DAVID

The film starts in Bethlehem, as David (Brandon Engman) is tending to his flock of sheep, particularly one named Shira who is pregnant. The flock is stalked by a lion, and David, putting his faith in God to protect him, tosses a stone from his sling at the lion before it can attack. David also jumps in the way when the lion pounces toward Shira, but he pushes it out of the way and falls unconscious.

When he comes to, David sees stray wool and fears that Shira was killed, until she emerges with her lamb. David rejoices and names the lamb Tally before guiding them back home. However, David sees the lion is wedged between a rock and the side of the cliff, looking helpless. David pushes the rock away to free the lion.

In the home of David’s family, the prophet Samuel (Brian Stivale) talks to patriarch Jesse about his sons, stating that none are chosen by God to become the new king of Israel. David enters, and Samuel says that he is the chosen one. This surprises everyone but enrages David’s eldest brother Eliab (Jonathan Shaboo), who has been loyal for years to King Saul (Adam Michael Gold). David does not believe he is right for the job and declines, but Samuel says it is the will of God.

David is summoned to Saul’s palace since his talents as a musician were made known. All the other musicians are terrified of Saul’s anger, but David uses a lyre and plays a beautiful song for Saul. The king is moved for the first time in years, though he is bitter knowing that someone has been chosen to replace him, but he doesn’t know he is speaking to the replacement.

The kingdom falls under the threat of the Philistines and the Amalekites. Philistine King Achish (Asim Chaudhry) brings his army outside the kingdom in the Valley of Elah and brings out their most feared warrior, the hulking titan Goliath (Kamran Nikhad). He challenges any soldier to fight him.

Back at home, David expresses his worries to his mother Nitzevet (Miri Mesika) about becoming king. She tries to offer encouragement to prepare him for whatever God has planned for him.

David sees the crowd of people gathered outside the Philistines’ camp. When he learns about Goliath, he offers to challenge the giant himself, which makes everyone laugh because of how scrawny David is. He goes to Saul and affirms his decision by putting his faith in God. David is given Saul’s armor, but it is way too big for him. He goes out armorless and gets some stones in a sling. Goliath is annoyed, thinking that David’s challenge is mockery, until David says he is fighting with God by his side, giving the giant incentive to take on a deity. Goliath accepts the fight, but David swings one stone to his forehead and causes the giant to drop dead. Everyone is stunned, and the Israelite army chases the Philistines out of the kingdom.

As years go by, David (now played by Phil Wickham) grows into a soldier of Saul’s army and forms a friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan (Mark Jacobsen), while Saul himself sees David like another son. Saul learns of a nearby Amalekite camp, but when the army heads over there, the Amalekites are nowhere to be found.

In the palace, David is playing his lyre for Saul as the king recounts the night that Samuel told him that God has stripped him of his kingship for disobeying his orders to slay the Amalekites, and Saul chose to spare them. He sees the tapestry and quickly realizes that David has been chosen to replace him. Saul flies into a murderous rage and throws David out of the palace before lying to the soldiers and Jonathan, claiming that David tried to kill him. The soldiers corner David outside the palace, giving Jonathan a clear shot to fire his arrow, but he instead uses it to bring down a construction site and allow David to escape.

David flees into the desert, while anybody in Bethlehem still loyal to David is forced to leave their homes for safety. A thief believes David to be dead and tries to steal his sandals, but two men who arrive recognize David, and he knows them as his friends from back home. They bring him to a cave, where he reunites with Nitzevet, his brothers, and sister Zeruiah (Ashley Boettcher). Blaming himself for the exile of his people, David reveals to everyone that he is the next chosen king, and that he will fix what is wrong. For the first time, Eliab chooses to follow his brother.

Saul and his soldiers ride by the desert. David catches Saul by a waterfall and appears as though he is going to slay the king, but he instead cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe and reveals himself to the army. David talks to Saul and tries to tell him that he was never trying to take his throne from him. Saul realizes he was wrong and embraces David, but pulls away quickly afterwards and leaves with his army.

David leads the Israelites home. The Philistines return to challenge the Israelite army, prompting David to join Eliab and the other soldiers into battle. However, them leaving their people unprotected gives the Amalekites an opportunity to raid the place and take the people, including David’s family as slaves. David is blamed for this as the Philistines defeat Saul’s army.

David leads Jonathan and the other warriors to track down the Amalekites. Once they are found, David confronts the Amalekite chieftain, who then prepares to execute David in front of everyone. The Israelites stand up in defiance before Eliab and the rest of the army arrive to drive the Amalekites out and free their people.

David later wakes up after recovering. With his family, plus Samuel and Jonathan, David is brought before the people of Israel, who accept him as their new king. He wears his new robes and cuts off a piece as he did with Saul, letting it blow away in the wind across his cheering crowd.