CAP. XXIV.

[verse 1] Of seuen*. [seue C.] ȝeer was Joas, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and fourtye ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his modir Sebia of Bersabe. [verse 2] And he dyde that was good before the Lord, alle Page  438 the days of Joiada, the preste. [verse 3] Forsothe and Joas took two wijues, of the whiche he gat sones and douȝters. [verse 4] After whiche thingus it pleside to Joas, that he schulde enstore the hous of the Lord. [verse 5] And he gadirde the prestis and Leuytis, and seyde to hem, Goth out to the cytees of Juda, and gadereth of al Irael monee, to the reparaciouns of the temple of the Lord oure God, by alle ȝeers; and swijth doth it. Bot the Leuytis diden it more necgligently. [verse 6] And the kyng clepide Joiada, prince, and seyde to hym, Why was not to thee bisynesse, that thou constreyn Leuytis to brengyn in fro Juda and Je|rusalem monee, the whiche is ordeynd of Moyses, the seruaunt of the Lord, that al the multitude of Irael schulde bryngyn it*. [Om. ABFH.] in to the tabernacle of wytnessynge? [verse 7] Athalia forsothe most vnpitous, and hir sonus, distruyeden the hous of God; and of alle thingus, that weren halowed to the temple of the Lord, sche enournede the temple*. [aunswering place E pr. m.] of Baalym. [verse 8] Thann the kyng comaundide, and thei maaden the ark, and putten it beside the ȝate of the Lord with outeforth. [verse 9] And it is prechid in Juda and in Jerusalem, that alle schulden bere pris to the Lord, that Moyses or|deynde to the seruauntis of God vpon al Irael, in deserte. [verse 10] And alle the princis and alle the puple gladedyn, and goon in, thei ȝeuen in to the ark of the Lord, and putten, so that it was ful. [verse 11] And whanne tyme was, that thei schulden bern the arke bifore the kyng bi the hondis of Leuytis, forsothe thei seen myche monee; and ther wente in a scribe of lawe, whom the firste preste hadde ordeyned, and thei heelden oute the monee, that was in the arke; for|sothe the arke thei bern aȝein to his place. And so thei diden bi sundre days, Page  439 and ther is gadird monee with oute [verse 12] noumbre; the whiche the kyng and Joiada ȝeuen to hem that stoden vpon the werkis of the hous of the Lord. And thei hireden of it hewers of stoones, and craftise men of alle werkis, that thei re|storen the hous of the Lord; also forgers of yren, and of brasse, that that, that hadde begunne to fallen, were susteyned. [verse 13] And thes that wrouȝten diden wijsly, and the gap of the wallis was hillid bi the hondis of hem; and thei rereden the hous of the Lord in to the rather state, and thei maaden it to stonden fast. [verse 14] And whanne thei hadden fulfild alle the werkis, thei brouȝten before the kyng and Joiada the tother part of the monee, of the whiche ben maad the vessels of the temple in to the seruyse, and to brent sacrifices; also violis, and other golden vessels and sylueren. And ther weren offrid brent sacrifices in the hous of the Lord contynuly, alle the days of Joiade. [verse 15] Forsothe Joiada eeldide ful of days, and dyed, whanne he was of an hundrith and [verse 16] thritti*. [thrittith B.] ȝeer; and thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauid with kingus; forthi that he hadde done good with Irael, and with his hous. [verse 17] Forsothe after that Joi|ada died, the princis of Jude wenten in, and honoureden the kyng, the whiche pleside by the seruyses of hem, assentide to hem. [verse 18] And thei forsoken the temple*. [couenaunt E pr. m.] of the Lord God of their fadirs, and thei serueden to mawmette woodis, and grauen thingus; and ther is don the wrath of the Lord aȝeynus Judam and Jerusalem for this synne. [verse 19] And he sente to hem prophetis, that thei schulden turnen aȝein to the Lord; whom beforen witnessynge thei wolden not heeren. [verse 20] And so the Spi|rite of the Lord clothed Zacharie, the sone of Joiade, preste; and he stode in Page  440 the siȝte of the puple, and seyde, Thes thingus seith the Lord, Why ouerpasse ȝe the heeste of the Lord, that schal not profiten to ȝou, and ȝe han forsaken the Lord, that he forsake ȝou? [verse 21] The whiche gadered aȝeynus hym, senten stoones, after the heste of the kyng, in the hall of the hous of the Lord. [verse 22] And king Joas is not recordid of the mercy that Joiada, the fadir of hym, hadde done with hym; bot he*. [Om. ABCFH.] slewȝ his sone. The whiche, whanne he schulde dyen, seith, The Lord see, and requyre. [verse 23] And whanne the ȝeer was ouer|turned, the hoost of Cirie steiȝede up aȝeinus hym, and came in to Judam and Jerusalem, and slewȝ alle the princis of the puple; and al the pray thei senten to the king, to Damasc. [verse 24] And certis whanne ther was commen a litil noum|bre of Ciries, the Lord toke in*. [in to E pr. m.] the hondis of hem vnnoumbreable multitude, forthy that thei hadde forsaken the Lord God of their fadirs. In to Joas also thei enhauntiden schenschipful domys; [verse 25] and goynge awey thei laften hym in grete langours. Forsothe his seruauntis arisen aȝeinus hym, in to vengyng of the blode of the sone of Joiade, prest; and thei slewen hym in his bed, and he is deed. And thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauid, bot not in the sepulcris of kingis. [verse 26] Forsothe ther aweytiden to hym Zabath, the sone of Semath Ama|nytidis, and Josabeth, the sone of Se|marith, Moabitidis. [verse 27] Bot the sonus of hym, and the soume of monee that was leyd to gydre vndir hym, and the enstorynge of the hous of God, ben writen more dili|gently in the boke of Kyngis.Page  441