"Look, look!" said Miriam, grasping her grandfather by the arm, "there
are armies in the heavens, and they fight together."
They looked, and, sure enough, it seemed as though two great hosts
were there embattled. They could discern the legions, the wind-blown
standards, the charging chariots, and the squadrons of impetuous horse.
The firmament had become a battle-ground, and lo! it was red as with
the blood of the fallen, while the air was full of strange and dreadful
sounds, bred, perhaps, of wind and distant thunder, that came to them
like the wail of the vanquished and the dull roar of triumphant armies.
So terrified were they at the sight, that they crouched upon the ground
and hid their faces in their hands. Only old Benoni standing up, his
white beard and robes stained red by the ominous light, cried out that
this celestial scene foretold the destruction of the enemies of God.
"Ay!" said Nehushta, "but which enemies?"
The tall Caleb, marching on his round of the camp, echoed:
"Yes, which enemies?"
Suddenly the light grew, all these fantastic shapes melted into a red
haze, which sank down till Jerusalem before them seemed as though she
floated in an ocean of blood and fire. Then a dark cloud came up and for
a while the holy Hill of Zion vanished utterly away.
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