Saul e David (1964) - full transcript

- [Voiceover] When Samuel,
the last great judge

of the Israelites, saw
old age had come upon him,

he made his sons judges over the people.

But his sons had not
their father's virtue,

and were corrupted by
their love of riches.

Then the elders of
Israel gathered together

and asked of Samuel that he appoint a king

who would govern them as
other nations were governed.

Although the Samuel warned them

of the many burdens the king may impose

upon his subjects, the elders insisted.



Thus it was that Samuel, obedient
to the voice of the Lord,

anointed Saul of the tribe of
Benjamin as King of Israel.

Then Saul, leading the Israelites,

fought against their
enemies on every side.

Against Moab, against the Ammonites,

against Edom, against the kings of Zobah,

and the Philistines, and he defeated them.

But as Saul's authority grew stronger,

so did his ambition flourish,

and he began to be disobedient

to the voice of the Lord.

So Samuel went again to Saul.

(sweeping orchestral music)

- [Man on left] Fasten it well, Abdon.



- [Man on right] Samuel is here.

- Samuel?

- [Voiceover] Samuel!
- [Voiceover] Samuel!

- [Voiceover] Samuel!

- [Voiceover] Long life to you, Samuel!

- [Voiceover] God be with you, Samuel!

- Ah, what a happy day, Samuel.

You bring the Lord's
blessing on our victory.

May you also be blessed.

Honor the house of your servant.

Come in.

Come in and rest, you must be tired.

The orders of the Lord have
been carried out, Samuel.

Don't be afraid, come in.

(goats bleating)

- [Samuel] Have they?

- Those animals were
taken from the Amalekites.

The people save the best to be sacrificed

here in Gilgal before the sacred Ark.

Wait here, Abdon.

- [Abdon] Yes, Saul.

- The orders of the Lord
have not been carried out.

"Destroy all living creatures in Amalek.

"Men and animals alike.

"Put them to death."

That is what the Lord said.

- I've already told you, the animals

will be sacrificed here in Gilgal.

- And do you think that is enough

to excuse your disobedience?

- I was afraid of my own people.

I humored them.

- And the King!

Was it the people who
spared the king of Amalek?

Or was it your pride that forced you

to make a show of your defeated enemy?

- Remember to whom
you're speaking, Samuel.

- Why don't you remember, Saul?

What you were before God
anointed you king of his people.

- Bah.

- But now you no longer
listen to the voice of God.

- The voice of God? Or yours?

O come, Samuel, no need to be so hard.

I have sinned, I admit.

I've transgressed the Lord's will.

Come, we'll go together
and pray to the Lord.

And you will plead for me.

- No, I won't go with you.

I won't be your accomplice, Saul.

You have rejected the Lord's command,

and he has rejected you.

You will no longer be king of Israel.

(foreboding orchestral music)

- Samuel!

(Samuel's clothing ripping)

Oh, Samuel.

- Today the Lord has torn
the kingdom of Israel

from you, and given it to
another who is more worthy.

- Tell me who it is, Samuel.

His name,

this other better than me.

Tell me his name.

- You are already starting
to torment yourself.

- Tell me his name!

- I don't know, but I know that day-by-day

you will see him growing
under your very eyes.

And you will grow

smaller and smaller.

(horses whinnying)

- [Saul] Any news?

- Yes, the first guards have
been marching since dawn

and the Philistines have made camp

on the plateau overlooking
the Valley of the Ter-a-bun.

- Right, have our camp set up

on the heights opposite to them.

- Stop, thief!

Come back here, you little vagabond.

Just let me get my hands on ya.

I'll teach ya!

Now then, I caught him, my Lord.

He's been stealing your grain

and his sheep have been feeding off it

ever since we left Carmel.

They've grown fat on your corn.

(laughs) I've had my eye on him
all along, the little thief.

- It's not true, I'm not a thief.

We are only following the
army to pick up the leftovers.

Anyway, I only have seven sheep.

How much can seven little
sheep eat, my Lord?

- This yours?

- Yes, but he took it away.

- Yes, I took it away because he insists

on waiting till the middle of
the night to play his harp,

just when I'm sleeping soundly.

- But you always say you
work so hard you never sleep.

- That's right, of course.

What I mean to say is, I
wasn't thinking of my rest,

but I was only worried that
he might disturb you, my Lord.

- So you're the one who's been taking over

the rooster's job in the morning.

- Yes.

(birds chirping)

Play for me.

Come on.

(delicate harp music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(shouting)

- For forty days now,
I have challenged you

to send one of your men
to do battle with me,

but as yet, no one has had
the courage to step forward.

- Jonathan, Jehovah will testify

to the love I bear your father.

I've risked my life for him

a thousand times in battle, but now--

- We're all cowards, Abner, all of us.

If only one of us had the
courage to face Goliath.

- That would be suicide.

The Philistines are just
waiting for us to move,

that's all they want.

You see, in the Valley of the Ter-a-bun,

whoever attacks first is lost.

And the Philistines know that very well.

So Goliath is just a pretense, a bait.

Yes, what is it?

- A boy, a shepherd, wants
to speak to the king.

He claims to be in his service.

- Whip him.

- Wait, you know that shepherd.

He's the boy who plays the harp.

- Oh yes, send him away.

- Abner, remember the last time,

that boy played his song
and calmed my father.

- He was better off then than he is now.

- [Voiceover] Take up your arms and fight

if you're worthy to be called men!

- Thank you, my Lord.

- Go in quietly.

As soon as you're inside,
start playing, softly,

just as you did the other time,

but if he gets angry, stop
playing and leave right away.

- A boy.

All that is left of the
courage of Israel...

is left in the simple heart of a boy.

(laughs) Oh, shameful.

Shame, O Israel.

With no man to defend your honor.

They send me a boy.

- My lord, my lord.

I used to watch over my father's flock,

and if a lion or bear came

and carried off one of my lambs,

I would chase him and snatch
the prey from his jaws.

If he attacked me, I'd take a stone

and fit it into my sling,
and then I would smite him.

That's how I slew him.

And I will kill this Goliath,
the Philistine, the same way.

The same God who protected me

against the lion, the bear,

will protect me against this Philistine.

And I will slay him.

(Saul laughing)

- Who are you?

You're my son.

No.

No, you're Saul.

You're the ghost of my
boyhood come to mock me.

(Saul gasps)

(Saul sighs)

Are you still here?

(Saul laughs)

Since you insist on
staying, you shall fight,

you shall fight,

you shall fight in the
king's armor, there.

How's that? A sword.

Fasten (muttering).

(Saul laughs)

(Saul laughs)

Move, ghost!

Go on, let's see you move!

Let's see you move, ghost!

(Saul laughs hysterically)

Come on, boy.

- Please, my lord, I can't
walk with this armor.

I'm not used to it.

Let me fight my own way, please.

With my own weapons.

- May the Lord be with you.

(martial orchestral music)

The destiny of Israel

in the hands of a little shepherd boy.

- [Abner] Yes, but it's
a useless sacrifice.

- No, not a useless sacrifice,

an act of faith.

Faith, that is what I
saw in that boy's eyes.

In all your faces I
saw mistrust and doubt,

even in my son's face.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Hey! Boy!

Didn't they tell you to keep away from me?

Are you deaf? Go away!

Go away!

Or did you come here to beg some food?

Beg, pig.

Get out of here!

Hurry up.

- I come here to answer your challenge,

in the name of Jehovah,
God of the hosts of Israel.

- You? They sent you?

To answer my challenge? (laughs)

Did you hear that, did you
all hear that, comrades?

I asked for a man to fight with me

and they sent me a boy! (laughs)

Not even that. (laughs)

It's a girl. Isn't she pretty? (laughs)

- Jehovah's put you in my hands.

- What are you going to do?

Do you think I'm a dog?

Is that why you brought your stones?

- You're worse than a dog.

I'll kill you, I'll cut off your head

and leave your body behind

for the birds and the wild beasts.

Then the whole world will know

that Israel has a God.

(metallic scrape of iron)

(sling buzzes)

(Goliath shouts)

(Goliath screams)

(Israelites shout)

(metallic scraping of iron and rock)

(boy grunts)

- [Israelites] David!

David!

David!

- [Saul] In the name of Jehovah!

(dramatic orchestral music)

(triumphant orchestral music)

- [Israelites] David!

David!

David!

David!

David!

- Boy.

Stand.

I and all the people of Israel
should kneel before you.

Today you have proved

that there is a God of Israel.

Through you, he has delivered
our enemies into our hands.

And we pursued them

to the very gates of Gath and Ekron!

- [Israelites] David!

David!

David!

- I don't even know whose son you are.

- I am the son of your
servant Jesse, of Bethlehem.

- Ah, I know, I know.

The people hailed you
by the name of David.

David means "to lead and to command."

And that is what I will call you.

- I will be David.

In the name of Saul, my lord and king.

Abner.

Joab.

- Let me embrace you, David.

Thank you for every thing
you have done for our people,

and for my father.

(exciting orchestral music)

- [David] There's Gibeah.

Forward.

- Saul will have prepared
a worthy reception for you.

Your promised bride will
be impatiently waiting.

(men laugh)

- What a surprise it'll be when the king

sees not 100 but 200 Philistines.

- David, maybe you should ask
Saul for two of his daughters

since he's so willing to pay
100 Philistines for only one.

(man laugh)

- A slave!

That's all I am to you.

I'm only good for bearing your sons.

And then what do you do with them?

(Saul groans)

You send them into battle

and when the Lord protects
them and saves their lives,

then you humiliate them by
making them serve an outsider.

- He's no longer an outsider.

- Because you brought
him into your family.

You're giving him your
daughter in marriage,

to him, a mere shepherd.

- A shepherd, what was I when I

first met you.
- And he can't even pay

you a decent dowry.

Oh, but you're always
so generous with David.

"You have no money for the dowry?

"Well, what of it, just
kill some Philistines."

- "Some Philistines?"

A hundred.

(laughs) A hundred.

- Ah, I see.

And so you thought--

- That's enough. That's enough! Enough!

Why don't you say these
things to your son?

Have you ever tried
talking to him in this way?

To belittle his hero, this shepherd.

Have you seen our daughter
look at this shepherd?

(chuckles)

And my soldiers.

My soldiers would, would
give their lives for him.

And the people, the people
would let themselves

be trampled under his horse's hooves,

just to touch the strap of his stirrups.

And you want me, the only
one in all this world

to oppose him?

- I never dreamed you were afraid of him.

You're really afraid of him.

- Oh go away.

Go on, get out of here!

- I come, my lord, to bring the news

that your glorious captain, David,

may Jehovah protect him,

has sent Ishael to announce
his early victorious return

from the mission you
ordered him to perform.

(Saul laughs)

- May Jehovah protect him.

May Jehovah protect him. (laughs)

You old hypocrite.

I put him in command of
the army, replacing you.

You can't forgive him for that, can you?

- Have you any more
orders for me, my lord?

- Yes, your lord orders
you to sing and dance

and make music for the
happy news you brought me.

In other words, go where you like

and cut your throat.

Leave me in peace.

Oh, Akhinoam, don't go, I need you.

(tense orchestral music)

Oh, give me your hand.

It's pounding, pounding.

He's here, Akhinoam.

He's coming back.

He always comes back, always.

No Philistine's sword is quick enough.

Nor arrow so swift.

(people cheering)

- Please, don't drink anymore.

You know that wine isn't good for you.

- But it is, Abner.

It's good for me, it gives us sight...

and yet it clears the mind.

Eh, Abner? The mind.

(people cheering)

- [Voiceover] Glory to Saul and to David!

- Glory to Saul and to David!

- [Voiceover] Long live David!

(people cheering)

- There he is.

- Who?

- It's David.

- Look, Michal.

And there's Joab.

- [Voiceover] Saul has
killed his thousands.

David his tens of thousands.

(people cheering)

- See Jonathan.

- Oh yes.

- Look how handsome he is.

But David is so strong.

- There are moments when things
about me seem indistinct.

But remember, Abner, when we

were marching against Zobah?

In the midst of the battle,
I fell off my horse.

And the whole world
seemed to spin around me.

And a thick fog came over my eyes.

And you and Jonathan saved me.

Well, since then, since then the sickness

has happened again and again.

I wonder if my arm can still wield an ax.

(metal clangs)

David!

Welcome back.

Well why do you stand there, my boy?

Don't you like the way I
play your harp? (laughs)

Come on, my boy, come in, come in.

- My lord, I bring you the price you asked

for the hand of your daughter Michal.

Not 100, but 200
Philistines will never again

take up the sword against you.

- I knew you would succeed.

I might have guessed
that you would surpass

my every expectation.

He brings me double the dowry I asked for.

But I can still give
you only one daughter.

What a pity I didn't fatten her up,

to weigh twice as much, to
match your double heroism.

(laughs)

Sometimes, my boy,

I suspect that everything
about you is double.

- The glory of the king is always worthy

of a double effort from
his humble servant.

- Fine, fine.

Then you should try to achieve
the double of the double.

And then the double of
the double of the double,

and so on, and on, and
on, always the double.

Oh, poor David, what labors await you.

It's so long since I
heard your sweet voice,

and the sound of your melodious harp.

Come, sing for me.

- Now, Saul?

- Sing for me.

Your song will bring more joy to my heart

than the sound of your victories.

- I am tired, my lord.

I have just returned from
the land of the five cities.

- Sing something for the
tired heart of old Saul.

Sing.

- But, my Lord--

- Sing!

(delicate harp music)

- Don't you see he's sick?

He often treats me worse than that.

And I, I'm his own son.

Michal, come in, Michal.

- David.

Oh, David.

I was so frightened for you.

David, you mustn't be upset by father.

No matter what happens, David,

I'll be at your side, even,
even against his will.

I love you, David.

- No, Michal.

I would never set you
against your own father.

I love you both too much
to ever come between you.

- Does my father's consent
mean more to you than my love?

- What are you saying, Michal?

- Then tell me, David, do you love me?

Really?

(spear thunks into wood)

(spear thunks)

(birds chirp)

(spear thunks)

- Don't worry it's nothing.

It's just a game.

- Do you have them?

Give them here.

(spear thunks)

(laughs) Your turn.

Your last chance.

(spear thunks)

- Aw, I give up.

I will never be able to beat you.

- Never mind, my boy.

(birds chirp)

(water sloshes)

- [David] Oh!

(Michal laughs)

Now I'll get you wet.

- (laughs) Let me dry you off.

Ooh, watch out.

(David laughs)

(sweet orchestral music)

(dark orchestral music)

- Well what's the matter?

Aren't you glad you won?

- Won?

He lets me win.

He treats me like a child.

(sweeping orchestral music)

(wind moans)

(fire crackles)

(dice clunk)

(dice clunk)

(horse hooves thunder)

(laughing from outside)

(David laughing)

- Be quiet, you'll wake the whole palace.

- All the better.

Wait till you see how
happy your father will be

when he hears about the joke

that we've played on the
Philistines. (laughs)

- Here you are, David.

- Ah, well, get some rest, Jonathan.

We have all earned it.

We can report to the king tomorrow.

Good night.

- Well, my lord, do you
want to hear my report?

I suppose that's why you sent for me.

- A flame...

how like the human mind it is.

Come in, boy.

Come over here where I can see you.

- There were only 30 of
us, against more than 200.

The entire garrison of Ezekah.

And we killed every last one.

- Sit down, boy.

You are a very able young man.

You are gifted with weapons

and with words.

You write beautiful poems

and you compose celestial music.

Your soul has many faces.

- All of them at your service, my lord.

- Are they?

David.

(wind moans)

David?

Tell me about Samuel.

- About Samuel?

- Yes.

Tell me about Samuel.

(laughs) It's all right, David.

I've known everything for a long time.

I know that you see him often.

I know that he guides your every step.

That's why I took you into my service,

under my protection.

So you see, you don't
have to pretend anymore.

I've had enough of this
old grudge against Samuel.

It doesn't help anybody.

Only you can make us friends again.

He's as fond of you as I am.

I chose you because he chose you.

You suppose I would put
you at the head of my army,

made you one of my family,

if I hadn't always known

that Samuel had chosen you to be my heir?

The anointed King of Israel.

(chuckles) These are great plans for you.

You should study the stars,

try to discover how and when Jehovah

has arranged for me to die. (chuckles)

You're very talkative tonight.

- I don't understand, Saul.

- Ah, well, go to bed.

My daughter is waiting for you.

(spear slams into door)

(David's clothing rips)

Liar! Filthy liar! Liar!

(wind moans)

Liar! Liar!

Abner! Abner! Abner!

- David, what's wrong?

(David gasping)

Tell me! What's happened?

(gasps) Who did that?

- It's nothing.

(wind moans)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

Let me look at you.

Your hair, your eyes.

I'd forgotten how lovely you are.

(tense, pounding orchestral music)

(iron scrapes on iron)

(tense orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral flourish)

- Abner!

(door thumps)

(wind moans)

Why'd you let him escape?

Why have you deceived me?

You'll find out the kind of man he is.

And for this man, you've
turned against your father.

(gulls crying)

(sad orchestral music)

(sling buzzes)

(bird cries)

(horse hooves thundering)

(lonesome orchestral music)

- [David] Jonathan!

(horse whinnies)

How did you find me?

- I went to Samuel.

He told me where you were.

- Come with me, we can be seen here.

Leave the horse.

- I have wonderful news, David.

You have nothing more to fear.

Saul no longer wants to kill you.

And all because of Samuel.

My father went to talk with him,

and guess what happened?

Right in front of Samuel,
he tore his clothes,

and began to pray, to
ask God's forgiveness.

He was calling for you.

Now he is a changed person.

Tomorrow, for the Feast of the New Moon,

he wants you at his table.

Because we're all gonna celebrate

the annual sacrifice together.

What's the matter, don't you believe me?

- As sure as there is a God, Jonathan,

there is only one short
step between me and death.

I've done a lot of thinking

during these days I've been alone.

You know what they're saying about me?

The reasons for your father's jealousy?

I understand him.

i can see why he is tormented and angry.

I'll tell you something more.

Perhaps he behaved this way,
not for selfish reasons,

but for you, for his sons.

But I, I have to be on my guard.

And I'm not sure yet that I'm safe.

- What do you want me to do?

- Tell your father I'll come,

but I'll stay hidden in the country.

When Saul asks for me, tell him

that, at the last minute,
I went instead to Bethlehem

for the annual sacrifice,

preferring to be with my family.

If he doesn't get angry,
then that will be a sign

that everything's all right.

Then you can come and get me.

- But if Saul has
another outburst of rage,

what's to be done?

- Then I'll leave here forever.

I have no choice.

- Why hasn't David come yet?

Eh?

- David is not coming.

He asked me if he could go to Bethlehem.

He wanted to make the annual
sacrifice with his family.

- His family?

- Aren't we his family?

- You wouldn't think so, the
way we treat him sometimes.

- You son of a slut!

You think I don't know
you're the friend of David?

To the shame of your mother
and your own dishonor?

- But, Father--
- You're a fool!

As long as David lives,
there's no safety for you.

Or for your reign.

- It's not true, you don't
know what you're saying.

- Go and find him!

Bring him here.

- Why, he hasn't done anything?

- Watch your lying tongue!

Let me go! Let me go!

I'll kill him, kill him!

- Get up and put your hands on your head.

Hey, didn't you hear me?

I told you to get up and
put your hands on your head.

Come on, hurry up!

- I beg your pardon, but if I obey you,

my rabbit will be ruined.

I had to chase it all
day before I caught it.

Aren't you hungry?

Sit down, there's enough for two.

- Hey, are you one of us?

- Mm-hmm.

- Thief? Murderer?

- Oh, thief.

- Ah, you're too well dressed.

- Am I?

Can't clothes be stolen?

- How much for that?

- You can take it.

It's a present.

- Oh, it's a present.

(old man grunts)

Eeee, yeeee, yahh.

(David laughs)

- A bit heavy, isn't it?

Oh, eat.

- Ah, I know who you are.

That's Goliath's sword

that was in the Temple of Nob.

Everybody knows that
you ran away from Saul,

that you went to the priests of Nob,

that Ahimelech gave you
bread and Goliath's sword.

Ah, David! You are David!

Listen.

Jehovah brought us together.

You don't know who I am.

Ask anybody who Isaac the thief is.

He has the cunningest head in all Israel.

You see, there's just one
thing I need that I don't have.

A strong arm.

I'm getting old.

Listen to me, David.

Let's work together, huh?

A sword like that,

and a head like this.

Yes!

Who could stop us?

Eh?

(horse hooves rumbling)

- [David] Let's just have a look.

- David, let's do it this way.

You attack them first, and then I'll.

- [David] Joab! Abishai! Joalah!

Joab! Abishai!

- David!

- He's become a liar, a thief, an outlaw.

Does anyone else want to
follow Joab and the others

into David's camp of brigands?

Not one of you warned me of the plots

going on behind my back.

Not even in my own household.

My own family.

- My lord, the priests of Nob are here.

(crowd murmurs)

- You have sent for me and my
whole household, my lord king.

We have obeyed.

- Doeg, tell him what
you've already told me.

What did you see?

- I was in Nob, the city of the priests,

when David, the son of Jesse,

came to Ahimelech and Ahimelech

consulted the Lord for him,

and provided him

with the food for his trip,

and gave him the sword

of Goliath the Philistine.

- Doeg, a stranger,

of the tribe of Edom,

more loyal than my own sons.

Why have you plotted against me

with the son of Jesse?

You fed him, armed him,
helped him to rebel.

- And how was I to know?

Isn't David the most
loyal of your servants?

Honored in your own house?

Captain of your army?

Since when has it been
a crime to help him?

I have consulted the
Lord for him 100 times.

- Lies won't help you.

- Don't accuse me and my household

of a crime we didn't commit.

- But you were seen.

- I have nothing to hide.

David came in your name.

He asked for bread.

- Listen to me, Ahimelech.

I know whose orders you
carried out to help David.

Samuel's.

He's always protected him.

The same old story, the same old lies.

Taking refuge behind the Lord.

I've had enough!

Because you betrayed your king,

you and your household will now die.

Abner.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Saul, you can't do this!

- Abner!

- Archers!

- Father!
- Bah!

(crowd chatters nervously)

(archers sigh)

- [Saul] What are you waiting for?

Put them to death.

- They won't obey you, Saul.

- Put them to death!

Doeg, you haven't such
reverence for these traitors.

You put them to death.

Go on.

(tense orchestral music)

(arrow whizzes)

(crowd gasps)

(Saul screams)

(arrow whizzes)

(priest screams)

(arrow whizzes)

(priest groans)

(arrow whizzes)

(priest groans)

(arrow whizzes)

(priest screams)

(arrow whizzes)

(priest moans)

(Doeg laughs)
(arrow whizzes)

(arrows whiz)
(priests groan)

(priest screams)

(priest screams)

(priest screams)

(priest screams)

(priest groans)

(Jonathan weeps)

(priests groan)

(priest moans)

(priest screams)

(priest groans)

(thunder crashes)

- Jehovah willed that I
alone, of all his priests,

should not enter the
palace with the others.

So now I'm all alone, the only one.

I'm almost ashamed.

Then Saul descended on Nob,

burned every house to
the ground, the Temple.

And now he's hunting you everywhere.

- Abiathech, stay here
with us, you can help us.

You will consult the Lord for us,

asking him to protect my life,

and the lives of my companions.

(men grumbling)

(thunder rolls)

- [Soldier] On your knees and stay there!

We caught them down in the Valley.

They're two of Saul's spies.

- No, my lord, no--

- Shut up, you pig!

Caught you sneaking up to the cave.

- Yes, my lord, that's right, but--

- Of course it's right, you are spies!

- No, no, we are not spies!

- You're lying!

He is a spy.

- Speak.

- We're from Keilah, my lord.

We're peasants, peace-loving
peasants, my lord.

Yesterday our country was
invaded by the Philistines.

They're like locusts, my lord, locusts!

They pillaged and plundered our fields.

Our harvests, our poor harvests.

My lord, only you can help us.

Only you can chase these
heathen dogs from our homes,

as you have done a thousand times before.

We beg you, my lord.

We're from Keilah, we're peasants.

- Yes, yes, yes, yes, I understand.

Joab, get ready to march,
we leave immediately.

At dawn, we'll be in Keilah.

- But, David, we've only just
arrived and we need some rest.

- As if we hadn't enough
troubles of our own.

Why should we take on anymore?

They're big enough to
take care of themselves.

- We can't fight Saul
and Saul's enemies, too.

Because of your rebellion
we've had to flee our homes.

Our only fault was that
we were your brothers,

sons of the same mother.

Now what do you want us to do?

- Listen to me.

All of you, listen to me!

Never let it be said that the son of Jesse

left the house of Saul
to wage war on Saul.

David has spent his life and strength

defending Israel against its enemies,

and he'll keep right on doing it.

And now, in the name of
Jehovah, on to Keilah.

On to Keilah.

- Came to our aid and
chased the Philistines

out of Keilah, my lord.

He freed the city, my lord.

Now he's resting there, with all his men.

The city has only one gate, my lord.

On the side where the sun rises.

- How many are there?

- [Kneeling man] I'd say 500 at the most.

- The Lord has delivered
him into my hands.

He set himself up in a
city with a gate and bars.

To Keilah.

- To Keilah!

(exciting orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

He's fled, Saul.

My scouts tell me he left
Keilah as soon as it got dark.

He was heading for the desert of Ziph.

- Then we go to Ziph.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- We are surrounded by spies, David.

We'd better teach them a lesson.

- From now on we won't stop any place

for more than a day, Joab.

We'll wander like the people of Abraham

until the Lord gives us the promised land.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(sweeping orchestral music)

(wind moans)

I wonder if it is right,

always running away like this.

It's been years now.

- David has sent us.

We haven't touched your flocks.

We protected them for you.

Now we've come to ask
what's due to us, huh?

- Who are you?

Who is David?

I've never seen you before.

I never asked for your protection.

I'm not in the habit of
giving payment or hospitality

to strangers who come
from the Lord knows where.

Go tell your David that
Nabal's not afraid of him.

I'm not a slave who has fled his master.

You can tell him that, too.

Come on, we've wasted enough time here.

(laughing)

- He chased them away Abigail.

- What did they want?

- Something to eat, they were David's men.

- He's a stupid fool.

He shouldn't have done that.

Doesn't he realize what it can cost us?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [David] Halt!

(martial orchestral music)

Who are they?

(martial orchestral music)

- I'm Abigail, it was my fault,

my lord, my fault.

Take no notice of what my
fool of a husband said.

Unfortunately, I didn't
see your men in time.

Please, forgive your servant's mistake,

and accept a fair recompense
for, for the watch

that you have kept over our flocks.

- Blessings to Jehovah,God of Israel,

who has sent you to me.

If you hadn't come to tell me this,

I assure you none of
you would be alive now.

- My men will help yours unload the asses.

- Joab!

(men shout)

(tender orchestral music)

- I know that you have
a wife called Michal.

How does it happen that
she is not with you?

Have you forgotten her?

- What good are memories

when a man has no home but the desert?

Abigail!

Wait.

I have listened to your words
and I have received them well.

Go back in peace to your home.

- When Jehovah has rewarded you,

and has given you a home again,

remember your servant.

(brooding orchestral music)

- David, look over there.

- Come on. Hah!

(pounding, suspenseful orchestral music)

Dismount.

We'll take cover, follow me.

(tense orchestral music)

(thrilling orchestral music)

It's Saul.

- Saul?

- They're making camp.

Don't move, don't make a sound.

Well, they're only two choices left.

We can resign ourselves to
falling into the hands of Saul

one day or another...

or else we must flee into the
country of the Philistines.

It's sad. I'm sorry.

But it's the only way!

(wind whistles)

(horse whinnies)

(fires crackle)

(fire crackles)

- [David] Abner! Abner!

Abner! Abner!

Why don't you answer?

For someone who's supposed to
be the best soldier in Israel,

you're a very heavy sleeper.

- [Abner] Come on, wake up, you fools.

We could have been butchered in our sleep

and you wouldn't have noticed it.

Wake up, get up!

- [David] Why be angry with them, Abner?

Weren't you asleep, too?

An ordinary man comes and threatens

the life of your king, and you sleep.

You deserve to be put to death for that.

Look around you, Abner!

Where are the king's lance and jug?

(wind moans)

Where are they?

Have you found them?

I am here, Abner, here!

- Soon it will be day
and I'll butcher him.

Take cover, my lord, quickly!

- [David] Stop where you are, don't move.

Here are the lance and the jug, Abner.

Come and get them.

- [Saul] David!

- Yes, my king?

I've come to ask you, why you persist

in pursuing your servant?

For years, you have been chasing me

as you hunt down the wild
birds in the mountains.

Saul, you will force me

to serve a foreign god.

- I've been a fool.

I'll never harm you again.

You are the better man.

Tonight, the Lord placed me at your mercy

and you spared me.

- I spared you twice.

Remember, Saul?

Once in the cave at Engedi

when I cut a piece from your cloak,

and again tonight, I took pity on you.

I said to myself, "I
will not raise my hand

"against my king, because he
is the anointed of the Lord."

Wickedness, Saul, comes from the wicked.

- True, true!

Now I know that you're
a good and just man.

You will be King of Israel.

The people will prosper under your rule.

I am sorry, David!

Only come back, David,
I'll do you no harm.

Only promise not to wipe out my family.

Treat them with mercy,
David, when you are king.

- Just listen to him, the snake.

We should have nailed
him with his own lance.

- The Lord will reward each of us

according to our faith
and our loyalty, Saul.

- [Saul] David. David!

You said it, Jonathan, you always said it.

The dearest of my sons,

the strongest support of my kingdom.

How could I?

He didn't trust me.

Do you know, Jonathan, he didn't trust me.

I suppose I was to blame.

I lied to him 100 times.

- You'll see, Father, he'll come back.

- Will he?

- Drink it.
- [Saul] Will he?

- It will get cold.

- He'll come back.

- Why are you still lying?

Why don't you tell him that
David is with the Philistines?

- Eh?

Oh, you think you hate him.

You're bitter because he married Abigail.

- Listen, Father.

David is your enemy, he
will fight against you.

- But you still love him.

- He's lied all his life.

You were right,

he married me only to get your throne.

- Yeah, but you still love him.

- Saul.

Your daughter is telling the truth.

For some time now, David
has been in the service

of the prince of Gath.

And now the Philistines
are marching against us.

- Drink it. You'll feel better.

- David, David will come back.

He'll come back.

- Yes, he'll come back,
he's already on his way.

But he'll take your place,
just as Samuel said he would.

- Samuel?

Ah, Samuel's dead,

and I'm alive.

I'm still King of Israel.

- Saul, you are no longer a king.

God has abandoned you.

You have disobeyed his
orders, killed his priests!

God doesn't listen to you,

God doesn't speak to you.

- You're mad.

I have driven God from my house, eh, eh?

(Saul moans and exclaims)

So God doesn't speak
to me anymore, eh, eh?

Come, come.

(wind moans)

Wait, wait.

(wind moans)

Listen, listen.

(wind moans)

(wind moans and whines)

You hear?

Do you hear it, the voice of Jehovah?

- That's the wind, Saul.

- It's the voice of Jehovah.

It's strong, I know it.

Jonathan, do you hear
the words of Jehovah?

Do you hear them too, eh?

Well answer me.

"Your foot, Saul, shall
stand fast on the rock.

"I bequeath to you my judgment.

"And to those who succeed
you, I will grant my justice."

Ah, ah!

"Saul will last as long as the moon."

- Saul.

- "Stretching from sea to sea."

- Saul!

The Philistines are
within two day's march.

- Yes.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(martial orchestral music)

- What are those Hebrews
doing here, Achish?

- That's David.

Haven't you heard of David, brother?

- You're mad, Achish.

- He's been in my service
for nearly two years now.

Saul hates him and fears
him as a dangerous rival.

Why do you think I asked you

to band together now to wage war on Saul,

now that David is with us.
- Wait.

Are you so sure that David is with us?

- For two years, I have had no
reason to doubt his loyalty.

- Don't be naive, Achish, once
a traitor, always a traitor.

- Have this man and his warriors sent back

and they will not come
with us into battle.

He could turn against
us during the fighting.

- But I told you, Saul hates him.

- And you don't think he could

win back Saul's favor, Achish,

by offering him our heads?

(martial orchestral music)

- Send David back to the camp.

But believe me, brother,

I'd rather give up 1,000 of my chariots.

(horse hooves thunder)

- [Horseman] David and his
men are no longer with them.

- It seems David has
left the Philistine camp.

- It will be a clear day.

If anything should happen to me, Abner,

if today's battle should go against us,

give the signal, call my sons around you

and take them to safety.

Remember, you swore it, Abner.

My descendants, my descendants must reign.

(suspenseful drumming music)

- All right, speak.

Say what you have to say.

Joab.

Wasn't it you, Joab, who was afraid

that I would lead you into a
battle against our brothers?

But I knew that Jehovah would
save us from that danger.

And hasn't it turned out just that way?

I know the Battle of
Gilboa concerns us, too!

But have you seen the kind of ground

where Saul has agreed to fight?

No cover, not even a blade
of grass to hide behind.

Saul is old and tired.

The responsibility for your lives

and for the lives of
all the people of Israel

has never weighed on me so
heavily as it does today.

Only now do I realize how
wonderful was my life before...

when I was a shepherd,

with the responsibility of only 30 sheep.

Now there are many more sheep

and many more wolves around them.

You and I are the only
ones with weapons left

to defend the whole flock,

but can I let us go and crush
these armies of the enemy

just to save part of our flock,

and rob all the people of Israel

of their only chance of salvation?

At this moment,

none of us in his inner-most heart

wants to listen to such cold reasoning.

But you, at least, in
the long years ahead,

can have one consolation, you can say

it wasn't your doing that
Saul received no help

that day at Gilboa.

I alone must bear the
burden of this decision.

And there is no comfort in knowing

that the event foreseen by
Samuel has been fulfilled.

I will continue to grieve
till the end of my life.

(men shout)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(men shouting)

(arrows whiz)

(arrows whiz)

(soldier groans)

(men scream)

(arrows whiz)

(man screams)

(arrows whiz)

(man groans)

(arrows whiz)

(horse whinnies)

(men shouting)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(men scream)

(horse whinnies)

(man screams)

(man screams)

(men groan)

(horses whinny)

(men shout)

(metal clangs)

(Saul laughs)

(men scream)

(Saul laughs)

(man screams)

(chariot wheels rumble)

(Saul shouts)

(camels growl)

- Where's David?

David, I have great news for you.

The army of the Israelites
has been overcome.

Saul is defeated, now you are the king.

David.

(men grumble)

(arrow whizzes)

(Saul groans)

(men shouting)

- Abner! Abner.

Hurry, we've got to go.

The battle is lost, Saul is dying.

- No!

We must wait for your brothers.

- Are you mad, Abner?

You wanna see us all killed?

Who knows where they are?

Remember the king's command,

you must save me.

- Heyah!

- Come on, come on, you cowards!

(groaning)

(moaning)

(Saul moans)

- David, David,

where are you, my son?

David.

Who...

who will come to help Saul?

(Saul mutters in pain)

Oh my God,

how much blood to build a kingdom.

How much loneliness.

Have you any friends, Lord?

I, no, only servants.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Saul!

Jonathan!

(dramatic orchestral music)

- No, don't ask your servant
to do such a horrible thing.

- Saul!

Jonathan!

- David.

(sighs deeply)

David.

- [David] Thy glory, O Israel, is slain

upon thy high places.

How are the mighty fallen.

Tell it not in death, publish it not

in the streets of Ashkelon,

lest the daughters of
the Philistines rejoice.

Ye mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew nor rain upon you.

Saul and Jonathan,

in life and in death,

they were not divided.

They were swifter than eagles,

they were stronger than lions.

Oh, are the mighty fallen.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul

and Jonathan, my brother Jonathan.