1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 8 - 14

Jude Mon 06 May 2013, 02:18

1 SAMUEL 8

1 It happened when Samuel was old
He made his sons judges and bold
Over Israel. 2 Now the name of
His eldest son was Joel for love,
And the name of his second told
Was Abiah, and they judged in
Beersheba, but not without sin.
3 His sons did not walk in his ways,
But turned aside for wealth and praise,
And took bribes and perverted justice.
4 Elders as numerous as dust is
In Israel came in a crowd,
To Samuel in Ramah allowed.
5 They said to him, “See, you are old,
And your sons do not act as told,
Now make us a king to judge us
Like all the nations without fuss.

Like all anarchists I too love the kings
That rule the nations round and round in rings.
And I can understand the human way
Of escaping from injustice’s day.
The judges of my city also take
Their bribes from insurance companies’ stake.
Though parliament may fight them with a bill,
They always find a way to ignore till.
Justice does not come easy as the case
Of Samuel found to his own grief’s disgrace.
He saw what happened to Ali’s sons once,
And he took lesson from it not a dunce,
And still they turned out evil. Hear my prayer,
I discipline myself, and still foreswear.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when
They said “Give as a king of men
To judge us.” And Samuel prayed YHWH.
7 And YHWH said to Samuel, “Now do
Listen to the folk’s voice in all
They tell you, for they do not stall
Rejecting you, but they in thrall
Reject Me, that I should not reign
Over them. 8 “By the works in vain
That they’ve done since the day I brought
Them up from Egypt to this plot,
By which they have forsaken Me
And worshipped other gods in fee,
So are they doing to you too.
9 “So listen to their voice and do,
But protest solemnly to them,
And show them kingly stratagem
In reigning as king over them.”
10 And Samuel told the people what
YHWH said when they begged him to strut
A king before them. 11 And he said,
”This is how the king that is led
To rule you will do, he will take
Your sons and set them for his stake,
For chariots and his horsemen,
And run before his chariots then.
12 “And he will set him captains by
Thousands, and over fifties nigh,
And make them plant his ground with sighs,
And reap his harvest, enterprise
Them to construct weapons of war,
And vessels of chariots in store.
13 “And he will take your daughters too
As pastry-makers and cooks too,
And bakers. 14 “And he’ll take your fields,
And your vineyards, and olive yields,
The best of all to give his slaves.
15 “He’ll take the tenth of your seed’s waves,
And of your vineyards, and give them
To his officers as a gem,
And to his servants at his hem.
16 “And he will take your menservants,
And your maidservants as they dance,
And your best young men and your donkeys,
And set them to work as his honkeys.
17 “He will take the tenth of your sheep,
And you will be his servants creep.
18 “And you’ll cry out in that day for
Your king which you’ll have chosen tore,
And YHWH will not hear you that day,
Because you rejected His sway.”

So far as I can see You took already
Their best to be Your likely servants steady,
The priests and Levites at Your loving call,
The sheep and goats, the fatted calf in stall,
The flour and wine in sacrifice and all.
So what’s a king beyond what You required?
Rather than absolute sovereign desired,
Perhaps they thought a human king would be
Easier to replace than what You see
In furtive fornication with the gods
And goddesses of Canaan in their pods.
Beloved, when taxes are required to set
Either a lot or little, they are met.
If You dispense with sacrifice, You’re pet.

19 But the people refused to hear
The voice of Samuel, and they jeer,
“No, but we’ll have a king appear,
20 “So we can be like all the rest
Of the nations, and our king best
May judge us, and go out before
Us and fight our battles in war.”
21 And Samuel heard all that they said,
And he told YHWH their words instead.
22 And YHWH said to Samuel, “Hear now
Their voice and make them a king’s row.”
And Samuel said to Israel’s men,
“Go everyone to his own glen.”

The matter was not really concern for
Injustice, but the desire to restore
Conformity, to be like those around
In having the same figure and the sound.
They did not want a king to make things just,
But rather to be like the ones they trust.
Not principle but fashion took the day.
In that the people then were like the way
People still love to have the running play.
Save me, Beloved, from my own will to be
Like neighbour in delusion for a pea.
Be my king and no other give to me,
Neither the democratic chosen fair
Nor priest nor scientist from anywhere.

1 SAMUEL 9

1 There was a man of Benjamin
Whose name was Kish the son to win
Of Abiel, son of Zeror,
The son of Bechorath before,
The son of Aphiah, who was
A Benjamite, a man who does
Great feats. 2 He had a son whose name
Was Saul, a young man of acclaim,
And fine, and there was not among
The folk of Israel a man hung
Better than he, from his shoulders
And upward taller than the fers
Of all the people. 3 And the donkeys
Of Kish Saul’s father on the tonkeys
Were lost. And Kish said to his son
Saul, “Take now of the servants one
With you and get up and go find
The donkeys. 4 And they were inclined
To go through Mount Ephraim and pass
Through the land of Shalisha’s grass,
But they did not find them, then they
Went through the land of Shalim’s way,
Without a sight, and he passed through
The land of the Benjamite crew,
But they did not find any stray.
5 When they arrived in land of Zuph,
Saul said to his servant in proof
Who was with him, “Come, let’s go back,
So my father for donkey’s lack
Will not worry about our track.”
6 And he answered him, “Listen, there
Is in this city a man fair
Of Ælohim, and he’s a great
Man, all he says will meet its fate,
So let’s go there, perhaps he can
Show us our way and give a plan.”

Some smile today that anyone should make
A fuss to You above for donkeys’ sake.
The riotous look for the changes in
Your Word to find excuse to follow sin
Because a number comes faintly across
With the wrong addition or the wrong loss.
The rules for washing change from year to year,
And usury brings no consistent tear,
The calendar is most imperfect here,
And mint and anis distractions appear.
But one thing like a red and golden thread
Runs through the Scriptures from the tale to head,
And that is the concern for donkeys’ health.
Let human heart ponder in hard, cold wealth.

7 Then Saul said to his servant man,
“But look, if we go, what shall we
Bring the man, for our bread in fee
Is used up in our packs, and there
Is not a present here to share
With the man of Ælohim, what
Do we have here to fill his glut?”
8 And the servant told Saul again,
Saying “Look, I have here a yen,
The fourth part of a silver shekel,
I’ll give that to the man in meckle,
To tell us our way home again.”
9 In times past in Israel when one
Went to inquire of Ælohim,
He’d say “Come let’s go down for fun
To the seer.” For now it would seem
That’s what a prophet was times past
Called, seer. 10 Then Saul said to his man
Servant, “Well said, come let’s by plan
Go.” So they went into the city
Where Ælohim’s man sat in pity.

The oracle in every land and town
Requires a bit of silver be set down.
And every servant and each prince that comes
Adds to the temple and the priestly sums.
You are alone, Beloved, in my country
To hold a saintly service’ liturgy
Without the offering plate, without the score
Of writing out the checks at entrance door.
I must pay dues to enter synagogue,
And give zakat to satisfy the cog
That runs the mosque, and churchly friars seek
Remuneration for each passing week.
Beloved, You only whisper on the air
Without sending a bill for my welfare.

11 As they went up the hill before
The city, they found out of door
Young girls going out to fetch water,
And said to them, each maid and daughter,
“Is this the place the seer is found?”
12 They told them saying “He’s around,
And look in front of you and hurry,
Because today he came with flurry
To the city, and there will be
A public sacrifice and free
At the high place, just come and see.
13 “As soon as you come in the town
You’ll find him before he goes down
To the high place to eat, because
The people will not turn their paws
To food before he comes, because
He it is who will come to bless
The sacrifice, and then address
The invited to come and eat.
So get a move on, don’t retreat,
For about this time in the street
You’ll find him whether sun or sleet.”
14 And they went up into the town
And when they came into the town,
See, Samuel came out to meet them
Going up to the high place hem.
15 Now YHWH had whispered in the ear
Of Samuel just the day before
Saul would arrive and would appear,
Saying 16 “Tomorrow by this score
About this same time I will send
To you a man out of the end
Of Benjamin’s land, and you must
Anoint him captain in the trust
Of My folk Israel, that he may
Save My folk out of hand and way
Of Philistines, for I have seen
My people, that their cry is keen.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, then YHWH said
To him, “Look at the man I led
Speaking of him to you, this one
Shall reign over my folk when done.”
18 Saul drew near Samuel in the gate,
And said “Please tell me, don’t be late,
Where is the seer’s house and gate?”
19 And Samuel answered Saul and said
“I am the seer. Go up led
Before me to the high place, for
You’ll eat with me today and more,
Tomorrow then I’ll let you go
And all that’s in your heart I’ll show.
20 “But as for your donkeys that were
Lost three days since, do not incur
Anxiety for them, be sure
They have been found. But from whom does
Israel expect Muhammad’s laws?
Is it not from you and from all
Your father’s house by divine call?”

The longing heart awaited year on year,
And centuries passed by in hope and fear,
While faithful ones desired and kept alive
The hope that he would come and he would strive
In the right path. And so all Israel
Looked for the one on whom the balance fell.
Did Saul believe that he would live to be
Muhammad, the Desired, and did he see
Beyond the hopes and dreams that he would fail
To lead the people from behind the veil
And through the Scriptures into perfect ways?
Or did the Seer see beyond the days
And centuries to come, Beloved, to when
A voice inspired would cantillate again?

21 And Saul answered and said “Am not
I Benjamite and of the lot
The smallest of Israel’s tribes and
My family the least to stand
Of the families in the tribe
Of Benjamin? Why now subscribe
To such a speech to me at hand?”
22 And Samuel took Saul and his slave
And brought them into the lodge nave,
And made them sit in the chief place
Among the best invited race,
About thirty with numbered face.
23 And Samuel told the cook, “Now bring
The portion I put under wing,
Of which I told you, ‘Save the thing.’”
24 So the cook took the shoulder and
The meat upon it, set at hand
Of Saul. Samuel started to say
“Here is what’s left, take it as prey
Before you, eat, since to this time
Has it been saved for you in prime,
Since I said I called folk to dine.”
So that day Saul ate with the fine
Samuel, both sacrifice and wine.

I enter the lodge where the forty sit
And brave the lion, guardian of it,
And bow before the chief place, turn around
And whirl and whirl upon that slaughter ground.
The elect on their sheepskins smile and frown
To see my flying feet dusty and brown,
And how I pinch a piece of meat as I
Go past the sacrificial pot to die.
Beloved, Saul hardly knew the sacred tune,
Nor did he guess his fate beyond his boon.
So I sing with the gladness of my heart,
Not guessing any of tomorrow’s part.
The sun rises and sets upon the meal
The forty enjoy with a dashing heel.

25 And when they were coming down from
The high place to the city drum,
He talked to Saul on the housetop.
26 They got up early from their flop,
It happened as the dawn arose,
Samuel called Saul to a roof pose,
Saying “Get up so I may send
You out upon your way to wend.”
And Saul got up and they went out,
Both he and Samuel about.
27 As they arrived at city end
Samuel told Saul, “Tell servant friend
To go on before us,” and he
Went on in front. “Now you stand free
And I’ll show you God’s word freely.”

It seems, Beloved, that You’re too shy to speak
To more than one human upon a peak.
The prophets always claim You came to seek
In vision or in dream where none could see
Your coming or hear Your still voice and wee.
Even on Mount Sinai in thunder’s fear
When You once before all the crowd appear,
You still speak to the one in singular.
For You there is no shoutful crowd and star,
But only one heart lifted to Your word.
You speak always to one heart when it’s stirred
And leave the congregation in the lurch.
You do not seem to think much of the church
Nor of the lodge of forties on their perch.

1 SAMUEL 10

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil
And poured it on his head for toil,
And kissed him and said “Is it not
Because YHWH’s anointed your lot
To be commander of His plot?
2 “When you’ve left me today, you’ll find
Two men by Rachel’s tomb behind
The land of Benjamin at Zelzah,
And they’ll say to you what compels you,
‘The donkeys which you went to find
Have been found. Now your dad’s resigned
Of worry for the donkeys’ case
And worrying about your chase,
Saying “What shall I do about
My son?”’ 3 “Then you shall go on out
From there, and come to Tabor’s plain,
Where you will meet three men in train
Going up to Beth-el to God,
One carrying three kids in prod,
Another carrying three loaves
Of bread, the third toting for troves
A bottle of grape juice. 4 And they
Will greet you and give you for pay
Two of the loaves of bread which you
Shall receive from their hands in due.
5 “Afterward you’ll come to the hill
Of Ælohim, where is the grill
Of Philistines’ fort, and it will
Happen when you come to the city
You’ll meet a band of prophets giddy
Coming down from the high place with
A lute and drum, a pipe of wythe,
And harp and they shall prophesy.
6 “The spirit of YHWH shall be nigh
On you, and you shall prophesy
With them, turned to another man.
7 “Let it be when these signs in plan
Come on you, do what comes to hand,
Since Ælohim is your command.

Conversion to Taoism is a thing
Not often found upon the early ring.
It is a faith or lack thereof that most
Are born into that enter on that coast.
Yet my soul quietist, Molinos’ pride,
Does what comes to my hand close by my side.
I never travel upstream with an oar
To find the grail upon a distant shore.
I find Your treasures where the lyre is tuned
To Scripture where I always have communed
With Your voice on the map of psaltery.
I find the downstream flowing by decree
Is filled with notes of bird and sophistry.
I take what’s in my hand and at my door.

8 “And you’ll go down before Gilgal
And see I’ll come to you with sal
To offer burnt offerings and make
Peace offerings, for seven days’ sake
You’ll wait until I come to you
To tell you what it is you’ll do.”
9 It happened when he turned his back
To go from Samuel, on his track
Ælohim gave him a new heart,
That day all those signs played their part.
10 And when he came there to the hill,
See, a band of reciters still
Met him, and Ælohim’s breath came
Strongly on him and without blame
He cantillated just the same.
11 It happened when those who knew him
Before saw that he there with vim
Among the prophets sang, the folk
Said everyone to other bloke,
“What’s this that happened to the son
Of Kish? Is Saul also for fun
Cantillating by prophet’s pun?”
12 And one of them answered and said
“Who is the father who has bred
Him?” And that’s why it became said
“Is Saul among the prophets fled?”
13 When he finished reciting Word
Of Scripture, to high place he stirred.

The schools of prophets in that ancient day
When Saul came out to sing and dance and play,
Taught young men to sing with the breath of God
The cryptic Scriptures in the Hebrew pod.
Saul sang the words that David later filled
With Your spirit when with the sheep he trilled
The songs of Moses and Miriam abroad
To find today yesterday’s manna’s way.
Beloved, I cantillate the words that made
Their way from Saul’s parched singing throat and stayed
To echo on the burnt hills of the land
Of Canaan by the gold and silver sand.
The tinkling of the lyre rings in my ear
As I come singing to You without fear.

14 Saul’s uncle asked him and his slave,
“Where did you go?” And they were brave
To say “To look for donkeys where
We got lost, so we made repair
To Samuel.” And Saul’s uncle said
“Tell me, please, what Samuel was led
To say to you.” 16 And Saul replied
To his uncle, “Can be relied
On that the donkeys have been found.”
But what Samuel said of the plot
Of kingdom, that thing he told not.
17 Then Samuel summoned all the folk
Before YHWH at Mizpeh by oak,
18 And to children of Israel spoke
“So says YHWH Israel’s Ælohim,
‘I brought up Israel from the stream
Of Egypt, rescued from the hand
Of Pharaoh king of Egypt’s land,
And from all kings oppressing you.
19 ‘And you’ve this day rejected YHWH,
Who is Himself your Saviour true
From your calamities’ distresses,
And you said “No, but it impresses
To have a king set over us,”’
Now come before YHWH’s radius
In all your tribes and thousands plus.”
20 So Samuel brought near all the tribes
Of Israel, and without bribes
The tribe of Benjamin took lot.
21 He brought Benjamite tribe in plot
By their families, and the clan
Of the Matrites rose as by plan,
And Saul the son of Kish was taken,
Though he could not be found unshaken
When they looked for him unmistaken.
22 That’s why they asked YHWH once again,
“Will the man step up among men?”
And YHWH replied, “See, he is hidden
Among the stuff when he was bidden.”

Beloved, I seek You on the faded hill,
The scrupulous pines hide no help or bill,
Your form elated by the firs is still
Invisible to me who seek Your gate.
No footprint spoils the lichen patterns wrought
Upon the granite boulders that have caught
The dawn light from the silver lakeside spot
Where sun appears above the forest grate.
You shyly hide among the baggage and
The warehouses filled with cement and sand.
Your shadow nearly gives a fleeting clue
To promise once again a divine view.
Beloved, I find You without form or state
Where I just abandoned You to be late.

23 And they ran and took him from there,
And when he stood among the fair,
He was taller than any of
The folk, head and shoulders above.
24 And Samuel said to all the folk
“Look at the one YHWH’s put in yoke,
That there is none like him among
All the people?” And every tongue
Shouted and said “Long live the king.”
25 And Samuel told the folk the thing
Of the kingdom, wrote in a book,
And set it up before YHWH’s nook.
Samuel sent all the folk away,
Each man to his own house to stay.
26 And Saul too went to his own house
In Gibeah, in warrior’s blouse
Went behind him the men whose hearts
God had touched to play valiant parts.
27 But vulgar fellows said of him,
“Who is this man to save us grim?”
And they despised him and brought no
Gifts, but he ignored wicked show.

Sons of Belial it would seem came out
To make sport of the king You set with clout.
They thought themselves wise and without a doubt
Loyal to You, Beloved, and King and Lord.
Samuel with heavy heart was made accord
To crown a king for hearts of unrestored,
But once the thing was done, it seems a show
Of fancy to refuse to make a go.
Your only word was sent on Sinai once,
And if I take another, I’m a dunce.
And yet the powers that be claim loyalty
Though I would rather live with You and free.
Beloved, I bow to what must curse the earth,
And yet I see that You alone are worth.

1 SAMUEL 11

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came
And camped by Jabesh-gilead’s claim,
And all the Jabesh men said to
Nahash, “Make us a treaty true
And we will serve you as our due.”
2 Nahash the Ammonite told them,
“These are the terms of stratagem
By which I’ll make it with you, all
Your right eyes shall be struck with awl,
Reproach I’ll lay on Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh told him,
“Give us seven days’ respite for whim
To send messengers to the coasts
Of all of Israel if in boasts
There is none to save us, then we
Will come out and serve you for free.
4 The messengers came to Saul’s place
In Gibeah, and spoke this trace
In hearing of the folk, and all
The people lifted voice in call
And wept. 5 And see, Saul came up from
The field following frolicsome
Oxen, and Saul said “What is wrong
With the people who weep so long?”
And they told him the words the men
Of Jabesh were speaking again.
6 The spirit of YHWH in its might
Came on Saul when he heard the plight
Of those words and his anger rose
Kindled greatly because of those.
7 And so he took an oxen yoke
And cut them in pieces by stroke
And sent them throughout all the lands
Of Israel by messenger hands,
Saying “The one who does not come
After Saul and Samuel’s a bum,
So shall they do his ox in sum.”
And YHWH’s dread fell on all the folk,
And they came out as in one stroke.

It seems, Beloved, that in this place of fears,
There is no chance to escape shedding tears.
Either the right eye must be given to
The one who holds the cannon and the crew,
Or else one has to go out to the war
To fight with club and claw on bloody shore.
This may or may not be result that they
Set up a king to move them to the prey.
When You alone rule on the earth, it seems
There also come up brigands from my dreams.
Beloved, the armies still stand in array
With tanks of depleted uranium
To kill for centuries the prince and bum.
Show us, Beloved, another, better way.

8 He counted them in Bezek then
Israel’s three hundred thousand men,
Judah’s thirty thousand again.
9 They said to the messengers come,
“Say to Jabesh-gilead’s sum,
‘Tomorrow when the sun is hot
You will all be saved from the plot.’”
And the messengers came and told
The men of Jabesh glad and bold.
10 And the men of Jabesh then said
“Tomorrow we’ll come out as led
To you, and you may do with us
What seems good to your animus.”
11 It happened on the next day Saul
Divided the folk all in all
In three groups, and they came into
The middle of the camp at dew
Of morning watch, attacked the men
Of Ammon till the heat rose then
On the day, and it came to pass
The remnant were scattered like grass,
Till no two remained in one class.
12 The people said to Samuel, “Who
Has said that Saul shall not reign due
Over us? Bring the men so we
May slaughter them for making free.”
13 And Saul said “None shall die today,
For on this day YHWH’s given way
Delivering Israel in the fray.”
14 And Samuel told the people, “Come,
Let’s go to Gilgal venturesome
And there we’ll renew the kingdom.”
15 And all the folk went to Gilgal,
And there they made Saul king and pal,
And there they offered meat offerings
And peace offerings before YHWH’s springs,
There Saul and all the people joyed,
Rejoicing greatly while employed.

Septuagint doubles the number for
The warriors out to even up the score,
And adds ten thousand to Judah to boot
Before they go out to thrust and to shoot.
And after every man had slung his sling
And bound his tortured arrows on the wing,
The lust to kill turned round to greet the few
Who had not kept Saul king in mind and view.
Beloved, You show Yourself magnanimous
To wicked and to scornful among us.
The double regiment does not detract
From Your glory, nor does a king not sacked.
I much prefer Your salvation without
An army, a battalion and a scout.

1 SAMUEL 12

1 Said Samuel to all Israel,
“See I have heard your voice a spell
In all you told me, and I’ve set
A king over you not to fret.
2 “Now see, the king goes before you,
And I am old, grey-headed too,
Indeed my sons are before you,
And I’ve gone before you from youth
Until this day, to tell the truth.
3 “Here I am, raise a witness up
Against me before YHWH and tup
Of His anointed, for whose ox
Have I taken, or donkey’s stocks,
Or whom have I oppressed in fraud
With bribe to blind my eyes roughshod?
Bear witness against me as should,
Bear witness and I’ll made it good.”
4 They said to Samuel, “You have not
Defrauded us, oppressed or sought
Anything from any man’s hand.”
5 Samuel said to the people’s band,
“YHWH’s witness against you today,
And His anointed’s witness say
That you have not found anything
In my hand, store, under my wing.”
They said “He’s witness to the thing.”
6 And Samuel told the folk, and said
“YHWH’s witness that made Moses led
And Aaron, who brought up instead
Your fathers from Egypt’s land’s bed.
7 “So now stand still that I may plead
Before YHWH for each righteous deed
Of YHWH with you which He did to
You and to your fathers in crew.”

If anyone stood up today and said
He would restore whatever had been bled,
I trow a thousand false witnesses could
Rise up to take his bank account and wood.
The sharks are ready to come to the spoil
And care not for the truth for wicked toil.
The ones ready to kill the opposition
Before election for royal position
Were also truthful when pressed for assent.
Beloved, if I could live in that fair tent
Instead of on the fields of lies and shows
Where law of jungle is renowned and goes
By name of survival of fittest bloke.
Beloved, archbishops join kings in the soak.

8 “When Jacob came to Egypt’s land,
With his sons humbled by that band,
Your fathers lifted voice to YHWH,
And YHWH sent Moses without shoe
And Aaron, who brought out your fathers
From Egypt and from all their pothers
To live in this place that’s in view.
9 “They forgot YHWH their Ælohim,
Who gave them over to the scheme
Of Sisera, the army’s chief
Of Hazor and without relief
Into the power of Philistine,
And in Moab’s king’s hand to whine,
Who fought against them tooth and tine.
10 “And they cried out to YHWH and said
‘We’ve sinned because we’ve not been led
By YHWH, and have served Baalim
And Ashtaroth, but now redeem
Us from the power of enemy,
And we’ll serve only You freely.’

When shall the princes of unholy oak
Who lash upon the world atomic stroke
And poison Baghdad and Basra with dust
Of radioactivity that must
Kill for millennia, when shall they say
They’ve been worshipping Baalim every day
And trusting in the shameful Ashtaroth
Like the vile Hun and busy Visigoth?
Beloved, when Methodists can see the light
That killing is satanic way to fight,
And repent of their sin, then I shall flee
With them to You in praise for Your decree.
But now send Sisera with sword in hand
Without a Jael to save the contraband.

11 “YHWH sent Jerubbaal and Bedan,
And Jephthah, Samuel, save as can
You from the power of enemy
On every side to live safely.
12 “And when you saw Nahash the king
Of Ammonites come on the wing
Against you, you said to me, ‘No,
But we shall have a king for show,’
When YHWH your Ælohim was king.
13 “Now see the king whom you have chosen,
Requested with his golden hosen,
And see, YHWH’s made him be your king.
14 “If you’ll fear YHWH, and serve Him, and
Obey His voice and not in band
Rebel against YHWH and command,
Both you and also reigning king
To follow YHWH your Ælohim,
15 “But if you’ll not obey the scheme
Of YHWH’s voice, but rebel and sing
Against YHWH’s commandment, then shall
YHWH’s hand be against your corral
And against your fathers in ring.
16 “So stand still and see this great thing
That YHWH’ll do before your eyes sting.
17 “Is it not wheat harvest today?
I will call to YHWH that He may
Send thunder and rain, so you’ll know
And see your wickedness to grow,
That you have done before YHWH’s eye
In asking for a king to vie.”

A simple rain-maker, Samuel would stand
To use his powers to satisfy demand
Of disappointment in his savage heart.
As rain-maker, he knows to play his part.
A king you want? Then take the thunder sound
That rises from my dancing feet on ground,
My rattle and my drum, the arrow shot
Toward the sun to see what you begot
In kings to pace the palace’s glass floor.
Beloved, I wait for rain above the roar
Of thunder on the sounds of Sinai’s hill.
Send rain today, tomorrow send the bill.
The troubled, weeping sky calls once an halt
To the unmindful rush of foot and fault.

18 And Samuel called to YHWH, and YHWH
Sent thunder and rain on the crew
That day, and all the peopled feared
Greatly YHWH and Samuel appeared.
19 And all the folk told Samuel,
“Pray for your servants and a spell
To YHWH your Ælohim, that we
Not die, for we’ve added to all
Our sins this wickedness in stall
In asking for a king’s decree.
20 And Samuel told the folk, “Don’t be
Afraid, despite iniquity,
Just don’t turn from following YHWH,
And serve YHWH with all your heart true.
21 “And do not turn aside to go
After the gods of a vain show
Who cannot profit nor save you,
For they are a vain thing to view.
22 “For YHWH will not forsake His folk
For His great name’s sake at a stroke,
Because it has pleased YHWH to make
You a people for His own sake.
23 “As for me, far be it from me
To sin against YHWH and freely
By ceasing for your hope to pray,
But I’ll teach you the good, right way.
24 “Only fear YHWH, serve Him in truth
With all your heart, and think forsooth
What great things He’s done for your couth.
25 “But if you still do wickedly,
Then you shall be consumed debris,
Both you and your king dominie.”

The rain-maker threatens the folk with fire
To consume them before Your fragrant ire.
He begs the people to serve You in truth,
Both beggar, king, old crone and slender youth.
He knows the human heart would rather cry
To vanities below a leaden sky,
Than step out of illusion’s veil and try
The ecstasies of divine and sweet tooth.
Beloved, illusion under which You made
Experiment in dibble stick and spade
Attaches to the vanity in bloom
And leads the soul into its dour dark doom.
Only the brave exception in the room
Is able to rise up to meet the grade.

1 SAMUEL 13

1 Son of a year Saul sat on throne,
Two years he reigned on Israel’s stone.
2 And Saul chose him three thousand men
Of Israel, two thousand again
Were with Saul in Michmash and in
The mount of Beth-el, and a bin
Were with Jonathan in the place
Of Gibeath-benjamin to trace,
And the rest of the folk he sent
Every man into his own tent.
And Jonathan attacked the fort
Of Philistine in Geba’s court,
And Philistines heard the report.
Saul blew the horn through all the land,
Saying “Let Hebrews hear command.”
4 All Israel heard it said that Saul
Had attacked the Philistines’ stall,
And Israel had made himself stink
Before Philistines on the brink.
The folk were gathered in corral
After Saul as far as Gilgal.
5 The Philistines came up to fight
With Israel, chariots in sight
Thirty thousand, and six thousand
Horsemen, and people like the sand
Upon the seashore in their count,
And they came up and set their mount
In Michmash before Beth-aven.
6 When the sight came to Israel’s men
That they were in a strait, for then
The people were distressed, the folk
Hid themselves in caves, under oak
Thickets, and in rocks and in ditch,
And in pits, hiding at the pitch.
7 Some of the Hebrews had gone on
Over the Jordan to the dawn
Of Gad and Gilead, but Saul,
He was still in Gilgal in stall,
And all the people followed him
Trembling before the danger grim.

The reason I do not hide in a cave
Or ditch and tremble like a coward slave
Is not that there’s no danger here to brave,
But that I fail to understand the wave
Of evil that swells up upon my shore
In democratic lobbying on floor
Of parliament. I cannot believe quite
That illusions can overcome the right.
The wise tremble and shake before the gloom
Of market prices spelling out the doom
Of war, while I in simple gratitude
Welcome the spring and winter in their feud
For melting off or doubling up the ice
That dangles from my roof in crystal splice.

8 He waited seven days, as long
As Samuel had given song,
But Samuel did not appear at
Gilgal, and all the folk went scat.
9 And Saul said “Bring the burnt offering
And the peace offerings here to sing.”
And he offered the burnt offering.
10 What do you know, but soon as he
Finished burning the offering’s fee,
That Samuel arrived, and Saul went
Out to meet him, to greet content.
10 And Samuel said “What have you done?”
And Saul said “Because on the run
The people scattered from me here,
And you did on time appear,
And the Philistines came to war
At Michmash like sand on the shore,
12 Therefore I said ‘Now they will come,
The Philistines down on my bum
To Gilgal, and I’ve not yet done
Entreating YHWH’s favour and won,
I forced myself therefore to do
The burnt offering before the crew.’”
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “The thing
You did is foolish, by the sting
Of my command you have not done
What YHWH commanded under sun
For you to do, for YHWH indeed
Would have confirmed and to your seed
The kingdom over Israel
Forever and a longer spell.
14 “But now your kingdom shall not stay,
YHWH’s sought a man of His own way,
And YHWH has ordered him chief over
His people, because you a rover
Have not kept what YHWH had to say.”

I wait for You, Beloved, along the days
Of the whole week and through the struggling maze
Of business on the cobbled market-place.
I wait for You, Beloved, before Your face.
But You do not appear, I see no trace
Of deity above the city waste.
There is no form where You can be encased,
No likeness, no, nor light that can be flung
Across the blackened gulf of sirens sung.
Beloved, let me not lift a sacrifice,
Nor say a prayer against my foe in trice,
But wait for Your appearing on the blast
Of silence in the treetops and aghast
Among the crocuses spearing the ice.

15 And Samuel got up and went out
From Gilgal to the place of rout
In Gibeath-benjamin. And
Saul counted the folk who made stand
With him, about six hundred men.
16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son,
And the people not on the run,
Stayed with them in the fortress town
Of Gibeath-benjamin’s frown,
But Philistines encamped about
Michmash to hold the folk in rout.
17 And raiders came out of the camp
Of Philistines in three groups’ clamp.
One band turned on the road that goes
To Ophrah where Shual’s land rose,
18 The other turned Beth-horon’s way,
The third turned by the road away
To the border that looks down on
The valley of Zeboim drawn
Toward the wilderness at dawn.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout
All the land of Israel devout,
For the Philistines’ in their fears
Said “Lest the Hebrews make them spears
Or swords.” 20 But all the Israelites
Went down to the Philistines’ sites
To sharpen every man his plough,
His coulter, axe, and mattock now.
21 The price of filing was a pim
For mattocks, coulters, and the grim
Forks with three teeth, and for the axe
And to set goads upon their backs.
22 And so it was the day of battle,
There was no sword nor spear to prattle
In the hand of any of those
People that were dressed in the clothes
Of Saul and Jonathan, only
Saul and Jonathan had a spe.
23 Some from the Philistine fort went
Out to the pass of Michmash sent.

As Philistine would not let Israelite
Make iron tools for fear their blacksmiths might
Make weapons as well to begin a fight,
So today those who claim the crown and right
Will not let others enjoy power atomic
For fear they’ll make a bomb instead of comic.
Let such beware, Beloved, that You do not
Step in to open up the secret plot
And show Iranian and every other
How to fire up the cauldron like a mother.
Beloved, the right to iron is just as much
His as mine in the single, fatal touch.
But both are condemned who would save a small
Place for the slaughter instead of the stall.

1 SAMUEL 14

1 It came upon a certain day,
Jonathan, son of Saul, would say
To the young man that carried all
His armour, “Come, let’s pay a call
On the Philistines’ fort across
The other side of yonder toss.”
He told his father not a word
Of what was in his heart and stirred.
2 And Saul stayed on top of the hill
Under pomegranate tree that’s still
In Migron, and the host again
With him was near six hundred men,
3 As well as Ahijah, the son
Of Ahitub, brother to stun
Of Ichabod, Phinehas’ son,
Son of Ali, the priest of YHWH
In Shiloh, wearing ephod new.
And no one knew that Jonathan
Had gone off with his armour man.
4 And in the pass where Jonathan
Tried to go over to the camp
Of Philistines to play the scamp
There was a rocky crag that stuck
Out from each side, the name for luck
Of the one was Bozez, the name
Of the other Seneh for fame.
5 The one crag rose up in the front
North of Michmash, the other brunt
Was on Gibeah’s southward shunt.
6 And Jonathan told the young man
Carrying his armour by plan,
“Come on, let’s go up to the fort
Of these uncircumcised for sport,
Maybe YHWH will work for us too,
For YHWH saves by many or few.”

Ah, my Beloved, how swell the thing would be
If one could divide all humanity
Into the good and blessed with humble fee
And the wicked uncircumcised degree!
Although they wear their pants the thing is not
Too difficult in most cases of plot
To find out who has and who hasn’t got
A foreskin safe and wound. But that’s begun
A battle of wits by Philistine sun.
The fact is some who wear forbidden root
Upon the sword turn out an honest brute,
While the clean shaven prepuce sometimes lies
Upon a vehicle of fraud and tries.
No use to cast names or to paint with soot.

7 His armour-bearer said to him,
“Do as your heart says, gay or grim,
See, I’m with you, my heart’s as yours
To go up as ambassadors.
8 Then Jonathan said “See, we’ll go
Over to the men, with a show
We’ll suddenly dance a tango.
9 If they tell us, ‘Wait till we come,’
Then we’ll sit tight upon our bum,
And not go up to taste their rum.
10 But if they tell us, ‘Come and fight,’
Then we’ll go up, for YHWH in sight
Has put them in our hand of right,
And this shall be our signal light.”
11 And both of them stepped out in sight
In front of the Philistines’ fort,
And the Philistines said “Just look,
Hebrews out of their hole and nook
Where they’ve been hiding, see the sport.”
12 And the men of the garrison
Spoke to Jonathan and the son
With him as armour-bearer, saying
“Come up to us, don’t be delaying,
And we’ll show you a thing repaying.”
And so Jonathan said to his
Armour-bearer, “Come like a whiz
Up after me, for YHWH has put
Them under Israel’s hand and foot.”
13 And Jonathan climbed on all fours,
And his armour-bearer with sores,
And they fell before Jonathan,
Who struck them, and also the man,
His armour-bearer after him
Attacked them with blows firm and grim.
14 And that first slaughter that was made
By Jonathan and by the staid
Armour-bearer was twenty men
Within half a furrow’s length’s span
In an acre of land they ran.

Beloved, I take Your dare and climb the hill
With stony face against lichen and rill
To sing the scrawny melody of pine
While I sip droplets of Your footy wine.
Beloved, I take Your dare against the race
Of morning clouds clearing before the face
Of lakeshore with last year’s reeds frozen fast
Along the curtained boulders set half-mast.
The day I dare is fraught with fragrant tiles
Unevenly patched on my numbered miles,
And sloping from the pathway to the well
Where summer must awaken the bluebell.
Beloved, I take Your dare and stake a claim
On moments passing in love’s outer flame.

15 And there was dismay in the camp
And in the field and in the damp,
And all the army in the fort
And all the raiders in retort
Trembled, and the earth quaked in sort,
Ælohim’s terrror there to thwart.
16 And the watchmen of Saul’s report
In Gibeah-benjamin saw
The army melt away for awe
Running hither and yon from claw.
17 Then Saul said to the folk with him,
“Count now and see among the trim
Who has gone out from us.” And when
They had counted up all the men,
Jonathan and his armour-bearer
Were not there among coat and wearer.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring
Ælohim’s ark here on the wing,”
For Ælohim’s ark was that day
With Israel’s people in the way.
19 It happened while Saul told the priest,
The Philistine camp noise increased,
Saul told the priest “Let hand released.”
20 And Saul and all his soldiers came
To do battle, and see the flame
Of every man’s sword flash upon
The other in great battle drawn.

If two men only will go up to spend
Themselves against a hopeless foe to fend
For Your divine law and the word You spoke
On Sinai to each child and wench and bloke,
The earth will quake, the oppressor will fall
Beneath the strokes of lightning and the call
Of thousands to do battle against hate,
If two men only will break through the gate.
Beloved, I bear the armour of the son
That goes upon the hilltop at a run,
Wielding the sword against vigilant flag
That scatters evil from one crag to crag.
Let me be among those who live to do
According to commandments and not pew.

21 Now the Hebrew traitors who were
Before with Philistines to purr
And go with them to camp around,
They too turned coat upon the sound
To be with Saul and Jonathan.
22 All the Israelites to a man
Hiding in mount Ephraim to scan
Also heard that Philistines fled,
And came to battle too as led,
And YHWH saved Israel on that day,
And war passed through to Bamoth’s way,
And all the folk with Saul were then
About ten thousand of his men.
23 And YHWH saved Israel on that day
Fighting up to Beth-aven’s way.
24 Israel’s men were distressed that day
When Saul swore no one in his pay
Should be uncursed who went to feed
Before the evening, till my greed
Is avenged on enemy seed.
So no one tasted bread or mead.
25 And all the folk came in the wood,
And on the ground was honey good.
26 And when the folk came in the wood,
Out flowed the honey, but none could
Put hand to mouth for fear of oath.
27 But Jonathan never for troth
Heard what his father charged the folk
With swearing, and he reached out end
Of the staff in his hand to fend,
And dipped it in the honeycomb,
And put it to mouth gastronome,
And his eyes brightened in their chrome.
28 And one of the soldiers replied
And said “Your father swore cockeyed
Saying ‘Cursed is the man to eat
A bit of bread today for treat.’
The people were faint on their feet.

The soldier should have spoken up before
Jonathan opened up the bee’s sweet door.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse
In good old USA for my abuse.
The arbitrary command of the prince
And king continues to make brother wince,
While oil flows freely from the hungry ground
Upon the fertile meadow and the sound
Of shuffling shares greets every outdoor mate.
The secret to becoming, being great
Is to fence in the populace with State.
Who takes a roebuck or a partridge fat
From posted property, knows where he’s at.
I taste the honey and bright-eyed look round.

29 Then Jonathan said “Dad has brought
Trouble upon the land unsought.
See now how my eyes became bright
Because I tasted honey right.
30 “Surely if the folk had this day
Eaten freely from the foes’ pay,
Had there not been much greater slaughter
Among Philistine son and daughter?”
31 That day they attacked Philistines
Michmash to Aijalon’s canteens,
And the people were very faint.
32 And the folk flew upon the spoil,
Took sheep and oxen and with toil
The calves, and killed them on the ground
And ate them with the blood around.
33 Then they told Saul, to him they said
“See, the folk against YHWH are led
To sin in that they eat the blood.”
And he said “You have played the dud
Like traitors, roll a great stone here
To me and I shall teach to fear.”
34 And Saul said “Scatter out among
The folk and tell them old and young
To bring everyone here his calf
And everyone his sheep with staff
And slaughter them upon this stone,
And not to sin against YHWH’s throne
In eating with the blood.” The folk
Brought each one what he had in stoke,
His ox with him to kill that night,
And there they slaughtered in his sight.
35 And Saul built an altar to YHWH,
The very first he brought in view.

The verdicts of the leaders of the flock
Are what cause people to mess up the stock.
The scholars who hide in their hearts the book
Of laws set out when their fathers forsook
The simple reading of Qur’an and Psalm
To find the nearest edge to evil palm
Are the fault when the people would go wrong.
I here accuse the mullah with his song.
Since Saul made verdict that no one could eat,
After their fasting they fell on the meat
With blood and sank hungry tooth in the spoil
Not waiting for the lawful, bloodless coil.
Beloved, let me follow Your law alone
And set aside the king and royal throne.

36 And Saul said “Let us go by night
Down after the Philistine plight
To plunder them until daybreak,
And let us not leave single stake
Of man among them.” And they said
“Do all that’s good the way you’re led,
And the priest said “Let us draw near
And see what God will make appear.”
37 And Saul enquired of God, “Shall I
Go down on Philistines with cry?
Will You deliver them into
The hand of the Israelite crew?”
But He gave no answer that day.
38 And Saul said “Come near, all you chiefs
Of the people, and hear the briefs
In which lie sins and where they stay.
39 “For as YHWH lives who saves Israel,
Though the lot on Jonathan fell,
My son even shall surely die.”
None of the people gave reply.
40 He said to all of Israel’s men
“Be you on one side, and again
Jonathan my son and I stand
On the other side of the band.”
And the folk said to Saul, “Do what
Seems the right thing by your own gut.”
41 So Saul said to YHWH Ælohim
Of Israel, “Declare the dream.”
And Jonathan and Saul were caught
By the lot, but the folk could trot.
42 And Saul said “Cast now between me
And my son Jonathan to be,
Whomever YHWH shall cause to rise,
That is the very one who dies.”
And the folk said to Saul, “This thing
Is not the right verdict to bring.”
But Saul prevailed against the folk
And Jonathan received the stroke.

The problem was the father’s fatal oath
That turned the people from Your faith and growth,
And yet the lot falls on the innocent.
Am I to believe You did not prevent
The chance set up as oracle well spent?
Fault father for his foolish fast and fine,
But let the son go innocent to dine.
This story shows what comes as soon as kings
And presidents meet democratic wings.
Irrational indeed, and yet the gains
Of superstition fill Your name with stains.
Beloved, cast lots again for Jonathan
And let the line fall on Saul by Your plan
And take the hazard from the floor and fan.

43 Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me
What you have done.” And faithfully
Jonathan told him, and said “I
Tasted some honey on the end
Of my staff in my hand to bend
And see now, here I am to die.”
44 And Saul said “God do so to me
And more, but you shall not go free,
But die, Jonathan, you will see.”
45 And the folk said to Saul, “Shall he,
Jonathan die, whose hand greatly
Brought salvation to Israel now?
Far from it, as YHWH lives, avow
Not one hair of his head shall fall
To the ground, for today his brawl
With Ælohim.” And so the folk
Rescued Jonathan at a stroke.
46 Then Saul went up from following
The Philistines, and on the wing
The Philistines sought their own place.
47 So Saul took Israel’s kingdom and
Fought all his foes on every hand,
Against Moab, and Ammon’s sons,
Against Edom, against the tons
Of Zobah’s kings, the Philistines,
Wherever he turned in combines
He worsted them. 48 And so he did
Valiantly and attacked and rid
Israel of the Amalekites
Who spoiled them and opposed their rights.
49 And Saul’s sons were first Jonathan,
And Ishui and the last man
Malchi-shua, and the two names
Of his daughters were of these claims,
The firstborn was Merab, the last
Was Michal, who would be outcast.

Three boys and two girls ought to be enough
To make a man wise and wealthy in stuff.
The first and last are those who made their fame
By their attachment to David’s fair name.
David married Michal, for punishment
That she thought dancing before You was bent,
David refused to share her bed. Who knows
How many times beneath the crescent glows
He shared the bed of Jonathan for blows.
The two went out to battle on the field
And were inseparable as the sun spieled.
So two children of Saul met fame because
They did not sleep between brave David’s paws.
Beloved, that is the way this knave world goes.

50 And Saul’s wife’s name, Ahinoam,
Ahimaaz’ daughter was madam,
And the name of his army chief
Was Abner the son for relief
Of Ner, Saul’s uncle, he was chief.
51 Kish was Saul’s father, and then Ner
Was the fair father of Abner,
Both sons of Abiel were there.
52 The war against the Philistines
Was hot and hard in Saul’s designs
For all his days, and when Saul saw
Any mighty man, or the paw
Of a brave man, he took him to
Himself to fight with derring-do.

Note this, Beloved, that war increased apace
As soon as the folk had a king to face.
While You were king alone, the attack came
And the people sent tribute to the claim
Of Philistine, and had no right to make
Tools of iron because of weapons’ sake.
But as soon as a king was set on throne,
The peace of tribute went out like a stone.
Beloved, is this the choice in this mad earth,
To serve a heathen king for all we’re worth,
Or else make constant war and live from pit
Of hiding place and having no life fit?
Beloved, make room upon the bloody soil
For me to live in peace beside my toil.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

To purchase the books, please go to:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-genesis-to-maccabees/paperback/product-20136835.html

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-job-to-revelation/paperback/product-20050862.html