When the girls went below, they were instructed to send Timna to the roof to confer with Maacah. She told the housekeeper to have the animal stalls searched for a pointed wooden instrument that could be used for an abortion, instructing her to make sure the rafters were carefully searched. She was then to report her findings to Maacah.

When Maacah returned to the lower level after receiving Timna's report, she went down the outer staircase and around the walls so she could enter from the front. Waiting nearby for her appearance was Rhoda, who had been sent by Timna to make purchases from the market. She was instructed to wait for Maacah on the outside without making anyone within aware of her presence. Once she gave Maacah the supplies, she was to enter the house by the back gate.

This was all part of the plan to keep Zipporah in the dark concerning the investigation into her behavior. Maacah had left for the market earlier in the day, taking a list of items Tirzah wanted. When Tirzah had summoned Timna, ostensibly to check on Zipporah's suitability as a nanny, Maacah had quickly filled Timna in on the situation and her part in the plan to expose Zipporah. Timna was to select a loyal slave to send to the market while Maacah took the outside stairs to the roof. Timna would obtain the list of needed items for the slave to purchase while Maacah spoke with Baara and Cozbi.

Timna was also told to search the women's quarters for the jar with the fetus and any medical supplies Zipporah might have hidden there. Before she did any of this, however, she was to send Mara on an errand to take a message to Naaman's parents. Since his parents lived a ways outside the gate, it would take her some time to complete the chore. She was also instructed to await a reply, further lengthening her stay away from the house. This action was a precaution taken because of Mara's part in the attack on Baara.

Now Maacah called out to the gatekeeper, Timna's husband Hegai, "Open." He immediately opened the gate and relieved Maacah of her packages, saying, "Salam, Mistress Maacah." Returning the greeting, she bade him set the packages under the olive tree so Tirzah could examine the contents. As she entered, her grandchildren flocked around her looking for goodies. Smiling she produced grapes, a seasonal treat, from the basket she still held in her hands. Then shooing the children away, she turned to her daughter-in-law.

"Tirzah," she said, "why don't you send Zipporah to the back to bring our evening meal. You and I can discuss how she fared with the children today while she is gone."

"Yes, mother," Tirzah replied, and then turning to Zipporah added, "Bring enough food to feed me and the three children. Baara will tend to mother's needs. Michal will send her maid to bring food for her and her family. We usually eat here together under the olive tree. You should bring enough for yourself as well, since you will be expected to help feed the children and later prepare them for bed."

"Yes, mistress," Zipporah said, a falsely humble smile on her face. While her countenance and stance may have been that of an obedient slave, anyone looking closely at her eyes would have recognized the gleam of triumph when she heard the words that implied she would be taking a permanent place in the family unit.

After she left, Maacah told Tirzah that all was ready to confront Zipporah. After the evening meal, Tirzah and Zipporah were to come to Maacah's room, supposedly to discuss Zipporah's change of duties as nanny. However, Maacah would be prepared to confront Zipporah with the evidence gathered that day. In a bag among the packages from the market, she had the jar with the fetus, Zipporah's winter cloak with herbs sewn into the hem, a wooden instrument retrieved from the rafters in the barn, and the fragment taken from Baara. The fragment fit perfectly in a place where a splinter had been torn from the shaft.

After Zipporah had completed her duties in getting the children into bed, she and Tirzah proceeded to Maacah's room. Maacah was seated on a pillow on the floor and motioned for the other two women to join her.

"Before we can discuss Zipporah's change of status to nanny," Maacah began, "we must clear up another matter."

Turning to Zipporah and looking directly into her eyes, Maacah continued, "Serious accusations have been made against you by my maid."

Maacah saw the spark of surprise in Zipporah's eyes that was quickly masked as she asked, "And what might those accusations be, mistress?

"She said you used a medical instrument to take away any evidence that she might be a virgin," Maacah said quietly. "She claims you used your medicinal knowledge to help secure a place as nanny and as her roommate."

"That's preposterous," Zipporah replied. "I was only apprenticed to my mother for a few short years before my capture. I have no knowledge of the darker side of medicine. I've been taught only how to heal. Your maid has misled you, Mistress Maacah. I don't want to be the bearer of bad tidings, but she is using me in an attempt to cover up her own misdeeds."

"What misdeeds might those be?" Maacah questioned.

"She's been having a liaison with a married man," Zipporah responded. "She became pregnant and then rid herself of the fetus on the day you were sick. She gave you a sleeping draught, preformed an abortion on herself, and dumped the fetus in the hog trough along with your vomit."

"How do you know all of this?" Maacah asked.

"I observed suspicious behavior during the afternoon siesta that day," Zipporah said. "She had a whispered conversation with a man and then brought a basin from your room and furtively dumped the contents in the hog trough. When she left, I checked in the feeder and found the aborted fetus."

"Who was her male accomplice?" Maacah responded.

Looking down as though embarrassed, Zipporah countered, "Perhaps you should ask Baara. When she knows she is exposed, I doubt she will wish to protect him."

"Before we bring her into this," Maacah stated, "I want to see the fetus. I hope you will forgive my reticence in accepting your story without some proof. Baara has been a loyal maid and has caused no problems in the past. You, on the other hand, have been accused of being rebellious. If I remember correctly, Timna had to discipline you in the past."

"That was in the distant past, mistress," Zipporah replied. "I was a new slave and unaccustomed to taking orders. I have mellowed considerably since. I would be glad to show you the fetus. I have it in a jar in the women's quarters."

"Very well," Maacah said. "Would you like to come with us?" she asked turning to Tirzah.

"No thank you, Mother Maacah," Tirzah responded, looking a little ill. "I'm not prepared to face such a sight, particularly in my condition," she continued, motioning to her pregnant belly. "If it is okay, I will await you here."

"As you wish," Maacah answered. "Come, Zipporah, lead the way."

Maacah's two sons and Hegai had been waiting outside the door in case there was trouble. When they heard her mention leaving the room, Arisai and Shepho melted into the shadows and Hegai returned to the steward's post beside the gate.

Zipporah led Maacah to the women's quarters. It was still early evening and no one had yet retired. With chores completed, the slaves were sitting around the courtyard telling stories and singing. The two women entered the empty room and Zipporah went straight to her sleeping mat, pulling back the cover to reveal the hidden jar, only nothing was there. She began to frantically search the area, saying, "It was here this morning, mistress. Someone must have removed it while I was in the front helping with the children."

"Did others know of the jar and its contents?" Maacah questioned.

"Only my two closest friends," Zipporah responded. "Mara and Cozbi knew it was there, but they would have no reason to remove it."

Maacah turned and went to the door, calling for Mara and Cozbi to approach. When they did, she asked them if they were aware of a jar and its contents that Zipporah claimed to keep hidden in her blankets.

Both looked down at their feet momentarily and then Mara raised her head and spoke, "Yes, mistress. I knew of the jar, as did Cozbi."

Cozbi nodded in agreement.

"What does the jar hold?" Maacah questioned.

"A human fetus, mistress," Mara replied.

"And to whom does that fetus belong?" Maacah continued her interrogation.

"Baara dumped it in the hog trough," Mara said.

"Did you see her?" Maacah asked.

"No, mistress," Mara admitted, "but Zipporah told us how she found it there."

"You say the fetus is Baara's, but it takes two to make a baby. Did Zipporah also tell you who the father is supposed to be?"

Mara shot a pleading glance at Zipporah and then Cozbi before saying hesitantly, "Yes, mistress."

When she did not continue, Maacah pressed, "And who is the father?"

Looking trapped, Mara finally said, "I would rather not say, mistress. The identity of the father is only hearsay, and I cannot vouch for the accuracy."

"But you were quite ready to finger Baara," Maacah said. "Are you willing to support Zipporah's contentions when it comes to the mother, but not the father? You say you did not see Baara dump the fetus, but you have seen it in a jar. I have not found a jar with a fetus in it. And now you're telling me you can't tell me who the father might be? It sounds to me like a plot is underway to discredit Baara."

"No, mistress," Zipporah interjected. "I did see Baara dump the contents, and I showed it to these women immediately. It was here only last night, wasn't it?" Zipporah asked, turning to the other women.

"Yes," they both said in unison.

"Well," Maacah responded. "It's not here now. I have only your word on its existence. You three are also strangely quiet about the identity of the father. You're either trying to protect someone or you are trying to frame Baara. Which is it?"

"We're only trying to protect you," Zipporah said harshly.

"Me?" Maacah feigned surprise. "And why would I need protecting?"

Silence reigned for a moment while all three women looked uncomfortable and drew circles in the dust with their feet. Finally, Mara spoke in a low, choked voice; "The man guilty of adultery with your maid is your husband."

"Naaman!" Maacah exclaimed. "He has been like a father to Baara. He's her protector, not her lover. Who made up this vicious lie?"

"It's no lie, mistress," Zipporah responded. "I saw him whispering in the courtyard with Baara before she dumped the basin containing the fetus. She admitted to me that Naaman was the father, but said she would vehemently deny it if you ever suspected such an affair."

Squaring her shoulders and looking Zipporah in the eye, Maacah concluded, "Come, Zipporah. We will finish this conversation in my bedchamber." Then turning to the other women, she said, "You are dismissed for now. If I need further information from you, I'll send for you."

When the two women reentered Maacah's room, Tirzah was standing near the bed with her back to the door. As the two women entered, Tirzah turned from the bed, holding a wooden object and asked innocently, "What's this, Mother? I found it in the bag you brought from the market."

At the sight of her medical instrument, Zipporah paled and her eyes narrowed.

"Let me see," she said, taking a step toward Tirzah.

Laying her hand on Zipporah's arm, Maacah stopped her, saying, "That won't be necessary, Zipporah. I can tell you what it is. It's a medical instrument used to help women rid themselves of an unwanted fetus."

"So?" Zipporah improvised. "You found the instrument Baara used to rid herself of the unwanted child?"

"No," Maacah countered. "We found the instrument you used to deflower Baara and to abort Cozbi's fetus."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zipporah blustered.

"No?" Maacah responded. "Let me refresh your memory. Yesterday you took Baara into the women's quarters where Mara and Cozbi waited. The others overpowered her and held her down while you preformed a quick surgery. Mara participated because she is your friend, and because, like her name, she is bitter. For some reason, she wanted to hurt Naaman and me. Cozbi, on the other hand, helped because you threatened to expose her if she didn't. You had preformed an abortion on her earlier and kept the fetus in a jar to use to blackmail her into doing your bidding. Is your memory coming back now?"

"It is not," Zipporah denied hotly. "You're taking the feverish imaginings of a guilty maid over my reasoned explanation because you don't wish to believe your precious Naaman could betray you."

"That's a good try," Tirzah interrupted. "But you haven't seen all of the evidence yet."

She lifted the jar holding the fetus from the bag sitting on the bed.

"That only gives credence to my story," Zipporah said. "If you smell the contents, you'll know the fetus swims in a putrid bath of vomit."

"And how do you explain this splinter of wood my mother took from Baara's pubic hair when she examined her last night?" Tirzah questioned, holding up the piece of wood and the medical instrument with the missing fragment.

"She could have broken the piece off herself," Zipporah said brazenly, pointing to Maacah. "I'm sure she would do anything to prove that her husband was not unfaithful"

"And did she sew medicinal packets into the hem of your winter coat?" Tirzah asked, pulling the garment from the bag. "You claim you were taught only to heal, but the contents of these packages are used to poison. Baara tells us you claim my nanny's illness was caused by the contents of one of these packets."

"Lies," Zipporah hissed. "All lies."

"No, Zipporah," Maacah interjected. "These are not lies. You very cleverly tried to weave a web of deceit, counting on fear as your partner. But Baara overcame her fear and told me everything. I examined her last night. The blood in her undergarments was fresh. She didn't even know about the splinter left in her pubic hair. I found it when I examined her. The instrument you used had cut her, so the blood was from more than the puncturing of her maidenhead. Either she'd just been raped by a vicious man who took her virginity and injured her on purpose, or her improbable tale about your treachery had to be true. Your accusation against Naaman fits in with the story she told me you had invented so that she would not confess everything to me. Naaman could not have raped Baara yesterday. He was called away by the King and sent on a raid. I also confronted Cozbi today, and she admitted her part in your scheme. She told me everything including asking you to abort the child she had conceived out of wedlock. She said the child in the jar was hers and that you added some vomit from the hog trough for effect. She also provided information on the hiding places of your medical supplies. You've been judged Zipporah. I find you guilty of treachery against Baara, Tirzah's nanny, and my husband. I could present the evidence I gathered to a judge, but since you are a slave, that is unnecessary. As your mistress I can have you thrown into jail until Naaman returns and pronounces a sentence as your master."

"No!" Zipporah screamed, turning to flee through the door behind her, only to find Arisai and Shepho blocking the entrance. Seeing no avenue of escape, she reached into her belt and pulled out a vial. Tossing the contents into her mouth, she exclaimed, "I chose death over prison. I can't rot in a dungeon; my soul would languish. I will be free! If not here, then in eternity."