And is Athobat dead, my once lov’d brother His cruel treatment I’ll no more remember But view him only as the dear companion The much lov’d partner of my infant sports Our joys our hopes our wishes all the same And thou his daughter, welcome to my cottage Next my Elizabeth in dear affection. Take her my daughter as an only sister And may your friendship meet no cruel blast From rancorous envy, or misplaced ambition. ELIZABETH. My heart already owns her for a sister I hope by acts of kindness soon to win An equal place within her gentle bosom. TIRZAH. Thy kindness has already won my heart And wak’d my sorrowing soul anew to pleasure. JEPHTHAH. But where’s thy mother? is she here with thee Or dost thou mourn her with my fallen brother. TIRZAH. Fearing thy wrath too justly merited She retir’d to hide her keen remorse from thee I’ll seek her to relate thy generous pardon And let her thanks repay thy boundless goodness Which my full heart refuses words to express. (_Exit_ ELIZABETH _and_ TIRZAH.) (_Enter_ ELZAPHAN _and_ PEDAZAR.) JEPHTHAH. Welcome Elzaphan, my friend Pedazar What news from our unhappy country? PEDAZAR. On Jordan’s banks proud Ammon’s banner waves Judah already bends before his arms While Benjamin to stern Philistia yields Who threats all Israel with her galling yoke ELZAPHAN. Our country torn by faction Our land by faction torn, bleeding at every pore By foreign and domestic woes oppress’d Have sent us here as messengers of grace For all the past they humbly sue for pardon And beg thou’lt lead their armies to the field Secure of victory neath thy powerful arm. JEPHTHAH. When fortune smil’d and plenty fill’d your dwellings And youthful vigor prompted me to enjoy Each social pleasure, and my warm heart O’erflow’d with kindness to ye. Ye hated me Drove me from friends, from my lov’d country From all the joys my ardent nature priz’d. Then why do ye come to seek me in distress. My youthful arm oft quell’d your powerful foes And this lone desert all the reward obtained. I scorn those friends, who fawn in times of trouble But mid prosperity forget past favors. PEDAZAR.