1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 1 - 6

THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES

The Books of Chronicles are considered to be of much later date than the Books of Samuel and Kings. Aside from an introductory portion going back to Adam, they cover the same period, however. They present some complications for the scholar and believer in the fact that there are some factual inconsistencies between the Chronicles and the Books of Kings. Much of the argumentation for the invalidity of the Bible is drawn from a comparison of these two distinct traditions. The assumptions of those arguments are mainly two: 1) factual inconsistency implies corruption of the text or a non-divine inspiration; 2) the inclusion of a weak text in the Bible discredits the entire Bible, even those portions produced by different people hundreds of years earlier or later than the text in question, and even in a different language. The thoughtful reader will note that the criterion of factual consistency can itself be questioned on one hand, and the argument of invalidity based on canonical composition, on the other, is irrational to the point of insanity.

The figure of Hemda, introduced in Samuel, is developed in the Chronicles, with the underlying belief that the coming of the desired one is immanent, and any king may turn out to be the Hemda for whom the world, or at least Israel, was awaiting. The figure is overtly mentioned in 2 Chronicles 22:20; 32:27; and 36:10. I have taken the liberty of transcribing the word Hemda as Muhammad. The words are exactly the same in Hebrew and Arabic, and only the vocalization, a meaningless convention, obscures the fact. Whether or not the texts are prophetic of the Prophet of Islam born in Arabia ca. 570 C.E. is a matter of opinion or belief, but the fact of the name itself appearing in the text is incontrovertible. It is simply there. It is not a tenuous etymology, but an exact and undeniable cognate.

1 CHRONICLES 1

1 Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2 Cainan, and
Mahalalel, Jared in hand,
3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and neck in neck
Japheth. 5 The sons of Japheth are
Gomer, Magog, Madai, so far
Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras,
All heroes, all and none to fear us.

Ten generations make up Noah’s span,
While Japheth is wide-spreading to a man
With seven sons, five continents, a wake
Upon completion in twelfth, Gomer’s sake.
Madai is not the middle, Javan is,
And though Meshech is tall, no secret’s his.
The seven sons with enigmatic names
Are easier to crack than all the claims
Of seven veils that fall without a word
Beyond the heart alone by one name stirred.
Beloved, I here recite the secret notes
That sail beyond the jumping, painted boats
Out where the froth gives way, the dragon floats,
And phoenix finds a flame once and inured.

6 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz,
Diphath, and Togarmah for laws.

The twelfth and perfect generation stayed
In Japheth’s family and on parade
To divide into three names secretly
Without a meaning on the placid lee.
No doubt those names are meant to stretch a line
Beyond the borders of Middle East fine
Into the northern countries where they bear
No more meaning than chirping on the air.
If Germans, Danes and Finns here find their share,
The thirteenth generation’s everywhere,
And nothing relents from its beer and wine.
And still I penetrate the pallid tree
And settle with dark firs all around me
Into the quiet and the holy glade.

7 The sons of Javan: Elishah,
Tarshishah, Kittim, and the raw
Rodanim. 8 The sons of Ham: Cush,
Mizraim, Put, and Canaan’s push.

I doubt the children of this further year
Can recognize a face beyond the tear
That claims to represent the Grecian book,
The pyramid Egyptian and the look
Of Abyssinia and the Sudan.
I doubt that any living children can
Find prophecies here from their early roots.
The Canaanite is thrown on with his boots.
Elishah only has a name to claim
The fame of great salvation in the game.
If God is my salvation from what cause
Gives me, Beloved, beneath my trees some pause,
Then it’s enough for me that they were born.
I hold no blistered heat nor sand in scorn.

9 The sons of Cush were Seba, and
Havilah, Sabta, by command,
Raama, and Sabtecha. The sons
Of Raama were Sheba who runs
And Dedan. 10 Cush produced Nimrod,
Mighty on earth and before God.

The secrets of glad Seba win the race:
I see the golden thread drawn on the trace
Of revelation to Your divine face,
A monument to mercy and to grace.
If Yemen and Axum still bear the seat
Of Decalogue in mind and heart and treat
Commandments with the tongue and hand to make
A witness to Your name, Beloved, I take
That secret on my breath and live to bring
It to fruition in the things I sing
If not in what I do with a weak hand
That stretches out no farther than I stand.
Beloved, I see the golden thread drawn fast
In Bible and Qur’an, in heart to last.

11 Mizraim produced Ludim and
Anamim, Lehabim to stand,
Naphtuhim, 12 Pathrusim, Casluhim
(From whom came Philistines, Caphtorim).
13 Canaan produced Sidon, his firstborn,
And Heth by no means among worst born,
14 The Jebusite, the Amorite,
And the Girgashite, 15 the Hivite,
The Arkite, Sinite, 16 Arvadite,
The Zemarite, and Hamathite.

If Hittites are the sons of Ham, I swear,
Beloved, I shall not accept anywhere
The epithet and curse, I’ll move my rate
To some religion far beyond Your state!
And yet, Your Christ despised no dog that sat
Beneath the Jewish table on a mat,
But gave the woman back her son and then
Compared her faith beyond that of some men.
A dervish dog I be, no doubt, and wait
Beside Your table for the bone and plate,
Eyes bright, ears at alert, and eager tongue
Ready to sing the howling songs I’ve sung.
Beloved, though Canaanite and Celtic flash,
I hide beneath the cover of Your sash.

17 The sons of Shem were Elam, and
Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud’s command,
Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, Meshech.
18 Arphaxad produced Shelah’s neck,
And Shelah had Eber as son.
19 To Eber were born on the run
Two sons: the name of one Peleg,
For in his time the earth by peg
Was measured, and his brother’s name
Was Joktan. 20 Joktan had in claim
Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth,
Jerah, 21 Hadoram, and engraveth
Uzal and Diklah, 22 Ebal, and
Abimael, Sheba in hand,
23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.
All these sons of Joktan’s confab.
24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, and yet
25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, set
And Nahor, Terah, 27 and Abram,
Who is also called Abraham.
28 The sons of Abraham, Isaac
And Ishmael. 29 These in their pack
Are their genealogies’ stack:
And the firstborn of Ishmael
Nebajoth, then Kedar, Adbeel,
Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish,
And last and finally Kedemah.
These were the children Ishmaelish.
32 Now the sons born to Keturah,
Abraham’s concubine by law,
Were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, and
Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah’s band.
The sons of Jokshan were Sheba
And Dedan. 33 Sons of Midian’s law
Were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, and
Abida, and Eldaah. All these
Were children at Keturah’s hand.
34 And Abraham produced to please
Isaac. The sons of Isaac were
Esau and Israel astir.

The Book of Chronicles has come out late
To comment on the Genesis, relate
The generations that arose to rate
The world from the beginning of its fate.
The universal view arises here
To make the conquest of all hearts in fear
Of heathen gods that You, Beloved, are near
To all men and all generations’ gear.
There is no land nor clime beyond the hand
That guides the universe from the unscanned
Watches of night and day. Beloved, unbanned
The kings and followers join what You’ve planned.
I find the calling to Your unity
Vibrant and vital in the living tree.

35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz,
Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam, whereas
The last is Korah. 36 And the sons
Of Eliphaz: Teman for puns,
Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz,
And Timna, and last Amalek.
37 The sons of Reuel were Nahath,
Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah’s path.
38 The sons of Seir were Lotan, and
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah’s hand,
Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 And
The sons of Lotan were Hori
And Homam, Lotan’s alibi
Was his sister Timna ally.
40 The sons of Shobal: Alian,
Manahath, and where Ebal ran,
Shephi, and Onam. The sons of
Zibeon were Ajah for love
And Anah. 41 The son of Anah
Was Dishon. The sons by the law
Of Dishon were Hamran, Eshban,
Ithran, and the last was Cheran.
42 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan,
Zaavan, and finally Jaakan.
The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
43 Now these were the kings who reigned in
The land of Edom without sin
Before a king reigned of the folk
Of Israel: Bela a bloke
The son of Beor, and the name
Of his city was in its fame
Dinhabah. 44 And when Bela died,
Jobab the son of Zerah’s pride
Of Bozrah reigned there in his place.
45 When Jobab died within God’s grace,
Husham of the Temanites’ land
Reigned in his place as he had planned.
46 And when Husham died, Hadad son
Of Bedad, who attacked Midian
In Moab’s field, reigned in his stead.
The name of his city’s Avith.
47 When Hadad died with all his teeth,
Samlah of Masrekah reigned then
In his place. 48 And when Samlah’s yen
Was to die, Saul of Rehoboth
Beside the river took the oath
To reign in his stead. 49 When Saul died,
Lord Hanan son of Achbor’s pride
Reigned in his place. 50 And when the lord
Hanan died, Hadad took his sword,
Whose city’s name was Pai. His wife’s
Name was Mehetabel whose strifes
The Lord made good, the daughter of
Matred, who was the daughter of
Mezahab. 51 Hadad died also.
And the chiefs of Edom to show
Were Chief Timnah, Chief Aliah,
Chiefs Jetheth, 52 Aholibamah,
Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 53 and Chief
Kenaz, Chief Teman, for relief
Chief Mibzar, 54 Chief Magdiel, and
Chief Iram, chiefs of Edom’s land.

Edom and Moab also have a place
Beside the tribe of Israel in Your grace.
All stand before You with an equal choice
To follow the commandments of Your voice.
The nations wake each morning to receive
The new day and the dawn of Your reprieve
With a new slate to write the words in score
According to the Decalogue in store.
The choice is made each day by everyone
Until the setting of the worldly sun
And all stand to be judged for what they’ve done
And not for what they’ve lost or what they’ve won.
Beloved, I praise You for Your mercy and
Your justice on a gloried, teeming land.

1 CHRONICLES 2

1 These were the sons of Israel:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi as well,
And Judah, Issachar and yet
Zebulun where Jacob was set.
2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin up to
Naphtali, Gad and Asher too.
3 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan,
And Shelah, three born to the man
By Shua the Canaanitess,
A wife he had but not to bless.
And Er Judah’s eldest was bad
In YHWH’s eyes, so He killed the lad.
4 And Tamar his daughter-in-law
Bore him Pharez and then Zerah.
And so in all then Judah had
Five sons although the two were bad.
5 The sons of Pharez: Hezron and
Hamul, beginning of the band.
6 The sons of Zerah: Zimri and
Ethan and Heman, Calcol and
Dara, five of them in a band.
7 The sons of Carmi: Achar who
Was troubler of the retinue
Of Israel, who transgressed in what
Was forbidden among the shut.
8 The son of Ethan: Azariah.
9 The son too of Hezron’s latria
That were born to him, Jerahmeel,
And ram and Chelubai at heel.
10 And so Ram sired Amminadab,
Amminadab got son to grab
In Nahshon, prince of Judah’s folk.
11 And Nahshon sire Salma the bloke
Who sired Boaz when gone for broke.
12 And Boaz sire Obed and he
Obed’s the one who sired Jesse.
13 And Jesse’s firstborn was Eliab,
And the second Abinadab,
And Shimma the third one to grab.
14 Nethaneel the fourth, and Raddai
The fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth to fly
To the seventh, David the guy.

The plot of the Torah points to a man,
Moses, who was central to all Your plan.
The Torah books are supplemented by
The Jubilees, Enoch and the strong cry
Of Joshua and Judges as they ran.
The rest of Hebrew Scriptures find their way
Around the figure of David to sway
The hearts of men, as Moses’ light of day
Illuminated right actions in play.
So Moses and David at once began.
Two more books of revealing will come next
To answer the questions of the perplexed:
The Gospel and Qur’an revitalize
Your revelation before human eyes.

16 The sisters of David were two:
Zeruiah, Abigail in crew.
The sons of Zeruiah were these:
Abishai and Joab to please,
And Asahel, like as three peas.
17 And Abigail bore Amasa,
And Amasa’s father by Jah
Was Jether, Ishmeelite for paw.

Even the sisters of David arise
To get their honour here beneath the skies
Of books surrounding David’s family.
Their children too are bright as they can be.
Some will complain that one married a man
Coming it seems from Arabian clan.
But Canaanite and Moabite remain
As well as ancestresses not inane.
Beloved, David is prophet and a king
Forever on the throne of Israel’s wing,
And yet he’s multinational in view
Because he looks only toward the true.
Other kings wait for gods and men to make
Renown. David’s for foreign women’s sake.

18 And Caleb son of Hezron had
Sons by Azubah, wife not bad,
And by Jerioth, whose sons spun
Were Jesher, Shobab and Ardon.
18 And after Azubah had died,
Caleb took a wife to his side,
Ephrath, who bore him Hur in pride.
20 And Hur sired Uri and Uri
Sired Bezaleel among the free.
21 And afterward Hezron went in
To Machir’s daughter without sin
Since he had married her when he
Was sixty years old, and so she
Bore him Segub, Johnny lately.

If Caleb can have three wives and the first
Two simultaneously, and what is worst
In that he replaced one on death as due
With another, as though old men require
Two wives to quench their fine lustly desire.
Example of his father made Hezron
Take a new wife at sixty, though the run
Of the Septuagint would set the date
At sixty-five, not to settle too late.
Beloved, the duty first of humankind
Is propagation of the fed and wined,
And then to rule the world. That’s why the great
Are never reticent to find a mate.
So different, Beloved, is Your estate.

22 And Segub sired Jair, who had
Twenty-three cities in not bad
Country renowned as Gilead.
23 And he took Geshur and Aram
With the towns of Jair in clam
Away from them, with Kenath and
Its suburbs, sixty cities’ band.
All these pertained to Machir’s sons
The father of Gilead’s runs.
24 After Hezron died in the town
Of Calebephratah’s renown,
Then Abiah Hezron’s wife bore
Him Ashur Tekoa’s dad sore.
25 And so the sons of Jerahmeel
The firstborn of Hezron to feel
Were Ram the firstborn and Bunah,
Oren, Ozem and Ahijah.

My view of revelation is such that
Come what may where the cunning critic sat
Enunciating origins got pat,
Launching theories as truth historical
Without doubt for reason, empirical,
And come what may of fundamentalist,
I hear a different drummer in the mist
Noting that human subterfuge that rises
To sink Your revelation in disguises
Has merit in the broader view to get
Only the surface of the fact and set
My heart to dialogue from self to Self
And know You better than the elf on shelf
Sufficient to the arguments all met.

26 Had Jerahmeel a second wife
Whose name was Atarah for life,
She was the mother of Onam.
27 And the sons who were born to Ram
The first born of Jerahmeel here:
Maaz and Jamin and last Eker.
28 And the sons of Onam: Shammai,
And Jada. And sons of Shammai:
Nadab and Abishur to spy.
29 And the name of Abishur’s wife
Was Abihail and without strife
She bore him Ahban and Molid.
30 And the sons of Nadab for bid
Were Seled and Appaim, but died
Seled without children by side.
31 And the sons of Appaim: Ishi.
And the sons if Ishi in sty:
Sheshan. And the sons of Sheshan:
Ahlai as far as one can scan.
32 And the sons of Jada the frère
Of Shammai: Jether and in care
Jonathan, and Jether too died
Without any sons at his side.
33 The sons of Jonathan: Peleth
And Zaza. These were of the breath
Of Jerahmeel after his death.
34 Now Sheshan had not sons at all
But only daughters in the stall.
And Sheshan had Egyptian slave
Named Jarha from cradle to grave.
35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to
Jarha his servant as wife due
And she bore him Attai in view.

The system of slavery in Palestine
Among the Hebrews may have not been fine,
But hardly fits the picture that arises
From the word in this day and page surprises.
To be a slave of Sheshan was to know
The pleasures of both son and brother’s glow
And then to mount the home hearth princess till
An heir was born to sit on throne and hill.
Who criticize Your word, Beloved, because
It uses the word slave in statute clause
Redeem the will to doubt both faith and laws
For excuse to set free men to repeat
Oppression without slavery on their beat.
Hypocrisy’s the name I give with cause.

36 And Attai sired Nathan, the lad
Nathan sired and begat Zabad.
37 And Zabad sired Ephlal, Ephlal
Sired Obed and not prodigal.
38 And Obed sired Jehu whose paw
At last begat Azariah.
39 And Azariah sired Helez,
And Helez begat Eleasah.
40 And Eleasah just as one says
Sired Sisamai, and Sisamai
Sired Shallum since he was not shy.
41 And Shallum sired Jekamiah,
Jekamiah Elishama.
42 The sons of Caleb who was brother
Of Jerahmeel of the same mother
Were Mesha the firstborn who was
The father of Ziph, and the buzz
Of sons of Mareshah the dad
Of Hebron, a lad not too sad.
43 And the sons of Hebron: Korah
And Tappuah, Rekem, Shema.
44 And Shema sired Raham, the dad
Of Jorkoam, and Rekem had
For son Shammai and a good lad.
45 And the son of Shammai was Maon,
And Maon was Bethzur’s dad to stay on.
46 And Ephah, Caleb’s concubine
Bore Haran and Moza and fine
Gazez, and Haran sired Gazez.
47 And the sons of Jahdai in fez:
Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet
And Ephah and Shaaph in a set.
48 Maachah Caleb’s concubine bore
Sheber and Tirhanah, no more
49 Except also Shaaph who was dad
Of Madmannah, Sheva the dad
Of Machbenah, who was the dad
Of Gibea, and Caleb’s daughter
Was Achsah who demanded water.
50 These were the sons of Caleb son
Of Hur, Ephratah’s firstborn won,
Shobal, Kirjathjearim’s dad.
51 Salma who was Bethlehem’s dad,
Hareph father of Bethgader.
52 And Shobal Kirjathjearim’s dad
Had children: Haroeh and glad
Half of the Manabethites’ pad.
53 Kirjathjearim’s families’ gear:
The Ithrites, Puhites, without fear
The Shumathites and Mishraites,
Of them came the Zareathites,
And finally the Eshtaulites.
54 The sons of Salma: Bethlehem,
The Netophathites and the hem
Of Ataroth of Joab’s sites,
And half of the Manahethites,
Or Joab’s crowns, and the Zorites.
55 And the families of the scribes
Who lived at Jabez with the bribes
Of Tirathites, Shimeathites,
Suchathites, these are the Kenites
That came from Hemath, father of
The house of Rechab, hand in glove.

Caleb was famous in the Bible story
That’s told to children, both the one of glory
As well as those that get a bit too gory,
But never do we tell our sons the man
Had concubines as though by divine plan.
The holy line engages in the sin
(As we more highly developed to win
Would see today) of having slave and more
Slave wives to open and to shut the door.
The Bible’s here to tell the story how
Men lived to circumvent Your law, allow
And write the inspiration of the plot
They think arises in vision to clot
With complications Your simple shalt not.

1 CHRONICLES 3

1 Now these were the sons of David
Born in Hebron after he hid:
The firstborn was Amnon, by her
Named Ahinoam, Jezreelitess,
The second Daniel to offer
From Abigail the Carmelitess.

The prophet Daniel was named for the one
Son of David that never jumped the gun,
Was never one rebellious, let the star
Of younger brother be king popular
While he lived in obscurity as far
As divine write spells out the benison.
If Daniel waits for You, Beloved, to judge,
And leaves not on his life a smear or smudge,
But only lives Your love in faithful dress,
I take his firm example and address.
The line of kings goes left and right and finds
Its way in righteous and in wicked minds,
But the line that looks back to Daniel’s fare
Is straight and righteous living everywhere.

2 The third was Absalom son of
Maachah who was the daughter of
Talmai king of Geshur, the fourth
Adonijah the son come forth
From Haggith. 3 The fifth, Shephatiah
Of Abital, the sixth pariah
Ithream of Eglah his wife by her.
4 Six were born to him in Hebron,
And there he reigned seven years once drawn
And six months, in Jerusalem
He reigned thirty-three years pro tem.
5 And those born in Jerusalem
Were Shimea, Shobab, Nathan
And Solomon, four as he can
From Bathshua the daughter of
Ammiel that he took for love.
6 Ibhar too, and Elishama,
And Eliphelet, 7 and Nogah
And Nepheg, also Jephia,
8 And Elishama, Eliada,
And Eliphelet, nine in paw.
9 All sons of David besides those
Born of concubines that he chose
And Tamar their sister who rose.

The fifteen sons of David and the daughter
Who fended off the brother come and fought her
With slight success, are stated here in line
With mother’s mentioned, at least the benign.
I think my favourite of the female lot
Is Abigail who once had husband caught
In drunken disrespect for man and beast.
And so the sons line up from great to least.
Beloved, the group is not better than any
That gathers round the market for a penny.
I wonder why you promise royal due
To such awkward and motley uncou’ crew.
But then, Beloved, You grace me with the sun
Though I deride the universe with pun.

10 Solomon’s son Rehoboam
Sired Abia a son like ram
Who sired Asa his son and who
Sired Jehoshaphat in his crew.
11 Joram in line, then Ahaziah,
Joash his son and not pariah,
12 The next in line was Amaziah
Followed by his son Azariah,
Jotham his son, 13 and then Ahaz
His son and then to come with snazz
Hezekiah his son and then
Manasseh his son to rule men.
14 Amon his son was followed by
Josiah his son, who was sly
To have children, the firstborn being
Johanan and the second seeing
Jehoiakim, third Zedekiah,
The fourth Shallum who was loud crier.
16 Jehoiakim’s sons: Jeconiah
His son, Zedekiah his son.

The line of kings appears here for a treat
Full in its glory and final defeat.
David’s line comes to faith and sin to mind
Twelve righteous of the kings once they’re defined.
Four kings in all stand out above the crowd:
King David and fair Solomon allowed,
And last king Hezekiah and the proud
And lovely king Josiah who once forged
The book of law most beautiful and gorged
The Torah with its pinnacle of great
And fine curses and blessings that came late.
Or so the story goes the scholars tell
In superficial tones and somber bell.
I find in You, Beloved, both words and spell.

17 And Jeconiah’s sons appear
Assir, Shealtiel with gear,
18 Machiram also, and Pedaiah,
And Shenazar and Jecamiah,
And Hoshama and Nedabiah.
19 And the sons of Pedaiah were
Zerubbabel and Shimei fer.
And the sons of Zerubbabel:
Meshullam, Hananiah well
And Shelomith their sister gel,
20 And Hashubah and then Ohel,
And Berechiah man alive,
Hasadjah, Jushabhesed, five.
21 And the sons of Hananiah:
Pelatiah and Jesaiah.
The sons of Rephaiah, the sons
Of Arnan, sons of Obadiah,
As well as sons of Shechaniah.
22 And the sons of Shechaniah:
Shemaiah; and Shemaiah’s sons:
Hattush, Igeal and Bariah,
And Neariah and Shaphat, six.
23 And the sons with a bag of tricks
Of Neariah: Elioenai,
And Hezekiah on the sly
And Azrikam, three for reply.
24 And the sons of Elioenai:
Hodaiah and Eliashib,
Pelaiah as well as Akkub,
And Johanan, Dalaiah and
Anani, seven in a band.

So many sons are listed in the word
Of who was born and who sired such a herd,
But only Zerubbabel’s daughter’s stirred
To be mentioned, no doubt because her name
Was one of glory and to better claim.
Shelomith, daughter of peace, were that she
Still lived upon earth and among the free.
Too many sons of war meet at the gate
Of temple and of palace to instate
The violence controlled that keeps the quo
In quid and status for the hum and ho.
The sons of war pretend necessity
Sends them out treading on the poverty
Created by their fathers in the spree.

1 CHRONICLES 4

1 The sons of Judah were Pharez,
Hezron and Carmi as he says,
And Hur and Shobal. 2 And begat
Reaiah Shobal’s son Jahath,
And Jahath sired Ahumai and
Lahad. These are Zorathite band.

Pharez corrects the breach of shameful birth
By Hezron, an enclosure’s noble worth.
All men are born to shame and hope and all
Act to correct the breach and fill the stall
Or else to further ruckus by the sense
Of injury in generations’ pence.
Fourth generation sees forgetfulness
Of what was so important in address
To those before. The simple vineyard shows
That humankind, though tortured by the throes
Of artifice in miscontent, yet knows
Survival is the better part of strife.
Beloved, I come to simplify my life
Among child and grandchild as well as wife.

3 These were sons of father of Etam:
Jezreel, and Ishma, none could beat them,
And Idbash, and their sister’s name
Was Hazlelponi for her fame.
4 And Penuel, who’s Gedor’s dad,
And Ezer, who is Hushah’s dad.
These are the sons of Hur, the first
Born of Ephratah, not the worst,
The father of Bethlehem glad.
5 Ashur, Tekoa’s father, had
Two wives, Helah and Naarah too.
6 And Naarah brought forth in his view
Ahuzam, Hepher, Temeni,
And finally Haahashtari.
These were the sons of Naarah’s crew.
7 And the sons of Helah were Zereth,
Jezoar and Ethnan, who careth.
8 Coz sired Anub and Zobebah,
And clans of Aharhel in awe
Of the son of blessed Harum too.
9 And Jabez was of honour greater
Than his brothers, congratulate her,
His mother called him Jabez, saying
“Because I bore him sorrow laying.”
10 Jabez called Israel’s Ælohim,
Saying “Oh that You would esteem
To bless me and enlarge my land,
And lay upon me mighty hand
To keep me from the wicked band
So that it might not bring me grief!”
And Ælohim gave him relief.

Jabez is hardly known among the score
Of men and women always brought to fore
By the religious and those who love gore.
Though enigmatic for his mother’s word,
He’s simple and direct in what occurred
To him to ask of You, and You alone.
Three blessings if not four before Your throne
He brings in accents sweet there to entone.
He asks for blessing on body and soul,
He asks for more land to till on the dole,
He asks You keep him from the cart and bowl
Of wicked people so he might not share
Their deeds and bring grief on himself to bear.
Beloved, methinks there is no better prayer.

11 And Chelub Shuah’s brother sired
Mehir, Eshton’s dad as required.
12 And Eshton sired Bethrapha and
Paseah and Tehinnah’s hand,
The father of Irnahash grand.
These are the men of Rechah’s band.
13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel
And Seraiah, the sons that fell
To Othniel: Hathath alone.
14 And Meonothai sired with groan
Ophrah: and sired Seraiah Joab,
The father of valley not Moab
But Charashim, for they were craftsmen,
In those days there were not yet draftsmen.
15 Caleb’s sons, son of Jephunneh:
Iru, Elah, Naam come what may,
And the sons of Elah: Kenaz
To bring the family up to snazz.
16 The sons of Jehaleleel: Ziph
And Ziphah, Tiria and stiff
Asareel. 17 And Ezra’s sons were
Jether and Mered and Epher,
And Jalon. And she bore the glad
Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah dad
Of Eshtemoa. 18 And his wife
Jehudijah gave Jered life,
The father of Gedor, and then
Heber Socho’s father again,
And Jekuthiel Zanoah’s dad.
And these are the sons that were had
Of Bithiah daughter of Pharaoh,
Whom Mered married quick as arrow.

In every church today I know the one
Who married a princess would have the fun
Of being amongst great and famous, while
The righteous poor are left to walk their mile.
That’s why, no doubt, Bithiah and the great
Mered are talked about so much of late
And featured in the press and eloquent
Talk shows and followed everywhere they went
By paparazzi camera-bound and bent
On flame and fortune in the wings and street.
Beloved, the cry of fame is truly sweet,
And see how immortality in treat
Remains with pharaoh’s daughter and the meet
Husband. What was his name now? Don’t defeat.

19 And the sons of his wife Hodiah,
The sister of Naham to ply her,
The father of Keilah Garmite
And Eshtemoa Maachathite.
20 And the sons of Shimon were Amnon
And Rinnah, Enhanan and Tilon.
And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth
And finally also Benzoheth.
21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah
Were Er who was father of Lecah,
And Laadah father of Mareshah,
And the families of the clan making
Fine linen of Ashbea’s taking.

The Huguenots in England made fine clothes
Of silk and not mere linen, and so those
Go down in history with Shelah the great
Who sired a son called Er because the fate
Of Onan was so evil for estate.
Few now remember that Shelah was clad
With bearing son to brother’s name whose sad
Demise was token of his evil part
In Tamar’s distress and anguish of heart.
Few now remember that the Huguenots,
Whose very name’s conundrum in the shows,
Fled for their faith, and in their fleeing rose
To prominence on foreign shores and market,
Only to disappear with Cutty Sarkit.

22 And Jokin and men of Chozeba,
Joash and Saraph in gazeba
Over Moab, Jashubilehem,
And ancient are these things in hem.
23 These were the potters and those who
Lived among plants and hedges too,
There they lived with the king to do.
24 The sons of Simeon: Nemuel,
Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul.
25 Shallum his son, who sired Mibsam,
Who in his turn sired Mishma lamb.
26 And the sons of Mishma: Hamuel
His son, Zacchur his son for gruel
And Shimei his son on his stool.
27 And Shimei had sixteen sons and
Six daughters, but his brothers’ band
Did not have many children, nor
Did all their family in store
Increase like Judah’s folk in score.
28 And they lived at Beersheba and
Moladah, and Hazarshual’s strand,
29 And at Bilhah and at Ezem,
And at Tolad, 30 Bethuel’s hem,
And at Hormah and at Ziklag,
31 At Bethmarcaboth raised a flag,
And Hazarsusim, Bethbirei,
And at Shaaraim making hay.
These were their cities to the reign
Of David the king without stain.
32 And their villages: Etam and
Ain, Rimmon and Tochen and land
Of Asham, five towns in a band.
33 And all their villages around
About the same cities as found
As far as Baal. These were their places
Of dwelling and their families’ races.

The sons of Shimei were sixteen and left
A crowd of their descendents unbereft
To fill so many cities right and left
Till David came to reign after the theft
Of throne of Saul. The brother of the man
Had few descendants as if by the plan
Of fate or fortune or the universe
Or You Yourself, I don’t know which is worse.
What tracks we leave beneath the burning sun!
What tides come to cover them when we’ve done!
Beloved, I follow all the lives of earth,
Both those lifted to glory for their birth
And those left behind as of little worth,
And find but little difference in long run.

34 And Meshobab and Jamlech and
Joshah Amaziah’s son grand,
35 And Joel and Jehu who was son
Of Josibiah, who was son
Of Seraiah, Asiel’s son.
36 And Elioenai, Jaakobah,
And Jeshohaiah, Asaiah,
And Adiel, Jesimiel,
And Benaiah to cast a spell.
37 And Ziza the son of Shiphi,
The son of Allon, for a try
The son of Jedaiah, the son
Of Shimri of Shemaiah done.
38 These mentioned by name were the chiefs
In their families for reliefs,
And their ancestors’ house increased
Abundantly in hold and feast.
39 And they went to the going in
Of Gedor on the eastern fin
Of the valley to find a place
To pasture their flocks for a space.
40 And they found fat pasture and good,
And the land was broad and as should
Be quiet, in peace, for Ham’s folk
Had lived there once beneath the oak.
41 And these written by name came by
In days of Hezekiah’s try
As king of Judah, struck their tents
And the houses found in presence
Destroying them full to this day,
And lived in their place, for the way
There was pasture there for their flocks
Despite the desert sand and rocks.
42 Of them, such as were Simeon’s sons,
Five hundred men went to the runs
Of Mount Seir under captains’ voice
Of Pelatiah and the choice
Neariah, and Rephaiah,
And Uzziel, Ishi’s sons’ claw.
43 And they attacked as well as raped
Amelekites’ rest who escaped
And stayed to live there in that town
To this very day of renown.

The sons of Simeon are like the father,
Full of attacking and give hardly bother
To perpetrate broad genocide on those
Who fill the land with idols in repose.
Shechem is gone, Amelekites as well
Fail before the cloud of fell Israel.
And even Judith in her fame and rights
Was counted once among the Simeonites.
Beloved, if I too have inherited
The tendencies of what my fathers did,
Let me too take no blame for when they slid,
But praise their worth when they remained to say
A gloried witness to Your oneness’ way,
And so make place in fame a human day.

1 CHRONICLES 5

1 And the sons of Reuben firstborn
Of Israel, for he was firstborn,
But since he defiled father’s bed,
His birthright was given when fled
To the sons of Joseph who sped
From Israel, so the family
Is not reckoned by birth’s degree.
2 For Judah prevailed over his
Brothers, and from him for his quiz
Came he who is the prince, but still
The birthright was Joseph’s to fill.
3 The sons of Reuben the first born
Of Israel: Hanoch without scorn,
And Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

Four sons of Reuben, the one cast out for
Lurking behind his father’s tent and door,
To take the prize in lust, still came to sire
Four sons with names of the gates to inquire.
Hanoch instructed in the law of God
Is brother to delight upon the sod
Of marvels set to find the third gate where
The walls enclose the fields of promised share
Until my vineyard, my grapeyard there set
Behind the sun-quenched stones in secret met
The gate of truth beyond the parapet
Of awareness in the mount’s stony glare.
Reciting Reuben’s sons’ names brings me round
The secret glories found on sacred ground.

4 The sons of Joel where Shemaiah
His son, Gog his son, not pariah,
Shimei his son above degree,
5 Micah his son, Reaia his
Son, Baal his son, and the whiz
6 Beerah his son whom as captive
Tilgathpilneser come to live
As Assyrian king took in fright.
He was prince of the Reubenite.
7 His brothers by their families,
Generations’ genealogies
Counted, the chief Jeiel, and
Zechariah, to fill the band
8 Bela son of Azaz, the son
Of Shema, son of Joel, who
Lived in Aroer, and up to
Nebo and Baalmeon in view.
9 And he lived eastward till you come
To the desert from river’s hum
Of the Euphrates, since their cattle
Increased on land of Gilead’s rattle.
10 And in the days of Saul they made
War on the Hagarites who stayed
Fallen beneath their hand, and they
Lived in their tents through all the sway
Of the east of Gilead’s way.

Despite the Talmud I presume these must
Be Hagarites, Ishmaelites laid to dust.
I never thought so well of Saul that I
Expected but atrocities to buy
His time, despite excuse not to comply
With killing all when given commandment.
The Hagarite tents served king David well
When there was no place left for him to dwell
In all the land of frozen Israel.
Beloved, I plead for Hagarites, and yet
Deplore the sword and shield come out to get
Glories from murder on erected set.
In days of Saul or David, let me find
Peace and peace only on the divine mind.

11 And Gad’s people lived close by them
In Bashan’s land to Salchah’s hem.
12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next,
Jaanai, Shaphat in Bashan flexed.
13 Their brothers from their fathers’ house
Were Michael, Meshullam and spouse,
13 And Sheba and Jorai and Jachan,
Zia and Heber, seven taken.

The seven veils of pagan fame and blame
Are but the shadows of the real flame
That blinds the eye upon the screen allowed
By which You guide in cinders and in cloud.
The seven names retreat and then return
And find a place upon my breast to burn,
While days of light and dark meet sun and moon
Where I peer from my windows after noon.
Beloved, I recite seven names and find
That I am still within the veils and blind,
But have at least the knowing that the kind
And gentle fruit that sways above the earth
Has something for my seeking and its worth.
I turn returning and fall asleep soon.

14 These are the sons of Abihail
The son of Huri without fail
The son of Jaroah, the son
Of Gilead, who was the son
Of Micael, son of Jeshishai,
Son of Jahdo, Buz’s son’s tie.
15 Ahi the son of Abdiel,
The son of Guni for a spell
The chief of their ancestors’ well.
16 And they lived in Gilead in
Bashan, and in its towns, and in
All the suburbs of Sharon round
Upon their borders where they’re found.

I too live in the fatted Bashan’s land
With Gilead about on every hand,
Looking down on fair Sharon with an eye
To see the ancestors fail to comply.
I too live in the lean and green land of
Bashan where all the cattle low with love,
Looking up to the racing heaven above,
And searching in the light with scarce a sigh.
Beloved, when Bashan lights with reticence
And wealth beside my poverty in pence
To find me living in last season’s tents,
I turn to You once more and find the face
That hides from rush and practiced marketplace.
I turn to You once more beneath the sky.

17 Their numberings all took place when
Jotham was king of Judah’s men,
And in the days Jeroboam
Was king of Israel and a ham.
18 The sons of Reuben, the Gadites,
And half the tribe Manasseh lights
Of valiant men, men who could bear
Both shield and sword and shoot in air
With bow, and were skilful in war,
Forty-four thousand and three score
Above seven hundred out to war.
19 They made war on the Hagarites,
With Jetur, Nephish, Nodab’s wights.
20 And they prevailed against them and
The Hagarites fell in their hand,
And all that were with them, for they
Cried to Ælohim in the way
Of battle, and He heard their call
Since they put trust in Him and all.
21 They took away their cattle and
Fifty thousand camels in band,
Two hundred fifty thousand sheep,
Two thousand donkeys, hear them weep,
A hundred thousand men to stand.
22 Many fell down dead since the battle
Was of Ælohim and His rattle,
And they lived in their place instead
Until the captivity spread.

The conflict between Jew and Arab started
Before the Balfor declaration parted.
Perhaps the battle went well because those
Who fought fought bravely and with good plans chose
Their strategy and remained on their toes.
Why say that victory came from Allah?
Does Allah defend one against the claw
Of other, while both shout that He is one?
Just say they put the fellows on the run.
Too often men see Your hand in success
When You would rather seek the right address
And tell the wights to obey Your command
Not to kill or steal from the barren land.
I trow the place continues in a mess.

23 The folk of Manasseh’s half tribe
Lived in the land without a bribe
And increased from Bashan as far
As Baalhermon and Senir’s bar
And Mount Hermon to go by car.
24 These were the heads of every house
Of their ancestors, pant and blouse,
Epher and Ishi, Eliel,
And Azriel and Jeremiah,
And Hodaviah, Jahdiel,
Great men courageous, men of fame,
Heads of their fathers’ house by name.
25 They sinned against the Ælohim
Of their ancestors, it would seem,
And went to spend on prostitutes
Of other gods in the land’s suits
Whom Ælohim slew before them.
26 The Ælohim of Israel
Stirred up the intent of the fell
Pul king of Assyria and
The mind of Tilgathpilneser
King of Assyria’s broad land,
And he took them away, the band
Of Reubenites as well as fair
Gadites and half the tribe of where
The Manassites lived, brought them to
Halah and Habor and the view
Of Hara and River Gozan
Unto this day and to a man.

See what I mean? Why pretend Hagarite
Is given by the hand of God and might
To tribes to possess their tent and their right,
When the possessor himself fails to light
A witness against gross idolatry,
But goes out in the heathen pageantry
To lust and luff beneath the sacred tree?
Why bring Pul in the plot when Ishmaelite
Is sitting wounded from the horrid fight?
Beloved, I turn from every explanation
Of warfare given from the divine station
And see it as a heathen expiation.
I turn me from the great ungodly sight.

1 CHRONICLES 6

1 The sons of Levi: Gershon and
Kohath and Merari in band.
2 The sons of Kohath: Amram and
Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel’s stand.
3 The offspring children of Amram:
Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam.

If ever there was holy trinity,
Aaron, Moses and Miriam make three.
Let no one take a favorite and leave
The other two beside the well to grieve,
But love all three like Ahmed and Ali
And love still more each divine guide set free.
The holy hope of Aaron was not lost
On Miriam as a child who came and bossed,
Nor was the cry of Moses once drawn out
In vain in hear of Pharaoh’s daughter’s clout.
Beloved, I love the running feet in sand
That warn of Miriam’s approach at hand,
The laughing call of growing Aaron’s voice
To make of Moses at last divine choice.

The sons also of Aaron are
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar,
And finally one Ithamar.
4 Eleazar sired Phinehas, who
Sired Abishua, 5 Abishu
Sired Bukki, and Bukki sired Uzzi,
6 Zerahiah was son of Uzzi,
And father to one Meraioth,
7 Meraioth fathered Amariah,
And Amariah without oath
Begat Ahitub as one higher.
And Abitub fathered Zadok,
And Zadok Ahimaaz in stock.
9 And Ahimaaz sired Azariah,
And Azariah sired Johanan.
10 And Johanan began the canon
By siring Azariah who
Was the priest in the temple crew
That Solomon built in the view
Jerusalem springs up on cue.

From Aaron fourteen generations’ stroke
Come down to Solomon whose temple woke
The wonder and the love of humankind
More awed by architecture and the rind
Than by Your still small voice in temple set
Of time alone within Sabbath once met.
From Aaron fourteen generations make
A pathway through the narrow earthly stake
To set the desert once behind in wake
And see the spires Jerusalem can rake.
Beloved, twice seven in perfection rise
From Aaron to serve You beneath the skies
Until the temple fail of gold and pot
And generations return to the rot.

11 And Azariah sired one higher
Amariah, and Amariah
Fathered Ahitub at a walk.
12 And Ahitub fathered Zadok,
And Zadok fathered Shallum’s stock.
13 And Shallum begat one Hilkiah
And Hilkiah sired Azariah.
14 And Azariah sired Seraiah,
Seraihah begat Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak then lost his track
When YHWH took Judah and the star
Jerusalem by hand not slack
Of the grim Nebuchadnezzar.

From Solomon to Nebuchadnezzar
Is only nine in priestly gaze and star,
While kings fall thicker by the scythe of time.
Priest or king, I prefer merely to rhyme.
Yet priest is more like to live in his fame
Than king so often murdered as in blame.
The hierarchy and dynasty fall fast
Beneath the wailing stars in autumn cast.
Beloved, I count the generations down
To dusty Zion and put off the crown
To pray beneath the domes set in renown
Where Solomon built temple for the gear
And for the worship of the rounding year
Until Nebuchadnezzar came in fear.

16 The sons of Levi: Gershom and
Kohath and Merari in band.
17 These are the names of Gershom’s sons:
Libni and Shimei on their buns.
18 And the sons of Kohath: Amram,
And Izhar and Hebron and ham
Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi, no Ferrari.
And these are the families in song
Of the Levites to run along
By their ancestors without wrong.
20 Of Gershom: Libni was his son,
And Jahath came as next son won,
Then Zimmah was his son for third
Generation after the word.
21 Joah was his son, who then sired
Iddo his son, who was not fired
Before begetting Zerah who
Was his son, to increase the crew
Jeaterai his son was born.

The seven generations that come down
From Gershom set Friday night on the town.
Libni come out from clarity and bright,
And casts a ray that penetrates with light
The silken covering that makes the world
A place of shadows when the cloak’s unfurled.
The seven generations that release
The flood of knowledge to the world in peace
Rend all the curtains that from my cocoon
I spin for death trap of the slivered moon.
Beloved, the seven followed paths return
And all find faith upon the earthen burn
Where lady’s mantle, shaken with the dew
Remembers and remembers YHWH and YHWH.

22 The sons of Kohath: his son came
Amminadab was chosen name,
Korah his son, Assir his son,
23 Elkanah his son, once begun
Came Ebiasaph his son too
And then Assir his son in view,
24 Tahath his son, Uriel his
Son, Uzziah his son to quiz,
And Shaul his son, the end of biz.

Ten generations meet the Decalogue
In every turn I take from bird and frog
Of Genesis, and now I see them rate
In generations ten before the gate
Of law and love and knowing to the state
Of truth Yourself where there’s no longer mate.
The sons of Kohath in their running stream
Take up the song of sun and moon and beam
Until the whirling dance returns to dawn
And I awaken at the hope of spawn.
Ten generations and ten words be true
That lead me through the winding ways to view
The lake and islands that awaken dream
And fill my soul and self with Ælohim.

25 The sons of Elkanah where both
Amasai and then Ahimoth.
26 Elkanah, sons of Elkanah,
Zophai his son, who by due law
Begat Nahath, 27 who in his turn
Sired Eliab, whose son I learn
Was Jeroham, whose son as well
Was Elkanah. 28 And Samuel
Had sons: the firstborn was Vashni,
And then Abiah by and by.

Vashni and Abiah, two sons of fame
Are written here as though they bore no blame.
But Samuel strode the path that Ali swore
Should never be trodden down anymore
And saw his sons like mirrors of that priest
Who left the halls of justice once increased
In witness that no alcohol should smell
Upon the lips of any who prayed well.
Beloved, Vashni and Abiah were born
With hope and yet they lived to find their scorn.
Let me die, my Beloved, before my name
Is told with Abiah to Vashni’s shame,
And I shall live to raise a gentle spark
In sacrifice at gate of Eden’s park.

29 And then the sons of Merari:
Mahli, who had a son Libni,
Whose son was Shimei, who begat
Uzza, 30 whose son Shimea sat
And had a son Haggaih who
Begat Asaiah before through.

So many names of priests and Levites sit
Upon my tongue, and yet even more fit
From Adam, Noah, Abraham and one
Drawn from the river, Moses, not yet done
Till David, Jesus, Muhammad have run.
The divine guides from Ali and Hasan
To Husayn, Zaynul Abideen the man
To sire Baqir, then Sadiq, Musa and
Ridha, Taqi, Naqi up to the hand
Of Askeri until the Mahdi stand.
May Hajji Bektash with his glowing brand
Show me the congregation and the band
Who come to raise the soul and heart and eye
Before Your throne, Beloved, of earth and sky.

31 These are the ones that David set
Over the music service met
In YHWH’s house after the ark came
To have rest in YHWH’s blessed name.
32 They ministered before the place
Of dwelling tent assembling face
With singing until Solomon
Had built the house of YHWH and won
Jerusalem, and then they waited
At their post by their cycles stated.
33 And these are those that waited by
Their families. Of offspring nigh
To Kohathites, Heman a singer,
The son of Joel for a swinger,
The son of Shemuel, 34 the son
Of Elkanah, who was when done
The son of Jeroham, the son
Of Eliel, the son of Toah.
35 The son of Zuph then came to show her
The son of Elkanah, the son
Of Mahath, who then won
Being of Amasai the son,
36 Who was the son of Elkanah,
The son of Joel, who by law
Was son of Azariah, son
Of Zephaniah on the run,
37 The son of Tahath, Assir’s son,
The son of Ebiasaph who
Was son of Korah in his due,
38 The son of Ishar, Kohath’s son,
The son of Levi who was son
Of Israel, that’s Jacob done.

Is music such a thing of genes and fruit
Of family that all must hit the boot
Who are named Bach or Heman or Kohath?
Surely, Beloved, You protract no such wrath.
I too am a descendant of the ways
Who played the fiddle in their roundelays
As long as fiddles have been of account.
It’s hidden German ancestry in fount,
Though not the very family, I trow,
Of Bach beneath the sullen sky and plough.
I lift a family voice to praise Your name
In Hebrew and in Arabic for shame
Not to have all the skill my name implies
Beneath a thousand greys of rain-soaked skies.

39 And his brother Asaph who stood
On his right hand, Asaph the good
Son of Berachiah the son
Of Shimea, 40 who was the son
Of Michael, son of Baaseiah,
Who himself was son of Malchiah,
41 The son of Ethni, son of Zerah,
The son of Adaiah to bear her,
42 The son of Ethan, Zimmah’s boy
The son of Shimei come for joy,
43 The son of Jahath, Gersom’s lad,
The son of Levi, not too bad.
44 And their brothers, Merari’s sons
On the left hand stood on their buns:
Ethan the son of Kishi who
Was Abdi’s son, the heir in due
Of Malluch, 45 son of Hashabiah,
Who was the son of Amaziah,
Who was the son of one Hilkiah,
46 Who was himself son of Amzi,
The male offspring on one Bani,
Son of Shamer, 47 son of Mahli,
Son of Mushi, son of Merari,
The son of Levi not contrary.
48 Their brothers also the Levites
Appointed to all kinds of rites
In service of the tent’s espouse
That finally was Ælohim’s house.

There are more singers with their harps than names

Of other sons to perform other frames.
Let there be singers more to cite Your word
In cantillation before hearts that stirred!
And yet I look upon the craven sea
In its commotion out of every lea,
And find that priests and bishops sacrifice
The blood and flesh while singers are not nice.
The hand drum and the organ all conspire
To praise human ambition and retire
The simple lays of psalm upon my breast.
Beloved, I search in vain to hear the best
Except in my own bowing to repeat
The Hebrew melodies before Your feet.

49 And Aaron and his sons were proffering
Upon the altar of burnt offering
And on the altar of incense
For all the work in recompense
Most holy, to make atonement
For Israel by all that went
From Moses slave of Ælohim
By his command and in his scheme.

Do offerings truly make atonement now,
The burning flesh, the flowing blood somehow?
The dying sun-god in his crimson vest
Painting the sky of both the east and west,
The resurrecting son returning to
The queen of heaven with naked breast in view,
The bread up-crossed and lanced, the dripping cup,
The gallant gushing blood of sheep and tup,
Do these atone, Beloved? Does sacrifice
Of divine sons on crosses in a trice
Turn wickedness to sainthood, tell the truth?
Beloved, I rely on such things uncouth
As cantillating psalms and bowing down
In my repenting soul before the crown.

50 And these the sons of Aaron be:
Eleazar his son faithfully,
And his son Phinehas whose son
Was Abishua, and when done
51 His son was Bukki, Uzzi his
Son, Zerahiah his son’s whiz,
52 Meraioth his son, Amariah,
Ahitub his son, one on fire,
53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz
His son, and that is all he has.
54 And these are places where they lived
By their encampments chosen, sieved,
Of Aaron’s sons and families
Of Kohathites, their lots to please.
55 And they gave them Hebron there in
The land of Judah’s kith and kin,
And all the suburbs round its din.
56 But the fields of the city and
Its villages they gave in hand
To Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
57 To Aaron’s sons they gave then sooner
The towns of Judah, Hebron which
Was a town of refuge from ditch,
And Libnah with its villages,
Jattir, Eshtemoa, that is,
Also with all their villages,
58 And Hilen with its suburbs and
Debir with the surrounding land,
59 And Ashan with its villages,
Bethshemesh with its villages,
60 And out of Benjamin’s tribe, Geba
With open land about zareba,
And Alemeth with alentours.
All their towns and all their allures
Throughout their many families
Were thirteen cities fit to please.

Caleb sits in the middle of the priests
And prophets as a warrior brave in feasts.
He did not fear the sons of Anak nor
The locusts and grasshoppers on the shore.
He did not fear the grape two men could grasp
And carry down the mountain with a gasp.
He did not fear his own heart nor the hand
Of his own people risen up in band
To stone him for his faith that You would go
Before the fleeing sons of Israel’s show.
Beloved, the tent of Caleb and his tower
Stand in the middle of the priestly power
To show that faith alone at such an hour
Is all a man can ever need to know.

61 And to the sons of Kohath left
Of that tribe’s family unbereft
Out of the half tribe, the half left
Of Manasseh by lot they cleft
Ten cities both the warp and weft.
62 And to the sons of Gershom through
All their families set in due
Out of the tribe of Issachar,
Out of the family of Asher,
Out of the clans of Naphtali,
Out of Manasseh’s Bashan’s pie
Thirteen cities to dignify.
63 To Merari’s sons by lot through
Their families given in crew
Out of the tribe of Reuben and
Out of the tribe of Gad to stand,
And from the tribe of Zebulun,
Twelve cities rich and full of fun.
64 The children of Israel gave to
The Levites cities with their crew.
65 They gave by lot out of the tribe
Of Judah’s children as for bribe,
And out of Simeon’s offspring’s tribe,
And out of the tribe of the sons
Of Benjamin, cities by tons,
Each called by name and benisons.

The tribe of Simeon has left the town
For shame of every father and his frown
Because of violence once sitting down
In Shechem with Levi to take the crown.
Now Levi’s own descendants come to take
A place and plot in Simeon’s last stake
As though in comfort for the sighs they make
To give the downcast mind and heart a shake.
Beloved, send some sweet singer to my nest
And give my aching throat a time to rest
From singing Psalms in Hebrew at my best.
Beloved, send some child of Levi to bring
Fresh courage to my heart and let it sing
Again of Kauthar in the heavening spring.

66 The families of Kohath’s sons had
Cities to border on the glad
Tribe of Ephraim solid and plaid.
67 They gave them refuge cities too,
Shechem in mount Ephraim with crew,
And Gezer with its suburbs too,
68 And Jokmeam with land about,
And Bethhoron and suburbs stout,
69 And Aijalon with villages,
And Gathrimmon with froth and fizz,
70 And out of half tribe Manasseh,
Aner with its surrounding brae,
And Bileam with its suburbs,
For the clan left of Kohath’s burbs.
71 To Gershom’s sons out of the clan
Of Manasseh’s half tribe to scan,
Golan in Bashan with its fields,
And Ashtaroth with its lands’ yields.
72 Out of the tribe of Issachar,
Kedesh with its surroundings far,
Daberath with village and car.
73 And Ramoth with its lands about
And Anem with suburbs in route.
74 And out of Asher’s tribe, Mashal
With its surroundings prodigial,
And Abdon with its villages,
75 And Hukok with privileges,
And Rehob with its suburbs set.
76 And out of Naphtali’s tribe met
Kedesh in Galilee and wet,
And Hammon with her lands about,
And Kirjathaim with fields and shout.

I seek the cities given to the horde
For refuge from the bright avenging sword,
For refuge from the threat of rising dawn
That speaks across the lakes and islands on
My waking and my dream of faithful spawn.
I seek the cities fortressed from attack
Of wrathful ones come out to steel my back,
For refuge from the hope of the daylight,
For refuge from the softness of the night
That covers wickedness from my last sight.
Beloved, the villages upon the shore
Of Kedesh and Ramoth attract me more
Than Rome and Athens, more than Paris too,
Despite the Notre Dame that breaks the view.

77 To what’s left of Merari’s sons
Out of the tribe of Zebulun’s,
Rimmon with its surrounding lands,
Tabor with villages and stands,
78 And on the other side where flows
Jordan that runs by Jericho’s
East side, of Jordan, out of the
Tribe of Reuben, Bezer to see
In the desert with lands about,
And Jahzah with village in route,
79 Kedemoth also with its lands,
And Mephaath with views and commands.
80 Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth
In Gilead, outlying growth,
And Mahanaim with angel stairs,
81 And Heshbon with its hidden lairs,
And Jazer where the green field bears.

Merari’s sons remain to sing the praise
Of Jordan and of Jericho in ways
That join the reapers in their swing of arms
And sickle lent to keep from all the harms
Of famine that would raise children’s alarms.
Merari’s sons stay where the river flows
Beside the plain of Jericho and goes
Past En Gedi beneath the hopeless rows
Of salty sea and bloom-embossed clift stones.
Merari’s sons have songs instead of thrones.
Let me, Beloved, join with Merari’s folk
To lift with song the heavy, wooden yoke
That leads the plough around the stretching oak
And unearths on its way lost human bones.


AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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