The Untold Story of URIAH THE HITTITE

[Olumide]

CHAPTER ONE

"Hey bro, welcome back," Gareb said as he entered the tent. "I heard them hailing you earlier but I was depositing manure into the soil. How you dey?"

They shook hands and hugged.

"I dey alright my brother, all correct, no shaking," replied Uriah.

He sat down on his bed facing Gareb, who leaned on the table.

"How was the City and home front?" Gareb asked.

"Fine."

"So what did the King want to see you for?"

"To be honest, I really don't know. We did not talk about anything serious or discreet. We did more drinking than talking. I guess he misses the Warfront," Uriah replied.

They both laughed.

"But at least you got to gum body and had a nice time with madam, " Gareb said as he smiled and winked.

"Nah, I did not go home. I slept at the door of the King's house with all the servants of my King."

"Kilode? Why? You for go enjoy wifey's company"

"My guy, the King suggested that too. But I told him that the ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my Lord Joab and the servants of my King are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As the King's soul lives, I will not do that," said Uriah.

"Wow," exclaimed Gareb as he looked at Uriah in astonishment.

Uriah added, "I just did not feel right about it. I had a bad feeling about the whole visitation and insistence that I go home. I would rather be here at the battlefront with you guys then be at home frolicking with wifey."

They both laughed.

Just then, Zaharai, the armor-bearer of Joab, entered into the tent. "Uriah, my Lord Joab will see you now."

Together they marched to the tent of Joab.

"Good day sir," Uriah said as he entered the tent.

"Welcome back Soldier," Joab replied and added, "how was the home front?"

"All correct Sir."

"I am sure you enjoyed Madam's cooking and the after-hours things," Joab said with a smile.

Uriah smiled but said nothing.

"Any news from my King David?" Joab asked.

"Yes sir, he said to give you a letter," Uriah replied. He removed a sealed letter from the waist pouch and placed it in Joab's outstretched hand.

Joab checked to be sure the seal was unbroken. He then opened the letter, read it, and frowned. He looked up to see Uriah watching him and their eyes locked for a few seconds. Out of respect, Uriah blinked and looked away.

"Anything the matter sir?" Uriah asked.

Joab turned his back on him and said, "Go back to your tent soldier; I will call you if I need you."

Uriah hesitated for a moment. He was sure Joab's voice sounded like a man in pain and in tears. "Ok sir," he said and left the tent.

Joab held the letter in both hands and raised it above his head. "Why my King? Why?" He muttered as tears flowed down his cheeks.

Joab cried all night and found no sleep or rest to console his troubled soul.

 

[Olumide]

CHAPTER TWO

(About 30 years earlier)


"Hey Uriah, no farm today?"

He looked to his right and saw Inarahsu and Daraksu walking towards him. They were twin brothers and the sons of one of the richest merchants in their village.

"No, no farm today," he replied, looking at Inarahsu as the twins stopped in front of him.

"Why? Don't you want to be a farmer like your father?" Asked Daraksu.

"I don't want to be a farmer."

"But your father is a farmer, you will probably end up a farmer," insisted Inarahsu.

"No," responded Uriah sternly.

The boys looked at him strangely.

"Why don't you want to be a farmer?"

"I've not seen myself as a farmer in my dreams."

One of the boys laughed and said, "so you think you are now like Joseph the dreamer because your papa give you Hebrew name. No deceive yourself, you be Hittite, not a Hebrew."

Daraksu added, "I can't wait to see your papa's face when you tell him you don't want to be a farmer."

Uriah looked at them and said slowly, "someday you will hear and see my greatness."

The 2 boys looked at each other and then laughed so hard, they fell over rolling on the floor.

Uriah walked away from them, he knew he wanted more than this life of being a farmer. He just was not sure what else he would do.

Uriah was the 3rd boy out of 5 children. He had two elder brothers and two younger sisters. It was less than two years between the ages of each of the children.

His father had a farm and his two brothers were already working with his father, as well as, developing their own farm. It was expected that Uriah would also start on his own farm once he reached the age of 18. For now, he was mainly in charge of the two Cows that lived in their home.

'You are back early," his mother remarked as he stormed into the common room.

"I don't want to be a farmer," he replied with teeth clenched.

She turned and looked at him. She then moved close to him and hugged him. At five feet 9 inches, he was the shortest male in the family but he was still taller than his mother.

She held him close and said softly, "when the voice of greatness calls you, be unafraid to answer." She drew back, smiled, and said aloud, "now go milk the Cows else you no go chop tonight."

He smiled back and went to milk the cows.

 

[Olumide]

CHAPTER THREE


"Today we are going to war," they sang.

"But," cried one.

"Today is not a good day to die," they responded.

"Why," shouted one.

"The Lord of Host is with us," they responded.

"And so," cried another.

"We will slash, hack and bash," cried all.

"And then," came the cry.

"We will take the spoils of war," they sang.

"And?"

"Go back home praising our God."

"And then?"

"Go home to "know" our wives," the men cried out and then shouted loudly.

It was the battle cry they usually sang before a major fight.

"It is time to bleed or be bled," said Gareb as he and Uriah helped each other put on their armor.

"It's never a good day to die," responded Uriah, as his mind wandered back to the strategy meeting that held early that morning.

"What do we know about the people of Ammon? Joab asked.

"We know they will come out to fight and not hide behind their walls," came the reply from Zelek.

"Their most valiant soldiers are usually sent after their archers. But in this instance, we expect them to stay back to repel our attacks if and when we get past the archers," added Eliam, the father of Bathsheba.

"How do we get past the archers with minimal casualty?" Joab asked.

"We can do a mock charge to engage their archers. That way we ascertain their shooting range and brig our archers into play," suggested Joseb.

"Hmm, I like the mock charge," stated Joab.

"I think we should do 3 waves of mock charge. 1000 men each, to really get them worried. Since we outnumber their 10,000 soldiers 5 to 1 or thereabout," said Abishai, brother of Joab.

"Numbers don't win wars," stated Shammah.

"Yes, they don't, the superior strategy does. So we will also flank them on both sides. Once their archers are actively engaged with the waves of mock charges, we will attack them from both sides. This should confuse them and allow us to bring our archers in range and into play," said Abishai.

"This sounds good to me. Or what do you say?" Joab asked.

The men nodded in agreement.

"I will lead the first mock charge," stated Abishai, brother of Joab.

"And I the second wave," said Eleazar.

"No, Abishai and Eleazar will be in charge of the 2nd and 3rd wave respectively," responded Joab.

"So who leads the first charge?" Eliam asked.

Joab looked at him and said, "Uriah."