14 He suffered no man to do them wrong : but reproved even kings for their sakes; 15 Touch not Mine Anointed and do My prophets no harm.

16 Moreover, He called for a dearth upon and destroyed all the provision

the land

of bread.

17 But He had sent a man before them: even Joseph, who was sold to be a bondservant;

18 Whose feet they hurt in the stocks: the iron entered into his soul;

19 Until the time came that his cause was known: the word of the Lord tried him. 20 The king sent, and delivered him : the prince of the people let him go free.

21 He made him lord also of his house : and ruler of all his substance;

22 That he might inform his princes after his will and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham. 24 And He increased His people exceedingly and made them stronger than their enemies;

:

25 Whose heart turned so, that they hated His people and dealt untruly with His servants.

26 Then sent He Moses His servant: and Aaron whom He had chosen.

27 And these shewed His tokens among them and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and it was dark: and they were not obedient unto His word.

29 He turned their waters into blood : and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs yea, even in their kings' chambers.

31 He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies and lice in all their quarters.

32 He gave them hail-stones for rain : and flames of fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and figtrees and destroyed the trees that were in their coasts.

34 He spake the word, and the grasshoppers came, and caterpillars innumerable and did eat up all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.

35 He smote all the first-born in their land even the chief of all their strength.

36 He brought them forth also with silver and gold there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

37 Egypt was glad at their departing : for they were afraid of them.

38 He spread out a cloud to be a covering: and fire to give light in the night-season.

39 At their desire He brought quails: and He filled them with the bread of heaven.

40 He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out: so that rivers ran in the dry places.

41 For why? He remembered His holy promise and Abraham His servant.

42 And He brought forth His people with joy and His chosen with gladness;

43 And gave them the lands of the heathen and they took the labours of the

people in possession;

44 That they might keep His statutes : and observe His laws.

Twenty-third Bay.

FIRST PORTION.

PSALM CVI. Confitemini Domino. GIVE thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious and His mercy endureth for ever.

2 Who can express the noble acts of the Lord or shew forth all His praise?

3 Blessed are they that alway keep judg ment and do righteousness.

4 Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people : O visit me with Thy salvation;

5 That I may see the felicity of Thy chosen and rejoice in the gladness of Thy people, and give thanks with Thine inherit

ance.

:

6 We have sinned with our fathers: we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly.

7 Our fathers regarded not Thy wonders in Egypt, neither kept they Thy great goodness in remembrance but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless, He helped them for His Name's sake : that He might make His power to be known.

9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up so He led them through the deep, as through a wilderness.

10 And He saved them from the adversary's hand; and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

11 As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them there was not one of them left.

12 Then believed they His words and sang praise unto Him.

13 But within a while they forgat His works and would not abide His counsel.

14 But lust came upon them in the wilderness and they tempted God in the desert.

15 And He gave them their desire and sent leanness withal into their soul.

16 They angered Moses also in the tents: and Aaron the saint of the Lord.

17 So the earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan and covered the congregation of Abiram.

18 And the fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the ungodly. 19 They made a calf in Horeb worshipped the molten image.

and

into

20 Thus they turned their glory the similitude of a calf that eateth hay. 21 And they forgat God their Saviour: Who had done so great things in Egypt;

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham: and fearful things by the Red sea.

23 So He said, He would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before Him in the gap: to turn away His wrathful indignation, lest He should destroy them. 24 Yea, they thought scorn of that plea

sant land word;

and gave no credence unto His

25 But murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. 26 Then lift He up His hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness; 27 To cast out their seed among the nations and to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves unto Baalpeor and ate the offerings of the dead.

29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their own inventions: and the plague was great among them.

30 Then stood up Phinees and prayed : and so the plague ceased.

31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness among all posterities for

evermore.

32 They angered Him also at the waters of strife so that He punished Moses for their sakes;

33 Because they provoked his spirit: so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips,

34 Neither destroyed they the heathen; as the Lord commanded them;

35 But were mingled among the heathen: and learned their works.

36 Insomuch that they worshipped their idols, which turned to their own decay: yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils;

37 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters: whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood.