I SAMUEL, Chap. III. Ver. 5. to 18.
Ver. 11 The Lord faid to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Ifrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it, fhall tingle.
12. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house : when I begin, I will alfo make an end..
13. For I have told him, that I will judge his boufe for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth : becaufe bis fons made themselves vile, and he reftrained them not.
14. And therefore I have fworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's houfe fhall not be purged with facrifice, nor offering for ever, &c.
At length the aged Sire the Truth perceives,
And his young Pupil new Inftructions gives:
It calls agen, the future Prophet fears,
And thus, fubmifs--- "Speak, Lord! thy Servant "hears!
To whom diftinct the awful Voice proceeds, "Behold in Ifrael I will do fuch Deeds; "As all who hear shall with amazement quail, "Their Ears shall tingle, and their Hearts shall fail. "Let Eli's loft devoted Houfe prepare,
"For what my Servant did, infpir'd, declare; "Theirs in the Show'r of Wrath the largeft "hare.
"For ever will I them, for ever leave, "And no Atonement for their Crimes receive: "Their Crimes he knows, regardless to reftrain, "He bears my Image and my Sword in vain.
The Sun had spread the Hills with heav'nly
Gold,
When Samuel did the facred Gates unfold:
The Judge adjures him, nothing to conceal,
Who all the dreadful Meffage did reveal:
He owns the Doom was juft his Faults procur'd,
And God was good, whate're his House endur'd.
May all who Eli's Charge and Honours share His falfe Indulgence fhun, as they'd his Fate beware!
Hophni and Phinehas
fain. Eli's Death.
Nwilling to refume the fervile Yoke,
Of Capthor's Sons, which valiant Samfon
broke:
The Tribes of Ifrael arm without fuccefs,
For how fhou'd God a finful Nation bless?
Baff'd and beat, four thousand Warrior's flain,
Their Bones unbury'd lay on Aphek's Plain.
With ftronger Forces they renew the War,
God's Ark they to the Camp from Shiloh bear:
But what avails his Ark when God's not there?
Trembled the Plains, the hollow Mountains ring,
When to the Camp that facred Pledge they bring;
So loud a Shout the joyful Army gave,
Tho' neither that itself nor them cou'd fave.
Their Enemy the Noise with wonder hear,
Which foon, th' Occafion known, is chang'd to
Fear:
Wo to our Nation--- thus alarm'd they cry'd,
Dangers like this, till now we never try'd:
Who, from these mighty Gods our Host shall fave,
Which plung'd th' Egyptians underneath the Wave?
Philiftia! now exert thy utmoft might!
The Conqueft gain, or fall in manful Fight!
They joyn, and long the Battel doubtful stood,
The Fields with Warrior's ftrew'd and dy'd in
Blood:
Ifrael at laft gave way, the Foe purfu'd,
But round the Ark agen the Fight renew'd:
Hophni the fainting Troops, and Phinehas chear,
And twice, when broke, they rally'd in the Rear;
(O! how cou'd Guilt like theirs,fo brave appear?)
And might have turn'd the Fortune of the Day,
Had not their Sins their Laurels fnatch'd away.
A third Effort with feebler Force they make,
But can't their facred injur'd Charge retake:
Clofe by the Ark, opprefs'd with odds they fell,
Happy their Deaths had they but liv'd as well!
Three Myriads more to Fate compell'd to yield,
Whofe Limbs extended on the moiften'd Field:
A Benjamite escapes, Fear lends him Wings,
At clofe of Day the News to Shiloh brings:
The City gave an univerfal Groan,
Old Eli hears the Noife, the Cause unknown;
When thus the Meffenger--The People fled,
"Philiftia triumphs, both thy Sons are dead,
"And more than all--- the Ark is captive led.
He heard till then, till then he fill'd his Place,
But now the hafty Blood forfakes his Face:
Back to his Heart, thro' fecret Channels flies,
Back from his Sear he falls, he backward falls,
and dies.
I SAMUEL, Chap. IV. Ver. 10. to 19.
Ver. 17. The meffenger faid, Ifrael is fled be fore the Philiftines, and there hath been also a great Slaughter among the people, and thy two sons alfo, Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18. And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the feat backward, by the fide of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died, &c.
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