Introduction

Sarah’s story begins in the cradle of civilization: the Sumerian city-state of Ur, a land of desert heat, towering gardens, and immense wealth. The daughter of a powerful lord, Sarah balks at the marriage her father has planned for her. On her wedding day, she impulsively ?ees to the vast, empty marshes outside the city walls, where she meets a young man named Abram, son of a tribe of outsiders. Drawn to this exotic stranger, Sarah spends one night with him and reluctantly returns to her father’s house. But on her return, she secretly drinks a poisonous potion that will make her barren and thus un?t for marriage.

Many years later, Abram returns to Ur and discovers that the lost, rebellious girl from the marsh has been transformed into a splendid woman—the high priestess of the goddess Ishtar. But Sarah gives up her exalted life to join Abram’s tribe and follow the one true God, an invisible deity who speaks only to Abram. It is then that her journey truly begins.

From the great ziggurat of Ishtar to the fertile valleys of Canaan to the bedchamber of the mighty Pharaoh himself, Sarah’s story reveals an ancient world full of beauty, intrigue, and miracles.

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Excerpt

The Bridal Blood

Sarai clumsily pushed aside the curtain that hung in the doorway and ran to the middle of the brick terrace that overlooked the women's courtyard. Dawn was breaking, and there was just enough light for her to see the blood on her hands. She closed her eyes to hold back the tears. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Before reading this novel, how much—or how little—did you know of Zipporah’s story? Read the portions of Exodus pertaining to Zipporah’s story. How has the novel changed your understanding of her importance? Of Moses’ actions?

2. If you haven’t already, read the beautiful excerpt from Song of Solomon on page v. What did this make you expect from the book? What about the other biblical quotations on page v?

3. Discuss how the novel changes your perspective on race relations: How have they changed since biblical times, if at all? Would Zipporah’s experience be any different today?

4. On page 1, Zipporah says, “I have had a dream.” Considering that this is the story of Moses and the Jews’ exodus from slavery, does this strike you as an intentional reference to the famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Do you see any other King allusions in the novel, for example to the Promised Land?

5. What is the significance of Zipporah’s dream? In what ways did it come true, and in what ways did its accuracy fail? On page 73, Jethro says to Zipporah, “Live your dream in sleep, but do not let your life become a sleep.” Lacking Zipporah’s influence, do you believe Moses might have done just that?

6. On page 36, Zipporah watches Moses catching fish and sees “a vast shimmer on the sea, much more intense than any of the others, like a wind spreading light as far as the shore.” Several pages later we read, “In the days, weeks, and years that followed, Zipporah was often to remember that moment, a moment she was sure was neither as brief nor as supernatural as it had seemed to her at the time.” In the end, what did this moment mean?

7. When Moses confesses that he has killed a man on page 64, instead of turning him away or being afraid, Jethro invites Moses to tell his story. At this point, Jethro knows virtually nothing about him. What makes Jethro react this way? Is it Zipporah’s influence?

8. Both Moses and Zipporah are adopted by powerful families. Do you believe this shaped their destinies, or were the adoptions themselves preordained?

9. Throughout the novel, various characters are portrayed as storytellers. Do you believe this is how the stories of the Bible were shared initially? Was this how Moses’ story was passed down? If so, how might that explain Zipporah’s minor role in the recorded bible?

10. It seems on pages 120–121 that Moses would be quite content to be a shepherd in Midian with Zipporah as his wife, but Zipporah sees something more in his destiny. She says, “I know you must put on your gold bracelets and go among those who are your people. You must hold back the whip that strikes them.” How does she know this? What gives her the strength to refuse him, even after bearing his children?

11. Why did Jethro allow both Zipporah and Orma to refuse to marry suitable men? If he weren’t a powerful man, would he have been so willing? Discuss the role of women in Midian society and contrast it to Hebrew and Egyptian life.

12. How did Marek Halter’s depiction of the burning bush deepen your understanding of the story?

13. When Moses and Zipporah meet Moses’ family, Miriam’s response to Zipporah is immediately negative, while Yokeved’s is the exact opposite. Why do you think there is such a difference between the sister and the mother?

14. On page 229, Zipporah says, “The Moses they [the Hebrews] need must belong to them more than he belongs to his wife.” Why does she feel this way? Does the same hold true for the wives of today’s leaders?

15. When Miriam shows her scarred body to Zipporah, it changes radically the way Zipporah feels about her own place in the world. Was she right?

16. In his efforts to strengthen Zipporah’s resolve, Jethro says, “The only reason some of [the Hebrews] are still standing, still holding their heads high as men and women should, is because they cling to their own wounds, like a climber clinging to the rocks on Horeb’s mountain.” Are there any groups that you believe are behaving this way today?

17. In Halter’s depiction, Aaron and Miriam turn out to be somewhat treacherous. Is it purely jealousy, or something deeper? How does this jibe with your knowledge of the biblical characters?

18. After Zipporah’s murder, Moses refuses the suggestion of retribution against the Midianites. “What good would that do? What she wanted was trust, respect, and love. Not war. She wanted caresses to beautify the blackness of her skin. How long is it since I last gave them to her? I, too, killed her.” What does Moses mean by this? What has he learned?

19. Reread the last lines of the novel: “Who, though, will remember Zipporah the black woman, the Cushite? Who will remember what she accomplished? Who will still speak her name?” How would you answer those questions? Discuss Zipporah’s legacy.

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