Scriptural poems being several portions of Scripture digested into English verse /

CHAP. XLVI.

Then Israel setting forward on his way With all his Household, came to Beersheba; And offered Sacrifice there to implore The God his Father Isaac did adore. And in the Visions of the Night God spake To him, and said, fear not to undertake This Journey into Egypt, for I am The God of thy Fore-fathers, Abraham And Isaac; to the Land of Egypt I Will go with thee, and there will multiply Thy Off-spring, and of thee will surely make A mighty Nation, and will bring thee back; And thy Son Joseph there thine Eyes shall close. After which Vision he from thence arose, And in the Waggons which King Pharaoh sent, He and his Family to Egypt went: His Sons, their Wives and Children, and the rest Of their Concerns, whereof they were possest When they in Canaan dwelt, and they were then No more in number but Threescore and Ten. And when to Egypt Israel drew near, He sent before him Judah, to prepare His way to Goshen, which when Joseph heard, Immediately his Chariot he prepared, And unto Goshen he directly went, And to his Father did himself present; ⟨p. 77⟩And being over joyed fell on his Neck, And for a good while thereupon he wept. Then Jacob said, since thou yet livest, and I Have seen thy face once more, now let me die. And Joseph said, my Brethren I will go Unto King Pharaoh, and will let him know That you and all my Father's House are come; And that your Occupation when at home, Hath been in feeding Cattle altogether, And that you've brought your Flocks and Herds all hither Now therefore when you come before the King, And he shall ask you what your Trade hath been, Say thus: Thy Servants from our Youth till now Have dealt in Cattle, we and our Fathers too; That he may let you dwell in Goshen, for Th' Egyptians do a Shepherd's-Life abhor.

THen Isr'el setting forward on his way With all his Houshold, came to Bersheba; And offer'd Sacrifice there to implore The God his Father Isaac did adore. And in the Visions of the Night God spake To him, and said, fear not to undertake This Journey into Egypt, for I am The God of thy Fore-fathers, Abraham And Isaac; to the Land of Egypt I Will go with thee, and there will multiply Thy Off-spring, and of thee will surely make A mighty Nation, and will bring thee back; And thy Son Joseph there thine Eyes shall close. After which Vision he from thence arose, And in the Waggons which King Pharaoh sent, He and his Family to Egypt went: His Sons, their Wives and Children, and the rest Of their Concerns, whereof they were possest When they in Cana'n dwelt, and they were then No more in number but Threescore and Ten. And when to Egypt Israel drew near, He sent before him Judah, to prepare His way to Goshen, which when Joseph heard, Immediately his Chariot he prepar'd, And unto Goshen he directly went, And to his Father did himself present;