The Rise, Fall, and Return of David

In this episode, Professor Goodman analyzes the conflict between Saul and David as well as David's early reign as king. By trying to get kill David and protect his power, Saul begins to lose his grip, and lifts up David in the eyes of Israel. Yet, when David becomes king, he too commits many sins. After laying with Bathsheba, David has her husband killed. David also has a dispute with his son, Absalom, who stages a rebellion against him and drives him out of Jerusalem. But David also recognizes, as Professor Goodman notes, that if he accepts his punishment and repents—which Saul never did—God will forgive him and he will return to his capital. In this way, David exemplified the notion of teshuva, repentance.