XXXVI.

GENESIS, Chap. XLI. from Ver. 37. to 45. 50, to 52.

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v, 44. Pharaoh faid unto Jofeph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee fhall no man lift up his band or foot in all the land of Egypt.

45. And Pharaoh called Jofeph's name Zaphnath paaneah; and he gave him to wife Alenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On: and Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

50. And unto Jofeph were born two fons, before the years of famine came: which Afenath the daughter of Pori-pherah priest of On, bare unto him.

XXXVII. GENESIS, XLI. The Famine begins. Jofeph's Brethren, &c.

IME now had ripen'd Faté,and on the Spheres Had Spun the firft, blefs'd Week of plenteous The Granaries are fill'd by Joseph's Care,` (Years: And all against th' approaching Storm prepare ; Which now arrives, a dreadful Famine reigns, Nor Father Nile cou'd blefs his Egypts Plains: They on their unexhaufted Stores rely, And forein Regions can from thence Supply; Old Facob hears, and fends his Sons to buy ; For Canaans fertile Fields their Want confefs, Scorch'd like Arabia's Sandy Wilderness. His Benjamin alone behind 'em ftays, The Second Hope of his declining Days: The Ten to Egypt come, by Jofeph known, Tho' to his Brethren he a Stranger grown: Roughly he asks 'em whence they came, and why? Trembling and pale, from Canaan, they reply To purchase Food -- Rather the Land to fpy From Lubims waft, or Cush, our ancient Foe He fierce, rejoins -- With fuppliant Voice and low Agen they plead their Truth, and thus began, We once Twelve happy Sons of one Old Man; One his untimely Fate long fince did find, The Youngest with his Father ftays behind.

Let this appear, you vindicate your Truth ; Replies the Prince, but go, and bring the Youth: The while this Pledge thall your Return secure, Or juft Rewards of broken Faith endure,

Simeon, to Blood and Murder moft inclin'd When him they fold, he bids his Servants bind; The reft return withCorn,hefstaysinChains behind. XXXVIII.

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XXXVIII. GENESIS, Chap. XLIII. XLIV.
Heir num'rousHaufhold foon exhaust their ftore
TLeanWant appears, and makes 'em wish for more
Yet dare they not to Mizraims Fields repair,
Their Brother left in Chains an Hostage there,
Unless the Youngest now the Fourny thare:
Their mournful Father yields a forc'd affent,
Away his Benjamin, his Darling went:
At length arriv'd at Fofeph's Princely Seat
He mildly with 'em thus begins to treat,

And does th' Old Sire of whom ye fpake, ftill fhare
The cheerful Light, and taft th' Etherial Air?
He does, Great Sir! tho' Old and full of Days,
The Ten reply, and for your Welfare prays.
Agen he views 'em with attentive Eyes,
And Benjamin among the Crowd espies;
With haft he flees to his retir'd Alcove,
And vents in Show'rs of Tears, fraternal Love,
Returning foon, he treats his Hebrew Friends,
And loaden back with Corn, rejoicing fends:
But fhort their Foy, and but in vain their Haft,
The Steward had a maffy Goblet plac'd,
So Jofeph will'd, within the Youngers Sack;
He foon o'rtakes, and brings 'em trembling back:
The fatal Bowl with Benjamin was found

And he fecur'd; when proftrate on the Ground
Thus Judah pleads on me, on me, let all
The Guilt and Punishment unpity'd fall:
But, Oh! this unadverting Youth forgive!
Let him, or rather let his Father live!
If him he mifs, he dies, nor dar'd we come

Till I his Surety to return him home :

Here rather let me fall, if fall I must,

Than bring my aged Sire with Sorrow to the Duft.

XXXIX. Jofeph makes himself known to his Brethren. He fends for his Father.

N°

longer Jofeph cou'd himself refrain,

But ftruggling Nature broke th' uneafieChain: He bids 'em clear the Room, the Crowd obey, And none befides his Wond'ring Brethren stay ; Then I am Jofeph, faid, nor needed more, Tho' humbly proftrate on the Earth before,

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They'd now have farther gone, and with its Womb,
And darkest Shades their kind immediate Tomb:
Agen with gentle words their minds he chears,
And with reviving Smiles difpells their Fears:
The Youngest firft embrac'd with friendly Tears,
Then all the Rest; he bids their Grief forbear
For God to fave their Lives had plac'd him there
Five dreadful Tears of Famine yet remain,
No Harvest fhou'd requite the Tiller's Pain:
Return, my aged Father bring with haft,
I'll feed you all until the Dearth be pass'd:
Of Egypt's Dainties he a Present sends,
And bids 'em on the way continue Friends,
Arriv'd they to their aged Sire relate
His Jofeph's Glory and his alter'd Fate :
Too big th' unwieldy Joy, too vaft the News,
Long did his fainting Heart, Belief refuse:
But when he faw the Carriages appear,
And did his pious Sons kind melage hear;
Forgotten Foy fhines in his lightn'd Eyes,
And thus the aged Sire in Extafies:

"Shall these chill Veins new Life and Warmth re"And does my loft lamented Fofeph live? (ceive, "Tho' long the Journey, all my Strength I'll try To fee and bless my Son, my Jofeph, e'r I die.

XXXIX.

GENESIS, Chap. XLV. Ver. 1. to 16.

v. 1. Then Jofeph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, cause every man to go out from me: and there food no man with him, while Jofeph made himself known unto his brethren.

V. 13. And faid, ye shall tell my father, &c. and ye fhall hafte, and bring down my father hither. 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them and after that, his brethren talked with him.