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ENDOR2   4'1m*f RT: King Saul and the witch of Endor

(RT == Readers' Theater: requires little or no memorization,
little or no rehearsal. An indefinite number of reporters are
salted throughout the audience.)

DAVID -- (enters wearing ornate robe and sandals, crosses to
podium) Good Morning. My name is David Son of Jesse. The reason
I called this press conference is to announce the worst of all
possible news. King Saul and all three of his sons are dead.
They died at the hands of the Philistines in the battle at
Gilboa. May they rest in peace.

REPORTER -- David, you were annointed king by the prophet Samuel
several years ago, were you not?

DAVID -- That's right.

REPORTER -- Now that King Saul is dead, will you be ascending to
the throne?

DAVID -- That's the plan. But we have not had a chance to plan
the coronation. We'll let you know when we do.

REPORTER -- Long live the new king!

ALL -- Long live the new king!

DAVID -- Thank you for your allegiance.

REPORTER -- Your Majesty, it has been speculated that King Saul
was killed by the will of God as punishment for the sin of
witchcraft. Is that true?

DAVID -- It is true that one of King Saul's last acts was
dabbling in the occult, but....

REPORTER -- Is it true that King Saul visited the witch of
Endor?

DAVID -- That's true, as far as I know. But...

REPORTER -- Can you tell us what acts of witchcraft the witch of
Endor did for King Saul?

DAVID -- Necromancy.

REPORTER -- Necromancy. That's speaking to dead people, isn't
it?

DAVID -- That's right.

REPORTER -- And Necromancy is prohibited under Jewish law under
penalty of death, isn't it?

DAVID -- That's right.

REPORTER -- So, then it IS true that King Saul was killed in
battle for necromancy?

DAVID -- Well, I suppose....

REPORTER -- Can you tell us which dead person King Saul wanted
to talk to?

DAVID -- The late prophet Samuel.

REPORTER -- Do you know why?

DAVID -- Yes, apparently, King Saul wanted to know if God was
with the army of Israel in the upcoming battle against the
Philistines. Apparently, the Lord God of Israel no longer spoke
to King Saul through the living prophets nor through his own
dreams.

REPORTER -- Was King Saul able to talk to the Prophet Samuel?

DAVID -- Yes.

REPORTER -- What did Samuel say?

DAVID -- He told King Saul what everybody already knew, that the
Lord God of Israel was no longer protecting Israel from her
enemies.

REPORTER -- Why is that?

DAVID -- Well, it's rather common knowledge that God had earlier
commanded King Saul to destroy the Amalekites for resisting
Israel in the day of Moses. He commanded King Saul to "put to
death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep,
camels and donkeys." But King Saul spared their king and he also
allowed his army to take as plunder some of the livestock of the
Amalekites. It was at that point that Samuel annointed me king
and stopped communicating with King Saul.

REPORTER -- So, did King Saul die because of the necromancy or
because of his disobedience against the Amalekites?

DAVID -- Both.

REPORTER -- Both?

DAVID -- Both necromancy and defiance of direct orders from God
are punishable by death. So, I suspect that, even if King Saul
had NOT spoken to the dead, he STILL would have been killed in
battle because of his earlier disobedience.

REPORTER -- Are you happy that King Saul is dead?

DAVID -- Happy?

REPORTER -- Yes. King Saul has been trying to kill you ever
since Samuel annointed you king. Aren't you relieved that he is
dead?

DAVID -- No.

REPORTER -- No?

DAVID -- No. King Saul was annointed by God as king of Israel
the same as I was. One should never rejoice that the annointed
of God is dead. It's a tragedy. What's even worse is that my
very best friend, Jonathan was killed with King Saul. I suspect
that if King Saul had not defied the command of God regarding
the Amalekites, Jonathan, as Saul's heir, would be king right
now instead of me.

(exits)

REPORTER -- Long live the new king!

ALL -- Long live the new king!

©2007 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it.
Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances.
You may reproduce and distribute this script freely,
but all copies must contain this copyright statement.
http://www.fea.net/bobsnook  email: bobsnook@fea.net

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