The Destruction Of Pharaoh In The Red--Sea. Poem by Nicholas Amhurst

Still unrelenting Pharaoh's Heart remain'd,
And still the Tyrant in his Bosom reign'd;
Moses in vain out--stretch'd the sacred Rod,
And Israel groan'd in Bondage to their God,
The pow'rful Arm of Vengeance he defy'd,
Nor could repeated Plagues unbend his Pride:
With Flies, with Hail and Fire in vain he strove,
And noisome Boils, his stubborn Heart to move;
The Waters roll'd along a crimson Flood,
And Nile her guilty Banks distain'd with Blood,
Locusts the Promise of the Earth destroy,
And Frogs and Lice his Luxuries annoy,
The grazing Cattle feel a sudden Wound,
Horse, Sheep and Camel, press th' unwholesom Ground,
Thro' Ægypt's Coasts the black'ning Crowds arise,
And Darkness to be felt, involves the Skies:
But still he trifled with divine Command,
And scoff'd indignant Heav'n's avenging Hand;
At length th' Almighty gave th' unwilling Stroke
To wrest his Chosen from the painful Yoke;
Throughout the Land, each softer Method try'd,
Of Man and Beast the guiltless First--born dy'd,
Alike the Court and Dungeon mourn'd his Hate;
Not Pharaoh's Heir escap'd the common Fate;
From every Part promiscuous Cries were heard,
Horror and universal Grief appear'd,
And sudden Moses and his God were fear'd:
Ev'n Pharaoh trembled at the direful Ill,
And wish'd to conquer his obdurate Will;
Benumb'd the Tyrant stood with sullen Dread,
And thus to Moses and to Aaron said.

``To Canaan hence, your promis'd Land, depart,
``Your God at length has quite unmann'd my Heart;
``Some Pow'r unknown seems whisp'ring in my Ear,
``My Thoughts are rouz'd and I begin to fear;
``Wherefore no longer to our Ruin stay,
``And with you bear your Flocks and Herds away;
``Be gone this very Night, with all your Host,
``And quit for ever this unhappy Coast;
``If ought be wanting, e'er you quit the Land,
``Or Gold or Raiment, ask it from our Hand;
``Go, serve that God, whose wondrous Works we see,
``And oh! derive his Blessing upon me;
``Go, e'er it yet repent me of your Flight,
``And my Breast harden with returning Light,
``Go, lest some greater Ill we yet endure:
``Enough already, we confess his Pow'r!

His pressing Words the Reverend Prophets heard,
And bowing, from his Presence disappear'd;
The pleasing News at Goshen they relate,
And bear the Tidings of a better Fate:
The Israelite, from Servitude releas'd,
Which long had chas'd all Comfort from his Breast;
Exults triumphant with a keen Delight,
And speeds to Canaan his immediate Flight;
With Flocks and Herds, as sacred Annals say,
The joyful Thousands journey on their Way;
In awful Pomp, the Guardian of their Flight,
An Angel rides before by Day and Night,
By turns in Darkness seen and splendid Light:
High on a Car of Fire thro' desart Sands,
Or a wing'd Cloud he leads the rescued Bands.

Mean while the Tyrant's haughtiness return'd,
And in his Breast rekindling Fury burn'd,
Soon he repented of his coward grace,
And vow'd Revenge on Israel's hated Race;
Each soft Idea perish'd in his Mind,
And left gygantick Pride and Rage behind;
With num'rous armed Hosts, in Dread array,
Wrathful he now pursues them on their way.

When Israel heard of their approaching Foes,
Unrighteous Fears in ev'ry Tent arose;
Thro' devious, lonely Wilds they march along,
A restless, tim'rous and repining Throng;
At length the Streights of Chiroth they obtain,
For so did Heav'n by Stratagem ordain.

To stop their Flight the Ocean roll'd before,
And foam'd in thund'ring Volumes to the Shore;
On either Hand the tow'ring Hills arose,
And close behind advanc'd their vengeful Foes;
With Foes, with Hills and Seas, begirt around,
And Danger threat'ning their ill--omen'd Ground;
``Do we for this, dismay'd with Fear, they cry,
``From Pharaoh, Ægypt, and from Bondage, fly?
``And come we hither then to meet our Doom,
``To make this Desart our inglorious Tomb?
``Better, say they, in Ægypt to remain,
``And patient wear the raging Tyrant's Chain;
``Better to crouch beneath oppressive Hate,
``And all the Hardships of a servile State,
``Than to fall Victims by his powerful Hand,
``And with our Blood enrich the thirsty Sand.
.
Thus Israel plain'd, and Moses thus reply'd,
``Hush'd be your Fears and let your Doubts subside,
``Secure in God, for your Salvation trust,
``And still believe him to his Promise just;
``Ev'n now his Thoughts with your Deliverance teem,
``Intent his favourite People to redeem,
``This Day you will behold his rising Might,
``How wise in Council, and how strong in Fight;
``This Day the proud Ægyptian he o'erthrows,
``And works the tardy Vengeance on his Foes;
``Go on, as void of Danger, void of Fear,
``Nor let one causeless Jealousy appear;
``Cease, cease at length, ungrateful, to complain
``Of his Injustice, who relieves your Pain;
``With faithful Hopes expect the promis'd Coast,
``Since Heav'n, propitious Heav'n conducts your Host.

He spoke, and rais'd to Heav'n his ardent Eye,
Indulgent Heav'n receiv'd the Prophet's Cry,
And thus did answer: ``With a pow'rful Hand
``Far o'er the Seas stretch forth thy gifted Wand,
``When strait th' obedient Waters shall dispart,
``And Wave from Wave with sudden Terror start;
``Rear'd up in Heaps, the Billows shall be seen,
``And rolling, leave a level Space between,
``Thro' which my chosen Israelites shall go,
``And lead to Ruin the revengeful Foe.

Dreadful he spoke, and nodded from his Throne;
Doubling thro' Air the menial Thunders groan,
And trembling Earth and Heav'n th' eternal God--head own.

MOSES obey'd the Dictate of his God,
And o'er the Billows stretch'd his awful Rod;
From right to left the trembling Seas divide,
And rise a lympid Wall on either Side;
And see! between, to patronise their Flight,
An Area opens to the wond'ring Sight,
While Israel's chosen Tribes, a lengthening Train,
Securely pass the intermediate Plain;
Pharaoh pursu'd with unrelenting Hate,
In all his dreadful Tyranny and State;
But now behold and fear Almighty Pow'r,
Behold the Vengeance of one fatal Hour!
Moses again out--stretch'd his Rod from Shore,
The Winds are hush'd, returning Waters roar,
The following Hosts in whelming Oceans sleep,
And Horse and Horseman perish in the Deep.

Then might you see, in all his gorgeous Pride,
Great Pharaoh struggling with the stubborn Tide;
Then might you hear him curse his Fate in vain,
His Pride, Ambition and oppressive Reign;
Too late Remorse upbraids his tortur'd Soul,
And booming o'er his Head the Billows roll.

The Sons of Israel from the Banks ador'd
The mighty Vengeance of their heav'nly Lord;
His Pow'r with joy and wonder they confess'd,
And Faith reviv'd in ev'ry glowing Breast;
To Heav'n the Shouts of Gratitude they raise,
And the wide Plains resound with Hymns of praise.