The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XXIII.

[verse 1] Forsothe [And I.] whanne myche tyme was passid after that the Lord had ȝoue pees to Israel, for [and whanne I.] alle naciouns `in cumpas [aboute I.] weren suget [sugectid I. sugetide GKMO.] ; and whanne Josue was thanne [now I.] of long lijf, and `of ful [ful of plures.] eld age, [verse 2] Josue clepide al Israel, and the grettere men in birthe, and the princes, and dukis, and maistris, and seide [he seide I.] to hem, Y `wexide [verse 3] elde [haue eldid I.] , and Y am of grettere [greet DN. ful gret I.] age; and ȝe seen [biholden I.] alle thingis whiche ȝoure Lord God hath do to alle naciouns `bi cumpas [aboute I.] , hou he fauȝt [hath fouȝten I.] for ȝou. [verse 4] And now for he de|partide [hath departid I.] to ȝou bi lot al the lond, fro the eest part of Jordan `til to [vnto I.] the grete see, [verse 5] and many naciouns ben left ȝit, ȝoure Lord God `schal distrie hem [schal distrie hem if ȝe wor|schipen him feithfuly and deuoutly. Lire here. C.] , and schal [he schal I.] take [take hem I.] awei fro ȝoure face; and ȝe schulen welde the [her I.] lond, as he bihiȝte to ȝou. [verse 6] Oneli be ȝe coumfortid, and be ȝe bisy, that ȝe kepe alle thingis that ben writun in the book of Moises lawe, and bowe [bowe ȝe I.] not awei fro tho [tho thingis I.] , nether to the riȝt side nether to [verse 7] the left side, lest aftir that ȝe han entrid to the [Om. GIKMNSOXb.] hethene men, that schulen be among ȝou, ȝe swere in the name of `the goddis of hem [her goddis I.] , and ȝe [Om. I.] serue tho goddis, and wor|schipe hem. [verse 8] But cleue ȝe to ȝoure Lord God, which [the which I.] thing ȝe han do `til in to [vnto I.] [verse 9] this dai; and thanne [Om. S.] the Lord God schal do awei in ȝoure siȝt grete folkis, and [Om. I.] strongeste [moost stronge I.] ; and noon schal mow aȝen|stonde ȝou. [verse 10] Oon of ȝou schal pursue a thousynde men [Om. GQW.] of enemyes [ȝour enemyes K.] , for ȝoure Lord God schal fiȝte for ȝou, as he bihiȝte [hath bihiȝt I.] . [verse 11] Be ȝe war bifore moost diligentli of this thing oneli, that ȝe loue ȝoure Lord God. [verse 12] That if ȝe wolen cleue to the errouris of these folkis [vnfeithful folkis I.] that dwellen among ȝou, and wolen medle mariagis with hem, and cou|ple [verse 13] frenschipis, wite ȝe riȝt now, that `ȝoure

Lord God [the Lord ȝoure God I.] schal not do awei hem bifor ȝoure face, but thei schulen be to ȝou in to a dich, and a [into a I.] snare, and in to hirtyng of ȝoure side [in to hirting of ȝoure side; in Ebreu it is, in to seking of ȝoure sidis, that is, thei schulen seke ȝoure pruyutes to distrie ȝou and caste out of the lond. Lire here. C.] , and in to stakis in ȝoure iȝen, til ȝoure Lord God take awei ȝou, and dis|trie [distrie ȝou I.] fro this beste loond, which [that I.] he ȝaf to ȝou. [verse 14] Lo! Y entre to dai in to [Om. S.] the weye of al erthe [for soone I schal die, as ech man shal I marg.] ; and ȝe schulen knowe `with al soule [of al ȝoure ynwitte I.] , that of al wordis [the wordis I.] whiche the Lord bihiȝte hym silf to [to be I.] ȝyue [do GKMNOSXb.] to ȝou, not oon passide in veyn. [verse 15] Therfor as he fillide [hath fulfillid I.] in werk that, that he bihiȝte [hath bihiȝt I.] , and alle thingis bifelden [han bifalle I.] `bi prosperite [welsumly to ȝou I.] , so he schal brynge on [upon I.] ȝou whateuer thing of yuelis he manaasside [hath manaassid I.] , til he take awei ȝou, and distrie [distrie ȝou I.] fro this beste lond, which [that I.] he ȝaf to [Om. I.] ȝou. [verse 16] For ȝe braken [han broken I.] the couenaunt of `ȝoure Lord God [the Lord ȝoure God I.] , which [that I.] he made with ȝou, and serueden [ȝe han serued I.] alien goddis, and wor|schipeden [han worschipid I.] hem, sone [therfore sone I.] and swiftli [hastily I.] the strong veniaunce of the Lord schal rise `on to [aȝens I.] ȝou; and ȝe schulen be takun awei fro this beste lond, which [that I.] he ȝaf to ȝou.