Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
At sunrise, toward the river they went forth,
That Pharaoh they might meet; and, as they walked,
From ashes of the furnace, handfuls took;
And, to the water having come, made pause,
Awaiting his approach. Him soon they saw,
With a great company, princes, rulers, lords,
Priests, and magicians, walking after him:
And, as they nigher drew, still more and more,—
Like torrent's murmur wafted on the wind,—
Sounded their angry voices. Them to meet,
The sons of Amram went; and speedily
Knew that themselves were seen; for, as a man,
Right in his path, a panther, or wild bull
Beholding, suddenly stops,—so instantly,
Those hated Israelites seeing, Pharaoh stayed,
And, blackly frowning, stood. Then stood they all,
Marvelling why paused the king; till, looking forth,
They, too, beheld the Hebrews coming on;
And, as they thought, ill threatening; for their mien,
Their port erect, their majesty of gait,
Sense of power tokened; nay, as nigher they drew,
Seemed as from out their faces beamed forth light;
So with a consciousness of strength divine
Infused within them, were their souls uplift,
Sustained, and glorified.
That Pharaoh they might meet; and, as they walked,
From ashes of the furnace, handfuls took;
And, to the water having come, made pause,
Awaiting his approach. Him soon they saw,
With a great company, princes, rulers, lords,
Priests, and magicians, walking after him:
And, as they nigher drew, still more and more,—
Like torrent's murmur wafted on the wind,—
Sounded their angry voices. Them to meet,
The sons of Amram went; and speedily
Knew that themselves were seen; for, as a man,
Right in his path, a panther, or wild bull
Beholding, suddenly stops,—so instantly,
Those hated Israelites seeing, Pharaoh stayed,
And, blackly frowning, stood. Then stood they all,
Marvelling why paused the king; till, looking forth,
They, too, beheld the Hebrews coming on;
And, as they thought, ill threatening; for their mien,
Their port erect, their majesty of gait,
Sense of power tokened; nay, as nigher they drew,
Seemed as from out their faces beamed forth light;
So with a consciousness of strength divine
Infused within them, were their souls uplift,
Sustained, and glorified.
Still paused the king,
And gladly would have shunned them; for he felt
How they must triumph o'er him; and well knew
That not yet could his sorcerers their spells match;
Howe'er in the future might they. But great wrath
Stirred in him soon, and pride; and on he went,
Shooting before him, like bright lamps through night,
Eye-flashes fierce; and muttering, as he walked,
Threats of dark vengeance. Quickly they drew nigh.
But, pausing now, the sons of Amram bowed,
And waited the king's words. All quivering
With ire suppressed, like a caged leopard he
Glared on them, and broke forth.
And gladly would have shunned them; for he felt
How they must triumph o'er him; and well knew
That not yet could his sorcerers their spells match;
Howe'er in the future might they. But great wrath
Stirred in him soon, and pride; and on he went,
Shooting before him, like bright lamps through night,
Eye-flashes fierce; and muttering, as he walked,
Threats of dark vengeance. Quickly they drew nigh.
But, pausing now, the sons of Amram bowed,
And waited the king's words. All quivering
284
Glared on them, and broke forth.
“Infatuate fools!
Come ye to seek for punishment? Said I not,
If ye our cattle slay, I first will think
How yet worse things on Israel I may do,—
Next, how yourselves to punish? Speed ye then
To know your sentence? But, be patient yet:
I have not all considered: when the account
Lies full before me, then shall I resolve,
How, when, and where, to strike. Meantime, go hence:
I will not hear you; nor myself will speak,
Save this,—beware! Strong as your magic is,
Yet stronger may be found. Our cattle ye
Have withered: heed lest we should wither you.
But, perhaps some witchcraft fresh ye have in hand;
Some plague upon ourselves, since through our beasts
Ye cannot move us: and, if so, at once
Speak out: discharge your venom, and be gone;
For ye do darken daylight. Only this
Remember,—that, for every ill on us,
Three on yourselves ye bring: and, though ye turn
This land into a grave-pit, yet herein
Shall ye be buried; for, by earth, and sea,
And sun, and stars, and by all Egypt's gods,
Hence shall ye never go!”
Come ye to seek for punishment? Said I not,
If ye our cattle slay, I first will think
How yet worse things on Israel I may do,—
Next, how yourselves to punish? Speed ye then
To know your sentence? But, be patient yet:
I have not all considered: when the account
Lies full before me, then shall I resolve,
How, when, and where, to strike. Meantime, go hence:
I will not hear you; nor myself will speak,
Save this,—beware! Strong as your magic is,
Yet stronger may be found. Our cattle ye
Have withered: heed lest we should wither you.
But, perhaps some witchcraft fresh ye have in hand;
Some plague upon ourselves, since through our beasts
Ye cannot move us: and, if so, at once
Speak out: discharge your venom, and be gone;
For ye do darken daylight. Only this
Remember,—that, for every ill on us,
Three on yourselves ye bring: and, though ye turn
This land into a grave-pit, yet herein
Shall ye be buried; for, by earth, and sea,
And sun, and stars, and by all Egypt's gods,
Hence shall ye never go!”
With face all wild,
Livid, distorted with excess of rage,
Thus spake he; and his priests and sorcerers came
Thronging about him; upon Moses, now,
Like maniacs glaring; now, upon the king
Eagerly looking, as though all athirst
The word to hear which should their rage let loose
Upon those insolent, whom, limb from limb,
Longed they to rend. In silent dignity,
And more with pity than with anger moved,
A moment Moses stood; then, with firm voice,
Thus spake.
Livid, distorted with excess of rage,
Thus spake he; and his priests and sorcerers came
Thronging about him; upon Moses, now,
Like maniacs glaring; now, upon the king
Eagerly looking, as though all athirst
The word to hear which should their rage let loose
Upon those insolent, whom, limb from limb,
Longed they to rend. In silent dignity,
And more with pity than with anger moved,
A moment Moses stood; then, with firm voice,
Thus spake.
“Not from the God of Israel, now,
Warning we bring thee, Pharaoh. Thou his words
Hast heard, and disobeyed: and judgment, sent,
Hast disregarded. Well, no doubt, your fields
Last night were watched: but yet the pestilence,
Even as I prophesied, fell upon your beasts,
That ye the slain can count not: while, on those
Of Israel, as I also said would be,
No pestilence touched at all. Yet, even now,
The hand of God thou seest not in this stroke;
But witchcraft only; and, with marble heart,
Refusest still His bidding. Punishment,
Not warning, therefore, by my hand He sends;
Not on your beasts alone, but on yourselves;
Boils, breaking forth with blains, on every man,
Woman, and child, of Egypt.”
Warning we bring thee, Pharaoh. Thou his words
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Hast disregarded. Well, no doubt, your fields
Last night were watched: but yet the pestilence,
Even as I prophesied, fell upon your beasts,
That ye the slain can count not: while, on those
Of Israel, as I also said would be,
No pestilence touched at all. Yet, even now,
The hand of God thou seest not in this stroke;
But witchcraft only; and, with marble heart,
Refusest still His bidding. Punishment,
Not warning, therefore, by my hand He sends;
Not on your beasts alone, but on yourselves;
Boils, breaking forth with blains, on every man,
Woman, and child, of Egypt.”
At that word,
From sorcerers, rulers, priests, burst forth a yell;
All clamoring on the king, to give command
That they should slay him. Some, upon the knee,
Trembling with fury, sank; and Pharaoh prayed,
For sake of all in Egypt, that, at once,
The wizard in the river might be flung,
Or hanged on nearest tree; and some, with looks
Demoniac, toward the Hebrews stiffly walked;
Jaws locked, hands clenched,—awaiting, as it seemed,
The word to slay them. But, unheeding all,
Above the din a great voice Moses raised,
And, looking upon Pharaoh, cried, “Behold.”
From sorcerers, rulers, priests, burst forth a yell;
All clamoring on the king, to give command
That they should slay him. Some, upon the knee,
Trembling with fury, sank; and Pharaoh prayed,
For sake of all in Egypt, that, at once,
The wizard in the river might be flung,
Or hanged on nearest tree; and some, with looks
Demoniac, toward the Hebrews stiffly walked;
Jaws locked, hands clenched,—awaiting, as it seemed,
The word to slay them. But, unheeding all,
Above the din a great voice Moses raised,
And, looking upon Pharaoh, cried, “Behold.”
| Israel in Egypt | |