Read Online The Warrior: Caleb by Francine Rivers - Free Book Online
Authors: Francine Rivers
Ads: Link
caressed the gold and lapis. “What did you mean when you said Egypt is ruined?”
“The plagues.”
“What plagues?” Another heard the dread word.
“The God of the Hebrews made war against the gods of Pharaoh. The Nile turned to blood. Frogs and flies swarmed over the country. Then locusts came and ate the crops. Fire from heaven burned what remained. Pestilence killed the cattle, sheep, goats, camels. Even as we began starving, an outbreak of boils struck everyone, even the house of Pharaoh, and then the worst came to pass. Have you ever had a boil?”
“No.”
“Such pain and misery, you can’t imagine. And the scars. Horrible.”
“Scars?” The woman’s eyes went wide with alarm. “You said that wasn’t the worst. What could be worse than beauty destroyed?”
“Tell us.” Another came close.
“What did you mean by the worst?”
“How could it be worse than what you have described?”
“The Lord God of Israel struck down every firstborn male from Pharaoh’s house to the lowest servant, and even among the animals.”
“Do you hear what this man says?” The woman called for others to listen. A crowd of men and women gathered.
“How did you survive?”
“We escaped death by the skin of our teeth.” Caleb noted the weapon the man wore. “May I have a look at that sword?”
“Why? You have swords in Egypt.”
“I have never seen anything so grand.”
Proud, the man drew it, taunting Caleb for a moment before offering a closer look. Caleb took it carefully. “Such an honor.” He flattered the owner as he studied the shape of the blade, tested the weight and balance, while the man laughed among his friends.
Caleb handed the sword to Joshua, who studied it as well and handed it back to the Hittite. “Perhaps it is a good time to expand our territories,” the man said as he slipped the sword into its scabbard. “We will tell our king of Egypt’s weakened state.”
Caleb and Joshua took turns walking around the town, and then packed up their remaining wares and moved on.
“They have more gods than Egypt.”
“Baser ones.” Caleb couldn’t hide his disgust. “Here I am, a stranger to their city, and one of their women invites me to please Astarte by lying with her.”
“At least it was not Anath calling for your blood. These people bow down to gods who consume children in fires and call for men and women to fornicate upon their altars. Did you notice how little surprised those women were when you told them about the tenth plague and death of the firstborn? Some in Canaan cast their firstborn sons into the fire to appease Molech.”
They traveled on to Kiriath-arba, a city inhabited by the sons of Anak, a descendant of giants. The land was good, the city walled and fortified. Altars stood on every corner, the largest in the middle of town. Caleb saw crowds gather to watch a man and woman writhe upon an altar, crying out for Baal to awaken and bring fertility to their land. Lust swept like fire among them. The more Caleb saw of these people, the more he despised them for their debauchery and wickedness. There was no limit to the grotesque worship they performed for their gods—even to burning their own children.
He and Joshua traveled to a Jebusite city on the mountaintops, then on to Ai and Shechem until they reached Rehob in the far north. Turning south once again, they made their way down the mountains and traveled along a great rift and the River Jordan. Jericho loomed before them.
They followed the trade road into the mountains again, meeting the others at the prearranged point near Kiriath-arba. They all agreed that the land was everything God had promised, a land of milk with its flocks and herds, and of honey among the fruit trees and wheat fields and olive groves and vineyards. They had all tasted of it.
When they came through the valley, Caleb and Joshua cut a single cluster of grapes so large they had to carry it on a pole between them. “Go get some of those
“The plagues.”
“What plagues?” Another heard the dread word.
“The God of the Hebrews made war against the gods of Pharaoh. The Nile turned to blood. Frogs and flies swarmed over the country. Then locusts came and ate the crops. Fire from heaven burned what remained. Pestilence killed the cattle, sheep, goats, camels. Even as we began starving, an outbreak of boils struck everyone, even the house of Pharaoh, and then the worst came to pass. Have you ever had a boil?”
“No.”
“Such pain and misery, you can’t imagine. And the scars. Horrible.”
“Scars?” The woman’s eyes went wide with alarm. “You said that wasn’t the worst. What could be worse than beauty destroyed?”
“Tell us.” Another came close.
“What did you mean by the worst?”
“How could it be worse than what you have described?”
“The Lord God of Israel struck down every firstborn male from Pharaoh’s house to the lowest servant, and even among the animals.”
“Do you hear what this man says?” The woman called for others to listen. A crowd of men and women gathered.
“How did you survive?”
“We escaped death by the skin of our teeth.” Caleb noted the weapon the man wore. “May I have a look at that sword?”
“Why? You have swords in Egypt.”
“I have never seen anything so grand.”
Proud, the man drew it, taunting Caleb for a moment before offering a closer look. Caleb took it carefully. “Such an honor.” He flattered the owner as he studied the shape of the blade, tested the weight and balance, while the man laughed among his friends.
Caleb handed the sword to Joshua, who studied it as well and handed it back to the Hittite. “Perhaps it is a good time to expand our territories,” the man said as he slipped the sword into its scabbard. “We will tell our king of Egypt’s weakened state.”
Caleb and Joshua took turns walking around the town, and then packed up their remaining wares and moved on.
“They have more gods than Egypt.”
“Baser ones.” Caleb couldn’t hide his disgust. “Here I am, a stranger to their city, and one of their women invites me to please Astarte by lying with her.”
“At least it was not Anath calling for your blood. These people bow down to gods who consume children in fires and call for men and women to fornicate upon their altars. Did you notice how little surprised those women were when you told them about the tenth plague and death of the firstborn? Some in Canaan cast their firstborn sons into the fire to appease Molech.”
They traveled on to Kiriath-arba, a city inhabited by the sons of Anak, a descendant of giants. The land was good, the city walled and fortified. Altars stood on every corner, the largest in the middle of town. Caleb saw crowds gather to watch a man and woman writhe upon an altar, crying out for Baal to awaken and bring fertility to their land. Lust swept like fire among them. The more Caleb saw of these people, the more he despised them for their debauchery and wickedness. There was no limit to the grotesque worship they performed for their gods—even to burning their own children.
He and Joshua traveled to a Jebusite city on the mountaintops, then on to Ai and Shechem until they reached Rehob in the far north. Turning south once again, they made their way down the mountains and traveled along a great rift and the River Jordan. Jericho loomed before them.
They followed the trade road into the mountains again, meeting the others at the prearranged point near Kiriath-arba. They all agreed that the land was everything God had promised, a land of milk with its flocks and herds, and of honey among the fruit trees and wheat fields and olive groves and vineyards. They had all tasted of it.
When they came through the valley, Caleb and Joshua cut a single cluster of grapes so large they had to carry it on a pole between them. “Go get some of those
Similar Books
