3 Annas visits Joseph, perceives the Virgin big with child,
4 informs the high priest that Joseph had privately married her.
8 Joseph and Mary brought to trial on the charge.
17 Joseph drinks the water of the Lord as an ordeal,
and receiving no harm, returns home.
THEN came Annas the scribe,
and said to Joseph, Wherefore
have we not seen you since
your return?
2 And Joseph replied, Because
I was weary after my journey, and
rested the first day.
3 But Annas turning about
perceived the Virgin big with child.
4 And went away to the priest,
and told him, Joseph in whom you
placed so much confidence, is
guilty of a notorious crime, in
that he hath defiled the Virgin
whom he received out of the temple
of the Lord, and hath privately
married her, not discovering it to
the children of Israel.
5 Then said the priest, Hath
Joseph done this?
6 Annas replied, If you send
any of your servants you will find
that she is with child.
7 And the servants went, and
found it as he said.
8 Upon this both she and Joseph
were brought to their trial, and
the priest said unto her, Mary,
what hast thou done?
9 Why hast thou debased thy
soul, and forgot thy God, seeing
thou wast brought up in the Holy
of Holies, and didst receive thy
food from the hands of angels, and
heardest their songs?
10 Why hast thou done this?
11 To which with a flood of
tears she answered, As the Lord
my God liveth, I am innocent in
his sight, seeing I know no man.
12 Then the priest said to Joseph,
Why hast thou done this?
13 And Joseph answered, As
the Lord my God liveth, I have
not been concerned with her.
14 But the priest said, Lie not,
but declare the truth; thou hast
privately married her, and not
discovered it to the children of
Israel, and humbled thyself under
the mighty hand (of God), that thy
seed might be blessed:
15 And Joseph was silent.
16 Then said the priest
(to Joseph), You must restore to
the temple of the Lord the Virgin
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.