(no subject)

[seekingferret]

A combination of factors inspires this post.

It's the end of the Jewish month of Av, which is emotionally funny because the beginning of Av is the saddest part of the Jewish year, but after the 15th of Av that sadness dissipates- but it's not until Chodesh Elul and its focus on re-dedication in preparation for Rosh Hashanah that we get a new emotional directive. So we're in a weird glitchy gap between despair and rededication.

And I haven't written much fic lately, nothing since that gloriously weird Trekfic from a couple months ago. I'd sort of been waiting for Kaleidoscope and Remix Duello to give me an impulse to write again, but both seem to have been delayed.

And I've been listening to Regina Spektor's "Samson" a lot lately. That line "The Bible didn't mention us- not even once," so fills me with delirious intellectual joy. Doubt is such an important part of my religious experience. It might actually be the most passionate part of my interaction with Judasim.

Also, D&D was canceled tonight, so I have some time to work on things.

So between those factors, I'm accepting a particular kind of prompt for story ideas.

Suggest a Bible character and I will write him or her out of the Bible, the way Regina writes Samson and Delilah out of the Bible in "Samson". Old Testament and New are acceptable, but my preference is for characters from Tanakh simply because I know the characters better.

Comments

[roga]

Daaaaaaaavid.

[seekingferret]

In those days, Goliath of Gath was a champion of the Philistines. He stood six cubits and a span. His sword was as heavy as a pillar of the Pharaoh's palace.

Now the Israelites and Saul their king lay encamped in the field when Goliath of Gath marched forth and issued his challenge. "Let one of your number step forward and fight with me. If I win, you will serve the Philistines. If you win, the Philistines will serve Israel." The shouts of his giant lungs carried far across the field where the Israelites were encamped, and all who heard them were afraid.

In the council of elders, the King asked a warrior to step forward to save the children of Israel. Yet no warrior would stand up, but they were all ruled by fear and fled. Then a servant boy spoke, the son of Yishai of Bethlehem. He vowed that he would slay the giant Goliath, champion of the Philistines.

The boy stood on the field and Goliath stood on the field and they faced each other, and then Goliath struck the boy with his sword and he was killed. The cheers of the Philistines were great that day, as were the wails of the lad's kinsmen, the sons of Yishai, Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah, for their brother was dead.

Now, Shammah the son of Yishai swore that he would kill the giant Goliath and redeem the children of Israel. Then his brother Eliab was angry with him, for he said "Would you have my father Yishai lose two sons in one day?" So Shammah was silent as he grieved.

A messenger was sent to Yishai to tell him of the events in the camp, that Goliath had issued a challenge to the Israelites and that his son had fought the giant and had been killed. Then Yishai did rent his garments and weep for seven days for he had lost his youngest son. When he stood up, he put on his breastplate and his mail and carried his sword to the camp where the Philistines stood against the Israelites and the man Yishai spoke to the King, saying, "I will slay the man who killed my son." The King gave Yishai of his own weapons, saying "Any sword or shield I own, you may take it."

But Yishai refused and took only his own sword and he stood on the field across from Goliath and he repeated the challenge. "If you kill me the Israelites will serve the Philistines. If I kill you and avenge the death of my son, the Philistines will serve us." The Philistine champion agreed and they stood on the field across from each other.

The giant Goliath of Gath struck a blow against Yishai, but he missed. Then the Bethlehemite moved forward and stuck his sword into a gap in Goliath's armor, and he killed him. For on that day Yishai avenged the death of his son.

[kindness_says]

I like your use of the phrase "emotional directive."

Rachel.

[seekingferret]

"The calendar is filled with cycles and as they come and go, I follow their dictates. "

[seekingferret]

Her older sister lies in the tent of the stranger from the well and she sleeps still in her mother's tent and waits still to become a woman. And in the morning, when her sister mounts a camel and follows her handsome, clever new husband and their flocks back to the land of Canaan, she wonders who next will show up at their well.

Her gift sits inside Leah's saddle, teraphim to accompany her in the strange and wonderful land of their cousin Abraham, reminders of what she has left behind. Rachel will miss the statues and the luck they brought her, and she will miss her sister. But she has saved up plenty for herself. There is a long life ahead for a princess of Aram.

(And somewhere, in a place that doesn't have a name, the Father of Mankind looks in and marvels at one of his children. Rachel will not have to weep for her children.)

[kindness_says]

Raaaaachel.

[bookherd]

Jonah?

[seekingferret]

The great cities of the world have their time, and no more. Rome was the center of the world, and then it wasn't. Babylon, too, had its moment in the sun. London ruled an empire that never set, until it did. No cities die before their time, though, except for Nineveh.

It wasn't supposed to be destroyed that night. If only its citizens had realized their iniquity, turned away from their greed and lust and fury, Nineveh's place at the heart of the universe could have been prolonged. Its time had not yet come, the inevitability of decadence and complacency had not yet tolled the end. Yet so it came to pass, and Assyria fell.

It's nobody's fault. Hundreds of thousands called the streets of Nineveh their home, and no one person could halt the madness that had seized the grand city. Such is the way of the world. God gives humanity free will, knowing full well that we will use it both for good and for evil.

[bookherd]

Yes, yes! [applause]

[(Anonymous)]

I like this.

Matthew

[zandperl]

Eve?

[seekingferret]

And the LORD God formed man and woman of the dust of the ground, and breathed into their nostrils the breath of life; and Adam and Adamah became living souls.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, I liiiiiike this.

-reconditarmonia

[sophia_sol]

HMMMM. That is a fascinating idea, and the ones you've written so far are fabulous.

How's about...Rahab?

[seekingferret]

And then the King of Jericho declared that for her deeds Rahab the Harlot would be inscribed in the Book of the Heroes of Jericho, and he gave her twenty silver talents and three golden bracelets from his treasury. And nevermore was Rahab a stranger in the city of Jericho.

When the spies didn't return, Joshua sent two more spies to scout into the Land. They stopped at Jericho and discovered that the Lord had delivered the city into their hands. The spies returned to Joshua with the news of the Lord's blessing.

Joshua and his army besieged the city and circled it seven times, and the priests sounded the shofars. And lo, when they completed their seventh circle the walls fell down and they attacked the city. Then the army of Joshua attacked the city and they slew all that were in the city.

[sophia_sol]

Awesome!