July 30, 2025 • 20 mins
# 204 - David's Fragile Kingdom - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Near the end of his life, David faces giants, pride, and the haunting consequences of a decision to count his strength instead of trust God's. But in the ashes of judgment, we see something holy—a king’s repentance, a stopped sword, and the birth of sacred ground.
Episode 204 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 19:12, “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(01:48) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:38) David's Fragile Kingdom
(18:23) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Silence here now the judgment of the Lord, oh giant slayer.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
The sword shall never leave your house. God shall answer blood.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Because you have dealt in.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Violence, so too shall violence rise in your own walls.
I will raise evil against you from your own kin
and your wives. Those you thoughts cure in silence will
take lovers before all Israel to see you. Send in secret, David,
(00:41):
but your punishment will stand in the sun for everyone
of you with their own eyes.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
We have no inheritance with David as our king.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
We have no claim with the son of Jesse.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Then take the mighty man.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Sue him before he disappears into the hills. If Sheba
crosses the fortyfyed cities.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
We remind the other the love every bolster.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Shiba may not have an army, but he's clever. He's
got the poor, the angry, and the desperate.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
That may be worse. Man dog is old age.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Cut off the hand quickly and clean the storm blood
just one strike.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
She was eyes widened when he saw Joe ab and
David's Mighty Men waiting below. The city's warriors caught up
moments later. They didn't hesitate one stroke, clean and final.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Shello, my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel.
I'm ya l extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel's story, we will find this truth
(02:12):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can
(02:33):
visit IFCJ dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Peace in Israel was like morning missed. It never lingered.
No sooner had one rebellion been buried than the old
enemy rose again. The Philistines had not forgotten their hatred.
Quiet as a snake in tall grass, they had rebuilt
this strength, waiting for the old lion to grow slow,
(03:04):
waiting for his pride to thin. Habishai and David stood
over the map. Philistines are pressing at our borders, small
raids in the farmlands. They're testing our strength.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Who leads them?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They call him Ishbi benob is the kin of Goliath.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
David paused, clenching his jaw. Another giant, but he was
no longer a young man. Everything in his aching bones
wanted to hold back and let his men march for him.
But he was the giant slayer.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We march.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
David was not a man to cower in his palace,
even aged and aching. He donned his armor and took
to the field. David marched with his men to the
jagged valley. Abshi rode close to the king, watchful and
mindful of the king's importance. Across the field, the Philistines assembled,
(04:11):
with the thunder of drums and the clash of spears.
From the parting crowd, strode a shadow, towering, armored in
forged bronze, a giant reborn from the ashes of Gath
is ish by bean of. They called him kin to Goliath,
a mountain with a spear in hand and murder in
(04:35):
his heart.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Lord Uslukeliath, you are the champion, not I.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
He turned to his army, voice strong, though his body faltered, for.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
The glory of God and the love of Israel.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Then he ran alone, at first, mad with the fir
of war. But his men followed, and the valley shook
with their cry. Steel climbed on steel, flesh tore, The
screams of dying men echoed through the rocks. David no
longer felt like the younger man. He was more calculated
(05:18):
and sparing with his swings, leaning on experience. His sword
found gaps in Philistine armor, and for a time he
held his own. Then came the strike. A blow from
ish by Beanob sent the king flying, crashing onto the rocks,
his armor split at the shoulder, blood leaking into the dust.
(05:41):
The giant roared and charged. David rose just in time
to raise his shield, but the force of the blow
shattered his elbow.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
Ah a giant slagh where is your sling? And stars.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Kick drove David back, armor grinding on stone. David had
little time to feel the pain, but he already knew
that a few broken ribs were stabbing at his lungs.
He had to slay this giant quickly before his breath failed.
The king rose, his blade flashed, catching the giant's leg.
Speaker 7 (06:22):
Where who's the legendary warrior King David.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Ish By Beanob growled and hurled himself forward at David.
He was relentless, raining down strikes like thunder. Her final
downward swing shattered David's shield completely. David recoiled and swung sideways.
The giant slapped the sword away with his gauntlet and laughed.
(06:48):
The Giant's hand found David's throat and lifted him high
into the air. David clawed at the fingers. The world
narrowed to shadows as his legs down there.
Speaker 7 (07:00):
I will kill you now, Giant, slayer, for my brother,
for das your name dies with you.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
The Giant raised his sword to finish David, but a
flash of steel bit into his leg. Hish By Banob's
grip loosened and David fell gasping. Abishai stood behind the giant,
blade drawn fury in his eyes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I'm your opponent, now, Giant, come at me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
The giant advanced, and the two clashed in a storm
of steel. Abishai's movements were quick, too quick for the
giant to track. He drove the giant back strike after strike,
his shield ringing out like a war drum. Hish By
Banob stumbled over a crack in the ground. In an
(07:55):
attempt to regain the upper hand, ish By Banob struck
downward with heavy blow. Abishi dodged, leaped forward, vaulted from
a stone, and drove his sword from the giant's shoulder
down into his chest. The colossus howled in pain, gagged,
then fell, and with him the shadow of Goliath fell
(08:18):
to Abishi did not pause. He yanked the blade free
and rushed to his king.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
David, can you speak?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
David lay there, bloodied and breathless. His body had been crushed.
It took everything in David just to nod. The king
would never ride again.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
My king, this may have been your final battle.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
David said nothing. He knew it was true. From behind
the rocks, they watched the mighty men finish the route,
the Philistines scattering like leaves in the wind.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
The war was.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
One, but David would not march again. His battles were over.
The torch had passed to younger hands. No longer a warrior,
the thought echoed through David's skull like the toll of
(09:20):
a funeral bell. He limped through his chamber, hand pressed
to his side, where Ishbei Binob's wrath had nearly ended him.
Every breath ached that one battle seemed to age him decades.
He stepped onto the balcony, his brow damp with sweat,
(09:40):
and looked out upon the city he had taken with
blood and iron, Jerusalem, the city of David. It was
his crown jewel. Below him, the streets buzzed full of
life and laughter, unaware that their king no longer felt
whole Without battle, what was left a withered king, a
(10:04):
relic of war in a time of peace. In that
quiet temptation crept in subtle and wicked, the enemy whispered,
not in shouts, but in gentle reason.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
If you no longer a warrior, be a ruler of renown.
Count your strength not in battles, but in people. Let
the number of your subjects be your crown.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And so the seed took root. David turned back into
the chamber, his jaw clenched with resolve. A reckless sort
of pride had taken hold, the kind that can corrupt
even the chosen of God. He summoned Joab, the old
commander entered with his usual grim expression.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
The Philistines have been prodding us to test our strength.
It's only a matter of time. Before our other enemies
as well. Go from Dan to Beersheba. Number the men
of war, those fit to bear arms. I want to
know the measure of Israel's strength.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Joe Ab blinked, his eyes narrowed, and for a moment
the room fell into uneasy silence.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Do you seek to measure israel strength or yours?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Are they not the same? May the Lord your God
add to this people one hundredfold, now you live.
Speaker 8 (11:30):
To see it.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
But why does this bring you joy?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Have we not fought the Lord's battles?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Is it not he who grants victory? What profit is
there in numbering what is not yours?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I am King, joe Ab?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Why must I keep reminding you of this?
Speaker 7 (11:49):
What would do?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Is you command?
Speaker 8 (11:51):
Too weary to.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Challenge you anymore? Joe AB's lips tightened, but he said
nothing more. He bowed low and turned and to leave,
Though his footsteps were heavy with displeasure. The command went
out like a curse. Israel was scoured from east to west.
The captains of the army passed through the fields and mountains,
(12:14):
through the forests of Ephraim and the hills of Judah, Aurora,
Gad Jasa, Gilead, Kadesh, the rural call of a kingdom.
Every able bodied man was counted, no house untouched, no
tribe forgotten. It took nine months and twenty days. When
(12:34):
they returned, Joab stood again before the King, his face
grim as ever.
Speaker 4 (12:40):
There are eight hundred thousand men of war in Israel,
and five hundred thousand more in Judah.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
David nodded. The number pleased him, though he said nothing,
a kingdom vast, strong, worthy of song. But the pleasure
was short lived. Even as j Joab departed, the chill
fell over David's heart. The Lord had seen his vanity.
(13:07):
He had counted what was not his to count, and
Heaven does not ignore such sins. Judgment was coming. The
morning was soft with haze, the light pale and uncertain
as it bled through the canopies of the palace garden.
David walked slow and stiff, A scroll clutched in his hands.
(13:32):
David delighted in the Law of the Lord. He craved it.
The Law of Moses sat heavy upon his conscience. He
had read it a thousand times. But this day one
line cut through him like a blade.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
The words of Moses. When you take the census of
the children of Israel for their number. Then every man
shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
When you number them. There be no plague among them
when you number them.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
David stopped walking, his fingers curled around the parchment, knuckles white.
His breath caught in his throat. A ransom, and he
had taken none. The king's knees buckled beneath him, and
he dropped to the earth among the lilies and olive roots.
The once mighty warrior bowed low.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I said greatly, I've acted with pride for take away
my iniquity. Ah, I am but dust.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
But repentance. Though honest could not unbind what had already
been loosed, The Lord's King was held to a higher standard.
The next dawn found David wandering again, unrest thick in
his blood. The garden was alive with the sense of spring,
yet he tasted only guilt. His sand crunched over dry
(15:01):
leaves as he neared the oldest tree in the garden. There,
beneath its twisted boughs stood Gad the seer, withered as bark,
with eyes like burnt coals. David fell to his knees
without a word. God placed a calloused hand upon the
(15:21):
King's shoulder.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
As the Lord spoken to you, Gad, what does he
say he has mikey, Thus says the Lord, three judgments
I lay before you.
Speaker 8 (15:39):
Choose one that justice may be fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
God held up three fingers crooked as roots.
Speaker 8 (15:49):
One three years of famine across the land.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
He lifted another finger.
Speaker 8 (15:59):
Two three months fleeing from your enemies? Are they strike
without mercy?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Another finger lowered.
Speaker 8 (16:12):
Three three days pestilence from the Lord's old.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
God let the final finger linger, then curled it closed.
David bowed his head, trembling. I cannot decide.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Do not let me fall into the hands of men,
into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And so the Lord sent death. The morning after it began,
it swept through the valleys and hill country like fire,
across dry wheat towns, emptied fields, turned to graves. The
pride David once counted vanished with the wind. Seventy thousand lives, men, women,
(17:08):
children the land mourned beneath the sun. On a third day,
David climbed the high hill outside Jerusalem and stretched out
his arms. The wind howled around him like a chorus
of ghosts.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
I have said I had done wickedly in your site,
but these sheep.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Work later strike me.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Instead, let a raft fall upon my house.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
Not there.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
He tore his robe and collapsed to the earth. And
when he rose again, he built an altar on the
threshing floor of a wall of the jebbersite. He made
wood and stove, poured the blood of beasts, and prayed.
Not the empty words of a tired king, but the
(17:58):
broken plea of a man who knew he had failed.
This was what God saw when he chose a boy
from the pastures. Not a perfect king, but a penitent one,
a heart that bled, repented, and returned again, a heart
after God's own.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review. We read them, and me personally I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six IV.
Hashem vishmerechra yeah Heir hashempanave ele y sa hashempanavelera shaloon.
(18:56):
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Lord make his face shine upon May he be gracious
to you, made the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Amen. You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This preydog comproduction is only made
possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
(19:28):
producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening
prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith,
(19:53):
written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special
thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, robin I van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows,
Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions
on the Prey dot Com app available on the Apple
App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The
(20:14):
Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Silence here now the judgment of the Lord, oh giant slayer.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
The sword shall never leave your house. God shall answer blood.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Because you have dealt in.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Violence, so too shall violence rise in your own walls.
I will raise evil against you from your own kin
and your wives. Those you thoughts cure in silence will
take lovers before all Israel to see you. Send in secret, David,
(00:41):
but your punishment will stand in the sun for everyone
of you with their own eyes.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
We have no inheritance with David as our king.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
We have no claim with the son of Jesse.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Then take the mighty man.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Sue him before he disappears into the hills. If Sheba
crosses the fortyfyed cities.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
We remind the other the love every bolster.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Shiba may not have an army, but he's clever. He's
got the poor, the angry, and the desperate.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
That may be worse. Man dog is old age.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Cut off the hand quickly and clean the storm blood
just one strike.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
She was eyes widened when he saw Joe ab and
David's Mighty Men waiting below. The city's warriors caught up
moments later. They didn't hesitate one stroke, clean and final.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Shello, my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel.
I'm ya l extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel's story, we will find this truth
(02:12):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can
(02:33):
visit IFCJ dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Peace in Israel was like morning missed. It never lingered.
No sooner had one rebellion been buried than the old
enemy rose again. The Philistines had not forgotten their hatred.
Quiet as a snake in tall grass, they had rebuilt
this strength, waiting for the old lion to grow slow,
(03:04):
waiting for his pride to thin. Habishai and David stood
over the map. Philistines are pressing at our borders, small
raids in the farmlands. They're testing our strength.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Who leads them?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They call him Ishbi benob is the kin of Goliath.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
David paused, clenching his jaw. Another giant, but he was
no longer a young man. Everything in his aching bones
wanted to hold back and let his men march for him.
But he was the giant slayer.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We march.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
David was not a man to cower in his palace,
even aged and aching. He donned his armor and took
to the field. David marched with his men to the
jagged valley. Abshi rode close to the king, watchful and
mindful of the king's importance. Across the field, the Philistines assembled,
(04:11):
with the thunder of drums and the clash of spears.
From the parting crowd, strode a shadow, towering, armored in
forged bronze, a giant reborn from the ashes of Gath
is ish by bean of. They called him kin to Goliath,
a mountain with a spear in hand and murder in
(04:35):
his heart.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Lord Uslukeliath, you are the champion, not I.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
He turned to his army, voice strong, though his body faltered, for.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
The glory of God and the love of Israel.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Then he ran alone, at first, mad with the fir
of war. But his men followed, and the valley shook
with their cry. Steel climbed on steel, flesh tore, The
screams of dying men echoed through the rocks. David no
longer felt like the younger man. He was more calculated
(05:18):
and sparing with his swings, leaning on experience. His sword
found gaps in Philistine armor, and for a time he
held his own. Then came the strike. A blow from
ish by Beanob sent the king flying, crashing onto the rocks,
his armor split at the shoulder, blood leaking into the dust.
(05:41):
The giant roared and charged. David rose just in time
to raise his shield, but the force of the blow
shattered his elbow.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
Ah a giant slagh where is your sling? And stars.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Kick drove David back, armor grinding on stone. David had
little time to feel the pain, but he already knew
that a few broken ribs were stabbing at his lungs.
He had to slay this giant quickly before his breath failed.
The king rose, his blade flashed, catching the giant's leg.
Speaker 7 (06:22):
Where who's the legendary warrior King David.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Ish By Beanob growled and hurled himself forward at David.
He was relentless, raining down strikes like thunder. Her final
downward swing shattered David's shield completely. David recoiled and swung sideways.
The giant slapped the sword away with his gauntlet and laughed.
(06:48):
The Giant's hand found David's throat and lifted him high
into the air. David clawed at the fingers. The world
narrowed to shadows as his legs down there.
Speaker 7 (07:00):
I will kill you now, Giant, slayer, for my brother,
for das your name dies with you.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
The Giant raised his sword to finish David, but a
flash of steel bit into his leg. Hish By Banob's
grip loosened and David fell gasping. Abishai stood behind the giant,
blade drawn fury in his eyes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I'm your opponent, now, Giant, come at me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
The giant advanced, and the two clashed in a storm
of steel. Abishai's movements were quick, too quick for the
giant to track. He drove the giant back strike after strike,
his shield ringing out like a war drum. Hish By
Banob stumbled over a crack in the ground. In an
(07:55):
attempt to regain the upper hand, ish By Banob struck
downward with heavy blow. Abishi dodged, leaped forward, vaulted from
a stone, and drove his sword from the giant's shoulder
down into his chest. The colossus howled in pain, gagged,
then fell, and with him the shadow of Goliath fell
(08:18):
to Abishi did not pause. He yanked the blade free
and rushed to his king.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
David, can you speak?
Speaker 1 (08:28):
David lay there, bloodied and breathless. His body had been crushed.
It took everything in David just to nod. The king
would never ride again.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
My king, this may have been your final battle.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
David said nothing. He knew it was true. From behind
the rocks, they watched the mighty men finish the route,
the Philistines scattering like leaves in the wind.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
The war was.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
One, but David would not march again. His battles were over.
The torch had passed to younger hands. No longer a warrior,
the thought echoed through David's skull like the toll of
(09:20):
a funeral bell. He limped through his chamber, hand pressed
to his side, where Ishbei Binob's wrath had nearly ended him.
Every breath ached that one battle seemed to age him decades.
He stepped onto the balcony, his brow damp with sweat,
(09:40):
and looked out upon the city he had taken with
blood and iron, Jerusalem, the city of David. It was
his crown jewel. Below him, the streets buzzed full of
life and laughter, unaware that their king no longer felt
whole Without battle, what was left a withered king, a
(10:04):
relic of war in a time of peace. In that
quiet temptation crept in subtle and wicked, the enemy whispered,
not in shouts, but in gentle reason.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
If you no longer a warrior, be a ruler of renown.
Count your strength not in battles, but in people. Let
the number of your subjects be your crown.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And so the seed took root. David turned back into
the chamber, his jaw clenched with resolve. A reckless sort
of pride had taken hold, the kind that can corrupt
even the chosen of God. He summoned Joab, the old
commander entered with his usual grim expression.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
The Philistines have been prodding us to test our strength.
It's only a matter of time. Before our other enemies
as well. Go from Dan to Beersheba. Number the men
of war, those fit to bear arms. I want to
know the measure of Israel's strength.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Joe Ab blinked, his eyes narrowed, and for a moment
the room fell into uneasy silence.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Do you seek to measure israel strength or yours?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Are they not the same? May the Lord your God
add to this people one hundredfold, now you live.
Speaker 8 (11:30):
To see it.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
But why does this bring you joy?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Have we not fought the Lord's battles?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Is it not he who grants victory? What profit is
there in numbering what is not yours?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I am King, joe Ab?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Why must I keep reminding you of this?
Speaker 7 (11:49):
What would do?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Is you command?
Speaker 8 (11:51):
Too weary to.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Challenge you anymore? Joe AB's lips tightened, but he said
nothing more. He bowed low and turned and to leave,
Though his footsteps were heavy with displeasure. The command went
out like a curse. Israel was scoured from east to west.
The captains of the army passed through the fields and mountains,
(12:14):
through the forests of Ephraim and the hills of Judah, Aurora,
Gad Jasa, Gilead, Kadesh, the rural call of a kingdom.
Every able bodied man was counted, no house untouched, no
tribe forgotten. It took nine months and twenty days. When
(12:34):
they returned, Joab stood again before the King, his face
grim as ever.
Speaker 4 (12:40):
There are eight hundred thousand men of war in Israel,
and five hundred thousand more in Judah.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
David nodded. The number pleased him, though he said nothing,
a kingdom vast, strong, worthy of song. But the pleasure
was short lived. Even as j Joab departed, the chill
fell over David's heart. The Lord had seen his vanity.
(13:07):
He had counted what was not his to count, and
Heaven does not ignore such sins. Judgment was coming. The
morning was soft with haze, the light pale and uncertain
as it bled through the canopies of the palace garden.
David walked slow and stiff, A scroll clutched in his hands.
(13:32):
David delighted in the Law of the Lord. He craved it.
The Law of Moses sat heavy upon his conscience. He
had read it a thousand times. But this day one
line cut through him like a blade.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
The words of Moses. When you take the census of
the children of Israel for their number. Then every man
shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
When you number them. There be no plague among them
when you number them.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
David stopped walking, his fingers curled around the parchment, knuckles white.
His breath caught in his throat. A ransom, and he
had taken none. The king's knees buckled beneath him, and
he dropped to the earth among the lilies and olive roots.
The once mighty warrior bowed low.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I said greatly, I've acted with pride for take away
my iniquity. Ah, I am but dust.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
But repentance. Though honest could not unbind what had already
been loosed, The Lord's King was held to a higher standard.
The next dawn found David wandering again, unrest thick in
his blood. The garden was alive with the sense of spring,
yet he tasted only guilt. His sand crunched over dry
(15:01):
leaves as he neared the oldest tree in the garden. There,
beneath its twisted boughs stood Gad the seer, withered as bark,
with eyes like burnt coals. David fell to his knees
without a word. God placed a calloused hand upon the
(15:21):
King's shoulder.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
As the Lord spoken to you, Gad, what does he
say he has mikey, Thus says the Lord, three judgments
I lay before you.
Speaker 8 (15:39):
Choose one that justice may be fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
God held up three fingers crooked as roots.
Speaker 8 (15:49):
One three years of famine across the land.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
He lifted another finger.
Speaker 8 (15:59):
Two three months fleeing from your enemies? Are they strike
without mercy?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Another finger lowered.
Speaker 8 (16:12):
Three three days pestilence from the Lord's old.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
God let the final finger linger, then curled it closed.
David bowed his head, trembling. I cannot decide.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Do not let me fall into the hands of men,
into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And so the Lord sent death. The morning after it began,
it swept through the valleys and hill country like fire,
across dry wheat towns, emptied fields, turned to graves. The
pride David once counted vanished with the wind. Seventy thousand lives, men, women,
(17:08):
children the land mourned beneath the sun. On a third day,
David climbed the high hill outside Jerusalem and stretched out
his arms. The wind howled around him like a chorus
of ghosts.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
I have said I had done wickedly in your site,
but these sheep.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Work later strike me.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Instead, let a raft fall upon my house.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
Not there.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
He tore his robe and collapsed to the earth. And
when he rose again, he built an altar on the
threshing floor of a wall of the jebbersite. He made
wood and stove, poured the blood of beasts, and prayed.
Not the empty words of a tired king, but the
(17:58):
broken plea of a man who knew he had failed.
This was what God saw when he chose a boy
from the pastures. Not a perfect king, but a penitent one,
a heart that bled, repented, and returned again, a heart
after God's own.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review. We read them, and me personally I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six IV.
Hashem vishmerechra yeah Heir hashempanave ele y sa hashempanavelera shaloon.
(18:56):
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Lord make his face shine upon May he be gracious
to you, made the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Amen. You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This preydog comproduction is only made
possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
(19:28):
producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening
prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith,
(19:53):
written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special
thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, robin I van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows,
Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions
on the Prey dot Com app available on the Apple
App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The
(20:14):
Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.