A Hyve Fvll of Hunnye :: :: University of Virginia Library

Here Ioseph now with his two Sonnes
doth to his Father goe,
Iacob Gods promis doth Rehearse,
and doth Receiue also
The sonnes of Ioseph as his owne,
and doth the yonger blisse
Before the elder Sonne: whereat
theyr Father moued is.

1

Agayne it hapned after this,
that one to Ioseph sayd,
Thy Father Iacob now is sicke,
and very ill apayde.

2

Then Ioseph did hymselfe prepare,
his Father for to see,
And both his Sonnes toke he wyth hym,
each one in his degree:

3

And one to Iacob sayd, behold,
thy sonne is come to thee.
Then Iacob tooke his strength to him,
and on his Bedde satte he.

4

And Iacob vnto Ioseph said,
at Luz did God appeere,
To mee in Land of Canaan,
and gaue me blessing there.

5

And Sayd: behold I will thee make
so Fruictfull in the Land,
And wil thy Seede so Multiply,
in Number as the Sand:

6

And Likewise will I gyue to thee,
and to thy Seede also,

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This Land for a Possession
to thine for aye to know.

7

And as concerning thy two Sonnes
which borne are vnto thee
In Egipt Land before I came
to Egipt, thee to see

8

They shalbe myne, as Ruben is
and Simeon are myne:
But Linage thyne whych thou bee got
them after, shalbe thyne:

9

And they after theyr Brethrens names
shal called be also,
As they in theyr Inheritaunce
are named where they go.

10

Now when that I from Padam came,
Rahell my wyfe did die,
Upon my hand in Canan Land
as I the way past by.

11

One halfe Dayes Iourney were not we
to come Ephrath vnto,
But in the Waye I Buried her
as best was so to doe.

12

Then Israel beheld the Sonnes
that Ioseph to hym, brought,
And sayd to hym, whose Sonnes are these
which after me haue sought?

13

Sayd Ioseph then, they are my Sonnes
whom God gaue here to mee:
Bryng them to mee I may them blesse,
for scarsly can I see.

14

For why, the Eyes of Israel
were Dymme and Duske of sight:
So that he could not wel beholde
nor wel discerne the Lighte.

15

Then Ioseph caus'd his Sonnes to come,
Iacob did them imbrace:

126

And holding them vpon his knees,
did Kisse them on the Face.

16

To Ioseph then sayd Israel,
my Sonne, I had not thought
Thy face for to haue sene: and yet
God hath me hyther brought.

17

And I haue sene thy Seede also
vnto my great reioyce:
Then Ioseph tooke them from his knees:
and so wyth humble voyce

18

Fel flat on ground and worshipt him,
and then with his right Hand
Toke Ephraim his yonger Sonne
and caus'd hym for to stand

19

The left Hand of his Graundsire by:
Manasseh so brought he
With Left hand his gaynst Iacobs right,
by Byrth in his degree.

20

Then Israel his right hand stretcht
vpon the yongers head,
And his left hand acrosse his Right
ful wysely forth he led,

21

And on Manassehs Head it layed,
the Elder of the twaine:
His Handes thus placed on theyr Heads
did so acrosse remayne.

22

Also he Ioseph blest and sayd
the God of fathers myne,
Beefore whose sight in Reuerent feare
they walkte from tyme to tyme,

23

I say, the God which hath me fed
the Dayes of al my life,
The Angel eke that me preseru'de
from ill debate and strife,

24

The Children blesse, and let my name
be named on them still.

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Likewise the Name of Fathers mine,
that they may grow and fill,

25

As Fyshe into a multitude,
amyd the Earth to bee.
When Ioseph, Iacobs right Hand now
on Ephraim dyd see,
It him dysp{l}eased very much,
and therefore, thus dyd hee:

26

His Fathers hand wyth his, hee staide,
the same for to remoue,
From Ephrims to Manassehs Head,
and sayd tweene Feare and Loue:

27

Not so my Father, this is hee
the Elder of the twayne,
Remoue thy right Hand to his Head,
and lette it there remayne.

28

His Father so refus'd to do,
as Ioseph badde hym tho,
But sayd, I know it well my Sonne,
right well I do it know.
He shal (said he) a People be,
and shall be great also,

29

But his yonge Brother Ephraim,
shall greater be then hee,
And eke his Seede encreasing still,
shall full of Nacions be.

30

So he them blest that Day, and sayd,
in thee shall Isrell blisse,
And say, as Ephraim God thee make,
and as Manasseh is.

31

And Iacob sette the yonger Sonne,
the elder Sonne before,
As one in whom Gods grace should bee
much manifested more.

32

To Ioseph then (sayd he) I Dye,
I may not long remayne,

127

And God vnto your Fathers Land,
shall guyde you backe againe.

33

I haue thee geuen aboue the rest,
a certain peece of Land,
Which wyth my Sworde and Bow I gotte,
out of the Amorites hand.