CAP. XXX.

[verse 1] Whanne Dauid and his men weren comen into Sichelech the thridde dai, Amalechites maden a bure fro the south partie into Sichelech; and thei smyten Sichelech, and thei brenten it with fier. [verse 2] And caitifis thei ladden wymmen fro it, fro the leest vnto the greet; and thei slewen not eny man, but ladden with hem, and wenten her weye. [verse 3] Thanne whanne Dauid was comen, and his men, to the citee, and thei founden it brent with fier, and her wyues, and her sonys, [verse 4] and douȝtris*. [douȝtren BFH.] to be ladde caitifes*. [caytyfe FH.], Da|uid and the puple that was with hym rereden vp her voices, and weiliden, to the tyme that teeris faileden in hem. [verse 5] Forsothe and the two wyues of Dauid weren ladde caitife, Achynoem Jezraelite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal of Car|mele. [verse 6] And Dauid sorowide greetli; for|sothe al the puple wold stoone hym, for bitter was the lyif of eche man vpon her sones and douȝtres. Forsothe Dauid is Page  86 coumfortid in the Lord his God. [verse 7] And he seith to Abiathar, the preest, the sone of Achimalech, Aplie to me the preestis coope. And Abiathar apliede to Dauid [verse 8] the preestis coope; and Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Shal I pursue, or naye, these theues, and take hem? And the Lord seide to hym, Pursue; forsothe out of dout thou shalt take hem, and shake out the praye. [verse 9] Thanne Dauid wente, he and sexe hundred men that weren with hym, and camen to the streem of Besor; and summe wery stoden stille. [verse 10] Forsothe Dauid pursuede, he and foure hundrid men; for there stoden stille two hun|dred, that weri myȝten not goon ouere the streem of Besor. [verse 11] And thei founden an Egipcien man in the feeld, and thei brouȝten hym to Dauid; and thei ȝeuen hym breed for to eete, and drynke water; [verse 12] but and the relif of a weiȝt of dried figis, and two bundels of dried grapis. The whiche thingis whanne he hadde eten, the spiryt of hym is turned aȝen, and he is refresshid; forsothe he hadde not eten breed, ne drunken water thre dais and thre niȝtes. [verse 13] And so Dauid seide to hym, Whos ert thou, or whens and whidir gost thou? The which seith, An Egip|cien child I am, and the seruaunt of an Amalechite man; forsothe my lord laft me, for I bigan to sikynyn*. [seeke A. seeken BEF. syken H.] the thridde dai hens. [verse 14] Forsothe we wenten out of the south coost of Cerethi, and aȝens Judam, and to the south of Caleph, and Sichilich we han brent vp with fier. [verse 15] And Dauid seide to hym, Maist thou lede me to this cumpanye? The which seith, Sweer to me bi God, that thou shalt not slee me, and not take me into the hoondis of my lord; and I shal lede thee to this companye. And Dauid swore to hym. [verse 16] The which whanne he hadde ladde hym, Page  87 loo! thei seeten vpon the face of al the erthe, etinge and drinkynge, and as ha|lowynge a feest dai, for al the pray and spoilis that thei token fro the loond of Philisteis, and fro the loond of Juda. [verse 17] And Dauid smoot hem fro euen `unto euen*. [Om. A.] of the tother dai, and there scap|ide not of hem eny man, but foure hun|drid ȝonge men, that stieden vp*. [bi A.] camelis, and flowen. [verse 18] Forsothe Dauid delyuerde alle thingis that Amalachitis token, and [verse 19] his two wyues he dilyuerde; ne there failide eny man fro litil vnto miche, as wel of sonys as of douȝtris*. [douȝtren BFH.], and of spoilys; and what eure thingis thei had|den [verse 20] robbid, alle Dauid brouȝte aȝen; and took all the flockis and drouys, and droue before his face. And thei seiden, This is the praye of Dauid. [verse 21] Forsothe Dauid cam to the two hundrid men, that wery stoden stille, and myȝten not folowe Dauid; and he hadde comaundid hem to sitte stille biside the streem of Besor; the whiche wenten out to mete Dauid, and the puple that was with hym. For|sothe Dauyd comynge nyȝ to the puple, salutede hem pesibli. [verse 22] And o man an|swerynge, werst and wickid of the men that weren with Dauid, seide, For thei camen not with vs, we shulen not ȝyue to hem eny thing of the praye, that we han delyuerde, but suffice to echon his wijf and sonis; the whiche whanne thei han takun, goo thei a weye. [verse 23] Forsothe Dauid seide, Not so ȝe shulen doo, bri|theren myn, of these thingis that the Lord hath taken to vs, and hath kepte vs, and hath*. [Om. CEFH.] ȝeuen the theuys, that breken out aȝens vs, into oure hoondis, [verse 24] ne eny man shal here vs vpon this word. Forsothe euen part shal be of the goynge down to batail, and of the abidynge stille at the fardels; and lijk maner thei shulen Page  88 departe. [verse 25] And this is maad fro that day, and there aftir a statute, and a decree, and as a lawe in Yrael vnto this day. [verse 26] Thanne Dauid cam into Sichelech, and sente ȝiftis of the praye to the eldris of Juda, his neiȝbours, seiynge, Takith bless|ynge of the praye of the enemyes of the [verse 27] Lord; to hem that weren in Bethel, and that in Ramoth, at the south, and that in [verse 28] Gether, and that in Aroer, and that in [verse 29] Sephamoth, and that in Eschama, and that in Rethala, and that in the citees of Hierameli, and that in the citees of Ceny, [verse 30] and that in Arama, and that in Lautua|saam, [verse 31] and that in Athech, and that in Ebron, and to other, that weren in thes places, in the whiche Dauid hadde dwellid and his men.