The Nazarene VI

send the multitude away

This is a desert place,

*****

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh,

saying,

If now I have found grace in your eyes,

speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, . . .

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Un-to Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

*

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

*

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

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And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethle-hem.

And Jacob set a pillar upon - her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.

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And all his sons and all his daughters - rose up - to comfort him;

but he refused to be comforted; and he said,

For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning.

Thus his father wept for him.

*

. . . saying,

My father made me swear, . . .

*       

And Abraham took sheep and ox-en, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock - by themselves.

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

And he said, For these - seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there - they sware both of them.

*

. . . saying,

Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged - for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me.

Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

*****

and the time is now past;

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To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth:

they are a trouble unto me;

I am weary to - bear them.

And when ye spread forth your hands,

I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

*****

send the multitude away,

ISamuelyeaon-Am-Allah-Ohpia