Young Writers Society

XIX

The baby held onto the fleeting strings of life for four more days. The household hardly ate or slept. Joseph prayed, but Asenath kept her vigil at her son’s bed. She was weak, sick, tired, a bit delirious. Oni had tried to get her to eat, but Asenath refused. She could not see or hear, but she did a lot of thinking.

Ra-cruel, evil, selfish. Not worthy to be worshipped at all. I challenged him to prove himself. And he is. Joseph says that Elohim is love and the only true God. Then He has given me pain. But Joseph once said that blocked love brings pain. What does it all mean? You know, I never gave Elohim a chance to answer the challenge.

She whispered, “Elohim, Joseph worships you. He says that You are God alone, that You are powerful. Well, my son is dying under a curse from Ra. Prove to me that You are more powerful than Ra. Save my son. Then, I will worship You and teach my son to love You. Just listen and if You don’t answer, I know that… I have been talking to no one.”

Whether from exhaustion or a strange sense of relief, Asenath collapsed into a deep sleep.

#*#*#*#

She woke to utter silence. For the past few days, she had heard the constant wheezes of her son. Now, all was quiet.

He’s dead.

The sudden realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She wailed. It burned her lungs, but she could not stop.

Oni rushed in. “My lady! What happened?”

All she could manage to do was point at the crib. “Dead.”

Oni peaked over the edge of the crib. Then, she began to smile and laugh.

“Why do you mock my pain?” Asenath screamed.

“No, my lady. I mock nothing. It’s just that…”

“Don’t talk back to me!”

“Your son is healed!”

“Don’t toy with my emotions.”

“I swear to you! Hold him!” Oni picked up the baby and set him in his mother’s lap.

Asenath felt warmth. Wiping her tears, she looked at him.

He was alive! Alive and healthy and sleeping peacefully!

She sat still for a moment. I’m dreaming. Then, she felt the movement of his tiny lungs. A wave of pure joy swept over her. She laughed and cried and danced all at once. Still clasping her son, she ran to find Joseph.

“Joseph! Joseph!”

He was prostrated on the floor on the west portico with Amnon. “Joseph! Elohim! Elohim has healed our son!”

Joseph looked up in disbelief. “Asenath, what…what do you mean?”

“Just what I said! See your beautiful son.”

Shaking, Joseph approached. He glanced for a second at the healthy pink skin of his son, then immediately fell to his knees. “Elohim! Thank you!”

Asenath and Amnon joined him.

No greater praise could be uttered by the rejoicing hearts of the faithful and the found.

#**#*#*#*##

“When you first mentioned Elohim, I was sure that you were delusional. What happened?” Joseph asked Asenath.

The whole family, Oni, Msrah, their children (Zuberi, Asenath, and their youngest Sekani), Amnon, Joseph, Asenath, and their son, sat together in the shade garden that night. The plump yellow fruit of the persea tree hung around them and filled the area with a pleasing aroma.

This is how life is meant to be.

“I surprised myself too. But it seems like my whole life was eading up to this point.”

In tears and smiles, Asenath told how she came to believe in Elohim as the only true God.

Afterwards, Joseph kissed her softly on the mouth. “I have waited so long for this and now I don’t even know what to say.”

A craving overcame Asenath. “I just want to know more.”

#*#*#*#*#

Asenath awoke with a start. The first rays of sun were just poking into the room. “Joseph!”

“Mmm. What?”

“It’s the eighth day!”

“Of what?”

“Since our son was born! What are we going to name him?”

“Oh, yes.” Joseph yawned as he rolled closer to her. “What about something Hebrew?”

“Alright with me, but it has to have a good meaning.”

A Hebrew name is not what I always dreamed of but…

“Do you have any ideas?” Asenath asked.

“I was too busy these past days with… well, you know, to think of anything.”

“Now, now, let’s not speak of it. Let’s forget the pain so we won’t be bitter.”

“Perfect!”

“What?”

“Manasseh. It means ‘making to forget’.”

“Manasseh, I like it.”

“Elohim has made me to forget all my hardship and my father’s house.”

“He has done that for me as well.”

Manasseh. He led me to the joy in Elohim without bitterness.

Joseph jumped out of bed. “Amnon and I will circumcise him. It is business not fit for a woman to see. After we finish, I will get you, and we will dedicate him to Elohim.”

“To be a priest?” Asenath questioned, almost hopefully.

“Not necessarily. We will dedicate him to Elohim’s service however He wants to use him, whether priest, shepherd, warrior, whatever. We will be surrendered.”

Joseph came to her a couple of hours later with Manasseh in his arms. “It was painful for him, but now he is sleeping peacefully.”

Asenath fondly gathered him to her breast. “He looks like a Manasseh.”

Joseph winked. “I thought so too. Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the worship room.”

The old harem.

“No, it’s your special place. I can’t intrude.”

“It is not just for me, and you won’t be intruding. I have waited for years for this day, when we can finally worship Elohim together.”

Asenath shyly glanced at her feet. “I… I’m so unworthy and… afraid.”

Joseph draped his arm around her waist. “Don’t be afraid. We are all unworthy. But Elohim welcomes us as the Perfect Father.”

“Will you go with me?”

He grabbed her hand and whispered, “I won’t leave you.”

Silently, they walked down the hall, hand in hand.

What will it be like? Is it filled with magic? Am I even allowed in?

She stopped. “Wait Joseph. You said that Elohim is the God of the Hebrews. Is it wrong for me, Amnon, and Msrah to worship Him? We are Egyptians!”

Joseph returned the comment with a blank stare. He looked like everything he had ever believed in had just run into a wall.

That room is not for me.

An idea brightened Joseph’s face. “I just remembered something! My great-grandfather Abraham met the king of Salem, a place in Canaan. He was not Hebrew or even of my bloodline. Yet, he worshipped Elohim. Actually, he was a priest of Elohim!”

“But he was a king.”

“And… Hagar!”

“Who?”

“She was my great-grandmother’s handmaiden. And she was Egyptian. Once, when my great-grandmother mistreated her, Elohim spoke to her! Actually spoke to her!” Joseph’s face was all aglow.

“He spoke to an Egyptian slave! Do you think… He might speak to me?”

“I don’t know. He has never spoken to me,” Joseph said.

“But you have your dreams and visions.”

Joseph sighed. “I guess that counts for something. But, they happen so seldom.”

“Then how can you know that Elohim is real?”

“You cannot know. You have to believe. Do you truly believe, Asenath?”

Asenath realized the enormity of this question. “Um, I think so.”

“It can’t just be ‘I think so’. You have to be all in, even when things go wrong.”

Asenath paused to ponder the statement. “Yes. I believe.”

“Then let’s go into the worship room.” Joseph pushed in the wooden door.

The room was not exactly what she was expecting, but it was still magnificent. It had high ceilings and three open windows. A long, crimson rug covered the black ebony floor. At the far end of the room was an altar of shimmering white rocks. Green candle sticks sat on ledges in the stone walls. It was cool, and Asenath could smell the sweet fragrance of cooking lamb.

It’s very different from the hot atmosphere of Ra’s temple.

“Amnon and I already offered the sacrifice. Do you want to pray together?”

“Joseph, I would love to but I don’t know how.”

“Then, I’ll teach you.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly and led her to the rug. After slowly kneeling down, Joseph clasped her other hand. “Elohim, you alone are God. You are holy, and your glory fills the earth. I am only dust and ashes. Yet, You listen to your righteousness and those that pursue you. Listen to my cry. You gave us a son and now we give him back to you. Use him. Make your face shine upon him and bless him. And, thank you. Thank you for my dearest wife and that she has believed in You.”

As Joseph prayed to Elohim, peace and gratefulness washed over Asenath. It was like nothing she had ever known. He prayed to Elohim like he would talk to the Pharaoh, with honor, but also with familiarity, like a friend. Her heart cried, Elohim! Elohim! I want to know You. I need You! Tears welled up in her eyes. The deep, earnest desire overwhelmed her. It was like her love for Joseph, but richer and sweeter.

Joseph finished. “You turn.”

“Joseph, I really don’t know what to say.”

“Just say what you are feeling.”

Asenath took a deep breath. “Elohim, I…I…” she paused. Words began to spill out like a waterfall. “You know for many years I was against You. I thought that You were like the idols of my father. But, You guided me to Joseph, Your child. Even then, I spurned You. But when I my life seemed done and I had nowhere left to go, You took me into your loving arms. Now, you are my hope and my life. I promise to raise my son to love You. In the midst of all of Egypt, I will be faithful.”

When she was done, she realized that Joseph and her were both crying. He folded her into his arms.

“Joseph, I have never felt this way before.”

“I know.”

“Teach me of Elohim. Sing me His songs. Tell me the stories of your family.” She took his muscular arm. “Please.”

He broadly smiled and said, “With all my heart.”