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

CHAP. XLVII.

Then to King Pharaoh Joseph went, and said, My Father and his Sons, with all they had In their own Country, are come down to me, And in the Land of Goshen now they be. Five of his Brethren also with him went, Whom he unto King Pharaoh did present. And Pharaoh asked them about their Trade, And they unto the King replied and said, We and our Fathers while we were at home Were Shepherds all, and now behold, we come ⟨p. 78⟩With all our Flocks, to get some Pasture here, For in our Land the Famine is severe: We therefore pray thee to appoint a Portion Unto thy Servants in the Land of Goshen. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I empower thee To use thy pleasure, Goshen is before thee; Settle thy Father and thy Brethren there, And if among them active Men there are, Commit my Cattle to their special care. And Joseph brought his aged Father in Before the King, and Jacob blessed him. And Pharaoh asking him about his Age, He said, The Years of my Life's Pilgrimage Are but an Hundred Thirty, very few And evil, nor have I attained unto The Years of my Fore-Fathers longer age, Which they past through' in this their Pilgrimage. And Jacob blest the King again, and then Out of his Presence he returned again. And Joseph placed his Father and Relations In Egypt, and appointed them Possessions In the best of the Land, even in the Land Of Ramases, according to the King's Command: And there he nourished them with fit supplies Of Bread, according to their Families. And now the People having spent their store, And Famine still increasing more and more, Egypt and Canaan too, for want of Bread, Were sore distressed and almost famished. And Joseph took the Money they did bring To buy their Corn, and kept it for the King. ⟨p. 79⟩Wherefore the People came to represent Their case to him, both Corn and Coin being spent. And Joseph said, If Money be grown scant, Bring me your Cattle and ye shall not want. And they brought Horses, Asses and their Flocks And Herds of Cattle, even all their Stocks, And gave to Joseph in exchange for Bread, For which the People he for that Year fed;