Abraham and his seed to give the land of Canaan and of the bondage of Israel in Egypt and his Covenant and sent him againe to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel goe out of his land but all this while the children of Israel did mightily murmur against Moses and Aaron Moses was then fourescore yeares old and Aaron fourescore and three And they went both unto Pharaoh againe and Aaron cast down his Rod before Pharaoh and it became a serpent and the sorcerers of Pharaoh did the like with their inchantments But Aarons Rod swallowed up all theirs And as God commanded Moses and Aaron in the morning they met Pharaoh at the water and at the Rivers side and desired that the people of Israel might goe and worship God in the wildernesse But he refused then he smote the waters in the sight of Pharaoh and they were turned into blood and the fish died and the river stanke yet Pharaohs heart was hardened this continued for seven dayes in which time they digged for water to drinke And the Lord commanded Moses to goe againe unto Pharaoh to let the people of Israel goe and still his heart was hardened and Aaron stretched forth his hand with the Rod over the ponds and caused frogs to come over the land of Egypt and the Magicians did thâ— like then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe service unto the Lord. And Moses said That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God the frogs shall depart but onely they shall remaine in the rivers and the Lord did according to the word of Moses And the Lord commanded to say unto Aaron to stretch out his Rod and smite the dust of the land that it may be lice thorowout all Egypt and it was so and the Magicians attempted to doe the like but could not And they told the King it was the finger of God yet he hearkened not unto them Then the Lord commanded Moses to goe early in the morning unto Pharaoh as he came forth and speak to him that the people of Israel might goe to serve him and to tell him what plagues otherwise would follow but still his heart was hardened then there came a grievous swarme of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into all the land of Egypt and the land was corrupted by reason of the flies Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Goe ye sacrifice to your God in the land But Moses said they desired to go three dayes journey for it was an abomination to the Egyptians to sacrifice in their land and Pharaoh let them goe desiring Moses to intreat the Lord for him the which he did and the flies departed out of the land of Egypt Yet againe Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let them goe then all the cattell of the land of Egypt died but of the cattell of the children of Israel died not one yet was Pharaohs heart hardened and would not let them goe Then as the Lord commanded Moses took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and sprinkled it up towards heaven and there became boiles and blames upon man and beast and upon the Magicians And stil was the heart of Pharaoh hardened and would not let the children of Israel goe and Moses stretched forth his Rod and the Lord sent thunder and haile and the fire ran along upon the ground so there was fire and haile mingled together such as was not since the land of Egypt became a nation and it smote both man and beast and every herbe and brake downe the trees onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was none Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked Intreat the Lord for me and I will let ye goe And Moses went out of the city and spread his hands unto the Lord and the thunder and haile ceased yet neverthelesse Pharaohs heart was again hardened neither would he let the children of Israel goe And Moses and Aaron came againe unto Pharaoh and said thus unto him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me let my people goe that they may serve me and his servants perswaded him to let them goe but he refused to heare them Then Moses stretcht forth his Rod over the land of Egypt and there came an East winde which brought in Locusts which went over the land of Egypt and the land was darkened and they left no greene thing upon the land Then Pharaoh called againe for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord your God and you forgive my sinne and entreat the Lord for me The which Moses did and the Lord sent a mighty West winde which did drive the locusts into the Red Sea but yet would not Pharaoh let the children of Israel goe Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch forth his hand towards heaven and there was a thick darknesse throughout the land of Egypt three dayes but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said to him Goe ye and serve the Lord onely let your flocks and herds stay here but Moses refused that and said they must have sacrifices for the Lord and all their cattell then Pharaoh would not let them goe but bid Moses to see his face no more And the Lord commanded Moses to speake to all the children of Israel upon the tenth day of the moneth to take every house a lambe a male lambe without blemish and to keep it untill the fourteenth day and then kill it in the evening and to take the blood with a bunch of hyssop and strike it on the two side posts and upon the upper post of the doore and that they shall eat the flesh that night rosted with unleavened bread and bitter herbs That they shall eat it with their loins girded shooes on their feet and staves in their hands and in haste for it is the Lords Passeover For the blood upon the posts shall be a token that the Lord would passe in mercy by them when the Egyptians should be destroyed And after the performance of many other ceremonies before the eating of the Passeover it came to passe that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-borne of Egypt and Pharaoh rose up in the night and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry then the children of Israel according as they were commanded departed taking their dough before it was levened and the kneading troughes upon their shoulders with great store of Jewels they had from the Egyptians And they journied towards Succoth being in number about six hundred thousand on foot besides children after they had beene
he did so And all the Elders of Israel followed him and he spake unto them saying Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed And so they departed and stood in the doores of their Tents their wives and their children and Moses said Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all those workes for I have not done them of my owne minde if these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me but if the Lord make a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertaine to them and they goe downe quicke into the pit then shall ye understand that these men have provoked the â—ord And it came to passe as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground clave asunder that was under them and swallowed them up their houses and their goods and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation and there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense and as God commanded Eleazer the sonne of Aaron tooke the censers out of the fire and made of them broad plates to cover the Altar because they were formerly hallowed and to be a memoriall to all the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come neare to offer incense before the Lord that he be not as Korah and as his company But on the morrow after this great judgement fell upon Korah the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron saying They had killed the people of the Lord. And they being gathered together Moses and Aaron looked towards the Tabernacle and the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared And Moses and Aaron came before the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment and they fell upon their faces and Moses bade Aaron to take a Censer and put fire therein from of the Altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an attonement for them for that wrath was gone out from the Lord and the plague was begun and Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the middest of the congregation but the plague was begun among the people and then he put on incense and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and the plague ceased Now they that died of the plague were foureteene thousand and seven hundred besides them that died about the matter of Korah and Aaron returned unto Moses to the doore of the Tabernacle and the plague stayed And the Lord commanded Moses to speake unto the children of Israel to bring twelve rods for every Tribe one and thereon to write their names and to write Aarons name upon the rod of Levi and to lay them up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony and the Lord said That the mans rod whom he shall chuse shall be the chiefe and shall blossome thereby to make the children of Israel cease from murmuring against Moses and Aaron and Moses did as the Lord commanded and every one of the Princes gave him a rod according to their fathers houses Aarons rod being amongst them and Moses laid the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse and going on the morrow into the Tabernacle the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded brought forth buds bloomed and yielded Almonds and Moses brought them forth and they tooke every man his rod but the Lord bade Moses to bring back Aarons rod before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels and take away their murmurings lest they die and Moses did so as God commanded and the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we dye we perish we all perish Shall we be consumed with dying And the Lord commanded the Tribe of Levi to be joyned unto Aaron to minister unto him and onely that Aaron and his sonnes should minister before the Tabernacle of the witnesse and that the Levites should keepe the charge of the Tabernacle but they should not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the Altar lest Aaron and they should die and that no stranger should come near them and gave them many other Ordinances to observe Then came the children of Israel unto Zin and abode in Kadesh where Miriam died and was there buried and in that place was no water in so much as they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron and the people did chide with Moses and wished they had died with their brethren Then Moses and Aaron went from them unto the doore of the Tabernacle and fell upon their faces and the Lord bade Moses and Aaron take the Rod and assemble the people together and speake unto the Rock before them and it should give forth water and they gathered the congregation together before the Rock and Moses said unto them Heare now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Then Moses lift up his hand and with his Rod he smote the Rock twice and the water came out abundantly and the congregation dranke and their beasts also And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye beleeve me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them After this Moses sent messengers to Kadesh to the King of Edom letting him know of all their passages in Egypt and of the wonders that God had done desiring to passe through his Countrey onely to goe by the Kings high way and pay for what they tooke but the King of Edom refused it wherefore Israel turned another way and came to mouÌ„t Hor where the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron saying Aaron shall be gathered to hâ— people for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah take Aaron and his sonne Eleazar and bring them up unto mount Hor and Moses brought them up and as the Lord commanded Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne and Aaron died there in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came downe from thence and when the congregation of Israel saw that Aaron was dead even all the house of Israel mourned for him thirty dayes And they journied from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea and compassed the land of Edom but they were much discouraged because of the way and the people spake against God and Moses then the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people who bit them whereof many died
care for a Wife for his sonne Isaac hee then calling for his Steward making him put his hand under his thigh and causing him to sweare by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that his sonne should not take a Canaanitish woman to Wife but to goe into his owne Countrey and Kindred and there to take a Wife for him Then said his servant what if the Woman will not come with me into this Land shall I bring back thy sonne To whom Abraham answered beware that thou bring not back my sonne thither againe The Lord God of Heaven who tooke me from my fathers house even from the Land where I was born that spake and sware unto me saying unto thy seed will I give this Land he shal send his Angell before thee and thou shalt take a Wife unto my sonne from thence Neverthelesse if the Woman will not follow thee then shalt thou be discharged of thy oath only bring not my son thither againe and the servant swore unto Abraham so he tooke tenne of his Masters Camels who went his journey obtained Rebecka to be his wife as in the story of Isaac is more at large exprest Now after the death of Sarah Abraham took another Wife called Keturah which bare him divers children and Ahraham gave all his goods unto Isaac but unto the sonnes of his Concubines he gave them gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son this he did in his life-time And Abraham being one hundred seventy and five years old hee yeelded up his Spirit dying in a good age and was gathered to his people and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave with Sarah in the field Ephron PRAYERS upon the History of ABRAHAM GIve mee obedience O Lord to follow the steps of my Governors and to bee guided by my Parents as Abraham was by Terah his Father who brought him to Haran So likewise let mee be obedient to thy blessed Inspirations which may bring me to the heavenly Canaan And as Abraham carried with him in his journey his wife Lot his Brother with his servants and substance grant that all my nearest affections my flesh blood may cheerfully goe along with mee in this my pilgrimage to my â—eavenly happinesse with the servants substanâ—e of piety and good workes to attend me And in this progresse in Moreh and in the middle of the worldly Canaan let thy blessed grace appeare unto mee and grant that I may build an Altar of thanksgiving in my heart unto thee and call upon thy Name Preserve me in the famine necessity and miseries of this world as thou diddest Abraham But above all worldly helps keepe me from the famine of thy favour and grace that in thee my soule may be safe from the spirituall danger of faith and a good conscience By thy good guidance remove me from danger as Abraham was by his going into Aegypt Let not the feare and jealousie of worldly respects make mee to dissemble before thee O Lord who knows 't the secrets of my heart as Abraham did by his Wife for his earthly safety and deliver mee from such bad intions of fleshly desires as was in Pharaoh King of Aegypt by detaining of Sarah lest I partake of such punishments as befell unto him And for such offences against thee as wrongs and bad intentions done to any man or woman grant thaâ— I may not continue in them but timely to repent and by leaving such sinnes give satisfaction for wrongs done as Pharoah did to Abraham at his departure And still to praise thee for thy mercies O Lord as Abraham did at his return to Bethel Give unto me the like charitable love as was between Abraham Lot in their parting yea in the middle of such worldly fortunes as they had that most dangerous rocke of ambition pride and Emulation and let mee not bee too much in love with the pleasant Plains of this worldly Jordan of earthly and vaine delight with Lot in his choise for then shal I not be so neare the like dangerâ— as he was at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Good Lord give unto me continuall comforts and assurances unto my soule by thy mercies unto mee in the hope of that blessed eternity as thou diddest give unto Abraham his seede for their blessing in the earthly Canaan and in this Plain of Mamre the Hebron of this world still let me praise thee for all thy mercies with this father of the faithful Give unto me O my helper a helping hand unto my distressed Brethren and friends of this world as Abraham did to Lot in his captivity With such blessings and comforts as was given to Abraham by that King and Priest Melchisadech and not only to be humbly thankefull unto thee for the same but to pay that tithe of duty and obedience due unto thy Ministers as he did In the sadnesse of my dejected spirit and coldnesse of devotion towards thee be thou my strength and comfort as thou wast to Abraham in thy promise to his seede so shall not this my earthly Steward of vain and worldly suggestions possesse annoy and supplant my good thoughts intentions and hopes in thee but still I may be made happy by thy heavenly mercies In the barrennesse of my soule as it was in Sarah her body in such fruitfulnesse as was with Hagar let me not despair with the one nor presume with the other lest I be cast out of thy mercies but in my cries send mee thy good Inspirations to make me returne timely and humbly with Hagar and with leasure to receive thy promised blessing with Sarah So by the humiliation of Hagar and the hope of Sarah I shall by thy mercie with Abraham enjoy the Ishmael of worldly comfort here the Isaac of everlasting happinesse hereafter Grant O Lord that I may be courteous and charitable to all men as Abraham was to the three who came to his Tent doore with the like agility and alacrity to do good works as he did for their provision that aâ— hee in stead of men received Angelâ— so by thy promised mercie to wel doers shall I receive with Abraham thy comfort here and thy heavenly reward hereafter where the Angels waite at the doors of heaven to receive the righteous Take from me O Lord all distrusts of thy promises with Sarah's second doubt and with her wonder at thy mercies for by this faith and confidence in thee I shall by thy goodnesse and in good time with this hope and wel-doing enjoy the happinesse in heaven as she did after in earth in thy promise of Isaac O Lord keep me from the unrighteousnesse which was in Sodome lost by mine unworthinesse the mediations and prayers of the faithfull do not prevail for me before the Throne of mercy lest that for my sins I partake of their punishment from thy seate of justice O Lord how miserable and wretched are we even the best of us without thy continuall
my dulnesse and fleshly vanity dispossesse me of a happy resolution to serve thee But as thou hast begunne in me by thy good motions so continue them and thy mercies unto me that by the strength of thy grace and good Inspirations I may persevere in all good purposes to pay my vowes and upon the Altar of my heart to sacrifice most humble thankes and praise unto thee even for ever Here beginneth the History of Joseph THE HISTORY of Joseph JAcob loved Joseph more then all his children because he was the sonne of his old age and he made him a coat of many colours and Joseph dreamed certain dreames the interpretation whereof much displeased his brethren and they hated him and conspired to slay him But Reuben his brother heard it and delivered him out of their hands But it came to passe afterwards that they stript him and took and cast him into a pit where was no water and they sitting downe to eat bread a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their Camels bearing spicery balme and myrrhe going into Egypt And Judah did perswade his brethren not to kill Joseph that his blood might not be upon them but to sell him to these Ishmaelites and they sold him to a Midianite Merchant for twenty pieces of silver and he carried Joseph into Egypt And his brethren took Josephs coat and killed a kid and dipped the coat in the blood and brought it to their father who knew it and said It is my sonnes coat and some beast hath devoured him and Jacob rent his clothes and mourned for him many dayes And all his sonnes and daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted after the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt unto Potiphar an officer of King Pharaohs who was Captaine of his guard Now the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man and found favour in the sight of Potiphar who made him overseer of his house and all that he had he put into his hand and the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for his sake and Joseph was a goodly person and well favoured It came to passe that Potiphars wife grew in love with him tempting him to lye with her but he refused and said unto her My Master hath beene kinde unto me and committed all to my charge and how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God But she daily solicited Joseph and one day coming into the house she caught him by the garment saying lye with me and he left his garment and fled then she called aloud unto the men of her house and said An Hebrew is brought unto us to mock us he came and urged to lye with me and I cryed with a loud voice and when he heard me cry he left his garment and fled and when her lord came home she told him of this passage and his wrath was kindled against Joseph and put him into prison But the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy giving him favour with the keeper of the prison And it came to passe that Pharaoh King of Egypt was wroth with his principall Butler and Baker and they were committed to the prison where Joseph was and they dreamed dreams both of them one night Joseph coming unto them in the morning they were sad and he said unto them Wherefore looke you so sadly and they told him their dreames the which he interpreted that the Butler within three dayes should be released and in King Pharaohs favour and deliver the cup into his hand as he formerly did and Joseph desired him to remember him with Pharaoh when he was thus advanced And Joseph interpreted the Bakers dreame that within three dayes he should be hanged on a tree and it came to passe the third day was Pharaohs birth-day that he made a feast to all his servants and he restored the chiefe Butler to his place and he gave the cup into Pharaohs hand but he hanged the Baker yet did not the Butler remember Joseph but forgat him And it came to passe after two yeares that Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river and there came out of the river seven well favoured kine fat and they fed in a medow and seven other kine came out of the river ill favoured and leane and stood by the other kine and did eat them up and he dreamed a second dream that seven ears of corn came up upon one stalke rank and good and seven thin ears and blasted with the East winde sprung up after them and the seven thin ears devoured the seven ranke and full ears Pharaoh being troubled at these dreams sent for the Magicians of Egypt but none of them could interpret these dreams Then spake the cheife Butler unto Pharaoh saying I do Remember my faults this day thou wast wroth with me and thy chief Baker and put us in prison and we dreamed both in one night and there was in the prison with us a young man an Hebrew that did interpret our dreames and according to his interpretation I was restored to favour and the Baker hanged Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph out of the dungeon and he shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh and Pharaoh said unto Joseph I have dreamed a dreame and no man can interpret it and Joseph answered Pharaoh saying It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Then Pharaoh related his dream and Joseph answered The dreame of Pharaoh is one the seven good kine are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years and the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the East winde shall be seven years of famine this is the thing that God is about to doe Behold there shall come seven years of great plenty thoroughout all the land of Egypt and there shall be seven years of famine and the famine shall consume the land Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt to provide in the seven years of plenty for the famine that shall follow and the counsell was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants And Pharaoh said unto Joseph for as much as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art therefore thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou and Pharaoh set him over the land of Egypt and took off his Ring from off his hand and put it upon Josephs hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chaine about his neck And he made him ride in the second Chariot which he had and they cryed before him Bow the knee he made him Ruler over all the land of Egypt and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of
with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrews and they sate in order according to their age and they sent messes unto them from before Joseph but Benjamins messe was five times as much as any of theirs and they dranke and were merry with him And Joseph commanded his servants to fill their sacks with food and to put in every sack their money and to put a cup of silver in the sack of the youngest with his corne money and betimes in the morning they were sent away they and their Asses And when they were gone a little way Joseph said unto his Steward Follow after the men and when thou dost overtake them say unto them Wherefore have ye rewarded evill for good and he overtooke them and he spake unto them as he was bidden and they said unto him Wherefore saith my Lord these words God forbid that thy servants should doe according to this thing Behold the money which we found in our sacks mouthes we brought againe unto thee out of the land of Canaan how then should we steale out of thy Lords house silver or gold with whomsoever of thy servants it be found both let him dye and we also will be my Lords bondmen Then they speedily tooke downe their sacks and opened every man his sack and he searched beginning at the eldest and left at the youngest and the Cup was found in Benjamins sack then they rent their clothes and laded every man his Asse and returned to the City And Judah and his brethren came to Josephs house and they fell before him to the ground then Joseph said unto them What deed is this that ye have done wot ye not that I can divine and Judah said What shall we say unto my Lord what shall we speake or how shall we cleare our selves God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants Behold we are my Lords servants both we and he also with whom the Cup is found and he said God forbid I should doe so but the man in whose hand the cup is found he shall be my servant and as for you get you up unto your father then Judah came neare unto him and said O my Lord let thy servant I pray thee speake a word in my Lords eares and let not thine anger burn against thy servant for thou art even as Pharaoh and Judah said our father was loath to part with Benjamin saying unto us Ye know that my wife bare me two sonnes the one is dead and surely he is torne in pieces for I saw him not since and if ye take this also from me and mischiefe befall him ye shall bring downe my gray haires with sorrow to my grave Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father and the young man our brother be not with us seeing that his life is bound up in the youths life that he will dye for thy servant became surety for the young man unto my father saying If I bring him not unto thee then I shall beare the blame to my father for ever Now therefore I pray thee let thy servant abide in stead of Benjamin a bondman to my Lord and let the young man goe up with his brethren for how shall I goe up to my father and this Benjamin be not with me lest peradventure I see the evill that shall come to my father Then Joseph could not refraine himselfe before all them that stood by him and he cryed Cause every man to goe out from me and there stood no man with him while he made himselfe knowne to his brethren and he wept aloud and he said unto his brethren I am Joseph doth my father yet live and his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence and Joseph said unto his brethren Come neare unto me I pray you and he said I am Joseph your Brother whom you sold into Egypt be not angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life for there is and shall continue a great famine And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity upon earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So it was not you that sent me hither but God he hath made me father to King Pharaoh and a Ruler in Egypt Haste you and goe up to my father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph Come downe to me and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen thou and thy children and thy childrens children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou haste And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of al that you have seene and ye shall haste and bring downe my father hither And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon him moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him and the fame thereof came to Pharaoh and it pleased him and his servants and Pharaoh said Joseph Bid your brethren load their beasts and goe into Canaan and bring your father and all his families and take wagons to bring them and all they have for they shall have the good of the land of Egypt and eat the fat thereof and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and provision for the way with changes of raiments But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment and to his father he sent twenty Asses laden with good things of Egypt and provision for his journey into Egypt and they went up out of the land of Egypt unto the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father and told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is Governour over all the land of Egypt and Jacobs heart fainted for he beleeved them not and they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them and when he saw the wagons which Joseph sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived and Israel said It is enough Joseph my sonne is yet alive I will goe and see him before I die And Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac and God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night and said Jacob Jacob I am God the God of thy father feare not to goe downe into Egypt for I will make thee a great Nation I will goe downe with thee into Egypt and I will also bring thee surely up again and Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes And Jacob departed from Beersheba with all his families with all their cattell and goods and came into Egypt Jacob and all his seed with him all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten and he sent Judah before him to Joseph to direct his face to Goshen and they
of them commanded the Midwives to kil the male children and to save the daughters that should be borne of the Israelites but the midwives feared God and would not doe his commands but excused it to the King And there was a man of the house of Levi that took to him a wife of his owne tribe who conceived and bare him a sonne being a goodly childe whom for fear she hid three moneths but when she could not longer hide him she made for him an arke of bulrushes daubing it with slime and pitch putting the childe therein and laid it amongst the flags by the rivers side And his sister stood a farre off to see what would become of the childe And Pharaohs daughter coming downe the river with her maides to wash her selfe found the arke and sent her maids to fetch it and opening of it found the childe who wept and she had compassion on him and said This is one of the Hebrews children and Pharaohs daughter commanded the sister that watcht the childe to call an Hebrew woman to nurse it and she went and called the childes mother and Pharaohs daughter said unto her Take this childe and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages and the woman tooke the childe and nursed it and the childe grew and she brought him to Pharaohs daughter who took him for her son and called his name Moses because she drew him out of the water Now after he grew to yeares when the Israelites had hard burthens upon them he went out amongst them and seeing an Egyptian strike an Hebrew one of his brethren who warily looking about him and seeing no body he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand And the second day going abroad he saw two Hebrews at strif and he said to him that had done the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow who answered Who made thee a Judge over us Intendest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian then Moses was afraid and when Pharaoh heard of it he sought to kill Moses but he fled from Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian and there sitting downe by a well came seven daughters of the Midian Priest who drew water into troughs to water their fathers flock but there came other shepherds and drave them away But Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flockâ— who returning to their father he asked the reason they came so soone back and they told him that a certaine Egyptian had helped them and he commanded to call him to his house to eate bread who came and dwelt with him and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter to wife by whom he had a sonne called Gershom Now after this Pharaoh died and the children of Israel were exceedingly grieved by reason of their great bondage and they cryed unto the Lord who heard them and remembred his covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Now Moses keeping the flock of his father in law and leading them to the back side of the desert he came to Horeb the mountaine of God where appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush and Moses turned towards it to see why the bush was not burnt then God called unto him out of the middest of the bush and said Moses Moses draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground and told him I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Then Moses hid his face for he was afraid to looke upon God and God said unto him I have seene the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters and told Moses that he would send him to Pharaoh and to bring his people of Israel out of Egypt and Moses said unto God Who am I that I should goe unto Pharaoh and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt and God told him he would be with him and that for a token thereof after he had brought them out of Egypt they should serve God upon that mountaine and Moses said unto God When I come unto the children of Israel how shall they beleeve me then said the Lord Say unto them I am hath sent me unto you But Moses answered and said Behold they will not beleeve me nor hearken unto my voyce and Moses having a Rod in his hand the Lord commanded him to cast it upon the ground and it became a serpent and Moses went from it And the Lord said unto him Put forth thy hand and take it by the taile the which he did and it became a Rod againe And the Lord said more to him Put thy hand into thy bosome the which he did and when he tooke it out his hand was leprous as snow and he said put thy hand into thy bosome againe the which he did and it became as it was before yet neverthelesse Moses was very scrupulous to goe Excusing himselfe that he wanted eloquence and was slow of tongue and the Lord said unto him Who hath made mans mouth who maketh the dumbe or deafe the seeing or the blind but I the Lord and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and then he appointed Aaron to joyne with him and to assist him in this great worke for the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt And so Moses returned to Jethro his father in law to desire leave to go into Egypt to see his brethren who bid him goe in peace And Moses returned towards Egypt with his wife and children and the Rod in his hand with command from God to doe wonders before the King of Egypt And Aaron met Moses in the mount of God and kissed him Moses telling him all the words of the Lord who had sent him and all the signes he had commanded him And then they two gathered all the Elders of Israel together and did the signes in sight of all the people who beleeved them and worshipped God for his goodnesse After that they went to Pharaoh desiring they and the children of Israel might hold a Fast unto the Lord in the wildernesse But he would not obey the message and voice of the Lord. And they said againe The God of the Hebrews hath met with us let us go we pray thee three dayes journey into the Desert to sacrifice unto our God lest he lay his plagues upon us of pestilence and sword but Pharaohs heart was hardned and would not let them goe and added more to their work whereof they complained mightily to Pharaoh But he said Ye are now idle therefore ye say Let us goe and doe sacrifice to the Lord and the people murmured at Moses because their task was greater since his coming to them and Moses was much troubled thereat Then the Lord spake unto Moses and told him of all his promises unto
in Egypt foure hundred and thirty yeares But they went not the nearest way by the land of the Philistines but about through the wildernesse of the Red Sea And Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him and they came from Succoth in Ethem in the edge of the wildernesse and there encamped and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire And when King Pharaoh heard they were gone he made ready six hundred chosen Chariots all the Chariots of Egypt and Captains over them and a great army and the children of Israel coming neare the Red Sea the Egyptians overtooke them and they were afraid and cryed unto the Lord and did murmur against Moses exceedingly thinking it better to have staid in Egypt but Moses comforted them then the Lord commanded them to march and Moses to lift up his Rod and to stretch out his hand over the Sea and the Angel and the pillar of the Cloud which went before removed and stood behinde them and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East winde and it was dry land and the waters were divided and the children of Israel went into the middest of it upon the dry ground and the waters were as a wal on every side and the Egyptians followed them but by Gods will when they were in the middle of the water their Chariot wheels fell off in the morning when all Israel was over Moses stretched forth his hand and the waters closed up and Pharaoh and all his Army were drowned and when Israel saw this great worke they feared the Lord and beleeved him and his servant Moses and Moses and the children of Israel sang praises unto the Lord. After which Moses brought the children of Israel three dayes into the wildernesse and found no water and when they came to Marah the water was bitter and the people murmured against Moses and hee prayed unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree the which he cast into the water and they were made sweet And then they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and seventy Palme trees and there incamped from thence they came to the wildernesse of Sin which is betweene Elim and Sinai being the fifteenth day of the second moneth there the people of Israel did murmur at Moses and Aaron repenting they came from the flesh pots of Egypt then Moses and Aaron said unto them At even ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt and what are we that ye murmur thus against us And as Aaron was speaking to them they looking towards the wildernesse the glory of the Lord did appeare in the cloud and it came to passe that in the evening the Quailes came up and covered the Campe and in the morning the dew lay round about the host And after the dew was gone there lay a small round thing like the frost of the ground and they said one to another It is Manna And Moses said unto them This is the bread the Lord hath given you to eat gather thereof and he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no want Moses commanded them to leave none untill the morning but some of them did not hearken to him but kept of it till morning and it bred wormes and stanke and this Manna was not to be found upon the seventh day It tasted like wafers made with hony And Moses spake unto Aaron to keep in a pot an Omer full of it therein and lay it before the Lord to be kept for their generations So Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept the children of Israel did eat Manna fourty years untill they came to the borders of Canaan And the children of Israel journied from Sin and came to Rephidim and there was no water to drinke wherefore the people did chide with Moses and murmured against him And Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall I doe with this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord commanded him to call the Elders of Israel and goe to the Rock in Horeb and smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it for the people to drink and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel Then Amalek came to fight with Israel and Moses bade Joshua goe and meet them with a chosen company and Joshua did so and fought with him and Moses stood upon an hill with Aaron and Hur and had his Rod in his hand and in the fight whiles he held up his hand the men of Israel prevailed but when he let it downe Amalek prevailed But Moses hands being heavy they took a stone and put it under him and he sate thereon and Aaron and Hur staid up his hands of each side and they were steady untill the going down of the Sunne and Joshua discomfited Amalek There Moses built an Altar and called it Joshua Nissi And Jethro father in law to Moses his wife with his two sonnes came unto Moses into the wildernesse where he encamped at the mount of God where they received one another with great love Moses telling him of all what God had done for Israel by delivering them from the hands of Pharaoh and Jethro sacrificed to the Lord and blessed the Lord God of Israel and Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eate bread with Jethro but Jethro seeing Moses sit in judgement amongst the people from morning to evening he perswaded Moses to take some helpers and not to weare himselfe out which counsell he followed onely when matters of great difficulty came to be heard Moses heard them and Jethro departed from Moses and went into his owne land After this the children of Israel removed and came to the desart of Sinai and encamped before the mount and Moses went up unto God who spake unto him and bad him tell the sonnes of Jacob what he had done for them and if they served him he would continue his mercies exceedingly unto them and Moses told the people what the Lord said and all the people answered together We will obey the Lord. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord then he commanded him to sanctifie the people unto the Lord and to be ready against the third day for then he would come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai but commanded bounds to be set about the mountaine that the people should not come upon the Mount nor touch the borders of it lest they be destroyed onely Moses and Aaron were to goe up and Moses sanctiâ—ied the people and bid them be ready the third day and that day in the morning was thundering and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people trembled And Moses brought forth the people to meet with
and then they confessed their sinnes unto Moses and desired him to pray to the Lord for them the which he did And the Lord commanded Moses to make a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live and Moses did accordingly make a brazen serpent and they that were bitten when they beheld it lived And the children of Israel then journeyed faster and came to Beor unto a place where the Princes and Nobles digged it by the directions of the Lawgiver and went further where they sent to Sihon the King of the Amorites to let them passe thorough his land paying for what they had and onely to goe the Kings high way while they were past his borders but he would not suffer them to passe but gathered his people together and fought with Israel where the Amorites were overthrowne Israel taking all their cities and dwelt in them and the Countrey thereabouts and Moses sent to spy out Jaazer and drave the Amorites from thence and possessed it And after they marched and Og King of Bashan raised his people and then Israel did overthrow them and possessed their land After this the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plaines of Moab and Moab was affraid Balak the sonne of Zippor was King of the Moabites at that time who sent messengers unto Balaam to come to him letting him know how the children of Israel who came out of Egypt came neare him praying him to curse them And he bade the messengers sent lodge there that night but God said unto Balaam Thou shalt not goe with them neither curse them for they are blessed and Balaam told the messengers Get ye home for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to goe with you and the Princes returned to Balak saying Balaam refuseth to come with us then Balak sent Princes more honourable then they with proffers unto Balaam of great preferments and honour unto him but he answered If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold hee could not goe beyond the command of God to doe lesse or more but desired them to stay that night that he might know the will of the Lord and that night the Lord said unto Balaam If they call goe along with them but doe that which I shall say unto thee Then Balaam rose up in the morning and sadled his Asse and went with the Princes of Moab and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way and as he was riding with his two servants the Asse seeing the Angel of the Lord with his sword in his hand he turned out of the way and Balaam smote her it being betweene two wals the Asse thrust her selfe upon the wall crusht Balaams foote against the wall and then he smote her againe then the Asse fell down under Balaam and then he smote the Asse againe and the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse and she said unto Balaam What have I done unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times and Balaam said unto the Asse Behold thou hast mocked me if I had a sword I would kill thee and the Asse said unto Balaam Am not I thine Asse upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day was I ever wont to doe so unto thee and he said Nay then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the Angel of the Lord and he bowed downe his head and fell flat on his face and said he had sinned Now therefore if it please thee I will returne back but the Angel said Goe on with the men but onely speake that word I shall speak unto thee and so he went with the Princes and Balak hearing of his coming he went to meet him and said unto him Wherefore diddest thou not come sooner am not I able to promote thee to honour but Balaam said The word that God putteth into my mouth will I speake And they offered burnt-offerings and he said unto Balak How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied at which Balak was offended but he answered must I not take heed to speake that which the Lord hath put into my mouth and after other burnt-offerings at Zophim his answer was to Balak Behold I have received commandement to blesse and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it he hath not behâ—ld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seene perversenesse in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them then Balak said Neither doe thou blesse them nor curse them but he answered All that the Lord speaketh that I must doe but Balaam seeing it was Gods will to blesse Israel he left after looking to enchantments but set his face towards the wildernesse and he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes and the Spirit of God came upon him and he said How goodly are thy tents O Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel c. then Balaks anger was kindled against him but Balaam prophesied saying I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh There shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Seth out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion c. And Balaam rose up and went and returned to his place and Balak also went his way And Israel abiding in Shittim the people beganne to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab and bowed towards their gods and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them One of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses and all the congregation of Israel who were weeping before the doore of the tabernacle and when Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest saw it he rose from amongst the congregation and tooke a Javelin in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both the man and the woman Zimri and Cozbi through so the plague was stayed in Israel and those that dyed of the plague were twenty and foure thousand And Moses desired of the Lord to set a man over the congregation to goe in and out before them that they may not be as sheep that have no shepherd and the Lord said unto Moses Take thee Joshuah the sonne of Nun a man in whom is the Spirit and lay thine hand upon him and set him before Eleazar the Priest and before all the congregation and give him a charge in their sight and thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him that all Israel may be obedient and he shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him after the judgement of Urim before the Lord and Moses did as the Lord commanded him and he