quiet on the matter and tells David to go back to tending to the sheep. Meanwhile, King Achish gathers his immense forces in the Valley of Elah, with the Giants among them.
King Saul gets dressed in his gear inside a war tent. Abner keeps him company, talking about Saul’s strength and the reason why he has brought unity to Israel. While wearing his garb, the King takes a swig from the blood potion prepared by the witch in the previous episode. He is still fighting off the effects of his curse. In the meantime, Jonathan and Joab monitor the Philistine forces across the Valley, which outnumber the Israelite army. The latter vows to strike down more men than the opposition once the battle gets underway. Jonathan meets a young boy named Eleazor, who wields a Philistine sword. The prince gives him hope, which Joab says is false. Meanwhile, Saul inspires his people to get ready for battle, even greeting Adriel as his ally, despite their bitter parting a few episodes prior.
While preparations for war take place, David finds himself relegated to the sidelines as he goes about his business tending to sheep as ordered by Jesse. However, this changes when Samuel stops by for a surprise visit. David, Jesse, and Avva entertain the holy seer in their humble abode, wondering why he is here in the first place. Samuel tells Jesse that he wants to help Jesse redeem his family’s name. Elsewhere, the two armies face off against each other in the Valley of Elah. King Saul sees the Philistine kings gather before him and plant their flags on the ground as symbols of their intent to attack him. They note that Achish has not managed to unite all the Philistines, as the fifth king is missing. However, their relief is short-lived as Goliath makes his way through the crowd and sends out a warning call to King Saul.
An Impasse Between the Armies Leads to Desertion
Saul’s curse returns as he watches Goliath issue his threat, paralyzed by the fear of a Giant making itself known in front of everyone. The latter wants a champion to fight him in order to decide the fate of the battle. The King begins hallucinating painful and horrifying visions that leave him weak. His horse throws him off, leading to the potion shattering as it falls to the ground. Subsequently, Jonathan picks up his father and sends him back to his tent. On the way there, Saul announces a call for someone to best the Giant in battle in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. In Bethlehem, David and Samuel discuss the former’s visions of a stream and a warrior standing in the middle. Samuel assures David that he has a part to play in the grand scheme of things. However, he must learn to value the importance of patience and timing.
The standoff between the Israelites and the Philistines continues as Goliath issues his challenge day after day. Meanwhile, King Saul’s condition continues to deteriorate without the potion to keep him company. A missive is sent back to Gibeah, which Queen Ahinoam, Mychal, and Mirab read. Ahinoam is devastated to learn about Saul’s worsening status. However, she has given up on trying to save her husband, stating that nothing more can be done. Mychal insists that they can at least pray to Hashem for their father’s recovery. Ahinoam shows disdain for Mychal’s proposed plan and says that she does not want to hear God’s name being spoken in the palace again. Worried about her father’s fate, Mychal decides to travel to the battlefield with a scripture from the library. Mirab meets her in the stable, trying to dissuade her from her course. She eventually agrees to ride with Mychal.
On the frontlines, the tribes begin deserting the Israelite army as the days keep passing by without any change. Adriel proposes fighting the Philistines head-on with all the soldiers remaining, even if defeat may be on the horizon. Desperate to stop the doubts creeping within the ranks, Jonathan takes it upon himself to fight Goliath as the champion. Abner says there is a better way to defeat the enemy. Meanwhile, Mychal and Mirab ride across the lands while the former sings some of David’s songs. Her sister questions her about the shepherd, but Mychal says that she has not forgiven him since he abandoned Saul and left Gibeah. Back in Bethlehem, Samuel performs a sacrifice ritual to rid Jesse’s bloodline of the sins of his past. Samuel asks David how he chose the sheep for the sacrifice. The boy states that it was “the best of the flock.”
David Learns His Mother’s Last Words and the True Call to His Destiny
After sending David away, Samuel speaks clearly with Jesse about the latter’s reasons for keeping David away from his destiny. In truth, Jesse loves David more than any of his other sons, which is why he is hesitant to give him up. Samuel understands Jesse’s mindset and tells him that a fire burns in David’s heart, one that cannot be extinguished. Instead, Jesse must learn to let go of “the best of the flock.” Elsewhere, Abner tells Jonathan about his alternative plan to get rid of the Giant. He states that the prince should sneak into the Philistine army camp at night and kill Goliath in his sleep. To make matters easier, Abner has already brought together a crew of mercenaries who are skilled and willing to aid Jonathan in his mission.
Meanwhile, David gets a vision of the warrior standing in the stream once again. However, this time, he follows Samuel’s advice and takes off his footwear at the water’s edge. He then kneels in front of the warrior and asks how he might serve God. The warrior points at the stream with his sword. When David steps into the water, he uncovers a bloody stone from the bedrock. He wakes up not long after. Upon returning to the house, he finds Jesse outside getting a donkey ready for travel. David follows his father inside the house, where the latter explains his full reasons for keeping David safe and away from danger all his life. He also reveals the true last words of Nitzavet, David’s mom, before she passed away. She told Jesse that her son would “rise.” Like Samuel and David, the woman saw visions of the latter’s destiny and how he would influence the kingdom moving forward.
In the King’s war tent, Jonathan finds Doeg sitting next to a silently slumbering Saul. The assassin offers his help to Jonathan. He states that he is willing to kill the next anointed King of Israel if Jonathan seeks it himself. However, the prince is wary of Doeg and does not trust anything he says, especially as he believes that the man serves no one but himself. Doeg states that the Giant is the least of Jonathan’s problems before leaving. The prince sits down to tend to his father, comforting Saul as he slips into one nightmare after another. Jonathan then meets up with the mercenaries outside as the sun comes down. They head off to complete their mission as David sets on his journey to the battlefield.
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