Bible (Wycliffe)/Judges

Chapter 1
Aftir the deeth of Josue the sones of Israel counseliden the Lord, and seiden, Who schal stie bifor vs ayens Cananei, and schal be duik of the batel?

And the Lord seide, Judas schal stie; lo! Y haue youe the lond in to hise hondis.

And Juda seide to Symeon, his brother, Stie thou with me in my lot, and fiyte thou ayens Cananei, that Y go with thee in thi lot.

And Symeon yede with hym; and Judas stiede. And the Lord bitook Cananey and Feresei in to `the hondis of hem, and thei killiden in Besech ten thousynde of men.

And thei founden Adonybozech in Besech, and thei fouyten ayens hym, and smytiden Cananei, and Feresey.

Forsothe Adonybozech fledde, whom thei pursueden, and token, and kittiden the endis of hise hondis and feet.

And Adonybozech seide, Seuenti kyngis, whanne the endis of hondis and feet weren kit awey, gaderiden relifs of metis vndur my bord; as Y dide, so God hath yolde to me. And thei brouyten hym in to Jerusalem, and there he diede.

Therfor the sones of Juda fouyten ayens Jerusalem, and token it, and smytiden bi the scharpnesse of swerd, and bitoken al the cytee to brennyng.

And aftirward thei yeden doun, and fouyten ayens Cananey, that dwellide in the hilli places, and at the south, in `feeldi places.

And Judas yede ayens Cananei, that dwellide in Ebron, whos name was bi eld tyme Cariatharbe; and Judas killide Sisay, and Achyman, and Tholmai.

And fro thennus he yede forth, and yede to the dwelleris of Dabir, whos eld name was Cariathsepher, that is, the citee of lettris.

And Caleph seide, Y schal yyue Axa, my douyter, wijf to hym that schal smyte Cariathsepher, and schal waste it.

And whanne Othonyel, sone of Seneth, the lesse brother of Caleph, hadde take it, Caleph yaf Axa, his douyter, wijf to hym.

And hir hosebonde stiride hir, goynge in the weie, that sche schulde axe of hir fadir a feeld; and whanne sche hadde siyid, sittynge on the asse, Caleph seide to hir, What hast thou?

And sche answeride, Yiue thou blessyng to me, for thou hast youe a drye lond to me; yyue thou also a moyst lond with watris. And Caleph yaf to hir the moist lond aboue, and the moist lond bynethe.

Forsothe the sones of Cyney, `alye of Moyses, stieden fro the citee of palmes with the sones of Juda, in to the desert of his lot, which desert is at the south of Arath; and dwelliden with hym.

Sotheli Judas yede with Symeon, his brother; and thei smytiden togidere Cananei, that dwellide in Sephar, and killiden hym; and the name of that citee was clepid Horma, that is, cursyng, `ether perfit distriyng, for thilke citee was distried outerly.

And Judas took Gaza with hise coostis, and Ascolon, and Accaron with hise termes.

And the Lord was with Judas, and he `hadde in possessioun the hilli places; and he myyte not do awey the dwelleris of the valei, for thei weren plenteuouse in `yrun charis, scharpe as sithis.

And `the sones of Israel yauen Ebron to Caleph, as Moises hadde seid, which Caleph dide awei for it thre sones of Enach.

Forsothe the sones of Beniamyn diden not awei Jebusei, the dwellere of Jerusalem; and Jebusei dwellide with the sones of Beniamyn in Jerusalem `til in to present dai.

Also the hows of Joseph stiede in to Bethel, and the Lord was with hem.

For whanne thei bisegiden the citee, that was clepid Lusa bifore,

thei sien a man goynge out of the citee, and thei seiden to hym, Schewe thou to vs the entrynge of the cytee, and we schulen do mercy with thee.

And whanne he hadde schewid to hem, thei smytiden the citee bi scharpnes of swerd; sotheli thei delyueriden that man and al his kynrede.

And he was delyuerede, and yede in to the lond of Sethym, and bildide there a citee, and clepid it Luzam; which is clepid so til in to present dai.

Also Manasses dide not awei Bethsan and Thanael with her townes, and the dwelleris of Endor, and Geblaam and Magedo with her townes; and Cananei bigan to dwelle with hem.

Sotheli after that Israel was coumfortid, he made hem tributaries, `ethir to paye tribute, and nolde do awey hem.

Sotheli Effraym killide not Cananei that dwellyde in Gaser, but dwellide with hym.

Zabulon dide not awey the dwelleris of Cethron, and of Naalon; but Cananei dwellide in the myddis of hym, and was maad tributarie to him.

Also Aser dide not awey the dwelleris of Acho, and of Sidon, of Alab, and of Azazib, and of Alba, and Aphech, and of Aloa, and of Pha, and of Roob; and he dwellide in the myddis of Cananey,

dwellere of that lond, and killide not hym.

Neptalym dide not awei the dwelleris of Bethsames, and of Bethanach; and he dwellide among Cananey, dwellere of the lond; and Bethsamytis and Bethanytis weren tributarie to hym.

And Ammorrey helde streit the sones of Dan in the hil, and yaf not place to hem to go doun to pleynere places;

and he dwellide in the hil of Hares, `which is interpretid, Witnessyng, in Hailon, and in Salabym. And the hond of the hows of Joseph was maad heuy, and he was maad tributarie to hym.

And the terme of Ammorrei was fro the stiyng of Scorpioun, and the stoon, and hiyere places.

Chapter 2
And the aungel of the Lord stiede fro Galgala to the place of weperis, and seide, Y ledde you out of Egipt, and Y brouyte you in to the lond, `for which Y swoor to youre fadris, and bihiyte, that Y schulde not make void my couenaunt with you in to with outen ende;

so oneli that ye schulde not smyte boond of pees with the dwelleris of this lond, and schulden distrie `the auteris of hem; and ye nolden here my vois. Whi diden ye these thingis?

Wherfore Y nolde do hem awei fro youre face, that ye haue enemyes, and that `the goddis of hem be to you in to fallyng.

And whanne the `aungel of the Lord spak these wordis to alle the sones of Israel, thei reisiden her vois, and wepten; and the name of that place was clepid,

of weperis, ether of teeris; and thei offriden there sacrifices to the Lord.

Therfor Josue lefte the puple; and the sones of Israel wenten forth, ech man in to his possessioun, that thei schulden gete it.

And thei serueden the Lord in alle the daies of Josue, and of eldere men that lyueden aftir hym in long tyme, and knewen alle the grete werkis of the Lord, whiche he hadde do with Israel.

Forsothe Josue, sone of Nun, `seruaunt of the Lord, `was deed of an hundrid yeer and ten;

and thei birieden hym in the endis of his possessioun, in Thannath of Sare, in the hil of Effraym, at the north coost of the hil Gaas.

And al that generacioun was gaderid to her fadris; and othere men riseden, that knewen not the Lord, and the werkis whiche he `hadde do with Israel.

And the sones of Israel diden yuel in the siyt of the Lord, and thei serueden Baalym and Astaroth;

and forsoken the Lord God of her fadris, that ledden hem out of the lond of Egipt; and thei sueden alien goddis, the goddis of puplis, that dwelliden in `the cumpasse of hem, and worschipeden tho goddis, and excitiden the Lord to greet wraththe, and forsoken hym,

and serueden Baal and Astoroth.

And the Lord was wrooth ayens Israel, and bitook hem in to the hondis of rauyscheris, whiche rauyscheris token hem, and seelden to enemyes, that dwelliden `bi cumpas; and thei myyten not ayenstonde her aduersaries;

but whidir euer thei wolden go, the hond of the Lord was on hem, as he spak and swoor to hem; and thei weren turmentid greetli.

And the Lord reiside iugis, that `delyueriden hem fro the hondis of destrieris, but thei nolden here hem,

and thei diden fornycacioun, `that is, idolatrie, with alien goddis, and worschipiden hem. Soone thei forsoken the weie, bi which `the fadris of hem entriden; and thei herden the `comaundementis of the Lord, and diden alle thingis contrarie.

And whanne the Lord reiside iugis in `the daies of hem, he was bowid bi mercy, and he herde the weilyngis of hem turmentid, and he delyuerede hem fro the sleyng of wasteris.

Sotheli aftir that the iuge was deed, thei turneden ayen, and diden many thingis grettere `in yuel than her fadris diden; and thei sueden alien goddis, and serueden hem, and worschipiden hem; thei leften not her owne fyndyngis, and the hardeste weie `bi which thei weren wont to go.

And the strong veniaunce of the Lord was wrooth ayens Israel, and he seide, For this puple hath maad voide my couenaunt which Y couenauntide with her fadris, and dispiside to here my vois; also Y schal not do a wey folkis,

whiche Josue `lefte, and was deed;

that in hem Y asaie Israel, whether thei kepen the weie of the Lord, and goen ther ynne, as her fadris kepten, ether nay.

Therfor the Lord lefte alle these naciouns, and nolde destrie soone, nethir bitook in to the hondis of Josue.

Chapter 3
These ben the folkis whiche the Lord lefte, that in hem he schulde teche Israel, and alle men that knewen not the batels of Cananeis;

and that aftirward `the sones of hem schulden lerne to fiyte with enemyes,

and to haue custom of batel He lefte fyue princes of Filistees, and al Cananei, and the puple of Sidon, and Euey that dwelliden in the hil Liban, fro the hil Baal Hermon `til to the entryng of Emath.

And he lefte hem, that in hem he schulde asaie Israel, whethir thei wolden here the `heestis of the Lord, whiche he comaundide to her fadris bi the hond of Moises, ethir nai.

And so the sones of Israel dwelliden in the myddis of Cananei, of Ethei, and of Ammorrei, and of Feresei, and of Euey,

and of Jebusey, and weddiden wyues, the douytris of hem; and the sones of Israel yauen her douytris to `the sones of hem, and serueden `the goddis of hem.

And the sones of Israel diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord, and foryaten her Lord God, and serueden Baalym, and Astaroth.

And the Lord was wrooth ayens Israel, and bitook hem in to the hondis of Cusanrasathaym, kyng of Mesopotanye, and thei serueden hym eiyte yeer.

And thei crieden to the Lord, and he reiside to hem a sauyour, and delyuerede hem, that is, Othonyel, sone of Ceneth, `the lesse brothir of Caleph.

And the spirit of the Lord was in hym, and he demyde Israel. And he yede out to batel, and the Lord bitook in to hise hondis Cusanrathaym, kyng of Sirie; and Othonyel oppresside hym.

And the lond restide fourti yeer; and Othonyel, sone of Ceneth, diede.

Forsothe the sones of Israel addiden to do yuel in the `siyt of the Lord; and he coumfortide ayens hem Eglon, the kyng of Moab, for `thei diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord.

And the Lord couplide to hym the sones of Amon and Amalech; and he yede, and smoot Israel, and hadde in possessioun the citee of Palmes.

And the sones of Israel serueden Eglon, kyng of Moab, eiytene yeer.

And aftirward thei crieden to the Lord; and he reiside to hem a sauyour, Aioth bi name, the sone of Gera, sone of Gemyny, which Aioth vside euer either hond for the riyt hond. And the sones of Israel senten bi him yiftis, `that is, tribute, to Eglon, kyng of Moab;

which Aioth made to hym a swerd keruynge on euer either side, hauynge in the myddis a pomel of the lengthe of the pawm of an hond; and he was gird therwith vndir `the sai, `that is, a knyytis mentil, `in the riyt hipe.

And he brouyte yiftis to Eglon, the kyng of Moab; forsothe Eglon was ful fat.

And whanne he hadde youe yiftis to the kyng, he pursuede felowis that camen with hym; and he turnede ayen fro Galgalis,

where idolis weren, and he seide to the kyng, A kyng, Y haue a priuei word to thee. And he comaundide silence. And whanne alle men weren goon out, that weren aboute hym, Aioth entride to hym;

forsothe he sat aloone in a somer parlour. And Aioth seide, Y haue the word of God to thee.

Which roos anoon fro the trone. And Aioth helde forth the left hond, and took the swerd fro his riyt hype; and he

fastnede in to the `wombe of the kyng so strongli, that the pomel, `ether hilte, suede the yrun in the wounde, and was holdun streite `in the thickeste fatnesse with ynne; and he drow not out the swerd, but so as he hadde smyte, he lefte in the bodi; and anoon bi the priuetees of kynde the tordis of the wombe braste out.

Forsothe whanne the doris of the parlour weren closid moost diligentli, and fastned with lok,

Aioth yede out bi a posterne. And the `seruauntis of the king entriden, not in the parlour, but in the porche, and thei sien the doris of the parlour closid, and seiden, In hap he purgith the wombe in the somer parlour.

And thei abididen longe, til thei weren aschamed; and thei sien that no man openede, and thei token the keie, and thei openyden, and founden her lord liggynge deed in the erthe.

Sotheli while thei weren disturblid, Aioth fledde out, and passide the place of idols, fro whennus he turnede ayen; and he cam in to Seirath.

And anoon he sownede with a clarioun in the hil of Effraym; and the sones of Israel camen doun with hym, and he yede in the frount.

Which seide to hem, Sue ye me, for the Lord hath bitake oure enemyes, Moabitis, in to oure hondis. And thei camen doun after hym, and ocupieden the forthis of Jordan, that ledde ouer in to Moab.

And thei suffriden not ony man to passe, but thei smytiden Moabitis in that tyme aboute ten thousande, alle myyti men and stronge; no man of hem myyte ascape.

And Moab was maad low in that dai vndur the hond of Israel, and the lond restide fourescoor yeer.

Aftir hym was Samgar, the sone of Anath, that smoot of Filisteis sixe hundrid men with a schar; and he also defendide Israel.

Chapter 4
And the sones of Israel addiden to do yuel in the `siyt of the Lord, aftir the deeth of Aioth.

And the Lord bitook hem in to the hondis of Jabyn, kyng of Canaan, that regnede in Asor; and he hadde a duyk of his oost, Sisara bi name; and he dwellide in Aroseth of hethene men.

And the sones of Israel crieden to the Lord; for he hadde nyn hundrid yrone charis, keruynge as sithis, and twenti yeer he oppresside hem greetli.

Forsothe Delbora was a prophetesse, the wijf of Lapidoth, which Delbora demyde the puple in that tyme;

and sche sat vndur a palm tree, that was clepid bi her name, bitwixe Rama and Bethel, in the hil of Effraym; and the sones of Israel stieden to hir at ech dom. And sche sente, and clepide Barach, the sone of Abynoen, of Cedes of Neptalym, and sche seide to hym, The Lord God of Israel comaundide to thee, Go thou, and lede an oost in to the hil of Thabor, and thou schalt take with thee ten thousande `of fiyteris of the sones of Neptalym and of the sones of Zabulon.

Sotheli Y schal brynge to thee, in the place of the stronde of Cison, Sisara, prince of `the oost of Jabyn, and his charis, and al the multitude; and Y schal bitake hem in thin hond.

And Barach seide to hir, If thou comest with me, Y schal go; if thou nylt come with me, Y schal not go.

And sche seyde to hym, Sotheli Y schal go with thee; but in this tyme the victorie schal not be arettide to thee; for Sisara schal be bitakun in the hond of a womman. Therfor Delbora roos, and yede with Barach in to Cedes.

And whanne Zabulon and Neptalym weren clepid, he stiede with ten thousynde of fiyteris, and hadde Delbora in his felouschipe.

Forsothe Aber of Cyneth hadde departid sum tyme fro othere Cyneys hise britheren, sones of Obab, `alie of Moises; and he hadde set forth tabernaclis `til to the valei, which is clepid Sennym, and was bisidis Cedes.

And it was teld to Sisara, that Barach, sone of Abynoen, hadde stiede in to the hil of Thabor.

And he gaderide nyn hundrid yronne charis, keruynge as sithis, and al the oost fro Aroseth of hethene men to the stronde of Cison.

And Delbora seide to Barach, Rise thou, for this is the day, in which the Lord bitook Sisara in to thin hondis; lo! the Lord is thi ledere. And so Barach cam doun fro the hil of Thabor, and ten thousynde of fyyteris with hym.

And the Lord made aferd Sisara, and alle `the charis of hym, and al the multitude, bi the scharpnesse of swerd, at the siyt of Barach, in so myche that Sisara lippide doun of the chare, and fledde `a foote. And Barach pursuede the charis fleynge and the oost `til to Aroseth of hethene men; and al the multitude of enemyes felde doun `til to deeth.

Sotheli Sisara fledde, and cam to the tente of Jahel, the wijf of Aber Cyney; forsothe pees waas bitwixe Jabyn, kyng of Asor, and bitwixe the hows of Aber Cyney.

Therfor Jahel yede out in to the comyng of Sisara, and seide to hym, My lord, entre thou to me, entre thou to me; drede thou not. And he entride in to `the tabernacle of hir, and was hilid of hir with a mentil.

And he seide to hir, Y biseche, yyue `thou to me a litil of watir, for Y thirste greetli. And sche openyde a `botel of mylk, and yaf to hym to drynke, and hilide hym.

And Sisara seide to hir, Stonde thou bifor the dore of the tabernacle, and whanne ony man cometh, and axith thee, and seith, Whether ony man is here? thou schalt answere, No man is here.

And so Jahel, the wijf of Aber, took a nayl of the tabernacle, and sche took also an hamer; and sche entride pryueli, and puttide with silence the nail on the temple of his heed, and sche fastnede the nail smytun with the hamer in to the brayn, `til to the erthe; and he slepte, and diede to gidere, and failide, and was deed.

And lo! Barach suede Sisara, `and cam; and Jahel yede out in to his comyng, and seide to hym, Come, and Y schal schewe to thee the man, whom thou sekist. And whanne he hadde entrid to hir, he siy Sisara liggynge deed, and a nail fastnede in to hise templis.

Therfor in that day God `made low Jabyn, the kyng of Canaan, bifor the sones of Israel; whiche encresiden ech dai, and with strong hond oppressiden Jabyn, the kyng of Canaan, til thei diden hym awey.

Chapter 5
And Delbora and Barach, sone of Abynoen, sungen in that dai, and seiden,

Ye men of Israel, that `offriden wilfuli youre lyues to perel, blesse the Lord.

Ye kingis, here, ye princes, perceyueth with eeris; Y am, Y am the womman, that schal synge to the Lord; Y schal synge to the Lord God of Israel.

Lord, whanne thou yedist out fro Seir, and passidist bi the cuntrees of Edom, the erthe was moued, and heuenes and cloudis droppiden with watris; hillis flowiden fro the `face of the Lord,

and Synai fro the face of the Lord God of Israel.

In the daies of Sangar, sone of Anach, in the daies of Jahel, paththis restiden, and thei that entriden bi tho yeden bi paththis out of the weie.

Stronge men in Israel cessiden, and restiden, til Delbora roos, a modir in Israel.

The Lord chees newe batels, and he destriede the yatis of enemyes; scheeld and spere apperiden not in fourti thousynde of Israel.

Myn herte loueth the princes of Israel; ye that offriden you to perel bi youre owyn wille,

blesse ye the Lord; speke ye, that stien on schynynge assis, and sitten aboue in doom, and goen in the wey.

Where the charis weren hurtlid doun to gidere, and the oost of enemyes was straunglid, there the `riytfulnessis of the Lord be teld, and mercy among the stronge of Israel; thanne the `puple of the Lord cam doun to the yatis, and gat prinsehod.

Rise, rise thou, Delbora, rise thou, and speke a song; rise thou, Barach, and thou, sone of Abynoen, take thi prisoneris.

The relikis of the puple ben sauyd; the Lord fauyt ayens stronge men of Effraym.

He dide awei hem in Amalech, and aftir hym of Beniamyn in to thi puplis, thou Amalech. Princes of Machir and of Zabulon yeden doun, that ledden oost to fiyte.

The duykis of Isachar weren with Delbora, and sueden the steppis of Barach, which yaf hym silf to perel, as in to a dich, and in to helle. While Ruben was departid ayens hym silf; the strijf of greet hertyd men was foundun.

Whi dwellist thou bitwixe `tweyne endis, that thou here the hissyngis of flockis? While Ruben was departid ayens hym silf, the strijf of greet hertid men was foundun.

Gad restide biyendis Jordan, and Dan yaf tent to schippis. Aser dwellide in the `brenke of the see, and dwellide in hauenes.

Forsothe Zabulon and Neptalym offriden her lyues to deeth, in the cuntre of Morema, `that is interpretid, hiy.

Kyngis camen, and fouyten; kyngis of Canaan fouyten in Thanath, bisidis the watris of Magedon; and netheles thei token no thing bi prey.

Fro heuene `me fauyt ayens hem; sterris dwelliden in her ordre and cours, and fouyten ayens Sisara.

The stronde of Cyson drow `the deed bodies of hem, the stronde of Cadymyn, the stronde of Cyson. My soule, to-trede thou stronge men.

The hors howis felden, while the strongeste of enemyes fledden with bire, and felden heedli.

Curse ye the lond of Meroth, seide the `aungel of the Lord, curse ye `the dwelleris of hym, for thei camen not to the help of the Lord, `in to the help of the strongeste of hym.

Blessyd among wymmen be Jahel, the wijf of Aber Cyney; blessid be sche in hir tabernacle.

To Sisara axynge watir sche yaf mylk, and in a viol of princes sche yaf botere.

Sche puttide the left hond to a nail, and the riyt hond to the `hameris of smyythis; and sche smoot Sisara, and souyte in the heed a place of wounde, and perside strongli the temple.

He felde bitwixe `the feet of hir, he failide, and diede; he was waltryd bifor hir feet, and he lay with out soule, and wretchidful.

His modir bihelde bi a wyndow, and yellide; and sche spak fro the soler, Whi tarieth his chaar to come ayen? Whi tarieden the feet of his foure horsid cartis?

Oon wisere than `othere wyues of hym answeride these wordis to the modir of hir hosebonde,

In hap now he departith spuylis, and the faireste of wymmen is chosun to hym; clothis of dyuerse colouris ben youun to Sisara in to prey, and dyuerse aray of houshold is gaderid to ourne neckis.

Lord, alle thin enemyes perische so; sotheli, thei that louen thee, schyne so, as the sunne schyneth in his risyng.

And the lond restide fourti yeer.

Chapter 6
Forsothe the sones of Israel diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord, and he bitook hem in the hond of Madian seuene yeer.

And thei weren oppressid of hem greetly; and `thei maden dichis, and dennes to hem silf in hillis, and strongeste places to fiyte ayen.

And whanne Israel hadde sowe, Madian stiede, and Amalech, and othere of the `naciouns of the eest;

and thei settiden tentis at the sones of Israel, and wastiden alle thingis `as tho weren in eerbis, ethir grene corn, `til to the entryng of Gaza, and outirli thei leften not in Israel ony thing perteynynge to lijf, not scheep, not oxun, not assis.

For thei and alle her flockis camen with her tabernaclis, and at the licnesse of locustus thei filliden alle thingis, and a multitude of men and of camels was with out noumbre, and wastiden what euer thing thei touchiden.

And Israel was `maad low greetli in the siyt of Madian.

And Israel criede to the Lord, `and axyde help ayens Madianytis; and he sente to hem a man,

a profete, and he spak, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Y made you to stie fro Egipt, and Y ledde you out of the hows of seruage,

and Y delyueride you fro the hond of Egipcians, and of alle enemyes that turmentiden you; and Y castide hem out at youre entryng, and Y yaf to you `the lond of hem;

and Y seide, Y am `youre Lord God; drede ye not the goddis of Ammorreis, in whose lond ye dwellen; and ye nolden here my vois.

Forsothe an aungel of the Lord cam, and sat undur an ook, that was in Effra, and perteynede to Joas, fadir of the meinee of Ezri. And whanne Gedeon, `his sone, threischide out, and purgide wheetis in a pressour,

that he schulde fle Madian, an aungel of the Lord apperide to hym, and seide, The Lord be with thee, thou strongeste of men.

And Gedeon seide to hym, My lord, Y biseche, if the Lord is with vs, whi therfor han alle these yuels take vs? Where ben the merueils of hym, whiche oure fadris telden, and seiden, The Lord ledde vs out of Egipt? `Now forsothe he hath forsake vs, and hath bitake vs in the hond of Madian.

And the Lord bihelde to hym, and seide, Go thou in this strengthe of thee, and thou schalt delyuere Israel fro the hond of Madian; wite thou, that Y sente thee.

Which Gedeon answeride, and seide, My lord, Y biseche, in what thing schal Y delyuere Israel? Lo! my meynee is the loweste in Manasses, and Y am the leeste in the hows of my fadir.

And the Lord seide to hym, Y schal be with thee, and thou schalt smyte Madian as o man.

And Gedeon seide, If Y haue foundun grace bifor thee, yyue to me a signe, that thou, that spekist to me, art sente of Goddis part;

go thou not `awei fro hennus, til Y turne ayen to thee, and brynge sacrifice, and offre to thee. Whiche answeride, Y schal abide thi comyng.

And so Gedeon entride, and sethide a kide, and took therf looues of a buyschel of mell, and fleischis in a panyere; and he sente the broth of fleischis in a pot, and bar alle thingis vndur an ook, and offride to hym.

To whom the aungel of the Lord seide, Take thou the fleischis, and therf looues, and putte on that stoon, and schede the broth aboue. And whanne he hadde do so,

the aungel of the Lord helde forth the `ende of the yerde which he helde in the hond, and he touchide the fleischis, and the therf looues; and fier stiede fro the stoon, and wastide the fleischis, and therf looues. Forsothe the aungel of the Lord vanyschide fro hise iyen.

And Gedeon siy that he was `an aungel of the Lord, and seide, Lord God, alas to me, for Y siy the aungel of the Lord face to face.

And the Lord seide to hym, Pees be with thee; drede thou not, thou schalt not die.

Therfor Gedeon bildide there an auter to the Lord, and he clepide it the Pees of the Lord, `til in to present dai. And whanne he was yit in Effra, which is of the meynee of Ezri, the Lord seide to hym in that nyyt,

Take thou `the bole of thy fadir, and anothir bole of seuene yeer, and thou schalt distrie the auter of Baal, which is thi fadris, and kitte thou doun the wode, which is aboute the auter;

and thou schalt bilde an auter to thi Lord God in the hiynesse of this stoon, on which thou puttidist sacrifice bifore; and thou schalt take the secounde bole, and thou schalt offre brent sacrifice on the heep of trees, whiche thou kittidist doun of the wode.

Therfore Gedeon took ten men of hise seruauntis, and dide as the Lord comaundide to hym. Sotheli Gedeon dredde the hows of his fadir, and the men of that citee, and nolde do bi dai, but fillide alle thingis bi nyyt.

And whanne men of that citee hadde rise eerly, thei sien the auter of Baal distried, and the wode kit doun, and the tothir bole put on the auter, that was bildid thanne.

And thei seiden togidere, Who hath do this? And whanne thei enqueriden the doer of the deed, it was seid, Gedeon, the sone of Joas, dide alle these thingis.

And thei seiden to Joas, Brynge forth thi sone hidur, that he die, for he distriede the auter of Baal, and kittide doun the wode.

To whiche he answeride, Whether ye ben the venieris of Baal, that ye fiyte for hym? he that is aduersarie of hym, die, bifor that the `liyt of the morew dai come; if he is God, venge he hym silf of hym that castide doun his auter.

Fro that dai Gedeon was clepid Gerobaal, for Joas hadde seid, Baal take veniaunce of hym that castide doun his auter.

Therfor al Madian, and Amalech, and the puplis of the eest weren gadirid to gidere, and passiden Jordan, and settiden tentis in the valey of Jezrael.

Forsothe the spirit of the Lord clothide Gedeon; `and he sownede with a clarioun, and clepide to gidere the hows of Abiezer, that it schulde sue hym.

And he sente messangeris in to al Manasses, and he suede Gedeon; and he sente othere messangeris in to Aser, and Zabulon, and Neptalym, whiche camen to hym.

And Gedeon seide to the Lord, If thou makist saaf Israel bi myn hond, as thou hast spoke,

Y schal putte this flees of wolle in the corn floor; if dew is in the flees aloone, and drynesse is in al the erthe, Y schal wite, that thou schalt delyuere Israel bi myn hond, as thou hast spoke.

And it was don so. And he roos bi nyyt, and whanne the flees was wrongun out, he fillide a pot with deew;

and he seide eft to the Lord, Thi strong veniaunce be not wrooth ayens me, if Y asaie, `that is, axe a signe, yit onys, and seke a signe in the flees; Y preye, that the flees aloone be drie, and al the erthe be moist with deew.

And the Lord dide in that nyyt, as Gedeon axide; and drynesse was in the flees aloone, and deew was in al the erthe.

Chapter 7
Therfor Jerobaal, which also Gedeon, roos bi nyyt, and al the puple with hym, and cam to the welle which is clepid Arad. Sotheli the tentis of Madian weren in the valey, at the north coost of the hiy hil.

And the Lord seide to Gedeon, Myche puple is with thee, and Madian schal not be bitakun in to the hondis `ther of, lest Israel haue glorie ayens me, and seie, Y am delyuerid bi my strengthis.

Speke thou to the puple, and preche thou, while alle men heren, He that is ferdful `in herte, and dredeful `with outforth, turne ayen. And thei yeden awei fro the hil of Galaad, and two and twenti thousynde of men turniden ayen fro the puple; and oneli ten thousynde dwelliden.

And the Lord seide to Gedeon, Yet the puple is myche; lede thou hem to the watris, and there Y schal preue hem, and he go, of whom Y schal seye, that he go; turne he ayen, whom Y schal forbede to go.

And whanne the puple hadde go doun to watris, the Lord seide to Gedeon, Thou schalt departe hem bi hem silf, that lapen watris with hond and tunge, as doggis ben wont to lape; sotheli thei, that drynken with knees bowid, schulen be in the tothir part.

And so the noumbre of hem, that lapiden watris bi hond castynge to the mouth, was thre hundrid men; forsothe al the tothir multitude drank knelynge.

And the Lord seide to Gedeon, In thre hundrid men, that lapiden watris, Y schal delyuere you, and Y schal bitake Madian in thin hond; but al the tothir multitude turne ayen in to her place.

And so whanne thei hadden take meetis and trumpis for the noumbre, he comaundide al the tothir multitude to go to her tabernaclis; and he, with thre hundrid men, yaf hym silf to batel. Sothely the tentis of Madian weren bynethe in the valey.

In the same nyyt the Lord seyde to hym, Ryse thou, and go doun in to `the castels of Madian, for Y haue bitake hem in thin hond;

sotheli if thou dredist to go aloon, Phara, thi child, go doun with thee.

And whanne thou schalt here what thei speken, thanne thin hondis schulen be coumfortid, and thou schalt do down sikerere to the tentis of enemyes. Therfor he yede doun, and Phara, his child, in to the part of tentis, where the watchis of armed men weren.

Forsothe Madian, and Amalech, and alle the puplis of the eest layen spred in the valey, as the multitude of locustis; sotheli the camelis weren vnnoumbrable, as grauel that liggith in the `brenke of the see.

And whanne Gedeon hadde come, a man tolde a dreem to his neiybore, and telde bi this maner that, that he hadde seyn, I siy a dreem, and it semyde to me, that as `o loof of barly bakun vndur the aischis was walewid, and cam doun in to the tentis of Madian; and whanne it hadde come to a tabernacle, it smoot and distriede `that tabernacle, and made euene outirly to the erthe.

That man answeride, to whom he spak, This is noon other thing, no but the swerd of Gedeon, `sone of Joas, a man of Israel; for the Lord hath bitake Madian and alle `tentis therof in to the hondis of Gedeon.

And whanne Gedeon had herd the dreem, and `the interpretyng therof, he worschypide the Lord, and turnede ayen to the tentis of Israel, and seide, Ryse ye; for the Lord hath bitake in to oure hondis the tentis of Madian.

And he departide thre hundrid men in to thre partis, and he yaf trumpis in her hondis, and voyde pottis, and laumpis in the myddis of the pottis.

And he seide to hem, Do ye this thing which ye seen me do; Y schal entre in to a part of the tentis, and sue ye that, that Y do.

Whanne the trumpe in myn hond schal sowne, sowne ye also `bi the cumpas of tentis, and crye ye togidere, To the Lord and to Gedeon.

And Gedeon entride, and thre hundrid men that weren with hym, `in to a part of the tentis, whanne the watchis of mydnyyt bigunnen; and whanne the keperis weren reysid, thei bigunnen to sowne with trumpis, and to bete togidere the pottis among hem silf.

And whanne thei sowneden in thre places bi cumpas, and hadden broke the pottis, thei helden laumpis in the left hondis, and sownynge trumpis in the riyt hondis; and thei crieden, The swerd of the Lord and of Gedeon; and stoden alle in her place,

`bi the cumpas of the tentis of enemyes. And so alle `the tentis weren troblid; and thei crieden, and yelliden, and fledden;

and neuertheles the thre hundrid men contynueden, sownynge with trumpis. And the Lord sente swerd in alle the castels, and thei killiden hem silf bi deeth ech other;

and thei fledden `til to Bethsecha, and bi the side, fro Elmonla in to Thebbath. Sotheli men of Israel crieden togidere, of Neptalym, and of Aser, and of alle Manasses, and pursueden Madian; and the Lord yaf victorie to the puple of Israel in that day.

And Gedeon sente messangeris in to al the hil of Effraym, and seide, Come ye doun ayens the comyng of Madian, and ocupie ye the watris `til to Bethbera and Jordan. And al Effraym criede, and bifore ocupide the watris and Jordan `til to Bethbera.

And Effraym killide twei men of Madian, Oreb and Zeb; he killide Oreb in the ston of Oreb, forsothe `he killide Zeb in the pressour of Zeb; and `thei pursueden Madian, and baren the heedis of Oreb and of Zeb to Gedeon, ouer the flodis of Jordan.

Chapter 8
And the men of Effraym seiden to hym, What is this thing, which thou woldist do, that thou clepidist not vs, whanne thou yedist to batel ayens Madian? And thei chidden strongli, and almest diden violence.

To whiche he answeride, `What sotheli siche thing myyte Y do, what maner thing ye diden? Whethir a reisyn of Effraym is not betere than the vindagis of Abiezer?

And the Lord bitook in to youre hondis the princes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb. What sich thing myyte Y do, what maner thing ye diden? And whanne he hadde spoke this thing, the spirit of hem restide, bi which thei bolneden ayens hym.

And whanne Gedeon hadde come to Jordan, he passide it with thre hundrid men, that weren with hym; and for weerynesse thei myyten not pursue hem that fledden.

And he seide to the men of Socoth, Y biseche, yyue ye looues to the puple, which is with me; for thei failiden greetli, that we moun pursue Zebee and Salmana, kyngis of Madian.

The princes of Socoth answeriden in scorne, In hap the pawmes of the hondis of Zebee and of Salmana ben in thin hond, and therfor thou axist, that we yyue looues to thin oost.

To whiche he seide, Therfor, whanne the Lord schal bitake Zebee and Salmana in to myn hondis, and whanne Y schal turne ayen ouercomere in pees, Y schal to-reende youre fleischis with the thornes and breris of deseert.

And he stiede fro thennus, and cam in to Phanuel; and he spak lijk thingis to men of that place, to whom also thei answeriden, as the men of Socoth hadden answerid.

And so he seide to hem, Whanne Y schal turne ayen ouercomere in pees, Y schal distrie this tour.

Forsothe Zebee and Salmana restiden with al her oost; for fiftene thousynde men leften of alle the cumpenyes of the `puplis of the eest, whanne an hundrid and twenti thousynde of `fiyteris and of men drawynge out swerd weren slayn.

And Gedeon stiede bi the weye of hem that dwelliden in tabernaclis at the eest coost of Nobe and of Lethoa, and smoot the `tentis of enemyes, that weren sikur, and supposiden not ony thing of aduersite.

And Zebee and Salmana fledden, whiche Gedeon pursuede and took, whanne al `the oost of hem was disturblid.

And he turnede ayen fro batel bifor the `risyng of the sunne,

and took a child of the men of Socoth; and he axide hym the names of the princes and eldere men of Socoth; and he descryuede seuene and seuenti men in noumbre.

And he cam to Socoth, and seide to hem, Lo Zebee and Salmana! of whiche ye vpbreideden me, and seiden, In hap the hondis of Zebee and of Salmana ben in thin hondis, and therfor thou axist, that we yyue looues to men, that ben weeri and failiden.

Therfor Gedeon took the eldere men of the citee, and thornes and breris of deseert, and he to-rente with tho, and al to-brak the men of Socoth; also he destriede the tour of Phanuel,

whanne the dwelleris of the citee weren slayn.

And he seide to Zebee and Salmana, What maner men weren thei, whiche ye killiden in Thabor? Whiche answeriden, Thei weren lijk thee, and oon of hem was as the sone of a kyng.

To whiche he seide, Thei weren my britheren, the sones of my modir; the Lord lyueth, if ye hadden saued hem, Y `nolde sle you.

And he seide to Jepther, his firste gendrid sone, Rise thou, and sle hem. Which drow not swerd; for he dredde, for he was yit a child.

And Zebee and Salmana seiden, Ryse thou, and falle on vs; for thou art bi the age and strengthe of man. Gedeon roos, and killide Zebee and Salmana, and took the ournementis, and bellis, with whiche the neckis of kyngis camels ben wont to be maad fair.

And alle the men of Israel seiden to Gedeon, Be thou lord of vs, thou, and thi sone, and the sone of thi sone; for thou deliueridist vs fro the hond of Madian.

To whiche he seide, Y schal not be lord of you, nethir my sone schal be lord on you, but the Lord schal be lord.

And he seide to hem, Y axe oon axyng of you, yyue ye to me the eere ryngis of youre prey; for Ismaelitis weren wont to haue goldun eere ryngis.

Whiche answeriden, We schulen yyue moost gladli. And thei spredden forth a mentil on the erthe, and castiden forth therynne `eere ryngis of the prey;

and the weiyte of `eere ryngis axid was a thousynde and seuene hundrid siclis of gold, with out ournementis and brochis and cloth of purpur, whiche the kyngis of Madian weren wont to vse, and outakun goldun bies of camels.

And Gedeon made therof ephot, that is, a preestis cloth, `and propir cloth of the hiyeste preest, and he puttide it in his citee Ephra; and al Israel diden fornycacioun, `that is ydolatrye, ther ynne; and it was maad to Gedeon and to al his hows in to fallyng.

Forsothe Madian was maad low bifor the sones of Israel, and thei myyten no more reise nollis; but the lond restide fourti yeer, in whiche Gedeon was souereyn.

And so Jerobaal, sone of Joas, yede, and dwellide in his hows;

and he hadde seuenti sones, that yeden out of his thiy, for he hadde many wyues.

Forsothe a concubyn, `that is, secoundarie wijf, of hym, whom he hadde in Sichem, gendride to hym a sone, Abymelech bi name.

And Gedeon, sone of Joas, diede in good elde, and was biried in the sepulcre of Joas, his fadir, in Ephra, of the meynee of Ezri.

Forsothe aftir that Gedeon was deed, the sones of Israel turneden awey `fro Goddis religioun, and diden fornycacioun, `that is, idolatrie, with Baalym; and thei smytiden boond of pees with Baal, that he schulde be to hem in to God,

nether thei hadden mynde of her Lord God, that delyuerede hem fro the hond of alle her enemyes `bi cumpas;

nether thei diden merci with the hous of Gerobaal Gedeon, bi alle the goodis whiche he `hadde do to Israel.

Chapter 9
Forsothe Abymelech, the sone of Gerobaal, yede in to Sichem to the britheren of his modir; and he spak to hem, and to al the kynrede of `the hows of his modir, and seide,

Speke ye to alle the men of Sichem, What is betere to you, that seuenti men, alle the sones of Gerobaal, be lordis of you, whether that o man be lord to you? and also biholde, for Y am youre boon, and youre fleisch.

And the britheren of his modir spaken of hym alle these wordis to alle the men of Sichem; and bowiden her hertis aftir Abymelech, and seiden, He is oure brother.

And thei yauen to hym seuenti weiytis of siluer of the temple of Baal Berith; and he hiride to hym therof men pore and hauynge no certeyn dwellynge, and thei sueden hym.

And he cam in to `the hows of his fadir in Ephra, and killide hise britheren the sones of Gerobaal, `seuenti men, on o stoon. And Joathan, the leste sone of Gerobaal, lefte, and was hid.

Forsothe alle the men of Sichem, and alle the meynees of the citee of Mello, weren gadirid to gydere, and thei yeden, and maden Abymelech kyng, bysidis the ook that stood in Sichem.

And whanne this thing was teld to Joathan, he yede, and stood in the cop of the hil Garisym, and cried with `vois reisid, and seide, Ye men of Sichem, here me, so that God here you.

Trees yeden to anoynte a kyng on hem; and tho seiden to the olyue tre, Comaunde thou to vs.

Whiche answeride, Whether Y may forsake my fatnesse, which bothe Goddis and men vsen, and come, that Y be auaunsid among trees?

And the trees seiden to the fige tree, Come thou, and take the rewme on vs.

Which answeride to hem, Whether Y may forsake my swetnesse and swetteste fruytis, and go that Y be auaunsid among othere trees?

Also `the trees spaken to the vyne, Come thou, and comaunde to vs.

Which answeride, Whether Y may forsake my wyn, that gladith God and men, and be auaunsid among othere trees?

And alle trees seiden to the ramne, ether theue thorn, Come thou, and be lord on vs.

Whiche answeride to hem, If ye maken me verili kyng to you, come ye, and reste vndur my schadewe; sotheli, if ye nylen, fier go out of the ramne, and deuoure the cedris of the Liban.

Now therfor if riytfuli and without synne `ye han maad Abymelech kyng on you, and ye han do wel with Jerobaal, and with his hows, and ye han yolde while to the benefices of hym,

that fauyt for you, and yaf his lijf to perelis, that he schulde delyuere you fro the hond of Madian;

and ye han rise now ayens the hows of my fadir, and han slayn hyse sones, seuenti men, on o stoon, and `han maad Abymelech, sone of his handmayde, kyng on the dwelleris of Sichem, for he is youre brother;

therfor if ye han do riytfuli, and with out synne with Gerobaal and his hows, to dai be ye glad in Abymelech, and be he glad in you; but if ye han do weiwardli,

fier go out `of hym, and waste the dwelleris of Sichem, and the citee of Mello; and fier go out of the men of Sichem, and of the citee of Mello, and deuoure Abymelech.

And whanne he hadde seide these thingis, he fledde, and yede in to Berara, and dwellide there, for drede of Abymelech, his brother.

And Abymelech regnede on Israel thre yeer.

And the Lord sente the worste spirit bitwixe Abymelech and the dwelleris of Sichem, whiche bigynnen to holde hym abomynable,

and to arette the felony of sleyng of seuenti sones of Gerobaal, and the schedyng out of her blood, in to Abymelech her brother, and to othere princes of Sichem, that hadden helpid hym.

And thei settiden buyschementis ayens hym in the hiynesse of hillis; and the while thei abideden `the comyng of hym, thei hauntiden theftis, and token preies of men passynge forth; and it was teld to Abymelech.

Forsothe Gaal, `the sone of Obed, cam with his britheren, and passide in to Siccima; at whos entryng the dwelleris of Sichem weren reisid, and yeden out `in to feeldis,

and wastiden vyneris, and `to-traden grapis; and with cumpeneys of syngeris maad thei entriden in to `the temple of her God, and among metis and drynkis thei cursiden Abymalech, while Gaal,

the sone of Obed, criede, Who is this Abymelech? And what is Sichem, that we serue hym? Whether he is not the sone of Jerobaal, and made Zebul his seruaunt prince on the men of Emor, fadir of Sichem? Whi therfor schulen we serue hym?

`Y wolde, that sum man yaf this puple vndur myn hond, that Y schulde take awei Abimelech fro the myddis. And it was seid to Abymelech, Gadere thou the multitude of oost, and come thou.

For whanne the wordis of Gaal, sone of Obed, weren herd, Zebul, the prynce of the citee, was ful wrooth;

and he sente priueli messangeris to Abymelech, and seide, Lo! Gaal, sone of Obed, cam in to Siccymam, with hise britheren, and he excitith the citee to fiyte ayens thee;

therfor rise thou bi niyt with the puple, which is with thee, and be thou hid in the feeld;

and first in the morewtid, whanne the sunne rysith, falle on the citee; forsothe whanne he goth out with his puple ayens thee, do thou to hym that that thou maist.

Therfor Abymelech roos with al his oost bi nyyt, and settide buyschementis bisidis Siccimam, in foure placis.

And Gaal, the sone of Obed, yede out, and stood in the entryng of `the yate of the citee. Forsothe Abymelech and al the oost with hym roos fro the place of buyschementis.

And whanne Gaal hadde seyn the puple, he seide to Zebul, Lo! a multitude cometh doun fro the hillis. To whom he answeride, Thou seest the schadewis of hillis as the `heedis of men, and thou art disseyued bi this errour.

And eft Gaal seide, Lo! a puple cometh doun fro the myddis of erthe, `that is, fro the hiynesse of hillis, and o cumpeny cometh bi the weie that biholdith the ook.

To whom Zebul seide, Where is now thi mouth, bi which thou spekist, Who is Abymelech, that we serue hym? Whether this is not the puple, whom thou dispisidist? Go thou out, and fiyte ayens hym.

Therfor Gaal yede, while the puple of Sichen abood; and he fauyt ayens Abymelech.

Which pursuede Gaal fleynge, and constreynede to go in to the citee; and ful many of his part felde doun `til to the yate of the citee.

And Abymelech sat in Ranna; sotheli Zebul puttide Gaal and hise felowis out of the citee, and suffride not to dwelle ther ynne.

Therfor in the dai suynge the puple yede out in to the feeld; and whanne this thing was teld to Abymelech,

he took his oost, and departide `in to thre cumpenyes, and settide buyschementis in the feeldis; and he siy that the puple yede out of the citee, and he roos,

and felde on hem with his cumpeny, and enpugnyde and bisegide the citee. Sothely twei cumpenyes yeden aboute opynli bi the feeld, and pursueden aduersaries.

Certis Abymelech fauyt ayens the citee in al that dai, which he took, whanne the dwelleris weren slayn, and that citee was destried, so that he spreynte abrood salt ther ynne.

And whanne thei, that dwelliden in the tour of Sichem, hadde herd this, thei entriden in to the temple of her god Berith, where thei hadden maad boond of pees with hym; and of that the place took name, which place was ful strong.

And Abymelech herde the men of the tour of Sichem gaderid to gidere,

and he stiede in to the hil Selmon with al his puple; and with an axe takun he kittide doun a boow of a tre, and he bar it, put on the schuldur, and seide to felowis, Do ye this thing, which ye seen me do.

Therfor with strijf thei kittiden doun bowis of the trees, and sueden the duyk; whiche cumpassiden and brenten `the tour; and so it was doon, that with smooke and fier a thousynde of men weren slayn, men togidere and wymmen, of the dwelleris of the tour of Sichem.

Forsothe Abymelech wente forth fro thennus, and cam to the citee of Thebes, which he cumpasside, and bisegide with an oost.

Forsothe the tour was hiy in the myddis of the citee, to which men togidere and wymmen fledden, and alle the princes of the citee, while the yate was closid stronglieste; and thei stoden on the roof of the tour bi toretis.

And Abymelech cam bisidis the tour, and fauyt strongli, and he neiyede to the dore, and enforside to putte fier vndur; and lo!

o womman castide fro aboue a gobet of a mylnestoon, and hurtlide to `the heed of Abymelech, and brak his brayn.

And he clepide soone his squyer, and seide to hym, Drawe out thi swerd, and sle me, lest perauenture it be seid, that Y am slan of a womman. Which performede `the comaundementis, and `killide Abymelech;

and whanne he was deed, alle men of Israel that weren with hym turneden ayen to her seetis.

And God yeldide to Abymelech the yuel that he dide ayens his fadir, for he killide hise seuenti britheren.

Also that thing was yoldun to men of Sichem, which thei wrouyten, and the curs of Joathan, sone of Jerobaal, cam on hem.

Chapter 10
Aftir Abymelech roos a duyk in Israel, Thola, the sone of Phua, brother of `the fadir of Abymelech; Thola was a man of Ysachar, that dwelliden in Sanyr, of the hil of Effraym;

and he demyde Israel thre and twenti yeer, and he `was deed, and biriede in Sanyr.

His successour was Jair, a man of Galaad, that demyde Israel bi two and twenti yeer;

and he hadde thretti sones, sittynge aboue thretti coltis of femal assis, and thretti princes of citees, whiche ben clepid bi `his name, Anoth Jair, that is, the citees of Jair, `til in to present day, in the lond of Galaad.

And Jair `was deed, and biriede in a place `to which the name is Camon.

Forsothe the sones of Israel ioyneden newe synnes to elde synnes, and diden yuels in the `siyt of the Lord, and serueden to the idols of Baalym, and of Astoroth, and to the goddis of Sirie, and of Sidon, and of Moab, and of the sones of Amon, and of Filistiym; and thei leften the Lord, and worschipiden not hym.

And the Lord was wrooth ayens hem, and he bitook hem in to the hondis of Filistiym, and of the sones of Amon.

And alle that dwelliden ouer Jordan in the lond of Ammorrey, which is in Galaad, weren turmentid and oppressid greetli bi eiytene yeer,

in so myche that the sones of Amon, whanne thei hadden passid Jordan, wastiden Juda and Benjamyn and Effraym; and Israel was turmentid greetli.

And thei crieden to the Lord, and seiden, We han synned to thee, for we forsoken oure God, and seruyden Baalym.

To whiche the Lord spak, Whether not Egipcians, and Ammorreis, and the sones of Amon, and of Filistiym, and Sidonyes,

and Amalech, and Canaan, oppressiden you, and ye crieden to me, and Y delyuerede you fro `the hondis of hem?

And netheles ye forsoken me, and worschipiden alien goddis; therfor Y schal not adde, that Y delyuere you more.

Go ye, and clepe goddis whiche ye han chose; delyuere thei you in the tyme of angwisch.

And the sones of Israel seiden to the Lord, We han synned; yelde thou to vs what euer thing plesith thee; oneli delyuere vs now.

And thei seiden these thingis, and castiden forth fro her coostis alle the idols of alien goddis, and serueden the Lord; which hadde `rewthe, ether compassioun, on the `wretchidnessis of hem.

And so the sones of Amon crieden togidere, that is, clepyden hem silf togidere to batel, and excitiden ayens Israel, and settiden tentis in Galaad, `ayens whiche the sones of Israel weren gaderid, and settiden tentis in Masphat.

And the princes of Galaad seiden ech to hise neiyboris, He, that bigynneth first of vs to fiyte ayens the sones of Amon, schal be duyk of the puple of Galaad.

Chapter 11
And so in that tyme Jepte, a man of Galaad, was a ful strong man, and fiytere, the sone of a womman hoore, which Jepte was borun of Galaad.

Forsothe Galaad hadde a wijf, of which he hadde sones, whiche aftir that thei encressiden, castiden out Jepte, and seiden, Thou maist not be eir in the hows of oure fadir, for thou art born of a modir auoutresse.

`Whiche britheren he fledde, and eschewide, and dwellide in the lond of Tob; and pore men and `doynge thefte weren gaderid to hym, and sueden as a prince.

In tho daies the sones of Amon fouyten ayens Israel;

and whanne thei contynueden scharpli, the grettere men in birthe of Galaad, yeden to take in to `the help of hem silf Jepte fro the lond of Tob;

and thei seiden to hym, Come thou, and be oure prince, and fiyte ayens the sones of Amon.

To whiche he answeride, Whethir not ye it ben, that haten me, and castiden me out of the hows of mi fadir, and now ye camen to me, and weren compellid bi nede?

And the princes of Galaad seiden to Jepte, Therfor for this cause we camen now to thee, that thou go with vs, and fiyt ayens the sones of Amon; and that thou be the duyk of alle men that dwellen in Galaad.

And Jepte seide to hem, Whether ye camen verili to me, that Y fiyte for you ayens the sones of Amon, and if the Lord schal bitake hem in to myn hondis, schal Y be youre prince?

Whiche answeriden to hym, The Lord hym silf, that herith these thingis, is mediatour and witnesse, that we schulen do oure biheestis.

And so Jepte wente with the princes of Galaad, and al the puple made hym her prince; and Jepte spak alle hise wordis bifor the Lord in Maspha.

And he sente messangeris to the kyng of the sones of Amon, whiche messangeris schulden seie `of his persoone, What is to me and to thee, for thou hast come `ayens me to waaste my lond?

To whiche the kyng answeride, For Israel whanne he stiede fro Egipt took awei my lond, fro the coostis of Arnon `til to Jaboch and to Jordan, now therfor yeelde it to me with pees.

Bi whiche massangeris Jepte sente eft, and comaundide to hem, that thei schulden seie to the kyng of Amon,

Jepte seith these thingis, Israel took not the lond of Moab, nether the lond of the sones of Amon;

but whanne thei stieden fro Egipt, `he yede bi the wildirnesse `til to the Reed See, and cam in to Cades;

and he sente messangeris to the kyng of Edom, and seide, Suffre thou me, that Y go thoruy thi lond; which kyng nolde assente to his preyeres. Also Israel sente to the kyng of Moab, and he dispiside to yyue passage;

and so Israel dwellyde in Cades, and cumpasside bi the side the lond of Edom, and the lond of Moab; and he cam to the eest coost of the lond of Moab, and settide tentis biyende Arnon, nether he wolde entre in to the termes of Moab; for Arnon is the ende of the lond of Moab.

And so Israel sente messangeris to Seon, kyng of Ammorreis, that dwellide in Esebon; and thei seiden to hym, Suffre thou, that Y passe thorouy thi lond `til to the ryuer.

And he dispiside the wordis of Israel, and suffride not hym passe bi hise termes, but with a multitude with out noumbre gaderid to gidere he yede out ayens Israel, and ayenstood strongli.

And the Lord bitook hym with al his oost in to the hondis of Israel; and Israel smoot hym, and hadde in possessioun al the lond of Ammorrey,

dwellere of that cuntrey, and al the coostis therof fro Arnon `til to Jaboch, and fro the wildirnesse `til to Jordan.

Therfor the Lord God of Israel distriede Ammorrey, fiytynge ayens hym for his puple Israel. And wolt thou now haue in possessioun `his lond? Whether not tho thingis whiche Chamos, thi god, hadde in possessioun, ben due to thee bi riyt?

Forsothe tho thingis whiche `oure Lord God ouercomere gat, schulen falle in to oure possessioun;

no but in hap thou art betere than Balach, the sone of Sephor, kyng of Moab, ether thou maist preue, that he stryuede ayens Israel, and fauyt ayens hym,

whanne he dwellide in Esebon, and in townes therof, and in Aroer, and in townes therof, and in alle citees biyende Jordan, bi thre hundrid yeer. Whi in so myche time assaieden ye no thing on this axyng ayen?

Therfor not Y do synne ayens thee, but thou doist yuel ayens me, and bryngist in batels not iust to me; the Lord, iuge of this dai, deme bitwixe the sones of Israel and bitwixe the sones of Amon.

And the kyng of the sones of Amon nolde assente to the wordis of Jepte, whiche he sente bi messangeris.

Therfor the spirit of the Lord was maad on Jepte, and he cumpasside Galaad and Manasses, Maspha and Galaad; and he passide fro thennus to the sones of Amon,

and made a vow to the Lord, and seide, If thou schalt bitake the sones of Amon in to myn hondis,

who euer goith out first of the dores of myn hows, and cometh ayens me turnynge ayen with pees fro the sones of Amon, Y schal offre hym brent sacrifice to the Lord.

And Jepte yede to the sones of Amon, to fiyte ayens hem, whiche the Lord bitook in to hise hondis;

and he smoot fro Aroer `til to thou comest in to Mennyth, twenti citees, and `til to Abel, which is set aboute with vyneris, with ful greet veniaunce; and the sones of Amon weren maad low of the sones of Israel.

Forsothe whanne Jepte turnede ayen in to Maspha, his hows, his oon gendrid douyter cam to hym with tympanys and croudis; for he hadde not othere fre children.

And whanne `sche was seyn, he to-rente his clothis, and seide, Allas! my douytir, thou hast disseyued me, and thou art disseyued; for Y openyde my mouth to the Lord, and Y may do noon other thing.

To whom sche answeride, My fadir, if thou openydist thi mouth to the Lord, do to me what euer thing thou bihiytist, while veniaunce and victorie of thin enemyes is grauntid to thee.

And sche seide to the fadir, Yyue thou to me oneli this thing, which Y biseche; suffre thou me that in two monethis Y cumpasse hillis, and biweile my maidynhed with my felowis.

To whom he answeride, Go thou. And he sufferide hir in two monethis. And whanne sche hadde go with hir felowis and pleiferis, sche biwepte hir maydynhed in the hillis.

And whanne twey monethis weren fillid, sche turnede ayen to hir fadir, and he dide to hir as he avowide; and sche knew not fleischli a man. Fro thennus a custom cam in Israel,

and the custom is kept, that aftir the `ende of the yeer the douytris of Israel come togidere, and biweile `the douytir of Jepte of Galaad `foure daies.

Chapter 12
`Lo! forsothe discencioun roos in Effraym; for whi thei, that passiden ayens the north, seiden to Jepte, Whi yedist thou to batel ayens the sones of Amon, and noldist clepe vs, that we schulden go with thee? Therfor we schulen brenne thin hows.

To whiche he answeride, Greet strijf was to me and to my puple ayens the sones of Amon, and Y clepide you, that ye schulden `yyue help to me, and ye nolden do.

`Which thing Y siy, and puttide my lijf in myn hondis; and Y passide to the sones of Amon, and `the Lord bitook hem in to myn hondis; what haue Y disseruyd, that ye ryse togidere ayens me in to batel?

Therfor whanne alle the men of Galaad weren clepid to hym, he fauyt ayens Effraym; and the men of Galaad smytiden Effraym; for he seide, Galaad is `fugitif ether exilid fro Effraym, and dwellith in the myddis of Effraym and of Manasses.

And the men of Galaad ocupieden the forthis of Jordan, bi whiche Effraym schulden turne ayen. And whanne a man fleynge of the noumbre of Effraym hadde come to tho forthis, and hadde seid, Y biseche, that thou suffre me passe; men of Galaad seiden to hym, Whether thou art a man of Effraym? And whanne he seide, Y am not,

thei axiden hym, Seie thou therfor Sebolech, `whiche is interpretid, `an eer of corn. Which answeride, Thebolech, and myyte not brynge forth an eer of corn bi the same lettre. And anoon thei strangeliden hym takun in thilke passyng of Jordan; and two and fourti thousynde of Effraym felden doun in that tyme.

And so Jepte, `a man of Galaad, demyde Israel sixe yeer; and he `was deed, and biried in his citee Galaad.

Abethsan of Bethleem, that hadde thretti sones, and so many douytris, demyde Israel aftir Jepte;

whiche douytris he sente out, and yaf to hosebondis, and he took wyues to hise sones of the same noumbre, and brouyte in to hys hows; which demyde Israel seuene yeer;

and he `was deed, and biried in Bethleem.

Whos successour was Hailon of Zabulon; and he demyde Israel ten yeer;

and he was deed, and biried in Zabulon.

Aftir hym Abdon, the sone of Ellel, of Pharaton, demyde Israel;

which Abdon hadde fourti sones, and of hem thretti sones, stiynge on seuenti coltis of femal assis, `that is, mulis, and he demyde Israel eiyte yeer;

and he `was deed, and biried in Pharaton, in the loond of Effraym, in the hil of Amalech.

Chapter 13
And eft the sones of Israel diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord, which bitook hem in to the hondis of Filisteis fourti yeer.

Forsothe a man was of Saraa, and of the kynrede of Dan, `Manue bi name, and he hadde a bareyn wijf.

To `which wijf an aungel of the Lord apperide, and seide to hir, Thou art bareyn, and with out fre children; but thou schalt conseyue, and schalt bere a sone.

Therfor be thou war, lest thou drynke wyn, and sydur, nethir ete thou ony vnclene thing;

for thou schalt conceyue and schalt bere a sone, whos heed a rasour schal not towche; for he schal be a Nazarei of God fro his yong age, and fro the modris wombe; and he schal bigynne to delyuere Israel fro the hond of Filisteis.

And whanne sche hadde come to hir hosebonde, sche seide to hym, The man of God cam to me, and hadde an aungel cheer, and he was ful ferdful, `that is, worschipful `and reuerent; and whanne Y hadde axide hym, who he was, and fro whannus he cam, and bi what name he was clepid, he nolde seie to me;

but he answeride this, Lo! thou schalt conseyue, and schalt bere a sone; be thou war, that thou drynke not wyn ne sidur, nether ete ony vncleene thing; for the child schal be a Nazarey, `that is, hooli of the Lord, fro his yonge age and fro the modris wombe `til to the dai of his deeth.

Therfor Manue preide the Lord, and seide, Lord, Y biseche, that the man of God, whom thou sentist, come eft, and teche vs, what we owen to do of the child, that schal be borun.

And the Lord herde Manue preiynge; and the aungel of the Lord apperide eft to his wijf sittynge in the feeld; forsothe Manue, hir hosebonde, was not with hir. And whanne sche hadde seyn the aungel,

sche hastide, and ran to hir hosebonde, and telde to hym, and seide, Lo! the man whom Y siy bifore, apperide to me.

Which roos, and suede his wijf; and he cam to the man, and seide to hym, Art thou he, that hast spoke to the womman? And he answeride, Y am.

To whom Manue seide, Whanne thi word schal be fillid, what wolt thou, that the child do, ethir fro what thing schal he kepe hym silf?

And the `aungel of the Lord seide to Manue, Absteyne he hym silf fro alle thingis which Y spak to thi wijf.

And ete he not what euer thing cometh forth of the vyner, drynke he not wyn, and sidur, ete he not ony vncleene thing and fille he; and kepe that, that Y comaundide to hym.

Therfor Manue seide to the `aungel of the Lord, Y biseche, that thou assente to my preieris, and we aray to thee a `kide of the geet.

To whom the aungel of the Lord answeride, Thouy thou constreynest me, Y schal not ete thi looues; forsothe if thou wolt make brent sacrifice, offre thou it to the Lord. And Manue wiste not, that it was `an aungel of the Lord.

And Manue seide to hym, What name is to thee, that if thi word be fillid, we onoure thee?

To whom he answeride, Whi axist thou my name, which is wondurful?

Therfor Manue took a `kide of the geet, and fletynge sacrifices, and puttide on the stoon, and offryde to the Lord that doith wondirful thingis. Forsothe he and his wijf bihelden.

And whanne the flawme of the auter stiede in to heuene, the aungel of the Lord stiede togidere in the flawme. And whanne Manue and his wijf hadden seyn this, thei felden lowe to erthe.

And the aungel of the Lord apperide no more to hem. And anoon Manue vndurstood, that he was an aungel of the Lord.

And he seide to his wijf, We schulen die bi deeth, for we sien the Lord.

To whom the womman answeride, If the Lord wolde sle vs, he schulde not haue take of oure hondis brent sacrifices, and moiste sacrifices, but nether he schulde haue schewid alle thingis to vs, nether `he schulde haue seid tho thingis, that schulen come.

Therfor sche childide a sone, and clepide his name Sampson; and the child encreesside, and the Lord blesside hym.

And the spirit of the Lord bigan to be with hym in the castels of Dan, bitwixe Saraa and Escahol.

Chapter 14
Therfor Sampson yede doun in to Thannatha, and he siy there a womman of `the douytris of Filisteis;

and he stiede, and telde to his fadir and `to his modir, and seide, Y siy a womman in Thannatha of the `douytris of Filistees, and Y biseche, that ye take hir a wijf to me.

To whom his fadir and modir seiden, Whether no womman is among the douytris of thi britheren and in al my puple, for thou wolt take a wijf of Filisteis, that ben vncircumcidid? And Sampson seide to his fadir, Take thou this wijf to me, for sche pleside myn iyen.

Forsothe his fadir and modir wisten not, that the thing was don of the Lord; and that he souyte occasiouns ayens Filisteis; for in that tyme Filisteis weren lordis of Israel.

Therfor Sampson yede doun with his fadir and modir in to Thannatha; and whanne thei hadden come to the vyneris of the citee, a fers and rorynge `whelp of a lioun apperide, and ran to Sampson.

Forsothe the spirit of the Lord felde in to Sampson, and he to-rente the lioun, as if he `to-rendide a kide `in to gobetis, and outerli he hadde no thing in the hond; and he nolde schewe this to the fadir and modir.

And he yede doun, and spak to the womman, that pleside hise iyen.

And aftir summe daies he turnede ayen to take hir `in to matrimonye; and he `bowide awey to se the `careyn of the lioun; and lo! a gaderyng of bees was in the `mouth of the lioun, and `a coomb of hony.

And whanne he hadde take it in hondis, he eet in the weie; and he cam to his fadir and modir, and yaf part `to hem, and thei eeten; netheles he nolde schewe to hem, that he hadde take hony of the `mouth of the lioun.

And so his fadir yede doun to the womman, and made a feeste to his sone Sampson; for yonge men weren wont to do so.

Therfor whanne the citeseyns of that place hadden seyn hym, thei yauen to hym thretti felowis, whiche schulen be with hym.

To whiche Sampson spak, Y schal putte forth to you a probleme, `that is, a douyteful word and priuy, and if ye `asoilen it to me with ynne seuen daies of the feeste, Y schal yyue to you thretti lynnun clothis, and cootis `of the same noumbre; sotheli if ye moun not soyle,

ye schulen yyue to me thretti lynnun clothis, and cootis `of the same noumbre. Whiche answeriden to hym, Sette forth the probleme, that we here it.

And he seide to hem, Mete yede out of the etere, and swetnesse yede out of the stronge. And bi thre daies thei myyten not assoile the `proposicioun, that is, the resoun set forth.

And whanne the seuenthe dai cam, thei seiden to `the wijf of Sampson, Glose thin hosebonde, and counseile hym, that he schewe to thee what the probleme signyfieth. That if thou nylt do, we schulen brenne thee and `the hous of thi fadir. Whether herfor ye clepiden vs to weddyngis, that ye schulden robbe vs?

And sche schedde teerys at Sampson, and pleynede, and seide, Thou hatist me, and louest not, therfor thou nylt expowne to me the probleme, which thou settidist forth to the sones of my puple. And he answeride, Y nolde seie to my fadir and modir, and schal Y mow schewe to thee?

Therfor bi seuene dayes of the feest sche wepte at hym; at the laste `he expownede in the seuenthe dai, whanne sche was diseseful to hym. And anoon sche telde to hir citeseyns.

And thei seiden to hym in the seuenthe dai bifor the goyng doun of the sunne, What is swettere than hony, and what is strengere than a lioun? And he seide to hem, If ye hadden not erid in my cow calf, `that is, my wijf, ye hadden not founde my proposicioun.

Therfor the spirit of the Lord felde in to hym; and he yede doun to Ascalon, and killyde there thretti men, whose clothis he took awey, and he yaf to hem that soiliden the probleme; and he was ful wrooth, and stiede in to `the hows of his fadir.

Forsothe his wijf took an hosebonde, oon of the frendis and keperis `of hir.

Chapter 15
`Forsothe aftir sum del of tyme, whanne the daies of wheete heruest neiyiden, Sampson cam, and wolde visite his wijf, and he brouyte to hir a `kide of geet; and when he wolde entre in to hir bed bi custom, `the fadir of hir forbeed hym, and seide,

Y gesside that thou haddist hatid hir, and therfor Y yaf hir to thi freend; but sche hath a sistir, which is yongere and fairere than sche, be sche `wijf to thee for hir.

To whom Sampson answeride, Fro this day no blame schal be in me ayens Filistees, for Y schal do yuels to you.

And he yede, and took thre hundrid foxis, and ioynede `the tailis of hem to tailis, and boond brondis in the myddis,

whiche he kyndlid with fier, and leet hem, that thei schulden renne aboute hidur and thidur; `which yeden anoon in to the cornes of Filisteis, bi whiche kyndlid, bothe cornes `borun now to gidere, and yit stondynge in the stobil, weren brent, in so myche that the flawme wastide vyneris, and `places of olyue trees.

And Filisteis seiden, Who dide this thing? To whiche it was seid, Sampson, hosebonde of the `douytir of Thannathei, for he took awey Sampsones wijf, and yaf to another man, `wrouyte this thing. And Filisteis stieden, and brenten bothe the womman and hir fadir.

To whiche Sampson seide, Thouy ye han do this, netheles yit Y schal axe veniaunce of you, and than Y schal reste.

And he smoot hem with greet wounde, so that thei wondriden, and `puttiden the hyndrere part of the hipe on the thiy; and he yede doun, and dwellide in the denne of the stoon of Ethan.

Therfor Filisteis stieden in to the lond of Juda, and settiden tentis in the place, that was clepid aftirward Lethi, that is, a cheke, wher `the oost of hem was spred a brood.

And men of the lynage of Juda seiden to hem, Whi `stieden ye ayens vs? Whiche answeriden, We comen that we bynde Sampson, and yelde to hym tho thingis whiche he wrouyte in vs.

Therfor thre thousynde of men of Juda yeden doun to the denne of the flynt of Ethan; and thei seiden to Sampson, Woost thou not, that Filisteis comaunden to vs? Why woldist thou do this thing? To whiche he seide.

As thei diden to me, Y dide to hem. Thei seien, We comen to bynde thee, and to bitake thee in to the `hondis of Filisteis. To whiche Sampson answeride, Swere ye, and `biheete ye to me, that ye sle not me.

And thei seiden, We schulen not sle thee, but we schulen bitake thee boundun. And thei bounden him with twei newe cordis, and token fro the stoon of Ethan.

And whanne thei hadden come to the place of cheke, and Filisteis criynge hadden runne to hym, the spirit of the Lord felde in to hym, and as stikis ben wont to be wastid at the odour of fier, so and the bondis, with whiche he was boundun, weren scaterid and vnboundun.

And he took a cheke foundun, that is, the lowere cheke boon of an asse, that lay, `and he killyde `with it a thousinde men; and seide,

With the cheke of an asse, that is, with the lowere cheke of a colt of femal assis, Y dide hem awey, and Y killide a thousynde men.

And whanne he songe these wordis, and `hadde fillid, he castide forth fro the hond the lowere cheke; and he clepide the name of that place Ramath Lethi, `which is interpretid, the reisyng of a cheke.

And he thristide greetly, and criede to the Lord, and seide, Thou hast youe in the hond of thi seruaunt this grettest helthe and victory; and lo! Y die for thyrst, and Y schal falle in to the hondis of vncircumcidid men.

Therfor the Lord openyde a wang tooth in the cheke boon of the asse, and watris yeden out therof, `bi whiche drunkun he refreischide the spirit, and resseuede strengthis; therfor the name of that place was clepid the Welle of the clepere of the cheke `til to present dai.

And he demyde Israel in the daies of Filistiym twenti yeer.

Chapter 16
Also Sampson yede in to Gazam, and he siy there a womman hoore, and he entride to hir.

And whanne Filisteis hadden seyn this, and it was pupplischid at hem, that Sampson entride in to the citee, thei cumpassiden hym, whanne keperis weren set in the yate of the citee; and thei abididen there al nyyt `with silence, that in the morewtid thei schulen kille Sampson goynge out.

Forsothe Sampson slepte til to `the myddis of the nyyt; and `fro thennus he roos, and took bothe the closyngis, ethir leeues, of the yate, with hise postis and lok; and he bar tho leeues, put on the schuldris, to the cop of the hil that biholdith Ebron.

After these thingis Sampson louyde a womman that dwellide in the valey of Soreth, and sche was clepid Dalida.

And the princes of Filisteis camen to hir, and seiden, Disseyue thou hym, and lerne thou of hym, in what thing he hath so greet strengthe, and how we mowen ouercome hym, and turmente hym boundun; that if thou doist, we schulen yyue to thee ech man a thousynde and an hundrid platis of siluer.

Therfor Dalida spak to Sampson, Y biseche, seie thou to me, wher ynne is thi gretteste strengthe, and what is that thing, with which thou boundun maist not breke?

To whom Sampson answeride, If Y be boundun with seuene coordis of senewis not yit drye `and yit moiste, Y schal be feble as othere men.

And the princis of Filisteis brouyten `to hir seuene coordis, as he hadde seide; with whiche sche boond him,

while buyschementis weren hid at hir, and abididen in a closet the ende of the thing. And sche criede to hym, Sampson, Filisteis ben on thee! Which brak the boondis, as if a man brekith a threed of herdis, writhun with spotle, whanne it hath take the odour of fier; and it was not knowun wher ynne his strengthe was.

And Dalida seide to hym, Lo! thou hast scorned me, and thou hast spok fals; nameli now schewe thou to me, with what thing thou schuldist be boundun.

To whom he answeride, If Y be boundun with newe coordis, that weren not yit in werk, I schal be feble, and lijk othere men.

With whiche Dalida boond him eft, and criede, Sampson, Filistees ben on thee! the while buyschementis weren maad redi in closet. Which brak `so the boondis as thredis of webbis.

And Dalida seide eft to hym, Hou long schalt thou disseyue me, and schalt speke fals? Schew thou to me, with what thing thou schalt be boundun. To whom Sampson answeryde, he seide, If thou plattist seuene heeris of myn heed with a strong boond, and fastnest to the erthe a naile boundun a boute with these, Y schal be feble.

And whanne Dalida hadde do this, sche seide to hym, Sampson, Filisteis ben on thee! And he roos fro sleep, and drow out the nail, with the heeris and strong boond.

And Dalida seide to hym, Hou seist thou, that thou louest me, sithen thi soule is not with me? Bi thre tymes thou liedist to me, and noldist seie to me, wher ynne is thi moost strengthe.

And whanne sche was diseseful to hym, and cleuyde to hym contynueli bi many daies, and yaf not space to reste, his lijf failide, and was maad wery `til to deeth.

Thanne he openyde the treuthe of the thing, and seide to hir, Yrun stiede neuere on myn heed, for Y am a Nazarei, that is, halewid to the Lord, fro `the wombe of my modir; if myn heed be schauun, my strengthe schal go awei fro me, and Y schal faile, and Y schal be as othere men.

And sche siy that he knowlechide to hir al his wille, `ether herte; and sche sente to the princes of Filisteis, and comaundide, Stie ye yit onys, for now he openyde his herte to me. Whiche stieden, with the money takun which thei bihiyten.

And sche made hym slepe on hir knees, and `bowe the heed in hir bosum; and sche clepide a barbour, and schauede seuene heeris of hym; and sche bigan to caste hym awei, and to put fro hir; for anoon the strengthe yede awei fro him.

And sche seide, Sampson, Filisteis ben on thee! And he roos fro sleep, and seide to his soule, Y schal go out, as and Y dide bifore, and Y schal schake me fro boondis; and he wiste not, that the Lord hadde goon awei fro hym.

And whanne Filisteis hadden take hym, anoon thei diden out hise iyen, and ledden hym boundun with chaynes to Gaza, and `maden hym closid in prisoun to grynde.

And now hise heeris bigunnen to growe ayen;

and the princes of Filisteis camen togidere to offre grete sacrifices to Dagon, her god, and `to ete, seiynge, Oure god hath bitake oure enemy Sampson in to oure hondis.

And the puple seynge also this thing preiside her god, and seide the same thingis, Our god hath bitake oure aduersarie in to oure hondis, which dide awey oure lond, and killide ful many men.

And thei weren glad bi feestis, for thei hadden ete thanne; and thei comaundiden, that Sampson schulde be clepid, and schulde pleie bifor hem; which was led out of prisoun, and pleiede bifor hem; and thei maden hym stonde bitwixe twei pileris.

And he seide to the `child gouernynge hise steppis, Suffre thou me, that Y touche the pilers on whiche al the hows stondith, that Y be bowid on tho, and reste a litil.

Sotheli the hows was ful of men and of wymmen, and the princes of the Filisteis weren there, and aboute thre thousynde of `euer either kynde, biholdynge fro the roof and the soler Sampson pleynge.

And whanne the Lord `was inwardli clepid, he seide, My Lord God, haue mynde on me, and, my God, yelde thou now to me the formere strengthe, that Y venge me of myn enemyes, and that Y resseyue o veniaunce for the los of tweyne iyen.

And he took bothe pilers, on whiche the hows stood, and he helde the oon of tho in the riythond, and the tother in the left hond; and seide,

My lijf die with Filesteis! And whanne the pileris weren schakun togidere strongli, the hows felde on alle the princes, and on the tother multitude, that was there; and he diynge killide many moo, than he quyk hadde slayn bifore.

Forsothe hise britheren and al the kinrede camen doun, and token his bodi, and birieden bitwixe Saraa and Escahol, in the sepulcre of his fadir Manue; and he demyde Israel twenti yeer.

Chapter 17
In that tyme was a man, `Mycas bi name, of the hil of Effraym.

And he seide to his modir, Lo! Y haue a thousynde `and an hundrid platis of siluer, whiche thou departidist to thee, and on whiche thou sworist, while Y herde, and tho ben at me. To whom sche answeride, Blessid be my sone of the Lord.

Therefor he yeldide tho to his modir; and sche seide to hym, Y halewide and avowide this siluer to the Lord, that my sone resseyue of myn hond, and make a grauun ymage and a yotun ymage; and now I `yyue it to thee.

Therfor he yeldide to his modir; and sche took twei hundryd platis of siluer, and yaf tho to a werk man of siluer, that he schulde make of tho a grauun `ymage and yotun, that was in `the hows of Mycas.

Which departide also a litil hous ther ynne to God; and made ephod, and theraphym, that is, a preestis cloth, and ydols; and he fillide the hond of oon of his sones, and he was maad a preest to hym.

In tho daies was no kyng in Israel, but ech man dide this, that semyde riytful to hym silf.

Also another yonge wexynge man was of Bethleem of Juda, of the kynrede therof, `that is, of Juda, and he was a dekene, and dwellide there.

And he yede out of the citee of Bethleem, and wolde be a pilgrim, where euere he foond profitable to hym silf. And whanne he made iourney, and `hadde come in to the hil of Effraym, and hadde bowid a litil in to `the hows of Mycha,

`he was axid of hym, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, Y am a dekene of Bethleem of Juda, and Y go, that Y dwelle where Y may, and se that it is profitable to me.

Micha seide, Dwelle thou at me, and be thou fadir and preest `to me; and Y schal yyue to thee bi ech yeer ten platis of siluer, and double cloth, and tho thingis that ben nedeful to lijflode.

He assentide, and dwellide `at the man; and he was to the man as oon of sones.

And Mycha fillide his hond, and hadde the child preest at hym,

and seide, Now Y woot, that God schal do wel to me, hauynge a preest of the kyn of Leuy.

Chapter 18
In tho daies was no kyng in Israel; and the lynage of Dan souyte possessioun to it silf, to dwelle ther ynne; for `til to that dai it hadde not take eritage among other lynagis.

Therfor the sones of Dan senten fyue the strongeste men of her generacioun and meynee fro Saraa and Escahol, that thei schulden aspie the lond, and biholde diligentli. And thei seiden to hem, Go ye, and biholde the lond. And whanne thei goynge hadden come in to the hil of Effraym, and hadden entrid in to the hows of Mycha, thei restiden there.

And thei knewen the voys of the yong wexynge dekene; and thei restiden in `the yn of hym, and seiden to hym, Who brouyte thee hidur? What doist thou here? For what cause woldist thou come hidur?

Which answeride `to hem, Mychas yaf to me these and these thingis, and hiride me for meede, that Y be preest to hym.

Forsothe thei preieden hym, that he schulde counsele the Lord, and thei myyten wite, whether thei yeden in weie of prosperite, and the thing schulde haue effect.

Which answeride to hem, Go ye with pees, the Lord biholdith youre weie, and the iourney whidur ye goon.

Therfor the fyue men yeden, and camen to Lachys; and thei siyen the puple dwellynge ther ynne with outen ony drede, bi the custom of Sidonyis, sikur and resteful, for no man outirli ayenstood hem, and `of grete richessis, and fer fro Sidon, and departid fro alle men.

And thei turneden ayen to her britheren in Saraa and Escahol; and thei answeriden to `britheren axynge what thei hadden do,

Rise ye, and stie we to hem, for we siyen the lond ful riche and plenteuous; nyle ye be necgligent, nil ye ceesse, go we, and haue it in possessioun;

no trauel schal be; we schulen entre to sikir men, in to a largeste cuntrey; and the Lord schal bitake to vs a place, wher ynne is not pouert of ony thing of tho that ben brouyt forth in erthe.

Therfor sixe hundrid men gird with armeris of batel yeden forth `of the kynrede of Dan, that is, fro Saraa and Escahol.

And thei stieden, and dwelliden in Cariathiarym of Juda, which place took fro that tyme the name of Castels of Dan, and is bihyndis the bak of Cariathiarym.

Fro thennus thei passiden in to the hil of Effraym; and whanne thei hadden come to the hows of Mychas, the fyue men,

that weren sent bifore to biholde the lond of Lachis, seiden to her other britheren, Ye knowen, that ephod, and theraphyn, and a grauun ymage and yotun is in these housis; se ye what plesith you.

And whanne thei hadden bowid a litil, thei entriden in to the hows of the yong dekene, that was in the hows of Mychas, and thei gretten hym with pesible wordis.

Forsothe sixe hundrid men stoden bifore the dore, so as thei weren armed. And thei, that entriden in to the `hows of the yong man, enforsiden to take awey the grauun ymage, and the ephod, and theraphin, and the yotun ymage; and the preest stood bifore the dore,

while sixe hundrid strongeste men abideden not fer.

Therfor thei that entriden token the grauun ymage, ephod, and idols, and the yotun ymage; to whiche the preest seide, What doen ye?

To whom thei answeriden, Be thou stille, and putte the fyngur on thi mouth, and come with vs, that we haue thee fadir and preest. What is betere to thee, that thou be preest in the hows of o man, whether in o lynage and meynee in Israel?

And whanne he hadde herd this, he assentide to `the wordis of hem, and he took the ephod, and ydols, and the grauun ymage, and yede forth with hem.

And whanne thei yeden, and hadden maad the litle children, and werk beestis, and al thing that was preciouse, to go bifor hem;

and whanne thei weren now fer fro `the hows of Mychas, men that dwelliden in the housis of Mychas, crieden togidere, and sueden,

and bigunnun to crye `aftir the bak. Whiche whanne thei hadden biholde, seiden to Mychas, What wolt thou to thee? whi criest thou?

Which answeride, Ye han take awey my goddis whiche Y made to me, and the preest, and alle thingis whiche Y haue; and ye seien, What is to thee?

And the sones of Dan seiden to hym, Be war, lest thou speke more to vs, and men styrid in soule come to thee, and thou perische with al thin hows.

And so thei yeden forth in the iourney bigunnun. Forsothe Mychas siy, that thei weren strongere than he, and turnede ayen in to his hows.

Forsothe sixe hundrid men token the preest, and the thingis whiche we biforseiden, and camen in to Lachis to the puple restynge and sikur; and thei smytiden hem bi the scharpnesse of swerd, and bitoken the citee to brennyng,

while no man outirli yaf help, for thei dwelliden fer fro Sydon, and hadden not ony thing of felouschipe and cause with ony of men. Forsothe the citee was set in the cuntrei of Roob; which citee thei bildiden eft, and dwelliden ther ynne;

while the name of the citee was clepid Dan, bi the name of her fadir, whom Israel hadde gendrid, which citee was seid Lachis bifore.

And `thei settiden there the grauun ymage, and Jonathas, sone of Jerson, sone of Moises, and `Jonathas sones, preestis, in the lynage of Dan, til in to the dai of her caitifte.

And the idol of Mychas dwellide at hem, in al the tyme `in which the hows of God was in Silo. In tho daies was no kyng in Israel.

Chapter 19
A man was a dekene dwellinge in the side of the hil of Effraym, which dekene took a wijf of Bethleem of Juda.

And sche lefte hym, and turnede ayen in to the hows of hir fadir in Bethleem, and sche dwellide at hym foure monethis.

And hir hosebonde suede hir, and wolde be recounselid to hir, and speke faire, and lede hir ayen with him; and he hadde in cumpany a child, and tweyne assis. And sche resseyuede hym, and brouyte him in to `the hows of hir fadir; and whanne hise wyues fadir hadde herd this, and `hadde seyn hym, he ran gladli to hym, and kisside the man.

And the hosebonde of the douytir dwellide in `the hows of his wyues fadir in three daies, and eet and drank hoomli with hym.

Sotheli in the fourthe dai he roos bi nyyt, and wolde go forth; whom `the fadir of his wijf helde, and seide to hym, Taaste thou first a litil of breed, and coumforte thi stomak, and so thou schalt go forth.

And thei saten togidere, and eeten, and drunkun. And the fadir of the damysele seide to `the hosebonde of his douyter, Y beseche thee, that thou dwelle here to dai, and that we be glad togidere.

And he roos, and bigan to wilne to go; and neuertheles `the fadir of his wijf helde hym mekeli, and made to dwelle at hym.

Forsothe whanne the morewtid was maad, the dekene made redi weie; to whom `the fadir of his wijf seide eft, Y biseche, that thow take a litil of mete, and make thee strong til the dai encreesse, and aftirward go forth. Therfor thei eten togidere.

And the yong man roos to go with his wijf and child; to whom the fadir of his wijf spak eft, Biholde thou, that the dai is `lowere to the goynge doun, and it neiyeth to euentid; dwelle thou at me also to dai, and lede a glad dai, and to morewe thou schalt go forth, that thou go in to thin hows.

The `hosebonde of the douytir nolde assente to hise wordis; but he yede forth anoon, and cam ayens Jebus, which bi another name is clepid Jerusalem; and he ledde with hym twei assis chargid, and the wijf.

And now thei weren bisidis Jebus, and the day was chaungid in to nyyt. And the child seide to his lord, Come thou, Y biseche, bowe we to the citee of Jebus, and dwelle we therynne.

To whom the lord answeride, Y schal not entre in to the citee of an alien folc, which is not of the sones of Israel, but Y schal passe `til to Gabaa;

and whanne Y schal come thidur, we schulen dwelle therynne, `ether certis in the citee of Rama.

Therfor thei passiden Jebus, and token the weie bigunnun. And the sunne yede doun to hem bisidis Gabaa, which is in the lynage of Beniamyn;

and thei turneden to it, that thei schulden dwelle there. Whidur whanne thei hadden entrid, thei saten in the street of the citee, and no man wolde resseyue hem to herbore.

And lo! an eld man turnede ayen fro the feeld, and fro his werk in the euentid, and apperide to hem, which also hym silf was of the hil of Effraym, and he dwellide a pilgrym in Gabaa. Therfor men of that cuntrey weren the sones of Gemyny.

And whanne the eld man reiside his iyen, he siy a man sittynge with hise fardels in the street of the citee; and he seide to `that man, Fro whennus comest thou? and whidur goist thou?

Which answeride to hym, We yeden forth fro Bethleem of Juda, and we gon to oure place, which is in the side of the hil of Effraym, fro whennus we yeden to Bethleem; and now we gon to the hows of God, and no man wole resseyue vs vndur his roof,

and we han prouendre and hey in to mete of assis, and breed and wyn in to myn vsis, and of thin handmayde, and of the child which is with me; we han no nede to ony thing, no but to herbore.

To whom the eld man answeride, Pees be with thee; Y schal yyue alle `thingis, that ben nedeful; oneli, Y biseche, dwelle thou not in the street.

And he brouyte hym in to his hows, and yaf `mete to the assis; and after that thei waischiden her feet, he resseyuede hem `in to feeste.

While thei eeten, and refreischiden the bodies with mete and drynk after the trauel of weie, men of that citee camen, the sones of Belial, that is, with out yok, and thei cumpassiden the `hows of the elde man, and bigunnun to knocke the doris; and thei crieden to the lord of the hows, and seiden, Lede out the man that entride in to thin hows, that we mysuse him.

And the elde man yede out to hem, and seide, Nyle ye, britheren, nyle ye do this yuel; for the man entride in to myn herbore; and ceesse ye of this foli.

Y haue a douyter virgyn, and this man hath a wijf; Y schal lede out hem to you, that ye make lowe hem, and fille youre lust; oneli, Y biseche, that ye worche not this cursidnesse ayens kynde `ayens the man.

Thei nolden assente to hise wordis; which thing the man siy, and ledde out his wijf to hem, and bitook to hem hir to be defoulid. And whanne thei hadden misusid hir al niyt, thei leften hir in the morewtid.

And whanne the derknessis departiden, the womman cam to the dore of the hows, where hir lord dwellide, and there sche felde doun.

Whanne the morewtid was maad, the man roos, and openyde the dore, `that he schulde fille the weie bigunnun; and lo! his wijf lay bifor the dore, with hondis spred in the threischfold.

And he gesside `hir to reste, `and spak to hir, Rise thou, and go we. `And whanne sche answeride no thing, he vndirstode that sche was deed; and he took hir, and puttide on the asse, and turnede ayen in to his hows.

And whanne he entride in `to that hows, he took a swerd, and departide in to twelue partis and gobetis the deed body of the wijf, and sente in to alle the termes of Israel.

And whanne alle `men hadden herde this, thei crieden, Neuere siche a thing was don in Israel, fro that dai `in which oure fadris stieden fro Egipt `til in to `present tyme; seie ye sentence, and deme ye in comyn, what is nede to be doon.

Chapter 20
Therfor alle the sones of Israel yeden, and weren gaderid togidere as o man, fro Dan `til to Bersabee, and fro the lond of Galaad to the Lord in Maspha; and alle the `corneris of puplis;

and alle the lynagis of Israel camen to gidere in to the chirche of `the puple of God, foure hundrid thousynde of `foot men fiyters.

And it was not `hid fro the sones of Beniamyn, that the sones of Israel hadden stied in to Maspha. And the dekene, hosebonde of the `wijf that was slayn, was axid, `how so greet felonye was doon;

and he answeride, Y cam with my wijf in to Gabaa of Beniamyn, and Y turnede thidur.

And lo! men of that citee cumpassiden in nyyt the hows, in which Y dwellide, and thei wolden sle me, and thei bitraueliden my wijf with vnbileueful woodnesse of letcherie; at the last sche was deed.

And Y took, and Y kittide hir in to gobetis, and Y sente partis in to alle the termes of youre possessioun; for so greet felonye and so greuouse synne was neuere doon in Israel.

Alle ye sones of Israel ben present; deme ye, what ye owen do.

And al the puple stood, and answeride as bi word of o man, `that is acordyngli, with out ayenseiyng and with out delay, We schulen not go awei in to oure tabernaclis, nethir ony man schal entre in to his hows;

but we schulen do this in comyn ayens Gabaa.

`Ten men be chosun of an hundrid, of alle the lynagis of Israel, and an hundrid of a thousynde, and a thousynde of ten thousynde, that thei bere metis to the oost, and that we, fiytynge ayens Gabaa of Beniamyn, moun yelde to it `for the trespas that that it deserueth.

And al the puple, `as o man, cam togidere to the citee bi the same thouyt and o counsel.

And `thei senten messangeris to al the lynage of Beniamyn, `whiche messangeris seiden, Whi so greet felony is foundun in you?

Bitake ye the men of Gabaa, that diden this wickidnesse, that thei die, and yuel be doon awey fro Israel. `Whiche nolden here the comaundement of her britheren, the sones of Israel,

but of alle the citees, that weren of `her part, thei camen togidere in to Gabaa, to helpe hem, and to fiyte ayens al the puple of Israel.

And fyue and twenti thousynde weren foundun of Beniamyn, of men drawynge out swerd, outakun the dwelleris of Gabaa,

whiche weren seuen hundrid strongeste men, fiytynge so with the lefthond as with the riythond, and castynge so stoonus with slyngis at a certeyn thing, that thei myyten smyte also an heer, and the strook of the stoon schulde not be borun in to `the tother part.

Also of the men of Israel, with out the sones of Beniamin, weren foundun foure hundrid thousynd `of men drawynge swerd and redi to batel.

Whiche riseden and camen in to the hows of God, that is in Silo; and thei counceliden God, and seiden, Who schal be prince in oure oost of the batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn? To whiche the Lord answeride, Judas be youre duyk.

And anoon the sones of Israel risiden eerli, and settiden tentis ayens Gabaa.

And fro thennus thei yeden forth to batel ayens Beniamyn, and bigunnen to fiyte ayens `the citee.

And the sones of Beniamyn yeden out of Gabaa, and killiden of the sones of Israel in that dai two and twenti thousynde of men.

And eft the sones of Israel tristiden in strengthe and noumbre, and dressiden schiltrun, in the same place in which thei fouyten bifore;

so netheles that thei stieden bifore, and wepten bifor the Lord `til to nyyt, and counseliden hym, and seiden, Owe Y go forth more to fiyte ayens the sones of Beniamyn, my britheren, ether nay? To whiche he answeride, Stie ye to hem, and bigynne ye batel.

And whanne the sones of Israel hadden go forth to batel in the tother dai ayens Beniamyn,

the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the yates of Gabaa, and camen to hem; and the sones of Beniamyn weren wood ayens hem bi so greet sleyng, that thei castiden doun eiytene thousynde of men drawynge swerd.

Wherfor alle the sones of Israel camen in to the hows of God, and saten, and wepten bifore the Lord, and thei fastiden in that dai `til to euentid; and thei offeriden to the Lord brent sacrifices and pesible sacrifices,

and axiden of her staat. In that tyme the arke of boond of pees of God was there in Silo;

and Fynees, the sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, was souereyn of the hows. Therfor thei counseliden the Lord, and seiden, Owen we go out more to batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn, oure britheren, ethir reste? To whiche the Lord seide, Stie ye, for to morewe Y schal bytake hem in to youre hondis.

And the sones of Israel settiden buyschementis bi the cumpas of the citee of Gabaa;

and the thridde tyme as onys and tweis thei brouyten forth oost ayens Beniamyn.

But also the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the citee booldli, and pursueden ferthere the aduersaryes fleynge, so that thei woundiden of hem, as in the firste dai and the secounde, and killiden bi twey paththis `the aduersaries turnynge backis; of whiche paththis oon was borun in to Bethel, the tother in to Gabaa. And thei castiden doun aboute thretti men;

for thei gessiden to sle hem `bi customable maner; whiche `feyneden fliyt bi craft, and token counsel, that thei schulden drawe hem fro the citee, and that thei as fleynge schulden brynge to the forseid paththis.

Therfor alle the sones of Israel risiden of her seetis, and settiden schiltrun in the place which is clepid Baalthamar. And the buschementis, that weren aboute the citee, bigunnen to opene hem silf litil and litil,

and to go forth fro the west part of the citee. But also othere ten thousynde of men of al Israel excitiden the dwelleris of the cite to batels; and the batel was maad greuous ayens the sones of Beniamyn, and thei vndurstoden not, that perisching neiyede to hem on eche part.

And the Lord smoot hem in the siyt of the sones of Israel, and `thei killiden of hem in that dai fyue and twenti thousynde and an hundrid men, alle the werryours and drawynge swerd.

Sotheli the sones of Beniamyn bigunnen to fle, `whanne thei sien, that thei weren the lowere. And the sones of Israel sien this, and `yauen to hem place to fle, that thei schulden come to the buyschementis maad redi, whiche thei hadden set bisidis the citee.

And whanne thei hadden rise sudenli fro hid places, and Beniamyn yaf backis to the sleeris, thei entriden in to the citee, and smytiden it by the scharpnesse of swerd.

Sotheli the sones of Israel hadden youe a signe to hem whiche thei hadden set in buyschementis, that aftir that thei hadden take the citee, thei schulden kyndle fier, and that bi smook stiynge an hiy, thei schulden schewe the citee takun.

And whanne the sones of Israel set in thilke batel sien this; for the sones of Beniamyn gessiden hem to fle, and thei sueden bisiliere, whanne thretti men of her oost weren slayn;

and `the sones of Israel sien as a piler of smoke stie fro the citee; also Beniamyn bihelde bihynde, whanne he siy the citee takun, and flawmes borun in hiye,

thei that feyneden fliyt bifore, `ayenstoden strongliere with face turned. And whanne the sones of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei weren turned in to fliyt,

and thei bigunnen to go to the weie of deseert; while also aduersaries pursueden hem there, but also thei, that hadden brent the citee, camen ayens hem.

And so it was doon, that thei weren slayn of enemyes on ech part, nether ony reste of men diynge was; and thei felden, and weren cast doun at the eest coost of the citee of Gabaa.

Forsothe thei, that weren slayn in the same place, weren eiytene thousynde of `men, alle strongeste fiyteris.

And whanne thei that leften of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei fledden in to wildirnesse, and thei yeden to the stoon, whos name is Remmon. And in that fliyt the sones of Israel yeden opynli, `and yeden in to dyuerse places, and killiden fyue thousynde men; and whanne thei yeden ferther, thei pursueden hem, and killiden also othere twei thousynde.

And so it was doon, that alle that felden doun of Beniamyn in diuerse places, weren fyue and twenti thousynde, `fiyterys moost redi to batels.

And so sixe hundrid men leften of al the noumbre of Beniamyn, that myyten ascape, and fle in to wildirnesse; and thei saten in the stoon of Remmon foure monethis.

Forsothe the sones of Israel yeden out, and smytiden with swerd alle the remenauntis of the citee, fro men `til to werk beestis; and deuourynge flawme wastide alle the citees and townes of Beniamyn.

Chapter 21
Also the sones of Israel sworen in Maspha, and seiden, Noon of vs schal yyue to the sones of Beniamyn a wijf of his douytris.

And `alle camen to the hows of God in Silo, and thei saten in the `siyt of hym `til to euentid, and thei reisiden the vois, and bigunnen to wepe with greet yellyng,

and seiden, Lord God of Israel, whi is this yuel don in thi puple, that to dai o lynage be takun awey of vs?

Sotheli in the tother day thei risiden eerli, and bildyden an auter, and offriden there brent sacrifices and pesible sacrifices, and seiden,

Who of alle the lynagis of Israel stiede not in to the oost of the Lord? For whanne thei weren in Maspha, thei `hadden bounde hem silf with a greuouse ooth, that thei that failiden schulden be slayn.

And the sones of Israel weren led bi penaunce on her brother Beniamyn, and bigunnen to seie, O lynage of Israel is takun awey;

wherof schulen thei take wyues? for alle we sworen in comyn, that we schulen not yyue oure douytris to hem.

Therfor thei seiden, Who is of alle the lynagis of Israel, that stiede not to the Lord in Maspha? And lo! the dwelleris of Jabes of Galaad weren foundun, that thei weren not in the oost.

Also in that tyme, whanne thei weren in Silo, noon of hem was foundun there.

Therfor thei senten ten thousynde strongeste men, and comaundiden to hem, Go ye, and smyte the dwelleris of Jabes of Galaad bi the scharpnesse of swerd, as wel the wyues as `the litle children of hem.

And this thing schal be, which ye `owen to kepe, sle ye alle of male kynde, and the wymmen, that knewen men fleischli; reserue ye the virgyns.

And foure hundrid virgyns, that knewen not the bed of man, weren foundun of Jabes of Galaad; and thei brouyten hem to the castels in Silo, in to the lond of Chanaan.

And `thei senten messangeris to the sones of Beniamyn, that weren in the stoon of Remmon; and thei comaundiden to hem, that thei schulden resseyue tho wymmen in pees.

And the sones of Beniamyn camen in that tyme, and the douytris of Jabes of Galaad weren youun to hem to wyues; forsothe thei founden not othere wymmen, whiche thei schulden yyue in lijk maner.

And al Israel sorewide greetly, and dide penaunce on the sleyng of o lynage of Israel.

And the grettere men in birthe seiden, What schulen we do to the othere men, that han not take wyues? Alle the wymmen in Beniamyn felden doun,

and it `is to vs to puruey `with greet cure and greet studie, that o lynage be not don awey fro Israel.

We moun not yyue oure douytris to hem, for we ben boundun with an ooth and cursyng, bi which we seiden, Be he cursid that yyueth of hise douytris a wijf to Beniamyn.

And thei token a counsel, and seiden, Lo! annyuersarie solempnyte of the Lord is in Silo, whych is set at the north of the citee of Bethel, and at the eest coost of the weie that goith from Bethel to Siccyma, and at the south of the citee of Lebona.

And thei comaundiden to the sones of Beniamyn, and seiden, Go ye, be ye hid in the vyneris;

and whanne ye seen douytris of Silo go forth bi custom to lede daunsis, go ye out of the vyneris sudeynli, and rauysche ye hem, eche man o wijf, and go ye in to the lond of Beniamyn.

And whanne the fadris and britheren of hem schulen come, and bigynne to pleyne and plete ayens you, we schulen seie to hem, Haue ye mercy of hem; for thei rauyschiden not hem bi riyt of fiyteris and ouercomeris, but ye `yauen not to hem preiynge that thei schulden take; and the synne is of youre part.

And the sones of Beniamyn diden as it was comaundid to hem, and bi her noumbre thei rauyschiden wyues to hem, ech man o wijf, of hem that ledden daunsis. And thei yeden in to her possessioun, and bildiden citees, and dwelliden in tho.

And the sones of Israel turneden ayen, bi lynagis and meynees, in to her tabernaclis. In tho dayes was no kyng in Israel, but ech man dide this, that semyde ryytful to hym silf.