House of David Season 2 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis
- Kevin Keating
- 6 days ago
- 17 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
After having been insulted by David’s rejection of Mirab in Episode 5, in Episode 6 of House of David Season 2 Saul sets out to eliminate David by sending him off on an impossible mission in exchange for the hand of Mychal, only for his trap to backfire (1 Samuel 18:20-29). Meanwhile, Queen Ahinoam and her former servant, Kazia, vie for power, while Sara and Jonathan finally tie the knot. Below I'll offer an in-depth recap of the plot (SPOILER WARNING), my opinion of the episode, and an analysis of its key themes. You can also find a video discussion of House of David Season 2 Episode 6 here on YouTube and a video explaining my theory about Ahinoam's future here.
More House of David Resources
Watch House of David Season 2 with a Wonder Project Subscription 7-Day Free Trial (affiliate link)
House of David Season 2 Episode 1: Review, Recap, & Analysis
House of David Season 2 Episode 2: Review, Recap, & Analysis
House of David Season 2 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis
House of David Season 2 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis
House of David Season 2 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis
House of David Season 1 Episode 1 Bible Study & Discussion Guide
House of David Season 1 Episode 2 Bible Study & Discussion Guide
What Happened in House of David Season 2 Episode 6 (Forged in Fire)?
Joab, David, & His Men in House of David Season 2 Episode 6
Episode 6 opens with David singing and playing his lyre at Gibeah, unaware of all the chaos stirred up by his rejection of Mirab in Episode 5. Returning to the palace, he attempts to apologize to Mirab but is upbraided and warned of dire consequences. Upon meeting Saul, however, he’s surprised to be received with a degree of sympathy. Saul recalls how he too married for love and offers to let David marry Mychal if he proves his loyalty by destroying the Philistine forge and personally killing and circumcising 100 men. David gladly accepts the challenge and agrees to speak of it to no one, other than Mychal. With this agreed, David agrees to play his lyre (for what Saul, sadly, assumes will be the last time) before departing.
Stopping by Mychal’s quarters on the way out, David asks her if she would still want to marry, if it were possible. Confused, Mychal concedes that she would. With this affirmation, David departs, urging her to trust him.
Still burdened by the memory of his part in murdering his neighbors, Eliab is busy training when David stops by and reveals Saul’s offer. Eliab chides David for killing his way to the throne, though David insists he is only killing enemies. Recognizing Eliab’s death-wish, David orders him to remain behind, lest he put the lives of others at risk. Gathering a few choice warriors, including Abinidab, Uriah, and Oaz, all equipped with iron weapons from the God of Swords, David sets out for Philistia.
As they depart, Joab, who has also notably been left behind, notices Doeg sending a message by pigeon and is suspicious. The message quickly reaches Achish, who smiles at the opportunity to trap David.
On their way to Philistia, the men question why David has only been allowed to take a small band, but David dismisses the concern, insisting that he would rather have his best men than a thousand. As they travel, David chats with Uriah, who reveals that he is a Hittite who once lived in Egypt but has decided to stay in Israel because, unlike the stone gods of the nations, Israel’s God is real.
That night in Gibeah, Mychal sees Joab, who is worried at how Abner sent David with a small contingent of men and kept him back. Finding Doeg in his den, Joab asks about the carrier pigeon. Doeg attempts to dodge the question, insisting that Joab doesn’t want to know and will benefit (by getting Mychal) if he just lets events unfold as planned. Unswayed, Joab finds Jonathan and reveals the plot.
Meanwhile, David and his men begin their attack on the Philistine forge, only to discover that it’s empty – but still burning with fires. But it’s a trap! Dagonor and the Philistines lock them in and set the room on fire. David and his men search for exits in vain, realizing that they’ve been betrayed. Quick on his feet, David directs the men to blow open the door by throwing explosive materials at it. Recognizing that the Philistines are after him, he sends his men one way and leaps down a slope in the other direction – and finds himself surrounded by an entire army of Philistines, led by Achish.
Achish orders the Philistines to seize David. After a few are easily dispatched, Dagonor orders the others to wait and allow him to face David one on one with his javelins, while Achish watches, refusing to let his men intervene, even after Dagonor is killed. In a flash of insight, Achish realizes that the Israelite God is indeed with David and not Saul. Revealing Saul’s treachery, he invites him to change sides, but, when David refuses, he orders his men to seize him. Before David can be overwhelmed, however, Joab and Jonathan arrive with calvary and drive through the Philistine flank, while David leads his men in a frontal assault.
Triumphing over the Philistines, David and his friends return to Gibeah, furious at the betrayal. Barging into Saul’s throneroom, David reveals that they were betrayed, while Doeg slinks off. Throwing a bag full of Philistine foreskins at Saul’s feet – not the 100 Saul requested but rather 200 – David demands Mychal. Finding her in a garden, David, bloody and battered, embraces Mychal and asks her to marry him – and she says yes.
Ahinoam, Abner, Saul, & Kazia in House of David Season 2 Episode 6
Awakened by David’s music early in the morning, Ahinoam makes her way across the palace to Saul’s chambers, where she finds him asleep – in the arms of Kazia, her former servant. Laying aside whatever hope she might have had to reconcile with Saul, she leaves.
Later that morning, Abner is trying to discourage Saul from banishing David for rejecting the offer of Mirab, but Saul refuses to accept that his hands can ever be tied. Arriving in the middle of their conversation, Ahinoam proposes an alternative solution: offer David Mychal, the wife he wants, in return for completing one last mission – a mission that will be impossible to survive. Abner is horrified at the thought of killing someone who has faithfully served Saul’s house, but Ahinoam insists that David will be offering one last service – as a legendary martyr, whose death will rally the people against their enemy. Urging her husband to heed her words, she points out how powerful David has and will become – unless he dies.
Following Ahinoam’s counsel, Saul offers Mychal to David if he’s able to destroy the Philistine forge and return with 100 foreskins as proof of his personal prowess. Afterward, Saul visits Doeg and notices the signs that he too has been cursed by Samuel and urges him to turn his blade on enemies and not on himself. Sensing how David is troubling Saul, Doeg agrees to call in a favor with his friends in Philistia. Unnerved by Doeg’s familiarity with the enemy, Saul warns him to remember whom he serves. With this, Doeg departs and sends a pigeon to Achish, warning of the attack.
Back in his bed, entwined with Kazia, Saul is distracted by thoughts of what he has set in place, when Kazia asks him to let her attend the marriage of David and Mychal, not as a servant but as a guest. Saul hesitates, recognizing the stir it would cause. Embarrassed, Kazia immediately resumes her role as a servant, dropping to the floor to help Saul get on his shoes, although Saul gently promises to make it up to her. When Ahinoam suddenly appears, Kazia moves to leave, but her mistress orders her to remain on the floor (where she belongs), before announcing the news of Jonathan’s marriage.
During the marriage feast, Saul and Ahinoam are forced to sit at table and put on the appearance of being a happy couple. That facade is broken, however, when Kazia appears, adorned in royal clothing and the special necklace that Saul crafted for Ahinoam. Furious, Ahinoam urges Saul to send her away. Instead, Saul tells the crowd that Kazia was responsible for Sara and Jonathan meeting and invites her to join their table as an honored guest. Furious, Ahinoam gets up and leaves.
Having learned that Saul offered to marry her to David, Mychal questions her father. When Saul explains that David must first prove his worth, she asks where Saul sent him – and (as she eyes Kazia) why he always hurts those who are most loyal to him.
Leaving the feast, Kazia runs into Ahinoam in the palace and passively-aggressively asks if she left because she wasn’t feeling well. Annoyed at how Kazia is still flaunting her necklace, Ahinoam orders her to give it back. Kazia almost complies, but stops herself, recognizing her newfound superiority over her former mistress. Warning Kazia that Saul will grow tired of her as well, Ahinoam snatches the necklace from her. But no longer willing to take her mistress’s abuse, Kazia steps at Ahinoam aggressively, making her flinch.
Ahinoam’s night gets even worse, as she watches, with fear, as David and his company return to Gibeah. After Saul is confronted by David, the King calls for Ahinoam, eager to pin the fiasco on her. When he finds her, Ahinoam insists that the plan was sound, which only makes Saul more annoyed. After Saul accuses her of being his true curse, Ahinoam explodes – pointing out all she did for him. Saul accuses her of being vile – and she accuses him of being a weak and insecure man who needs a servant girl to make him feel strong. She admits that she crowned Eshbaal because she knew that God had given up on him and that his reign was over. Outraged, Saul seizes his wife and hauls her through the palace and out the city gates, dumping her in the dirt among the common people. Accusing her of blaspheming God, Saul banishes Ahinoam, while Mirab and Eshbaal look on.
Embracing his mother with mock-tenderness, Eshbaal whispers that she can now know what it feels like to be betrayed by those who claim to love her. As he leaves her, Ahinoam locks eyes with Mirab and gestures for her to keep her chin up, as the gates crash shut.
Sara & Jonathan in House of David Season 2 Episode 6
In a little village near Gibeah, as Sara and Jonathan tend to a garden, Jonathan apologizes again for the death of her brother (which she acknowledges wasn’t really his fault) and proposes, insisting that he can’t imagine a future without her. When Sara continues to hesitate, unable to imagine herself as a queen, Jonathan explains that she won’t have to be, because David has been anointed as the next king. Sara is a bit anxious to learn this, not being a great keeper of secrets. Nevertheless, Jonathan insists that it’s good news for him, since it means, for the first time in his life, he has freedom to follow his own passion. But unlike other men, he doesn’t need to spend time figuring out what his passion is – he knows what he wants most is to marry her. Sara finally agrees and is married to Jonathan by her grandfather, with only her family and neighbors attending.
Returning home with Sara, Jonathan is greeted by his family, who suspect that he’s getting married – and surprises them by announcing that he is already married. He expects pushback, but Saul greets the news, brushing aside Abner’s concerns about the union’s validity, and insists on hosting a feast. Meanwhile, Ahinoam is pointedly silent.
During the feast, Sara and Jonathan sit with Saul and Ahinoam in honor. Jonathan eventually finds an opportunity to talk to Ahinoam privately, recognizing that this isn’t the union she would have envisioned but insisting that he loves Sara and is convinced that she’s the one God intended for him. To his surprise, Ahinoam does not object and urges him to enjoy himself. Ahinoam then goes on to bless Sara for bringing joy to Jonathan’s face.
Unfortunately, Jonathan and Sara’s first night in Gibeah is cut short when Joab appears, revealing the plot against David. With Sara’s permission, Jonathan rides off to help his friend.
Mirab & Dinah in House of David Season 2 Episode 6
Having just received news of David’s rejection secondhand, Mirab is furious when he arrives and tries to apologize. Although she insists that he never meant anything to her, she begins to fantasize about how her father might have him punished, gleefully settling on the idea of making David a eunuch. David tries to explain why it wouldn’t have been fair to marry her while being in love with Mychal, but Mirab can’t get over how badly he’s embarrassed her – the one thing he promised not to do. Warning of the consequences of defying her father, she dismisses him.
Later, during the feast celebrating Jonathan’s marriage to Sara, Mirab drinks heavily, as she complains to Dinah about the fake happiness of her father and mother. As the feast continues, Mirab, now clearly drunk, toasts Jonathan, “praising” his bravery for choosing to marry for love but questioning whether it will work out, while her eyes cast daggers at Mychal, who sits alone.
When Kazia appears, adorned in Ahinoam’s jewels, Mirab and Dinah make snide comments, Eshbaal is amused, but Mychal is outraged. Dinah points out that Kazia is a servant who must do what she can to survive, but Mychal refuses to accept this, insisting that she must be manipulating Saul. Annoyed, Mirab accuses Mychal of defending Saul because he called off her wedding. When Mychal tries to respond, Mirab runs off.
Dinah finds Mirab standing on the edge of the city wall, contemplating suicide and what makes her unchooseable – when even Eshbaal got to marry Dinah, despite her unwillingness. Empathizing, Dinah pleads with Mirab and eventually succeeds in getting her down from the wall safely.
That night, Mirab witnesses her father hauling Ahinoam out of the palace and follows them out to the city gate, horrified. After Ahinoam is banished, she sees Mirab weeping. Before the gate is closed, she gestures to Mirab to keep her chin up.
Review of House of David Season 2 Episode 6 (Forged in Fire)
Although I felt Episode 5 was weaker than earlier installments, Episode 6 is a return to proper form with many strengths:
Production Value, Costumes, Cinematography, Choreography: House of David continues to maintain the quality of a mainstream historical/fantasy epic. Pretty much everything looks top notch.
Externalizing Saul’s Internal Struggle: House of David has delayed Saul’s suspicion of David much longer than one would expect based on the biblical text. But the reason the show has done this is because of how it has projected Saul’s warring desires and thoughts externally onto Ahinoam and Abner. Saul’s fear of David has been embodied primarily by Ahinoam. In Episode 5, it was her, not Saul, that objected to people singing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (c.f. 1 Samuel 18:7-9). Here, in Episode 6, Ahinoam, not Saul, is the one who thinks up the plot to kill David by sending him against the Philistines (c.f. 1 Samuel 18:20-23). Abner, on the other hand, gets to represent Saul’s conscience, which recognizes what he is doing is wrong (c.f. 1 Samuel 24:17). By embodying Saul’s competing desires externally, the show is more clearly able to dramatize for us the internal conflict that the biblical story hints at. It’s also able to dramatize Saul’s frustration at himself when the plot to kill David fails. Instead of just looking angry and throwing things around, Saul projects his anger outward at Ahinoam. Ahinoam, in turn, is able to voice the deep fear that Saul himself would never articulate out loud: that God has abandoned him in favor of David and his reign is effectively over (c.f. 1 Samuel 18:12, 1 Samuel 24:20). It’s a very effective scene and speaks to the value of what the show has done with Saul, Ahinoam, and Abner.
The Plight of Queens & Concubines: I continue to appreciate how House of David dramatizes the challenges faced by women in ancient royal courts. The show prompts us to sympathize with Ahinoam, the proper wife, who has been loyal to her husband through so much, but also with Kazia, the servant who has been abused and is trying to survive and please the man with total power over her. But it’s also honest about the sins of both women: Ahinoam is the one who brought sorcery into the court and has also abused Kazia, while Kazia’s decision to show up at the celebration of Ahinoam’s son’s marriage wearing a special necklace Saul made for her is petty and vindictive. The story is almost certainly meant to remind us of the fighting between Sarai and her servant, Hagar, over Abram (Genesis 16) and the competition between Leach, Rachel, and their servants over Jacob (Genesis 29-30). This is the main way that the Bible addresses polygamy and concubinage – not through laws but through stories that demonstrate the destructive effects that it has on women and on families.
The Peanut Gallery: I also enjoyed how Episode 6 gave us a wide range of reactions to the Ahinoam/Kazia rivalry through Mychal, Dinah, Eshbaal, etc. It reinforced our understanding of the perspective of each character, while also highlighting the complexity of the situation. It also increased my interest in Dinah, who I hadn’t really taken much interest in up until this point in the show.
Joab: I’ve long considered Joab to be one of the most interesting and complicated figures in the Bible, and so I’m happy to see House of David capturing that complexity and even building on it. By explicitly providing Joab with an opportunity to let David die so that he can get Mychal for himself, the show demonstrates the depth of his loyalty, while also laying the groundwork for future resentment, when David falls short of Joab’s expectations/sacrifice.
Mirab: Mirab serves as a really interesting foil for not only Mychal but also Joab, Ahinoam, Kazia, Eshbaal, Saul, and Jonathan. I’ll explore this more in the theme section below. Also: the final moment between Ahinoam and Mirab was very powerful.
David vs. the World: The Bible often describes heroes performing incredible feats of strength in battle (e.g. killing hundreds of men singlehandedly). Episode 6 does a great job of giving us a picture of one of these moments, capturing both the sense of danger and of supernatural empowerment, without feeling too cheesy. David’s willingness to face an army singlehandedly to help his men escape also solidifies why his men are so loyal to him.
I don’t have any serious problems with Episode 6. One could quibble over the plausibility of the timeline of events (e.g. the speed with which Jonathan, Joab, and company arrived) or how they play out (e.g. the Philistine army not hearing the approaching Israelite calvary and getting caught off guard) but I wasn’t bothered by such details and I doubt most viewers will be either.
Key Themes of House of David Season 2 Episode 6 (Forged in Fire)
Episode 6 of House of David Season 2 has a couple key themes that I found very interesting:
Being Chosen & Unchosen
Episode 6 explores the way different characters react to being chosen/unchosen:
Just as Mychal (rightly) suspected Mirab of going behind her back to get David, Mirab (wrongly) suspects Mychal went behind her back to get David. But while Mychal was sad about being “unchosen” for a bit, she ultimately subordinated her own desires to the good of the kingdom and her family and eventually found another productive purpose. Mirab, on the other hand, is so focused on herself and her status that she can’t even contemplate a life in which her value isn’t validated by being chosen for marriage.
Joab also seems “unchoosable” to the one he loves (Mychal). But instead of resenting his rival (David), Joab is willing to subordinate his desire to the good of God’s kingdom, even to the point of saving David’s life. In doing so, Joab finds a new purpose and dignity.
Ahinoam presents Mirab with a vision of what her life might have been like. Although she was “chosen” by Saul for marriage, in order to keep her status, she has had to do horrible things on behalf of her husband. And yet, even after all of that, her husband still “unchooses” her in favor of a younger woman who was once her servant. Unlike Mirab, however, Ahinoam has a steely resolve that keeps her from buckling, even in the face of such a painful rejection. Her final message to Mirab, to keep her chin up, alludes back to her words in Episode 5, urging Mirab to be prepared to set aside all emotion if she plans on pursuing power and status through marriage.
Although Kazia has been “chosen” by Saul as a concubine, her status is fragile. Even a gentle “no” from Saul makes her feel as though she’s been rejected and needs to resume her role as a servant at his feet. Her fear of being “unchosen” leads her to manipulate Saul’s emotions and engage in psychological warfare against Ahinoam (her decision to show up at the party with the necklace is clearly calculated to enrage her rival).
Eshbaal has also experienced the pain of being “unchosen” – both by his parents (during his banishment) and by Dinah (when she initially rejected him). Mirab focuses on how he was ultimately able to overcome being unchosen by Dinah, but Ahinoam’s rejection was clearly more significant to him. His words to Ahinoam at the end of the episode reveal that he’s been holding onto the bitterness of being “unchosen” as her son, just waiting for the opportunity to get back at her. In this sense, Eshbaal provides us with a picture of what Mirab may end up becoming if she continues to cling onto her bitterness about David.
Saul was “unchosen” by God way back in Episode 1 of Season 1, but he refuses to accept that. His unwillingness to accept being “unchosen” drives him to sacrifice David, a loyal servant that he has affection for. It also causes him to respond violently and banish Ahinoam when she vocalizes the truth that he’s trying to suppress. He accuses her of blasphemy for (correctly) claiming that God has rejected him because he worships his status as the “chosen one” and considers anything that challenges it.
Like Saul, Jonathan was once “chosen” for honor of kingship,, but now has to relinquish that honor to David. But Jonathan doesn’t resent being “unchosen” – he actually sees it as a kind of release. Back when he was “chosen” for the special destiny of kingship, he was unable to pursue or even contemplate his own desires. Now that he is unchosen, he is free to pursue what he really wants – a simple and humble life with Sara, freed from the squabbles over power and status that dominate the royal court.
Being “unchosen” is a test. It can open up unexpected opportunities for purpose and freedom, but only for those who are willing to relinquish their desire to be chosen in order to pursue the good of others. Those who refuse to let go of their desire to be “chosen” are driven deeper and deeper into bitterness and often violence or betrayal – even though such pursuits are ultimately futile.
Oft Evil Will Shall Evil Mar
In God’s providence, the plans of the evil often end up backfiring, to their own destruction. As the Scripture says, “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling” (Proverbs 26:27). We see this principle of cosmic justice on display throughout Episode 6:
Ahinoam and Saul’s plot to eliminate the political threat posed by David by sending him on an impossible mission backfires and provides David an opportunity to marry Mychal and further prove his prowess, increasing his political status. It also exposes the bad faith of Saul and Ahinoam to Jonathan, David, and their men.
Ahinoam concocts the plot against David in part because she’s hoping to win Saul back from Kazia. But the failure of the plot results in her being banished from the court – and Kazia being more firmly entrenched.
Ahinoam’s abuse of Kazia throughout House of David has been aimed at keeping her in her place. But that abuse led Kazia to betray Ahinoam to Saul (earlier this season) and ultimately results in Kazia ascending into Ahinoam’s place at Saul’s side.
The Philistines attempt to trap David in hopes of destroying the giant slayer. Not only do they fail, their trap destroys their forge and leads to the death of yet another Philistine king.
Earlier this season, Mirab manipulated Saul into offering her to David instead of her sister. But in Episode 6 her scheme backfires. Not only does she suffer the embarrassment of being rejected, her rejection ultimately leads Saul to offer Mychal to David in her place.
Doeg’s participation in the plot against David is meant to solidify his power and his relationship with Saul, but it actually alerts Saul to his troubling connections to the Philistines. It also puts Doeg on Joab’s radar as a potential threat that needs to be eliminated.
As much as the wicked assume that they can outwit God and advance their will through cunning and deception, God in his supreme wisdom is able to turn them into servants of his own good purposes.
Stay tuned for more content on House of David Season 2. Also be sure to check out my blog review, recap, and analysis of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, and Episode 5 as well as my discussion of House of David Season 2 Episode 6 on YouTube.
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I do agree that the Dinah character is interesting, maybe even a little sympathetic. She's probably wondering how she got to this wild place in her life among the royal family, and where she goes from here.
No empathy at all for Kazia. My opinion only.
Was tough to see Ahinoam literally thrown out on her ear, even if it was somewhat justified.
The following two lines in the scene of Jonathan's announcement of his marriage to Sara were obviously ADR:
Abner: But the union is not valid.
Saul: Then we will make it valid.
And then nothing is made of this for the rest of episode 6. I wonder what this means for the remainder of the season since these two lines were deemed necessary to add in post.
I think it's Kezia, not Kazia.
I think this was a fantastic episode, my favorite of the season so far and maybe my favorite of the entire series to this point.
At the beginning of the series I was afraid the characters would not have depth beyond rchtypes: Ahinoam as Lady Macbeth, Saul as King Lear, Jonathan and Mychal as the pure ones and Mirab and Eshbaal as the naughty ones. They have all grown to become characters that I am interested in now, so I am willing to give currently shallow characters such as Sara and Dinah a chance. Despite her destructive self pity I really feel for Mirab and I dread the upcoming events if the show continues to follow scripture as it has.