“Do you know him?” Eliab and Ashbanel chorused.
“His name is Puah. He was known by my eldest brother.” Her chest tightened. Puah had mourned with her family. Mourned with her. “Why is his mouth bloody?” She cast a glance at both Eliab and Ashbanel, but her stare rested on Ashbanel.
“He struggled when we bound him.” Ashbanel glanced at his prisoner with a sense of pride.
“Were there others?” Other sons of Ephraim? Her brother Nadab? Her kin?
“None that were caught.” Eliab shuffled closer. “We need to gain his trust and find out if Ephraim plans to start another war.”
“And you need me to petition him.”
“Do us some good.” The spit from Ashbanel’s lips flew as fast as his demand.
“If he has been silent, who am I to get him to speak?” She bit her fingernail to gain a moment of clear thought. “He has worked with my father and brothers. I am but a girl to him. He will not inform me of battle secrets.”
“Please. Try,” Eliab said. “If Ephraim strikes tonight, we have no defense. We have not even hidden the women for safety.”
O God, my God. Why do You place me in such hardship?
Before she could answer, Ashbanel seized her sleeve.
She clawed at his hold, but his fat fingers held her fast.
“Go or I will tie you beside the prisoner.”
“You will have to tie me first.” Eliab grabbed his brother’s wrist and thrust him against the wall.
She stumbled backward into the doorway. Hidden no more, she met Puah’s slits for eyes. Her heart hammered against her chest.
“Heriah’s daughter?”
Called upon, she stepped into the room, keeping a safe distance lest Puah free himself and attack. Eliab followed but stationed himself nearer the doorway.
“I am Naomi, Nadab’s sister.”
Puah wrenched his head toward Eliab. “Who is that?” The disrespect in Puah’s question turned her stomach into a knot of tangled yarn. Should she tell him the truth? Some of it perhaps, but not all.
“Eliab is the son of an elder.”
The intense hatred in Puah’s eyes almost sent her racing from the room.
“Is he the heathen you writhe beneath?”
“Be still.” She berated Puah as much for her defense as to keep Eliab from striking her tribesman. “How can you speak my father’s name in one breath and curse my standing in another? I am untouched. No harm has come to me.”
“Liar.” Puah’s outburst rumbled in his throat. “This is an insult to all our people. We will show no mercy to these thieves. They are a stench to Israel. We will reclaim what is rightfully ours.”
She swallowed hard, trying to wet her throat. “Some of the women may be with child. They may choose to stay.” It seemed as if Eliab held one of her arms and Puah the other as they tugged in opposing directions. Her friends wanted to stay in this land, and so did she. For Eliab’s sake. For her own sake. But she understood the hatred that Puah harbored. She recognized the rage. Her father would possess it as she did once.
“What will Benjamin give us to depart? Dirt?” Puah’s taunting laughter filled the small space.
The cloth above her heart trembled with every resounding beat. Witnessing the antics of one so certain of destruction rattled her faith and her hope for forgiveness. “God will not allow you to war against Benjamin.”
“He already has. We stand ready to fight.”
“We?” Eliab inquired.
“The sons of Joseph stand together.” Puah rose higher on his knees and jutted his chest. “The men of Manasseh have raised their swords with ours. Benjamin will never rise from this rubble.”
“You speak like a pagan.” Words sputtered from her parched lips. “What of our forefather Jacob? Will he not weep on Abraham’s bosom when the descendants of Rachel’s eldest son murder the remnant of her youngest?”
“A few tears perhaps, but none for the harlots of Shiloh. If you do not return with us, I will spear you once for Caleb and then impale you again for Joab.”
In her ear, a high-pitched hum deafened his threat, but she heard her brothers’ names as if they had spoken to her from beyond the grave. Squeezing her eyes shut, she prayed for wisdom and the strength to do what was right in God’s eyes. If only she knew His will.
She glanced at Eliab. His eyes held a glimmer of fear, questioning if she believed all that Puah shouted as truth. She knew truth from lies. She knew Eliab. She knew him to be a good man, a God-fearing man. And she knew him to be no different than Puah and her brothers.
With a straight back, she strolled closer to Puah and swallowed the hint of vomit in her throat.
“I pity you, Puah. Hatred has you talking like a fool. But I will not see you mistreated. Shalom.”
Striding past Eliab and then Ashbanel, she walked to an adjoining room where her soon-to-be father-in-law sat in an overly large chair. She bowed briefly to Berek. In the steadiest voice she could muster, she said, “Do not harm him. He has been a friend to the house of Heriah.”
Her request hung in the air, unanswered.
She leaned in closer to her father-in-law. “If you expect mercy from my people, then show some to this spy. Have I not shown compassion beyond measure to your family?”
Berek nodded. “I will heed your concern.”
She marched out of the house and into the street.
“Naomi,” Eliab called.
She heard his shout, but did not stop, and continued rushing down one alley and another before slumping beside a small pillar of stones.
“Lord, I cannot bear witness to any more death. Do not take my friends from me. Cuzbi feels blessed. Jael is happy here. Spare Isa and Eliab. What have they done to be banished from this land forever? Do they not want to live? Save us, Yahweh. If You are the God of Jacob, then spare Benjamin, the descendants of his son.”
The heavens remained quiet except for the song of a locust and the babble of nearby men.
Lifting her eyes to the gray-hued sky, she shouted, “Do You hear me? You must build a fortress around Benjamin. Do not spill any more blood. Not my blood. And not my Eliab’s.”
18
Naomi rose to her knees and retched like a dog. Her stomach ached from emptying.
Eliab scuffed closer in the twilight.
“I am scared, Eliab. I fear for everyone in this city.”
“So do I.” He helped her to her feet, grimacing when her weight fell upon his bruised side. “I do not believe God sent you into my arms to have you watch me die by the sword. I know He will protect us.”
“How?” She wanted to share his faith, but witnessing Puah’s hatred had shattered her confidence. “The elders of Manasseh have sent men to fight with Ephraim. They do not seem concerned for the dancers’ future as much as for seeking revenge.”
“That is why I must go south into the lands of Judah. Tonight.”
“To prepare for another war?” Hope drained from her limbs. She had seen the loss of so many. Lord, do not take Eliab or my last brother from me.
“I go to prevent one.” He cupped her chin. “The leaders of Ephraim do not want a battle; they want a slaughter. With soldiers from Judah at our side, they may reconsider an attack.”
“If only we had gold or silver or cattle to offer Ephraim. They would leave for riches.”
“We will prosper someday. Ephraim will have to wait if they desire payment from us for their daughters.”
“You share the same vision as Cuzbi.” She blinked away tears, thinking of the peril that could befall her friend.
Eliab caressed her shoulder. “I must leave while it is dark. I can be in Bethlehem before the Sabbath.”
“Bethlehem? Didn’t the Levite travel from there?”
“It is the closest city. Rachel’s tomb should remind our brothers of our bond.”
She laced her fingers with his. “What makes you so sure my tribe will not overwhelm the city before sundown?”
“The dead wo
uld be left unburied.” Eliab’s voice faltered. “If the high priest is with them, he will not allow the fallen to be eaten by scavengers on our day of rest. If they are alone, I hope they fear the wrath of God should they leave our people to rot in the sun.”
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she held him close. Closer than she ever had. “I am going with you. Do not leave me behind. If Puah’s words are true, I will be captured and bartered for as a prostitute. With you, I am a voice of reason to Judah. A voice for the girls of Shiloh.”
“I cannot.” Eliab’s back stiffened. “And from what you have told me about your father, he will not allow you to become a harlot.”
“I have washed your body and shared your bed. My father has few choices where I am concerned. I saved your life, Eliab. Now you must save mine.” She pressed her cheek into his chest. “I will not let you go and chance not seeing you again. The unknown is worse than truth.”
Eliab’s body softened around her.
She glimpsed, solely for a moment, what being his wife would bring.
“Please do not leave me. I did not leave you on the cliff.”
“You are a brave woman, Naomi. How could I chance losing you?” He kissed her forehead. “It is not an easy journey in the dark. We will go together, for I dread returning to find you gone.”
“I will not slow you down.” She had not had a leisurely life. Her strength would serve her well.
A scrape of sandals drew her attention toward the street. She turned, but she did not separate from Eliab’s warmth.
Shadows slipped into the alley. Men’s shadows. A couple of broad forms hurried forward in haste.
Eliab stepped in front of her and rested a hand on his blade.
Naomi tensed and readied to strike any attacker. She peeked around Eliab’s shoulder and blew out a captive breath.
Ashbanel and Berek approached.
“And what is this display?” Ashbanel quipped.
Eliab faced his half-brother. “We were making plans.” Eliab lowered his voice. “To summon the men of Judah.”
Berek handed a satchel to Eliab and then began to remove his ornate robe.
“Ride a mule to the east and leave it with the slinger. You must travel on foot to avoid the scouts. Take my garment and my ring. Do not put them on until you reach the city of our brothers in Judah.”
Ashbanel rounded on his father. “Eliab is not an elder of Benjamin. I should go in your name.”
“If you do not remain in Gibeah, it will arouse suspicion. A leader will be missed, but not a shepherd.” Berek folded his cloak and placed it in the leather bag.
“And what about in Bethlehem?” Ashbanel hissed like a steaming pot. “Will they receive a herdsman?”
Even in the dark, Berek’s stare could have set a broom tree ablaze. “He is my son and sent by my authority. He speaks for our tribe.”
“You trust a son who has not made his woman his wife? I heard her confess as much to that spy. She is not one of us.” Ashbanel crossed his arms in self-declared victory.
She cringed at the truth and the disgust in Ashbanel’s voice as he spoke it.
“She is a virgin?” Berek beheld Eliab.
“She is my wife. We made a vow to wait until after the Sabbath to have a union.”
“How can we be sure of her loyalty?” Berek clutched the satchel to his side.
“Because your son and I took an oath.” She looked at Eliab and no one else. That strange flutter in her belly fanned her bones. “I would never do anything to harm him. I asked for a betrothal period and he granted my request. Nothing more. Is it not our custom to have a time of waiting?” She cast a glance at Berek, knowing he could not refute her testimony.
Ashbanel stood shoulder to shoulder with his father. “She has no ties to our family since Eliab has failed to make her his own.”
Naomi stretched to her full height. “You,” she said, pointing at Ashbanel, “may have chosen a wife solely to beget children, but Eliab and I have decided to become known to each other. And out of love we will build this tribe. None of us can give life without God’s blessing. Look to Rachel and Sarah. Did they not desire children, only to have God close their wombs until His appointed time? I can wait on God and bond with my husband. Then, and only then, will I beget a child.” As she revealed her truth, her heart and breath raced in such an erratic rhythm that she feared a gentle pat would send her careening toward the ground.
Eliab took hold of her hand, gently, but with a firm squeeze.
And in her other hand, Berek placed the satchel containing his robe and his ring.
19
In the thick of darkness, their mule trotted eastward, through the crumbling walls of Gibeah and through barren fields to the house of Berek. Eliab enfolded her in his cloak and shielded her with his body, so she was safe in his lap. He risked the threat of arrows from the hillside.
They snaked an untraceable trail toward home. Neither whispered. To speak in the flatlands invited danger. Tonight she needed her wits. Tonight she would travel farther from Shiloh. Tonight she was the wife of the enemy. Tomorrow she would enter another city that hated Benjamites and ask them to send their sons into battle. One more time. Forgiveness and mercy needed to reign in the hearts of Judah. Two priestly commands she had struggled with herself.
No lamp lit the house of Berek, for the outskirts of the city had little protection. But with so few men to defend it, Gibeah itself had little protection. Her stomach twisted. Would her new home bustle again with life? By appearances, Isa’s dwelling stood abandoned, but she knew better. Isa met them at the threshold and disappeared around back with the mule.
She slid inside the half-open door. “Where are the sheep?”
“Scattered,” Eliab said in hushed tones. “Their gathering would draw attention to their keeper.”
A prickling heat rose from her neck into her cheeks. “My ewe?”
“Here.” Jael tugged her forward.
The odor of damp straw was strong as a small animal brushed her leg. Yom! She embraced Jael. “Bless you for sparing them from the wild.”
A huffing noise caught Naomi’s attention. Cuzbi sauntered toward her.
“That thing has been nibbling my toes.”
“Oh, Cuzbi, your complaint I welcome like a song.” She reached out for her friend’s hand and found it waiting.
“I have spoken to Ashbanel of my condition,” Cuzbi whispered. “My husband wishes his heir to survive. We can escape to the hills from here.”
What better place for a lethal left-handed slinger? “Your husband will be safe.” Naomi hugged her friend. “All of us will.”
Eliab tapped her shoulder. “We must leave at once.”
“You are going with him?” Jael’s breathy squeak sent Yom scurrying toward Cuzbi.
Naomi held Jael’s face in her hands. “Eliab will petition for his tribe, but someone needs to speak for the girls of Shiloh. We shouldn’t be taken from this land if we wish to stay. The elders in Judah need to know we are content in Gibeah.”
Isa settled next to Jael. “You must make Judah understand I have nothing to offer for a bride price. I have loosed the few livestock we found and the land has yet to be planted.”
“You could barter for time with Yom.” Naomi girded her countenance and breathed deep. “He is unblemished and would fetch a fair price for an offering. But all this talk is for naught if we do not rally Judah and prevent a massacre. God must provide us with an army to end this matter, and He must send Ephraim and Manasseh back to their lands.”
“Hurry on, sister.” Cuzbi gave Naomi a gentle shove. “Save your testimony for the elders of Judah. Do I have to push you toward the border?”
Naomi backed toward the door. “Not this time.” Before she shuffled out into the darkness, she whispered, “Be safe.”
Since neither was mounted on a mule, she jogged to keep up with Eliab’s long strides. Her toes pulsed after meeting one too many rocks on the hillsides.
�
�You are a sure-footed ram on these trails,” she whispered.
“Isa and I have searched this way for livestock. I would light a torch, but then every scout and robber would know of our existence. Up ahead is a shortcut to the Camel Road, which will lead us to Jerusalem. Bethlehem will be to the south. It is an easier journey than the cliffs, but there will be travelers. You must put the hood of your cloak up for cover.”
“So this time, I am your brother and not your sister?” She deepened her voice.
“I would like others to think that.” Eliab lumbered in a manner that would have any bandit thinking twice before an attack.
They walked in silence, prowling past the camps of travelers on the side of the road. After a few hours, they reached the outskirts of Jerusalem and kept going until Bethlehem sat in their sights. Groves lined the mound-like hills. Herds and flocks settled around their shepherds. The occasional oxcart sat on the side of the wide trail, filled with wares for the market.
Eliab led Naomi under two fig trees. The broad palms blocked the stone silhouette of the city’s walls and flat-topped buildings. A rooster crowed, echoing like the summons of a shofar.
Grimacing as he bent to place the satchel near the trunk of the nearest tree, Eliab loosened his belt.
“I need to look like an elder and not like a Bedouin covered in dirt.” He turned his back toward her and lifted his tunic.
She glanced away, for in the waning moonlight she could see most of him, and gazing at his form stirred thoughts for which there was no time this night. When enough minutes had passed, she cast a discerning look to see how Berek’s robe fit his young son.
“Allow me to straighten the seams.” She stepped closer. “Your hem is uneven and a few tassels are splayed. We need you well dressed to impress the elders so an army follows you home.”
Eliab watched her take command of his clothing and obeyed her orders to shrug and shift.
“I wish I knew you in Shiloh. You could have sewn all my tunics.”
A burst of energy rushed through Naomi’s veins. Eliab’s praise awoke her tired senses like a cinnamon balm. “You would not have noticed me.” She brushed a loose thread. “I did not sit idle much.”
Building Benjamin Page 11