Song of Redemption by Lynn Austin

was with Hezekiah at the palace, but now that she was home, reminded of the old ways, the old loyalties, she felt guilty for heartlessly abandoning Asherah.
    “Is it true that the king tore down the big altar of Assur that used to be in the Temple?” Miriam asked. “And that he even destroyed the sacred serpent of Moses?”
    “Yes, it’s all true.”
    “Well, I know Abba has been very upset about all the changes your husband is making. Every time he comes home from the palace he shouts about the terrible things that are going to happen to our nation because the king has offended all the gods.”
    “I know—it scares me, too,” Hephzibah admitted. “But my husband refuses to believe in any god but Yahweh.”
    “Do you still believe in them?”
    Hephzibah had asked herself the same question many times. She had assured Hezekiah that she would abandon all her other gods, but sometimes she felt a lingering fear for deserting them. What if Yahweh really wasn’t the only god?
    “I’ve decided to believe what my husband believes,” she finally said.
    “But what about your vow, Hephzibah? You pledged a daughter to Asherah’s service—remember?”
    “That was before—I mean, how was I to know my husband would forbid me to worship Asherah?”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “Well, maybe once we have a son, King Hezekiah will be a little more open-minded about who I worship. But for now, I just want to please him, Miriam. I’ll do anything he asks.”
    “You really love him, don’t you?”
    Hephzibah thought of the warmth of Hezekiah’s arms, the passion of his kisses, and all her other concerns vanished. “Yes. More than anything else in the world.”
    Miriam sighed. “I hope I can learn to love whoever Papa chooses for me.”
    “You will. Just wait and see. Has Papa been making any inquiries for you yet?”
    “I don’t think so. He’s waiting to see who’ll be appointed to the important positions in the new court… . Do you know if there are any eligible men on the council?”
    Hephzibah reached up to pluck a leaf off the fig tree. “Well, there’s Shebna, the new palace administrator. He isn’t married—but he’s too old for you. There’s a new chief engineer named Eliakim who’s becoming pretty important. He isn’t married, either.”
    “Is he handsome?”
    “Yes, in a scholarly sort of way—high forehead, dark, rumpled hair and beard, slim build—” “I want a husband as handsome as yours.”
    Hephzibah tossed the leaf at Miriam playfully. “That’s impossible. There’s no one in the whole kingdom who’s that handsome.”
    “Do you remember when you made me sneak out to try to see what Prince Hezekiah looked like?” Miriam asked.
    Hephzibah laughed. “How could I forget? If Abba had found out, he would have stoned both of us!”
    “Tell the truth,” Miriam said. “You were afraid the prince would be a fat, ugly toad like his father, weren’t you?”
    “Well, can you blame me? But when I saw him that day, he was so tall and handsome, with those dark eyes … I wanted to be his wife more than anything in the world. I was so afraid that King Ahaz would change his mind and I’d never know what it felt like to be held in Hezekiah’s arms.”
    “But now you do,” Miriam sighed.
    “Yes. The goddess has answered all of my prayers.”
    “And is being married to him as wonderful as you dreamed it would be?”
    Hephzibah couldn’t help smiling. “Even more wonderful. Someday you’ll find out, little sister. I know that my husband doesn’t love me yet—not as much as I love him. But I’ll make sure that he does someday … no matter what it takes.”
    “Even if it means forsaking Asherah and following a bunch of crazy rules and rituals?”
    “Yes, whatever it takes. And as soon as I give him an heir, I know he’ll be truly mine—forever.”

9
    H EZEKIAH SLOWLY TRACED HIS index finger down the yellowed parchment, then paused. “Is this where we stopped