Rahab was on her guard. She was alone and this was a man. Her past had been enough to tell her that she must be careful. “Good afternoon, sir. I must hurry back.”
Rahab would have gone on, but Jehu reached out and took her arm. “Just a moment. I would like to talk with you.”
“Let me go, sir.”
Jehu laughed. “You need not be shy with me. Everyone knows your past. It is not as though you are a pure maiden.”
At that instant Rahab remembered the words of Phinehas. “You’re as pure as any maiden in Israel.” She tried to pull her arm away, but Jehu’s strength was greater than would seem possible in such a thin man. “Listen to me, woman. I know you’re a harlot. I have money. Come and lie with me. I will pay you well.”
“No. I will do no such thing. My past is gone. I am now a worshiper of Jehovah.”
Jehu sneered. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not even a Hebrew. How could you be a worshiper of Jehovah?”
“Jehovah loves all people.”
But Jehu did not come to talk about Jehovah. His eyes were glittering with lust, and he reached out and tried to embrace her. Rahab dropped the basket and pushed him away. She was a strong young woman, and Jehu went reeling backward.
“Leave me alone!” she cried. She snatched up the basket and, turning quickly, made for camp.
“I will have you, woman!” Jehu screamed after her, his face red with lust and anger. “You may be sure of that! I will have you!”
Rahab was breathing hard, not from effort nor from fear. She had turned her back on her old life, but now she thought of the man with loathing—not his advances, for she could fight him off, but that he would disturb her life in Israel.
When she reached the camp, she found Ardon standing beside some food he had brought and given to her brother-in-law Kadir. Kadir turned to her and, seeing something in her face, asked, “What is it? Is something wrong, Rahab?”
“No, not at all. I’ve been out picking berries. I suppose I may have gotten too warm.” She walked by the two men and sat down to sort out the berries.
For a time the two men spoke briefly; then she was aware that Ardon had come to stand beside her. “You do look troubled,” he said. “What is it?”
Rahab looked up, surprised that Ardon would comment on such a thing. He never seemed to care one way or another about her, and now she hesitated. “It was nothing really.”
“Must be something. I’ve never seen you this upset before.” He moved to get a better look at her face, and his eyes narrowed. “Something’s wrong. Are you sick?”
“No. It’s…well, I just had an unpleasant meeting.”
“Unpleasant how?”
“It was a…a man. He troubled me.”
Ardon studied her carefully. “I’ve noticed that men are drawn to you, Rahab.”
“Let them leave me alone.”
“You’re a beautiful woman. They can’t.”
It was the first compliment of any sort Ardon had ever paid to her, and it brought a flush to Rahab’s face. “I don’t want anything like that in my life, Ardon.”
“Who was it?”
Before Rahab could think, she had called out the man’s name. “It was the man called Jehu.”
“Jehu! Why, he’s a member of the council.”
“I don’t know anything about him, but I want him to leave me alone.”
Ardon was staring at her. “He’s a prominent man in Israel. He wouldn’t do such a thing—unless he were enticed.”
Rahab jumped to her feet and threw her head back, her eyes flashing. “You think I enticed him?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”
“Yes.”
“You never enticed men when you lived in Jericho?”
“No. I hated what I was doing.”
“Why did you do it, then?”
“Because I was forced to.”
“No one can force a woman to be a harlot.”
“You don’t know much of anything, Ardon. My family was going to be sold into slavery. My little sister, my father, if I didn’t give in to the man who had trapped us. Should I have let them die?”
Ardon was shocked at the woman’s anger. He had long known that there was a fire in this woman, and once he had thought that she was the kind of woman who could, if she had to, stab a man through the heart and then go about her business. He studied her now with fresh interest. “You’re never going to be happy here. You’d be better off with your own people.”
“My people are all dead except for my family. Would you have me go back to the ashes of Jericho?”
Ardon felt he had gotten in over his head. “I think you were mistaken about Jehu.”
“No, I wasn’t mistaken. He made no secret of what he wanted. He said he would have me no matter what I did.”
Ardon was at a loss for words. He had a respect for the hierarchy of the tribe and a suspicion of this woman. “I think you’d better stay close in, always be with somebody. Men are drawn to you. Sooner or later you’re going to give in to them,” he said bluntly.
“You don’t ever forgive or forget, do you, Ardon?” she said.
“As I said, you’d be happier in another place. I can take you to any village you say so you can be with your own people.”
Rahab faced him squarely, her lips firm. “These are my people,” she said. “I am a daughter of Israel no matter what you think, Ardon!”
****
Later that day her father came to her and said, “I hear Jehu is interested in you.”
“Who told you that?”
“He did. He admires you. He might make a good husband. He’s rich.”
“He’s not looking for a wife. He’s looking for a loose woman, and I’m not that anymore.”
Romar overheard the conversation and approached her father. She grasped his garment and shook him like a child. “Shut your mouth, old man! You were the reason for what happened to Rahab. I never want to hear you refer to it again.”
Makon had rarely been challenged by his own family. He opened his mouth to shout at Romar, but something in her face stopped him. He grumbled, “I didn’t mean anything,” and fled at once.
Romar put her arm around Rahab. “You mustn’t pay any attention to Father. He has no sense at all. He never did have.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Tell me about this man Jehu.” Romar listened as Rahab told of Jehu’s assault.
And then Rahab spoke of Ardon’s attitude. She finished her story saying, “He hates me.”
“But you don’t hate him, do you?”
Startled, Rahab said, “I don’t want to hate anyone.”
“I think you care for Ardon.”
Rahab was even more startled. “How could I?” she laughed shortly. “He despises me.”
“Put him out of your mind, then. I’ve seen you watch him,” Romar said. “He’s not for you.”
“I know that,” Rahab said, then turned and walked away.
Compassion filled Romar’s heart as she watched her sister. “She’s headed for a bad time, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Chapter 21
Ariel stared at Ardon, eyes wide with surprise. “Are you telling me,” she said, “that Jehu tried to force himself on Rahab?”
“Yes. At least that’s what she says,” Ardon said, troubled in spirit over the incident. He rubbed his chin and said doubtfully, “I don’t know how much truth there is in it.”
“Well, personally I don’t doubt it. That man has evil in his eyes.”
“You can’t tell if a man’s evil by his eyes.”
“Of course you can. The eyes are the mirror of the soul.”
Ardon laughed. “There’s your romantic side, sister. You were always that way. What’s in a man’s heart is secret—in a woman’s too, I suppose.”
Ariel doubled her fist and struck Ardon in the chest, not playfully but angrily. “I can’t believe you would just decide that what Rahab says is a lie a
nd everything that man Jehu says is the truth.”
“But he’s a member of the council.”
“And all the council members are angels? I suppose they came straight down from heaven without a single sin among the lot of them!”
“Now, wait a minute—”
“No, you wait! You have a tendency, Ardon, to judge people too severely. From what I can tell, Rahab has behaved in a perfectly respectable way since she came from Jericho.”
“You can’t change what you are, Ariel. She can never be innocent again.”
“Of course she can.”
“No, she can’t,” Ardon said firmly. “No one can recapture innocence.”
“You don’t know the history of our people very well, do you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Aaron—haven’t you ever heard of the time when he made the golden calf?”
“Yes, of course, but that’s different.”
“When Moses came down from the mountain,” Ariel said, her eyes narrowing, “and found that Aaron had helped our people become idolaters, Moses killed him right there, didn’t he, because he could never be innocent again.”
“You know that’s not the way it happened.”
“I know it, but I don’t think you do. Aaron did a terrible thing, but he was still a man of God, and God honored him. God forgave him for his idolatrous act. If He can forgive Aaron, He can forgive Rahab.”
“I just don’t believe that.” Ardon was no match for his sister in a debate. She had a quick, sharp mind and was able to look at all sides of a matter. He himself had a tendency to cling stubbornly to an idea. Finally he shrugged. “Aaron was a Hebrew.”
“So? Only Hebrews can find forgiveness?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“It’s what you meant, though. Ardon, you need to broaden your mind. Now, get out of here and leave me alone, and don’t come to me with any more of your foolishness.”
“Women are all alike,” Ardon cried and left the tent abruptly.
As soon as he was gone, Ariel shook her head fiercely. “Brother, you are such a wonderful man in so many ways, but at times you’re as blind as a rock.”
She turned to her work but could not concentrate. The story that Ardon had told her was troubling. She could not get out of her mind what she had seen in Rahab. During her brief time in the Hebrew camp, from all Ariel could observe, it appeared she was a good woman, meek and cheerful.
“I don’t believe it,” she said. Being a straightforward young woman, she left her tent and made her way to the tent Ardon had put up for Rahab and her family. She found Rahab outside cleaning the carcass of a sheep. Her hands were bloody and Ariel smiled. “That’s a messy business, isn’t it?”
“It’s the only way there is to fix meat, though,” Rahab answered with a smile. She had developed a great respect for Ariel. As the daughter of Caleb, Ariel enjoyed a high position in the camp, but besides that, she had shown a courtesy and kindness toward Rahab and her family that her brother obviously lacked.
“I need to talk to you, Rahab,” Ariel said directly.
“Of course. What is it?”
“You may think this is none of my business, but my brother told me about Jehu and what happened.”
Rahab waited for Ariel to say more, but when she saw that Ariel was finished, she said, “Perhaps I shouldn’t have told Ardon, but I was so disturbed by it, I had to tell someone.”
“You can tell me about it.”
Rahab briefly repeated the details of the incident and then said, “I wish it hadn’t happened.”
“What are you going to do about him?”
“I’m going to try to stay away from him.”
Ariel hesitated. “That’s a good idea,” she said, “but it may be impossible. Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“That will be difficult too.”
Rahab could see that Ariel had something on her mind. “What is it, Ariel? Is there something else?”
“I don’t want to insult you, but everyone knows that you had a…a bad life in Jericho.”
“Yes I did. I worked in a brothel.”
The words seemed harsh to Ariel, and she winced. “That must have been a terrible life.”
“It was death,” Rahab said flatly, and her face grew still as memories flooded through her. “I would have killed myself, except I had to help my family.”
“How did you get into such a life?”
“There was a man who got power over my father and led him into gambling. My father gambled us away, the whole family, into slavery. The man agreed to let my family remain free if I would do what he asked.”
“It must have been terrible.”
“As I say, it was worse than death.” Tears glittered in Rahab’s eyes. “I was as innocent as you are, Ariel, before that man trapped us.”
“I don’t think I could have done it.”
“Not even if it meant saving your family? What if it were a choice between prostitution or having your whole family made into slaves to be beaten and tortured?” Rahab’s voice grew low. “I cried out to our gods, but they didn’t help me. So I chose to save my family in the only way I could.”
Ariel melted with compassion for this young woman. They were approximately the same age, and she said finally, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”
“I’m glad I told you. Maybe it’ll help you understand me a little bit better.”
Ariel moved forward and embraced Rahab. “You’re a courageous woman. May Jehovah bless you in all your ways.” She turned and walked away, and as she left, she was thinking, That woman has more courage than I have.
****
The abortive encounter with Rahab had left Jehu filled with venomous anger. He became impossible to live with, and his family and servants fled from him whenever they could safely do so. For three days he was sullen or shouting with anger at nothing. Finally he could stand it no longer. “That woman thinks she can get the best of me, but she won’t.”
Jehu had studied Rahab’s habits, and he had to wait another two days before he finally found her going down toward the stream where many of the Hebrews got their fresh water. Usually one of her family members came with her, but this time she was alone.
Jehu had concealed himself behind a towering group of shrubs by the path, and as Rahab came bearing her water pitcher, he fell on her and dragged her to the ground. He began tearing at her clothes and laughed as she cried out with anger.
“You might as well be quiet. No one’s going to hear you. Nothing’s going to happen to you that hasn’t happened before.”
Jehu was not an especially strong man, and Rahab had been an active young woman. She threw him to one side, and before he could move, he felt a cold blade at his throat.
“Wait—don’t kill me!” he pleaded.
Rahab got to her knees, keeping the blade on Jehu’s throat. “You’re a beast! I ought to slit your throat right now.”
Jehu begged her not to, and Rahab knew at that moment she could not kill him. “You lie still or I will kill you.” She moved the blade down the side of his face. It was razor sharp, and his thick beard fell away.
“What are you doing?” Jehu asked and reached out to grab her wrist. Rahab turned the blade so that he grabbed it. He let out a yell of pain. “You cut my hand!”
“I’ll cut your throat if you move again.” She began to rake the side of his face again, and the keen blade cut through half of his beard. With one side of his face scraped raw, she got to her feet, scooped up the fallen hair, and held it in one hand. “If you don’t leave me alone,” she said, still holding the blade, “I’ll show them what I’ve taken from you. That’ll show all of Israel what a feeble man you are, that a woman has taken your pride and joy.”
Jehu sat up and felt his face, which was now half bearded and half bare. She had nicked him several times and his cheek was bleeding. He felt naked and defenseless. Getting to his feet, he knew he could not appear
like this before Israel. He made his way back to the camp, cursing Rahab under his breath, and when he finally got into his tent, he called for his servant Jehaza.
Jehaza appeared at once. He was a thickset, burly man with blunt features and dull eyes. “What happened to your face, master?” he cried out.
“Shut your mouth! Get a razor and shave the rest of my beard off.”
Jehaza had little imagination, but he knew something unusual had taken place.
Jehu told his servant nothing, but as he suffered the rest of his beard being removed, he made a vow. That woman has defiled a master of Israel, he thought grimly. I’ll have my revenge if it’s the last thing I ever do.
Aloud he said, “I have a job for you, Jehaza. It’ll pay you well.”
“What is it, Master?” Jehaza asked and grinned. “I always need money.”
“Here’s what I want you to do….”
Chapter 22
The sunlight glittered on the water, the tiny waves making flecks of brilliant light. Oman was watching his line carefully when the slender sapling that composed his fishing pole was drawn almost double. He let out a shrill cry. “Rahab—I’ve got one!”
Rahab had been sitting beside Oman for some time, enjoying the sibilant murmur of the water at her feet and the warmth of the sun. She turned quickly and laughed as Oman tugged at the pole. “Hold on to him, Oman. Don’t let him get away.”
“It’s big!” Oman cried, his eyes wide with excitement. “It’s the biggest one I ever caught.”
“You want me to help you?”
“No, I can do it myself.”
Oman struggled with the fish until the fish tired. Rahab reached out over the water and grabbed the line and pulled it in. “Oh, that’s a nice one!” she cried. With a tug she threw the fish back on the bank, where it flopped around wildly.
“He’ll be good for supper, won’t he, Rahab?”
“Yes, he will. With what we’ve got, we can feed the whole family. You’re a good fisherman, Oman.”
Daughter of Deliverance Page 18