I know that under your foreseeing care Their numbers are redoubled, secretly Assembled near you; that full of love For you, for Athaliah boundless hate, A solemn oath anticipating, binds Them to the son of David, when revealed; But with that noble fire with which they burn Can they, alone, avenge their prince's cause? For such great object is their _zeal_ sufficient? Doubt you that Athaliah, at the word First spread abroad--that Ochoziah's son Is here concealed--will fail her barbarous troop Of strangers to collect about the temple, And violate its gates? Will it suffice 'Gainst them to place your sacred ministers, Who never scattered but their victims' blood; Who, raising to the Lord their harmless hands, Can only groan and pray for our offences? Perhaps, when in their arms, Joas pierced with wounds-- {JOAD.} Then count you God for nought who fights for us! God, who protects the orphans' innocence, And in their weakness testifies His power; God, who hates tyrants, who in Jezreel Swore Jezabel and Ahab to uproot; God, who smote Joram, husband of their daughter, And even to his son pursued their house; God, whose avenging arm, awhile withheld, Is always threatening o'er that impious race: {JOSABET.} And 'tis His rigid justice on those kings That throes me for my wretched brother's son. For who can say that child, at birth, was not Condemned with them--included in their guilt? That God, for David's sake, will grant him favour, And separate him from a hateful race? Alas! the horrible perplexing state, In which heaven represents itself to me, Haunts me incessantly, and frights my soul. The chambers gorged with princes massacred-- Inexorable Athaliah, armed With poniard, fires her barbarous soldiery Unto the carnage, and pursues the course Of her assassinations. Left for dead, Joas strikes my sight! Methinks I still behold His nurse, distracted, throw her feeble form In vain before the murderers; and him, Extended on the earth, clasp to her breast I take him up all bloody--with my tears Bathing his visage--bring him back to life; And still in terror, or caressing me, I feel his innocent arms upon me press. Great God! let not my love be fatal to him, The precious relic of the loyal David: Brought up within Thy house to love Thy law, He knows no other father yet than Thee. About to attack a homicidal queen, If peril's aspect terrifies my faith, If flesh and blood to-day, bewildered being, Have too great part in tears I shed for him, Heir of Thy sacred promises, preserve him, And punish me alone for all my frailty! {JOAD.}