The Sounds of War (The Genesis Series Book 2) (26 page)

And Terah, the son of Nabor, prince of Nimrod’s host, was in those days very great in the sight of the king and his subjects, and the king and princes loved him, and they elevated him very high. And Terah took a wife, and her name was Amthelo, the daughter of Cornebo, and the wife of Terah conceived and bare him a son in those days. Terah was seventy years old when he begot him, and Terah called the name of his son that was born to him Abram, because the king had raised him in those days, and dignified him above all his princes that were with him. Book of Jasher 7:49-51

R
eports of the many injustices coming from the Babylonia government began to weigh heavily on Noah. That the priests were teaching the people to profane the name of El Elyon, frightened him. He sent word for his three sons and their sons to join him at the home of Shem for a meeting. His message read
:
It is time to turn the hearts of the people back to the Throne of Righteousness and to worship Yahweh as El Elyo
n
.

The planning and execution of this conclave would take months to complete. The announcement
the elders were meeting with Noah spread quickly throughout the land of Babylonia, eventually reaching to the court and subsequently the ears of Nimrod. Informed not only his grandfather and great-uncles would be present at this gathering, but also many of his uncles and cousins. Nimrod became alarmed, he sent for Shushan.

When Shushan appeared he seemed somewhat amused at
Nimrod’s concern “Yes, I know of this, I have received a letter from my own father urging me to attend. See I have the letter here in my cloak. Let me read it to you.” He withdrew the small scroll, and began to read, ‘Son, I implore you to change your heart and to join both my father and myself as we meet with the others to discuss how we can bring El Elyon back into our worship. What has your service to Babylonia given you? Semiramis’ soul is damned for all the blasphemies she has committed, and Harmon and Jared are dead’…”

“What?”
Nimrod interrupted, “What a fool, does he blame me for their deaths?”

“Yes.” Shushan crossed his arms over his girth and for a moment pursed his lips before he continued, “Yes, I heard from a distant cousin my father is very angry with you. He will never believe that Harmon died accidently, but instead believes you orchestrated his death
. He is saying Harmon communicated to him that you are a mad-man and kill all who oppose you.”

“So, it’s my fault Harmon fell from the fortress
gates? I wasn’t even in the city when it happened!” Nimrod rose from his couch locked his hands behind his back and then, staring at his sandaled feet began to pace the black marbled floor.

Lifting a hand and pointing with a long index finger to the air above his head, Shushan continued, “That’s true, but you order men and they do your beck
oning,” pausing he shook his head slowly, “my father’s words, not mine.” Measuring Nimrod’s lack of reaction, Shushan elaborated, “And it was only six months before Harmon’s death that you promoted Jared to captain, remember? Had you not made Jared a captain he would not have been in the fore of the battle for Sidon, again, my father’s words.”

“I made Jared a captain because he was worthy and because I want
ed to reward him. I never thought he would be careless and ride unprotected into the heat of the battle, never!” Nimrod turned and glared at Shushan, “You know Harmon was jealous of you. He told his lies to any who would listen. How often did he say you sold your birthright to me? He wanted to poison all against you and me, because I would not promote him to the rank of an emissary. And Jared’s death for that matter only drove him deeper into his hatred of us.”

“This is true, I do not deny it, but you asked and I am telling you my father blames you and those raids you ordered against the villages east of
the Tigris only sealed it in his mind. He is convinced you are out to destroy all Elamites so he wants me to turn on you and return to his house.”

Putting both hands on his hips Nimrod asked, “Are you considering that?”

“No, of course not, my lord. I could never leave my Semiramis and she will never leave Babylon. She is in love with this city you know that!”

“I see, well thank you for telling me,” Nimrod returned to his couch and sitting slowly kept his back erect without reclining
continued, “all right, tell me this my wise friend, would it help if you made this journey to Shem’s? I admit that perhaps we have slighted El Elyon, but what does it matter? He is an absent god. And besides, the Anu treats us well.” Growing suddenly furious as he thought on Noah’s meddling Nimrod clenched his teeth and muttered, “I don’t understand what Noah hopes to accomplish.”

After re-rolling the scroll he still held, Shushan returned
it to the inside pocket of his flowing robe and asked, “Do you think I should go?”

Leaning for
ward as he placed an elbow on his knee, Nimrod shook his head and answered, “I’m not sure. Who else is going, do you know?”

“I’ve heard that Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber and for certain Elam. As you know, Arphaxad and Shelah live not far…maybe a hundred miles from Shem. It’s also ru
mored Peleg, who has moved within a day’s journey of Noah’s home, will definitely attend. Of course your father and grandfather, but however, if it were me in your place, I would concern myself only if Elam and Canaan attend…”

“Why is that?” Nimrod interrupted, “Wait, Canaan is attending?”

Nodding Shushan pushed back into his couch, “Yes, Canaan and Sidon will be there. I suspect for no other reason than to make a show that they oppose you. But if your spies have not told you, Elam is planning a revolt and so naturally, he will attend. In addition to Canaan and Elam, I should perhaps worry over Peleg. He carries a great deal of influence with Terah, and there is none in your kingdom more loved than Terah… except of course, you. And Eber…uh… especially has Terah’s ear. Terah has sent his eldest son, Haran, to live with Eber, did you know that?”

Rubbing the back
of his neck, Nimrod sighed and asked, “What are you telling me, Shushan? Are you implying that this conclave may actually be a meeting to plan the demise of my kingdom? Just how loyal is Terah to me?”

Tapping his chin Shushan thought carefully of his
answer then said, “Yes, my lord, that is what I am saying. Even so, I believe you can trust Terah to tell you the truth about the meeting if he attends. And if he attends, he will represent you in a way that is fair to you. However you might re-consider and go yourself, I think you should go.”

“No, I’ll not go…but I’ll think about
sending Terah. Perhaps you should plan on going. It is true I need someone who’ll tell me truthfully what is discussed, especially if the true purpose of the meeting is to undermine my kingdom.” Nimrod closed his eyes, “Yes, I’ll think about Terah, but you also must go, for Semiramis’ sake you must go. Go now and speak with her. The forbidding of worship to El Elyon was her doing.” Nimrod smiled ever so slightly and stood, “I wasn’t even in Babylon when she decreed that edict. Thank you for coming. You are dismissed. I must go see my son.”

Nimrod had just become a father. Ishtar, the maidservant of Semiramis, had given birth to an infant son only the day before. After naming his son Asshur, Melek Enmerkar ordered a holiday and a massive celebration
. There would be feasting every night for a month.

                     
************

For many years, Terah had advised
Nimrod, even journeying to the battlefield before a major campaign. He had often been summoned to bring the gods that would guarantee victory. Terah not only provided the appropriate idols with which to defeat the enemy, he taught Nimrod the right prayers to pray.

When he was thirty-eight
Terah’s first wife had died leaving him alone to raise two small sons, Haran and Nahor. As he neared the age of seventy, he remarried. Upon hearing the news that he would be a father once again, Terah immediately consulted the Kasdim. The Kasdim were a small elite group of priests who dwelt in the city of Ur. Their principal study was that of looking for messages within the stars. As astrologers and makers of star charts, they worshipped only the gods of the sky. Rarely wrong in their predictions, Terah coveted the Kasdim’s blessings upon the child his new wife carried. When he met with the Kasdim they pronounced that the child, another son, would grow to be fruitful, multiply, and his seed would one day rule Earth as Melek. The son and his children after him would become such a multitude it would be impossible to number his descendants. Terah was beyond ecstatic.

Terah wisely kept th
e prophecy to himself, but even so, within the service of the Kasdim was a servant whose loyalty was none but to Semiramis. Overhearing the wise men as they prophesied to Terah, and believing Semiramis would be pleased, he sent a secret message telling Semiramis of the prophecy concerning the forthcoming child.

Semiramis felt betrayed. Ba’el had not warned her that Enmerkar’s downfall would come through a child other than his own son
. She had hoped the overturning of her husband’s throne would come through Marduk or if not him, then Asshur. She had made all her plans accordingly, even to the supplying of Ishtar to be the surrogate mother of Asshur. She planned to use Asshur to usurp Enmerkar and then place her own son upon the throne after seeing that Asshur met with a mysterious death. The news that the gods had other plans infuriated her.

After several days of meditation, Semiramis, deter
-mined to circumvent any perceivable interference with her plans to make Marduk the ruling emperor went to Enmerkar and informed him of what she had learned. She accused him of treachery before the gods, “You, my lord, have obviously displeased the gods. Terah’s new wife has conceived and according to the Kasdim, she will give birth to a son and this son will destroy your kingdom. You have endangered our kingdom and somehow you have put at risk not only my son, Marduk, but also Asshur.”

Not waiting for the Kasdim of Ur to come to him, Nimrod ordered his chariot and immediately set south with great speed toward Ur. Once in Ur he proceeded straightaway to the Kasdim and demanded, “What is this that you saw concerning the child that Amthelo, the wife of Terah, is to give birth to?”

The leader of the Kasdim bowed low and softly answered, “Terah, the prince who you love, came to us and told us he would be a father again. He asked to know the future of his child. We consulted the stars, my lord, and what we saw amazed us. We saw from our observatory five stars, four of these stars positioned at the four cardinal corners of the sky. The fifth star came shooting through the middle of the four, it grew very bright, and its light swallowed the light of the other four stars making them disappear. We prayed to the god of the sky, but instead a messenger from El Elyon came to us. He told us he was Malakhim and that he had come in answer to our prayers even though we prayed to the Anu. He told us that the Anu had not heard our prayers but El Elyon had, and he said El Elyon had put his blessing on Terah’s child yet to be born. The child, a son, will grow and become many nations. Terah’s son and the sons of his son will rule eternally as Meleks. Then the messenger told us to tell no one until we gave Terah his message. That is why we have not spoken of this to anyone.”

“El Elyon!” Nimrod screamed as he slammed his fist upon the nearest table, “El Elyon is sending this son to Terah?”

The Kasdim bowed in unison, “Yes, my lord.”

Pacing, Nimrod pondered this, “How do I know that what you say is true?” Stopping he looked at each member of the Kasdim, “And if what you say is true, then how do I stop this?”

Huddling, the Kasdim whispered among themselves, then parting their leader approached Nimrod and bowed, “My Melek, there shall be a sign in the Rakia tomorrow, a star will near the waning moon. The star, a moving star, will position itself next to the moon. It is the moving star we call the Messenger, the planet of war. You shall see that star with the moon before the sun rises, if you do not, then our interpretation of the five stars is not true.”

Enmerkar
the Melek, put both hands upon his hips and moved toward the door and then turning again with intense fury asked, “And if what you say is true, how do I preserve my kingdom from this child?”

The chief of the Kasdim priests clasped both hands together and bowing his head answered, “Sir, the blessing is not ours, but El Elyon’s. Perhaps you can bargain with him. Or maybe you can bargain with Terah for the child?”

That night alone, Nimrod camped beside the Euphrates. He bowed low and called for Enki. The venerated Sage of Nimrod manifested with a laugh, “Terah has become a problem has he?”

Standing to his feet, Nimrod reiterated the problem, “And I must handle this
situation without angering El Elyon, how is that possible? I’m very fond of Terah but I cannot have his child usurp my own. I’ll not give my kingdom to anyone but Asshur. Marduk can have his temples but Asshur must be the melek when I die. I’ve fought for Ba’el and conquered all known lands in his name. I’ve begun the building of the Great Tower and once it’s finished, he can make his home with the people, so why would he turn on me and allow El Elyon to make such a promise as this to Terah?”

Enki chuckled, “You cannot confront El Elyon, but per
haps you can outthink him. Offer to make the child your own, tell Terah that you and Semiramis will raise the child as your son. Perhaps Terah will agree, but perhaps not. If not, then send Terah away and while he is gone, take the child and either kill him or sell him to one that travels afar. But if you do not kill the child, you run the risk that he will grow and become all that El Elyon says. You can of course send Terah to Shem’s home in the pretense of sending him to represent you at the conclave, and while he’s there, take the child as soon as it is born or even have Amthelo abort the child.”