5H

5H

"But that tent became a temple of stone after time," said Remiel, "which raised the Tablet by degrees into a kind of god. Chemah also thinks this way, and when Belphegor comes to this camp his problem is much smaller if you keep the Ark inside such a tent. Hide it, therefore, in one of your own tents, so Belphegor must search each one in turn, and that under fire."

Elam knew he must comply or be held faithless. He said to his brother Rosh, "Move the Ark and the table to my own tent, and my goods to the Tent of Meeting."

After the people aided Rosh in carrying out the new commandment of their chieftain to move the Ark of God into Elam's tent, Remiel said, "I see that some of the women among you are with child. Send all of the women into Shaula Wood with your flocks. They shall not fight."

In the noon hour the women of the Remnant gathered their livestock and made ready to drive the animals into the forest, but they lingered, perhaps, more than to the liking of Remiel and Gabriel, since neither they nor their men knew the nature of the enemy that was coming.

Gabriel told Sariah, the widow of Lael, "Go under God's protection, and take the flocks by whatever paths you may find in the forest, and do not turn about. Pause only when it is dark or when you are come again to the other side of Shaula Wood."

When their wives had departed, and even the sounds of the animals trodding through the forest could no longer be heard, the men who had been left behind were instructed by Gabriel thus: "Your foe numbers eight mounted len of Haaretz led by Belphegor and his chief lieutenant, Malphas."

Elam made a noise of derision. "We slew seven on the face of the Wall of God, and that without any warning of their attack."

"It was a valiant deed, but you lost your father. God has laid upon me that not one man or woman more of you should die."

"These are eight pikelen," Remiel added. "Your swords will be of no avail until they are unhorsed. And Gabriel did not number Belphegor and Malphas with the eight, as they are from Magodon and not the Saiph League. So the ones who will come against you number ten in all."

"When last our enemies came seeking the Ark," said Jemuel, they "learned we have archers among the Remnant."