the people ran and met together.

8 Joseph also throwing away
his hatchet, went out to meet
them; and when they were met,
they went to the high-priest;
taking every man his rod.

9 After the high-priest had
received their rods, he went
into the temple to pray;

10 And when he had finished
his prayer, he took the rods, and
went forth and distributed them,
and there was no miracle attended
them.

11 The last rod was taken by
Joseph, said behold a dove
proceeded out of the rod, and
flew upon the head of Joseph.

12 And the high-priest said,
Joseph, Thou art the person
chosen to take the Virgin of the
Lord, to keep her for him:

13 But Joseph refused, saying,
I am an old man, and have children,
but she is young, and I fear
lest I should appear ridiculous
in Israel.

14 Then the high-priest replied,
Joseph, Fear the Lord thy God,
and remember how God dealt with
Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, how
the earth opened and swallowed
them up, because of their
contradiction.

15 Now therefore, Joseph, fear
God lest the like things should
happen in your family.

16 Joseph then being afraid,
took her unto his house, and
Joseph said unto Mary, Behold, I
have taken thee from the temple
of the Lord, and now I will leave
thee in my house; I must go to
mind my trade of building. The
Lord be with thee.

CHAPTER IX.

1 The priests desire a new veil for the temple,
3 seven virgins cast lots for making different parts of it,
4 the lot to spin the true purple falls to Mary.
5 Zacharias, the high priest, becomes dumb.
7 Mary takes a pot to draw water, and hears a voice,
8 trembles and begins to work,
9 an angel Appears and salutes her, and tells her she
shall conceive by the Holy Ghost,
17 she submits.
19 Visits her cousin Elizabeth, whose child in her womb leaps.

AND it came to pass, in a council
of the priests, it was said,
Let us make a new veil for the
temple of the Lord.

2 And the high-priest said,
Call together to me seven undefiled
virgins of the tribe of David.

3 And the servants went and
brought them into the temple of
the Lord, and the high-priest said
unto them, Cast lots before me
now, who of you shall spin the
golden thread, who the blue, who
the scarlet, who the fine linen, and
who the true purple.

4 Then the high-priest knew
Mary; that she was of the tribe of
David; and he called her, and the
true purple fell to her