Upamanyu Biswas
‘House of David’ chronicles the rise of David, a young shepherd boy from Bethlehem, Israel, who finds his fortunes upturned when the holy prophet, Samuel, arrives at his doorstep. When the reigning King Saul goes against the wishes laid down by God, Samuel decides to anoint David as the new King of Israel. However, his rise to power becomes complicated due to the obstacles on his path, namely King Saul. The revered leader of Israel battles against the fate decreed upon him by a higher power, embracing his vanity and pride to keep the legacy of his dynasty alive. Meanwhile, with each passing day, enemy forces gather around the kingdom, determined to exact vengeance upon Saul’s forces and his lineage. As such, the dishonored King plays a vital role throughout the narrative, offering a view into the land’s political plight and the self-interest on display.
Saul is Inspired By an Important Biblical Figure
King Saul in ‘House of David’ is largely based on a king described in the Hebrew Bible. Although some claim that Saul existed in reality, there are debates regarding his authenticity, and much of the character’s origin is mostly rooted in the Book of Samuel. According to the text, he is described as the first king of the Kingdom of Israel, anointed to his position by the prophet Samuel. The show also depicts a similar version of events, including Saul’s main base of operation, Gibeah, where he also rules from in the Bible’s accounts. Eventually, the King brings in David, a shepherd boy who gains recognition after killing the Philistine giant, Goliath, into his court. David soon becomes one of his favorite subjects. Once again, the series captures a large chunk of these events quite faithfully.
In both the source material and the show, God rejects Saul after his battle with the Amalekites and their mighty King, Agag. Subsequently, Saul decides to act in self-interest, plundering the property of the Amalekites for personal gain and humiliating Agag. Prior to his victory, Samuel tells him to eradicate the Amalekites, dispose of their King, and never partake in their property. When Saul breaks the conditions, Samuel arrives to inform the King that he has dishonored his oath and has attracted the ire of God. Subsequently, he is rejected, and his house loses all favor from the higher power. It leads to Samuel beginning a new search for a king of Israel, a journey that takes him to David, an unassuming shepherd boy with dreams of serving a higher purpose.
While the actual timeframe of Saul’s reign is disputed, the King is shown to be in power for a while in the series. A part of his downfall is rooted in this longstanding position of authority, which makes him overconfident in his house’s glory. He is also adored by his subjects and respected by the people for destroying the enemies of Israel and keeping the kingdom safe. However, the character’s vanity gets the better of him, which relays the central message baked into the Biblical narrative – if you defy God’s word, you attract bad fortune for yourself and your family. Saul becomes too enthralled by his position and belief in his own powers, which rapidly turns against him as the narrative progresses. Thus, the character portrayed in the series is centered on a crucial Biblical character whose actual historical origins are contested.
Read More: Is House of David a True Story?
