WARNING: This article contains spoilers from House of David
Prime Video has unveiled its epic new drama series , an eight-part saga depicting the Biblical clash between David (portrayed by Michael Iskander) and Goliath (Martyn Ford).
The historical Christian drama also charts David’s rise to prominence, from a humble shepherd boy to the King of and its most esteemed ruler. House of David begins with audiences being introduced to the titular hero as he is shunned by his brothers and his own family, relegated to looking after the sheep in the fields.
He is portrayed as kind-hearted and musically talented, which only serves to increase his father Jesse’s (Louis Ferreira) disdain for him, as it reminds him of his wife Nitzevet (Siir Tilif). Many viewers are eager to discover what happened to Nitzevet and why David appears to be an outcast.
David takes on the lion in House of David (Image: PRIME VIDEO)
[EXPLAINER]
How did David’s mother die in House of David?
The second episode of House of David provides insight into Nitzevet’s fate with a flashback sequence featuring David and his mother observing an eclipse. The mother-son pair are treated as pariahs as it is revealed that Nitzevet has visions and God communicates with her, prophesying that one day the almighty will speak to him too, reports the .
However, events take a tragic turn when a lion attacks them, with Nitzevet instructing her son to run while she confronts the beast alone, who subsequently kills her.
Drama unfolds as Jesse blames his son David for his wife’s demise, casting him out to tend sheep and deepening the familial rift. Amidst solitude, David finds solace in his lyre, an instrument his mother passed on along with her songs.
David is forced to tend to the sheep after his mother’s death (Image: PRIME VIDEO)
The sound of David’s playing becomes a bitter reminder to Jesse, spurring further disdain. However, David’s courage manifests when he defeats a lion, retrieving a tooth as evidence of his triumph over the fearsome beast.
Speaking about the deep connection of the lyre to his role, actor Iskander revealed: “Well, David learned the lyre from his mom, and he’s been playing the lyre both for himself and to honor her and to honor God. And so he plays it to kind of calm himself down and to praise the Lord.”
He elaborated on David’s creative process: “He also sings the Psalms. But, like, they’re not fully written yet. They’re like, he’s in the process of writing the Psalms.”
Discussing his own musical background, Iskander added: “I played a little guitar and some piano, so I had some experience with instruments. And so for me, I think playing the lyre was very similar to playing the guitar, and it translated very easily in that as I started to learn more songs on the lyre, it just got easier and easier. And then singing while playing the lyre, that was pretty fun.”
House of David airs weekly on Thursdays on Prime Video