Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees by Angela Hunt

Author:Angela Hunt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biblical Fiction;Christian fiction;FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027050
ISBN: 9781493413591
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2017-10-12T04:00:00+00:00

For the next several days, I found myself in the center of a bewildering whirlwind. When we had finished chasing the surviving remnant of Apollonius’s army back into Samaria, we celebrated, burning the enemy dead and capturing the horses that had lost their riders. We praised HaShem, we danced and sang, we went through the enemy camp and salvaged the spoils—wineskins of fine wines, gold rings from aristocratic Seleucid fingers, sets of armor from fallen mercenaries. The enemy had even abandoned their supply wagons, so we feasted on dried venison, roasted beef, and marinated fowl. We enjoyed fruits we had not seen in months and washed them down with wines fine enough to grace a king’s table.

Victory made us giddy. But when the giddiness passed, I found myself feeling restless and uncertain. I knew another attack would come, but first Antiochus would have to learn about what had happened here. Then he would have to send his army. That meant we had time, a few weeks or even months, to enjoy a bit of ordinary life. We could go home to check on the livestock, tend our crops, and relieve family members who had been doing our work. Men who had left their families defenseless could go home and see that they were safe.

But what would I find at home? Leah had been so cold and distant the last time I saw her, and I did not know how to warm her heart. I had no idea what I should say when I next saw her. Would she be expecting the husband or the commander?

I told the men they could return to their homes for two weeks. “Check on your crops,” I urged them. “Repair your houses, serve your wives, and spend time with your children. Sacrifice to Adonai, for He is good. Then return to camp.”

The camp emptied out the next day, but I did not go home with my brothers. Instead I took a horse and wandered through the wilderness, taking time to pray and consider what HaShem might have in store for us. He had been faithful to support us in our first battle, but I did not want to take His faithfulness for granted. I resolved to return His favor with faithfulness of my own.

After three days, I rode into Modein and dismounted, then led my stallion to the corral, now filled with uncommonly fine horses. Eleazar and Simon called a greeting, and Johanan waved from the doorway of his house. They had been home for at least two days and did not seem to have any problems with their wives.

My heart drummed in my chest as I approached my own house. I caught a glimpse of Leah through the window, and the sight of her, so small and youthful, brought a lump to my throat. I looked down at my body—dust covered me from head to foot, my limbs bore bruises and cuts, and I had not bathed in weeks. What woman would not run at the approach of such a brute?

But my appearance could not be helped.

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