Keepers of the Covenant (26 page)

C
ASIPHIA

R
euben’s life had fallen into a numbing routine of staying out late, drinking too much, sleeping until noon, and then waking up to do it all over again. He knew his mother was frustrated and worried about him, but as long as he supported them—using the stolen gold—he figured she had no right to criticize him. After all, he was an adult, twenty-seven years old. Tonight as Reuben ate dinner with his family, Mama skirted around the subjects they usually argued over and raised the subject of marriage.

“Don’t you ever think about settling down and finding a nice wife, Reuben? There are so many lovely girls to choose from in our community. And I could use a daughter-in-law’s help around here,” she added, “now that your sisters have married and moved to their own households.”

“I know you miss them, Mama. But no, I’m not interested in marriage. I like things the way they are.”

“But you don’t seem very happy to me.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” He sopped up the last bite of stew with his bread, eager to leave and end this conversation.

“Your boss keeps asking me when you’re coming back to work.”

“Never,” he said calmly, setting down his bowl. “I already told you I’ll never work for him again. And I also told you not to worry—I have enough money for us to live on for a long, long time.”

She rested her hand on his knee. “It isn’t only the money. I hate to see you just . . . drifting . . . all day. You go out every night who knows where, and—”

“And I’m going out tonight, too.” He rose to his feet, stretching his back and arms as he stood. His friends were making plans for another big robbery, and he’d offered to help them. Reuben still had his cache of gold from the last robbery and didn’t need to steal, but his friends had spent nearly all of theirs in lavish living. They were good companions and the only friends Reuben had, but stealing no longer thrilled him. Now that his father’s shop was lost to him, he had no other goals. If Mama were to ask him what he wanted in life, he wouldn’t know what to say.

He was preparing to leave a few minutes later when a stranger arrived at his family’s gate. “Are you Reuben ben David?” the man asked.

“Who’s asking?” He tensed, ready to run, always fearing the day when the authorities would come to arrest him. Should he answer the man or turn around and bolt through the rear door? His younger brother stood a few feet away, watching and listening. The stranger smiled.

“I don’t know if you remember me or not, but my name is Asher ben Seraiah. My brother Ezra and I visited your blacksmith shop about fifteen years ago to purchase weapons for the Jewish community in Babylon.”

Reuben shrugged, vaguely remembering the night the two men had come. “I guess so. Why?”

“You were just a boy, I suppose. But your father said your family descended from the tribe of Levi. I don’t know if you’ve
heard the news, but King Artaxerxes is allowing us to return to our homeland in Judah.” The man wore a stupid grin on his face as if Reuben should be thrilled to hear the news.

His younger brother pushed forward. “Yes! They told us about the decree in the house of assembly.” And Reuben’s brother, who prayed with the other men every day, had told Reuben about it. But the news had nothing to do with him.

“I’ve come to Casiphia looking for Levites who want to join us and return to the Promised Land,” the man continued. “I’d like to invite you and your father to come with us and serve in the Holy One’s temple in Jerusalem.”

“My father is dead,” Reuben said. “He died in battle on the Thirteenth of Adar.”

The stranger stopped grinning. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“Who is it, Reuben?” his mother asked, coming up behind him.

“Someone from Babylon. They’re looking for Levites to go to Jerusalem with them.”

“Oh! Please, come in,” Mama said. “Let me fix you something to eat.” She opened the gate and led the man inside, gesturing to where they had just finished eating. “Please, have a seat. We heard that some of our people were returning to the Promised Land. Are you traveling with them? Are you part of that caravan that’s camped by the Ahava Canal?”

“Yes, ma’am, I am. My name is Asher ben Seraiah. Please, don’t fuss,” he added, but Mama was already laying out bowls of stew and olives and dates, and a basket of bread.

“Run and fetch Uncle Hashabiah,” she told Reuben’s brother. “Tell him about our guest. Reuben, sit down and be hospitable for a few minutes while I get our guest something to drink.” She hurried off to the storage room before Reuben could protest.

“So, you must be a Levite, too, Reuben. Are you interested in joining us?” Asher asked.

“What do you need Levites for?” He edged toward the gate,
unwilling to sit, needing to leave before his uncle arrived. Reuben would find it hard not to spit in Hashabiah’s face.

“Well, Levites serve in the Almighty One’s temple in many capacities—as guards, as singers and musicians, as assistants to the priests when they offer the holy sacrifices. It’s a very important and sacred calling. And for now, any Levites who join us will be entrusted with guarding the wealth of gold and silver our caravan is transporting.”

At the mention of gold, Reuben suddenly became interested. “You’re carrying gold? What’s it for?”

“The donations are to help us get settled in Judah and to purchase sacrifices for the Holy One’s temple. It’s the Levites’ job to guard the temple’s treasures. And you certainly look like a strong, capable young man, just right for the job.”

“Who’s guarding the gold now? Don’t you have Persian soldiers traveling with you?”

“No, we decided to take care of it ourselves. Your tribe has a long, important history of security work like this. Solomon’s temple had a wealth of gold, too, and the Levites were always the custodians of it. They also served as singers and musicians. Can you sing, by any chance?”

“No. I’m a blacksmith. At least I was.”

“We certainly could use a fine young man like you. Do you know how to use a sword?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“Great! Would you consider coming with us? Believe me, you’ll be a valuable member of the Holy’s One’s temple staff.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not, Reuben?” Mama asked. She had returned with a skin of wine and stood off to the side, listening. “Why not consider it since you don’t want to work in the shop anymore? You seem so unhappy here, and this would give you a fresh start.”

“There’s nothing in Jerusalem that’s any different from here,” he replied. The last thing he wanted to do was travel nine hun
dred miles with a group of people he despised, to worship a God he no longer believed in. But he didn’t speak those thoughts out loud, unwilling to hurt his mother. “I’m not interested. I’m going out.”

“Nice seeing you again, Reuben. Let me know if you change your mind. We need you!”

He hurried away without bothering to reply, determined to meet up with his gang in their usual hideout. But as he walked through Casiphia’s streets he couldn’t stop thinking about the caravan to Jerusalem. What would it be like to travel far away and visit new places? There was nothing keeping him here in Casiphia anymore. Unlike his uncle, who considered him a wayward son, Asher ben Seraiah had called him a fine young man and said he could make an important contribution. The only people who had ever told him he was valuable were his father and the Babylonian friends who’d recruited him for their gang. The idea of serving as a Levite guard would have been tantalizing except for the fact that it involved his fellow Jews and their religion.

“You’re late tonight, Reuben,” Bear said in greeting. “What kept you?”

Reuben ducked his head as he entered the cavelike room. In spite of all the money his gang had stolen over the years, they’d never fixed up their hideout near the river. It was still the same cold, dreary room they’d brought Reuben to on the night they’d asked him to join them. His friends slouched around on the same damp, tattered cushions, passing a skin of wine.

“I had a visitor—all the way from Babylon,” Reuben replied. “He’s with a caravan of Jews on their way to Jerusalem.”

“Why was he visiting you?” Digger asked as he passed Reuben the wineskin.

Reuben gave a short laugh. “He was trying to recruit me to come with them and guard a shipment of gold they’re transporting.”

“Hey, I heard about the caravan,” Nib said. “They’re camping
near the Ahava Canal, aren’t they? I heard they had thousands of people with them.”

“Yeah, I guess so. The man told me they’re transporting a load of gold and silver to Jerusalem. A ‘wealth’ of it, he said. They don’t have enough men to guard it, so he asked me to come along and help.”

“If he only knew,” Bear said, laughing. Reuben thought it was amusing, as well.

But Digger didn’t seem to think it was funny at all as he leaned toward Reuben, his expression serious. “Hey, no joking, Reuben. If they’re really carrying a poorly guarded shipment of gold, we could strike it rich!”

Bear’s smile faded, too. “He’s right. And if they’re asking you to help guard it, why not do it, Reuben? You could be our inside man. Find out exactly where the gold is kept and come up with a plan for how to steal it. Then tip us off.”

“I don’t know . . . I still have a bag of gold from our last robbery. I don’t have anything to spend it on.”

“Well, maybe you’re not interested in a wealth of unguarded treasure,” Ram said, “but we are!”

Bear punched Reuben’s arm playfully, making him spill his wine. “Come on, Reuben, think about it. Help us pull this off.”

“Or at least play along for a while and check it out,” Nib said. “See if this is a job the five of us could do.”

“I already told the man I wasn’t interested,” Reuben said.

“Well, tell him you changed your mind. Come on. Please? When are we ever going to get another chance at a wealth of gold?”

“Do it for our sakes, Reuben.”

“A least go back and find out some more details.”

With all his friends pleading with him, Reuben’s resolve weakened. “I’ll think about it,” he said. And he did, for the rest of the evening as his friends discussed the other robbery they were planning. After a long night of drinking and nursing his hatred
for his uncle, Reuben made up his mind to seek revenge. “Okay. I’ll do it,” he told his friends. “I’ll tell the man that I’ll join his caravan, and I’ll figure out a way to rob it.”

“Excellent!”

“You’re our man!” they all cheered him, slapping him on the back.

Reuben didn’t care much about the gold, but he longed for the satisfaction of robbing the people who had robbed him, especially if his uncle decided to go along. Besides, the treasure was going to God’s temple—the God who had let Abba die.

Reuben rose early the next morning and asked where he could find the man named Asher ben Seraiah who had come to Casiphia. When he learned he’d spent the night with Uncle Hashabiah, Reuben nearly changed his mind. He would have to face his uncle and convince him as well as the stranger that his desire to go to Jerusalem was sincere. His steps dragged as he walked to Hashabiah’s house, wondering if his enthusiasm last night had been influenced by too much wine. But he decided to see it through. His friends were counting on him.

“Let me talk to Asher ben Seraiah,” he told Hashabiah when he met Reuben at the door.

“Why?”

“That’s none of your business.” Reuben stared angrily at his uncle until he finally led Reuben inside. Asher sat in a patch of sunshine in the courtyard, talking with a group of men Reuben didn’t recognize. “I’ve changed my mind about joining the caravan,” Reuben said when Asher rose to greet him. “I’ve decided to come with you.”

“That’s wonderful! I’m glad to hear it. We—”

“Just a minute,” Hashabiah interrupted. “Why would you want to move to Jerusalem and work in the temple after you’ve rejected God all these years? Why have you suddenly decided to join us again?”

“I’m a Levite. Asher said they needed Levites.”

“Will you take your whole family, then? Your mother and younger brother?” Hashabiah asked.

Reuben felt a jolt of alarm. He couldn’t take them. He planned to steal the gold and run. After that, he could live anywhere he pleased—anywhere but home, that is. He could never go home. It would be obvious that he’d been involved in the robbery. “My family won’t want to come,” Reuben said quickly.

“I’ll ask them,” Hashabiah said.

Reuben didn’t want to arouse his uncle’s suspicion any further. “She can do whatever she wants,” he said with a shrug. “But I’m going. How do I sign up?”

“It’s simple,” Asher said, moving past Hashabiah. “Pack your things as quickly as you can and come with us. Just make sure all your debts are paid and you have no unfinished obligations. We can’t have people running off and neglecting their responsibilities.”

“There’s nothing keeping me here.” He would give his mother the bag of gold he had saved. It would provide plenty for her and his brother to live on. He and his friends would soon have much more.

“Wonderful!” Asher said. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re joining us.” Reuben felt a momentary twinge of guilt for planning to rob such a jovial, naïve man. But when he glanced at his uncle and recalled how no one in his community felt guilty for robbing him of his inheritance, his misgivings vanished.

“I’ll go pack,” Reuben said, turning to leave.

His uncle stopped him. “Forgive me for being suspicious, Reuben, but you haven’t been part of us for a long time, and now you’re—”

“Listen, I’m not asking for your permission,” Reuben said. “I’m telling you to put my name on the list.”

“What about—?”

“I’m a Levite. I’ve been invited to come, and I’m coming. That’s all I have to say.”

N
EAR
THE
A
HAVA
C
ANAL

I
nsects buzzed and hummed in the twilight as Ezra sat with his family outside their tent after the evening meal. Asher and the other emissaries had returned from Casiphia with good news, and Ezra wanted to record all the details in his journal:

Because the gracious hand of God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, eighteen men; and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari and his brothers and nephews, twenty men. They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name—

“Excuse me.” Ezra looked up to find a man standing over him. He hadn’t heard him approach. “Are you Ezra ben Seraiah?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“My name is Hashabiah. I’m one of the Levites from Casiphia. I need to speak with you about my nephew, Reuben ben David.”

“Please, have a seat,” Ezra said, gesturing to a place beside the campfire.

The man shook his head. “Thank you, but I’m afraid this won’t be a pleasant conversation.”

Ezra stood, his unease growing at the man’s somber expression. “Is your nephew having second thoughts about coming with us?” he asked.

“No, he still wants to join the caravan, but I’m sorry to say none of us from Casiphia is willing to vouch for my nephew, myself included. He’s a troublemaker and has long been suspected of being a thief—if not worse. He has hung around with a rough gang of Babylonians for years, avoiding his fellow Jews.”

Ezra’s concern deepened at the mention of the hated Gentiles. “Yes, go on.”

“Reuben makes no attempt to follow the Torah. He hasn’t prayed with us or attended our celebrations or other events for fifteen years. He’s more Babylonian than Jew, I’m sorry to say, and I believe he’ll have a bad influence on other young men.”

“How old is he?”

“Twenty-seven.”

It took Ezra only a moment to decide. “We can’t allow him to come.”

“I tried to stop him. But Reuben insists that your brother Asher invited him to join us. He also says he met you once before, a long time ago.”

“Send him here,” Ezra decided. “Tell him I’d like to speak with him.”

“I should warn you, Rebbe, my nephew can be quite unpleasant. And he has a very bad temper.”

“Then the sooner we get this over with the better.” Ezra asked his family to go inside the tent and give him a moment of privacy while Hashabiah went to fetch his nephew. Ezra paced in front of the fire while he waited, his journal forgotten. He
would have to be firm with Hashabiah’s nephew, letting him know that anyone who didn’t keep the law was not welcome.

The young man who arrived was tall and well-built, towering over Ezra by a full head. If his temper was as bad as Hashabiah said, then Ezra would be no match for him. Reuben wore no kippah on his unruly dark hair, no fringes on his robe—both very bad signs. His face wore the bristly stubble of an unkempt beard and an angry expression. “I understand we’ve met before, Reuben,” Ezra said in greeting. “Forgive me, but I can’t place where.”

“My father, Daniel, was the blacksmith who made weapons for you.”

“Ah yes.” Ezra could almost recognize the boy he’d met in the man who stood before him. “How is your father? Is he coming with us, too?”

“My father is dead. He died in battle on the Thirteenth of Adar.”

Ezra stroked his beard, shocked by his words. That certainly explained a lot of Reuben’s anger. He would’ve been a boy at the time. But it also raised a perplexing question—why was Reuben hanging out with Babylonians after they killed his father? “I’m very sorry to hear about your father, Reuben. From what I remember, he was a good man and an excellent blacksmith. But tell me, what made you decide to come with us?”

“Your brother said you need Levites. And on the night you visited our shop, I remember my father wishing we could serve in the temple like our Levite ancestors did. He would’ve wanted me to come.”

Surprisingly, Ezra did remember the incident. The brawny blacksmith’s eyes had glistened as he’d voiced his wish. And hadn’t that been Ezra’s wish for his sons, as well, the reason that he’d petitioned the king of Persia? The blacksmith’s longing had seemed impossible at the time, but not any longer. Reuben’s father had worked hard to furnish the weapons his
people needed and had died a hero. Ezra hated to turn away the son of such a fine man, but if Reuben didn’t follow the Torah, he wasn’t welcome. His own uncle had accused him of being a troublemaker.

“There’s nothing to tie me down here,” Reuben continued. “I’m not married—and my uncle forced my mother and me to sell Abba’s blacksmith shop against my wishes. I would like a new start.”

“So it isn’t because you want to follow God’s Torah?”

“I just told you my reasons.”

Ezra sighed. At least Reuben was honest and didn’t try to embellish his motives. But Ezra needed to be firm. “Listen, Reuben. The Persian king’s decree authorized our return in order to govern Judah by God’s law. That includes all the rules and regulations given in His Torah. The decree specifically says whoever fails to obey God’s law must be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.” Reuben looked away. “Your uncle tells me you don’t like rules, and you never worship with the other men. If we allow you to come, you’ll have to live by every letter of the law. Can you honestly swear to me you’ll do that?” Ezra waited, but Reuben didn’t reply. “I didn’t think so. You need to return to Casiphia, Reuben. Good evening.”

Ezra saw Reuben’s surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to be turned away. Then his surprise turned to anger as he whirled around and left.

Devorah came out of their tent as soon as Reuben was gone. “Why did you send that young man away? I thought you needed more Levites.”

“We do. But we only want men who are going to follow God’s law, otherwise they’ll pollute the land.” He sat down again to resume writing in his journal, but Devorah stood over him, her hands on her hips. He looked up. “What’s wrong?”

“You showed mercy to our sons when they broke the law. Why can’t you show mercy to him?”

“It was different in our sons’ case.”

“How? Tell me how it was any different? Except that Reuben doesn’t have a father to stand up for him.”

Ezra swallowed an angry reply. Her interference and persistence annoyed him. He’d promised before they married to listen to her and consider her opinion, but tonight her outspokenness chafed. “There’s a reason why we’re told to stone the wayward son, Devorah. And Reuben’s own uncle said he’s a thief and a troublemaker.”

“I didn’t see a troublemaker, I saw a son of Abraham. And even if he was a troublemaker in the past, why not give him a chance to repent? He could change in the right environment, you know. Isn’t God showing mercy to our people and giving us another chance?”

Ezra stood and rested his hands on her slender shoulders. “Devorah, don’t you remember how this all began? The reason God first prompted us to return to Jerusalem was because our own sons were enticed by Babylon. We wanted to draw them away from bad influences and back to God.”

“Exactly. You didn’t turn our sons away after they disobeyed God’s rules and skipped classes. Instead, you tried to change their environment. Doesn’t Reuben deserve a chance to leave pagan Babylon, too? Why not show the same concern for this fatherless boy that you showed our sons?”

“Reuben’s uncle refused to vouch for him.”

“Where’s the proof of his uncle’s accusations? Where’s the second witness? I’ve never known you to judge a person so quickly and so harshly, Ezra. I was very surprised by your decision.”

“I was asked to give a judgment tonight, and I did.”

“Just like that? Without asking the Almighty One’s advice?”

“Reuben admitted his motivation wasn’t to obey the Torah.”

“How do you know the same thing isn’t true of other people in this caravan? Reuben may have wandered away from the faith, but at least he’s trying to take a step in God’s direction. Why won’t you help him, Ezra? Give him a chance to learn God’s laws. Suppose God remembered our past mistakes and rejected us?”

Ezra couldn’t reply. Very few of his community’s elders ever dared to question his decisions this way, and it pricked his pride to have the rebuke come from his wife. He took a breath, then said, “Sometimes it’s difficult to find the right balance between following the law and offering mercy—”

“You were all law, Ezra. You showed no mercy at all.”

“Even if you’re right, and I was too harsh, it’s too late to change my mind. I already sent him away.”

“Then maybe you need to find him and tell him you’re sorry. Tell him he’s needed and wanted. Isn’t the Almighty One overlooking our past and giving us a second chance?”

“What if his uncle’s suspicions are correct and he turns out to be a bad influence?”

“What if God is wrong about us and we abandon His law all over again? Give Reuben a chance to change, Ezra, and for God to change him. Grace can do that, you know. When God showed mercy and spared our lives fifteen years ago, look how we responded. Show Reuben God’s grace and let it transform him. This young man lost his father. Suppose our sons lost you? Wouldn’t you want someone to show them mercy instead of threatening them with ‘death, banishment, and imprisonment’?”

“I asked him if he was willing to obey the rules and—”

“And you didn’t even give him a chance to reply before sending him away.”

It was true. There was nothing more Ezra could say. As much as it irritated him to admit it, Devorah was right. He would have to surrender his pride, find Reuben, and give him a second chance. He whispered a prayer for wisdom and went to find him.

Casiphia’s Levites had camped at the northern edge of the cara
van, and Hashabiah rushed forward to greet Ezra as he approached. “I’ve come to talk to your nephew Reuben again,” Ezra told him.

“He’s over there.” Reuben sat all alone, apart from the others, staring at nothing. Ezra prayed for strength and the right words to say as he walked over to him.

“I came to apologize for being so short with you a few minutes ago,” Ezra said. “I was wrong to speak to you that way, and I’m very sorry. If you would still like to join our caravan to Jerusalem, you will be welcome.”

Reuben unfolded his long legs and rose to his feet. “What about all the rules you talked about?”

“You’ll have to obey them, of course. But I’m hoping you’ll be drawn to God and that as you get to know Him, you’ll obey His rules for the same reason most of us do—because we love Him and want to please Him.”

Reuben gave Ezra a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”

“Aren’t those the same reasons you obeyed your father’s rules when you lived in his household, Reuben? Because you loved him and wanted to please him?”

“I suppose.”

“You told me you wanted a new start. Ideally, repentance should be motivated by our desire to return to God, not because we want to try something new. But I hope you’ll at least try to get to know the God who loves you. I would be honored to teach you about Him myself.” For the briefest of moments, Ezra thought he saw Reuben’s eyes glisten. “If you’re willing to forgive my earlier gruffness, please come back to my tent tomorrow morning, and we’ll talk about finding a job that suits you.” He rested his hand on Reuben’s muscular arm for a moment, then walked back to his tent.

Reuben arrived the next morning as Ezra was finishing breakfast, and he couldn’t blame the young man for looking wary and
suspicious. “Have a seat, Reuben,” he said, gesturing to the rug. “This isn’t an exam. I just want to talk to you and get to know you.” He waited for Reuben to sit, folding his long legs beneath him. “So. You’re coming with us to Jerusalem. It’s settled. Now we need to find the best task for you as a Levite. Everyone has a place and a job in God’s kingdom. What are you good at doing? Tell me about yourself.”

“I’m sure my uncle already told you all about me.”

“Yes, and unfortunately it wasn’t complimentary. He said you were a troublemaker and a thief. Is that true?”

“I had to steal. Abba died a hero, saving us, and my family had no way to live. I’m his oldest son. I did what I could.” Reuben was quiet a moment, then added, “I’m sure my uncle didn’t tell you the whole truth, though. He stole Abba’s blacksmith shop from me and sold it to someone else. It was my inheritance, and he refused to help me buy it back!”

“He stole it? Your family didn’t get paid for it?”

“We got money to live on, but he had no right to sell it!”

“How old were you then, Reuben?”

“Thirteen.”

Ezra tugged his beard as he searched for words. “I can imagine how much you missed your father. My brother Jude died in the war, too. I’ve missed him every day since. I took over his responsibilities, caring for his family and working in his place, but I was fortunate to be an adult. I had a way to earn an honest living. Who knows what any of us might do if we were in your situation.”