and Joseph; other children twain
Were born his brothers in that family, 690
Simon and Jacob--Joseph's sons they are.'
So spake the counsellors of men, the lords
Ambitious, and they thought to hide the might
Of God; their sin returned to them again
From whom it rose, an everlasting bane.

Then did the Prince, the Lord of hosts, depart
With all His thanes from out the council-hall,
Strong in His might, to seek an unknown land.
By wonders manifold and mighty deeds
In deserts wild He showed that He was King 700
By right throughout the world, made strong with power,
Ruler and Author of bright majesty,
Eternal God of all created things.
Likewise He showed before the sight of men
Unnumbered other works miraculous.

Upon another journey then He went
With a vast throng, and in the temple stood,
The glorious Prince. The sound of words arose
Within the lofty building; sinful men
Would not receive the holy Savior's words,
Though He had shown so many tokens true 710
While they looked on. Upon the temple wall
On either side the Lord victorious saw
An image of His angels wondrous carved,
Brightly adorned and beautifully wrought;
Then to the multitude he spake in words:--
'This is the likeness of the angel-race
Most widely known to dwellers in this town.
In Paradise their names are Cherubim 720
And Seraphim; before the face of God
They stand, strong-souled, and with their voices praise
In holy song the might of Heaven's King,
And God's protecting hand. Here is carved out
The holy angels' form; the thanes of glory
Are chiseled on the wall by handicraft.'

The Lord of hosts, the Holy Spirit of heaven,
Spake yet again unto the multitude:--
'Now I command a sign to be disclosed,
A miracle before the throng of men, 730
That from the wall this image shall descend
All beautiful to earth, and speak a word,
Shall tell them truly of My parentage,
That men throughout the land may then believe!'

The ancient image durst not disobey
The Savior's words, but leapt from off the wall,
Stone cleft from stone; upon the earth it stood,
A wonder in the sight of all the throng;
Then came a voice loud sounding from the stone, 740
Rebuking them in words; and wondrous seemed
The statue's speech to those proud-hearted men.
With tokens manifest it taugh