Jephthah

14 JEPHTHAH. For in the South a cloud of many men, And desert horsemen fiery as the sun, Swarmed on the plains, a crescent from the hills That girdle Mahanaim: and behold! Our men were hemmed before the city gates, The elders having fortified them : so They fled about the city, and the horsemen, Dashing, destroyed them as the wind that sweeps Sere leaves before its fury: then the city With arrows darkened all the air; and luck Smote down some few pursuing ; but their captain, Riding his horse against the gate, drove in His spear, and cried to them that followed him: Who plucks my spear out shall be chief of all That ply the short spear: and who breaks the gate Shall lead my horsemen into Mizpeh: then, Rushing, their spearmen battered in the gate And overpowered the youths and agéd men, That put up trembling spears, and drew slack bows, And flung weak stones that struck for laughter’s sake. And so the city was the spoil of them, And all our women-folk are slain or violate, And all our young men murderously slain, And children spitted on their coward spears. CHORUS. How heavy is Thy hand upon us, Lord ! MESSENGER. Nor stayed they there; but, fring Mahanaim, Sweep toward Mizpeh like a locust-cloud.