The Prophet Samuel introduces Ancient Israel, where The Ark of the Covenant has been stolen by the powerful Philistines. We watch Israel’s first King, Saul rise to power from humble beginnings supported by his son, Prince Jonathan. We also meet Saul’s daughter, Princess Michal, who is aiding a Witch (“Chosen”). Saul fails a test set by God, so the Prophet Samuel renounces his throne (“Obedience”). Saul says evil spirits made him do it. Samuel brings a shy, lyre-playing shepherd named David to the palace and King Saul becomes enamored with the young man (“In Your Hand”). The Philistines attack and Jonathan meets them in battle (“Honey”), but Saul’s neuroses threaten to undermine their efforts (“Blood”). Saul backs down from fighting the giant warrior Goliath, and David steps in and slays him with a slingshot (“Goliath”). Jonathan watches and falls head over heels for David. He approaches him afterward and the two begin a passionate relationship (“Adoni”). Saul becomes jealous of David and Jonathan’s relationship (“One Thousand Times Ten”), and Michal makes a deal with the Witch to close her womb so she won’t have to perpetuate the monarchy (“Another Way”). Michal and David marry so David can become part of Jonathan’s family. Then Saul lures David to his room and attempts to sexually assault him under threat of death. David escapes and Jonathan and Michal help him flee to the wilderness. Saul finds out and almost kills Jonathan (“Shame”). Jonathan meets David to say goodbye and promises to find him when the war quiets down (“Covenant”).

The Prophet Samuel aids in David’s escape, then dies from prophesying too hard (“Prophets”). David begins a new life in the wilderness as a mercenary general of a band of outcasts (“All the Broken”). Saul pursues David, but after David spares his life (“In My Hand”), he returns to fight the Philistines with Jonathan. David develops a plan to sabotage the Philistine army. Meanwhile, Saul hires the Witch to try to contact the dead Prophet Samuel for help, but dead Samuel rejects him once again (“The Witch”). David’s plan fails, and after a dreamlike final encounter with Jonathan in the wilderness, he watches as his lover is killed by Philistine arrows. David laments (“Fallen”) and Saul falls on his sword (“Death of Saul”). Over the next 15 years, David becomes King of Israel (“Chosen reprise”). David the King triumphantly leads the Ark of the Covenant into the capital (“The Ark”). Once there, he calls for Michal, whom he claims as his property. Michal confronts him and challenges him to honor Jonathan’s memory by being the kind of king Saul never was (“Kind of King”). She also tells him that Jonathan had a son. David finds Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, and tells him that he loved his father. He asks Mephibosheth to eat at his table always, as one of his own sons, and Mephibosheth accepts (“Covenant reprise”).