In his small tower chamber beside several stacks of scrolls, Zvi, chief elder of Jezreel, sat stroking his beard beside his fellows, Paz and Givol. Something well beyond their imaginations had happened in the square that evening. Because of how strangely events had unfolded they did not know what to do.
According to reports, the young man named Yashar and the old woman, Sara, the wife of the condemned man, Naboth, had perpetrated violence in the square. Along with their dangerous animal, the captain of the garrison had brought them to the tower to be judged. Their animal, a beast they called Juttah, lay at their feet peacefully, after behaving like a demon an hour earlier.
“Must he be here?” Zvi asked, nodding toward the dog.
“It seems best, sir, now that he has calmed,” the captain said. “The fact is that no one, including me, is willing to attempt to lead him away.”
“Repeat yourself, Captain,” Zvi said, “regarding those who were injured.”
“Eight, sir,” the captain said.
“In total?” Zvi asked. “Eight in all?”
“No, sir,” the soldier answered. “Eight is the count of my men known to have been bitten severely. That excludes the mauled citizens and those beaten by him…” The captain stopped to nod toward the boy, Yashar, “or those gouged and scratched by her…” He indicated the woman, Sara. “…with the flying hair.”
Givol leaned forward to consider the dog. “Eight armed and armored men, nipped…”
“Deeply bitten, sir,” the captain corrected, “hands, arms, legs and wrists.”
“How might one animal…” Givol stopped to look again. “He is a big creature, assuredly, but he seems so docile now, does he not?”
“I’d have slit his throat if able,” the captain said, “so too would have any of my men, but the truth is we could barely see him.”
“Too dark, then?” Paz suggested.
“Too quick,” the captain said. “The beast flew about possessed.”
The elders looked at one another, concerned. “Is it safe then…?” Givol began.
“You evil men are safe,” Sara sobbed. “This dog only tried to protect my poor husband from the real animals in Jezreel, yet, thanks to God, not one jabbing spear or swinging blade ever touched Juttah, Yashar or me.”
“That is the immediate problem, lady,” Zvi said. “We seek intently to determine why you persevered while so many meant to harm you.”
“Why now seek the truth?”
“Plainly, it has the smell of a miracle,” Zvi said. “We are bound to consider your bruises, here and there, a handful of contusions too, it seems, but not an inch of broken flesh? Is it the Lord’s work, we must determine, or the adversary’s?”
“God protected us,” Yashar said.
“You say, boy,” Zvi answered, “and perhaps it is so. Whoever saved you, the process was unnatural. Final reckoning, however, shall come from the Lord.”
“Shame on you hypocrites,” Sara said. “You knew my Naboth was innocent yet colluded with the king and used your lifeless rules…”
“Do not blaspheme, woman,” Givol warned.
“It is you who blaspheme, sir,” Sara said. “You wish to threaten me now? Tell me, with what? I’ve been widowed this evening by your collaboration. This boy and I would be dead too had not God himself intervened this evening.”
The captain hung his head.
“You may yet die this evening, lady,” Paz said softly, “failing so to show respect.”
“Do it then,” Sara spat. “Stone me as a mercy, I beg you, but I pray you spare this boy.”
“Mind you,” Zvi said, “the events of this evening were ordained by our king.”
“Tell it to the Creator of the Universe on the last day,” Sara said. “He ordains, not Ahab or his putrid wife.” She stood to go. “Murder me now as you have my husband, I demand it, or set me free to care for his remains and properly mourn him.”
The elders blinked at each other. “Bidkar, what say you?” Zvi asked the captain, but Bidkar hesitated to speak. Zvi had known the leader of the Jezreel garrison for years. Never before had that brave soldier seemed so indecisive and bewildered.
Out of respect, the elders waited for the captain to gather his thoughts.
*
Yashar remembered Bidkar. “This old trooper,” he whispered to Sara when she sat again, “held together what remained of the Jezreel garrison after Ahab ran away.”
Sara shrugged, unimpressed.
“Naboth himself admired him,” Yashar said. “We watched at the vineyard gate when he, standing on the ramparts alone, dared Ben-hadad’s raiders to attack. It was the day they nearly killed my dog. This captain released Aram’s spies and saved the city.”
“Tonight he tried to murder us,” Sara said. “He would have succeeded too if not for…” She stopped to look down at Juttah. “I don’t know…” she added before her voice tailed off.
Yashar also did not understand what had happened earlier. They had fought with all their energy to save Naboth but it had not been enough. As the crowd seemed bent upon murdering them too, Juttah appeared and all who failed to run were badly mangled. The captain, as he had been bitten too, called off his men and reasoned with the mob.
Sara, having no remaining energy after Naboth fell, agreed to be taken to the tower to be judged provided the captain agreed to set Yashar free, which he did, but neither Yashar nor Juttah would allow her to face the elders alone.
“Captain,” Zvi asked a second time, “say your opinion. God seems to have preserved this trio for reasons we shall never understand. We have done our duty to Ahab, all else remains within our discretion. Shall we set them free?”
The captain, having remained silent for a very long time, answered while revealing a wound on his wrist. “I myself have been tagged by this animal,” he said. “Many in my company suffered worse. The survival of these three mystifies me too; an armed company and a mob bent to harm them yet we see no evidence of success? I see their god’s intervention as an explanation superior to all others. No mere pet could have done such damage without supernatural aid. Too much blood has been spilled this evening. It would be both wise and practical to set them free, especially since I cannot guarantee what will happen if we again dare disturb this dog.”
The elders whispered together then Zvi pointed to the door and said, “It is divine providence, we rule. You two and the animal may go quickly.”
“I will not thank you for my life,” Sara said, rising to leave. “You give me nothing after taking everything.” She turned to the captain. “I have no thanks for you as well. You had no choice but to pull us from that crowd.”
“Before he crippled half Jezreel,” the captain conceded, nodding toward Juttah.
“The men who stoned my Naboth were our friends and neighbors,” Sara sobbed. “God saw all that they did this evening. God also well knows what you three elders did in Ahab’s name this night. Remember, you proud men, and fear that he is just.”
“Who will pay, then,” Paz stuttered, “in your woman’s opinion?”
“All Israel, sir,” Sara said, “for even those, like you, who think themselves righteous are under judgment and have lost their way.”