Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
That heard,—from judges, priests, and sorcerers, burst
A laugh of mockery; and before the king
Went some, and prayed of him that they might drive
The Hebrews from the hall. But, tarrying not,
Soon as the king had spoken, Moses turned;
To Aaron signed, and went.
A laugh of mockery; and before the king
Went some, and prayed of him that they might drive
The Hebrews from the hall. But, tarrying not,
Soon as the king had spoken, Moses turned;
To Aaron signed, and went.
Toward his own house
Sped Aaron; but, without the city-gate,
Sorrowing, walked Moses. On that mound arrived
Whereon he had stood, when, the hail-plague to stay,
He spread abroad his hands unto the Lord,—
Again to him came the Voice; and he bowed down,
With face upon the earth. “Stretch out thy rod,
That locusts may come up o'er all the land
Of Egypt; and may eat up every herb;
Even all the hail hath left.”
Sped Aaron; but, without the city-gate,
Sorrowing, walked Moses. On that mound arrived
Whereon he had stood, when, the hail-plague to stay,
He spread abroad his hands unto the Lord,—
Again to him came the Voice; and he bowed down,
With face upon the earth. “Stretch out thy rod,
That locusts may come up o'er all the land
Of Egypt; and may eat up every herb;
Even all the hail hath left.”
The Voice Divine,
Awe-stricken, Moses heard; and, worshipping,
Long time lay prostrate: then arose, and stood,
And toward all quarters of the land, his rod
Stretched out. That instant, from the east
The wind arose; and all that day blew strong;
And all that night: and, when the morning came,
The east-wind brought the locusts. As a cloud
O'er all the land they came; blotting the sun;
As though, by hand invisible, o'er the sky
A dark pall had been drawn.
Awe-stricken, Moses heard; and, worshipping,
Long time lay prostrate: then arose, and stood,
And toward all quarters of the land, his rod
Stretched out. That instant, from the east
The wind arose; and all that day blew strong;
And all that night: and, when the morning came,
The east-wind brought the locusts. As a cloud
336
As though, by hand invisible, o'er the sky
A dark pall had been drawn.
Hurriedly then,
The people of all cities through the realm;
And who in villages, and lonely spots,
North, south, and east, and west, their dwelling had,—
Went forth, and stood to gaze; all silent, fixed;
Dreading they knew not what. High up in air
Sailed on at first the Plague; and like the sound
Of wintry wind and torrent, was the boom
Of million million wings. But when, at length,
O'er all the land had spread that living night,—
Then down, with din like thickening thunder-peal,
The innumerable sank; and all the earth
Covered, and darkened; that no spot was seen,
No leaf, no blade of grass. Monstrous in size,
Voracious,—every herb, fruit of all trees,
All that the hail had left, did they devour.
In every house they thronged: over all men,
Women, and children, fell, and covered them:
Upon the floors ran thick: o'er all the beds,
Couches, and stools, and tables: o'er all food,
And in all drinks, brought founless.
The people of all cities through the realm;
And who in villages, and lonely spots,
North, south, and east, and west, their dwelling had,—
Went forth, and stood to gaze; all silent, fixed;
Dreading they knew not what. High up in air
Sailed on at first the Plague; and like the sound
Of wintry wind and torrent, was the boom
Of million million wings. But when, at length,
O'er all the land had spread that living night,—
Then down, with din like thickening thunder-peal,
The innumerable sank; and all the earth
Covered, and darkened; that no spot was seen,
No leaf, no blade of grass. Monstrous in size,
Voracious,—every herb, fruit of all trees,
All that the hail had left, did they devour.
In every house they thronged: over all men,
Women, and children, fell, and covered them:
Upon the floors ran thick: o'er all the beds,
Couches, and stools, and tables: o'er all food,
And in all drinks, brought founless.
A great cry
Went up throughout the land. In Zoan most;
And, chiefly in the palace of the king,—
For hottest there the plague,—was heard the wail.
“Nay, ye must bear it,” Pharaoh proudly said:
“Bear it ye must: in few hours will it pass.”
But soon,—by the dense clustering over mouth,
And nostril; the close, burning atmosphere,
And the foul odour of the plague, nigh choked,—
All courage he lost; and on his servants cried;
“To Moses, and to Aaron fly with speed:
Bid them before me. If they stay the plague,
Israel shall go into the wilderness.
Away! haste, haste; or dead men are we all!”
Went up throughout the land. In Zoan most;
And, chiefly in the palace of the king,—
For hottest there the plague,—was heard the wail.
“Nay, ye must bear it,” Pharaoh proudly said:
“Bear it ye must: in few hours will it pass.”
But soon,—by the dense clustering over mouth,
And nostril; the close, burning atmosphere,
And the foul odour of the plague, nigh choked,—
All courage he lost; and on his servants cried;
“To Moses, and to Aaron fly with speed:
Bid them before me. If they stay the plague,
Israel shall go into the wilderness.
Away! haste, haste; or dead men are we all!”
| Israel in Egypt | |