Yehoyada arrived at the Temple courtyard’s gate, that was open. Few Flower Priests and armed warriors had already gathered there. They surrounded him, shouting and applauding. After he had dismounted his horse and crossed the gate, many came to embrace and kiss him.
Two Flower Priests soon seized him by his arms and feet, then set him on a stool. They lifted him to the air a few times, while were singing: ”God is our refuge and strength,”; “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation,” – and so on.
They all made their way to the Temple Hall, Yehoyada still lifted on the air. From his seat he looked at houses surrounding the Temple, and discerned local neighbors, who peeped from their windows, then went out and started to join the pedestrians climbing ‘the Mount of God,’ toward His Temple.’
The stream of the enthusiastic winning God Believers was flowing in the alleys leading to the Temple. The High Priest, however, was still doubtful about the sudden turning point of the battle. He thought that the queen might still surprise the rebels…He could not bear any more his light rejoicefull dangle on the air, sitting on the simple stool. It seemed to him irrespectable for a man in his position, and too soon for enjoying victory..
“Please, let me down,” he implored the flower priests. As they dropped him on the floor, he called priest Jehoabad, the keys’ keeper, and told him to permit entrance only to priests known to him. “There are dangers still ahead,” he told him. “until we catch the witch - who knows what may develop.”
The courtyard became very crowded, and many were pushing toward the main entry of the Temple. The High Priest himself had soon entered inside, joined by ten Flower - Priests. Other priests were still staying outside, trying to hush the crowd and push them back from the doors.
“There will be a ceremony today,” They told the people, “But it should be well prepared. A sporadic burst of the crowd would bring a disorder, and cause disaster to all of us…”.
“We will not celebrate,” shouted Yehoyada, who peeped from inside, listening to the priests struggle with the comers, “until we take control of whole Jerusalem. You can return to your homes, people, for two hours or more…”
He rememberd that he should bring his wife and children to the celebration. He soon told that to the Flower Priests, who were around him, and added:
“I have also to dress properly, and wear the Diadem on my forhead.”
He asked only one Flower priest to escort him to the right side of the courtyard, where the old ‘chamber for the Priests’ wash’ was located, beside a wooden storehouse.
Some elder priests, who had not taken part in the fight, had already arrived to the Hall., They were dressed in their nice robes, and one of them wondered why Yehoyada had left them so suddenly. A Flower Priest said, that Yehoyada talked with him about an ancient antique box, that had been locked in the store. Maybe he wanted to show it to the people. Another priest reminded his collegues, that Yehoyada simply went to the place where his wife and children were said to be.
“He seemed quite anxious when he’d just left,” remarked another priest, “it could well be, that Yehosheva and the childen had joined her Mom the Queen. Maybe the High Priest didn’t know what happened to them. Or- it’s possible that Yehosheva had been against this rebel at all.”
“ I believe she is just in a friendly house,” said another priest, “waiting for Yehoyada.”
“God has sent us a thrilling event. Till now- only in Northern Israel we have heard about such a revolt… ”
“The witch was the first to revolt. She had usurped the crown, by cunning and force. That is the bare and pure truth.”
Yehoyada approached the stoned basin inside the wash room, and called loudly:
“Yehosheva, do you hear me? Yehoyada is here... I’ve come back.”
He askede his escort flower priest to help him remove the basin, that hidded the cave’s opening. The youth stayed at the entry, a torch in his hand, while Yehoyada was bending to enter the cave. In the dim light he already saw Yehoshava, who fell in his arms. She cried, asking:
“Is it really a victory?…Where is Abner?”
“All is going well,” Yehoyada said, and took the torch from his escort, who remained outside the cave. Yehoyada illuminated the pale faces of the two boys. They jumped to him, and he gave the torch to his wife and embraced them - one by each arm. Then he kissed them and said:
“God has been with us, at last.” He pulled out a cake from his pocket and gave it
to Elyakim and to Zakharia.
“I thought that you may be hungry, my boys. Now bless God for this sweet, dry figs’cake.”
The boys whispered a prayer. Yehoyada raised a jug, which was at Yehosheva’s side. He gulped water in thirst. . .
“I had not drank even a drop, for long hours,” he said, “The terrible fight made me forget it.”
“Father, have you come to take us with you?” asked Zakharia.
“Yes. All of you will join me to the temple. I hope that soon the cooks and stewards will provide us a feast. We will hold a public ceremony there – Thankgiving God for our redemption.”
“Has the danger really passed, pa?” asked Zakharia.
“And can we return to study again?” questioned Elyakim.
“We are all too dizzy from the happenings,” said Yehosheva to the children, “So, please don’t ask your father- the priest- too much questions.”
The High Priest looked at the boy Elyakim. He thought that he had been still quite pale and meagre. Perhaps his stay inside the cave for years – had hurt his health, and body’s fitness. It was a wonder, that he recovered quickly from the darkness and wetness of the cave. His mind was bright and clever, and he had a fantastic memory. ’God has strengthened him’- reflected the priest. ‘He helped him - and will continue to safegurd him. However, my duty now – is to defend Elyakim against a big shock. Togay he will become to know who he really is.”
Yehoyada left the cave first. He and his assistant helped Yehosheva to cross back the small wicket, leading to the priests’ washing chamber. The two boys got out last from the cave, hand in hand. The Priest and his assistant soon shut the cave’s opening, pushing at it the old stone water basin…
At that point of time a crowd of about hundred people had been allowed by the priests to gather in the Hall. All were standing and humming, quite exicted from the celebration, which had been announced in the streets of Jerusalem. But no one could tell exactly what kind of celebration it would be – and in what manner would the regime be changed. Many asked if the queen was still alive, and if she would remain alive in jail or deported to Tsydon.
The eyes were searching for the High Priest, and the people were waiting impatiently till he appeared. He entered with his wife and the children through the Hall’s side wicket, not to be too much exposed. Nor did he wish to be applauded again. He was still thinking, that the circumstances were dangerous, and fateful to the future of Judea.
In the recent hour or so - the priets and flower priests had prepared the Hall for the promised celebration: The Temple’s pillars had been wrapped by Olive branches as in glorious times. Candles of The Six Canes’ lamp were lighted in the center. A chorus of seven Levitin was standing at the right wall, carrying small candles in their hands. Then they walked to the opposite wall, hanged there the ceramic oil lamps and remained standing there. The candles’ purpose was to add illumonation to the quite dark Hall. It all happened in late morning time, but the hall was built with narrow and short windows. (Glass had been invented already at those times, but not used in public nor in private houses).
The celebration began by a chorus of Levitin, who were standing in a row – not far from the altar and were co-repetited by two flutes’ and one harp(lyre) players:
“God will speak by thunder./Grass will move in shudder./
His voice would roar on earth and space/ His wind would wave over every place…”
&n
bsp; At that moment The High Priest walked to the middle of the stage. He became standing at a small cupboard (“ark”), near the table for reading Torah to the public . His hand found a shipskeen’s scroll, and he raised It in the air. It was one of the Holy Scriptures. The crowd was wondering why he had not yet begun to read loudly from it.
He looked toward his wife, Yehosheva – who was standing at the ‘learning corner’, with the boys. She was dressed in a blue velvet skirt, and was wearing a golden necklace and bracelets, jewellery fit for an important Ceremony. The fire that burned her house had spoiled all her dresses, but a women friends soon tailored her that new dress, and loaned her the jewellery.
In Yehosheva’s right hand there was a blue ribbon, that nobody had known for what use. Her left hand was free, and she soon wrapped Elyakim’s forehead with the ribbon, encircling his hair and binding the edges it in the boy’s back head. She explained to the children, that “the blue color is the unlimited sky. So, this is a symbol for the unlimited freedom that we have just earned, by overwhelming the tyrant.”
The Levitin’s chorus was now humming the melody of their first poem: “God will speak by thunder,” etc.- without the lyrics.
Yehoyada took off the Scroll and put it on the Table. While staying still on his place, he would gaze from time to time at his family, then to the public who had filled the Hall. He reflected that he should remember to praise his Priests and Levitin: In a short time they had succeeded to make the Hall look respectable and duly prepared toward that Ceremony, that people seemed to call already (so he had just heard) ‘Holy Day of Victory’. ..
The crowd was still waiting. Yehoyada - as many of the people - had known that Commander Abner should arrive, and without him no ceremony should be held. When he arrived at last, he was breathing heavily, and told Yehoyada that he had seen Athaliah from far, and his men watch her moves.
Abner was looking at Yehoyada, and discened that since he had left him two hpurs before- he had changed his previous cloth, and was now wearing his Holiday garment: a white robe –
on his chest the traditional Efod and Hoshen. On his head he was wearing the special Diadem
that was used for special events in the Temple.
Abner – however, was still wearing his regular uniform, of course without the signs of sun and moon, that had been the Queens’ likable symbols. Now- as along the battle - no sign was tailored on Abner’s cloths. As far as we know from the Bible. (there we find that ‘shields’ or cupboards - symbols of military troops from King David’s time - were put then by Yehoyada’s order inside the Temple. However - nowhere in the Bible was written about any sign put on the Commander’s old Philistine helmet or on his uniforms. Abner could use symbols like ‘The Lion of Judea’ or ‘Shield of David ’, or even ‘Moses’ Two stoned Boards’ as his new symblos. We don’t know if he had done that.)
Yehoyada turned to Abner, and indicated the flower priests to step aside, while Abner came to his side and held a short and surprising speech to the public:
“Dear brethern and sisters of Judea! The Tyrant is on her way here. I’ve ordered my patrols to let her come up to the Temple, and not shoot her. She will get here a fair and just trial.”
A tumult of hands claps and shouts was bursting. The crowd inside the Temple had outnumbered any previous God Believers’ gathering there in that generation. Many were unable to enter, and remaind staying outside.
CHAPTER 25