“Well, they will have to wait until they are much older and strong enough to kill any predator,” Kaella said. “Er is not even able to wield a sling or handle a small sword. I will not put him in such danger. Even with you watching him.” She stood firm, both feet planted as if she would defend her sons against their own father. He wasn’t a beast who would hurt his children!
His cheeks burned, and he fought his rising anger. “They will come with me when I say they will. I will not let you shield our sons from proper work at the right age to begin to learn.”
She glared at him but said nothing.
“Seven is old enough to handle a sling.” Tamping down his indignation, he whirled about and stormed out of the tent.
His wife was becoming more frustrating by the day. Since Shelah’s birth, she had taken to visiting her mother often, when she should be at home caring for her family’s needs. But what was a man supposed to do about that?
As he approached the sheep pens, he saw Hirah calling his sheep in the adjoining field. He couldn’t discuss this with his friend as he once had. He waved in greeting, opened the door to the pen that housed his flocks, and called each one to follow him. He would go to a different pasture than Hirah, as they rarely found a valley large enough for their many animals.
He noticed Hirah’s sons in the distance, already leading some of the goats in the opposite direction of Judah’s animals. He released a deep sigh. In times like this, he often missed his brothers and the camaraderie they’d shared as they worked together. He even missed his mother and father and especially Dinah. But with the memories of his family, Joseph’s face always filled his mind, and with that came a deep sense of guilt. He could not bear the guilt.
Shaking his head, he barked at the sheep to move them along. He didn’t need solitude, he needed distraction. But he doubted being alone with his sheep would give him much of that.
19
EGYPT
The sun had begun its descent toward its midafternoon spot in the cloudless blue sky. Joseph had worked alone today and now climbed the steps to his station in Potiphar’s house. The house servants seemed to be elsewhere, except for a few of the men who kept the artifacts polished and the floors free of dusty footprints.
He drew in a breath, his mind whirling with the state of the crops and the things he would record for Potiphar, though the man had come to trust him so much that Joseph wondered if he even looked at the records. Nevertheless, he would do his work and hopefully be found blameless should anyone ever question him.
He picked up a reed, dipped it in black ink, and began recording the state of the wheat. The crop had more than doubled in the years it had been under his care. A surprising sense of gratitude filled him at the thought. Only by God’s blessing could Potiphar’s crops have done so well and his animals remained so healthy. Even the cattle had multiplied since Joseph had taught the servants to vary their grazing areas. Everything he touched seemed to increase in his hands.
He did not care as much that Potiphar noticed, though his favor had allowed Joseph many freedoms. He cared far more about pleasing his God, for he knew now that God was with him even though his father was not. He had not abandoned Joseph in this foreign land.
Footsteps interrupted his musings, and he looked up, expecting to see Hamid, who often stopped to talk with him or give him a report on something. To his surprise and alarm, Aneksi, Potiphar’s wife, approached. Her sheer robe was draped low over one arm, exposing her shoulder, and her white tunic revealed too much of her female form. She tilted her head and looked at him with an expression he had never seen. And yet he knew it was seductive. His heart skipped a beat.
“Can I help you, my lady?” He pushed his chair farther from her and stood, keeping the table between them.
She leaned closer, and Joseph’s face heated. He could almost feel her breath. “You can do much to help me, dear Joseph.” Her voice reminded him of the purr of a large cat, and he imagined a lion ready to pounce on him.
He straightened and backed farther away. “Tell me how, then,” he said, knowing he had at last become her object of desire. Had she tired of everyone else? If only Potiphar had been enough for her.
Her tone turned demanding. “Come and sleep with me.”
He stared at her, his mind whirling, as he sent a silent prayer heavenward. Help me, Adonai. The prayer seemed to give him strength, and he knew no matter what happened to him, he could never go against the laws of his God.
“Look,” he said, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
She reeled back as though he had struck her. “A sin against god? Which god?” She laughed, but the sound held no humor. “I have given you an order, Joseph. Do you really think my husband cares what I do with my time or whom I sleep with? He is never home and doesn’t care. I do what I please and I get what I want. And I want you!” She reached out as if to grab him, but he stepped back again until he was on the other side of the table and could flee to the fields if he needed to.
“I’m sorry, my lady. My God would be offended if I took another man’s wife. It would be my sin, and I cannot sin against my God.” He held back the fact that she was also a sinner, an adulterous woman whom God would likely punish one day if she did not repent. He did not want to raise her ire. She was a danger to him here, and he now realized just how much.
“You put too much faith in the gods,” she said. “No god has ever punished me for what I do. I suffer no malady other than disinterest from my husband, who cares more for his work and his food than his wife!” She leaned closer. “Do not ever accuse me of sinning against some god! I have every right to live my life the way I want to, and no servant is going to tell me otherwise.” She had lowered her voice to a mere whisper, but every syllable held menace.
Joseph held her gaze. She glared at him, but then in an instant her features changed and she returned to the seductress she had been.
She pointed a finger at him. “You will change your mind. You will see.” Her chin tipped up, and she whirled about and left him, heading toward her rooms.
Joseph watched her go and didn’t release a breath until she was out of sight. He glanced about, but the servants who had been cleaning the house had disappeared. He was blessedly alone. Yet he did not feel safe. He would need to keep his guard up in this place.
CANAAN
Judah led his family toward Hirah’s home, passing the golden wheat fields and carrying a young goat in his arms. Hirah had planned a great feast for everyone from the town of Kezib where they lived, not far from Adullam. Kaella came behind him holding Shelah’s hand, while Er carried a basket of food. Onan kicked at stones along the path. The celebration was an annual one to a Canaanite god, and Judah realized the closer they came that this could be the exact thing he needed to remove his guilt. The gods of Canaan did not fault a man for standing up for his rights. Was there a gift he ought to give to cover murder? Had Joseph died on the trip to Egypt?
He couldn’t know that, but he still fought the fact that it was he who had suggested Joseph’s sale into slavery. He simply had to get over this constant battle in his heart.