Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
In line direct as if by sunbeam drawn,
Before them lay the road; and, far thereon,
The Israelites: yet not a doubt had they
Soon to o'ertake, and slay them. With wild cries,
As at the hunt of beasts, they rent the air;
Breasting the strong east wind; and through the sands,
That sank beneath the wheel, and stamping hoof,
Urging their panting horses.
Before them lay the road; and, far thereon,
The Israelites: yet not a doubt had they
Soon to o'ertake, and slay them. With wild cries,
As at the hunt of beasts, they rent the air;
Breasting the strong east wind; and through the sands,
459
Urging their panting horses.
But, erelong,
Yet other hindrance found they: ponderous clouds
Suddenly filled the air; the steady blast,
Like a struck lion, roared out angrily:
Sharp sloping from the sky, came down large rain:
The clouds hailed lightnings; thunders rocked the air:
Yet still, all demon-maddened, drove they on,
Down, down to the deep; for still, in every pause
Of wind and thunder, Pharaoh's voice was heard,
Calling them onward: and,—in outward form
Of charioteer, and horseman,—demons, too,
Soul-maddening yells sent up.
Yet other hindrance found they: ponderous clouds
Suddenly filled the air; the steady blast,
Like a struck lion, roared out angrily:
Sharp sloping from the sky, came down large rain:
The clouds hailed lightnings; thunders rocked the air:
Yet still, all demon-maddened, drove they on,
Down, down to the deep; for still, in every pause
Of wind and thunder, Pharaoh's voice was heard,
Calling them onward: and,—in outward form
Of charioteer, and horseman,—demons, too,
Soul-maddening yells sent up.
But, more and more
Heavily dragged the wheels: deeper the hoofs
Sank in the sand: louder the pantings rose.
The tempest also, through the great sea-gorge,
As through a deep defile among the hills,
Fiercer and fiercer smote them. In the roar
Of wind, and thunder, at length, and dash of rain,
The mad king's shriekings,—even the demon-cries,—
By few were heard at all: and a dark fear
Crept over them, when,—lower going down
Into the depth,—quick glances they cast up,
And saw the o'erhanging waters, higher and higher
Still towering; in the lightning, and the glare
Of the fire-pillar, like to cliffs of flame.
Nathless, still urged they on the terrible chase;
Still on the Israelites gaining rapidly:
Till, toward the middle of the midnight watch,—
Within few bow-shots come; and confident now
That in the very midst soon should they be,
Smiting, and trampling,—such wild yell they raised,
That, through the thunder, wind, and roar of wave,
To the foremost of the Israelites it reached;
And with cold terror smote them, that their hearts
Sank, as at death-touch; and, for flight itself,
Strength had they none.
Heavily dragged the wheels: deeper the hoofs
Sank in the sand: louder the pantings rose.
The tempest also, through the great sea-gorge,
As through a deep defile among the hills,
Fiercer and fiercer smote them. In the roar
Of wind, and thunder, at length, and dash of rain,
The mad king's shriekings,—even the demon-cries,—
By few were heard at all: and a dark fear
Crept over them, when,—lower going down
Into the depth,—quick glances they cast up,
And saw the o'erhanging waters, higher and higher
Still towering; in the lightning, and the glare
Of the fire-pillar, like to cliffs of flame.
Nathless, still urged they on the terrible chase;
Still on the Israelites gaining rapidly:
Till, toward the middle of the midnight watch,—
Within few bow-shots come; and confident now
That in the very midst soon should they be,
Smiting, and trampling,—such wild yell they raised,
That, through the thunder, wind, and roar of wave,
To the foremost of the Israelites it reached;
And with cold terror smote them, that their hearts
Sank, as at death-touch; and, for flight itself,
Strength had they none.
But still that gentle maid,—
Alway in foremost rank,—looking around,
Spake cheeringly. “Father, lift up thy voice,—
And thou, too, Reuben,—cry unto the men,
‘Be not afraid; put all your trust in God.
Hath He not opened for you the sea-depths,
That ye may pass? and shall man hinder Him?’”
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Spake cheeringly. “Father, lift up thy voice,—
And thou, too, Reuben,—cry unto the men,
‘Be not afraid; put all your trust in God.
Hath He not opened for you the sea-depths,
That ye may pass? and shall man hinder Him?’”
| Israel in Egypt | |