Rebekah Redeemed (5 page)

Days later word came from Benjamin’s brother, Jacob, in
Jerusalem
. The caravan had returned with goods from
Caesarea
, but there was bad news. Rebekah swept a far corner of the courtyard. She looked up to see Mara’s face clouded with foreboding.

“Your Husband has been killed,” said the messenger.

Mara screamed and fell to the floor. “No! No!” she wailed, and the women in the house began to keen.

Her father stood by his daughter. “How did this happen?”

“He was supervising goods coming off the ship at the harbor. He fell from the dock after losing his balance, and the ship crushed him against the pilings. My master sends his regrets and condolences.”

“What about my house, my servants?” Mara wailed.

“My master is compelled to leave you in the care of your father’s house. It is a blessing you have your family to care for you.”

“Get out of my sight,” she screamed. She dragged herself to her feet and ran to her rooms. She continued ranting, “Curse your bones, Benjamin. You’ve left me a widow with no more status than an old woman and spinster daughter in my father’s household. Now what will become of me?”

Rebekah heard the commotion with the other servants but stayed in the background as the scene transpired.

Mara openly complained for days. She could be heard throughout the household. “I hate dressing in black. I cannot believe I must wear it for a year.” She outwardly mourned and wailed for the loss of her husband when people came to visit her. But, Rebekah heard Mara’s tantrums daily. “I hate him. He promised me wealth and then stupidly got himself killed. I think he did it for spite.”

Rebekah remembered overhearing Mara and Benjamin speaking late one night. Benjamin had said, “Mara, the child looks just like my sister. I can hardly believe it.”

Mara spit her words at her husband. “Never call that girl ‘family.’ Her very existence makes me grieve for my dead children. I’ll not have her treated as family, Benjamin. She is nothing more than a servant.”

Rebekah never heard him refer to her as a member of the family again.

Several weeks after Benjamin’s death, Rebekah helped prepare the food and tables for a banquet. She tried to stay in the background so that Mara wouldn’t notice her serving some of the guests. However, as Mara sipped her wine and water at the women’s banquet with her mother and Joanna, she shrieked, “Mother, you said you would keep that brat out of my sight.”

Joanna rose from where she lounged with her friends. “Get her out of here. Now! I’ll have all of you beaten for upsetting my dear sister.”

The next day while she ground grain for bread, the other servants talked in low tones. Rebekah overheard parts of their conversation while they worked.

“I heard the master has sent messages to Jacob ben Joseph.”

“I heard our mistress screaming last night. She was threatening to sell the girl.”

“She will be gone before the Sabbath.”

Does Jacob know that he is my uncle? Did Benjamin ever tell him who I am? Will they just use me as a servant?
Her thoughts tumbled one on top of the other.

Two days later Rebekah was working near the courtyard and a man arrived. Mara’s father sat with the man in the east portico. They seemed to be haggling over a purchase.

The master called, “Rebekah, come here.”

She responded quickly.

The man looked her over and a smile curved his lips. He summoned Rebekah to come closer.

She felt uncomfortable under this man’s scrutiny. He reached out and put his fingers under her chin. Raising her face, he looked into her brown eyes. Then he nodded and smiled. “I’ll give you the price you want. I think my master will be pleased with her.”

The master added, “She is strong and can endure physical labor, but she has proven to be a good house servant as well.”

The man removed his shoe, and the deal was made according to their customs. Rebekah belonged to Jacob ben Joseph.

They left immediately. Rebekah only had the clothes she wore. She did not like the way this man looked at her. She felt fearful, but she followed him and kept her gaze on the ground. He reminded her of her uncle Benjamin’s friend, Judas. She forced the memory from her mind.

Once again Rebekah’s life was at the mercy of others. She knew that Jacob was her uncle, but she had only seen him when he and his wife Tirsah had come to Benjamin’s for the feast that Mara had arranged to promote her husband. Jacob and Tirsah had paid little attention to her then. Did they know she was their niece?

As they joined the bustling crowd entering the city gate, Rebekah and Jacob’s servant passed groups of men sitting together and talking among themselves. Inside
Jerusalem
’s walls she found herself in a world she had only imagined. Tiny shops lined the narrow stone streets. The sounds of animals and of people’s voices grew louder until they arrived in the market. Farmers brought their crops and animals to sell three days a week. Rebekah saw baskets of every food imaginable. Some she had never seen before. The jostling of so many people in one place slowed her steps, and she looked around her taking in every sight and smell, trying to experience everything at once.

The servant impatiently tried to hurry her on their way. He took her arm and she recoiled at his touch. He grabbed her again and forced her to almost run to keep up with him. “Move,” he said through clenched teeth. “I do not have time to show you the city. You are not a guest coming to visit the master, you are but a servant in his house. You had best remember your station.”

Within a few minutes, Rebekah found herself pushed through a large double gateway into a private courtyard off the street and behind a two-story wall. Not only was the city itself magnificent, but
 
Jacob ben Joseph’s house looked like a palace to her. Surely even King Herod’s palace was no grander than this.

A servant about the age her mother would have been had she lived came running when they arrived, “The master is looking for you, Dathan,” the woman wheezed. “I’ll take her.”

Dathan disappeared through the outer courtyard into what looked like still another courtyard. A fountain and garden much larger than Mara’s stretched out before Rebekah as she followed the servant through an archway. She could see a stairway up to a second story on either side of the open garden. She saw tile floors everywhere, and murals decorated the walls.

“I am Sarah. I will take you to see the mistress.”

Rebekah followed Sarah into a large airy room with filigree shutters. Tirsah sat talking with an old woman whom she dismissed when they entered.

“Bring her closer, Sarah. I want to see just who my husband has brought into our home.”

Sarah gave Rebekah a push, bowed and left.

“Come. I won’t hurt you. I want to see you.”

Rebekah walked toward the woman remembering how quickly Mara could be angry and slap her if she were in a bad temper. She remained silent.

Tirsah waved her to come even closer. “What is your name?”

“Rebekah.”

“Uncover your head.”

She lifted the shawl from her head and let it fall on her shoulders. Tirsah dropped the goblet in her hand and gasped. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“Rebekah, your servant.” She bowed down and kept her gaze on the floor.

“Where do you come from?”

“Benjamin ben Joseph’s household.”

“No, I mean who are your parents?”

“Eleazar and Miriam.”

“It cannot be,” Tirsah struck a bell and Sarah rushed back into the room.

Rebekah pulled back and readied herself for whatever attack was coming. She glanced at Sarah and dropped her eyes once again.

“Take her to the cook. Keep her in the back kitchen and do not let her out where anyone can see her. Now! Go!”

They scurried from the room. Sarah closed the doors behind them. “What did you do? What did you say? I have never seen my mistress so pale or upset.”

“I do not know. I answered her questions,” said Rebekah.

“There is plenty of work in parts of the house that our mistress rarely goes. You can work there until she or my master ask for you.”

Rebekah did not have any expectation that Jacob and Tirsah would treat her any differently than Benjamin and Mara. She had hoped that they might accept her, but now she only hoped for kindness.

Sarah took her to where three young girls worked preparing platters of dates, nuts, fruit, dove breasts, and bread and cheese. The youngest one looked up and smiled.

Sarah said, “Rebekah, this is my daughter Deborah. You will learn from her what your duties are.”

Deborah said “Shalom, Rebekah.”

“Shalom.”

“These are Anna and Eunice.”

“Shalom,” the women said.

Rebekah and Deborah were about the same age. “I’ll show you the house and what to do tomorrow. For now you can help us.”

Rebekah nodded.

Deborah said, “I heard that the mistress was upset when you saw her.” She looked around and whispered close to Rebekah’s ear. “When the master comes home she is having a special supper for him on the roof. I will be serving them.”

Rebekah helped the other women finish up their work. Anna disappeared, and when she returned she said, “This must be a special night. Our mistress rubbed herself with myrrh and changed into a beautiful layered tunic of fine cream linen and blue with gold embroidered trim. She is wearing the master’s favorite lapis and gold necklace, bracelets and gold earrings.”

Eunice laughed. “Anna you always tell us what is happening in the house. We might never know if it were not for you.”

“Our mistress has decided to set a special meal for just the two of them on the upper terrace where it will be cool and they can be alone,” said Anna.

The women scurried to move the meal from the roof to the upper terrace. Rebekah stayed behind. When Anna, Eunice, and Deborah returned, Deborah grabbed Rebekah and pulled her close. Rebekah flinched.

“I heard our mistress mention your name when she and the master seated themselves. Come with me. Do you want to know what they are saying?”

“No, I do not want to get beaten for listening,” said Rebekah.

“I have a perfect place to hide you. No one will find you, but you can see and hear everything. I’ve hidden there myself,” said Deborah.

Deborah pulled her along and stashed her in the hiding place. Rebekah trembled at the thought of being discovered but focused on her aunt and uncle through a narrow opening.

From her hiding place, Rebekah watched Deborah and Anna serve her mistress and master.

“My dear husband, you have worked all the day and you are tired.” She offered him a goblet of wine and water.

“You look very beautiful,” Jacob said, smiling at his wife. “Is this just for me or are we entertaining someone important?”

“No, no, my love. This is for you, my husband. Only for you.”

They relaxed into the pillows, and the servants played quiet music from the courtyard below. After a leisurely meal and several glasses of wine, Jacob asked, “Did Dathan return with the new servant I purchased from Mara? We don’t need another house servant, but she is my sister-in-law. I wanted to help her, but how my brother could be married to such a…”

“Oh, my dear, do not upset yourself with the past. Have another goblet of wine.”

Jacob rubbed his hand across his forehead as if to rub the thought away, then smiled at his wife. “You’re right.” He yawned and then emptied the wine into his mouth. “I’m tired. We will talk of this tomorrow.” He rose and they walked arm in arm to Tirsah’s chambers.

When all grew quiet, Deborah came for Rebekah. She conspiratorially whispered, “Don’t let mama know we listened. I get in trouble all the time, but I always know what’s going on in the house before anyone else except Anna.”

Rebekah didn’t know what to say, but she realized that Tirsah would get rid of her before she would let Jacob know that the new servant was actually their niece.
I must be worthless, or why would my family shun me this way? I don’t understand.

After a restless night, Rebekah joined the others in cooking and cleaning. However, she didn’t have to go to the well with the younger girls. Deborah giggled and looked over her shoulder to see if her mother might over hear her. “I saw Mary and the stable boy together last night.”

“What were they doing?” Anna asked.

“Rolling around.”

“Not again.” Eunice laughed.

“They think nobody knows about them.” Deborah loved being the first to pass on information.

Rebekah tried to ignore Deborah and the others gossiping.

Deborah said, “Rebekah, wait until the young master Philip comes from the country estate. He’s so handsome.”

“You’d better quit daydreaming about him,” advised Eunice. “You’re only a servant, and he will be our master someday.”

“I can dream,” answered Deborah. “Maybe I won’t always be a servant. What about the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Torah? She wasn’t much more than a servant and a foreigner besides, but she became a great lady.”

The girls heard Sarah approach. “Are you gossiping again? Deborah, stop distracting them from their work.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Go sweep the terrace and the roof. Then, take Rebekah to the market with you. You can teach her how to haggle with the merchants. Now go.”

Deborah took Rebekah everywhere with her. Rebekah had never had a friend her own age before. She enjoyed her bubbly companion, but she didn’t know what to say when Deborah gossiped about everything she saw and heard. She listened but feared actually joining in that kind of talk.

A few weeks after Rebekah settled into the household and her responsibilities, she relaxed a little. No one beat her here. No one yelled at her unless she did something really wrong, but they kept her out of sight most of the time. It was easy to keep her away from her uncle Jacob because he spent much of his time away, and when he was home the house was large enough to prevent him from noticing her. However, she knew that Tirsah felt strained at having her in the household. It was plain that she didn’t want Jacob to be upset. She also didn’t want Rebekah to take her place as a family member. She’d learned all about her mistress’ feelings through Deborah and their hiding places.

One afternoon while Deborah and Rebekah swept and arranged the roof terrace they heard a commotion in the garden below. The girls peered over the ledge but remained half hidden.

“Rebekah, it’s him.” Deborah grabbed Rebekah’s arm.

“Who?”

“Philip, the young master.” She sighed and looked dreamy. “See how handsome he is?”

Rebekah looked. She thought,
He’s handsome, but he looks angry. I don’t think I would trust him, he might be cruel.

“Mother, where are you?”

Tirsah emerged and threw her arms around her son. “I’m here. my dear. You seem upset. What is it?”

“I’ve been pushed beyond what I can bare. I stay at the villa in
Bethany
, but I never have enough servants to take care of my needs and still work the land. Father doesn’t think I’m a good manager. He only becomes angry with me when I tell him of my needs.”

“Come sit by me and tell me your troubles.” She sat on a bench and patted the place next to her.

“I want to have a celebration for my birthday and invite all my friends. Besides, Marcus is being promoted, so we can celebrate both events at the same time. Could you spare me some of your house servants, mother?” asked Philip. “I could send them back afterward.”

“I could spare three and one you could keep. She’s new, and I don’t need her. She could be a good addition to the villa.”

“Oh, mother, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He kissed her cheek and jumped to his feet like an excited child full of plans. “Marcus has returned with the Legion and I want him to feel welcome, but my finances are strained.” He paused.

Tirsah looked into his face but didn’t comment.

“Father thinks I’m wasteful and spoiled. He wants me to take more responsibility and begin working more in the business, but I care little for it. I want to enjoy my friends while I’m young. There will be plenty of time for business when I’m older.” Philip’s eyes narrowed. “Besides, it is important for our future to be friendly with the Romans. They can make life easier or they can make it difficult. Marcus is rising. He is a Centurion now and will be a Tribune. His uncle is well connected with the new governor, Pontius Pilate. It is important for me to ally myself with those in power so that when father is gone, well…”

Tirsah once again extended her arms to her son. He sank by her feet with his head in her lap and she stroked his hair. “I’ll take care of you. Take the servants with you and whatever you wish.” A shy smile crossed Philip’s lips.

Deborah whispered in Rebekah’s ear, “He always gets his way with his mother. It’s always a fight when he talks with his father.”

Philip and Tirsah rose together and walked across the courtyard arm in arm. She ordered Dathan to give Philip anything he asked for, and then she summoned Rebekah and two other servants.

Deborah and Rebekah scurried down the stairs and tried not to give away their previous hiding place or that they had been listening.

“You are going to our country home in
Bethany
with my son. In a week you will return, after Philip is finished with you. Oh, except for you Rebekah, you will stay there.”

Rebekah bowed slightly and murmured, “Yes mistress.”

Philip and a manservant rode in a covered cart with comfortable cushions to lounge upon. The servants walked behind them and led two carts filled with fresh produce, wine, bolts of fabric, two new lounges and assorted goblets, platters and utensils Tirsah sent along for the great banquet and celebration. She stood waving at the gate as the entourage wended its way down the stone street between the walls of her neighbor’s lavish homes.