The Bronze Bow: Chapter 24 Summary & Analysis

It’s springtime again in Galilee, but Daniel remains inside his shop, working and quietly nursing his rage. He longs to seek out more Zealots and form a new band of fighters, but he is bound to provide for Leah.

One day, Leah’s beloved little goat dies. Within a couple of days, Daniel realizes that Leah has fallen into a fever. She lies on her mat, her mind wandering, occasionally crying out in terror. The physician cannot do anything for her. Daniel just sits by Leah’s bed, thinking that everyone he has cared about has ended up leaving him. When Leah dies, he will be free. But he realizes that there’s nothing to fill that freedom with—just more hatred.

Finally, it occurs to Daniel to send Joktan to Thacia with the message that Leah is dying. While he’s waiting, he sees the Roman soldier Marcus outside his door. Marcus seems to embody all of Daniel’s hatred and rage, but he can’t bring himself to hurt Marcus while Leah is still alive. When Marcus asks how Leah is doing, Daniel just spits on the ground.

Every day, Marcus stands across the street and watches Daniel’s house. One day, he forces Daniel to stop. He says he understands Daniel’s hate. His own people were conquered by Rome—he is German. But everyone in his tribe is a fighter, and he is no different. Tomorrow he is being transferred. He knows there’s no hope that he could ever marry Leah. He just wants to see her before he goes. But Daniel says he would rather have Leah die than let a Roman soldier through the door. Eventually, Marcus squares his shoulders and walks away.

That afternoon, Leah lies still, barely breathing. Daniel falls asleep at one point, and when he wakes up, he sees Jesus standing in the doorway. Thacia is with him. Jesus goes to Leah’s side. Thacia whispers that she has been with Joel in Jerusalem, and Joktan just found them this morning. Daniel is overwhelmed by Jesus’s arrival. He longs to talk to Jesus and explain everything. But Jesus sits silently at Leah’s side for a long time. Finally, he looks up and meets Daniel’s eyes. In an instant, Daniel knows that Jesus understands everything—Leah, Daniel’s rejection of him, everything. But as Jesus looks into Daniel’s eyes, he suddenly smiles.

Daniel can’t bear Jesus’s smile. He feels an overwhelming desire to stop fighting. He’ll give anything to follow Jesus. He thinks of his vow. Jesus had told Daniel that victory means trusting in God’s promise, preparing their hearts and minds. Suddenly Daniel wonders if love is what is able to bend the bronze bow. He realizes he can’t know for sure. But he remembers Simon’s words—he has to make a choice without knowing. And he believes that simply knowing Jesus will be enough. Suddenly, Daniel’s weight disappears, and a strong peace fills him.

After a while, Daniel feels Thacia taking his hand. She tells him to look at Leah. As Daniel watches, Leah’s eyes slowly blink open. She says, “Jesus?” When Jesus smiles at her, Leah knows everything is all right. He tells her not to be afraid. Daniel falls to his knees, sobbing as he never has since childhood. When he collects himself, Jesus has gone.

When Daniel looks at Thacia, he sees the love in her eyes and realizes that he’s finally free to give her his own. They silently make a new vow to each other. Then Daniel hurries out the door to thank Jesus. But when he reaches the street, all he sees is the Roman soldier. He struggles for words, and finally tells Marcus that Leah’s fever is gone; she will be well. He looks away in shock when Marcus sobs—a Roman crying! He knows Leah will want to say goodbye to the soldier. Glimpsing the flash of Jesus’s robe farther down the street, Daniel turns back to Marcus and asks, “Will you come in to our house?”