turbulence for a while. I think Laura would have wanted me to level off
.
He caressed the wedding band between his fingers, and then slipped it into his pocket. His finger bore a band of lighter-colored skin where the ring had been.
Guess I’m officially in a transition period
.
He laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes.
The direct flight from Raleigh to Washington was quick. It just seemed long to Murphy.
At dinner Murphy could hardly take his eyes off of Isis. Her beautiful long red hair cascaded down the shoulders of the black dress that so perfectly accentuated her petite, well-toned body. Her green eyes sparkled, and as he listened to her soft Scottish accent, he couldn’t help but smile.
“What?”
Murphy stared into her eyes. “I think you look beautiful tonight.”
She smiled shyly and, for the first time, seemed to notice his bare ring finger. “Michael, I’m glad you came. I know we could have talked over the phone, but this is so much better.”
“I agree,” he replied. “Besides, I’ll use any excuse I can find to see you.”
Murphy noticed a slight blush in her cheeks. She quickly changed the subject.
“You asked me about someone named King Yamani. I went to volume two of the
Records of Assyria
. They were collected and translated by Lukenbill. In paragraph sixty-two it mentions King Yamani.”
Murphy smiled. It was one of the things he liked about Isis. She was like a bulldog when it came to discovering some detail in an ancient manuscript.
“In the seventh year of King Sargon’s reign, he was requiring that tribute taxes be paid to Assyria. That same year, a man named Yamani seized power in the town of Ashdod. The name Yamani means ‘the Greek.’ He proclaimed himself king and attempted to start a rebellion against Sargon and his taxes. He approached Pir’u, the king of Musru, for help.”
“I’m not familiar with his name.”
“Yamani was Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Yamani also solicited aid from the nation of Judah. Hezekiah was king at the time. It seems that Isaiah the prophet urged him to not get involved and he did not join Yamani.”
“That all makes sense.”
“What does, Michael?”
“There is only one mention of King Sargon in the Bible. I was just reading about this the other day while doing some research. It’s in the book of Isaiah. It suggests that one of Sargon’s supreme commanders was sent to attack Ashdod and captured the city”
“You’re right. The name for the commander is ‘turtan.’ It is not a personal name, but a title that refers to a high military and administrative official, second in rank to the king.”
Isis removed a piece of paper from her purse and unfolded it. She began to read. “Listen to what it says in the
Records of Assyria
. The rebellious king Yamani fled to Ethiopia to seek a safe haven but ran into trouble. ‘The king of Ethiopia, who lives in a distant country, in an inapproachable region … whose fathers never—from remote days until now—had sent messengers to inquire after the health of my royal forefathers, he did hear, even that far away, of the might of Ashu, Nebo, and Marduk. The awe-inspiring glamour of my kingship blinded him and terror overcame him.’ It seems that the Ethiopian king did not want trouble with Sargon. It goes on to say, ‘He threwhim [Yamani] in fetters, shackles and iron bands, and they brought him to Assyria, a long journey’”
Murphy’s face lit up with sudden realization.
“What is it, Michael?”
“It’s Methuselah. His note said, ‘In the town of King Yamani a great mystery has been solved—I Kings 8:9.’ It all makes sense now. The reference in I Kings refers to Aaron’s Rod that budded and the Golden Jar of Manna. They were missing from the Ark. The town of King Yamani is the city of Ashdod. Ashdod is where the Philistines first took the Ark of the Covenant after they captured it, the city that was the home of the Temple of Dagon. I think that Methuselah is
.
He caressed the wedding band between his fingers, and then slipped it into his pocket. His finger bore a band of lighter-colored skin where the ring had been.
Guess I’m officially in a transition period
.
He laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes.
The direct flight from Raleigh to Washington was quick. It just seemed long to Murphy.
At dinner Murphy could hardly take his eyes off of Isis. Her beautiful long red hair cascaded down the shoulders of the black dress that so perfectly accentuated her petite, well-toned body. Her green eyes sparkled, and as he listened to her soft Scottish accent, he couldn’t help but smile.
“What?”
Murphy stared into her eyes. “I think you look beautiful tonight.”
She smiled shyly and, for the first time, seemed to notice his bare ring finger. “Michael, I’m glad you came. I know we could have talked over the phone, but this is so much better.”
“I agree,” he replied. “Besides, I’ll use any excuse I can find to see you.”
Murphy noticed a slight blush in her cheeks. She quickly changed the subject.
“You asked me about someone named King Yamani. I went to volume two of the
Records of Assyria
. They were collected and translated by Lukenbill. In paragraph sixty-two it mentions King Yamani.”
Murphy smiled. It was one of the things he liked about Isis. She was like a bulldog when it came to discovering some detail in an ancient manuscript.
“In the seventh year of King Sargon’s reign, he was requiring that tribute taxes be paid to Assyria. That same year, a man named Yamani seized power in the town of Ashdod. The name Yamani means ‘the Greek.’ He proclaimed himself king and attempted to start a rebellion against Sargon and his taxes. He approached Pir’u, the king of Musru, for help.”
“I’m not familiar with his name.”
“Yamani was Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Yamani also solicited aid from the nation of Judah. Hezekiah was king at the time. It seems that Isaiah the prophet urged him to not get involved and he did not join Yamani.”
“That all makes sense.”
“What does, Michael?”
“There is only one mention of King Sargon in the Bible. I was just reading about this the other day while doing some research. It’s in the book of Isaiah. It suggests that one of Sargon’s supreme commanders was sent to attack Ashdod and captured the city”
“You’re right. The name for the commander is ‘turtan.’ It is not a personal name, but a title that refers to a high military and administrative official, second in rank to the king.”
Isis removed a piece of paper from her purse and unfolded it. She began to read. “Listen to what it says in the
Records of Assyria
. The rebellious king Yamani fled to Ethiopia to seek a safe haven but ran into trouble. ‘The king of Ethiopia, who lives in a distant country, in an inapproachable region … whose fathers never—from remote days until now—had sent messengers to inquire after the health of my royal forefathers, he did hear, even that far away, of the might of Ashu, Nebo, and Marduk. The awe-inspiring glamour of my kingship blinded him and terror overcame him.’ It seems that the Ethiopian king did not want trouble with Sargon. It goes on to say, ‘He threwhim [Yamani] in fetters, shackles and iron bands, and they brought him to Assyria, a long journey’”
Murphy’s face lit up with sudden realization.
“What is it, Michael?”
“It’s Methuselah. His note said, ‘In the town of King Yamani a great mystery has been solved—I Kings 8:9.’ It all makes sense now. The reference in I Kings refers to Aaron’s Rod that budded and the Golden Jar of Manna. They were missing from the Ark. The town of King Yamani is the city of Ashdod. Ashdod is where the Philistines first took the Ark of the Covenant after they captured it, the city that was the home of the Temple of Dagon. I think that Methuselah is
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