 | Scenes from Scripture with Other Poems |  |
67
BALAK AND BALAAM.
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that he might see the utmost part of the people.
“And he returned unto him, and he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he and
all the princes of Moab.
“Come, curse me, Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
“How shall I curse whom God hath blessed, or how shall I defy whom
God hath not defied?”—8.
“And when he came to him, behold he stood by his burnt offering, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balak said unto him, ‘What hath the Lord spoken?’”—17.
“Then he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath
said:
“I shall see him, but not now. There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel.”—
Numbers xxiii.
Upon the hill the Prophet stood,
King Balak, in the rocky vale;
Around him, like a fiery flood,
Flashed to the sun his men of mail.
King Balak, in the rocky vale;
Around him, like a fiery flood,
Flashed to the sun his men of mail.
68
'Twas Morn—'twas Noon—the Sacrifice
Still rolled its sheeted flame to Heaven,
Still on the Prophet turned their eyes;
Nor yet the fearful Curse was given.
Still rolled its sheeted flame to Heaven,
Still on the Prophet turned their eyes;
Nor yet the fearful Curse was given.
'Twas Eve—the flame was feeble now,
Was dried the victim's burning blood.
The sun was sinking broad and low.
King Balak by the Prophet stood.
Was dried the victim's burning blood.
The sun was sinking broad and low.
King Balak by the Prophet stood.
“Now, curse, or die!” The echoing roar
Around him, like a tempest came;
Again the altar streamed with gore,
And flushed again the sky with flame.
Around him, like a tempest came;
Again the altar streamed with gore,
And flushed again the sky with flame.
The Prophet was in prayer; he rose,
His mantle from his face was flung;
He listened, where the mighty foes
To Heaven their evening anthem sung.
His mantle from his face was flung;
He listened, where the mighty foes
To Heaven their evening anthem sung.
69
He saw their camp, like sunset clouds,
Mixed with the Desert's distant blue;
Saw on the plain their marshalled crowds,
Heard the high strain their trumpets blew.
Mixed with the Desert's distant blue;
Saw on the plain their marshalled crowds,
Heard the high strain their trumpets blew.
“Young lion of the Desert sand,”
Burst from his lip the Prophet-cry,
“What strength before thy strength shall stand?
What hunter meet thee, but to fly?
Burst from his lip the Prophet-cry,
“What strength before thy strength shall stand?
What hunter meet thee, but to fly?
“Come, Heaven-crowned Lord of Palestine,
Lord of her plain, her mountain throne;
Lord of her olive and her vine:
Come, King of Nations, claim thine own.
Lord of her plain, her mountain throne;
Lord of her olive and her vine:
Come, King of Nations, claim thine own.
“Be Israel cursed!” was in his soul,
But on his lip the wild words died;
He paused, till night on Israel stole;
Still was the fearful curse untried.
But on his lip the wild words died;
He paused, till night on Israel stole;
Still was the fearful curse untried.
70
Now wilder on his startled ear,
From Moab's hills and valleys dim,
Rose the fierce clash of shield and spear,
Rose the mad yells of Baalim.
From Moab's hills and valleys dim,
Rose the fierce clash of shield and spear,
Rose the mad yells of Baalim.
“How shall I curse, whom God hath blest?
With whom he dwells, with whom shall dwell?”
He clasped his pale hands on his breast;
“Then be thou blest, O, Israel!”
With whom he dwells, with whom shall dwell?”
He clasped his pale hands on his breast;
“Then be thou blest, O, Israel!”
A whirlwind from the Desert rushed,
Deep thunders echoed round the hill.
King, Prophet, multitude, were hushed!
The thunders sank, the blast was still.
Deep thunders echoed round the hill.
King, Prophet, multitude, were hushed!
The thunders sank, the blast was still.
Broad on the East, a newborn Star,
On cloud, vale, desert, poured its blaze.
The Prophet knew the Sign afar,
And on it fixed his shuddering gaze.
On cloud, vale, desert, poured its blaze.
The Prophet knew the Sign afar,
And on it fixed his shuddering gaze.
71
“I shall behold Him—but not now;
I shall behold Him, but not nigh.—
He comes, beneath the Cross to bow,
To toil, to triumph, and to die.
I shall behold Him, but not nigh.—
He comes, beneath the Cross to bow,
To toil, to triumph, and to die.
“All power is in His hand; the World
Is dust beneath His trampling heel.
The thunder from His lips is hurled,
The heavens beneath His presence reel.
Is dust beneath His trampling heel.
The thunder from His lips is hurled,
The heavens beneath His presence reel.
“He comes a stranger, to His own;
With the wild bird and fox He lies.
The King, who makes the stars His throne,
A wanderer lives, an outcast dies!
With the wild bird and fox He lies.
The King, who makes the stars His throne,
A wanderer lives, an outcast dies!
“Lost Isracl! on thy diadem
What blood shall for His blood be poured?
Torn from the earth, thy royal stem,
Victim of famine, chain and sword.”
What blood shall for His blood be poured?
Torn from the earth, thy royal stem,
Victim of famine, chain and sword.”
72
The Prophet paused, in awe;—the Star
Rose broader on the boundless plain,
Flashing on Balak's marshalled war,
On mighty Israel's farthest vane.
Rose broader on the boundless plain,
Flashing on Balak's marshalled war,
On mighty Israel's farthest vane.
And sweet and solemn echoes flowed,
From harps of more than mortals given,
Till in the central cope it glowed,
Then vanished in the heights of Heaven!
From harps of more than mortals given,
Till in the central cope it glowed,
Then vanished in the heights of Heaven!
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