 | The poetical works of John Trumbull . |  |
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THE PROPHECY OF BALAAM.
Numbers, Chapters 23d and 24th.
December 1773.
I.
On lofty Peor's brow,That rears its forehead to the sky,
And sees the airy vapors fly,
And clouds in bright expansion sail below,
Sublime the Prophet stood.
Beneath its pine-clad side,
The distant world her varied landscape yields;
Winding vales and length'ning fields,
Streams in sunny maze that flow'd,
Stretch'd immense in prospect wide,
Forests green in summer's pride.
Waving glory gilds the main,
The dazzling sun ascending high,
While earth's blue verge, at distance dimly seen,
Spreads from the aching sight, and fades into the sky.
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II.
Beneath his feet, along the level plain,The host of Israel stretch'd in deep array;
Their tents rose frequent on the enamell'd green,
Bright to the wind the color'd streamers play.
Red from the slaughter of their foes,
In awful steel th' embattled heroes stood;
High o'er the shaded ark in terror rose
The cloud, the dark pavilion of their God.
Before the Seer's unwilling eyes,
The years unborn ascend to sight;
He saw their opening morn arise,
Bright in the sunshine of the fav'ring skies;
While from th'insufferable light,
Fled the dire dæmons of opposing night.
No more, elate with stygian aid,
He waves the wand's enchanted power,
And baleful through the hallow'd glade,
His magic footsteps rove no more.
Fill'd with prophetic fire, he lifts his hand
O'er the deep host in dim array;
And awed by heaven's supreme command,
Pours forth the rapture of the living lay.
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III.
Fair, oh Israel, are thy tents,Blest the banners of thy fame;
Blest the dwellings of his saints,
Where their God displays his name.
Fair as these vales, that stretch their lawns so wide,
As gardens smile in flow'ry meadows fair,
As rising cedars, on the streamlet's side,
Unfold their arms and court the fragrant air.
Vain is magic's deadly force,
Vain the dire enchanter's spell,
Waving wand or charmed curse,
Vain the pride, the rage of hell.
From Peor's high, illumined brow,
I see th' Eternal Power reveal'd,
And all the lengthen'd plain below
O'ershrouded by th' Almighty Shield.
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And Israel's fav'rite host Omnipotence defends.
IV.
And see, bright Judah's Star ascendingFires the east with crimson day,
Awful o'er his foes impending,
Pours wide the lightning of his ray,
And flames destruction on th' opposing world.
Death's broad banners dark, unfurl'd,
Wave o'er his blood-encircled way.
Sceptred king of Moab, hear,
Deeds that future times await,
Deadly triumph, war severe,
Israel's pride and Moab's fate.
What echoing terrors burst upon mine ear!
What awful forms in flaming horror rise!
Empurpled Rage, pale Ruin, heart-struck Fear,
In scenes of blood ascend, and skim before my eyes.
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V.
Dimly on the skirt of night,O'er thy sons the cloud impends;
Echoing storm with wild affright,
Loud the astonish'd ether rends.
Long hosts, emblazed with sunbright shields, appear,
And Death, in fierce career,
Glides on their light'ning swords: along thy shores,
Arm'd with the bolts of fate,
What hostile navies wait!
Above, around, the shout of ruin roars.
For nought avails, that clad in spiry pride,
Thy rising cities glitter'd on the day;
The vengeful arms wave devastation wide,
And give thy pompous domes to smouldering flames a prey.
VI.
Edom bows her lofty head,Seir submits her vanquish'd lands,
Amalek, of hosts the dread,
Sinks beneath their wasting hands.
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Rise o'er thy children's hapless grave!
Low thy blasted glory falls;
Vain the pride that could not save!
Israel's swords arrest the prey,
Back to swift fate thy trembling standards turn;
Black desolation rolls along their way,
War sweeps in front, and flames behind them burn;
And Death and dire Dismay
Unfold their universal grave, and ope the mighty urn.
Numbers, xxiv, 1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek enchantments.
As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as cedars beside the waters.
V. 6.Chapter xxiii, verse 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither any divination against Israel.
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