Chapter 18: Time Stands Still

1And he found a cave there, brought her (to it), stationed his sons with her, and went to look for a Hebrew midwife in the region of Bethlehem.

2Now I, Joseph, was wandering but not wandering. And I looked up at the dome of heaven and saw it standing still. I looked into the sky and was astonished to see that even the birds of heaven were still. And I looked at the ground and saw a bowl lying there, with workers reclining around it. Their hands were in the bowl, and they were chewing but not chewing. They were picking up food but not picking it up, and they were bringing it to their mouths but not bringing it to their mouths. Instead, all their faces were looking upward.

3And I saw sheep being driven, but the sheep stood still. And the shepherd lifted his hand to strike them, but his hand remained raised. And I looked into the rushing river and saw young goats with their mouths in the water, but they were not drinking.

4And suddenly, everything resumed its course.