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Abba? Beautiful would be much nicer.”
    “Listen. You wait and see. The matchmakers will be beating our door down now that you’re on the king’s advisory council. Every rich papa in Jerusalem will want you to marry his daughter.”
    “You really think so?”
    “I know so. You’re not such a bad catch, you know. Good looking … intelligent …” He tousled Eliakim’s damp hair. “Maybe a bit too skinny, though, and too pale. Yes, you could use a good wife, eh?”
    “Just let me choose her, Abba, not Aunt Hannah.”
    “But we have to invite her to our feast. It wouldn’t be right to leave her out.”
    “All right, you can invite her,” Eliakim said, laughing. He opened the door. “I’ll see you later. I just came home to tell you the good news.”
    “Where are you running off to now?”
    “I have work to do—repairing the Temple. Remember?”
    “Now? You’re starting now, in the rain?”
    “Why not?” He grinned. “That way I can see if the roof leaks.”
    “Oh, praise God, Eliakim! That I should live to see this day! Your dear mother, may she rest in peace, would be dancing for joy.”

6
    “I DON’T WANT TO ARGUE with you, Hezekiah, but I think you’re making a serious mistake.” Zechariah’s face displayed his concern—and disappointment. “Why would you appoint Shebna to such an important position?”
    “Because there’s no one else I trust as much as him. I honestly think I can make it work.”
    “I don’t see how.”
    Hezekiah rose from his seat at the table beside his grandfather, searching for the right words. The room that had been his former study felt hot and stuffy, and he crossed to the windows and unlatched the shutters, flooding the room with damp, icy air. The rain had finally stopped, and the setting sun edged the remaining clouds with gold. But Hezekiah was too upset to gaze at the sunset.
    “Shebna’s duties will be mostly administrative,” he told his grandfather. “I’m relying on you and the other Levites to make sure that every decision is in accordance with the Law.”
    “Will you be going to Shebna for advice?”
    “Well, yes. Sometimes.”
    “How can Shebna make wise decisions without the Lord’s guidance?”
    “Because he’s a brilliant man.”
    “They’re the most dangerous kind. Man’s wisdom is foolishness in God’s eyes.”
    Hezekiah sighed in frustration and rubbed his eyes. “Well, I had no choice. If there had been anyone else who was qualified, I never would have chosen Shebna. I didn’t want to appoint someone who was connected with Ahaz because—”
    “But Shebna is connected with Ahaz. Your father hired him.”
    “As a tutor, yes. But Shebna wasn’t part of my father’s government. I wanted to completely separate my reign from my father’s.”
    “You’re wise to make that distinction.”
    “But that doesn’t leave very many men to choose from, don’t you see? And the truth is, a lot of my advisors are no more religious or godly than Shebna is. They’re just better liars. At least I know where Shebna stands. He won’t pretend that his advice is godly wisdom.”
    Zechariah stared at him gravely for a moment. His face looked drawn and tired. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then sighed and shook his head. “Let’s not argue about it anymore. We have work to do.” He began to unroll the scroll he had brought with him, scanning the tiny letters as if searching for something. Hezekiah closed the shutters again and sat down beside him, very aware that he hadn’t convinced Zechariah or won his approval of Shebna’s appointment.
    “Ah, here it is,” Zechariah said. “This portion of the Torah was written for you. It contains Yahweh’s instructions to the kings of Israel. Of course, the king must follow all the laws of the Torah, but these words apply specifically to you, not the people.”
    “I had no idea any rules or guidelines existed,” Hezekiah said.
    “Read it aloud.” Zechariah pointed to the starting