In retelling the story of King David, when does Amazon Prime Video's House of David rely on Biblical facts, and when does the series resort to fiction?
Created by Jon Erwin, House of David is an eight-episode Biblical origin story where David (Michael Iskander) goes from a shepherd to the next anointed king of Israel and Judah, all while building towards his epic showdown with the giant Goliath.
The first three episodes of House of David premiered on February 27 on Prime Video.
How Biblically Accurate Is Prime Video's House of David?
In the Old Testament, David was a king of Israel and Judah from whose lineage God promised the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come. But before he wore the crown, he famously saved his people from the giant Goliath through his faith and a slingshot.
Episodes 1-3 of House of David spotlighted how David came to be anointed as the next king, as well as how King Saul lost the throne and its impact on his family.
Find out what House of David invented for the series - and what was directly lifted from the Bible - in the categories below:
David and His Surprisingly Harsh Family
In the first three episodes of House of David, Michael Iskander's David is an outcast within his family as his late mother was a Gentile and he's blamed for her death (check out House of David's cast list and their characters here).
But by the end of Episode 1 titled "A Shepherd and a King," he kills the lion that mauled his mother and plagued his family for years, and he's still a source of shame for his father. He's also a sharp contrast to his brothers since he's a musician and seemingly struggles with both guilt and fear.
In the Bible, David was a musician and wrote several Psalms. He's also seemingly kept separate from his older brothers, such as when his father fails to present him to the prophet with the rest of his sons.
While the Bible does not say David's mother was a Gentile, this House of David storyline offers an explanation for his low status within his family. At the same time, it's not too far off the mark since the Biblical Gentiles Rahab and Ruth were David's great-great-grandmother and great-grandmother, respectively.
However, David's struggle with guilt and fear is largely missing in the Bible, where he comes across as faith-filled and confident. It's also difficult to believe he wouldn't have been more useful in Episode 2: "Deep Calls to Deep" when he and his brother were attacked, especially since, in the Bible, he had killed a lion and a bear.
Find out why House of David's Michael Iskander wasn't initially cast as David here.
House of David's King Saul and Samuel
In Episode 1 of the House of David, a confident King Saul (Ali Suliman) disobeys God's command to destroy all of the Amalekites and the spoils of war. Instead, in his arrogance, Saul leaves Agag the king and his livestock alive.
This disobedience leads to Samuel confronting Saul, and God choosing to reject Saul as the King of Israel and Judah.
These series of events are true to what occurs in the Bible in 1 Samuel, including Saul's subsequent mental torment and his illusions.
In fact, a future Biblical incident between David and Saul is foreshadowed in Episode 3" "The Anointing" when Saul hurls a spear at an innocent servant.
Find out where in Canada and Greece the House of David was filmed.
Are House of David's Other Key Characters Biblical?
Ethan Kai's portrayal of Jonathan, King Saul's son and heir, is also rooted in facts as he was loyal and fought alongside his father, all while being honorable and compassionate. His role in the show's first three episodes is key since his story is inextricably tied to David's and will extend beyond Goliath's death.
Masterfully played by Samuel Lang, Samuel, the prophet or "seer", is another Biblical figure the House of David gets right. Samuel oversaw Israel's transition from the rule of judges to a monarch and anointed both Saul and David, the latter of which is portrayed in Episode 3 nearly word for word as it's recorded in 1 Samuel 16.
Check out what Stephen Lang said about his version of Samuel here.
Since Queen Ahinoam, Saul's wife, is only referenced in the Bible, House of David filled in the gaps and succeeds in making her one of the show's most complex characters.
Ayelet Zurer, who plays Ahinoam, explained to The Direct that her version of the character was created from "consequences of the story," and her inability to "let go of the idea" of Saul being king, all of which leads her to become "somewhat of a villain."
She's even given a Biblically accurate story where, after abandoning her faith, she goes to a pagan priestess for help. This is something Saul does in the Bible later on in visiting the witch of Endor to summon Samuel's spirit from the dead.
As Saul's daughter Mychal (Indy Lewis) won't become David's first wife until later on, much of her character and personality has been fabricated in House of David thus far, including the first time she and David meet in Episode 2.
House of David's Goliath and Biblical Giants?
While Goliath is seen in Episode 1's dream sequence, and giants are discussed throughout the first three episodes, House of David boldly addresses their origins and reality before fully revealing Goliath (Martyn Ford) at the end of Episode 3.
Biblical scholars have various theories about giants or the Nephilim, the sons of Anak. Some believe they were the offspring of fallen angels and human women. But others take a less literal view, believing the fathers of the giants were mortal men possessed by fallen angels and demons.
House of David seemingly embraces the more literal position. Not only does David express his belief in the sons of Anak, proclaiming, "I believe all the words of Moses," but Episode 3 actually introduces audiences to Orpah, the mother of giants.
Is House of David's Fictional Elements a Problem?
Unlike other recent Bible-based streaming projects (*cough* Netflix's Mary), House of David is almost as accurate as David with a stone and sling.
So far, the bulk of the show's creative liberties have mainly added to the source material instead of contradicting it, and, in some cases, may have been inspired by Scripture itself.
In addition to certain aspects about David, the show takes creative license the most with characters who have minimal presence in the Bible but were unavoidably impacted by the events around them.
In this way, the House of David is similar to The Chosen, which also fleshes out the lives and personalities of Jesus' followers. While the former is more of a mythical, epic adventure than Dallas Jenkin's series, House of David's Jon Erwin shared how The Chosen influenced House of David here.
The first three episodes of House of David are streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. New episodes will be released every Thursday through May 3, 2025.
