made a public order, That all the
virgins who had public settlements
in the temple, and were come to
this age, should return home, and,
as they were now of a proper
maturity, should, according to the
custom of their country, endeavour
to be married.
5 To which command, though
all the other virgins readily yielded
obedience, Mary the Virgin of the
Lord alone answered, that she
could not comply with it,
6 Assigning these reasons, that
both she and her parents had
devoted her to the service of the
Lord; and besides, that she had
vowed virginity to the Lord,
which vow she was resolved never
to break through by lying with a
man.
7 The high-priest being hereby
brought into a difficulty,
8 Seeing he durst neither on the
one hand dissolve the vow, and
disobey the Scripture, which says,
Vow and pay,
9 Nor on the other hand
introduce a custom, to which
the people were strangers, commanded,
10 That at the approaching feast
all the principal persons both of
Jerusalem and the neighbouring
places should meet together, that
he might have their advice, how
he had best proceed in so difficult
a case.
11 When they were accordingly
met, they unanimously agreed to
seek the Lord, and ask counsel
from him on this matter.
12 And when they were all
engaged in prayer, the high-priest
according to the usual way, went
to consult God.
13 And immediately there was
a voice from the ark, and the mercy
seat, which all present heard, that
it must be enquired or sought out
by a prophecy of Isaiah, to whom
the Virgin should be given and be
betrothed;
14 For Isaiah saith, there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of
Jesse, and a flower shall spring
out of its root,
15 And the Spirit of the Lord
shall rest upon him, the Spirit of
Wisdom and Understanding, the
Spirit of Counsel and Might, the
Spirit of Knowledge and Piety,
and the Spirit of the fear of the
Lord shall fill him.
16 Then, according to this
prophecy, he appointed, that all
the men of the house and family
of David, who were marriageable,
and not married, should bring their
several rods to the altar,
17 And out of whatsoever
person's rod after it was brought,
a flower should bud forth, and on
the top of it the Spirit of the Lord
should sit in the appearance of a
dove, he should be the man to
whom the Virgin should be given
and be betrothed.
CHAPTER VI.
1 Joseph draws back his rod.
5 The dove pitches on it. He betroths Mary and
returns to Bethlehem.
7 Mary returns to her parents' house at Galilee.
AMONG the rest there was a
man named Joseph of the
house and family of David, and a
person very far advanced in years,
who kept back his rod, when every
one besides presented his.
2 So that when nothing appeared
agreeable to the heavenly voice,
the high-priest judged it proper to
consult God again.
3 Who answered that he to
whom the Virgin was to be
betrothed was the only person of
those who were brought together,
who had not brought his rod.
4 Joseph therefore was betrayed.
5 For, when he did bring his
rod, and a dove coming from
Heaven pitched upon the top of
it, every one plainly saw, that the
Virgin was to be betrothed to him.
6 Accordingly, the usual
ceremonies of betrothing being over,
he returned to his own city of
Bethlehem, to set his house in
order, and make the needful
provisions for the marriage.
7 But the Virgin of the Lord,
Mary, with seven other virgins of
the same age, who had been weaned
at the same time, and who had
been appointed to attend her by
the priest, returned to her parents'
house in Galilee.
CHAPTER VII.
7 The salutation of the Virgin by Gabriel, who explains to her
that she shall conceive, without lying with a man, while a Virgin,
19 by the Holy Ghost coming upon her without the heats of lust.
21 She submits.
NOW at this time of her first
coming into Galilee, the
angel Gabriel was sent to her
from God, to declare to her the
conception of our Saviour, and
the manner and way of her
conceiving him.
2 Accordingly going