Delilah

Chapter 31

To give Myra the full excitement of a wedding, Rachel had offered to allow her to come to her home to dress for the occasion. This would permit Sallu the pleasure of going for his bride and escorting her to his home. This bridal procession with its singing, joking and revelry was a traditional start to the week-long wedding feast. The wedding benediction would be given after their arrival at our home. Alian had agreed to act as steward and so would give the benediction. I knew he would not disappoint Sallu and Myra. Whether he would stay beyond the seven days of feasting was uncertain, but as steward he was obligated to make sure the wine and food flowed for that week.

After the first night of feasting, the couple would end up alone in the bridal chamber. Myra would be spirited away first and made ready. Eventually Sallu would be escorted to the room by his friends, with plenty of laughter and teasing.

Although feasting lasted only for a week, the couple would be given a month to adjust to their changed status. Neither would be expected to work during that time period. That meant it was possible that Alian would stay for a month and resume his duties while Sallu enjoyed his wedded bliss. However, Naomi was quite capable of managing the business affairs of the house, as she had done before her healing duties allowed them to fall to Alian; and Talmai provided ample protection, so I doubted he would stay.

On the day of the wedding, Naomi and I scurried about making certain everything was ready, if you can call what I was doing scurrying. For a blind woman, I was certainly moving quickly, and quite adeptly, I might add. As hostess, these duties were mine, but the task usually was shared with the wedding steward. Since Alian had not yet answered the summons to come for the feast, Naomi was filling his shoes. Once the feast began, the hostess stayed somewhat in the background, allowing the steward to take the lead. 

When dark had fallen and Alian still had not arrived, Naomi encouraged Sallu to go for his bride. He demurred, saying that part of the anticipation of the night was not knowing when the bridegroom would arrive. He delayed for several hours until a messenger came to tell us that Alian was on his way. Only then did Sallu go for Myra.

We could hear the wedding processional as it wound its way through the streets of Hebron. Instruments blared while the group sang lustily at the top of their lungs. Naomi told me it looked like molten lava streamed toward us, there were so many torches being held aloft by the revelers.

While we awaited the bride and groom, I had kept my ears attuned for Alian's distinctive tread. I had heard nothing by the time the processional was close enough that their noise made it impossible to distinguish individual footsteps; yet, I knew the minute he entered our house. I did not hear him, but suddenly all of my nerve endings seemed to be on fire, and I knew he was there. I strained to hear him greet Naomi, but could not make out a singular voice in the babble of the crowd. Only when rhythmic clapping began, the signal that the steward was ready to offer his benediction, did I finally hear Alian's voice. I sank back against the wall, hopefully outside of his line of vision, so that I could listen unobserved. I did not want him to notice any betraying emotion on my face.

"May Yahweh bless this union with many sons. He has already given Myra the beauty of our ancestor Sarah. May he also grant her the faith of Rebecca and the fertility of Leah. May Sallu show Myra the undying love of Jacob for Rachel, and may he bless his family by demonstrating the faith and leadership of Abraham."

As Alian completed his benediction, I edged my way along the wall to where I knew the servants waited. Using Judith as my eyes, I directed them to begin circulating with food and drink. I was glad to be occupied because my heart ached all over again. As I had listened to Alian's benediction, I realized anew that my future held no marital relationship. The opening line of the benediction stressed the importance of sons, and fertility ranked right up there with faith and beauty as desirable feminine characteristics. I would bear no sons. My beauty was marred. I had only a fledgling faith to offer.