Daughter of Lachish

Description: The mighty Assyrian army has invaded the tiny kingdom of Judah to crush the rebellion against the great king Sennacherib. After a long siege the Assyrians capture the fortified city of Lachish. They show no mercy to the vanquished people. But one girl is able to escape-Rivkah. She hides in the hills and finds refuge in the company of other survivors. In a devastated land they seek to rebuild their lives. The words of the prophet Micah-spoken to the people over many years-speak to Rivkah anew allowing her to see the events in a new light. Drawing on extensive scholarly research Daughter of Lachish brings to life the world of Ancient Judah. It melds archaeology and biblical studies to tell a story of the people who first heard the words of the Psalms and Prophets. It is a story of one girl her search for a place in the world and her quest to make sense of loss and joy. Through her eyes we experience the daily tasks the seasons of the agricultural year the bonds that hold together a household and a village and the tensions that threaten to tear them apart. You who live in Lachish harness the chariot. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in you. Micah 1:13 Endorsements: I could not stop reading this story. This is a biblical world engagingly alive with its carefully researched details of the Assyrian war machine devastating life in eighth-century Judah and its strong characters determined to survive. I felt for Rivkah survivor of Lachish. With biblical passages interwoven most significantly the prophecies of Micah met in person in the latter part of the novel it is also a tale true to the biblical faith. --Judith McKinlay Department of Theology and Religious Studies University of Otago New Zealand About the Contributor(s): Tim Frank is a staff member of the Lahav Research Project Phase IV archaeological excavations at Tell Halif (Israel). He studied Theology (Biblical Studies) at the University of Auckland New Zealand.