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In singling Moses, Aaron, for their work,And placing them in such exalted sphere.And Korah, 'mid the Levites prominent,And Dathan and Abiram, Reuben's sons,And a great company of princes, stroveAgainst those chosen servants of the Lord;And God replied with retribution swift,For the earth opened, swallowed up the threeWith their appurtenances; and a fireWas kindled, and consumed the princes too.But, by that fierce destruction undeterred,The multitude defied their leaders still,Indicting them as murderers of the slain:And lo! the Lord in glory came againThreatening swift destruction upon all,Save the two brothers called apart to Him.Then fell these on their faces: but, anon,A fearful plague was spreading in the host,And Aaron, urged by Moses, ran with hasteTaking his censer full of holy fire,To offer incense quickly in their midst,And prompt atonement for the people make.So, 'twixt the living and the dead he stood,And the dread plague was stayed; but not beforeDeath had o'ertaken a great multitude,And well-nigh fifteen thousand were destroyed.Then by a sign did the Lord speak again,And show the man He chose for ministry;For of twelve rods, commanded of the LordTo be laid up before the testimony,With names of the twelve tribes thereon inscribed,One—Aaron's only—budded, brought forth flowers,And yielded almonds, as the Lord had said;And it was kept in token of His will,To quell their envying, and confirm His word.
Still they pursued their weary wandering,Camping and journeying as the cloud removed,Till, when the forty years had nigh expired,
