The BREACH of UZZAH
©Cary Cook 2001
| CAST: all men: |
ABIATHAR: High Priest, consummate politician, age 50-70 ZADOK: assistant High Priest, scholarly, age 50 - 70 NATHAN: prophet, age 40 - 60 JEHOIADA: chief of Aaronites, age 55 - 65 BENIAH: son of Jehoiada, army captain, age 25 - 30 NACON: country farmer, age 30 - 65 |
| SET: | Israel, 5 miles west of Jerusalem: 1000 BCE Nacon's one room cabin, a window preferably in the back wall, an earthen oven in a corner. A rough cut wood table center stage, 3 chairs surrounding it, a stool in a corner, at least one bed (preferably two) to one side |
[Enter NACON followed by ABIATHAR & ZADOK. (shoes should be removed.)]
[ZADOK is carrying a box about the size of a shoe box.]
NACON
My house is your house, your holy high priestness.
Please excuse the mess. I had no idea a man of your great stature would dain to grace the threshold of my humble
ABIATHAR
Thank you, Nacon. You're very kind.
NACON
This is a day, this is! All Israel comes parading right in front of my house. Was that King David I saw? [goes to window]
ABIATHAR
Yes. May we have a bit of privacy?
NACON
King David, hisself. And that there on the ox cart.
Is that the holy of holies box?
ABIATHAR
The ark of the covenant. The king is bringing it to Jerusalem. Now if you'll excuse us?
NACON
Certainly, your worship. Here's a skin full of red if you're thirsty. Bit of barley cake and cheese in the cupboard. Just cut the green off.
ABIATHAR
We're fine.
NACON
Such a day I never seen! The very ark of the Most High
rolls past my door, and now the High Priest, and… uhh…
ZADOK
Zadok, assistant High Priest.
[Enter NATHAN.]
NATHAN
What's the meaning of this, Abiathar?
NACON
Nathan, the prophet! God's feathers! I'm dumb struck, I am!
ZADOK
That would be nice.
ABIATHAR
We'll autograph your doorpost.
[ZADOK puts the box on the table, and sits in the chair opposite the entry.]
[ABIATHAR hands Nacon some coins.]
For your trouble.
NACON
No trouble at all, I assure you most heartily.
ABIATHAR
Then for your silence. Now if you please.
[Exit NACON.]
ABIATHAR
Did you see what happened?
NATHAN
No, I was up front with king David, but I heard the crowd gasp like they saw a ghost, and then the music stopped.
Who is this "Uzzah" on everyone's lips?
ABIATHAR
One of the oxen stumbled, and the wagon tipped backward.
The ark started to slide off.
NATHAN
God!
ABIATHAR
Fortunately Uzzah caught it in time.
NATHAN
Ahh! Praise the Lord!
ABIATHAR
[sits in the center chair]
Amen brother, but there is an issue before us.
Uzzah is not an Aaronite.
NATHAN
[sits in the remaining chair]
So?
ZADOK
So he has to die.
NATHAN
What!?
ZADOK
According to the law, no one but an Aaronite is allowed to touch the ark of the covenant.
ABIATHAR
Or any of the other holy things.
NATHAN
Surely we can make an exception.
ZADOK
It's not up to us. It isn't just Moses' law; it's God's law.
NATHAN
Well what was he supposed to do? - let it fall?
ABIATHAR
That's not the issue.
NATHAN
Well what is?
ABIATHAR
The issue is what we're supposed to do.
NATHAN
I say give him a medal.
ABIATHAR
So would many, but there are others…
ZADOK
I was behind him when it happened. When the ark started to slide, we all gasped in horror. When Uzzah caught it, there were two distinct reactions. Half of the people, mostly women and children, gave a sigh of relief. The other half, mostly men, froze in even greater fear, expecting a lightning bolt to strike us all, or at least Uzzah. Some of the soldiers' hands went to their swords. The elders looked straight at my face. If I'd so much as given a nod, they would have struck him down. But I hesitated, and the moment passed.
ABIATHAR
Those same people are now looking to us for an official response.
ZADOK
What do we say?
NATHAN
Hmm… I see your problem.
ABIATHAR
Apparently you do not yet see our problem, prophet of God.
We're coming to you, asking you what the Lord would have us do.
ZADOK
Shall we give him a medal?
NATHAN
[pause] Shit!
ABIATHAR
Exactly.
NATHAN
Who was in charge of this operation?
ABIATHAR
The chief of the Aaronites.
NATHAN
Jehoiada? I think we should talk to him first.
ZADOK
We already sent for him. He should be here shortly.
[Offstage JEHOIADA & BENIAH sing Hava Negiah.]
On cue.
[Enter JEHOIADA & BENIAH still singing and slightly drunk.]
JEHOIADA
Hey guys! What's up?
ABIATHAR
Were you not instructed to come alone?
JEHOIADA
This is my son. Beniah, captain of the mercenaries.
Abiathar, High Kahunah, Zadok, runner up.
Woah! Nathan! How's God doing?
ABIATHAR
A bit of decorum, Jehoiada, if you please.
JEHOIADA
Hey. The king is outside dancing his ass off.
You telling me about decorum? It's party time.
ZADOK
Are you totally unaware of what just happened out there?
JEHOIADA
Close call. Very close. We should have had it tied down better. I admit it. But we're on top of it.
My men are fixing it right now.
ZADOK
Aaronites?
JEHOIADA
Of course, Aaronites! Hey, it was a near disaster.
But it won't happen again.
ABIATHAR
Do you happen to know what tribe Uzzah is from?
JEHOIADA
Uhh…
BENIAH
Benjamite?
JEHOIADA
No. Son of Abinadab. Where's Abinadab from?
BENIAH
I thought he was Benjamite.
ABIATHAR
The point is, he's not Aaronite.
He had no business being that close to the ark.
JEHOIADA
Well as it turns out, I'm damn glad he was.
NATHAN
Pardon me. This is a rather sensitive meeting.
With all due respect to the captain of the mercenaries,
I would request that he leave with our apologies.
ABIATHAR
I agree, this is an affair of state.
ZADOK
Wait. An Aaronite in the military may be of use.
JEHOIADA
Of use to whom for what?
ABIATHAR
But can we trust him?
JEHOIADA
Can he trust you? What's this about?
ABIATHAR
[stands]
Jehoiada, if your son is to remain here,
we will require an oath of secrecy from him.
JEHOIADA
Beniah, leave.
ABIATHAR
[turns, starts to sit]
Again I'll have to agree. This is for adults only.
BENIAH
I can keep a secret.
ABIATHAR
[turns back]
Do you swear it?
JEHOIADA
Hey! How come nobody's asking me for an oath?
ZADOK
It won't be necessary.
ABIATHAR
Beniah ben Jehoiada, do you swear, by the head of your father, to tell no one what transpired in this meeting?
JEHOIADA
No!
BENIAH
Yes.
ABIATHAR
Have a seat.
[ABIATHAR sits in the same chair.]
[JEHOIADA finds the stool, places it between ABIATHAR & NATHAN, sits.]
[BENIAH looks for something to sit on, settles for a bed.]
NATHAN
Are there any Levites in Uzzah's family?
[ZADOK begins taking a scroll out of the box he carried in.]
ZADOK
It doesn't matter. He has to be a full Levite to handle holy things.
JEHOIADA
Well he wasn't exactly handling it.
ABIATHAR
His hand touched the ark.
JEHOIADA
But surely the law must take one's intentions into account.
ZADOK
[reads]
"And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward"
NATHAN
Hey, wait a minute. We're out in the middle of the country.
Where'd you get sacred scrolls?
ZADOK
They were in the ark. A priest put them in there two hundred years ago. I was carrying them so they wouldn't get knocked around by Moses' tablets or the blooming rod of Aaron.
Do you mind?
NATHAN
Sorry.
ZADOK
"And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die."
BENIAH
Kohath!? I thought it was supposed to be sons of Levi.
ZADOK
Moses and Aaron were sons of Amram, son of Kohath,
son of Levi.
ABIATHAR
[to Jehoiada] Don't you teach your kids anything?
BENIAH
Okay, well if the sons of Kohath are Levites,
what's the big deal?
ZADOK
The point is, if even Levites are to be executed if they touch holy things at the wrong time, how much more so for non Levites.
JEHOIADA
I don't see what that has to do with this situation.
ZADOK
You're not a priest.
NATHAN
Wait. The text doesn't say they were to be executed.
It just says they would die.
[ABIATHAR & ZADOK stare motionless at Nathan for a beat.]
ZADOK
Duuh!
NATHAN
Well maybe it means God would strike them down - personally - without any human intervention.
[ABIATHAR & ZADOK raise their eyebrows and stare at Nathan.]
Like when Korah rebelled against Moses, and an earthquake happened and swallowed them up.
[ABIATHAR & ZADOK remain motionless in the same stare.]
JEHOIADA
Or when Nadab and Abihu brought some strange offering before the Lord, and a fire came out and burned them up.
[ABIATHAR & ZADOK turn in unison directing the stare at Jehoiada.]
NATHAN
Surely you don't think…
ABIATHAR
Of course, that may be exactly what happened,
but we can't be sure, can we?
NATHAN
The question is, what's the right thing to do.
ZADOK
The question is, what's the safe thing to do.
JEHOIADA
Behold, the difference between a priest and a prophet.
ABIATHAR
Actually no difference at all. The safe thing is the right thing. The right thing is the safe thing.
ZADOK
Agreed.
NATHAN
So you think the safe thing to do is to kill Uzzah?
ZADOK
Absolutely. Simple arithmetic. Uzzah is one man. Israel is many. If we don't strike Uzzah, God will strike us.
NATHAN
I thought I was the prophet here.
ZADOK
Right after Joshua took Jericho, he sent a detachment to take a small city to the west. Should have been no problem.
They got thrashed.
ABIATHAR
Joshua asks God, "How come this happened?" God says,
"One of your people didn't follow the rules."
So they found out who it was…
ZADOK
They stoned him. Then they went back and took the city,
no problem.
ABIATHAR
The scrolls are full of stuff like this.
One man screws up; all Israel pays for it.
ZADOK
Unless they nip it in the bud.
BENIAH
I don't believe this! I can't believe I'm hearing this! You're talking about killing Uzzah for keeping the ark from falling on the ground! What kind of a god would want us to do that? Huh? What kind of god are you people serving?
JEHOIADA
Benny.
[ABIATHAR & ZADOK stare at Beniah.]
[NATHAN & JEHOIADA look down.]
ABIATHAR
That's really not the question.
BENIAH
Well it's my question!
JEHOIADA
Benny, take it easy.
ABIATHAR
It's not our place to ask what kind of god our god is.
It's our place to ask what he would have us do.
JEHOIADA
Excuse me, gents, if I may. The ark has been sitting around at Abinadab's house for the last twenty years. Uzzah and his brothers grew up with it. None of 'em are Levites. If this is such an issue, why didn't somebody say something twenty years ago?
ABIATHAR
I wasn't High Priest then.
JEHOIADA
Who was?
ZADOK
Nobody was. There wasn't even a king.
JEHOIADA
Who was in charge?
ZADOK
Nobody.
NATHAN
Well, there was Samuel.
ABIATHAR
Not exactly in charge; just a popular leader.
ZADOK
And not much of a scholar.
NATHAN
Yeah, just a prophet; what did he know?
BENIAH
What was the ark doing at Abinadab's house in the first place?
ABIATHAR
It's not a history lesson. Read the book.
ZADOK
Okay, here it is, folks, listen to this. This is God talking to Aaron. "Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep thy priest's office for everything of the altar and within the veil - yada yada, and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." End of discussion.
NATHAN
"Altar and the veil." Isn't that inside the tabernacle?
ZADOK
Right, and the ark was behind the veil.
NATHAN
What about when the ark is not inside the tabernacle?
ZADOK
Oh come on!
NATHAN
Well, this is important.
ZADOK
Damn right it's important!
Too important to be playing games with it.
ABIATHAR
Gentlemen.
NATHAN
I'm not playing games. I'm just examining all the angles.
ZADOK
Looking for loopholes.
ABIATHAR
Gentlemen.
NATHAN
We're talking about a man's life.
ZADOK
We're talking about God's law.
ABIATHAR
Gentlemen!
ZADOK
I'm getting just a bit tired of this supposed man of God
NATHAN
Supposed! You wanna compare track records?
ZADOK
All I'm saying is, I would think that a man of God would have a bit more respect for God's word.
NATHAN
I have total respect for it, whenever it comes to me.
[ABIATHAR lays his head down on the table.]
[JEHOIADA watches it like a ping pong match.]
ZADOK
So the books of Moses are not God's word?
NATHAN
God's word to Moses, yes.
ZADOK
But not to you.
NATHAN
When God has a word for me, He'll tell me.
ZADOK
Just like He told Moses?
NATHAN
Yes.
[BENIAH is nauseous. He covers his mouth, runs to the window, leans his head out, and pukes.]
ZADOK
Well then pay attention to what He told Moses.
NATHAN
I'll pay as much attention as He tells me to.
ZADOK
Do the ten commandments apply to you?
NATHAN
Yes.
ZADOK
How do you know that?
NATHAN
God tells me.
ZADOK
You know it because they're written down, right?
NATHAN
No; I know it because God tells me.
[BENIAH pukes.]
Just because something's written doesn't mean it's God's word.
ZADOK
And just because something pops into your mind doesn't mean it's God's word.
NATHAN
But I know the difference. That's why I'm a prophet.
ZADOK
But I don't know you're a prophet unless you say stuff that matches up to God's word.
[BENIAH thinks he's Okay. He walks cautiously back toward his chair.]
NATHAN
How could it not?
ZADOK
I mean scripture.
A true man of God will do what scripture says.
NATHAN
A true man of God will bend scripture around to make it say
what it has to.
ABIATHAR
[raises up, places a hand on each of their shoulders]
And a great man of God will do both.
Gentlemen, we are in agreement.
[BENIAH runs back to the window and pukes again.]
ZADOK
I don't agree.
NATHAN
Me neither.
He's saying scripture is true because it's written.
ZADOK
No, I'm saying it's written because it's true.
NATHAN
That's what I'm saying.
ZADOK
Then why don't you agree with me?
NATHAN
Because you're not saying that.
[BENIAH pukes.]
ABIATHAR
Gentlemen, you are both saying the same thing. If you'd shut up and listen to yourselves, you'd see that.
NATHAN & ZADOK
No we're not!
NATHAN
The only reason it's written is because it's true.
ZADOK
The only way to know what's true is if it's written.
ABIATHAR
You're right! Okay? You - are - right. You're not saying the same thing. You're saying different things. But it doesn't matter. You know why? Because it's irrelevant. You know what's true? I'll tell you what's true. It doesn't matter what's true; all that matters is what's written.
[BENIAH pukes.]
NATHAN
I'll second that.
ABIATHAR
You sure?
NATHAN
Yeah! It's disgusting.
ABIATHAR
Watch this. Hey captain! Who killed Goliath?
NATHAN
He's a kid. Leave him alone.
ABIATHAR
No, I want to show you something.
[ABIATHAR walks to Beniah, jostles him.]
Hey, who killed Goliath?
BENIAH
Huh?
ABIATHAR
[pulls Beniah up by the collar and faces him forward]
Tell 'em who killed Goliath.
BENIAH
David.
ABIATHAR
[restores Beniah to his original position and walks back to his seat.]
See there? David killed Goliath. Nobody remembers Elhanan any more. Who's he? David killed Goliath because it is written. I oughta know. I wrote it.
NATHAN
You just proved my point.
ABIATHAR
I just proved there is no point.
NATHAN
Well then shut up and quit trying to make one.
ABIATHAR
I will if you will.
[NATHAN & ZADOK think, gradually acquiesce, lean back.]
[JEHOIADA gets up, walks to the window, pushes Beniah aside, and pukes.]
ZADOK
[reads]
"If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them, then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."
[NATHAN & ABIATHAR stare at Zadok.]
ZADOK
Nothing. I just always liked that one.
ABIATHAR
Bottom line. I'm about to say it. You both ready for this?
[NATHAN & ZADOK give assent.]
[JEHOIADA & BENIAH turn to hear.]
ABIATHAR
You're the prophet. You talk to God all the time, or so everyone thinks. If you recommend dropping the issue, I'll go along with it - reluctantly. Long as everyone knows that big Nathan said it was the word of the Lord. If you don't make a clear statement, we have to recommend execution. That's our job. But all Israel is gonna know that we came to you, and you had no answer. What's it gonna be?
NATHAN
[sighs and rubs his head with both hands]
I'll pray about it.
ABIATHAR
Yeah, well pray fast. The people aren't gonna wait long.
NATHAN
First thing I'm gonna do is see what the king thinks about all this.
ZADOK
Why bother? David'll just throw it back on us.
Theological issue.
NATHAN
[rises]
All the same, I still want to get his take on it.
ZADOK
Fine.
ABIATHAR
Say, Nathan. If you don't come to a firm decision,
you might ask the king if he has any advice for us, huh?
NATHAN
If you wish.
ABIATHAR
And you'll return with that advice post haste?
NATHAN
I shall return.
[NATHAN exits]
ZADOK
So, the prophet seeks advice from the king.
ABIATHAR
Good move. There's going to be a lot of heat over this.
The more it's spread it around, the better.
[JEHOIADA walks to Nathan's seat & sits.]
[BENIAH walks back to his previous seat.]
JEHOIADA
What if Uzzah brings a sacrifice.
ABIATHAR
What?
JEHOIADA
A sin offering.
If you're calling it a sin, let him bring a sin offering.
ZADOK
This is not the kind of sin you can do that for.
BENIAH
What if all Israel brings sacrifices, and we all pray.
Dust and ashes and all that.
ZADOK
Very hard sell.
ABIATHAR
And even if they did, how's it gonna look? I'm standing at the altar with an unauthorized sacrifice before the whole congregation. "Lord do you really mean what you say, or can we make it up as we go along?"
BENIAH
It can't hurt to ask.
ZADOK
With all due respect, captain. How about if we leave the fighting to you, and you leave the priest business to us.
JEHOIADA
Hey, that's an Aaronite you're talking to.
He could be wearing your robes some day.
ZADOK
Oh, excuse me; I didn't know he had those ambitions.
ABIATHAR
Why do you think he stayed?
ZADOK
Okay, religion 1-A. [second thought] Are you done vomiting?
[BENIAH nods affirmatively.]
Sure?
BENIAH
Yeah.
ZADOK
Okay, here it is. Our god is all we have to keep us together. If we even begin to forget that, any one of a dozen neighbors will conquer us, and make us serve their god, and their king, and their farmers, and their cattle, and their wives.
No fun. That's why we need men like you. Now a soldier has to fear his god more than he fears the enemy, right? …
Come on, am I right?
BENIAH
I'd say respect more than fear.
ABIATHAR
Ahh, sweet youth.
ZADOK
Fine, respect. People don't respect a god who changes his mind. If you want to change the rules, you have to bring in a whole new god.
ABIATHAR
Actually a new slant on an old god works better.
ZADOK
Well… Okay, right. What you have to do is convince people that they don't understand their own god, and you do.
ABIATHAR
To do that, you need a popular cause.
ZADOK
Smoldering resentment.
ABIATHAR
Not easy, but it can be done. That's how Abraham pulled it off. People didn't like sacrificing firstborn sons.
So why not an animal? Caught on, so here we are.
ZADOK
But that's not likely to happen again. Especially now;
we have God down on parchment. Prophets can't just blurt out anything they like any more. That's why Nathan's running scared.
ABIATHAR
And frankly, I don't think you'll get enough righteous indignation over this Uzzah thing to pull off a theological coup. We'd just have to stone the both of you.
ZADOK
Speaking of stoning…
[begins packing up the scrolls]
ABIATHAR
Ah yes. The problem at hand. If we grab him and stone him, they're likely to stone us. That leaves due process.
ZADOK
If we indict him for impiety, there'll be riots.
ABIATHAR
What we really need is a Phineas.
BENIAH
What's a Phineas.
ZADOK
A grandson of Aaron.
ABIATHAR
Back when Israel was wandering around in the wilderness,
some of the men took foreign wives.
ZADOK
Strictly forbidden.
ABIATHAR
This one fellow named Zimri
ZADOK
A Simeonite.
ABIATHAR
…brought a foreign woman into his tent.
ZADOK
A Midianite.
ABIATHAR
…and had relations with her.
[BENIAH looks at Zadok expecting another clarification.]
[ZADOK shrugs.]
ABIATHAR
Well, rather than wait for the formalities of the law to bring the man up on charges, this noble youth named Phineas took a spear and pinned them both to the floor of the tent.
ZADOK
Killed 'em.
ABIATHAR
Totally on his own, without orders from Moses or anyone else.
BENIAH
And that was noble?
ABIATHAR
Yes, very much so. Phineas was zealous for God's law.
ZADOK
And God approved of it.
ABIATHAR
God was about to smite Israel with a plague.
But just because of Phineas' action, God didn't do it.
BENIAH
How do you know?
ABIATHAR
Because it never happened.
BENIAH
Oh.
ABIATHAR
And Phineas became one of the most honored men in all Israel.
JEHOIADA
Yeah, well be that as it may, there's a big difference between humping a Midianite, and being in the wrong tribe to keep God from falling off a cart. I think we've heard about enough. Let's go, Benny.
ABIATHAR
That could be a mistake.
JEHOIADA
Hey, I admit my share of the blame. But me and my son are not gonna be a part of any vigilante operation.
ABIATHAR
Your share of the blame could add up to more than you think.
JEHOIADA
Hey, your priests were standing right there watching us from the start. If they didn't like the way I was doing it, why didn't they say so?
ABIATHAR
I have no idea. I'll have to ask them. Like, why would they allow the ark of the covenant to be transported on a cart?
ZADOK
You should have known that the ark is to be carried by hand.
JEHOIADA
Are you kidding? It's way too heavy!
ZADOK
Not at all. Book of the Exodus. You're supposed to put poles thru the rings and carry it by the poles.
JEHOIADA
Well why didn't your priests say that?
ABIATHAR
I'm surprised they didn't. I told them to.
JEHOIADA
Who? Who did you tell? What's his name?
ABIATHAR
I don't recall.
JEHOIADA
Hah! I'll bet you don't!
ABIATHAR
As I remember, I said it to a group. [to Zadok] Who was in that group?
ZADOK
Uhh… I don't recall either, but I remember you said it.
ABIATHAR
[to Jehoiada] If they didn't tell you, they're in big trouble.
ZADOK
[to Abiathar] And you definitely told them that no one but Aaronites were to be involved in the transport.
ABIATHAR
[to Jehoiada] But then you should have known that without being told. Now how about if you just sit back down, and we'll all try to work this thing out together, like the good friends we are.
[pause JEHIOADA sits. BENIAH follows suit.]
ZADOK
Options: grab and stone, due process,
or something unpleasant.
JEHOIADA
What happens if you don't do anything?
ABIATHAR
Okay, let's examine that.
JEHOIADA
You'll get some grumbling from the right.
Maybe somebody'll even kill him for you.
ABIATHAR
Ah, but what will God do? That's the question. Next battle with the Philistines, if we win, God was pleased. Why? Obviously because good King David brought the ark back.
If we lose, God was displeased. Why was God displeased, Jehoiada? Any ideas? [pause]
Of course they'll stone Uzzah, but then they'll ask,
"Why wasn't Uzzah stoned long ago?" Obviously somebody in government didn't do their job.
JEHOIADA
You're ignoring one of the possibilities. What if you stone Uzzah, and Israel still loses the battle?
God was displeased. Why?
ABIATHAR
Beats me.
JEHOIADA
Well don't you see? It cuts both ways.
ABIATHAR
No it doesn't. Because we can prove that we did everything in our power to obey God. Our butts are covered.
JEHOIADA
With what?
ZADOK
With these scrolls.
ABIATHAR
So the big question is, (assuming there's no plague or famine) can we keep winning battles until this blows over? What do you think?
[pause Enter NATHAN.]
[JEHOIADA & BENIAH rise.]
NATHAN
The king and I are in complete agreement.
ABIATHAR
And?
NATHAN
If the Lord wants Uzzah dead, the Lord will kill him.
ABIATHAR
So, what then? Are we to do nothing?
NATHAN
I didn't say that.
ABIATHAR
Well did the king say that?
NATHAN
No. [crosses to the wineskin] Is this yours?
ABIATHAR
It belongs to the owner. What are we supposed to do?
NATHAN
Do you think he'd mind?
[ABIATHAR rises. ZADOK follows suit.]
ABIATHAR
He offered it. What are we supposed to do?
NATHAN
[pours a cup of wine]
The right thing. Or was it the safe thing? I forget.
[hands the cup to Abiathar]
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a parade to attend.
[walks toward exit]
If God is going to kill Uzzah, God will kill him quickly. The longer he lives, the more it appears that God approves of his action.
[starts to exit, turns]
One thing I'm sure of, if there is any mark of a weapon on the body, the king will be highly displeased.
[NATHAN exits.]
[a moment of frozen silence]
[ABIATHAR hands the cup to Jehoiada.]
[ABIATHAR exits.]
[ZADOK picks up his box and exits.]
[another moment of frozen silence]
[JEHOIADA sits in Abiathar's chair.]
JEHOIADA
Join me in a cup of wine, son.
BENIAH
Thank you, father, I've about had my limit.
JEHOIADA
I said… have a cup of wine.
Fade out