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And Aaron's was a character of strength,
Though alternate with weakness; his a life
Of strange and marvellous vicissitudes:
Bearing expressed distrust and discontent
From those whom he was labouring to serve;
Sighing for their deep misery and despair;
Suffering affliction with them; but the while
Beholding Him Who is invisible,
And with his brother acting in His might,—
Confronting now the world's most potent king
With calm, authoritative words, and stern
Denunciation of his tyranny;
Then, at the king's command for miracle,
And at God's word, casting his rod to earth
And seeing it into a serpent change
And swallowing up all other as a sign
Of his true mission; and (more wondrous still)
Calling forth fearful plagues on Israel's foes,
Forcing from the proud king repentant words
And meek entreaty (though so brief the mood),
Till at the awful climax Pharaoh begged
The captives to begone.
Then, when again,
Hardening his heart, he started in pursuit,
And terrified afresh th'escaping host,
Gaining upon them where they could not flee,
Aaron had seen that marvellous display
Of the omnipotence, the love, the wrath
Of the great God he served, Who clave a way
Through the Red Sea for them that they might pass
In perfect safety to the farther side;
And, as the enemy followed and went down
To the dry deep between those water-walls,
He saw their chariots dragging heavily,
He saw the waters rush into their place,
But never more, save on the seashore, dead,
Were their oppressors seen: Israel was free.
And, well-nigh gladdest of the multitude,
Encouraged, strengthened, Aaron swelled the strain
Of that exultant, full thanksgiving song
Though alternate with weakness; his a life
Of strange and marvellous vicissitudes:
Bearing expressed distrust and discontent
From those whom he was labouring to serve;
Sighing for their deep misery and despair;
Suffering affliction with them; but the while
Beholding Him Who is invisible,
And with his brother acting in His might,—
Confronting now the world's most potent king
With calm, authoritative words, and stern
Denunciation of his tyranny;
Then, at the king's command for miracle,
And at God's word, casting his rod to earth
And seeing it into a serpent change
And swallowing up all other as a sign
Of his true mission; and (more wondrous still)
Calling forth fearful plagues on Israel's foes,
Forcing from the proud king repentant words
And meek entreaty (though so brief the mood),
Till at the awful climax Pharaoh begged
The captives to begone.
Then, when again,
Hardening his heart, he started in pursuit,
And terrified afresh th'escaping host,
Gaining upon them where they could not flee,
Aaron had seen that marvellous display
Of the omnipotence, the love, the wrath
Of the great God he served, Who clave a way
Through the Red Sea for them that they might pass
In perfect safety to the farther side;
And, as the enemy followed and went down
To the dry deep between those water-walls,
He saw their chariots dragging heavily,
He saw the waters rush into their place,
But never more, save on the seashore, dead,
Were their oppressors seen: Israel was free.
And, well-nigh gladdest of the multitude,
Encouraged, strengthened, Aaron swelled the strain
Of that exultant, full thanksgiving song
