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Battle of the Kingless – Ch. 10 | KT OLLA

THAT instant when the sun shone over Jephthah’s cave house in Tob, that kind sun seemed to be dusking on the man’s hometown in Gilead.

Even when it was daybreak there in that town as well.

Then, as it were, a daunting rainstorm broke up in Gilead’s house just when the rains ceased over his son in exile.

Words sparked like lightening in a heated argument. And several voices rattled with talks at the same time.

Not a soul gathered there in Gilead’s house today was ready to hear the other out. It was the elders of Israel torn in-between talk and dispute.

But then amid the whole noise was one man seated poised like someone who knew what to do, when indeed he simply had nothing to say.

It was this man’s words that had sparked flames off already-heated faces. It was his last words the elders were contending.

That man was Gilead the leader of them all. He’d just spoken in defense of his heir, Elar.

That early morning the elders had gathered in the council hall in Gilead’s estate. And there they wrestled ‘the problem’ of their failed army – the man’s choice of his second son.

For before those elders of Gilead, Elar was fast losing his popularity.

He was falling out of favour with those leaders for the fact that he couldn’t hold the army together. He was losing it that he couldn’t earn their city a win.

Ammon was waging wars against Gilead as well as against all Israel. The men of Philistia, on the other hand, were noiselessly oppressing the people.

The misery was unspeakable, the deaths just uncountable.

But here was the boy the elders had approved when his father presented him as the new head. Here was the young man they’d selected to beat his proud brother.

There indeed went their own choice Elar. But the kid only shamed their selection.

So then, those elders couldn’t help that embarrassment here, and they blamed Gilead who presented him first.

Yes, the men went on to even curse the old man when he defended the boy. So old Gilead was left speechless.

But Gilead wasn’t ready to keep bearing the brunt of these men’s frustration. Neither was he willing to take responsibility for a failed son.

Not when he knew the assembly chose Elar to cub Jephthah’s growing wings, a prostitute’s son as he was.

Those were the things in Gilead’s mind now as he decided to turn the table. He was determined to throw in the men’s face the validity of his first son now…

Jephthah’s competence and capability that seemed to scare them.

So, Gilead wasn’t going to take being talked at. Thus he served the talkers here a piece of his mind.

‘Listen will you! Elar is mine, so is Jephthah! I have both boys, the feeble and the strong: both of them are Gilead’s sons regardless of weakness or valour!

‘Now, no one coerced you to leave the strong for the weak. You men opened your eyes and chose the weak when I suggested him.

‘You preferred the weak for the strong and brave. You chose Elar when Jephthah owned the records of triumph. So, blame no man for the failures my weak child serves you every day!’

And those hard words were fuel added to fire in the burning heat of the men’s fury. For right then they burned with temper and lashed out hot words.

For it pained them and frustrated them all.

That they bargained that brave boy.

His name, Jephthah.

Copyright © April 2022 by Kayode & Tola Olla

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