The normally fast-paced action of the narrative is suspended briefly so that we can attend a private audience that God grants David. The episode’s literary genres (an oracle and a prayer), along with its unique themes and language, signal its special function in the David Narrative. For the first time our point of view hovers above a particular event in David’s life. With events such as his flight from Saul, David’s battles, or his dispute with Michal, we watched