Jephthah and Other Mysteries

JEPHTHAH. 25 Enter a Herald. JEPHTHAH. Hearken, Jehovah, to thy servant now; Fill Thou my voice with thine own thunders; fill My swift sharp words with such a lightning-fork As shall fall venomous upon the host Of these idolatrous that thus invade Our fencéd cities, these that put to sword Our helpless. Hear the cry of widowed men! And young men fatherless! And old men reft Of children! Grant us victory to avenge Their innocent shed blood, and ruined land. So, to gain time for prayer and penitence For grievous trespass of idolatry Done to th’ accurséd Baalim, and time To gather fugitives, and make them men, And straggling herdsmen for our armament, We send thee, herald, to the furious king Who lies with all his power encamped somewhere Hence southward toward Mahanaim. Say Unto the king of Ammon: Thus saith Jephthah : Why hast thou come with bloody hands against us? Our holy God, that bound the iron sea With pale frail limits of white sand, and said : Thus far, and not one billowy step beyond ! Saith unto thee in like commandment: Thou Who hast destroyed my people from the land So far, shalt not encroach upon their places One furlong more, lest quickly I destroy