Paul Duerksen

The Runaways Paul Duerksen

In the late Fifth Century, B. C., the Jerusalem priesthood began to be aware of the large number of mixed marriages (marriages between Jews and non-Jews or people of other ethnic groups) that existed within the land of Judah; and even among the priesthood. This was brought to the chief priest, Ezra's attention (see Ezra chapter 9-10), and he was pressured into ending those marriages. Along with this he was moved to render the of such unions as orphans. In this fictional story one brave priest, married to a Moabite woman, resists the enforcement of this ancient law. He gives up his home and land and flees with his family to the land of Moab where his wife was born and raised. If only he'd been left alone there to live out his life in peace! He wasn't. The Jerusalem priests themselves cannot allow a single temple priest to ignore their enforcement of God's Law. For this purpose they send a dangerous, hired mercenary after the priest Judah Ben Asahel.