In the last of the Such a Hope Series, Naama's family may lose their vineyard, or their eldest child. Yael is enslaved to give them time to raise enough silver, but will she ever return to her home and her betrothed?
445 BC
The Jews reclaim their heritage as they rebuild Jerusalem's walls under Nehemiah's leadership.
But in the hills of Judah, thirteen-year-old Yael is ripped from her peaceful life when the Ammonite Tobiah decides to collect a long-overdue debt for his sister Judith. When he demands payment for the family vineyard, Yael is enslaved to give her family time to pay for their land and home.
Judith realizes she made a tragic mistake when she lived in the vineyard and decided to sacrifice her infant daughter to the god Moloch. She travels from Susa to the Jerusalem temple to make amends.
Will Yael and Judith find the redemption they desperately seek?
Excerpt
Naama shrieked when she saw her husband leading the donkey up the vineyard path. She ran to tell him about the Ammonite and Yael, but when she reached him she could only sob. “Yael, Ariel…he took…our Yael.”
“I know,” Ariel said grimly. “David met me outside the gates and told me the whole sorry story.” He embraced his wife. “Tobiah frequents Jerusalem. Oren said he married one of gatekeeper Shechaniah’s daughters. He forces Shechaniah to do him favors by hinting he’ll harm Abigail if Shecaniah doesn’t comply. Disgusting pagan!”
“And now he has our daughter,” Naama wailed. “It feels like they cut out my heart. She’s such a good girl.” Naama sprang out of his arms. “David didn’t break the betrothal, did he? She loves him with all her being, has loved him since she was a tiny girl.”
“No, no. He’s broken-hearted and desperate to get her back.”
“Did you bring any coins? That heathen said she’s worth fifteen shekels.”
“I thought I did well. Twelve shekels from the wine, but I spent two on supplies.”
“I gave him the three we had. And Enoch gave him five, so now we owe him too.”
“We will redeem Yael at harvest,” Ariel promised, “even if I have to borrow money from Rabbi Ezra himself.” He gazed at the vineyard he’d worked for fourteen back-breaking years. “But I don’t know how we’ll save the vineyard. It’s worth double the price he named because of the improvements done since it was Judith’s dowry, but we can’t earn the sum he’s demanding in six moons.”
Professional Reviews
A great Christian read
With so much false books out there I was glad to find another author that writing are true and brings you closer to God with every chapter
I started in book two, so i still have to go back and read the beginning of this wonderful story
I enjoyed reading this story.
I could relate to the characters in this story. It was fun to see a less familiar portion of the Old Testament come to life! I would recommend this book as well as the other books in the series.
Third Book in Five Book Series - Southern Swallow - a tale of 12th Century China. Li K'ai-men becomes entangled in an intrigue that becomes his undoing.
