Martha Read online

  Esther laughed and then said, “Only with this husband of mine who will hardly let me out of his sight. You’d think I was a pottery vessel that would break.”

  Micah’s face reddened. “I only wish her to be safe.”

  Martha, remembering the loss of Micah’s first wife and child, turned reproachful eyes on her friend. “Perhaps he has reason, Esther.”

  Esther’s face lit with understanding. She put a hand on her husband’s arm and looked up at him, her eyes warm with affection. “He takes good care of me and I am grateful.”

  Micah appeared relieved as he looked down at his young wife. It warmed Martha’s heart to know her friend had found a husband who would love and cherish her.

  Mary, who had been waiting politely near Chloe during these exchanges, now stepped forward, her face anxious. “When is the baby due, Esther?”

  “Near the time of date harvest.” She laughed. “I do not look forward to being a great cow during the heat of Elul.” She turned to Mary. “How is your leg?”

  “It has healed well.”

  Esther smiled at her. “I’m glad to hear that, Mary.”

  Judith interrupted, taking her daughter’s arm protectively. “Was the journey difficult? Did you find safe places to stay?”

  “We were fine, Mother. We were safe.”

  Martha glanced past Micah. “Are your parents here?”

  He shook his head. “My father hurt his leg. The journey would be too much for him and my mother stayed to care for him.”

  Tobias beckoned with one hand. “You must come with us and stay at the home of her mother Jerusha’s cousin.”

  Turning to her mother, Esther smiled. “We wondered if we could find you in the crowd. We went by our home and no one was there.”

  Her brother shrugged. “We weren’t sure when you were coming or if you were going to be at Passover this year.”

  She gave him a saucy look. “You could have waited a little longer.”

  Martha waved a hand. “There is no need to be concerned with that now. We have all found each other and can go together.”

  Ephraim, waiting patiently on the donkey, nodded his head. “They will be welcome at the home of Hanniel.”

  Clapping a firm hand on Micah’s shoulder, Tobias grinned. “So, brother, you are to be a father. That is good.”

  Micah winced at the strength of the hand on his shoulder, but smiled weakly. “Yes, that is good.”

  Lazarus looked around and frowned. “Come, let us get out of this crowd.”

  The blacksmith stood quietly, watching the reunion with a wistful look in his eyes. He lifted his chin and, with a nod to Ephraim, took his leave of them, disappearing quickly into the mass of people.

  Ephraim watched Nathan go with a pensive look on his face. “Perhaps he is also staying with relatives in the city.”

  Chloe had not uttered a word during the family reunion, and Mary, seeing the girl’s shyness, put a gentle hand on her arm. “Come, we have much to do. We will need your help.” Chloe smiled then and walked with Mary as the group moved forward.

  Hanniel was getting along in years as was his wife, Sherah, but the travelers were greeted warmly and assigned places in the courtyard to bed down and put the supplies they brought.

  “You are welcome at this Passover time. Make yourselves comfortable and enjoy our humble home.” Sherah made sure Ephraim had a comfortable place to sleep. He thanked her and made his way to a nearby bench, slowly lowering himself. Martha watched him and saw his face, drawn with the effort of the journey. How much longer would he be with them?

  Martha presented Sherah with a shawl she’d woven in the soft colors of the earth, a gift in thanks for taking them all in. The older woman fingered the beautiful weaving.

  “God has truly blessed you with a gift for this, Martha. This is fine work. It will help keep me warm, for I must confess these days I feel the cold more and more.”

  As the noon hour approached, when the Temple gates would open, Tobias and Lazarus prepared to bring the sacrificial lamb to the Temple. Ephraim, exhausted from the journey, sat with Hanniel under the shade of a sycamore tree and talked quietly. Martha could hear the panicked animals, perhaps sensing danger, bleating as they were being led to slaughter. Soon the blasts of the Levite trumpets signified the gates to the Temple were closed and the service had begun. The continual singing of the Levite choir, accompanied by harps, lyres, and cymbals, filled the air. Songs and the Hallel, six songs of praise, resounded throughout the city.

  Martha and the other women prepared the oven with pomegranate branches to roast the lamb. As they waited in the courtyard of the house for Tobias and Lazarus to return, Martha took a deep breath, feeling the overwhelming sense of joy that seemed to pervade the city. Listening to the choirs singing in the distance, she could imagine the ceremony taking place at the Temple as her father had described to her. The lambs slaughtered, the blood caught in the silver and gold vessels and then passed on to the priest standing at the altar, who poured the contents on the foundation of the altar.

  In time, the smell of roasting lamb in the special ovens filled the city as the women prepared the seder with bitter herbs and matzoth, the bread made without yeast, as Moses had instructed their ancestors long ago.

  All at once, the singing from the Temple stopped. Martha looked up. The women exchanged puzzled glances as they became aware of a faint disturbance coming from the Temple. They could hear shouting. Martha’s heart pounded. Was it soldiers? Even Herod would not disrupt Passover.

  The gate was flung open and Tobias and Lazarus burst into the courtyard. Tobias carried in the slain sacrificial lamb as Lazarus hastily closed the gate.

  The women hurried forward to meet them. Martha looked from one to the other. “What is it? Why has the singing ended?”

  Lazarus glanced back toward the Temple, his eyes wide with fear. His father rose and stood unsteadily, his brows knit in concern.

  Tobias turned to the group. “The whole Temple is in an uproar. We had just finished our turn at the altar of sacrifice when suddenly there was a commotion in the courtyard. This rabbi no one had seen before was overturning the tables of the moneychangers—”

  Then Lazarus broke in. “The Temple police had to force the people back from gathering the scattered coins. Then this rabbi released the pens of Temple lambs, and the doves from their cages. He’d made a whip of cords and drove the moneychangers out of the Temple!”

  Tobias shook his head. “We were almost run over by a flock of lambs running every which way. Everything was just chaos. We were walking to the gate when this rabbi burst in. We managed to make our way through the crowd and slip out of the Temple during the uproar. We hurried back here as quickly as we could.”

  Martha put her hands on her hips. “Who is this new rabbi? What right did he have to do this?”

  Tobias was still breathing heavily. Evidently the two young men had run all the way from the Temple through the narrow streets with Tobias carrying the lamb.

  Lazarus took a deep breath. “He was shouting, ‘Take these things away! Do not make my Father’s house a house of merchandise.’”

  Mary’s brow was wrinkled in puzzlement. “He said ‘my Father’s house’? The Temple is the house of God and he called God ‘my Father.’ Could he be the Messiah we have waited for?”

  The men were suddenly silent and stared at her, considering the enormity of her statement. Then Ephraim looked toward the Temple and slowly shook his head. “Many have come over the years claiming to be the Messiah. They have gathered followers, but as time passed they disappeared and their claims came to naught. We will wait to see what this man will do.”

  Hanniel pounded his fist into his palm. “If he is an imposter, we will know soon enough. I am amazed that the Temple police did not arrest him. Why did they not stop him?” He shook his head. “They have not arrested John the Baptizer either. Are they afraid of these men?”

  Martha had been listening, but realized Tobias was s
till holding the lamb. “This is all very well, but the lamb needs to go into the oven.” She motioned to Sherah and Judith, and together they prepared the lamb and sealed it for roasting.

  Esther, still weary from the long walk from Bethlehem, sank down on a bench to rest. Micah hovered nearby, watching her. Her offers to help were declined as the women looked out for her. Now Chloe and Mary sat with her, and the three women whispered among themselves.

  As the lamb roasted, Martha nodded to Mary and Chloe to join her as the women put out the food they had prepared. While she worked, Martha’s mind was filled with questions. Who was this rabbi? She wished she could have seen him for herself. Would this incident bring the Roman soldiers down on the people? She feared for her family. Would it be safe to travel the road back to Bethany? She glanced at her father, deep in conversation with the other men as they compared the Scriptures referring to the Messiah. She caught snatches of their words . . .

  “The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem . . .”

  “Does anyone know where this man comes from?”

  She heard Tobias’s voice. “Nazareth. I heard someone say the rabbi was from Nazareth, as we were pushing through the crowd.”

  “Then he can’t be the Messiah. Nothing good ever came out of Nazareth.”

  “The Scriptures say he will free our people, he will be a conquering Messiah . . .”

  “The leaders did not arrest him. They only questioned why he did this.”

  She heard Lazarus’s voice. “He said, ‘Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.’”

  Hanniel gave a hoot of derision. “It took forty-six years to build the Temple. The priests said so. How can he raise it in three days? I say he is demented.”

  The men continued to argue.

  The women waited patiently, talking quietly among themselves and wondering what this all meant. Before they knew it, the lamb was ready and the families gathered around low tables to conduct the seder. The women served the matzoth and bitter herbs dipped in harose. Martha loved this dish made from apples and dried fruit, mixed with nuts and wine. As they dipped the matzot in this fragrant dish, Ephraim haltingly told the story of how it represented the mortar used by the Jews to build the pyramids when they were slaves in Egypt.

  Hanniel, as host, told the story of the Exodus and finally all ate of the warm meat of the lamb. To the relief of all, they heard the singing resume and the women were assured that meant the Passover ceremonies were continuing. As midnight approached, all three families raised their cups for the singing of the Hallel, the prayers of thanks. The song reverberated throughout the city as families by the thousands joined in from every house and courtyard, drawing to a close the holiest day of the year.

  As she prepared her pallet for the night, Martha whispered to Lazarus, “Do you know who that rabbi was, creating the riot in the Temple?”

  Lazarus yawned. “I heard someone call him Jesus.” He closed his eyes and in moments was asleep.

  Martha lay back, looking up at the night sky. These were strange times and strange things were happening. Would Herod send soldiers because of the riot in the Temple, or would he ignore it and let the Jewish leaders handle it? Would they reach their home safely? She closed her eyes, but her mind reeled with the events of the day, and she wondered what the coming dawn would hold.

  8

  Martha and the rest of their traveling group prepared for departure. Sherah gave each family some fruit and cheese. Her hand shook as she held out her gifts, and Martha wondered if she would be there to greet them the following year.

  Micah and Esther would return to Bethany, then would rest overnight before continuing on to Bethlehem. With Esther’s pregnancy and Ephraim’s poor health, the group would travel slowly.

  Ephraim insisted on walking out of the city on his own and made the laborious descent from the city to the road. By the time he reached the road, he was greatly fatigued and reluctantly allowed Lazarus and Micah to help him on the donkey. Lazarus led the donkey but glanced back every few moments, keeping a close watch on his father.

  The group was about halfway to Bethany when there were shouts from the people behind them as a group of Roman soldiers on horseback clattered down on them. People jumped quickly out of the way, but the donkey, sensing danger, balked and Ephraim slipped from the donkey on the side away from Lazarus and fainted in the road, right in the path of the soldiers.

  Martha cried out and caught Mary’s arm. Micah grabbed Esther against him protectively and turned his back to the road. Tobias pulled Chloe and his mother off the road. Other pilgrims who saw Ephraim fall also cried out. Lazarus tried to get out of the way of the terrified donkey and reach his father before he was trampled, but though he moved quickly, he was not fast enough. Just as Martha was sure her father would be killed, the Roman officer in the lead reined his horse to an abrupt halt and stood his ground in front of the old man so the other soldiers had to ride around him. His quick thinking saved Ephraim’s life.

  The other soldiers rode on without even a backward glance, but the Roman officer dismounted and stooped to check on the still figure lying in the road.

  Lazarus knelt and gathered his father in his arms. He turned to the soldier. “We owe you his life. May you be blessed for your kindness.”

  The soldier looked at him and smiled. “I am glad to help.” His eyes were a deep blue in a rugged face, marked by scars of war. In spite of that, it was a kind face and Martha saw no disdain in the look he gave them.

  “I am Captain Flavious, at your service.”

  Martha’s eyes met the eyes of the captain, and in that brief instant, something changed inside her. Bewildered, she lowered her eyes. What was this strangeness she felt?

  Lazarus was about to try to place his father on the donkey as Micah and Tobias moved to help. Ephraim was like a dead weight.

  The captain shook his head. “I don’t believe he will be able to stay on.” He lifted the unconscious old man in strong arms and remounted his horse. “Where can I take him?”

  Lazarus glanced around at his family and then at Tobias, unsure of what to do. “We are from Bethany.” He didn’t want to argue with a Roman soldier.

  Martha stepped up. “Lazarus, take the donkey and lead Captain Flavious to our home. We will follow as quickly as we can.”

  Esther put a hand on her arm. “We will come with you.”

  “Thank you.” She covered Esther’s hand with her own briefly and turned away.

  As she and Mary walked as fast as they could, Martha’s mind was turning. This Roman soldier was a Gentile. Romans were familiar with their kosher ways. Surely he would know he could not enter their home.

  Martha and Mary nearly ran to keep up behind Lazarus and Captain Flavious. When they reached the house, panting from their exertion, the soldier was handing Ephraim down to Lazarus. Knowing her father was too heavy for Lazarus to carry by himself, she sought for some solution without involving the soldier entering their house.

  “Let me take him.”

  She turned to face Nathan, who had appeared unexpectedly and was already lifting her father in his strong arms. He gave the captain a brief nod of thanks and dismissal and as Lazarus opened the gate, carried Ephraim to his pallet. Mary hurried into the house behind them, her face pinched with fear.

  Martha turned to their benefactor. “You are very kind, Captain Flavious. We owe you a great debt of thanks.”

  The captain’s blue eyes caught hers and something fluttered in her heart. Why was this man affecting her so?

  He swung up onto his horse and gave her a brief smile. “Perhaps I will see you again in the city?”

  Her thoughts flew. Did he want to see her again? She wanted to say the right thing, to discourage that thought, but instead murmured only, “Perhaps, Captain.”

  He seemed pleased. “Will you tell me your name, and those of your family?”

  She hesitated. Would something come of this incident with the authorities? He seemed trustworthy
and kind. Perhaps there was no harm in telling him the names of the family he had helped. “I am Martha. My father is Ephraim, my brother and sister are Lazarus and Mary.”

  “I’m happy to make the acquaintance of your family—Martha.”

  He wheeled his horse and rode quickly out of Bethany, leaving Martha staring after him with mixed emotions. As she turned back toward the house, she nearly ran into Nathan. How long had he been standing in the courtyard? Had he overheard their conversation? His dark eyes were unreadable, but he turned to walk away, his whole demeanor stern with disapproval.

  She felt her face redden with shame as she hurried toward her father. She had been open and friendly with a hated Roman soldier. Yet the man had saved her father. The village already knew about the captain’s kindness. Would Nathan relate what he had heard to others in the village? He was a taciturn man not given to gossip. She hoped that would be the end of it.

  Micah and Esther arrived with her family and found that Ephraim was safely home being cared for and the Roman soldier was gone. At Martha’s insistence, they went home. Martha and Esther agreed to meet early in the morning to have a short visit before Esther and Micah went on their way.

  The two young women walked slowly together to the shade of a sycamore tree near Esther’s home in the cool of the early morning.

  “Marriage agrees with you, Esther. You look beautiful.”

  “It is a good marriage. He is a kind man as Tobias said. His parents try to give us as much privacy as they can.” She blushed. “Many times when the weather is good we sleep on the roof. I am happy in Micah’s arms.”

  Martha smiled and just nodded. “When do you have to leave?”

  “Tomorrow. Micah knew I wanted to spend some time with my mother, and we will stay an extra day, but he is concerned for his father and is anxious to return.”

  “I wish you could stay longer, but it is better. You will have other travelers on the road from Passover and it will be safer for you.”