Magnificat

Magnificat - Census

After the wedding, the next few months were rapidly gone. Miryam’s belly swelled with the life in her, and she rejoiced at each movement.

“Oh!” She exclaimed while take Yosef’s noonday meal to him.

“What is it?” He was overly concerned. He truly was an amazing man. Everything she said, he listened to, and everything she felt, he was there to experience.

“This babe grows strong. He kicks hard. Another month or two and he will be here. HE WILL BE HERE! MASHIACH! Oh, Yosef, the wonder never ceases that we were chosen.”

“Let me feel!” He put his hand on her swollen abdomen. The baby kicked very hard, as if trying to move his hand from where it rested. Yosef laughed with joy.

“Miryam: we are blessed to be chosen. What a wonder you will tell for years to come; you felt Mashiach kicking in the womb!” He started crying... unusual for Yosef. He brought his head to rest on her forehead.

“Yahweh is gracious. Blessed be His name.” Miryam responded with tears streaming down her face as well.

“Blessed be His name.”

A knock interrupted their private moment.

“Shalom.” The greeting, though common to them, was always a blessing to Miryam.“Shalom, Ezekiel. What brings you?” Yosef asked while Miryam went inside to put on her veil. After marriage, a woman didn’t wear her hair uncovered outside of her home. It was for her husband to see. Yosef loved her hair unbound.

“I will tell you. The Roman Emperor Augustus has decided to count us like sheep, that’s what. We’re to go to our hometowns; more precisely, our family’s hometown. We have to go all the way to Yerushalayim. My wife and children are already packed. I thought I would wish you Shalom before we left.”

“We are from Beyit Lechem-Ephratha. My wife is due to have the child in the next month. I’m not sure she should make the journey.” Miryam touched his arm. The prophecy said that Mashiach would be born in the City of David.

Yosef understood her concern at his words as soon as she touched his arm. His words were more for his friend, Ezekiel, than they were for Miryam.

“Well, friend, good luck explaining why your household isn’t with you at Census. I won’t risk the consequences. The Romans don’t take kindly to people who disobey. Trust me. Taking five children and a pregnant wife on a journey does not sit well with me, either. Thankfully, we will be home before she is due to give birth. Yahweh will go with you, Yosef! With Miryam so far along, you may want to take some help along. She probably will not be as fortunate as my Rach’el. Shalom, friends.”  They embraced, kissing each other on the cheek, a tradition held for centuries.

Miryam stood by Yosef’s side as they watched their neighbor and friend walk towards the Holy City.

“Do you know what this means, Yosef?” Miryam asked, full aware he knew the words of the prophets.

“But Thou, Bethlehem Ephratha, even though you are the smallest in Judah, are by no means little. For from you shall come the one who shall be a great ruler in Israel; who is from of old; from everlasting. The prophet Micah said it. Mashiach must be born in Beyit Lechem. Yahweh has done this. We will go with joy, my wife, and with exuberance we will welcome Him. Omaine!”

“Omaine!”

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A/N: You can read Micah 5:2 for the exact words about the prophecy of Bethlehem. I have tried to get as close to the actual Hebrew as possible, but I don't read ancient Hebrew or speak ancient Aramaic, so I am probably not 100% correct on some of this.