House of David season 2 episode 5 ending explained: What is the real identity of Abner?

House of David, crafted by Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn, brings the Book of Samuel to life as a gritty biblical drama on Amazon Prime Video’s Wonder Project subscription. Michael Iskander stars as David, a shepherd forging his path to kingship, alongside Ali Suliman as the crumbling King Saul, Ayelet Zurer as the cunning Queen Ahinoam, and Oded Fehr as the weathered Abner. 

Season 2 dives into Israel’s chaos amid Philistine raids and palace intrigue, building on Season 1’s huge success.  Episode 5 “God of Swords” which aired October 26, 2025 unveils Abner(Oded Fehr) as the Witch of Endor’s son. He abandoned her occult world likely scarred by failed rituals or family rifts for Saul’s army, a secret that challenges his loyalty and threatens Israel’s fragile stability.

Episode 4 sets the stage: a year after David’s Goliath victory, Saul uncovers Ahinoam’s scheme to favour her son Eshbaal (Sam Otto) over Jonathan (Ethan Kai) for the throne. He exiles her to a distant palace wing. David trains under Jonathan, mastering combat strategy. Doeg stirs distrust while Mychal (Indy Lewis), David’s forbidden love, faces marriage pressures. Saul questions David’s rising fame in the Tabernacle, priming Episode 5’s high-stakes mission and Abner’s exposed roots.

House of David season 2 episode 5 ending explained- A dangerous mission and a dark prophecy

Episode 5, “God of Swords,” jumps forward a year. Philistine raiders wielding iron swords devastate Israel’s copper-armed troops in border village attacks. David, now a skilled commander after months of Jonathan’s training, leads defensive strikes. He snatches enemy blades during battles to secure victories, showcasing strategic prowess. His elder brother Eliab (Davood Ghadami) defies his orders, questioning his leadership despite David’s growth into a confident tactician. 

Saul, desperate to counter the Philistine technological edge, tasks Abner with investigating Goliath’s sword, stored securely in the city of priests. Examining it, Abner discovers a unique maker’s mark identifying the “God of Swords,” a reclusive master smith in Endor, a notorious den of outlaws. To avoid alarming the smith, Abner selects a small team—David, Jonathan, and trusted soldiers disguised as traders to retrieve his iron forging expertise.

In Endor’s bustling, chaotic markets, a local recognises Abner and leads them to the smith’s hidden workshop. The smith reveals that iron’s superiority stems from high-heat charcoal, sourced from Israelite coal mines raided by Philistines. He forged Goliath’s sword but abandoned the Philistines to avoid trouble. Initially refusing to aid Israel, he relents when Abner leverages critical knowledge: years ago, unpaid debts led to the smith’s daughter, Bathsheba, being sold into Edomite slavery. 

Abner’s promise to secure her freedom seals the deal and the smith agrees to join them. As they prepare to depart, mysterious figures ambush the group, dragging them to the Witch of Endor’s eerie cave. The revered see, steeped in black magic, reads each man’s fate. She foretells Saul’s agonising death, widespread battlefield slaughter and Abner’s imminent demise. Recognising David as the anointed king, she keeps his secret but urges him to abandon his one lie, suppressing his love for Mychal to marry Mirab.

Meanwhile, palace dynamics shift. Ahinoam is isolated in a remote wing after her betrayal mentors Mirab on queenship, gifting her a cherished ring to prepare her as David’s future wife. She clashes with Saul’s new concubine, Kazia and tries to stoke Saul’s paranoia by emphasising David’s public adoration. Saul rebuffs her- refusing to be manipulated. Mychal, teaching her students to idolise David’s legend of slaying the giant Goliath, refuses to rekindle their romance when he visits the palace, because of the hurt she still feels.

Joab, the second in command of the army, notices Mychal’s vulnerability and makes overtures of romance as he tries to use her emotional state. Eshbaal has grown closer to his wife, Dinah, though she is suspicious of his meetings with Doeg. This indicates a conspiracy is developing. A tense campfire scene captures David and Mychal’s unresolved feelings, despite her impending betrothal to another.

The episode’s climax delivers a seismic shift. In the witch’s cave, she reveals Abner as her estranged son, who fled Endor’s dark rituals for Saul’s disciplined ranks. Her venomous tone hints at deep betrayal, perhaps tied to botched rites or severed family bonds. She prophesies that Abner will witness Saul’s tortured death, unable to intervene before meeting his own swift end. Abner dismisses her as a manipulative fraud, urging his men to ignore her, but his strained expression betrays inner turmoil. 

The witch’s advice profoundly impacts David and Jonathan. On the return to Gibeah, David, stirred by her call to reject lies, confronts Saul. He boldly refuses to marry Mirab, declaring he’ll wed only Mychal or remain unmarried, a defiant act that risks exile and threatens to expose his anointed status. Jonathan, inspired by the same advice, detours to Sara’s home. Overcoming her grief over her brother’s death, she reciprocates his kiss, cementing their romance. The team escapes Endor with the smith and iron forging secrets, but Abner’s hidden past and David’s rebellion ignite a powder keg for Israel’s future.

The witch’s revelation redefines Abner’s character. His flight from Endor’s occult practices, likely marred by failed rituals or fractured family ties, explains his guarded demeanour and empathy for Bathsheba’s plight. The prophecy of Saul’s agonising death and his own looming demise shakes his stoic resolve, casting doubt on his unwavering loyalty to Saul. 

Episode 6 will escalate tensions: David’s refusal to marry Mirab may force his anointing into the open, provoking Saul’s wrath. Jonathan and Sara’s new romance could forge strategic alliances. Ahinoam’s schemes may target Eshbaal, while Joab pursues Mychal, exploiting her emotional state. Samuel or Philistine leader Achish may reemerge, intensifying the witch’s prophecies as battles and betrayals loom.

Stream House of David season 2 on Sundays on Amazon Prime Video via Wonder Project subscription.  

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