Rebekah Redeemed

by Dianne G. Sagan

  The darker it got the more Rebekah could hear quiet voices talking together through the trees. One of the voices seemed clear and soft, yet strong. The sound of it washed over her, and her fears of the night vanished. Who could this be? She wanted to stay and listen to the calming voice. It reminded her of falling asleep to the sound of her own father’s voice. She found a place to hide some distance from the group, where she could still hear the man’s voice as he spoke and as the group conversed with him. Sometimes they would all laugh together gently. It seemed to hold her there and bring her a peace she had never known in her thirteen years. She pulled her worn cloak around her and drifted off to sleep once more.

  A cock crowed. Rebekah’s eyes flew open. It took her a moment to get her bearings and remember where she was. Then she remembered the soothing voice from the night before. She yawned and stretched, glad that her mistress was not home to beat her for not coming home yesterday afternoon. Hannah would be worried and angry that she had not returned. The old woman had a harsh exterior but felt compassion for the orphaned child forced to work as a slave in her uncle’s house.

  Rebekah peered through the trees at the group of men she had listened to last night. She never really heard their words but had felt safe hidden away in the old olive tree branches nearby. The men still slept except for the one they followed. He knelt a little ways from his sleeping friends, his hands folded, and he looked into the heavens. She crept silently away but turned for one more look at the city as the golden sunlight hit the temple and the city wall. Rebekah pondered the strange peace she felt when watching the stranger.

  On her return home, Hannah scolded her for staying away overnight. Then she hugged the young girl, glad that nothing worse had befallen her. Rebekah ate a piece of bread and drank fresh goat’s milk after tending the animals. Then she worked the rest of the day cleaning the house and the now empty shop. After fetching more water, Hannah sent her into the hills behind the village with the goats for the rest of the afternoon, but warned her to be back early. “Sabat -the Sabbath - begins at sundown,” the old woman said.

  Though Benjamin’s household did not keep the Sabbath as traditional Jewish believers, Rebekah realized that he was careful not to break the laws by working or allowing anyone in his household to work on the Sabbath. Except for serving meals to Mara and Benjamin, Hannah and Rebekah did little else. They kept to themselves in the kitchen or the stable.

  Mara worshiped her own gods, the Canaanite god, El, who was god of the sky. She kept a statue of the god Baal in her private room. Rebekah had seen her pray to it many times, but it did not seem to her that it made any difference. Mara kept it in a special niche carved out of the wall in her room.

  Rebekah still remembered her father teaching her of the God Jehovah, the one true God. She even remembered his favorite story of the angels and the baby. She wondered, What happened to the baby? She had heard talk in the streets, at the market and the well. Many spoke of a Nazarene who taught peace and a kingdom where all people would be free. She listened intently but never believed that it would have anything to do with her life. She was a servant in a house where she could never be free. She felt alone, except for the goats and the donkey. There was Hannah, but she was getting older and slower every day.

  Chapter 7

  A few days later Rebekah rose before dawn and began her daily chores. Hannah insisted that they continue their routine because she did not know when their mistress would return, and everything in the house must be ready for her at any time. After Rebekah completed her early chores, she prepared warm bread and water for Hannah; but when she tried to arouse the old woman, she would not wake up. Rebekah shook the old woman and said her name over and over. Goose bumps flashed across her body and her mouth went dry. Stooping down, she pushed Hannah and tried to look into her face. The woman looked gray and could not respond to the child. The truth crashed around her. Hannah had died in her sleep during the night. The old woman would not suffer any longer.

  Rebekah recoiled, bringing her hand up to her mouth. She was completely alone. The girl ran to the well looking for a friendly face. Most of the women she saw at the well every day didn’t talk to her. Only Mary and Martha spoke to her. These kind sisters showed her compassion. Neither one was there when she arrived. The other women glanced up but returned to their conversation, ignoring the girl.

  Rebekah sank down and leaned against a wall. She watched and waited, for how long she did not know. Then she saw them. The sisters chatted as they walked. Rebekah realized she did not even know where they lived. She knew they had a brother named Lazarus whom they lived with. She had heard them speak of the Nazarene with the other women. Lazarus was one of his followers and a friend. Sometimes Mary wanted to stay and talk about the Nazarene with the other women, and Martha would get impatient and hurry her younger sister along. They must have many chores to occupy them in taking care of their brother’s household.

  Rebekah rose and approached the women.

  When Mary turned to pour water into her jar, she looked up. “Rebekah. I did not see you there. Where is your jar? I’ll help you fill it with the rest of this water,” she offered.

  Rebekah just stared at Mary. She tried to respond, but tears filled the girl’s eyes.

  “What happened?”

  The other women turned to see what was transpiring between Mary and Rebekah. Martha finished emptying a skin bucket into her jar.

  “My mistress and master are gone.”

  “Yes, I know. Benjamin has gone to Caesarea, and I heard your mistress has gone to visit her mother,” said Martha.

  The women nodded in agreement. They had heard the same gossip at the well.

  “Hannah... Hannah will not wake up,”

  Mary enfolded Rebekah in her arms. At first, Rebekah stiffened. She wasn’t used to being hugged with tenderness.

  Martha spoke first, “She must have died in her sleep. She is a very old woman. I do not ever remember her as a young woman my whole life.”

  One of the women at the well stepped back. “You are unclean. You have touched her.” Then, she looked at Mary. “You too must be cleansed because you have touched Rebekah.”

  The young girl knew nothing of what they spoke. She was living in a household run by a pagan woman. Benjamin followed few of the customs of his birth faith.

  Mary said compassionately, “I will help you. Someone go get the Rabbi. Then we will take care of the burial, and Martha and I will help you cleanse yourself from touching Hannah. The Law of Moses says that we are unclean if we come in contact with a dead body or touch someone who is unclean.”

  Rebekah stood wide-eyed and confused. What would become of her now? Should she tell her mistress of Hannah’s death?

  Martha said, “Come, Rebekah.”

  Martha and Mary carried their water jars home. Rebekah followed. She waited outside until Mary came for her. She had learned not to approach anyone without being summoned. Mara struck first and settled later. Benjamin never spoke up for his niece. He never recognized that she was related to him after he took her in all those years ago.

  Lazarus went with his sisters and Rebekah to Benjamin’s house. The Rabbi had arrived, and a small crowd stood in the street speculating and gossiping. Mary went with Rebekah into the kitchen where Hannah lay. After preparations were made, Hannah was buried with the slaves and the poor outside the village.

  Mary and Rebekah were cleansed according to the Law, then they returned to Lazarus’ home. The young girl insisted that she must return to her mistress’ house and wait for her return. If Mara thought she had run away, Rebekah feared she would sell her at the slave market. She had not seen the market in Jerusalem, but Hannah had told her frightening stories. Lazarus sent a message to tell Mara about Hannah’s death.

  The young girl worked diligently to restore the house and have everything cleaned perfectly before her mistress returned. Mary came by to see about her for the next few days and helped her with tasks as much as she could. Th
en a messenger arrived from Mara. “You are to come with me to your mistress.

  “Who will care for the household in my mistress’ absence? Hannah is gone. I am the only one here,” responded Rebekah.

  “I only know your mistress sent me for you.”

  Rebekah wrapped her one other tunic and some bread in her cloak. “What about the donkey and the goats?” she asked.

  “Bring them if you must.”

  “My mistress will beat me if I don’t care for them.”

  “Do not dawdle. I am to have you there today; we must hurry on our way.” The messenger closed the doors to the street from the inside and set the bolt.

  Rebekah put a rope around the donkey’s neck and led him out of the stable. She loaded a bag of feed on him and two skins of water, then shooed the goats out in front of them.

  The messenger exited the back gate and put a crude padlock on the latch from the outside. He walked past her and led the way, never looking back except to hurry her and the animals. They arrived late that afternoon, dusty and tired. The she-goat bleated for needing to be milked.

  Mara’s sister, Joanna, told a slave “Take the goats and donkey to the stable and leave them there.” She wrinkled her nose at Rebekah who stood almost as tall as she did. Then she demanded, “Take that girl and clean her up before presenting her to her mistress.”

  An hour later Rebekah appeared in a new linen tunic, tied at the waist with a cord. Her hair had been washed and combed. It lay in dark curls on her shoulders. As they took her to her mistress she heard one of the servants say, “Who would have thought that dirty, stringy young girl would clean up and become a beautiful young woman?”

  When she appeared to her mistress, Mara took one look at her and glowered. She picked up the mirror laying near her and touched her hair and cheek. Rebekah waited and watched her mistress primp. She was all too familiar with Mara’s routine of admiring her beak-like nose, which dominated her bony face, and her thin, cruel lips surrounded by tiny lines. Rebekah’s straight nose and perfect lips stood in stark contrast to her mistress.

  Mara’s eyes narrowed. “Come closer child. Let me see you.”

  Rebekah stepped closer but remained just out of reach of her unpredictable mistress. She lowered her gaze in submission.

  Mara turned away and commanded her sister, “Take my house slave and put her in the kitchen and stable. Work her. She appears to have been lazy in my absence.” She aimed a critical eye at Rebekah then returned to her sister. “Do with her as you want until my husband returns. She can work for you. She distresses me with her pride and arrogance.”

  Joanna said, “Get her out of here. She is upsetting my dear sister.”

  As Rebekah was led away, she heard Mara say “My head is throbbing. Please, Joanna, I need some wine. Read to me.”

  “Bring more wine,” said Joanna to the servant.

  “Keep her away from me, Joanna. She distresses me so.”

  “Of course, Mara.”

  “If I have to see her again then I will have father sell her at the slave market.”

  Chapter 8

  Days later word came from Benjamin’s brother, Jacob, in Jerusalem. The caravan had returned with goods from Caesarea, but there was bad news. Rebekah swept a far corner of the courtyard. She looked up to see Mara’s face clouded with foreboding.

  “Your Husband has been killed,” said the messenger.

  Mara screamed and fell to the floor. “No! No!” she wailed, and the women in the house began to keen.

  Her father stood by his daughter. “How did this happen?”

  “He was supervising goods coming off the ship at the harbor. He fell from the dock after losing his balance, and the ship crushed him against the pilings. My master sends his regrets and condolences.”

  “What about my house, my servants?” Mara wailed.

  “My master is compelled to leave you in the care of your father’s house. It is a blessing you have your family to care for you.”

  “Get out of my sight,” she screamed. She dragged herself to her feet and ran to her rooms. She continued ranting, “Curse your bones, Benjamin. You’ve left me a widow with no more status than an old woman and spinster daughter in my father’s household. Now what will become of me?”

  Rebekah heard the commotion with the other servants but stayed in the background as the scene transpired.

  Mara openly complained for days. She could be heard throughout the household. “I hate dressing in black. I cannot believe I must wear it for a year.” She outwardly mourned and wailed for the loss of her husband when people came to visit her. But, Rebekah heard Mara’s tantrums daily. “I hate him. He promised me wealth and then stupidly got himself killed. I think he did it for spite.”

  Rebekah remembered overhearing Mara and Benjamin speaking late one night. Benjamin had said, “Mara, the child looks just like my sister. I can hardly believe it.”

  Mara spit her words at her husband. “Never call that girl ‘family.’ Her very existence makes me grieve for my dead children. I’ll not have her treated as family, Benjamin. She is nothing more than a servant.”

  Rebekah never heard him refer to her as a member of the family again.

  Several weeks after Benjamin’s death, Rebekah helped prepare the food and tables for a banquet. She tried to stay in the background so that Mara wouldn’t notice her serving some of the guests. However, as Mara sipped her wine and water at the women’s banquet with her mother and Joanna, she shrieked, “Mother, you said you would keep that brat out of my sight.”

  Joanna rose from where she lounged with her friends. “Get her out of here. Now! I’ll have all of you beaten for upsetting my dear sister.”

  The next day while she ground grain for bread, the other servants talked in low tones. Rebekah overheard parts of their conversation while they worked.

  “I heard the master has sent messages to Jacob ben Joseph.”

  “I heard our mistress screaming last night. She was threatening to sell the girl.”

  “She will be gone before the Sabbath.”

  Does Jacob know that he is my uncle? Did Benjamin ever tell him who I am? Will they just use me as a servant? Her thoughts tumbled one on top of the other.

  Two days later Rebekah was working near the courtyard and a man arrived. Mara’s father sat with the man in the east portico. They seemed to be haggling over a purchase.

  The master called, “Rebekah, come here.”

  She responded quickly.

  The man looked her over and a smile curved his lips. He summoned Rebekah to come closer.

  She felt uncomfortable under this man’s scrutiny. He reached out and put his fingers under her chin. Raising her face, he looked into her brown eyes. Then he nodded and smiled. “I’ll give you the price you want. I think my master will be pleased with her.”

  The master added, “She is strong and can endure physical labor, but she has proven to be a good house servant as well.”

  The man removed his shoe, and the deal was made according to their customs. Rebekah belonged to Jacob ben Joseph.

  They left immediately. Rebekah only had the clothes she wore. She did not like the way this man looked at her. She felt fearful, but she followed him and kept her gaze on the ground. He reminded her of her uncle Benjamin’s friend, Judas. She forced the memory from her mind.

  Once again Rebekah’s life was at the mercy of others. She knew that Jacob was her uncle, but she had only seen him when he and his wife Tirsah had come to Benjamin’s for the feast that Mara had arranged to promote her husband. Jacob and Tirsah had paid little attention to her then. Did they know she was their niece?

  Chapter 9

  As they joined the bustling crowd entering the city gate, Rebekah and Jacob’s servant passed groups of men sitting together and talking among themselves. Inside Jerusalem’s walls she found herself in a world she had only imagined. Tiny shops lined the narrow stone streets. The sounds of animals and of people’s voices grew louder until they arri
ved in the market. Farmers brought their crops and animals to sell three days a week. Rebekah saw baskets of every food imaginable. Some she had never seen before. The jostling of so many people in one place slowed her steps, and she looked around her taking in every sight and smell, trying to experience everything at once.

  The servant impatiently tried to hurry her on their way. He took her arm and she recoiled at his touch. He grabbed her again and forced her to almost run to keep up with him. “Move,” he said through clenched teeth. “I do not have time to show you the city. You are not a guest coming to visit the master, you are but a servant in his house. You had best remember your station.”

  Within a few minutes, Rebekah found herself pushed through a large double gateway into a private courtyard off the street and behind a two-story wall. Not only was the city itself magnificent, but Jacob ben Joseph’s house looked like a palace to her. Surely even King Herod’s palace was no grander than this.

  A servant about the age her mother would have been had she lived came running when they arrived, “The master is looking for you, Dathan,” the woman wheezed. “I’ll take her.”

  Dathan disappeared through the outer courtyard into what looked like still another courtyard. A fountain and garden much larger than Mara’s stretched out before Rebekah as she followed the servant through an archway. She could see a stairway up to a second story on either side of the open garden. She saw tile floors everywhere, and murals decorated the walls.

  “I am Sarah. I will take you to see the mistress.”

  Rebekah followed Sarah into a large airy room with filigree shutters. Tirsah sat talking with an old woman whom she dismissed when they entered.