Hagar had firmly decided that Eliezer was the man she wanted. Her beauty had drawn other members of Abram’s clan seeking her favor, but she had considered them only momentarily. None of them had Eliezer’s good looks—an important factor in her decision, for she prized handsomeness in a man. But even more than this, she had become convinced that one day Eliezer would own all of Abram’s property. After all, Abram was getting on in years, as was Sarai, and when he died, where would his property go? To his chief steward! Everyone assumed this to be true, and Hagar was very aware of the advantages of material things, having lived much of her life in the pharaoh’s palace.
She had given Eliezer many broad hints of her fondness for him, and his reluctance had puzzled her. Her experience with men had been extensive, but they had always been the pursuers. As a slave in Egypt, she had fought off those she could and accepted those she could not reject. Since being with Abram’s people, she had not yet been intimate with any man, although she had flirted with several.
The sun was going down as Hagar sat in her tent. She had bathed in the river and then had anointed herself with the spicy fragrances she had brought from Egypt, which were strong and enticing to a man’s senses. Now she skillfully applied the eye shadow and lip rouge and stared at herself in her polished bronze hand mirror.
Satisfied with her appearance, she proceeded to put on one of the linen gowns she had brought from Egypt. Its tiny pleats clung to her body, and with this she was also satisfied. Smiling to herself, she went to sit outside the door of her tent. She had plotted her strategy carefully, knowing that it was Eliezer’s habit to make a last trip to check with the shepherds who watched over the animals by night. He sometimes stayed late, but Hagar was prepared to wait him out.
The sun went down, and the moon rose, its pale silver gleam dominating the sky. Hagar had long prayed to the moon goddess, and now she looked up and lifted her hand to the moon. “O goddess, give me what I desire, and I will make you an offering that will be magnificent!”
After some time she heard Eliezer’s voice. He was a fine singer and often sang softly as he returned from watching the flock. Getting to her feet, Hagar’s breath quickened. The moonlight threw its silver beams down over the camp. Most people were already asleep, except for the guards on the outer fringes. She could hear the animals lowing softly, and then Eliezer appeared. He passed close by her tent, and she called out, “Eliezer!”
Startled, he turned and stared at her.
“Would you come here a moment?” she asked sweetly.
Eliezer came toward her, and when he stood before her, she said, “Please stay with me awhile. I’m so lonely and afraid.”
“Afraid? What are you afraid of, Hagar?”
“Come and sit with me, and I will tell you. I need to talk with someone.”
Hagar took Eliezer’s arm and stepped inside the tent. The floor was covered with a fine carpet, and holding his arm, she pulled him down beside her. A small oil lamp threw a golden corona of light over the interior of the tent. Its rays highlighted her figure, and burning incense filled the tent with its aroma. The perfume Hagar wore was rich with a slight musky scent, and still holding Eliezer’s arm, Hagar pressed herself against it. “I don’t know what I’m so afraid of. Perhaps it’s just because I’m a weak woman.”
“Why, Hagar, you shouldn’t be afraid.”
“I know I shouldn’t, but women are not like men. You’re big and strong and can take care of yourselves, but who can take care of me? What will ever happen to me?”
“Why, you’re Sarai’s servant! You couldn’t find a better mistress in all the world.”
“But a woman wants more than a place to sleep and food to eat. She has needs that go far beyond that.”
Eliezer was conscious at that moment of his own needs. The richness of her perfume, the softness of her body pressing against him, and the intoxicating incense stirred his passions. He looked into her dark eyes and when she smiled at him, he knew it was an invitation.
“Don’t men have needs, Eliezer?” she whispered. She put her left hand on his neck and pulled his head down.
Eliezer found her lying in his arms, and he pulled her close. Her lips were soft and yielding under his, and for that one moment there was nothing in the world for him except the soft form he held within his arms. In the past, he had managed to conquer his needs by setting a stern brake on his natural desires, but he had never before felt anything like this and had never felt so unable to control himself.
As for Hagar, her heart was racing, for she knew that his response was that of a man who wanted her. She held him even closer and ran her hands through his hair, and when he lifted his lips and put them against her neck, she began to whisper endearments to him.
Eliezer suddenly stiffened and abruptly sat up. “Hagar, I can’t—” He broke off, his voice thick and husky. Shaking his head, he said, “This is not right.”
“But you want me, Eliezer. I know you do.”
“But you’re not my wife.”
Hagar waited, for this was the moment she had planned for. She expected him to ask her to marry him, but instead he suddenly rose to his feet and said, “I’m sorry. This is a thing I must not do. You’re a lovely woman, Hagar, but a man must have honor where women are concerned.”
Hagar was astonished as Eliezer said these words, turned, and left the tent. Realizing she had been unable to win him, anger flooded through her. She had never been rejected by any man, and the knowledge that she did not have the same power over Eliezer that she had over other men infuriated her. She threw herself facedown on the carpet and beat it with her fists. She cursed him and spat out bitterly, “He’ll be sorry! Oh, he’ll be sorry that he treated me like this!”
****
Sarai had noticed the change in Hagar as far as Eliezer was concerned. Whereas before she had been all smiles and had gone out of her way to please him by fixing special dishes and had skillfully used all the wiles that a beautiful woman had, now she never spoke to him except when necessary.
Sarai also noticed that Eliezer was stiff and unnatural. She finally stopped him one day when he came into camp. The women were cooking, and Sarai said, “Come and sit down beside me. I never get to talk to you, Eliezer.”
Eliezer obeyed but had little to say. Finally Sarai asked, “What’s the matter between you and Hagar? Are you having a fight?”
Eliezer did not dare tell Sarai how Hagar had behaved. He merely mumbled something about Hagar’s having learned some bad habits in Egypt.
Instantly Sarai knew that Hagar had offered herself to Eliezer and he had refused her. Finally she said, “Well, there are other women. I wouldn’t want you to make a mistake in a wife. There’s nothing worse than being married to somebody you don’t love.”
Her words amused Eliezer. “How would you know about that, mistress?”
Sarai stared at him and then covered her mouth as she laughed. “Am I that transparent?”
“Everyone knows you and my master love each other with all your hearts.”
“Well, we do, and I want you to have that same kind of relationship with your wife when you get one.”
“I think I may never get one.” Eliezer put the matter aside with a smile. “I suppose I’m just too choosy.”
Eliezer left, but Sarai was worried about him. She missed Abram and wished she could have talked with him about this, but he had been gone for weeks now.
****
Abram saw sadly that Sodom had not changed. He had come to this city on his way home and now was sorry that he had done so. Lot was very glad to see him, though, and Meri was triumphant. She proudly showed Abram their beautiful house, now packed with belongings she had bought at the bazaars. She spoke of how her marriageable daughters were now invited to all the homes of the city leaders, and waited for Abram to approve of what she and Lot had accomplished.
Abram did his best to compliment them, but it was a feeble attempt. Meri became huffy with him for his obvious lack of enth
usiasm.
Afterward Lot and Abram walked through the city at dusk. Abram tried to avoid being critical, but he could not help noting the bands of men that roamed about.
“Who are these gangs of men?”
Lot was embarrassed. “Oh, they’re just groups of young men that get together for a good time.”
But Abram saw that night what their good times amounted to. He witnessed one gang of men seize a young boy from his own home and carry him off screaming. Abram started to go to the boy’s aid, but Lot instantly cried out, “No, uncle, you mustn’t! They will kill you!”
“You know what kind of men these are, Lot?”
Lot bowed his head. “Yes, I know. I hate it! I hate every day here!”
“Then come with me. Bring your family and leave this place.”
Lot shook his head. “I would love nothing better, but Meri would never hear of it.”
Abram did not argue, but neither did he tarry. The city of Sodom had an aura of evil about it, and he left early the next day, anxious to get home.
****
When Abram returned home, Sarai greeted him with the joy of a young woman, making over him so much that Abram grinned slyly. “I think I’m going to take more trips away from home. You don’t appreciate me nearly as much as you should.”
Sarai struck his chest with her fist. “You are a vain thing, and you’re wrong. I did miss you terribly!”
The two were happy in the days that followed. Sarai told Abram all that had happened with Eliezer and Hagar. He listened and shook his head. “She needs to be married—but not to Eliezer!”
****
The days and months went by quickly, and Abram settled back. He had received much knowledge from Melchizedek, and he shared it with his family and people. It did them good to hear how the king of a distant city worshiped the same God as they did.
Their happiness was complete until a messenger came one day, disaster written on his face. When he said, “I am the servant of Melchizedek,” Abram welcomed him warmly.
“Come in, come in! Let me have the servants wash your feet.”
“I am Chalbain, the steward of the king of Salem. My master sent me with urgent news.”
Abram stared at Chalbain and knew that the news was grim. “Is the king in trouble?”
“He bids me tell you that a war has broken out.” Chalbain sketched the details of the battle and shook his head. “Many have been slain, and many more captured by the enemy.”
“Does King Melchizedek wish for me to come and take part in the battle?”
“He bids me to tell you that your kinsman, Lot, and his family have been taken. The city of Sodom was plundered by the enemy. They took your nephew and all his possessions with them.”
“Lot taken! I must go at once!”
“The king knew you would be anxious. He bid me to tell you that God Most High has spoken to him about your kinsman.”
“What did God tell him?”
“That you would be the instrument of his deliverance. He assures you that you will be victorious and that, if you go in the power of the Most High, your kinsman and all his family will be saved.”
Abram said instantly, “We will go and get my nephew back.”
Sarai spoke up. “They have an army, Abram. We have only a few men.”
Abram said quietly, “King Melchizedek is a priest of God Most High. I believe his word that the Eternal One will fight for us! We will go in the strength of God!”
Chapter 21
The war that swept the country had complicated causes. The most powerful of the Amorite kings, Kedorlaomer, was a vicious man—greedy and without pity. He had exacted tribute from weak kingdoms, and when Sodom and Gomorrah and three other small kingdoms refused to pay, he had attacked. He had taken the five kings captive and many citizens along with them, among them Lot, the nephew of Abram.
Abram at once assembled all the men of his clan and began to prepare them for battle. It was Sarai who spoke what most of them were thinking. “Husband, you have only three hundred men. The king of the Amorites has thousands. You can’t win against such numbers.”
“The Eternal One will be with us. They will be drunk and will take no thought that they will be attacked.”
Eliezer was standing beside Abram and Sarai, armed and ready. “What is your plan, master?”
“The Eternal One has spoken to me. We will follow them, not allowing ourselves to be seen. They will break up into small groups when they reach the mountains. The hostages and the captive kings will be close to Kedorlaomer. We will have the victory, for our God is with us!”
****
There were doubters among Abram’s men, but his spirit gave them courage. He led his men into the mountains, and when the enemy settled in for the night, he divided his men into smaller groups. Eliezer was charged with leading the group assigned the task of freeing the prisoners, and Abram warned him, “They will try to kill the prisoners to keep them from being taken alive. You must be quick.”
“Yes, master!”
“Then we will fight—come!”
Eliezer led his men forward and discovered that almost all the men guarding the prisoners were drunk. Their numbers were few, so he charged the inebriated sentries, his men cutting them down like cornstalks. The drunken men had stumbled, confused and disoriented, then fled in fear, their screams and flight causing a wholesale panic among the army of Kedorlaomer. Soon the battle became a slaughter.
Eliezer’s arm was weary. He had wielded his sword furiously, and now he exulted at seeing the enemy being driven away. He cast a glance to his right, where he saw Abram still unharmed, and felt a gush of relief.
“Press on!” Eliezer shouted. “Don’t give them time to recover!”
All of the men of the tiny army that had attacked the invaders were screaming so that they sounded like a mighty host. The air was filled with the clanging of sword against sword, the screams of the wounded, and the fearful shouts of the enemy. As Eliezer pressed on, he saw more of the enemy fleeing and knew the joy of victory.
Suddenly he spotted one of his men with his sword raised over a woman and child on the ground. Eliezer shouted, “Leave those two alone!”
His shout startled the man, and he turned and saw Eliezer coming at him, his eyes blazing.
“Forget them!” Eliezer screamed. “Go find a man, a soldier to fight with.”
The man fled as Eliezer ran quickly to the woman and child. He saw that the woman had already been wounded, but he could not tell who had done it. He knelt on one knee by her side, saying, “Are you badly hurt?”
The woman’s face was pale, and Eliezer saw then that she had been struck in the side with a sword. Her garment was soaked with blood, as was the ground beneath her.
“Please help my child,” she pleaded weakly, the pallor of death on her face.
Quickly he began to try to stanch the flow of blood. “What is your name?” he said. “Where are your people?”
“My name is Ameira. I am the wife of a chief, but he is dead.”
“Is this your daughter?”
With great effort, she reached up a hand. “Yes. Please. She has no one now.”
Eliezer took the woman’s hand and leaned forward. He saw the glaze of death in her eyes, and he spoke impulsively. “Do not be afraid. I will take care of your daughter.”
“Will you promise?”
Eliezer nodded. He saw the child watching him, fear etched on her face. She was a thin child, no more than eight years old, and he reached his other hand out and touched her head. She flinched as if he had struck her. “Don’t be afraid, child. I won’t hurt you. What is your name?”
“Her name is…Zara,” the mother said. She held to Eliezer’s hand with her fragile strength and then cried out, “Vow to your god that you will take care of her as your own. Please!”
“I swear by the Eternal One that I will take care of Zara as if she were my own.”
The woman stared at him, and a smile came to her li
ps. She turned to her daughter and whispered, “This is your father, Zara. He will take care of you.”
“Mother, don’t leave me! You can’t leave me!”
The woman’s eyes faded and her body went limp. The child threw herself on her mother’s breast, weeping with all her strength.
Eliezer held the dead mother and put his hand out and touched the child’s hair. “I will keep you safe, child. Do not be afraid.”
“I have no one—no one!”
“Yes. You have me. You heard me vow to God that I will take care of you. I will keep that vow, Zara.”
The child looked at him, her face twisted with fear. “Will you promise?” she whispered.
“Yes, I will promise.”
****
Abram looked up to see Melchizedek, the king of Salem, waiting. He was weary after the battle but pleased that he had saved all the kings, and more than that, Lot was safe!
The cheers rose as Melchizedek lifted his hand and cried out, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
Abram bowed low, then lifting himself up, said, “I give you tithes of all the spoil, king and priest of God Most High!”
The kings came one by one, all bowing to Abram and promising him great gifts, but Abram shook his head. “I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will not be able to say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’”
Later when Abram was alone with the king, he said, “I knew when I received your message that all would be well.”
Melchizedek nodded but was silent for such a long time that Abram asked anxiously, “Is something wrong, master?”
“No, all is well, very well. But God Most High revealed many things to me—about you, Abram.”
“About me, sire?” Abram was astonished, but then he asked eagerly, “What did He say about me?”
“Some of the things He told me He bade me keep only in my spirit. But you are to be greatly used, my son! He gave me a vision of what is to come, and you are God’s choice to bring many things to pass.”
No Woman So Fair Page 25