This Scarlet Cord

by Joan Wolf

  Lord Nahshon sent Isaac and Gideon up to their room first. As he explained to Sala as they watched the spies go inside, he didn’t want anyone to be able to make a connection between them and the shabby newcomers.

  The heat was even worse on the second floor when Sala and Nahshon entered their tiny room where the two Israelites awaited them. Sala unrolled the sleeping mats and he and his father sat on one while Gideon and Isaac sat facing them on the other. The men spoke Hebrew in low voices, with Lord Nahshon doing most of the talking.

  The information he thought would be most useful for the Israelite army was the vulnerability of the city’s north side. If Joshua could get his men over the stone revetment, the single mud brick wall that topped it would fall easily. To demonstrate, Lord Nahshon took the two men to the window and showed them what he meant.

  Isaac and Gideon agreed that the wall could be easily breached and that this information would be helpful to Joshua.

  “If he does attack on the north he still has to get over the revetment wall,” Nahshon warned. “Those boulders are a powerful deterrent. Don’t forget to tell him about that.”

  “We won’t,” Gideon said. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. “What about the temper of the city. Will they put up a strong defense?”

  Nahshon nodded to Sala that he should speak. He said, “Rumors are flying around the city about the brutality of the Israelite army. To be blunt, many of the people here are simply terrified.”

  “That is always helpful,” said Gideon.

  “What about Jericho’s military?” Isaac asked. “How resolute are they?”

  It was Lord Nahshon’s turn to speak. “They seem strong enough. The commander is a tough old soldier, the sort who can be counted on to keep his troops in line. But if the common people panic, they may force the gate open so that they can escape. That would make it nice and easy for Joshua.”

  Gideon said, “You have done good work here, Nahshon. You too, Sala. Joshua will be pleased.”

  “When do you think he will attack?” Sala asked.

  Isaac lifted his shoulders. “The river is in full spate right now. Gideon and I had to fight to get across. I think we’ll probably have to wait until the waters subside enough for the women, children, and supplies to cross over.”

  Gideon added, “And Joshua will want to celebrate Passover first. We have celebrated this feast ever since we escaped from Egypt, and it is not something any of us would want to omit. Especially now, when we need the blessing of Yahweh so badly.”

  “Passover?” Lord Nahshon and Sala said at the same time.

  “What is Passover?” Nahshon asked.

  “Who is Yahweh?” Sala asked at almost the same moment.

  At first the two Israelites looked surprised that their companions did not know, but then Isaac said, “I’m sorry. We must try to remember that the Israelites who have always lived here and were not part of the escape from Egypt would not know about Passover.”

  And so the two scouts explained how Yahweh had sent plagues upon the Egyptians to force Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave. Gideon said, “The last plague occurred when the Angel of Death walked through the city and killed the firstborn of all the Egyptians living there. But the angel passed over those houses belonging to us. Moses had told us to mark our doors with the blood of a lamb and that is how we identified ourselves to the angel. This was why Pharaoh finally allowed us to leave. Then Yahweh instructed us that we must celebrate a holy day every year to commemorate the pass-over of the Angel of Death. This is so we shall always remember what He has done for us.”

  Sala felt chills run up and down his spine as he listened to this story. How blessed he was to belong to this people, he thought. Truly they were the Chosen ones of— “Why do you call the Lord Yahweh? We have always known Him as Elohim, the Creator who has no name.”

  Gideon said, “He revealed His name to Moses, our great leader, while we were in the desert. Moses told us that this was His name, His title for all the generations who follow us. Now our Lord has a name, Sala. He is not Elohim any longer, He is Yahweh.”

  “It means I am,” Nahshon said slowly, giving the Hebrew translation.

  “Yes,” said Gideon. “To us Yahweh is all that we need Him to be. He is our deliverer. He is our strength. He is our wisdom. He is our God and we are His people. That is what His name tells us.”

  “With Yahweh’s help, we will conquer Jericho.” Sala spoke with all the confidence in his heart. “We will conquer this country of Canaan. If Yahweh is with us, we cannot fail.”

  There was a moment of solemn silence as the four men contemplated these words.

  Then Lord Nahshon said to Gideon, “We must return to more practical matters. You were able to get into the city with no trouble, but it is not going to be as easy for you to get out.”

  “Why can’t we just blend into a group of Canaanites, as we did coming in?” Gideon said.

  “That is the only thing you can do, but you must be careful. We still have some farmers going out to tend to their lands, but they leave early in the morning so that they will be able to get back in before the gate is closed at dusk. It’s too late for you to try to leave the city now; there will be no parties for you to merge with.”

  Isaac shrugged. “Then we’ll wait and leave in the morning. Can we remain here?”

  “You will have to.”

  A loud knock sounded on their door.

  The four men stiffened in fear.

  “Yes?” Lord Nahshon called. “What do you want?”

  The innkeeper’s wife answered in the distinctive accent of Moab. “Two shepherds were seen climbing the stairs a short while ago. Do you know anything about them?”

  “Shepherds?” Nahshon managed to sound insulted. “What would I know of shepherds, madam? My son and I are just changing our garments to go and dine in the city. I can assure you we know nothing of shepherds.”

  “I didn’t think so, sir,” the woman assured him. “I had to check everyone. Surely you can understand that?”

  “Of course,” Nahshon returned, sounding slightly placated.

  “I will leave you then to your dressing.”

  The four men in the room stood perfectly still and listened to the sound of her feet as she walked down the short hallway.

  When the steps were no longer audible, Sala said, “If you’ve been seen, then you can’t remain here. There is a good chance that guards may be sent to search the inn. As I said, the city is frightened. Even the suggestion that a spy might have been here will bring action.”

  Gideon said, “If you can lend us some clothes, we will pretend to be friends of yours.”

  Lord Nahshon shook his head. “Even if you change your clothes, someone may recognize your faces. Plus they will ask you questions and your lack of the language will give you away. This is too important a matter to takes risks with. Joshua needs this information.”

  Isaac said, “Do you know of anywhere else we could stay tonight?”

  Lord Nahshon’s brow furrowed as he tried to think of someone he could trust with these men. Then Sala said, “They could stay at Rahab’s house, Father.”

  Lord Nahshon stared. “Rahab’s house? Are you mad? Why would we send them there?”

  “I saw one of her cousins who lives in the house next to her in town yesterday. He doesn’t know who I am but I managed to get into conversation with him.” What Sala didn’t say was that he was so desperate for news of Rahab that he had stalked everyone who left Mepu’s brother’s house until he finally managed to connect with this particular cousin.

  “Hasis—that is his name—told me today is his father’s birthday and they are having a big celebration at his house. Rahab’s family will be there as well. That means her house will be empty. No one will ever think to search for them there.”

  Lord Nahshon said with audible irony, “The family will surely return to the house after the party. Don’t you think they may be surprised to find two st
range men waiting for them?”

  Sala leaned forward. “Listen, Father, half the roof of Rahab’s house is covered with drying flax. It would be easy for a man to crawl under it and hide. If I can get them in the house before the party is over, no one need ever know that Isaac and Gideon are there.”

  Lord Nahshon’s eyes narrowed. “And just how do you know the roof is covered with flax?”

  “I saw it there,” Sala replied.

  Lord Nahshon’s eyes narrowed even further. “All right, we’ll discuss that later. Suppose we do as you suggest, and suppose Gideon and Isaac spend the night safely on the roof. Have you thought of how they are to get out of the house, Sala? They need to leave tomorrow morning, when the gate opens. How are they to manage that?”

  “Rahab will help us,” Sala said.

  The spies had been following this back and forth conversation and now Isaac said, “Who is this Rahab?”

  Sala answered, “She is a Canaanite woman who has renounced her false gods and learned to worship Elohim . . . um, Yahweh. I know she will help us.”

  “She won’t be able to,” Lord Nahshon said. “Even if she wanted to—which I doubt—she won’t be able to do anything.”

  “She is a resourceful girl. She will think of something.” Sala’s voice was firm and confident.

  Gideon said, “Clearly we need a place where we can hide overnight and, unless you have another idea, Nahshon, this Rahab’s house seems like our only possibility. We will find some way of getting to the city gates in the morning. Yahweh will help us.”

  Since Lord Nahshon had no other suggestion, the men decided to follow Sala’s plan. Both of the spies were shorter than Sala and his father, but they did the best they could by using their belts to hold their borrowed tunics off the floor. Gideon took the scarlet cord that had been their identification and tucked it into his belt, saying that Joshua had given it to him and he wanted to keep it.

  The strategy they decided upon was simple. Sala would take the spies to Rahab’s house, where they would walk boldly inside and go right to the roof.

  Sala told them, “If you look confident, anyone who sees you will think you are just part of the party next door and are going into the house to get something. Then I will go next door, find Rahab, and tell her what we are doing. She will help us. She is one of us now.”

  Lord Nahshon was clearly unhappy with the plan. “I pray you are right, my son. A great deal is resting on this young woman’s cooperation.”

  “Rahab will not fail us.”

  Lord Nahshon went to the door and listened. “It’s quiet. Very well, then. The three of you must leave quietly by the inn’s side door and I will go into the courtyard to eat. If anyone asks why I am alone I will say that my son is not feeling well.”

  After asking Yahweh’s blessing for the success of their plan, Gideon and Isaac, garbed in new clothes, followed Sala down the stairs, out the side door, and into the street.

  The birthday party had been going on for several hours and Mepu’s brother’s house was filled to overflowing. Life had been so tense and uncomfortable of late that everyone was happy to have a reason to relax and have fun. Since the day was hot, the party spilled out onto the street, where passersby smiled at the celebration and wished they could join in the fun.

  At first Rahab had enjoyed herself. It was the first time her father had let her out of the house since her return and it was good to laugh and joke with her cousins. Unfortunately, those men across the street waiting to see her were still there and Mepu wouldn’t allow her to leave her uncle’s house. He had even made her wear a veil to get from her own house to the one next door. So when the young people and men moved out to the cooler street, she was stuck inside with the older women, who were all eager to learn the details of her fatal night with the king.

  Finally she thought of her usual refuge, the roof. Her uncle’s roof could only be accessed by a ladder attached to the side of the house, the ladder that Sala had climbed up the one precious time they were together. She didn’t think any of her relatives would be on the roof, and it was a perfect place to get away from the nosy women and the heat of the house.

  Rahab made a polite excuse and slipped out the side door with none of the women noticing. The two houses were so close together, and the ladder was so set back from the street, that no one saw Rahab as she kilted up her skirts and climbed quickly to the roof.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when she found it was indeed empty. It was hot up here, but the wall offered a patch of shade, and best of all, no one was plying her with intimate questions.

  Her thoughts moved, inexorably, to Sala. Once he had stood here, on this very roof she stood upon now. She closed her eyes and prayed:

  Elohim, when am I going to see Sala again? I love him so much. Please, please soften his father’s heart toward me. I will be a good wife, I promise You. I will follow all Your rules and laws, and I will love him with all my heart for as long as I live.

  Her sharp ears picked up the sound of a quietly opening door and she opened her eyes. Across the way, on her own roof, two men stepped out of the door. They looked around furtively and, when they saw her staring at them, they turned back, as if to flee.

  Then another sound attracted her attention and she walked to the edge of the roof and peered down. A man was climbing quietly up the ladder. Rahab recognized Sala instantly; no one else in the world moved with such easy grace. She looked up again toward the men on her roof and pointed downward. A moment later Sala’s head appeared, then his shoulders, and then he was beside her.

  “Rahab! I didn’t expect you to be here!”

  “Who are those men?” She pointed to her roof.

  Sala’s eyes followed her finger, then he turned back to her. “Has anyone else seen them?”

  “No.”

  “Then Yahweh is surely with us.” He motioned to the two men that it was all right and pointed to the flax. Sala and Rahab stood beside each other and watched as the two spies got down on their hands and knees and disappeared from view.

  Rahab looked up at Sala and opened her mouth to ask him what was happening. Before she had the chance to speak, however, Sala’s mouth came down on hers, and for a long while she couldn’t talk or think at all.

  Finally he let out a kind of groan and held her away from him. “Rahab.” Her name came out in a husky sigh.

  Her knees were weak. “Oh, Sala, I’ve missed you so much. So, so much. I was up here all by myself, and I prayed to Elohim that you would come to me, and you came! It’s like a miracle.”

  He said, his voice beginning to sound more normal, “I have to talk to you.”

  “About those men on my roof? Who are they?”

  He explained who they were and then told her about the problem they presented. “We couldn’t let them stay at the inn because they were seen entering and the inn may be searched. And we can’t leave them to find a place on their own because they speak little Canaanite. That’s why I brought them here. Your cousin Hasis told me about the party and I thought your house would probably be empty because you would all be over there.”

  Rahab looked over at her roof and saw no sign of the men. “This might not have been the best place to bring them, Sala. My brother Shemu is suspicious of you and your father.”

  “I could think of no place else. And you are one of us now. You, too, believe in Elohim. He is calling you to help us, Rahab. You are our only hope of keeping Gideon and Isaac safe.”

  He looks thinner. And older. Perhaps, if I help these Israelite spies, Lord Nahshon will change his mind about me. Perhaps this is Elohim’s way of answering my prayer.

  She said, “They should be safe for tonight, but they can’t remain hidden under the flax for long. How do you plan to get them off the roof and out of the city without anyone knowing?”

  “That’s our next big problem. We have to get them to the city gates early tomorrow so they can attach themselves to one of the groups who still go out to the countryside.” He l
ooked at her anxiously. “Can you think of any way you might be able to sneak them out of the house in the morning?”

  Rahab thought deeply and an idea slipped into her mind. “I could tell my father I found these men on the roof and that they are part of that group who hangs about across the street . . .”

  She paused.

  “And?” he said eagerly.

  She nodded. “I think it would work. I will tell my father they hid in the house with the hope of getting a look at me. Papa is so furious with those men that he will take them and throw them right out the front door. Then it will be up to your friends to get to the city gates.”

  Sala looked doubtful. “Do you think it would work? Wouldn’t your father call the guards?”

  Rahab was feeling quite pleased with her plan. She smiled and shook her head. “He’s already done that, but they come back after the guards disperse them. Papa says the guards are useless.”

  Sala looked disgusted. “I can’t believe those vermin are still hanging around here.”

  Rahab shrugged. “I don’t think they’re so anxious to see me, really. I think they’re just bored, and hanging around my house is something to do. Boredom is a big problem these days. We have too many people in the city who have nothing to occupy them.”

  He gazed down at her, his eyes bright. “You’re a wonderful girl, Rahab. You’re one of the smartest people I know.”

  She was delighted. “Do you really think I’m smart?”

  “Not just smart, brilliant.”

  “If I help you with this, do you think your father might let you marry me?”

  There was a white line around Sala’s mouth. “I think he might. I believe you are an agent of Yahweh, Rahab, and I think my father will come to believe that too.”

  Her eyes opened wide in confusion. “Yahweh? Who is Yahweh?”

  “Isaac told my father and me that Elohim revealed His true name to Moses while the Israelites were in the desert. His name is Yahweh, Rahab. In Hebrew the word means I am. Yahweh is to His people everything we need Him to be, and because we are following His plan, we will triumph. Joshua will take Jericho for Yahweh and His people, and when he does, you and I will be able to marry.”