A Story of God and All of Us - By Roma Downey Page 0,56
But now a new voice rises up from the throngs. "David!" cries a woman. "Look! It's David!"
"David has killed tens of thousands!" yells a man.
This becomes the new chant. "David has killed tens of thousands! David has killed tens of thousands."
Saul's smile vanishes, replaced by a dark, angry glare. Jonathan, as always, does his best to appease his father. "David deserves their praise, Father. He served us well."
"What else does he deserve?" Saul answers bitterly. "Next they'll say he deserves my crown."
"David! David! David!"
The chant continues into the evening, giving Saul the most profound headache of his life. He reclines on cushions in his palace courtyard.
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The sounds of the crowd waft in through the open windows. Across the room, Jonathan reclines on a second mound of pillows, as do David and Michal--Saul's beautiful young daughter.
Michal can't take her eyes off of David. He is everything a princess could want in a man: rugged, handsome, sensitive, and intuitively wise.
Jonathan happily gazes at his best friend while they reminisce about their times on the battlefield. "You took out those two Philistines with one swing!"
says an awed Jonathan.
"That day was ours from the start," David answers humbly.
Saul gazes intently at David. He glowers at him from the other side of the reception chamber, his mind working over paranoid scenarios, wondering if the laughter coming from Jonathan and David is at his expense. So Saul leans forward, listening more intently. "David," he bellows after a moment.
"David!"
David stops speaking. A confused look passes between him and Jonathan.
"Come here!" Saul demands.
David rises and stands before Saul. He bows. Jonathan and Michal, who know their father's moods, share an anxious look.
"So," Saul says to David, a thin smile curling over his face. "You are our champion yet again. You've killed thousands--"
"Tens of thousands," Jonathan corrects.
"Thank you, Jonathan. Tens of thousands. Our people are deeply grateful to you, David." Saul's words belie the menacing intensity writ large across his face. Even as David affects a modest posture, Saul's anger grows and grows.
"The Lord has blessed us all," David says.
"I offer you my daughter, Michal," Saul says suddenly.
"What?" replies a stunned David, his face showing surprise.
"I would like to reward you. I want you to become part of my family. So I am offering my daughter's hand in marriage."
Michal blushes appreciatively.
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"Who am I, and who is my family that I should be the king's son-in-law?"
David says with a low bow, never taking his eyes off of Saul.
Jonathan rushes across and embraces David. "We are brothers now. This is
a great day."
But Saul raises a hand. "In return..."
The room falls silent.
"For the hand of my beloved Michal, you must slay a hundred Philistines--
and bring me their foreskins."
David's eyes narrow. His instincts were right.
"Killed by your own hand, of course," Saul adds.
Jonathan leaps to David's defense. "Father! He has risked enough. Do you not remember Goliath? Do you not remember the many times he has bravely fought at your side?"
"You surprise me, Jonathan," Saul says slowly. "I would think you would instantly agree that your sister is worth a hundred Philistines--or maybe ten thousand, as you corrected me a moment ago."
There is silence in the room. Even the chanting outside has stopped. David curls and uncurls his fist, staring Saul straight in the eye. A crushed Michal mourns what might have been, knowing that single-handedly kil ing a hundred Philistines is an almost impossible task. "But what if he doesn't return?" she softly pleads to her father. "What if David never comes back alive?"
"Oh, I'll return," says David. "God willing."
He's smiling. The time has come. His secret can finally be revealed. But first he has a job to do.
David is up early the next morning. He gathers a small band of men, their horses loaded with weapons and food. David has selected the most elite warriors in the army. Each is a volunteer, told of Saul's demand for a hundred dead Philistines and warned that they might not return. In addition, David has promised each man that it would not tarnish his
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reputation in the slightest if he refuses this mission. But not a single man has said no. In fact, many were so eager to accompany David that they began
preparing their gear immediately. They have fought at his side before, and their loyalty for this courageous man is limitless. Chief among them is Uriah.
No man is braver or more loyal on the field of battle. David trusts him with his life, and their friendship runs deep.