RACHEL’S DAUGHTERS – EXCERPT # SEVEN

Barak has been killed by Herod’s soldiers and Eli, the innkeeper has found Jacob, bringing him to Rachel. She is in her father’s home and has been sitting beside the body of her baby…
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She (Rachel) struggled to her feet thinking the soldiers had returned but it was Jacob.
He had lashed the donkey to a dead run, far outdistancing Eli, jumped from the animal and stumbled into Simeon’s house. His eyes went first to the linen-wrapped bundle on the bench, then to the white-faced woman seated beside it. A great cry wrenched its way from his throat. “Rachel!” and he fell to his knees between his wife and his dead child.
Rachel gave no indication that she heard his voice or felt his touch; she stared straight ahead, unseeing, unfeeling. Jacob tore the linen sheet from his son and looked at him. With the sheet still clutched in his hand he turned to those standing in the house. “Who did this? Who killed my son?”
Eli had come in now and moved to the side of his friend. “The soldiers, Herod’s soldiers, did this, Jacob. They’ve killed all the little boys they could find! All of Bethlehem is grieving.”
Jacob looked at Eli, uncomprehending. “Why, Eli? Why our sons?”
“Herod found out about Jesus, Jacob. Someone told him a prince of Israel had been born in Bethlehem and he wanted him dead.”
“The Messiah is dead as well?” Jacob’s helpless grief became a look of hopelessness.
At these words Rachel roused from her stupor. She jumped to her feet and confronted Jacob. “Oh no! His son wasn’t killed! Jehovah sent His son to Egypt! It was our sons who died! His son he saved, our sons he would not!” Rachel began to tear at her robe. She put both hands to her head and began pulling at her hair.
Elisabeth had come back into the house and now went to her friend holding her until Jacob could take her into his own arms. Rachel pushed him away and stood back with an icy calm now in place. “Leave me. I must wash and clean myself before the priests come.” Taking the sheet from Jacob she placed it once more over Barak then shrugged out of her cloak and began to remove her tunic as though there were none present. Elisabeth motioned the men out of the house saying, “I will help her. Jacob, Eli can tell you what has happened.