The southern surroundings of Jerusalem had been full of small caves and deep caverns since prehistorical times. The long wide cave that Abner chose for gathering his staff and most brave fighters’ unit, was located in Adulam, not far from the Philistine town Gath. To this town - young David had fled from king Saul hundred years before. Then he disguised as mad before its king, who drove him out from that town, and he hidded in Adulam’s caves.
The opening entry of the cave in the hill’s rocky ground, was covered by some bushes. It enabled the rebels, even in daytime, to gather their troops there. The rebelious warriors would sneak one by one into the cave. Even a trained spy would not discern the drop of human shadows behind a hill and then disappear - as an irrregular spectacle. Especially, that most of the cave’s visitors were wearing shepheds dresses, some grabbing wooden sticks and some even seem wearied, walking long hours with a dog or a little sheep. That would build a successful camouflage, so the warriors had been the ordered by General Abner. Most of them had not recognized him, or hardly known about his defection from Athaliah’s army.
The cavern’s guards were hiding in the bush beside the narrow path leading to the hollowed entry. Their heads were rising from time to time, surveying the landscape – low hills, in between them extending small valleys, in which grains were raised. In some wide ravins there was growing a sparse grass, that sheep and goats were used to chew and swallow, in the same boring manner for thousands of years.
It was a bright evening. Four citizens were seen waiting near the cave’s opening. They were holding torches of those days, and greeted General Abner, who had arrived with Chief Priest.Yehoyada, who was dressed like all the others. Abner, however, soon wore his Philistine helmet. Not for boasting about his high rank, but in order that anyone present there would recognize him, the initiator, planner and commander of the rebellion.
Abner passed the four waiting men, and penetrated the dark entry of the wide cavern. Thirty people had been already crowded inside in a long Hall-like natural hollowed place. Five of them were holding rugs, put into jugs-like containers, filled with oil liquid, that enabled there a good illumination. Most of the rebels were equipped with swords or short spears, and about half of them had arches and arrows they had just brought with them.
Abner and Yehoyada soon climbed a small heightened wooden stage. They raised their hands and were shouting together: “Silence, please!”
The High Priest’s eyes were searching Nefertita among the warriors. Except her no woman was said to take part in that first meeting.
Nefertita was dressed in a long black skirt and short blouse,made of sheep wool. Her hairs were covered by a shawl, and her black pretty face attracted young men around her. Some of the fellows had known who she had been They were telling friends that Prophet Joseph married her. Nobody, however, had known where she had come from exactly, or why, or that in the past she had been the late King’s baby caretaker.
“God bless you, brothers and sister!” high Priest Yehoyada opened the meeting, while all were standing. The volunteers stopped talking, and Nefertita, who saw the priest looking at her with sympathy - covered her mouth and nose by her shawl. She refused to be praised, but yehoyada mentioned her name:
“Nefi, a special thank for your coming,” he added, “I ask all of you, comrades, to bring here whoevber would be ready to help us, including women…We are still too small in number…”
“But we’ll show ourselves courageous, “ remarked Abner, “Our spirit will fill the setbacks in our lines, with God’s help. He is our guide and refuge.”
Yehoyada nodded, pointed on Abner and said:
“I hope, that all of you know this man. He is your commander. He will divide you to units, and explain to each unit what kind of challenge it will be facing.”
“As you all know,” continued Abner, “the Holy Temple is surrounded by Athaliah’s pagan soldiers, who threaten to burn it. But our men have alrerady started to seduce them to gulp splendid shrp wines. We’ll try to make them as drunk as Lot! Hopefully, with God’s help - we will succeed gathering tonight hundreds of fighters. We would be able to conquer our most holy place - in the following night. From there - we will attack the borders’ few fortresses, and capture them, too. But maybe we won’t need that second phase, as her soldiers will melt down, when they know she is no more the ruler.”
Abner exposed a ‘branch-cave’ in the internal wall at his back, by removing a stone that had hidden it. Two store-men rushed to it, and began to distribute wooden and metal shields prepared there before. Men who had arrived with no weapons at all, were now standing in a line, to received swords, arches and arrows. Each one requesting a weapon, would tell Abner shortly about his past experience in battles. Those who had arrived already armed, or had just received weapons, were concentrating near the entry. Soon they were asked to creep to a neighboring cave, that its roof had partly fallen. It was much larger than the first one. There the warriors were served with water, bread and vegetables - by two stewards who also poured wine to dry clay cups, from sheepskin bottles.
The warriors were busy in checking their bows and arrows. Two experts for making and repairing such weapons were already seated on high stones, at the corners. They stretched strings on bowed branches, to supply more weapons to people who would report to the rebels side - even after the fight would begin, or to soldiers whose arms would break or tear.
When the weapons’ supply to the current stream of comers had been accomplished, Abner entered the second cave and told all the waiting fighters:
“Tonight we will all take a slumber here, in order that nobody would reveal our gathering. Tomorrow evening we shall begin our holy attack. At day time - till then, you will hide here; food will be provided to you. We shall attack some of Jerusalem’s gats, and then surround the Temple’s besiegers of Athaliah. We shall kill any force that would provoke us and come to help her. Yes, We shall besiege her palace; but unless you get from me an order, you should not touch anyone there. . . Now- let us shortly pray for our success.”
All were standing with raised hands, facing Abner and Yehoyada and calling:
“God is our Lord, The Eternal One, the only one.”
The tumult in the caves grew, and the God’s Believers units Commanders (mainly deserters from Athliah’s army) could have a first count of their forces. It had become to be over Abner’s expectations. Both caves were filled up, and the sub-commanders soon ordered their best fighters to get out and gather in woods’ shelters not far from there. The remaining warriors, among which Nefertita had been, were told to stay in the cave and find seats along the wall. Small sharpened stones and trees trunks were scattered there, and some men were already seated on them. Being thrilled with thoughts about the coming fight, they could hardly shut their eyes. However, most of the mobilized men at the various gathering points, including in other caves in the neighborhood, became asleep, lying or half seated on the ground.
Nefertita took a seat on a stone which she had found, and choose to est on it. Unlike others- this one had been a chiseled sqaure, maybe brought from outside by occasional shepherds or by former settlers in that place. While trying to numb, the young woman recollected some bitter days, that had passed over her during the last years: Nefertita’s dark days and nights during her stay in the cave with baby Elyakim, had strengthened her character and matured and sharpened her way of thinking. She had understood, that not more prayers - nor sacrifices, nor mere prophecies of her lover, - all these would not be sufficient for having good life in the future. She hoped that God will lead her to meet her good luck. In contrast to her fiance- the prophet- belief, that luck depends only on a pure belief and reliance on God, Nefertita thought that God’s ways were twisted. He would put unprecedented obstacles before a human being, and no one, even a prophet, would understand his ways exactly…However, she believed to find much light after her darkened era of taking care of the baby. But that had not materialized yet. Because after three years of dwelling
inside the cave, the High Priest took Elyakim to his home, pretending to the inquiring public - that the boy was a foundling, that his wife would like to take care of. Yehosheva told woman friends, that she would show an example of taking care of the poor infant, according to what was said in Torah. “We behave to that little boy in my house” she said, “like a brother of my own son, Zakharia. Thank God- that boy shows already signs of a wise and healthy child.”
Nefertita continued to be employed at Yehosheva’s service in daylight, keeping the Priest’s household clean, going to the market, and sometimes also remaining to ‘baby-sitting’ the two kids, Zakharia and Elyakim, while the High Priest and his wife would go out in the evenings for meetings and teaching the community people…
Nefertita soon enjoyed her marriage to her sweatheart Prophet Joseph. He really loved her and was very patient with her, though she had felt some enstrangement, she did not know why. A year after her leaving the cave - Nefer had born a baby to Joseph, and then a disaster came on both: The new born had been infected by a sickness, that nowadys is known as Disenteria. It had killed him. Nefi was very distressed, and her husband preferred to become more and more bothered with his preachings, being frustrated and sure that it had been God’s revenge on his offense with Bat Gad, that he never told his wife about.
However, the prophet had not absolutely neglected his tent-home. He would come at least two days in a week, to see his wife. Then he would get back to his preacing and social work in the periphery of Judea. In that he had seen his mission from God…
In these circumstances, when Nefertita heard from Yehosheva about the forthcoming rebellion, she was the first woman to volunteer. Her master tried to convince her to be a cook in the front, but she was decisive to participate in the rebellion as a ‘regular footman’ soldier. She said that Abner would decide what partiucular task she would be given as a warrior…
Exactly when Nefi left her home to join the rebels, her husband arrived there back from his journeys. He did not find his wife, nor a note, that she dcould write on a ceramic piece of a broken jug (that was the common way of writing messages at those days). But he had found Rachel, Abner’s wife, who had recognized him from Bat Gad’s funeral, which he attended…
Rachel told the Prophet that her husband Abner had also disappeared. The prophet informed her that he had just passed at the High Priest’s house, and found that it had been burnt. Rachel said that she was told by a Flower Priest, that the piegons’ morning sacrifice had been cancelled. Many priests had been leaving, going away, “maybe for a Learning Day outside, for fear of the Queen - who had become insane.”
“I see,” said the prophet, and at last found Yehosheva, who was striding near the Temple. She told him not to worry about Nefi.
“God tells me that some crucial events are going to happen,” he told her, “But I don’t know what.”
“I’ll tell you,” she said, “But not before you vow to me, not to speak about that, nor hold soeeches about an impending rebellion…”
“I wonder,” she added, “that God had hidden from you that big secret. He had not even reproached you for your misbehavior to your wife Nefertita,” she quite rebuked him, “How could you neglect an outstanding wife like Nefer, and in a very gloomy mood, after your son had died?…Forgive me for telling you the truth, dear Joseph. I Beware the liars prophets. I know you are a truth teller prophet.”
Remorseful Joseph hurried to join the troops, who were still streaming to the caves during the following morning and evening. Some of the additional warriors were Abner’s soldiers having arrived from the villages around Jerusalem.
Abner used other caves and rocks’ clefts to concentrate the growing numbers of rebels. After darkness of the second night he distributed the soldiers to the particular fronts, and their commanders began leading them toward their targets.
No maps had been used at those times, but some drawings on the ground, made by bare branches’ sticks, clarified the attacks’ locations to the volunteers who had come from outside of Jerusalem and had not been familiar with the particular alleys and entries or exits of the small town and its mountenous Temple.
A long row of Abner’s main force – including many arrow shooters, holding armors in hands and swords in their scabbards - was walking along the hills leading toward the southern rampart of Jerusalem. Abner was walking ahead of them, joined by Yehoyada, who refused to be armed, and istead of being equipped with a sword - he held a Toarah scroll in his hands.
No horse was seen in the area: At the first phase of the battle, the commanders were worried for being discovered by horse-shoes noise. They preferred to use a slow and quiet sneaking walk of the warriors. When their attack would be revealed and seem to be fruitful, they thought, then they would bring horses into the battle, or use captured enemy’s horses.
The God believers had arrived to a distance of about two hundred steps from the town’s wall. Abner ordered his main force to take a shelter before their assault toward the city-wall. He pointed on on a hiding place inside a sparse woods. The vanguards, hungry for a final–decisive battle, became to a halt.
At the moment that Abner was sure that all the warriors of the main unit had taken their exact planned positions- he suddenly saw a man striding at a sideway. He was told by his spectators that it might be a shepherd, but his move toward the soldiers was supicious. With a herd of only two sheep - why should a man, even a lunatic, stride on that route at night?
Abner creeped at the sidway in order to have a close look at the man. Then he rose up and threatened prophet Joseph with his sword.
“I carry a message to Chief priest Yehoyada,” said the Prophet. He was surprised, that Abner had never heard about him. The commander whistled to his guards, who had been at his back, and sent one of them to call Yehoyada. As he arrived they all turned to take a hide under an olive tree, and the High Priest rebuked Joseph.
“You could have been attacked, sir,” he said, “and killed in the darkness by an astray arrow or by our guards, as you don’t know out slogan.”
Joseph was wearing his regular black robe. He waved his shepherd’s staff in the air, like protesting against the hard words he had heard from the High Priest. He bowed to the two leaders, and greeted them ‘in the name of God,’ and said:
“Please, Commanders. You, High Priest, know me for years! I have come here only to inquire about my wife, Nefi.”
“Nefi has insisted to be our runner,” said Abner, “She is in the first line of attackers. She would join our army vanguards, who are behind. They will attack the gate very soon. Is that information enough for you, sir? You are not allowed to disturb her now. Sit down beside us. Don’t move,” he scolded the young man, “If you’re Prophet or not, I don’t know.”
However, the prophet refusd to stay on that spot. He turned back to run away. Abner promptly rushed after him, attcked his back and folded him on the ground. He was panicked and begged for his life.
“A war is not a mere word, young man.” said Abner, “Nor a game. I’ve ordered you to stay here.! The battle has begun. You’ll get hurt - if you expose yourself. Pray for us, that’s all.”
Joseph restrained himself. He knew the commander had been right, but he was still very worried regarding his beloved wife. He saw the High Command’s officers setting up a long cloth-tent between the trees. Inside that tent for the Headquarters’ staff - was a physician, a young flower priest, equipped with some medical grasses, drugs made of some flowers and plants essences, and pure water for washing infected wounds. The prophet was left by Abner with the ‘medical team’, while Commander Abner and the High Priest stayed on the other section of that tent. They were waiting for the Runners to report them about the developing battle.
At the front of the wall there was now a group of twenty vanguard attackers. They were spread in a line parallel to the wall, while they approached it. Among them were some ten arrrow-shooters, already directing their bows tow
ards the Wall’s Gatekeepers. Abner sneaked with his adjutant to be as close as possible to their back. Arrows whitles had been heard in a buzz. The High Commander discerned five of the gate attackers raising their shields, while arrows from the Wall were shot at them. One succeeded to hit an attacker. He was wounded and fell down on the stony path. All the others were jumping, sticking to the wall, while some of the enemy’s arrows were slipping from their shields down to the ground. Three of other attackers, torches in hands- were throwing them on the remaining guards at the wooden Gate, and it began to burn.
Ten other vanguards now penetrated the gate through the flames. They were running forward – inside the path leading to the town. They had with them two Levitin, who began to blow their horns and clap their drum, to embarass the enemy and make him shutter, thinking he would face large troops.
On a high tree facing the wall’s gate - there was somebody viewing the battle from above. It was Nefertita. She saw mass of arrows thrown by the Wall’s defenders. Those archers were hiding behind narrow cracks, standing on raised shelves or small cabines - high at the wall. Most of the attackers, who had not been hurt, tried to gather at the gate. The defenders then began to throw burnt oil -down to the gate, and two of Abner’s warriors were already burning. Their horrible smell and fearful screams filled the air.
Nefertita jumped from her tree and saw Abner arriving from far. She rushed to him, and he and his adjutant stopped, and looked at her. .
“I have seen the attack,” she told him, breathing heavily “It was terrible. The defenders have a lot of oil-throwrs and archers above the wall. We must kill them.”
“Find out - how we can bypass this gate,” said Abner, .
“ I will sneak ahead, and try to discern a breach, even a weak crack in the wall. I remember, that once I saw a dog crossing not far. It should be on our right.”
“It’s too dangerous to walk there,” said Abner; but then he added, “Well, if you think you can camouflage yourself by holding a branch, do itl!…Step slowly toward the place- and take care. God bless you, Nefi.”
She saw Abner and his adjutant retreat to the commanders’ tent. Abner said to himself: ‘We must win this gate at whatever cost. I shall bring more soldiers for the attck. Even if the woman finds the breach- it would take time to widen it. Our time is very short. The mad queen might strengthen her hold inside the town. The drunkard soldiers may wake… If they fight bravely – we will bear high losses.’
Nefertita gazed forward, looking above the trees, to find a branch with thick-wide leaves, that would cover her figure; even though it had been a quite dim ‘stars’ night, the moon did not appear. She soon found a terebinth branch, cut it in a crush and began stepping forward, hiding her body while moving with it. She saw the wall from a distance of about hundred steps, and was walking parallel to it. From time to time she turned her gaze toward the gate’s battle.
The archers attacking the Wall, Abner’s soldiers, were still shooting long arrows toward the gate-tower’s direction. But except the ten who had crossed the gate before, nobody could even advance to it now. The heavy fire of burning liquid and rain of arrows – threatened another trial to recapture the gate and enable additional soldiers to penetrate.
Nefertita waa walking slowly with her camouflage, and arrived near the place, where the breach should have been, according to her memory... ‘Athaliah had stopped replenishing the ramparts years ago, so this ruined sect of the wall can be easily widened,’ Nefertita thought. She had already discerned the breach, but to her horror there were two dead or severly wounded soldiers two steps outside of it. They were dressed in Athaliah’s army uniforms, with the moon and sun signals. Maybe they wanted to sneak out through that breach, she thought...
Then she saw a living soldier who got out from the breach, and tried to grasp his wounded comrade. He tug him back inside, while the wounded was sighing. But it seemed that he suddenly saw the torches of the attackers from far. So, he hurried back to hide beyond the wall, and left his wounded friend.
Nefertita gazed again at her far left side. Most of the attackers there were dressed in priests’ robes. They were still heavily counter-attacked by the Athaliah’s Archers, standing over the wall. It seemed to her, that Abner’s attack would fail, if he does not order his fighters to enter the breach which she had just found. She decided to turn back, find Abner and tell him or another commander what she had just seen. She decided to run, and her fast steps had been heard and betrayed her:
She suddenly became aware of a sudden rain of arrows buzzing around her. She fell down on the ground with dread. To her bad luck had added two horse riders, dressed in Athaliah’s Army uniform- who were just coming from inside the city. They began duelling with the flower priest attackers in a distance of hundred steps fron her. ‘I should hurry,’ reflected Nefi, ‘and tell the soldiers to turn quickly to my breach, which would provide a secure cross…This gate has become treacherous trap. So many God Believers have already fallen for its capture. Oh, God!”
Nefertita tried to strengthen herself with psalms pray: “God is our refuge and strength, therefore we will not fear”. She now discerned that some arrowshooters were coming to help the Flower-Priests at the gate, and their bows and swords crashed the enemy: at last the Idol’s worshippers horseriders had been killed.
Now the wheel of luck had turned around, and Abner warriors were able to penetrate again inside the gate. Nefertita hesitated to join them. She ran toward them, throwing her camouflague branch, and they recognized her and indicated her to join them and run in. Two of them were staying shortly at one of the dead horseriders, who had remained lying on the ground beside his horse. In his hands he was grabbing an armour with the symbol of Athaliah- shining Sun over the scythed dim Moon...They all saw now the empty road leading to the Temple. Nefertita began running forward, and her lips mumbling:
“We win, We win” - but an arrow hit her, shot from over the Tower near the wall. One or two of Athaliah’s archers had still remained alive there, and very active.
Nefertita felt she was wounded, and decided to retreat to the gate. She was crossing it walikng outside, and continued to limp with horror, the poisoned arrow fixed like a nail into her bleeding back. She was feeling dizzy; like the whole world was shaking and dangling with her, but her feet could still carry her straight ahead to the tent-like structure. In her Her dizziness she still could think that someone there would be able to help her. The poison was slowly creeping within her blood, and causing an acute pain, spreading to all her limbs. She had felt as if a boiling stream had been inserted into her and was burning her in whole body. No one limb had remained out of that burn. She was aware of her impending unconsciousness…
Her loud sighs and cries caused prophet Joseph to get out of the tent’s shelter. The place had become empty, as the commanders had already gone with their troops.
The ‘medic’ priest who had been there before, had also left the place, called by attackers, who suffered heavy casualties.
Injured Nefertita seemed not to identify her husband, who was running to her. She stopped stepping forward and fell down. Joseph had already recognized her face, and was bending to look at the disastrrous effect of the arrow. He pulled it out from the blooding flesh of her back, and she sighed from despair. He wondered, however, that she still could murmur after her collapse:
“We have…won. Our people …Long...live my king!”
Prophet Joseph was sobbing, and fell prostrate at Nefertita’s side. He was putting his ear on her breast, to listen to her heart beats, but he knew that it won’t take long till she dies. His arms were embracing her and trembling excitedly and desparately with all her limbs. She died, feeling his close and grateful touch of her beautiful body.
At that time Abner was at the tumultous gate, receiving horses from his subordinates. He and Yehoyada crossed the gate and began riding inside the town. Four guards were escorting them by
foot, two in front of them - and two behind.
“The witch may hide,” said Abner to the High Priest, “a man has just told me, that she was not found in the palace rooms.”
“We won’t be sure that all is over,” remarked the High Priest, “till we find her.”
“My men will take care of that search,” said the Commander, “And we both should ride straight to the Temple.”
“I have to take my wife,” said the High Priest, “to start organizing the victory ceremony.”
“Please, don’t do that yet.”
“She should be in a cave with the two kids,” said Yehoyada, “near the temple.”
“There is still a danger of enemy’s arrowshooters. And we don’t know how the witch is going to handle the situation. I will send two patorls to surround all the Temple and its courtyard. They will secure your arrival there, High Priest.”
Abner drove his horse to an alley, and two guards escorted him, after he had sent new orders –by runners- to his subcommanders.
Yehoyada was continually riding toward the Temple, slowly leading his horse on the light sloped mountain. Two archers - flower priests - escorted him by foot, their weapons ready to shoot at any suspect. They passed some patrol troopers, donkey riders, who recognized Yehoyada and waved hands to him. He saw that Abner’s arrowshooters were now spread all around, staying on high places and towers – viewing also the Temple’s area. From time to time they were shouting to their combat comrades about a suspected trap or an ambush of the Idols’ sparse army, that had been completely broken.
Some of Athaliah’s soldiers were still moving in far area, mainly trying to retreat through northern wall’s gate, that had not yet been occupied by Abner’s men.
CHAPTER 24
Athaliah, Daughter Of Jezebel Page 29