Zebulun

“ Whatever seems, at first sight, to be different, melts away while handling it. Thus, for example, the blessings which Israel enjoyed by his dwelling on the sea-side, are pointed out in the blessing upon Zebulun, because he had his name from the dwelling, Gen. xxi. 20. That Zebulun is here viewed only as a part of the whole, appears from the fact that, afterwards, he did not live by the sea at all. In the case of Issachar, it was the individuality of the ancestor Jacob which gave him occasion to describe, from his own example, the dangers of an indolent rest. ”

“ Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, And abode by his creeks.
18 Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought ”

“ Verse 18
A multitude of the people - had not cleansed themselves - As there were men from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, they were excusable, because they came from countries that had been wholly devoted to idolatry.
The good Lord pardon every one - "The Lord, who is good, have mercy on this people who err." - T.
Verse 22
Spake comfortably unto all the Levites - On such occasions the priests and Levites had great fatigue, and suffered many privations; and therefore had need of that encouragement which this prudent and pious king gave. ”

“ If we ask why it is that the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun are subordinate to Judah; that Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, that Ephraim and Benjamin, that Dan, Asher, and Naphtali are encamped by each other; it is in Genesis alone that we are furnished with the answer.
The position which Reuben occupies specially points to Gen. xlix. As the first-born, he ought to stand at the head; but here we find him occupying the second place. In Gen. xlix. Jacob says to him, on account of his guilt, "Thou shalt not excel;" ”

“ Zebulun is chosen, because being the sixth and youngest of all Leah's sons, he was the least honorable of those who proceeded from the free woman; and Reuben is chosen, who, though the eldest of Jacob's sons, and entitled to the birthright, had lost it by his transgression. And hence he, in his posterity, was degraded, and was obliged to pronounce the curse, Cursed is he that lieth with his father's wife. See [658] (note) , and [659] (note) , and the notes on both places.
4. It is strange how long the disgrace consequent on some flagrant transaction of a parent may cleave to his posterity! ”

“ The ice being broken by Ephraim and Benjamin, Machir (the half-tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan) and Zebulun sent in men that were very serviceable to this great design. When an army is to be raised, especially under such disadvantages as Barak now experienced from the long disuse of arms and the dispiritedness of the people, it is of great consequence to be furnished, [1.] With men of courage for officers, and such the family of Machir furnished them with, for thence came down governors. ”

“ All their cities by clans were thirteen cities.
61 And belonging to the sons of Kohath, remaining of the family of that tribe, from the half tribe, half of Manasseh, were ten cities by lot. 62 And belonging to the sons of Gershom by their clans, from the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh in the Bashan, were thirteen cities. 63 Belonging to the sons of Merari by their clans, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun, were twelve cities. ”

“ Of the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Maachah. 17 Of the Levites, Hashabiah son of Kemuel. Of Aaron, Zadok. 18 Of Judah, Elihu, of the brethren of David. Of Issachar, Omri son of Michael. 19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah. Of Naphtali, Jerimoth son of Azriel. 20 Of the Ephraimites, Hoshea son of Azaziah. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah. 21 Of the half of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah. Of Benjamin, Jaasiel [149] son of Abner. 22 Of Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the commanders of the tribes of Israel. ”

“ Baruch
Our shame is theirs, and Israel’s need is Egypt’s.
Zebulon
Naught have we in common with any other folk on earth. Our strength lies in isolation.
The Other
But they will fight for us.
Zebulon
They will fight for themselves. Each nation fights for itself alone.
Baruch
Are we still to be slaves? Shall Zedekiah be a king of slaves, and Zion remain in bondage to Chaldea? Were but Zedekiah a true king!
Zebulon
Silence, I command you. It befits not a boy to lay down the law for kings.
Baruch
It is true that I am young; but who is Jerusalem, if it be not her young men? ”

“ Or else he would talk about a mighty treasure that was to be found, and of the beasts he would buy for his gardens when that treasure came into his hands. Zabulun would tell the King of beasts he had seen or heard of—of the aurochs with its mighty horns, of the uni [Pg 55] corn that was so white and so swift, of the satyr that is so marvelous that no one knew whether it was a wonderful beast or a wild man. And often, as they sat there talking, the King would have his servants stir up the beasts in his gardens so that their roarings might be heard by those in the palace. ”

“ I said, “there is one named Zabulun, an evil Enchanter, who pursues us. We have come to beg you to tell us how we may escape him.”
[Pg 115]
“Not to me should you have come,” the voice of Chiron boomed out. “What have I to do with men who are as far from wisdom as Zabulun? Only one who is like him may strive with him. Go to another, go to another.”
“To whom shall we go, O Centaur?” I prayed.
“Hermes Trismegistus in Egypt is nearer to Zabulun than I am. Go to him and he may tell you how to baffle Zabulun. Tell him that you have seen the Phœnix in the cave of Chiron the Centaur.” ”

“ Anluan cried.
“Harut and Marut laid hands upon me. Am I to have no more mastery because of that?” said Zabulun. “For forty days I was laid in the cave that is under the sea, and do men think that all power is gone from me because of that? I thought all that time that what I worked for would come to pass, and that the Magic Mirror of Babylon would be lost in the ruin of the Tower of Babylon and that destruction would come upon [Pg 146] the Babylonians. This would have been if the boy who was my apprentice had been faithful to me. ”

“ So Zabulun was defeated, and so release was given to Eean, The Boy Apprenticed to the Enchanter. Zabulun mounted the black horse that was King Manus’s and had him swim the water. He rode across the plain and over one mountain and another mountain until he came to the castle of King Manus. There he left the horse to neigh for his grooms. ”

“ And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
37 And Gaal spake again and said, See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and one company cometh by the way of the oak of Meonenim.
38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, that thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them.
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. ”

“ His term was inadvisedly chosen, and Zeb flashed him a wicked glance over the bone that her little, sharp teeth were gnawing. Stargarde to her dismay saw that there was a smouldering fire of distrust and dislike between her two guests, that at any moment might break into open flame. Zeb was jealous of Dr. Camperdown. With ready, quick suspicion, she divined the fact that his sympathies were not with her kind. He would take away from her and her fellow-paupers the beautiful woman who at present lived only for them, and she hated him accordingly. ”

“ Zephon gazed; but the shadow passed not from his wings, and hastily and silently he turned once more to seek the kindred essence. The whelming woe had given place to a strangely complicated mass of cross and twisted strings, which tightly fettered down each glorious gift, each cherished hope, each fond aspiring, yet gave them space to throb, and live, and whisper still. The bright undying flame of genius never seemed to burn with mere o’er-sweeping power ”

“ Zephaniah
It is the will of Nebuchadnezzar that our city be utterly destroyed.
[There is a wail of horror. The trumpet is heard once more, nearer]
Those who survive must go as slaves to Babylon.
Voices
We are to leave Zion?
The Elder
I will not go. Here will I remain.
Zephaniah
Who refuses to go, shall perish by the sword. All are to make ready for the journey and are to assemble in the marketplace. Thrice at dawning will the trumpet sound. Thereafter, anyone who lingers in the city, is to be slain.
The Elder
Let death come! I will not go. There is no life for me away from Jerusalem. ”

“ With a smile of ineffable affection, he gently pushed her inside the door. “Go in, my darling; you will take cold. Don’t tire yourself with the cripples. Good-night.”
“Zeb,” he said, when he returned to the sleigh, “come up here, I want to talk to you,” and fishing under the wolfskin he drew her up and set her beside him.
“I think I’d like to be a reformer, Zeb, it’s so easy to go about telling other people what they ought to do. But when it comes home to self, that’s a different matter. Zeb, I’m not what I ought to be.” ”

“ Zeb listened in fascinated attention, only throwing Dr. Camperdown a glance occasionally, as much as to say, “You see, she is giving me her undivided attention now.”
And he was foolish enough to be restive. “If he would only be sensible—two children together,” murmured Stargarde, as she got up to pour him out his coffee. As a student of human nature, she was amused at the attitude of the professional man toward the outcast; as a philanthropist, she was fearful lest there should be driven away from her the little bit of vicious childhood that she had charmed to her side. ”

“ I must have been lying there for hours, my right leg caught under poor old Zephyr, who had received a piece of shell in the middle of his chest. There was nothing to laugh at in my position, I can tell you; the dead comrades lying around me in piles, not a living soul in sight, and the certainty that I should have to kick the bucket too unless someone came to put me on my legs again. Gently, gently, I tried to free my leg, but it was no use; Zephyr’s weight must have been fully up to that of the five hundred thousand devils. He was warm still. ”

“ Ah! said the King, eagerly embracing him, declare it, and tho' I should refuse to make use of it, yet I shall always acknowledge myself oblig'd to your Zeal for the Discovery. Sire, replied Kelirieu, one Woman is the Cause of your Highness's Melancholy, and another Woman must be the Remedy. How dost thou dare to offer me such infamous [Pg 24] Advice, answer'd Zeokinizul in a Rage, when I have already told you, that I had rather perish than lose the Esteem of my Subjects? ”

“ Kelirieu insisted no farther, but hastened to acquaint the Mollak, that he had already search'd the King's Wound. And since, added he, I have drawn out of his Heart the [Pg 23] fatal Secret which was lodg'd in it, I flatter myself, that in a short Time, I shall entirely complete the Cure. 'Tis a good Step, replied Jeflur, to have comforted Zeokinizul, but that is not enough. You must still induce him to bestow his Heart upon the Person I shall name to you. Carry but this Point, and I promise you a thousand Tomans as the first Token of my Acknowledgement. ”

“ Zeb retreated promptly and took refuge in a fallen tree-top, out of which he peered, his hair rising. Soon he satisfied himself that the violence of the Duke was not a serious matter. Socky ran upon him, waving his sword and crying, in a loud voice, "You're a coward, sir!" Zeb rushed through the ferns, back and forth around the boy, growling and grimacing as if to show that he could be a swashbuckler himself.
On his merry frolic he ran wide in thickets of young fir. Suddenly he began barking and failed to return. ”

“ So that all the soothing Speeches of the Mollak made no Impression on him, neither was Jeflur greatly concerned at it; for, being long practised in Wickedness, he had already discovered a Way to remove his Fears, without hazarding his Tomans. Endeavour, says he to Liamil, to preserve those Remains of Favour which the King still has for you. Be blind to those Fondnesses which so deeply affect you; let not your Sister's Rivalship alarm you: I will soon bring it to an End. Flatter Zeokinizul; I know him, Fondness and Complaisance are the only Means to preserve his Heart. ”

“ He thus sat looking out over the water, thinking of his previous day's experiences, and of what Zeb had to say about his peaceful ancestors. At times he felt that his neighbor was right, but the spirits of his war-like ancestors had been with him for so long that he found it most difficult to rid himself of their influence.
"It's a darn hard thing to shake off old friends," he muttered. "It's 'specially hard when ye'r in sympathy with 'em, an' want to do jist as they did. They've stood by me fer many a year now, an' their words an' actions have allus jibed with mine. ”

“ But Zelmane, who had all this while gladly hearkened to the other tidings of their friends happy success, when this last determination of Dorus struck her attentive ears, she stayed a great while oppressed with a dead amazement. There came straight before her mind, made tender with woes, the images of her own fortune, her tedious longings, her causes to despair, the cumbersome folly of Basilius, the enraged jealousy of Gynecia, herself a prince without retinue; a man annoyed with the troubles of womankind, loathsomely loved, and dangerously loving. ”

“ Most of the folks ye meet now-a-days look as if they was about dyin', or had lost their best friends. They need to be stimulated by a good laff once in a while. It 'ud help their digesters an' make life more pleasant."
"An' so ye think ye'r ancestors could make people laff, do ye?" Zeb enquired.
"Sartin! They'll work through me, an' I feel 'em gittin' busy jist now. They've given me the power, an' I'm ready to try it upon anybody. Anythin' wrong with you, Zeb? Tooth-ache, stummick-ache, heart-ache, boils, or any dang thing ye might mention. I'm a specialist on all." ”