Daughter of Deliverance (14 page)

“We'll both come.”

“Come downstairs. I've got some wine that you need to take. I know soldiers get thirsty on their job.”

Othniel was holding his breath, and he finally let out a sigh of relief as the voices grew mute and disappeared. “She did it, Ardon. I thought we were goners for sure.”

Ardon threw back the stalks of flax and said, “Yes, I thought so too.”

The two waited for some time before Rahab came back up the ladder. “You'll have to leave tonight,” she said. “Those two may come back tomorrow or some other day.”

She stood looking at them in the falling light, and both of them could see that she was thinking hard. Now Ardon became more aware of her beauty. She was shapely in a way that would tempt any man, and the bones of her face made a strong and pleasant contour. He still was repulsed by the fact that she was a prostitute, but he could not deny what she had done for them. “We'll leave the same way we got in after it gets dark, out through the gate that the stream comes through.”

Rahab began to speak. Her voice was quiet but full of insistence. “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea for you…and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it our hearts melted…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”

“You are right,” Ardon said, astonished by the fervency in her voice.

“Now then,” Rahab said, “please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my family…and that you will save us from death.”

Othniel did not think that Ardon would speak, but he did. “Our lives for your lives if you don't tell what we are doing,” Ardon said. “We will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

Rahab took a deep breath. “You will never get through the gate. Too many soldiers.”

“We'll have to try,” Ardon said.

“No. Wait. I have something.” She opened a basket she had brought with her and drew something out.”

“What's that?” Othniel said.

“Why, it's a rope. I never saw one like it,” Ardon said. “It's red, isn't it? It's hard to tell in this light.”

“I made it out of spare material from a place where I once worked at a weaver's shop.”

“You were a weaver?”

Rahab hesitated. She wanted desperately to tell them her story but did not. “It's long enough to reach the ground. We can tie it here, and you can climb down it after it gets dark.”

“We'll go as soon as it's completely dark,” Ardon said. “This is a fine rope. It'll hold our weight without any trouble.”

The three waited, and finally Ardon said, “We'll go now. There's not much moonlight.”

“Go to the mountains,” Rahab said. “Hide yourself there for three days.”

Othniel felt a warmth in his heart. “After we're gone, pull this rope up. When we come into this land again, it will be as soldiers in a battle, but don't worry, Rahab. When the battle starts, get the rope out again and hang it down from this window. I'll tell Joshua that where we see the scarlet rope lives a friend to Israel.”

“That's a good idea, Othniel,” Ardon said. “And, Rahab, do not go out of the house when the battle starts. You must stay inside or men will strike you down. I swear to you that we will save your lives.”

“You mean,” Rahab whispered, “like a covenant?”

“Yes. We have a covenant.”

Rahab bowed to them. “According to your words, so be it.”

Ardon bound the end of the rope, threw it over the outside of the wall, and said, “You try it first, Othniel.”

Othniel grinned. “So if I break my neck, you won't have to worry about me.” He turned then and suddenly put out his hand.

Rahab, surprised, took it and he said warmly, “I'll never forget you or your family, Rahab. Don't worry. Jehovah's going to take care of you.” He quickly shinnied down the rope and disappeared into the darkness.

“It will be hard for you with your wounded arm.”

“I'll be all right.”

“Good-bye, then, and may the God of Israel keep you safe.”

Ardon hesitated. He wanted to say something, but old manners die hard and old convictions even harder. All his life he had heard of evil women, harlots, and this woman was one of them. True enough she did not have the appearance of harshness, but still that was what she was. “You have my thanks, Rahab, and you will have the thanks of my father and of Joshua, our commander. Remember to stay in the house when the battle starts. I will come for you.”

“It's a covenant, then. I will wait for you, Ardon.”

He nodded and awkwardly made his way over the edge. It was difficult with his arm, but he was much stronger now. He lowered himself most of the way, but finally his grasp failed, and he fell a few feet, landed on the ground, and rolled over.

“You should have used the rope,” Othniel teased, helping him up.

Ardon got to his feet. He watched as the rope was drawn back up and then said, “Come along. We're not home yet.”

“We will be. Rahab has saved us, Ardon.”

The two men turned and made their way toward the mountains, groping through the darkness by the pale light of a sliver of moon.

****

Caleb and Joshua were training a group of younger recruits in the use of the sword. The blades clanged on each other, and the two older men shouted out directions, at times pleased, at times disgusted, with the outcome.

Caleb especially was quick to point out the faults of the younger men. “That's a sword, not a stick to poke at a rabbit with,” he said. With one blow he knocked the sword from the hand of an eighteen-year-old, who looked at him in astonishment. “Pick up that sword, boy. I don't think—”

“Master, the spies are back.”

Joshua and Caleb both turned to look at the messenger, whose eyes were big. “They just came in. They're waiting for you at your tent.”

“Come along, Caleb,” Joshua shouted. “Now we'll find out something.”

****

Joshua and Caleb listened silently as the two men outlined what they had found on their journey.

Finally Ardon said, “Man for man we can beat them. They're better trained than we are and our weapons aren't quite as good, but they're frightened to death of us.”

“How do you know that?”

“A woman named Rahab told us,” Othniel said. “They've heard about what God has done for us, and how we've destroyed our enemies.”

“It'll be different this time, though, master,” Ardon said. “That wall is unbelievable. It must have taken hundreds of years to build it. It's broad enough to drive two chariots around side by side. Why, there are, as we said, houses on it.”

Joshua saw the disbelief on the face of Ardon. “I don't know how God will do it, but He's bigger than any wall.”

“Tell us more about this woman and her family,” Caleb said.

“Well …” Ardon began uncertainly, “she's not a good woman. She's a prostitute, as a matter of fact.”

“Why did she save your life? Tell us that again,” Joshua said. He listened as Ardon spoke of Rahab's fascination with the God of Israel.

“She asked me once if she could ever become a woman of Israel, and I told her no, of course.”

“Why'd you tell her that?” Joshua demanded. “My master Moses always said there would be no difference between a Hebrew and a stranger if their hearts were right.”

“I told him that,” Othniel interrupted. “She's a good woman deep inside. I don't know what path brought her to what she is now, but she saved our lives.”

Joshua listened as Othniel spoke warmly of Rahab; then he nodded, “You have given your word and it shall be kept. When the battle comes, you two will be responsible for bringing this woman Rahab and her family out safely.”

“Yes, master.” Othniel nodded eagerly. “We'll do it.”

Joshua turned and clapped his old friend Caleb on the shoulder. “And now at last we cross the Jordan.”

“Yes,” Caleb said with feeling in his voice, “we finally come to the land that God promised to Abraham.”

For several days after the return of Othniel and Ardon, they spent most of their time relating their adventures. Of course the soldiers all wanted to know about the wall and the strength of the army and the weapons, and the two did their best to describe those.

But Ariel was interested in another part of the story. She caught Ardon alone and said, “Sit down. I want to hear all about the story.”

“I'm sick of hearing myself talk about it.”

“Well, you're going to have to talk about it one more time. Now sit.”

Ardon plumped himself down, and Ariel came to stand before him. “Now, tell me about this woman Rahab.”

“I've told you. She pulled us off the street. I had been wounded and was bleeding to death.”

“Why did she do that?”

“She said she had heard about Israel and how we were defeating all our enemies. She wanted us to have mercy on her and her family.”

“But she was a bad woman?”

“Yes, she was.”

“How do you know that, Ardon?”

“She told us,” Ardon said, throwing his hands wide. “She came right out and said it. She's a harlot.”

Suddenly Ariel laughed. “That's amusing.”

Ardon was offended. “Why is it amusing?”

“Because you're so pure and stainless you'd cross the street to keep from walking close to one of those women, and now God chooses one of them to save your life.”

“I don't think of it like that. As a matter of fact, maybe we made a mistake. I felt we were doing wrong just by being in her house.”

“From what you said there wasn't any other choice.”

“I should have found a better way.”

Ariel shook her head. “You're a stubborn man, brother. One of these days you're going to have to learn how to change your mind. Well, I can get a better story from Othniel than from you.”

As she left, Ardon called out, “Don't pay any attention to him. He's taken with the woman.”

****

“Well, to be truthful, I liked her a lot, Ariel.”

Ariel had drawn Othniel aside, and the two were sitting down on a bench side by side. She had demanded the whole story by saying, “I've heard what my brother said. Now I want to hear it from you. Don't leave out any details. What about the woman?”

Othniel was silent for a while, and she asked, “Well, what about her? She was a prostitute, wasn't she?”

“She said she was, but she didn't look like one, Ariel.”

“What did she look like?”

“Why are you so curious?”

“She saved my brother's life. Naturally I'm interested.”

“But not because she saved mine?”

“Never mind that. Just tell me the whole story. Don't leave out anything.”

Othniel began to talk, and as he related the tale, he was surprised to think of many details he had left out earlier. Perhaps it was because Ariel kept prompting him for more information, and finally he ended by saying, “…and so we slid down the rope and made our way back here.”

Ariel had listened intently. “I'm not surprised that you wound up in the house of a harlot, but I am surprised about my brother.”

“Ardon's worse than you are, but I wish you wouldn't be so judgmental.”

“I didn't mean to be. Tell me. What did she look like?”

“She's a very nice-looking young woman.”

“Was she as pretty as me?”

“I didn't know it was a beauty contest,” Othniel said with a grin. “She's quite different from you.”

“Tell me. What did she look like?”

“Well, she had the most unusual eyes. They were violet, purple like the sunset looks at times. Never saw anything like it. She told me her mother was a slave from up north with fair hair and blue eyes. I guess that's where she got them.”

“Did she offer to make love to you?”

“Of course not!”

“Why are you so surprised? That's what she does for money.”

“I don't want to talk about this anymore. Your brother would be dead if it weren't for her, and so would I.”

Suddenly Ariel was filled with compunction. “I'm sorry, Othniel. I don't mean to be mean. I'm just so glad you and Ardon are safe. If I ever meet the woman, I'll tell her so, no matter what she is.”

“You'll meet her, all right. When the battle starts, I'll be right there with Ardon, I hope. She'll have the scarlet rope hanging out the window, and it'll be our job to get her and her family out alive.”

“It would make a nice story if you would fall in love with her and marry her, wouldn't it, Othniel?”

“Oh, I couldn't do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have been in love with you since I was twelve years old. No, eleven, I think.”

Ariel laughed. Othniel had often thrown this up to her and she had never believed a word of it. “Get away with you, now. I don't want to hear any more of your stories. But if you do bring the woman back, I want to thank her.”

Othniel started to leave, but first turned to say, “Tomorrow we're crossing the Jordan. That'll be something to see. It took us forty years to get from Egypt to this point. Should have taken no more than a month at the most.”

“What'll happen when we cross the Jordan?”

“We'll be in the land of milk and honey. That's what Moses always called it. I could use a little milk and honey.”

****

Joshua had prepared the priests by telling them to sanctify themselves, and now the morning had come. The Lord had awakened Joshua early and given him a message.
“Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.”
He had also given careful instructions about the crossing of the Jordan, and now the sun shone brightly down on all the people, who had gathered themselves together, every man, woman, child, and young person.