The Ivory House by Cliff Keller

Author:Cliff Keller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Widow of Zarephath’s young son, Yashar, abandons his mother to follow the prophet Elijah into Israel during a time of devastating drought.
Publisher: Cliff Keller
Published: 2016-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

The Ivory House

V. Like the house of Jeroboam

23. All but the mention of murder

The wind howled so mournfully the third night after Naboth’s burial that Juttah lay beside Yashar curled up like a frightened pup. The owls returned, the sky thundered and scores of dodging bats invaded camp. Long after the fire died, Juttah sprang up, sniffed the air then began to run in circles.

The time had come. Yashar and Juttah went up. Though the wind had not abated it seemed that half of Jezreel had gathered before the gates. Hundreds more climbed the ascent or hurried along the perimeter road toward where they stood.

Torches flared at the tower sconces below scores of rippling flags.

It was an odd crowd that they had joined. Men with marked faces and pierced flesh stood beside those who followed the Lord. Women either wore bright scarves and nose rings or dressed in modest wraps. Everyone looked about continually, many on their toes. Yashar wondered if they understood why they had come.

“What is happening?” Zach asked as he and Nurit appeared at the vineyard rail.

“Not what,” Yashar said, “but who.”

Sara had come up with the rest of her family. “I should have never doubted you,” she told Yashar. “As you promised, Elijah will certainly appear.”

The gates went up. Bidkar, the by then familiar captain, rode to the middle of the assembly upon on a tall black horse, sat erect and shouted, “Elijah’s servant come forward.”

Somehow, a perfect aisle formed between Yashar and the captain as scores of people stepped aside. “Approach me, sir,” the captain said, “by order of the king.”

Yashar stood his ground.

“Please, Yashar,” Sara whispered at his ear, “do not give Israel a reason to murder you too.”

The captain was clearly a confident man. Rather than repeat his order when Yashar refused to obey, he smiled oddly, then clicked his horse forward. “You?” he said, once dismounted beside Yashar. “You are Elijah’s friend?”

When Yashar said nothing, the captain narrowed his eyes as if angry but managed to smile again. “I pleaded your case to the elders, son, when you…” He paused, noticing Sara. “…when you and this lady were in trouble. Why now, in front of all Jezreel, do you choose to show me disrespect?”

“Should one man honor another for only doing his job?” Yashar asked.

The captain dropped his hand to the hilt of the weapon at his waist and leaned forward confidentially. “Possibly, you do not grasp my authority,” he said. “If I choose to hurt you now, boy, which I promise I can do without consequence, these people will not object nor will your animal be able to save you. I am standing much too close. I am the king’s representative. Now bend a little to save your life.”

Sara whispered a second plea but, when a man’s soul is empty, it is easy to be fearless. “We may both die, then,” Yashar said, nodding toward Juttah, beside him. “Do you hear the rumbling in his throat, Captain? Do you remember

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