The Fig tree, the Olive tree, the Vine and the Bramble bush.

Book 1

Chapter 1
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Gideon sat on his bed, bent forward with his hands clasped together, far too tightly to resemble praying. He continually sighed deeply. After a particularly deep sigh, he lifted his head and shouted towards the door.
"Andrica, Andrica!"
Nothing happened...no-one came. Half lifting himself updeeply. After a particularly deep sigh, he lifted his head and shouted towards the door.
"Andrica, Andrica!"
Nothing happened...no-one came. Half lifting himself up from the bed, he bellowed out so that his voice carried through the house.
"Andrica.....where are you woman? Answer me!"
Andrica was Gideon's youngest wife. Actually she was the last of a whole string of wives he had amassed, but not the youngest in age. She was, at the moment, his favourite, and the most beautiful!

Gideon, receiving no audible response, flopped back on the bed, his frustration mounting. Just then footsteps were heard coming down the passage, a young servant girl stuck her head around the door, carefully assessing the situation before entering. The last thing she wanted, was to be the target of some projectile, launched by her master.

Gideon looked up expectantly, but all excitement disappeared when he saw only the servant girl standing in the doorway.
"I don't want you....Where's my wife?
"Which one, master?"
"Who do you think I've been calling for, the last few minutes! Andrica of course!" Frustration making Gideon's normally deep voice sounding quite high pitched.
"I didn't hear you, master."
"And yet you came running?"
"My mistress sent me, she must have heard you."
"Where is my wife, Andrica?
"All the ladies and servants in the house are tending mistress Andrica."
"Why? What's wrong with her?"
"As you know she's with child and she is feeling very sick at the moment!"
"I didn't know she's with child!.....why am I the last to know anything in my own house!?"
The servant girl thought of a few reasons why, but wisely said nothing, and just looked down at the floor. Even though she said nothing her thoughts screamed out....'Stupid man, if you didn't have so many wives and 70 sons, perhaps you'd be able to better know what's going on in your household!'

Gideon, feeling very depressed and frustrated muttered to himself, "Is there no-one who will comfort me? Must I be with child to receive some attention?"
The servant girl, unintendedly, answered.
"Drumah is here!"
Gideon, not expecting an answer to his rhetorical question, addressed the servant girl.
"Who?"
"Drumah, master."
"What's she doing here?"
"They sent word to Shechem, asking if she would come and help with Andrica and manage the house."
"I wonder why she even came, considering what the other women think of her" Gideon again, gave audible word to what was his private thoughts.
Likewise, without thinking, the young girl answered.
"She came because it was a chance to see you!"

Gideon smiled to himself as he considered the answer. Suddenly he realised who it was that gave this information.
"You seem to be very well informed for someone so young and of such a lowly station!"
The servant girl twisted her arms in front of her and coyly smiled. A smile that only lasted a few seconds as she realised the scowl on Gideon's face was anything but approving!
Gideon gruffly ordered.
"Ask Drumah to come and see me. And if I ever catch you with your ear to a door in this house, you'll be out in the street....do you understand?
"Yes master." The young girl answered and left the room.

A light knock on the door interrupted Gideon's thoughts. The door slowly creaked open. This time he had good reason for his face to burst into a huge smile. Gideon jumped up and moved past a slightly shocked and somewhat disappointed Drumah, going straight to the door. After looking up and down the passage he closed and barred the door. Turning he walked to Drumah and stood in front of her. Before he could start talking, Drumah cocked her head to one side and with searching eyes inquired,
"and what was all that about?"
"I've just this moment learnt that there is an inquisitive pair of eyes and ears attached to a 10 year old girl that would love to know what's going on in my room. Hence the precautions."
Trumah tried to kiss Gideon but he just stood there, looking at her but his eyes staring right through her. His attention drifting away in a matter of seconds. Trumah looked worried, but not totally shocked. She thought back to the first time they met. Gideon had just had an encounter with, what he called an angel of the Lord. He was totally mixed up and couldn't believe what was told to him. He doubted himself and was stressed out at having all the responsibility Yahweh was loading on his shoulders.

Trumah took his hand and led him to the bed. She made him sit down. She unbarred the door and went from the bedroom. She returned in a short while carrying a small leather bag. She barred the door again. Taking from the bag a small bottle and removing the stopper, she poured a few drops of the contents in her hands and spread the sweet smelling oil by rubbing her hands together. Standing in front of Gideon, Trumah slowly, but firmly started to massage his face. Her fingers worked in opposing circles, from the middle of his forehead outwards towards his temples. Also from the middle of his forehead down the bridge of his nose, avoiding contact with the eyes, down either side of his nose and then outwards across his cheekbones to just below the ears, continuing to the back of his neck and then down his neck muscles.

Trumah continued this sequence until she could feel Gideon start to relax and he wasn't cringing, when she rubbed his neck, anymore.
She then made him stand and disrobed him, leaving him standing only in his loincloth. Pulling two sheepskin floor coverings together, she made him lie down on the skins on the floor.
Gideon murmered softly about rather lying on the bed. Trumah only smiled and shook her head saying, "The bed is too soft for what I am about to do."
With a sigh Gideon lay down on the skins and waited. Trumah added some more oil to her hands. She knelt beside him and began.
This time she used the palms of her hands to exert pressure, starting at his neck, and then working down on either side of his spine till she reached his coccyx.

Gideon was quite compos mentis by now, so while she continued to massage his back, he asked Trumah why, what she did to him, made him feel so much better. She never interrupted her rhythm, but spoke as she worked her magic. "The thoughts that worry you and make you fearful are like poison to your mind. Just like poison in your body, your system tries to work it out through your stomach and then out through the normal bodily excretions. I try and push those poisonous thoughts down from your head, down your back and, if you will turn around and lie on your back, I'm going to squeeze the poison, via your legs to your feet. You then need to take a long walk, barefoot, transferring the poison from your feet to the earth. By the way.....what happened to affect you like this, and make you so depressed and despondent?"

"It's a long story!" Gideon answered.

Trumah washed her hands in the basin on the wash stand. "I've got an idea." She said. If I have to manage this household, I'll need food and supplies, and I was serious about the walking. All my work will be for nothing if you don't take a long stroll. Let's combine the two. You accompany me to the market and on the way you can tell me all your woes. How's that for an idea?"

Do you think that's wise....the two of us walking down the street?"

"Oh come on! I won't hang on your arm or anything. We need food!.......I know! We'll take Cia with us as a chaperone! If she clears us as being only master and servant, we'll be OK, everyone will believe her. And she can help carry!

Gideon just shook his head. The schemes women can concoct! Perhaps he should have a woman as a war General, the enemy wouldn't stand a chance.