in the humbleft manner, Judah, who had taken Benjamin under his care, addreffing himfelf to Jofeph, in the most fubmiffive and pathetick terms, acquainted him with his father's ex-, treme fondness for the lad, the great difficulty they had to perfuade him to part with one he fo tenderly loved, and the danger of his grieving to death for the lofs of him. He like wife, at the fame time, offered himself as an equivalent for his brother, with fuch zeal and. concern, that Jofeph was no longer able to contain himfelf. His bowels began to yearn, and his tears to flow fo faft, that he was forced to fend all the bystanders away, while he made himself known to his brothers. He no fooner had told them that he was Jofeph their brother, which was all that his full heart would let him utter, but they were all ftruck with fuch mixture of joy and furprife for a confiderable time, that they could make him no anfwer; neither did they dare even to look towards him, to convince themfelves whether it was really he.

By this time, Joseph, having recovered himfelf, defired them to draw nearer to him; he embraced them all round with furprising tenderness; and, to difpel all their further apprehenfions, told them, that their felling him into Egypt, having been directed by an unfeen providence, and proved the means of fo much good, both to himself, to them, and to all Egypt, he would be fo. far from refenting it, that they should never hear it fo much as mentioned by him, from that day. Whilft this was doing, fome of the Egyptians, one of whom might be the interpreter, went and acquainted

the

the King, and the whole court, that Joseph's brethren were come to buy corn. Jofeph, who only fent the Egyptians out of the room, that he might be without witneffes, whilst he discovered himself to them, went himself with the news of it to Pharaoh, who is fuppofed to have been Thufimares King of Lower Egypt; who told Jofeph, that, fince his father had fuch a numerous family, and the famine not half over, he might fend for them, and place them in what part of the country he thought fit; promifing him, that they should never want provisions, nor any other favour he could fhew them. He likewife ordered him to fend them a fresh fupply of grain, and fuch other things as he thought they might want for their journey, and chariots to bring their wives, children, and best moveables; telling them, that they needed not regard the ordinary stuff, fince the good of the land was before them.

JOSEPH gladly obeyed the King's orders; and, befides the chariots and provisions, sent to his father ten affes laden with the choiceft commodities of Egypt; he likewise presented his brethren with changes of garments, and diftinguished Benjamin, by the addition of a large fum of money; after which he difmiffed them, with a strict charge, that they fhould not fall out by the way. It is not to be doubted, but their journey was performed more briskly this time than the laft. They found their father alive and well, whofe first eare was to look out for his favourite fon; whom having joyfully received, he thought himself at the height of his happiness. But when they acquainted him with Jofeph's gran

deur,

deur, and told him that he was the very man who had caufed them fuch mortal frights, the good old man, not being able to bear fo much good news at once, fainted away in their arms; and, being come to himself, doubted whether it was not a dream. At length, when they fhewed him Jofeph's prefents, and the Egyptian chariots, his doubts and fears vanished; and he cried out, in an excess of joy, It is enough for me that my fon Jofeph lives; I have nothing more to wish, but to go down and fee him once more before I die.

THIS great defire of feeing fo dear a fon, whom he had fo long mourned for, in all his Egyptian glory, fpurred him up to haften his departure, and to overcome all the difficulties, which the number of his children, cattle, and all the other lumber of houfhold-stuff, laid in his way.

JOSEPH was no fooner informed of it, than he got up into his chariot, and went to meet his father; and their mutual joy, upon this occafion, was fuch, as is better imagined than expreffed. As foon as this tender greeting was over, Jofeph told them, that he would go, out of hand, to Pharaoh, and give him notice of their arrival, who, no doubt, would have the curiofity to fend for them, and to inquire after their occupation; in which cafe, he charged them to tell him, that they, as well as their forefathers, were fhepherds from their youth. This was, indeed, an occupation which the Egyptians abominated; but Jofeph had his ends in it, being afraid left Pharaoh fhould detain them in his fervice, inftead of fending them into the land of Gofhen, where

he

Arabia, entered Affyria, and bent his march towards Babylon. Nabonadius hearing that he was advancing to his metropolis, marched out to give him battle; but being, without much ado, put to flight, he retreated to Babylon; where he was immediately blocked up, and clofely befieged by Cyrus. The fiege of this important place was no eafy enterprife. The walls were of a prodigious height, the number of men to defend them very great, and the city ftored with all forts of provifions for twenty years. However, thefe difficulties did not difcourage Cyrus from profecuting his defign; but, defpairing of being able to take the place by ftorm, he caufed a line of circumvallation to be drawn quite round the city, with a large and deep ditch; reckoning, that, if all communication with the country were cut off, the more people there were within the city, the fooner they would be obliged to furrender. That his troops might not be overfatigued, he divided his army into twelve bodies, appointing each body its month for guarding the trenches. The befieged, thinking themfelves out of all danger, by reafon of their high walls and magazines, infulted Cyrus from the ramparts, and looked upon all the trouble he gave himfelf as fo much unprofitable la

bour.

CYRUS, having fpent two entire years before` Babylon, without gaining any confiderable advantage over the place, at laft refolved upon the following ftratagem, which put him in poffeffion of it. He was informed, that a great annual folemnity was to be kept in Babylon; and that the Babylonians, on that occafion,