Signs and Wonders (41 page)

Esther stood tall and looked in Mordecai’s face. “I am not afraid of death, only of failure. I will seek the king, even in the inner court. Now I have instructions for you in turn, my father. Gather all the Jews of Susa, and fast for three days and three nights, and pray that I may be strengthened to do what I must. And I and my maidens will also fast, and pray to God. Then I will go to the king in the inner court, and if I perish, I perish.”

Esther returned to the palace. Mordecai gathered the Jews of Susa and they began their fast. After three days, Esther clad herself in her most queenly garments and put the gold crown on her head. She made her way to the inner court. The guards crossed their swords in front of her. She put a hand on each sword and pushed them aside, and they did not dare bar her way. She went through the gate into the courtyard, where the king sat on his judgment throne. All voices stopped. The courtiers looked at Esther in amazement. Haman stared at her. All knew the law; all knew that she had transgressed; all knew that her transgression meant death.

Ahasuerus went stony with surprise. Who was this who dared defy the ancient law of the Medes and the Persians and enter the inner court without invitation? Whoever it was deserved death. The king raised his scepter high, intending to bring it straight down, rapping its haft on the paving stones in a sign that meant “kill.”

But as the king raised his scepter something gripped his arm, and held it upraised. He could not lower his arm. The courtyard tilted; the king’s vision spun. When it cleared, he saw who it was who had parted the swords of the sentries and was approaching the throne. It was Esther. Her face burned on the gray air, and was more beautiful than it had ever been before. And the goggling courtiers saw their king turn his scepter in the air and hold it toward Esther, knob first, changing the sign of death to the sign of mercy.

Esther went close to him and touched the knob on top of the scepter. Then, as on the day when he had first seen her, the king smiled at her, and descended the steps of the throne, and took her hand, and kissed her cheek.

“What is it, Queen Esther?” he said. “It must have been a mighty reason that brought you here. What do you want? Whatever you want, you shall have.”

“I come only for this,” said Esther. “If it please you, my lord, come to my chambers tonight, to a banquet—and bring Haman with you.”

“I thank you,” said the king. “I am pleased to go to your banquet. I know that Haman will be pleased.”

Haman was delighted to hear these words. For, despite the high favor he had found with the king, he sensed that Esther disliked him. And, knowing her influence with the king, he had always tried to ingratiate himself with her. But she had never smiled upon him. Now he was overjoyed by this invitation. He went home and called Zeresh, his wife, and his closest friends, and began to speak almost as if he were drunk, babbling and boasting. He told them how rich he was, and how many fine children he had; how the king had honored him and promoted him.

“What’s more,” cried Haman, “Esther, the queen, gives a banquet tonight. She has invited only the king and myself. And it is said she has prepared every dish with her own hands to do us special honor.”

“You are fortunate above all men,” said one of his friends.

“I am,” said Haman. “And should be the happiest of men, except for this: Mordecai, the Jew, still stands at the gate. And when I pass through that gate tonight on my way to the banquet, he will do me no honor. He alone will refuse. He will not bow to me. By the gods, I will not wait for the massacre! He must be dead by tomorrow.”

Haman called to his men and said: “Let a gallows be built. Build it taller than any tree, reaching high above the gates. Let a high gallows be raised, and tomorrow let Mordecai be hanged there.”

Now, before the banquet Esther sent her servant to the king, with the court record telling how Bigthana and Teresh had plotted against him, and how Mordecai had uncovered the plot and revealed it, saving the king’s life. The king read this for the first time and said to his chamberlain: “I have not known the whole truth of this matter. What reward has Mordecai received for his service to me? Has he been enriched? Dignified by office?”

“He has received no reward,” said the chamberlain.

The king sent for Haman, and said: “As my chief advisor, tell me this: What should be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”

That’s
me,
thought Haman. Whom would the king delight to honor more than me? And Haman answered: “O bestower of gifts, whom you delight to honor should be dealt with in this fashion: Royal garments should be taken to him. And a horse given to him, as fine as the king’s own stallion. Then, wearing a golden crown, this man should ride through the streets conducted by princes. And heralds should call out before him: ‘Behold the greatest man in the kingdom!’ so that all the people should know it. Thus would I deal with this worthy man.”

“Your words are full of sense,” said the king. “All shall be done as you advise. Now go; we meet at the queen’s banquet tonight.”

Haman hurried off to garb himself, more joyful than ever.

That night, the king and Haman and Esther sat at a table. Gold and silver plates glittered on the table. Tall tapers burned, scenting the air. Servants passed food and wine. The savor was delicious. For Esther, knowing every shade of the king’s taste, had prepared every dish herself. And she had never been more beautiful. She wore a gown of white samite, and had twined diamonds and pearls in her long black hair. The king was very pleased.

“O Queen,” he said to her, “thank you for this delicious repast.”

“Tell me, my lord,” said Esther, “what would you do to a man who threatened my life?’

“Threatened your life?” said the king. “The life of my queen? Of my star? Of my beloved? Why, I do not know what I would do to him. There are those who serve me who are expert in torment. I would give him to them with special recommendations. In an hour he would be pleading for death. But why do you ask me such a question? Who could possibly threaten you? Have you had a bad dream?”

“No dream,” said Esther. “The threat is real. You have never inquired of my origins, O King. But I am a daughter of Judah, cousin to Mordecai, for whom a gallows has been built beyond the palace gate. This man of whom I speak seeks to hang Mordecai first, then to slaughter all of my people, every man, woman, and child. He has assigned the day of massacre, and that day is two days from now, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.”

“Who is this man?” cried the king, leaping to his feet. “Who is he? Who?”

Esther rose, too. She stretched her arm and pointed at Haman. “Behold the man! Your chief advisor, Haman!”

The king clapped his hands. Armed men rushed into the room. “Take this man,” said the king. “Hang him from the gallows that he built for Mordecai.”

Then the king sent for his chief scribe and dictated these words to him: “Out of those children of Israel and Judah who sojourn in this land, two people have come forth, a man who has saved your king’s life, and a woman who has made that life worth living. I speak of Mordecai, son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin, and of his cousin, Esther, who is my queen. Therefore, know this: That the Jews dwell in Persia in the shelter of my special gratitude, and that he who touches a hair of the head of one of these people shall immediately be seized and taken to a place of execution, and there hanged.”

The scribe hurried off. “Now let Mordecai be sent for,” said the king. His chamberlain went down to the palace gate and brought up Mordecai. He was still clad in sackcloth; ashes were in his hair. Esther went to him and took him in her arms. The king embraced him, also. Then servants led Mordecai away. He was bathed and anointed and clad in the king’s own colors, which were blue and white. He was given a royal stallion to ride. Heralds ran before him in the streets, proclaiming, “Hail, Mordecai ! Hail the man whom the king delights to honor!”

And so Mordecai took Haman’s place as chief advisor to the king. He lived a long and busy life, and under his guidance the kingdom prospered.

For the rest of Ahasuerus’ reign the Jews of Persia lived in peace. Since that time the thirteenth day of the twelfth month has been celebrated. For some twenty-five hundred years now, it has been a Jewish holiday, a time of feasting and rejoicing. It is called “Purim” after the Persian word “pur,” meaning the casting of lots.

T
HE KING OF ASSYRIA
was known simply as the Great King, for he had sent his armies against the most powerful nations in the world and had overthrown them. He had conquered the Medes, the Persians, the Babylonians. Their kings ruled only by his consent, and paid him yearly tribute. The palace of the Great King was at Ninevah, a walled city, enormous and strong, on the east bank of the Tigris. His court was the richest and most brilliant in the entire world.

The Great King sent for his chief captain, Holofernes, and said: “Behold, my son, you have led my armies and overthrown my enemies. Now I have another task for you.”

“To hear is to obey, O King.”

“I have planned great works. I would build a summer palace set among a hundred gardens. I would build an artificial lake there, also, with a pleasure garden in the center of that lake, swans upon the lake, and peacocks in the garden. Also, the walls of Ninevah need repairing. I plan a string of fortresses and a great road from the city to the southern border. We shall require thousands of slaves for this work. And I must stuff my treasury again. Therefore, Captain, take an army. Take spearmen, horsemen, iron chariots, and march against those rich countries that do not yet pay us tribute. Go into Egypt. Go into Syria and Lebanon. Make yourself master of these nations. Destroy their armies. Sack the treasure cities of Pithom, Rameses, Tyre, and Damascus. In the vaults of Jerusalem, also, will you find much treasure. Kill the weak, the old, the sick—those unable to work. Bring the able-bodied here as slaves.”

“A noble task, sire,” said Holofernes. “I will do all that you command.”

“As for those of Judah,” said the king, “know this: They are clever and rebellious and make dangerous slaves. Therefore, kill every man, every male child in that land. But the women are lovely. They talk too much, but a taste of the whip cures that. So choose the most beautiful of the women and maidens of Judah, and bring them here for my harem.”

Holofernes departed and mustered men for battle—a hundred and twenty thousand picked warriors, spearmen and horsemen and charioteers, and twelve thousand mounted archers. He took camels and donkeys to bear supplies; sheep and goats and oxen to feed the army.

He struck the borders of Cilicia and wiped out all resistance. He went into the lands of Arabia. He swept across the plain of Damascus at the time of wheat harvest, burned the fields, destroyed flocks and herds. He sacked the Syrian cities and enslaved their inhabitants. Fear and dread went before him. The kings of Tyre and Moab and Ammon, and the Pharaoh of Egypt, sent ambassadors to him, saying, “Do not come with fire and sword, great Captain. We submit ourselves to you without battle, our houses and our fields of wheat, our flocks and herds, our tents and our cities. Use them as it pleases you. And those who dwell in our lands, from highest to lowest, shall prostrate themselves before your king. He can put his foot upon our necks and we will be his servants.”

So Holofernes was master everywhere in the name of his king. He came down the sea coast and set garrisons in the cities, and took slaves without number. The people did not resist at all. They received the Assyrians with garlands and with dances and the music of timbrels.

Holofernes sent men through all these lands to destroy every temple they could find, every sacred grove, every wayside altar, every place of worship. He decreed that no god should be worshipped anywhere; only the Great King of Assyria could be worshipped as god. The decree was obeyed. People everywhere shunned their old gods and worshipped only the Great King of Assyria.

Now all the nations were conquered except the smallest one, Judah, and this seemed an easy thing. Holofernes gathered his forces and marched toward Judah. He paused on the shore of the great strait and prepared for invasion.

Now, the children of Israel who dwelt in Judah knew that Holofernes was coming against them with the mightiest army ever assembled, and they were very fearful. But their minds were troubled beyond fear. They had faced invasion and captivity before, but word had reached them that Holofernes was defiling temples, forbidding worship of any god but the king of Assyria—that he was planting statues of the Great King in all the holy places, and forcing the people to pray to the statue and sacrifice to it.

This the Jews were forbidden to do. God Himself had forbidden it. And they feared the wrath of God more than man’s cruelty. Therefore they decided to resist. Word was sent to the villages of Samaria and Judah. Men began to fortify their villages and build strong places upon the hills. They stored up provisions against siege. The high priest of Jerusalem wrote to the elders of Beth-el and to the elders of other walled cities among the mountains, charging them to guard the mountain passes. These narrow passes were the only entrance to Judah, and a few brave men could hold them against vast numbers of the enemy.

The city and villages were fortified. Grain was stored. Then all who dwelt in the land, every man, every woman, every child, prostrated themselves in their temples, and put ashes upon their heads, and spread sackcloth before the altar. They begged God not to deliver them up to the Assyrians for slaughter. For three days they fasted and prayed, then left the temples and waited for the enemy.

Messages came to Holofernes that the children of Israel were preparing for war, that they had shut off the mountain passes and fortified the hilltops, and had dug chariot traps in the plains. Holofernes was enraged. He called the princes of Moab, and the captains of Ammon, and the governors of the seacoasts, and said: “Tell me now, you sons of Canaan, who are these stubborn hill people? What are the cities they inhabit? How large is their army? Where lies their power? Why do they refuse to submit to me like all the rest of the world?”