Queen of Sheba (28 page)

In the palace Naamah was growing impatient. She had tried every way she knew to gain an audience with the king. She knew he wanted nothing to do with her. He wouldn’t accept her messengers nor would he send any sort of answer. Finally, in desperation, she devised a plan. If it worked she would be able at least to tell him of Jeroboam’s plot and Tipti’s treachery.

There was no time to waste. That same evening Naamah sought out the chief eunuch and demanded to see the record of the women called by the king within the past month. Glancing at the scroll, she saw that Solomon was calling certain ones quite regularly. “Who is the one he calls most often?” she asked.

“A princess from Sidon. She plays the kinnor and sings,” the eunuch said.

Naamah thanked him and then pressed into his hand a pure gold necklace with Egyptian workmanship. “The next time he calls her, I wish to take her place.”

“But …” the eunuch stammered in fright.

“Don’t worry. I have news for the king he must hear. He’ll have forgotten all about the girl when he hears what I have to tell him.”

The eunuch looked again at the necklace lying in his hand. Even if he were dismissed, he could live a lifetime in quiet luxury with what this would bring. His hand closed on it, and Naamah, satisfied that he would do his part, went back to her apartments to wait for the summons.

It came sooner than she had expected, and there was no time to think of changing her clothes or fussing over her hair. She would have to go just as she was. She felt a slight twinge of anxiety at tricking the king, but when he heard the news, surely she would be forgiven.

She called for her ointment of jasmine. She had heard it was a favorite with the the young woman from Sidon. She had her maidens rummage in her chest of clothes until they found her wedding mantle all embroidered with gold and small pearls. She squeezed her feet into the jeweled sandals
she had worn as a bride and last of all she called for a harp to be carried by her maid. At first glance, with only the alabaster lamps for light, she hoped the king would mistake her for the maiden from Sidon.

Just as she was ready to leave, one of her maidens came running to tell her the favorite from Sidon had fainted and then went into hysterics upon hearing that someone else was taking her place. Naamah stiffened. “Just be sure she gets no message to the king until I’ve seen him first.”

With that she took the scepter from the eunuch and followed him up the stairs to the king’s pavilion on the roof.

As the curtains parted she saw Solomon sitting with Rehoboam, Nathan, and a few of the tribesmen. She waited in the shadows until they were dismissed and then she took the harp from her maid and stepped inside letting the curtained covering of the door drop down behind her. She saw him smile, but it was a sad, remote smile compared to the joyful smile she remembered. For the first time since she had devised the plan she was fearful.

Straightening her shoulders and stiffening her resolve, she came forward and knelt with her face hidden in the deep folds of her mantle. She held the scepter out to him and felt him take it in one hand and then reach for her hand. “Come, my lovely Sidonian,” he said. “I have forgotten your name but not your music or your other charms.”

Naamah let him help her to stand and then she threw back her mantle. She saw him draw back with horror and aversion. He let her hand drop and was about to call the guards when she stopped him. “My lord,” she said, “the Sidonian will come, but first I must tell you there is treachery afoot in the palace and neither you nor our son Rehoboam is safe.”

Solomon was hesitant and cautious. “Treachery! What treachery can be worse than the treachery you are mixing most of the time?”

“My lord, don’t make light of this. I love my son and will not see him bested.”

“Yes, yes, it is true you do love your son.”

“Now listen carefully. There’s a plot to put Jeroboam on the throne either with the success of the coalition against you or after your death. You know this. You also know the plot originated with the Egyptian.”

“Yes, yes,” Solomon said waving his hand in impatience. “All of that has been told me. Is there anything new? That’s all I care to hear.”

Naamah knew she had to hurry or he’d not hear her through. “My lord, I’ve been to visit the Egyptian.”

Solomon spun around and looked at her with utter disbelief registering in his eyes. “You what?”

“Visited the Egyptian and …”

“Why should you do that?”

“Wait, I’ll tell you. I went to explain to her how futile it was to back Jeroboam since he hadn’t been anointed by a priest or chosen by Israel’s God.”

“And …”

“She told me he had been both chosen and anointed. The priest at Shiloh, Ahijah, came clear to Jerusalem to announce to Jeroboam himself that he would be king over ten tribes.”

Solomon’s whole demeanor changed. He sank down among the cushions of his throne, his head in his hands. Suddenly her words broke through his despair. “Ten tribes,” he said. “There are twelve. What of the other two?”

“One is the priestly tribe and the other is Judah. Judah and Jerusalem are all this liar says will be left for Rehoboam. Of course, you must kill the plotters immediately. Even your God can’t save a man with a sword thrust through his heart.”

“Are you sure the priest actually said Jeroboam would be king?”

“Quite sure. As the Egyptian told the story, this priest actually tore his garment into eleven pieces and gave ten of them to Jeroboam. I saw the pieces. I counted them. There were ten.”

Solomon’s face had turned deadly pale. He was remembering the encounter he had experienced in the temple. He had been searching ever since for the man that God would choose over him and his son. “So it is the upstart Jeroboam,” he muttered.

“And the Egyptian. They are together in this,” Naamah added.

“Ah, the Egyptian. That woman I’ve sold my soul and all Jerusalem to have.” His laugh was bitter and cynical.

“Get rid of her. Have her exposed and beheaded.”

“You have obviously forgotten she is a queen, a sister of the pharaoh.”

“Then send her home in disgrace.” As Naamah spat out her resentment Solomon was deep in thought. He didn’t even notice that she had backed
from his presence and slipped out through the curtains. She had accomplished what she had come for and now it was up to him to act.

Solomon mulled over every aspect of the situation. He dissected each word spoken to him in the temple and every revelation of Jeroboam’s duplicity. Actually it was within his right to have the man killed for dining with his queen. He wondered now how often it had happened and how much could be explained by Tipti’s wanting a son to compete with Naamah.

He thought of calling Jeroboam in and talking to him. What would they have to say to each other? Things had gone too far. Even the priest at Shiloh had spoken, and Solomon didn’t doubt it was God’s word that he spoke. It had the same ring to it as the message he had heard in the temple.

He finally determined that he could not deal harshly with Tipti. He must instead try to win her back. No doubt she was resenting all the other women that were taking up his time and crowding her out. He could ease things over with her, but Jeroboam had to go.

He would put out an order to have Jeroboam killed. Surely both Tipti and Jeroboam himself could expect nothing less. It would be punishment enough for Tipti to have her favorite removed. As to his being God’s man, chosen to rule Israel, well, it was God’s business somehow to protect him and it was Solomon’s business to have him removed.

With that settled in his mind he called in Beniah, captain of his house guards, and ordered him to do away with Jeroboam as soon as possible. “The man has been plotting to join our enemies and take over the kingdom.”

No sooner had Beniah left than Solomon began to think of what was likely to happen next. He always did this. It was a pattern he had developed years ago. Most people acted and then were surprised by the result, but Solomon went through each possibility in his mind until he was very seldom surprised. “A truly wise man avoids conflict whenever possible,” he thought.

He could see that if Jeroboam were killed, Tipti would never forgive him. He would always be the enemy. There would be no reconciliation possible. At the same time he could see that he must deal harshly and strongly in this situation. Finally he determined that to keep Tipti from hating him he would have to warn her of what he intended to do. Of course this would make it possible for Jeroboam to be warned and escape,
but there was nothing else to be done as far as he could see.

It was his custom to talk everything over with his counselors and fellow tribesmen. In this matter they probably wouldn’t agree with his final decision, but he would at least have the benefit of their best thinking. He raised his hands and clapped three times. The guard appeared in the doorway. “Send for Nathan and the tribesmen,” Solomon ordered. “I must consult with them.”

When they arrived both Mattatha and Rehoboam were with Nathan and some of the older tribesmen. They scattered around the room and waited to hear what the king had to say. He told them everything he knew about the Jeroboam revolt but neglected to tell them he had gotten the news from Naamah. He also told them his solution, and they were in agreement with everything but objected to his warning Tipti. “She’ll tell Jeroboam and he may escape,” Rehoboam said.

“That is the chance we take, but at least the Egyptians will feel we have been fair. They were warned.” Solomon held to his point and though most of them couldn’t agree with him, they understood that he could do nothing else. “This is a delicate matter,” he said. “Who shall I send with the message?”

It was finally agreed that one of the serving men should go, making it known that he was coming at Solomon’s request.

That settled and seeing it was late, they were about to disband when the thud of hooves was heard on the pavement below. A series of questions by the guards and then muffled answers carried on the clear night air.

Within minutes three men appeared in the doorway. It was evident they had ridden hard and were greatly disturbed. As they came closer, Solomon recognized them as the men in charge of gathering tribute from the Edomites. He was more than annoyed that they had come at this time of day. He couldn’t imagine any news worthy of such an intrusion. “Speak, speak,” he ordered impatiently.

The men fell to their knees and only the leader spoke. “My lord, the Edomites have captured the queen of Sheba. They are holding her in their stronghold.”

This was indeed news worth listening to, and Solomon was immediately interested. “For what purpose? Are you sure she’s been captured? Maybe that is part of her plan to join the coalition against me.”

“I don’t think she is joining the coalition,” the leader said.

“How do you know? What makes you think this?”

The three men looked at each other and finally the tallest spoke. “As far as we have heard, Hadad is demanding that she marry him, and she is objecting.”

“Marry him!” Solomon was surprised and shocked. “Why is he doing that?”

“My lord, she’s a beautiful woman,” one of them ventured.

“Her support is needed for the coalition, I’ll wager. She could be as ugly as a witch and he’d make love to her just to get her to join them.” Solomon was now pacing nervously. “She’s inside the Siq is she?” he asked.

“Most of the caravan waited outside while she went in for one of their fairs and celebrations, and now he won’t let her back out.”

“And how did you come by this news?”

“Your men stationed at the entrance to the Siq reported to us and we came directly to you.”

“So this bit of southern baggage with the feet of a donkey may need my help.”

“She must be desperate. The wedding is to be within a few days.”

“Are you sure she is opposed to the marriage?”

“It seems so from what we’ve heard. She’s a virgin, my lord.”

Solomon laughed a jolly, amused laugh. “I’ve no doubt the woman’s a virgin. Anyone with the feet of a donkey could hardly be anything else. However, we just may need to rescue her.”

“Hadad is calling in the tribesmen from the desert.”

“Ah, then we must be prepared to act quickly. He’s always planning some revolt. Alert your men in case they are needed. We need more information before we rush in and stir up Hadad’s hornet’s nest.”

As soon as they were gone Solomon again grew thoughtful. “It’s hard to know what to make of such news. This may very well be a carefully contrived plan to lead my men into a trap. The Edomites are good at that. We won’t move until we know exactly what is happening.”

Tipti was lounging near her pool watching the brilliant fish glide and float through the water. They had been a recent gift from her brother the
pharaoh and she found it entertaining to sit and watch their slow, graceful movements. Though she seemed relaxed, her mind was actively at work plotting the next step in her plan to bring Jeroboam to the throne.

She heard the sound of running and then a loud knocking on her door. Then her gateman was asking questions. She hoped he would send the man away, as she wasn’t in the mood to deal with news of any kind. She leaned over and looked in the pool. One of her earrings was missing. She clapped her hands for her maid and was surprised when no one came right away.