of Jesus Christ, both idolatry dishonouring to God, and ruinous to man." Our young friends may also learn that it is not enough for us to have the Bible, or even to read the Bible. We may do this and yet perish in our sins, our condemnation being the heavier, because we "knew our Lord's will; but did it not." We must pray for the teaching of God the Holy Spirit, that we may be "led into all truth," and not permitted to put the Bible in the place of Christ, but be enabled to believe in him, as made known to us in the holy book, and find him to be our all-sufficient Saviour, our Lord and our God.

JEHOVAH THE FRIEND OF THE WIDOW AND THE ORPHAN.

2 Kings iv. 1-7.

"A Father of the fatherless and a Judge of the widow, is God in his holy habitation."-Psalm lxviii. 5. COME, trembling mourners, dry your tears, O'er all your sorrows and your fears,

Let Faith in God prevail;

He is the helpless Orphan's friend,
The widow's cause He will defend,
His word can never fail,

A widow to Elisha cries,

Tell him from whence her griefs arise,
And how in sorrow's hour,
She trembles for her darling boys,
Her sole remaining earthly joys,
No longer in her power.

For now their father's debts to pay,
As bondmen from their home away,
Her sons are forced to go;

She pleads," her huband feared the Lord,"
And she too hopes upon his Word,

And has no help below.

The Prophet then with kindly care
Leads the poor mourner to declare,
That spite of all her toil,

Nought of her former store remains,
And her lone dwelling now contains,
But one small pot of oil.

Yet shall this humble suppliant prove,
That God to those who trust his love,
Rich mercies will renew;
Elisha bids her quickly send,

And ask her neighbours round to lend
Spare vessels "not a few."

Meekly obedient is she found,
The empty vessels ranged around,
And closed the lowly door:
As from a never-failing spring,
While her dear boys the vessels bring,
The oil flows more and more.

The mother asks another still,
But not one more remains to fill,
And now the oil is stayed.
But such a rich abundant store,
Has God bestowed upon the poor,
And such provision made.

That all her debts at once removed
The mother and her sons beloved,
May now securely dwell;
And spend a grateful life of praise,
Walking in His most holy ways,
Who doeth all things well.
Thus o'er each unprotected head,
The wing of Israel's God is spread,
He knows each mourner's grief;
And still his ear is swift to hear,
Ready his arm to save from fear,
And strong to bring relief.

M

* M.

Macintosh, Printer, Great New-street, London.

THE JEWISH ADVOCATE.

MARCH, 1846.

BIBLE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

CHAPTER X.

AND now began the time of great plenty: and continued, seven years of it, when the earth "produced by handfuls." And all that while Joseph kept storing up the fifth part of the over-abundant corn in great granaries, till it was plentiful "as the sand of the sea, very much."

And after the seventh and last year of this great plenty ended, the famine began. The earth that had borne so much would bear no more. Then came the people up in multitudes before Pharaoh, and cried out, "Give us bread!" And he said, "Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do." And Joseph then opened those great storehouses throughout all the cities of Egypt, and sold out the grain which had been stored up to the people: and not only all Egypt, but the people in the countries about, came to buy corn of him.

Now the land of Canaan, among others, was sorely afflicted with the famine. And Jacob bid his sons go down to Egypt and buy corn for themselves and him. So they set out, all of them together, excepting the youngest, Benjamin,

whom Jacob would not let go, lest mischief should befall him.

They came to Egypt; they came before Joseph their brother, and knew him not, sitting exalted in his place; they "bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth." And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, "Whence come ye?" They told him from Canaan, to buy corn. But he pretended not to believe them: they were spies, he said, come to see the poverty of Egypt, that they might report of it to Egypt's enemies. They strongly disclaimed this, and told their history. "Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not." Now the heart of Joseph (who, they thought, was not) yearned especially towards Benjamin, his full brother, the son of his own mother, Rachel. He said he would have them go back to Canaan and bring back that youngest brother with them to Egypt, so should he know they were not spies, but true If they brought not Benjamin back with them they should not see Joseph's face, nor be allowed to buy any more corn. And he would keep one of them in chains in Egypt as a security for the return of the others.

men.

Then began the brothers to think that their sin had found them out at last; and that judgment was coming upon them for their wickedness to Joseph. Their father, they said, would never let Benjamin out of his hands, and then, whosoever of them was left bound in Egypt would perhaps forfeit his life. All this they communed

in their own language, not supposing that Joseph understood what they were saying; for he spoke to them through an interpreter, as though he understood them not. But he did understand all they said, "and turned himself about from them and wept."

However, the time came for them to return. Joseph bound Simeon as a surety, and the rest departed on their journey. They were surprised to find that the money they had paid away for corn was lying, each man's money in his sack's mouth.

When they got home, they told Jacob all that had happened, and how the great lord in Egypt would not be persuaded they were not spies unless they returned to him again, bringing with them their youngest brother. But Jacob said unto them, "Me ye have bereaved of my children-Joseph is not, and Simeon is not; and ye will take Benjamin away." "My son shall not go down with you: for his brother is dead, and he is left alone; if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave."

But at last all the corn they had brought from Egypt was eaten. They must starve, or send to Egypt for more. Then began the trouble again. Jacob said to his sons, "Go again, buy us a little food." And Judah spake unto him, saying, "The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food; but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you."