The Lost Scriptures.

The Story of Ahikar

“THE story of Haiqar the Wise, Vizier of Sennacherib the King, and of Nadan, sister’s son to Haiqar the Sage. 2 There was a Vizier in the days of King Sennacherib, son of Sarhadum, King of Assyria and Nineveh, a wise man named Haiqar, and he was Vizier of the king Sennacherib. 3 He had a fine fortune and much goods, and he was skilful, wise, a philosopher, in knowledge, in opinion and in government, and he had married sixty women, and had built a castle for each of them. 4 But with it all he had no child by any of these women, who might be his heir. 5And he was very sad on account of this, and one day he assembled the astrologers and the learned men and the wizards and explained to them his condition and the matter of his barrenness.

6And they said to him, ‘Go, sacrifice to the gods and beseech them that perchance they may provide thee with a boy.’ 7And he did as they told him and offered sacrifices to the idols, and besought them and implored them with request and entreaty. 8And they answered him not one word. And he went away sorrowful and dejected, departing with a pain at his heart. 9And he returned, and implored the Most High God, and believed, beseeching Him with a burning in his heart, saying, ‘0 Most High God, 0 Creator of the Heavens and of the earth, o Creator of all created things! 10 I beseech Thee to give me a boy, that I may be consoled by him, that he may be present at my death, that he may close my eyes, and that he may bury me.’

11 Then there came to him a voice saying, ‘Inasmuch as thou hast relied first of all on graven images, and hast offered sacrifices to them, for this reason thou Shalt remain childless thy life long.

12 But take Nadan thy sister’s son, and make him thy child and teach him thy learning and thy good breeding, and at thy death he shall bury thee.’ 13 Thereupon he took Nadan his sister’s son, who was a little suckling. And he handed him over to eight wet-nurses, that they might suckle him and bring him up. 14 And they brought him up with good food and gentle training and silken clothing, and purple and crimson. And he was seated upon couches of silk. 15 And when Nadan grew big and walked, shooting up like a tall cedar, he taught him good manners and writing and science and philosophy.”

The Story of Ahikar is a good example of wisdom literature – it is an ancient story. Ahikar is considered to be wise – he is, after all, the Grand Vizier to Sennacherib, the King of Assyria (c. 681 BCE). The Wise Ahikar is the hero in this story. He has married sixty women, and he is still without a child. He decides to raise his nephew Nadan as heir to his fortune. But Nadan does all that he can to get his uncle condemned to death. Before he is executed, the swordsman in charge of his death recognized Ahikar as one who had earlier saved his life. Ahikar goes on to solve the nation’s problems. The rest of the story follows this moral: “He who digs a pit for his brother shall fall in it.” 

I encourage you to “Google” this story and read it for your own enjoyment.  Wisdom literature is important for nothing else than the intrigues, the moral condemnations of the traitors, and the virtuous wise men and women who provide the moral proverbs that help us see the evil and the good of our world through the actions of others. Even the ancient stories can provide us lessons for life.

Pastor Dave