David Ascendant (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 7) (7 page)

A horn had called all the citizens to the town square in the middle of Mizpah. The square was packed tight with Israelites, most of whom had travelled to this little town from all over the hill country. There were the elders and the clan leaders, all delegates representing the interests of their tribes and their allotted lands.

In the crowd, Ittai and Micah were close enough to be able to see the faces of the tribal elders on display at the podium in the center of the square
.

The assembly went hushed when an old man in long gray hair stepped up.

Micah whispered to Ittai, “That is Samuel the Seer.”

Seers were the spiritual advisors of Israel. The Israelites were unique amongst their neighboring nations in that they did not have a king. Micah had explained to Ittai that they had been ruled over by judges and elders for hundreds of years because their god Yahweh was their king. The judges were both military leaders and civil governors of the twelve tribes. They led them in some victories over the Midianites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines. They had secured the highlands of Galilee, Samaria, Judah, and Gilead east of the Jordan. But the Philistines retained the southern and central coastal plain along with the Shephelah. Other Canaanites held the northern coast, the Valley of Jezreel as well as Jerusalem and other territories. As a confederacy, Israel suffered disunity and conflict among its diverse tribal interests and squabbling. While elders and judges led the civil and military affairs, they were often spiritually advised by seers. Samuel seemed to be a significant one.

He also seemed to be an angry one. When he spoke, he struck Ittai as a man who was very annoyed at not having things done correctly. It was strange that such a short-tempered sourpuss would have so much influence over a people. Maybe this was why Israel had so many troubles. Or maybe Israel was such a troubled people that it drove this seer to frustration.

“Hear O Israel,” announced Samuel. “You have been gathered together before Yahweh by your leaders of thousands because you have sought a king to reign over you. You have said, ‘Let us have a king like the nations around us!’”

He paused. The crowd was amazingly quiet to Ittai. He had never seen them so. They truly listened to this Seer.

“Thus says Yahweh, the Elohim of Israel: I brought you out of Egypt and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies, the Egyptians, and all the nations who have oppressed you. I have been your king. Yet now you cry out, ‘We have no king. Set a king over us like the nations have.’ This day, you have rejected Yahweh who is your king.”

The crowd now murmured with agitation.

“So Yahweh will give you what you want. Just as he gave the meat for you in the wilderness and the water from the rock when you grumbled and complained. Now you cry out for a king to deliver you from the hands of the Philistines. But you will be sorry for wanting to be like the nations. Yahweh will appoint a king over you. And he will take the best of your daughters to be his servants and will conscript your sons to war. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards. He will take an oppressive tenth of everything you produce as a tax. You will complain to Yahweh, but it will be too late, and you will deserve what you get when you get what you have demanded.”

Another moment of angry silence from the Seer washed over the crowd.

He belted out, “Yahweh has confirmed his choice by sacred lots!” Murmurings around Ittai sharpened his attention even more on the scene before him.

The Seer announced, “Bring forth Saul ben Kish of the tribe of Benjamin!”

The murmuring rose to a cacophony of mixed reactions.

But no one came forward.

The crowd’s noisy chatter heightened. Ittai could see the Seer barking orders to those off the platform.

Then a man stepped up. The clamor settled. This must be the man. But to Ittai, he looked as if he didn’t want to be there, as if he were afraid.

What a strange choice for a king
, he thought. The man was actually quite handsome. The kind that Ittai had seen women swoon over. He stood a full head and shoulders taller than any of the other Israelites. Ittai guessed him to be about six and a half feet tall.

The thought could not help but come to Ittai’s mind,
Is he a Rapha?
Rephaim were usually taller by this man’s age of about thirty or so. But then again, Ittai himself was living proof that not all Rephaim attain to such heights.

What kind of Rapha, so strong, so beautiful and befitting the physical image of royalty and power, could be so timid and hesitant?

This god Yahweh was a strange one. He gives his people what they want against his own desires? He chooses men as rulers who do not want to rule? Does he know what he is doing?

The Seer pulled out a flask and removed the cap. Saul knelt before the Seer. Samuel poured the contents of the flask over Saul’s head. The anointing oil flowed down over his face and beard. The crowd noise increased again.

Samuel cried out, “Behold the man of Yahweh’s choosing. Behold your king!”

And the mass of Israelite leaders all responded, “LONG LIVE THE KING!”

When the crowd died down in its applause, Samuel announced, “Hear O Israel! I have received word that the Ammonites have besieged the city of Jabesh-gilead. But I am no longer your judge over you. Hear now the words of your king!”

Saul looked surprised. He got up and wiped the oil from his face. He whispered to Samuel. Ittai could tell he was asking his counsel.

Suddenly, Samuel put his hand on Saul’s head in blessing. Saul jerked back as if penetrated by a rush of wind. The tall king fell back to his knees.

The crowd hushed.

“What happened?” Ittai whispered to Micah.

“The Spirit of Yahweh has come upon the king.”

Saul stood up again and appeared to rise taller than he had been. His posture straightened and he now exuded the confidence he had lacked just moments earlier.

It fascinated Ittai.

Saul turned to the crowd and announced in a firm kingly voice, “All Israel, send your military units and anyone who will fight to Gibeah. We will march on Jabesh-gilead and I will lead our forces in victory over these enemies of Yahweh!”

The crowd was stunned. Ittai and Micah were obviously not the only ones who had seen the transformation.

Then the entire mass of people burst out in a cheer.

Ittai felt tears in his eyes. Tears of inspiration. He turned to Micah and said, “I am going to Gibeah.”

Ittai said goodbye to Micah and followed Saul to Gibeah where he sought to join the military of Israel. But he was still too young, barely eleven years old, and was not allowed to join up.

He would not accept defeat and volunteered for the spoils unit. These were not fighters, but rather scavengers who would walk through the aftermath of a battle. They made sure the defeated were truly dead, as well as helped confiscate any weapons or other useful military gear that might be used as victor’s spoils.

His first walkthrough had him tread through the mounds of Ammonite dead. He had heard of the Ammonites, but had never seen them because they lived across the river in the Transjordan.

They looked like shades of Sheol to him. Pale-skinned people with dark eye paint and masses of matted hair. They wore bones and teeth as jewelry and their clothing fell across their gaunt bodies in rags.

They were a death cult. They were known for their sacrifice of children to their underworld god, Molech. Ittai had heard Molech described as the “abomination of the Ammonites.” Now he understood what that meant. He approached the high place and tophet where they had set up their siege camp. A tophet was the location of their burning of sacrifices. A large statue of Molech made of bronze sat with his arms outstretched. Beneath those arms was the tophet of fire
.

As Ittai stepped up to the high place, he could see the charred remains of children’s bones at the feet of Molech. Dozens of them. It was detestable evil. It sickened him.

Apparently, they would place a child in the arms of this portable shrine and would burn the child’s body from the flames below. They called it “passing their sons and daughters through the fires of Molech.” What kind of people would do this to their own children? What kind of monsters would kill their own offspring?

Images of what he saw on the field of battle haunted Ittai. He felt in a daze all the way back to Gibeah. He kept wondering what other atrocities filled this land outside of Philistia.

He passed by some minstrels in the marketplace singing a ballad of King Saul. The music finally brought him out of his haunted stupor. After a battle, it was common for the ballad singers to glorify their king’s victory and laud him with praises.

But these lyrics arrested Ittai’s attention. They reflected his own earlier thoughts on the king. They were praising the king’s handsome looks and physical stature. And then they went on about how he might be a descendant of the giants.

Oh, lord our king,
Our kingly Saul,
Is mighty, brave, and surely tall,

Head and shoulders above all men,
Could he be a Nephilim?

His beauty is heavenly,
His eyes do gleam,
Like Anakim and Rephaim,

Heavenly host does give us nod,
Is he our very own Son of God?

As Ittai watched the minstrels, a contingent of royal guardsmen approached them and arrested the musicians. He knew that Israel was the sworn enemy of the giants. Was Saul really a Nephilim? Was he hiding his identity to protect himself or were the minstrels guilty of slandering the king to incite sedition against his rule
?

He might never find out. But in either case, it was clear to Ittai that no one should ever know his own true identity in Israel.

In the heart of the sanctuary of Dagon’s temple, an assembly of gods took place beneath the torchlight. They ate the flesh of animal sacrifice provided by the Philistine priests and drank the blood for refreshment.

The assembly consisted of Dagon the storm god; Ba’al, the son of Dagon; Asherah, the mother of the gods; and Molech, the god of the underworld. Molech was a peculiar deity. Because of extended time tunneling rock beneath the earth, his skin had grown calloused and pale, with heavy folds over his face. His eyesight was bad in the day, but a dark cave-like interior filled the sanctuary so his sight was just fine there. It was his rotting maggot odor that wrinkled the noses of his colleagues.

Between the maggot stench of Molech, the fish stink of Dagon and the irritating flies around Ba’al, Asherah could barely keep herself from gagging. These male swine had no sense of hygiene.

Molech had just escaped from Jabesh-gilead with intelligence of Israel’s new king.

“What is his name?” said Dagon.

“Saul ben Kish,” answered Molech. “He does not have a royal pedigree, or even personal achievements. The choice appears arbitrary.”

“Nothing Yahweh does is arbitrary,” said Ba’al with bitter memory.

Molech said, “He was rather comely. He looked the part to be sure. But the one thing that stood out to me was his size. He was head and shoulders above all the other Israelites. And he fought like a gibborim. He is a mighty warrior king.”

Dagon said, “Do you think he could be of Nephilim blood?”

“Categorically impossible,” said Asherah. “Yahweh would not anoint the Seed of the Serpent to rule over the Seed of Abraham.”

Dagon looked again to Molech, “You say he was anointed?”

“By their holy seer in a ceremony dedicated to the destruction of Philistia.”

“Then he is their messiah king,” concluded Dagon.

“Messiah?” Asherah repeated. “Why would Yahweh put his holy election on a nobody? Why make him the special anointed one?” She sputtered with irritation.

“Just the same,” said Molech, ignoring her, “there is still something about him that does not seem holy. You remember Moses and Joshua, even Caleb. This one does not have the same spirit. He is more like Samson. Drawn to the very darkness he is sworn to fight.”

Asherah said, “I can turn him to our advantage.”

Dagon did not buy it. “Samson killed more Philistines in his death than in his life. I would not call that an advantage.”

“Need I remind you,” said Asherah, “a great number of these Israelites are mine to sway. They worship me as the consort of their god Yahweh all through the hill country.” She added with a touch of proud glory, “Yahweh and his Asherah.”

“Is it true?” asked Molech. “Has Yahweh cavorted with you?”

“Of course not, moron. But I’ve got them believing it. They have teraphim of me, and have included my Asherah poles in their high places. I have unhindered access throughout their territory.”

Dagon said, “Have you forgotten how easily Gideon overthrew you? No, if this is the promised messiah, we must release the Sons of Rapha, or we stand on the precipice of our defeat.”

“Or our victory,” countered Ba’al. “If I may recommend, father, the Sons of Rapha are newly created. They are young and strong.”

Dagon and Molech nodded. Asherah knew where Ba’al was leading them. She had after all been conspiring with him.

Ba’al continued, “But they are inexperienced and unorganized as of yet. They need more time to organize, to prepare, to train. If this is the messiah king as we suspect, then he will be the most terrible abomination Yahweh has ever created. The Sons of Rapha will need to be at the height of their preparedness in order to be able to vanquish him.”

Asherah added, “That may be our best course. But if we attack too soon, we could lose all.”

Dagon paused, ceremoniously displaying his judging thoughtfulness. Then he said, “You make a good argument, Ba’al.”

Ba’al concluded, “I humbly recommend we wait and watch. For years, if we have to. Use Asherah’s freedom there to spy. If what Molech says is true, and this Saul is corruptible, then we only increase our chances by uncovering and exploiting his weakness over time. If, after all, he is not corruptible and proves to be the messiah king, then our cult of assassins will be fully trained and fully capable of providing the means necessary for extinguishing his lamp.”

“Agreed,” said Dagon. “Your counsel has proven most helpful, my son. My trust in you increases daily.”

Good
, thought Ba’al to himself,
Because when you are the most unsuspecting, then I will gut you and filet you like the fish that you are. And with the help of Asherah, I will take back my rightful ownership of this land, and with it, the Sons of Abraham
.

“Good,” said Ba’al to Dagon. “Because when you are the most trusting, then I know our unity will be the only way we can win this War of the Seed and claim the territory we rightfully share together. Only by uniting can we defeat the enemy.”

Asherah listened to Ba’al with relish and thought,
Ashtart would be proud of you, my little cabbage head deity
. It was one of the condescending nicknames she had picked up from Ashtart’s biting wit before she was entombed in Sheol.

She thought to add one caution. “May I suggest you not tell the Rephaim of their true calling until they have reconnoitered enough intelligence to prove our suspicions.”

“Brilliant,” said Dagon. She was looking quite desirable to him, with her huge matriarchal breasts.

Molech interrupted, “I hate to break up this orgy of love, but I need a theater of operation. I have had my eye on the Valley of Hinnom just outside the city of Jerusalem. It is unconquered territory and I would like to establish it as a key location to build my ritual furnaces. Do any of you protest?”

The three of them looked at one another without objection. His lust for little children and passing them through the fire was disgusting to all of them. But every god had their own depravity and they wouldn’t judge him as long as he did not inconvenience them.

Dagon said, “It is yours for the taking. But be available. We may need your help at any time.”

“Of course,” said Molech. “Until then, I bid you all farewell.”

Molech left. The others shared looks of good riddance.

“We can all breathe without gagging now,” said Dagon to Ba’al’s approving grin.

Asherah quipped, “I would not speak too quickly, my lord. The both of you are no less repugnant.”

The male gods looked at each other with confused surprise.

Dagon shrugged, and changed the subject. “I am feeling quite magnanimous,” he threw out. “Ba’al, I think I will give you your first city to rule, Ekron.”

“Why, thank you, father,” said Ba’al gushingly. “That is very gracious of you.”

“And you shall be called, ‘Ba’alzebul.’ It means, ‘Ba’al the prince.’ Under my kingship of course.”

“Of course, my lord. I accept it willingly,” Ba’al said.

Ba’al thought,
But I will still gut you, skin you alive, and dance on your living carcass
.

Dagon’s tactic was an old one. Naming a person or place was an expression of authority or ownership over them. Dagon was simply reminding Ba’al who was boss.

Dagon brushed a couple flies away from his face angrily. “These flies are truly annoying. If their presence persists, I may have to call you, Ba’alzebub.” Ba’alzebub meant “Lord of the Flies.”

Dagon said, “Now let us call upon the Sons of Rapha.”

              • • • • •

Goliath and Ishbi came alone to the sanctuary later that night. Dagon limited his presence to the highest officials of the warrior cult. And Dagon alone of the gods was present. He felt that including the other deities would only dilute his authority in the eyes of his devotees.

Goliath and Ishbi knelt before Dagon, eager for duty. He had told them of Israel’s new institution of monarchy, and their first king, Saul of Benjamin.

Goliath said, “A king would unite their tribes and make their military formidable.”

“Indeed,” pondered Dagon.

“What is your command, my god?”

“Continue organizing and training the Sons of Rapha. But begin gathering intelligence on this Saul. He is a mighty warrior king and you will be fighting battles against him. You will need to know how he thinks, his weaknesses, his strengths.”

Dagon looked at Ishbi. He turned his head as if feeling something odd.

Dagon said to Ishbi, “You are the son of an Ob?”

Ishbi bowed. “Yes, my lord and god.”

“I can see it in you: familiar spirits. You are a strong asset to our cause. I salute you, Ishbi ben Ob, and look forward to your contribution. You have my blessing.”

Ishbi bowed low again, “Thank you, my lord.”

“Stand up,” Dagon commanded.

Ishbi obeyed.

“Turn around.”

Ishbi obeyed.

Dagon groaned at the beautiful physique of this specimen.

“I can already think of one contribution you will give me.”

Dagon shook his head free from his lust and concluded, “Now, let us train this guild of yours to exterminate Israelites.”