Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin Page A

“Won’t we need every man we have? Tell them I’m strong enough, Abba. Tell them how I’ve been helping you.”
    Abba laid down the sword and rested his hand on Reuben’sshoulder. “You’re my right-hand man, son. Strong and smart and very capable. But I was there when the elders made this decision. I’m sorry, but I agree with them.”
    “No! Let me fight and defend myself! The Gentiles will kill me if they get the chance. They’ll even kill little children.”
    “I know.” Abba’s hand squeezed tighter. “But we need you in the second ring of defense, to guard the women and children.”
    “I want to fight!”
    “I pray that none of us will have to fight,” Abba said. “And that the Gentiles will be too afraid to attack us. But you have your whole life ahead of you, Reuben. Imagine for a moment that you’re a father who loves his son very much. Try to understand why I don’t want you on the front lines.”
    “But I can shoot—”
    “I know you can. But do you understand what our enemies will do to your mother and sisters and the baby if they break through our defenses? The greatest help you can give me is to protect our women and children. Someone has to do that very important job. Promise me that you’ll take care of them for me.” He waited, still gripping Reuben’s shoulder, refusing to look away until Reuben finally replied.
    “I promise. . . . But can I at least come and watch you practice tonight?”
    “Yes, you may watch.”
    “Wait,” Hashabiah said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. The other boys his age will want to come, too, and—”
    “My son worked as hard as any man making these weapons,” Abba interrupted. “He deserves to watch us learn how to use them.”
    “I understand. But I worry that we won’t be able to restrain our young people’s zeal for war after this is over. How can we teach our boys that self-defense is sometimes necessary but that it’s wrong to hate?”
    “Don’t you hate?” Abba asked. His voice grew louder, angrier,as he continued. “You surely must, if you’re honest. My wife just had our fourth child and the Gentiles will slaughter him without blinking an eye. So yes, I do hate them. Just as much as they hate us.”
    Reuben remained silent as he watched the two men. Hashabiah seemed about to argue, then shook his head as if changing his mind. “We’ll take those weapons now,” he said. “And we’ll see you later tonight for training.”

Chapter
13
    B ABYLON T HE EVE OF THE THIRTEENTH OF A DAR
    E zra stood inside the shed they were using as a weapons cache and pulled a sword from the crate. It felt heavy in his hand. He had practiced for months against a straw-filled dummy tethered from a rope, his arm growing strong as he’d learned to wield the weapon. But the dummy hadn’t carried a sword or fought back. The enemies Ezra would face in a few hours would. And they would show no mercy.
    “Ready?” Jude asked.
    “Yes. Let’s take our positions.” Ezra walked with his brothers through emptied streets. The sun had sunk below the treetops, below the housetops, squatting on the horizon like a fiery ball. Today had been the longest day of Ezra’s life as he’d waited for the sun to set and the thirteenth day of Adar to begin—the day when his enemies would attack and kill and plunder his people. Yet it had also been the shortest day he could ever remember with time darting as swiftly and chaotically as swallows while he and the other men rehearsed their plans a final time. He had left the house early this morning so he wouldn’t have to watch his brothers say good-bye to their families. So he wouldn’t haveto wonder, as their wives surely did, if Jude and Asher would survive and return home. Better he died than one of them.
    Ezra had stood before the people in the house of assembly this morning as their leader, encouraging them to look to the Almighty One for strength. “He holds our lives in His hands each and every