As the evening sun cast its warm glow on an ancient land, a man of great means and power paced the roof of his palatial home. 50 years of age, this king of the land had asked to be alone, to think by himself, get a grip on some kind of weary depression that caused him to remain in his bed most of the day. Scanning the horizon, his eye caught a movement on a rooftop just across the courtyard adjacent to his property. Preparations were being made for a bath, perhaps ceremonial. Water was brought to the rooftop, linens were laid out, bottles of lotions, perfumes and oils were set on a table. The personal attendants appeared efficient and swift. Their duties completed, they exited quickly pulling the drape behind them that circled the tub. The efficient activity broke the man’s dull concentration. Relaxing in the evening heat, sitting on an extravagant array of pillows and carpets, he laid his head back for a moment’s reflection and faintly heard footsteps up a stairway. Looking up he saw a woman wrapped snugly in a robe. Parting the curtains where her bath had been prepared she stepped inside, gently pulling the curtains together behind her. The sun enchantingly cast its rays through the curtains outlining the figure of the woman as she released her robe to the floor of the rooftop. The man watched with great interest as her shadow danced on the curtain, then seemed to descend beneath the edge of the vessel into the warm waters. Minutes later two women appeared with water jugs to freshen the bath. Poking through the curtains they tipped their earthen jars toward the bath. A glimpse of the woman bather could be seen by the man with her head only slightly above the rim line of the tub. The quiet of the evening was only interrupted by the man’s racing heartbeat as he imagined the beauty behind the curtain. Two more aids appeared with towels to dry her body. As they parted the curtain to enter, the man saw the bather rise to take the towels. He made out the curve of her body, then, abruptly, the curtain closed. He had seen enough to encourage his passion. It was soon over as she hurriedly descended the stairs wrapped in a warm robe. Now gone, the memory of that momentary glimpse of flesh persisted, all day the thought turned over in his mind. She was stuck to his fantasy.
Few men have the resolve to turn away from a sight like this. It seems to be built into a man’s nature to watch, to wrench every bit of delight out of such a scene. It didn’t end there for this observer.
The man asked of one of his servants to seek out the woman his mind couldn’t seem to let go. He desired to meet her. He had plans for her. A clandestine meeting was arranged. It didn’t take long for this man of near unconquerable power to charm her to his bed. Her response was just as he imagined. The very nature of their lovemaking was no more than physical. But it was enough for her to report to him later that he was to be the father of the child she was bearing. The great man troubled, their reputation clearly at stake. He called for her husband to return by royal command. Obediently the husband, at battle for the very king who had ravished his wife, did as commanded. But he would not leave the man’s palace and return home to be with his wife. Thwarted by his attempt to cover up his deeds, the man invited the husband to dinner feeding him the best of foods and plenty of wine. Even in his drunken state he laid at the stair of the royal palace through the night reasoning he could not enjoy the pleasures of his home and wife while his men were engaged in battle. Angrily, the rich man, ruler, king, and wife stealer, put in the husband’s hand an envelope sealed with the king’s ring authorizing his commander to place the bearer of the message at the front lines and retreat from him in the heat of battle. He was to be struck down and to die.
This was abuse of power. Willful disregard for the people entrusted to him.
The next chapter of this sordid tale has the man taking this woman into his home to become his wife. Already pregnant by the rich and influential man, a son was born of this union.
Another man enters the scene, a holy man. He is of keen spiritual sensitivity. His mission is to meet with the murderer and philanderer. Something inside him has urged him to address the powerful man. He does it by parable. “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” (NIV)
The adulterous and powerful king raged against the man and said , “This man deserves to die!”
To which the spiritual man replied directly to the enraged man. “You are the man who should die! You have been entrusted with the lives of this kingdom. And what do you do? You exploit, steal and manipulate them for your own selfish desires. You are the man who should die!”