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

Chapter 16

Andrica, Gideon's youngest wife, stayed on in the family home, where Gideon had lived and died, with her son, Jotham. She had complications when Jotham was born, so she couldn't have any more children. All his life he had felt guilty for the pain he caused his mother at birth. He stayed with his parents and looked after them in their old age. He never married, refusing to put any woman through the pains of childbirth and possibly the the extra suffering his mother went through when he was born. He was clever and loved the arts. He often entertained his parents and brothers when they came to visit with either song or quoting poetry. Many times he sat at his father's feet as he pronounced judgement and explained the laws of the land to people who were brought before Gideon, the Judge.
Cia had taken on the management of the household, when she returned from Shechem. She held that position all the years Gideon was alive and even now after his death.

About two months after Gideon had passed away, Cia was on her way to the market. She took her basket and some money from a jar where Andrica left the household allowance. As she walked along, she swung the basket back and forth, a habit she still practised even though she was passed her prime. Cia might have been over 50, but she was still young at heart.

As she neared the corner of their street, she heard shouting and screaming coming from around the corner and further down the road. She hurried to the corner, but then stopped. She felt a premonition that something terrible was happening. Cautiously she looked around the corner of the building. There was definitely something going on at the market square. Warily, but succumbing to her curiosity, she moved closer. Slipping under a fallen tarp of one of the stalls, she peeped out, trying to make head or tails of the scene unfolding before her. What happened next horrified her to her core. Some really scruffy looking ruffians were dragging some men to the large rock, where the old men of the town would congregate and sit and smoke, while the women did the shopping. More of these ruffians were waiting there with swords drawn. For the first time Cia noticed that the stone was covered with what looked like blood. She also noticed the bodies of men, apparently dead, lying next to the stone. There were 5 men, hands bound, brought to the stone. They were made to lie on their backs across the rock, their heads touching each other. The executioners then, without much ceremony, drove their swords through the prone men's hearts. Some of the ruffians, chopped off their heads. Cia couldn't believe this was happening in their town. What really distressed her, was the fact that she knew the men being killed. All of them had come to Gideon's house at some time or other. They were his sons!

There was a man standing to one side, giving orders, apparently in charge. He was watching this repulsive scene with a smile on his face. One of men called to him.
"Hey! Abimilek! How many more to go?"

Cia had heard that name before. She closed her eyes and thought hard. Back, back in her memory she drifted. Suddenly her eyes flew open, of course, it's the name Gideon gave his bastard son. Could this scoundrel be one and the same? His age looked about right, but could any son of Gideon be capable of killing his own half-brothers! The leader answered.
"How many have we dealt with so far?"

"There are 23 bodies here." One sword wielding ruffian answered.

"You men have a long way to go, there are still 48 sons of my father that want to join him....wherever he is."

"I thought you said you had 70 half-brothers?"

I also thought so, but just before I was born my father had another child. My mother actually helped to bring him into the world. We are the same age, only a few days separate us."

"What's his name?"

"Jotham!"

"Must we catch him too?"