“And the Lord said, Behold! The
land is complete and it is just and good...” The priest droned
on.
Jebbudah let the words flow over
his tired, sweating body. He was being allowed to sit, and there
was even a bit of shade. The water maiden was seated for the time
being, but thirst was not too overpowering. He rested, and listened.
The priest droned on.
“The Amonites violated our
sacred laws, and most grievously took from the King's stock of
concubines. They have been punished on the field of battle, and our
Lord has seen fit in his wisdom to grant us another swift victory.”
Another man seated next to
Jebbudah lifted his battered head, one eye nearly closed from a
recent beating. He snorted. “Hah. We snuck up on 'em, ambushed
em is what it was.”
“Have a care, Zacker. Did the
overseer not beat you enough today, that you wish more?”
“Hmph. True.” Zacker
lowered his head, and then seemed to doze.
Sensible. Too soon it will be
back to work, and dusk is a long way off. Best rest while I am able.
Jebbudah closed his eyes. The
words rang out over them and their hundreds of fellow workers, all
seated on low hills near the dias where the preist stood. He
finished speaking, and then two guards presented the first of ten
luckless Amonites – all recent captures. The man was forced to
kneel, and look out over the gathering, straight ahead. His hair was
grabbed and a sword drawn swiftly across his neck. Not even a chance
to pray to whatever god he believed in, life spurted out of him
swift. He was unceremoniously dropped forward, and pushed off the
dias into a shallow pit dug for that purpose.
The next man was drug up, this
time struggling and fighting. Two more guards came up from the rear,
kicking and beating him, forcing him down. He finally ceased to
struggle. He received the same swift death. And so it went.
Zacker opened his eyes, in time to
see the last two succumb and be sacrificed. He cleared his throat,
and spoke.
“You know, I used to work in a
temple.”
“Is that so, Zacker? You never
said.”
“Oh yes. There was always a
place for a comely boy in the temples.”
“So what is your point, Zacker?”
Jebuhdah grunted.
“In the beginning, God created
Adam and Eve. We are all sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.”
Zacker turned and fixed a gaze at Jebbudah.
“Yes, that is what we were all
taught in Sabbath Classes. So?”
“So what kind of a god would
divide his people so, and enslave some such as us into servitude,
living so rudely. And others get exhalted, lording over us. We are
all sons and daughters. What was our sin, Jebbudah? Why enslave
us? We are mixed blood, no enemies of Judah.”
Jebbudah looked at his friend,
battered, sweaty and bound to him as he was to the man on either
side. Their owner did not want anyone running off before the workday
was complete. Though the bounds were mere thin cords, they were but
a reminder of the punishment befalling anyone trying to escape.
“What did we do, Jebbudah,
except be born in the wrong tribe? What kind of creator would
separate us like this?”
“I don't know, Zacker.”
They both silently watched the
spectacle unfold. The ten fresh corpses were being set afire: A
burnt offering to the Lord, the smell sweet to His nostrils.
Jebbudah caught himself wondering, Did an omnipotent God, creator of
the Universe, even have nostrils? The ceremony concluded, and a
horrible smell finally wafted down over the assembled manservants.
Thankfully a water maiden came by and gave them a drink, spiced with
cinnamon and clover. The Priest kept yelling, “God is good. Be
glad you are here. God is good. Be grateful to our lord!”
Then, the ceremony concluded,
overseers with whips began to prod the assembled into motion again.
“Fun time's over! Get back to work, you worthless lazy scum!”
cra-ack!
The End
