Читать книгу Daughter of Lachish - Tim Frank - Страница 8

After the citadel of Lachish had fallen and its defenders massacred, Sennacherib gave the city over to looting and plunder. With no temple in Lachish, there was no grand ceremony leading the gods out of the city. Normally, the temple also held the greatest riches of a city. The temples of Nineveh would not receive any treasures from Lachish. Of course, there would be some valuables in the fort. Some soldiers counted on finding treasures there; others thought that the residential quarters might yield more. Rummaging through houses to find anything valuable, they destroyed whatever came across their path. Greed and a lust for destruction seized them.

Itur-Ea sat on a stone gazing beyond the miserable mass of captives. The bite wound hurt. He had been sent to escort some prisoners out of the city and had now ended up among the guards watching the vanquished Judahites. Maybe that was his duty as a professional. Meanwhile the auxiliaries, who had been provided for the war effort by Assyria’s client kings and governors, plundered the city. Quick to loot and quick to flee! Those amateurs were all the same. You couldn’t rely on them in the heat of battle, but when they saw the opportunity to enrich themselves there was no holding them back.

Itur-Ea knew he would receive a handsome share of the spoils of war at the end of the campaign. Earlier in the campaign he had already had the luck of snatching a few precious ornaments from the city of Timnah. Still, it grated him that he had to sit here.

“Sit down,” Itur-Ea snapped. The child looked at him with a blank expression. Itur-Ea stood up and drew his dagger. The child’s mother dragged it down to her and Itur-Ea sat down again. He needed to rest. It had been a long day. Another sip from the water flask felt good. But still, somehow, he would have preferred to be in action. He felt so far away from Ishtar at the moment. All the excitement had drained from him.

* * *

They hadn’t talked much. The death of Kaleb had shattered Rivkah even more than the Assyrian invasion of the city. She sat there numb and weak, her eyes unfocused. Several times she felt like getting up and running—anywhere. But she couldn’t gather the strength to get to her feet. Even though she felt like crying, the tears which had flowed so freely before had now dried up.

Bath-Shua sat further inside the shed and watched Rivkah with concern. She seemed to sense that now was not the time for more stories, but did not know how to help. Rivkah was grateful she left her to grieve. Somehow she did not resent Bath-Shua anymore. In these few hours they had been through too much together. And Bath-Shua really seemed to care for her. Who else could she trust in the middle of this war now?

From somewhere Bath-Shua got out some bread. She gave Rivkah a piece. “Eat, you must be hungry.” Rivkah shook her head. She didn’t feel like eating. But Bath-Shua insisted, “Rivkah, eat something! It’ll give you the energy to keep going. You have to stay strong.”

Hesitantly, Rivkah took the bread. It seemed she had to eat it. When she took the first bite she suddenly realized how hungry she really was and quickly ate the rest.

“Do you have more bread?” Something like a sudden panic overcame Rivkah.

“Just a little. We’ll have to keep that for later,” answered Bath-Shua.

What were they going to eat after that? “Just one piece of bread? How are we going to survive?” The dire situation they were in overwhelmed Rivkah.

“We won’t stay here forever. Remember, Rivkah, that the LORD is able to make a thousand loaves out of one piece of bread. He is a god that provides. Never forget that, Rivkah! Even in your darkest moments, even in times like these, don’t give up.”

“Do you really think we can escape?”

Cooped up in this little shed the chance of escaping the Assyrians seemed so remote.

“I hope we can. We have to try. When they burn the city, that will be our best opportunity.”

“Burn the city?”

“That’s what they are bound to do. The Assyrians don’t leave a conquered city standing.”

Every question seemed to bring to light more difficulties, but Bath-Shua knew of them already. And yet she appeared calm and hopeful.

“Where will we go?”

“Into the hills. We’ll find a place where we’re safe. Maybe we can even reach Hebron, the city of . . . ,” Bath-Shua didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t want to mention the name of Kaleb again. But Rivkah knew. Thinking of him hurt. Still, the name of the city held a promise. It was as if Kaleb pointed to that city, that maybe there she would find safety and peace.

“Do you think we’ll be safe from the Assyrians there?”

“I believe so,” Bath-Shua answered. “The Assyrians have no reason to move against Hebron. And the LORD will never give the city of his servant to destruction.”

“And then, will we ever return here?”

“The Assyrians will not stay in the land forever. One day you may be able to return. It may be a long time until then. Now it is important to find a safe place. If you make it, Rivkah, remember you are a daughter of Lachish, a child of a once-great city. Let no one tell you otherwise. Do not let them destroy your dignity. Even as a refugee you are a woman worthy of respect. You come from a skilled family, from a city that guarded the entrance to the hill country, a city valued by the kings of Judah.”

Bath-Shua looked at Rivkah, huddled against the bare, mud-brick wall.

“And Rivkah, you know that you are a beautiful woman, don’t you? Do not listen if others mock your appearance. They’re lying. Even clothed in rags and overcome by disaster you are graceful. Don’t ever feel you are worth less than any man. Otherwise they will exploit your weakness.” Bath-Shua lowered her tone. “Don’t let men use you in the service of the gods. Listen! There is nothing good in the sexual encounter with the gods. It only gives room to the vain imaginations of men. Maybe they experience the chaotic traits of some gods, such as the lust of Baal or the deviousness of Anath. But you serve what is good of the gods, the faithfulness of the LORD, the perseverance of Isis. Don’t let the good be overcome by evil.”

Rivkah clasped her amulet as Bath-Shua’s words swirled around her.

“You are a capable girl who can find a way through adversity. You know how to conduct a household, how to work with your hands. You can cope in any situation. Do not fear. There is still hope.”

* * *

Lachish was to be set to the torch that day. The city would be erased from the face of the earth. Only a smoldering ash-heap would remain after the fire had ravaged the city. Wooden beams and mud bricks do not offer much resistance to fire.

This would not be a random conflagration, but a fire carefully planned to ensure the thorough destruction of the city. Itur-Ea’s unit was involved. They were to enter the city through the gate and set the southeastern corner alight before leaving the city through the breach at the top of the siege ramp.

They marched into the city torches in their hands. Rushing through the empty streets they reached a corner opposite a great shaft. Other units had already started fires in the north of the city. Now it was their turn. Entering the houses they set fire to anything they could: furniture, straw mats, clothes, jars of oil. The dry material burst into flame. It was a nightmarish scene: flames shooting through roofs and doors, smoke pouring over the city, soldiers running through empty streets, their footsteps echoing from bleak walls. As they advanced, Itur-Ea could hear houses collapsing as walls gave way and beams were consumed by fire.

* * *

Rivkah could smell the smoke. “They’re really burning the city.”

“Yes. We’ll have to make a break for it shortly.” Bath-Shua stood up and walked out of the shed to peer into the lane. “We have to try.”

“Will there be other people trying to escape the city?” Rivkah asked.

“I don’t think so. Most of them would have been killed or taken captive. We’re lucky the Assyrians didn’t find us.”

“What about my family? Mother, Father? Would they be able to escape?”

“Not many will survive the conquest of Lachish. Many have died. Others the Assyrians will take away as captives. Maybe your family has been able to escape, Rivkah. Let’s hope so, but this is war.”

“Will the LORD not protect them? You said the LORD will provide.” Rivkah raised her voice.

“He does provide,” Bath-Shua assured, “but he has given Lachish over to destruction. Many will be destroyed with the city. Some will live, others will die. We do not know why. The LORD knows.”

The explanation didn’t comfort Rivkah at all. As if fear and sorrow could be explained.

“Rivkah, you have to be strong now. This is our only chance to live. It will be dangerous. But don’t be afraid of dying. It is better to die seeking freedom than to cower and entrust yourself to cruel Assyrian caprice.”

Bath-Shua took Rivkah’s hand and pulled her out of the shed. “Come, we have to go. I’ll lead you. Just follow me.”

They went into the lane. Bath-Shua let go of Rivkah’s hand. Keeping a careful watch they walked along the rubble-strewn street. Rivkah turned around and looked one last time at Kaleb’s resting place. Would his body be consumed by the flames? He had to be left behind at the place of his final battle. She didn’t have much time to mouth a farewell as she hurried to keep up with Bath-Shua.

At the corner Bath-Shua stopped. Holding Rivkah back with one hand she surveyed the street. “It’s all clear. Come quick!” They ran along the street and up the counterramp. Bath-Shua kept to the side of the rise, in the shadow of any remaining walls.

The signs of the battle were evident: an overturned chariot, helmets, spears, shields. Arrows and sling stones were scattered amongst the rubble. Blood seemed to have seeped into the dirt. Apart from four dead horses there were no bodies on the ramp. Even in their haste Bath-Shua seemed to have noticed it. “The Assyrians must have allowed them to gather the fallen. They’re probably in a mass grave by now.”

Rivkah just concentrated on getting out of this hell. She felt sick in this place of death. Behind them clouds of smoke were billowing from the burning houses.

But instead of rushing through the breach in the wall and out into the open, Bath-Shua slowed down. When Rivkah tried to push past her, Bath-Shua stopped her.

“Careful! The Assyrians might be just out there.”

Bath-Shua’s worry was real. After they had crept to the edge of the breach, they could see the soldiers on the slope below. The men were standing in small groups, talking among themselves, watching and pointing as flames engulfed more of the city. Rivkah and Bath-Shua pressed themselves against large blocks of stone that had once formed part of the city wall.

“We’ll wait a moment. I hope the soldiers will go further down the slope. Then we have to make a dash for it. Luckily it’s getting dark now. The night will protect us,” Bath-Shua told Rivkah. She studied the horizon, taking in the location of the main enemy forces. “It seems there are no posts up the valley. We will have to go left along the wall, down the hill and across the dry stream bed. From there we might be able to go up the valley or we will have to flee into the hills.”

Movement came into the soldiers on the slopes below. Someone shouted commands and the men came together.

“Right, get ready now,” Bath-Shua whispered. Just then Rivkah heard footsteps coming up the ramp from the city behind them. She tugged Bath-Shua’s dress. Now Bath-Shua heard them too.

“Let’s go now! Quick!” There was no time to wait for the soldiers outside to get lower down the slope. Bath-Shua clambered over the rubble and out onto the slopes that dropped away from the city wall. Rivkah followed her. They kept close to the wall as they hurried away from the breach.

Looking back Rivkah could see a group of Assyrian soldiers emerging from the city and stopping for a moment. Rivkah prayed they wouldn’t notice the two women hurrying away under the city wall.

Bath-Shua stopped briefly. No-one seemed to have spotted them.“We’ll have to get down the hill here. Keep low! We have to be quick, but be careful not to stumble. There are no Assyrians straight down there. We should make it.”

Rivkah followed Bath-Shua down the steep slope. They could make it.

* * *

The smoke became thicker and the heat more intense. Itur-Ea’s lungs were burning. It was easy to get disorientated in this labyrinth of streets.

The captain signaled his troops to assemble. Once everybody had joined the group, the unit rushed out of the narrow lane and rounded a corner. On the road they met another unit heading for the siege ramp. Following their lead they passed through streets filled with the rubble of destroyed buildings. As they ascended the counterramp, the valley spread before them with the Assyrian camp pitched on the mound across the saddle. This must have been the view the defenders had from these walls. Through the breach, across the loose stones of the wall, they left the city behind and exited into the open.

Itur-Ea turned around and watched the high walls, now crumbling. Flames were raging throughout the city now. The end of Lachish!

As his eyes swept over the city mound, he just glimpsed them out of the corner of his eye. In the dusk he wasn’t sure at first. But yes, there below the wall two figures were making their way down the hill. They were trying to get away as quickly as possible. Fugitives! Itur-Ea shouted and ran after them. He did not turn around to see whether anybody else joined the pursuit.

* * *

When they reached the valley below, Rivkah heard a loud explosion as a beam burst in the heat of the fire. She turned to look at the burning city. Glancing across the mound she saw a figure running down the hill, coming directly for them.

“Bath-Shua!” she cried, “they’re following us.”

Bath-Shua looked back and spotted the soldier. She grabbed Rivkah’s arm and shoved her forward. “Run Rivkah! Straight ahead to the stream! Don’t stop!”

Rivkah ran ahead with Bath-Shua right behind her. Her lungs felt like bursting. Her dress got in the way. When she looked back over her shoulder she saw that the soldier had gained on them. The momentary distraction had diverted her concentration. She didn’t look where she was running. Rivkah stumbled and fell forward. She was able to catch herself and got up again by the time Bath-Shua was at her side. It was only a tiny delay.

Running right behind Bath-Shua now, Rivkah followed her into the dry, rocky stream bed. They got out on the opposite bank. There Bath-Shua stopped and turned towards Rivkah.

“You have to go on alone now, Rivkah. Don’t wait for me! Run up into the hills and hide.”

At first Rivkah didn’t understand. She should leave Bath-Shua?! She hesitated.

Bath-Shua’s voice was full of emotion as she put her hand on Rivkah’s head.

“The LORD bless you and provide for you. The LORD grant you life and peace.”

Then she slapped Rivkah’s arm to send her on her way.

“Run Rivkah. Run, my daughter! Run and live!”

Bath-Shua turned to face their pursuer. Rivkah’s legs started moving again. Bewildered she ran across the valley to the hills. Behind her she could hear the struggle. As she fled into the night, the screams followed her. Whatever the men of Lachish had done to Bath-Shua in the past, however they had hurt her, nothing could have come close to this.

* * *

Itur-Ea ran down the city mound, pursuing the fugitives. He was catching up. He could see now that he was chasing two women or, rather, a woman and a girl. They would not escape! The girl stumbled on the uneven terrain, but picked herself up again and carried on. The distance was narrowing. Now they clambered over the rocks of the dry stream and reached the opposite bank. Suddenly they stopped. The woman spoke to the girl and placed one hand on her head, then turned to face Itur-Ea as the girl started running again.

Itur-Ea stared at the appearance. She looked beautiful, like a goddess of the night, wild and yet sensuous. And then he realized. He rushed forward and overpowered the struggling woman. With his dagger he ripped open her clothes. Ishtar had bestowed her favor upon him and given him this woman. And Itur-Ea met Ishtar, the goddess of war and love.