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Then he arose and went out of the grotto softly, making the threefold sign of reverence; and the eyes of Mary followed him with kind looks. Joseph of Nazareth was still waiting outside the door. "How was it that you did not see the angels?" he asked. "Were you not with the other shepherds?" "No," answered Ammiel, "I was asleep. But I have seen the mother and the child.
Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
When did the blessed Jochanan die?" "I know not whether he be dead or alive. It is three years since I looked upon his face or had word of him." "You are an exile then? he has cast you off?" "It was the other way," said Ammiel, looking on the ground. At this the shepherd Shama, who had listened with doubt in his face, started up in anger.
But Nathan came close to the sad shepherd and touched him on the shoulder with a friendly hand, "Go you also to Bethlehem," he said in a low voice, "for it is good to see what we have seen, and we will keep your flock until you return." "I will go," said Ammiel, looking into his face, "for I think you wish me well.
The child was asleep, but the young mother was waking, for she had taken him from the manger into her lap, where her maiden veil of white was spread to receive him. And she was singing very softly as she bent over him in wonder and content. Ammiel saluted her and kneeled down to look at the child. He saw nothing different from other young children.
Then he arose and went out of the grotto softly, making the three-fold sign of reverence; and the eyes of Mary followed him with kind looks. Joseph of Nazareth was still waiting outside the door. "How was it that you did not see the angels?" he asked. "Were you not with the other shepherds?" "No," answered Ammiel, "I was asleep. But I have seen the mother and the child.
"Have you also seen the angels of whom your brother shepherds came to tell us?" "I have seen no angels," answered Ammiel, "nor have I any brothers among the shepherds. But I would fain see what they have seen." "It is our first-born son," said Joseph, "and the Most High has sent him to us. He is a marvellous child: great things are foretold of him.
Afterward you shall deal with me as you will." So the shepherds, wrapped in their warm cloaks, sat listening with grave faces and watchful, unsearchable eyes, while Ammiel in his tattered silk sat by the sinking fire of thorns and told his tale with a voice that had no room for hope or fear a cool, dead voice that spoke only of things ended. "In my father's house I was the second son.
But the worst one among them was Ammiel, the son of Gemalli, the representative of Dan, for it was he who said, "The land is so strong that not even God could go up against it," hence his name, which means, "He cast a shadow upon God's strength," and he was punished according to his wicked words, for he did not enter the promised land.
Go your way with God, brother, and see better days." Then Ammiel went a little way down the hill and sheltered his flock in a corner of the crumbling walls. He lay among the sheep and the goats with his face upon his folded arms, and whether the time passed slowly or swiftly he did not know, for he slept. He waked as Nathan came running and stumbling among the scattered stones.
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