Of Such Is The Kingdom, A Novel of Biblical Times in 3 parts

He paused and took another sip.

Herod sipped his wine too now, probably because it was getting low and he didn’t want to have to interrupt the story by sending for another pitcher.  ”And was anyone awake?”

”As a matter of fact, the whole family was awake.  But it was the lady of the house who opened the door to me and stood looking down at me inquiringly.  ‘Yes?’  I knew what she must have been thinking.  What could a small boy like me be wanting at this time of night?  I was almost too scared to speak.  But I knew I must.

”‘Have you any little boys two years old or younger?’ I ventured.

”‘Why, yes,’ she replied, somewhat surprised, ‘one.  Who wants to know?’

”‘I do,’ I said.  ‘I have some urgent news for you. May I come in?’

”‘Well, I guess so.’”  Manaheem slowly sipped his wine, and then continued:

”Such a filthy looking place I have never seen.  There were scrolls and articles of clothing strewn all over the place.  To the right of the door where I came in, sat her husband in tattered garb.  The children looked worse.  They were roaming wildly through the house, except for one, who sat on his father’s knee.  The father was reading to the boy, who listened intently.  But as soon as my presence was noticed, the reading stopped and both father and son looked up inquisitively.  The other children kept on with their play and chatter.  The mother spoke first, raising her voice so as to be heard by all.  ‘Uh – this young man says he has something important to tell us.’

”Now the other children stopped to listen as well.  All eyes were upon me. ‘Yes, I-uh-that is--'           Suddenly I found I didn’t know what to say or how to say it. But I knew it must be said. So I tried again.  ‘Uh–you are in danger– uh, your son is, that is–your son of under two years.’

”‘What?  What’s that about our little Joshua?’

”‘He is to be killed, along with all the others of his age group.  Every boy of two or under in this city is to be killed!’

”The man stood up and put his hands on his hips.  ‘Son, if this is your idea of a joke---’

”‘It’s no joke, sir,’ I managed.  ‘It’s deadly serious.’

”‘And how are they to be killed, and by whom?  And how come you to know such noisome news?’

”I found myself becoming bolder with every minute.  ‘They’re to be killed by Herod’s army by direct order from Herod himself.  As to how I know, let’s just say I have some inside information from the palace.  You must believe me!  You must!  There’s not much time.  You must flee the city at once! I must warn others also. I must warn as many as I can.’

”‘He seems to believe what he says,’ said the woman, walking closer to her husband.  ‘Perhaps it is so.’

”‘Can’t you see he’s deluded?’ the man asserted.  ‘The boy is mad!’

”‘Be that as it may, if there’s a chance that what he says is true---’

”‘How could it be?  Yes, Herod is a bloody tyrant, but he has never done anything without some sort of reason.  What possible reason could he have for killing all the boy babies of Bethlehem?’

”Now it was my turn.  ‘Herod feels certain that in so doing, he will have killed a king whose coming was revealed to him by certain wise men from the east who saw the new king’s star and followed it to Jerusalem.  He’s certain it is the Messiah king who is to come out of Bethlehem as foretold by the prophets.  The star first appeared about two years ago, so…’

”‘Ha!’ he interrupted.  ‘Now I know he’s mad!  Wise men from the east, following a star!  Who could believe a tale like that?’

”The woman looked her husband in the eye.  ‘I could. I don’t know why, but I sense there is truth in what he says. Oh, Ezra, Ezra!  We must flee!’

”‘What?  And leave our happy home here?  Leave my business?  Leave what I’ve worked for all my life, for a silly child’s tale?’

”‘For my baby, Joshua!’  She walked over to the youngest boy and put her arm around him, drawing him close to her. ‘My baby, my baby!’

”‘He’s just as much mine as he is yours.’

”‘Then why don’t you want to flee?’

”‘Because I don’t believe this fair-haired dreamer of a youth!’