Two women occupy a place in Herod’s court. The first, Salome, is the king’s only sister, a resentful woman who has been told she is from an inferior race, a people God will never accept or approve.
The second woman, Zara, is a lowly handmaid who serves Salome, but where Salome spies conspiracies and treachery, Zara sees hurting people in need of understanding and compassion.
Powerful and powerless, Idumean and Jew, selfish and selfless–both women struggle to reach their goals and survive in Herod the Great’s tumultuous court, where no one is trustworthy and no one is safe.
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Summary
From: Rebecca Maney
Book Title: Kings's Shadow: A Novel of King Herod's Court
Book Author: Angela Hunt
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"Moses called him friend. David called him Lord. What do you call Him?"
Two of the women living in Herod's palace are subject to his every whim ; his sister Salome and by association her Jewish handmaiden, Zara; who entered into her palatial employ at the tender age of nine years old. While Herod's reign is fraught with paranoia and family betrayals, Salome is intensely loyal to her brother; going to great lengths to ensure that those around him remain devoted to his sovereignty.
Quietly serving her mistress, Zara is fully committed to Salome's well-being, even when she is called upon to testify before the king's court. As she grows and matures, Zara's head knowledge of her faith takes root in her heart under the tutelage of a young, dynamic Essene teacher named Ravid. What worries her is this, " Herod did not seem to mind HaShem sitting on the throne of heaven, but if for one moment he thought Adonai wanted to sit on the throne of Jerusalem, Herod would mount a war against heaven itself".
In spite of the fascinating historical value of this story, it felt weighted with details that at times usurped the power of its words and clouded the intrigue underneath its perspective. What is abundantly clear however, is that God's timing was perfect; birthing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords into a tremulous period of human history.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.