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Chapter 8.
Now it came to pass, when she was
fourteen1632
years old, and
on this account there was occasion for the Pharisees’ saying that
it was now a custom that no woman of that age should abide in the temple of God, they
fell upon the plan of sending a herald through all the tribes of
Israel, that on the third day all should come together into the temple
of the Lord. And when all the people had come together, Abiathar
the high priest rose, and mounted on a higher step, that he might be
seen and heard by all the people; and when great silence had been
obtained, he said: Hear me, O sons of Israel, and receive my
words into your ears. Ever since this temple was built by
Solomon, there have been in it virgins, the daughters of kings and the
daughters of prophets, and of high priests and priests; and they were
great, and worthy of admiration. But when they came to the proper
age they were given in marriage, and followed the course of their
mothers before them, and were pleasing to God. But a new order of
life has been found out by Mary alone, who promises that she will
remain a virgin to God. Wherefore it seems to me, that through
our inquiry and the answer of God we should try to ascertain to whose
keeping she ought to be entrusted. Then these words found favour
with all the synagogue. And the lot was cast by the priests upon
the twelve tribes, and the lot fell upon the tribe of Judah. And
the priest said: To-morrow let every one who has no wife come,
and bring his rod in his hand. Whence it happened that
Joseph1633
| 1633 One of
themss. adds: Seeing that he had not a
wife, and not wishing to slight the order of the high
priest. | brought his
rod along with the young men. And the rods having been handed
over to the high priest, he offered a sacrifice to the Lord God, and
inquired of the Lord. And the Lord said to him: Put all
their rods into the holy of holies of God, and let them remain there,
and order them to come to thee on the morrow to get back their rods;
and the man from the point of whose rod a dove shall come forth, and
fly towards heaven, and in whose hand the rod, when given back, shall
exhibit this sign, to him let Mary be delivered to be kept.
On the following day, then, all having assembled
early, and an incense-offering having been made, the high priest went
into the holy of holies, and brought forth the rods. And when he
had distributed the rods,1634
| 1634 One of
themss. inserts: To the number of three
thousand. | and the dove
came forth out of none of them, the high priest put on the twelve
bells1635
and the sacerdotal robe; and entering
into the holy of holies, he there made a burnt-offering, and poured
forth a prayer. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
saying: There is here the shortest rod, of which thou hast made
no account: thou didst bring it in with the rest, but didst not
take it out with them. When thou hast taken it out, and hast
given it him whose it is, in it will appear the sign of which I spoke
to thee. Now that was Joseph’s rod; and because he was an
old man, he had been cast off, as it were, that he might not receive
her, but neither did he himself wish to ask back his rod.1636
| 1636 Another and more
probable reading is: And this was Joseph’s rod; and he was
of an abject appearance, seeing that he was old, and he would not ask
back his rod, lest perchance he might be forced to receive her. | And when he was humbly standing
last of all, the high priest cried out to him with a loud voice,
saying: Come, Joseph, and receive thy rod; for we are waiting for
thee. And Joseph came up trembling, because the high priest had
called him with a very loud voice. But as soon as he stretched
forth his hand, and laid hold of his rod, immediately from the top of
it came forth a dove whiter than snow, beautiful exceedingly, which,
after long flying about the roofs of the temple, at length flew towards
the heavens. Then all the people congratulated the old man,
saying: Thou hast been made blessed in thine old age, O father
Joseph, seeing that God hath shown thee to be fit to receive
Mary. And the priests having said to him, Take her, because of
all the tribe of Judah thou alone hast been chosen by God; Joseph began
bashfully to address them, saying: I am an old man, and have
children; why do you hand over to me this infant, who is younger than
my grandsons? Then Abiathar the high priest said to him:
Remember, Joseph, how Dathan and Abiron and Core perished, because they
despised the will of God. So will it happen to thee, if thou
despise this which is commanded thee by God. Joseph answered
him: I indeed do not despise the will of God; but I shall be her
guardian until I can ascertain concerning the will of God, as to which
of my sons can have her as his wife. Let some virgins of her
companions, with whom she may meanwhile spend her time, be given for a
consolation to her. Abiathar the high priest answered and
said: Five virgins indeed shall be given her for consolation,
until the appointed day come in which thou mayst receive her; for to no
other can she be joined in marriage.
Then Joseph received Mary, with the other five
virgins who were to be with her in Joseph’s house. These
virgins were Rebecca, Sephora, Susanna, Abigea, and Cael; to whom the
high priest gave the silk, and the blue,1637
and the fine linen, and the scarlet,
and the purple, and the fine flax. For they cast lots among
themselves what each virgin should do, and the purple for the veil of
the temple of the Lord fell to the lot of Mary. And when she had
got it, those virgins said to her: Since thou art the last, and
humble, and younger than all, thou hast deserved to receive and obtain
the purple. And thus saying, as it were in words of annoyance, they began to
call her queen of virgins. While, however, they were so doing,
the angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of them, saying:
These words shall not have been uttered by way of annoyance, but
prophesied as a prophecy most true. They trembled, therefore, at
the sight of the angel, and at his words, and asked her to pardon them,
and pray for them.
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