Love’s Sacred Song Read Online Free Page A

touching Abishag’s forehead. He could feel her breath on his beard. She rolled aside, snuggling into the curve of David’s arm, leaving her lingering scent of cinnamon and saffron.
    The three remained motionless, suspended in time. Each was afraid to move lest they lose the moment to eternity, each knowing death would be the victor in the warrior king’s final battle.
    Gathering his last breath, David whispered, “Peace, Solomon. Seek peace, Jedidiah.”
    “Yes, Abba. I will.” The young king laid his head on his abba’s chest and heard mighty King David’s last heartbeat.

3
    •  2 Samuel 3:1  •
    The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
    A rielah searched for Jehoshaphat’s face in the crowd. Smiling to herself, she realized he had followed his usual custom—remaining silent until every other argument was heard. A hush fell over the crowd, and every face turned expectantly toward her abba. It seemed the heavens themselves drew near to hear the words of Shunem’s highest city official.
    “Men of Israel,” Jehoshaphat began in low tones, “our twelve tribes have brawled and battled since the desert wanderings in Moses’s day. But Israel’s recent past is most painful. After King Saul died, do you recall the bloody civil war that consumed our country?” He scanned the crowd, and his gaze fell on a few younger officials. “Some of you are too young to remember it, but you’ve learned about it at your abbas’ knees.” Then looking at one of the older officials, he prodded, “But you, Zophar, you remember the days of blood in Israel, don’t you?”
    The older man nodded and then lowered his gaze. No one wanted to speak of Israel’s dreadful days before David’s rule.
    Jehoshaphat scanned the crowd, the majority of gray-bearded faces now noticeably subdued. “The tribes of Israel have always acted like a family with too many children in one tent. We bicker and fight, jealousy and suspicion fueling the fires of resentment and rage. Brothers, open your eyes and see the hand of God. The tribe of Judah has prospered and grown while the rest of Israel’s tribes have waned. God has given David success, and to the king’s credit, instead of using God’s blessing for his own gain, King David has proven faithful, seeking Jehovah’s heart and maintaining a united Israel.”
    The night air fell silent. Jehoshaphat removed a torch from the hand of a man beside him and then shouted and slammed the torch against the well post, snapping it in two. “We are a holy people chosen by the Lord as the apple of His eye! We must act like it!”
    Every eye was upon him, and the silence that followed echoed louder than any of the evening’s shouts. It seemed even the locusts stopped their song until Jehoshaphat spoke again.
    Arielah watched Abba in stunned awe but noticed a mischievous grin working its way across his lips.
    “Elder Reuben,” he said, “are you awake now?”
    Laughter erupted as a drowsy elder patted out the torch’s sparks kindling in his beard. Abba’s antics had relieved the crowd’s tension like a hole in a wineskin. Yet he conveyed his point—King David deserved respect because he had received God’s favor. Arielah stifled a giggle and marveled anew at Abba’s wisdom.
    Consumed by her thoughts, she didn’t feel the man’s breath on her neck until it was too late. A huge, calloused hand clamped over her mouth. Instinctively, she grabbed at the hand and turned, trying to free herself and identify her attacker. Before she could break away, another shadowy figure cast a musty woolen blanket over her head, blinding her to the direction she was now being dragged.
    Her mind reeled, panic warring with reason. She dared not cry out, for if her presence at the meeting was discovered, Abba would be disgraced. So she fought silently, tenaciously; her legs and arms jerked and