Fiction
JED’S DIARY
The survey team found this section of Jed’s diary buried in the sand near the ruins of Beth Shlm, Israel on 10 July 2012. The original Hebrew text has been modified for easy reading by westerners. Ellipsis (…) indicates missing or corrupt text.
… Dad is a king. I mean a real king…not a tribe leader anymore…a big land...goes to war a lot. I mean . . . like . . . he goes to war for half a year at a time or more. He says he is doing God’s work.
Dad has six sons by other wives. Mom and Uncle Nate say that he likes Mom best. Mom and Dad call me Little Sun. Uncle Nate says that is wrong. He says that God told him Dad was to name me Jedidiah. Well, Dad is the king, he can name me what he wants to. But Nate is his best friend and advisor. He prays a lot and hears from directly from God. He must know. Sometimes I get so confused that…
I am twelve years old. I will be king when Dad dies. That is what Mom says. I don’t know how that will be. The rest of his sons are old and strong. I am scared. I do not know how to be a king. So I guess I will just do what I am told Dad did, and what I see him doing.
Let me think. He killed a whole lot of men and destroyed village. He took a whole lot of gold and good stuff from kings that he beat up. He wrecked a bunch of towns and took all their stuff. He would pray a whole lot to his God. I saw him go into his room to pray and get word from his God all the time. Then he would go to war. He said God told him to kill and take land from bad kings.
Once I heard a servant say that, before I was born, Dad had Mom’s first husband killed so he could have her. She had his baby that died when it was born. I was born later. Dad is so smart. He does tricks on others to get rid of them if he doesn’t like or trust them. He took a whole pile of towns and lots of land away from kings to make our nation. He has a big, big army, lots of horses, and lots of wives and other girls to make babies with. He does what he wants to do, when and how he wants to. He has piles and piles of gold, gems and stuff. He says it is all for his God, not for him. Dad wants his son who will be the next king, to build a big house to hold the name of his God. He has the plans all made. He said that God told him he can’t build it. It has to be after he is dead. Dad also makes plans to pay people back for the bad things they do to him and to his land.
Well, I think I can do king work. But I have to learn to pray. It doesn’t sound too hard. Mom and Nate said they will help me learn more. Later I won’t need Mom and Nate. I can do it myself.
… and today I am sixteen years old. Last night I saw Uncle Nate and Mom in the hall near Dad’s room where he is sick in bed. They do not look too good…scared… Nate tells Mom, “The king is near death. We have to act fast.” They said that Donny thinks he will be king when Dad dies. He is already made king by his friends. Donny’s mom is not my mom. I overheard Nate and mom plan to make me king right now. Donny will be mad and will kill me. He is old and mean. When he takes over he will get rid of Mom, Nate and me. And all our friends too. I am so scared that I… (Text missing)
Mom went into Dad’s room. I couldn’t hear what she told him. When she came out, she and Nate whispered to each other about …then Nate went in. There was a lot of noise. Dad shouted that Donny will not be king. Mom came to me and said to get ready. Next morning all of Dad and mom’s friends start to do stuff to make me king. I got to ride on the donkey…march down the street …cheers, the priest poured sticky oil on me. Even though Dad did not die then, he made me king with him. That’s what Uncle Nate and Mom told me. But I still… (text missing)
I am 17 years old. Mom and Nate came to tell me that Dad died. They will stay and help me till I am able to be King by myself.
Before he died, Dad told me that all his gold and stuff is to be used to build a huge house to the name of his God. Any goods left over are to be put in the house for God and the priests. Also the tent of the Ark is to be stored there. He gave me a diagram for the house. He told all the helpers and people to work with me. He told me who to get rid of when he was dead. I promised that I would do all that he said.
My Dad King David is dead. My name is King Solomon…or is it Jedidiah? Oh, well. Who cares? I am 17 years old! I am King! I can call myself whatever I want. Nobody can tell me what to do anymore! Not even uncle Nate or Mom.
Let me see. It will take six plus one years to build the House for God. I will call it a Temple. The other kings call their god houses Temples. I want to be like them, and please them, too. I have to make friends with all the other kings to make them like me and not go to war. They have a lot of girl kids. I will start to marry some of them. I am told it’s like a treaty between countries and the girls are like a guarantee of the treaty. I think I’ll start with one of the princesses of Egypt...then…
Uncle Nate says I am wrong. I shouldn’t do this. God does not want his people to act this way. But he is old and sick. I really do not hear from him that much anyway. Mom is not well. So I am on my own a lot. When the Temple is done I think I will build my big house. It will take twelve years plus one to build.
I am 18 years old. I am King. I mean I am king over a big land that Dad made. I can do what I want. No one can tell me what to do anymore. Most of Dad’s sons by his other wives are dead. Only my younger brother Nathan, by my mother are still alive. Nathan has joined the brotherhood of prophets. YhWh be with him.
I am wiser than Dad. I will be richer than Dad. I will have more gold than any other king in the world, even Dad. How do I know? I had a dream last night. God himself told me so! I will have a lot more wives and love girls than Dad. I will make peace, love, and joy all over the world. Everyone will all be rich and happy forever! And all the people will like me and… I don't need this diary anymore so I will...(rest of text missing)
-end-
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I like this a lot. Very creative, informative and puts me right in the mind of the boy King. Well done!
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