The First Book of Samuel by SAREJESS (unputdownable books .TXT) 📖

gathered over a life time of toil. They were but a few mementos of his sixty odd years in Bethlehem; a token to futility. Pushing the cart down towards the city gate he was aware that others around him were also seeing the city for the first time. Others had seen it before. It was easy to tell the difference. Those seeing the city for the first time were singing songs from the Psalms the more seasoned travelers walked on hardly looking at the city, concentrating on negotiating the path to the postern gate.

Once inside the city walls, Samuel began to ask around for an inn where one could rent a room. He was directed to the inn near the city wall that catered to travelers from the country. Finding the inn was not difficult. A collection of mules and donkeys were standing in the street heavily loaded with a merchant’s wares. The merchant himself was bargaining with a mid forties fat man wearing a dirty robe. “You don’t really expect me to pay such high price do you?” said the merchant in Aramaic heavily accented with Greek.
“All the others do” replied the fat man, rubbing his hands in anticipation. “This is a very popular watering hole many people want room here” continued the fat man.
“Well I won’t” said the Greek losing all patience with the man before turning to his caravan and leaving.

“Greetings, Welcome” said the fat man, his eyes falling on Samuel. “How may I be of service to you friend?” he said “A room and some food for me” said Samuel. “Fine, fine, I have many rooms” said the fat man. “You a tinker or something?” asked the fat man, his eye falling on the push carts. “No, an innkeeper from Bethlehem” replied Samuel. “Making a pilgrimage to the temple?” asked the fat man “Yes, my wife died awhile back and she asked me to make the pilgrimage for both of us” replied Samuel. “Oh that is sad” replied the fat man, “and who is taking care of your inn while you are here?” asked the fat man, pushing open the gate to the court yard. “I sold the inn” replied Samuel. “maybe I will buy a small business here in Jerusalem and start fresh” replied Samuel. “Well then, you are welcome. A young man like you will have no problem starting fresh here”. “As long as you don’t get involved with those followers of Jesus or any of those other Zealots” said the fat man. “Oh by the way, my name is Abraham Ben Joseph. Might I inquire as to your name friend?” “Samuel Ben Ezra” replied Samuel, with out much enthusiasm. Samuel had known this man but a few minutes and he was already fishing for information. Samuel checked himself. He would have to be careful. If word got back to Bethlehem it could mean trouble.

Once Samuel had settled in, he had a meal. It was approaching the middle of the afternoon he decided to take a walk. He started off in the general direction of the temple. Jews of all ages always headed for the temple at the first opportunity and Samuel was no different. He made his way towards the building, stopping to take in the scene before him, the great stairway leading to the temple, the beauty of the building enveloping him. King Herod of cursed memory built this temple to win over the Jews. He failed because of his cruelty to the very people he was trying to win over. Samuel well remembered a number of years before when the troops had swept into Bethlehem, seeking children less than two years of age whom Herod had ordered to be mercilessly butchered. Newly born children were snatched from their mother’s breast, to be slaughtered in the streets of the town. That had been at the end of Herod’s reign. Samuel could still remember the sounds of mourning for the children.

Entering the outer court yard of the great temple for the first time, Samuel was astonished to see a vast throng of people. Some were changing money at the tables of money changers; others bargaining with the sellers of sacrificial animals. It was a shock for him to see this having never visited the temple before. Now as he wandered round the court of the gentiles, he became aware of under currents in the movement of the crowd. Once a person had changed money at the tables of the moneychangers they would move to the area designated for the purchase of sacrificial animals. The animals were vigorously inspected for blemishes before each purchase. Thereafter, the person who was making the sacrifice would move through one of the gates to the court of Israel. Samuel moved through the gate into the court of Israel. Here he found various teachers expounding on the law and the prophets. He moved through the crowds stopping here to listen to a debate and moving on again to another group. In one group, a teacher of venerable age was expounding on the age old question of what it is to be a Jew in a gentile’s world. The man Samuel sought went by the name of rabbi Ezekiel a man known for his wisdom, also known for the fact that he was able to find answers to very tricky questions of law.

It was late in the afternoon before he found the old teacher surrounded by a group of students, “Let us not forget that Moses was buried by Yahweh himself on the mount,” said the old man winning some point. Samuel waited, listening to the debate and waiting to get the old man alone so that he could lay before him his problem, Samuel felt sure that the teacher would have an answer for him. Finally, as the sun set, the group began breaking up. Samuel waited still until the last die-hard students had left before approaching the old man. “Rabbi I greet you said Samuel” “I greet you friend” said the old man as he gathered together a number of scrolls. “Rabbi I would like to ask you some thing. Would you join me in a glass of wine?” asked Samuel. “Yes friend, I will join you. It has been a long day and something to drink would help me to restore my strength” said the old teacher.

They made their way through the narrow streets of the old city to the inn. On reaching the inn, they climbed the stairs to the room set aside for meals. It was a high room that over looked the city. As the sun set, the old man stood at the window and looked towards the temple. The last rays of a hot sunny day reflected off the roof and walls of that holy edifice. Wine and bread was brought up by one of the serving women. The two men seated themselves on the cushions. Washing their hands, they began the meal. “Well young man you have my undivided attention. What is the question that you would ask?” said the old man after he had drained a glass of cool red wine.

Samuel began to relate the story of his life explaining to the old man that although he might look like a young man he was indeed over sixty years old. Samuel further explained to the teacher the circumstances of the curse under which he lived he explained that until recently he had lived in Bethlehem and had recently lost his wife of many years. The old man listened; occasionally nodding and asking a question here or there in the narrative to clarify a point. When Samuel had finished it was dark. The lamps had been lit, giving off a low light which filled the room. The stars had risen over the city. The two men rose and looked out at the city. The temple looked beautiful under the stars. “I see this is a complex problem you have set before me” replied the old man, as if facing such problems were his stock in trade. “I think another glass of wine might help to clarify our minds before we try to find a solution to your problem,” said the old man. After another glass of wine, the old man said “I would advise you to try and follow all the precepts of the Law of Moses and the prophets. Live your life according to the law which you have known from your mother’s knee.” “I know it seems strange to say this about your problem but it is the only way.” The law offers you the answer to all your problems. Samuel listened to this advice with a growing suspicion that the old teacher had never confronted a problem like this before. Urging him to follow the precepts of the law of Yahweh was good advice, but how did it help Samuel in the long term he wondered. “Samuel Ben Ezra, I tell you in these days of mounting troubles if you follow the law and the prophets diligently, you will be blessed. Yahweh will see your righteousness and honor it with long life and remove the curse under which you live.”
It was late in the night before Samuel bid the old man a good night. The moon had risen and the city-slept Jerusalem was a wonderful city. The holy city was beautiful in the moonlight. Now and again a dog barked some where in the city. Samuel slept, waking occasionally as one tends to do when sleeping in a new place.

27 AD Crucifixion
The condemned man stumbled and fell. Samuel made as if to move forward the lamb skin flask of wine which he kept with him always. He now opened and was about to offer the poor man a drink. A spear pointing at him stopped him. "Back!" rasped a Roman voice using the vernacular Aramaic. For a moment the eyes of the condemned man looked into the soul of Samuel. There was a moment of recognition and gratitude. Samuel was to remember the face of the man for many years as he saw it that day. Bruised and battered, the one eye swollen almost shut the blue discoloration of the bruise on the side of the forehead and blood dripping from his face where part of his beard had been torn away by the scourge. Then the moment was passed, the Roman shoved Samuel back into the unfriendly crowd with a curse. The condemned man tried to rise but was unable. The Roman pointed to a tall man standing in the back of the crowd "You! Help this one to carry the cross" he said. “I don't want to" said the man defiantly. "You will do as you are told if you don't want to end up on the cross yourself" barked the Roman who hesitantly moved forward to help the poor man who was once more rising to his knees.

The crowd surged round the condemned men. Now the three men and Simon of Sirina helped to carry the cross. Samuel stood, a lone soul surrounded by thousands of others, like a lost man. He had attempted to offer help in the carpenter’s hour of need and even this he had been forbidden to do. How had it come to this he wondered? A week ago the crowds that now cursed him had welcomed him with palm leaves strewn on the road in front of the ass that he had rode. Then they had shouted Hosanna to the son of David as the ancient prophecies had foretold. Now these same crowds cursed him and spat upon him.

What a strange week it had been. First the triumphant entry into the Holy City and then there had been the uproar in the temple when Jesus had