Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
When that the children of Israel heard, again
Their cries went up to God. Throughout the land
Began they then to scatter all abroad,
Stubble to gather, where they found not straw;
Long hours consuming thus; yet, ere from toil
At night they might be freed, the self-same tale
Of bricks enforced to bring, as when the straw
Freely was given. Still Pharaoh's taskmasters
Hated them, saying; “all your works fulfil,
Your daily tasks, as when the straw ye had.”
And those who underneath them held the rule,—
The officers of Israel, whom themselves
To overlook the laborers had set,—
The king's taskmasters scourged with rods, and said;
“Wherefore, ye idlers, have ye not fulfilled
Your tasks, enforcing from these men the tale
Of bricks as heretofore; both yesterday,
And this day also?”
Their cries went up to God. Throughout the land
Began they then to scatter all abroad,
Stubble to gather, where they found not straw;
Long hours consuming thus; yet, ere from toil
At night they might be freed, the self-same tale
Of bricks enforced to bring, as when the straw
Freely was given. Still Pharaoh's taskmasters
Hated them, saying; “all your works fulfil,
Your daily tasks, as when the straw ye had.”
And those who underneath them held the rule,—
The officers of Israel, whom themselves
To overlook the laborers had set,—
The king's taskmasters scourged with rods, and said;
“Wherefore, ye idlers, have ye not fulfilled
Your tasks, enforcing from these men the tale
Of bricks as heretofore; both yesterday,
And this day also?”
When these things they found,
And that deliverance, promised, had not come;
Nay, that their burthens heavier far had grown;
Louder and louder railed the Israelites
'Gainst Moses, and 'gainst Aaron, and 'gainst all
The Elders, who had taught them that the hour
Of freedom was at hand.
And that deliverance, promised, had not come;
51
Louder and louder railed the Israelites
'Gainst Moses, and 'gainst Aaron, and 'gainst all
The Elders, who had taught them that the hour
Of freedom was at hand.
Then, when some days
Had passed, the officers of Israel went,
And stood before the king; and, weeping, said,
“Wherefore, O Pharaoh, with thy servants thus
Dost thou deal harshly! To the laborers now
No straw is given, wherewith the bricks to make;
Yet do thy taskmasters cry out to us,
‘Make brick, make brick;’ though well as we know they
That, lacking straw, brick never hath been made.
And yet, behold, thy servants do they beat;
Though not with us, O king, but all alone
With thine own people is the fault.”
Had passed, the officers of Israel went,
And stood before the king; and, weeping, said,
“Wherefore, O Pharaoh, with thy servants thus
Dost thou deal harshly! To the laborers now
No straw is given, wherewith the bricks to make;
Yet do thy taskmasters cry out to us,
‘Make brick, make brick;’ though well as we know they
That, lacking straw, brick never hath been made.
And yet, behold, thy servants do they beat;
Though not with us, O king, but all alone
With thine own people is the fault.”
To them
Sternly spake Pharaoh.
Sternly spake Pharaoh.
“Ye are idle all;
Idle ye are; and therefore do ye say,
‘Let us go forth into the wilderness,
And sacrifice unto the Lord our God.’
Go therefore now, and work: no straw at all
Shall be given to you; yet the tale of bricks
Shall ye deliver.”
Idle ye are; and therefore do ye say,
‘Let us go forth into the wilderness,
And sacrifice unto the Lord our God.’
Go therefore now, and work: no straw at all
Shall be given to you; yet the tale of bricks
Shall ye deliver.”
Then the officers,
Beheld that in an evil case they were,
After the king had said, ‘ye shall not aught
Diminish of your bricks, your daily task.’
And, as from Pharaoh they were coming back,
They met the sons of Amram in the way;
And with dark brow, and wrathful tone, thus spake.
“The Lord upon you look, and judge! for ye
Have made us hateful in the monarch's eyes,
And in his servants' also; so to put
A sword into their hands to slay us all.”
Beheld that in an evil case they were,
After the king had said, ‘ye shall not aught
Diminish of your bricks, your daily task.’
And, as from Pharaoh they were coming back,
They met the sons of Amram in the way;
And with dark brow, and wrathful tone, thus spake.
“The Lord upon you look, and judge! for ye
Have made us hateful in the monarch's eyes,
And in his servants' also; so to put
A sword into their hands to slay us all.”
| Israel in Egypt | |