Original subtitles

This is the borderland that lies between the countries of Egypt and Israel.

As it is today, so it was a thousand years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

Even then, these boundaries were kept ablaze

with the fires of hatred and conflict.

Each side prided themselves on the efficiency of their spies,

but kept themselves always on the alert.

Soldiers of David, commanded by his son and heir, Adonijah, Prince of Israel.

A chariot moving along the road.

Stop the fool, whoever he is.

Prince Solomon!

Is my brother here?

Prince Adonijah is at the top of the hill. Follow me.

Solomon! What are you doing here?

On our way to Jerusalem, we got word

that the Egyptians were on the prowl again.

I thought you might need some help.

You're better suited to the singing of songs

than for exploits on the field of battle.

Our father, David, was a singer of songs, but he's also a mighty warrior.

Where are the Egyptians?

They thought to trap me,

to rush in on our camp and kill us while we slept.

But we're not sleeping.

Give me your orders.

This is not your kind of game, brother.

I've never thought of it as a game. I fight by your side.

Then the sword of victory, Solomon.

And the shield of God, Adonijah.

Spread out and kill them all!

- Now we attack! - Attack!

Sound the retreat!

Once again the Pharaoh will have reason to remember the name of Adonijah.

Let him write it in the blood of his dead.

Too long this soil has been bathed in blood.

Have you lost your taste for blood now that the heat of battle is over?

After seeing the glory of victory,

the greater glory of peace makes itself known.

Peace is for women and children.

Now let me cleanse my mouth of the stench of the Egyptians.

To a new victory won by the Prince of Israel.

To the warrior Prince Adonijah!

To Adonijah!

To your glory, brother. May it ever increase the glory of Israel!

Hail Israel!

There'd be much greater glory if these hands of mine

were not shackled by command of my father,

"Defend, but never attack."

When I am king, there'll be no privileged sanctuaries

into which my enemies can flee to escape me.

I'll pursue them into the streets of their own cities.

We'll hunt them down like dogs.

- We'll rout them out of the houses. - Take their women!

Highness, this one was found among the Egyptian dead, but he is no Egyptian.

Put him down.

The Pharaoh has many mercenaries in his armies,

but I've never seen one like him.

From where do you come?

I have the honor to serve Her Majesty, the Queen of Sheba.

The Queen of Sheba!

We're a long way from the land of Sheba, 800 leagues.

Where goes the Queen of Sheba, there go I, a soldier of her guard.

And why does a Sheban fight with Egyptians against Israel?

I fight where my queen commands.

And it pleased my queen to come out from the court of the Pharaohs

to lead her troops against a band of barbarians.

I'll send your hide to this brave queen of yours as a token of my esteem.

No! Grant him the respect one soldier should have for another.

Bind up his wounds.

So spare him.

Out of regard for the tender heart of my dear brother.

This Sheban Queen amuses herself by leading her men across our borders

to watch them slay Israelites as she might attend a circus.

I doubt if she found much amusement here.

Hezrai!

And what brings the King's chancellor here?

More orders from His Majesty?

No, Highness. If that were so, mine would be a far happier mission.

Your father, King David, lies at the point of death.

He lapsed into a coma two days ago and has not regained consciousness.

His physicians could give me no word of hope to bring you.

Josiah, we ride to Jerusalem.

Hail Adonijah, King of Israel!

Hail Adonijah! Hail the King!

It is not your right to proclaim the king, Joab.

- Adonijah! - These are the words of the law.

The King shall be anointed with the waters of Gihon

and crowned in the presence of the prophet,

the high priest and the elders of the tribes.

Your law may be the word, Chancellor. Mine is the sword.

- Hail Adonijah! - Hail Adonijah!

And why do you remain silent? Am I not David's rightful heir?

Can it be that your first thought is not for the life of our father?

Life is for the living.

When I know that David is no longer living,

I will be the first to acknowledge you as his successor.

I will follow you, Highness.

We can reach Jerusalem by dawn tomorrow.

Let Solomon concern himself with the dead.

My thoughts are for the living.

I have business with the Sheban queen.

We must ride fast to overtake her.

Horses!

Go!

Go! Go!

Halt!

Stand aside!

In Israel, I give the orders.

I regret that we did not meet last night when you visited my encampment.

Who are you?

The King of Israel.

He lies, Majesty. Whoever he is, he's an imposter.

The King of Israel is an old man, weak with the burden of his years.

Is that why you thought it safe to join forces with the Egyptians

in an invasion of my kingdom?

Give me leave, Majesty, and I will clear them from the road.

You think you could do better now than you did last night?

David lies dead in Jerusalem, and I, Adonijah, am his heir.

We want no dealings with the Israelites.

Let him speak, Baltor.

What favor do you seek of me?

If we were dealing in favors,

I could have brought you the heads of your dead.

- Kill him! - Kill him!

Your own head is not too secure.

Silence, Haran!

I pursued you, not to ask favors, but to grant them.

And what favor could an Israelite grant the Queen of Sheba?

A kingdom twice as large as she now rules.

Renounce your alliance with the Pharaoh.

Let your banners fly beside mine.

When I have overthrown him, I'll give you all of the lands of Egypt

that border on your own.

And if I refuse your generosity?

Then I will hurl you down into the same dust that will choke the Pharaoh.

Yours is the choice. Glory with Israel or disaster with Egypt.

You dog!

My ancestors sat upon the throne of a great country

when yours still crawled on their hands and knees,

feeding on roots and insects!

- Is that your answer? - This is my answer!

Haran!

Hail the King of Israel!

Oh, Solomon!

Am I in time, Abishag?

He still lives.

Your mother and I have been constantly by his side.

We must have hope.

My prayers have been answered.

That you are here while your father is able to give you his blessing.

- Mother. - My son.

My son.

Do not despair.

Is there hope?

His heart still beats.

But his breath is so quenched that it leaves no mist upon the metal.

My father, my king.

Let my prayers call you back from the shadows.

Solomon.

The peace of the Lord.

In my dream, your face was ever before me.

Now I am here, Father.

And where is your brother?

Adonijah was detained with his troops.

Ever the soldier before all else.

Send messengers with my command that he return.

It will be done.

Now rest until your strength returns.

Bring me Nathan the Prophet.

I am here, 0 King.

Summon the elders of the 12 tribes and the council.

I have had a vision from God.

You have been summoned, at the King's command.

Hear the words of the King.

Has there been no report from the couriers sent to bring Adonijah?

No, Sire. None have returned.

Then I must act without him.

Forty years I have reigned over you.

And I have been your father, and you, my beloved children.

Excepting the memory of me, which will live in your hearts,

I leave but one monument to my name,

the unity of Israel, symbol of the 12 tribes.

Once separate, each striving for dominance.

But now you, the elders of the tribes, stand before me,

banded together in an indestructible oneness.

You were the last to lead your tribe into the union, Ahab.

And as a pledge of your loyalty,

you brought me your only child, Abishag.

I have loved and cherished her as my own daughter,

as I have loved and cherished Israel,

of which she has become the living symbol.

She has been an honor to my house.

And to the household of David.

And my day is almost done.

But the day of Israel has hardly dawned.

It is well that I make room for another to follow after me on this throne.

- No, you stay the king. - No! No!

His Highness, Prince Adonijah!

Adonijah!

Sire, I have driven like a fury to attend this council.

Ever since your command reached me.

Behold the two halves of me,

the soldier and the poet.

I have loved you both dearly.

Tell me, is there any jealousy between you?

No, Sire.

Jealousy of what?

Have I a desire to distinguish myself as a scholar?

It is Adonijah's destiny to rule, and I will truly serve him.

It's God who decrees the destinies of his creatures, my son.

As I lay close to death, out of the darkness,

a great voice called to me and said,

"I am the Lord thy God who placed thee upon the throne.

"And this I declare unto you.

"Only in peace can Israel prosper and be made great.

"Not in strife."

And again, the Lord God Jehovah spoke to his servant, David.

"Behold a son has been born unto thee, a man of peace,

"wherefore thou hast named him Solomon.

"And I will establish his kingdom forever."

- The kingdom is mine. - God wills it otherwise.

You made good use of your time alone with him.

You used his weakness to poison his mind against me.

- I knew nothing of this. - You lie!

- Adonijah. - You were always a weaver of words.

You accuse your brother falsely.

After you've chosen him over me? Theirs should be the choice.

They are Israel. Let them choose.

Aye, hear us! Adonijah!

Adonijah!

And you, the elders, what say you?

Accept the will of God, Adonijah.

The crown is mine and I shall fight for it.

Adonijah's the rightful heir.

Act not with violence lest the wrath of God fall upon you.

Adonijah, believe me, I have never done anything to deprive you of this crown.

Words from the mouth of a hypocrite.

Isn't yours the act of a hypocrite, Highness,

in coming here to greet your father?

You who proclaimed yourself king

even though you knew that David still lived?

Has Hezrai spoken truly?

I did not know that you had sent him to spy on me.

Could you not wait until the breath had left my body?

I am weary with waiting.

Above all others, the king must respect and obey the law.

In proclaiming yourself, you violated the law of God and man.

I claimed what was mine by right and I shall never relinquish that right.

How long will it take them to discover the incompetence of Solomon?

Solomon, king? Impossible.

No, it is revealed out of the mouth of Adonijah himself

why God has turned his face from him.

The wisdom of God passeth all understanding.

As it is written, so let it be done.

Bring forth the waters of Gihon, and here, as God commands,

anoint Solomon king of Israel.

- By the grace of God. - By the grace of God.

Yield, Adonijah, yield, and bend the knee in the name of God.

Never! Rather would I bend knee to the Egyptian Pharaoh

than to this brother who has robbed me of my birthright.

Then hold high the tablet of unity before his eyes

so that he may ever remember the purpose of his consecration.

Hail Solomon!

By the grace of God, King of Israel!

Hail Solomon!

By the grace of God, King of Israel.

Turn not against thy brother, Solomon.

His blood is hot but it will cool.

You have my pledge, Sire. I will never forget that he is my brother.

And you, my child, will you remain in the King's household or...

Or will you return to Gilead with your father, Ahab?

When I was brought to the house of David, my people sang songs of gladness

and I came with joy in my heart.

With the same joy, I will remain within the house of Solomon.

One thing remains heavy on my heart.

In my youth, I dreamed that I would build a mighty temple

to house the Ark of the Covenant.

But I sinned greatly

and was not fit to erect the habitation of the Lord.

Redeem my vow, my son.

Pledge me that you will build the great temple of which I had dreamed,

so that God will have his dwelling place among his people.

I promise you it shall be built.

Be strong and of good courage.

Dread not nor be dismayed.

Oh, Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant king

instead of David, my father, and I am no more than a little child.

Give therefore unto thy servant an understanding heart

that I may judge thy people,

that I may discern between good and evil.

For who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long life,

nor riches for thyself, nor the life of thine enemies,

but hast asked for understanding to discern judgment,

behold, I have done according to thy words.

I have given unto thee a wise and understanding heart,

and if thou wilt walk in my ways,

keeping my statutes and my commandments,

I will give unto thee both riches and honor

so there shall not be among the kings of the earth

any like unto thee in all thy days.

- Not good enough. - No?

With you, I'm seldom good enough. Double the wager.

Very well.

I should have killed him when he was chosen king.

Patience, Highness. Wait.

- I'm not a patient man. - I'm aware of that.

Leave us, Joab.

Did you not hear His Majesty, Joab? Obey his command.

For a man whose wisdom is becoming the marvel of the land,

you are showing a surprising lack of it by coming here alone.

I have come to ask a favor of you.

Knowing that this hand of mine mustache to drive this spear through your body?

I know what is in your heart.

All I ask is that you love your country as much as you hate me.

That would make me the greatest patriot in the history of Israel.

David has laid a great burden upon me, to rule the kingdom

and to build the temple of Jehovah, both of which I've undertaken.

But you have elected to remain here, in your lodge,

depriving the people of your great talent as a soldier and a commander.

To build is not enough.

What has been built must be defended against all the enemies of the nation.

For that task, you are far better suited than I.

Return to Jerusalem.

Offer your services not to me, but to your country and your God.

You are offering me command of the army?

Yes.

Even though you know that one day I might try to use it against you?

Yes.

Well?

I am trying to decide if you are the wisest of the wise

or the fool of fools.

So Solomon walked in the way of his God.

And through a long era of peace, Israel grew and prospered.

With the completion of the temple,

Solomon had fulfilled a most sacred pledge to his father.

Solomon, King over Israel!

Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee.

Heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.

How much less this house that I have builded unto thy name?

Yet hear thy servant and his supplication

and let thy word be verified

which thou spakest unto my father, David.

And of thy people, Israel,

when they shall pray toward this place,

hear thou in Heaven, and when thou hearest, forgive.

For they be thy people as this house is thine,

that all the earth may know the Lord is God.

There is none else.

Amen

Come, come, come.

Come.

Oh, Majesty!

Come and join us, Baltor. I am teaching my bird to obey.

Takyan disapproves. I need an ally.

That is exactly what the Pharaoh is complaining about, Your Majesty.

The Pharaoh is complaining? We will have to teach him.

Another message has just arrived from Egypt.

Let it wait.

But it is a serious matter.

The Pharaoh has called a conference of all the kings.

Sit down, Baltor. You make Tokki nervous.

A deeper shade, Takyan.

Pomegranate. That is the right color.

Well, Baltor, what is the problem this time?

Your Majesty, the problem is the Israelites.

They proclaim peace, yet continually strengthen their army,

and for what purpose?

They are afraid of the Pharaoh perhaps.

What have we to fear?

In spite of our eternal hatred, we now have friendly relations with Israel.

True, but our security is threatened.

Almost fanatically they support their great king, Solomon!

A dreamer. A man of peace.

But a man of ideas.

And there is nothing more dangerous than a man with an idea.

- The threat is real? - Very real.

Solomon's strength is not only his army, but his God.

His God? We have a hundred gods.

But this is one god who teaches that all men are equal and none are slaves.

What a foolish idea.

And yet, if that idea were to take hold of the people,

the Queen of Sheba would soon come crashing down from her throne.

As would all other absolute monarchs.

Therefore I strongly advise Your Majesty to attend this conference.

You see, Baltor, to catch the bird, first bait the trap.

Perhaps we can help the Pharaoh solve the problem of Solomon,

and kill two birds with one stone.

Since Solomon came to the throne of Israel,

I've watched his strength grow,

until now his power has become a threat to my northern borders.

And the wealth in trade which once came to us

now finds its way to him.

For too long we have delayed plans for his destruction.

Yes, take up arms against him.

Raise a great host. Trample Israel into the dust.

King Eglon, from Moab, I want 1,000 heavy chariots.

I will send you 2,000.

Kaldu, from Chaldea, you will send me 5,000 archers.

More if they are needed.

We will launch the attack exactly as I have planned.

From the north, the east and the south, at the same time, by surprise.

The Israelites will not know how or where to make a defense.

We will drive them into the sea.

And, Sheba, what force will you send against Solomon?

None.

Why? Are you not my ally?

We must put an end to Israel, and with it this dangerous idea of one God.

You talk of war.

How can you destroy an idea, a faith, with the point of your spears?

There is only way it can be done.

What do you suggest? Have you a plan?

I have.

But for every plan, there is a price.

What do you want this time?

The Port of Melish on the Red Sea in return for the downfall of Solomon.

- It is impossible. - Melish is my port.

This time you ask for too much, Sheba.

Tell me, what would be the cost of a war against Israel?

You know very well.

And I offer you a plan almost without cost.

His Majesty hesitates, Baltor.

Perhaps we should return to Sheba rather than to visit Jerusalem.

Wait!

I grant it.

And how will you destroy Solomon?

It is said that Solomon is wise.

But no matter how wise a man may be,

he is still human with a human weakness.

I will sit at the feet of Solomon like the wise men who flock to Jerusalem

and perhaps I will learn from his own lips the way to destroy him.

Truly the way of a woman is beyond our understanding.

The way of a woman is simple, my lord.

It is always to follow the way of a man.

I shall keep myself informed of your progress in Jerusalem.

Mother! Mother, come! Look! Mother!

Halt!

My compliments.

I am Benaiah, Captain of the King's Guard,

sent to escort you into Jerusalem.

Greetings. Her Majesty, the Queen of Sheba.

Your Majesty, the King of Israel wishes me to convey his greetings to you.

Truly your king has built nobly. There is no such splendor even in Egypt.

And all that for a god they cannot even see.

Forward!

Do you think she will be as beautiful as we have heard?

This is something I never thought to see, a pagan welcomed to Israel.

How can a pagan be converted to the true God

unless she be brought to know him?

We must never forget she is an ally of Egypt.

Because she is an ally of Egypt,

we must show her our unity and our strength.

Let us offer her our friendship in the hope

that we may have one less enemy confronting us.

She is very beautiful, isn't she?

Your Royal Majesty, permit me to present my sovereign,

Her Royal Majesty, the Queen of Sheba.

Israel extends a warm welcome to Your Majesty.

I am grateful for Your Majesty's permission to visit your beautiful country.

After so much traveling, you must be pleased

to have at last reached your destination.

If I had traveled 10 times the distance,

it would be forgotten in the face of the marvels I have seen

and in the splendor of your city of Jerusalem.

If it pleases you, we can dispense with ceremony and let you seek rest.

You are most considerate.

But, first, let me offer a token of my appreciation for the kindness

you have shown to a stranger within your gates.

Baltor!

Haran!

- So many gifts. - Yes, and brought from so far.

Such riches.

I have no adequate words to express my thanks and the gratitude of my people.

Along with them, I offer my hand,

in the hope that this day will mark the beginning of a closer friendship

between Israel and Sheba.

That would be the most welcome gift of all.

Benaiah, do you suppose the land of the Shebans is always like this?

I would think so, yes.

We must not keep the Queen waiting.

- Welcome. - A message for your queen.

Her Majesty, the Queen.

His Majesty, King Solomon, sends his greetings and has commanded me...

Has commanded us

to inform Your Majesty that in response to Your Majesty's request,

he would be most happy to receive you in private audience.

He is most gracious.

How thoughtful of the King to send so charming an envoy.

Oh, he doesn't know I'm here. I was so anxious to come.

Then I am even more pleased. Come in.

You are the first of His Majesty's court to visit me.

How interesting your encampment is.

Are your people always so carefree and gay?

We enjoy life and pleasure.

- Don't you? - Oh, yes, we do.

But we are an austere people. We tend to be more serious.

And your king? Is he also serious?

King Solomon has a great responsibility.

He must maintain the unity of our 12 tribes.

It is very important, this unity?

Oh, yes. Without it, there would be no Israel.

The gods of Sheba.

Mal-Ra, the guardian of destiny.

Kol, god of the sun and stars.

Rama, who sends the rain.

We have many gods.

In Israel, we have one God.

When he fails you, do you blame him for everything?

He never fails us.

You must find it gratifying to be so close to your king.

Are you his sister, perhaps?

Sometimes he calls me that.

We have been very close to each other

ever since I came to live in the house of his father.

Do you stay long in Israel?

That depends upon your king.

You are charming, innocent.

And you fulfill all my expectations.

For you, from the land of Sheba, a gift from its queen.

This Solomon, the Almighty.

Almighty what?

Twenty men surrounding him and he calls it a private audience.

King Solomon has entertained Your Majesty royally and he...

Oh, those state banquets.

I at one end, he at the other,

and in between us, a lot of sour-faced old men.

Not once have I been with him alone, not once.

But, Your Majesty, we've only been here five days.

This Solomon is more difficult to approach than the Pharaoh of Egypt.

This great king has time for everything except the time for being a man.

Send him to me, Rha-gon, god of love.

Make me the most desirable of women.

Make my lips sweet as honey,

my skin soft and fragrant like the petals of a flower.

Give him to me.

I want him at my feet.

Your Majesty has a royal visitor.

Her Majesty and I have met before.

My apologies to Your Majesty.

I regret that I was unable to be present at the reception

to welcome you to Jerusalem.

Had you been there, it would have made my welcome even more complete.

Your Majesty is too gracious.

Rather different from the occasion of your last visit.

If I remember rightly, Your Highness was then a king.

Yes. And as a king, I offered you an alliance against the Pharaoh.

And my answer was not too kind.

So I remember.

This time, I venture to offer you another alliance.

Do you come as envoy from the King of Israel?

I come as Adonijah, rightful heir to the throne of Israel.

An alliance between us could give us many of the things we both desire.

Do you want Sheban arms to help you usurp your brother's throne?

Solomon is the usurper.

Once I am on the throne, our two lands could encircle Egypt,

and all of the kings would be at our mercy.

Why should I want them at my mercy?

I maintain good relations with the kings.

And King Solomon is my friend.

So how could your offer possibly interest me?

Has the screaming eagle been transformed into a cooing dove?

How dull the world would be if people never changed.

I am wiser, Prince Adonijah.

I no longer do battle with the sword.

That's why I find your visit here so disturbing.

I find it difficult to believe that you have come bearing an olive branch of peace.

What else could I bring to King Solomon, who is a man of peace?

Your Majesty, it is clear that I waste your time as well as mine.

With Your Majesty's permission.

I think I understood you better as the screaming eagle.

He is still a dog.

Let the women in judgment come forward.

Never before has an alien sat beside our king in judgment.

Her presence here profanes all Israel.

Who makes complaint?

My Lord King, this woman, Leah, and I dwell within the same house.

I was delivered of a child.

On the third day after I was delivered, she was delivered also.

There was no one in the house but we two.

In the night, this woman's child died because she lay upon it.

Wherefore she removed my son from beside me while I slept

and laid her dead child against my bosom.

- She lies! - I do not lie!

Silence!

And when I arose in the morning to nurse my child, he was dead.

Not so, Lord Solomon.

The truth, Lord King.

For when I looked at the child in my arms, I knew it was not the son that I did bear.

It was her own child and none other.

The living child is mine, the dead is yours.

The dead is yours, the living, mine.

Bring the infant forward.

Josiah.

Place the child upon the steps before me and show him to me.

Draw your sword, Josiah.

Divide the child into two parts.

Give half to the one woman, half to the other.

Oh, no!

If it must be, give the child to her that it may not be slain.

Divide it. It should be neither hers nor mine.

Take your son, Mother, for he is surely yours.

May the Lord God Jehovah praise and bless you.

You would have rather surrendered him to another than to see him harmed.

And take this woman hence

and administer to her a punishment to fit her perjury.

She lies! She lies!

It's not right! The child is mine! Mine!

Now at last I have seen a judgment of Solomon.

And your wisdom amazes me.

Whatever wisdom has been given me was for the benefit of my people.

Continue to teach me, I beg of you.

So that I may gain a greater insight into the wonder of your understanding.

It will enable me to become a better and wiser ruler over my own people.

Real wisdom lies in the ability to decide between the true and the false.

Can you believe that only four years ago, all this was barren desert?

You have such a joy in all you have accomplished.

It is a joy to make the desert bloom by bringing water from the far mountains.

You have made this into a paradise.

The water, the work, the warmth of the sun have done it, not I.

In the last few days, I have shown you much of Israel,

but you have not told me anything of your own country.

At this moment, my own land seems as distant as the stars.

In my youth, I used to dream of visiting all the faraway kingdoms of the earth.

And now instead the rulers of those countries come to you.

You rule Sheba alone?

From the beginning of time, only queens have ruled in Sheba.

That is our law.

I would be happy to tell Your Majesty many things concerning my country,

if I were sure it would be of interest to you.

Why do you say that?

Because after all the times I have visited you,

you have not returned the compliment by visiting my encampment and me.

Perhaps I was waiting for an invitation.

You promise to accept?

I promise.

I am so happy that at last you have come to visit me.

My people feel honored.

It is your guest who feels honored.

You are not bored by our primitive pastimes?

No, it interests me to learn what amuses you.

Enough, Takyan.

If I do not prevent it, my people will stay and stare at you,

the fabled Solomon.

The way I stare at you?

This is the hour of Rha-gon.

Every evening I make an offering to him.

Rha-gon, giver of life, god of love,

accept this token of my gratitude and devotion.

The feast of Rha-gon is the most sacred rite celebrated each year

in the land of Sheba.

But tonight let there be no talk of gods.

Not even of wisdom.

And there is Sheban wine to warm the heart.

My offering to you.

Tonight, we are alone in a different world.

My world.

Yes, we are in a different world.

Is not the wine to your taste, my lord?

It almost made me forget that you are an ally of the Pharaoh.

An enemy of Israel.

Your Majesty, everything is prepared for tonight.

I chose this one.

Mmm.

Attar of roses, I love it.

The king's favorite scent.

- How do you know? - The women of his harem told me.

I don't want to remind him of other women.

What else have you heard?

They complain of Solomon's neglect of them.

There is no reason to be jealous of me as yet.

In spite of the way he left here before,

he must have had difficulty in forgetting you.

Tonight I will make it even more difficult.

Dry me.

He may still come, Majesty. It is not yet midnight.

Do I need you to tell me the time?

Take it away. Get it out of my sight.

How dare he treat me this way?

What does he think I am? Just another cat in his royal cage?

I don't care if he never comes!

Never, never, never!

Weren't you supposed to dine with Her Majesty?

Yes, I was.

Then why are you sitting here alone?

I felt the need of being alone.

What is it that weighs so heavily upon your heart?

Has it come to where you can read my thoughts?

- Haven't I always shared your thoughts? - Yes.

At times, a man feels drawn toward the dangers that confront him,

even at the risk of his own destruction.

Like a moth approaches a flame.

Is there something different about this flame?

I could put it out in one second.

Wouldn't that be simpler?

Such a little flame, Abishag.

And yet unrestrained, it could destroy all of Jerusalem.

Simpler, yes,

but perhaps without it, there would be darkness.

In light or in darkness, you've only to reach for my hand.

I'll be at your side always.

- Good night. - Good night.

His Majesty!

His Majesty!

Sire, Her Majesty awaited you until after midnight,

and then she... She retired.

I'm sorry.

Takyan, admit His Majesty.

I've disturbed your rest.

Could I rest thinking that perhaps I had displeased you in some way?

Now you have to be completely truthful with me.

Why did you come to Jerusalem?

Why do you ask me such a question now?

Because from the first I knew that behind those lovely eyes

is the brain of a very clever woman

who would never have traveled 800 leagues without a purpose.

You have found me out.

I will confess to you.

The Pharaoh is paying me a fabulous price to spy on you,

to deliver to him all of your secrets.

I have considered that, but Israel has no real secrets from Egypt.

Pharaoh is aware of our weaknesses and our strength.

How could I hope to deceive you?

I have been trying to entrap you, with these.

To bind you to me in soft chains

so that I may do with you as I will.

Now perhaps we're approaching the truth.

Every woman exacts her price from a man.

You're a queen, but you also demand a price.

I do. So great that I wonder if you will pay it.

I want you to love me wholly, completely,

and that love to be the most precious thing in your life.

I hope it is true, but if it is not,

then let me remain blind to the truth.

Even when you are not with me, I find myself trying to recall,

to recapture every moment we have spent together.

The words you have said to me, I will never forget.

After what has come to pass between us, new words keep singing in my heart.

Tell them to me.

Behold, thou art fair, my love.

Thine eyes are as doves.

Thy lips are as pomegranates.

How much better is thy love than wine?

I have never before known such happiness.

Nor I, and if I have thought I was happy, I know now that I was deceived.

You look like two birds who have hatched out a nest full of snakes.

Oh

You may speak freely. I have no secrets from Joab.

We have come to take counsel with Your Highness.

About what?

I am the commander of the host, not a minister of state.

It concerns the king.

- Then why not consult with him? - Because he will not listen.

Grave criticism is being brought against him by the people.

Who would dare to murmur against the great Solomon?

His association with the Sheban queen has developed into an open scandal.

Worse, he has even brought this pagan woman to live within the palace,

daring to install her in an apartment adjoining his own private chambers.

Well, that is his affair, not mine.

We thought perhaps if you were to talk to him privately, reason with him.

Point out that his conduct is a matter of grave concern,

not only to the high priest, but to the prophet and the council.

I, presume to admonish His Majesty?

You forget, Hezrai, he is the king. The king can do no wrong.

Well, something must be done.

Not by me. You are his chancellor, Hezrai, and you his high priest, Zadok.

You do something. You reason with him.

We had hoped for the cooperation of Your Highness.

You have it. My sympathies and my best wishes.

We thank you for receiving us, Highness.

Not at all, not at all. Always at your service.

It could not have served your interests better

if your Highness had arranged for this visit of Sheba's.

The priesthood is aroused against him. The council condemns him.

Even the people talk openly of his shame.

Your Highness is reflecting my own thoughts.

I would be a fool to ignore such an opportunity.

You might have to wait forever for another moment like this.

I will solve Hezrai's and Zadok's problem for them,

and at the same time, my own.

Or rather this is...

This is a problem that you, Joab, with a little help, will solve.

I await your command, Highness.

Your Majesty commanded me to attend upon her?

It took you long enough to get here. I sent Takyan to bring you an hour ago.

Ten minutes ago, if Your Majesty pleases.

Come in. Don't stand there arguing with me.

In what way can I serve Your Majesty?

You can arrange for my safe conduct out of Israel.

Stop looking at me like that! Do as I tell you!

- But when, Your Majesty? - Now. Today. This minute.

Your Majesty will pardon me if I seem shocked, but...

Do I have to consult you first concerning everything I wish to do?

Your Majesty would go

without accomplishing her purpose in coming here?

Permit me to decide the question of my comings and goings.

Your Majesty will forgive me

if I venture to touch upon her personal, private affairs but...

Get to the point, Baltor.

I have sensed a change in Your Majesty.

A softening. A desire to evade reality.

You are accusing me of being in love with him?

Is that it?

I hope, for Your Majesty's own sake, that such is not the case.

And if such is the case,

do you deny me the right for the first time in my life to be human?

May I remind Your Majesty that you cannot put your personal feelings,

no matter what they are,

above your commitment to the Pharaoh and the good of your country.

Don't lecture me, Baltor.

It was Your Majesty who once told me

that you could not afford the luxury of being a woman,

that always you were forced to remember, above all else, that you are a queen,

that your only love, your only thought, must be your duty.

And with that in mind, Your Majesty came to Jerusalem

in search of a means to destroy an enemy whom you once hated.

Yes, Baltor.

I have been trying to evade reality.

I have found myself trying to forget the purpose for which I came,

as one would try to forget an evil dream.

I have been reluctant to make an end of him.

The most merciful way to kill is to thrust quickly and strongly with the knife.

But it seems to me that we are no nearer the kill

than we were before we came.

You are wrong, Baltor.

I have known for days how to destroy Solomon.

Suppose I get his permission to hold the rites of Rha-gon upon the soil of Israel,

to set up a pagan god in the face of the great Jehovah,

their one God who commands the Israelites

to have no other God before him?

That would cause more than angry murmurings against him.

The priests and the people would rise up against Solomon.

Yes, Baltor.

His own people would accomplish his end.

Are you satisfied now that I am still the Queen of Sheba?

Majesty.

How many times shall I tell you that I love you?

Over and over, until you make me believe it.

I will.

But you have known so many loves.

I will take you by the hand,

and in the temple, before all Israel, I'll pledge you my love in marriage.

To shut me away in your harem?

To share your love?

No, to share my throne with you.

You honor me, but I am already a queen.

We will join our lands as we will join our lives.

A dream that can never be. Too much stands between us.

Nothing must stand between us.

Not even our gods?

I knew this moment would come,

for the things we believe in are not the same.

I had hoped that in time you'd come to accept Jehovah.

As King of Israel, would you abandon the God of your people for mine?

Still I dared hope.

My love, I must leave Israel.

Why? Why? I cannot let you go.

The time has come for the yearly feast of Rha-gon.

Can you grant me permission to hold it here in Israel?

It would be a sacrilege.

Then I must go to celebrate it elsewhere.

You see?

You cannot banish what stands between us.

No, wait. Listen to me. There must be a way to...

No!

Help! Help! The King! Help!

Guard! Josiah! Guard!

Joab.

Are you safe, Sire?

We'll deliver him to the one who sent him.

Come on. Come on.

Thank all the gods you are not harmed.

For the first time in my life, I... I had no thought for myself.

I feared only for him.

You men, that way. The rest follow me.

Are you expecting me to plead for mercy from you?

In the past, I have overlooked your hatred of me

because of your great value to Israel

and because I pledged our father never to turn against you.

I asked for no such pledge.

But tonight you raised your hand against the life of Israel.

You and your Sheban slut have defiled the fair name of Israel.

I sought only to preserve our country from your contamination.

Only because the blood of David flows through your veins

as well as through mine I grant you your life,

but I banish you from Israel forever.

I suppose I should be grateful to you for your generosity,

but you should be more concerned with the saving of your own life,

if it has not already been lost to the poison of Sheba.

- Remove him, Josiah. - Take him and him.

I charge you, Solomon, to cleanse yourself of this iniquity

you have permitted to spawn in Israel.

Abjure this woman and her idolatries.

Tear down the obscene abomination she has erected.

I have given her permission to hold a sacred rite of her own religion

in the privacy of the Vale of Seth.

A pagan revel! An orgy!

I have no apology to make for what I've done.

As I have commanded, so shall it be.

You have broken God's covenant and his commandment.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

"Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven images."

"Thou shalt not kill." But murder was attempted against me.

If Sheba had not escaped, the assassins would not have spared her life.

The permission I have granted her is poor compensation

for the crime attempted against her.

It seems that in your lust for this woman, you've lost your reason.

Choose your words carefully, Hezrai. It is love I have for her.

It was out of love that I offered to share this throne with her.

And out of love, I will attend her ritual.

Hear me, Solomon.

I've heard all I want to hear from you, Prophet.

Then hear the voice of God.

Your royal raiment will be stripped from you and you will be cast forth.

You will cry out your repentance in the streets,

but the ears and hearts of your people will be closed against you.

And my ears are closed to cackling priests and mumbling old men.

I will show you I am king in Israel, not you.

Woe unto you, Solomon.

Rha-gon! Rha-gon!

Rha-gon! Rha-gon!

Rha-gon! Rha-gon!

Rha-gon! Rha-gon!

Hear us, 0 Rha-gon, god of love, giver of life.

Let thy spirit enter into our bodies.

Endow our men with strength and vitality

and our women with endless fruitfulness.

My door was closed.

Must you intrude upon my privacy?

Can you shut out your conscience by closing the door?

Say what you must, then please leave me alone.

I come seeking the man I once knew.

The man who was noble, gentle and kind, the man who walked with God.

- These are mere words, Abishag. - I entreat you to listen.

When I was a child, you were the world and I adored you.

But time passed, and love changed even as I did.

My love became that of a woman for a man.

But the man became a king,

and in his eyes, the woman was still a child.

I know how strongly it calls to you.

Listen to your people, their love calls to you,

as I call in my love.

Listen to them if not to me.

Whether you or my people approve, I must go.

You cannot go. Do not destroy yourself!

I beg of you!

Lord God, hear the prayer of thy servant.

Mine was not the strength to save my lord, Solomon, from himself.

But thine is the power.

Let not thy wrath descend upon him.

Look into his heart and pity him.

But if it be thy will to punish him, visit it upon me in his stead.

Oh, no!

Oh, no!

Why?

The sin was mine.

Why did you not strike me?

I warned you, Solomon. The hand of God is upon you.

Majesty, you must rest.

I cannot rest, Takyan.

I have come to ask Your Majesty's permission

to arrange for your immediate departure out of Israel.

Yes. Let us go, quickly.

There is no reason for us to remain now that I have accomplished my purpose.

Your Majesty should not reproach herself over what has happened.

It was nothing more than a sudden, violent storm.

It is not the first time lightning has dealt death and destruction.

Nor will it be the last.

Was it nothing more than a coincidence?

Surely Your Majesty cannot believe what the Israelites are saying,

that it was a sign of the anger and revenge of their God?

- I no longer know what I do believe. - Oh, Majesty, you're overwrought.

Yes, the strain of the last few days has affected us all.

But this is your hour of triumph.

The Pharaoh will rejoice in your victory over Solomon and Israel.

Sheba can be proud of her queen.

I am very proud of myself. I have earned my reward from Egypt.

We will have our port on the Red Sea.

We will have more gold, more power, more everything

because I have betrayed a great man who trusted me,

who loved me beyond all else.

The Sheban. The Sheban is coming.

Here comes the Sheban.

The Sheban. Come away.

Your Majesty understands that it is not a request

that you attend this meeting of the council.

It is a command from the elders of the tribes.

I have no wish to evade what they have to say to me.

You should not have taken the risk of coming here.

If I had not come now,

I might have lost the courage to come at all.

Once you asked me for truth.

And I answered you with truth,

but I made it sound like a lie to deceive you.

For I was a friend of the Pharaoh and an enemy of Israel,

and I came here out of hatred to destroy you.

Had I known this the day you arrived in Jerusalem,

it would have changed nothing.

Mine is the greater guilt.

For I have known from the first where you would lead,

where I would follow.

But why did you not just go without explanations?

Because I love you. What I have done, I cannot undo.

Do with me what you will, but this you must believe.

My love is not a lie.

Think not to appease the wrath of Israel with words of remorse.

Neither will God's anger be turned aside.

I will speak no words in my defense.

What could you say in view of your transgressions?

Because of you, dissension fills the land.

The unity of the nation is sundered.

Even as this,

the symbol of its oneness, is broken into fragments.

The elders of the tribes deny you as their king and depart from you.

The Lord God will smite you into the dust and his people will praise his name.

So be it.

Folly is set on great heights,

and that which has been done is that which shall be done.

Who knows what is good for a man in his life,

his vain life, which he spends as a shadow?

Vanity of vanities. All is vanity.

But if you turn away and forsake my statutes,

then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them,

and this house which is high

shall be an astonishment to everyone that passeth by it,

so that he shall say,

"Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land and unto this house?"

And it shall be answered,

"Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers

"which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt

"and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them and sewed them.

"Therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them."

The elders of the tribes have denounced Solomon,

and the captains of the host have returned to their own provinces.

This is the time to strike, Majesty.

All Israel is in turmoil and Solomon stands alone.

It seems that your information is more accurate than mine.

Has not the Queen of Sheba given you a full report on the situation in Jerusalem?

I have been wondering, awaiting word from her.

You mean she has told you nothing of what I have reported to you?

Nothing.

Perhaps in the joys of her new love, she has forgotten her obligation to you

and finds her alliance with Solomon more to her liking.

You have told me everything I should know,

excepting your price for my support of you against your brother.

I want the crown of Israel. It has always been mine.

And command of the army that you send against Solomon.

I grant it.

But there's one thing I want from you.

You will be the instrument of my punishment of Sheba

for her betrayal of me.

On that, Majesty, you can rely.

Hail to the new king of Israel.

Hail to the new king of Israel.

Can your brother equal such strength?

He will be able to gather only a handful of followers.

We will strike quickly. The victory must be decisive.

- How many do they number? - Thousands.

And you saw them cross over the border?

Yes, Majesty. A column from horizon to horizon.

It was to be expected eventually.

We will go out and face the Egyptians.

Give the orders, Josiah.

Gather what forces you can.

Yes, Sire.

With these we hope to stem the Egyptian hordes?

My father, David, faced Goliath

with nothing more than a stone and a shepherd's sling.

God was with David.

- Forgive me, Sire. - There is nothing to forgive.

All Israel knows that God has abandoned the son of David.

Majesty, you let him go without a word of farewell.

What could I have said to him?

How could I have told him that I carry his child?

- Halt. - Halt!

- Highness, the enemy has been sighted. - At what distance?

Within one hour's march.

Then they have traveled 10 leagues since dawn and we have traveled one.

They are spent and exhausted and we are still fresh.

Two hours yet before the sun sets.

- Deploy your men. - Give the order.

We want every man, horse, chariot hidden from Solomon's view!

And when he rides into the trap, our attack will hit him from every quarter!

Now deploy for attack!

Deploy for attack!

Take your positions!

Deploy for attack!

Sire, our men are spent. Shall we call a rest?

They will rest tonight at the dunes of Saladar.

There we will entrench and await the enemy.

Let the battle be joined as far from Jerusalem as possible.

Sire, look there on the hill.

Halt the column.

Halt!

Shumanites!

They bear a flag of friendship.

Ahab!

We come to stand with the king.

Why do you offer me your support in this dark hour?

Is it because your hatred for the Egyptians is greater than your hatred for me?

We come in memory of the love my daughter, Abishag, gave to you.

- Then we will honor that memory. - God willing.

Fall in behind!

Josiah.

Forward at the trot. Forward!

Start the attack.

Attack!

Attack!

Form a circle!

Sire, your brother has joined forces with the Egyptians against you!

Break through! Break through! Faster!

Tell the Egyptians to break through with their horsemen.

- Break the circle! - Charge!

Sound the retreat!

Joab, find Solomon!

Let's try over there.

Your Highness, we've found Solomon's shield,

but so far not Solomon.

He must have crawled off to hide himself with the rest of his rabble.

In the morning, we will dig them out of their burrows

and hunt them down to the last man.

I have more important things than to occupy myself with a rabbit hunt.

Keep searching.

There will be double the gold for the man that brings me the head of Solomon.

I am impatient to enter Jerusalem.

I do not wish to be delayed by the slow paces of an army.

You will have no trouble in destroying the last remnants of Solomon's resistance.

When you have vanquished them to a man,

then follow me into Jerusalem with all speed.

How many men will you need to enter Jerusalem?

Only a small escort.

I will meet with no more resistance there than I've had here.

Your commands will be obeyed.

Colonel Hassin, with six officers, will go with His Majesty to Jerusalem.

There'll be few of us left to face Adonijah and his Egyptians by tomorrow.

The faint-hearted are deserting us in the darkness.

Can you blame them, Josiah,

after they've seen even my own brother turn against me?

I thought I knew the driving passion of his ambitions,

but never did I think he would betray his own people.

We only found a few scattered units of our people,

almost afraid to show themselves, even in the darkness.

In the morning, the Egyptians will march over us into Jerusalem.

No matter how few of us are left, we will fight on.

If I cannot live as a king, with honor, at least I can die as a king, with honor.

Woe unto us! Our king is defeated!

Majesty!

The outcry in the streets of the city is over the news

brought by deserters from Solomon's army.

It seems he has been defeated, his men routed.

Is he among the dead?

No one knows, but all say that by morning

not one Israelite will escape alive.

Now will Your Majesty seek safety?

The Israelites will blame you for Solomon's defeat.

I beg Your Majesty, do not refuse again. You must save yourself.

- Majesty, where are you going? - Do not try to stop me, Baltor.

I will not let Your Majesty take the risk of going into the streets.

Stand aside!

I command you both, do not follow after me.

Solomon is vanquished! How are the mighty fallen!

Woe unto us! The Egyptians will be upon us!

The Lord has punished Solomon for his sins!

Who will save us now from Pharaoh?

Our sins have brought this upon us!

Woe unto us!

The Egyptians have overthrown our noble Solomon!

Pharaoh will slay us all!

Solomon did not follow the path of God!

God of Israel,

thou who art called the all-knowing, the compassionate,

look into my heart and hear my prayer.

Forgive my sin against thee and thy people.

Grant me the life of Solomon and preserve him against his enemies.

Do this, and I will return to the land of Sheba and cast down the false gods.

And I will build a tabernacle to the glory of thy name,

and there shall be no other gods before thee.

Josiah.

- What has alarmed you, Sire? - Not alarm, but hope.

Hope that comes like a light in the midst of darkness.

It is as though God has come to me and showed me the way.

Yes?

Sire!

- Our men return. - And there.

And there!

They rally to us by the hundreds.

Set them to burnishing their shields. Let them shine like mirrors.

Yes, Sire.

I remember you once lectured me, Hezrai, on how a king of Israel is crowned.

Are there any among you who deny my right to sit upon this throne?

Then I need no senseless ritual to attend my elevation.

No anointing with the waters of Gihon.

I take with my own hands what has always been mine.

Hail Adonijah, Lion of Israel!

Hail Adonijah!

Know this, all of you. I have made an alliance with the Pharaoh.

Under his protection, I will rule Israel,

and I'll have no mercy on any who oppose me.

Sire, the Sheban harlot has been found.

She has taken refuge in the temple.

- Halt! - Halt!

Halt!

Again, the Israelites.

Where did they gather that number of men?

Last night, we could find none of them, only their dead.

In a few minutes, they will all be dead.

Today there is no darkness into which they can escape.

They face east and will be blinded by the sun.

Prepare for a frontal attack.

- Frontal attack! - Frontal attack!

Frontal attack!

- They're going to charge us, Majesty. - Wait for my signal.

Attack. Strike them down.

- Attack! - Attack!

Charge!

Sire.

- Now! - Shields forward!

Lord God of Israel, thine is the victory.

Thou art our sword and our shield.

Lord God of hosts.

Thou art the Lord God.

What thou hast done was out of love for thy people.

If thou knowest what is in my heart, grant me forgiveness.

Amen.

Ahab, Josiah.

Choose 20 men. Mount them on horses.

Gather up the Egyptians' banners from the dust.

We will ride with them to Jerusalem to proclaim that the city of David is saved.

By now, Solomon is dead by his own deeds.

An Egyptian sword has rendered judgment upon him.

It is I, Adonijah, who has prevented the hordes of Egypt from falling upon you

and razing this city to the ground.

Hail Adonijah! Savior of Israel!

Hail Adonijah!

There, in the temple, is the cause of all your troubles.

It was she who brought disaster upon Israel.

What shall be done with her?

- Let the dogs devour her! - Drag her through the streets!

- Give her to us! - Let her be stoned to death!

The sanctuary of the temple must not be violated.

In the Israel that I rule, there is no sanctuary for a pagan harlot.

You are her judges. I give her to you.

Let me pass.

Let me pass.

Once before I told you I was King of Israel and you called me an imposter.

Now I shall prove to you that I am the king.

I grant to you the honor of my first judgment.

Stone her!

- L have spoken. Obey my command. - Stone her!

Kill the pagan slut!

Solomon! Victory! Victory! Solomon!

Look! Solomon!

Victory! Victory! Solomon returns!

Solomon!

Victory! Victory!

Solomon!

Solomon!

Once before you robbed me of my birthright,

but this time I'll not be denied!

Sheathe your sword, brother.

I will not break the pledge I made to our father.

I will sheathe it in your heart.

When none in Jerusalem believed that you and Israel could be saved,

she came into the temple,

and before the sanctuary prayed that you might be spared.

For thine is the power and the glory, forever.

Because thou didst call upon my name in thy dark hour,

I have heard thee.

Return, therefore, unto thine own land,

and keep the covenant thou didst make with me.

Now I can tell you that I am to bear the child of our love.

Now you will be queen over Israel and our son shall reign after me.

No.

I gave promise to God that I would return to my own land.

For that he granted me your life and his forgiveness.

But how can I let you go?

Your child shall reign in the land of Sheba.

And if God grant us the blessing of a son,

then for the first time, Sheba shall have a king.

And he shall walk in the way of the Lord God Jehovah.

That we must part is our atonement.

If this be thy will, 0 God, I submit to thy judgment.

May thou watch between us while we are apart one from the other.

I will be with you always.

Shout unto God, all the earth. Sing praises unto the glory of his name.

Sing praises unto the Lord, 0 Israel.

Be gracious unto us, God, and bless us.

And bless us.

For his anger is but for a moment, but his love is forever.

Weeping may tarry for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.