And a clangour of arms, as of hosts in the fray,
At the feet of the stripling of Ephratah lay.
A hush of amazement;—a calm as of death,
When the watcher lists long for that spasm-drawn breath,
Then a shout like the roll of artillery rose,
And the armies of Israel swept on to their foes.
For a space the Philistine had paused, as in doubt,
Ere the Israelite triumph rang gloriously out;
Then, scattering his arms on the mountains, he fled,
Till the valley of Elah was strewn with the dead.