her daughter’s physical beauty. Rahab had had no such illusions. Men were fickle, especially when they held positions of power, and she hadn’t expected the affair to last long. She’d only hoped it would last long enough for her to make a place for herself in the king’s service. It had, and now she had a livelihood and could help provide for her family—when their pride would allow it.
Neither her father nor her brothers had condemned her when she entered the king’s chamber. Nor did they pity her when she left the king’s house. They’d treated her with sad tolerance, until she showed she could manage independence and prosperity beyond their own. She’d been the one able to give money whenever it was needed, and she’d always made sure her mother, sisters, and sisters-in-law shared in the gifts she received from patrons. She’d never done so out of a feeling of compulsion or pride but out of love for them.
“How goes the day for you, my daughter?”
“It is a day of hope, Father.”
“Hope is a good thing. Come and sit with an old man and tell me what news you’ve heard these past weeks.” He set two stools out and sat on one, gesturing for her to take the other.
Rahab watched him rub his leg. The years of hard work showed on him, and he seemed to be in more pain today. But he would not thank her for mentioning it. “How is Mother?”
“In her glory, tending three grandchildren while your sisters beat and strip the flax.”
“And my brothers?”
“At work on the ramparts.”
No wonder he was rubbing his leg and pinched with pain. “You’ve been climbing the date palms again.” What choice had he if the king summoned her brothers to work on the wall defenses and left an old man to carry the work of his sons?
“I’ve been training a grandson.”
“Oh, Father. You’re lucky you haven’t broken your neck!”
“The king is in greater need than I.”
“He can add all the fortifications in the world, and they won’t help.”
His hand stopped rubbing and his head came up. “The Israelites have settled in Shittim,” he said.
“Not for much longer.”
“No?”
“No. The Lord has given them this land.”
His eyes flickered as he studied her face. “I heard that spies entered the city several nights ago.”
“By now, they will have given their report.”
His eyes filled with fear. “Did you help them get away?”
She leaned forward and took his gnarled hands in hers. “I have seen the truth, Father. I know what’s going to happen, the only thing that can happen. But I can’t talk about it here. Come to my house before you leave the city. I have news that will give our family cause to celebrate.”
His hands were cold as they tightened on hers. He searched her eyes. “What have you done, Daughter?”
“It’s what will be done for us, provided we act in good faith. Come tonight and I’ll tell you everything.”
“They will come against Jericho?”
“Yes, Father, and they will destroy it.” She stood and leaned down to kiss his cheek. “But our salvation is at hand.”
Ω Ω Ω
Rahab’s father brought her two brothers with him. She greeted them warmly and seated them on cushions set around a low table. She poured wine for them and encouraged them to eat.
“I’m not hungry,” Mizraim said tersely. “Father said you summoned us.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to eat while we talk.”
“Should we have an appetite when the Israelites are camped across the Jordan?”
Her youngest brother, Jobab, afraid and angry, looked up at her. “Father said you took in the spies. What possessed you to risk everything we’ve worked for? If the king finds out—”
“The king knows the spies were here at my house,” she said, seeing three faces blanch. “He sent soldiers to take them, and I told his men they’d already left the city.”
“Then they must have escaped,” Mizraim said. “If they’d been captured,
Neither her father nor her brothers had condemned her when she entered the king’s chamber. Nor did they pity her when she left the king’s house. They’d treated her with sad tolerance, until she showed she could manage independence and prosperity beyond their own. She’d been the one able to give money whenever it was needed, and she’d always made sure her mother, sisters, and sisters-in-law shared in the gifts she received from patrons. She’d never done so out of a feeling of compulsion or pride but out of love for them.
“How goes the day for you, my daughter?”
“It is a day of hope, Father.”
“Hope is a good thing. Come and sit with an old man and tell me what news you’ve heard these past weeks.” He set two stools out and sat on one, gesturing for her to take the other.
Rahab watched him rub his leg. The years of hard work showed on him, and he seemed to be in more pain today. But he would not thank her for mentioning it. “How is Mother?”
“In her glory, tending three grandchildren while your sisters beat and strip the flax.”
“And my brothers?”
“At work on the ramparts.”
No wonder he was rubbing his leg and pinched with pain. “You’ve been climbing the date palms again.” What choice had he if the king summoned her brothers to work on the wall defenses and left an old man to carry the work of his sons?
“I’ve been training a grandson.”
“Oh, Father. You’re lucky you haven’t broken your neck!”
“The king is in greater need than I.”
“He can add all the fortifications in the world, and they won’t help.”
His hand stopped rubbing and his head came up. “The Israelites have settled in Shittim,” he said.
“Not for much longer.”
“No?”
“No. The Lord has given them this land.”
His eyes flickered as he studied her face. “I heard that spies entered the city several nights ago.”
“By now, they will have given their report.”
His eyes filled with fear. “Did you help them get away?”
She leaned forward and took his gnarled hands in hers. “I have seen the truth, Father. I know what’s going to happen, the only thing that can happen. But I can’t talk about it here. Come to my house before you leave the city. I have news that will give our family cause to celebrate.”
His hands were cold as they tightened on hers. He searched her eyes. “What have you done, Daughter?”
“It’s what will be done for us, provided we act in good faith. Come tonight and I’ll tell you everything.”
“They will come against Jericho?”
“Yes, Father, and they will destroy it.” She stood and leaned down to kiss his cheek. “But our salvation is at hand.”
Ω Ω Ω
Rahab’s father brought her two brothers with him. She greeted them warmly and seated them on cushions set around a low table. She poured wine for them and encouraged them to eat.
“I’m not hungry,” Mizraim said tersely. “Father said you summoned us.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to eat while we talk.”
“Should we have an appetite when the Israelites are camped across the Jordan?”
Her youngest brother, Jobab, afraid and angry, looked up at her. “Father said you took in the spies. What possessed you to risk everything we’ve worked for? If the king finds out—”
“The king knows the spies were here at my house,” she said, seeing three faces blanch. “He sent soldiers to take them, and I told his men they’d already left the city.”
“Then they must have escaped,” Mizraim said. “If they’d been captured,
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