University of Virginia Library

“Thou speakest words, O Pharaoh, but not thoughts,”
Solemnly Moses answered. “At thine heart,
Still is the hardness; and even yet, I see,
Thou wilt not let us go. But, at the last,
Be sure thou wilt; yea, pray us to depart.
To this God's wrath shall bring thee. Wiser far,
Unforced, His will to do, than by constraint
Of ills unbearable. Ere yet too late,
Ponder then well, if Him thou canst resist.
Magic thou deem'st it still,—the power that sends
These plagues upon you. From thy soul drive forth
Such folly; and behold the hand of God
Stretched out upon you, irresistible.
Maker of all things, and Disposer too,—
He is it that these chastisements hath sent,
Because of disobedience. His command
Obey, and ye may live: if thou refuse,
Again with heavy stroke will fall the hand,
Till bow thou must. Though still I see thee hard,
And insincere of promise,—yet, thine eyes
Haply to open, that thou may perceive
How Israel's God alone all things hath done,
And all can do,—behold, when I go hence,
I will entreat the Lord that He may take
This plague from Egypt: for, as here it is,
Even so, at this same hour, o'er all the land
Hath it come down: and, if my prayer be heard,
And the plague taken from you,—know thou then,
That Israel's God alone it was, who sent,
And who recalled it.”

Having spoken thus,
Forth went he; and from out the city passed:
And when he was alone upon the hill,
Prone on his face he fell, and prayed to God,
That He the plague would stay.

Then suddenly,
Against the east, a mighty strong west wind,
Upstarted, quick as war-horse at the spur;
And roared along the ground, and high in air;
And bore away the locusts, every one;
And in the Red Sea cast them. Of that host,
Throughout all Egypt there remained not one.