)
1997 - DAVID (Part I)
I Samuel : 9 - II Samuel
2 : 7
Script: Larry Cross
Dir.: Robert Markowitz
Prophet Samuel:
Leonard Nimoy
Saul: Jonathan Price
David (young): Nathaniel Parker
Jonathan: Ben Daniels
Nathan: Franco Nero
)
Following the word of the Lord, Saul arrives with his son in Jerusalem.
)
As the donkeys
are lost and both try to find them, their way is led to a Holy Man, the
prophet
Samuel.
He invites them to his house and tells them about the decision of the Israeli tribes
to choose a king.
The Lord had spoken to him a day before during the same time as they now meet. He had
told him that the chosen man from the tribe of Benjamin will come into town. They wonder
since the tribe of Benjamin is the smallest amongst all Israeli tribes. And their family
is the least amongst those. Prophet Samuel points out the unimportance of that now.
He decides to anoint Saul to be King of Israel.
)
|
)
|
)
|
| The king will come out of the tribe of Benjamin |
)
After anointing Saul to be King of Israel, Samuel kneels down and simply but firmly says:
"I am your faithful servant, my Lord and King."
)
The three men rejoice and Samuel tells
Saul what will happen to him. He will meet two men who will bring back his donkeys,
then, at the sacred tree at Tabor, three on their way to a sacrifice will give him
bread and after meeting Holy Men coming down from the Hill of God playing harps, drums,
flutes and lyres the spirit of the Lord will come over him.
All happens as he was told by the prophet and Saul, the Holy Men dance until late
night and Samuel wakes Saul at dawn.
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
Saul's first thought is about his new mission he
got from God and he asks Samuel what his first task will be. "You will reunite the tribes
and win the war," is Samuel's simple answer to explain the great task.
By crowning Saul to be King in front of the tribes Samuel introduces him officially
into his new position of power – and Saul uses his power to collect more people behind
him. Again Samuel sees Saul and tells him to go to Gilgal with his army. There he is
to wait for Samuel for 7 days until he gets new instructions from the Lord.
In Gilgal Saul becomes impatient.
)
Not wanting to wait for Samuel he orders a calf
to be sacrificed. "If Samuel does not speak to the Lord I will do it myself," he says,
and orders a calf to be sacrificed. )
That moment Samuel arrived and intervenes shouting:
"Saul, what are you doing?" Saul shouts through the rain he could not wait any longer,
some of his men had already run away in fear of the strong enemy. "The Lord would have
strengthened your kingdom for good," Samuel sadly shouts back, then leaving for the tent.
Running after him, Saul offers to do anything the Lord wants to regain the Lord's favor.
The prophet covers his face and walks up and down. After a while he says: "Erase the
Amalekites. All men, women, animals – anything."
)
|
)
|
)
|
| You have not done what the Lord has ordered | What does God want me to do now? | Erase the Amalekites. All men, women, animals – anything |
)
Gladly Saul agrees and hurries to give
orders for the oncoming fight.
The Israelites win. )
But when Samuel arrives, he again has to find out that Saul
has not listened: He has spared a man’s life and the lives of his stockm thinking it is better to use the animals to feed his people. Samuel leaves without a word and washes his head with water. Desperately, he turns to God all night long and regrets having made Saul King. He
has turned away from him and disobeyed his word. Back at Saul's tent he confronts Saul. Didn't the Lord make him King though he was unworthy by his own words? All the Lord wanted was obedience – and Saul was disobedient. This is the day the Lord
has taken the kingdom away from Saul, Samuel tells Saul.
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
Now Saul pleads Samuel to do a sacrifice. )
But Samuel angily
asks: "What does the Lord prefer: A sacrifice or obedience?" "You are going too far!" Saul tells
him. "Not far enough!" Samuel angrily responds and fulfills the task. Crying and begging not to turn away from him Saul tries to convince Samuel to give him another chance.
"The day you'll die will be the day you’ll see me again" are the last words Saul hears from Samuel this day.
"Samuel, fill your horn with oil and go to Bethlehem," the Lord says.
"You'll find a man with the name of Jesse. Among his sons I have chosen one to be
King."
)
As Samuel prepares for a sacrifice he is welcomed by Jesse, who is honored to have the Holy Man in his village.
)
He invites Samuel for a meal and insures that he and his sons will be honored if he came. Samuel asks whether all his sons will be
present. "Oh, yes, all will be present," Jesse tells Samuel. At the meal Samuel admires Jesse's
sons: "Great young men," he says, "You must be proud of them ... are these all of your
sons?" "All except the smallest," Jesse answers. "He is with the sheep over night." Samuel nods.
Samuel meets David. "Lord, is it the one you have chosen?" Samuel asks the Lord.
"Do not look at his size or his age, I look with other eyes," the Lord tells Samuel.
"Men only see the outward appearance, but I look at the heart."
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
Samuel tells David that the Lord
has sent him to anoint him to be King.
)
Trusting
in the Lord, David knows: He has nothing to fear.
Samuel anoints David to be King of Israel.
As well as other young men David joins the men in the army, while Saul becomes more
and more desperate knowing he has left the ways of the Lord. Jonathan selects him
for his playing of the harp to calm down his father. David's music has a calming effect
on Saul and Jonathan promises him to be his friend. David also wins over Goliath, a
huge worrier in the Philistines' camp because he trusts in the Lord.
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
|
)
|
Growing up more and more David wins over enemies of Israel and becomes famous amongst the Israelites – more than Saul is. Challenging him Saul sends him to war (with little chance to win it). In case of success he promises him his daughter to marry him. He succeeds. In the wedding night David is informed that Saul is after him. When the murderers come in they find David gone. Mutually Jonathan and David keep their friendship. Saul persecutes David, but he proves that he is loyal to his king. When David has a chance to kill him he saves his life and reunites again with Saul under the condition that he will not fight against Saul or his sons. David agrees.
)
Dying, Samuel entrusts Nathan to guide David during his reign as king. He makes him take over his duty to be with him and give him spiritual
guidance. "Help David, God makes it difficult for him to be
King." Nathan tells David Samuel's last words.
Fully aware he has lost touch with God Saul desperately seeks the help of a medium before an oncoming battle.
)
As she makes contact with Samuel who
has died 6 months ago, she begins to cry and shout when realizing whom she is dealing
with. Samuel tells Saul that he will loose against the Philistines the next morning and he will lose his
kingdom. The next morning Saul leads his people into war against the Philistines. Seeing his people and his sons die, he fears to fall into the hands of the Philistines and kills himself.
David is crowned to be King of Israel. He moves into Jerusalem and wants to build a temple for God, but Nathan tells him that it will be his son who’s going to build it.
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
) |
