Javan emulated, and even surpassed his excellent father in a scrupulous adherence to the minutest points of ceremony. He performed the many ablutions prescribed by law and tradition: and even paid tithe of the mint and cummin, and other herbs, which grew almost spontaneously in his father's fertile garden: but unhappily he had none of the real piety which distinguished Zadok; and the violence of his temper and haughtiness of his disposition were a source of constant sorrow to his gentle mother.
Salome was of a spirit far different to that of any of the other members of her family: mild, timid, and dependent, she was guided in everything by her husband; and as his office in the priesthood necessarily kept him much from home, she found herself unequal to controlling the spirits of either Javan or Naomi; and her mistaken indulgence was the cause of much that was to be regretted in the character of each of her children. The affectionate disposition of Naomi, and the natural candour and rectitude of her mind, preserved her from being as much injured as her wayward brother was, by the undue liberty which they enjoyed during their childhood and early youth. She was devotedly attached to her mother; and from her she derived those lessons of piety and fervent charity, which were remarkable in her character, though the energy of her soul carried her far beyond Salome in enthusiastic feeling and active performance of duty. She was the pride and delight of both her parents; and probably the preference which they felt and could hardly conceal for her, produced an evil tendency in the heart of Javan; who, feeling that he was less beloved than his sister, instead of endeavouring to imitate her dutiful and affectionate behaviour, became sullen and morose, and shunned the society of his family. Naomi made every effort to recover his affection, though with little success. She wove for him the broadest and most beautiful fringes, to adorn the borders of his festal garment according to the commandment of the Lord to Moses, and fixed upon the fringe a ribbon of the brightest blue.[[1]] And she employed the skill she had acquired from her father (and which she possessed in a far higher degree than the generality of Jewish females), in writing upon slips of white parchment choice sentences from the law, to compose the phylacteries that he wore on his forehead and on his wrist—a custom which the Jews derived from the direction to make the commandments of God "a sign upon their hand, and a memorial between their eyes."[[2]] Unhappily it had become perverted from its original meaning, and had sunk into a mere superstitious form; and many, especially of the Pharisees, were contented to carry the law of the Lord upon their persons and their garments, while it entered not into their hearts. When Javan came home in a sullen mood, Naomi would take her harp, and sing to him one of the songs of the royal Psalmist; and her sweet voice had frequently the same effect on her brother that the young shepherd's had on Saul—the evil spirit would depart from him. But it was not the psalm of penitence or praise that he loved best to hear; it was the tone of exultation and triumph, or the prophecy of vengeance, that breathes forth in some of the inspired songs of David, which met with corresponding emotions in the breast of the fiery young Jew, and recalled his spirit from its own passions and resentments, to a contemplation of the promised restoration and glory of his nation, and the signal punishment of all their foes.
[[1]] Numbers xv. 38.
[[2]] Exodus xiii. 9.
It was a frequent practice of Zadok, and several other of the most learned of his fraternity, to meet together for the express purpose of studying those parts of the Scriptures which so clearly set forth the future prosperity of the Jews and the reign of the Messiah: and endeavouring to calculate from the various dates which refer to that blessed period, whether the appearance of their King and Saviour might be speedily looked for, according to the popular expectation. At these meetings Javan always attended; and his ardent and enthusiastic notions and wild conjectures called forth the smiles, and sometimes the reproofs, of the graver and more cool-headed rabbin, though they highly commended his zeal, and the industry with which he pursued the study of the Holy Scriptures. He was already a wonderful proficient in the sacred writings which compose the Old Testament, and had transcribed a large portion of them on the rolls of parchment employed at that time as a substitute for books. Zadok was possessed also of several rare and precious manuscripts, which contained the traditions of the Elders, and were regarded by the scribes and Pharisees as of equal, or even superior authority to the inspired Scriptures, and in any disputed case were appealed to in preference to the word of God himself. These were also carefully studied and highly reverenced by his bigoted son, who aspired one day to become an authorised and distinguished expounder of the oral or traditionary law, and to attain the highly-desired title of Rabbi or teacher.
Into this family, the character of whose members we have attempted to describe, Claudia, the heathen maiden, was removed from the camp of the Roman army, and domesticated as a daughter. It may perhaps excite surprise that her father, being himself an idolater, should permit her thus to associate with Jews; but the fact was that Rufus was an idolater because he had been brought up as such, and not because he believed the worship of Jupiter or Mars to be more rational than that of Jehovah. His active military life had diverted his attention from such subjects; and provided he acted uprightly in all the relations of life, according to the dictates of his own conscience and the laws of the empire, he did not hold it to be a matter of much importance to what divinity he paid the greatest adoration. He did not wish his daughter to become a Jew; nor did he think it probable that she would be inclined to embrace a religion which appeared to him so burdensome and ridiculous; and therefore he did not oppose her urgent request to return to Jerusalem, on the death of her mother, and seek protection in a family whom he so highly respected and valued.
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives