House of David

Previously on House of David .

As a reward for your bravery,

I give you command of a thousand men!

We are worthy. We always have been.

And if you truly believed that, what would you ask for?

I offer you my beautiful daughter in marriage.

Mirab.

You shamed my daughter.

Did you defile this man's daughter?

I mean, probably, I... Uh...

I choose to banish my son.

He can never return without paying his debt.

I would use dark magic.

He will not change the law.

Perhaps you will have to.

You and I are the only two of our line who will survive.

You must crown me king.

Keep this between us for now.

We did this out of necessity.

- Great prophet. - Send for the family of Jesse.

What I know has a currency worth more than gold.

I'll start with a question.

Can people change?

Can they rise above their nature?

Life has taught me we emerge through fire.

We transform through suffering.

Let me tell you my story.

You are Eshbaal? Prince of Israel?

Banished to Endor by his own family. Yes?

Yes.

Good.

Are you coming?

If you plan to ransom me, I have disappointing news.

I hold no value in my father's eyes.

Perhaps, I see much more than he does.

Come, my friend, we have no need for conflict.

I'm no friend of yours, or your gods.

You will learn in time.

- -

Do as you are told, and I will spare you the whip.

It's not a trick.

Have your fill.

Tell me, Prince, have you ever seen an elephant?

What do you want of me?

Enormous, powerful creatures, but easy to tame.

When they are young, you simply have to tie them to a pole by a rope.

No matter how much they try, they cannot break their restraint.

They resist, they fight, but in time they give up.

- -

Once grown,

the massive beast can be tied to the same pole by a simple string.

Because it thinks of itself what it has been taught to believe.

Power begins in the mind,

- not in the body. -

What do you want of me?

You will suffer until you understand who you really are.

- -

No more.

I'll do anything.

Please.

Remove his bindings. He is of no threat anymore.

Sit down.

Drink.

Why do you show me mercy now?

Like the elephant, Eshbaal...

you ceased resisting the rope that held you back.

You became compliant,

allowing lesser men to choose your fate,

but now...

it's time for you to decide your path...

To decide for yourself.

- -

I am loyal to the house of my father, Saul, son of Kish.

Servant to none.

I didn't break, Father.

I killed my captors, freed the other prisoners,

and together we escaped.

It's quite the story, Eshbaal.

I passed through the fire, Father.

Do I not seem different to you?

A man proves his substance by what he does, not what he says.

Then allow me to earn your trust... with honesty.

Before you returned in triumph, I was crowned king by Mother.

We believed you had been defeated and killed,

that someone had to step up and lead what was left of our people, and so I did.

- You took your opportunity. - To protect my queen and your legacy.

And yet neither of you spoke a word of it until now...

You think I didn't hear whispers about your coronation?

There are no secrets that time does not betray, Eshbaal.

Mother would have told you in time.

But I am telling you now.

I have made more mistakes in my life than I care to admit,

but I promise you I wish to redeem them all.

How so?

The woman I defiled and was banished for,

I will marry her, in accordance with the Law of Moses.

Ease the burden on our family and the kingdom,

all for your glory...

my king.

David... David.

I'm sorry.

I don't know why he would do that.

- My father he's just-- - I know.

I don't know what to do now.

I know. But we cannot give up.

What are you reading?

- The story of Joseph. - Mmm.

It's my favorite.

- Would you read it to me? - Yes. Yes.

"And Joseph said to them, do not be afraid...

Am I in the place of God?

You intended to harm me, but the Lord used it for good.

- To..." - "To accomplish what is now being done."

It's beautiful.

These words, they give me hope.

Hope...

...would be a welcome gift right now.

Have you spoken to Mirab?

Not yet.

I need to speak with my father, uh, but I know all too well how that will go.

Then let me speak to him.

You don't know him like I do, David.

He's... He's stubborn.

He doesn't listen.

Why is this so difficult?

We'll be fine, don't worry.

It's like the world has conspired to hold us back.

It's constantly pushing us against the current.

No.

Well, then we... we will keep swimming.

Or better yet, we will change the course of the river altogether.

Mychal, the Lord helped me defeat a giant,

I'm sure he will help me speak to your father.

Mmm.

Well, my father,

he will not fall so easily.

What word, Abner?

Samuel has escaped the city.

He must have had help to get beyond the walls.

We held Samuel captive?

To help him remember the former days, yes.

I have scouts searching for him.

Anything more overt could have consequences--

The people revere him. As do I.

That old snake will slither into the grass and bide his time.

Surely he'll show up at the tabernacle?

And there he will kiss my ring.

And if he refuses?

No.

You cannot harm Samuel, Father.

People would rise up.

My king.

Now is not the time, David.

What troubles you? Come.

There has been a great mistake.

I cannot marry Mirab...

when it is Mychal who I love.

She wants us to be together.

Surely her wishes matter, and-and my choice is--

- Choice? - Okay, you should go now.

No, no, no, Abner. Let me tell you something about "choice."

Men go to war and death when I order them to.

I feed my people, or they starve.

They live free or are enslaved because I choose one way or the other.

No one dares question the wisdom of my actions.

Who gave you the right?

- I only ask that you reconsider. - Reconsider?

All right, all right. That's enough.

The King's gratitude is a cup not many get to drink from.

Try and not choke on it.

Go.

Can you believe him? Why would he do this?

You know what he's like. I'm sure he has his reasons.

What reasons? David loves me and I love him. Father knows this.

There... There is no good reason why he would have David marry you.

We should go.

We should go and talk to him. You know, together.

We can convince him,

- get him to come to his senses-- - Will you stop cleaning?

- Father has made up his mind. - No.

And I am the older sister, so it does make sense.

Mirab.

Perhaps Father thinks you are too softhearted for David,

for what he needs to become.

- Softhearted? - No, relax.

I didn't mean to offend.

I'm sure you didn't either.

Right.

I cannot marry Mirab. I will not.

- - David.

You cannot let frustration distract you.

- - See? Distracted.