Free In the Shadow of Jezebel by Mesu Andrews Page A

safety,” one of the Carites said, shoving Jehoiada aside.
    “No! Wait! He’ll take us to the high priest.” Obadiah grabbed Jehoiada’s arm and leaned close, whispering, “If Jerusalem falls and King Jehoram dies, a descendant of David will no longer sit on the throne, and Yahweh’s Temple will be lost. Do youwant to be responsible for breaking the covenant Yahweh made with David? And if we don’t save Jehoram, do you want one of Athaliah’s pagan sons to reign?” The nobleman released him. “Now take us to Amariah.”
    Jehoiada glared at the king but surrendered to Obadiah’s persistence. This was a decision for the high priest. He turned toward their chamber, leading unholy men on holy ground to let the high priest determine their path. He glanced behind him at the archers—fighting, falling, dying—on Jerusalem’s walls. He could barely fathom it. Would the impenetrable city actually fall? No foreign invader had breached Jerusalem’s walls since Pharaoh Shishak in the days of Solomon’s son Rehoboam.
    “Who is attacking us, and how did they invade so quickly?” He threw the question over his shoulder, not caring who answered it.
    Obadiah seemed the only one capable of conversing. “First reports say it’s the Arabs from Cush who joined with the Philistines, but no one knows for sure.”
    They reached Jehoiada’s chamber and burst inside. The young Levite guard drew his sword and stood between the intruders and Amariah, looking as frightened as a lamb on the altar.
    “What is going on?” Amariah aimed his question at Jehoiada while the young man sheathed his sword. Jehoiada’s emotions were too frayed to speak rationally, so once again Obadiah answered.
    Placing both hands on Amariah’s shoulders, he spoke slowly and deliberately. “Listen to me, my friend. The city is under siege. We can hide the king if we act now, but can we also move the Ark of the Covenant?”
    “What do you mean, ‘move the Ark’?” Jehoiada interrupted. “And why must the priests hide the king?”
    “Quiet!” the other two men shouted in unison, silencing every breath in the room.
    Amariah’s answer came quickly. “We must protect the Ark, Obadiah. It is the very presence of Yahweh in our midst.”
    “I know, my friend, but we believe the Philistines are leading the attack, and considering their past history with the Ark,it’s unlikely they would dare touch it—even if they breach our walls.” Obadiah’s years of diplomacy were evident. “However, if our troops save Jerusalem or somehow recapture the city, we must have a descendant of David to reign and rebuild what we’ve lost.” He stepped back, placing a protective arm around the king’s shoulders. “King Jehoram is our first responsibility!”
    The high priest massaged his neck, exhaled, then shook his head and looked at Jehoiada. “I’ll remain in the Temple, and you accompany Obadiah to hide King Jehoram. You will protect the king with your life.”
    Jehoiada stared, dumbfounded. “How will you defend the Ark? You can barely walk up the stairs. And where will we hide a king?”
    One of the Carites joined the argument. “King Jehoram goes nowhere without his bodyguard.”
    Amariah exchanged a decisive nod with Obadiah, as if the two answered to no one but each other. “Jehoiada, I am the high priest, and you will obey me. Obadiah knows how to hide the king and maintain the safety of the Ark. And as for the king’s guard, only one of the Carites may accompany King Jehoram. The fewer people aware of his location, the better. Now go. All of you, go.”
    Amariah pushed his way through the delegation as if the matter was settled, but the lead Carite clearly had no intention of letting anyone leave until he gave the order. He grabbed the high priest’s arm, and Jehoiada lunged at him, ready to fight anyone who threatened his friend and Yahweh’s anointed.
    The other Carites quickly subdued Jehoiada, and Amariah shouted, “That’s enough! We