Chapter 16

1Christ miraculously widens or contracts the gates, milk-pails, sieves, or bones, not properly made by Joseph, 4 he not being skilful at his carpenter's trade. 5 The King of Jerusalem gives Joseph an order for a throne. 6 Joseph works on it for two years in the king's palace, and makes it two spans too short. The king being angry with. him, 10 Jesus comforts him, 13 commands him to pull one side of the throne, while he pulls the other, and brings it to its proper dimensions. 14 Whereupon the bystanders praise God . AND Joseph, wheresoever he went in the city, took the Lord Jesus with him, where he was sent for to work to make gates, or milk-pails, or sieves, or boxes; the Lord Jesus was with him wheresoever he went.
2And as often as Joseph had anything in his work, to make longer or shorter, or wider, or narrower, the Lord Jesus would stretch his hand towards it.
3And presently it became as Joseph would have it.
4So that he had no need to finish anything with his own hands, for he was not very skilful at his carpenter's trade.
5On a certain time the King of Jerusalem sent for him, and said, I would have thee make me a throne of the same dimensions with that place in which I commonly sit.
6Joseph obeyed, and forthwith began the work, and continued two years in the king's palace before he finished it.
7And when he came to fix it in its place, he found it wanted two spans on each side of the appointed measure.
8Which, when the king saw, he was very angry with Joseph;
9And Joseph afraid of the king's anger, went to bed without his supper, taking not any thing to eat.
10Then the Lord Jesus asked him, What he was afraid of?
11Joseph replied, Because I have lost my labour in the work which I have been about these two years.
12Jesus said to him, Fear not, neither be cast down;
13Do thou lay hold on one side of the throne, and I will the other, and we will bring it to its just dimensions.
14And when Joseph had done as the Lord Jesus said, and each of them had with strength drawn his side, the throne obeyed, and was brought to the proper dimensions of the place:
15Which miracle when they who stood by saw, they were astonished, and praised God.
16The throne was made of the same wood, which was in being in Solomon's time, namely, wood adorned with various shapes and figures.