Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/297

 Then said  Moses  to  the  brave  Joshua,

'Choose thee  now  men,  and  go  to-morrow

against Amalek,  and  fight  valiantly  against  him,

I myself  will  stand  on  this  steep  mountain,

having in  my  hands  the  holy  rod  of  God.'

Joshua then  went  and  fought  with  Amalek,

and Moses  then  ascended  the  rugged  mountain,

with Aaron  and  Hur,  to  pray  to  the  Almighty.

Then Moses  raised  his  hands  in  prayer,

and Joshua  had  victory,  and  slew  the  heathen.

Afterward, when  Moses  could  no  longer  hold

his hands  stretched  out,  then  had  Amalek

the victory  for  a  while,  and  slew  the  people  of  God.

As often  as  Moses  raised  his  hands  in  prayer,

so often  had  Joshua  heavenly  succour;

and as  soon  as  his  arms  slackened  from  weakness,

immediately Amalek  smote,  and  had  victory  over  them.

Moses' hands  were  very  much  weighed  down;

Aaron then  placed  an  exceeding  great  stone

under Moses,  and  he  sat  thereupon,

and Aaron  raised  up  his  hand  in  prayer,

and Hur  held  the  other  until  it  was  evening.

Joshua then  had  heavenly  succour,

and put  to  flight  Amalek  and  his  people  with  weapons.

By this  we  may  learn  that  we  Christians  should

in every  distress,  ever  cry  to  God,

and entreat  His  aid,  with  full  faith;

if He  then  will  not  give  us  His  aid,

nor hear  our  prayer,  then  will  it  be  manifest,