Over Obadiah’s objections and despite Jezebel’s threats, Ahab sent Ben-hadad an answer saying, “As you say, my lord king, I am yours with all I have.” He issued orders to prepare to load the silver and gold of Israel’s treasury onto Aram’s carts, every scrap of it, and spent all the next day saying goodbye to his favorite concubines. Later he did the same with his daughters and sons, weeping and wringing his hands, refusing to hide or withhold any of his family from the bounty, save his queen.
But Ahab’s complete surrender turned out not complete enough. Ben-hadad’s spokesman returned to Samaria before the deal closed and said…
These are the words of Ben-hadad. I sent to you saying, give up to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children, but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time to make a search through your house and the houses of your people and everything which is pleasing in your eyes they will take away in their hands.
Jezebel was there when the message arrived and spoke pointing at its carrier. “I say send this stooge’s head back to Ben-hadad in a sack. Then Aram will learn who we are.”
Ahab sat perplexed and muttering.
“They’ve been drinking in their tents for days, sir,” Obadiah told him, “and they are now so obviously drunk with a sense of their advantage, I’m afraid that our timidity has confirmed their vanity. It’s become a game to them, sir, too much fun to go home with only prizes. They insist upon fighting the battle that we have convinced them they will win.
“That is exactly their thinking,” Jezebel said.
Obadiah blinked at the queen, shocked and pleased because she had never before agreed with him. To Jezebel’s credit, she hissed at him and said, “You disgust me.”
“I have already promised them everything,” Ahab said, missing everyone’s point.
“You have not offered them our holy scrolls, sir,” Obadiah said. “Ben-hadad knows more than a little about our people. He’s added this latest demand betting we will choose to fight to the death before abandoning our identity and sacred history.”
“Scrolls?” Jezebel said. “If this is about scrolls, I say throw the relics into wagons, send them to the enemy and say goodbye.”
“Forgive me, lady, but you are mistaken,” Obadiah said. “Israel can no longer be ransomed. No matter what we offer, Ben-hadad will not be pleased with less than blood.”
*
At Jezreel, where nothing had happened, the tower elders asked the captain of the garrison to dispatch scouts into the valley. These soon returned to confirm that Ben-hadad’s entire force had passed. “Why did they not finish what they began here?” Sara asked one night. “They could have made short work of Jezreel.”
“Once finished at Samaria,” Avi said, “they’ll return at their leisure. We are doomed if we stay. Let’s run now, I say, and make new homes beyond the Jordan.”
Avi’s brothers disagreed with Avi but also disputed each other. Some felt they should hide in the hills, others believed they were safe where they were, hidden in the vineyard. Yashar had no interest in the debate. Juttah had not improved. It seemed certain he would die.
“The dog and I have not been together long but it is painful to watch him fade,” he told Sara later that evening. “Why would anyone stoop to kill an innocent beast?”
“Killing is what soldiers do,” Sara said, laying her hands upon Juttah’s heaving chest. “It’s the same everywhere but God sees all and is just. Be confident, Yashar, Juttah is an amazing fighter. It’s a wonder he has survived this long. I’ve cleaned the wound, applied healing herbs and prayed for his health continually to the living God.” The night air shook with thunder. “Hear it?” she asked. “It will rain again this evening. Your animal will not only recover, I say, he will run in mad circles as before, in full health as if never harmed.”
Yashar wanted to believe Sara but, like Yashar’s mother, Sara was often blinded by faith.