Till Shiloh Comes Read Online Free Page B

of Dan to find me. He is a good man …” Joseph hesitated, then could not help adding, “…even if he does visit that Canaanite harlot over the hill.” He clapped his hand over his mouth and said, “I didn’t mean to say that!”
    Jacob stared at his son grimly. “He’s that kind of a man, Joseph, and you must never be like him. You must never be like any of your brothers.”
    â€œBut Reuben is a good man, Father, even if he—”
    Joseph broke his words off, and Jacob stared at him sadly. “I wish you had never told me about the sin he committed with Bilhah.”
    â€œI wish I hadn’t told you either, Father. It just came out. I love Reuben.”
    Jacob stood still, staring at Joseph as though something was preying on his mind. Suddenly he reached into his tunic and drew out an object suspended on a leather thong.
    Joseph had seen it before, but he was always fascinated by it. “Can I see the medallion, Father?”
    Jacob nodded, and Joseph inspected the gold piece shining in the light of the lamp. On one side was a lifelike lion and on the other a lamb.
    â€œI love to hear the story of the medallion,” Joseph said. “Tell me again, Father.”
    Then Jacob began to tell the story of how the medallion had been given to men so far in the dim past that no one could remember it. “It was handed down to those of the line of Seth, to Noah, and continued through the generations all the way to Abraham, and he gave it to me.”
    â€œAnd one day it will belong to me, won’t it, Father?” Joseph said eagerly as he stared hypnotically at the medal.
    Jacob stared at his tall young son, longing to give it to him, but he shook his head. “No one can say who receives this medallion but El Shaddai, the Strong One. When it is time, the Lord himself will tell me who will wear this medal and from whom will come the line of Shiloh.”
    â€œShiloh. Who is that?”
    â€œIt’s the name I’ve given to the One who will redeem the world. In a dream years ago I began to imagine this coming one, whom my fathers waited for, as having that name. It is simply the name of a village and it means ‘peace.’ Perhaps it is a foolish fancy of mine. I don’t know.”
    Joseph held the medallion between his fingers. He rubbed it lovingly and said, “I hope I will be the one to receive this.”
    â€œI hope so too, my son, but no man can know. Now, get to bed. It’s late.”
    â€œGood night, Father.” Joseph embraced his father, kissed him, and left.
    As Jacob stood alone in the semidarkness, he realized a terrible truth. “I’m glad that Reuben sinned with Bilhah!” As he spoke the words aloud he felt shame for thinking such a thing about his firstborn. A father should always uphold his firstborn in honor, but he had never felt that way toward Reuben. Nor had he felt that any of Leah’s sons deserved honor, although he loved them all. They were difficult boys, some of them having Leah’s fiery temper and several having the devious behavior of their grandfather Laban.
    But to be glad that his firstborn had committed such a sin! Shame washed through Jacob, and he fell on his knees and cried out, “Oh, forgive me, God, for such a wicked, awful thought! Cleanse me, I beg of you.” The old man knelt there for a long time, holding the medallion between his trembling fingers. Finally he bowed over completely, his head against the carpet that formed the floor of his tent, and cried out again, “Let me be Israel and not Jacob!”
    When he rose, he still felt a heavy burden of guilt. He realized that, despite his prayers, his fondest hope was that Joseph—not Reuben, nor Simeon, nor Levi, nor any of the other brothers, but Joseph, the beloved son of the True Wife—would be the one through whom would come Shiloh, the Bringer of Peace, the Redeemer.

Chapter 3
    As Jacob lay