Shubhabrata Dutta
Season 3 of Prime Video’s Biblical drama series ‘House of David’ will enter production in Athens, Greece, on September 14 and continue till December 11 this year. Jonathan Lloyd Walker is the showrunner, with Jon Erwin, who created the show, and Jon Gunn, back as writers.
The Season 2 finale (Episode 8), titled ‘The Truth Revealed,’ begins by showing King Saul, infuriated at the thought of someone else being anointed the new King of Israel, tries to kill David in the former’s chambers. Eshbaal also joins Saul, but neither can harm David, who has trained extensively over the last year. After getting the two men injured, David escapes the palace and the city alone, failing to convince his new bride, Mychal, to whom he reveals his secret about being anointed the new King, to join him. Mychal, despite her love for David, doesn’t leave her father.
As the finale proceeds, we see Saul send his commander-in-chief, Abner, to find David and bring him back. Abner takes along his men but fails to find David at his house. Joab keeps his promise to Mychal by not aiding Abner. David’s elder brother, Eliab, however, is imprisoned, being treated as an ally of David and thus a threat to King Saul. Mychal’s sister Mirab lies to their father about David threatening to kill Mychal if she told Saul the truth, thereby saving her from potential imprisonment. All this points to Saul’s obsession with the throne. It is only Saul’s son Jonathan who helps David, assuring him that he shall speak to his father and deliver his letter to Mychal. As expected, Jonathan’s words naturally fall on deaf ears as Saul is bent on killing David, making Jonathan leave the royal court and warn David, who is hiding in Nob, the city of priests, of the upcoming attack on him.
Towards the end of the episode, Abner and his army arrive at Nob, where they face Prophet Samuel, who uses his telepathic powers to bring the entire army to its knees. He even manages to make King Saul, who arrives at Nob himself sometime later, utter David’s name, signifying his surrender to God’s chosen one. However, Samuel dies, his abilities having drained him of his life in his endeavor to protect David. Meanwhile, Saul shakes hands with Doeg and his men, who attack Nob, killing all the priests. On the other hand, David is joined by Joab and Eliab, gaining a unit that believes that he is the one true King of Israel. Towards the end of the episode, we see Eshbaal bringing Dayan, the King of Edom, to his father’s court. A deal has been made over food grains, but it seems more like a ploy by Dayan to take over the throne of Israel. There is also Eshbaal’s personal interest here as Dayan has promised him to be a better king than his father, and by extension, the next King. The finale concludes with David bowing before the setting sun and asking the Almighty to reveal His purpose to him.
The official synopsis for Season 3 reads: “David’s journey comes full circle from outcast shepherd to fierce warrior, to his ultimate destiny as King. But before the throne, there is exile. David is a hunted outlaw, forced to hide among his enemies and live yet another dangerous lie. This chapter explores the true cost of destiny- the betrayals endured, the identities shed, and the sacrifices demanded of a hero before he can rise to the throne.”
The cast members returning for Season 3 include Michael Iskander as David, Ali Suliman as King Saul, Ayelet Zurer as Queen Ahinoam, Indy Lewis as Mychal, Oded Fehr as Abner, Sam Otto as Eshbaal, Ethan Kai as Jonathan, Yali Topol Margalith as Mirab, Davood Ghadami as Eliab, Alexander Uloom as King Achish, Louis Ferreira as David’s father Jesse, Inbar Saban as royal servant Kezia, and Stewart Scudamore as Adriel, an Elder of the Judah tribe.
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