which you took thence.
17 But he wept bitterly, and the
priest added, I will cause you both
to drink the water of the Lord,
which is for trial, and so your
iniquity shall be laid open before
you.—[bitter water that causeth the curse]
18 Then the priest took the water,
and made Joseph drink, and sent him
to a mountainous place,
19 And he returned perfectly
well, and all the people wondered
that his guilt was not discovered.
20 So the priest said, Since the
Lord hath not made your sins
evident, neither do I condemn
you.
21 So he sent them away.
22 Then Joseph took Mary, and
went to his house, rejoicing and
praising the God of Israel.
CHAP. XII.
1 A decree from Augustus for taxing the Jews.
5 Joseph puts Mary on an ass, to return to Bethlehem,
6 she looks sorrowful,
7 she laughs,
8 Joseph inquires the cause of each,
9 she tells him she sees two persons,
one mourning and the other rejoicing.
10 The delivery being near, he takes her
from the ass, and places her in a cave.
AND it came to pass, that there
went forth a decree from
the Emperor Augustus, that all
the Jews should be taxed, who
were of Bethlehem in Judaea.
2 And Joseph said, I will take
care that my children be taxed;
but what shall I do with this young
woman?
3 To have her taxed as my wife
I am ashamed; and if I tax her as
my daughter, all Israel knows she
is not my daughter.
4 When the time of the Lord's
appointment shall come, let him do
as seems good to him.
5 And he saddled the ass, and
put her upon it, and Joseph and
Simon followed after her, and
arrived at Bethlehem within three
miles.
6 Then Joseph turning about
saw Mary sorrowful, and said
within himself, Perhaps she is in
pain through that which is within
her.
7 But when he turned about
again, he saw her laughing, and
said to her,
8 Mary, how happens it, that I
sometimes see sorrow, and sometimes
laughter and joy in thy countenance?
9 And Mary replied to him,
I see two people with mine eyes,
the one weeping and mourning,
the other laughing and rejoicing.
10 And he went again across
the way, and Mary said to Joseph,
Take me down from the ass, for
that which is in me presses to come
forth.
11 But Joseph replied, Whither
shall I take thee? for the place is
a desert.
12 Then said Mary again to Joseph,
take me down, for that which is
within me mightily presses me.
13 And Joseph took her down.
14 And he found there a cave,
and let her into it.
CHAPTER XIII.
1 Joseph seeks a Hebrew midwife,
2 perceives the owls stopping in their flight,
3 the working people at their food not moving,
8 the sheep standing still,
9 the shepherd fixed and immoveable,
10 and kids with their mouths touching
the water but not drinking.
AND leaving her and his sons
in the cave, Joseph went
forth to seek a Hebrew midwife in
the village of Bethlehem.
2 But as I was going (said Joseph),
I looked up into the air,
and I saw the clouds astonished,
and the fowls of the air stopping in
the midst of their flight.
3 And I looked down towards
the earth, and saw a table spread,
and working people sitting around
it, but their hands were upon the
table and they did not move to
eat.
4 They who had meat in their
mouths did not eat.
5 They who lifted their hands
up to their heads did not draw
them back,
6 And they who lifted them up
to their mouths did not put any
thing in;
7 But all their faces were fixed
upwards.
8 And I beheld the sheep dispersed,
and yet the sheep stood still.
9 And the shepherd lifted up
his hand to smite them, and his
hand continued up.
10 And I looked unto a river,
and saw the kids with their mouths
close to the water, and touching it,
but they did not drink.
CHAPTER XIV.
1 Joseph finds a midwife.
10 A bright cloud overshadows the cave.
11 A great light in the cave, gradually
increases until the infant