Discomfited

Discomfited
Rod of God, Exodus 17

Is the Lord among us, or not?

Came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
With Yahweh's staff in hand, 
The holy men ascend
To watch atop the hill till battle's end.

Joshua bares his blade below. High above
Moses lifts the great rod of God in his own arms.
The sword is the Lord’s, spear’s bite and slingshot’s harm;
In the Promised Land, Yahweh decides who buys the farm.

As long as Moses raises hands, 
The shieldwall of Israel prevails.
If he sags, more Israelite widows wail.
Moses is old, his arms fail.

The Lord has sworn the Lord.

Hold him up, Aaron! 
Heave them high, Hur!
The bodies mount up, strown for the hawks
Floating in spiral the gory deadlock.
Make Moses to rest, sit him upon the rock.

His hands are steady to the going down of the sun;
Joshua discomfits with the edge of the sword.

Write this in the book, and tell it to Joshua’s ears:
Amalek will not be remembered by the time I’m done.
These buzzards of the borderlands may raid and run,
But from my wrath relentless there’s no flight under the sun.

Moses tells Joshua, We’re in for the duration,
Locked in arms for generations.

Jehovahnissi.
The Lord has sworn the Lord 
Will have war with Amalek
From age to age.

Is the Lord among us, or not?