Baara's Dreams

Epilogue

On her wedding day Baara wore the bracelets of precious metal on her ankles. Her arm was adorned only with the carved token of Ophiram's love. She did not want to detract in any way from the beauty of the symbol of their covenant relationship.

When the two moved into the hut built in one day by the brothers and the townsmen, Baara learned why she was always looking at pottery in her dreams when she saw Ophiram's eyes. Manoah had made pottery for their new home. When she picked up one of the beautiful yet functional pieces for close examination, she found carved into the bottom Manoah's personal potter's insignia: a flaming M. She recognized the insignia as the same one carved into the bottom of the blue basin Maacah had bought in Damascus.

Ophiram and Baara lived a long and prosperous life on their farm. Their union was blessed with nine sons and three daughters. The first two were twin boys they named after their grandfathers, Zorah and Nahbi. The first boy out of the womb was named Nahbi, as he would inherit the land of his maternal grandfather. With the name, Ophiram guaranteed that the land given to Baara's ancestors would continue to be owned by both a descendent of the slain Nahbi and a man carrying the family name.

When the twins were born, Maacah and Naaman returned for the naming ceremony. They brought with them an unusual gift for the boys, a nanny with a hoarse, masculine voice. Maacah, knowing of Serah and Baara's friendship, purchased Serah from her master and gave her to Baara as a present on the birth of the twins. While Serah served as nanny to all of Baara's children, she served not as a slave but as a paid employee. Baara granted Serah her freedom immediately after she was presented as a gift. Although she was encouraged to take a husband, she refused, preferring to make her home with Baara's family.

The story of how Ophiram and Baara met first in a dream was passed from generation to generation as a great love story. Baara's example of faith during capture was shared with succeeding generations as well. For her family, the story of her capture and her witness ranked with the story of Joseph as an example of the God using His people to accomplish His works. Her faithfulness despite adversity influenced the generations that followed.

But Baara's story of triumph from trauma remained only in her family's oral tradition. Her encounter with an angel never became part of the heritage of the Israelite people. She was never lauded or honored by anyone other than Naaman's family and her own.

The story of Naaman's healing and conversion was told by the prophet Elisha to demonstrate how God works even in distant lands and pagan cultures to bring others to Him. In this story of Naaman that was retold by successive generations and eventually recorded for posterity in the Bible, Baara remained a nameless footnote.

And that is how Baara wanted it. She was a woman devoted to her family and her God. She did not consider her actions extraordinary. She was simply filled with gratitude that the God of the Universe cared enough about an insignificant slave girl to heal her broken spirit and use her to heal the body and soul of her generous master.