The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean

Author:Geraldine McCaughrean
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Published: 2003-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

“What, Noah’s ark, you mean?” the boy interrupted.

“Ignorant child! This happened hundreds, maybe thousands of years after the flood.”

No, the ark of the covenant was a wooden box with carved angels decorating it. (What a piece of work it must have been!) It was used to hold the Ten Commandments, God’s holy laws, and it was the holiest thing in all Israel. The mere sight of it made the Israelites feel invincible! Well, the hostile Philistines knew this, and when the ark was taken into battle, they attacked and captured it, knowing the loss would rip the very heart out of Israel. When Eli heard the news, he died of grief.

Samuel became priest instead of Eli’s sons. As he grew older, God would often stoop down to whisper in his ear – news, commands, encouragement. It was time for Israel to have a king, said God, and Samuel was the one to anoint that king.

The man Samuel anointed first was Saul: a great man, a great soldier. Saul was like a pillar of fire leading the Israelites through every hardship, keeping them safe from their enemies.

But power does strange things to people. Saul began to forget that his crown had been given to him by God. He took no notice of Samuel’s advice. Things started to go wrong. Seeing their chance, Israel’s enemies closed in, like prowling wolves when a campfire goes out.

Samuel was a prophet. Not only could he hear God’s voice, but he could see forward through time, as through a dazzle of light. Soon he could foresee a time when Saul would not be king. God even told him where to look for Saul’s replacement: among the sons of Jesse. But which of Jesse’s many sons should he choose? That was the question.

They were all fine, strong boys, tall and muscular. They might all make good warriors in the king’s army. As Samuel met first one, then another, then a third, no lamp flickered in his soul; no voice spoke to him out of the farthest galaxies, saying, “This is the one.” “Are these all the sons you have?” he asked Jesse.

“All but for David, my youngest. He’s out with the sheep,” said Jesse.

David was sent for, and Samuel studied him, like a shepherd examining a newborn lamb… Yes. There it was. The face he had been waiting to see. He anointed David with holy oil – just as he might a king. “Say nothing,” he told father and son. “Not now. Not yet.”

Times were bad: the Philistines were winning the war. David’s older brothers went to fight in the king’s army, but David was too young. He was trusted with no more than fetching and carrying. “Take your brothers these rations, David,” said Jesse. “And come straight back.”

Long before David reached the camp of King Saul, he could hear the Philistine army jeering. Even as he handed his brothers the cheese and bread and raisins, he could hear the sneering jibes coming from across the valley: the laughter and the catcalls.

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