The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

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The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.
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[Imprinted at London :: In povvles Churchyarde by Richarde Iugge, printer to the Queenes Maiestie,
[1568]]
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"The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A10708.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 10, 2025.

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❧The seconde part of the Byble con∣teyning these bookes.

  • The booke of Iosuah.
  • The booke of the Iudges.
  • The booke of Ruth.
  • The first booke of Samuel.
  • The seconde booke of Samuel.
  • The thirde booke of the kinges.
  • The fourth booke of the kinges.
  • The first booke of the Chronicles.
  • The seconde booke of the Chronicles.
  • The first booke of Esdras.
  • The seconde booke of Esdras.
  • The booke of Hester.
  • The booke of Iob.

[illustration] portrait
DROIT ET LOYAL

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❧ The booke of Iosuah, vvhom the Hebrewes call Jehosua.

¶The .j. Chapter.

2 The Lorde incourageth Iosuah to inuade the lande of promise. 5 The Lorde promi∣seth to assist Iosuah if he obey his worde. 11 Iosuah commaundeth the people to pre∣pare them selues to passe ouer Iordane, 12 and exhorteth the Rubenites to execute their charge.

[illustration]

[unspec A]

1 AFter the (a 1.1 death of Moyses the ser∣uaunt of the Lord, it came to passe al∣so that the Lorde spake vnto Iosu∣ah ye sonne of Nun, Moyses (b 1.2 minister, saying:

2 Moyses my seruaunt is dead: Nowe therefore arise, go ouer this Iordane, thou and all this people, vnto the lande the whiche I to them the chyldren of Israel do c 1.3geue.

3 * 1.4All the places that the soles of your feete shall treade vpon, haue I geuen you, as I sayde vnto Moyses.

4 From the d 1.5 wyldernesse and this Li∣banon, vnto the great riuer Euphrates, all the lande of the e 1.6 Hethites, euen vn∣to the f 1.7 great sea towarde the goyng downe of the sunne, shalbe your coast.

5 There shal not a man be able to with∣stande thee all the dayes of thy life: For as I was with Moyses, so wyll I be with thee, * 1.8 and wyll not fayle thee, nor forsake thee.

6 * 1.9Be strong therfore and bolde: for vn∣to this people shalt thou deuide ye lande for inheritaunce, whiche I sware vnto their fathers to geue them.

7 Only be thou strong, and of a stoute courage, that thou maiest obserue and do according to all the law which Mo∣ses my seruaunt commaunded thee: * 1.10 Turne from the same neither to the right hande, nor to the lefte, that thou maiest do wisely in al that thou takest in hande.

8 * 1.11Let not the booke of this lawe de∣parte out of thy mouth (g) 1.12, but occupie thy (g) 1.13 minde therein day & night, that thou maiest obserue and doe according to all yt is written therin: For then shalt thou make thy wayh 1.14 prosperous, and then thou shalt do wisely.

9 Haue not I cōmaunded thee, that thou shouldest be strong & hardie, and

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not feare nor be faint hearted? For I the Lorde thy God am with thee, whyther soeuer thou goest.

10 Then Iosuah commaunded the offi∣cers of the people, saying:

11 Go thorowe the middes of the hoaste, and cōmaunde the people, saying, Pre∣pare you vitailes: for afteri 1.15 three daies ye shal passe ouer this Iordane, to go in and enioye the lande, which the Lorde your God geueth you, to possesse it.

12 And vnto the Rubenites, Gadites, and halfe the tribe of Manasses spake Io∣suah saying:

13 * 1.16Remember the worde whiche Moy∣ses the seruaunt of the Lorde commaū∣ded [unspec D] you, saying: The Lorde your God hath geuen you rest, & hath geuen you this(k) 1.17 lande.

14 Your wyues, your children, and your catell shall remaine in the lande which Moyses gaue you on (l) 1.18 this syde Ior∣dane: but ye shal go before your brethren armed, all that be men of warre, and helpe them:

15 Vntill the Lorde haue geuen your brethren rest as he hath you, and vntill they also haue obtained the lande whi∣che the Lorde your God geueth them: And then shal ye returne vnto the lande of your possession, and enioye it: which lande Moyses the Lordes seruaūt gaue you on this side Iordane towarde the sunne rysyng.

16 And they aunswered Iosuah, sayinge: * 1.19Al that thou hast commaunded vs we will do, and whyther soeuer thou sen∣dest vs, we will go.

7 According as we obeyed Moyses in al thinges, so will we obey thee: only the Lorde thy God be with thee, as he was with Moyses.

18 And whosoeuer he be that doth diso∣bey thy mouth, and wil not hearken vn∣to thy wordes in all that thou commaū∣dest him, let him dye: Only be strong, and of good courage.

The .ij. Chapter.

1 Iosuah sendeth out spies into Iericho. 4 They be hydden of Rahab. 9 Rahab agniseth the God of Israel to be the hyghest God. 11 Rahab requireth that there be had a respecte of her selfe and hers when Iericho is ouercummen. 21 The spies do returne.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Iosuah ye sonne of Nun sent out of(a 1.20 Sit∣tim two men to spye se∣cretely, saying: Go, and viewe the land, and al∣so Iericho. And they went, and * 1.21 came into a “ 1.22harlotes house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2 And it was tolde the king of Iericho, saying: Beholde, ther came men in hy∣ther to night, of the children of Israel, to spye out the countrey.

3 And the king of Iericho sent vnto Rahab, saying: (b) 1.23 Bring foorth the men that are come to thee, and which are en∣tred into thyne house: for they be come to searche out all the lande.

4 And the woman toke the two men and hyd them, and sayd thus: In deede [unspec B] there came men vnto me, but I wiste not whence they were.

5 And about the time of the shutting of the gate when it was darke, the men went out, whyther the men went I wote not: folowe ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.

6 But she had brought them vp to the (c) 1.24rooffe of the house, & *hyd them with the stalkes of flaxe which she had lying abrode vpon the rooffe.

7 And the men pursued after them the way to Iordane vnto the fourdes: and assoone as they whiche pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

8 And or euer they were asleepe, she came vp vnto them vpon the rooffe,

9 And sayd vnto the men: I knowe that the Lorde hath geuen you the land, * 1.25 for the (d 1.26 feare of you is fallen vpō vs, and the inhabitantes of the lande faint at the presence of you:

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10 For we haue hearde howe the Lorde * 1.27dried vp the water of the red sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you dyd vnto the two kynges of the Amorites that were on the other syde Iordane, * 1.28 Sehon and Og, whom ye vtterly destroyed.

11 And assoone as we had hearde these thynges, our heartes dyd faynt, and there remained no more courage in any man at the presence of you: For the e 1.29 Lorde your God he is the God in hea∣uen aboue, and in earth beneath.

12 Nowe therfore, I pray you sweare vn∣to me by the Lorde, that as I haue shewed you mercie, ye shall also shewe mercie vnto my fathers house, and geue me a true token:

13 And that ye shall saue alyue both my father and my mother, my brethren and my sisters, and all that they haue: and that ye shall delyuer our * 1.30 soules from death.

[unspec C] 14 And the men aunswered her: (f) 1.31Our lyues for you to dye, yf ye vtter not this our busynesse. And when the Lorde hath geuen vs the lande, we wyll deale mercyfully and truely with thee.

15 And then she let them downe by a corde through a wyndow: for her house was vpon the towne wall, & she dwelt vpon the towne wall.

16 And she sayde vnto them: Get you in∣to the (g) 1.32mountaine leste the pursuers meete you, and hyde your selues there three dayes vntyl the pursuers be retur∣ned, & then shall ye go your owne way.

17 And the men sayde vnto her: (h) 1.33We wyl be blamelesse of this thy oh which thou hast made vs sweare▪

18 Behold, when we come into the lande, thou shalt bynde this corde of red threde in the wyndowe whiche thou dydst let vs downe by: and thou shalt bryng thy father and thy mother, thy brethren, & all thy fathers housholde [euen] into thy house.

19 And then whosoeuer doeth go out at [unspec D] the doores of thy house into the streate, (i) 1.34his blood shalbe vpon his owne head, and we wyll be gyltlesse: And who so∣euer shalbe with thee in the house, his blood shalbe on our head yf any mans hande touche hym.

20 And if thou vtter these our wordes, we wilbe quite of thy oth which thou hast made vs sweare.

21 And she saide: According vnto your wordes, so be it. And she sent thē away, and they departed. And she bounde the “ 1.35 red corde in the windowe.

22 And they departed, and came into the mountaine, & there abode three dayes, vntyl the pursuers were returned: And the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but founde them not.

23 And the two men returned, and des∣cended from the mountaine, and passed (k) 1.36 ouer, and came to Iosuah the sonne of Nun, and tolde him all that came vnto them.

24 And they saide vnto Iosuah: Truely the Lorde hath delyuered into our handes all the lande, and all the inhabi∣tauntes of the countrey faint at the pre∣sence of vs.

The .iij. Chapter.

1 Iosuah commeth with the people vnto Iordane. 3 The Leuites do beare the arke, going before the people. 7 God sheweth by miracles that he is with Iosuah, and that he guydeth the people. 14 The people goeth ouer Iordane. 16 The chanell of Ior∣dane is made drye.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Iosuah rose early and they remoued frō Sittim, and came toa 1.37 Iordane, he and all the chyldren of Isra∣el: and lodged there before they went ouer.

2 And after (b) 1.38 three dayes, the officers went throughout the hoaste,

3 And commaunded the people, saying: When ye see the arke of the testament of the Lorde your God, and the priestes that are Leuites bearing it, ye shall de∣part from your place, and go after it.

4 So yet that there shalbe a space be∣tweene you and it, about * 1.39 two thou∣sand cubites by measure: And ye shall not come nye vnto it, that ye may know the way by whiche ye must go: for ye haue not gone this way in times past.

5 And Iosuah sayde vnto the people: [unspec B] * 1.40Sanctifie your selues, for to morowe

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the Lord shal do wonders among you.

6 And Iosuah spake vnto the priestes, saying: Take vp the arke of the coue∣naunt, and go ouer before the people. And they toke vp the arke of the testa∣ment, and went before the people.

7 And ye Lord sayd vnto Iosuah: This day will I beginne to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may knowe howe that * 1.41 as I was with Moyses, so will I be with thee.

[illustration]

8 And thou shalt cōmaunde ye priestes that beare the arke of the couenaunt, saying: when ye are come to the edge of the waters of Iordane, ye shall stande still in c 1.42Iordane.

9 And Iosuah saide vnto the children of Israel: Come hyther, and heare the wordes of the Lorde your God.

10 And Iosuah sayde: (d) 1.43 Hereby ye shall knowe that the liuing God is among you, and that he will without fayle cast out before you the Chanaanites, and the Hethithes, the Heuites, the Pherezites, the Gergesites, the Amorites, and the Iebusites.

[unspec B] 11 Beholde, the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde of all the world, goeth before you into Iordane.

12 Nowe therfore take from among you (e) 1.44 twelue men out of the tribes of Is∣rael, out of euery tribe a man.

13 And assoone as the soles of the feete of the priestes that beare the arke of the Lorde the gouernour of all the worlde, treade in the waters of Iordane, the waters of Iordane shalbe deuided: and the waters that come from aboue shall * 1.45stande still vpon an heape.

14 And so, when the people were depar∣ted frō their tentes to go ouer Iordane, the priestes bearing * 1.46 the arke of the(f 1.47 couenaunt, went before the people.

15 And assoone as they that bare ye arke came vnto Iordane, and the feete of the priestes that bare the arke were dyp∣ped in the brym of the water (For Ior∣dane vseth to fyll all his (g 1.48 banckes all [unspec D] the time of haruest)

16 The waters also that came downe frō aboue, did rise vp vpon an heape and departed farre from ye citie of Adā, that was beside Zarthan: And the waters that were beneath towarde ye sea of the wildernes, euen the salt sea, fayled and were cut of: and the people * went right ouer against Iericho.

17 And the priestes that bare the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, stoode drie within Iordane, redy h 1.49 prepared, and all the Israelites went ouer thorowe the drie, vntill all the people were gone cleane ouer thorowe Iordane.

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The .iiij. Chapter.

1 Twelue stones out of the chanell be erected for a signe of the drying of Iordane. 3 The Rubenites, the Gadites, and the halfe tribe of Manasse do go before their brethren armed. 19 Iordane commeth agayne, and fylleth the chanell.

[unspec A] 1 AND so when the peo∣ple were al gone * 1.50ouer Iordane (after ye Lord had spoken vnto Io∣suah, saying:

2 Take you twelue men out of the people, out of euery tribe a man,

3 And commaunde you them, saying: Take you hence out of the middes of Iordane [euen] out of the place where the priestes stoode in a redinesse, twelue stones, which ye shall take away with you, and leaue them in the (a) 1.51 lodgyng where you shall lodge this nyght)

4 Then Iosuah called the twelue men, which he had prepared of the chyldren of Israel, out of euery tribe a man.

5 And Iosuah sayde vnto them: Get you before the arke of the Lorde your God, euen through the middes of Ior∣dane, * 1.52 and take vp euery man of you a stone vpon his shoulder, accordyng vn∣to the number of the tribes of the chyl∣dren of Israel,

[unspec B] 6 That this may be a signe among you: That when your (b) 1.53 chyldren aske their fathers in tyme to come, saying, What [meane] these stones with you?

7 Ye maye aunswere them: howe that the waters of Iordane deuided at the presence of the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, (for when it went ouer Iordane, the waters of Iordane deui∣ded) And these stones are become a me∣moriall vnto the chyldren of Israel for euer.

8 And the chyldren of Israel dyd euen so as Iosuah commaunded, and toke vp twelue stones out of the middes of Iordane as the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah, accordyng to the number of the tribes of the chyldren of Israel, and caryed them away with them vnto the place where they lodged, & layde them downe there.

9 And Iosuah set vp twelue c 1.54 stones in the middes of Iordane, in the place where the feete of the priestes whiche bare the arke of the testament stoode: and there haue they continued vnto this day.

10 For the priestes whiche bare the arke [unspec C] stoode in the middes of Iordane, vntyll all was finished that the Lorde com∣maunded Iosuah to saye vnto the peo∣ple, accordyng to all that Moyses char∣ged Iosuah: And the people hasted, & went ouer.

11 And when all the people were cleane passed ouer, the arke of the Lord went ouer also, and the priestes (d) 1.55 before the people.

12 * 1.56And the chyldren of Ruben, and the chyldren of Gad, and halfe the tribe of Manasse, went before the chyldren of Israel armed, as Moyses charged thē.

13 Euen fourtie thousande prepared for warre, went before the (e) 1.57 Lorde vnto battayl, through the plaine of Iericho.

14 * 1.58That day the Lorde magnified Io∣suah in the syght of all Israel: and they feared hym, as they feared Moyses all dayes of his lyfe.

15 And the Lorde spake vnto Iosuah, saying:

16 Commaunde the priestes that beare [unspec D] the f 1.59 arke of the testimonie to come vp out of Iordane.

17 Iosuah therefore commaunded the priestes, saying: Come ye vp out of Ior∣dane.

18 And when the priestes that bare the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, were come vp out of the middes of Ior∣dane, and assoone as the soles of the priestes feete were set on ye drie land, the waters of Iordane returned vnto their place, and went ouer all their bankes as they dyd before.

19 And the people came vp out of Ior∣dane the tenth [day] of the (g) 1.60 first mo∣neth, and pitched in Gilgal, euen in the east border of the citie Iericho.

20 And the twelue stones whiche they toke out of Iordane, dyd Iosuah pitch in Gilgal.

21 And he spake vnto the chyldren of Is∣rael, saying: If your chyldren aske their fathers in tyme to come, and saye: What [meane] these stones?

22 Ye shall shewe your chyldren, and say: Israel came ouer this Iordane on drye lande.

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23 For the Lorde your God dried vp the water of Iordane before you, vntill ye were gone ouer, as ye Lorde your God dyd the red sea, * 1.61 which he dried vp be∣fore vs, tyll we were gone ouer.

24 That all the people of ye h 1.62 world may knowe the hande of the Lorde howe mightie it is, and that ye might feare the Lorde your God for euer.

The .v. Chapter.

1. The inhabitantes of Chanaan do feare the comming of the Israelites, after that they hearde of the miracles of their God. 2 Of the seconde circumcision vnder Iosuah and wherefore it was. 12 Manna fayleth, and becummeth scarse. 13 The angel of the Lorde, who should go before the armie of the Israelites.

[unspec A] 1 ANd whē al the kinges of ye (a) 1.63 Amorites which are beyonde Iordane westwarde, and al the kynges of the Chana∣anites which were by the sea, heard howe ye Lorde had dried vp the waters of Ior∣dane before the chyldren of Israel vn∣till they were gone ouer, * 1.64 their heartes faynted for feare, and there was no spirite in them any more for the presence of the children of Israel.

2 That same time the Lorde saide vnto Iosuah: * 1.65 Make thee sharp kniues, and go to (b 1.66agayne and circumcise the chil∣dren of Israel the seconde time.

3 And Iosuah made him sharpe kniues, and circumcised the children of Israel in the (c) 1.67 hill of the foreskinnes.

4 And this is the cause why Iosuah cir∣cumcised all the people, euen the males that came out of Egypt: because that al [unspec B] the men of warre died in the wildernes by ye way, after they came out of Egypt.

5 For all the people that came out, were circumcised: but al the people that were borne in the wildernes by the way after they came out of Egypt were not (d 1.68 circumcised.

6 For the chyldren of Israel walked fourtie yeres in the wildernesse, till al ye people of ye men of warre that came out of Egypt were consumed, because they hearkened not vnto the voyce of the Lorde: Vnto whom the Lorde sware, that he woulde not shewe them ye lande * 1.69which the Lorde sware vnto their fa∣thers that he woulde geue vs, euen a lande * 1.70 that floweth with mylke & hony.

7 And their children whom he set vp in their steede, them Iosuah circumcised, for they were vncircumcised: because they circumcised them not by the way.

8 And when they had circumcised al the [unspec C] people, they abode in their places in the campe tyll they were whole.

9 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: This day haue I taken away the (e) 1.71 shame of Egypt from you: wherefore the name of the same place is called Gil∣gal, vnto this day.

10 And the children of Israel abode in Gilgal, * 1.72 and helde the feast of Passouer the fourteenth day of the (f) 1.73 moneth at euen, in the playne of Iericho.

11 And they did eate of the corne of the lande on the morowe after the Pass∣ouer sweete cakes and parched corne, in the selfe same day.

12 For the Manna ceassed on the mo∣rowe after they had begun to eate of the corne of the lande, neither had the chyldren of Israel Manna any more, but did eate of the fruite of the lande of Chanaan that yere.

13 And when Iosuah was nye to Ie∣richo, [unspec D] he lift vp his eyes and loked: and behold, there stoode a man against him, hauing a sworde drawen in his hande: And Iosuah went vnto him, and sayde vnto him, Art thou on our syde, or on our aduersaries?

14 And he sayde, Naie: but as a captaine of the hoast of the Lord am I nowe come. And Iosuah fell on his face to ye earth, and did g 1.74 worship, and sayde vnto him: What saith my Lord vnto his seruaunt?

15 And the captaine of the Lordes hoast sayde vnto Iosuah: * Do thy shoe (h) 1.75 of thy foote, for the place wheron thou standest, is holy. And Iosuah did so.

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The .vj. Chapter.

1 God geueth the citie of Iericho vnto Iosuah. 6 Iosuah with the priestes doth inuade Iericho. 7 Iosuah commaundeth the Rubenites, the Gadites, and the Manassites, to go before the Arke in armes. 20 Iericho is taken. 22 Rahab is saued. 24 Iericho is burned. 25 Rahab and her householde do dwell among the chyldren of Israel. 26 The builder agayne of Iericho is cursed.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND Iericho wasa 1.76 shut vp and b 1.77 closed, because of the childrē of Israel, neither myght any man go out, or in.

2 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: Behold, I haue geuen into thyne hande Ieri∣cho, and the kyng therof, and the strong men of warre.

3 And ye shall compasse all the citie, all ye that be men of warre, and go rounde about it once: & so shal you do sixe dayes.

4 And seuen priestes shall beare before the arke seuen trumpettes of (c) 1.78 rammes hornes: And the seuenth day ye shall compasse the citie seuen tymes, and the priestes shal blowe with the trumpets.

5 And when they make a long blast with the rammes horne, and ye heare the sounde of the horne, all the people shall shout with a great shout: And then shall the wall of the citie fall downe, and the people shall assende vp, euery man strayght before hym.

[unspec B] 6 And Iosuah the sonne of Nun, called the priestes, and sayde vnto them: Take vp the arke of the couenaunt, and let seuen priestes beare seuen trumpets of rammes hornes before the arke of the Lorde.

7 And he sayde vnto the people: (d) 1.79 Go, and compasse the citie, & let hym that is harnessed go before ye arke of the Lord.

8 And when Iosuah had spoken vnto ye people, the seuen priestes bare the seuen trumpets of rammes hornes, and went foorth before the arke of the Lorde, and blewe with the trumpets: and the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde folowed them.

9 And the men of armes went before the priestes that blewe with the trumpets: & the (e) 1.80 gatheryng hoast came after the arke as they went, and blewe with trumpets.

10 And Iosuah had commaunded the [unspec C] people, saying: Ye shall not shout, nor make any noyse with your voyce, nei∣ther shall any worde proceede out of your mouth vntyll the day I byd you shout, then shall ye shout.

11 And so the arke of the Lorde com∣passed the citie, and went about it (f) 1.81 once: and they returned into the hoast, and lodged there.

12 And Iosuah rose early in the mor∣nyng, and the priestes toke vp the arke

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of the Lorde.

13 And seuen priestes bare seuen trum∣pettes of rammes hornes, and went be∣fore the arke of the Lorde: and goyng, blewe with the trumpettes. And the men of armes went before them: but the (g) 1.82 gatheryng hoast came after the arke of the Lorde, whiche went before with the blowyng of the trumpettes.

14 And the seconde daye they passed the citie once, and returned againe into the hoast: and so they dyd sixe dayes.

[unspec C] 15 And when the seuenth day came, they rose early [euen] with the dawnyng of the day, & compassed the citie after the same maner (h) 1.83 seuen tymes: only that day they compassed the citie seuē times.

16 And at the seuenth tyme when the priestes blew with the trumpettes, Io∣suah sayde vnto the people: Showt, for the Lorde hath geuen you the citie.

17 And the citie shalbe i 1.84 accursed and al that are therin, vnto the Lorde: onlye Rahab the harlot shal liue, and all that are with her in the house, because she * 1.85 hyd the messengers that we sent.

18 And in any wyse be ye ware of the ac∣cursed thinges, lest ye make your selues accursed, & take of the accursed thynges, and make the hoast of Israel * 1.86 accursed, and trouble it.

19 But all the syluer, golde, vesselles of brasse and iron, shalbe (k 1.87 consecrate vn∣to the Lorde, and all shall come into his treasurie.

20 And the people showted, and blewe with trumpettes: And when the peo∣ple heard the sound of the trumpe, they showted with a great showt, and the wall * 1.88fell downe flat, so that the people went vp into ye citie, euery man straight before hym, and * 1.89toke the citie:

21 And they vtterly destroyed all that was in the citie, both man and woman, [unspec D] young and olde, oxe, sheepe, and asse, with the edge of the sworde.

22 But Iosuah had sayde vnto the two men that had spyed out the countrey: Go into the harlottes house, and bryng out thence the woman and all that she hath, * 1.90 as ye sware vnto her.

23 And the young men that were spyes, went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father and mother, & her brethren, and all that she had: and they brought out all her kynred, & put them (l) 1.91 with∣out the hoast of Israel.

24 And they burnt the citie with fire, and all that was therin: only the syluer and the golde, the vesselles of brasse & iron, they put vnto ye treasure of the (m) 1.92house of the Lorde.

25 And Iosuah saued Rahab the harlot, and her fathers household, and all that she had: and n 1.93 she dwelt in Israel euen vnto this day, because she hyd the mes∣sengers which Iosuah sent to spye out Iericho.

26 And Iosuah sware at that tyme, say∣ing: Cursed be the man before the Lord that ryseth vp, and buyldeth this citie Iericho: He shall lay the (o) 1.94 foundation thereof in his eldest sonne, and in his youngest sonne shall he set vp the gates of it.

27 And so the Lorde was with Iosuah, and his fame was noysed throughout all landes.

The .vij. Chapter.

1 Achan vsurpeth of the Churche iewels. 2 Ai is searched. 4 The people of Ai smyteth Israel. 6 Iosuah weepeth before the Lorde. 7 Iosuah complayneth before the Lorde that Israel is ouercommen. 15 God commaundeth the theefe of the Churche goodes to be burnt. 21 What thynges Achan had conueyed of those which ought to haue ben burnt. 25 Achan is stoned, and all his goodes are burnt for stealyng of the Churche goodes.

[unspec A] 1 BVt yet the chyldren of Israel trespassed in ye* 1.95 (a) 1.96 forbydden thyng: for Achan ye sonne of Char∣mi, the sonne of Zab∣di, ye sonne of Zareth, of the tribe of Iuda, toke of the forbydden thyng: And the wrath of the Lorde waxed hot against the chyldren of Israel.

2 And Iosuah sent men from Iericho to (b) 1.97 Ai, which is besyde Bethauen, on the east syde of Bethel, and spake vnto them, saying: Get you vp, and viewe the countrey. And the men went vp, & viewed Ai,

3 And returned to Iosuah, and sayde vnto him, Let not all the people go vp:

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but let as it were two or three thou∣sande men go vp, and smyte Ai: and make not all the people to labour thy∣cher, for they are but fewe.

4 And so there went vp thyther of the people about a three thousande men, and they fled before the men of Ai.

5 And the men of Ai * 1.98 smote of them vpon a thirtie and sixe men: for they chased them from before the gate euen vnto Sebarim, and smote them in the goyng downe: Wherfore the heartes of the people for feare melted away lyke [unspec D] water.

6 And Iosuah * 1.99 rent his clothes, & fell to the earth vpō his face before the arke of the Lorde vntill the euentide, he and the elders of Israel, and put earth vpon their heades.

7 And Iosuah sayde: Alas, O Lorde God, wherfore hast thou brought this people ouer Iordane, to deliuer vs into the hande of the Amorites, & to destroye vs? Would to God we had ben content, and dwelt on the other e 1.100 side Iordane.

8 Oh Lorde what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backes before their enemies?

9 Surely the Chanaanites, and all the inhabitauntes of the lande shal heare of it, and shall conspire against vs, and de∣stroy the name of vs out of the worlde: And what wilt thou do vnto thy migh∣tie f 1.101 name?

10 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: Get thee vp, wherfore liest thou thus vpon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they haue [unspec G] transgressed myne appointment which I commaunded them: for they haue ta∣ken of the excommunicate thinges, and haue also stolen, and dissembled also, & put them vnto their owne stuffe.

12 And therfore is it that the children of Israel can not stande before their ene∣mies, but shal turne their backes before their enemies, because they be excom∣municate: Neither will I be with you any more, except ye * 1.102 destroy the excom∣municate from among you.

13 * 1.103Vp [therfore] and sanctifie the people, and say: Sanctifie your selues against to morowe, for so sayde the Lorde God of Israel, there is a * 1.104 dampned thyng among you, O Israel: and therfore ye cannot stande against your enemies, vn∣tyll ye haue put the dampned * 1.105 thing from among you.

14 To morowe morning therfore ye shal∣be brought according to your tribes: And the tribe which the Lorde * 1.106 taketh, shal come according to the kinredes therof: And the kinred which the Lorde shall finde giltie, shall come by housholdes: And the housholde which the Lorde shal finde faultie, shall come mā by man.

15 And he that is founde with the accur∣sed thing, shalbe burnt with fire, he, and all that he hath, because he hath trans∣gressed the couenaunt of the Lord, and wrought follie in Israel.

16 And so Iosuah rose vp early in the [unspec F] morning, and brought Israel by their tribes, & the tribe of Iuda was caught.

17 And he brought the kinredes of Iuda, and toke the kinred of the Zarehites: And he brought the kinred of the Zare∣hites man by mā, & Zabdi was caught.

18 And he brought his housholde man by man, & Achan the sonne of Charmi, the sonne of Zabdi, ye sonne of Zared of the tribe of Iuda, was caught.

19 And Iosuah sayde vnto Achan: My sonne, I beseche thee geue glorie to the Lorde God of Israel, and (k) 1.107 make con∣fession vnto him, and shewe me what thou hast done, hyde it not from me.

20 And Achan aūswered Iosuah, & sayd: Of a trueth I haue sinned against the Lorde God of Israel, and thus & thus haue I done.

21 I sawe among the spoyles a goodly babilonishe garment, and two hun∣dred sicles of siluer, and a tonge of golde of fiftie sicles wayghte, and I coueted them, and toke them: and beholde they lye hyd in the earth in the middest of my tent, and the siluer is ther vnder.

22 And so Iosuah sent messēgers: which whē they ranne vnto his tent, beholde they were hyd in his tent, and the siluer ther vnder.

23 Therfore they toke them out of the [unspec G] middest of his tent, and brought them vnto Iosuah, and vnto all the children of Israel, and layed them out l 1.108 before the Lorde.

24 And Iosuah toke Achan the sonne of Zareth, and the siluer, and the garmē, and the (m 1.109 tonge of gold, and his sonnes, and his daughters, & his oxen, and his asses, his sheepe, his tent, and all that he had: and al Israel with him brought them vnto the valley of Achor.

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[illustration]

25 And Iosuah sayde: In (o) 1.110 as much as thou hast troubled vs, the Lorde shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned hym with stones, and burned them with fire, and ouerwhelmed them with stones.

26 And they cast vpon hym a great heape of stones vnto this day: And so the Lord turned from the wrath of his indigna∣tion. And the name of the place is called the valley of (p) 1.111 Achor vnto this day.

The .viij. Chapter.

1 God geueth the citie of Ai into the handes of Iosuah. 3 Iosuah his armie beyng setten in araye, goeth to Ai. 15 Iosuah fayneth a runnyng away. 18 God geueth counsell vnto Iosuah hym selfe, what he hath to do. 20 Ai is setten on fire. 21. The people of Ai is slayne. 23 The kyng of Ai beyng attached, is brought vnto Iosuah, twelue thousande slayne. 27 The pray is deuided. 29 The kyng of Ai is hanged. 30 In aulter of stone is built, in the which Deuteronomium is inscri∣bed. 34 Iosuah blesseth the people of Israel.

[unspec A] 1 AND the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: * 1.112 Feare not, neither be thou faint hearted: Take all the men of warre with thee, and vp, & get thee to Ai. Beholde, I haue geuen into thy hande the kyng of Ai, and his people, his citie, and his lande:

2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her kyng, as thou dyddest vnto * 1.113 Iericho and her king. Neuerthelesse, the spoyle & * 1.114 cattell thereof, shall ye take vnto your selues: Thou shalt lye in wayte agaynst the citie, on the (a 1.115 backside thereof.

3 And so Iosuah arose, and all the men of warre, to go vp agaynst Ai: And Iosuah chose out thirtie thousande strong men and valiaunt, and sent them away by nyght:

4 And he commaunded them, saying: Beholde, ye shall lye in wayte agaynst the towne on the backside thereof: Go not verie farre from the citie, but be all redie:

5 And I, and al the people that are with me, wyll approche vnto the citie: And when they come out against vs, as they dyd at the first tyme, then wyll we flee before them:

6 For they wyll come out after vs tyll we haue brought them out of the citie. For they wyll say, They flee before vs, as at the first tyme: and we will flee be∣fore them. [unspec B]

7 In the meane tyme shall ye ryse vp from lying in wayte, and destroy the citie: for the Lorde your God wyll de∣lyuer

Page vij

it into your hande.

8 And when ye haue taken the citie, ye shall set it on fire: Accordyng to the com∣maundement of the Lorde shall ye do. Beholde, I haue charged you.

9 Iosuah therfore sent them foorth, and they went to lye in wayte, and abode betweene Bethel & Ai, on the westsyde of the citie of Ai: But Iosuah lodged that nyght * 1.116 among the people.

10 And Iosuah rose vp early in the mor∣nyng, and (c 1.117 numbred the people, & went vp, he and the elders of Israel before the people, against Ai.

11 And all the men of warre that were with him, went vp, & drue nye, and came agaynst the citie, and pitched on the northsyde of Ai: and there was a valley betweene them and Ai.

12 And he toke vpon a fiue thousande men, and (d 1.118 set them to lye in wayte be∣tweene Bethel and Ai, on the westsyde of the citie.

13 And the people set all the hoast that was on the northsyde agaynst the citie, & the lyers in wayte on the west, against the citie: And Iosuah walked the same nyght in the myddes of the valley.

14 And when the kyng of Ai sawe it, they hasted and rose vp early, and the men of the citie went out agaynst Israel to bat∣tayle, he and all his people at a tyme ap∣poynted, euen before the playne: and wyst not that there were lyers in wayte agaynst him on the backsyde of the citie.

15 And Iosuah & all Israel (e) 1.119 as beaten before them, fledde by the way of the wildernesse.

16 And all the people of the towne were called together, to folowe after them: And they folowed after Iosuah, and were drawen away from the citie.

17 And there was not a man left in Ai and in Bethel, that went not out after Israel: And they left the citie open, and folowed after Israel.

18 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: (f 1.120 Stretch out ye speare that is in thine hand towarde Ai, for I will geue it in∣to thy hand. And Iosuah stretched out the speare that he had in his hand, to∣warde the citie.

19 And the lyers in waite arose quick∣ly out of their place, and ran assoone as Iosuah had stretched out his hande: and they entred into the citie, and toke it, and hasted, and set the citie on fyre.

20 And when the men of Ai loked backe after them, they sawe the smoke of the citie ascend vp to heauen, and they had no “ 1.121 place to flee either this way or that: and the people that fled to the wil∣dernes, turned backe againe vpon the folowers.

21 And when Iosuah & all Israel sawe that the lyers in waite had taken the ci∣tie, and that the smoke of it ascended, they turned againe and slue the men [unspec E] of Ai.

22 And the other issued out of the citie against them, and so were they in the middest of Israel: for these were on the one side of them, and the rest on the o∣ther side. And they laide vpon them, so that they let none of them * 1.122 escape, nor remaine:

23 And the kyng of Ai they toke aliue, and brought him to Iosuah.

24 And when Israel had made an ende of slayeng all the inhabitantes of Ai in the fielde of the wildernesse where they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sworde, vntill they were wasted, all the Israelites re∣turned vnto Ai, and (g) 1.123 smote it with the edge of the sworde.

25 And al that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelue thousande, euen all the men of Ai.

26 For Iosuah plucked not his hande backe againe which he stretched out vpō the speare vntil, he had vtterly destroy∣ed al the enhabitours of Ai. [unspec F]

27 * 1.124Onely the cattell and the spoile of the citie, Israel toke vnto them selues, ac∣cording vnto the word of the Lorde, whiche he commaunded Iosuah.

28 And Iosuah set Ai on fire, and made it an heape for (h) 1.125 euer, & a wildernesse, [euen] vnto this day.

29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree, vntill euen: And assoone as the sunne was downe, Iosuah commaun∣ded that (i) 1.126 they should take ye carkasse downe of the tree, and cast it at the en∣tring of the gate of the citie, and * 1.127 laye theron a great heape of stones, [that remaineth] vnto this day.

30 Then Iosuah * 1.128 buylt an aulter vnto the Lorde God of Israel in mount Ebal,

31 As Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord commaunded the chyldren of Israel, and as it is written in the * 1.129 booke of the

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lawe of Moyses, an aulter of whole stones, ouer which no man hath lyft an iron: And they sacrificed theron burnt sacrifices vnto the Lorde, and offered peace offerynges.

32 And he wrote there vpon the stones a k 1.130 rehearsal of the lawe of Moyses, and wrote it in the presence of the chyldren of Israel.

[unspec G] 33 And all Israel and the elders therof, and their officers & iudges, stoode part on this syde the arke, and part on that syde, before the priestes that were Le∣uites whiche bare the arke of the coue∣naunt of the Lorde, aswell the straun∣ger, as they that were borne among them: halfe of thē ouer against mount Garizim, & halfe of them ouer against mount Ebal, * 1.131 as Moyses the seruaunt of the Lorde had commaunded before, that they shoulde blesse the people of Israel.

34 Afterwarde he read all the wordes of the lawe, the blessinges, and cursinges, accordyng to all that is written in the booke of the lawe.

35 And there was not one worde of all that Moyses commaunded, which Io∣suah read not before all the congrega∣tion of Israel, aswel the l 1.132 women and chyldren, as the straungers that were conuersaunt among them.

The .ix. Chapter.

1 Certaine kynges are gathered against Iosuah. 2 The Gabaonites do guyle∣fully require peace of Iosuah. 21 The Gabaonites are made ministers in cut∣tyng wood, and beryng of water.

[unspec A] 1 AND when al ye kinges that dwell (a 1.133 beyonde Iordane in the hylles and valleys, & along by all the coastes of the (b) 1.134 great sea, ouer against Libanon: [Namely] the Hethites, the Amorites, the Chanaanites, the Pherezites, the Heuites, and the Ie∣busites, hearde therof:

2 They gathered them selues together, to fyght against Iosuah, and against Israel, with one accorde.

3 * 1.135And the inhabitours of Gibeon heard what Iosuah had done vnto Iericho, and to Ai,

4 And they dyd worke wylylye, & went and made them selues embassadours, and toke olde sackes vpon their asses, & wine bottels old, both rent & (c) 1.136 boūde vp:

5 And olde clowted shoes vpon their feete, and their rayment was olde: and all their prouision of bread was dryed vp, and hored.

6 And they came vnto Iosuah into the hoast to Gilgal, and sayde vnto him and vnto all the men of Israel, We be come from a far countrey: and nowe make ye agreement with vs.

7 And the men of Israel sayde vnto the Heuite: It may be thou dwellest amōg vs, and then howe can I make peace with thee?

8 And they sayde vnto Iosuah: We are thy seruauntes. And Iosuah sayde vn∣to them againe: What are ye, & whence come ye?

9 They aunswered him: From a very farre coūtrey thy seruauntes are come, for the name (d) 1.137 of the Lorde thy God: for we haue hearde the fame of him, & all that he did in Egypte,

10 And all that he did to the two * 1.138 kinges of ye Amorites that were beyonde Ior∣dane, Sehon king of Hesbon, and Og king of Basā, which were at Astaroth.

11 Wherfore our elders and all the en∣habitours of our countrey spake to vs, saying: Take vitailes with you to serue by the way, and go meete them, and say vnto them, We are your seruaūtes: And now make ye a couenaunt of peace with vs.

12 This our foode of bread we toke with vs out of our houses whot, ye daye we departed to come vnto you: But nowe beholde, it is dried vp, and hored.

13 And these bottelles of wine whiche we filled, were newe, and see they be rent: And these our garmentes and shoes are worne for oldenesse, by the reason of the exceeding long iourney.

14 And the men toke of theyr e 1.139 vitayles, & counseled not with the mouth of the Lorde.

15 And Iosuah made peace which thē, and * 1.140 made a couenaunt with them, that they shulde be suffered to liue: And the

Page liiij

princes of the congregation sware vnto them.

16 But at the ende of three dayes, after they had made a league with them, they hearde that they were their neigh∣bours, & that they dwelt among them.

17 And the children of Israel toke their (f 1.141iorney, and came vnto their cities the thirde day: and their cities were Gibe∣on, and Caphira, Beroth, and Kiriath∣iarim.

18 And the children of Israel slue them not, because the princes of the congrega∣tion had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: and all the (g 1.142 multitude mourned agaynst the princes.

19 But all the princes sayde vnto all the congregation: We haue sworne vnto them by the Lorde God of Israel, and therfore we may not hurt them.

20 But this we wyll do to them, We wyll let them liue, lest wrath be vpon vs be∣cause of the othe which we sware vnto them.

[unspec D] 21 And the princes said vnto them againe, Let them liue, and hewe wood, & drawe water vnto all the congregation, [and they dyd] as the princes sayde vnto them.

22 And Iosuah called for them, & talked with them, and sayde, Wherfore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We dwell farre from you: when ye dwell among vs?

23 And nowe are ye cursed, and there shal not ceasse to be of you bondmen, and hewers of wood, & drawers of water for the (h) 1.143 house of my God.

24 And they aunswered Iosuah, & sayd, It was tolde thy seruauntes how that the Lorde thy God had * 1.144 commaunded his seruaunt Moyses to geue you all the lande, and to destroy all the inhabitours therof out of your sight, and therfore we were exceedyng sore afrayde for our liues at the presence of you, and haue done this thing.

25 And beholde, we are in thyne hande: as it seemeth good and right in thyne eyes to do vnto vs, so do.

26 And euen so did he vnto them, and rid them out of the hande of the chyldren of Israel, that they slue them not.

27 And Iosuah made them that same day hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the congregation and for the (i) 1.145 aulter of God, vnto this day, in the place whiche he shoulde choose.

¶The .x. Chapter.

1 Fiue kinges make warre against Gibeon, whom Iosuah discomfiteth. 11 The Lorde rayned haylestones and slue many. 12 The sunne standeth at Iosuahs prayer. 26 The fiue kinges are hanged. 29 Many mo kinges and cities are destroyed.

[unspec A] 1 NOwe when Adonize∣dec kyng of Hierusa∣lem had hearde howe Iosuah had taken Ai and had destroyed it: (and howe that * as he had done to Iericho and her king, euen so he had done to Ai and her king) and howe the inhabi∣tours of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them:

2 They feared exceedingly, for Gibeon was a great citie as any citie of the kingdome, and was greater then Ai, & all the men therof were very mightie.

3 Wherfore Adonizedec king of Hieru∣salem sent vnto Hoham king of Hebron, and vnto Pira king of Iarmuth, and vnto Iaphia king of Lachis, and vnto Dabir king of Eglon, saying:

4 Come vp vnto me, and helpe me, that we may smite Gibeon: for they haue made peace with Iosuah, and with the chidren of Israel.

5 Therfore the fiue kinges of the Amo∣rites, the king of Hierusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Iarmuth, the king of Lachis, and the king of Eglon, ga∣thered them selues together, and went vp, they with all their hoastes, and be∣sieged Gibeon, & made warre against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent vnto Io∣suah to the hoast in Gilgal, saying: Withdrawe not thy hande from thy ser∣uauntes, come vp to vs quickly, and saue vs, and helpe vs: for all the kinges of the Amorites which dwell in the moun∣taynes are gathered together (a) 1.146 agaynst [unspec B] vs.

7 And so Iosuah ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of warre with him, and all the men of might.

8 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah, Feare them not: for I haue deliuered them into thine hande, neither shall any of them stande agaynst thee.

Page [unnumbered]

9 Iosuah therfore came vnto them so∣daynly, and went vp from Gilgal all nyght.

10 And the Lorde troubled them before Israel, and slue them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth vp to Be∣thoron, and smote them to Azeka and Makeda.

11 And as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going downe to Betho∣ron, the Lorde cast downe great stones from heauen vpon them vntyll Azeka, and they dyed: there were mo dead with hayle (b) 1.147 stones, then they were whom the children of Israel slue with the sworde.

12 Then spake Iosuah to the Lorde in the day when the Lorde deliuered the Amorites before the children of Israel, & he sayd in the sight of Israel, * 1.148 Sunne, stande thou styll vpon Gibeon, and thou Moone in the valley of Aialn.

[unspec C] 13 And the sunne abode, and the moone stoode styll, vntyll the people auenged them selues vpon their enemies. Is not this written in the booke of (c) 1.149 the righteous? So the sunne [I say] abode in the middest of heauen, and hasted not to go downe by the space of a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lorde hearde the voyce of a man: for the Lorde * 1.150 fought for Israel.

15 And Iosuah returned and all Israel with him, vnto the campe to Gilgal.

16 But the fiue kinges fled, and were hyd in a caue at Makeda.

17 And it was tolde Iosuah [of one] say∣ing, The fiue kinges are founde hyd in a caue which is at Makeda.

18 And Iosuah sayd, Roule great stones vpon the mouth of the caue, and set men by it, for to kepe it:

19 And stand ye not styll, but folowe after [unspec D] your enemies, & smite all the hindmost, and suffer them not to enter ino their cities: for the Lorde your God hath de∣liuered them into your hande.

20 And when Iosuah and the children of Israel had made an ende of slaying them with an exceedyng great slaugh∣ter, tyll they were wasted: the rest that remayned of them, entred into walled cities:

21 And all the people returned to the hoast to Iosuah at Makeda in peace, neither dyd any man moue his tongue agaynst the children of Israel.

22 Then sayde Iosuah, Open the mouth of the caue, and bryng out these fiue kinges vnto me out of the caue.

[illustration]

23 And they did so, and brought those fiue kinges vnto him out of the caue, [euen] the king of Hierusalem, the king of He∣bron, the king of Iarmuth, the king of Lachis, and the king of Eglon.

24 And when they brought out those kinges vnto Iosuah: Iosuah called for all the men of Israel, and saide vnto the chiefe of the men of warre

Page [unnumbered]

which went with him: Come neare, & put your feete vpō the e 1.151 neckes of these kinges. And they came neare, and put their feete vpon the neckes of them.

25 And Iosuah sayd vnto them, Ye shall not feare, nor be faynt hearted: but be strong, and plucke vp your heartes, for thus shall the Lorde do to al your ene∣mies against whom ye fight.

26 And then Iosuah smote them, and slewe them, and hanged them on fiue trees: And they hanged still vpon the trees vntill the euening.

[unspec D] 27 And at the goyng downe of the sunne, Iosuah gaue commaundement: And they toke them downe of the * 1.152 trees, and cast them into the caue wherin they had ben hyd, and layed great stones in the caues mouth, [which remayne] vntil this daye.

28 And that same day Iosuah toke Ma∣keda, and smote it with the edge of the sworde, & the king therof also destroyed he vtterly, with “ 1.153 al the soules that were therin, and let none remayne: And he dyd to the king of Makeda, * 1.154 as he dyd vnto the king of Iericho.

29 Then Iosuah went from Makeda, and all Israel with him, vnto Libna, and fought agaynst Libna.

30 And the Lorde deliuered it & the king therof into the hande of Israel: and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the “ 1.155 soules that were therin: He let none remayne in it, but dyd vnto the king therof * as he did vnto the king of Iericho.

[unspec E] 31 And Iosuah departed from Libna, and all Israel with him vnto Lachis, and besieged it, and assaulted it.

32 And the Lorde deliuered Lachis into the hande of Israel, which toke it the seconde day, and smote it with the edge of the sworde, & all the soules that were therin: doing according to all, as he had done to the citie of Libna.

33 Then Horam king of Geser came vp to helpe Lachis: And Iosuah smote him and his people, vntill none remay¦ned of him.

34 And from Lachis Iosuah departed vnto Eglon, and all Israel with him: and they besieged it, and assaulted it.

25 And toke it the same day, and smote it [unspec F] with the edge of the sworde: & al the sou∣les that were therin he vtterly destroy∣ed the same day, according to all that he he had done to Lachis.

26 And Iosuah departed vp from Eglon, and all Israel with him, vnto Hebron: And they fought against it.

37 And when they had taken it, they smote it with the edge of the sworde, & the king therof, and all the townes that parteined to it, and all the soules that were therin, and he left none remay∣ning: but dyd according to all, as he had done to Eglon, and destroyed it vtterly, and all the soules that were therin.

38 And Iosuah returned, and all Israel with him to Dabir, & fought against it.

39 And when he had taken it, & the king therof, and all the townes that partey∣ded [unspec G] therto, they smote them with the edge of the sworde, & vtterly destroyed all the soules that were therin, neither let he any remayne: Euen as he dyd to Hebron, so he dyd to Dabir and the king therof, as he had done also to Libna and her king.

40 Iosuah therfore smote al the hil coun∣treyes, and the south countreyes, & the valleyes, and the downes, and al their kinges, and let none remayne of them, but vtterly destroyed all that* 1.156 breathed, as the Lorde God of Israel commaun∣ded.

41 And Iosuah smote them from Cades Barnea vnto Asah, and all the countrey of Gosan [euen] vnto Gibeon.

42 And all these kinges and their lande dyd Iosuah take at f 1.157 one time: because the Lord God of Israel fought for Is∣rael.

43 And Iosuah and all Israel, returned vnto the hoast that was in (g) 1.158Gilgal.

〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

Page [unnumbered]

'the tribes of Israel to possesse, to euery 'man his part,

8 In the vpper lande and neather land, in the plaines, and in * 1.159 the hil sides, in the wildernesse & southe countrey the He∣thites, the Amorites, ye Chanaanites, the Pherezites, ye Heuites, & the Iebusites.

'9 * 1.160The king of Iericho, was one: * 1.161 the 'king of Ai which is beside Bethel, one:

'10 The * 1.162king of Hierusalem, one: the king 'of Hebron, one:

'11 The king of Iarmuth, one: the king [unspec C] 'of Lachis, one:

12 The king of Eglon, one: the king of 'Gazer, one:

'13 The king of Dabir, one: the king of 'Gader, one:

'14 The king of Horma, one: the king of 'Arad, one:

'15 The king of Libna, one: the king of Adullam, one:'

16 The * king of Makeda, one: the king' of Bethel, one:'

17 The king of Taphuha, one: the king' [unspec D] of Hepher, one:'

18 The king of Aphek, one: the king of' Lasaron, one:'

19 The king of Madon, one: the king of' Hasor one:'

20 The king of Simron Meron, one: the' king of Achsaph, one:'

21 The king of Thanach, one: the king' of Megiddo, one:'

22 The king of Kedes, one: the king of' Iokneam of Carmel, one:'

23

The * 1.163 king of Dor in the coūtrey of Dor, one: the king of the nations of Gilgal, one:

24 The king of Thirza, one: al the kinges' together thirtie and one.'

'The .xiii. Chapter.'

1 The Lorde commaundeth Iosuah to deuide the lande that remaineth vnto the Is∣raelites. 13 Possession is not geuen vnto the tribe of Leui. 15 The possession of the children of Ruben. 22 Baalam is put to death. 24 The possession of the tribe of Gad. 29 The possession of the halfe tribe of Manasse.

* 1.164

1 IOsuah was olde, and [unspec A] stricken in yeres, and the Lorde sayde vnto him: Thou art olde, and stricken in yeres, and there remaineth yet exceeding muche lande to be (a) 1.165 possessed.

2 This is the lande that yet remaineth: all the regions of the Philistines, and al Gessuri:

3 From Nilus which is“ 1.166 vpon Egypt, vnto the borders of Accaren north∣ward, which land is counted vnto Cha∣nanie, euen fiue lordeshippes of the Philistines, the Azathites, Asdothites, Ascalonites, Gethites, Accaronites, and the Euites.

4 And from the south, al the lande of the Chanaanites, and the “ 1.167 caue that is be∣side the Sidomans, euen vnto Aphak & to the borders of the Amorites.

5 And the lande of the Giblites, and all Libanon towarde the sunne rising, from the plaine of Gad vnder mount Hermō, vntil a man come to Hamath:

[unspec B]

6 All the inhabitours of the hil countrey from Libanō vnto the b 1.168 Misrephoth∣maim, and all the Sidonians will I cast out from before the children of Is∣rael: only see that thou in any wise de∣uide it by lot vnto the Israelites to in∣herite, as I haue commaunded thee.

7

Nowe therfore deuide this lande to inherite vnto the nine tribes, and the halfe tribe of Manasses.

8

For with that other, the Rubenites & the Gadites haue receaued their inhe∣ritaunce * 1.169 which Moyses gaue them beyonde Iordane eastwarde, euen as Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord gaue them:

9

From Aroer that lieth on the brim of the riuer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the middest of the “ 1.170 ryuer, & all the plaine of Medeba vnto Dibon:

10

And al the cities of Sehon king of the [unspec C] Amorites, which raigned in Hesbon, euen vnto the border of the children of Ammon:

11

And Gilead, and the border of Gessuri and Machati, and all mount Hermon, with al Basan vnto Salecha:

12

Euen all the kingdome of Og in Basan, which raigned in Astharoth and Edra: which same remained yet of the * 1.171 rest of the giauntes. These dyd Moyses smite, and cast them out.

Page xj

13 Neuertelesse, the children of Israel * 1.172 expelled not the Gesurites and the Machathites: But the Gesurites and the Machathites dwell among the Is∣raelites euen vntill this day.

14 Onely vnto the tribe of Leui he gaue none inheritaunce: but the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel is their d 1.173 inhe∣ritaunce, as he sayde vnto them.

15 Moyses gaue vnto the tribe of the chil∣dren of Ruben inheritaunce, according to their kinredes:

16 And their coast was from Aroer that lyeth on the bancke of the riuer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the middest of the riuer, and all the playne which is by Medeba:

17 Hesbon, with all their townes that lye in the playne: Dibon and the hill places of Baal, and the house of Baalmeon,

'18 And Iahazah, and Kedemoth, and 'Mephaath.

'19 Kiriathaim, Sabamath, and Zarath 'Zahar, in the mount of the valley,

20 The house of Peor, and the springes of the hilles, and Bethpheor, and * 1.174 Ash∣doth Pisgah, and Besiesimoth:

21 And al the cities of the plaine, and all the kingdome of Sehon king of the A∣morites, which raigned in Hesbon, which Moyses smote, * 1.175 with the lordes of Madian, Eui, Bekem, Zur, and Hur, & Keba, the whiche were dukes of Sehon, dwelling in the countrey.

22 And e 1.176 Balaam also the sonne of Beor the soothsayer, did the childrē of Israel slay with the sworde among other of them that were slayne.

23 And the border of the children of Ru∣ben, was Iordane, with the countrey that lieth theron. This was the inheri∣taunce of the children of Ruben after their kinredes, cities, and villages per∣teyning therto.

24

And Moyses gaue [inheritaunce] vnto [unspec D] the tribe of Gad, euen vnto the children of Gad he gaue by their kinredes:

25

And their coastes were Iazer, and al the cities of Gilead, and halfe the lande of the children of Ammon vnto Aroer that lieth before Rabba.

26

And from Hesbon vnto Ramath, Mispeh, and Betonim: and from Ma∣hanaim vnto the borders of Dabir.

27

And in the valley they had Betharam, Bethnimra, Socoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kyngdome of Sehon king of Hesbon, vnto Iordane and the coastes that lie theron, euen vnto the edge of the sea of Cenereth, on the (f 1.177 other side Ior∣dane eastwarde.

28

This is the inheritaunce of the chil∣dren of Gad, after their kinredes, their cities, and villages.

29

And Moyses gaue inheritaunce vnto the halfe tribe of Manasses: And this was the possession of the halfe tribe of Manasses by their kinredes.

30

Their coast was from Mahanaim, euen all Basan, and all the kingdome of Og king of Basan, and all the townes of Iair which lie in Basan, euen three∣score cities.

31

And halfe Gilead, Astaroth, & Edrai, cities of the kingdome of Og in Basan, * 1.178which pertayne vnto the (g 1.179 children of Machir the sonne of Manasses, euen to the one halfe of the children of Machir by their kinredes.

32

These are the heritages which Moy∣ses did distribute in the fieldes of Moab on the other side Iordane, ouer agaynst Iericho eastwarde.

33

* 1.180But vnto the tribe of Leui, Moyses gaue none inheritaunce: for the Lorde God of Israel is their inheritaunce, * 1.181 as he sayde vnto them.

'The .xiiii. Chapter.'

1 The lande of Chanaan was deuided among the nine tribes and the halfe. 6 Caleb requireth the heritage that was promised him. 13 Hebron was geuen him.

[unspec A]

1 ANd these are the coun∣treis which the chil∣drē of Israel inherited in the lande of Cha∣naan, * 1.182 which Eleazer the priest, and Iosuah the sonne of Nun, and the auncient heades of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed to them:

2

* 1.183By lot they receaued their possessions, as the Lord commaunded by the hand of Moyses, to geue vnto the nine tribes, and vnto the halfe tribe.

3

For Moyses had geuē inheritaunce vn¦to (a) 1.184two tribes & an halfe, on the other

Page [unnumbered]

syde Iordane: But vnto the Leuites he gaue none inheritaunce among thē.

4 For the children of Ioseph were two tribes, Manasses and Ephraim: And therfore they gaue no parte vnto the Leuites in the land, saue cities to dwell in, with the suburbes of the same, for their beastes and cattel.

5 * 1.185As the Lord commaunded Moyses: euen so the children of Israel dyd, when they deuided the lande.

6 And the children of Iuda came vnto Iosuah in Gilgal: And Caleb the sonne of Iephune the Kenesite sayde vnto him: Thou wottest what ye Lorde sayd vnto Moyses the man of God about (b 1.186me and thee in Cades Barnea.

7 Fourtie yeres olde was I whē Moy∣ses the seruaunt of the Lorde sent me from Cades Barnea to espie out the land: and I brought him worde againe euen as it was in myne hearte.

8 Neuerthelesse, my (c 1.187 brethrē that went vp with me, discouraged the hearte of the people: And I folowed the Lorde my God.

9 And Moyses sware the same day, say∣ing: * The lande wheron thy feete haue troden, shalbe thyne inheritaunce and thy childrens for euer, because thou hast folowed the Lorde my God.

10

And behold, the Lorde hath kept me aliue as he sayde * 1.188 this fourtie and fyue yeres, euen sence the Lorde spake this worde vnto Moyses, whyle the children of Israel wandred in the wildernesse: And nowe lo, I am this day fourscore and fyue yeres olde:

11

And yet am as strong at this time, as I was when Moyses sent me: Loke howe strong I was then, so strong am I nowe, eyther for warre, or for “ 1.189 go∣uernment.

12

Nowe therfore geue me this moun∣taine wherof the lorde spake in that day (for thou heardest in that day, howe the “ 1.190Anakims were there, and the cities great and walled,) (d 1.191 If the Lorde will be with me, and I shalbe able to dryue them out, as the Lorde sayde.

13

And Iosuah blessed him, and gaue vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephune, He∣bron to inherite.

14

And * 1.192Hebron therfore became the in∣heritaunce of Caleb ye sonne of Iephune the Kenesite, vnto this day: because he folowed constantly the Lorde God of Israel.

15

And the name of * 1.193 Hebron was called in old time, Kiriath Arba, which [Arba] was a great man among the Enekims: And the lande ceassed from warre.

'The xv. Chapter.'
[unspec A]

'1 The lotte or portion of Ephraim. 10 The Chanaanites.'

1 THis was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iuda by their kinreds, euen to the * 1.194 border of Edom in the wilder∣nesse of * 1.195 Zin south∣warde, euen from the vtmost parte of the south coast.

2 And their south coast was from the brinke of the salt sea, from a (a) 1.196 rocke that leaneth southwarde.

3 And it went out to the southside to∣warde ye goyng vp to Maale Acrabim, & went along to Zin, and ascended vp on the southside vnto Cades Barnea: and went along to Hezron, and went vp to Adar, and fet a compasse to Karcaa.

4

From thence went it along to Azmon, and reached vnto the riuer of Egypt, & the ende of that coast was on the west∣side: This is (b) 1.197 their south coast.

5

Their east coast is the salt sea, euen vn∣to ye ende (c) 1.198 of Iordane: And their border in the north quarter, was from the rocke of the sea and from the ende of Iordane.

6

And the same border went vp to Beth∣hagla, and went along by the northside of Betharabah, and vp from thence to the stone of d 1.199 Bohen ye sonne of Ruben.

7

And againe, the same border went vp to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northwarde, turning towarde Gil∣gal, that lieth before the goyng vp to

Page xij

Adomnum, which is of the south side of the riuer: And the same border went vp to the waters of the fountayne of the sunne, and ended at the * 1.200 well of Rogel.

8 And then went vp to the valley of the sonne of Hennom, euen vnto the south syde of Iebusi, the same is Hierusa∣lem: And then went vp to the toppe of the hyll that lyeth before the val∣ley of Hennom westwarde, and by the end of the valley of the giauntes north∣warde.

9 And then it compasseth from the top of the hill vnto the fountaine of the wa∣ter of Nephthoah, and goeth out of the cities of mount Ephron, and draweth to Baala, which is e 1.201 Kiriathiarim.

10 And then it compasseth from Baala westward vnto mount Seir, and then goeth along vnto the side of mount Ia∣rim, [unspec C] which is Chesalon on the northside, and commeth downe to Bethsames, and goeth to Thimnah.

11 And goeth out againe vnto the syde of Akaron northward: And then draweth to Secron, and goeth along to mount Baala, and stretcheth vnto Iabneel: and the endes of the coastes leaue at the west sea.

12 And the west border was the great sea, and the same coast was the coast of the children of Iuda round about, in their kinredes.

13 And vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephune did Iosuah geue a parte among the childrē of Iuda, according to the mouth of the Lorde, euen * 1.202 Kiriatharba of the father of Enac, whiche citie is Ebron.

14 And Caleb f 1.203 droue thence the three sonnes of Enac, Sesai, and Ahiman, and Thalmai, which were the sonnes of Enac.

15 And he went vp thence, to the inhabi∣tours of Dabir: and the name of Dabir in the old time was g 1.204 Kiriath Sephar.

16 And Caleb sayde: * 1.205 He that smyteth Kiriath Sephar, & taketh it, to him wil I geue Achsah my daughter to wyfe.

17 And Othniel, the sonne of Kenez, the * 1.206brother of Caleb toke it: And he gaue him Acsah his daughter to wife.

18 And as she went in vnto him, she mo∣ued [unspec D] him to aske of her father a fielde: And h 1.207she alighted of her asse. And Ca∣leb sayde vnto her what ayleth the?

19 Who aunswered:* 1.208

Geue me a blessing, for thou hast geuen me a south lande, geue me also springes of water. And he gaue her springes of water, both aboue and beneath.

20

This is the inheritaunce of the tribe of the children of Iuda by their kin∣redes.

21

And the vtmost cities of the tribe of the children of Iuda, towarde ye coastes of Edom southwarde, were Kabzeel, Eder, and Iagur,

22 Kinah, Dimonah, and Adadah,'

23 Kedes, Hazor, and Iethnan,'

24 Ziph, Telem, and Baloth,'

25 Hazor, Hadathah, Karioth, Hesron,' [unspec E] which is Hazor,'

26 Amam, Shema, and Moladah,'

27 Hazar, Gadah, Hasmon, and Beth∣pheleth,'

28 Hazarsual, Beersabe, and Baziothia,'

29 Baala, Iim, and Azem,'

30 Eltholad, Cecil, and Horma,'

31 Zikelag, Medemenah, and Sen∣senna,'

32

Labaoth, Selhim, Ain, and Rimon: all the cities are twentie and nine, with their villages.

33 And in the lowe countrey they had' Esthaol, Zareah, and Asenah,'

34 Zanoah, Engannim, Thaphuah, and' Enam:'

35 Iarmuth, Adulam, Socoh, and Aze∣kah,'

36

Saarem, Adithaim, Gederah, & Ge∣derothaim: fourteene citie with their villages.

37 Zenan, Hadazah, and Magdalgad,'

38 Delean, Mispeh, and Iektheel,'

39 Lachis, Bazeath, and Eglon,'

40 Chabbon, Lehamam, and Eethlis,'

41

Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah, & Makedah: sixteene cities with their villages.

42 Lebnah, Ether, and Asan,'

43 Iephthah, Asnah, and Nezib,'

44 Keilah, Achzib, and Maresah: nine' cities, with their villages.'

45 Akron with her townes and villa∣ges.'

46

From Akron euen vnto the sea, all [unspec G] that lieth about Asdod, with their vil∣lages.

47

Asdod with her townes and villages, Azah with her townes & villages, vnto

Page [unnumbered]

the (i) 1.209 riuer of Egypt, and the great sea [unspec F] was their coast.

'48 And in the mountaines, they had 'Samir, Iathir, and Socoh.

'49 Danah, and Kariah Sennah, which 'is Dabir,

'50 Anab, Esthemoh, and Anim,

'51 Gosen, Holon, and Giloh, a leuen ci∣ties 'with their villages.

'52 Arab, Dumah, and Esean,

'53 Ianum, Beththaphuah, & Aphecah:

54 Humtah, & * 1.210 Kiriatharbe (which is Hebron) & Sior, nine cities with their villages.

'55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, and Iutah,

'56 Iesrael, Iukadan, and Zanoah

'57 Cain, Gabaah, and Thamnah: ten cities with their villages.'

58 Halhul, Bethzur, and Gdor, [unspec G] '

59 Maarath, Bethanoth, and Eltheon:' sixe cities with their villages'

60

Kariah Baal, whiche is Kariath Iarim, and Rabba: two cities with their villages.

61 In the wildernesse they had Betha∣rabah,' Meddin, and Sacacah,'

62 Nebsan, & the (k) 1.211 citie of Salte, & En∣gaddi:' syxe cities with their villages.'

63

Neuerthelesse, ye Iebusites that wer the inhabitaunts of Hierusalē, could not the children of Iuda l 1.212 cast out: But the Iebusites dwell with the children of Iuda at Hierusalem vnto this daye.

'¶ The .xvj. Chapter.'

'1 The lot or part of Ephraim. 10 The Chanaanites dwelled among them.'

[unspec A]

1 ANd the lot of the chil∣dren of Ioseph fell frō Iordane by Ieri∣cho, vnto the water of Iericho eastwarde, & to the wildernesse that goeth vp frō Iericho throughout mount Bethel.

2 And goeth out frō (a) 1.213Bethel to*Luz, and runneth along vnto the borders of Archiataroth:

3 And goeth downe againe westward euen to the coast of Iaphleti, and vnto the coast of Bethhoron the neather, & to Gazer, and the endes of their coastes leaue at the west sea.

[unspec B] '4 And so the children of Ioseph, Manas∣ses, '& Ephraim, toke their inheritaunce.

5 And the border of the children of E∣phraim was by their kynreds. Their border on the east side was, Ataroth Adar, euen vnto Bethhoron the vpper.

6

And went out westwarde to Mach∣methath on the northside, and retur∣neth eastward vnto Thaanath Silo, & past it on the eastside vnto Ionoah.

7

And went downe from Ionoah to Atharoth and Naarath, and came to Iericho, and went out at Iordane.

8 And their border went from Tha∣phuah [unspec C] westward vnto the riuer Ka∣nah, and the endes were the west sea. This is the inheritaunce of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their kyn∣redes.

9

And the seperate cities for the childrē of Ephraim, were among ye inheritaūce of the children of Manasses, euen the cities with their villages.

10

And they draue not out the Chanaa∣nites that dwelt in Gazer: but the Cha∣naanites dwelt among the Ephraites vnto this day, and serue vnder tribute.

'The .xvij. Chapter.'

1. The portion of the halfe tribe of Manasse. 3. Salphaad is geuen for a possession to his daughters. 13 Chanaanites are tributaries vnto the Israelites. 14. The sonnes of Ioseph, Manasse, and Ephraim, do require a larger possession.

[unspec A]

1 THis was the lot of the tribe of Manasses, which was the * eldest son of Ioseph, to witte of Machir the eldest sonne of Manasses, which was the father of Gilead: now because he was a man of warre, he had Gilead and Basan.

2

This is the possession of the (a) 1.214 rest of the children of Manasses by their kin∣reds: [Namely] of the children of A∣biezer, the children of Helek, the chil∣dren of Ariel, the children of Sichem,

Page xiij

the children of Hepher, the children of Semida: for these were the male chil∣dren of Manasses, the sonne of Ioseph by their kinredes.

3 * 1.215But Selaphead the sonne of Hepher, the sonne of Giliad, ye sonne of Machir, the sonne of Manasses, had no sonnes: but daughters, whose names are these, Mahala, Noa, Hagla, Melcha, and Thirsa.

4 Which came before Eleasar the priest, and before Iosuah the sonne of Nun, & before the Lordes, saying: The Lord commaunded Moyses to geue vs an en∣heritaunce among our (b) 1.216brethren.

5 And therfore according to the com∣maundement of the Lorde, he gaue them an enheritaunce among the bre∣thren of their father. And there fel ten portions to Manasses, beside the lande of Gilead and Basan, whiche were on the other side Iordane.

6 Because the daughters of Manasses dyd enherite among his sonnes: And Manasses other sonnes had the lande of Gilead.

7 And the coaste of Manasses was from Aser to Machmathath that lieth before Sichem, and went along on the right hande, euen vnto the inhabitantes of Entaphuah,

8 And the lande of Thaphuah belonged to Manasses: which(d) 1.217 Thaphuah is be∣side the border of Manasses, beside the border of the children of Ephraim.

9 And the coaste descended vnto the “ 1.218 riuer Canah southwarde, euen to the riuer: These cities of Ephraim, are a∣mong ye cities of Manasses. The coaste of Manasses went also on the north∣side to the riuer, and the endes of it go out at the sea:

10 So that ye south partained to Ephraim, & the north to Manasses, & the sea is his border: And they met together in(e) 1.219 Aser northwarde, & in Isachar eastwarde.

11

And Manasses had in Isachar and in Aser, Bethsean & her townes, Iibean and her townes, and the inhabitours of Dor, with the townes pertaining to the same, and the inhabitours of En∣dor with the townes of the same, and the inhabitours of Thaanach with her townes, and the inhabitours of Magedo with the townes of the same, euen three countreys.

12

Yet the children of Manasses coulde (f) 1.220 not ouercome those cities: but the Chanaanites presumed to dwell in the same lande.

13

Neuerthelesse, assoone as the children of Israel were waxed strong, they put the Chanaanites vnder tribute, but ex∣pelled them not.

14

And the children of Ioseph spake vn∣to Iosuah, saying: Why hast thou geuē me but one lotte and one portion to in∣herite, seyng I am a great people, and forasmuche as the Lorde hath (g) 1.221 blessed me hytherto?

15

And Iosuah aūswered them: If thou be much people, then get thee vp to the wood [countrey] and prepare for thy selfe therein the lande of the Pherezites and (h) 1.222of the Giauntes, yf mount Ephraim be to narowe for thee.

16

And the children of Ioseph sayd, The hill is not ynough for vs: And all ye Cha∣naanites that dwel in the lowe countrey haue charettes of iron, and so haue they that inhabite Bethlean & the townes of the same, and they also that dwell in the valley of Iezreel.

17

And Iasuah sayde vnto the house of Ioseph, Ephraim, & Manasses: Ye be much people, and haue great power, and shall not therfore haue one lotte.

18

Therfore the hyll shalbe yours, and ye shall cut downe the wood that is in it: and the endes of it shalbe yours, yf ye cast out the Chananaites which haue iron charettes, and are very strong.

The .xviii. Chapter.

1 Ther are sente certayne, who should appointe lande for seuen tribes betweene the sonnes of Ioseph, and Iuda. 11 The portion of the children of Beniamin. 13 Luza, which is also called Bethel. 14 Cariath Baal.

[unspec A]

1 ANd the whole congre∣gation of the children of Israel came toge∣ther at Silo, and set vp the (a) 1.223 tabernacle of the congregation there, af∣ter the land was in sub∣iection before them.

2

And there remained among the chil∣dren of Israel (b) 1.224 seuen tribes, which had not yet receaued their enheritaunce.

3

And Iosuah sayde vnto the children of Israel: Howe long are ye so slacke to come and possesse the lande whiche

Page [unnumbered]

the Lord God of your fathers hath ge∣uen you?

4 Geue out from among you for euery tribe three men, that I may sende them: and that they may ryse, and walke through the lande, and distribute it ac∣cordyng to the (c) 1.225 inheritaunce therof, & come againe to me.

5 And let them deuide it vnto them into seuen partes: And (Iuda shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Ioseph shall stande in their coastes on the north.)

[unspec B]

6 Describe ye the lande therfore into se∣uen partes, and bryng the description hyther to me: and I shall cast lottes for you here before the (d) 1.226 Lord our God. * 1.227

7 * 1.228But the Leuites haue no part among you, for the (e) 1.229 priesthood of the Lorde is their inheritaunce: * 1.230 And Gad, and Ru∣ben, and halfe the tribe of Manasses, haue receaued their inheritaunce be∣yond Iordan eastward, which Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord gaue them.

8 And the men arose, and went their waye: And Iosuah charged them that went to describe the lande, saying: De∣part, and go through the lande, and de∣scribe it, and come againe to me, that I may here cast lottes for you before the Lorde in Silo.

9 And the men departed, and walked through the lande, and described it by ci∣ties into seuen partes in a booke, and re∣turned to Iosuah into ye hoast at Silo.

10 And Iosuah cast(f) 1.231 lottes for them in Silo before the Lorde: & there Iosuah diuided the lande vnto the children of Israel, to eche their portion.

11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Beniamin came vp according to their kinredes: And the coast of their lot came betweene the children of Iuda, and the children of Ioseph.

[unspec C]

12 And their north coast was from Ior∣dane, & went vp to the side of Iericho on the north side, and went vp through the mountaines westwarde, and they ended at the wildernesse of Bethauen.

13 And went from thence toward Luz, euen to the south side of Luz (the same is (g) 1.232 Bethel) & descended againe to A∣taroth Adar, vnto the hyll that lyeth on the south side of ye neather Bethhoron.

14 And the coast turneth thence, & com∣passeth the corner of the sea southward, euen from the hyll that lyeth before Bethhoron southward, and goeth out at Kiriathbaal (which is Kiriath Ia∣rim) a citie of the childrē of Iuda: This is the west quarter.

15

And the south coast goeth from the ende of Kiriathiarim, and goeth out “ 1.233 westwarde, and thence it turneth to the well of waters of Nephthoah,

16

And commeth downe againe to the end of the hyll that lyeth before the val∣ley of the sonne of Hennom, euen in the valley of the giauntes northwarde, and descendeth into the valley of Hen∣nom beside “ 1.234 Iebusi southward, & goeth downe to the well of Rogel,

17

And compasseth from the north, and [unspec D] goeth foorth to (h) 1.235 En shemesh, and de∣parteth from thence to the places of Geliloth, whiche are towarde the going vp vnto Adommim: and goeth downe to the* 1.236 stone of Bohan the sonne of Ruben.

18

And then goeth along toward the side of the plaine northward, and goeth downe into the fieldes.

19

And goeth along to the syde of Beth∣hagla northwarde, and endureth the poynt of the salt sea north therefrom, [euen] at the (i) 1.237 south ende of Iordane: This is the south coast.

20

And Iordane kepeth in this coast on the east syde: And this is the inheri∣taunce of the chyldren of Beniamin by their coastes rounde about, throughout their kinredes.

21

These were the cities of the tribes of the chyldren of Beniamin throughout their kinredes: Iericho, Bethhagla, and the plaine of Casis.

22 Betharabah, Samaraim, and Be∣thel.'

23 Auim, Parah, and Ophrah,'

24 Haamonai, Ophni, & Gaba, twelue' cities with their villages.'

25 Gabaon, Ramah, Beeroth,'

26 Mispeh, Chephirah, and Mosah,'

27 Recem, Iarephel, and Tharela,'

28

Sela, Eleph, and Iebusi (which is(k) 1.238 Hierusalem) Gibath, and Ciriath, four∣teene cities with their villages. This is the inheritaunce of the chyldren of Beniamin throughout their kinredes.

Page xiiij

'The .xix. Chapter.'

2. The lot of Simeon. 10. Zabulon. 40. The possession of the tribe of Dan. 46. The possession of Iosuah.

[unspec A]

1 ANd the secōd lot came out to Simeon, euen for the tribe of the chil∣dren of Simeon by their kinreds: And their inheritaūce was in the (a) 1.239 middes of the inheritaunce of the children of Iuda.

'2 And they had in their inheritaunce, 'Beersabe, Sabe, and Moladah,

'3 Hazorsual, Balah, and Azem,

'4 Eltholad, Bethul, and Hormah,

'5 Zikelag, Bethmarcaboth, and Ha∣zetsusah,

'6 Bethlebaoth, & Saruhen, thirteene cities with their villages.

[unspec B] '7 Ain, Remmon, Ether, & Asan, foure cities with their villages.

8 And therto all the villages that were rounde about these cities, euen to Bala∣sah Beer, and Ramath southward. This is the inheritaunce of the tribe of the children of Simeon throughout their kinredes.

9 Out of the lot of the children of Iuda, came the inheritaunce of the children of Simeon: For the part of the children of Iuda was (b) 1.240 to much for them, and therfore the children of Simeon had their inheritaunce in the inheritaunce of them.

10 And the third lot arose for the childrē of Zabulon throughout their kynreds: And the coastes of their inheritaunce came to Sarid.

11 And went vp (c) 1.241 westward euen to Maralah, and reached to Dabbaseth, & came thence to the riuer that lyeth be∣fore Iokneam.

12 And turned from Sarid eastward to∣ward the sunne risyng vnto the border [unspec C] of Chisloth Thabor, & then goeth out to Dabereth, and goeth vp to Iaphia.

13 And from thence goeth along east∣ward to Gethah Hepher, to Itthah Kazin, and goeth to Remmon, and turneth to Neah:

14 And compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon, and endeth in the va∣ley of Iephthahel,

15 And Katath, Nahalol, Simeon, Ie∣dalah, and(d) 1.242 Bethlehem: twelue cities with their villages.

16

This is the inheritaunce of the chil∣dren of Zabulon throughout their kyn∣redes, and these are the cities with their villages.

17

And the fourth lot came out to Isa∣char, euen for the children of Isachar by their kinreds.

18 And their coast was Iesraelah, Ca∣suloth,' and Sunem,'

19 Hapharaim, Sion, and Anaharath,'

20 Harabith, Kision, and Abez,'

21 Rameth, Enganim, Enhadah, and' Bethphazez.'

22

And his coast reacheth to Thabor, & Sahazimah, and Bethsames: and en∣deth at Iordane, syxteene cities with their villages.

23

This is the inheritaunce of the tribe of the children of Isachar by their kin∣reds: and these are the cities with their villages.

24 And ye fyfth lot came out for the tribe' of the children of Aser by their kinreds.'

25 And their coast was, Helkath, Hali,' Beten, and Achsap,'

26

Alamelech, Amaad, and Miseal: and came to Carmel westwarde, and to Si∣hor Libanath.

27

And turneth toward the sunne rising to Bethdagon, and commeth to (e) 1.243 Za∣bulon, and to the valley of Iephthahel, towarde the north side of Bethemek & Neiel, and goeth out on the lefte side of Cabul,

28 And to Hebron, Rohob, Hammon,' and Kanah, euen vnto great Sidon.'

29

And then the coast turneth to Ra∣mah & to the strong citie of (f) 1.244 Zor, and turneth to Hozah, & endeth at the sea, by the possession of Achzibah,

30

Amah also, and Aphek, and Rohob: twentie and two cities with their vil∣lages.

31

This is the inheritaunce of the chil∣dren of Aser by their kinreds: these are the cities with their villages.

32 And the syxth lot came out to the chil∣dren of Nephthali [euen] to the childrē of Nephthali by their kinredes.

33 And their coast was from Heleph, (g) 1.245' and from Elon to Zaenanim, Adami'

〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

Page [unnumbered]

children of Iuda, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities by name.

10 Which the children of Aaron being of the kynredes of the Caathites, and of the childrē of Leui, obtained: (for theirs was the first lotte.)

* 1.246

11 And they gaue them Kiriath Arba of the father of Enac (which is Hebron) in the hyll countrey of Iuda, with the (b) 1.247 suburbes of the same rounde about it.

12 But the lande that pertayned to the citie and the villages therof, gaue they to * 1.248 Caleb the sonne of Iephune, to be his possession.

13 And thus they gaue to the childrē of A∣aron the priest, a citie to the which the slayer myght flee, euen Hebron with her suburbes, and Libna with her sub∣urbes,

[unspec C] 14 And Iathir with her suburbes, and Estemoa with he suburbes:

15 Holon with her suburbes, Dabir with her suburbes:

16 Ain with her suburbes, Iuttah with her suburbes, Bethsames with her sub∣urbes: nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Beniamin, they gaue Gibeon with her suburbes, Gabae with her suburbes,

18 Anatoth with her suburbes, Almon with her suburbes, foure cities.

19 All these cities of the children of Aaron priestes, were thirteene cities with their suburbes.

20 And the kynredes of the children of Caath that were Leuites, that is to say, the (c) 1.249 other children of Caath, had cities geuen them for their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

[unspec D]

21 For they gaue them the citie that the slear might flee vnto, Sichem with her suburbes in mount Ephraim, and Ga∣zer with her suburbes.

22 And Cibraim with her suburbes, and Bethhoron with her suburbes, foure cities.

23 And out of ye tribe of Dan, Elthee with her suburbes, Gabethon with her sub∣urbes.

24 And Aialō with her suburbes, Gath∣remon with her suburbes, foure cities.

25 And out of the (d) 1.250 halfe tribe of Ma∣nasses, Thanach with her suburbes, & Gathremon with her suburbes, two cities.

26.

All the cities for the other kynredes of the children of Caath, were ten, with their suburbes.

27

And vnto the childrē of Gerson, which were of the kynredes of the Leuites, they gaue out of the other halfe tribe of Manasses, the citie of refuge for ye slear, Golan in Basan with her suburbes, & Beestherah with her suburbes, two cities.

28

And out of the tribe of Isachar, Kisi∣on [unspec E] with her suburbes, and Dabereh with her suburbes:

29

And Iarmuth with her suburbes, Enganim with her suburbes, foure ci∣ties.

30

And out of the tribe of Aser, Misal with her suburbes, Abdō with her sub∣urbes.

31

Helcath with her suburbes, and Rohob with her suburbes, foure cities.

32

And out of the tribe of Nephthali the citie for the slear to flee vnto, Kedes in Galilee with her suburbes, Hamothdor with her suburbes, and Carthan with her suburbes, three cities.

33

All the cities of ye Gersonites through∣out their kynredes, were thirteene ci∣ties with their suburbes,

34

And vnto the other kynredes of the [unspec F] children of Merari,(e) 1.251 the rest of the Le∣uites, they gaue out of the tribe of Za∣bulon, Iecnam with her suburbes, and Cartha with her suburbes.

35

Dimnah with her suburbes, and Na∣halal with her suburbes, foure cities.

36

And out of the tribe of Rubē,(f) 1.252 Bezer with her suburbes, and Iahasa with her suburbes,

37

Kedmoth with her suburbes, and Me∣phaath with her suburbes, foure ci∣ties.

38

And out of the tribe of Gad, they gaue the citie for the slear to flee vnto, Ra∣moth in Gilead with her suburbes, and Mahanaim with her suburbes,

39

Hesbon with suburbes, and Iaser with her suburbes, foure cities in all.

40

So that all the cities of the children [unspec G] of Merari throughout their kinredes which were the rest of the kynredes of the Leuites, were by their lot twelue ci∣ties.

41

And all the cities that the Leuites had,(g) 1.253 among the possession of the chil∣dren of Israel, were .xlviii. with their suburbes.

Page xvj

42 And these cities lay euery one seue∣rally, hauing their suburbes rounde a∣bout them throughout al the said cities.

43 And the Lorde gaue vnto Israel all the lande which * 1.254he sware to geue vnto their fathers: And they conquered it, & dwelt therin.

44 And the Lord gaue them rest rounde about, according to all that he sware vn∣to their fathers: and there stoode not a man of all their enemies before them: The Lorde also deliuered all their ene∣mies into their handes.

45

* 1.255There scaped nothing of al the good thinges which the Lord had sayd vnto ye house of Israel, but all came to passe.* 1.256

The .xxij. Chapter.

1. Ruben, Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasses are sent againe to their possessions. 10. They buylde an aulter for a memorial. 15. The Israelites reproue them. 21 Their aunswere for defence of the same.

[unspec A] 1 THen (a) 1.257 Iosuah called the Rubenites, the Ga∣dites, & the halfe tribe of Manasses,

2 And sayd vnto them: * 1.258 Ye haue kept all that Moyses the seruaūt of the Lord (b) 1.259 cōmaunded you, and haue obeyed my voyce in all that I cōmaun∣ded you.

3 Ye haue not lefte your brethren of a long season vnto this day, but haue kept the commaundement of the Lorde your God.

4 And now that the Lorde hath geuen rest vnto your brethren as he promised them: therfore returne ye, and go vnto your tentes, and vnto the lande of your possession, which Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord * 1.260 gaue you on the other side Iordane.

5 But in any wyse take diligent heede, to do ye commaundement & (c) 1.261lawe which Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord char∣ged you: * that ye loue the Lorde your God, and walke in all his wayes, and kepe his commaundements, and cleaue vnto him, and serue him with all your heartes, and all your soules.

6 And so Iosuah (d) 1.262blessed them, & sent them away: And they went vnto their tentes.

7 Vnto the one halfe of the tribe of Ma∣nasses [unspec B] Moyses gaue possession in Ba∣san: & vnto the other halfe thereof gaue Iosuah, among their brethren on this syde Iordane westwarde. And Iosuah sent them away also vnto their tentes, and blessed them,

8 And sayde vnto them: Returne with much riches vnto your tentes, and with a great multitude of cattell, with syluer and golde, with brasse, and iron, and with much rayment, and * deuide the spoyle of your enemies with your (e) 1.263 brethren.

9 And the children of Ruben, the childrē of Gad, & the halfe tribe of Manasses returned, and departed from the chil∣dren of Israel out of Silo, which is in the lande of Chanaan, to go vnto the countrey of Gilead, to the lande of their possession, which they had obtayned, according to the word of the Lorde by the hand of Moyses.

10 And when they came vnto the borders of Iordane that are in the land of Cha∣naan, there the children of Ruben, the children of Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasses buylt (f) 1.264 there an aulter by Iordane, & that a great aulter to see to.

11 When the children of Israel hearde saye, beholde the children of Ruben, the children of Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasses, haue buylt an aulter in ye forefront of the lande of Chanaan in the borders of Iordane, at the passage of the children of Israel:

12 When the children of Israel hearde of [unspec C] it, the whole congregation of the chil∣dren of Israel gathered them together at Silo, to make(g) 1.265 battell against them.

13 And the children of Israel sent vnto the children of Ruben, and to the chil∣dren of Gad, and to the halfe tribe of Manasses into the lāde of Gilead, Phi∣nehes the sonne of Eleazar the priest,

14 And with him ten lordes, of euery cheefe house a lorde, throughout all the tribes of Israel, which were heades of their fathers housholdes among the “ 1.266 thousandes of Israel.

15 And they went vnto the children of Ruben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of the halfe tribe of Ma∣nasses, vnto the lande of Gilead, and

Page [unnumbered]

they spake with them, saying:

16 Thus say the whole congregation of [unspec D] the Lorde: what transgression is this, that ye haue transgressed agaynst the God of Israel, to turne away this day from the Lord, in that ye haue buylded you an aulter for to rebell this day a∣gainst the Lord?

17 Is the * 1.267 wicked deede of Peor to litle for vs, wherof we are not yet(h) 1.268 cleansed vnto this day, and there was a plague in the congregation of the Lorde?

18 Ye also are turned away this day from the Lorde: And seyng ye rebell to daye against the Lorde, it wyll come to passe that to morowe he shalbe wroth with all the congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstandyng, yf ye thynke that the lande of your possession is (i) 1.269 vn∣cleane, then come ouer vnto the lande of the possession of the Lorde, wherein the Lordes tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among vs: But(k) 1.270 rebell not against the Lorde, nor rebell against vs, to buylde you any other aulter, saue the aulter of the Lorde our God.

20 *Dyd not Achan the sonne of Zareth trespasse greeuouslie in the accursed [unspec E] thyng, and wrath fell on all the congre∣gation of Israel? and this man alone (l) 1.271 perished not in his wickednes.

21 Then the chyldren of Ruben, and the chyldren of Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasses aunswered, and sayde vnto the heades ouer the thousandes of Is∣rael:

22 The Lorde God of gods, the Lorde God of gods knoweth, and also Israel shall knowe, yf it be to rebell or to transgresse against the Lorde, then thou Lorde saue vs not this day.

23 Or els yf we haue buylt vs an aulter to turne from folowyng the Lorde, or to offer theron burnt offeryng or meate offeryng, or to offer peace offerynges theron, let ye Lord him selfe (m) 1.272 require it.

24 And yf we haue not rather done it for feare of this thyng, saying, In tyme to come your chyldren myght say vnto ours: What haue you to do with the Lorde God of Israel?

25 The Lorde hath made Iordane a border betweene vs and you ye children of Ruben and of Gad, ye haue no part therfore in the Lorde: and so shall your children make our children (n) 1.273 ceasse from fearyng the Lorde.

26 Therfore we saide, We wyll make vs an aulter, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

27 But for a *witnesse betweene vs and you, and our generations after vs, that we should serue the Lorde with our of∣ferynges, [unspec F] sacrifices, & peace offerynges before him: & that your children shoulde not say to ours in tyme to come, Ye haue no (o) 1.274 part in the Lorde.

28 Therfore sayde we, that yf they should so say to vs or to (p) 1.275 our generations in tyme to come: that we wolde say again, Behold the fassion of the aulter of the Lord which our fathers made, neither for burnt offringes nor sacrifices, but for a witnesse betweene vs and you.

29 God forbyd that we should rebell a∣gaynst the Lord, & turne this day from after hym, and buylde any other aulter for burnt offringes, oblations, or sacri∣fices, saue the aulter of the Lorde our God that is before his tabernacle.

30 And when Phinehes the priest, and the lordes of the congregation, & heades ouer the thousandes of Israel which were with him, hearde these wordes that the children of Ruben, and the chil∣dren of Gad, and the children of Ma∣nasses spake, they were well content.

31 And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar [unspec G] the priest sayd vnto the children of Ru∣ben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasses: This day we perceaue that the Lord is (q) 1.276 among vs, because ye haue not done this tres∣passe agaynst the Lorde: Now ye haue rydde the children of Israel (r) 1.277 out of the hand of the Lorde.

32 And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar the priest, with the lordes, returned from the children of Ruben, and from the children of Gad, out of the lande of Gilead, vnto the lande of Chanaan, to the children of Israel, & brought them this worde agayne.

33 And the saying pleased the children of Israel, and they blessed God, and dyd not entende to go agaynst thē in battell, and to destroy the lande which the chil∣dren of Ruben and Gad dwelt in.

34 And the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, called the aulter [Ed] for it shalbe a witnes betweene vs, that the Lorde is God.

Page xvii

The .xxiii. Chapter.

2 Iosuah exhorteth the people, that they ioyne not them selues to the Gentiles. That they name not their idoles. 14 The promise if they feare God. 15 And threat∣nings, if they forsake him.

[unspec A] 1 ANd it came to passe, a∣long season after that the Lorde had geuen rest vnto Israel from al their enemies round about, that Iosuah waxed olde, and was stricken in age.

2 And Iosuah called for all Israel, and for their elders, their heades, their iud∣ges, and officers, and sayd vnto them: I am olde and stricken in age,

3 And ye haue seene all that the Lorde your God hath done vnto all these nati∣ons (a) 1.278 before you, how the Lorde your God him self hath fought for you.

4 Beholde, I haue deuided vnto you by lot these nations that remayne, to be an inheritaunce for your tribes, euen from Iordane, with all the nations that I haue destroyed, euen vnto the great sea westward.

5 And the Lorde your God shall (b) 1.279 expel them before you, & cast them from out of your sight, and ye shall conquer their lande, as the Lord your God hath sayd vnto you.

6 Go to therfore, and be of a good cou∣rage, that ye take heede and do all that is written in the booke of the lawe of Moyses, * 1.280 that ye bowe not aside there∣from [unspec B] to the right hande or to the left.

7 Neither company with these nations that is with them that are left with you, neither make * 1.281 mention of the name of ther gods, nor (c) 1.282 cause to sweare by them, neither serue them, nor bowe your selues vnto them.

8 But sticke fast vnto the Lorde your God, as ye haue done vnto this day.

9 So shall the Lord cast out before you great nations and mightie, as no man hath ben able to stande before you hy∣therto.

10 * 1.283One man of you shall chase a thou∣sand: for the Lorde your God he figh∣teth for you, as he hath promised you.

11 Take good heede therfore vnto your selues, that ye loue the Lord your God.

12 Els, if ye go backe and cleaue vnto the rest of these nations that remaine with you, & shall make mariages with them, and go in vnto them, and they to you:

13 Be ye sure that the Lorde your God will no more cast out all these nations from before you: * 1.284 but they shalbe snares and trappes vnto you, and scourges in your sides, & thornes in (d) 1.285 your eyes, vntill ye perishe from of this good land whiche the Lorde your God hath ge∣uen you.

14 And behold, this day do I (e) 1.286enter into [unspec C] the way of all the world, and ye knowe in al your heartes and in al your soules, that * 1.287 nothyng hath fayled of all the good thinges whiche the Lorde your God promised you, but all are come to passe vnto you, and nothing hath fayled therof.

15 Therfore, as al good thinges are come vpon you, whiche the Lorde your God promised you: so shall the Lorde bring vpon you all euyll, vntill he haue de∣stroyed you frō of this good land which the Lorde your God hath geuen you.

16 When ye haue (f) 1.288 transgressed the ap∣pointmēt of the Lord your God which he commaunded you, and haue gone & serued straunge goddes, & bowed your selues to them: then shall the wrath of the Lorde waxe whot vpon you, and ye shall perishe quicklie from of the good [unspec E] lande which he hath geuen you.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

2 Iosuah rehearseth Gods benefites. 14 And exhorteth the people to feare God. 25 The league renued betweene God and the people. 26 Iosuah dieth. 32 The bones of Ioseph are buried. 33 Eleazar dieth.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Iosuah gathered (a) 1.289 all ye tribes of Israel to Sichem, and called for the elders of Isra∣el, & for their heades, iudges, and officers, & they presented them selues(b) 1.290 before God.

2 And Iosuah sayde vnto al the people, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the(c) 1.291 fludde in olde time, euen Thare the father of Abraham and of Nachor, and serued straunge goddes.

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3 And I toke your father Abraham from the other side of the fludde, and brought him throughout all the lande of Chanaan, and multiplied his seede, and * 1.292gaue him Isahac.

4 And I gaue vnto Isahac, Iacob and Esau, * 1.293and I gaue vnto Esau mount Seir, to possesse it: But * 1.294 Iacob and his children went downe into Egypt.

5 * 1.295I sent Moyses also and Aaron, and I * 1.296 plagued Egypt, and when I had so done among them, I brought you out.

6 * 1.297And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and as they came vnto the sea, the Egyptians folowed after your fa∣thers with charettes and horsmen vn∣to the red sea.

7 * 1.298And when they cryed vnto the Lord, [unspec B] the Lord put darcknesse betweene you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea vpon them, & couered them, and your eyes haue seene what I haue done to the Egyptians: and ye dwelt in thee wildernesse (d) 1.299along season.

8 And * 1.300 I brought you into the lande of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other syde Iordane: And they fought with you, and I gaue them into your hande, that ye might conquer their countrey, and I destroied them from out of your sight.

9 * 1.301Then Balak the sonne of Ziphor king of Moab, arose & warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the sonne of Beor for to curse you:

10 But I woulde not hearken vnto Ba∣laam, & therfore he rather blessed you: and so I deliuered you out of his hand.

11 And ye went ouer Iordane, and came vnto Iericho: and the (e) 1.302 men of Iericho fought against you, the Amorites, Phe∣rezites, Chanaanites, Hethites, Gerge∣sites, Heuites, and Iebusites, & I deli∣uered them into your hande.

12 And I sent * 1.303 hornettes before you, whiche caste them out of your sight, euen the two kinges of the Amorites: but not with your owne sworde, or with your owne bowe.

13 And I haue geuen you a lande in which ye dyd no labour, & cities which ye buylt not, & which ye dwell in: vine∣yardes [unspec C] also and olyue trees whiche ye planted not, and whereof ye do eate.

14 Nowe therfore (f) 1.304 feare the Lorde, and serue him in perfectnesse and trueth, and put away the goddes whiche your fa∣thers serued on the other side of ye fludde and in Egypt, and serue ye the Lorde.

15 And yf it seeme euyll vnto you to serue the Lorde, then chose you this day whō you wil serue, whether ye goddes which your fathers serued (that were on the other side of the fludde) either ye goddes of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwel: As for me and my house, (g) 1.305 we wil serue the Lorde.

16 The people aunswered and sayd: God forbyd, that we should forsake the Lord, and serue straunge goddes.

17 For the Lorde our God, he it is that brought vs & our fathers out of the land of Egypt, & from the house of bondage, and whiche did those great miracles in our sight, and preserued vs in al the way that we went, and among al the people which we came thorowe.

18 And the Lord did cast out before vs all the people, euen the Amorites whiche dwelt in the lande: And therfore wil we also serue the Lord, for he is (h) 1.306 our God.

19 And Iosuah sayde vnto the people, Ye (i) 1.307 can not serue the Lord: for he is an holy God, and a ielous God, and cannot beare your iniquite and sinne.

20 Yf ye forsake the Lorde and serue straunge goddes, * 1.308 he will turne and do you euill, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

21 And the people sayde vnto Iosuah: [unspec D] Nay, but we will serue the Lorde.

22 And Iosuah sayde vnto the people: Ye are witnesses (k) 1.309 against your selues, that ye haue chosen you the Lorde to serue him. And they sayde: we are wit∣nesses.

23 Then put away [sayde he] the (l) 1.310 straūge goddes whiche are among you, & bowe your heartes vnto the Lorde God of Israel.

24 The people sayde vnto Iosuah: The Lorde our God will we serue, and his voyce will we obey.

25 And so Iosuah made a couenaūt with the people the same day, and set an ordi∣naunce & lawe before them in Sichem.

26 And Iosuah wrote these wordes in the booke of the lawe of God: and toke a great stone, and pitched it on ende in the sayde place, euen vnder an oke that was in the sanctuarie of the Lorde.

27 And Iosuah sayde vnto al the people: Behold, this stone shalbe a witnesse vn∣to vs, for (m) 1.311 it hath hearde al the wordes

Page xviii

[unspec B] of the Lorde whiche he spake with vs, it shalbe therfore a witnesse vnto you, lest ye denie your God.

28 And so Iosuah let the people depart, euery man vnto his inheritaunce.

29 And after these thinges it came to passe, that Iosuah the sonne of Nun, the seruaunt of the Lorde died, being an hundreth and ten yeres old.

30 And they buryed him in the countrey of his inheritaunce, euen in Thamnath Serah, whiche is in mount Ephraim, on the northside of the hill of Gaas.

31 And Israel serued the Lorde (n) 1.312 all the dayes of Iosuah, and all the dayes of the elders that ouer lyued Iosuah, and whiche had knowne all the workes of the Lorde that he had done for Israel.

32 And the* 1.313 bones of Ioseph whiche the childrē of Israel brought out of Egypt, buried they in Sichem, in a parcell of ground whiche Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor the father of Sichem for an hundreth peeces of siluer, and it became the inheritaunce of the children of Ioseph.

33 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron died, whom they buried in a hill that pertay∣ned to Phinehes his sonne, which [hill] was geuen him in mount Ephraim.

¶The ende of the booke of Iosuah whom the Hebrues call Iehosuah.

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❧The booke of Iudges, called in the Hebrue Sophtim, and in Latin Judicum.

¶The fyrst Chapter.

1 After Iosuah was dead, Iuda was constitute captayne. 6 Adonibezek is taken. 14 The request of Achsah. 16 The children of Keni. 19 The Chanaanites are made tributaries, but not destroyed.

[unspec A] 1 AFter the death of Iosuah, it came to passe, that the chil∣drē of Israel (a) 1.314 as∣ked the Lord, say∣ing: who shall go vp for vs against the Chanaanites, to fight fyrste a∣against them?

2 And the Lorde sayde, Iuda shall go vp: beholde, I haue deliuered the land into his handes.

3 And Iuda sayde vnto Simeon his (b) 1.315brother: Come vp with me in my lot, that we may fight against the Chanaa∣nites, and I likewyse will go with thee into thy (c) 1.316 lot. And so Simeon went with him.

4 And Iuda went vp, and the Lord de∣liuered the Chanaanites and Pherezi∣tes into their handes: And they slue of them in Bezek ten thousande men.

5 And they found “ 1.317 Adombezek in Bezek: And they fought against him, and slue the Chanaanites and Pherezites.

6 But Adonibezek fled, and they folo∣wed after hym, caught hym, and (d) 1.318 cut of his thombes and his great toes.

7 And Adonibezek sayde, Three score [unspec B] and ten kinges hauing their thombes & great toes cut of, gathered their meate vnder my table: * 1.319 As I haue done, so God hath done to me agayne. And they brought him to Hierusalem, and there he died.

8 (The childrē of Iuda had (e) 1.320 fought a∣gainst Hierusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, & set the citie on fire.)

9 Afterward the children of Iuda went downe to fight against the Chanaanites that dwelt in the mountayne & towarde the south, & in the lowe countrey.

10 And Iuda went against the Chanaa∣nites that dwelt in Hebron, whiche be∣fore time was called Kiriath Arba, & slue (f) 1.321 Sesai, Ahiman, and Thalmai.

11 And from thence they went to the in∣habitauntes of Dabir, whose name in olde time was called Kiriathsepher.

12 And Caleb sayd:* 1.322 He that smiteth Ki∣riathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I geue Achsah my daughter to wyfe.

13 And Othoniel the sonne of Kenez Ca∣lebs younger brother toke it: to whom he gaue Achsah his daughter to wyfe. [unspec C]

14 When she came to him, she counsayled him to aske of her father a fielde: And then she (g) 1.323 lighted of her asse, and Caleb sayde vnto her, What wilt thou?

15 She aunswered vnto him, Geue me a blessing: for thou hast geuen me a south∣ward land, geue me also springes of wa∣ter. And Caleb gaue her springes, both aboue and beneath.

16 And the childrē of the (g) 1.324 Kenite Moy∣ses father in lawe, went vp out of the ci∣tie of * 1.325 paulme trees with the children of Iuda, into the wildernesse of Iuda, that lieth in the south of Arad, and they went and dwelt among the people.

17 And Iuda went with Simeon his brother, and they slue the Chanaanites that inhabited Zephath, and vtterly de∣stroyed it, * 1.326and called the name of the citie Horma.

18 And also Iuda toke (h) 1.327 Azzah with the coastes therof, & Askalon with ye coastes therof, and Akaron with the coastes therof.

19 And the Lorde was with Iuda, and he conquered the mountaines: but could not dryue out the inhabitauntes of the valleyes, because they had charettes of iron.

20 And they gaue Hebron vnto Caleb, * 1.328 as Moyses sayde: And he expelled thence the three sonnes of Anak. [unspec D]

21 And the children of Beniamin did not cast out the Iebusites that inhabited Hierusalem: but the Iebusites dwell with the children of Beniamin in Hie∣rusalem vnto this day.

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22 And in like maner they that were of the house of Ioseph went vp to * 1.329 Be∣thel, and the Lorde was with them.

23 And the house of Ioseph searched out Bethel, whiche before time was called * 1.330Luz.

42 And the spyes sawe a man come out of the citie, & they sayd vnto him: Shewe vs we pray thee the way into the citie, * 1.331and we will shewe thee mercy.

25 And when he had shewed them the way into the citie, they smote it with the edge of the sworde: but let the man and all his housholde go free.

26 And the man went into the land of the Hethites, and buylt a citie, and called the name therof Luz: whiche is the name therof vnto (i) 1.332 this day.

27 * 1.333Neither did Manasses expell Beth∣sean with her townes, Thanach with her townes, the inhabitours of Dor with her townes, the inhabitours of Ieblaam with her townes, neither the inhabitours of Magiddo with her tow∣nes: but the Chanaanites were bolde to dwell in the lande.

[unspec E]

28 But it came to passe, that assoone as Israel was waxed mightie, they put the Chanaanites to tribute, and expel∣led them not wholly.

29 * 1.334In lyke maner (k) 1.335 Ephraim expelled not the Chanaanites that dwelt in Ga∣zer: but the Chanaanites dwelt still in Gazer among them.

30

Neither dyd Zabulon expell the in∣habitours of Ketron, neither the inha∣bitours of Nahalol: but the Chanaani¦tes dwelt among them, and became tri¦butaries.

31

Neither did Aser cast out the inhabi∣tours of Acho, neither the inhabitours of Zidon, and of Ahalab, Aczib, & Hel∣bah, Aphek, nor of Rohob:

32

But the Aserites dwelt among the Chanaanites the inhabitours of the lande: for they dyd not dryue them out.

33

Neither dyd Nephthalim dryue out the inhabitours of Bethsames, nor the inhabitours of Bethanath: but dwelt amongest the Chanaanites the inhabi∣tours of the lande. Neuerthelesse, the inhabitours of Bethsames and of Be∣thanath became tributaries vnto them.

34

And the Amorites “ 1.336 droue the children of Dan into the mountayne, and suffe∣red them not to come downe to the valley.

35

And the Amorites were content to [unspec F] dwell in mount Heres in Aialon, and in Salabim: And the hande of Ioseph preuayled, so that they became tributa∣ries.

36

And the coast of the Amorites was from the goyng vp to Acrabim, & from the (l) 1.337 rocke vpwarde.

The .ij. Chapter.

2 The Angel rebuketh the people, because they had made peace with the Chanaa∣nites. 11 The Israelites fel to idolatrie after Iosuahs death. 14 They are deliuered into the enemies handes. 16 God deliuereth them by Iudges. 22 Why God suffred idolaters to remayne among them.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the (a) 1.338 angel of the Lorde came vp from Gilgal to Bochim, and sayde: I made you to go out of Egipt, & haue brought you vnto the lande whiche I sware vnto your fathers: And I sayde, I will neuer breake myne appoyntment that I made with you.

2 And * 1.339 ye also shall make no couenaunt with the inhabitours of this lande, * 1.340 but shall breake downe their aulters: Ne∣uerthelesse, ye haue not hearkened vnto my voyce: why haue ye this done?

3 Wherfore I haue lykewyse determi∣ned, that I will not cast them out before you: but they shalbe * 1.341 as thornes vnto you, and their goddes shalbe a snare vn∣to you.

4 And when the angel of the Lord spake these wordes vnto all the children of Is∣rael, the people cryed out and wept:

5 And called the name of the sayd place “ 1.342Bochim, & offered sacrifices vnto the Lorde.

6 And whē Iosuah (b) 1.343 had sent the people away, the children of Israel went euery man into his inheritaunce to possesse the lande. [unspec B]

7 * 1.344And the people serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosuah, & all the dayes of the elders that outlyued Iosuah, & had seene al the great workes of the Lorde that he dyd for Israel.

8 And Iosuah the sonne of Nun, the ser∣uaunt

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of the Lorde * 1.345 died, when he was an hundreth and ten yeres olde:

9 Whom they buried in the coastes of his inheritaunce [euen] in Thimnath(c) 1.346 He∣res in mount Ephraim, on the northside of the hil Gaas.

10 And euen so all that generation were put vnto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which neither knewe the Lorde, nor yet the workes whiche he had done for Israel.

11 And then the children of Israel dyd wickedly in the sight of the Lorde, and serued (d) 1.347 Baalim,

12 And forsoke the Lord God of their fa∣thers, whiche brought them out of the lande of Egypt, and folowed straunge goddes, euen of the goddes of the nati∣ons that were rounde about them, and bowed them selues vnto them, and an∣gred the Lorde:

13 They forsoke the Lorde, and serued Baal and (e) 1.348 Astharoth.

14 And the wrath of the Lord waxed hot agaynst Israel, and he deliuered them [unspec C] into the handes of raueners, that spoy∣led them, & * 1.349 solde them into the handes of their enemies rounde about them, so that they had no power any longer to stande before their enemies.

15 But whythersoeuer they went out, the (f) 1.350 hand of the Lord was sore against them, euen as the Lord promised them, and as he sware vnto them: And he pu∣nished them sore.

16 Neuerthelesse the Lorde raysed vp iudges, which deliuered them out of the handes of their oppressers.

17 And yet for all that they woulde not hearken vnto their iudges: but rather went a whoring after straunge goddes, and bowed them selues vnto them, and turned (g) 1.351 quickly out of the way, whiche their fathers walked in, obeying the cō∣maundementes of the Lorde: But they dyd not so.

18 And when the Lorde raysed them vp iudges, he was with the iudge, and de∣liuered them out of the handes of their enemies all the dayes of the iudge: (*for the Lord had compassion ouer their so∣rowinges, whiche they had by the rea∣son of them that oppressed them & vexed them:)

19 Yet for all that, * 1.352 assoone as the iudge was dead, they returned, and dyd worse then their fathers, in folowing straunge goddes, to serue them & worship them: and ceassed not from their owne inuen∣tions, nor from their malitious way.

20 And the wrath of the Lorde was mo∣ued against Israel, and he sayde: Be∣cause this people hath trāsgressed myne appoyntment whiche I commaunded their fathers, and haue not hearkened vnto my voyce:

21 I will hencefoorth not cast out before [unspec D] them one man of the nations whiche Iosuah left when he dyed:

22 That through them I may (h) 1.353 proue Israel, whether they wil kepe the way of the Lorde, and walke therin as their fathers dyd, or not.

23 And so the Lorde left those nations, and droue them not out immediatly, nei∣ther deliuered them into the hande of Iosuah.

The .iij. Chapter.

1 The Chanaanites were left to trye Israel. 9 Othoniel deliuereth Israel. 21 Ahud killeth king Eglon. 23 Samgar killeth the Philistines.

[unspec A] 1 THese are the nations whiche the Lorde left, that he might proue Israel by them: (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen al the (a) 1.354 warres of Chanaan:

2 Onely for the learning of the genera∣tions of the childrē of Israel that he al∣so might teach them warre, 'onely such as before knewe nothing therof.)

3 Of those whom he left, there were fiue lordes of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and the Sidonites, & the Heuites that dwelt in mount Libanon, euen from mount Baal Hermon, vnto one come to Hamath.

4 Those remayned to proue Israel by, and to wyt whether they would hear∣ken vnto the commaundementes of the Lorde, which he commaunded their fa∣thers by the hande of Moyses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt a∣mong the Chanaanites, Hethites, Amo∣rites, Pherezites, Heuites, and Iebu∣sites,

Page xx

6 And toke the daughters of them to be (b) 1.355 their wiues, & gaue their own daugh∣ters to their sonnes, and serued their goddes.

[unspec B] 7 And the children of Israel did wicked∣ly in the sight of the Lorde, and forgat the Lorde their God, and serued Baa∣lim and (c) 1.356 Astheroth.

8 Therfore the Lorde was angry with Israel, and he solde them into the han∣des of Chusan Risathaim king of Me∣sopotamia: and the children of Israel serued Chusan Risathaim eyght yeres.

9 And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lorde stirred vp a sauer to the children of Israel, & saued them, euen Othoniel the sonne of Ke∣nes, Calebs younger brother.

10 And (d) 1.357 the spirite of the Lorde came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, & went out to warre: And the Lorde deliuered Chusan Risathaim king of Mesopota∣mia into his hande, and his hande pre∣uayled against Chusan Risathaim.

11 And the land had rest fourtie yeres: and Othoniel the sonne of Kenes died.

12 And the children of Israel agayne committed wickednes in the sight of the Lorde: And the Lorde (e) 1.358 streng∣thed Eglon the king of the Moabites, against the children of Israel, because they had committed wickednes before the Lorde.

13 And this [Eglon] gathered vnto him the children of Animon, and the Amale∣kites, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the citie of Paulme trees.

[unspec C] 14 And so the children of Israel serued Eglon the king of Moab .xviii. yeres.

15 But when they cryed vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred them vp a sauer, Ahud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Gemini, a man lame of his “ 1.359 right hande: and by him the children of Israel sent a present vnto Eglon the king of Moab.

16 But Ahud made him a dagger with two edges, of a cubite length, and he did gyrde it vnto his raymēt vpon his right thygh,

17 And caried the present vnto Eglon the king of Moab: (And Eglon was a very fatte man.)

18 And when he had presented the pre∣sent, he sent the people that bare it away:

19 But he him selfe turned agayne (from the place of grauen images, that was by Gilgal) and sayde: I haue a secret er∣rande vnto thee, O king. which sayde: Kepe scilence. And all that stoode before hym, went out from him.

20 And Ahud came vnto him, and in a [unspec D] sommer parler whiche he had, sate he him selfe alone: and Ahud sayd, I haue a message vnto thee from God. And he arose out of his seate.

21 And Ahud put foorth his left hande, & toke the dagger from his right thygh, and thrust it into his belly.

22 And the hafte went in after the blade: and the fatte closed the haft, so that he might not drawe the dagger out of his belly, but the dyrt came out.

23 Then Ahud gat him out into the porche, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.

24 When he was gone out, his seruaun∣tes came: And when they sawe that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayde, Suerly he(g) 1.360 couereth his feete in his sommer chamber.

25 And they taried till they were asha∣med, and seyng he opened not the doores of the parler, they toke a key and opened them: And beholde, their Lorde was fallen downe dead on the earth.

26 And Ahud escaped whyle they taried and was gone beyonde, to the place of the grauen images, and escaped into Seirath.

27 And when he was come, * 1.361 he blewe a trumpet in mount Ephraim: And the childrē of Israel went downe with him from the hill, and he went before them.

28 And he sayde vnto them, folowe me: for the Lorde hath deliuered your ene∣mies [unspec E] the Moabites into your hande. And they descended after him, and take the passages of Iordane toward Mo∣ab, and suffered not a man to passe ouer.

29 And they slue of the Moabites the same time vpon a ten thousande men, which were all (h) 1.362 fatte, & men of warre, and there scaped not a man.

30 So Moab was subdued that day vn∣der the hande of Israel: And the lande had rest fourescore yeres.

31 After him was Samgar the sonne of Anath, whiche slue of the Philistines sixe hundred men with an (i) 1.363 oxe goade, and deliuered Israel also.

Page [unnumbered]

The .iiii. Chapter.

1 Israel sinne, and are geuen into the handes of Iabie. 4 Deborah iudgeth Israel, and erhorteth Barak to deliuer the people. 16 Sisara fleeth. 17 And is killed by Iael.

[illustration]

[unspec A] * 1.3641 ANd the children of Is∣rael began agayne to do wickedly in ye sight of the Lord, when A∣hud was dead.

2 And the Lorde sold them into the hand of (a) 1.365 Iabin king of Chanaan, that raigned in (b) 1.366 Hazor, whose captayne of warre was called Sisara, which dwelt in Ha∣roseth of the gentiles.

3 And the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord (for he had nine hundreth cha∣rettes of yron: & twentie yeres he trou∣bled the children of Israel very sore.)

4 And Debora a prophetisse, the wife of Lapidoth, iudged Israel the same time.

5 And the same Debora dwelt vnder a pauline tree, betweene Ramath & Be∣thel, in mount Ephraim: And the chil∣dren of Israel came vp to her for iudg∣ment.

6 And she sent, and called* 1.367 Barak the sonne of Abinoam, out of Kedes Neph∣thalim, and sayd vnto him: Hath not the Lorde God of Israel(c) 1.368 commaunded, saying: Go, and drawe toward mount Thabor, and take with thee ten thou∣sand men of the children of Nephtha∣lim, and of the children of Zabulon? [unspec B]

7 And I will bring vnto thee to the* 1.369 ri∣uer Kison, Sisara ye captayne of warre, vnto Iabin, with his charettes and his people, and will deliuer him into thyne handes.

8 And Barak said vnto her, (d) 1.370 If thou wilt go with me, I will go: But and if thou wilt not come with me, I will not go.

9 She sayd: I will surely go with thee, but this iourney that thou takest, shall not be for thyne honour: for the Lorde shall sell Sisara into the hande of a wo∣man. And Debora arose and went with Barak to Kedes.

10 And Barak called Zabulon & Neph∣thalim to Kedes, and led after him ten thousande men: and Debora went vp with him.

11 (But Haber the Kenite which was of the childrē of Hobab, * 1.371 the father in lawe of Moyses, remoued from the Kenites, and pitched his tent(c) 1.372 vntill the playne of Zaanam, whiche is by Kedes.)

12 And they shewed Sisara, that Barak the sonne of Abindam was gone vp to mount Thabor.

13 And Sisara gathered together al his charettes, euen nine hundreth charettes

Page xxj

of iron, & all the people that were with him from of Haroseth of the gentiles, vnto the ryuer of Kison.

[unspec C] 14 And Debora sayd vnto Barak: Vp, for this is the day in which the Lorde hath deliuered Sisara into thyne hand: Is not the Lorde gone out before the? And so Barak went downe frō mount Thabor, and ten thousande men after him.

15 But the Lorde destroyed Sisara and all his charettes, and all his heaste with the edge of the sworde, before Barak: so that Sisara lyghted downe of his charet, and fled away on his feete.

16 But * 1.373 Barak folowed after the cha∣rettes and after the hoast, euen vnto Harseth of the gentiles: And all the hoast of Sisara fell vpon the edge of the sworde, and there was not a man left.

17 Howebeit Sisara fled away on his seete to the tent of Iael the wife of (f) 1.374 Haber the Kenite (for there was peace betweene Iabin the king of Hazor, and the houshoulde of Haber the Kenite.)

18 And Iael went out to meete Sisara, and sayd vnto him: Turne in my lorde, turne in to me, feare not. And whan he had turned in vnto her into her tent, she couered him with a mantell.

19 And he sayd vnto her: Geue me I pray thee a litle water to drincke, for I am thirstie. And she opened * 1.375 a bottle of milke, and gaue him drincke, & couered him.

20 And agayne he sayd vnto her: Stande in the doore of the tent, and whan any man doth come and enquere of thee, whether ther be any man here, thou shalt say, naye.

21 Then Iael Habers wyfe, toke a nayle [unspec D] of the tent, & an hammer in her hande, and went softly vnto him, and smote ye nayle into the temples of his head, and fastened it into the ground (for he slum∣bred sore, and was wery) and so he died.

22 And beholde, as Barak folowed after Sisara, Iael came out to meete him, & said vnto him: Come, and I will shewe thee the man whom thou sekest. And when he came in to her tent, behold Si∣sara lay dead, and the nayle was in his temples.

23 And so God brought Iabin the kyng of Chanaan into subiection that day be∣fore the children of Israel.

24 And the hand of the children of Is∣rael prospered, and preuayled against Iabin the kyng of Chanaan, vntil they had destroyed Iabin king of Chanaan.

The .v. Chapter.

1. The song and thankesgeuing of Deborah and Barak after the victorie.

[unspec A] 1 THen Debora and Ba∣rak the sonne of Abi∣noam sange the same day, saying:

2 Prayse ye the Lord, for the auengyng of Israel, and for the (a) 1.376 people that became so willing.

3 Heare O ye kinges, hearken O ye prin∣ces: I, euen I will syng vnto the Lord, I will prayse the Lord God of Israel.

4 Lorde, * 1.377 whan thou wentest out of Seir, whan thou departedst out of the fielde of* 1.378 Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rayned, the cloudes also dropped water:

5 * 1.379The mountaynes melted before the Lord, euen as dyd* 1.380 Sinai before ye Lord God of Israel.

6 In the dayes of* 1.381 Samgar the sonne of Anath, in the dayes of * 1.382 Iael, the hye wayes were (b) 1.383 vnoccupied, and the tra∣uelers walked thorowe bye wayes. [unspec B]

7 The inhabitants of the townes were gone, they were gone in Israel, vntyll I Debora came vp, which came vp a(c) 1.384 mother in Israel.

8 They chose new goddes, and then had they the enemie in the gates: was there a shielde or speare seene among fourtie thousande of Israel?

9 My heart loueth the gouerners of Is∣rael, and them that are willyng among the people: O prayse ye the Lord.

10 Speake (d) 1.385 ye that ryde on fayre asses, ye that dwell by (e) 1.386 Middin, and that walke by the wayes.

11 For the noyse of the archers among the (f) 1.387 drawers of water ceassed, there shall they speake of the righteousnes of the Lorde, his righteousnesse in his vn∣fensed townes in Israel: Then shal the people of the Lorde go downe to the gates.

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12 Vp Debora vp, get thee vp, and sing a song: *Arise Barac, and leade g 1.388 thy captiuitie captiue, thou sonne of Abi∣noam.

13 Then shall they that remayne, haue dominion of the proudest of the people: The Lord hath geuen me dominion o∣uer the mightie.

[unspec C] 14 Out of Ephraim was there a (h) 1.389 roote of them agaynst Amelek, and after thee (i) 1.390 Beniamin among thy people: Out of Machir came rulers, and out of Zabu∣lon they that handell the penne of the writer.

15 And of Isachar there were princes with Debora, and Isachar, and also Barak, he was sent on foote into the valley: for the diuisions of Ruben [were] great (k) 1.391 thoughtes of heart.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepe foldes, to heare the bleatinges of the flockes? for the diuisions of Ruben, were great thoughtes of heart.

17 (l) 1.392Gilead also abode beyonde Ior∣dane: and why doth Dan remayne in shyppes? Aser cōtinued on the sea shore, and taried in his decayed (m) 1.393 places.

18 [But] the people of Zabulon haue ieo∣parde their lyues euen vnto the death, lyke as dyd Nephthalim in the hye pla∣ces of the fielde.

19 The kynges came and fought, then fought ye kynges of Chanaan in Tha∣nach by the waters of Megiddo, and wan no money.

20 They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their tourses fought agaynst Sisara.

21 The ryuer of Kison swept them a∣way, [unspec D] that auncient ryuer the ryuer Ki∣son: O my soule, thou hast marched va∣liauntly.

22 Then were the horse hoofes smitten a∣sunder by the meanes of the praunsings that their mightie men made.

23 Curse ye the citie of (n) 1.394 Meros (sayd the angel of the Lord) curse the inhabitants therof: because they came not to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord against the mightie.

24 Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenite, shalbe blessed aboue other women, bles∣sed shall she be aboue other women in the tent.

25 *He asked water, and she gaue him mylke, she brought foorth butter in a lordly dysshe.

26 She put her hande to the nayle, & her ryght hande to the smythes hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisara, & smote his head, wounded him, and pearsed his temples.

27 He bowed him downe at her feete, he fell downe, and lay styll: At her feete he bowed him selfe, & fell. And whē he had sunke downe, he lay there destroyed.

28 The mother of Sisara loked out at a [unspec E] wyndowe, and cryed thorowe the lat∣tesse: Why is his charret so long a com∣myng? Why tary the wheeles of his charettes?

29 Al the wyse ladyes aunswered her, yea and her owne wordes aunswered her selfe.

30 Surely they haue found, they deuide the spoyles, euery man hath a damsell or two: Sisara hath a pray of diuers couloured garmentes, euen a pray of rayment dyed with sundry colours, and that are made of nedle worke: rayment of diuers colours and of nedle worke on both sydes, which is meete for him that is chiefe in distributing of ye spoyles.

31 So perishe all thine enemies, O Lord: But they that loue him, let them be as ye(o) 1.395 sunne whan he ryseth in his myght. And the lande had rest fourtie yeres.

The .vj. Chapter.

1 Israel is oppressed of the Madianites for their wickednes. 14. Gedeon is sent to be their deliuerer. 37. He asked a signe.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the children of Is∣rael committed (a) 1.396 wic∣kednesse in the syght of the Lorde: And the Lorde deliuered them into (b) 1.397 the handes of Madian seuen yeres.

2 And the hand of Madian preuayled a∣gainst Israel: & (c) 1.398 because of the Madi∣anites, ye children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaynes and caues, and strong holdes.

3 And when Israel had sowen, then came vp the Madianites, the Amalechites, and they of the east,

Page xxii

and came vp agaynst them,

4 And pitched their tentes against them, and destroyed the encrease of the earth, euen tyll thou come vnto Azah, & left no sustenaunce for Israel, neither sheepe, oxe, nor asse:

5 For they went vp, they and their cattel, and came with their tentes as a multi∣tude of grasshopers, so that both they and also their camels were without number: And they entred into the land to destroy it.

6 And so was Israel exceedingly impo∣ueryshed (d) 1.399 in the sight of the Madia∣nites, [unspec B] and cried vnto the Lorde.

7 And when the (e) 1.400 children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, because of the Ma∣dianites,

8 The Lorde sent vnto them a prophet, which sayd vnto them, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: I fet you from Egypt, & brought you out of the house of bondage.

9 And I ryd you out of the hande of the Egyptians, & out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and cast them out before you, and gaue you their land:

10 And I sayd vnto you: I am the Lord your God,* 1.401 feare not the goddes of the Amorites in whose lande you dwell: But you haue not obeyed my voyce.

11 And the angel of the Lorde came and sate vnder an Oke which was in E∣phrah, that parteyned vnto Ioas the father of the Esrites: And his sonne Gedeon threshed wheat by the wyne presse, to hyde it from the Madianites.

12 And the angel of the Lorde appeared vnto him, and said vnto him: The Lord is with thee, thou mightie man.

13 And Gedeon aunswered him:(f) 1.402 Oh my Lord, if the Lorde be with vs, why is all this come vpon vs? Yea, & where be all his miracles which our fathers tolde vs of, and sayd: Dyd not the Lord bryng vs out of Egypt? But nowe the [unspec C] Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the handes of the Madianites.

14 And the g 1.403 Lord loked vpon him, and sayde: Go hence in this thy (h) 1.404 might, and thou shalt deliuer Israel out of the handes of the Madianites: Haue not I sent thee?

15 And he aunswered him: Oh Lorde, wherwith shall I saue Israel? Behold my kinred is poore in Manasses, and I am litle in my fathers house.

16 The Lord sayd vnto him: I will be with thee, & thou shalt smyte the Ma∣dianites, as they were but one man.

17 And he aunswered him: Oh, yf I haue founde grace in thy syght, than shew me a (i) 1.405 a signe, that it is thou that talkest with me:

18 Departe not hence I pray thee vntyll I come vnto thee, & tyll I bryng myne offring, and haue set it before thee. And he sayd: I will tary vntyll thou come a∣gaine.

19 And Gedeon went in, and made redy a kyd, and sweete cakes of an (k 1.406 Epha of floure, and put it with the fleshe in a basket, and put the broth in a pot, and brought it out vnto him vnder the Oke, and presented it.

20 And the angel of God sayd vnto him: Take the flesh and the sweete cakes, & lay them vpon this rocke, and powre out the broth. And he dyd so.

21 Then the angel of the Lord put foorth [unspec D] the end of the staffe that he helde in his hande, and touched the fleshe and the sweete cakes, and * 1.407 there arose vp fire out of the rocke, and consumed the flesh and the sweete cakes: But the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

22 And when Gedeon perceaued that it was an angel of the Lorde, he sayde: Alas, O Lorde God,* 1.408 haue I therfore seene an angel of the Lorde face to face, [that I should dye?]

23 And the Lorde sayd vnto him: Peace be vnto thee, feare not, thou shalt not dye.

24 Then Gedeon made an aulter there vnto the Lord, and called it, The Lord of peace. And vnto this day it is yet in Ephrath, that parteyneth vnto the fa∣ther of the Esrites.

25 And the same nyght the Lorde sayde vnto him: Take thy fathers young bul∣locke, & an other bullocke of .vii. yeres olde, and (l) 1.409 destroy the aulter of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it:

26 And make an aulter vnto the Lord thy God vpon the top of this rocke in a conuenient place, and take the se∣cond bullocke, and offer burnt sacrifice vpō the wood of the groue which thou shalt cut downe.

27 Then Gedeon toke ten men of his seruauntes, & did as the Lord bad him: But because he feared to do it by daye

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for his fathers housholde and the men of the citie, he dyd it by nyght.

[unspec E] 28 And when the men of the citie arose early in the mornyng, beholde the aul∣ter of Baal was broken, & the groue cut downe that was by it, and the (m) 1.410 se∣conde bullocke offered vpon the aulter that was made.

29 And they sayde one to another: who hath done this thing? And whan they enquered and asked, they sayd: Gedeon ye sonne of Ioas hath done this thing.

30 Then the men of the citie sayde vnto Ioas, Bring out thy sonne, that he may dye: because he hath destroyed the aul∣ter of Baal, and cut downe the groue that was by it.

31 And Ioas sayd vnto al that stoode by him: Will ye pleade Baals cause? or will ye saue him? He that will contende for him, let him dye or the morning. If he be a God, let him pleade for himselfe a∣gaynst him that hath caste downe his aulter.

32 And from that day, was Gedeon cal∣led Ierobaal: because his father had sayd, Let Baal pleade for himselfe, be∣cause he hath broken downe his aulter.

33 All the Madianites therfore, and the Amalekites, and they of the east, were gathered together, & went and pytched in the valley of Iesrael:

34 But the spirite of the Lorde came vp∣pon Gedeon, *and he blewe a trumpet, and n 1.411 Abiezer was ioyned with him.

35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasses, which also was ioyned with him, and he sent messengers vnto Azar, Zabulon, and Nephthalim, and they [unspec F] came to meete them.

36 And Gedeon sayd vnto God: Yf thou wilt saue Israel by myne hand, as thou hast sayd:

37 Beholde, I wil put a fleece of wool in the treashing place: And if the dewe come on the fleece onely, and it be drye vpon all the earth besyde, then shall I be sure that thou wilt saue Israel by my hand, as thou saydest.

38 And it came so to passe: For he rose vp early on the morowe, & thrust the fleece together, and wrong the dewe therout, and fylled a bowle of water.

39 And Gedeon sayde agayne vnto God: Be not angry with me, that * I speake once more, for I wil proue once agayne by the fleece. Let it be drye onely vpon the fleece, and dewe vpon al the ground.

40 And God dyd so that same nyght: For it was drye vpon the fleece only, & there was dewe on all the grounde.

¶The .vii. Chapter.

1. The Lord commaundeth Gedeon to send away a great parte of his companie. 22. The Modianites are discomfited by a wonderous sort. 25. Oreb and Zeeb are slaine.

[unspec A] 1 THen Ierobaal (who is Gedeon) and all ye people yt were with him, rose vp early, & pytched besyde the wel of Harad: so that the hoaste of the Ma∣dianites were on the northsyde of them by the hyll of Moreh in the valley.

2 And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people that are with thee, are to many for me to geue ye Madianites into their handes, lest Israel make their (a) 1.412 vaunt against me, and saye: Myne owne hand hath saued me.

3 Nowe therfore make a proclamation in the eares of people, and saye: * 1.413 If any man dread or be afeard, let him returne and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people xxii. thousande, & there abode ten thousande.

4 And the Lord sayd vnto Gedeon: The people are yet to many, bryng them downe vnto the water, and I will trye them vnto thee there. And of whom I say vnto thee, this shal go with thee: the same shal go with thee. And of whom soeuer I say vnto thee, this shal not go with thee: the same shal not go.

5 So he brought downe the people vnto the water: And the Lord said vnto Ge∣deon, As many as lappe ye water with their tongues as a dogge lappeth, them put by them selues, and [so do] them that kneele downe vpon their knees (b) 1.414 to drincke.

6 And the number of them that put their handes to their mouthes and lapped, were three hundred men: But all ye rem∣naunt of ye people kneeled downe vpon

Page xxiii

[unspec B] their knees to dryncke water.

7 And the Lorde sayd vnto Gedeon: By these three hundred men that * 1.415 lapped will I saue you, and deliuer the Ma∣dianites into thyne hande: And let all the (d) 1.416 other people go euery man vnto his place.

8 They therfore of the people toke vit∣tailes

[illustration]
with them, and their trumpettes: And he sent all the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and retayned those three hundreth men: And the hoast of Madian was beneath him in a valley.

9 And the same nyght the Lorde sayde vnto him: Aryse, get thee downe vnto the hoast, for I haue delyuered it into thyne hand.

10 But and if thou feare to go downe, then go thou and Phara thy ladde downe to the hoast.

11 And thou shalt hearken what they say, and so shall thine handes be strong to go downe vnto ye hoast. Then went he downe & Phara his ladde vnto the outsyde of the men of armes that were in the hoast.

[illustration]

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12 And the Madianites, the Amalekites, and all they of the east,* 1.417 lay along in the valley lyke a multitude of grashop∣pers, and their camelles were without numbre, euen as the sande by the sea syde in multitude.

13 And when Gedeon was come, behold, there was a man that tolde a dreame vnto his neyghbour, and sayd: Behold, I dreamed a dreame, and me thought that a cake of barley bread tumbled into the hoast of Madian, and came vnto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and ouer∣turned it that the tent lay along.

[unspec C] 14 And his felowe aunswered and sayd: This is nothing els saue the sworde of Gedeon ye sonne of Ioas, a man of Is∣rael: for into his hande hath God deli∣uered Madian, and all the hoast.

15 When Gedeon heard the telling of the dreame, & the interpretation of the same, he worshypped, and returned vnto the hoast of Israel, and sayde: Vp, for the Lorde hath deliuered into your hande the hoast of Madian.

16 And he deuided the three hundred men into three companies, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande, with emptie pytchers, and e 1.418 lampes therin.

17 And sayde vnto them, Loke on me, and do lykewyse: that when I come to the syde of the hoast, euen as I do, so do you.

18 When I blowe with a trumpet and all that are with me, blowe ye with trum∣pettes also on euery syde of the hoast, and say: For the Lord, and for Gedeon.

19 So Gedeon and the hundred men that were with him, came vnto the out∣syde of the hoast in the begynnyng of the myddle watche, & raysed vp the watch men: And they blewe with their trum∣pettes, & brake the pytchers that were in their handes.

20 And the three companies blewe with trumpettes, & brake the pytchers, and helde the lampes in their left handes, and the trumpettes in their right, to blowe withal: And they cryed, The sworde of the Lorde, and of Gedeon.

21 And they stoodestyll, euery man in his place rounde about the hoast: And all [unspec D] the hoast “ 1.419 ranne, and cryed, and fled.

22 And the three hundreth blewe with trumpettes, and the Lorde set * 1.420 euery mans sworde vppon his (f 1.421 neyghbour throughout all the hoast: and the hoast fled to Bethhasitah, to Zererath, and to the edge of the playne of Meholah vnto Tabbath.

23 And the men of Israel being gathered together out of Nephthalim, of Aser, and of all Manasses, folowed after the Madianites.

24 And Gedeon sent messengers vnto al mount Ephraim, saying: Come downe against the Madianites, and take before them the (g) 1.422 waters vnto Bethbarath, and to Iordane. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together, & toke the waters vnto Bethbarath, & to Iordane.

25 And they toke two* 1.423 princes of the Ma∣dianites, Oreb and Zeb: and slue Oreb vpon the rocke Oreb, and Zeb at the(h) 1.424 winepresse of Zeb, and folowed after Madian: and brought the heades of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon on the other syde Iordane.

¶The .viij. Chapter.

1 Ephraim murmureth against Gedeon. 2 who appeaseth them. 4 He passeth Iordane. 16 He reuengeth hym selfe on them of Sucoth and Phanuel. 27 He maketh an Ephod, which was the cause of idolatrie. 30 Of Gedeons sonnes, and of his death.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the men of Ephra∣im said vnto him: Why hast thou serued vs thus, that thou calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fyght with the Madianites? And they chode with him sharpely.

2 And he sayde vnto them: What deede haue I done lyke vnto (a) 1.425 yours? Is not the(b) 1.426 gleaning of grapes of Ephra∣im, better then the vinetage of Abiezer?

3 God hath delyuered into your handes the lordes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: And what was I able to do lyke as you haue done? And then their spirites abated from of him, when he had sayde that.

4 And Gedeon came to Iordane to passe ouer, he & the three hundred men that were with him weery, and yet folowed the chase.

Page xxiiii

5 And he sayd vnto ye men of (c) 1.427 Sucoth: Geue I pray you, takes of bread vnto ye people that folow me, for they be fayn∣tie, that I may folowe after Zebah, and Zalmana, kynges of Madian.

6 And the lordes of Sucoth sayde: Are the handes of Zebah and Zalmana now in thyne (d) 1.428 handes, that we should geue bread vnto thyne armie?

7 Gedeon sayde: Therfore when the Lord hath deliuered Zebah and Zal∣mana into mine hande, I will teare the flesshe of you with the thornes of the [unspec B] wildernes, and with bryers.

8 And he went vp thence to Phanuel, & spake vnto them lykewyse: And ye men of Phanuel aunswered him, as did the men of Sucoth.

9 And he sayd also vnto the men of Pha∣nuel: When I come agayne (e) 1.429 in peace, I will breake downe this towre.

10 Zebah & Zalmana were in Carcor, and their hoastes with them, vpon a fifteene thousande men, which were all that were left of all the hoastes of them of the east: For there was slaine an hundred and twentie thousande men that drewe swordes.

11 And Gedeon went thorowe them that dwelt in tabernacles on the east syde of Nobah and Iegbahah, and smote the hoaste: for the hoaste dyd cast no pe∣rylles.

12 And whan Zebah and Zalmana fled, he folowed after them, and toke ye two kynges of Madian, Zebah and Zal∣mana, and discomfited all the hoaste.

13 And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas, retur∣ned from battel afore the sunne was vp,

14 And caught a ladde of the men of Su∣coth, [unspec C] & enquired of him: And he wrote him of the lordes and elders of Sucoth threescore and seuenteene men.

15 And he came vnto the men of Sucoth, and sayd: Beholde Zebah and Zal∣mana, with which ye dyd cast me in the teeth, saying: Are the handes of Zebah and Zalmana alredy in thyne hande, that we should geue bread vnto thy fayntie men?

16 And he toke the elders of the citie, and thornes of the wildernesse, and bryers, and dyd teare the men of Sucoth with them.

17 And he brake downe the towre of *Phanuel, & slue the men of the citie.

18 And then sayde he vnto Zebah and Zalmana: what maner of men were they whom ye slue at Thabor? And they aunswered: The lykenesse of thee and them is al one, euē after the fashion of the children of a kyng.

19 And he sayd, They were my brethren, euen my (f) 1.430 mothers children: As truly as the Lord liueth, if ye had saued their lyues, I would not slay you.

20 And he sayde vnto Iether his eldest sonne, Vp and slay them. But the ladde drue not his sworde: for he feared, be∣cause he was yet young.

21 Then Zebah and Zalmana sayde: Ryse thou, and fall vpon vs: for as(g) 1.431 [unspec D] the man is, so is his strength. And Ge∣deon arose, and slue Zebah and Zal∣mana, and toke away the ornamentes that were on their camels neckes.

22 Then the men of Israel sayde vnto Gedeon: Raigne thou ouer vs, both thou, thy sonne, and thy (h) 1.432 sonnes sonne, for thou hast deliuered vs out of ye hand of Madian.

23 And Gedeon sayd vnto them: I wyll not raigne ouer you, neither shall my childe raigne ouer you: but the Lorde shall (i) 1.433 raigne ouer you.

24 And agayne Gedeon said vnto them: I would desire a request of you, euen that you would geue me euery man the *earinges of his pray. For they had gol∣den earinges, because they were Is∣maelites.

25 And they aunswered: We will gyue them. And they spread a mantell, and dyd cast therin euery man the earynges of his pray.

26 And the wayght of ye golden earinges that he required, was a thousand and seuen hundred sicles of golde, besyde chaynes and iewelles, and purple ray∣ment that was on the kynges of Madi∣an, and besyde the chaynes that were about their camels neckes.

27 And Gedeon made an(k) 1.434 Ephod ther∣of, and put it in his citie Ephrah: And all Israel went a whoryng after it in the same place, which thing became a ruyne vnto Gedeon and to his house.

28 Thus was Madian brought lowe be∣fore the children of Israel, so that they [unspec E] lyft vp their heades no more: And the countrey was in quietnes fourtie yeres in the dayes of Gedeon.

29 And Ierobaal ye sonne of Ioas, went and dwelt in his owne house.

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30 And Gedeon had threescore and ten sonnes of his body begotten: for he had many wyues.

31 And his cōcubine that was in Sichem bare him a sonne also, whose name he called Abimelech.

32 And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas dyed in a good age, and was buryed in the se∣pulchre of Ioas his father, euen in E∣phrah, that parteyned vnto the father of the Esrites.

33 But assoone as Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel turned away, & went a whoryng after Baalim, and made a couenaunt with Baal to be their God.

34 And the children of Israel thought not on the Lorde their God, which had deliuered them out of the handes of all their enemies on euery syde: [unspec E]

35 Neither (l) 1.435 shewed they mercy on the house of Ierobaal [otherwyse called] Gedeon, according to all the goodnes which he had shewed vnto Israel.

The .ix. Chapter.

1. Abimelech vsurpeth the kyngdome, and putteth his brethren to death. 7. Ioatham proposeth a parable. 23. Hatred betweene Abimelech, and the Sichemites. 26. Gaal conspireth agaynst him, and is ouercome. 53. Abimelech is wounded to death by a woman.

[unspec A] 1 ABimelech the sonne of Ierobaal went to Si∣chem vnto his mo∣thers brethren, & com∣muned with them, & with all the kynrede of the house of his mo∣thers father, saying:

2 Saye I pray you, in the eares of all the men of Sichem, whether is better for you, that all the sonnes of Ierobaal, (which are threescore and ten persons) raigne ouer you: either that one raigne ouer you? Remember that I am of your bone, and of your fleshe.

3 And his mothers brethren spake of him in the audience of all the men of Si∣chem all these wordes, & their heartes were moued to folow Abimelech: For they sayde, He is our brother.

4 And they gaue him threescore and ten peeces of siluer out of the house of Baal Berith, wherwith Abimelech hyred vayne and light persons, which went with hym.

5 And he went vnto his fathers house at Ephrah, * and (a) 1.436 slue his brethren, the sonnes of Ierobaal, beyng threescore & ten persons, vpon one stone: Notwith∣standyng, yet Ioatham the youngest sonne of Ierobaal escaped, for he hyd hymselfe.

9 And all the men of Sichem gathered together, and al the house of Mello, and came and made Abimelech kyng in the playne, where the stone was in Si∣chem.

[unspec B] 7 And when they tolde it to Ioatham, he went and stoode in the top of mount Garizim, and lyft vp his voyce, & cryed, and sayd vnto them: Hearken vnto me you men of Sichem, that God may hearken vnto you.

8 (b) 1.437The trees went foorth to annoynt a kyng ouer them, and sayde vnto the Olyue tree: Raigne thou ouer vs.

9 But the Olyue tree sayd vnto them: Should I leaue my fatnesse wherwith by me they honour (c) 1.438 God and man, & to be promoted ouer the trees?

10 And the trees sayd to the figge tree: Come thou, and be kyng ouer vs.

11 The figge tree aunswered them: should I forsake my sweetnes, and my good fruite, and go to be promoted ouer the trees?

12 Then sayde the trees vnto the vine: Come thou and be kyng ouer vs.

13 The vine sayde vnto them: Should I leaue my wine wherby I cheare both [unspec C] (d) 1.439 God and man, and go to be promoted ouer the trees?

14 Then said all the trees vnto the bryer: Come thou and raigne ouer vs.

15 And the bryer sayde vnto the trees: If it be true that ye will annoynt me kyng ouer you, then come and put your trust vnder my shadow: If no, the (e) 1.440 fyre come out of the bryer, & waste the Cedar trees of Libanon.

16 Nowe therfore, if ye do truely and vn∣corruptly to make Abimelech kyng, and if ye haue dealte well with Ierobaal & his house, and haue done vnto hym ac∣cording to the deseruing of his handes:

17 (For euen my father fought for

Page xxv

you, and aduentured his life, and ridde you out of the hande of Madian.

18 And ye are rysen vp agaynst my fa∣thers house this day, and haue slayne his children, beyng threescore & ten per∣sones vpon one stone, and haue made A∣bimelech the sonne of his mayde ser∣uaunt, king ouer the men of Sichem, be∣cause he is your brother.)

19 If ye then haue dealt truely and pure∣ly with Ierobaal and with his house this day, then reioyce ye with Abime∣lech, and let him reioyce with you.

20 But if you haue not dealt truely, then let a fire come out of Abimelech, & con∣sume the men of Sichem, & the house of Mello: and let there come out a fire frō among the men of Sichem, & out of the house of Mello, & consume Abimelech.

[unspec D] 21 And Ioatham ran away and fledde, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for feare of Abimelech his brother.

22 When Abimelech had raigned three yeres ouer Israel,

23 God (g) 1.441 sent an euyll spirite betweene Abimelech, & the men of Sichem: and the citezins of Sichem brake their pro∣mise to Abimelech,

24 That the wickednes done to the three¦score and ten sonnes of Ierobaal might come on him, and that God might lay the blood of them vnto Abimelech their brother, which slue them, and vpon the other men of Sichem which ayded him in the killing of his brethren.

25 And the citezins of Sichem set men to lay awayte for hym in the toppe of the mountaynes, which men robbed al that came along the way by them: And it was tolde Abimelech.

26 And Gaal the sonne of Obed came with his brethren, and they gat them to Sichem: and the men of Sichem put their confidence in him.

27 And they went out into the fieldes, and gathered in their grapes, & trode them, and made mery, & went into the house of their god, and dyd eate and drinke, and cursed Abimelech.

[unspec C] 28 And Gaal the sonne of Obed sayde: what is Abimelech? & what is Sichem, that we shoulde serue him? Is he not the sonne of Ierobaal? & Zebul is his officer? Serue such as come of Hemor the father of Sichem: for what reason is it that we shoulde serue him?

29 Woulde God this people were vnder my hande, then would I take Abime∣lech out of ye way. And he spake against Abimelech: Make thine hoast greater, and go out. [unspec E]

30 And when Zebul the ruler of the citie hearde the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Obed, he was wroth.

31 And sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuyly, saying: Behold, Gaal the sonne of Obed and his brethren be come to Sichem, and beholde they fortifie the citie agaynst thee.

32 Now therfore vp by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lye in wayte in the fielde.

33 And rise early in the morning assone as the sunne is vp, and fall vpon the citie: And if he & the people that is with hym come out against thee, do to hym what thine handes shalbe able.

34 And Abimelech rose vp, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they layde awayte against Sichem in foure companies.

35 And Gaal the sonne of Obed went out, [unspec F] and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie: And Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with him, from lying in wayte.

36 And when Gaal sawe ye people, he sayd to Zebul: Beholde, there come people downe from the top of the mountaines. And Zebul sayd vnto him: (h) 1.442 The sha∣dow of the hylles seeme men vnto thee.

37 And Gaal aunswered agayne, & sayd: See, there come folke downe by ye mid∣dle of the land, & another company come along by the playne of the charmars.

38 Then sayd Zebul vnto him: Where is nowe thy mouth that said, what felowe is Abimelech, that we should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despysed? Go out now & fight with thē.

39 And Gaal went out before the citezins of Sichem, & fought with Abimelech.

40 And Abimelech chased him, that he fled before him, and many were ouer∣throwen & wounded, euen vnto the en∣tring of the gate.

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal & his brethrē that they shoulde not dwell in Sichem.

42 And on the morow, the people wēt out into the fielde: And they told Abimelech. [unspec G]

43 And he toke the people, & deuided them into three cōpanies, & layd awayte in the fielde, and loked, and behold the people were come out of the citie, and he ran vpon them, and smote them.

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44 And Abimelech and the companions that were with him, rushed forward, & stoode in the entring of the gate of the ci∣tie: and the two other companions ran vpon all the people that were in the fieldes, and slue them.

45 And when Abimelech had fought a∣gainst the citie al that day, he toke it, and slue the people that was therin, and de∣stroyed the citie, and sowed i 1.443 salte in it.

46 And when all the men of the towre of Sichem heard that, they entred into an holde of the house of the god k 1.444 Berith.

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together.

48 And Abimeleh gat him to mount Zel∣mon, both he & all the people that were with him, & toke axes with him, and cut downe bowes of trees, & toke them and bare them on his shulder, & sayde vnto the folke that were with hym: what ye haue seene me do, speede your selues, & do lykewyse as I haue done.

49 And al the men that were among the people, cut downe bowes, and folowed Abimelech, and put them into the hold, and set the holde a fire by them: so that al the men of the towre of Sichem died also, vpon a thousande men & women.

50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, & besieged it, and toke it.

51 But there was a strong towre within the citie, and thyther ranne all the men and women, and all the chiefe that were in the citie, and shut it to them, and gate them vp to the toppe of the towre.

52 And Abimelech came vnto the towre, and fought agaynst it, and went harde vnto the doore of ye towre to set it on fire.

53 And a certayne woman * 1.445 cast a peece of a mylstone vpon his head, & all to brake his brayne panne.

54 Then Abimelech called hastyly vnto the young man that bare his harnesse, and sayde vnto him: Drawe thy sworde and slea me, that men say not of me, A woman slue him: And his lad thrust him thorowe, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel sawe that Abimelech was dead, they depar∣ted euery man vnto his owne house.

56 Thus God rendred the wickednesse of Abimelech which he dyd vnto his fa∣ther, in sleyng his seuentie brethren.

57 And therto all the wickednesse of the men of Sichem, dyd God bryng vpon their heades: And vpon them came the l 1.446 curse of Ioatham the sonne of Iero∣baal.

¶The .x. Chapter.

2 Thola died. 5 Iair also died. 17 The Israelites are punished for their sinnes. 10 They crye vnto God, 16 And he hath pitie on them.

[unspec A] 1 AFter Abimelech, there arose to defende Is∣rael Thola the sonne of Phuah the sonne of Dodo, a man of Isa∣char, whiche dwelt in Samir in mount E∣phraim.

2 And he “ 1.447 iudged Israel twentie & three yeres, & died, & was buried in Samir.

3 And after him, arose Iair a Gilea∣dite, and iudged Israel twintie and two yeres.

4 And he had thirtie sonnes that rode on (a) 1.448 thirtie Asse coltes, and they had thirtie cities, which are called (b) 1.449 Hauoth Iair vnto this day, and are in the lande of Gilead.

5 And Iair died, and was buried in Ca∣mon.

6 And the children of Israel wrought wickednesse yet agayne in the sight of the Lord, and serued Baalim and Asta∣roth, and the gods of “ 1.450 Siria, the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsoke the Lorde, and serued not him.

7 And the Lord was wroth with Isra∣el, [unspec B] and he “ 1.451 solde them into the handes of the Philistines, and into the handes of the children of Ammon.

8 Which from that yere foorth, pilde and oppressed the children of Israel eyght∣teene yeres, c 1.452 al that were on the other side Iordane, in the lande of the Amo∣rites whiche is in Gilead.

9 Moreouer, ye children of Ammon went ouer Iordane to fight agaynst Iuda, Beniamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was sore cumbred.

10 And the children of Israel cryed vnto ye Lord, saying: We haue sinned against thee, for we haue forsaken our owne

Page xxvj

God, and haue carued Baalim.

11 And the Lorde d 1.453 sayde vnto the chil∣drē of Israel: Dyd not I ryd you from the Egiptians and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

12 The Sidonites also, and the Amale∣kites, & the Maonites dyd oppresse you, and ye cryed to me, and I deliuered you out of their handes.

3 And for all * 1.454 that, ye haue forsaken me and serued straunge gods, wherfore I will helpe you no more.

[unspec C] 14 Go and crye vnto the gods whiche ye haue chosen, and let them saue you in the tyme of your tribulation.

15 And the children of Israel sayde vnto the Lord: We haue sinned, do thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please thee, deliuer vs onely we pray thee this day.

16 And they put away the straunge gods from them, & serued the Lord: And his soule had pitie on the miserie of Israel.

17 Then the children of Ammon gathe∣red together, & pitched in Gilead: And the children of Israel gathered them together, and pitched in Mispah.

18 And the people and lordes of Gilead sayde eche to other: whosoeuer will be∣ginne the battell agaynst the children of Ammon, the same shalbe head ouer all the inhabitauntes of Gilead.

The .xi. Chapter.

2 Iephthah beyng chased away by his brethren, was after made captayne ouer Israel. 30 He maketh a rashe vowe. 32 He vanquisheth the Ammonites, 39 And sacrificeth his daughter according to his vowe.

[illustration]

1 AND there was one Iephthaha Gileadite, a strong man, the sonne of an harlot.

2 And Gilead begat Iephthah: And Gi∣leads wyfe bare him sonnes, which when they were come to age, thrust out Iephthah, and said vnto him: Thou shalt not inherite in our fa∣thers house, for thou art the sonne of a * 1.455 straunge woman.

3 Then Iephthah fled from his bre∣thren, and dwelt in the lande of * 1.456 Tob: And there gathered ydle men to Ieph∣thah, and (c) 1.457 went out with him.

4 And in processe of time, the children of Ammon made warre agaynst Is∣rael.

5 And when the children of Ammon fought thus agaynst Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fet Iephthah out of the lande of Tob,

6 And sayde vnto him: Come, and (d) 1.458 be our captayne, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

7 Iephthah aunswered the elders of

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11 After him, Elon a Zabulonite iudged Israel ten yeres.

12 And Elon the Zabulonite died, & was buried in Aalon, in the countrey of Za∣bulon.

13 After him, Abdon the sonne of Hellel, a Pharathonite, iudged Israel.

14 And he had fourtie sonnes, and thirtie neuewes, that rode on threscore and ten asse coltes: And when Abdon the sonne of Hellel the Pharathonite had iudged Israel eight yeres,

15 He died, & was buryed in Pharathon in the lande of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

¶The .xiii. Chapter.

1 Israel for their wickednesse is oppressed of the Philistines. 3 The angel appeareth to Manoahs wife. 16 The angell commaundeth him to sacrifice vnto the Lorde. 24 The birth of Samson.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the children of Is∣rael “ 1.459began agayne to cōmitte * 1.460 wickednesse in the sight of the lord, and the Lorde deliue∣red them into the han∣des of the Philistines fourtie yeres.

2 And there was a man in Zaraah of the kinred of Dan, named Manoah, whose wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angell of the Lord appeared vnto the woman; & sayde vnto her: Be∣holde, nowe thou art barren, & bearest not, but thou shalt conceaue, and beare a sonne.

4 And nowe therfore beware *that thou drinke no wyne, nor strong drinke, nei∣ther eate any vncleane thing:

5 For lo, thou shalt conceaue and beare a sonne, And ther may no *rasor come on his head, for ye ladde shalbe (a) 1.461 a Naza∣rite vnto God euen from his byrth: And he shal beginne to saue Israel out of the handes of the Philistines.

6 Then the wife came, & tolde her hus∣bande, saying: A man of God came vnto me, and the fashion of him was lyke the fashion of an angell of God, exceeding “ 1.462 fearful: But I asked him not whence he was, neither tolde he me his name:

[unspec B] 7 But sayde vnto me, behold, thou shalt be with childe and beare a sonne, & now drinke no wyne nor strong drinke, nei∣ther eate any vncleane thing, for the ladde shalbe an abstayner to God, euen from his byrth to the day of his death.

8 Then Manoah made intercession to the Lorde, and sayde: I pray thee my Lorde, let the man of God whiche thou sendedst, come agayne vnto vs, & teache vs what we shal do vnto the ladde whē he is borne.

9 And God heard the voyce of Manoah: and the angel of God came agayne vn∣to the wife as she sate in the felde: but Manoah her husbād was not with her.

10 And the wife made haste, and ranne & shewed her husbande, & sayde vnto him: behold, the man appeared vnto me that came vnto me (b) 1.463 to day.

11 And Manoah arose & went after his wife, and came to the (c) 1.464 man, and sayde vnto him: Art thou the mā that spakest vnto the woman? And he sayde: I am.

12 Manoah sayde, Nowe let thy saying come to passe: Howe shall we order the childe, and do vnto him?

13 And the angell of the Lord sayd vnto Manoah: The woman must absteyne from all that I sayde vnto her: [unspec C]

14 She may eate of nothing that cōmeth of the vine tree, nor drinke wine or strong drinke, nor eate any (d) 1.465 vncleane thing: but must obserue all that I bad her.

15 Manoah sayde vnto the angell of the Lorde: I pray thee let vs retayne thee vntill we haue made redy a kyd before thee.

16 And the angel of the Lord sayde vnto Manoah: Though thou make me a∣bide, I wil not eate of thy bread: And if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it vnto the (e) 1.466 Lorde. For Ma∣noah wist not that it was an angell of the Lorde.

17 And Manoah sayde agayne vnto the angell of the Lord: What is thy name, that when thy saying is come to passe, we may do thee worshippe?

18 And the angel of the Lorde sayde vn∣to him:*Why askest thou thus after my name, which is secrete?

And so Manoah toke a kyd, with a meat offring, and offred it vpon a rocke

Page xxviij

vnto the Lorde: And the angell did * 1.467 wonderously, Manoah and his wife lokyng vpon.

20 * 1.468And whē the flambe came vp toward heauen from the aulter, the angell of the Lorde ascended vp in the flambe of the aulter: And Manoah and his wyfe loked vpon it, and fell on their faces vn∣to the grounde.

21 (But the angel of the Lord did no more appeare vnto Manoah and his wyfe:) And then Manoah knewe that it was an angel of the Lorde,

22 And sayd vnto his wyfe: * 1.469 We shal sure∣ly dye, because we haue seene God.

23 But his wyfe sayde vnto him: Yf the Lord would kyll vs, he would not haue g 1.470receaued a burnt offering and a meate offering of our handes, neither woulde he haue shewed vs al these thinges, nor woulde nowe haue tolde vs any suche.

24 And the wyfe bare a sonne, and called his name Samson: And ye ladde grewe, and the Lorde blessed him.

25 And the spirite of the Lorde began to “ 1.471 strengthen him in the hoast of Dan, betweene Zaraah and Esthaol.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

2 Samson desireth to haue a wyfe of the Philistines. 6 He killeth a Lion. 12 He propoundeth a riddle. 19 He killeth thirtie. 20 His wyfe forsaketh him, and taketh another.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 SAmson went downe to Thamnath, and sawe a womā in Thamnath of the daughters of the Philistines:

2 And he came vp, and told his father and his mother, & said: I haue sene a woman in Thamnath of the daughters of the Phi∣listines: & nowe “ 1.472geue me her to wyfe.

3 Then his father and mother sayd vn∣to him: (a) 1.473 Is there neuer a woman a∣mong the daughters of thy brethren, & among al my people, but that thou must go, and take a wyfe of the vncircumcised Philistines? And Samson sayd vnto his father: Geue me this woman, for she pleaseth me well.

4 But his father and mother (b) 1.474 wist not that it was the Lordes doyng, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philisti∣nes raigned ouer Israel.

5 Then went Samson and his father & his mother downe to Thamnath, and came to the vineyardes of Thamnath: and beholde, a young Lion roared vpon him.

6 And the spirite of the Lord (c) 1.475 came vpō him, and he tare him as he would haue rent a kydde, and yet had nothing in his hande: neither tolde his father and mo∣ther what he had done.

7 And he went downe, & talked with the [unspec B] woman, whiche seemed well fauoured in the sight of Samson.

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13 They aunswered him, saying: No, but we will bynde thee, & (d) 1.476 delyuer thee vnto their handes: but we wyll not kyll thee. And they bounde hym with two new cordes, and brought him from the rocke.

[unspec C] 14 And when he came to Lehi, the Phi∣listines showted agaynst him: And the spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and the cordes that were vpon his armes, became as flaxe that was burnt with fire, for the bandes loosed from of his handes.

15 And he founde a (e) 1.477 newe iawe bone of an Asse, & put foorth his hande, and caught it, and slue a thousande men therwith.

16 And Samson sayde: With the iawe of an Asse, heapes vpon heapes: with the iawe of an Asse haue I slayne a thousande men.

17 And when he had left speakyng, he cast away the iawe bone out of his hande, and called the place f 1.478 Ramath Lehi.

18 And he was sore a thyrst, and called on the Lord, and sayde: Thou hast geuen this great victory in the hande of thy seruaunt: and nowe I must dye for thirst, and fall into the handes of the vn∣circumcised.

19 But God brake a great tooth that was in the iawe, & there came water ther∣out, and when he had drunke, his spi∣rite came agayne, & he was refreshed: wherfore the name thereof was called vnto this day, The well of the caller on: which came of the iawe.

20 And he iudged Israel in the dayes of the Philistines, twentie yeres.

The .xvj. Chapter.

1. Samson carieth away the gates of Azzah. 18. He was deceaued by Delila. 30. He pulleth downe the house vpon the Philistines, and dyeth with them.

[unspec A] 1 THen went Samson to Azzah, and sawe there an harlot, and went in vnto her.

2 And it was tolde the Azathites, saying: Samson is come hy∣ther. And they went about, and layde a wayte for hym there all nyght in the gate of the citie, and were styll all the nyght, saying: In the mornyng whan it is day, we shall kyll hym.

3 And Samson toke his rest tyll myd∣nyght, and arose at mydnyght, and toke the doores of the gate of the citie, and the two postes, and rent them of with the barre and all, and put them vppon his shoulders, and caryed them vp to the top of an hyll, that is before He∣bron.

[illustration]

Page xxx

4 And after this, he loued a woman by the * 1.479 ryuer of Sorek, whose name was Dalila.

5 Vnto whom came the lordes of the Philistines, and sayde vnto her: * 1.480 Per∣swade him, and see wherin his great strenght lyeth, and by what meanes we may ouercome him, that we may bynde him, and punishe hym: and euery one of vs shall geue thee a leuen hundred sil∣uer lynges.

6 And Dalila sayde to Samson: Oh, tell me where thy great strength lyeth, and how thou myghtest be bounde and brought vnder.

[unspec B] 7 Samson aunswered vnto her: Yf they binde me with seuen greene wythes that were neuer dryed, I shalbe weake, and be as an other man.

8 And then the lordes of the Philistines brought her seuen wythes that were yet greene & neuer dryed, and she bound hym therwith.

9 (Notwithstanding she had men lying in wayte with her in the chaumbre): And she said vnto him, The Philistines be vpon thee Samson. And immediatly he brake the cordes, as a stryng of towe breaketh when it fealeth fire. And so his strength was not knowen.

10 And Dalila sayde vnto Samson: See, thou hast mocked me, and tolde me lies: Now therfore tell me wherwith thou myghtest be bounde.

11 He aunswered her: Yf they bynde me with newe ropes that neuer were occu∣pied, I shall be weake, and be as an o∣ther man.

12 Dalila therfore toke newe ropes, and bounde him therwith, and sayde vnto him, The Philistines be vpō thee Sam∣son. (And there were lyers of wayte in the chamber.) And he brake them from of his armes, as they had ben but a threade.

13 And Dalila sayde vnto Samson, Hy∣therto thou hast beguyled me, and tolde me lyes: Yet tell me howe thou mygh∣test be bounde. He sayde vnto her: Yf thou plattest the seuen lockes of my head with the threades of the wooffe.

14 And she fastened it with a pynne, and [unspec C] sayde vnto him: The Philistines be vpō thee Samson. And he awaked out of his sleepe, and went away with the pynne of the webbe and the wooffe.

15 And she sayde vnto him agayne: How canst thou saye (c) 1.481 I loue thee, when thyne heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me this three tymes, and hast not tolde me wherin thy great strength lyeth.

16 And as she laye vpon hym with her wordes, continually vexyng of him,(d) 1.482 his soule was encumbred euē vnto ye death.

17 And so he tolde her all his heart, & said vnto her: There neuer came rasor vpon myne head, for I haue ben a Naza∣rite vnto God, euen from my mothers wombe: Therfore when I am shauen, my strength will go from me, & I shall waxe weake, and be lyke all [other] men.

[illustration]

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18 And when Dalila sawe that he had tolde her all his heart, she sent and cal∣led for the lordes of the Philistines, say∣ing: Come vp yet this once, for he hath shewed me all his hearte. Then ye lordes of the Philistines came vp vnto her, and brought the money in their handes.

19 And she made hym sleepe vpon her knees, and she sent for a man, and he dyd shaue of the seuen lockes of his head, & began to vexe him, and his strength(e) 1.483 was gone from him.

20 And she sayde, The Philistines be vpon thee Samson. And he awoke out of his sleepe, and sayde: I will go out now as at other tymes before, & shake my selfe. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from hym.

21 But the Philistines toke hym, and put out his eyes, and brought him downe to *Azzah, and bounde him with fetters of brasse: and he dyd grynde in the pri∣son house.

[unspec D] 21 Howbeit the heere of his head began (f) 1.484 to growe agayne after that he was shauen.

23 Then the lordes of the Philistines ga∣thered them together, for to offer a so∣lempne offring vnto Dagon their God, and to reioyce: For they sayd, Our God hath deliuered Samson our enemie in∣to our handes.

24 And when the people sawe him, they praysed their God: for they sayde, Our God hath delyuered into our handes our enemie, and destroyer of our coun∣trey, whiche slue manye of vs.

25 And when their heartes were mery, they sayde: Send for Samson, that he may make vs laugh. And they fet Samson out of the prison house, and he played before them: and they set hym betweene the pyllers.

26 And Samson sayde vnto the lad that led hym by the hande: Set me that I may touche the pyllers that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them.

27 And the house was full of men and women, and there were all the lordes of the Philistines: And there were vpon the roofe a three thousande men and women, that behelde whyle Samson * 1.485 played.

28 And Samson called vnto the Lorde, and sayde: O Lorde God I pray thee thyncke vpon me, and strengthen me I beseche thee at this tyme onelye O [unspec E] God, that I may be “ 1.486 at once auenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

29 And Samson caught the two middle pyllers on which the house stoode and on which it was born vp, the one in his ryght hande, and the other in his left.

30 And Samson sayde: My soule shall dye with the Philistines, and bowed them with all his myght, and the house fell vpon the lordes and vpon all the people that were therin: And so ye dead which he slue at his death, were mo then they which he slue in his lyfe.

31 And then his brethren & all the house of his father came downe, and toke him vp, and brought hym, and buryed hym betweene Zarah and Esthaol, in the burying place of Manoah his father: And he iudged Israel twentie yeres.

¶The .xvii. Chapter.

3. Micahs mother according to her vowe made her sonne two idoles. 5. He made his sonne a priest for his idoles. 10. And after he hired a Leuite.

1 THere was a man of [unspec A] mount Ephraim, na∣med Micah.

2 And he sayde vnto his mother: The se∣uen hundred (a) 1.487 siluer∣lynges that were ta∣ken from thee, about which thou cur∣sedst, and spakest it in myne eares, be∣hold the syluer is with me, I toke it away. And his mother sayd: Blessed be thou my sonne, in the Lorde.

3 And when he had restored the leuen hundreth syluerlynges to his mother, his mother sayde: I had dedicated the syluer vnto the Lorde of myne hande for thee my sonne, that thou shouldest make a grauen and moulten (b) 1.488 image: Now therfore I will geue it thee a∣gayne.

4 And when he restored the money vnto his mother, his mother toke two hun∣dreth syluerlynges, and gaue them the founder, which made therof a grauen

Page xxxj

moulten image, and it was in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had an house of goddes, and made an * 1.489 Ephod and d 1.490 Theraphim, and “ 1.491 consecrated one of his sonnes, which became his prieste.

6 In those dayes there was no kyng in Israel, but euery man dyd that which was good in his owne eyes.

[unspec B] 7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem Iuda, of the kynred of Iu∣da, which young man was a Leuite, & soiourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the citie of Bethlehem Iuda, to go dwell where he coulde fynde [a conuenient place]: And he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah as he iourneyed.

9 And Micah sayde vnto him: Whence cōmest thou? The Leuite aunswered hym: I am of Bethlehem Iuda, and go to dwell where I may (e) 1.492 fynde [a place].

10 And Micah sayde agayne vnto hym: Dwell with me, and be vnto me a fa∣ther and a prieste, and I will geue thee ten syluerlynges by yere, two gar∣mentes, and thy meate and dryncke. So the Leuite went in.

11 And ye Leuite was (f) 1.493 content to dwell with the man, and was vnto hym as one of his owne sonnes.

12 And Micah consecrated the Leuite, & the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then sayde Micah: Now I am sure that the Lord will be (g) 1.494 good vnto me, seing I haue a Leuite to my prieste.

The .xviii. Chapter

2. The children of Dan send men to searche the land. 11. Then come the six hundreth and take the gods and the priest of Micah awaye. 27. They destroy Lais. 28. They buyld it agayne. 30. And set vp idolatrie.

[unspec A] 1 IN those dayes there was (a) 1.495 no kyng in Is∣rael, and in those dayes the tribe of Dan sought them an inhe∣ritaunce to dwell in: For vnto that tyme all their inheritaunce had not fallen vnto them among the tribe of Israel.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their kynred fyue actiue men in feates of warre out of their coastes, euen out of Zaraah & Esthaol, to viewe the lande and searche it out, and sayde vnto them: Go, and searche out the lande. Which whan they came to mount Ephraim, euen to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

3 And when they were in the house of Micah, they knewe * 1.496 the voyce of the young man the Leuite: And when they turned in thyther, they sayde vnto him: Who brought thee thyther? What ma∣kest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

4 And he aunswered them: Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hyred me, and I am become his priest.

5 And they sayd vnto hym agayne: Aske counsell now of God, that we may knowe whether the way which we go shalbe prousperous, or no.

6 And the priest sayde vnto them: (c) 1.497 Go in peace, for the Lorde guydeth your way which ye go.

7 Then the fyue men departed, & came to Lais, and sawe the people that were therin, howe they dwelt carelesse, after [unspec B] the maner of the Sidons styll, & with∣out castyng of perils, and that no man “ 1.498 made any trouble in the lande, or vsur∣ped any dominion: but were farre from the Sidons, and had no busynesse with other men.

8 And they came agayne vnto their bre∣thren to Zaraah and Esthaol, and their brethren sayde vnto them: What haue ye done?

9 And they aunswered: Aryse, that we may go vp agaynst them, for we haue seene the lande, surely a very good one: And do ye syt styll? Be not slouthfull to go and entre to possesse the lande.

10 Yf ye will go, ye shall come vnto a peo∣ple that casteth no perils, and it is a ve∣ry large countrey, which God hath ge∣uen into your handes: It is also a place which doth lacke nothing that is in the worlde.

11 And there departed thence of the kyn∣red of the Danites, euen out of Zaraah 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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wyll bryng out nowe vnto you, and (h) 1.499 humble them, & do with them what seemeth you good: but vnto this man do not so abhominable a thing.

25 But the men woulde not hearken to hym: And the man toke his concubine, and brought her out vnto them, whiche knewe her, and abused her al the night, euen vnto the mornyng: and when the day began to spryng, they let her go.

26 And then came the woman in the daw∣nyng of the day, and fell (i) 1.500 downe at the doore of the mans house where her lord “ 1.501 was, tyll it was day.

27 And her lorde arose vp in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to go his way: and beholde the woman, euen his concubine, laye a∣long before the doore of the house, and her handes vpon the thresholde.

28 And he (k) 1.502 sayde vnto her, Vp, and let vs be goyng: But she aunswered not. Then the man toke her vp vpō an asse, & stoode vp, & gate hym vnto his (l) 1.503 place.

29 And whē he was come into his house, he toke a knyfe, and caught his concu∣bine, and deuided her in peeces, with the bones, into twelue partes, and sent her into all quarters of Israel.

30 And all that sawe it, sayde: There was no suche deede done or seene sence the childrē of Israel came out of Egypt vnto this day. Consider the matter, take aduisement, and say your myndes.

¶The .xx. Chapter.

1 The Israelites assemble in Mispah, to whom the Leuite declareth his wrong. 13 They sende for them that dyd the villanie. 25 The Israelites are twyse ouercome, 26 and at length get the victorie.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THen * 1.504 all the chyldren of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as (a) 1.505one man, euen from Dan to Beerseba, with the lande of Gilead, vn∣to the Lorde in Mispah.

2 And there assembled the chiefe men of all the people, [and] of all the tribes of Israel, in the congregation of the peo∣ple of God, foure hundred thousande footemen that drewe swordes.

3 (Now the chyldren of Beniamin heard that the chyldren of Israel were gone vp to Mispah) Then (b) 1.506 sayde the chyl∣dren of Israel: Tell vs howe this wic∣kednes is commited?

4 And the Leuite the womans husband that was slayne, aunswered and saide: I came into Gibea that is in Beniamin with my concubine, to lodge all nyght:

Page xxxiii

5 And the men of Gibea rose against me, and beset the house rounde about vpon me by night, & thought to haue slayne me, and my concubyne haue they forced, that she is dead.

6 And I toke my concubine, & cut her in peeces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritaunce of Israel: For they haue committed abhomina∣tion and villanie in Israel.

[unspec B] 7 Beholde ye are all children of Israel, geue your aduice and counsel herein.

8 And all the people arose as one man, saying: There shal not a man of vs go to his tent, neither turne into his (c) 1.507 house.

9 But this shalbe it that we will do to Gibea: [we will go vp] by lot against it:

10 And we will take ten men of the hun∣dred throughout all the tribes of Isra∣el, and an hundred of the thousande, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch vitayle for the people, that they may do when they come to Gibea Beniamin, ac∣cording to all the abhomination that they haue wrought in Israel.

11 And so all the men of Israel gathered together against the citie, knyt toge∣ther as one man.

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men tho∣rowe all the tribe of Beniamin, saying: * 1.508What wickednesse is this that is com∣mitted among you?

13 Nowe therfore deliuer vs the men, [unspec C] those children of belial whiche are in Gibea, that we may slea them, and put (d) 1.509away euill from Israel.

14 Neuerthelater, the children of Benia∣min would(e) 1.510 not hearkē vnto the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Beniamin gathered thē selues together out of the cities vn∣to Gibea, to come out and fight agaynst the children of Israel.

15 And the children of Beniamin were numbred at that time out of the cities, twentie & sixe thousand men that drewe swordes, besyde the inhabitauntes of Gibea, which were numbred seuen hun∣dred chosen men.

16 And among all these folke, were seuen hundred chosen men beyng left handed, whiche euery one coulde slyng stones at an heere breadth, and not misse.

17 And the children of Israel beside Ben∣iamin, were numbred foure hundred thousand men that drewe swordes, and were all men of warre.

18 And the children of Israel arose, and wēt vp to (f) 1.511 the house of God, and asked of God, saying: (g) 1.512 Whiche of vs shall go vp first to the battel against the children of Beniamin? And the Lorde sayd: Iu∣da shall begin.

19 And the children of Israel stoode vp early, and camped against Gibea.

20 And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, and the men of Israel put thē selues in aray to fight against them, beside Gibea.

21 And the children of Beniamin came [unspec D] out of Gibea, and destroyed downe to the ground of the Israelites that day twentie and two thousand men.

22 And the people the men of Israel pluc∣ked vp their heartes, and set their battel againe in aray, in the same place where they dyd the first day.

23 (And the children of Israel went vp, and wept before the Lorde vnto euen, and asked of the Lord, saying: Shal we go agayne to battell against the children of Beniamin our brethrē? And the Lord sayde: Go vp against them.)

24 And the children of Israel came neare against the children of Beniamin the se∣conde day.

25 And the children of Beniamin went a∣gainst them out of Gibea the seconde day, and destroyed to the earth of the childrē of Israel once againe eyghteene thousand men that drewe swordes eue∣rie man of them.

26 Then al the children of Israel, and all the people, went vp and came vnto the house of God, and wept, and sate there before the Lord, and fasted the same day vnto euen, and offered burnt offe∣rynges and peace offerynges before the Lorde.

27 And the children of Israel asked the [unspec E] Lord: (for there was the arke of the ap∣poyntment of God, in those dayes:

28 And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron (h) 1.513 stoode before it at that time) saying: Shal I get me vp to go out any more to battell against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or shal I ceasse? The Lorde sayde: Go vp, for to morow I wil deliuer them into your handes.

29 And Israel set lyers awayte round a∣bout Gibea.

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❧The booke of Ruth.

¶The fyrst Chapter.

1 Elimelech goeth with his wyfe and children into the lande of Moab. 3 And his sonnes dye. 19 Naomi and Ruth come to Bethlehem.

[unspec A]

1 IT came to passe that whē the iud∣ges “ 1.514 ruled, there fel a dearth in the (a) 1.515 land, & a certein man of Bethle∣hē (b) 1.516 Iuda went for to soiourne in the countrey of Moab, he and his wyfe, and his two sonnes.

2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wyfe Naomi, and the names of his two sonnes were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephraites out of Bethlehem Iuda: And whē they came into the lande of Moab, they continued there.

3 And Elimelech Naomies husbande died, and she remayned with her two sonnes.

4 Whiche toke them wyues, (c) 1.517 Moabi∣tesses, of the Moabites: the ones name was Orpha, and the others Ruth: And they dwelled there about a ten yeres.

5 And Mahlon & Chilion died also euen both of them, and the woman was left (d) 1.518destitute of her two sonnes and of her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters in lawe, and returned from the coun∣trey of Moab: for she had hearde say in the countrey of Moab, howe that the Lorde had visited his people, and geuen them bread.

[unspec B] 7 Wherfore she departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in lawe with her: And they went on their way to returne vnto the lande of Iuda.

8 And Naomi said vnto her two daugh∣ters in lawe, Go & returne eche of you vnto your mothers house: & the Lorde deale as kindly with you, as ye haue dealt with the (e) 1.519 dead, and with me:

9 And the Lord geue you, that you may fynde rest, either of you in the house of her (f) 1.520 husbande. And when she kyssed them, they lift vp their voyce and wept,

10 And sayde vnto her: Surely we will returne with thee vnto thy folke.

11 And Naomi sayde, Turne againe my daughters: for what cause will you go with me? Are there any moe children in my wombe, to be your husbandes?

12 Turne againe my daughters, go your way, for I am to olde to haue an hus∣bande: And if I sayd, I haue hope, if I toke a man also this night, yea & though I had alredy borne sonnes:

13 Would ye tary after them, till they were of age? or woulde ye for them so long re∣frayne from taking of husbandes? Not so my daughters: for it greeueth me [unspec C] “ 1.521 muche for your sakes, that the hand of the Lorde is gone out (g) 1.522 against me.

14 And they lift vp their voyces, & wept againe: and Orpha (h) 1.523 kissed her mother in lawe, but Ruth abode still by her.

15 And Naomi said: See, thy sister in law is gone backe againe vnto her people, & vnto her gods: returne thou after her.

16 And Ruth aunswered: Entreat me not to leaue thee, and to returne from after thee: for whyther thou goest, I will go also, & where thou dwellest, there I wil dwell: Thy people shalbe my people, and thy god my god:

17 Where thou diest, there will I die, and there wyl I be buried: The Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death depart thee and me.

18 When she sawe that she was stedfast∣ly minded to go with her, she left spea∣king vnto her.

19 And so they wēt both, vntil they came to Bethlehē: And whē they were come to Bethlehem, it was (i) 1.524 noysed of them thorow all the citie, and they sayde: Is not this Naomi?

20 And she aunswered them: Cal me not “ 1.525 Naomi: but call me “ 1.526 Mara, for the al∣mightie hath made me verie bitter.

21 I went out full, and the Lorde hath [unspec D] brought me home agayne emptie: Why then call ye me Naomi, seying, the Lord hath humbled me, & the almightie hath brought me vnto aduersite?

23 And so Naomi with Ruth the Moa∣bitesse her daughter in lawe, returned out of the countrey of Moab, and came to Bethlehē, in the beginning of (k) 1.527 bar∣lie haruest.

Page xxxv

The .ii. Chapter.

1 Ruth gathered corne in the fieldes of Booz. 15 The gentilnes of Booz toward her.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Naomies husbād had a (a) 1.528 kinsman, a mā of power and wealth [which was] of the kin∣red of Elimelech, na∣med Booz.

2 And Ruth the Moa∣bitesse sayd vnto Naomi: Let me nowe go to the fielde, & gather eares of corne after any man in whose sight I finde grace. And she sayde vnto her: Go my daughter.

3 And she went, and came to the fielde, and gathered after the reapers: and so it was, that the same fielde parteyned vnto Booz, whiche was of the kinred of Elimelech.

4 And beholde, Booz came from Beth∣lehem, and sayde vnto the reapers: The Lorde be with you. And they aunswe∣red him: The Lorde blesse thee.

5 Then sayde Booz vnto his “ 1.529 young man * 1.530 that stode by the reapers? Whose damosel is this?

6 And the young man that stode by the reapers aunswered, and sayd: It is the Moabitishe damosel, that came with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab,

[unspec B] 7 And she sayde vnto vs, I pray you let me gleane and gather after the rea∣pers, amongst the sheaues: and so she came, and hath continued euen from the morning vnto nowe, saue that she taried a litle in the house.

8 Then sayd Booz vnto Ruth: Hearest thou my daughter? Go to no other fielde to gather, neither go from hence, but abyde here by my maydens.

9 Let (b) 1.531 thyne eyes be on the fielde that they do reape, & go thou after the [may∣dens:] Haue I not charged the young men, that they shall do thee no hurte? Moreouer, when thou art a thyrst, go vnto the vessels, & drinke of that (c) 1.532 which the laddes haue drawen.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground, and sayde vn∣to him: Howe is it that I haue founde grace in thyne eyes, & that thou shoul∣dest knowe me, seing I am * 1.533 an a∣liaunt?

11 And Booz aunswered and sayde vnto her: Al is tolde & shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law sence the death of thyne husband: howe thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land where thou wast borne, and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in time passed.

12 The Lord quyte thy worke, and a full reward be geuen thee of the Lord God of Israel, vnder whose (e) 1.534 winges thou art come to trust.

13 Then she sayde: Let me finde fauour in thy sight my lord, thou that hast com∣forted me, and spoken “ 1.535 comfortably vn∣to thy mayde, whiche yet am not lyke vnto one of thy maydens.

14 Booz sayde vnto her agayne: At the [unspec C] meale tyme come thou hyther, and eate of the bread, and dyp thy morsel in the vineger. And she sat besyde the reapers: and he reached her parched corne, & she dyd eate, and was suffised, & left (f) 1.536 part:

15 And when she was rysen vp to ga∣ther, Booz cōmaunded his young men, saying: Let her gather euen among the sheaues, and (g) 1.537 rebuke her not.

16 And leaue her some of the sheaues for the nonce, and let it lye, that she may ga∣ther it vp, and rebuke her not.

17 And so she gathered in the fielde vn∣til euen, and threshed that she had ga∣thered, and it was in measure vpon an * 1.538Epha of barlye.

18 And she toke it vp, and went into the ci∣tie: and when her mother in lawe had seene what she had gathered, she pluc∣ked out also, & gaue to her that she had reserued when she had eaten enough.

19 And her mother in lawe sayde vnto her: Where hast thou gathered to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that knewe thee. And she shewed her mother in lawe howe she had wrought with him, and sayde: The mans name with whom I wrought to day is Booz.

20 And Naomi said vnto her daughter in lawe: Blessed be he of the Lord, for he ceasseth not to do * 1.539 good to the lyuing & to the (h) 1.540 dead. And Naomi sayd agayne vnto her: The man is nye vnto vs, and of our affinitie.

21 And Ruth the Moabitesse sayd: he sayd vnto me also, Thou shalt be with my young men, vntil they haue ended al my haruest.

Page [unnumbered]

22 And Naomi aunswered vnto Ruth her daughter in lawe: It is best my daughter that thou go out with his maydens, that they come not against thee in any other fielde.

23 And so she kept her by the maydens of Booz, to gather, vnto the ende of bar∣lye haruest and of wheate haruest also, & dwelt with her mother in lawe.

The .iii. Chapter.

1 Naomi geueth Ruth councel. 8 She sleepeth at Booz feete. 12 He acknowledgeth him selfe to be her kinseman.

[unspec A] 1 THen Naomi her mo∣ther in lawe sayde vn∣to her: My daughter, shal I not seke (a) 1.541 rest for thee, yt thou mayest prosper?

2 And is not Booz our kinsman, with whose maydens thou wast? Beholde, he winnoweth barlie to night in the thresshing “ 1.542 floore.

3 Wasshe thy selfe therfore, and annoynt thee, and put thy rayment vpon thee, & get thee downe to the floore: but let not the man knowe of thee, vntill he haue left eating and drincking.

4 And when he goeth to sleepe, marke the place where he layeth him downe, and then go and lyft vp the clothes that are on his feete, & lay thee downe there: and he shall tel thee what thou shalt do.

5 And she aunswered her: All that thou biddest me, I will do.

6 And she went downe vnto the floore, and dyd according to al that her mother in lawe bad her.

[unspec B] 7 And when Booz had eaten and drun∣ken, & cheared his heart, he went to lye downe at the ende of the heape of corne: and she came softly, and lift vp the clo∣thes of his feete, and layed her downe.

8 And at midnight, the man was afraide, and caught holde: and beholde, a wo∣man lay at his feete.

9 And he sayde: What art thou? She aunswered, I am Ruth thyne hand∣mayde: Spreade the wing of thy [gar∣ment] ouer thyne handmayde, for thou art the kinsman.

10 He sayde: Blessed be thou in the Lord my daughter, for thou hast shewed more goodnesse in the latter ende, then at the beginning, inasmuche as thou folow∣edst not young men, whether they were poore or riche.

11 And nowe my daughter feare not, I [unspec C] will do to the all that thou requirest: for all the citie of my people doth know, that thou art a woman of vertue.

12 And it is true that I am of thy next kinne, howbeit there is one nier then I.

13 Tary this night, and when morning is come, if he wil (b) 1.543 perfourme the part of a kinsman vnto thee, it is good, let him do the kinsmans part: but if he wyl not do the kinsmans part, then wyl I do the duetie of a kinsman, as the Lorde liueth: sleepe vntil the morning.

14 And she lay at his feete vntill the mor∣ning: and she arose vp before one coulde knowe another. And he sayde: Let no man knowe that there came any wo∣man into the floore.

15 And he sayde againe: Bring the man∣tel [unspec D] that thou hast vpon thee, & holde it. And when she held it, he mette in sixe measures of barlye, and layde it on her: And she gat her into the citie.

16 And when she came in, to her mother in lawe, she sayde: Who art thou, my daughter? And she tolde her all that the man had done to her,

17 And sayde: These sixe measures of bar∣lye gaue he me, and sayde: Thou shalt not come emptie vnto thy mother in lawe.

18 Then sayde she: My daughter, sit still vntil thou knowe howe the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, vn∣till he haue finished the thing this same day.

Page xxxvj

The .iiii. Chapter.

1 Booz speaketh to Ruths next kinseman touching her mariage. 7 The auncient cu∣stome in Israel. 10 Booz marieth Ruth, of whom he begetteth Obed. 18 The ge∣neration of Pharez.

[unspec A] 1 THen went Booz vp to the * 1.544 gate, and sat him downe there: and be∣holde, the kinsman of which Booz spake, came by, vnto whom, he sayde: * 1.545 Ho, suche one, come, sit downe here. And he turned, & sat downe.

2 And he toke ten men of the elders of the citie, and said: sit ye downe here. And they sat downe.

3 And he sayd vnto the kinsman: Nao∣mi that is come agayne out of the coun∣trey of Moab, will sel a parcell of lande, which was our brother Elimelechs.

4 And I thought to do thee to wyt, and byd the bye it before thee inhabitauntes and elders of my people. If thou wilt redeeme it, redeeme it: but & if thou wilt not redeeme it, then tell me, that I may knowe: For there is none to redeeme it, (c) 1.546saue thou, and I next thee. And the other aunswered: I will redeeme it.

5 Then sayd Booz: What day thou biest the fielde of the hande of Naomi, thou must bye it also of Ruth the Moabite the wyfe of the dead, to stirre vp the name of the dead vpon his d 1.547 inheri∣taunce.

6 The kinsman aunswered: I can not redeeme it, for marring of myne owne inheritaunce: redeeme thou my right to thee, for I cannot redeeme it.

[unspec B] 7 Nowe this was the maner of olde time in Israel concerning redeeming & chaunging, for to stablishe al thing: that a man must plucke of his shoe, & geue it his neyghbour: And this was a sure (e) 1.548witnesse in Israel.

8 Therfore the kinsman sayde to Booz, Bye it thou: and so drue of his shoe.

9 And Booz sayde vnto the elders and vnto all the people: Ye are witnesses this day, that I haue bought all that was Elimelechs, and all that was Chi∣lions, and Mahalons, of the hande of Naomi.

10 And moreouer, Ruth the Moabite the wyfe of Mahalō, haue I purchased to be my wyfe, to stirre vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritaunce, & that the name of the dead be not put out frō among his brethren, and from the gate of his (f) 1.549 place: ye are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, sayde, We are wit∣nesses: The Lord make the womā that is come into thyne house, lyke Rahel and Lea, whiche twayne dyd buylde the house of Israel: & that thou mayest do worthyly in (g) 1.550 Ephrata, and be fa∣mous in Bethlehem.

12 Thy house be like the house of Pharez (whom Thamar bare vnto Iuda) euē of the seede whiche the Lord shall geue thee of this young woman.

13 And so Booz toke Ruth, and she was his wyfe: And when he went in vnto her, the Lorde gaue, that she conceaued and bare a sonne.

14 And the women sayde vnto Naomi: [unspec C] Blessed be the Lorde, the whiche hath not left thee this day without a kins∣man, and his name shalbe continued in Israel.

15 And that shall bring thy lyfe agayne, and cherishe thyne olde age: For thy daughter in lawe whiche loueth thee, hath borne vnto him, and she is better to thee then (h) 1.551 seuen sonnes.

16 And Naomi toke the child, & layed it in her lappe, and became nurse vnto it.

17 And the women her neyghbours gaue it a name, saying: There is a child borne to Naomi, & called it Obed: the same is the father of Isai, the father of Dauid.

18 These are the generations of Pharez, Phares begat Hezron,

19 Hezron begat Ram, Ram begat Ami∣nadab,

20 Aminadab begat Naasson, Naasson begat Salmon,

21 Salmon begat Booz, Booz begat [unspec D] Obed,

22 Obed begat Isai, Isai begat Dauid.

¶The ende of the booke of Ruth.
〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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it with violence.

17 And the sinne of the young men was very great before the Lord: For men (n) 1.552 abhorred the offering of the Lord.

[unspec D] 18 But the childe Samuel ministred be∣fore the Lorde, girded with a linnen E∣phod.

19 Moreouer, his mother made him a litle coate, and brought it to him from yere to yere, when she came vp with her husband to offer the yerely sacri∣fice.

20 And Eli blessed Elkana and his wife, and said: The Lorde geue thee seede of this woman, for the (o) 1.553 petition that she asked of the Lord. And they went vnto their owne home.

21 And the Lorde visited Hanna, so that she conceaued, and bare three sonnes, & two daughters: And the childe Samu∣el grew (p) 1.554 before the Lorde.

22 Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto Israel, & how they lay with the women that wayted at the doore of the tabernacle of the congrega∣tion.

23 And he saide vnto them: Why do ye such thinges? For of all these people I heare euill reportes of you.

[unspec E] 24 Oh, nay my sonnes: For it is no good report that I heare, how that ye make the Lordes people to trespasse.

25 If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall iudge it: But if a man sinne against the Lord, who will be his (q) 1.555 dayseman? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not vnto the voyce of their fa∣ther, because the Lorde would slay thē.

26 (The childe Samuel profited & grew, and was in fauour both with the Lord and also with men.)

27 And there came a man of God vnto Eli, and sayde vnto hym, thus saith the Lorde: Dyd not I playnely appeare vnto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaos house?

28 And I chose (r) 1.556 him out of al the tribes of Israel to be my priest, for to offer vp∣pon mine aulter, and to burne incense, * 1.557and to weare an Ephod before me: and I gaue vnto the house of thy father, all the offerynges made by fire of the chyl∣dren of Israel. [unspec F]

29 Wherfore (s) 1.558 treade ye downe my sa∣crifice and mine offering which I (t) 1.559 cō∣maunded in the tabernacle, and hono∣rest thy chyldren aboue me, to make your selues fat of the first fruites of all the offerynges of Israel my peo∣ple?

30 Wherefore the Lorde God of Israel saith: I sayde, that thy house and the house of thy father should (v) 1.560 walke be∣fore me for euer: But nowe the Lorde saith, That be farre frō me: For them that worship me, I wyll worship, and they that despise me, shall come to shame.

31 Behold, the dayes come, that I wyll cut of thine (x) 1.561arme, and the arme of thy fathers house, that there shall not be an olde man in thine house.

32 And thou shalt see thine enemie in the habitation [of the Lorde] and in all the wealth which [God] shall geue Israel, and there shall not be an olde man in thyne house for euer.

33 Neuerthelesse, I wyll not destroy [unspec G] euery one that come of thee from mine aulter, to make thine eyes to fayle, and to make thine heart sorowfull: And all they that be multiplied in thine house, * 1.562 shall dye (y) 1.563 [when they be] men.

34 And this shalbe a signe vnto thee, that shal come vpon thy two sonnes * 1.564 Hophni and Phinehes: euen in one day they shall dye both.

35 And I wyll stirre me vp a (z) 1.565faythfull priest, yt shall do according to my heart and minde, and I wil builde him a sure house, and he shall walke before mine annoynted for euer.

36 And all that are left in thyne house, shall come and crouch to him for a peece of siluer and a morsell of bread, and shal saye: Put me (I pray thee) in one office or other among ye priestes, that I may eate a morsell of bread.

Page xxxviii

¶The .iij. Chapter.

1 There was no manifest vision in the tyme of Eli. 4 The Lorde calleth Samuel three times. 11 And sheweth what shall come vpon Eli & his house. 18 The same declareth Samuel to Eli.

[unspec A] 1 AND the chylde Sa∣muel ministred vnto the Lorde before Eli, and the worde of the Lord was * 1.566 precious in those dayes, neither was there any open vision.

2 And as at that tyme Eli lay in his (b) 1.567 place, his * 1.568 eyes began to waxe dymme that he coulde not see.

3 And yer the lampe of God went out, Samuel layde hym downe to sleepe in the temple of the Lord, where the arke of God was.

4 And the Lorde called Samuel. And he aunswered, I am here.

5 And he ran vnto Eli, and sayde: Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said, I called thee not, go againe and sleepe. And he went, and layde hym downe to sleepe.

6 And the Lorde called once againe, [unspec B] Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and sayde: I am here, for thou diddest call me. And he aunswered: I called thee not my sonne, go againe and sleepe.

7 Samuel (c) 1.569 knewe not yet the Lorde, neither was the worde of the Lorde yet opened vnto hym.

8 And the Lorde went to, and called Samuel the thirde tyme. And he arose and went to Eli, and saide: I am here, for thou hast called me. And Eli percea∣ued that the Lord had called the childe.

9 Therefore Eli sayde vnto Samuel: Go and sleepe, and yf he call thee, then say: Speake Lorde, for thy seruaunt heareth thee. So Samuel went, and slept in his place.

10 And the Lorde came, and stoode and called as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel aunswered: Speake, for thy seruaunt heareth.

11 And the Lorde saide to Samuel: Be∣holde, I wyll do a thing in Israel, that both the eares of as many as heareth it shall d 1.570 tyngle.

21 In that day, I wyll rayse vp against Eli all thynges whiche I haue spoken concernyng his house: when I begyn, I wyll also make an ende.

13 I haue tolde hym * 1.571 that I wyll iudge his house for euer, for the wickednesse which he knoweth: For whē [the people] [unspec C] cursed his sonnes for ye same [wickednesse] he hath not corrected them.

14 And therfore I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli, that the wickednesse of Elies house shall not be purged with sa∣crifice nor offeryng for euer.

15 Samuel slept vntyl the mornyng, and opened the doores of the house of the Lorde: and Samuel feared to shewe Eli the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and sayde: Samuel, my sonne. And he aunswered: Here am I.

17 He saide: What is that the Lord hath saide vnto thee? I pray thee hyde it not from me: * 1.572 (e) 1.573 God do so to thee, & more also, if thou hyde any thyng from me of all that he sayde vnto thee.

18 And Samuel tolde hym euery whyt, and hyd nothyng from hym. And he saide: It is the Lord, let hym do what [unspec D] seemeth hym good.

19 And Samuel grewe, and the Lorde was with hym, and left none of his wordes “ 1.574 vnperfourmed.

20 And all Israel, from Dan to Beerse∣ba, wyst that faythfull Samuel was the Lordes prophete.

21 And the Lorde appeared againe in Silo: for the Lorde opened him selfe to Samuel in Silo, through the worde of the Lorde.

The .iiij. Chapter.

10 The arke of the Lorde is taken. 11 Eli and his chyldren dye.

[unspec A]

1 AND Samuel spake vnto all Israel: And Israel (a) 1.575 went out a∣gainst the Philistines to battell, and pitched besyde the * 1.576 Eben ezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphec,

2 And put them selues in aray against Israel: and when they ioyned the bat∣tell, Israel was smytten downe before the Philistines, and the Philistines slue of the armie in the fielde about a foure

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thousand men.

3 And when the people were come into their tentes, the elders of Israel sayde: (b) 1.577 Wherfore hath the Lorde caste vs downe this day before the Philistines? let vs fetch the arke of the appoyntmēt of the Lorde out of Silo vnto vs, that when it cōmeth among vs, it may saue vs out of the hand of our enemies.

4 And so the people went to Silo, and fet from thence the arke of the appoynt∣ment of the Lorde of hoastes, which (c) 1.578 dwelleth betweene the cherubims: And there wer the two sonnes of Eli, Hoph∣ni and Phinehes, with the arke of the appoyntment of God.

[illustration]

5 And when the arke of the appoynt∣ment of the Lorde came into the hoast, all Israel showted a mightie showte, so that the earth rang againe.

[unspec B] 6 And when the Philistines heard the noyse of the showte, they saide: What meaneth the sounde of this mightie showte in the hoast of the Ebrues? And they vnderstode howe that the arke of the Lorde was come into the hoast.

7 And the Philistines were afraide, and saide: God is come into the hoast. And they said againe:(d) 1.579 Wo vnto vs, for it was neuer so before this.

8 Wo vnto vs, who shall deliuer vs out of the hand of these mightie goddes? these are the goddes that smote the E∣gyptians with many plagues in the (e) 1.580 wildernes.

9 Be strong and quite your selues lyke men, O ye Philistines, that ye be no ser∣uaunts vnto the Ebrues, * 1.581 as they haue ben to you: Be of a manly corage ther∣fore and fight.

10 And the Philistines fought, and Isra∣el was smitten downe, and fled euery man into his tent: And there was an exceeding great slaughter, for there were ouerthrowen of Israel (f) 1.582 thirtie thousand footemen.

11 And the arke of God was taken, and the two sonnes of Eli, * 1.583 Hophni & Phi∣nehes, were dead.

12 And there ran a man of Beniamin [unspec C] out of the armie, and came to Silo the same day with his clothes (g) 1.584 rent, and earth vpon his head.

13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat vpon a stoole by the way side, wayting: for his heart feared for the (h) 1.585 arke of God. And when the man came into the citie, and tolde it, all the citie cryed.

14 And when Eli heard the noyse of the crying, he saide: What meaneth this noyse of the tumult? And the man came in hastyly, and tolde Eli.

15 Eli was .xcviii. yeres olde, & * 1.586 his sight failed, him that he could not see.

16 And the man said vnto Eli: I am he that came out of the armie, & fled this day out of the hoast. And he said: What thing is done my sonne?

17 The messenger aunswered, and said: Israel is fled before the Philistines, & [unspec D]

Page xxxix

there hath ben a great slaughter a∣mong the people, and thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehes are dead, and the arke of God is taken.

18 And when he made mention of the arke of God, Eli fell from of his stoole backward by the side of the gate, and his (i) 1.587 necke brake, and he dyed: For he was an olde man and heauy, and “ 1.588 iudged Israel fourtie yeres:

19 And his daughter in lawe Phinehes wyfe was with childe, and nye the * 1.589 birth: And when she heard the tidinges that the arke of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, the bowed her selfe, and tra∣uayled, for her paynes came vpon her.

20 And about the tyme of her death, the women that stoode about her, saide vn∣to her: Feare not, for thou hast borne a sonne. But she aunswered not, nor re∣garded it.

21 And she named the childe (k) 1.590 Icha∣bod, saying: The glorie is departed frō Israel, (because the arke of God was taken, and because of her father in lawe and her husband.)

22 And she saide againe: The glorie is gone from Israel, for the arke of God is taken.

The .v. Chapter.

2 The Philistines bryng the arke into the house of Dagon. 6 The men of Asdod are plagued. 8 The arke is caryed into Gath, and after to Acron.

1 AND the Philistines toke the arke of God, and caryed it from the Eben ezer vnto As∣dod.

2 Yea the Philistines toke the arke of God, and brought it into the house of (a) 1.591 Da∣gon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Asdod were vp in the next daye in the mornyng, beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the earth before the arke of the Lorde: And they toke Dagon, and set him in his place agayne.

4 And when they were come earlie in the next morning, beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the grounde be∣fore the arke of the Lorde, and his head and his two handes cut of vpon the thresholde, that onely the stumpe of Dagon was left to him.

5 And therfore is it, that the priestes of Dagon, neither any man that com∣meth into Dagons house, (b) 1.592 treade not on the thresholde of Dagon in Asdod, vnto this day.

6 But the hand of the Lorde was hea∣uie vpon them of Asdod, and he destroy∣ed them, and smote them with eme∣rodes, both Asdod, and all the coastes thereof.

[illustration]

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7 And when the men of Asdod sawe that it was so, they saide: The arke of the God of Israel shal not abide here with vs, for his hand is sore vpon vs, & vpon (c) 1.593 Dagon our God.

8 They sent therfore, and gathered all the lordes of the Philistines vnto them, and saide: What shall we do with the arke of the God of Israel? They aun∣swered: Let the arke of the God of Is∣rael be caryed about vnto Gath. And they caried the arke of the God of Is∣rael about.

9 And when they had caryed it about, the hand of the Lorde was agaynst the citie with a very great destruction, and he smote the men of the citie both small and great, and they had emerodes in their secrete partes.

10 Therfore they sent the arke of God to Acaron: and assoone as the arke of God came to Acaron, the Acaronites cryed out, saying: They haue brought the arke of the God of Israel to vs, to slea vs, and our people.

11 And so they sent, and gathered toge∣ther al the lordes of the Philistines, and saide: Send (d) 1.594 away the arke of the God of Israel, to go agayne to his owne place, that it slea vs not, and our people. For there was a destruction and death thorowout all the citie, and the hand of God was exceeding sore there.

12 And the men that dyed not, were smit∣ten with the emerodes: And the crye of the citie went vp to heauen.

¶The .vi. Chapter.

1 The time that the arke was with the Philistines, which they sent againe with a gift. 12. It commeth to Bethsames. 17. The Philistines offer golden emerodes. 19. The men of Beth∣sames are stricken for loking into the arke.

1 ANd the arke of the [unspec A] Lord was in the coun∣trey of the Philistines seuen monethes.

2 And the Philistines called for the priestes and the soothsayers, saying: What shall we do with the arke of the Lord? Tell vs wherewith we shall sende it home againe:

3 They sayde: If you send away the arke of the God of Israel, send it not emptie: but rewarde it with sinne (a) 1.595 offeryng, and then ye shall be whole, and it shall be knowen to you, why his hand departeth not from you.

4 Then sayd they: And what shalbe the sinne offering, which we shall re∣warde him with? They aunswered: Fiue golden emerodes, and fiue golden myce, accordyng to the number of the princes of ye Philistines: For one plague was on you all, and on your princes.

5 Wherfore ye shall make images lyke to your emerodes, & images like to your myce that corrupt the land, and ye shall geue glorie vnto the God of Israel, that he may take his hand from of you, and from of your (b) 1.596 goddes, and from of your land.

6 Wherfore do ye harden your heartes, as the Egyptians and Pharao harde∣ned their heartes? Which when he wrought wonderfullie among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7 Now therfore, make a newe cart, and take two melche kyne, on whom there [unspec B] hath come no yocke, and tye the kyne to the carte, and bring the calues home from them.

8 And take the arke of the Lorde, and lay it vpon the cart, and put the iewels of golde whiche ye rewarde him with for a sinne offering, in a coffer by the side thereof, and send it awaye, that it may go.

9 And if ye see that he go vp by the way of his owne coaste to Bethsames, then it is he that did vs this great euill: If no. we shall knowe then that it is not his hand that smote vs, but it was a (c) 1.597 chaunce that happened vs.

10 And the men did euen so: And toke two kyne that gaue milke, & tyed them to the cart, and kept the calues at home.

11 And they layde the arke of the Lorde vpon the cart, and the coffer with the myce of golde, and with the images of their emerodes.

12 And the kyne toke the strayght way to Bethsames, & went on the strayght way: and as they went, lowed, and turned neither to the ryght hande nor

Page xl

to the left: And the princes of the Phi∣listines went after them, vnto the (d) 1.598 borders of Bethsames.

13 And they of Bethsames were reaping their wheate haruest in the valley: And they lyft vp their eyes, and spied the arke, and reioyced when they sawe it.

[unspec C] 14 And the carte came into the fielde of one Iehosua, a Bethsamite, and stoode still ther. There was also a great stone: And * 1.599 they claue the wood of the carte, and offred the kyne a burnt offring vn∣to the Lorde.

15 And the Leuites toke downe the arke of the Lorde, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the f 1.600 iewels of golde were, and put them on the great stone: And the men of Bethsames sacrificed burnt sacrifice, and offered offeringes the same day vnto the Lorde.

16 And when the fiue princes of the Phi∣listines had seene it, they returned to A∣caron the same day.

17 And these are the golden emerodes which the Philistines gaue for a sinne offering to the Lord: for (g) 1.601 Asdod one, for Gaza one, for Ascalon one, for Gath one, and for Acaron one.

18 And golden myce, accordyng to the number of al the cities of the Philistines [belongyng] to the fyue lordes, both of walled townes, and of townes vnwal∣led, euen vnto the great [stone] of Abel, whereon they set downe the arke of the Lorde vnto this day, in the fielde of Iehosua the Bethsamite.

19 And he smote of the men of Bethsa∣mes, because they had (h) 1.602 loked in the arke of the Lorde, and he slue among the people fiftie thousand and three score and ten men: And the people lamented, because the Lorde had slaine the people with so great a slaughter.

20 Wherfore the men of Bethsames said: Who is able to stand before this holie Lorde God? And (i) 1.603 to whom shall he go from vs?

21 And they sent messengers to the inha∣bitaunts [unspec D] of Kiriathiarim, saying: The Philistines haue brought againe the arke of the Lord, come ye downe and set it vp to you.

The .vii. Chapter.

1 The arke is brought to Kiriathiearim. 3. Samuel exhorteth the people to forsake their sinne, and turne to the Lord. 10. The Philistines fight against Israel and are ouercome. 16 Samuel iudgeth Israel.

1 AND so the men of (a) 1.604 Kiriathiarim came and fet vp the arke of [unspec A] the Lorde, & * 1.605 brought it into the house of A∣minadab in the hyll, and sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the arke of the Lorde.

2 And while the arke abode in Kiri∣athiarim, the tyme was long, for it was twentie yeres: & all the house of Isra∣el (b) 1.606 lamented after the Lorde.

3 And Samuel spake vnto al the house of Israel, saying: If ye be come agayne vnto the Lorde with all your heartes, then * 1.607 put away the straunge gods and Astaroth from among you, and pre∣pare your heartes vnto the Lord, and serue him * 1.608 onely: For he shall ryd you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Israel dyd put away Baalim and Astaroth, and ser∣ued the Lorde onely.

5 And Samuel sayde: Gather all Isra∣el to (c) 1.609 Mispah, and I wyll praye for you vnto the Lord.

6 And they gathered together to Mis∣pah, and (d) 1.610 drewe water, and poured it out before the Lorde, and fasted the same day, and sayd there: We haue sin∣ned against the Lorde. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mis∣pah.

7 When the Philistines heard that the [unspec B] children of Israel were gathered toge∣ther to Mispah, the princes of the Phi∣listines went vp against Israel: And when the children of Israel hard that, they were afrayde of the Philistines.

8 And the children of Israel sayd to Sa∣muel:* 1.611 (e) 1.612Ceasse not to crye vnto the lord our God for vs, that he may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistines.

9 And Samuel toke a sucking lambe, and offered it altogether for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and cryed vnto the Lorde for Israel, and the Lorde heard him.

10 And as Samuel offered the burnt of∣fering,

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the Philistines came to fight a∣gainst Israel: But the Lorde thun∣dred a great thunder the same day a∣mong the Philistines, & scattered them, that they were slaine before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mispah, and pursued the Philistines, & smote thē vntill [they came] vnder Beth∣char.

12 And then Samuel * 1.613 toke a stone, and pitched it betweene Mispah &(f) 1.614 Shen, and called the name thereof Ebenezer, saying: Hitherto hath the Lorde helped vs.

13 And so the Philistines were brought vnder, and they came no more into the coaste of Israel: and the hande of the Lorde was against the Philistines all the dayes of Samuel.

14 Therto the cities which that the Phi∣listines had taken from Israel, were re∣stored to Israel euen from Acaron to Gath, and the coastes of the same dyd Israel deliuer out of the handes of the Philistines: And there was peace be∣tweene Israel and the (g) 1.615 Amorites.

15 Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life:

16 And went about yere by yere to Be∣thel, Gilgal, and Mispah, and iudged Israel in all those places.

17 And came againe to Rama, for there was his house, and there he iudged Is∣rael also, & there he buylt an (h) 1.616 aulter vnto the Lorde.

The .viii. Chapter.

1 Samuel maketh his sonnes iudges ouer Israel, who follow not his steps. 5. The Isralites aske a King. 11. Samuel declareth in what state they should be vnder the King. 19. Notwith∣standing they aske one still, and the Lorde willeth Samuel to graunt vnto them.

[unspec A] 1 WHen Samuel was old, he (a) 1.617 made his sonnes iudges ouer Israel.

2 The name of his el∣dest sonne was (b) 1.618 Io∣el, and the name of the seconde Abia, and they were iudges in Beerseba.

3 And his sonnes (c) 1.619 walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and * tooke rewarde, and peruerted the ryght.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathe∣red them together, and came to Samu∣el vnto Rama,

5 And sayd vnto him: Beholde, thou art olde, and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: Now therfore * 1.620 make vs a king to iudge vs, as all other nations [haue]

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, geue vs a king to iudge vs: And Samuel prayed vnto the lorde.

[unspec B] 7 And the Lorde saide vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they say vnto thee: For they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me a∣way, that I should not raigne ouer them.

8 And as they haue euer done sence I brought them out of Egypt vnto this day, and haue forsaken me, and serued other gods, euen so do they vnto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit yet testifie vnto them, & shewe them * 1.621 the maner of the king that shall raigne ouer them.

10 And Samuel tolde all the wordes of the Lorde vnto the people that asked a king of him,

11 And he said: This shal be the (d) 1.622 maner of the king that shall raigne ouer you, * he will take your sonnes and put them to his charets, and make his horsemen of them, to run before his charet.

12 And will make him of thē captaines ouer thousandes and ouer fifties, and will set them to eare his grounde, and to gather in his haruest, & to make in∣strumentes of warre, and thinges that serue for his charets.

13 And he will take your daughters, and [unspec C] make them appoticaries, cookes, and bakers.

41 And he shall take your fieldes, * 1.623 and your vineyardes, and your best oliue trees, and geue them to his seruauntes.

15 And he shall take the tenth of your seede, and of your vineyardes, and geue it to his eunuches, & to his seruauntes.

16 And he shal take your men seruauntes, and maide seruauntes, young men, and the chiefe of your asses, and put them to his worke.

17 And he shall take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruauntes.

Page xli

18 And ye shall crie out at that time, be∣cause of your king whiche ye shall haue chosen you, & the Lorde wil* 1.624 not heare you at that day.

19 Neuerthelesse, the people woulde not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, not so: But there shalbe a king ouer vs,

20 That we may be lyke other nations, and that our king may iudge vs, and go out before vs, and fight our battailes.

21 Therfore when Samuel hearde all [unspec D] the wordes of the people, he rehearsed them in the eares of the Lord.

22 And the Lord sayd to Samuel: Hear∣ken vnto their voyce, and make them a king. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel: Go euery man vnto his citie.

The ix. Chapter.

1 Saul seeking his fathers asses, by the counsell of his seruaunt goeth to Samuel. 9 The Prophetes called Seers. 15 The Lord reuealeth to Samuel Sauls comming, commaunding to annoynt him king. 22 Samuel bringeth Saul to the feast.

[unspec A] 1 THere was a man of Beniamin named Cis the sonne of * 1.625 Abiel, the sonne of Zeror, ye sonne of Bechorath, the sonne of Aphiah, the sonne of a man that was a Ieminite, b 1.626 mightie in power.

2 And the same had a sonne called Saul, a goodly young man and a faire, so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he: From the shoul∣ders vpwarde he was hygher then all the other people.

3 And the asses of this Cis Sauls fa∣ther were lost, and Cis sayd to Saul his sonne: Take one of the laddes with thee, and arise, go and seke the asses.

4 And he went through mount Ephra∣im, and passed through the lande of Sa∣lisa: but they founde them not. Then they went through the lande of Salim, and there they were not. When they went also through the land of Iemini, they found them not.

5 At the last, when they were come to the lande of * 1.627 Zuph, Saul sayde to his lad that was with him: Come, let vs returne, lest my father leaue caring for the asses, and take thought for vs.

6 He sayde vnto him: Behold, there is in this citie a man of God, & he is an ho∣norable man, all that he sayth, commeth suerly to passe: Now then let vs go thy∣ther, if so be he can shewe vs what way we may go.

[unspec B] 7 Then sayde Saul to his lad: If we will go, what shall we bring the man? For the * 1.628 bread is spent in our vessels, & there is no other present to bring the man of God: what haue we?

8 And the lad aunswered Saul againe, and sayde: Behold I haue found about me the fourth part of a (d) 1.629 sicle of siluer, that will I geue the man of God, to tell vs our way.

9 (Before time in Israel when a man went to seke an aunswere of God, thus wyse he spake, Come and let vs go to the (e) 1.630 Seer: For he that is now called a prophete, was in the olde tyme called a Seer.

10 Then sayde Saul to his lad, wel sayd of thee: Come, let vs go. And so they wēt vnto the citie where the man of God was.

11 And as they went their way vp the hil to the citie, they met with damosels that came out to drawe water, and sayd vnto them: Is there here a Seer?

12 And the maydens aunswered them, and sayd: yea, beholde he is before you, make hast nowe, for he came this day to the citie, for ther is an (f) 1.631 offring of the people this day in the hill.

13 When ye be come into the citie, ye shall finde him strayghtway yer he go vp to the hil to eate: for ye people wil not eate vntil he come, because he doth (g) 1.632blesse the offring, and then eate they that be bydden to the feast: Nowe therfore get you vp, for this day shal ye finde him.

14 And they went vp into the citie: And when they were come into the middes [unspec C] of the citie, beholde Samuel came out a∣gaynst them, for to go vp to the hill.

15 But the Lorde had tolde Samuel in his eare (a day before Saul came) saying:

16 To morowe this tyme I wyll sende thee a man out of the lande of

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Beniamin, him shalt thou annoynt to be captaine ouer my people Israel, that he may saue my people out of ye handes of the Philistines: for I haue loked h 1.633 vpon my people, and their (i) 1.634 crie is come vnto me.

17 When Samuel therfore sawe Saul, the Lorde aunswered him: See, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, this same shall raigne ouer my people.

18 Then went Saul to Samuel in the middle of the gate, and sayd: Tell me I pray thee where the sears house is?

19 Samuel aunswered Saul and sayd, I am the sear: Go vp before me vnto the hil, for ye shall eate with me to day, and to morowe I wil let thee go, and wil tel thee all that is in thyne k 1.635 heart.

20 And as for thyne asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them, for they are founde: And (l) 1.636 whose shall the beawtiful thinges of Israel be? Belong they not to thee, and vnto all thy fathers house?

[unspec D] 21 But Saul aunswered and sayde: Am not I the sonne of a Ieminite, of the smallest tribe of Israel? and my kinred is the lest of all the kinredes of the tribe of Beniamin? Wherfore then speakest thou so to me?

22 And Samuel toke Saul and his lad, and brought them into the m 1.637 parler, and made thē sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, whiche were vpon a thirtie persons.

23 And Samuel sayde vnto the cooke: Bring foorth the portion which I gaue thee, and of which I said vnto thee, kepe it with thee.

24 And the cooke toke vp the shoulder, & that which was n 1.638 vpon it, and set it be∣fore Saul. And Samuel sayd: Behold that which is left, put it before thee and eate: for hytherto hath it ben kept for thee, saying: Also I o 1.639 called the people. And so Saul dyd eate with Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come downe frō the hyghe place into the citie, Samuel communed with Saul vpon the (p) 1.640 top of the house.

26 And when they arose earely about the spring of the day, Samuel called Saul vpon the toppe of the house, saying: Vp, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out, both he and Samuel.

27 And when they were come almost out of the towne, Samuel sayde to Saul: Bid the lad go before vs (and he went before) but stande thou stil a whyle, that I may shewe thee the (q) 1.641 worde of God.

The .x. Chapter.

6 Saul is annoynted king by Samuel. 9 God chaungeth Sauls heart, and he prohe∣sieth. 19 Samuel assembleth the people, and sheweth them their sinnes. 21 Saul is chosen king by lot. 25 Samuel writeth the kings office.

[unspec A]

1 ANd thē Samuel toke a vessell of (a) 1.642 oyle, and powred it vpon his head, and * 1.643 kissed him, and sayd: Hath not the Lord annoynted thee, to be captaine ouer his (b) 1.644inheritaunce?

2 When thou art departed from me this day, thou shalt finde two men by (c) 1.645 Ra∣hels sepulchre in ye border of Beniamin, euen at Zalezah, and they wil say vnto thee, ye asses which thou wētest to seke, are found: And lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, & soroweth for you, saying: What shal I do for my sonne?

3 Then shalt thou go foorth frō thence, & shalt come to the “ 1.646 playne of Thabor, and ther shal meete thee three mē going vp to God to Bethel, one carying three kiddes, & another carying three loues of bread, & another carying a botel of wine.

4 And they wil “ 1.647 salute thee and geue thee two loues of bread, which thou shalt re∣ceaue of their handes.

5 After that, shalt thou come to the (d) 1.648 hil of God, wher is the garison of the Phi∣listines: And when thou art come thy∣ther to the citie, thou shalt meete a com∣panie of prophetes comming downe frō the hyghe place, with a psalter, a tim∣brell, a pype, & a harpe before them, and they shal prophesie.

6 And the spirite of the Lorde wil come vpon thee also, and thou shalt prophsie with them, & shalt be turned into ano∣ther man.

7 Therfore when these signes are come [unspec B] vnto thee, do what thou hast to do, for God is with thee.

Page [unnumbered]

[illustration]

8 And thou shalt go downe before me to Gilgal, and I also will come downe vnto thee to sacrifice burnt sacrifices, & to offre peace offringes: * 1.649 Tary for me seuen dayes till I come to thee, & shewe thee what thou shalt do.

9 And when he had turned his “ 1.650 backe to go frō Samuel, God gaue him another * 1.651hearte, and all those tokens came to passe that same day.

10 And when they came thyther to the hill, beholde, the companie of prophetes met him, and * 1.652 the spirite of God came vpon him, & he f 1.653 prophecied among thē.

11 And all that knewe him before, when they sawe that he prophecied among the prophetes, they sayd eche to other: what is this that is come vnto the sonne of Cis? * 1.654 Is Saul also among the pro∣phetes?

12 And one of the same place aunswered, and sayde: Who is their g 1.655 father? And therof came ye prouerbe: What is Saul also among the h 1.656 prophetes?

13 And whē he had made an ende of pro∣phecying, he came to the hyghe place.

14 And Sauls vncle sayde vnto him, and to his lad: Whyther went ye? He sayde, To seke the asses: And when we sawe [unspec C] that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

15 And Sauls vncle sayde: Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel sayd vnto you?

16 Saul aunswered his vncle: He tolde vs plainely that the asses were found. But of ye kingdome wherof Samuel spake, tolde he him not.

17 And Samuel called the people toge∣ther vnto the Lorde to Mispah,

18 And sayd vnto the children of Israel: Thus sayde the Lorde God of Israel, I brought Israel out of Egypt, and de∣liuered you out of the hand of the Egyp∣tians, and out of the handes of al king∣domes that troubled you.

19 And ye haue this day cast away your God, who onely deliuereth you out of al your aduersities and tribulations. And ye haue sayd vnto him: No, but make a king ouer vs. Nowe therfore stande ye before the Lorde by your tribes, & your thousandes.

20 And when Samuel had assembled to∣gether all the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Beniamin was (i) 1.657 taken.

21 When he had assembled together the [unspec D] tribe of Beniamin by their kinredes, the kinred of Matri was caught, and at the last Saul the sonne of Cis was caught: And when they sought him, he coulde not be founde.

22 Therfore they asked the Lord further, if the man should yet come thyther? And the Lord aunswered: Behold (k) 1.658 he hath hyd him selfe among the stuffe.

23 And they ranne and fet him thence, and when he stoode among the people, he was hygher then any of the people from the shoulders vpwarde.

24 And Samuel said to al the people: See

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ye not him whom the Lorde hath cho∣sen, and howe there is none lyke him a∣mong all the people? And all the people showted, and sayd: God “ 1.659 saue the king.

25 Then Samuel tolde the people the (l) 1.660 duetie of the kingdome, & wrote it in a booke, and laide it vp before the Lord, and sent all the people away, euery man to his house.

26 And Saul also went home to Gibea, and there folowed him a band of men, whose heartes God had touched.

27 But the children of Belial sayd: Howe shall he saue vs? And they despised him, and, brought him no presentes: And he (m) 1.661helde his tongue.

The xi. Chapter.

1 Nahas the Ammonite warreth against Iabes Gilead, who asketh helpe of the Is∣raelites. 6 Saul promiseth helpe. 11 The Ammonites are slayne. 14 The king∣dome is renued.

[unspec A] 1 THen (a) 1.662 Nahas ye Am∣monite came vp, & be∣sieged Iabes in Gile∣ad: And all the men of Iabes sayd vnto Na∣has, Make a couenaūt with vs, and we wilbe thy seruauntes.

2 And Nahas the Ammonite aunswe∣red them: In this will I make a coue∣naunt with you, if I may (b) 1.663 thrust out al your right eyes, and bring that shame vpon all Israel.

3 To whom the elders of Iabes sayde: Geue vs seuen dayes respite, that we may sende messengers vnto all ye coastes of Israel: and then if there be no man to deliuer vs, we will come out to thee.

4 Then came the messengers to Gibea of Saul, and tolde this tydinges in the eares of the people: And all the people lift vp their voyces, and wept.

5 And beholde, Saul came folowing the cattell out of the fielde, and Saul sayde: what alyeth this people that thei wepe? And they tolde him the tydinges of the men of Iabes.

6 And the spirite of God (c) 1.664 came vpon Saul when he heard those tydinges, & he was exceeding angrie.

[unspec B] 7 And toke a yoke of oxen, & hewed them in peeces, and sent them thorowout all the coastes of Israel by the handes of messengers, saying: Whosoeuer cōmeth not foorth after (d) 1.665 Saul and after Sa∣muel, so shal his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out “ 1.666 with one consent.

8 And whē he numbred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hun∣dred thousand men, and the men of Iu∣da thirtie thousande.

9 And (e) 1.667 they sayd vnto the messengers that came: So say vnto the men of Ia∣bes in Gilead, To morowe by that time ye sunne be hotte ye shal haue helpe. And the messengers came, and shewed it to the men of Iabes, which were glad.

10 Therfore the men of Iabes sayde: To morowe we will come (f) 1.668 out vn∣to you, and ye shall do with vs all that pleaseth you.

11 And on the morowe Saul put the peo∣ple in three partes, & they came in vpon the hoast in the morning watche, and slue the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: And they that remayned, were skattered, so that two of them were not left together.

12 And the people sayd vnto Samuel:(g) 1.669 Who is he that sayde, shal Saul raigne ouer vs? bring those men, that we may slay them.

13 And Saul sayde: There shall no man (h) 1.670 dye this day: For to day the Lorde hath saued Israel.

14 Then sayde Samuel vnto the people: Come, that we may go to Gilgal, and re∣nue the kingdome there.

15 And all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king there before the Lord in Gilgal, and there they offred (i) 1.671 peace offringes before the Lorde: And there Saul and al the men of Israel reioyced exceedingly.

Page xliii

The .xii. Chapter.

1 Samuel declaring to the people his integritie, reproueth their ingratitude. 19 God by miracle causeth the people to confesse their sinne. 20 Samuel exhorteth the people to folowe the Lord.

1 ANd Samuel sayd vn∣to [unspec A] al Israel: Beholde, I haue (a) 1.672 hearkened vnto your voyce in all that ye sayde vnto me, and haue made a king ouer you.

2 Nowe therfore, your king walketh be∣fore (b) 1.673 you: and I am olde and graye headed, and behold my sonnes are with you, & I haue walked before you from my childehod vnto this day.

3 Beholde here I am, beare recorde of me before the Lorde & before his (c) 1.674 an∣noynted: (d) 1.675 Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? whom haue I done wrong to? Whom haue I hurt? Or of whose hande haue I receaued any bribe, to blind myne eyes therwith? and I will restore it you.

4 They sayde: Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hande.

5 He sayd vnto them againe: The Lord is witnesse against you, and his annoyn∣ted is witnesse this day, that ye haue found naught in my handes. And they aunswered: He is witnesse.

6 And Samuel sayd vnto the people: It is the Lorde that (e) 1.676 made Moyses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the lande of Egypt.

[unspec B] 7 Nowe therfore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lorde, accor∣ding to all the righteousnesses of the Lorde, whiche he shewed both you and your fathers.

8 * 1.677After ye Iacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cryed vnto the Lord, * 1.678the Lord sent Moyses & Aaron, which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwel in this place.

9 * 1.679And whē they forgat the Lord their God, he solde thē into ye hand of Sisara * 1.680 captayne of the hoast of Hazor, * 1.681 & into the hande of the Philistines, and * 1.682 into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10 And they cryed vnto the Lord, & sayd: We haue sinned, because we haue forsa∣ken the Lord, and haue serued Baalim and Astharoth: Nowe therfore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee.

11 And ye Lord sent Ierobaal, (g) 1.683 * 1.684Bedan, * 1.685Iephthah, and * 1.686 Samuel, and deliue∣red you out of the handes of your ene∣mies on euerie side, and ye dwelled safe.

12 And for all that, when you sawe that Nahas the king of the children of Am∣mon came against you, ye sayd vnto me: Not so, but a king shall raigne ouer vs: when yet the Lord your God was your king.

13 Nowe therfore behold the king whom ye haue chosen, and whom ye haue desi∣red: lo, ye Lorde hath set a king ouer you.

14 If ye will feare the Lorde and serue [unspec C] him, and heare his voyce, & not disobey the worde of the Lorde, both ye and the king that raigneth ouer you, shall (h) 1.687 fo∣lowe the Lord your God.

15 If ye will not hearken vnto the voyce of the Lorde, but disobey the Lordes mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you, and on (i) 1.688 your fathers.

16 Now also stand, & see this great thing whiche the Lorde will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not nowe wheate hearuest? I will call vnto the Lorde, & he shal sende thunder & rayne, that ye may perceaue and see howe that your wickednes is (k) 1.689 great which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a king.

18 And so Samuel called vnto the Lord, and the Lorde sent thunder and rayne the same day: And all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly.

19 And al the people sayd vnto Samuel: Pray for thy seruauntes vnto the Lord thy God, that we dye not: for we haue sinned in asking vs a king, besyde all our [other] sinnes.

20 And Samuel sayde vnto the people, feare not (Ye haue in deede done al this wickednesse, yet (l) 1.690 depart not from folo∣wing of the Lorde, but serue the Lorde with all your heartes:

21 Neither turne ye away, for [then ye go] after vayne thinges, which are not able [unspec D] to profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie.)

For the Lorde will not forsake his

Page [unnumbered]

people, because of his great names sake: because it hath pleased the Lorde to make you (m) 1.691 his people.

23 Moreouer, God forbid that I shoulde sinne against the Lord, and ceasse pray∣ing for you: but I will shewe you the good and right way.

24 Therfore feare you the Lorde, & serue him in the trueth, and with all your n 1.692 heartes: & consider howe great thinges he hath done for you.

25 But and yf ye do wickedly, then shall ye perishe, both ye and your king.

The .xiii. Chapter.

3 The Philistines are smitten of Saul and Ionathan. 13 Saul being disobedient to Gods commaundement, is shewed of Samuel that he shal not raigne. 19 The great sla∣uerie wherin the Philistines kept the Israelites.

[unspec A] 1 SAul now had ben king (a) 1.693one yere (& he raig∣ned two yeres ouer Israel.)

2 And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel: Two thou∣sand were with Saul in Michmas and in mount Bethel, and a thousand with Ionathan in Gibea Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery man to his tent.

3 And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistines that was in the (c) 1.694 hill, and it came to the Philistines eares: And Saul blewe ye (d) 1.695 trumpet through∣out al the land, saying: Let the Hebrues heare.

4 And all Israel hearde say howe that Saul had destroyed a garison of ye Phi∣listines: wherfore Israel was had in abomination with ye Pilistines. And the people gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 The Philistines also gathered them selues together to fyght with Israel, thirtie thousand charettes, & sixe thou∣sand horsemen, with other people lyke the sand by the seas side in multitude, & came vp, and pitched in Michmas, east∣warde from (e) 1.696 Bethauen.

6 And when the men of Israel sawe it, they were in a strayte (and the people were in a distresse) & the people hyd thē selues in caues, and in holdes, and in rockes, and iin hye places, and in pittes.

[unspec B] 7 And some of the Hebrues went ouer Iordane to go vnto the land of (f) 1.697 Gad and Gilead: And Saul was yet in Gil∣gal, and all the people being afrayde, fo∣lowed him.

8 And he taried seuen dayes, euen vnto the time that Samuel had appoynted: But Samuel came not to Gilgal, and the people were therfore (g) 1.698 skattered from him.

9 And Saul sayde: Bring a burnt sacri∣fice to me, and peace offeringes. And he offered a burnt sacrifice.

19 And assoone as he had made an ende of offering the burnt sacrifice, beholde Samuel came, and Saul went against him, to “ 1.699 salute him.

11 And Samuel sayde: What hast thou done? Saul sayde: Because I sawe that the people skattered from me, and that thou camest not within the dayes ap∣pointed, and that the Philistines gathe∣red them selues together to Michmas:

12 Therfore sayde I, The Philistines shal come downe nowe vpon me to Gil∣gal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lord: I was bolde therfore, & offred a burnt offring.

13 And Samuel sayd to Saul: Thou art become a foole, thou hast not kept the commaundemēt of the Lord thy (h) 1.700 God which he commaūded thee: For at this time woulde the Lorde haue stablished thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

14 But nowe, thy kingdome shal not con∣tinue: The Lorde hath sought him a (i) 1.701 man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commaunded him to be cap∣tayne ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that whiche the Lorde com∣maunded thee.

15 And Samuel arose, & gate him vp from Gilgal (k) 1.702 in Gibea of Beniamin, and Saul numbred the people that were found with him, and they were about a sixe hundred men.

16 And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, & the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gibea of Benia∣min: but ye Philistines pitched in Mich∣mas.

17 And there came out of the hoast of the Philistines three cōpanies to destroye: one companie turned vnto the way that leadeth to Ophra vnto ye lande of Sual:

Page xliiii

18 And another companie turned the way to Bethoron: And the thirde com∣panie turned to the way of the coast that is seene aboue ye valley of Zeboim toward the wildernesse.

19 There was no smith founde through∣out all the lande of Israel: For the Phi∣listines sayde, Lest the Hebrues make them swordes or speares.

20 But all the Israelites went downe to [unspec B] the Philistines, to mende euery man his share, his mattocke, his axe, & weeding hooke.

21 Yet they had a file for the shares, for the mattockes, for the pickforkes, and [unspec D] for the axes, and for to sharpen to goa∣des.

22 And so in time of battel there was nei∣ther (l) 1.703 sword nor speare found in the handes of any of the people that were with Saul and Ionathan: But with Saul & Ionathan his sonne was there found.

23 And the garison of the Philistines came out, to go ouer vnto Michmas.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

14 Ionathan and his harnesse bearer put the Philistines to flight. 24 Saul bindeth the people by an othe, not to eate till euening. 32 The people eate with the blood. 38 Saul would put Ionathan to death. 45 The people deliuer him.

[unspec A] 1 THen on a time Iona∣than the sonne of Saul sayde vnto his young man that bare his har∣nesse: (a) 1.704 Come, & let vs go ouer to the Philisti∣nes garison that are yonder on the other syde: and he tolde not his father.

2 And Saul taried in the vttermost part of Gibea vnder a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the peo∣ple that were with him were vpō a sixe hundred men.

3 And Ahia the sonne of Ahitob, Icha∣bods brother, the sonne of Phinehes the sonne of Eli, was the Lordes (b) 1.705 priest in Silo, and ware an Ephod: And the peo∣ple wist not that Ionathan was gone.

4 And in the middes of the passage by which Ionathan sought to go ouer vn∣to the Philistines garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one syde, & a sharpe rocke on the other syde: the one called Bozez, and the other Sene.

5 The forefront of the one leaned north∣warde towarde Michmas, & the other was southward toward Gibea.

6 And Ionathan sayd to the young man that bare his harnesse: Come, and let vs go ouer vnto the garison of these vncir∣cumcised, it may be that the Lorde will worke with vs: for it is * 1.706 no hardnesse with the Lord to saue either in manie or in fewe.

[unspec B] 7 And his harnesse bearer said vnto him, Do all that is in thyne heart: Go where it pleaseth thee, behold I am with thee as thyne heart lusteth.

8 Then sayd Ionathan: Beholde, we go ouer vnto these men, and shall shewe our selues vnto them.

9 Yf they say on this wyse to vs, Tarie vntil we come to you: then we wil stand still in our place, & not go vp vnto them.

10 But and if they say, Come vp vnto vs: then we wil go vp, for the Lorde hath (c) 1.707deliuered them into our handes: And this shalbe a signe vnto vs.

11 And they both shewed them selues vn∣to the garison of the Philistines. And the Philistines sayde: See, the Hebrues come out of the (d) 1.708 holes where they had hyd them selues in. [unspec C]

12 And the men of the garison aunswe∣red Ionathan & his harnesse bearer, & sayd: Come vp to vs, and we will shewe you a thing. And Ionathan sayde vnto his harnesse bearer: Come vp after me, for the Lorde hath deliuered them into the hande of Israel.

13 And Ionathan clymed vp vpon (e) 1.709 han∣des and feete, and his harnesse bearer af∣ter him: And they fell before Ionathan, & his harnesse bearer slue the after him.

14 And that first slaughter whiche Io∣nathan & his harnesse bearer made, was vpon a twentie men, within the com∣passe as it were about an halfe aker of land which two [oxen plowe.]

15 And there was a feare in the hoast, in the field, & among al ye people: insomuch that they that were gone out of the gar∣rison to robbe, were afrayde also, & the (f) 1.710 earth trembled, for the feare that was sent of God.

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16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibea Beniamin, sawe: And behold, the mul∣titude were discomfited, & were smitten as they went.

17 Then sayd Saul vnto the people that was with him: Searche, and see who is gone away from vs. And when they had numbred, beholde, Ionathan and his harnesse bearer were not there.

18 And Saul sayd vnto Ahia: Bring hy∣ther the (g) 1.711arke of God. (For the arke of God was at time with the children of Israel.)

19 And while Saul talked vnto ye priest, the noyse that was in the hoaste of the Philistines spred farther abrode and en∣creased. And Saul sayd vnto the priest: (h) 1.712Withdrawe thyne hande.

20 And Saul ioyned him selfe vnto al the people that were with him, & they came [unspec D] to the battell, and behold * 1.713 euery mans sword was against his felow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

21 Moreouer, the Hebrues that were with the Philistines before that tyme, & were come with them into all partes of the hoaste, turned to be with the Is∣raelites that were with Saul and Io∣nathan.

22 And all the men of Israel also, whiche had hyd thē selues in mount Ephraim, assoone as they hearde howe that the Philistines were fled, they folowed af∣ter them in the battel.

23 And so the Lorde saued Israel that day: and the battel continued vnto Be∣thauen.

24 And when the men of Israel were kepte downe with hunger that day, Saul charged the people with an oth, saying: (i) 1.714 Cursed be the man that eateth any foode vntill night, till I be auen∣ged of myne enemies. And so none of the people tasted any sustenaunce.

25 And al they of the land came to a wood, where honie lay vpon the grounde.

26 And the people came into the wood: And behold, the honie dropped, and no man moued his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the (k) 1.715 oth.

27 But Ionathan hearde not whē his fa∣ther charged the people with the oth, wherfore he put foorth the ende of the [unspec E] rod that was in his hand, and dipt it in an honie combe, & put his hande to his mouth, and his (l) 1.716 eyes receaued sight.

28 Then aunswered one of the people, and sayde: Thy father made the people to sweare, saying: Cursed be the mā that eateth any sustenaunce this day. And the people were “ 1.717 faynt.

29 Thē sayd Ionathan, My father hath (m) 1.718troubled the lande: See howe myne eyes hath receaued sight, because I ta∣sted a litle of this honie:

30 Howe muche more then to day, if the people had eaten of the spoyle of their enemies whiche they found? And had there not ben then a muche greater slaughter among the Philistines?

31 And they smote the Philistines that day, from Michmas to Aialon: And the people were exceeding faynt.

32 And the people gat them to the spoyle, and toke sheepe, oxen, and calues, & slue them on the ground, and the people dyd eate them with the blood.

33 Then men tolde Saul, saying: Behold, the people sinne against the Lorde, in that they eate with the blood. And he sayde, Ye haue trespassed: Rowle a (n) 1.719 great stone vnto me this day.

34 And Saul sayde againe: Go abrode a∣mong the people, and bid them bring me euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eate, and sinne not against the Lorde in eating with the blood. And the people brought euery man his oxe in his hande that night, and slue them there.

35 And Saul made an aulter vnto ye Lord: [unspec F] And that was the * 1.720 first aulter that he made vnto the Lorde.

36 And Saul sayde: Let vs go downe af∣ter the Philistines by night, and spoyle them, vntil it be day in the morning, and let vs not leaue one man of them. And they sayde: Do whatsoeuer thou thin∣kest best. Then sayde the priest: Let vs (o) 1.721come hyther vnto God.

37 And Saul asked of God: Shall I go downe after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliuer them into the handes of Israel? But he aunswered him not at that time.

38 And Saul sayde: Let al the “ 1.722 chiefe of the people come hyther, and knowe and see by whom this sinne is done this day.

39 For as the Lorde liueth, whiche saued Israel, though it be in Ionathan my sonne, he shal dye the death. But there was no man among all the people that aunswered him.

40 Then he sayde vnto al Israel: Be ye on one syde, and I and Ionathan my

Page xlv

sonne will be on the other syde. And the people saide vnto Saul: What thou thinkest best, that do.

41 Therfore Saul saide vnto the Lorde God of Israel, geue a (p) 1.723 perfect lot. And Saul and Ionathan were caught: but the people scaped free.

[unspec G] 42 And Saul said: Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Iona∣than was caught.

43 Then Saul saide to Ionathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Iona∣than tolde him, and sayde: I tasted a li∣tle honie with the ende of the rod that was in myne hand, & lo, I (q) 1.724 must dye.

44 Saul aunswered: *God do so & more also to me, thou shalt dye the death Io∣nathan.

45 And the people said vnto Saul: Shal Ionathan dye, which hath so mightilie deliuered Israel? God forbid. As the Lord lyueth,* there shall not one heere of his head fall to ye ground, for he hath wrought with God this daye. And so the people deliuered Ionathan, that he dyed not.

46 And then Saul departed vp from fo∣lowing the Philistines: And the Phili∣stines went to their owne place.

47 And so Saul helde the kingdome ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, a∣gainst the children of Ammon, against Edom, against the kinges of Zoba, and against the Philistines: And whyther soeuer he turned him selfe, he put them to the worse.

48 And he gathered his hoast together, & smote the (r) 1.725 Amalekites, & rid Israel out of the handes of them that spoyled them.

49 The sonnes of Saul were, Iona∣than, (s) 1.726 Iessui, and Melchisua: And his two daughters were thus named, the elder was called Merob, and the youn∣ger (t) 1.727 Michol.

50 And the name of Sauls wife, was Ahinoa, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chiefe captaine, was Abner the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.

51 And * 1.728 Cis was Sauls father: & Ner the father of Abner, was the sonne of Abiel.

52 And there was sore warre against the Philistines all ye dayes of Saul: And (v) 1.729 whomsoeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and meete for the warre, he toke him vnto him.

The .xv. Chapter.

3 Saul is commaunded to slay Amalek. 9. He spareth Agag and the best thinges 19. Samuel reproueth him. 28. Saul is reiected of the Lorde, and his kingdome geuen to another, 33. Sa∣muel he weth Agag in peeces.

[unspec A] 1 SAmuel also saide vnto Saul:* 1.730 The Lord sent me to anoynt thee, to be king ouer his people, o∣uer Israel: Now ther∣fore (a) 1.731 hearken thou vn∣to the voyce of the wordes of the Lorde.

2 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, * 1.732 how they layed waite for them in the waye as they came vp from E∣gypt.

3 Nowe therfore go, and smyte Ama∣lek, and destroye ye all that pertaineth vnto them, and haue no compassion on them, * 1.733 b) 1.734 slay both man & woman, in∣fant and suckling, oxe and sheepe, camel and asse.

4 And Saul gathered the people toge∣ther, and* 1.735 numbred them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footemen, and ten thousand men of Iuda.

5 And Saul came vnto a citie of Ama∣lek, and “ 1.736 set watch in the brooke.

6 And Saul saide vnto the Kenites: (c) 1.737 Go, & depart, & get you downe from a∣mong the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed (d) 1.738 mercie to all the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. And so the Kenites departed from among ye Amalekites.

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Heuila, as thou commest to Sur, [unspec B] that lyeth before Egypt.

8 And toke Agag the king of the Ama∣lekites alyue, and vtterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sworde.

6 * 1.739But Saul and the people spared (e) 1.740 Agag, the better sheepe, and the fat∣ter oxen, and the lambes, and all that was good, & would not destroy them: But al that was foule & naught worth, that they destroyed vtterlie.

10 Then came the word of the Lord vn∣to Samuel, saying:

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11 It * 1.741 repenteth me that I haue made Saul king: For he is turned from me, & hath not perfourmed my commaun∣dementes. And Samuel was euill a∣payed, & cryed vnto the Lord all night.

[unspec C] 12 And whē Samuel rose early to meete Saul in the morning, it was tolde Sa∣muel that Saul was come to Carmel, and beholde, he hath made him there a place, and is returned, and departed and gone downe to (f) 1.742 Gilgal.

13 And Samuel came to Saul, & Saul said vnto him, Blessed be thou in the Lorde: I haue fulfilled the (g) 1.743 cōmaun∣dement of the Lord.

14 Samuel sayde: What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?

15 Saul aunswered, They haue brought them from the Amalekites: For the people spared the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen, to sacrifice them vnto the Lorde thy God, and the remnaunt haue we destroyed vtterlie.

16 Samuel said to Saul: Let me tell thee what the Lorde hath saide to me this night. And he sayd vnto him: saye on.

17 Samuel said: When thou wast (h) 1.744 li∣tle in thyne owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lorde annoynted thee kyng ouer Israel?

[unspec D] 18 And the Lorde sent thee on a iourney, and said: Go, and vtterly destroy those sinners the Amalekites, & fight against them vntyll thou destroy them.

19 And wherfore hast thou not hearke∣ned vnto the voyce of the Lorde? but hast turned to the praye, and hast done that which is wicked in the syght of the Lorde?

20 And Saul sayde vnto Samuel: Yea, I haue hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde, and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me vnto, & haue brought Agag the kyng of Amalek, and haue destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people toke of ye spoyle, sheepe, oxen, and the chiefest of the thynges whiche shoulde haue ben destroyed, to offer vnto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel sayde: Hath the Lorde as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerynges, as when the voyce of the Lorde is obeyed? Beholde, to obey, is better then sacrifice: and to hearken, is better then the fat of rammes.

23 For (i) 1.745 rebellion is as the sinne * 1.746 of witchcraft, and stubbernnesse is as the wickednes of idolatrie: Because thou hast cast away the worde of the Lorde, therefore he hath cast away thee also from being king.

24 And Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I [unspec E] haue sinned: For I haue gone farther then the saying of the Lorde and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.

25 Now therfore I pray thee take away my (k) 1.747 sinne, and turne agayne with me, that I may worship the Lorde.

26 And Samuel sayde vnto Saul, I wyll not returne with thee: For thou hast cast away the worde of the Lorde, and the Lord hath cast away thee, that thou shalt not be kyng ouer Israel.

27 And as Samuel turned hym selfe to go away, he caught the lappe of his coate, and it rent.

28 And Samuel sayde vnto hym: The [unspec F] Lorde hath rent the kyngdome of Is∣rael from thee this day, and hath geuen it to a (l) 1.748 neighbour of thine that is bet∣ter then thou.

29 The (m) 1.749 strength of Israel wyl not be∣guyle, nor repent: for he is not a man that shoulde repent.

30 He sayde, I haue sinned: But nowe honour me before the elrs of my peo∣ple and before Israel, and turne againe with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

31 And so Samuel turned againe, and folowed Saul: and Saul worshipped the Lorde.

32 Then sayde Samuel: Bryng you hy∣ther [unspec G] to me Agag, the kyng of the Ama∣lekites. And Agag came vnto hym dili∣cately, and Agag sayde: Truely the (n) 1.750 bitternesse of death is past.

33 And Samuel sayde: As thy sworde hath made women chyldlesse, so shall thy mother be chyldlesse aboue other women. And Samuel hewed Agag in peeces before the Lorde in Gilgal.

34 And then * 1.751 Samuel departed to Rama, and Saul went home to his house to Gibea Saul.

35 And Samuel came no more to (o) 1.752 see Saul, vntyll the day of his death: Neuerthelesse Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lorde repented that he had made Saul kyng ouer Israel.

Page xlvi

The .xvi. Chapter.

1 Samuel is reproued of God, and is sent to annoynt Dauid. 7. God regardeth the heart. 13 The spirite of the Lorde commeth vpon Dauid. 14. The wicked spirite is sent vpon Saul. 19. Saul sendeth for Dauid.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THE Lorde sayd vnto Samuel: Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, (a) 1.753 seing I haue cast him away from raigning ouer Israel? Fill thyne (b) 1.754 horne with oyntment, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlemite: for I haue prouided me a king among his sonnes.

2 And Samuel sayd: How can I go? For if Saul heare it, he will kill me. The Lord aunswered: Take an heyfer with thee, (c) 1.755 and saye: I am come to offer to the Lorde.

3 And call Isai to the offering, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt do: And thou shalt annoynt vnto me d 1.756 him whom I name vnto thee.

4 And so Samuel did as the Lord bade him, and came to Bethlehem: and the elders of the towne were * 1.757 astonyed at his comming, and saide: * Commest thou peaceably?

5 He aunswered: Yea, I am come to of∣fer vnto the Lorde: * 1.758 Sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the offe∣ring. And he sanctified Isai and his sonnes, and bade them to the offering.

6 And when they were come, he loked on Eliab, & saide: Surelye the Lordes (f) 1.759 annoynted is before him.

7 But the Lorde sayde vnto Samuel: [unspec B] Loke not on his fashion, or on ye height of his stature, because I haue refused him: For [God seeth] not as man seeth. For man loketh on the outward appea∣raunce, but the Lorde beholdeth the heart.

8 Then Isai called Abinadab, & made him come before Samuel, and he sayd: Neither hath the Lorde chosen this.

9 Then Isai made Samma come, and he sayd: Neither yet hath the Lorde chosen him.

10 Againe Isai made seuen of his sonnes to come before Samuel, and Samuel sayd vnto Isai: The Lorde hath cho∣sen none of these.

11 And Samuel sayde vnto Isai: Are heare all thy children? He sayde: There is yet a litle one behind, that kepeth the (g) 1.760 sheepe. And Samuel said vnto Isai, Sende and fet him: for we will not syt downe, till he be come hyther.

12 And he sent, and brought him in: And he was ruddie, and of an excellēt beaw∣tie, * 1.761 and wel fauoured in sight. And the Lorde said, Aryse & annoynt him: For 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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[unspec E] come downe to see the battel.

29 And Dauid sayde: And what haue I nowe done? is there not a (k) 1.762 cause?

30 And he departed from him into the presence of another, and spake of the same maner: and the people aunswered him againe, as before.

31 And they that heard the wordes which Dauid spake, rehearsed them be∣fore Saul, which caused him to be fet.

32 And Dauid sayde to Saul: Let no mans heart fayle him because of him: Thy seruaunt will go, and fight with yonder Philistine.

33 And Saul sayde to Dauid againe: Thou art (l) 1.763 not able to go against yon∣der Philistine, to fight with him: For thou art but a childe, but he is a man of warre euen from his youth.

34 Dauid aunswered vnto Saul: Thy seruaunt kept his fathers sheepe, & ther came * 1.764 a lion and likewise a beare, and [unspec F] toke a sheepe out of the flocke:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and toke it out of his mouth: And whē he arose against me, I caught him by the bearde, and smote him, and slue him.

36 And so thy seruaunte slue both the lion, and the beare: And trulie this vn∣circumcised Philistine shalbe as one of them, seing he hath rayled on the hoast of the liuyng God.

37 And Dauid spake moreouer: The Lord that deliuered me out of the hand of the lion, and out of the hande of the beare, he shal deliuer me also out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul sayd vnto Dauid: (m) 1.765 Go, and the Lorde [shall] be with thee.

38 And Saul put his rayment vpon Da∣uid, and put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and put a coate of mayle vpon him.

39 And gyrded Dauid with his owne sword vpon his rayment, and he assay∣ed to go, and because he neuer proued it, Dauid saide vnto Saul: I cannot go with these, for I haue not vsed my selfe thereto. And Dauid put them of him,

40 And toke his (n) 1.766 staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoth stones out of a brooke, and put them in a shepheardes bagge which he had, that is in a scrippe, and his sling was in his hande, and he went to the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came and drewe neare against Dauid, and the man that bare the shielde went before him.

42 And when the Philistine loked about & sawe Dauid, he disdayned him: for he was but young, ruddie & of a comly face.

43 And the Philistine sayd vnto Dauid: Am I a dogge, that thou commest to me with staues? And the Philistine (o) 1.767 cursed Dauid in ye name of his goddes.

44 And the Philistine sayde to Dauid: Come to me, and I wyll geue thy fleshe vnto the foules of the ayre, and to the beastes of the fielde.

45 Then sayde Dauid to the Philistine: Thou commest to me with a sword, a speare, & a shielde: But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hoastes, the God of the hoast of Israel, whom thou hast rayled vpon.

46 (p) 1.768This day shal the Lorde close thee into my hand, and I shall smite thee, & take thyne head from thee, & will geue the carkases of the hoast of the Phili∣stines this daye vnto the foules of the ayre, & to the beastes of the earth, that all they which be in the worlde, maye knowe that there is a God in Israel:

47 And all this congregation shal know that the Lorde saueth not with sword, [unspec G] & speare (For the battaile is ye Lordes) and he shall geue you into our handes.

48 And when the Philistine arose to come and drawe nye to Dauid, Dauid hasted, and ran to fight against the Phi∣listine,

49 And Dauid put his hand in his bagge, and toke out a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone suncke into his forehead,* 1.769 and he fell groueling to the earth.

50 And so Dauid ouercame the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and smote the Philistine, & slue him, euen when Da∣uid had no sword in his hand.

51 But Dauid ran and stoode vpon the Philistine, and toke his sword, and drue it out of his sheathe, & slue him, and cut of his head therewith. And when the Philistines sawe that their champion was dead, * 1.770 they fled.

52 And the men of Israel and of Iuda arose, and showted, and folowed after the Philistines, vntill they came to the valley, and vnto the gates of Acaron: And the Philistines fell downe woun∣ded by the way to Saaraim, euen vnto Gath, and Acaron.

Page xlviii

53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and spoyled their tentes.

54 And Dauid toke the head of the Phi∣listine, and brought it to Hierusalem, but he put his armour in his * 1.771 tent.

55 When Saul sawe Dauid go foorth a∣gainst the Philistine, he sayd vnto * 1.772 Ab∣ner the captaine of his hoast: Abner,(q) 1.773 whose sonne is this young man? Abner aunswered: As thy soule liueth (O king) I cannot tell.

56 And the king sayde: Enquire thou whose sonne the youngling is.

57 And whē Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner toke him, & brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58 And Saul sayde to him: whose sonne art thou, thou young man? Dauid aun∣swered: I am the sonne of thy seruaunt Isai the Bethlehemite.

The .xviii. Chapter.

3 The amitie of Ionathan and Dauid. 8. Saul enuieth Dauid for the prayse that the wo∣men gaue him. 11. Saul would haue slaine Dauid. 17. He promiseth him Merab to wife, but geueth him Michol. 27. Dauid deliuereth to Saul two hundred foreskinnes of the Philistines. 29. Saul feareth Dauid, seeing that the Lord is with him.

[unspec A] 1 ANd whē he had made an end of speaking vn∣to Saul, the (a) 1.774 soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of Da∣uid, and Ionathan lo∣ued him as his owne soule.

2 And Saul toke him that daye, and woulde let him go no more home to his fathers house.

3 Then Ionathan and Dauid made a couenaunt, because he loued him as his owne soule.

4 And Ionathan put of the robe that was vpon him, and gaue it to Dauid, and thereto his garmentes, euen to his sword, and to his bowe, and to his gyr∣del.

5 And Dauid went out whythersoeuer Saul sent him, and behaued him selfe (b) 1.775 wysely: And Saul set hym ouer his men of warre, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, & in the sight of Sauls seruauntes.

6 And as they came againe when Da∣uid [unspec B] was returned from the slaughter of the (c) 1.776 Philistine, the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and daūsing, to meete king Saul, with tim∣brels, with ioy, and with [instrumentes of] musicke.

7 And the women (d) 1.777 aunswered one a∣nother in their play, and sayde: * Saul hath slaine his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousand.

8 And Saul was exceeding (e) 1.778 wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he sayd: They haue ascribed vnto Dauid ten thousand, & to me but a thousande: and what can he more haue, saue the kingdome?

9 Wherfore Saul had an eye on Dauid from that day forwarde.

10 And on the morow, the euyll spirite sent of God came vpon Saul, and he (f) 1.779 prophesied in the middes of ye house: And Dauid played with his hand, like as at other tymes: & there was a iaue∣lyn in Sauls hand.

11 And Saul toke the iauelyn, and sayd: I will nayle Dauid to the wall with it. And Dauid auoyded out of his pre∣sence two times.

12 And Saul was afrayde of Dauid, be∣cause the Lorde was with him, & was departed from Saul.

13 Therefore Saul put him from him, [unspec C] and made him a (g) 1.780 captaine ouer a thou∣sand, and he went out and in before (h) 1.781 the people.

14 And Dauid behaued him selfe wisely in all his wayes, and the Lorde was with him.

15 Wherefore when Saul sawe that he was so exceeding wise, he was afrayde of him.

16 But all Israel and Iuda loued Da∣uid, because he went out and in before them.

17 And Saul sayde to Dauid: Beholde my eldest daughter Merob, her I will geue thee to wife: Onely be a valiaunt sonne vnto me, & fight the Lordes bat∣tayles. For Saul thought: Mine hand shall not be vpon him, but the hande of

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the Philistines shalbe vpon him.

18 And Dauid aunswered Saul: what am I? and what is my lyfe or the kyn∣red of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in lawe to the king?

19 Howbeit, when the time was come that Merob Sauls daughter shoulde haue ben geuen to Dauid, she was geuē vnto (i) 1.782 Adriel a Meholathite, to wife.

20 Howbeit, Michol Sauls daughter lo∣ued Dauid: and they shewed Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 And Saul sayde: I will geue him her [unspec D] that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be a∣gainst him. Wherefore Saul sayde to Dauid: Thou shalt this day be my sonne in lawe in the one of the twayne.

22 And Saul cōmaunded his seruaūtes to come with Dauid secretely, & to say: Behold, the king hath a fauour to thee, and all his seruaūtes loue thee: be now therefore the kinges sonne in lawe.

23 And Sauls seruauntes spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid. And Da∣uid said: (k) 1.783 semeth it to you a light thing to be a kinges sonne in lawe? seeing that I am a poore man, and of smal reputa∣tion.

24 And the seruauntes brought Saul word againe, saying: Of this maner spake Dauid.

25 And Saul sayde, This wise shall ye saye to Dauid: The king careth for no other dowry, but for an hundred fore∣skinnes of the Philistines, to be auenged of the kynges enemies. But Saul thought to make Dauid fall into the handes of the Philistines.

26 And when his seruauntes tolde Da∣uid these wordes, (l) 1.784 it pleased Dauid wel to be the kinges sonne in lawe: And the dayes were not expired.

27 Afterward Dauid arose with his men, and went and slue of the Phili∣stines two hundred men, and Dauid brought their foreskinnes, and m) 1.785 they gaue them wholly to the king, that he [unspec E] might be the kinges sonne in lawe:* 1.786 Wherefore Saul gaue him Michol his daughter to wife.

28 And Saul saw and vnderstoode how that the Lorde was with Dauid, and that Michol his daughter loued him:

29 And he was the more (n) 1.787 afrayde of Dauid, and Saul became alway Da∣uids enemie.

30 The Lordes of the Philistines vsed to go foorth, and whē they went foorth Dauid behaued him selfe more wysely then all the seruauntes of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

The .xix. Chapter.

2 Ionathan declareth to Dauid the wicked purpose of Saul. 11. Michol his wife saueth him. 18. Dauid commeth to Samuel. 23. The spirite of prophesie commeth on Saul.

[unspec A] 1 SAul spake to Ionathā his sonne, and to all his seruauntes, that they should (a) 1.788 kill Dauid.* 1.789

2 But Ionathā Sauls sonne had a great fa∣uour to Dauid, & Io∣nathan tolde Dauid, saying, Saul my father goeth about to slay thee: Nowe therfore I pray thee take heede to thy selfe vntyll the mornyng, and abyde in some secrete place, and hyde thy selfe:

3 And I wyll go out, and stande by my father in the fielde where thou art, and wyll commune with my father of thee, and whatsoeuer I see, I wyll tell thee.

4 And Ionathan spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, and sayde vnto him: Let not the king sinne against his seruaunt, against Dauid: for he hath not sinned against thee, and his workes haue ben to theewarde very good.

5 For he dyd *put his life in “ 1.790 his hande, and slue the Philistine, and the Lorde brought to passe a great health for all Israel: Thou sawest it, and thou re∣ioycedst: Wherfore then wilt thou sinne against innocent blood, and slay Dauid without a cause?

6 And Saul hearkened vnto the voyce of Ionathan, and Saul (b) 1.791 sware, as the Lorde lyueth he shall not dye.

7 And Ionathan called Dauid, & Io∣nathan shewed hym all those wordes: [unspec B] & Ionathan brought Dauid to Saul, & he was in his (c) 1.792 presence as in tymes past.

8 And the warre began againe, and Dauid went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slue them with a great slaughter, and they fled from hym.

9 And the euyl spirite of the Lorde was

Page xlxi

[illustration]
vpon Saul as he sate in his house, ha∣uing a iauelin in his hand: And Dauid d 1.793 played with his hand.

10 And Saul entended to smyte Dauid to the wall with the iauelyn: But he ryd him selfe out of Sauls presence, as he smote the speare into the walle: And Dauid fled & was saued the same night.

11 Saul also sent messengers vnto Da∣uids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: And Michol Da∣uids wyfe tolde it him, saying: If thou saue not thy selfe this night, to morowe thou shalt be slayne.

12 And so * 1.794 Michol e 1.795 let Dauid downe through a windowe: and he went and fled, and was saued.

13 And Michol toke an image, and layde it in the bed, & put a pillowe stuffed with goates heere vnder the head of it, and couered it with a cloth.

[unspec C] 14 And when Saul sent messengers to fetche Dauid, she said, he is sicke.

15 And Saul sent the messengers againe to see Dauid, saying: Bring him to me bed and all, that I may slay him.

16 And when the messengers were come in, behold there lay an image in the bed, with a pillowe of goates heere vnder the head of it.

17 And Saul sayde vnto Michol: Why hast thou mocked me so, and sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? Michol aunswered Saul: For he sayd vnto me, let me go, or els I will kill thee.

18 And so Dauid fled, and escaped, & came to Samuel to Rama, and tolde him all that Saul had done to him: And he and Samuel went and dwelt in (f) 1.796 Naioth.

19 And one tolde Saul, saying: Beholde, Dauid is at Naioth in Rama.

20 And Saul sent messengers to fet Da∣uid: And when they sawe a company of prophetes prophecying, & Samuel stan∣ding as (g) 1.797 appoynted ouer them, the spi∣rite of God fell vpon the messengers of Saul, and they (h 1.798prophecied to.

21 And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophecied lykewyse. And Saul sent messengers yet againe the third time, and they pro∣phecied also.

22 Then went he him selfe to Rama, and [unspec D] came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked and sayde: Where are Sa∣muel & Dauid? And one sayd: Beholde, they be at Naioth in Rama.

23 And he went thyther euen to Naioth in Rama, and the spirite of God (i) 1.799 came vpon him also, and he went prophecying vntill he came to Naioth in Rama.

24 And he stript of his clothes & prophe∣cied before Samuel in lyke maner, and fell naked al that day and all that night: And therof it is that they say, Is Saul also among the prophetes?

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The .xx. Chapter.

2 Ionathan comforteth Dauid. 3. They renue their league. 33 Saul would haue kil∣led Ionathan. 38 Ionathan aduertiseth Dauid by three arrowes, of his fathers fury.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Dauid fled from Naioth whiche is in Rama, and came, and said before Ionathan, What haue I done? wherin am I faultie? what is the sinne that I haue committed before thy father, that he seketh my lyfe?

2 He sayde vnto him: God forbid, thou shalt not dye: Behold, my father wil do nothing either great or smal, but that he will “ 1.800 shewe it me: And howe should my father hyde this thing from me? He will not do it.

3 And Dauid sware againe, and sayde: Thy father knoweth that I haue found grace in thyne eyes, & therfore he thinketh, Ionathan shall not knowe it, lest he be sory: And in very deede, euen as the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a a 1.801 steppe betweene me and death.

4 Then sayde Ionathan vnto Dauid: Whatsoeuer thy soule “ 1.802 desireth, that I will do vnto thee.

5 And Dauid sayd vnto Ionathan: Be∣holde, to morowe is the (b) 1.803 beginning of the moneth, and I should sit with the king at meate: But let me go, that I may hide my selfe in the fieldes vnto the thirde day at euen.

6 If thy father speake of me, then say: Dauid asked leaue of me, that he might go to Bethlehem to his owne citie, for there is holden a yerely feast for all the kinred.

[unspec B] 7 And if he say it is well done, then thy seruaunt shal haue peace: But and if he be angry, then be sure that wickednesse is vtterly concluded of him.

8 And then thou shalt shewe mercy vn∣to thy seruaunt for thou hast ioyned thy seruaunt into a (c) 1.804 couenant of the Lord with thee: Notwithstandyng, if there be in me iniquitie, slay me thy selfe? for why shouldest thou bring me to thy fa∣ther?

9 And Ionathan aunswered, God kepe that from thee: For if I knewe that wickednesse were d 1.805 concluded of my fa∣there to come vpon thee, woulde not I tel it thee?

10 Then sayd Dauid to Ionathan: Who shall tell me? howe [shall I knowe] if thy father aunswere thee cruelly?

11 And Ionathan sayde vnto Dauid: Come, and let vs go out into the fielde. And they went out both of them into the fielde.

12 And Ionathan sayde vnto Dauid: O Lorde God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers mynd, as this time to morowe, or within these three dayes, and if it be wel with Dauid, and I then sende not vnto thee, and shew it thee:

13 The Lord do so (e) 1.806 and muche more vn∣to Ionathan, But if my father haue pleasure to do thee euyll, I will shewe thee also, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace, and the Lorde be with thee, as he hath ben with my fa∣ther.

14 And [I require] not whiles I liue, [for [unspec C] I dout not] but thou wilt shewe me the mercie of the Lord, that I die not:

15 But [I require] that thou cut not of thy mercy from my house for euer, no not when the Lord hath destroyed the ene∣mies of Dauid, euery one from the face of the earth.

16 And so Ionathan made a bonde with the house of Dauid, [saying:] Let the lord require it at the handes of Dauids enemies.

17 And Ionathan sware againe vnto Dauid, because he loued him (For he loued him as his owne soule)

18 Then sayde Ionathan to Dauid: To morowe is the first day of the moone, and thou shalt be “ 1.807 missed, because the place where thou wast wont to sit, shall be emptie.

19 Therfore thou shalt hyde thy self three dayes, [then] thou shalt go downe quick∣ly, and come to the place where thou diddest hyde thy selfe when the busines was in hande, and shalt remayne by the stone“ 1.808 Esel.

20 And I wil shoote three arowes on the syde therof, as though I shot them at a marke,

21 And I wil sende a lad, and byd him go seke the arrowes. And if I say vnto the [unspec D] lad, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them: then come thou, for it is peace and no hurt, as the Lorde lyueth:

22 But and if I say vnto the lad, behold

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the arows are beyond thee, go thy way, for the e 1.809 Lorde hath sent thee away.

23 And as touching this which thou and I haue spoken, behold the Lorde be be∣tweene thee and me for euer.

24 And so Dauid hid him selfe in the fielde: And when the newe moone was come, the king sate him downe to eate meate.

25 And the king sate as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: And Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls syde, and Dauids place was emptie.

26 Neuerthelesse, Saul sayde nothing at all that day: For he thought, Some thing hath befallen him, f 1.810 though he were cleane.

27 But on the morowe, whiche was the second day of the newe moone, Dauids place was emptie againe: And Saul sayde vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wher∣fore commeth not that sonne of (g) 1.811 Isai to meate, neither yesterday nor to day?

[unspec E] 28 And Ionathan aunswered vnto Saul: Dauid asked licence of me to go to Bethlehem.

29 For he sayd: Let me go I pray thee, for our kinred doth hold an offering in the citie, and my brother hath sent for me: and therfore if I haue found fauour in thyne eyes, let me go I pray thee, and see my brethren. This is the cause that he commeth not vnto the kinges table.

30 Then was Saul angry with Iona∣than, and sayd vnto him: Thou (h 1.812 sonne of the wicked rebellious woman, do not I knowe that thou hast chosen the sonne of Isai vnto thyne owne rebuke, and vnto the rebuke and shame of thy mother?

31 For as long as the sonne of Isai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be sta∣blished, nor yet thy kingdome: Wherfore nowe send and fet him vnto me, for he is the childe of * 1.813 death.

32 And Ionathan aunswered vnto Saul his father, and sayde to him: Wherfore should he dye? what hath he done?

33 And Saul lift vp a speare to hit him, wherby Ionathan wist well that it was vtterly determined of his father to slay Dauid.

34 And so Ionathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eate no meate the seconde day of the moneth: for he was sory for Dauid, because his father had done him shame.

35 On the next morning, Ionathan went [unspec F] out into the fielde, at ye (k) 1.814 time appoynted with Dauid, and a litle lad with him.

36 And he sayde vnto his boy: Runne, and seke out myne arrowes whiche I shote. And as the boy ran, he shot an ar∣rowe beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place whyther Ionathan had shot the arrowe, Ionathan cryed after the lad, & sayd: Is not the arrowe beyond there?

38 And Ionathan cried after the lad a∣gaine: Make (l) 1.815 speede, haste, & stand not still. And Ionathans lad gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his maister.

39 But the lad wist nothing of the matter, only Ionathan an Dauid wist it.

40 And Ionathan gaue his (m) 1.816 instru∣mētes vnto the lad that was with him, and sayd vnto him: Go, and carry them to the towne.

41 And assoone as the lad was gone, Da∣uid arose out of a place that was to∣warde the south, & fel on his face to the ground, & bowed him selfe three times, And they kissed either other, and wept together, so long till Dauid (n) 1.817 exceeded.

42 And Ionathan sayd to Dauid, Go in peace: And the thinges which we haue sworne both of vs in ye name of the lord, saying, the Lord be betweene thee & me, and betweene thy sede & myne: let them stand for euer. And he arose, & departed: And Ionathan went into the towne.

The .xxi. Chapter.

1 Dauid fleeth to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. 6 He getteth of him the shewbread to satisfie his hungre. 7 Doeg Sauls seruaunt was present. 10. Dauid fleeth to king Achs, 13 and there faineth him selfe mad.

[unspec A] 1 THen came Dauid to a 1.818 Nob to Ahimelech the priest, and Ahime∣lech was astonied at the meeting of Dauid, & sayd vnto him: Why art thou alone and no man with thee?

2 And Dauid said to Ahimelech the priest: The king hath commaunded me a cer∣taine thing, and hath sayd vnto me, Let no man know wher about I send thee, and what I haue commaunded thee: And I haue appoynted my seruauntes to suche and suche places.

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20 And one of the sonnes of Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitob, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled to Dauid.

21 And Abiathar shewed Dauid howe that Daul had slayne ye Lordes priestes.

22 And Dauid sayde vnto Abiathar: I wist it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tel Saul: and I am cause of the death of all the persons of thy fathers house.

23 Abyde thou with me, and feare not: For he that seketh my lyfe, he shall seke thine also, with me thou shalt be in safe∣garde.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

5 Dauid chaseth the Philistines from Keila. 13 Dauid departeth from Keila, and remay∣neth in the wyldernesse of Ziph. 16 Ionathan comforteth Dauid. 28 Sauls enterprise is broken in pursuyng Dauid.

[unspec A] 1 THen they tolde Dauid, saying: Beholde, the Philistines fight a∣gainst (a) 1.819 Keila, and spoyle the barnes.

2 Therfore Dauid as∣ked counsell of the lord, saying: Shal I go and smyte these Phi∣listines? And the Lord aunswered vnto Dauid: Go, and smite the Philistines, and saue Keila.

3 And Dauids men said vnto him, See, we be afrayde here (b) 1.820 in Iuda: howe much more then if we come to Keila against the hoast of the Philistines?

4 Then Dauid asked counsell of the Lorde agayne. And the Lorde aunswe∣red him, and sayd: Aryse, and go downe to Keila, for I will deliuer the Phili∣stines into thyne hande.

5 And so Dauid and his men went to Keila, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattell, & smote them with a great slaughter, and so Dauid saued ye inhabitauntes of Keila.

6 And when Abiathar the sonne of Ahi∣melech [unspec B] fled to Dauid to Keila, he brought an (c 1.821 Ephod with him in his hande.

7 And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was come to Keila: And Saul sayde, God hath deliuered him into myne hande: For he is shut in, now that he is come into a towne that hath gates and barres.

8 And Saul called all the people toge∣ther to warre, for to go downe to Keila, and to besiege Dauid and his men.

9 And Dauid hauing knowledge that Saul imagined mischiefe agaynst him, sayde to Abiathar the priest: (d) 1.822 Bring the Ephod.

10 Then sayde Dauid: O Lorde God of Israel, thy seruaunt hath hearde that Saul is about to come to Keila to de∣stroye the citie for my sake:

11 Will the lordes of Keila deliuer me into his hande? And will Saul come downe, as thy seruaunt hath hearde, O Lorde God of Israel? I besech thee tell thy seruaunt. And the Lorde sayde: He wil come downe.

12 Then sayde Dauid: Will the lordes of Keila deliuer me and the men that are with me into the hand of Saul? And the Lorde sayde: They will deliuer thee vp.

13 Then Dauid, & his men, whiche were vpon a sixe hundred, arose and departed out of Keila, and went (e) 1.823whyther they coulde: And it was tolde Saul that Da∣uid was fled from Keila, and he let the iourney alone.

14 Dauid abode in the wildernesse in [unspec C] strong holdes, and remained in a moun∣tayne in the wildernesse of Ziph: And Saul sought him euery day, but God (f) 1.824 deliuered him not into his hande.

15 And Dauid sawe that Saul was come out to seke his lyfe: And Dauid was in the wildernesse of Ziph in the wood.

16 And Ionathan Sauls sonne arose and went to Dauid into the wood, and com∣forted his (g) 1.825 hande in God,

17 And sayd vnto him: Feare not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not finde thee, & thou shalt be king ouer Israel, and I shall be next vnto thee: and that doeth Saul my father knowe.

18 And they made a bond both of them together before the Lorde: And Dauid taried still in the wood, and Ionathan went to his house.

19 Then came the Ziphites to Saul to Gibea, saying: Doth not Dauid hyde him selfe fast by vs in strong holdes, in the wood in the hill of Hachila, on the right side of “ 1.826 Iesimon?

Nowe therfore O king, thou mayest come downe according to all the lust of thy soule, and our part shalbe to deliuer

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him into the kinges hande.

[unspec D] 21 And Saul sayde: Blessed are ye in the Lord, for ye haue compassion on me:

22 Go I pray you and prepare yet better, knowe and see where his b 1.827 foote hath ben, & who hath seene him there: for it is tolde me that he is very subtyll.

23 See therfore, and know al the lurking places where he hydeth him selfe, and come ye againe to me with ye certaintie, and I wil go with you: And yf he be in the * 1.828 lande, I will searche him out throughout al the thousandes of Iuda.

24 And they arose, and went to Ziph be∣fore Saul: But Dauid & his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the plaine that is on the right hande of Ie∣simon.

25 Saul also and his men went to seke him: And they told Dauid, wherfore he came downe vnto a rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of (k) 1.829 Maon: And when Saul heard that, he folowed after Da∣uid in the wildernesse of Maon.

26 And Saul and his men went on the one syde of the mountayne, and Dauid & his men on the other syde of the moun∣taine: And Dauid made haste to get frō the presence of Saul. For Saul and his men, compassed Dauid and his men round about, to take them.

27 But ther came a messenger to Saul, saying: Haste thee and come, for the Phi∣listines haue inuaded the lande.

28 Wherfore Saul returned from perse∣cuting Dauid, and went against the [unspec E] Philistines: And therfore they called that place, (l) 1.830 Sela Hanmahlekoth. And Dauid went thence, and dwelt in strong holdes at Engadi.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

1 Dauid hid in a caue, spareth Saul. 10 He sheweth to Saul his innocencie. 18 Saul ac∣knowledgeth his fault. 22 He causeth Dauid to sweare vnto him to be fauourable to his.

[unspec A] 1 WHen Saul was come againe frō folowing after ye Philistines, there were which told him, saying: Be∣hold, Dauid is in the wildernesse of (a) 1.831Engadi.

2 Then Saul toke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seke Dauid and his men in the heyght of the rockes “ 1.832where wilde goates remayne.

3 And he came to the sheepe coates by the way, where there was a caue, & Saul went in to “ 1.833 do his easement: And Da∣uid and his men remayned in the “ 1.834 in∣ward partes of the caue.

4 And the men of Dauid sayd vnto him: See, the day is come, of which the Lord sayde vnto thee, Behold I will deliuer thyne enemie into thyne hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seeme good in thy sight. Then Dauid arose, and cut of the lappe of Sauls garment priuily.

5 And afterwarde Dauids heart smote him, because he had cut of the lap of Sauls garment.

6 And he sayd vnto his men: The Lorde kepe me from doyng that thing vnto my maister the lordes annoynted to lay myne hande vpon him, seing he is the * 1.835annoynted of the Lorde.

7 And so Dauid kept of his seruauntes [unspec B] with these wordes, and suffred them not to rise against Saul: But Saul rose vp out of the caue, and went away.

8 Dauid also arose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying: My Lorde king. And when Saul loked behind him, Dauid stow∣ped [with] his face to the earth, and bow∣ed him selfe.

9 And Dauid sayde to Saul: Wherfore geuest thou an eare to mens wordes that say, beholde Dauid seketh euyll against thee?

10 Behold, this day thyne eyes haue seene howe that the Lord hath deliuered thee this day into myne hande in the caue: And some bad me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and sayd: I will not lay myne handes on my maister, for he is the Lordes annoynted.

11 And moreouer my father, beholde and see yet the lap of thy garment in my hand: Inasmuch as I killed thee not when I cut of the lap of thy garment, vnderstand therfore, & see that there is neither euyll nor wickednesse in me, and that I haue not sinned against thee: And yet thou huntest after my soule to take it.

12 The Lorde be iudge betweene thee and me, & the Lorde auenge me of thee: but myne hande be not vpon thee.

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was mery within hym, for he was very drunken: Wherfore she tolde (n) 1.836 him no∣thyng neither lesse nor more, vntyll the morowe mornyng.

[unspec F] 37 But in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal, his wyfe tolde him these wordes, and his heart dyed within him, and he became as a stone.

38 And vpon a ten dayes after, the Lord smote Nabal, that he dyed.

39 And when Dauid heard that Nabal was dead, he sayd: Blessed be the Lord that hath “ 1.837 iudged ye cause of my rebuke of the hand of Nabal, & hath kept his seruaunt from euill: For the Lord hath recompenced the wickednes of Nabal vpon his owne head. And Dauid sent to commune with Abigail, to take her to his wyfe.

40 And when the seruauntes of Dauid were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, saying: Dauid sent vs vnto thee, to take thee to his wyfe. And she arose, & bowed her selfe on her face to the earth, and saide: Beholde, let thy handmayd be a seruaunt, to washe the feete of the seruauntes of my lorde.

41 And Abigail hasted, and arose, & gate her vpon an Asse, with fiue damosels of hers that (o) 1.838 went at her feete, and she went after the messengers of Dauid, & became his wyfe.

42 Dauid also toke Ahinoam of Iezra∣el, and they were both his wyues.

43 But Saul had geuen* 1.839 Michol his daughter, Dauids wyfe, to Phalti the sonne of Lais, which was of (p) 1.840 Gallim.

¶The .xxvi. Chapter.

1 Dauid was discouered vnto Saul by the Ziphites. 12. Dauid taketh away Sauls speare, and a cruse of water that stoode at his head. 21. Saul confesseth his sinne.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THE Ziphites came a∣gaine vnto Saul to Gibea, saying: Doth not Dauid hide him selfe in the “ 1.841 hill of Ha∣chila, which is before “ 1.842 Iesimon?

2 Saul arose, & went downe to the wil∣dernes of Ziph, hauing three thousand (a) 1.843chosen men of Israel with him, for to seke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph.

3 And Saul pitched in the hil of Hachilia, which is before Iesimon by the way side: But Dauid dwelt in the wilder∣nesse, and he sawe that Saul came after him into the wildernesse:

4 Dauid therefore sent out spies, & vn∣derstoode that Saul was come in very deede.

5 And Dauid arose, & came to the place where Saul had pitched: & Dauid be∣held the place where Saul lay, & Abner the sonne of Ner which was his chiefe captayne: for Saul lay in the fort, & the people pytched rounde about him.

Page liiii

6 Then aunswered Dauid, and spake to Ahimelech the Hethite, and to Abisai the sonne of Zaruia, & brother to Ioab, saying: Who wyll go downe with me to Saul to the hoast? And Abisai saide: I wyll go downe with thee.

[unspec B] 7 And so Dauid and Abisai came downe to the people by night, and behold Saul lay sleepyng within the fort, and his speare stacke in ye grounde at his * 1.844 head: but Abner and the people lay rounde about hym.

8 Then saide Abisai to Dauid, God hath closed thyne enemie into thyne hand thys day: Nowe I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth, & I will not (b) 1.845 smite him the second tyme.

9 And Dauid saide to Abisai, Destroye him not: For who can laye his hand on the Lordes annoynted, and be giltlesse?

10 And Dauid sayd furthermore: As the Lorde lyueth, the Lorde shall smyte him or his day shall come to dye, or he shall descend into battaile, and perishe.

11 The Lorde kepe me from laying myne hand vpon the Lordes annoyn∣ted: But I praye thee take thou nowe the speare that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let vs go.

12 And so Dauid toke the speare and the cruse of water from Sauls head, and they gat them away, and no man sawe it, nor marked it, neither awaked: For they were all asleepe, because the “ 1.846 Lorde had sent a dead sleepe vpon thē.

13 Then Dauid went ouer to the other syde, and stoode on the toppe of an hill a farre of (a great space being betweene them:)

[unspec C] 14 And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying: “ 1.847 Hea∣rest thou not Abner? Abner aunswered and sayd: Who art thou that cryest to the king?

15 And Dauid sayde to Abner: Art not thou a (c) 1.848 man? and who is lyke to thee in Israel? Wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lorde the king? For there came one of the folke in to destroye the king thy lorde.

16 It is not well done of thee: As the Lorde lyueth, * 1.849 ye are “ 1.850 worthy to dye, because ye haue not kept the Lordes annoynted: And nowe see where the kinges speare is, and the cruse of wa∣ter that was at his head.

17 And Saul knew Dauids voyce, and sayd: * 1.851 Is this thy voyce my sonne Da∣uid? And Dauid sayde: It is my voyce my lorde, O king.

18 And he sayde: Wherefore doth my lorde thus persecute his seruaunt? for what haue I done? or what euyll is in myne hand?

19 Nowe therefore I praye thee, let [unspec D] my lorde the king heare the wordes of his seruaunt: If the Lorde haue stir∣red thee vp against me, (d) 1.852 let him smell the sauour of a sacrifice: But and if they be the (e) 1.853 children of men, cursed are they before the Lorde, for they haue cast me out this day from abidyng in the inhe∣ritaunce of the Lorde, (f) 1.854 saying: Go, serue other goddes.

20 Now therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lorde: For the king of Israel is come out to seeke a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountaynes.

21 Then saide Saul, I haue sinned: Come agayne my sonne Dauid, for I will do thee no more harme, because my soule was (g) 1.855precious in thyne eyes this day: Beholde, I haue played the foole, and haue erred exceedinly.

22 And Dauid aunswered and said: Be∣holde the kinges speare, let one of the young men come ouer and fet it.

23 The Lorde rewarde euery man ac∣cording to his righteousnes, and fayth∣fulnesse: For the Lorde deliuered thee into my hand this day, but I would not lay mine hand vpon the Lordes an∣noynted.

24 And behold, like as thy life was much set by this day in myne eyes: so be my lyfe set by in the eyes of the Lorde, that he deliuer me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul saide to Dauid: Blessed art thou my sonne Dauid, for thou shalt do great thinges and preuaile. And so Dauid went his way, and Saul tur∣ned to his place agayne.

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The .xxvii. Chapter.

2 Dauid fleeth to Achis king of Gath, who geueth him Ziklag. 8. Dauid destroyeth certayne of the Philistines. 10. Achis is deceaued by Dauid.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Dauid sayd in his heart, I shall perishe one day by the hand of Saul: therefore is there nothing better for me, then to flee and saue my self in the land of the Philistines, and Saul shall ceasse and seeke me no more in all the coastes of Israel, and so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 And Dauid arose, and he and the sixe hundred men that were with him, went vnto Achis the sonne of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And Dauid dwelt with Achis at Gath, both he and his men, euery man with his housholde, and Dauid with his two wiues, Ahinoam the Iezra∣helite, and Abigail Nabals wyfe the Carmelite.

[unspec B] 4 And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was fled to Gath, and he sought no more for him.

5 And Dauid sayde vnto Achis: If I haue now founde grace in thyne eyes, (a) 1.856 let them geue me a place in some towne in ye countrey, that I may dwell there: For why should thy seruaunt dwell in the head citie of the kingdome with thee?

6 Then Achis gaue him (b) 1.857 Ziklag that same day, for which cause Ziklag per∣tayneth vnto the kinges of Iuda vnto this day.

7 And the tyme that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines, was foure monethes, and certaine dayes.

8 And Dauid and his men went vp and [unspec C] inuaded the Gesurites, the Gerzites, & the Amalekites: For those natiōs were from the beginnyng the inhabitauntes of the lande, as men go to Sur, vnto the land of Egypt.

9 And Dauid smote the lande, & left nei∣ther man nor woman alyue, and droue away the sheepe, the oxen, the asses, ca∣melles, and clothes, and returned, and came to Achis.

10 And Achis saide: Where haue ye ben a rouing this day? And Dauid aunswe∣red: Against the south of Iuda, and a∣gainst the south of the (c) 1.858 Ierameelites, [unspec D] and against the south of the (d) 1.859 Kenites.

11 And Dauid saued neither man nor woman alyue to bring to Gath, saying: lest they should tell on vs, saying, so dyd Dauid, and so will be his maner all the whyle he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.

12 And Achis beleued Dauid, saying: He hath made his people Israel vtterly to abhorre him, & therefore he shalbe my seruaunt for euer.

The .xxviii. Chapter.

2 Dauid hath the chiefe charge promysed about Achis. 8. Saul consulteth with a witch, and she causeth him to speake with Samuel. 18. Who declareth his ruine.

[unspec A] 1 ANd in those dayes, the Philistines gathered theyr hoast together to warre, to fight with Israel: And Achis sayd to Dauid, Be sure thou shalt go out with me to battayle, thou and the men that are with thee.

2 And Dauid sayde to Achis: Surelie thou shalt knowe what thy seruaunt can do. And Achis said to Dauid: Then I will make thee keper of my head for euer.

3 Samuel was then dead, and all Is∣rael had lamented him, and buried him in Rama his owne citie: And Saul had put (a) 1.860 away the sorcerers, and the sooth∣sayers out of the land.

4 And the Philistines gathered toge∣ther, and came, and pytched in Sunem: And Saul gathered all Israel toge∣ther, and they pytched in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul sawe the hoast of the Philistines, he was afrayde, & his heart was sore astonied.

6 And when Saul asked councell of the Lorde, the Lorde aunswered him not, [unspec B] neither by dreames, nor by Vrim, nor yet by prophetes.

Page lv

[unspec B] 7 Then sayd Saul vnto his seruaūtes: Seeke me a woman that hath a famili∣er spirite, that I may go to her, and aske of her. And his seruauntes sayd to him: Beholde, there is a woman that hath a familier spirite at Endor.

8 And Saul chaunged him selfe, and put on other rayment, and then went he & two men with him, and they came to the woman by nyght, and he sayde: I pray thee coniecture vnto me by the fa∣milier spirite, & bring me him vp whom I shall name vnto thee.

9 And the woman saide vnto him: Be∣holde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorce∣rers, and the soothsayers out of the land: Wherfore then layest thou a snare for my soule, to cause me to die?

10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying: As the Lorde lyueth, there shall no harme come to thee for this thyng.

11 Then saide the woman: Whom shall I fetch vp vnto thee? He aunswered: Bring me vp Samuel.

12 When the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and spake to Saul, saying: Why hast thou deceaued me? for thou art Saul.

[unspec C] 13 And the king saide vnto her: Be not a∣frayd: What sawest thou? The woman saide vnto Saul: I sawe * 1.861 gods ascen∣ding vp out of the earth.

14 He saide vnto her againe: What fashi∣on is he of? She aunswered: There cō∣meth vp an olde man with a mantel vp∣on him. And Saul perceaued that it was (b) 1.862 Samuel, and he stowped with his face to the ground, and bowed him selfe.

15 And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou vnquieted me, to make me be brought vp? Saul aunswered: I am sore encumbred, for ye Philistines make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and aunswereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreames: And therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest (c) 1.863 tell me what I shall do.

16 Then saide Samuel: Wherefore doest thou aske of me, while the Lord is gone from thee, and is become thyne enemie?

17 Trulie the Lord hath done to (d 1.864 him, euen as he spake by my * 1.865 hand: * For the Lorde hath rent the kingdome out of thyne hand, and geuen it thy neygh∣bour Dauid.

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this vnto thee this day.

19 And moreouer, the Lord will deliuer [unspec D] Israel with thee into the handes of the Philistines:* To morrowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be (e) 1.866 with me, and the Lorde shall geue the hoast of Israel in∣to the handes of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul fell straightway all a∣long on the earth, and was sore (f) 1.867 a∣frayde because of the wordes of Sa∣muel. And there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 And the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe that he was sore troubled, & sayde vnto him: See, thyne handmayde hath obeyed thy voyce, * 1.868 & (g) 1.869 haue put my soule in my hand, and haue hearkened vnto thy wordes which thou sayedst vnto me.

22 Nowe therefore I pray thee hearken thou also vnto the voyce of thyne hand∣mayde, and let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eate, and get thee strength, & then go on thy iour∣ney.

23 He refused, and sayde: I will not eate. But his seruauntes and the woman to∣gether compelled him, and he hearke∣ned vnto their voyce: And so he arose from the earth, and sat on a bed.

24 The woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted and killed it, and tooke floure and kneded it, and did bake vnleauened bread thereof:

25 And brought them before Saul, and before his seruauntes: And when they had eaten, they stoode vp, & went away the same night.

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The .xxix. Chapter.

4 The princes of the Philistines cause Dauid to be sent backe from the battaile against Israel, because they mistrusted him.

[unspec A] 1 SO the Philistines were gathered together with all their armies in A∣phec: and the Israelites pytched by “ 1.870 Ain, which is in Iezrael.

2 And the “ 1.871 princes of the Philistines went foorth by (a) 1.872 hun∣dreds and thousandes: But Dauid and his men came behinde with Achis.

3 Thē sayd the princes of the Philistines, what do these Ebrues [here]? Achis said vnto the princes of the Philistines: Is not this Dauid, the seruaunt of Saul the king of Israel, which hath ben with me these dayes, or these yeres, and I haue found no fault in him, since he fell vnto me, vnto this day?

4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with hym, and the princes of the Philistines sayde vnto hym: Make this felowe returne, that he may go againe to his place which thou hast appoynted hym, and let hym not go downe with vs to battayle, lest in the battayle he be an aduersarie to vs: For wherewith shoulde he obtayne the fauour of his maister? shoulde it not be with the (b) 1.873 heades of these men?

5 Is not this Dauid, to whom they sang in daunces, saying: Saul slue his thousande, & Dauid his ten thousande?

6 Then Achis called Dauid, and sayde vnto him: As the Lorde lyueth, thou hast ben honest, and good in my sight, when thou (c) 1.874 wentest out and in with me in the hoast, neither haue I founde euyll with thee sence thou camest to me, vnto this day: Neuerthelesse, the “ 1.875 prin∣ces fauour thee not.

7 Wherefore nowe returne, and go in [unspec B] peace, that thou displease not the princes of the Philistines.

8 And Dauid sayde vnto Achis: And what haue I done? what hast thou founde in thy seruaunt as long as I haue ben with thee vnto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lorde the king?

9 Achis aunswered and sayd to Dauid: I know that thou art (d) 1.876 good in my sight, as an angell of God: Notwith∣standing, the princes of the Philistines haue sayde, Let him not go vp with vs to battaile.

10 Wherefore now ryse vp earlie in the morning with thy (e) 1.877 maisters seruaūtes that are come to thee: and whē ye be vp earlie, assoone as ye haue lyght, de∣parte.

11 And so Dauid & his men rose vp ear∣lie, to depart in the morning, and to re∣turne into the land of the Philistines: And the Philistines wēt vp to Iezrael.

¶ The .xxx. Chapter.

1 The Amalekites burne Ziklag. 5. Dauids two wiues are taken prisoners. 6. The people would stone him. 8. He asked councell of the Lorde, and pursuing his enemies, recouereth the pray. 24. He deuideth it equally. 26. And sendeth part to his frendes.

[unspec A] 1 BVt when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag the third day, the Amalekites had inuaded vppon the south, euen vnto Zik∣lag, and had(a) 1.878 smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fyre.

2 And had taken the women that were therein prisoners, both small and great: but slue not a man, saue carryed them away, and went their wayes.

3 So Dauid and his men came to the citie, and beholde it was burnt with fyre: and their wiues, their sonnes, and their daughters were taken prisoners.

4 Then Dauid & the people that were with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more.

5 And Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Iezrahe∣lite, and Abigail the wyfe of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And Dauid was in great cumbraunce:

Page lvi

For the people (b) 1.879 entended to stone him, because the heartes of all ye people were vexed euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters: But Dauid toke a good [unspec B] courage to him in the Lorde his God,

7 And * 1.880 sayde to Abiathar the priest A∣himelechs sonne: I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

8 And Dauid asked councel at the Lord, saying: Shall I follow after this com∣pany? shall I ouertake them? And he aunswered him: Folowe, for thou shalt suerlie ouertake them, and (c) 1.881 recouer all.

9 So Dauid and the sixe hundred men that were with him, went and came to the ryuer Besor, where a parte of them abode.

10 But Dauid and foure hundred men folowed: (For two hundred abode be∣hinde, being to weery to go ouer the ry∣uer Besor)

11 And they founde an Egyptian in the fielde, and brought him to Dauid,* 1.882 and gaue him bread, & he did eate, and wa∣ter to drinke.

12 And gaue him a fewe fygges, and two clusters of reasinges: And when he had eaten, his spirite came againe to him: For he had eaten no bread nor druncke any water in three dayes and three [unspec C] nightes.

13 And Dauid said vnto him: To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? He sayd: I am a young man of Egypt, and seruaunt to an Amalekite, and my maister left me, because three dayes a∣gone I fell sicke.

14 We came a rouyng vpon the south of Chretus, and vpon the [coast] belonging to Iuda, and toward the south of Ca∣leb, and we burnt Ziklag with fyre.

15 And Dauid saide to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: (d) 1.883 Sweare vnto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliuer me in∣to the handes of my maister, and I will bring thee to this company.

16 And when he had brought him thy∣ther, beholde they laye scattered abrode vpon all the earth, (e) 1.884 eating, and dryn∣king, & daunsing, because of al the great praye that they had carried away out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Iuda.

17 And Dauid layde vpon them from the twylight, euen vnto the euening of the next morowe: so that there esca∣ped not a man of them, saue foure hun∣dred young men which rode vpon cam∣mels, and fled.

18 And Dauid recouered all that the A∣malekites had carryed away, and Da∣uid reseued his two wyues:

19 So that there was nothing lacking to them, small or great, sonne or daugh∣ter, or of the spoyle of all that they had [unspec D] taken away, Dauid recouered them all.

20 And Dauid tooke all the sheepe, and the oxen, and they draue them before his cattaile, and saide: This is Dauids (f) 1.885 pray.

21 And Dauid came to the two hundred men, that were to weery for to folowe Dauid, whom they had made also to a∣byde at the ryuer Besor: And they came to meete Dauid & the people that were with him: And when Dauid came to the people, he saluted them.

22 Then aunswered all the wicked and the vnthryftes of the men that went with Dauid, and saide: Because they went not with vs, therfore wil we geue them none of the pray that we haue re∣couered: But let euery man take his wife and his children, those let them carry away and departe.

23 Then sayd Dauid: Ye shall not do so my brethren with that which the Lord hath geuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and delyuered the company that came against vs, into our handes.

24 For who will hearkē vnto you in this matter?* But as his parte is that goeth downe and fighteth, so shall his parte be that tarryeth by the stuffe: they shall parte alyke.

25 And so from that day forward, was [unspec E] that made a statute and lawe in Israel, vnto this day,

26 When Dauid therefore came to Zik∣lag, he sent (g) 1.886 of the pray vnto the elders of Iuda and to his friendes, saying: See, there is a blessing for you of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lorde.

27 He sent to them of Bethel, to them of south Ramoth, to them of Iathir,

28 To them of Aroer, to them of Se∣phamoth, to them of Esthema,

29 To them of Rachal, to them of the cities of Jerahmeel, to them of the cities of the Kenites,

30 To them of Horma, to them of Chor∣ashan,

Page [unnumbered]

to them of Athach,

31 To them that are in Hebron, and to all places where Dauid and his men were wont to haunt.

Teh .xxxi. Chapter.

4 Saul killeth him selfe. 6. His children are slaine in the battaile. 12. The men of Iabes tooke downe his bodie which was hanged on the wall.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled away from the Philistines, and fell downe “ 1.887 wounded in mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines preassed sore vpon Saul & his sonnes, & slue Ionathan, & Abinadab, & Melchisua, Sauls sonnes.

3 And when the battaile went sore a∣gainst Saul, the archers with bowes “ 1.888 found him, and he was fore afrayde of the archers.

4 Thē said Saul vnto his harnesse bea∣rer, * 1.889 Draw out thy sword, & thrust me through therewith: lest the vncircumci∣sed come and thrust me through & mocke me. And his harnesse bearer wolde not, for he was sore afrayd: Therefore Saul toke a sword, and fell vpon it.

5 And when his harnesse bearer sawe that Saul was dead, he fell lykewise vpon his sword, and dyed with him.

6 And so Saul dyed, & his three sonnes, and his harnesse bearer, and al his men that same day together.

7 And when the men of Israel, that were on the other syde of the (a) 1.890 valley, and (b) 1.891 they of the other syde Iordaine, sawe that the men of Israel were put to flight, and that Saul and his sonnes were dead, they left the cities, and ran away, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8 * 1.892On the morow when the Philistines were come to spoyle them that were slaine, they founde Saul and his three sonnes lying in mount Gilboa.

9 And they cut of his head, and stripped him out of his harnesse, & sent into the land of ye Philistines on euery syde, that they should (c) 1.893 puplishe it in the temple of their(d) 1.894 idolles, and among the people.

10 And they layed vp his harnesse in the house of Astaroth: but they hanged vp his body on the wall of Bethsan.

11 When the inhabitauntes of (e) 1.895Iabes in Gilead heard thereof, what the Phi∣listines had done to Saul:

12 They arose, as many as were strong men, and went all night, & toke the bo∣die of Saul, & the bodies of his sonnes, from the wall of Bethsan, and came to Iabes, * 1.896 and burnt them there.

13 And toke their bones & buryed them vnder a tree at Iabes, & (f) 1.897 fasted seuen dayes.

The end of the first booke of Samuel, or first booke of Kinges.

Page lvii

❧The seconde booke of Samuel, otherwyse called the seconde booke of the kinges.

The fyrst Chapter.

4 It was tolde Dauid of Sauls death. 15 He causeth him to be slayne that brought the tidings. 19 He lamented the death of Saul and Ionathan.

[unspec A] 1 AFter the death of Saul, when Da∣uid was returned from the slaugh∣ter of the Amale∣kites, and had ben two daies in Zik∣lag:

2 Beholde, there came a man the thirde day out of the hoast from Saul, with his (a) 1.898 clothes rent, & earth vpon his head: And when he came to Dauid, he fell to the earth, and did obeysaunce.

3 Dauid sayde vnto him: whence cōmest thou? He sayde vnto him: Out of the hoast of Israel I am escaped.

4 And Dauid sayde vnto him: And what is done I pray thee? tell me. He sayde: The people is fled from the battell, and many of the people are ouerthrowen and dead, and Saul and Ionathan his sonne are dead also.

5 And Dauid sayd vnto the young man that tolde it him: Howe knowest thou that Saul and Ionathan his sonne be dead?

6 The young man that tolde him, aun∣swered: (b) 1.899 As I came vnaduisedly to mount Gilboa, beholde Saul leaned vpon his speare: and lo, the charettes and “ 1.900 horsemen folowed hard after him.

[unspec B] 7 And when he loked backe, he sawe me, and called me. And I aunswered: here am I.

8 And he sayde vnto me: Who art thou? I aunswered him: I am an (c) 1.901 Ama∣lekite.

9 He sayde vnto me agayne: I pray thee come vpon me, and slea me: For an∣guyshe is come vpon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

10 And so * 1.902 I stoode vpon him, and slue him, and because I was sure that he coulde not liue after that he had fallen, I toke the crowne that was vpon his head, and the braselet that was on his arme, and haue brought them hyther vnto my lorde.

11 Then Dauid toke holde on his clothes, * 1.903and rent them, and so did all the men that were with him.

12 And they mourned, and wept, and fa∣sted vntil euen for Saul and Ionathan his sonne, & for the people of the Lorde, and for the house of Israel, because they were ouerthrowen with the sworde.

13 And Dauid sayd vnto the young man that brought him these tidings: Whence art thou? He aunswered: I am the sonne of an aliaunt, an Amakelite.

14 And Dauid sayde vnto him: Howe is [unspec C] it that thou wast not afrayde to lay thyne hande on the lordes annoynted, to destroy him?

15 And Dauid called one of his young mē, and sayd: Go to, and fall vpon him. And he smote him, that he died.

16 Then said Dauid vnto him, Thy blood (d) 1.904be vpon thyne owne head: For thyne owne mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I haue slayne the lordes an∣noynted.

17 And Dauid mourned with this lamen∣tation ouer Saul and ouer Ionathan his sonne,

18 (Also he bad them teache the children of Iuda the (e) 1.905 vse of the bowe: And be∣holde, it is written in the booke of “ 1.906 the righteous:)

19 O noble Israel, (f) 1.907 he is slaine vpon thy hie places: howe are the mightie ouer∣throwen?

20 Tell it not in Gath, nor publishe it in the streates of Askalon: lest the daugh∣ters of the Philistines reioyce, and lest the daughters of the vncircumcised tri∣umph.

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21 Ye mountaynes of Gilboa, vpon you be neither deawe nor raine, nor (g) 1.908 fieldes of offeringes: For there the shield of the mightie is cast downe, the shielde of Saul, as though he had not ben an∣noynted with oyle.

22 The bowe of Ionathan neuer turned backe, neither did the sword of Saul re∣turne emptie frō the blood of the slayne, and from the fat of the mightie.

23 Saul and Ionathan were louely and pleasaunt in their lyues, and in their deathes they were not deuided: They were swyfter then Egles, and stronger then Lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel weepe ouer Saul, which clothed you in scarlet with (h) 1.909pleasures, and hanged ornamentes of golde vpon your apparell.

25 Howe were the mightie slayne in the middest of the battel? O Ionathan thou wast slayne in thyne hye places.

26 Wo is me for thee my brother Iona∣than, very kinde hast thou ben vnto me: Thy loue to me was wonderful, pas∣sing the loue of (i) 1.910 women.

27 O how are the mightie ouerthrowen, and the weapons of warre destroyed?

The .ii. Chapter.

4 Dauid is annoynted king in Hebron. 9 Abner maketh Isboseth king ouer Israel. 15 The battell of the seruauntes of Dauid and Isboseth. 32 The burial of Asahel.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this, Dauid (a) 1.911 as∣ked counsel at the lord, saying: Shall I go vp into any of the cities of Iuda? And the Lorde sayd vnto him: Go vp. And Dauid said: Why∣ther shall I go? He aunswered: Vnto (b) 1.912Hebron.

2 And so Dauid went thyther with his two wyues, Ahinoam the Iezraelite, & Abigail Nabals wyfe the Carmelite.

3 And the men that were with (c) 1.913 him did Dauid cary vp also, euery man with his housholde: And they dwelt in the townes of Hebron.

4 And the men of Iuda came, and there they annoynted Dauid kyng ouer the house of Iuda: And they tolde Dauid, saying, It is the men of Iabes Gilead that buried Saul.

5 And Dauid sent messengers vnto the men of Iabes Gilead, and sayde vnto them: Blessed are ye vnto the lord, that ye haue shewed suche kindnesse vnto your lord Saul, and haue buried him.

[unspec B] 6 And nowe the Lorde shewe mercy and (d) 1.914 trueth vnto you: And (e) 1.915 I will do you also suche kindnes, as ye haue done in this thing:

7 Therfore nowe let your handes be strong, and “ 1.916 play ye the men: For your maister Saul is dead, and they that are of the house of Iuda haue annoynted me king ouer them.

8 But Abner the sonne of Ner that was captayne of Sauls hoaste, toke Isbo∣seth the sonne of Saul, and brought him to (f) 1.917 Mahanaim,

9 And made him king ouer Gilead, and ouer the Assurites, and ouer Iezrael, E∣phraim, Beniamin, & ouer (g) 1.918 all Israel.

10 And Isboseth Sauls sonne was four∣tie yeres olde when he began to raigne ouer Israel, and raigned two yeres: But the house of Iuda folowed Da∣uid.

11 (And the time whiche Dauid raigned in Hebron ouer the house of Iuda, was seuen yeres and sixe monethes.)

12 And Abner the sonne of Ner, and the seruauntes of Isboseth the sonne of Saul wēt out of Mahanaim to Gibeon

13 And Ioab the sonne of Zaruia, and the seruauntes of Dauid, went out and met one another by the poole of Gi∣beon: And they sate downe, the one on the one side of the poole, and the other on the other side.

14 And Abner sayde to Ioab: Let the [unspec C] young men nowe aryse, and (h) 1.919 play be∣fore vs. And Ioab sayde: Let them aryse.

15 Then there arose & went ouer twelue of Beniamin by numbre, which pertay∣ned to Isboseth the sonne of Saul, and twelue of the seruauntes of Dauid.

16 And euery one caught his felowe by ye head, & thrust his sword in his felowes (i) 1.920side, and so they fell downe together: Wherefore the place was called “ 1.921 Hel∣kath hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

17 And there was an exceeding cruell (k) 1.922 battel that same day: For Abner and the men of Israel fell before the seruauntes of Dauid.

Page lviii

18 And there were three sonnes of Zar∣uia there: Ioab, Abisai, and Asahel: And Asahel was as light of foote as a wilde Roe.

19 And Asahel folowed after Abner, and in goyng he turned neither to the right hande nor to the left, from Abner.

20 Then Abner loked behynd him, and sayde: Art thou Asahel? He aunswered: Yea.

[unspec D] 21 Abner sayd: Turne thee either to the right hande or the left, and catche one of the young men, and take thee his “ 1.923 wea∣pons. But Asahel woulde not depart from him.

22 And Abner sayd agayne to Asahel, De∣part frō me: (l) 1.924 Wherfore should I smite thee to the grounde, and not be able to holde vp my face to Ioab thy brother?

23 Howebeit, when he woulde in no wyse depart, Abner with the hynder ende of the speare smote him vnder the (m) 1.925 fyft ribbe, that the speare came out behinde him, that he fell downe in the same place, and died there: And as many as came to the place where Asahel fell downe and died, stoode still.

24 Ioab also and Abisai pursued after Abner: And the sunne went downe when they were come to the hil Amma, that lyeth before Giah, by the way of the wildernesse of Gibeon.

25 And the children of Beniamin gathe∣red them selues together after Abner, & were on a heape, and stoode on the top of an hill.

26 Then Abner called to Ioab, and said: Shall the (n) 1.926 sword deuour for euer? Knowest thou not, that it wil be bitter∣nesse in the latter ende? Howe long then shall it be yer thou bid the people re∣turne from folowing their brethren?

27 And Ioab sayde: As God lyueth, if thou haddest not spoken, suerly euen in the morning the people had departed, euery one from persecuting his brother.

28 And so Ioab blewe a trumpet, and all the people stoode still, and pursued after [unspec E] Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the “ 1.927 playne, & went ouer Iordane, & past through all Beth∣horon, till they came to Mahanaim.

30 And Ioab returned from persecuting Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of Da∣uids seruaūtes nineteene men, & Asahel.

31 But the seruauntes of Dauid had smit∣ten of Beniamin and of Abners men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.

32 And they toke vp Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem: And Ioab and his men went all night, and the day arose to them at Hebron.

The .iii. Chapter.

1 Long warre betweene the houses of Saul and Dauid. 2 The children of Dauid in Hebron. 12 Abner turneth to Dauid. 27 Ioab killeth him.

[unspec A] 1 THere was then a 1.928 long warre betweene the house of Saul, and the house of Dauid: But Dauid waxed strōger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

2 And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: his eldest sonne also was Am∣non of Ahinoam the Iesraelite:

3 The seconde, b 1.929 Cheleab of Abigail the wyfe of Nabal the Carmelite: the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacha the daughter of Thalmai, the king of Gessur:

4 The fourth, Adonia the sonne of Hag∣gith: the fyft, Sephatia the sonne of A∣bital:

5 And the sixt Iethream, by Egla Da∣uids wyfe: These were borne to Dauid in (c) 1.930 Hebron.

6 And whyle there was warre be∣tweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner “ 1.931 held vp the house of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine named Ris∣pha, the daughter of Ahia: And Isbo∣seth sayd to Abner, Wherfore hast thou gone in vnto my fathers concubine? [unspec B]

Page [unnumbered]

8 Then was Abner very wroth for the wordes of Isboseth, and sayde: Am I d 1.932 a dogges head, whiche against Iuda do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and frendes, & haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid: and thou fyn∣dest a fault in me this day for this wo∣man?

9 So do God to Abner, and more also, ex∣cept as the Lorde hath sworne to Da∣uid, euen so will I do to him,

10 To bring the kingdome frō the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablisshed ouer Israel and ouer Iu∣da, euen from Dan to Beerseba.

11 And he coulde geue Abner neuer a worde to aunswere, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to Dauid secretly, saying: Whose is the land? Who should [also] say, Make a bond with me, and beholde my hande is with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.

13 He sayde: Well, I will make a bonde with the: But one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face, except thou first bring Michol Sauls daughter, when thou cōmest to see me.

[unspec C] 14 And Dauid sent messengers to Isbo∣seth Sauls sonne, saying: Deliuer me my wife Michol, whiche I maried for an hundred foreskinnes of ye Philistines.

15 And Isboseth sent, and toke her from her husband Phalti the sonne of Lais.

16 And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, til they came to Bahurim. Then sayde Abner vnto him, Go and returne. And he returned.

17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying: Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your king:

18 Nowe then do it: for the Lorde hath spoken of Dauid, saying: By the hande of my seruaunt Dauid, I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistines, and out of the hande of all their enemies.

19 And Abner spake in the eares of Ben∣iamin: and afterward Abner went to speake in the (e 1.933 eares of Dauid in He∣bron all that Israel was content with and the whole (f) 1.934 house of Beniamin.

20 And so Abner came to Dauid to He∣bron, hauing twentie men with him: & Dauid made him & the men that were with him a feast.

21 And Abner sayde vnto Dauid: I will vp, & go gather all Israel vnto my lorde the king, that they may make an ap∣poyntment with thee, and that thou mayest raigne ouer all that thyne heart desireth. And when Dauid had let Ab∣ner depart, he went in “ 1.935 peace.

22 And behold, the seruauntes of Dauid and Ioab came from the (g) 1.936 campe, and brought a great pray with them: (But Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron, for he had sent him away to depart in peace.)

23 When Ioab and al the hoast that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying: Abner the sonne of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, that he is gone in peace.

24 Then Ioab came to the king, and said: (h) 1.937What hast thou done? Behold, Ab∣ner came vnto thee, and why hast thou sent him away, and he is quyte gone?

25 Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner, for he came to deceaue thee, and to knowe thy outgoyng and ingoyng, and to knowe all that thou doest.

26 And when Ioab was come out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Sira, vnknowing to Dauid.

27 And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab toke him asyde in the gate to speake with him “ 1.938 peaceably, and smote him vnder the fyft ribbe, that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother, [unspec D]

28 And when afterwarde it came to Da∣uids eare, he sayde: I and my kingdome are (i) 1.939 giltlesse before the Lord for euer concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner.

29 Let the blood fall on the head of Io∣ab and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without one or other that hath running issues or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doth fall on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

30 (So Ioab & (k) 1.940 Abisai his brother slue Abner, because he had slayne their bro∣ther Asahel at Gibeon in battell.)

31 And Dauid sayde to Ioab and to all the people that were with him: Rent your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourne (l) 1.941 before Abner. And king Da∣uid him selfe folowed the beere.

32 And when they buried Abner in He∣bron, the king lift vp his voyce, & wept

Page lix

besyde the sepulchre of Abner, and al the people wept.

33 And the king lamented ouer Abner, and sayde: Died Abner as a (m) 1.942 foole dieth?

34 Thy handes were not bounde, nor thy feete brought into fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked children, so fellest thou. And all they that were of the people, wept yet more ouer him.

35 And when all the people came to cause Dauid n 1.943 eate meate whyle it was yet day, Dauid sware, saying: So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread or ought els tyll the sunne be downe.

36 And all the people wist it, and it pleased them: as whatsoeuer the king did, plea∣sed all the people.

37 For all the people and all Israel vnder∣stoode that day, how that it was not the kinges deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slayne.

38 And the king said vnto his seruauntes: Knowe ye not howe that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39 And I am this day tender and newly annoynted king, and these men the sonnes of Zaruia be to hard for me: The Lorde rewarde the doer of euyll, according to his wickednesse.

The .iiii. Chapter.

5 Baanah and Rechab slay Isboseth the sonne of Saul. 12 Dauid commaunded them to the slayne.

[unspec A] 1 AND when Sauls (a) 1.944 sonne hearde that Ab∣ner was dead in He∣bron, his handes were (b) 1.945feeble, & al the Isra∣elites were afrayde.

2 And Sauls sōne had two mē that were captaines of bandes, the one called Baanah, & the other Re∣chab, the sonnes of Rimmon a Bero∣thite, of the children of Beniamin: (for (c) 1.946 Beroth was reckened to Beniamin,

3 And these Berothites fled to (d) 1.947 Githa∣im, and soiourned there vntill this day)

4 And Ionathan Sauls sonne had a sonne that was lame on his feete, and was fiue yeres olde when the tydinges came of Saul & Ionathan out of Ies∣rael: And his nurse toke hym vp, and fled away, and as she made haste to flee, the chylde fell, and began to halt, and his name was Miphiboseth.

5 And the sonnes of Rimmon the Bero∣thite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came in the heate of the day to the house of Isboseth (whiche slept on a bed at noone.)

6 And behold, they came into the middes of the house, as though they(e) 1.948 woulde haue fetched wheate, and Rechab and Baanah his brother smote him vnder the fyft ribbe, and fled.

[unspec B] 7 For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his bed chamber, and they smote him and slue him, & behea∣ded him, and toke his head, & gat them away through the “ 1.949 plaine all the night.

8 And they brought the head of Isboseth vnto Dauid to Hebron, and sayde to the king: Behold, there is the head of Isbo∣seth Sauls sonne thyne enemie whiche sought after thy lyfe, and the Lorde hath auenged my lorde the kyng this day of Saul and of his seede.

9 And Dauid aunswered Rechab and Baanah his brother ye sonnes of Rim∣mon the Berothite, and said vnto them: As the Lorde lyueth, whiche hath deli∣uered my soule out of all aduersites:

10 When one tolde me & sayde that Saul was dead (thynking to haue brought good tydinges) I caught him, and slue him in Ziklag: whiche thought that I woulde haue geuen him a rewarde for his tydinges bringing:

11 Howe much more when wicked men haue slayne a righteous person in his owne house and vpon his bed? Shal I not nowe therfore (f) 1.950 require his blood of your hande, & take you from the earth?

12 And Dauid commaunded his young men, and they slue them, and cut of their handes and feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: But they toke the head of Isboseth, & buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

Page [unnumbered]

The .v. Chapter.

3 Dauid is made king ouer all Israel. 7 He taketh the forte of Zion. 19 He asketh counsel of the Lorde. 20 And ouercommeth the Philistines twise.

[unspec A] 1 THen came all the tri∣bes of Israel * 1.951to Da∣uid vnto Hebron, and sayde thus: Beholde, we are thy (a) 1.952 bone, and thy fleshe.

2 And in time past whē Saul was our king, thou leddest Isra∣el in and out: and the Lord hath sayd to thee, thou shalt feede my people Israel, & thou shalt be a captayne ouer Israel.

3 And so all the elders of Israel came to the * 1.953 king to Hebron, and king Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron (b) 1.954before the Lorde: and they(c) 1.955 annoin∣ted Dauid king ouer Israel.

4 Dauid was thirtie yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned four∣tie yeres.

5 In Hebron he raigned ouer Iuda seuen yeres and sixe monethes: and in Hieru∣salem he raigned thirtie and three yeres ouer all Israel and Iuda.

6 The king also and his men went to Hierusalem vnto the Iebusites the in∣habitauntes of the lande, whiche spake vnto Dauid, saying: Except thou take a∣way the blinde and the lame, thou shalt [unspec B] not come in hyther: For they said, Thou art not able to come in hyther.

7 Neuerthelesse, Dauid toke the strong hold of Sion: the same is the citie of Da∣uid.

8 And Dauid sayde the same day: Who∣soeuer smyteth the Jebusites, and get∣teth vp to the gutters of the houses, and smyteth the lame and the blinde, hated of Dauid soule, [I will preferre him.] Wherfore they said: The blinde and the lame shal not come into that house.

9 And so Dauid dwelt in the towre, and called it the citie of Dauid, and buylt round about it, from Millo & inward.

10 And Dauid prospered and grewe, and ye Lord God of hoastes was with him.

11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messen∣gers to Dauid, and Cedar trees, & car∣penters, and masons for walles: and they buylt Dauid an house.

12 And Dauid perceaued that the Lord had stablished him king ouer Israel, & that he had exalted his kingdome for his people Israels sake.

13 And Dauid toke him mo concubines and wyues out of Hierusalem, after he was come from Hebron, and mo sonnes & daughters were yet borne to Dauid.

14 * 1.956And these be the names of the sonnes [unspec C] that were borne vnto him in Hierusa∣lem: Samua, Sobab, Nathan, & So∣lomon,

15 Ibhar also and Elisua, Nepheg, and Iaphia,

16 Elisama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

17 But when the Philistines hearde that they had annoynted Dauid king ouer Israel, they came all vp to (d) 1.957 seke Da∣uid: And assoone as Dauid hearde of it, he gat him to an holde.

18 And when the Philistines came, they spread them selues in the valley of Ra∣phaim.

19 And Dauid (e) 1.958 asked counsel of the Lord, saying: Shall I go vp to the Phili∣stines? wilt thou deliuer them into my handes? And the Lorde aunswered vn∣to Dauid: Go vp, for I will doubtlesse deliuer the Philistines into thy handes.

20 And Dauid came to Baal Perazim, and smote them there, and sayde: The Lorde hath deuided myne enemies a∣sunder before me, as waters be deuided asunder: And therefore he called the name of that place “ 1.959 Baal Perazim.

21 And there they left their images, and Dauid and his men burnt them.

22 And the Philistines came yet againe, and layde them selues in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when Dauid asked counsel of the Lorde, he aunswered, Thou shalt not go vp: but compasse them on the back∣syde, and come vpon them ouer against the Mulbery trees.

24 And when thou hearest the noyse of a thing goyng in the toppe of the Mulbe∣ry trees, then remoue: for then shall the Lorde go out before thee, to smyte the hoast of the Philistines.

25 And Dauid did as the Lorde had com∣maunded him: and smote the Phili∣stines from Geba, vntill thou come to (f) 1.960 Gazer.

Page lx

The .vi. Chapter.

3 The arke brought foorth of the house of Abinadab. 7 Vzzah is striken, and dieth. Dauid daunceth before it. 16 And is therfore despised of his wyfe Michol.

[unspec A] 1 AGaine Dauid gathe∣red together all the chosen men of Israel, euen thirtie thousand.

2 And arose, and went with all the folke that were with him, from (a) 1.961 Baala of Iuda, to fet away from thence the arke of God, whose name is called by the name of the lord of hoastes that dwelleth vpon it betweene the che∣rubims.

3 And they put the arke of God vpon a newe cart, & brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was (b) 1.962 in Gibea: And Vzza and Ahio the sonnes of Abinadab draue the newe carte.

4 And when they brought the arke of God out of the house of Abinadab that was at Gibea, Ahio went before the arke.

5 And Dauid and all the house of Israel played before the lord on sundry instru∣mentes made of Cedar wood, with har∣pes, psalteries, timbrelles, hornettes, and simbals.

6 And when they came to Nachons thresshing floore, Vzza put his hand to the arke of God, & helde it, for the oxen did shake it.

[unspec B] 7 And the Lord was wroth with Vzza, and God smote him in the same place for his (c) 1.963 fault, and there he died before the arke of God.

8 And Dauid was displeased, because the Lorde had smitten Vzza: And he called the name of the place “ 1.964 Perez Vzza, vntill this day.

9 And Dauid was then afraide of the Lorde, and sayd: Howe shall the arke of the Lord come to me?

10 And so Dauid woulde not bring the arke of the Lorde vnto him into the ci∣tie of Dauid: but Dauid caried it into the house of Obed Edom, a (d) 1.965 Gethite.

11 And the arke of the Lorde continued in the house of Obed Edom the Gethite three monethes: and the Lorde blessed Obed Edom, and all his housholde.

12 And one tolde king Dauid howe that the Lorde had blessed the house of O∣bed Edom, and all that parteyned vnto him, because of the arke of God. And Dauid went, and (e) 1.966 brought the arke of God from the house of Obed Edom, into the citie of Dauid with gladnes.

13 And when they that bare the arke of the Lorde, had gone sixe paces, he offe∣red an oxe and a fat beast.

4 And Dauid daunced before the Lorde [unspec C] with all his might, & was girded with a linnen (f) 1.967 Ephod.

15 So Dauid and all the house of Israel brought the arke of the Lorde with showting and trumpet blowing.

16 And as ye arke of the Lord came into the citie of Dauid, Michol Sauls daughter loked through a windowe, and sawe king Dauid spring and daunce before the Lord, and she (g) 1.968despysed him in her heart.

17 And when they brought in the arke of the Lord, they set it in his place, euen in the middes of the tabernacle that Da∣uid had pitched for it: and Dauid offe∣red burnt offeringes & peace offeringes before the Lorde.

18 And assoone as Dauid had made an ende of offering burnt offeringes and peace offeringes, he blessed the people in the name of the Lorde of hoastes,

19 And gaue among all the folke, euen among the whole multitude of Israel, aswel to the women as men, to euery one a cake of bread, & a peece of flesshe, and a flacked of wine: And so al the peo∣ple departed euery one to his house.

20 Then Dauid returned to (h) 1.969 blesse his housholde, and Michol the daughter of Saul came out to meete Dauid, & sayd: O howe glorious was the king of Is∣rael this day, whiche was vncouered to day in the eyes of the maydens of his seruauntes, as a foole vncouereth him selfe? [unspec D]

21 And Dauid sayd vnto Michol: It was before the(i) 1.970 Lorde, whiche chose me ra∣ther then thy father and all his house, and commaunded me to be ruler ouer all the people of the Lorde, euen ouer Israel, and therefore will I play be∣fore the Lorde:

Page [unnumbered]

22 And will yet be more vyle then so, and will be meeke in myne owne sight: and of the very same mayde seruauntes which thou hast spoken of, shall I be had in honour.

23 Therfore Michol the daughter of Saul had (k) 1.971 no childe vnto the day of her death.

The .vii. Chapter.

2 Dauid woulde buylde God an house, but is forbidden by the prophet Nathan. 8 God putteth Dauid in minde of his benefites. 12 He promiseth continuaunce of his kingdome and posteritie.

[unspec A]

1 AFterward when the king sate in his house, & the Lord had geuen him rest round about from all his enemies,

2 The king sayde vnto Nathan the prophete: Beholde, I dwell nowe in an house of Cedar trees, but the arke of God dwel∣leth within the (a) 1.972 curtaynes.

3 And Nathan sayde to the king: Go, and do all that is in thyne heart, for the Lord is with thee.

4 And the same night the worde of the Lorde came vnto Nathan, saying:

5 Go, and tell my seruaunt Dauid, thus sayeth the Lorde: (b) 1.973 shalt thou buylde me an house to dwell in?

6 For I haue not dwelt in any house, sence the time that I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, vnto this day: but haue walked in a tent and tabernacle.

[unspec B] 7 In al the places wherin I haue wal∣ked with all the childrē of Israel, spake I one worde with any of ye tribes of Is∣rael, when I commaunded [the iudges] to feede my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of Cedar trees?

8 Now therfore, so say vnto my seruaunt Dauid: thus sayeth the lord of hoastes, I toke thee from the sheepe coate as thou wast folowing sheepe, that thou mightest be ruler ouer my people ouer Israel.

9 And I was with thee in all that thou wentest to, and haue destroyed all thyne (c) 1.974 enemies out of thy sight, & haue made thee a great (d) 1.975 name, lyke vnto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

10 (Also I will appoynt a place for my people Israel, and will plant it, that they may dwell in a place of their owne, & (e) 1.976 moue no more: neither shall wicked people trouble them any more, as before time,

11 And sence the time that I set iudges ouer my people of Israel) And I will geue thee rest from all thyne enemies: And the Lorde telleth thee, that he will make thee an house.

12 And when thy dayes be fulfilled, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, and I will set vp thy seede after thee, whiche shall proceede out of thy body, and will sta∣blyshe his kingdome.

31 He shall buyld house an for my name, & I wil stablyshe the throne of his king∣dome for euer.

14 I will be his father, and he shalbe my [unspec C] sonne: If he sinne, I will chasten him with the (f) 1.977rodde of men, and with the plagues of the children of men.

15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I toke it from Saul, whō I put away before thee.

16 And thyne house, and thy kingdome shall be stablished for euer before thee, [euen] thy (g) 1.978 throne shalbe stablished for euer.

17 According to all these wordes and ac∣cording to all this vision, so dyd Nathan speake vnto Dauid.

18 Then went king Dauid in, and set him downe before the Lord, and sayde: Who am I, O Lorde God? and what is my house that thou hast brought me (h) 1.979 hy∣ther to?

19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lorde God: but thou hast spo∣ken also of thy seruauntes house for a great whyle: but “ 1.980 doth this appertayne to man, O Lorde God?

20 And what can Dauid say more vnto thee? for thou Lorde God knowest thy seruaunt.

21 Euen for thy wordes sake, & according to thyne owne heart, hast thou done al [unspec D] these great thinges, to make them knowen vnto thy seruaunt.

22 Wherfore thou art great, O Lorde God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, accor∣ding to al that we haue heard with our eares.

Page lxi

23 *And what one people in the earth is lyke thy people, lyke Israel, whose God went and redeemed them to hym selfe, that they myght be his people, and that he myght make hym a name, and do for you (i) 1.981 great thynges and terrible for thy lande, O Lorde [euen] for thy people * 1.982 which thou redeemedst to thee out of Egypt [euen] from the (k) 1.983 nations and their gods.

24 For thou hast (l) 1.984 ordeyned thy people Israel to be thy people for euer, and thou Lorde art become their God.

25 And nowe Lorde God, the worde that thou hast spoken concernyng thy seruaunt and his house, make it good for euer, and do as thou hast saide:

26 And let thy name be magnified for euer of men that shall say, The Lorde of hoastes is the God ouer Israel: and let the house of thy seruaunt Dauid be stablished before thee.

27 For thou, O Lorde of hoastes, God of Israel, (m) 1.985 hast tolde in the eare of thy seruaunt, saying, I wyll buylde thee an house: And therefore hath thy ser∣uaunt founde in his heart to pray this prayer vnto thee.

28 * 1.986Therefore nowe Lorde God (thou art God, and thy wordes be true, thou that hast tolde this goodnes vnto thy seruaunt)

29 Therefore nowe let it please thee to blesse the house of thy seruaunt, that it may continue for euer before thee: for thou Lorde God hast spoken it, and with thy blessyng let the house of thy seruaunt be blessed for euer.

¶The .viii. Chapter.

1 Dauid ouercommeth the Philistines, and other straunge nations, and maketh them tributaries to Israel.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this, now Dauid smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and Dauid toke the * 1.987 bridel of bondage out of the (a) 1.988 hand of the Phili∣stines.

2 * 1.989And he smote the Moabites, and mea∣sured them with a lyne, and cast them downe to the grounde, euen with two lynes measured he them, to put them to death, and with one full corde to kepe them alyue: And so became the Moa∣bites Dauids seruauntes, and brought giftes.

3 Dauid smote also Hadarezer ye sonne of Rehob king of Zoba, as he went to “ 1.990 recouer his border at the ryuer “ 1.991 Phe∣rath.

4 And Dauid toke of his, a thousand and seuen hundred horsemen, and * 1.992 destroy∣ed all the charets, and twentie thousand footemen: but reserued an hundred cha∣rets of them.

5 And when the “ 1.993 Syrians of Damas∣con came to succour Hadarezer king of Zoba, Dauid slue of the Syrians two and twentie thousand men.

6 And put souldiers in Syria Damas∣con: And the Syrians became seruaūtes to Dauid, and (b) 1.994 brought giftes, and the Lorde saued Dauid, in all that he went vnto.

7 And Dauid toke the shieldes of golde [unspec B] that belonged to the seruauntes of Ha∣darezer, & brought them to (c) 1.995 Hierusa∣lem.

8 And out of Beta and Berothai, cities of Hadarezer, did Dauid bryng excee∣ding much brasse.

9 * 1.996When Thoi king of Hamath heard how Dauid had smitten all the hoast of Hadarezer,

10 Thoi sent Ioram his sonne vnto king Dauid, to “ 1.997 salute him, and to blesse him, because he had fought against Hadare∣zer, and beaten him (for Thoi had great warre with Hadarezer) And [Ioram] “ 1.998 brought with him vessels of siluer, ves∣sels of golde, and vessels of brasse.

11 Which brasse king Dauid did dedicate vnto the Lorde, with the siluer & golde that he had deditate of al nations which he subdued.

12 Of “ 1.999 Syria, of the Moabites, & of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, [unspec C] and of Hamalek, and of the spoyle of Ha∣darezer sonne of Rehob king of Zoba.

13 And Dauid gat him a name after that he returned & had smitten of the Sy∣rians in the valley of salt xviii. thou∣sand men.

14 * 1.1000And he put a garison in Edom, euen throughout all Edom put he souldiers, and all they of Edom became Dauids seruauntes: And the Lorde kept Dauid

Page [unnumbered]

whatsoeuer he toke in hand.

1 And Dauid raigned ouer all Israel, and executed (d) 1.1001 iudgement and iustice vnto all his people.

16 And * 1.1002 Ioab the sonne of Zaruia was ouer the hoast, & Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud was “ 1.1003 recorder.

17 And Sadoc the sonne of Ahitob, and Ahimelech the sonne of Abiathar were the priestes, & Saraiah was the scribe.

18 And Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoida and the (e) 1.1004 Cherethites, and the Phele∣thites, and Dauids sonnes, were chiefe rulers.

The .ix. Chapter.

9 Dauid restoreth all the landes of Saul to Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathan. 10. He appoynted Ziba to see to the profite of his landes.

1 AND Dauid sayde: Is there yet any man left of ye house of Saul? For I wil shewe him mer∣cie for (a) 1.1005 Ionathans sake.

2 And there was of the householde of Saul, a seruaunt whose name was Ziba, and when they had called him vnto Dauid, the king saide vnto him: Art thou Ziba? He said: Thy seruaunt is he.

3 And the king saide: Remaineth there yet any man of the house of Saul, whō I may shewe the (b) 1.1006 mercie of God vp∣on? Ziba aunswered the king: * 1.1007 Iona∣than hath yet a sonne, which is lame on his feete.

4 The king said vnto him: where is he? Ziba saide vnto the king: Behold, he is in the house of Machir the sonne of(c) 1.1008 Amiel of Lodeber.

5 Then king Dauid sent, & fet him out of the house of Machir the sonne of A∣miel of Lodeber.

6 Now when Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathan ye sonne of Saul was come vnto Dauid, he fell on his face, and dyd reuerence: And Dauid saide, Miphibo∣seth? He aunswered: Beholde thy ser∣uaunt.

[unspec B] 7 Dauid saide vnto him: Feare not, for I will surelie shewe thee kindnesse for Ionathan thy fathers sake, and will restore thee all the fieldes of Saul thy father, & thou shalt eate bread on myne owne table continually.

8 And he bowed him selfe, and sayde: What is thy seruaunt, that thou shoul∣dest loke vpon such a (d) 1.1009 dead dogge as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba Sauls seruaunt, and said vnto him: I haue ge∣uen vnto thy maisters “ 1.1010 sonne all that parteyned to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sonnes, and thy seruauntes, shall tyll the land for him, & bring in, that thy maisters sonne may haue foode to eate: But Miphibo∣seth thy maisters sonne shall eate bread alway vpon my table. For Ziba had fifteene sonnes, & twentie seruauntes.

11 Then saide Ziba vnto the king: Accor∣ding to all that my Lorde the king hath commaunded his seruaunt, so shall thy seruaunt do, (e) 1.1011 that Miphiboseth may eate [as the king saide] vpon my table, as one of the kinges sonnes.

12 Miphiboseth had a sonne that was young, named Micha: and al that dwelt in the house of Ziba, were seruauntes vnto Miphiboseth.

13 And Miphiboseth dwelt in Hierusa∣lem, for he dyd eate continually at the kinges table, * 1.1012 and was lame on both his feete.

The .x. Chapter.

4 The messengers of Dauid are villanously entreated of the king of Ammon. Ioab is sent against the Ammonites.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this, the king of the children of Ammon dyed, and Hanon his sonne raigned in his steade.

2 Then saide Dauid: I will shewe kindnesse vnto Hanon the sonne of Nahas, as his father shewed (a) 1.1013 kindnesse vnto me. And Dauid sent to comfort him by the (b) 1.1014 hand of his seruauntes, ouer his fa∣ther: And Dauids seruauntes came in to the land of the children of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Am∣mon

Page lxii

sayde vnto Hanon their lorde: “ 1.1015 Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honor thy father, that he hath sent comfor∣tours to thee? Hath not Dauid rather sent his seruauntes vnto thee, to searche the citie, and to spie it out, and to ouer∣throwe it?

4 Wherefore Hanon toke Dauids ser∣uauntes, and shaued of the one * 1.1016 halfe of their beardes, & cut of their garmētes in the middle, euen hard to the but∣tockes of them, and sent them away.

5 When they tolde it vnto Dauid, he sent to meete them (for they were men exceedingly ashamed) and the king said: Tary at Iericho vntill your beardes be growen, and then returne.

6 And when the children of Ammon sawe that they (b) 1.1017 stancke in the sight of Dauid, they sent & hyred the “ 1.1018 Syrians of the house of Rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba .xx. thousand footemen, and of king Maacha a thousand men, and of Istob twelue thousand men.

[unspec B] 7 And when Dauid heard of it, he sent Ioab and all the hoast of strong men.

8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put their armie in aray at the en∣tring in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, of Rehob, Istob, and Maacha, were by them selues in the fielde.

9 Whē Ioab sawe that the front of the battaile was against him before and be∣hinde, he chose of all the choyse of Isra∣el, and put them in aray against the Sy∣rians.

10 And the rest of the people he deliuered into the hand of Abisai his brother, that he might put them in aray against the children of Ammon.

11 And he saide: If the Syrians be stron∣ger then I, thou shalt helpe me: But if the children of Ammon be to strong for thee, I will come and succour thee.

12 Therefore quite thee lyke a man, and let vs be valiaunt for our people and for the cities of our God: And the Lorde do that which is good in his owne eyes.

13 And Ioab proceeded foorth, & the peo∣ple [unspec C] that was with him, to fight against the Syrians: but they fled before him.

14 And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abisai, and entred into the citie: And so Ioab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Hierusalem.

15 And whē the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathe∣red them together.

16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the “ 1.1019 ryuer, and they came to Helam: & Zo∣ba the captayne of the hoast of Hadar∣ezer went hefore them.

17 And when it was shewed Dauid, he gathered (e) 1.1020 al Israel together, & passed ouer Iordane, and came to Helam: And the Syrians set them selues in aray a∣gainst Dauid, and fought with him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and Dauid destroyed (f) 1.1021 seuen hundred charets of the Syrians, & fourtie thou∣sand horsemen, and smote Zoba the captaine of their hoast, which also dyed there.

19 And when all the kinges that were seruauntes to Hadarezer, saw that they fel before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and serued them: and so the Syrians feared to helpe the children of Ammon any more.

¶The .xi. Chapter.

1 The citie Rabba is besieged. 4. Dauid committeth adultry. 17 Vrias is slaine. 27 Dauid marryeth Bethsabe.

[unspec A]

1 AND it came to passe that after the yere was expired, in the time (a) 1.1022 when kinges go foorth to battaile, Dauid sent Ioab & his seruaūtes with him, and all Is∣rael, which * 1.1023 destroyed the children of Ammon, & besieged Rabba: But Da∣uid taryed still at Hierusalem.

2 And in an euening tyde, Dauid arose out of his (b) 1.1024bed, and walked vpon the roofe of the kinges palace, and from the roofe he sawe a woman* 1.1025 washing her selfe, and the woman was very beauti∣full to loke vpon.

3 And Dauid sent to enquire what wo∣man it should be: And one saide, Is not this Bethsabe the daughter of Eliam, and wyfe to Vrias the Hethite?

Page [unnumbered]

[illustration]

4 And Dauid sent messengers, and toke her away: And she came in vnto him,* 1.1026 and he lay with her (and she was puri∣fied from her vnclennesse) and returned vnto her house.

5 And the woman conceaued, and sent and (d) 1.1027 tolde Dauid, & sayde: I am with childe.

6 And Dauid sent to Ioab, saying: Send me Vrias the Hethite. And Ioab sent Vrias to Dauid.

[unspec B] 7 And whē Vrias was come vnto him, Dauid demaunded of him howe Ioab did, and how the people fared, and how the warre prospered?

8 And Dauid sayde to Vrias: (e) 1.1028 Go downe to thy house, & washe thy feete. And Vrias departed out of the kinges palace, and there folowed him a present from the king.

9 But Vrias slept at the doore of ye kinges palace, with all the seruauntes of his lorde, and went not downe to his house.

10 Which when they had tolde Dauid, saying, Vrias went not downe vnto his house: Dauid saide vnto Vrias, Camest thou not from thy iourney? why diddest thou not go downe then vnto thyne house?

11 Vrias aunswered Dauid: The arke, & Israel, and Iuda dwell in pauilions, and my lorde Ioab and the seruauntes of my lorde abyde in the open fieldes, and shall I then go into myne house, to eate, and drinke, & lye with my wyfe? By thy lyfe, and by the lyfe of thy soule, I will not do this thing.* 1.1029

12 And Dauid saide vnto Vrias: Tary here this day also, and to morow I wil let thee departe. And so Vrias abode in Hierusalem that day, and the morow.

13 And when Dauid had called him, he [unspec C] did eate and drinke before him, and he made him(f) 1.1030 drunke: And at euen he went out to lye on his couch with ye ser∣uaūtes of his lorde, but went not downe to his house.

14 On the morowe Dauid wrote a let∣ter to Ioab, and sent it by the hand of Vrias.

15 And he wrote thus in the letter: (g) 1.1031 Put ye Vrias in the forefront of the sharper battaile, and come ye backe from him, that he maye be smytten, and dye.

16 So when Ioab besieged the citie, he assigned Vrias vnto a place where he wist that strong men were.

17 And the men of the citie came out, and fought with Ioab: And there were cer∣tayne ouerthrowen of the people of the seruauntes of Dauid: & Vrias the He∣thite dyed also.

18 Then Ioab sent, and tolde Dauid all the thinges concerning the warre:

19 And charged the messenger, saying: When thou hast made an ende of telling the matters of the warre vnto the king:

20 If the kinges anger aryse, and he say vnto thee, wherfore approched ye so nye vnto the citie when ye did fight? wyst

Page lxiii

ye not that they would hurle and shoote from the wall?

21 Who smote Abimelech sonne of * 1.1032 Ie∣rubesheth? * Did not a woman cast a peece of a mylstone vpon him from of the wall, and he dyed in Thebes? why went ye nye the wall? Then say thou: Thy seruaunt Vrias the Hethite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went, & came and shewed Dauid all that Ioab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger saide vnto Dauid: The men preuailed against vs, & came out vnto vs into the fielde, & we “ 1.1033 pur∣sued them, euen vnto the entring of the gate:

24 And the shooters shotte from the walles vpon thy seruauntes, and some of the kinges seruauntes be dead, and thy seruaunt Vrias the Hethite is dead also.

25 And Dauid saide vnto the messenger, thus shalt thou saye vnto Ioab: Let not that thing trouble thee, for ye sword deuoureth “ 1.1034 one as well as another: Make thy battayle more strong against the citie to ouerthrowe it, & encourage thou him.

26 And when the wyfe of Vrias heard that her husband was dead, she mour∣ned for him.

27 And when the mourning was past, Dauid sent and fet her to his house, and she became his wyfe, and bare him a sonne: But this thing that Dauid dyd, “ 1.1035 displeased the Lorde.

¶The .xii. Chapter.

1 Dauid reproued by Nathan, confesseth his sinne. 18 The childe conceaued in adultry, dyeth. 24 Solomon is borne. 26 Rabba is taken. 31 The citezins are greeuouslye punished.

[unspec A]

1 ANd the Lord sent Na∣than vnto Dauid, and he came vnto him, and tolde him: There were two men in one citie, the one rich, & the other poore.

2 The rich man had exceeding many sheepe and oxen:

3 But the poore had nothing saue one litle sheepe, which he had bought and nouryshed vp: And it grew vp with him and with his children also, and did eate of his owne meate, and drancke of his owne cuppe, & slept in his bosome, and was vnto him as his daughter.

4 And there came a “ 1.1036 straunger vnto the rich man, and he * 1.1037 spared to take of his owne sheepe and of his owne oxen to dresse for ye straunger that was come vnto him: But toke the poore mans sheepe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

5 And “ 1.1038 Dauid was exceeding wroth with the man, and saide to Nathan: As the Lorde lyueth, the man that hath done this thing * 1.1039 * 1.1040 is the childe of death.

6 He shal restore the lambe * 1.1041 foure folde, because he did this thyng and had no pitie.

[unspec B] 7 And Nathan saide to Dauid, Thou art the man: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel* 1.1042, I annoynted thee king ouer Israel, and ryd thee out of the hand of Saul.

8 I gaue thee thy maisters (b) 1.1043 house, and thy maisters (c) 1.1044 wyues into thy bo∣some, and gaue thee the house of Isra∣el and of Iuda, and might (if that had ben to litle) haue geuen thee so muche more.

9 Wherefore then hast thou despised the commaundement of the Lorde to do euill in his sight? Thou hast kild Vrias the Hethite with the sword, & hast taken his wyfe to thy wyfe, and hast (d) 1.1045 slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore, the sword shall neuer depart from thyne house, because thou hast despised me, and taken the wyfe of Vrias the Hethite to be thy wyfe.

11 Wherefore thus saith the Lorde: Be∣holde, I will stirre vp euil against thee, euen out of thyne owne house, and wyll * 1.1046take thy wyues before thyne eyes, and geue them vnto thy neyghbour, and he shall lye with thy wyues in the sight of this (e) 1.1047 sunne.

12 For thou diddest it secretly: but I wil do this thing before al Israel, and in the open sunne lyght. [unspec C]

13 And Dauid saide vnto Nathan: * 1.1048 I haue sinned against the Lord. And Na∣than

Page [unnumbered]

than saide vnto Dauid: The Lord also hath (f) 1.1049 put away thy sinne, thou shalt not dye.

14 Howbeit, because in doing this deede thou hast geuen ye enemies of the Lord a cause to (g) 1.1050 blaspheme, the childe that is borne vnto thee shall surely dye.

15 And Nathan departed vnto his house: And the Lorde strake the childe that Vrias wyfe bare vnto Dauid, and it sickened sore.

16 Dauid therefore besought God for the childe, and fasted, and (h) 1.1051 went in, & laye all night vpon the earth.

17 And the elders of his house arose and went to him, to take him vp from the earth: But he would not, neither did he eate meate with them.

18 And the seuenth day the childe dyed, and the seruauntes of Dauid feared to tell him that the childe was dead: For they said, beholde, while the childe was yet alyue we spake vnto hym, and he would not hearkē vnto our voyce: how will he then “ 1.1052 vexe him selfe, if we tell him that the childe is dead?

19 But Dauid seing his seruaūtes whis∣pering, perceaued that the childe was dead: & Dauid said vnto his seruauntes, Is the childe dead? They saide: He is dead.

20 And Dauid arose from the earth, and [unspec B] washed and annoynted him selfe, and chaunged his apparell, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: and afterward came to his owne house, & bad that they should set bread before him, and he dyd eate.

21 Then said his (i) 1.1053 seruauntes vnto him: What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou diddest fast & weepe for the childe while it was alyue, & assoone as it was dead, thou diddest ryse vp & eate meate.

22 He said: While the childe was yet ailue I fasted and wept: for this I thought, Who can tell whether God wyll haue mercy on me, that the childe may lyue?

23 * 1.1054But now seeing it is dead, wherefore should I fast? (k) 1.1055 Can I bring him a∣gaine any more? I shall go to him, ra∣ther then he shall come againe to me.

24 And Dauid comforted Bethsabe his wyfe, & went in vnto her and lay with her, and she bare a sonne, and he called his name * 1.1056 Solomon, and the Lord lo∣ued him,

25 And had sent by the hand of (l) 1.1057 Na∣than the prophet: therefore (m) 1.1058 he called his name * 1.1059 Iedidia, of the Lordes be∣halfe.

26 Then Ioab fought against Rabba of the children of Ammon, and toke the “ 1.1060 citie of the kingdome.

27 And Ioab sent messengers to Dauid, saying: I haue fought against Rabba, and haue taken the citie of waters.

28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and besiege the citie, that thou mayst take it: lest I take it, & it be called after my name.

29 And Dauid gathered al the people to∣gether, & went against Rabba, and be∣sieged it, and toke it.

30 And he toke their kinges crowne from * 1.1061of his head (which wayed a (n) 1.1062 talent of golde, & in it were precious stones) and it was set on Dauids head, and he brought away the spoyle of the citie, in exceeding great abundaunce.

31 And he caryed away the people that was therein, & put them (o) 1.1063 vnder sawes, and vnder iron harrowes, and vnder axes of iron, & thrust them into the tyle∣kyll: thus dyd he with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And so Da∣uid and al the people returned vnto Hie∣rusalem.

¶The .xiii. Chapter.

14 Amnon Dauids sonne defileth his sister Thamar. 19 Thamar is comforted by her brother Absalom. 29 Absalom therefore killeth Amnon.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this, so it was that Absalom the sonne of Dauid had a fayre sis∣ter, named (a) 1.1064 Thamar, whom Amnon ye sonne of Dauid loued.

2 And he was so sore vexed, that he fell sycke for his sister Thamar: for she shas a (b) 1.1065 virgin, and he thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a frende called Io∣nadab, the sonne of Simah, Dauids brother: And Ionadab was a very sub∣tile man.

4 And he said vnto him: How commeth

Page lxiiii

it, that thou being the kinges sonne, art thus consumed from day to day? Wylt thou not tell me? Amnon aunswered him: I loue Thamar my brother Ab∣saloms sister.

5 Ionadab saide vnto him, * 1.1066 Lay thee downe on thy bed, and make thy selfe sicke: And when thy father is come to see thee, saye vnto him: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and geue me meate, and dresse it in my syght, that I may see it, and eate it of her hand.

6 And so Amnon laye downe, and made him selfe sicke: And when the king was come to see him, Amnon saide vnto the king: I pray thee let Thamar my sister come, and make me a coople of (d) 1.1067 cakes in my sight, that I may eate of her hand.

[unspec B] 7 Then Dauid sent home to Thamar, saying: Go now to thy brother Amnōs house, and dresse him meate.

8 So Thamar went to her brother Amnons house, & he was layed downe: And she toke floure, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and dyd bake them.

9 And toke a panne, and (e) 1.1068 powred them out before him: but he would not eate. And Amnon saide: Haue out all men from me. And they went all out from him.

10 And Amnon saide vnto Thamar: Bring the meate into the chamber, that I may eate of thyne hand. And Tha∣mar toke ye cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother:

11 And whē she had set them before him to eate, he toke her, and saide vnto her: Come, lye with me my sister.

12 And she aunswered him: Nay my bro∣ther, do not force me, for there hath no [unspec C] such thing ben done in Israel: Do not thou this folly.

13 And I, * 1.1069 whyther shall I cause my shame to go? And thou shalt be as one of the fooles in Israel: Now therefore, I pray thee speake vnto the king, and he wyll not denie me vnto thee.

14 Howbeit, he would not hearken vnto her voyce: but being stronger then she, * 1.1070 forced her, and lay with her.

15 And then Amnon hated her exceeding∣ly, so that the hatred wherewith he ha∣ted her, was greater then the loue with which he before loued her: And Amnon saide vnto her: Vp, and get thee hence.

16 She aunswered him, “ 1.1071 There is no cause: This euill that thou puttest me a∣way, is greater then the other that thou diddest vnto me. Neuerthelesse, he would not heare her:

17 But called his “ 1.1072 boye that serued him, and saide: Put away this woman from me and bolt the doore after her.

18 And she had a garment of (f) 1.1073 diuers colours vpon her: for with such wer the kinges daughters (that were virgins) appareled. Then his seruaunt brought her out, and locked the doore after her. [unspec D]

19 And Thamar toke and put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of di∣uers colours that was on her, & layed her hand on her head, and so went, and as she went, cryed.

20 And Absalom her brother saide vnto her: Hath Amnon thy brother ben with thee? Now yet be still my sister, he is thy brother, let not this thing greeue thyne heart. And so Thamar remayned deso∣late in her brother Absaloms house.

21 But when king Dauid heard of all these thinges, he was very wroth.

22 And Absalom sayde vnto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: Howbeit, Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Thamar.

23 And after the tyme of two yeres, Ab∣salom had* sheepe shearers in the “ 1.1074 playne of Hazor beside Ephraim, & bade all the kinges sonnes.

24 And came to the king, and saide: Be∣holde, thy seruaunt hath sheepe shea∣rers, I pray thee that the king with his [unspec E] seruauntes come to thy seruaunt.

25 The king aunswered Absalom: Nay my sonne, I pray thee let vs not go all, lest we be chargeable vnto thee. And Absalom laye sore vpon him: howbeit he would not go, but “ 1.1075 blessed him.

26 Then saide Absalom: but I pray thee shall not my brother (g) 1.1076 Amnon go with vs? And the king aunswered him: what needeth it that he go with thee?

27 But Absalom made such instaunce, that he let Amnon & all the kinges chil∣dren go with him.

28 Now had Absalom commaunded his young men, saying: Marke when Am∣nons (h) 1.1077 heart is mery with wine, and when I bid you smyte Amnon: then kil him, and feare not: haue not I bidden you? be bolde therfore, & play the men.

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29 And the seruauntes of Absalom dyd vnto Amnon euen as Absalom had commaunded: And al the kinges sonnes arose, and euery man gat him vp vpon his mule, and fled.

30 And whyle they were yet in the way, tydinges came to Dauid, saying: Absa∣lom hath slaine all the kinges sonnes, and there is none left alyue.

31 Then the king arose, & * 1.1078 tare his gar∣mentes, and lay along on the (i) 1.1079 earth: and all his seruauntes stoode by with their clothes rent.

32 And Ionadab the sonne of Simeach Dauids brother, aunswered, and sayde: Let not my lorde suppose that they haue slaine all the young men of the kings sonnes, but Amnon onely is dead: For that hath ben determined in Absa∣loms minde, since he forced his sister Thamar.

33 Now therefore, let not my lorde the king “ 1.1080 take the thing so greuously, to thinke that all the kinges sonnes are dead, * 1.1081 for Amnon onely is dead.

34 But Absalom fled: And ye young man that kept the watch, lyft vp his eyes & loked, and beholde there came much people by the way of the hill syde “ 1.1082 be∣hinde him.

35 And Ionadab said vnto the king, Be∣holde, the kinges sonnes come: As thy seruaunt said, so it is.

36 And assoone as he had left speaking, beholde the kinges sonnes came, & lyft vp their voyces, and wept: The king al∣so & all his seruauntes wept exceeding∣ly sore.

37 But Absalom escaped, and went to (k) 1.1083 Thalma the sonne of Ammihur kyng of Gesur: And Dauid mourned for his sonne euery day.

38 And so Absalom escaped, and went to Gesur, and was there three yeres.

39 And king Dauid “ 1.1084 desired to go foorth vnto Absalom: For where as Amnon was dead, he was comforted ouer him.

¶The .xiiii. Chapter.

2 Absalom is reconciled to his father by the subtiltie of Ioab. 24 Absalom may not see the kinges face. 25 The beautie of Absalom. 30 He causeth Ioabs corne to be burnt, and is brought to his fathers presence.

[unspec A]

1 IOab ye sonne of Zar∣uia perceaued that the kynges (a) 1.1085 heart was toward Absalom:

2 And he sent to The∣koa, and fet thence a wyse woman, & sayde vnto her: I pray thee faine thy selfe to be a mourner, and put on mourning ap∣parell, and (b) 1.1086 annoynt not thy self with oyle, but be as a woman that had long tyme mourned for the dead:

3 And come to the king, and speake on this maner vnto hym (And so Ioab “ 1.1087taught her what she should say.

4 And when the woman of Thekoa spake with the king, she fell on her face to the grounde, and did obeysaunce, and sayde: “ 1.1088 Helpe, O king.

5 The king said vnto her: What ayleth thee? She aunswered: I am in deede a “ 1.1089 wydow, and myne husband is dead.

6 And thy hande mayde had (c) 1.1090 two sonnes, and they two fought together in the fielde, where was no man to go betweene them, but the one smote the other, and slue him.

7 And beholde, the whole kindred is ri∣sen [unspec B] against thy handmayd, & they said: * 1.1091 Delyuer hym that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the (d) 1.1092 soule of his brother whom he slue, we will de∣stroy the heyre also: And so they shall quenche my sparkle which is left, and shall not leaue to my husband neither name nor issue vpon the earth.

8 And the king sayde vnto the woman: Go home to thyne house, I wyll geue a charge for thee.

9 And the woman of Thekoa saide vn∣to the king: My lorde O king, this (e) 1.1093 trespasse be on me and on my fathers house: and the king and his throne be “ 1.1094 giltlesse.

10 And the king saide: If any man say ought vnto thee, bring him to me, and he shall “ 1.1095 hurt thee no more.

11 Then saide she: I pray thee let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer many reuen∣gers of blood to destroy, lest they slay my sonne. And he aunswered: As the Lorde lyueth, * 1.1096 there shal not one heere of thy sonne fall to the earth.

Page lxv

12 The woman sayde: Let thyne hand∣mayde speake one worde vnto my lorde the king. And he sayde: Say on.

13 The woman sayd: Wherfore then hast thou f 1.1097 thought suche a thing against the people of God? For the king doth speake this thing as one which is faultie, that he shoulde not fet home againe his ba∣nished.

[unspec C] 14 For we must nedes dye, and are as wa∣ther spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered vp againe: Neither doth God spare any person, yet doth he ap∣poynt (g) 1.1098 meanes that his banished be not vtterly expelled from him.

15 Nowe therfore I am come to speake of this thing vnto the my lord the king, [because] they that be of ye people (h) 1.1099 haue made me afrayd: And thy handmayde sayd, Now will I speake vnto the king, it may be that the king will perfourme the request of his handmayde.

16 And the king shall heare his hand∣mayde, to deliuer her out of the hand of the man that woulde haue destroyed me, and also my sonne out of the inheri∣taunce of God.

17 And thyne handmayde sayde: The worde of my lord the king shall now be “ 1.1100comfortable: For my lord the king is as an (i) 1.1101 angel of God, in hearing of good & bad: Therfore the Lorde thy God be with thee.

18 Then the king aunswered, and sayde vnto the woman: Hyde not from me I pray thee ye thing that I shall aske thee. And the woman sayde: Let my lord the king nowe speake.

19 And the king sayd: Is not the (k) 1.1102 hand of Ioab with thee in all this matter? The woman aunswered, and sayde: As thy soule liueth my lorde the king, I wil not turne to the right hande nor to the left from ought that my lorde the king hath spokē: for euen thy seruaunt Ioab bad me, and he put all these wordes in the mouth of thyne handmayde:

20 For to the intent that I shoulde (l) 1.1103 chaunge the fourme of speach, hath thy seruaunt Ioab done this thing: And my lorde is wyse, according to the wisdome of an angel of God, to vnderstande all thinges that are in the earth.

[unspec D] 21 And the king sayd vnto Ioab: Behold, I * 1.1104 haue done this thing: Go & bring the young man Absalom againe.

22 And Ioab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed him selfe, and “ 1.1105 thanked the king: And Ioab sayd, Now thy ser∣uaunt knoweth, that I haue founde grace in thy sight my lorde O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his seruaunt.

23 And so Ioab arose, and went to Gesur, and brought Absalom to Hierusalem.

24 And the king sayde: Let him turne to his owne house, & not see my face. And so Absalō returned to his owne house, and sawe not the kinges face.

25 But in al Israel there was none to be so muche praysed as Absalom for beau∣tie: from ye sole of his foote to the toppe of his head, there was no blemishe in him.

26 And when he polled his head (for at euery yeres ende he polled it, because the heere was heauy on him therfore he polled it) he weighed the heere of his head at two hundreth (n) 1.1106 sicles, after the kinges wayght.

27 And Absalom had three sonnes borne him, and one daughter named Tha∣mar, whiche was a fayre woman to loke vpon.

28 So Absalom dwelt two yeres in Hieru∣salem, [unspec E] and sawe not the kinges face.

29 Therfore Absalom sent for Ioab to haue sent him to the king, but he would not come to him: And when he sent a∣gaine, he would not come.

30 Therfore he sayde vnto his seruauntes: Behold, Ioab hath a field by my “ 1.1107 place, & he hath barlye therin: Go, & (o) 1.1108 set it on fyre. And Absaloms seruauntes set it on fire.

31 Then Ioab arose, and came to Absa∣lom vnto his house, and sayd vnto him: Wherfore haue thy seruauntes burnt my fielde with fire?

32 And Absalō aunswered Ioab: Behold, I sent for thee, desiring thee to come, because I woulde haue sent thee to the king, for to say, Wherfore am I come from Gesur? It had ben better for me to haue ben there still: Nowe therfore would I see the kinges face: And if ther be any (p) 1.1109 trespasse in me, let hym kil me.

33 And so Ioab came to the king, and tolde him: Which when he had sent for Absalom, he came to the king, and fel to the ground on his face before him, and the king kissed Absalom.

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The .xv. Chapter.

2 The practises of Absalom to aspire to the kingdome. 14 Dauid and his seruauntes flee. 31 Dauids prayer. 34 Husai is sent to Absalom to discourse his counsell.

[unspec A]

1 AFter this, Absalō “ 1.1110 pre∣pared him charettes & horses, and fiftie men to runne before him.

2 And Absalom rose vp early, and stoode in the place of the entring in of the gate: And euery man that had any “ 1.1111 matter and came to the king for iudgement, him did Absalom cal vnto him, and sayde: Of what citie art thou? He aunswered: Thy seruaunt is of one of the (a) 1.1112 tribes of Israel.

3 And Absalom said vnto him: See, thy matters are good and righteous, but there is (b) 1.1113 no man [deputed] of the king to heare thee.

4 Absalom sayde moreouer: Oh, that I were made iudge in the land, that euery man which hath any plea and matter in the lawe, might come to me, and that I might do him iustice.

5 And when any man came nye to him, and dyd him obeysaunce, he put foorth his hande, and toke him to him, and kis∣sed him.

6 And on this maner dyd Absalom to al Israel that came to the king for iudge∣ment: so Absalom (c) 1.1114 stale the heartes of the men of Israel.

7 And after (d) 1.1115 fourtie yeres, Absalom said vnto the king: I pray thee let me go to Hebron, & pay my vowe which I haue vowed vnto the Lorde:

[unspec B] 8 For thy seruaunt vowed a vowe (when I was in Gesur in Siria) saying: If the Lorde shall bring me againe in deede to Hierusalem, I (e) 1.1116 wil serue the Lorde.

9 And the king said vnto him: Go in peace. And so he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: Assoone as ye heare the voyce of the trumpet blow, ye shall say, Absalom raigneth in Hebrō.

11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Hierusalem, that were (f) 1.1117 cal∣led: And they went with pure heartes, not knowing of (g) 1.1118 any thing.

12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite Dauids counseller, frō his ci∣tie Gilo, while he offered sacrifices, and there was wrought strong treason: For the people went and increased with Ab∣salom.

13 And ther came a messenger to Dauid, and sayde: The heartes of the men of Israel are turned after Absalom.

14 And Dauid said vnto all his seruaūtes [unspec C] that were with him at Hierusalem: Vp, that we may flee, for we shall not els escape (h) 1.1119 from Absalom: Make speede to departe, lest he come sodenly & catche vs, and bring euyll vpon vs, and smyte the citie with the edge of the sworde.

15 And the kinges seruauntes sayd vnto him: Beholde, thy seruauntes are redy to do whatsoeuer my lord the king shall “ 1.1120 appoynt.

16 And the king departed, and al his hous∣holde(i) 1.1121 at his feete: And the king left ten concubines to kepe the house.

17 And the king went foorth and all the people at his feete, and taried in a place that was (k) 1.1122 farre of.

18 And al his seruauntes went about him: and all the Cerethites, and all the Phe∣lethites, and all the Gethites, euen sixe hundred men whiche were come “ 1.1123 after him from Geth, went before the king.

19 Then sayde the king to Ithai the Ge∣thite: Wherfore commest thou with vs? Returne, and abyde with the king, for thou art a straunger, depart therfore to thy place.

20 Thou camest yesterday, and should I vnquiet thee to day to go with vs? I will go whyther I can: Therfore re∣turne thou, & cary againe thy (l) 1.1124brethren: Mercy and trueth be with thee.

21 And Ithai aunswered the king, & said: [unspec D] As the Lord lyueth, and as my lord the king lyueth, in what place my lorde the king shalbe, whether in death or lyfe, euen there also will thy seruaunt be.

22 And Dauid said to Ithai: Come then, and go forward. And Ithai the Gethite went foorth, and all his men, and all the children that were with him.

23 And all the countrey wepte with a

Page lxvi

loude voyce, & all the people went ouer: The king also him selfe passed ouer the brooke Cedron, and all the people went ouer towarde the waye that leadeth to the wildernesse.

24 And lo Sadoc also and all the Leuites were with him, & * 1.1125 bare the arke of the appoyntment of God, and they set downe the arke of God, and Abiathar * 1.1126went vp, vntill the people were all come ouer, out of the citie.

25 And the king sayde vnto Sadoc, Cary the arke of God againe into the citie: If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde, he will bring me againe, & shewe me both it, and the tabernacle therof.

26 But if he thus say, I haue no lust vnto thee: beholde (o) 1.1127 here am I, let hym do with me what semeth good in his eyes.

27 The king sayde also vnto Sadoc the priest: Art not thou a Sear? Returne in∣to the citie in peace, and take your two sonnes with you, Ahimaaz thy sonne, and Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar.

28 Behold, I wil tary in the fieldes of the [unspec E] wildernesse, vntil there come some word from you to be tolde me.

29 Sadoc therfore and Abiathar caried the arke of God againe to Hierusalem, and they taried there.

30 And Dauid went vpon mount Oliuet, and wept as he went vp, and had his head * 1.1128 couered, & went barefoote: And all the people that was with him, had euery man his head couered: & as they went vp, they wept.

31 And one tolde Dauid, saying: Ahitho∣phel is one of them that haue conspired with Absalom. And Dauid sayde: O Lorde I pray thee, turne the (q) 1.1129 counsell of Ahithophel into foolishnes.

32 When Dauid was come to the toppe of the mount, he worshipped God: and be∣holde, Husai the Arachite came against him, with his coate torne, and hauing earth vpon his head.

33 Vnto whom Dauid sayde: If thou go with me, thou shalt be a burthen vnto me.

34 But if thou returne to the citie, and say vnto Absalom, I will be thy seruaunt O king: as I haue thus long ben thy fathers seruaunt, so am I nowe thy ser∣uaunt, thou mayest “ 1.1130 for my sake destroy the counsel of Ahithophel.

35 And hast thou not there with thee Sa∣doc and Abiathar the priestes? therfore whatsoeuer thou shalt here out of the kings house, thou shalt shewe to Sadoc and Abiathar the priestes.

36 And behold, they haue there with them [unspec F] their two sonnes, Ahimaaz Sadocs sonne, and Ionathan Abiathars sonne: by them also shal ye sende me all that ye can heare.

37 And so Husai Dauids freende went to the citie, and Absalom entred into Hie∣rusalem.

The .xvi. Chapter.

1 The infidelitie of Ziba. 5 Simei curseth Dauid. 16 Husai commeth to Absalom 21 The counsell of Ahithophel for the concubines.

[unspec A] 1 ANd when Dauid was a litle past the a 1.1131 toppe [of the hill] beholde, Zi∣ba the seruaunt of Mi∣phiboseth mette him with a coople of asses sadled, & vpon them two hundred loues of bread, & one hun∣dred bunches of resinges, and an hun∣dred of dried * 1.1132 figges, & a bottel of wyne.

2 And the king sayde vnto Ziba: What meanest thou with these? And Ziba sayde: They be Asses for the kinges houshold to ryde on, and bread and fruit for the young men to eate, and wine, that such as be faynt in the wildernesse may drinke.

3 And the king sayde: Where is thy mai∣sters sonne? Ziba aunswered vnto the king, Behold he tarieth still at Hierusa∣lem: For he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the king∣dome of my father.

4 Then sayd the king to Ziba: Behold, thyne are all that pertayned vnto Mi∣phiboseth. And Ziba sayde: I humbly “ 1.1133beseche thee that I may finde grace in thy sight, my lorde O king.

5 And when king Dauid came to (b) 1.1134 Ba∣hurim, beholde, thence came out a man of the kinred of the house of Saul, na∣med Semei the sonne of Gera, and he came out cursing.

Page [unnumbered]

6 And he cast stones at Dauid, and at all the seruauntes of Dauid: And all the people and al the men of warre were on his (c) 1.1135 right hande, and on his left.

7 And thus sayd Semei when he cursed: Come foorth, come foorth thou “ 1.1136 blood∣sheder, and thou man of “ 1.1137 Belial.

8 The Lord hath brought vpon thee all the (d) 1.1138 blood of the house of Saul, in whose steade thou hast raigned, and the Lorde hath deliuered the kingdome in∣to the hande of Absalom thy sonne: And beholde, thou art come to thy mischiefe, because thou art a bloodsheder.

9 Then sayde Abisai the sonne of Zar∣uia vnto the king: Why doth this dead dogge curse my lord the king? let me go nowe, and take of the head of him.

10 And the king sayde: What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zaruia? for he curseth euen because the Lord hath e 1.1139 bidden him curse Dauid: Who dare then say, Wherfore hast thou done so?

11 And Dauid sayde to Abisai, and to all his seruaūtes, Behold, my sonne which came of myne owne bowels, seketh my lyfe: How much more then may this sonne of Iemini do it? Suffre him to curse, for the Lorde hath bidden him.

12 It may be that the Lorde will loke on myne “ 1.1140 affliction, and (f) 1.1141 do me good for his cursing this day.

13 And as Dauid and his men went by the way, Semei went along on the hilles syde ouer against him, & cursed as he went, and threwe stones at him, and cast duste.

[unspec C] 14 And the king and all that were with him came weery, and refreshed them selues g 1.1142 there.

15 And Absalom & al the people the men of Israel came to Hierusalem, and Ahi∣thophel was with him.

16 And assoone as Husai the Arachite Dauids frend, was come vnto Absalō, Husai sayde vnto Absalom: God saue the king, “ 1.1143 God saue the king.

17 And Absalom sayde to Husai: Is this the kindnesse to thy (h) 1.1144 frende? Why wen∣test thou not with him?

18 Husai aunswered vnto Absalom, Nay not so: But whom the Lorde and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, & with him wil I dwell.

19 And “ 1.1145 moreouer, vnto whom shal I do seruice? not to his sonne? And as I was seruaunt before thy father, so will I be∣fore thee.

20 Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel: Geue counsel what we shall do.

21 And (i) 1.1146 Ahithophel said vnto Absalom: [unspec D] Get thee in vnto thy fathers cōcubines whiche he hath left to kepe the house, and all Israel shal heare, that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hādes of al that are with thee, be strong.

22 And so they spread Absalom a tent vpon the toppe of the house, and Absalom went in vnto his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel whiche he counseled in those dayes, was as a man had asked counsel (k) 1.1147 at the oracle of God: euen so was all the counsel of Ahi∣thophel, both with Dauid and with Absalom.

The .xvii. Chapter.

7 Ahithophels counsel is ouerthrowen by Husai. 14 The Lorde had so ordeined. 19 The priestes sonnes are hid in the wel. 22 Dauid goeth ouer Iordane. 23 Ahithophel hangeth him selfe. 27 They bring vittayles to Dauid.

[unspec A] 1 AHithophel also said vn∣to Absalom: (a) 1.1148 Let me choose out now twelue thousand men, and I wil vp and folowe af∣ter Dauid this night:

2 And I wil come vpō him whyle he is weery and weake han∣ded, and will feare him: And all the peo∣ple that are with him, shall flee, and so will I smite the king only,

3 And wil bring againe all the people vn∣to thee: and when al shall returne, the(b) 1.1149 man whom thou sekest [beyng slayne] all the people shalbe in peace.

4 And the saying “ 1.1150 pleased Absalom wel and al the elders of Israel.

5 Then sayde Absalom: Cal nowe Husai the Arachite also, and let vs heare lyke∣wyse “ 1.1151 what he sayth.

6 When Husai was come to Absalom, Ab∣salom spake vnto him, saying: Ahitho∣phel hath geuen “ 1.1152 such counsel: Shal we do after his saying, or no? tell thou.

7 Husai aunswered vnto Absalom: The [unspec B] counsel that Ahithophel hath geuen, is not good at this time.

8 For sayde Husai, thou knowest thy fa∣ther & his men howe that they be strong men, and they be chafed in their mindes,

Page lxvii

and are euen as a Beare robbed of her whelpes in the fielde: Thy father is a man also practised in warre, and wil not * 1.1153 lodge with the people.

9 Behold he is hyd nowe in some caue, or in some other place: And though some of his men be ouerthrowen at the first brunt, yet they that heare it, will say: The people that foloweth Absa∣lom, be “ 1.1154 put to the worse.

10 And he also that is valiaunt, whose heart is as ye heart of a Liō, shal “ 1.1155 shrink and faynt: For all Israel knoweth, that thy father is a mightie man, and they which be with him are “ 1.1156 stout men.

11 Therfore my counsell is, that al Israel be gathered vnto thee frō Dan to Beer∣seba, as the sande of the sea in numbre, and that thou go to battayle in thyne owne person.

12 For so shall we come vpon him in one place or other where we shal finde him, and we wil fal vpon him, euen as thicke as the deawe falleth on ye ground: And of al the men that are with him, we shal not leaue him one.

13 Moreouer, if he be gotten into a towne, then shall al the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will drawe it into the riuer, vntil ther be not one small stone founde there.

[unspec C] 14 And Absalom and all the men of Is∣rael sayde: The counsel of Husai the A∣rachite, is better then the counsell of A∣hithophel. For * 1.1157 it was euen the Lordes determination to destroy the (c) 1.1158 good counsell of Ahithophel, that the Lorde might d 1.1159 bring euyll vpon Absalom.

15 Then sayde Husai vnto Sadoc & Abia∣thar the priestes: Of this & that maner did Ahithophel and the elders of Israel counsel Absalom, and thus & thus haue I counsayled.

16 Nowe therfore send quickly, & shewe Dauid, saying: Tarie not this night in ye fieldes of the wildernesse, but get thee (e) 1.1160ouer, lest the king be deuoured, & all the people that are with him.

17 Now Ionathan and Ahimaaz abode by the well Rogel: (for they might not be seene to come into the citie) and a wench went and * 1.1161 told them: And they went, and shewed king Dauid.

18 Neuerthelesse, a lad sawe them, and tolde it to Absalom: But they went both of them away quickly, & came to a mans house in Bahurim, which had a well in his yarde, into the whiche they went downe.

19 And the wyfe toke and spread a co¦uerlet ouer the welles mouth, & spread ground corne theron: and the thing was not spied.

20 And when Absaloms seruauntes came to the wyfe to the house, they sayde: Where is Ahimaaz & Ionathan? The woman aunswered thē: They be gone ouer the brooke of water. And whē they had sought them, and coulde not finde them, they returned to Hierusalem.

21 And assoone as they were departed, [unspec D] the other came out of the wel, and went and tolde king Dauid, and sayde vnto him: Vp, and get you quickly ouer the water, for (g) 1.1162 suche counsel hath Ahitho∣phel geuen against you.

22 Then Dauid arose, and all the people that were with him, & they were come ouer Iordane (h) 1.1163by that it was day: so that there lacked not one of them that was not come ouer Iordane.

23 And when Ahithophel sawe that his counsel was not folowed, he sadled his Asse, and arose and gate him home to his owne house, and to his owne citie, & put his housholde in order, and(i) 1.1164 han∣ged him selfe, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24 Then Dauid came to Mahanaim, And Absalom passed ouer Iordane, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 And Absalom made Amasa captaine of the hoast in stede of Ioab: which Ama∣sa, was a mans sonne named Iethra an Israelite, that went into Abigail the daughter of(k) 1.1165 Nahas, sister to Zaruia Ioabs mother.

26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

27 And when Dauid was come to Ma∣hanaim, Sobi the sonne of Nahas, out of Rabba of the children of Ammon, & Machir the sonne of Ammiel out of Lo∣deber, and Barzellai the Gileadite out of Rogelim, [unspec E]

28 l 1.1166Brought beddes, basens, earthen ves∣sels, wheat and barly, floure & parched corne, beanes, lentiles, & parched pulse,

29 Hony, butter, sheepe, & cheese of kyne, for Dauid and for the people that were with him, to eate: For they sayde, The people is hungry, weery, and thirstie, in the wildernesse.

Page [unnumbered]

The .xviii. Chapter.

2 Dauid deuideth his armie into three partes. 9 Absalom is hanged, slayne, and cast in a pit. 33 Dauid lamenteth the death of Absalom.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set cap∣taynes of thousandes and of hundredes o∣uer them.

2 And Dauid sēt foorth the third part of the people vnder the hande of Ioab, and the third part vn∣der the hand of Abisai the sonne of Zar∣uia Ioabs brother, and the other third part vnder the hand of Ithai the Ge∣thite: And the king said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.

3 And the people aunswered, Thou shalt not go foorth: for if we flee away, they wil not care for vs, neither shal they re∣gard vs, though halfe of vs were slaine: but thou (a) 1.1167 art nowe worth ten thou∣sande of vs, Wherfore it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.

4 And the king sayde vnto them: What seemeth you best, that wil I do. And the king stoode by the gate syde, and all the people came out by hundredes, and by thousandes.

5 And the king commaunded Ioab, and Abisai, and Ithai, saying: Intreate the young man Absalom gently for my sake. And all the people hearde that the king gaue all the captaynes charge con∣cerning Absalom.

6 And so the people wēt out into the fielde against Israel (and the battel was in the (b 1.1168wood of Ephraim)

7 Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruauntes of Dauid: & there was a great slaughter that day, euen of twentie thousande men.

8 For the battell was scattered ouer al the countrey: And the wood deuoured mo people that day, then dyd the sword.

9 And Absalom mette the seruauntes of Dauid ryding vpon a mule, whiche ca∣ried him vnder the thycke bowes of a great oke, and his head was caught of the oke, and he was (c) 1.1169 lift vp betweene the heauen and the earth: and the mule that was vnder him, went away.

10 And one that sawe it, tolde Ioab, say∣ing: Beholde, I sawe Absalom hange in an oke.

11 And Ioab sayd vnto the man that told him: If thou diddest see him, why did∣dest not thou there smite him to the ground, and I would haue geuen thee ten sicles of siluer, and a gyrdle?

12 The man sayd vnto Ioab: Though I should “ 1.1170 receaue a thousande sicles of sil∣uer in myne hande, yet woulde I not stretche out myne hand against ye kinges

Page lxviii

sonne: For we heard with our eares when the king charged thee, & Abisai, and Ithai, saying: Beware that none touche the young man Absalom.

13 Moreouer, if I had done it, I shoulde haue done against mine owne lyfe: for there is no matter hyd from the king, yea & thou thy selfe wouldest haue ben against me.

[unspec C] 14 Then sayde Ioab, I may not stand thus tarying with thee: And he toke three dartes in his hande, & thrust them “ 1.1171 through Absalom whyle he was yet alyu in the middes of the oke.

15 And ten seruauntes that bare Ioabs weapons, turned and smote Absalom, and slue him.

16 And Ioab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from folowing Israel: for Ioab (d) 1.1172 held backe the people.

17 And they toke Absalom, and cast him into a great pyt in the wood, and layed a mightie great heape of stones vpon him: And all Israel fled euery one to their tentes.

18 And this Absalom yet in his lyfe time toke and reared vp a piller, whiche is in the kinges dale: For he sayd, I haue no (e) 1.1173 sonne to kepe my name in remem∣braunce, and he called the piller after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day Absaloms place.

19 Then sayd Ahimaaz the sonne of Sa∣doc: Let me runne nowe and beare the king tydinges, how that the Lord hath f 1.1174iudged him quyte of the hande of his enemies.

20 And Ioab sayd vnto him: Thou art no man to beare g 1.1175tidinges to day, thou shalt beare tydinges another time: but to day thou shalt beare none, because the kinges sonne is dead.

[unspec D] 21 Then sayd Ioab to Chusi: Go and tell the kyng what thou hast seene. And Chusi bowed him selfe vnto Ioab, and ranne.

22 Then sayd Ahimaaz the sonne of Sa∣doc againe to Ioab: What I pray thee, if I also runne after Chusi?

And Ioab sayde: Wherfore wilt thou runne my sonne, seyng that thou hast no tydinges to bring?

23 Yet what if I runne? He said vnto him: Runne. Then Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the playne, & came before Chusi.

24 And Dauid sate betweene the two (h) 1.1176gates: And the watchman went vp to the roofe ouer the gate vnto the wal, and lift vp his eyes and sawe, & beholde there came a man runnyng alone.

25 And the watchman cryed, & tolde the king. And the king sayd: If he be alone, there (i) 1.1177is tydinges in his mouth. And he came a pace, and drewe neare.

26 And the watchman sawe another man running, and the watchman called vnto the porter, and sayd: Behold, there commeth another man running alone. And the king sayd: He is also a tydinges bringer.

27 And the watchman sayde: “ 1.1178 Me thin∣keth the running of the formost, is lyke the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Sadoc. The king sayde: He is a (k) 1.1179 good man, and commeth with good tidinges.

28 And Ahimaaz called & said vnto ye king, [unspec E] peace be with thee: And he fell downe to the earth vpō his face before the king, and sayd: Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath “ 1.1180 shut vp the mē that lift vp their handes against my lorde the king.

29 And the king sayd: Is the young man Absalom safe? Ahimaaz aunswered: When Ioab sent the kinges seruaunt, and me thy (l) 1.1181 seruaunt, I sawe a great tumult, but I wote not what it was.

30 And the king sayde vnto him: Turne aside, and stand here. And he turned a∣side, and stoode styll.

31 And behold, Chusi came also, and sayd: “ 1.1182 Tydinges my lorde the king, for the Lord hath “ 1.1183 deliuered thee this day out of the hande of al them that rose against thee.

32 And the king sayde vnto Chusi: Is the young man Absalom safe? Chusi aun∣swered: The enemies of my lorde the king, and all that ryse against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was (m) 1.1184 moued, and went vp to the chamber ouer the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he sayde, O my sonne Absalom, my sonne, my sonne Absalom: woulde God I had died for thee, O Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

Page [unnumbered]

The .xix. Chapter.

7 Ioab encourageth the king. 8 Dauid is restored. 23 Simei is pardoned. 24 Mi∣phiboseth meeteth the king. 39 Barzelai departeth. 41 Israel striueth with Iuda.

[unspec A] 1 ANd it was told Ioab, beholde the king wee∣peth, & mourneth for Absalom.

2 And the “ 1.1185 victorie of that day was turned into mourning vnto al the people: for the people heard say that day howe ye king sorowed for his sonne.

3 And the people went that day into the citie by stealth, as people confounded to conuey them selues when they flee in battell.

4 But the king (a) 1.1186 hyd his face, and cryed with a loude voyce: O my sonne Absa∣lom, O Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

5 And Ioab came into (b) 1.1187 the house to the king, and sayd: Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy seruaūtes, which this day haue saued thy life, & the liues of thy sonnes, and of thy daughters. & the liues of thy wyues, and of thy con∣cubines,

6 In that thou louest thyne enemies, and hatest thy frendes: For thou hast decla∣red this day, that thou regardest nei∣ther thy “ 1.1188 princes nor seruauntes: And this day I do perceaue, that if Absa∣lom had lyued, and all we had died this day, that had “ 1.1189 pleased thee well.

7 Nowe therfore vp, and come out, and [unspec B] speake “ 1.1190 cōfortably vnto thy seruauntes: For I sweare by the Lorde, except thou come out, there will not tary one man with thee this night, and that wilbe worse vnto thee, then all the euyll that fell on thee from thy youth vnto this houre.

8 Then the king arose, and sate in the (c) 1.1191 gate: And they tolde vnto all the people, saying, beholde the king doth sit in the gate, and all the people came before the king: For Israel had fled, euery man to his tent.

9 And al ye people were at (d) 1.1192 strife through∣out all the tribes of Israel, saying: The king saued vs out of the hand of our ene∣mies, & he deliuered vs out of the hande of the Philistines, and nowe he is fled out of the lande for Absalom:

10 But Absalom whom we annoynted ouer vs, is dead in battell: Therefore, why are ye so still, that ye bring not the king agayne?

11 And king Dauid sent to c 1.1193 Sadoc & Abi∣athar the priestes, saying: Speake vnto the elders of Iuda, and say: why are ye behinde to bring the king againe to his house (seyng that such tydinges is come from all Israel vnto the king, euen to his house?)

12 Ye are my brethren, my bones, and my fleshe: wherfore then are ye the last that bryng the king againe?

13 And say ye to Amasa: Art thou not of my bone and of my fleshe? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captayne of the hoast to me for euer in the f 1.1194 roome of Ioab.

14 And he bowed the heartes of all the men of Iuda, euen as the heart of one man, so that they sent [this word] to the king: Returne thou with all thy ser∣uauntes.

15 So the king returned, and came to Ior∣dane: And Iuda came to Gilgal for to go to meete the king, and to conuey him ouer Iordane.

16 And(g) 1.1195 Simei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini, whiche was of Bahu∣rim, hasted and came downe with the men of Iuda to meete king Dauid.

17 And there were a thousand men of Beniamin with him, and Ziba the ser∣uaunt of the house of Saul and his fyf∣teene sonnes and twentie seruauntes with him, and they went ouer Ior∣dane before the king.

18 And there went ouer a boate to carie ouer the kinges housholde, and to do him pleasure: And Simei the sonne of Gera fel before the king as he was come ouer Iordane,

19 And sayde vnto the king: Let not my lorde impute wickednes vnto me, nor re∣membre the thinges that thy seruaunt dyd (h) 1.1196 wickedly when my lord the king departed out of Hierusalē, that the king should take it to his heart.

20 For thy seruaunt doth knowe howe that I haue done amisse: And therfore behold, I am the first this day of all the house of (i) 1.1197 Ioseph, that am come downe to meete my lorde the king.

21 But Abisai the sonne of Zaruia aun∣swered, and sayd: Shall not Simei dye for this, because he cursed the Lordes annoynted?

Page lxv

22 And Dauid sayde: What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zaruia? For this day ye be aduersaries vnto me: Shall there any man dye this day in Israel? Do not I knowe that I am this day kyng ouer Israel?

23 And therfore the kyng sayde vnto Si∣mei, Thou shalt not dye: and the kyng sware vnto hym.

24 And Miphiboseth the sonne of Saul came downe to meete the kyng, and had neither washed his feete, nor dressed his bearde, nor (m 1.1198 washed his clothes, from the tyme the kyng departed, vntyll he came againe in peace.

25 And when he(n 1.1199 was come to Hieru∣salem and met the king, the king sayde vnto him: Wherfore wentest not thou [unspec E] with me Miphiboseth?

26 He aunswered: My lorde O king, my seruaunt deceaued me: For thy ser∣uaunt saide, I would haue myne asse sadled to ryde thereon, for to go to the king: because thy seruaunt is lame.

27 And he hath accused thy seruaunt vn∣to my lorde the king, and my lorde the king is as an (o) 1.1200 angell of God: do ther∣fore what seemeth (p 1.1201 good in thine eyes.

28 For all my fathers house were but (q) 1.1202 dead men before my lorde the king, and yet diddest thou put thy seruaunt among thē that dyd eate at thyne owne table: What right therefore haue I yet to crye any more vnto the king?

29 And the king said vnto him: Why spea∣kest thou any more of thy matters? I haue saide, Thou and Ziba deuide the (r) 1.1203landes betweene you.

30 And Miphiboseth sayd vnto the king: yea, let him take all, forsomuch as my lord ye king is come againe in peace vnto his owne house.

31 And Barzellai ye Gileadite came downe from Roglim, and went ouer Iordane with the king, to conduct him ouer Ior∣dane.

32 Barzellai was a very aged man, euen [unspec F] foure score yeres olde, and prouided the king of sustenaunce while he laye at Mahanaim: for he was a man of very great substaunce.

33 And the king said vnto Barzellai, come ouer with me, & I will feede thee with me in Hierusalem.

34 And Barzellai saide vnto the king: “ 1.1204How long haue I to liue, that I shuld go vp with the king vnto Hierusalem?

35 I am this day foure score yeres olde: & can I deserue betweene good or euyll? Hath thy seruaunt any taste in that he eateth or drinketh? Can he heare any more the voyce of syngyng men and wo∣men? wherfore thē should thy seruaunt be yet a burthen vnto my lord the king?

36 Thy seruaunt will go a litle way ouer Iordane with the king: & why wyl the king recompence it me with such a re∣warde?

37 O let thy seruaunt turne backe a∣gayne, that I may dye in myne owne citie, and [be buryed] in the graue of my father & of my mother: Beholde, here is thy seruaunt (s) 1.1205 Chimham, let him go [unspec G] with my lorde the king, and do to him what shall please thee.

38 And the king aunswered: Chimham shall go with me, and I will do to him that thou shalt be content with: And what soeuer thou shalt “ 1.1206 require of me, that same will I do for thee.

39 And al the people went ouer Iordane: and whē the king was come ouer Ior∣dane, he kissed Barzellai, & “ 1.1207 blessed him, & he went backe againe vnto his owne place.

40 And then the king went to Gilgal, & Chimham went with him: And al the people of Iuda, conducted the king, and also halfe the people (t) 1.1208 of Israel.

41 And beholde, all the men of Israel came to the king, & saide vnto the king: Why haue our brethren the men of Iu∣da stolen thee away, and haue brought the king and his housholde and all Da∣uids men with him ouer Iordane?

42 And all the men of Iuda aunswered the men of Israel, Because the king is neare of kinne to vs: Wherefore be ye angry for this matter? Haue we eaten of the kinges cost? or haue we taken any brybes?

43 And the men of Israel aunswered the men of Iuda, and saide: We haue ten partes in the king, and haue thereto more ryght to Dauid then ye: Why then did ye despise vs, that our aduise should not be first had, in restoring our king? And the wordes of the men of Iuda were fiercer thē the wordes of the men of Israel.

Page [unnumbered]

The .xx. Chapter.

1 Seba rayseth Israel against Dauid. 10 Ioab killeth Amasa traiterously. 22 The head of Seba is deliuered to Ioab. 23 Dauids chiefe officers.

[unspec A] 1 WHen there came (a) 1.1209 thither a cer∣taine man * 1.1210 of Belial, named Seba, the sonne of Bichri, a man of Iemini, he blew a trumpet, and said: we haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we in∣heritaunce in the sonne of Isai: euery man to his tentes, O Israel.

2 And so euery man of Israel went frō Dauid, and folowed Seba the sonne of Bichri: But the men of Iuda claue fast vnto their king from Iordane to Hieru∣salem.

3 And Dauid came to his house to Hie∣rusalem, * 1.1211 and the king toke the ten wo∣men his concubines, that he had left be∣hind him to kepe ye house, & put them in warde, & fed them, but lay no more with them: And so they were inclosed vnto the day of their death, lyuing in wy∣dowhood.

4 Then saide the king to (b) 1.1212 Amasa: Call me the men of Iuda together within three dayes, and be thou here also.

5 And so Amasa went to gather ye men of Iuda together, but taryed longer thē the time which he had appoynted him.

6 And Dauid saide to Abisai: Now shal Seba the sonne of Bichri do vs more harme then did Absalom: Take thou therefore thy lordes (c) 1.1213 seruauntes, and folowe after him, lest he get him walled cities, and escape vs.

[unspec B] 7 And there went out after him Ioabs men, and the Cerethites, and the Phele∣thites, and all the mightyest men: And they departed out of Hierusalem to fo∣low after Seba the sonne of Bichri.

8 And when they were at ye great stone in Gibeon, Amasa went before them: And Ioabs (d) 1.1214 garment that he had a∣bout him, was girde vnto him, & he had gyrded thereon a sword, which was ioyned fast to his loynes in a sheath, that as he went it fell sometime out.

9 And Ioab saide to Amasa: Art thou in “ 1.1215 health my brother? And Ioab toke Amasa by ye beard with the right hand, to * 1.1216 kisse him.

10 But Amasa toke no heede to the sword that was in Ioabs hand: for there with he smote him * 1.1217 in the fyft [rybbe] & shed out his bowels to the grounde, and “ 1.1218 thrust at him no more, & he dyed: So Ioab and Abisai his brother folowed after Seba the sonne of Bichri.

11 And one of Ioabs men stoode by him, and saide: He that beareth any fauour to Ioab, or good will to Dauid, let him go after Ioab.

12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the middes of the way: And when the man sawe that* all the people stoode still, he remoued Amasa out of the way into the fielde, and cast a cloth vpon him, [unspec C] because he saw that euery one that came by him stoode still.

13 And assoone as he was remoued out of the way, al the people went after Io∣ab, to folow after Seba the sonne of Bichri.

14 And he went thorow all the tribes of Israel, vnto Abel, and to Bethmaacha, and all the places of Berim: And they gathered together, and went after him.

15 And they came and besieged him in A∣bel, neare to Bethmaacha: And they cast vp a bancke against the citie, and the people therof stoode on the ramper, and all the people that was with Ioab, “ 1.1219 thrust at the wall to ouerthrowe it.

16 Then cryed a wyse woman out of the citie, heare, heare, I pray you say vnto Ioab: Come hither that I may speake with thee.

17 When Ioab was come vnto her, the woman saide: Art thou Ioab? He aun∣swered: I am he. She saide vnto him: Heare the wordes of thyne handmayd. And he aunswered: I do heare.

18 Then she spake thus: (e) 1.1220 They spake in the olde tyme, saying, They should aske of Abel: And so haue they continued.

19 I am (f) 1.1221 one of them that are peaceable & faithfull in Israel, and thou goest a∣bout to destroy a citie, and a mother in [unspec D] Israel: Why wilt thou deuour the in∣heritaunce of the Lorde?

20 And Ioab aunswered, and sayd: God forbyd, God forbid it me that I should either deuour, or destroy.

21 The matter is not so: But a man of

Page lxx

mount Ephraim (Seba the sonne of Bichri by name) hath lyft vp his hand against the king, euen against Dauid: Delyuer vs him onely, & I wyll depart from the citie. And the woman said vn∣to Ioab: Behold, his head shalbe thro∣wen to thee ouer the wall.

22 And then the woman went vnto all the people with her wisedome, and they smote of the head of Seba ye sonne of Bichri, and cast it out to Ioab: * 1.1222 And he blew a trumpet, & they “ 1.1223 retyred from the citie, euery man to his tent: And Io∣ab returned to Hierusalem, vnto the king.

23 Ioab was ouer all the hoast of Isra∣el, and Banaia the sonne of Iehoida was ouer the Cerethites & Phelethites.

24 And Aduram was ouer the tribute, and Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud, was recorder.

25 Seua was scribe, and Sadoc and A∣biathar were the priestes.

26 And Ira the Iairite was (g) 1.1224 chiefe a∣bout Dauid.

¶The .xxi. Chapter.

1 Three deare yeres. 9 The vengeaunce of the sinnes of Saul, lighteth on his seuen sonnes, which are hanged, 15 Foure great battailes, which Dauid had against the Philistines.

[unspec A] 1 THEN there was an hunger in the dayes of Dauid three yeres “ 1.1225 together: And Dauid “ 1.1226 enquired of ye Lorde. And the Lorde aun∣swered: It is for Saul, and the house of blood, because he slue the * 1.1227 a 1.1228 Gibeonites.

2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and saide vnto them: (Now the Gibe∣onites were not of the* 1.1229 children of Is∣rael, but a remnaunt of the Amorites, and the children of Israel sware vnto them: And Saul sought to slay them, for a zeale that he had to the children of Israel and of Iuda.)

3 Wherefore Dauid saide vnto the Gi∣beonites: b 1.1230 What shall I do for you, & wherewith shall I make the attone∣ment, that ye may blesse ye inheritaunce of the Lorde?

4 The Gibeonites aunswered him: We will haue no siluer nor golde of Saul nor of his house, neither is it our mind that thou shouldest kil * 1.1231 any man in Is∣rael. He saide: What you shall say, that will I do for you.

5 They aunswered the king: The man that consumed vs, and imagined to bring vs to naught, that we are destroy∣ed from remaining in any of the coastes of Israel:

6 Let seuen men of his * 1.1232 sonnes be deli∣uered vnto vs, & we will hang them vp d 1.1233vnto the Lorde in Gibeah of Saul whom ye Lord did choose. And the king saide: I will geue them you.

7 But the king had compassion on Mi∣phiboseth [unspec B] the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lordes oth that was betweene them, euen be∣tweene Dauid & Ionathan the sonne of Saul.

8 But the king toke the two sonnes of Rispha the daughter of Aia whom she bare vnto Saul, euen Armoni and Mi∣phiboseth, and the fiue sonnes of Mi∣chol the daughter of Saul, whom (f) 1.1234 she bare to Adriel the sonne of Barzel∣lai the Meholathite.

9 And he deliuered them vnto ye handes of the Gibeonites, which hanged them in the hill before the Lorde: And they “ 1.1235 fell all seuen together, and were slaine in the dayes of haruest, euen in the (g) 1.1236 first dayes, and in the beginning of bar∣lye haruest.

10 And Rispha the daughter of Aia, toke (h) 1.1237 sackcloth, & hanged it vp for her vp∣on the rocke [euen] from the beginning of haruest, vntill (i) 1.1238 water dropped vpon them out of heauen, & suffered neither the byrdes of the ayre to “ 1.1239 lyght on them by day, nor beastes of ye fielde by night.

11 And it was tolde Dauid what Rispha the daughter of Aia the concubine of Saul, had done.

12 And Dauid went and toke the bones of Saul and of Ionathan his sonne, from the citezins of Iabes in Gilead, which had stolen them from the streate of Bethsan where the Philistines had hanged them, whē the Philistines had slaine Saul in Gilboa:

13 And he brought thence the bones of

Page [unnumbered]

Saul, and the bones of Ionathan his sonne, and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14 And the bones of Saul & Ionathan his sonne buryed they in the countrey of Beniamin, in Zela, in the sepulchre of Cis his father: And when they had per∣fourmed al that the king commaunded, God was then(k) 1.1240 at one with the land.

15 Moreouer, ye Philistines had yet warre againe with Israel, and Dauid went downe and his seruauntes with him, & fought against the Philistines: And Da∣uid waxed faintie.

16 And Iesbi benob one of the sonnes of the giauntes (the iron of whose speare wayed three hundred (l) 1.1241 sicles of brasse) and he being gyrded with a new sword, thought to haue slaine Dauid.

17 * 1.1242But Abisai the sonne of Zaruia suc∣coured him, & smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the seruauntes of Da∣uid sware vnto him, saying: Thou shalt go no more out with vs to battaile, that thou quenche not the (m) 1.1243 light of Israel.

18 And yet after this, there was a bat∣taile with the Philistines at (n) 1.1244 Gob, and then Sibbechai the Husathite slue (o) 1.1245 Saph which was one of ye sonnes of the giauntes.

19 And there was another battaile in * 1.1246 Gob with the Philistines, where Elha∣nan the sonne of Iaere Oregim a Beth¦lehemite slue (p) 1.1247 Goliath ye Gethite: the staffe of whose speare was as great as a weauers clothbeame.

20 And there was yet another battaile in Geth, wher was a man of a great stature, and had on euery hand sixe fin∣gers, & on euery foote sixe toes, foure & twentie in number, and was borne also of the kindred of the giauntes in Geth.

21 And when he defyed Israel, Iona∣than the sonne of Simea the brother of Dauid slue him.

22 These foure were borne to the giaunt in Geth, and dyed by the hand of Da∣uid, & by the handes of his seruauntes.

¶The .xxii. Chapter.

2 Dauid after his victories prayseth God. 8 The anger of God toward the wicked. 44 He prophecieth of the reiection of the Iewes, and vocation of the Gentiles.

[unspec A] 1 AND Dauid spake the wordes of this (a) 1.1248 song vnto the Lorde, what time the Lorde had de∣lyuered him out of the hand of al his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

2 And he saide: The Lorde is my rocke, and my castell, and my delyuerer.

3 God is my “ 1.1249 strength, in him will I trust: he is my shielde, and the horne of my saluation, my hie towre, and my re∣fuge, my sauiour, thou hast saued me from wrong.

4 * 1.1250I will call on the Lorde which is prayse worthy: and so shall I be saued from myne enemies.

5 For the panges of death closed me a∣bout: the fludes of “ 1.1251 Belial put me in feare.

6 The sorowes of “ 1.1252 hell compassed me about, the snares of death ouertoke me.

7 In my tribulation did I call vppon [unspec B] the Lorde, and crye to my God: and he dyd heare my voyce out of his temple, and my crye [did enter] into his eares.

8 The earth trembled and quaked: the foundations of heauen moued & shooke when he was angry.

9 Smoke went out at his nosthryls, & consuming (b) 1.1253 fyre out of his mouth: coles were kindled thereat.

10 And he bowed heauen & came downe: and there was darkenesse vnder his feete.

11 And he rode vpon Cherub and did flee: he was seene vppon the winges of the winde.

12 He made darknes a tabernacle rounde about him: with waters gathered toge∣ther [unspec C] in thicke cloudes.

13 Through the brightnes of his presence were (c) 1.1254 the coles of fyre kindled.

14 The Lorde thundred from heauen: & he that is most hie, put out his voyce.

15 He shot arrowes, and scattered them: [to wit] lyghtning, & ouerthrew them. [unspec D]

16 The chanels of the sea appeared: and the foundatiōs of the world were seene, by the reason of ye rebuking of the Lord, and through the blasting of the breath of his nosthryls.

17 He sent from aboue and toke me: he drew me out of many waters.

Page lxxi

18 He deliuered me from my mightie ene∣mie, and from them that hated me: for [unspec D] they were to strong for me.

19 When they had (e 1.1255 preuented me in the daye of my calamitie: the Lorde stayed me vp.

20 For he brought me out into roomth: he deliuered me, because he had a fauour vnto me.

21 The Lorde rewarded me according to my f 1.1256 righteousnesse: accordyng to the purenes of my hands he recompensed me.

22 For I haue kept the wayes of ye Lord: and did not wickedly agaynst my God.

23 For all his lawes were in my sight: & his statutes, I did not depart therefrō.

24 In his sight also haue I ben vpright: and haue kept me from myne owne ini∣quitie.

25 And the Lorde did to me againe ac∣cording to my righteousnesse: euen after [unspec E] my purenes in his eye sight.

26 With the godly thou shalt be godlie: and with the man that is vpright, thou shalt be vpright.

27 With the pure thou shalt be pure: and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe (g) 1.1257 froward.

28 And the poore people thou wilt saue: but thyne eyes are vpon the proude, to bring them downe.

29 For thou art my lyght, O Lorde: and the Lorde shall light my darkenesse.

30 For by thee I shall breake through an hoast of men: and by my God wyll I spring ouer a wall.

31 God is vncorrupt in his way, the word of the Lord is tryed in the fyre: he is a shielde to all them that trust in him.

32 For who is a God saue the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?

[unspec F] 33 God strengthneth me in battaile: & ryd∣deth the way cleare before me.

34 He maketh my feete lyke (h) 1.1258 hyndes feete: and setteth me vpon my hie pla∣ces.

35 He teacheth my handes to fight: that euen a bowe of steele is broken with myne armes.

36 Thou hast geuen me the shielde of thy saluation: and with thy louing meke∣nesse thou doest multiplie me.

37 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder me: and my legges shall not faile me.

38 I haue folowed vpon myne enemies, and destroyed them: and turned not againe, vntill I had consumed them.

39 I haue wasted them, and wounded them, that they shal not be able to aryse: [unspec G] yea, they shall fall vnder my feete.

40 Thou hast gyrded me about with might to battayle: and them that rose a∣gainst me, hast thou subdued vnder me.

41 And thou hast geuen me the neckes of myne enemies: that I might destroye them that hate me.

42 They loked about, but there was none to saue them: [euen] vnto the Lorde, but he heard them not.

43 Then did I beate them as small as the dust of the earth: I did stampe them as the clay of the streate, and did spreade them abrode.

44 Thou also hast deliuered me from the discention of my people, thou hast kept me to be an head ouer nations: the peo∣ple which I knew not, do serue me. [unspec H]

45 Straunge childrē (i) 1.1259 dissemble with me: at the hearing of the eare, they obey me.

46 Straunge children wil shrinke away: and they shall be smytten with feare in their priuie chamber.

47 Let the Lord lyue, and blessed be my strength: magnified be God [euen] the force of my saluation.

48 It is God that geueth me [power] to reuenge me: & bringeth downe the peo∣ple vnder me.

49 He deliuereth me from myne enemies, thou also hast lyft me on hie from them that rose against me: thou hast delyue∣red me from the wicked man.

50 And therefore I wyll prayse thee O Lorde among the nations: and wyll sing vnto thy name.

51 He is the towre of saluation for his king, and dealeth mercyfully with his annoynted: euen with Dauid, and with his seede for euermore.

Page [unnumbered]

¶The .xxiii. Chapter.

1 The last wordes of Dauid. 6 The wicked shall be plucked vp as thornes. 8 The names and factes of his mighty men. 15 He desireth water, & would not drinke.

[unspec A] 1 THese also be the (a) 1.1260 last wordes of Dauid: Da∣uid the sonne of Isai said: and ye man which was ordayned the an∣noynted of the God of Iacob and the sweete Psalmist of Israel, sayde:

2 The spirite of the Lorde spake by me, and his word was in my (b) 1.1261 tongue.

3 The God of Israel spake to me, euen the most mightie of Israel sayde: A ru∣ler ouer men being iust, ruling in ye feare of God:

4 And as the morning lyght when the sunne is vp, a morning in which are no cloudes, [so shal my house be, but not] as the grasse of the earth is by bryghtnesse and rayne.

5 For so shal not my house be with God: * 1.1262 For he hath made with me an euer∣lasting couenaunt, perfect and sure in all poyntes: and this is truly all my health, and all my desyre, “ 1.1263 that it growe, but not as grasse.

6 But the vngodly man, shall be as a thorne cleane pluckt vp, which can not be taken with handes:

7 But the man that shall touche them, must be defenced with iron, or with the shaft of a speare, and they shalbe burnt with fire in the same place.

[unspec B] 8 These be the names of the mightie men whom Dauid had: One that sate in the (c) 1.1264 seate of wisedome, being chiefest among the princes, was Adino of Ezni, he slue eyght hundred at one tyme.

9 After him was Eliazar the sonne of Dodo the sonne of Ahohi, one of the three worthies with Dauid, which “ 1.1265 de∣fyed the Philistines that were there ga∣thered together to battaile, when the men of Israel were (d) 1.1266 gone vp.

10 He arose and layed on the Philistines, vntill his hand was weery, and (e) 1.1267 claue vnto the sword: And the Lorde gaue great victory the same day, and the peo∣ple returned after him, only to spoyle.

11 After him was Samma the sonne of Age the Hararite: & the Philistines ga∣thered together besyde a towne, where was a parcell of land full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines:

12 But he stoode in ye middest of the groūd, and defended it, & slue the Philistines: and the Lorde gaue great victorie.

13 * 1.1268These three (which were of the thir∣tie chiefe captaines) went downe to Da∣uid [unspec C] in the haruest tyme vnto the caue A∣dullam: and the hoast of the Philistines pytched in the valley of giauntes.

14 And Dauid was then in an houlde, and the souldiers of ye Philistines were in Bethlehem.

15 And Dauid (h) 1.1269 longed, & saide: Oh that I had of the water that is in the wel by the gate of Bethlehem for to drynke.

16 And the three mightie brake through the hoast of the Philistines, & drue wa∣ter out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and toke and brought it to Dauid: Neuerthelesse he would not drinke thereof, but (g) 1.1270 powred it vnto the Lorde,

17 And saide, The Lorde forbyd that I should do so: Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieoperdie of theyr lyues? & therefore he would not drinke it. And these thinges did these three mightie men.

18 * 1.1271Abisai the brother of Ioab the sonne of Zaruia, was chiefe among the three, & he lyft vp his speare against three hun∣dred, “ 1.1272 and slue them, & had the name a∣mong the three: [unspec D]

19 For he was most excellent of the three, and was their captayne: Howbeit he attayned not vnto [the first] three.

20 And Banaiah the sonne of Iehoi∣da the sonne of a mightie man, vali∣aunt in actes, of Kabzeel, slue two strōg men of Moab: He went downe also, and slue a lion in the middest of a pit in time of snowe.

21 And he slue an Egyptian “ 1.1273 a goodly bigge man, and the Egyptian had a (h) 1.1274 speare in his hand: But he went downe to him with a staffe, and plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand, and slue him with his owne speare.

22 These thinges did Banaiah ye sonne of Iehoida, and had the name among

Page lxxii

the three worthies.

23 He was honorable among * 1.1275 thirtie, but he attayned not to [the first] three: And Dauid made him of his counsel.

24 Asahel the brother of Ioab, was one of the thirtie: Elhanan the sonne of Do∣do, of Bethlehem:

25 Samma the Harodite, Elica the Haro∣dite, Helez the Paltite, Ira the sonne of Acces the Thecoite:

26 Abiezer of Anathoth, k 1.1276 Mebunnai ye Husathite:

[unspec D] 27 Zelmon an Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite:

28 Heleb the sonne of Baanah an Neto∣phatite, Ithai the sonne of Ribai out of Gibea of the children of Beniamin:

29 Banaiah the Pirathonite, Heddai of the ryuer of Gaas:

30 Abialbon the Arbathite, Asmaueth the Barhumite:

31 Eliahba a Saalbonite: of the sonnes of Iasen, Ionathan:

32 Samma the Hararite, Ahiam ye sonne of Sarar an Hararite:

33 Eliphelet ye sonne of Aasbai the sonne of Maachathi, Eliam the sonne of Ahi∣thophel the Gilonite:

34 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Ar∣bite.

35 Igal the sonne of Nathan of Zoba, Bani the Gadite:

36 Zelec the Ammonite, Naharai the Be∣rothite, which was the harnesse bearer of Ioab the sonne of Zaruia:

37 Ira the Iethrite, Gareb ye Iethrite:

38 Vria the Hethite: thirtie and seuen in all.

¶The .xxiiii. Chapter.

1 Dauid causeth the people to be numbred. 10 He repenteth, and chooseth to fall into Gods handes. 15 Seuentie thousand perishe with the pesti∣lence.

[unspec A] 1 ANd agayne the Lorde was wroth against Is∣rael, and a 1.1277 he moued Dauid agaynst them, in that he sayde: * 1.1278 Go number Israel & Iu∣da.

2 For the king sayde to Ioab the cap∣taine of the hoast which was with him: Go thou abrode now throughout al the tribes of Israel, euen from Dan to Be∣erseba, and number ye the people, that I may knowe the b 1.1279 number of them.

3 And Ioab saide vnto the king: The Lorde thy God encrease the people an hundreth folde mo then they be, & that the eyes of my lorde the king may see it: And what is the cause that my lorde the king hath a lust to this thyng?

4 Notwithstanding, the kinges word preuayled agaynst Ioab & against the captaines of the hoast: And Ioab & the captaynes of the hoast, went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

5 And they passed ouer Iordane, & pit∣ched in Aroer on the right syde of the ci∣tie that lyeth in the myddest of the * 1.1280 va∣ley of Gad, and toward Iazer.

6 And then they came to Gilead, and to the * 1.1281 land Tahtim hodshi, & from thēce they came to Dan Iaan, and about to Sidon.

7 And came to the strong hould of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Heuites and [unspec B] of the Chanaanites: & then went out to the south of Iuda, euen to Beerseba.

8 And so when they had ben abrode throughout all the land, they returned to Hierusalem, after the end of nine mo∣nethes and twentie dayes.

9 And Ioab deliuered the number and summe of the people vnto the king, and there were in Israel eyght hundred thousand men of might that drewe swordes: and the men of Iuda were fiue hundred thousand men.

10 And Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: And Dauid saide vnto the Lord, I haue sin∣ned exceedingly in that I haue done: And nowe I beseche thee Lord take a∣way the trespasse of thy seruaunt, for I haue done very foolishly.

11 And when Dauid was vp in the mor∣ning, the word of the Lorde came vnto the prophet Gad Dauids (c) 1.1282 sear, saying:

12 Go and say vnto Dauid, thus sayth the Lorde: I offer thee three thynges, choose thee which of them I shall do vnto thee.

13 So Gad came to Dauid, and shewed him, and said vnto him: Wylt thou haue (d) 1.1283 seuen yeres hunger to come vpon thy

Page [unnumbered]

land: or wilt thou flee three monethes before thyne enemies, they folowyng thee: or that there be three dayes pesti∣lence in thy land? Now therefore aduise thee, and see what aunswere I shall geue to him that sent me.

[unspec C] 14 And Dauid saide vnto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strayte: Let vs fall now into the hand of the Lorde (for much is his mercy) and let me not fall into the hand of man.

15 And so the Lorde sent a pestilence in Israel, from the morning vnto the time appoynted: And there dyed of the peo∣ple from (e) 1.1284 Dan to Beerseba seuentie thousand men.

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand vpon Hierusalem to destroy it, the Lorde repented him of the euill, & saide to the angel that destroyed the people: It is now sufficient, holde thyne hand. And the angell of the Lord was by the threshing place of Arenna the Iebusite.

17 And Dauid spake vnto the Lorde, [unspec B] when he saw the angell that smote the people, and saide: Lo, it is I that haue sinned, and that haue done wickedlie: But these sheepe, what haue they done? Let thyne hand I pray thee be against me, and against my fathers house.

18 And Gad came the same day to Da∣uid, and said vnto him: Go vp and reare an aulter vnto the Lorde in the thresh∣ing floore of (f) 1.1285 Areuna the Iebusite.

19 And Dauid according to the saying of Gad, went vp as the Lorde commaun∣ded.

And Areuna loked, and sawe the king and his seruauntes comming toward him: and Areuna went out, and bow∣ed him selfe before the king on his face vpon the ground.

21 And Areuna sayde: Wherefore is my lord the king come to his seruaunt? Da∣uid aunswered: To bye the threshing floore of thee, and to make an aulter vn∣to the Lord, that the plague may ceasse from the people.

22 And Areuna saide vnto Dauid: Let my lorde the king take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: Beholde, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and cha∣rets, and the other instrumentes of the oxen for wood.

23 All these thinges did Areuna as a (g) 1.1286 king geue vnto the king, & said moreouer vnto the king: The Lorde thy God ac∣cept thee.

24 And the king saide vnto Areuna: Not so, but I will bye it of thee at a price, and wil not offer sacrifice vnto the Lord my God of the which doth cost me nothing. And so Dauid bought the thresshing floore and the oxen for (h) 1.1287 fiftie sicles of siluer.

25 And Dauid buylt there an aulter vnto the Lorde, and offered burnt sacrifices, and peace offeringes: And so the Lorde was intreated for the land, and the plague ceassed from Israel. [unspec E]

[unspec D] The end of the second booke of Samuel, otherwyse called the second booke of the Kinges.

R. M.

Page lxxiii

❧The thirde booke of the kinges, after the reckening of the Latinistes: which thirde booke and the fourth also, is but one with the Hebrues.

The first Chapter.

E. VV.

3 Abisag kepeth Dauid in his extreme age. 5 Adonia vsurpeth the kingdome. 30 So∣lomon is annoynted king. 50 Adonia fled to the aulter.

[unspec A] 1 AND king Dauid was (a) 1.1288 olde and stricken in yeres, so that whē they couered him with clothes, he caught no heate.

2 Wherefore his seruauntes sayde vnto him: Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgyn, to * 1.1289 stande before the king and to cherishe him, and let her lye in thy bosome, that my lorde the king may get heate.

3 And so they sought for a faire damosell throughout al the coastes of Israel, and founde one Abisag a (b) 1.1290 Sunamite, and brought her to the king.

4 And the damosell was exceeding faire, and cherished the king, and ministred to him: But the king knewe her not.

5 And “ 1.1291 Adonia the sonne of Haggith exal∣ted him selfe, saying: I wilbe king. And he gat him charettes and horsemen, and c 1.1292fyftie men to runne before him.

6 And his father for his time would not displease him, to say why hast thou done so? And he was a very goodly man: and [unspec B] his mother bare him next after Absa∣lom.

7 And he toke counsell at Ioab the sonne of Zaruia, and at Abiathar the priest: and they d 1.1293 helped forward Adonia:

8 But Sadoc the priest, * 1.1294 Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, Nathan the pro∣phete, Semei, and Rei, and the men of might which were with Dauid, they were not with Adonia.

9 And Adonia sacrificed sheepe, and oxen, and fat cattel, by the stone of Zoheleth, whiche is by the well of Rogel, and cal∣led all his brethren the kinges sonnes, and all the men of Iuda the kinges ser∣uauntes:

10 But Nathan the prophete, and Ba∣naiah, and the mightie men, and “ 1.1295 Solo∣mon his brother he called not.

11 Wherfore Nathan spake vnto Beth∣sabe the mother of Solomon, saying: Hast thou not hearde that Adonia the sonne of Haggith doth raigne, and Da∣uid our lorde knoweth it not?

12 Nowe therfore come, and I will geue thee counsell howe to saue thyne owne lyfe, and the (e) 1.1296 lyfe of thy sonne Solo∣mon.

13 Go and get thee in vnto king Dauid, & say vnto him: Diddest not thou my lorde O king, sweare vnto thy handmayde, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy sonne shall raigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my seate? why is then Adonia king?

14 Beholde, whyle thou yet talkest there [unspec C] with the king, I wil come in after thee, and (f) 1.1297 confirme thy wordes.

15 And Bethsabe went in vnto the king into the chamber: And the king was ve∣ry olde, and Abisag the Sunamite mi∣nistred vnto the king.

16 And Bethsabe stouped & made obey∣saunce vnto the king: And the king sayd, What is thy matter?

17 She aunswered: My lorde, thou swarest by the Lorde thy God vnto thine handmayde [saying] Assuredly Solomon thy sonne shall raigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my seate.

18 And beholde, nowe is Adonia king, and thou my lorde the king knowest it not.

19 And he hath offered oxen, fat cattel, and many sheepe, and hath called all the sonnes of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Ioab the captayne of the hoast: But Solomon thy seruaunt hath he not bydden.

Page [unnumbered]

20 And nowe my lorde O king, the eyes of all Israel wayte on thee, that thou shouldest tell them who ought to sit on the seate of my lord the king after him:

[unspec D] 21 For els when my lorde the king shall sleepe with his fathers, I & my sonne Solomon shalbe (g) 1.1298 synners.

22 And lo whyle she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came also.

23 And they told the king, saying: Behold, [here commeth] Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in to the king, he made obeysaunce before the king vpō his face on the grounde.

24 And Nathan sayde: My lord (O king) hast thou sayde, Adonia shall raigne af∣ter me, and he shall sit vpon my seate?

25 For he is gone downe this day, & hath slayne oxen, & fat cattell, and sheepe a great meany, & hath called al the kinges sonnes, and the captaynes of the hoast, and Abiathar the priest: And beholde, they eate & drinke before him, and say: God “ 1.1299 saue king Adonia.

26 But me thy seruaunt, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaiah the sonne of Ie∣hoiada, & thy seruaunt Solomon, hath he not called.

27 Is this thing done of my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy h 1.1300 seruaunt who should sit on the seate of my lorde the king after him?

28 Then king Dauid aunswered, & sayd: Cal me Bethsabe. And she came into the kinges presence, and stoode before him. [unspec E]

29 And the king sware, saying: As the Lord lyueth that hath ryd my soule out of all aduersite,

30 Euen as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solo∣mon thy sonne shal raigne after me, & he shal sit vpon my seate for me: so will I certeinly do this day.

31 Then Bethsabe bowed on her face to the earth, and dyd reuerence vnto the king, & sayde: I pray God that my lorde king Dauid may lyue for euer.

32 And king Dauid sayde: Call me Sa∣doc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada. And they came before the king.

33 The king also sayde vnto them: Take

[illustration]
with you the (i 1.1301 seruauntes of your lord, & set Solomō my sonne vpon myne owne mule, and cary him downe to Gihon:

34 And let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet annoynt him there king ouer Israel: And blowe ye with trum∣pettes, & say, God saue king Solomon.

35 And then ye shall come vp after him, that he may come and sit vpō my seate, for he shalbe king in my steade: and I haue * 1.1302 commaunded him to be captayne ouer Israel and Iuda.

36 And Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada aunswered the king, and sayde, Amen: And the Lord God of my lorde the king say so to.

37 And as the Lorde hath ben with my lord the king, euē so be he with Solomō

Page lxxiiii

also, and make his seate greater then the seate of my lord king Dauids hath ben.

[unspec F] 38 And so Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cerethites, and Phe∣lethites went downe, and set Solomon vpon king Dauids mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39 And Sadoc the priest toke an horne of * 1.1303 oyle out of the tabernacle, & annoyn∣ted Solomon: And they blew the trum∣pettes, and al the people sayde: God saue king Solomon.

40 And all the people came vp after him, pyping with pypes and reioysing great∣ly, so that the earth “ 1.1304 rang with the sounde of them.

41 And Adonia and al the ghestes that he had called vnto him, hearde it [euen] as they had made an ende of eating. And when Ioab hearde the sounde of the trumpet, he sayde: What meaneth this noyse and vprore in the citie?

42 And as he yet spake, beholde Iona∣than the sonne of Abiathar the priest came, and Adonia said vnto him: Come in, for thou art a valiant man, and bring∣est good tydinges.

43 And Ionathan aunswered and sayde to Adonia: Veryly our lorde king Da∣uid hath made Solomon king.

44 And the king hath sent with him Sa∣doc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, & the Cerethites, and the Phelethites, & they haue set him vpō the kinges mule.

[unspec G] 45 And Sadoc the priest & Nathan the prophete, haue annoynted him king in Gihon. And they came vp from thence, & reioyced, that the citie did sounde againe: And that is the noyse, that ye haue hearde.

46 And Solomon sitteth on the seate of the kingdome.

47 And moreouer, the kinges seruauntes came to (l) 1.1305 blesse our lorde king Dauid, saying: God make the name of Solomō more honorable then thy name, & make his seate greater then thy seate. (m) 1.1306 And the king bowed him selfe vpon the bed.

48 And thus sayd the king: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath made one to sit on my seate this day, myne eye seyng it.

49 And al the ghestes that were with A∣donia were afrayde, and rose vp, & went euery man his way.

50 And Adonia fearing the presence of Solomon, arose, and went and caught hold on the hornes of the aulter.

51 And one tolde Solomon, saying: Be∣hold, Adonia feareth king Solomon: for lo he hath * 1.1307 caught hold on the hornes of the aulter, saying: Let king Solomon sweare vnto me this day that he wil not slay his seruaunt with the sword.

52 And Solomō said: If he wil shew him selfe a worthy mā, ther shal not an heer of hym fal to the earth: But & if wicked∣nesse be founde in him, he shall dye.

53 And so king Solomon sent, and they brought him from the aulter, and he came and did obeysaunce vnto king So∣lomon: And Solomon sayde vnto him, Get thee to thyne house.

The .ii. Chapter.

1 Dauid exhorteth Solomon, and geueth charge as concerning Ioab, Barzellai. and Semei. 10 The death of Dauid. 17 Adonia asketh Abisag to wyfe. 25 He is slayne. 35 Sadoc was plased in Abiathars roome.

[unspec A] 1 THe dayes of Dauid drew me that he should dye, & he charged So∣lomon his sonne, say∣ing:

2 * 1.1308I go the way of al the earth, * 1.1309 be thou strong therfore, & shewe thy selfe a man.

3 Kepe thou the watch of the Lorde thy God, that thou walke in his wayes, and kepe his statutes, and his preceptes, his iudgementes, and his testimonies, euen as it is written in the lawe of Moyses: that thou mayst prosper in all that thou doest, and in euery thing that thou med∣lest withall.

4 That the Lorde also may make good his worde which he spake vnto me, say∣ing: If thy children take heede to their way, that they walke before me in trueth, with all their heartes, & with al their soules, * 1.1310 thou shalt not (saith he) be without a man on the seate of Israel.

5 * 1.1311Moreouer, thou wottest howe Ioab the sonne of Zaruia serued me, and what he did to the two captaynes of the

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hoastes of Israel, vnto Abner the sonne of Ner, and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether, whom he slue, and shed blood in time of peace (euen as it had ben in warre) & put the blood of warre vpon his girdle that was about his loynes, and in his shoes that were on his feete.

6 Deale with him therefore according to thy wisdome, and bring not his hoore head downe to the graue in peace.

[unspec B] 7 * 1.1312But shewe kindnes vnto the sonnes of Barzellai ye Gileadite, that they may eate at thy table: For they came to me whē I fled from Absalom thy brother.

8 * 1.1313And behold, thou hast with thee Se∣mei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Ie∣mini of Bahurim, whiche cursed me with an horrible curse, in the day when I went to Mahanaim: But he came to meete me at Iordane, & I sware to him by the Lord, saying: I wil not slay thee with the sworde.

9 But thou shalt not count him as vn∣giltie: For thou art a man of wisdome, and knowest what thou oughtest to do vnto him, his hoore head shalt thou bring to the graue with blood.

10 And so * 1.1314 Dauid slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid.

11 And the dayes whiche Dauid raigned vpon Israel were fourtie yeres: seuen yeres raigned he in Hebron, & thirtie and three yeres raigned he in Hierusalem.

12 * 1.1315Then sate Solomon vpon the seate of Dauid his father, and his kingdome was stablished mightyly.

13 And Adonia the sonne of Haggith came to Bethsabe the mother of Solomon, and she sayde: * 1.1316 Cōmest thou peaceably? And he sayde, peaceably.

[unspec C] 14 He sayde moreouer: I haue somwhat to say vnto thee. She sayd: Say on.

15 And he sayd: Thou knowest that the kingdome was myne, & that all Israel set their faces on me, that I shoulde raigne: howbeit, the kingdome is tur∣ned away, and geuen to my brother: for it is appoynted him of the Lorde.

16 And nowe I aske a petition of thee, de∣ny me not. And she sayde vnto him: Say on.

17 And he said: Speake I pray thee, vnto Solomō the king (for he wil not say thee nay) that he geue me Abisag the Su∣namite to wyfe.

18 And Bethsabe sayd: Wel, I wil speake for thee vnto the king.

19 Bethsabe therfore went vnto king So∣lomon, to speake vnto him for Adonia: And the king rose vp to meete her, and bowed him selfe vnto her, and sate hym downe on his seate, & there was a seate set for the kinges mother, & she sate on his right syde.

20 Then she sayd: I desire a litle petition of thee, I pray thee say me not nay. And the king sayd vnto her: Aske on, my mo∣ther, for I will not say thee nay.

21 She sayde: Let Abisag the Suna∣mite [unspec D] be geuen to Adonia thy brother to wyfe.

22 And king Solomon aunswered and sayde vnto his mother: Why doest thou aske Abisag the Sunamite for Adonia? (b) 1.1317aske for him the kingdome also: for he is myne elder brother, and hath for him Abiathar the priest, and Ioab the sonne of Zaruia.

23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying: God do so and so to me, if Adonia haue not spoken this worde a∣gainst his owne lyfe.

24 Nowe therefore, as the Lorde ly∣ueth, whiche hath ordeyned me, and set me on the seate of Dauid my father, and made me an house as he promised, Adonia shall dye this day.

25 And king Solomon sent by the hande of Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and he smote him that he died.

26 And vnto Abiathar the priest sayd the king: Get thee to Anatoth vnto thine owne fieldes, for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time kill thee, because thou barest the arke of the Lorde God before Dauid my father, and because thou hast suffered with my father in all his afflictions.

27 (c) 1.1318And so Solomon put away Abia∣thar from beyng priest vnto the * 1.1319 Lord: that he might fulfill the wordes of the Lord, which he spake ouer the house of Eli in Silo.

28 Then tydtnges came also to Ioab (for Ioab had turned after Adonia, though [unspec E] he turned not after Absalom) and Ioab fled vnto the tabernacle of the Lorde, and caught holde on the hornes of the aulter.

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29 And it was told king Solomon howe that Ioab fled vnto the tabernacle of the Lorde, and beholde he is by the aul∣ter: Then Solomon sent Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, saying: Go and fall vpon him.

[unspec E] 30 And Banaiah came to the taberna∣cle of the Lorde, and sayde vnto him: Thus sayeth the king, Come out. And he sayde: Nay, but I wil dye euen here. And Banaiah brought the king word againe, saying: Thus sayde Ioab, and thus he aunswered me.

31 And the king sayde vnto him, d 1.1320 Do euen as he hath sayd: Smite him, & bu∣rie him, that thou mayest take away the blood which Ioab shed causelesse, from me, and from the house of my father.

32 And the Lorde shall bring his blood vpon his owne head: for he smote two men righteouser and better then he, and slue them with the sworde, my father Dauid not knowing therof, euen Abner the sonne of Ner captayne of the hoast of Israel, and Amasa the sonne of Ie∣ther captayne of the hoast of Iuda.

33 Their blood shal therfore returne vpon the head of Ioab, & on the head of his seede for euer: But vpon Dauid, & vpon his seed, & vpon his house, & vpō his seat shall there be peace for euer of the Lord.

34 So Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada went vp, & he fel vpon him and slue him, and buried him in his house in the wil∣dernesse.

35 And the king put Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada in his roome ouer ye hoast, and put Sadoc the priest in the roome of Abiathar.

[unspec F] 36 And the king sent and called Semei, & sayde vnto him: Buylde thee an house in Hierusalem, and dwell there, & see that thou go not foorth thence any whyther.

37 For be thou sure, that the day that thou goest out, and passest ouer the riuer of Cedron, thou shalt dye that day, and thy blood shalbe vpon thyne owne head.

38 And Semei sayde vnto the king, This saying is good: As my lorde ye king hath sayde, so will thy seruaunt do. And Se∣mei dwelt in Hierusalem many a day.

39 And it chaunced after three yeres, that two of the seruauntes of Semei ranne away vnto Achis sonne of Maacha king of Geth: And they told Semei, say∣ing, Behold, thy seruauntes be in Geth.

40 (e) 1.1321And Semei stoode vp, and sadled his asse, and gat him to Geth to Achis to seke his seruauntes: And Semei wēt & brought his seruauntes againe from Geth.

41 And it was tolde Solomon, howe that Semei had gone from Hierusalem to Geth, and was come againe.

42 And the king sent & called Semei, and [unspec G] said vnto him: Did I not charge thee by the Lorde with an oth, & testified vnto thee, saying: Be sure, that whensoeuer thou goest out & walkest abroade any whyther, thou shalt bye the death? And thou saydest vnto me: It is good ty∣dinges that I haue heard.

43 Why then hast thou not kept the oth of the Lorde, and the commaundement that I charged thee withall?

44 The king sayde moreouer to Semei: * 1.1322Thou remembrest all the wickednesse which thyne heart knoweth, and that thou diddest to Dauid my father: the Lorde also shall bring thy wickednesse vpon thyne owne head:

45 And king Solomon shalbe blessed, and the seate of Dauid stablished before the Lorde for euer.

46 So the king commaunded Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada: which went out, and smote him that he died: And the kingdome was stablished in the hande of Solomon.

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The iii. Chapter.

1 Solomon taketh Pharoes daughter to wyfe. 5 The Lord appeareth to him and geueth him wisdome. 17 The pleading of the two harlottes, and Solomons sentence therin.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 SOlomon made affini∣tie with Pharao king of Egypt, & toke Pha∣raos daughter, and brought her into the(a) 1.1323 citie of Dauid, vntil he had made an ende of buylding his owne house, and the house of the Lorde, and the wall of Hierusa∣lem round about.

2 Onely the people sacrificed in (b) 1.1324 hygh places, because there was no house built vnto the name of the Lorde vntill those dayes.

3 And Solomon loued the Lorde, wal∣king in the ordinaunces of Dauid his father: saue onely that he sacrificed and offered incense vpon aulters in hygh places.

4 * 1.1325And the king went to Gibeon, to offer there, for that was the speciall hygh place: And a thousande burnt offringes dyd Solomon offer vpon that aulter.

5 And in Gibeon the Lorde appeared to Solomon in a dreame by night, and God sayd: Aske what thou wilt, that I may geue it thee.

6 And Solomon sayde: Thou hast she∣wed vnto thy seruaūt Dauid my father great mercie, when he walked before thee in trueth, in righteousnesse, and in plainnesse of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great mercy, that thou hast geuen him a sonne to sit on his seate, as it is come to passe this day.

7 * 1.1326And nowe O Lord my God, it is thou [unspec B] that hast made thy seruaunt king in steade of Dauid my father: * 1.1327 And I am but young, & (c) 1.1328 wote not howe to go out and in.

8 And thy seruaunt is in the middest of thy people which thou hast chosen: and veryly the people are so many, that they cannot be told nor nūbred for multitude.

9 d 1.1329Geue * 1.1330 therfore thy seruaunt an vnder∣standing heart to iudge thy people, that I may discerne betweene good & bad: For who is able to iudge this thy so mightie a people?

10 And this pleased the Lorde well that Solomon had desired this thing,

11 And God sayde vnto him: Thou hast not asked for thy selfe long lyfe, neither hast asked riches for thy selfe, nor hast asked the lyfe of thy enemies, but hast asked for thy selfe vnderstanding & dis∣cretion in iudgement:

12 Behold, I haue done according to thy wordes, lo I haue geuen thee a wyse & an vnderstanding heart, so that there was none lyke thee before thee, neither after thee shal any aryse lyke vnto thee.

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13 And I haue also geuen thee that which thou hast not asked, euen rychesse and honour, so that ther shalbe no king lyke vnto thee all thy dayes.

[unspec C] 14 And if thou wilt walke in my wayes, to kepe myne ordinaunces and my com∣maundementes, * 1.1331as thy father Dauid dyd walke, I will lengthen thy dayes.

15 When Solomon awoke, c 1.1332 beholde it was a dreame: * 1.1333 And he came to Hieru∣salem and stoode before the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, & offred burnt offringes and peace offringes, and made a feast to all his seruauntes.

16 Then came there two women that were harlottes, vnto the king, & stoode before him.

17 And the one woman sayde: Oh my lorde, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was deliuered of a childe, with her in the house:

18 And the thirde day after that I was deliuered, she was deliuered also: and we were together, & no straunger with vs in the house, saue we two.

19 And this wiues childe died in the night, for she smothered it.

20 And she rose at midnight and toke my sonne from my syde while thyne hand∣mayde slept, and layde it in her bosome, and put her dead childe in my bosome.

[unspec D] 21 And when I rose in the mornyng to geue my chylde sucke, beholde it was dead: But when I had loked vpon it in the morning, beholde, it was not my sonne which I dyd beare.

22 And the other woman sayd: It is not so, but my sonne liueth, and thy sonne is dead. And she sayde againe: No, but thy sonne is dead, and my sonne is alyue. And thus they pleaded before the king.

23 Then sayde the king: The one sayth, this that is alyue is my sonne, and the dead is thyne: And the other sayth, nay: but thy sonne is the dead, and the liuing childe is myne.

24 And the king sayde: f 1.1334 Bring me a sworde. And they brought out a sworde before the king.

25 And the king sayde: Deuide the liuing child in two, and geue the one halfe to the one, and the other to the other.

26 Then spake the woman whose the li∣uing childe was, vnto the king (for her bowelles yerned vpon her sonne) and sayde: I besech thee my lorde geue her the liuing childe, and in no wyse slay it: But the other sayde, Let it be neither myne nor thyne, but deuide it.

27 Then the king aunswered and sayde: * 1.1335Geue her the liuing childe, and slay it not, for she is the mother therof.

28 And all they of Israel hearde of the [unspec E] iudgement which the king had iudged, and feared the king: for they sawe that the wysdome of God was in him to do iustice.

The .iiii. Chapter.

2 The princes and rulers vnder Solomon. 22 The purueyaunce for his vittailes. 26 The number of his horses. 32 His bookes and writings.

[unspec A] 1 ANd so king Solomon was king ouer all Is∣rael.

2 And these were his lordes: Azariahu the sonne of Sadoc the priest.

3 Elihoreph and Ahiah the sonnes of Sisa, scribes: Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud, the recorder.

4 Banaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the hoast: Sadoc and * 1.1336 Abiathar were the priestes.

5 And Azariahu the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers: And Zabud the sonne of Nathan was a priest, ye kinges companion.

6 And Ahisar was steward of ye houshold: And * 1.1337 Adoniram the sonne of Abda was ouer the tributes.

7 And Solomon had twelue officers o∣uer [unspec B] all Israel, which prouided vittayles for the king and his houshold: eche man his moneth in a yere, made prouision for necessarie thinges.

8 And these are their names: the sonne of Hur in mount Ephraim,

9 The sonne of Dekar in Makaz and in Saalbin, and Bethsames, Elon, and Bethhanan.

10 The sonne of Hesed in Aruboth, to whom parteyned Socho and all the land of Hepher.

11 The sonne of Abinadab in all the re∣gion of Dor, whiche had Tapheth the daughter of Solomon to wyfe.

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12 Baana the sonne of Ahilud was ouer Thaanach and Megiddo, and ouer all Bethsan, whiche is by Zarthana be∣neath Iezrael, frō Bethsan to ye plaine of Mehola, euen vnto the place that is ouer against Iemeam.

13 The sonne of Gaber had Ramoth Gi∣lead, and his were the townes of Iair the sonne of Manasse which are in Gi∣lead: and vnder him was the region of Argob whiche is in Basan threescore great cities with walles and barres of brasse.

[unspec C] 14 Ahinadab the sonne of Hiddo had Ma∣henaim.

15 Ahimaaz was in Nephthalim, and he toke Basmath the daughter of Solo∣mon to wyfe.

16 Baana the sonne of Husai was in Aser and in Aloth.

17 Iehosaphat the sonne of Paruah was in Isachar.

18 Semei the sonne of Ela was in Ben∣iamin.

19 Gaber the sonne of Vri was in the countrey of Gilead, the land of Sehon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Basan, & was officer alone in the lande.

20 And Iuda and Israel were many [euen] as the sande of the sea in numbre, eating, drincking, and making mery.

21 * 1.1338And Solomon raigned ouer all king∣domes from the riuer vnto the lande of [unspec D] the Philistines, [euen] vnto the border of Egypt: and they brought presents, and serued Solomon al the dayes of his life.

22 And Solomons bread for one day was thirtie “ 1.1339 quarters of manchet flowre, & threescore quarters of meale:

23 Ten stalled oxen, and twentie out of the pastures, and a hundred sheepe, beside hartes, buckes, and wilde goates, and capons.

24 For he ruled in all the region on the other syde Euphrates, from Thiph¦sah to Azza, ouer al the kinges on the o∣ther syde the riuer: And he had peace * 1.1340 with all his seruauntes on euery syde.

25 And Iuda and Israel dwelt without feare, euery man vnder his vine and vn∣der his figgetree, from Danto Beerseba all the dayes of Solomon.

26 And Solomon had * 1.1341 fourtie thousand stalles of horses for charettes, & twelue thousande horsemen.

27 And the officers prouided vittayle for king Solomon and for all that came out of any place to king Solomons table, euery man his moneth, so that they lac∣ked nothing.

28 Barly also and strawe for the horses and mules brought they vnto the place where the officers were, euery man in his office.

9 * 1.1342And God gaue Solomon wysdome and vnderstanding exceeding much, and a large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore.

30 And Solomons wysdome excelled the wysedome of all the children of the east countrey, and al the wisdome of Egypt.

31 For he was wiser then al men, yea then Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chal∣col, and Darda the sonnes of Mahol: And his name was spoken of through∣out all nations on euery syde.

32 And Solomon spake three thousande (b) 1.1343 prouerbes: And his songes were a thousande and fiue.

33 And he spake of trees, euen from the Cedar tree that groweth in Libanon, vnto the Isope that springeth out of the wall: He spake also of beastes, of foules, of wormes, and of fishes.

34 And there came of all nations to heare the wysdome of Solomon, and from all kinges of the earth, which had heard of his wysdome.

The .v. Chapter.

1 Hiram sendeth to Solomon, and Solomon to him, purposing to buylde the house of God. 6 He prepareth stuffe for the buylding. 13 The number of the workmen.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Hirā king of Tyre sent his seruauntes vnto Solomon (for he had hearde that they had annoynted him king in the roome of his father) * 1.1344 For Hirā was euer a louer of Dauid.

2 * 1.1345And Solomon sent to Hiram, say∣ing:

3 Thou knowest * 1.1346 howe that Dauid my father could not buyld an house vnto the name of the Lorde his God for the warres which were about him on euery

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syde, vntill the Lorde put them vnder the soles of his feete.

4 But now the Lorde my God hath ge∣uen me rest on euery syde, so that there is neither aduersarie nor euill to resist.

5 And beholde,* 1.1347 I am determined to build an house vnto ye name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake vnto Dauid my father, saying: Thy sonne whom I wil set vpon thy seate for thee, he shal build an house vnto my name.

6 Now therefore commaund thou that they hewe me Cedar trees out of Liba∣non, & my seruaūtes shalbe with thyne, and vnto thee wyll I geue the hyre for thy seruauntes, accordyng to all such thinges as thou shalt appoynt: for thou knowest that there are not among vs that can skyl to hewe tymber, lyke vnto the Sidones.

7 * 1.1348And it came to passe, when Hiram heard ye wordes of Solomō, he reioysed greatly, & said: Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath geuen vnto Dauid a wyse sonne ouer this mightie people.

[unspec B] 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I haue considered the thinges which thou sentest to me for, & wyl accomplishe all thy desyre concerning tymber of Ce∣dar trees and firre.

9 My seruauntes shall bring them from Libanon to the sea, and I wyl conuey them by sea in flootes vnto the place that thou shalt shew me, and wyl cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receaue them: and thou shalt do me a pleasure againe, if thou minister foode for myne house.

10 And so Hiram gaue Solomon Cedar trees and firre trees according to all his desyre.

11 And Solomon gaue Hiram twentie thousand quarters of wheate for foode to his housholde, and twentie buts of pure oyle: Thus much gaue Solomon to Hiram yere by yere.

12 And the Lorde gaue Solomon wise∣dome as he promysed him: And there was peace betweene Hiram and Solo∣mon, & they two were confedered toge∣ther.

13 And king Solomon raysed a summe [unspec C] out of Israel, and the summe was thir∣tie thousand men:

14 Whom he sent to Libanon, ten thou∣sand a moneth by course: so that when they had ben one moneth in Libanon, they abode two monethes at home: And * 1.1349 Adoniram was ouer the summe.

15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and foure score thousand masons in the moun∣taines:

16 Besides the lordes whom Solomon appoynted to ouersee the worke, euen three thousand & three hundred, which ruled the people [& them] that wrought in the worke.

17 And the king commaunded them to bring great stones, costly stones, & hew∣ed stones, for the foundatiō of the house.

18 And Solomons masons, and the ma∣sons of Hiram did hewe them, and the stone squarers: And so they prepared both tymber and stones, for the building of the house.

¶The .vi. Chapter.

1 The buylding of the temple, and the fourme thereof. 12 The promyse of the Lorde to Solomon.

[unspec] 1 AND it came to passe, that in the foure hun∣dred & fourescore yere, after the childrē of Is∣rael were come out of the land of Egypt, and * 1.1350 in the fourth yere of the rayne of Solomon vpon Israel, & in the moneth “ 1.1351 Zif, which is the se∣cond moneth, * 1.1352 he began to build the house of the Lorde.

2 And the house which king Solomon built for the Lorde, was threescore cu∣bites long, and twentie cubites broade, and thirtie cubites hie.

3 And he made a porche before the tem∣ple of the house, which was twentie cu∣bites long, after ye breadth of the house, and ten cubites brode, [euen] in the fore front of the house.

4 And in the house he made “ 1.1353 windowes, broade without, and narow within.

5 And by the wall of the house he made chambers round about [euen] in the walles of the house round about the temple & the quier: and he made cham∣bers round about.

6 The neathermost chamber was fiue

〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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[illustration]

10 And the foundation was layde vpon rich stones, and that very great stones, whereof some were ten cubites, and some eyght cubites.

11 And aboue were riche stones, squared after a certayne rule, and couered with Cedar.

12 And the great court round about, was with three rowes of hewed stones, and one rowe of Cedar planckes, after the maner of the inner court of the house of the Lorde, and of the porche of the temple.

[unspec C] '13 * 1.1354And king Solomon sent and fet one 'Hiram out of Tyre,

14 A widowes sonne of ye tribe of Neph∣thalim, his father being a man of Tyre: Which Hiram was a craftesman in brasse, * 1.1355 ful of wisedome, vnderstanding, and cunning, to worke all maner of worke in brasse: And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his worke.

15 For he cast * 1.1356 two pillers of brasse of eyghteene cubites hie a peece: & a string of twelue cubites did compasse either of them about.

16 And he made two pommels of moul∣ten brasse, [after the fashion of a crowne,] to set on the toppes of the pillers: The height of the one head peece contayned fiue cubites, and the height of the other head peece contayned fiue cubites also.

17 He made networke, & wrythen worke like chaines for the pommels vpon the head peeces that were on the top of the pillers: euen seuen [rowes] vpon the one head peece, and seuen vpon the other.

18

And so he made the pillers, and two [unspec D] rowes of pomegranets rounde about in the one networke to couer the pom∣mels that were vpon the top: and this he did also, for the other head peece.

19

And the pommels that were on the top of the pillers, were after lillie worke in the porche foure cubites.

20

And the pommels vpon the two pillers had also aboue ouer against the middest within the networke: [pomegranets] and vpon the second head peece were there two hundred pomegranets in [two] rowes round about.

21

And he set vp the pillers in the porch of the temple: And when he had set vp the right piller, he called the name ther∣of Iachin: and when he had set vp the left piller, he called the name thereof Boaz.

22

And vpon the top of the pillers [were] lillie worke: & so was the workmanship of the pillers finished.

23

And he made a moulten lauatorie ten cubites wide from brim to brim, round in compasse, and fiue cubites hie: And a string of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.

24

And vnder the brim of it there were knoppes round about, ten in one cubite, and thei compassed the lauatorie round [unspec E] about: And the knoppes were cast with it in two rowes when it was cast.

Page lxxix

[illustration]

25 And it stoode on twelue oxen, of which three loked toward the north, three to∣ward the west, three toward the south, and three toward the east: and the laua∣torie stoode vpon them, and al their hin∣der partes were inward.

26 It was an hand breadth thicke, and the brym was wrought lyke the brym of a cup with flowres of lilies, and it contained two thousand battes.

27 And he made ten feete of brasse: foure cubites long, and foure cubites broade a peece, and three cubites hie.

28 And the worke of the feete was on [unspec E] this maner: They had sides, and the sides were betweene the ledges.

29 And on the sides that were betweene the ledges, were lions, oxen, and Che∣rubs: and likewise vpō the ledges that were aboue: and beneath the lions and oxen, were certayne additions made of thynne worke.

30 And vnder euery foote were foure brasen wheeles, and “ 1.1357 boordes of brasse: and in the foure corners thereof vnder the lauatorie, were vndersetters moul∣ten at the side of euery addition.

31 And the stalke of the lauatorie was in the middle of it, and aboue one cubite: But the stalke thereof was round after the worke of the foote, a cubite & a halfe: and also vpon the stalke were grauings with their bands, foure square and not round.

32 And vnder the sydes were foure wheeles, and the axeltrees ioyned fast to the bottome, and the height of euery wheele was a cubite and an halfe.

33

And the workmanship of the wheeles was lyke the worke of a charet wheele: and the axeltrees, the nauelles, spokes, and shaftes, were al moulten.

34

And there were foure vndersetters in the foure corners of one foote, & the vn∣dersetters [unspec F] were of ye very bottome selfe.

35

And in the height of the bottome was there a rounde compasse of halfe a cu∣bite hie: and in that height of the bot∣tome there proceeded both ledges and sydes out of the same.

36

For in the boordes of the ledges and on the sydes, he had grauen pictures of Cherubims, lions, & paulme trees, one by another rounde about.

37

Thus made he the ten feete after this maner: and they had all one fashi∣on of casting, one measure, and one syse.

38

Then made he ten lauers of brasse, one lauer contayning fourtie battes: and euery lauer was foure cubites, & vpon euery one of the ten feete, he put one lauer.

39

And he put fiue of those feete on the ryght syde of the house, and other fiue on the left: and he set the lauatorie on the right syde of the house eastward, and toward the south.

40

And Hiram made pots, shouels, and [unspec G] basons, & so finished all the worke that he made king Solomon for the house of the Lorde:

41

That is to say, two pillers, and two

Page [unnumbered]

[illustration]
round head peeces that were to be set on the toppes of the two pillers.

42 And foure hundred pomegranates for the two networkes, euen two rowes of pomegranates in one networke to co∣uer the two head peeces that were to be set on the toppes of the pillers:

'43 And the ten feete, and ten lauers on 'the feete:

'44 The lauatorie, and twelue oxen vnder 'it:

[unspec G]

45 And pottes, shouels, and basons: And all these vessels which Hiram made to king Solomō for the house of the Lord, were of bright brasse.

46 In the playne of Iordane did the king cast them [euen] in the thicke claye, be∣tweene Socoh and Zarthan.

47 And Solomon left all the vessels [vn∣wayed] because they were so exceeding many, neither founde they out the waight of the brasse.

48

And so Solomon made al the vessels that parteyned vnto the house of the Lorde, the golden aulter, and the gol∣den table wheron the shew bread was:

49

And fiue candelstickes for the ryght side, and fiue for the left before the quier, of pure golde, with flowres, lampes, and snuffers of golde.

50

And bowles, flat peeces, basons, spoones, & masours, of pure golde: and hyndges made he of golde, both for the doores of the quier the place most holy, and for the doores of the temple also.

51

And so was ended all the worke that king Solomon made for the house of the Lorde: And* 1.1358 Solomon brought in the thinges which Dauid his father had dedicated, euen the siluer, golde, and vessels, and layde them vp among the treasures of the house of the Lord.* 1.1359

¶The .viii. Chapter.

4 The arke is borne into the temple. 10 A cloude filleth the temple. 15 The king blesseth the people.

[unspec A] 1 THen * 1.1360 Solomon gathe∣red the elders of Isra∣el, & al the heads of the tribes, and them that were captaynes amōg the fathers of the chil∣dren of Israel, vnto him in Hierusalem, that they might bring vp the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde * 1.1361 out of the citie of Dauid, which is Sion.

2 And all the men of Israel assembled vnto king Solomon to the feast that falleth in the moneth * 1.1362 Ethanim, which is the seuenth moneth.

3 And al the elders of Israel were come,

Page lxxx

and the priestes tooke vp the arke,

4 And they bare the arke of the Lorde, the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the ta∣bernacle: those dyd the priestes and the leuites beare.

5 And king Solomon and all the con∣gregation of Israel that were assem∣bled vnto him and went with him be∣fore the arke, did offer sheepe and oxen, that could not be tolde nor numbred for multitude.

6 And so the priestes brought the arke of the appoyntment of the Lord vnto his place euen into the quier of the temple and place most holy, vnder the winges of the Cherubs:

7 For the Cherubs stretched out their [unspec B] winges ouer the place of the arke, and couered both it and also the staues ther∣of a hie vpon it.

8 And they drew out the staues, that the endes of them might appeare out of the holy place within the quier, but they were not seene without, and there they haue ben vnto this day.

9 And there was nothing in the arke * 1.1363 * 1.1364 saue the two tables of stone, which Moyses put there at Horeb, in ye which [tables] the Lorde made an appoynt∣ment with the children of Israel when he brought them out of the lande of E∣gypt.

10 And it fortuned that when the priestes were come out of the holy place, the cloude filled the house of the Lorde,

11 That the priestes could not stand and minister because of the cloude: for the glory of the Lorde had filled the house of the Lorde.

12 Then spake Solomon: The Lorde* 1.1365 saide that he would dwell in the darke cloude.

[unspec C] 13 I haue built thee an house to dwell in, an habitation for thee to abyde in for euer.

14 And the king turned his face, and bles∣sed all the congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stoode still.

15 And he saide: Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, which spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father, * 1.1366 & hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying:

16 Sence the day that I brought my peo∣ple Israel out of Egypt, I chose no ci∣tie of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein: But I haue chosen * 1.1367 Dauid to be ruler ouer my people of Israel.

17 And it was in the heart of Dauid my father to build an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israel:

18 And the Lorde saide vnto Dauid my father: Whereas it was in thyne heart to build an house vnto my name, thou diddest well that thou wast so minded:

19 Neuerthelesse, thou shalt not build the house: but thy sonne that shall come out [unspec D] of thy loynes, he shall build the house vnto my name.

20 And the Lorde hath made good his word that he spake, and I am rysen vp in the roome of Dauid my father, and sit on the seate of Israel, as the Lorde promysed, and haue built an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israel:

21 And I haue prepared therein a place for the arke, wherein is the couenaunt of the Lorde which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the lande of Egypt.

22 Solomon stoode before the aulter of the Lorde in the sight of all the congre∣gation of Israel, and stretched out his handes toward heauen, and sayde:

23 * 1.1368Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, thou that kepest couenaunt & mercy for thy seruauntes that walke before thee with all their heart.

24 Thou that hast kept with thy seruaūt Dauid my father that thou promisedst him: Thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thyne hand, as it is come to passe this day.

25 Therfore now Lorde God of Israel, keepe with thy seruaunt Dauid my fa∣ther [unspec E] that thou promisedst him, saying, * 1.1369 Thou shalt not be without a man in my sight to syt on the seate of Israel: so that thy childrē take heede to their way, that they walke before me, as thou hast walked in my sight.

26 And now O God of Israel, let thy word be verified which thou spakest vnto thy seruaunt Dauid my father.

27 Wyll God in deede dwell on the earth? Beholde, * 1.1370 the heauens and heauens of all heauens are not able to contayne thee: and how should then this house do it that I haue builded?

28 Haue thou therefore respect vnto the prayer of thy seruaunt, and to his sup∣plication O Lorde my God, to heare the crye and prayer which thy seruaunt

〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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4 And if thou wilt walke before me, as Dauid thy father walked, in purenes of heart and in righteousnes, to do all that I haue commaunded thee, and wilt kepe my statutes, and my lawes:

5 Then will I stablishe the seate of thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer, as I promised to Dauid thy father, saying: * 1.1371Thou shalt not be without a mā vpon the seate of Israel.

6 But and if ye and your children turne away from me, and will not kepe my commaundementes and my statutes whiche I haue set before you, but go and serue other gods, & worship them:

[unspec B] 7 Then will I weede Israel out of the lande which I haue geuen them, and this house which I haue halowed * 1.1372 for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and Israel shalbe a prouerbe and a fa∣ble among all nations,

8 And this “ 1.1373 house shalbe taken away: so that euery one that passeth by it, shalbe astonied, and shall hysse, and they shall say: * 1.1374 Why hath the Lord done thus vn∣to this lande, and to this house?

9 And they shal aunswere: Because they forsoke the Lorde their God, whiche brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and haue taken hold vpon other gods, and haue worshipped them, and serued them: therfore hath the Lorde brought vpon them all this euyll.

10 * 1.1375And it fortuned, that at the ende of twentie yeres when Solomon had fi∣nished the buylding of the two houses, [that is to wyte,] the house of the Lorde and the kinges palace,

11 (And Hiram the king of Tyre brought Solomon timbre of Cedar, & firre trees, golde, and whatsoeuer he desired) Then Solomon gaue Hiram twentie cities in the lande of Galilee.

12 And * 1.1376 Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities whiche Solomon had geuen hym, and they pleased him not.

13 And he sayde: What cities are these which thou hast geuen me my brother? And he called them the lande of barren vnto this day.

[unspec C] 14 And Hiram sent the king sixe score ta∣lentes of gold.

15 (And this is the summe whiche king Solomon raysed for a tribute when he buylded the house of the Lorde, and his owne house, and Millo, and the wall of Hierusalem, and Hazor, and Megeddo, and Gazer.

16 For Pharao king of Egypt went vp, and toke Gazer and burnt it with fire, and slue the Chanaanites that dwelt in the citie, and gaue it for a present vnto his daughter, Solomons wyfe.

17 And Solomon buylt Gazer & Beth∣horon the neather,

18 And Baalath and Thamar in the wil∣dernesse in the lande:

19 And all the treasure cities that Solo∣mon had, and cities for his charettes, and cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired, and woulde buyld in Hierusalem, in Libanon, and in all the lande of his dominion)

20 And al the people that were left of the Amorites, Hethites, Pherezites, Heuites and Iebusites, whiche were not of the children of Israel,

21 Their children that were left after them [unspec D] in the lande, whom the children of Is∣rael also were not able to destroy: those dyd Solomon compell to bring tribute, vnto this day.

22 But of the children of Israel dyd So∣lomon * 1.1377 make no bondmen: But they were men of warre, his ministers, his lordes, his captaynes, and rulers of his charettes, and his horsemen.

23 And these were the lordes that were set ouer Solomons worke [euen] fiue hundred were they and fiftie, and they ruled the people that wrought ye worke.

24 And Pharaos daughter came vp out of the citie of Dauid, vnto her house which Solomon had buylt for her: and then dyd he also buylde Millo.

25 And thryse a yere did Solomon offer burnt offringes & peace offringes vpon the aulter whiche he buylt vnto the Lorde, and he burnt incense vpon the aulter that was before the Lord, and so he finished the house.

26 And king Solomon made a nauie of shippes in Azion Gaber, which is beside Eloth, on the brinke of the red sea, in the lande of Edom.

27 And Hiram sent by shippe also of his seruauntes, that were shipmen and had knowledge of the sea, with the ser∣uauntes of Solomon:

28 And they came to Ophir, and set from thence (a 1.1378 foure hundred and twentie ta∣lentes of golde, and brought it to king Solomon.

Page lxxxii

The .x. Chapter.

1 The queene of Saba commeth to heare the wysdome of Solomon. 18 His royall throne. 32 His power and magnificence.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 ANd the * 1.1379 queene of Sa∣ba hearing the fame of Solomon (concerning the name of the Lord) came to proue him with harde questions.

2 And she came to Hie∣rusalem with a verie great trayne, with camels that bare sweete odours, and gold exceeding much, & precious stones: And she came to Solomon, and commu∣ned with him of al that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon declared vnto her all her questions, so that there was not one thing hyd from the king whiche he ex∣pounded not vnto her.

4 And the queene of Saba considered al Solomons wysdome, & the house that he had buylded,

5 And the meate of his table, and the sit∣ting of his seruauntes, the order of his ministers & their apparell, & his drinke, and his burnt sacrifices that he offred in the house of the Lorde: and she was astonied.

6 And she sayde vnto the king: It was a true word that I hearde in myne owne land of thy sayinges, & of thy wisdome.

7 Howbeit I beleued it not, till I came & sawe it with myne eyes: And beholde, [unspec B] the one halfe was not tolde me: for thy wysdome and prosperitie exceedeth the fame which I hearde of thee.

8 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy seruauntes whiche stand euer before thee, and heare thy wysdome.

9 Blessed be the Lorde thy God, whiche loued thee, to set thee on the seate of Is∣rael, (a) 1.1380 because the Lorde loued Israel for euer, & made thee king (b) 1.1381 to do equite and righteousnes.

10 And she gaue the king sixe score talen∣tes of golde, and of sweete odours excee∣ding much, and precious stones: There came no more suche aboundaunce of sweete odours, as the queene of Saba gaue to king Solomon.

11 The nauie also of the * 1.1382 shippes of Hi∣ram (that caried golde from Ophir) brought lykewyse great plentie of Al∣muge trees, and precious stones from Ophir.

12 And the king made of the Almuge trees pillers for the house of the Lorde and for the kinges palace, and made harpes and psalteries for singers: Ther came no more suche Almuge trees, nor were any more seene vnto this day.

Page [unnumbered]

[illustration]

13 And king Solomon gaue vnto the queene of Saba according to all her de∣sire whatsoeuer she asked, besides that he gaue her of a free wil with his owne hande: And so she returned vnto her owne countrey, both she and her ser∣uauntes.

[unspec C] 14 The waight of golde that came to So∣lomon in one yere, was sixe hundred theescore and sixe talentes of golde,

15 Besydes that he had of marchauntes, and of the marchaundises of the spices, and of all the kinges of Arabia, & of the lordes of the countrey.

16 And king Solomon made two hun∣dred targettes of beaten golde: sixe hun∣dred sicles of golde went to a target.

17 And he made three hundred shieldes of beaten golde: three pounde of gold went to one shielde, and the king put them in the * 1.1383house of the wood of Libanon.

18 And the king made a great seate of iuo∣rie, and couered it with the best golde.

19 And the seate had sixe steppes, and the toppe of the seate was rounde behinde, & there were pommelles on either syde on the place of the seate, and two lions stoode besyde the pommelles.

20 And there stoode twelue lions on the steppes, sixe on a syde: There was none [unspec D] lyke worke seene many kingdome.

21 * 1.1384And al king Solomons drinking ves∣sels were of golde, and lykewyse all the vessels of the house of the wood of Li∣banon were of pure golde: And as for siluer, it was nothing worth in the dayes of Solomon:

22 For the kinges nauie of shippes went on the sea vnto Tharsis with the nauie of Hirams shippes: euen once in three yeres went the nauie to Tharsis, and brought golde and siluer, Elephantes teeth, apes, and pecockes.

23 * 1.1385And so king Solomon exceeded al the kinges of the earth both in ryches and wysdome.

24 And all the worlde resorted to Solo∣mon, to heare his wysdome which God had put in his heart:

25 And brought him euery man his pre∣sent, vessels of siluer, & vessels of golde, rayment, harnesse, and sweete odours, and horses, and mules, yere by yere.

26 And Solomon gathered together cha∣rettes and horsemen: and he had a thou∣sande and foure hundred charettes, and twelue thousande horsemen, whom he bestowed in the charet cities, and with the king at Hierusalem.

27 * 1.1386And the king made siluer in Hierusa∣lem as plenteous as stones, and Cedar as plenteous as the wilde fegge trees that growe aboundauntly in the fieldes.

28 Also Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linnen: the kinges marchauntes receaued the linnen for a [unspec E] price.

29 A charet came vp out of Egypt for sixe

Page lxxxiii

hundred sicles of siluer, that is, one horse for an hundred and fiftie: And euen so for al the kinges of the Hethites, and for the kinges of Siria, did they bring them out through their handes.

The .xi. Chapter.

1. Solomon hath a thousand wyues and concubines, whiche bryng him to idolatrie. 14 His God rayseth vp aduersaries against him. 43 He dieth.

[unspec A] 1 BVt king * 1.1387 Solomō lo∣ued many outlandishe women, & the daugh∣ter of Pharao, and women of the Moa∣bites, Ammonites, E∣domites, Zidonites, & Hethites:

2 Wher as yet concerning these nations, the Lorde sayd vnto the children of Is∣rael: * 1.1388 Go not ye into them, nor let them come into, els will they turne your heartes after their gods: Neuerthelesse, Solomon claue vnto them in loue.

3 (a) 1.1389And * 1.1390 he had seuen hundred queenes, and three hundred concubines: and his wyues turned away his heart.

4 For it came to passe when Solomon was olde, his wyues turned his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of Dauid his father.

5 For Solomon folowed Astaroth the god of the Zidons, and Milcom the ab∣homination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde, and folowed not the Lorde perfectly, as dyd Dauid his father.

7 For then dyd Solomon buylde an hye [unspec B] place for Chamos the abhomination of Moabim the hill that is before Hierusa∣lem, & vnto Moloch the abhomination of the children of Ammon.

8 b 1.1391And lykewyse dyd he for all his out∣landishe wyues, which burnt cense and offered vnto their gods.

9 And the Lorde was angry with Solo∣mon, because his heart was turned frō the Lord God of Israel * 1.1392 which had ap∣peared vnto him twyse,

10 And gaue him a charge concerning this thyng, that he shoulde not folowe other gods: But he kept not that which the Lorde commaunded him.

11 Wherfore the Lorde sayde vnto Solo∣mon: Forasmuche as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept myne ap∣poyntment, and my statutes whiche I commaunded thee, I wil rent the king∣dome from thee, and will geue it to thy seruaunt.

12 Notwithstanding, in thy dayes I will not do it, because of Dauid thy father: but wil take it frō the hand of thy sonne.

13 Howbeit, I will not take away all the kingdome: But will geue one (c) 1.1393 tribe to thy sonne, because of Dauid my seruaūt, and because of Hierusalem whiche I haue chosen.

14 And the Lorde stirred vp an aduersa∣rie [unspec C] vnto Solomon, euen one Hadad an Edomite, of the kinges seede, whiche was in Edom.

15 For when Dauid was in Edom, and Ioab the captayne of the hoast was gone vp to burie them that were slaine, he smote all the men children in Edom:

16 (For sixe monethes dyd Ioab remayne there, and all Israel, till he had destroy∣ed all the men children of Edom.)

17 And this Hadad fled, and certaine o∣ther Edomites of his fathers seruaūtes with hym, to come into Egypt, Hadad beyng yet a litle childe.

18 And they arose out of Madian, & came to Paran, and toke men with them out of Paran, and came to Egypt vnto Pha∣rao king of Egypt, whiche gaue him an house, and appoynted him vittailes, and gaue him lande.

19 And Hadad gat great fauour in the sight of Pharao, so that he gaue him to wyfe the sister of his owne wyfe, euen the syster of Thahpenes the queene.

20 And the sister of Thahpenes bare him Genubath his sonne, whō Thahpenes norished in Pharaos house: And Genu∣bath was with Pharaos housholde a∣mong the sonnes of Pharao.

21 And when Hadad hearde in Egypt [unspec D] that Dauid was layde to sleepe with his fathers, & that Ioab the captayne of the hoaste was dead also, he sayde to Pharao: Let me depart, that I may go to myne owne countrey.

Page [unnumbered]

22 Pharao sayde vnto him: What hast thou lacked here with me, that thou wouldest thus go to thyne owne coun∣trey? He aunswered, Nothing: howbeit, let me go.

23 And God stirred him vp another aduer∣sarie, one Rezon the sonne of Eliada, whiche fled from his lorde Hadadezer king of Zoba:

24 And he gathered men vnto him, and became captayne ouer the companie when Dauid slue them: And they went to Damasco, and dwelt there, and raig∣ned in Damasco.

25 Therfore was he an aduersarie to Is∣rael all the dayes of Solomon, and this was the mischiefe, in that Hadad dyd abhorre Israel and raigned ouer Syria.

26 And Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, an Ephrathite of Zareda (whose mother was called Zeruah, whiche was a wy∣dowe) and he Solomons seruaunt, lyft vp his hande against the king.

27 But this was the cause that he lift vp his hande against the king: Solomon buylt Mello, and mended the broken places of the citie of Dauid his father.

[unspec E] 28 And this felowe Ieroboam was a man of strength & courage: And Solo∣mon sawe the young man that he was able to do the worke, he made him ruler ouer all the charge of the house of Io∣seph.

29 And it chaunced at that season that Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem, and the prophete Ahia the Silonite met him by the way, hauing a newe mantel on him, and they two were alone in the fielde.

30 Ahia caught the newe mantel that was on him, & rent it in twelue peeces,

31 And sayd to Ieroboam, Take thee ten peeces: For thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, Behold, I will rent the king∣dome out of the handes of Solomon, and will geue ten tribes to thee.

32 * 1.1394And he shal haue one for my seruaunt Dauids sake, and for Hierusalem, the ci∣tie which I haue chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:

33 Because they haue forsaken me, & haue worshipped Astharoth the god of the Zidons, and Chamos the god of the Moabites, & Milcom the god of the chil∣dren of Ammon, & haue not walked in my wayes, to fulfill my pleasure, my sta∣tutes, and my lawes, as dyd Dauid his father.

34 I will not take the whole kingdome out of his hand: But I will make him chiefe all his lyfe long for Dauid my ser∣uauntes sake whom I chose: because he kept my commaundementes and my statutes:

35 * 1.1395But I will take the kingdome out of his sonnes hande, and will geue it vnto thee, euen ten tribes of it:

36 And vnto his sonne will I geue one [unspec F] tribe, that Dauid my seruaunt may haue a light alway before me in Hierusalem, the citie which I haue chosen me to put my name there.

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt raigne according to all that thy soule de∣sireth, and shalt be king ouer Israel.

38 And if thou hearken vnto all that I commaunde thee, and wilt walke in my wayes, and do that is right in my sight, that thou kepe my statutes and my com∣maundementes as Dauid my seruaunt dyd, then will I be with thee, and buyld thee a sure house, as I buylt for my ser∣uaunt Dauid, and will geue Israel vn∣to thee:

39 And I will for this [offence whiche So∣lomon [unspec G] hath committed] vexe the seede of Dauid, but nor for euer.

40 Solomon sought therfore to kil Ie∣roboam, and Ieroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, vnto Sisac king of Egypt, and continued there in Egypt vntill the death of Solomon.

41 The rest of the wordes that concerne Solomon, and all that he dyd, and his wysdome, are they not written in the booke of the wordes of Solomon?

42 The tyme that Solomon raigned in Hierusalem vpon al Israel was fourtie yeres.

43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne raig∣ned in his steade.

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The xii. Chapter.

1 Rehoboam succeedeth Solomon. 8 He refuseth the counsel of the auncient. 20 Ie∣roboam raigneth ouer Israel. 21 God commaundeth Rehoboam not to fight. 28 Ie∣roboam maketh golden calues.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1396 Rehoboam went to Sichē: for all Israel were come to Sichem, to make him king.

2 And when Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat whiche was yet in E∣gypt, heard of it: * 1.1397 for he fled to Egypt from the presence of king Solomon, and dwelt in Egypt.

3 So they sent, and called him: and Ie∣roboam [unspec A] and all the congregation of Is∣Israel came, & spake vnto Rehoboam, saying:

4 Thy father made our yocke greeuous, nowe therfore make thou the greeuous seruice of thy father and his sore yocke whiche he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.

5 And he sayde vnto them: Depart yet for the space of three dayes, and then come againe to me. And the people de∣parted.

6 And king Rehoboam toke counsel with the olde men that stoode before Solo∣mon his father, while he yet lyued, and sayd: What counsel geue ye, that I may haue matter to aunswere this people?

[unspec B] 7 And they sayd vnto him: * 1.1398 If thou be a seruaunt vnto this people this day, and folowe their mindes, and aunswere them, & speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruauntes for euer.

8 But he forsoke the counsell that the old men had geuen him, and called vnto his counsel young men, that were growē vp with him and wayted on him,

9 And he sayde vnto them: What coun∣sell geue ye, that we may aunswere this people? for they haue communed with me, saying: Make the yocke whiche thy father did put vpon vs, lighter.

10 (b) 1.1399And ye young men that were growen vp with him, spake vnto him, saying: Thus shalt thou speake vnto this peo∣ple that haue sayd vnto thee, thy father made our yocke heauy, but make thou it vs lighter: Euen thus shalt thou say vn∣to them, My litle finger shalbe waygh∣tier then my father was in the loynes.

11 And nowe where as my father did lade you & put a greeuous yocke vpon you, I will make it heauier: My father hath chastised you with roddes, but I will correct you with scourges.

12 And so Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the thirde day, as the king had appoynted, saying, Come to me againe the thirde day.

13 And the king aunswered the people churlishly, and left the old mens counsel that they gaue him:

14 And spake to them after the counsel of [unspec C] the young men, saying: My father made your yocke greeuous, and I will make it greeuouser: My father also chastised you with roddes, but I will chastise you with scourges.

15 And the king hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinaunce of God, that he might * 1.1400 perfourme his say∣ing, whiche the Lord spake by Ahia the Silonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

16 And so when all Israel sawe that the king regarded them not, the people aunswered the king with these wordes, saying: * 1.1401What portion haue we in Da∣uid? we haue no inheritaunce in the sonne of Isai: * 1.1402 To your tentes O Is∣rael, nowe see to thyne owne house Da∣uid. And so Israel departed vnto their tentes.

17 Howebeit, ouer the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Iuda, dyd Rehoboam raigne still.

18 The king Rehoboam sent Aduram the receauer of the tribute, and all they of Israel stoned him to death: But king Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, and to flee to Hierusalem.

19 And they of Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid, vnto this day.

20 And when al Israel heard that Iero∣boam was come againe, they sent, and called him vnto the multitude, and made him king ouer al Israel: and there was no tribe that folowed the house of Da∣uid, but Iuda onely.

21 * 1.1403And when Rehoboam was come to Hierusalem, he gathered all the house of Iuda, with the tribe of Beniamin, an hundred and fourescore thousande of chosen men which were good war∣riours, to fight against the house of Is∣rael, and to bring the kingdome a∣gaine to Rehoboam the sonne of So∣lomon.

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¶The .xiiii. Chapter.

1 Ieroboam sendeth his wyfe disguysed to Aiah the prophet, who declareth vnto him the destruction of his house. 25 Iuda is punished by Sisac.

[unspec A] 1 AT that time Abia the sonne of Ieroboam fel sicke.

2 And Ieroboam saide vnto his wyfe: Vp I pray thee, and disguise thy selfe, that thou be not knowen to be the wyfe of Ierobo∣am: and get thee to Silo, for there is A∣hia the prophet which tolde me* 1.1404 that I should be king ouer this people.

3 And take with thee ten loaues, and cracknelles, and a cruse of hony, and go to him, that he may tell thee what shall become of the childe.

4 And Ieroboams wyfe did so, and a∣rose, and went to Silo, and came to the house of Ahia: But Ahia could not see, for his eyes were waxen dimme for age.

5 And the Lorde saide vnto Ahia: Be∣holde, the wyfe of Ieroboam commeth to aske a thing of thee for her sonne, for he is sicke: But thus & thus shalt thou saye vnto her. And whē she came in, she fayned her selfe to be an other woman.

6 But when Ahia heard the sounde of her feete as she came in at the doore, he sayd: Come in thou wyfe of Ieroboam, why faynest thou thy selfe so to be ano∣ther? I am sent to thee [to shesh thee] heauy thynges.

[unspec B] 7 Go, tell Ieroboam, thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: [It repenteth me] forasmuch as * 1.1405 I exalted thee from a∣mong the people, and made thee prince ouer my people Israel,

8 I did rent the kingdome away from the house of Dauid, & gaue it thee: Ne∣uerthelesse, thou hast not ben as my seruaunt Dauid, which kept my com∣maundementes, and folowed me with all his heart, to do that onely which was right in myne eyes:

9 But hast done euil aboue al that were before thee: For thou hast gone & made thee other gods, and moulten images, to prouoke me, and hast cast me behinde thy backe:

10 Therefore beholde, I wyll bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam, and wyll roote out from Ieroboam euen him that * 1.1406 pysseth against the wall, and him that is in pryson and forsaken in Isra∣el, and wyll take away the remnaunt of the house of Ieroboam, as a man ta∣keth away doung tyll he hath aryed all.

11 * 1.1407Whosoeuer of Ieroboams house die in the towne, him shall the dogges eate: and he that dyeth in the fielde, shall the foules of the ayre eate: for the Lorde hath saide it.

12 Vp therfore & get thee to thyne owne [unspec C] house: [Beholde,] when thy foote entreth into the citie, the childe shall dye,

13 And all they of Israel shall mourne for him, and burie him: For he onely of Ieroboam shal come to the sepulchre, because in him there is found goodnesse toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam.

14 Moreouer, the Lord shal stirre him vp a king ouer Israel which shall destroy the house of Ieroboam in that day: But what is it now?

15 For the Lorde shall smyte Israel as when a reede is shaken in the water, & he shall weede Israel out of this good lande which he gaue to their fathers, & shall scatter them beyond “ 1.1408 the ryuer, because they haue made them groues, and angred the Lorde.

16 And he shall geue Israel vp because of the sinnes of Ieroboam, which did sinne, and made Israel to sinne.

17 And Ieroboams wyfe arose, and de∣parted, and came to Thirzah: & when she came to the thressholde of the doore, the childe was dead.

18 And al Israel buried him, and lamen∣ting him, according to the word of the [unspec D] Lorde which he spake by the hande of his seruaunt Ahia the prophet.

19 And the rest of the wordes that con∣cerne Ieroboam, how he warred, and how he raigned, beholde they are writ∣ten in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel.

20 And the dayes which Ieroboam raig∣ned, were two and twentie yeres: And when he was layed asleepe with his fa∣thers, Nadab his sonne raigned in his steade.

21 Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon

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raigned in Iuda: and Rehoboam was fourtie and one yeres olde when he be∣gan to raigne, & he raigned seuenteene yeres in Hierusalem, the citie which the Lorde did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: His mo∣thers name was Naama, an Ammo∣nite.

22 And Iuda wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde, and angred him in mo thinges then their fathers dyd in their sinnes which they sinned.

23 For they also made them hie places, images, and groues on euery hie hill, and vnder * 1.1409 euery thicke tree.

24 And there was a stewes of male chil∣dren in the lande, and they did according to all the abhominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the chil∣dren of Israel.

25 And it fortuned, that in the fift yere of [unspec E] king Rehoboam, Sisac king of Egypt came vp against Hierusalem:

26 And toke away the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasures of the kings house, & spoyled all that was to be had: And he toke away all the shieldes of golde * 1.1410 which Solomon had made.

27 In whose steade king Rehoboam made brasen shieldes, and committed them vnto the handes [of the keping] of the captaynes of the garde, which way∣ted at the doore of the kinges house.

28 And when the king went into the house of the Lorde, they of the garde bare them, & brought them againe into the garde chamber.

29 The rest of the wordes that concerne Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written(a) 1.1411 in the booke of the croni∣cles of the kinges of Iuda?

30 And there was warre betweene Re∣hoboam and Ieroboam all their lyues.

31 And Rehoboam slept with his fa∣thers, and was buryed besyde his fa∣thers in the citie of Dauid: His mothers name was Naama, an Ammonite. And Abiam his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .xv. Chapter.

1 Abiam raigneth ouer Iuda. 9 Asa succeedeth in his roome. 16 The battel betweene Asa and Baasa. 24 Iehosaphat succeedeth Asa. 25 Nadab succeedeth Ieroboam. 28 Baasa killeth Nadab.

[unspec A] 1 IN the eighteenth yere of king * 1.1412 Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, raigned Abiam ouer Iuda.

2 Three yeres raigned he in Hierusalem: and his mothers name was Maacha, the daughter of * 1.1413 Abisalom.

3 And he walked in all the sinnes of his father which he had done before him, and his heart was not perfect with the Lorde his God, * 1.1414 as the heart of Dauid his father.

4 Neuerthelesse, for Dauids sake did the Lorde his God geue him (b) 1.1415 a lyght in Hierusalem, that he set vp his sonne af∣ter him, and stablished Hierusalem:

5 Because Dauid did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and tur∣ned from nothing that he commaunded him all the dayes of his lyfe, * 1.1416 saue onely in the matter of Vrias the Hethite.

6 And there was warre betweene Re∣hoboam and Ieroboam, as long as he lyued.

7 The rest of the wordes that concerne Abiam, and all that he did, are they not [unspec B] written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda? And there was warre betweene Abiam & Ieroboam.

8 And Abiam slept with his fathers, & they buried him in the citie of Dauid: and Asa his sonne raigned in his steade.

9 * 1.1417In the twentith yere of Ieroboam king of Israel raigned Asa ouer Iuda.

10 Fourtie & one yeres raigned he in Hie∣rusalem: and his (c) 1.1418 mothers name was Maacha, the daughter of Abisalom.

11 And Asa did [that seemed] ryght in the eyes of the Lorde, as did Dauid his fa∣ther.

12 * 1.1419And he toke away the male stewes out of the lande, and put away all the abhominable idols that his fathers had made.

13 (d) 1.1420And he put downe * 1.1421 Maacha his mother from bearing rule, because she had made an idoll in a groue: And Asa [unspec C] destroyed her idoll, and burnt it by the brooke Cedron.

14 But the hie places were not put

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so Thibin dyed, and Amri raigned.

23 In the thirtie and one yere of Asa king of Iuda, began Amri to raigne ouer Israel twelue yeres: Sixe yeres raigned he in Thirza.

24 He bought the hill * 1.1422 Schomron of one Schemar for two talents of siluer, and buylt in the hill, and called the name of the citie which he buylt, after the name of Schemar, which had ben owner of the hill Schomron.

25 But Amri wrought that which is euil in the eyes of the Lorde, and did worse then all that were before him.

26 For he walked in all the way of Iero∣boam the sonne of Nabat, and in his sinnes, that made Israel sinne, to anger the Lorde God of Israel with their vanities.

27 The rest of the wordes that concerne Amri, & al that he did, and his strength that he shewed, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

[unspec E] 28 And so Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, & Ahab his sonne raigned in his steade.

29 In the thirtie and eyght yere of Asa king of Iuda, began Ahab the sonne of Amri to raigne ouer Israel, & the same Ahab the sonne of Amri raigned ouer Israel in Samaria twentie and two yeres.

30 And Ahab the sonne of Amri did euill in the sight of the Lorde aboue all that were before him.

31 For(c) 1.1423 it seemed vnto him but a light thing to walke in the sinnes of Ierobo∣am the sonne of Nabat: He toke Ieza∣bel also the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonites to wyfe, and * 1.1424 went and serued Baal, and worshipped him.

32 And he reared vp an aulter for Baal in the temple of Baal which he had builded in Schomron:

33 And Ahab made a groue, and procee∣ded further in angring the Lorde God of Israel then all the kinges of Israel [unspec F] that were before him.

34 In his dayes did Hiel of Bethel build Iericho: He layde the foundation ther∣of in Abiram his eldest sonne, and set vp the gates thereof in his youngest sonne Segub, according vnto the word of the Lorde * 1.1425 which he spake by Iosuah the sonne of Nun.

¶The .xvii. Chapter.

1 Elias forewarneth of the famine to come. 4 He is fed of rauens. 9 He is sent to Zarphath, where he restoreth his hoastesse sonne to lyfe.

1 ANd Elias ye Thesbite, [unspec A] which was of the inha∣biters of Gilead, sayde vnto Ahab: * 1.1426 As the Lorde God of Israel lyueth, before whom I stande, * 1.1427 there shalbe neither deawe nor rayne these yeres, but according to my worde.

2 And the worde of the Lorde came vn∣to him, saying:

3 Get thee hence, & turne thee eastward, and hide thy selfe in the brooke Cherith, that is, it that lyeth before Iordane.

4 Thou shalt drinke of the ryuer, and I haue commaunded the rauens to feede thee there.

5 And so he went, and did according vn∣to the word of the Lorde: for he went, and dwelt by the brooke Cherith that is before Iordane.

6 (a) 1.1428And the rauens brought him bread and fleshe in the morning, and likewyse bread and fleshe in the euening: and he drancke of the brooke. [unspec B]

7 And it chaunced after a while that the brooke dryed vp, because there fell no rayne vpon the earth.

8 And the word of the Lorde came vnto him, saying:

9 * 1.1429Vp, and get thee to Zarphath, which is in Sidon, and dwell there: Beholde, I haue commaunded a wydow there to sustaine thee.

10 So he arose, and went to Zarphath: and when he came to the gate of the ci∣tie, beholde the widow was there ga∣thering of stickes: And he called to her, and said: * 1.1430 fet me I pray thee a litle wa∣ter in a vessel, that I may drincke.

11 And as she was going to fet it, he cry∣ed after her, and saide: bryng me I pray thee a morsell of bread also in thyne hand.

12 She sayde: As the Lorde thy God lyueth, I haue no bread redy, but

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euen an handful of meale in a barrel, & a litle oyle in a cruse: And beholde, I am gathering two stickes, for to go in and dresse it for me and my sonne, that we may eate it, and dye.

[unspec C] 13 And Elias saide vnto her, Feare not, go, and do as thou hast saide: but make me thereof a litle cake first of all, & bring it vnto me, and afterward make for thee and thy sonne.

14 For thus saith the Lord God of Isra∣el: The meale in the barrel shall not be wasted, neither shal the oyle in the cruse be minished, vntil the Lorde haue sent rayne vpon the earth.

51 And she went, and did as Elias sayde: And she, and he, and her house, did eate a good space.

16 And the meale wasted not out of the barrell, neither was the oyle spent out of the cruse, according to the word of the Lorde which he spake by the hande of Elias.

17 And after these thinges, it happened that the sonne of the wyfe of the house fel sicke, & his sicknesse was so sore that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said vnto Elias: What haue I to do with thee O thou man of God? Art thou come vnto me to call my sinne againe to remembraunce, and to slay my sonne?

19 He saide vnto her: geue me thy sonne. [unspec D] And he toke him out of her lap, & caried him vp into a lost where he abode, and layde him vpon his owne bed:

20 And called vnto the Lorde, and saide: O Lorde my God, hast thou punished also this wydow with whom I dwell as a straunger, & hast slaine her sonne?

21 * 1.1431And he stretched him selfe vpon the childe three tymes, and called vnto the Lorde, and saide: O Lorde my God, I pray thee let this childes soule come in∣to him againe.

22 And the Lord heard the voyce of Elias, & the soule of the childe came into him a∣gaine, and he reuiued.

23 And Elias toke the boye, and brought him downe out of the chamber into the house, and deliuered him vnto his mo∣ther: And Elias saide, Behold, thy sonne lyueth.

24 And the woman said vnto Elias: Now I knowe that thou art a man of God, and that the worde of the Lorde in thy mouth, is true.

The .xviii. Chapter.

1 Elias is sent to Ahab. 13 Obadia hideth an hundred prophetes. 40 Elias killeth all Baals prophetes. 45 He obtayneth rayne.

[unspec A] 1 AFter processe of many dayes, the word of the Lord came to Elias in the third yere, saying: Go shewe thy selfe vn∣to Ahab, and * 1.1432 I wyll sende rayne vpon the earth.

2 And Elias went to shewe him selfe vn∣to Ahab: and there was a great famish∣ment in Samaria.

3 And Ahab called Obadia, which was the gouernour of his house: (and Oba∣dia feared God greatly.

4 For when Iezabel destroyed the pro∣phets of the Lord, Obadia toke an hun∣dred prophets, and hid them by fiftie in a caue, and prouided bread and water for them.)

5 And Ahab saide vnto Obadia: Go in∣to the lande, vnto all fountaines of wa∣ter, and vnto all brookes, if happyly we may finde grasse to saue the horses and mules aliue, and that we destroy not [some of] the beastes.

6 And so they deuided the lande be∣tweene them to walke through it: A∣hab went one way by him selfe, and O∣badia went another way by him selfe.

7 And it chaunced that as Obadia was [unspec B] in the way, beholde Elias met him, and he knew him, and fell on his face, and saide: Art not thou my lorde Elias?

8 And he aunswered him, I am he: Go, and tel thy lorde, beholde, Elias is here.

6 He saide: What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest delyuer thy seruaunt in∣to the hande of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the Lorde thy God liueth, there is no nation or kingdome, why∣ther my lord hath not sent to seeke thee: And when they saide, he is not there: he toke an oth of the kingdome and nati∣on when he found thee not.

11 And now thou sayest, Go, and tell thy lorde that Elias is here.

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[illustration]

12 And assoone as I am gone from thee, the spirite of the Lorde shall carrie thee into some place that I do not knowe, and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can not finde thee, he shall slay me: But I thy seruaunt feare the Lorde from my youth vp.

[unspec C] 13 Was it not tolde my lorde what I did, when Iezabel slue the prophets of the Lorde? how I hid an hundred men of the Lordes prophets, fiftie men in one caue, and fiftie in another, and pro∣uided them of bread and water?

14 And thou sayest, Go thou now & shewe thy lorde, beholde Elias is here: that he may slay me.

15 And Elias saide: As the Lorde of hoastes liueth before whom I stand, I wyll shewe my selfe vnto him this day.

16 So Obadia went to meete Ahab, and tolde him: And Ahab went to meete E∣lias.

17 And it fortuned that when Ahab sawe Elias, he saide vnto him: Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18 He aunswered: It is not I that haue troubled Israel, but (a) 1.1433 thou and thy fa∣thers house, in that ye haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lorde, & thou hast folowed Baal.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me [unspec D] all Israel vnto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal * 1.1434 foure hundred and fiftie, and the prophets of the [idols] groues foure hundred, which eate at Iezabels table.

20 So Ahab sent vnto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets to∣gether vnto mount Carmel.

21 And Elias came vnto all the people, and said: how long (b) 1.1435 halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lorde be God, fo∣lowe him: but if Baal be he, then go af∣ter him. And the people aunswered him not one worde.

22 Then saide Elias vnto the people [a∣gaine] I onely remayne a prophete of the Lorde:(c) 1.1436 but Baals prophets are foure hundred and fiftie.

23 Let them therefore geue vs two oxen, and let them choose the one, & cut hym [unspec F] in peeces, and lay him on wood, and put no fire vnder: and I wyll dresse the o∣ther oxe, and laye him on wood, & wyll put no fyre vnder.

24 And call ye on the name of your gods, & I wyl call on the name of the Lorde: and then the God that aunswereth by fire, let him be God. * 1.1437 And all the people aunswered and saide, It is wel spoken.

25 And Elias saide vnto the prophets of Baal: Choose you an oxe, & dresse him first, for ye are many: & call on the name of your gods, but put no fire vnder.

26 And they toke the one oxe that he dyd geue them, and they dressed it, * 1.1438 and cal∣led on the name of Baal from morning to noone, saying, O Baal heare vs. But there was no voyce, nor one to aun∣swere:

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And they lept vpon the aulter that they had made.

27 And at noone Elias mocked them, and sayde: Crye lowde, for he is a God, per∣aduenture he is talking, or occupied in folowing vpon his enemies, or is in his iourney, or happyly he slepeth, and must be awaked [with your crie.]

[unspec E] 28 And they cried lowde, and cut them selues as their maner was with kniues & launcers, till the blood folowed on thē.

29 And it chaunced, that when mid∣day was passed, they prophesied vntill the time of the euening sacrifice: But there was neither voyce, nor one to aun∣swere, nor any that regarded them.

30 And Elias said vnto all the folke: Come to me. And all the people came to him: * 1.1439And he repaired the aulter of the Lord that was broken.

31 * 1.1440And Elias toke twelue stones, accor∣ding to the number of the twelue tribes of the sonnes of Iacob, vnto whom the word of the Lorde came, saying: * 1.1441 Israel shalbe thy name.

32 And with the stones he made an aulter in the name of the Lorde: And he made a ditch about the aulter, as great as would conteyne two measures of seede.

33 And he put the wood in order, and hewed the oxe in peeces, and layed him on the wood, and said: Fill foure barrels with water, and powre it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he sayde: Do so againe. And they dyd so the seconde time. And he sayde a∣gaine: Do it the thirde time. And they dyd it the thirde time:

35 And the water ran round about the aul¦ter, & he filled the pitte with water also.

[unspec F] 36 And it fortuned, that when they should offer the euening sacrifice, Elias the pro∣phete came, and sayde: Lorde God of A∣braham, Isahac, and of Israel, it shalbe knowen this day that thou art the God in Israel, & [that] I [am] thy seruaunt, and that I haue done all these thinges at thy commaundement.

37 Heare me O Lord, heare me, that this people may knowe that thou art the Lorde God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart againe nowe at the last.

38 * 1.1442And the fire of the Lord fel, and consu∣med the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the duste, and licked vp the water that was in the pit.

39 And when all the people sawe it, they fell on their faces, and sayde: The Lord he is God, the Lorde he is God.

40 And Elias sayd vnto them: Take the prophetes of Baal, and let not one of them escape. And they toke them, and Elias brought them vnto the brooke Kison, (d) 1.1443 and slue them there.

41 And Elias sayde vnto Ahab: Get thee vp, eate and drinke: for there is a sounde of much rayne.

42 And so Ahab went vp to eate and to drinke, and Elias went vp to the top of Carmel, and he layde him selfe flat vpō the earth, and put his face betweene his knees,

43 And sayde to his seruaunt: Go vp [I pray thee] and loke towarde the way of the sea. And he went vp, and loked, and sayde: There is nothing. And againe he sayde: Go againe seuen times.

44 And it fortuned that at the seuenth [unspec G] time, he sayde: Beholde there aryseth a litle cloude of the sea lyke a mans hand. He sayde: Go, and say vnto Ahab, Make fast [thy charet] and get thee downe, that the rayne stoppe thee not.

45 And it came to passe, that in the meane whyle the heauen was blacke with cloudes and winde, & there was a great rayne: And Ahab gat vp, and came to Iezrahel.

46 And the hande of the Lorde was on Elias, and he girded vp his loynes, and ranne before Ahab, till he came to Iez∣rahel.

The .xix. Chapter.

1 Elias fleing from Iezabel, is nourished by the angel of God. 15 He is commaunded to annoynt Hazael, Iehu, and Elisa.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Ahab tolde Ieza∣bel all that Elias had done, and how he had slayne al the prophetes with the sworde.

2 Then Iezabel sent a messenger vnto Elias, saying: * 1.1444So and so let the gods do to me, if I make not thy soule lyke one of theirs by to morowe this time.

3 When he sawe that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beerseba in Iu∣da, and left his seruaunt there.

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4 But he him selfe went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse, and came and sat downe vnder a Iuniper tree, and desi∣red for his soule that he might dye, and sayde: * 1.1445It is nowe enough O Lorde, take my soule, for I am not better then my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept vnder the Iu∣niper tree: behold an angel touched him, and sayde vnto him: Vp, and eate.

6 And when he loked about him, beholde there was a cake baken on the coales, and a vessell of water at his head: And he dyd eate and drinke, and layde him [unspec B] downe againe to sleepe.

7 And the angel of the Lord came againe the seconde time, and touched him, and sayde: Vp, and eate, for thou hast yet a great iourney.

8 And he arose, and dyd eate and drinke, & walked in the strength of that meate * 1.1446fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes, euen vnto Horeb the mount of God.

9 When he came thyther vnto a caue, he lodged therein al night: And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and sayd vnto him: What doest thou here Elias?

10 And he aunswered, I haue ben ielous for the Lorde God of hoastes sake: For the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenaunt, * 1.1447broken downe thyne aul∣ters, and slayne thy prophetes with the sword: and I onely am left, and they seke my lyfe to take it away.

11 And he sayd: Come out and stand vpon ye mount before the Lorde. And behold, * 1.1448the Lorde went by, & a mightie strong winde that rent the mountaynes and brake the rockes before the Lorde, but the Lord was not in the winde: And af∣ter the winde, came an earthquake, but the Lorde was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake came fire, but the Lorde was not in the fire: And after the fire, came a small still voyce.

13 And when Elias hearde, he couered his face with his mantle, and went out, and stoode in the entring in of the caue: And beholde, there came a voyce vnto him, & said: What doest thou here Elias?

14 And he aunswered: I haue ben ielous for the Lorde God of hoastes sake, be∣cause the children of Israel haue for∣saken thy couenaunt, cast downe thyne aulters, and slayne thy prophetes with the sworde: and I onely am left, & they seke my lyfe to take it away.

15 And the Lord sayde vnto him: Go, and turne thy way to the wildernesse vnto Damasco: & when thou commest there, annoynt * 1.1449 Hazael king ouer Syria:

16 And * 1.1450 Iehu sonne of Nimsi shalt thou annoynt king ouer Israel: And Elisa the sonne of Saphat of Abel Meholah shalt thou annoynt to be prophete in thy roome.

17 And it shall come to passe, that whoso escapeth the sworde of Hazael, him shall Iehu slay: & if any man scape the sword of Iehu, him shall Elisa put to death.

18 And [therto] I * 1.1451 haue left me seuen thou∣sande in Israel, of whiche neuer man (a) 1.1452bowed his knees vnto Baal, nor kis∣sed him with his mouth.

19 So he departed thence, & found Elisa the sonne of Saphat plowing, & hauing twelue yocke of oxen before him, and he with the twelue: And Elias went by him, and cast his mantle vpon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ranne after Elias, and sayde: * 1.1453 Let me I pray thee kysse my father and my mother, & then I will folowe thee. He sayde vnto him: Go backe againe, for what is it that I haue done to thee?

21 And when he went backe againe from him, he toke a couple of oxen, and slue them, and dressed the fleshe with the in∣strumentes of the oxen, and gaue vnto the people, and they dyd eate: And then he arose and went after Elias, and mi∣nistred vnto him.

The .xx. Chapter.

1 Samaria is besieged. 13 The Lord promiseth the victorie to Ahab by a prophet. The king of Israel made peace with Benhadad, and is reproued therfore by the prophete.

[unspec A] 1 AND Benhadad the king of Syria gathe∣red all his hoast toge∣ther, hauing thirtie & two kinges with him, and horses and cha∣rets: and went vp and besieged Samaria, & warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the citie, and sayde vnto him, thus saith Benhadad.

3 Thy siluer & thy gold is myne, & the fay∣rest of thy wiues & of thy childrē be mine.

4 And the king of Israel aunswered and said: My lord king, according to thy say∣ing, I am thyne and all that I haue.

Page xc

5 And when the messengers came a∣gaine, they sayd, thus sayth Benhadad: Forasmuch as I haue sent vnto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliuer me thy siluer and thy golde, and thy wyues, and thy children:

6 I will therfore send my seruauntes vn∣to thee to morowe this time: and they shall searche thyne house, & the houses of thy seruauntes, and whatsoeuer is pleasaunt in thyne eyes, they shall take it in their handes, and bring it away.

[unspec B] 7 Then the king of Israel sent for all the elders of the land, and said: Take heede I pray you, and see howe this felowe goeth about mischiefe: For he sent vnto me for my wiues, for my children, for my siluer, and for my golde, and I denyed him not.

8 And all the elders and all the people said: Hearken not vnto him, nor consent.

9 Wherfore he sayde vnto the messengers of Benhadad: Tell my lord the king, all that thou dyddest send for to thy seruaūt at the first time, that I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messen∣gers departed, and brought aunswere againe.

10 And Benhadad sent vnto him againe, and sayde: Thus and thus do the gods vnto me, if the dust of Samaria be enough for al the people that folowe me, to take euery man an handfull.

11 And the king of Israel aunswered, and sayd: Tell him, let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast him selfe, as he that putteth it of.

12 And it fortuned, that when Benhadad hearde that tydinges, as he was with the kinges drinking within the paui∣lions, and he saide vnto this seruauntes, Put your selues in order. And they set them selues in aray against the citie.

13 And beholde, there came a prophete vn∣to Ahab king of Israel, saying, thus sayeth the Lord: Hast thou seene all this great multitude? beholde, I will deliuer it into thyne hand this day, & thou shalt knowe that I am the Lorde.

[unspec C] 14 And Ahab sayd: By whom? He sayde: Thus sayth the Lorde, euen by the ser∣uauntes of the gouernours of ye shyres. He sayd againe: who shall order the bat∣tayle? And he aunswered: Thou.

15 Then he numbred the seruauntes of the gouernours of the shyres, & they were two hundred and thirtie and two: And after them also he numbred all the peo∣ple of the children of Israel [euen] seuen thousande.

16 And they went out at noone: but Ben∣hadad dyd drinke till he was drunken in the pauillions, both he and the kinges: euē thirtie & two kinges, that helpe him.

17 And the seruauntes of the gouernours of the shyres went out first, and Benha∣dad sent out, & they shewed him, saying: There are men come out of Samaria.

18 He sayde: Whether they be come out for peace, take them alyue: or whether they be come out to fight, take them yet alyue.

19 And so those young men of the gouer∣nours of the shyres came out of the citie, and the hoast after them:

20 And they slue euery one his enemie [that came in his way:] and the Syrians fled, & they of Israel folowed after thē: And Benhadad the king of Syria sca∣ped on a horse, with his horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and [unspec D] smote the horses and charettes, & with a great slaughter slue he the Syrians.

22 (And there came a prophete to the king of Israel, and said vnto him: Go foorth, and play the man, be wyse, & take heede what thou doest: for when the yere is gone about, the king of Syria will come vp against thee.)

23 And the seruauntes of the king of Sy∣ria sayde vnto him: The gods of the hilles are their gods, and therefore they had the better of vs: but let vs fight a∣gainst them in the playne, and [for what ye will] we shall haue the better of them.

24 And this do: Take the kinges away euery man out of his place, & put dukes in their roomes:

25 And do thou number thee an hoast, lyke the hoast that thou hast lost, such horses and suche charets, and we will fight a∣gainst them in the plaine, and thou shalt see vs get the better of thē. And he hear∣kened vnto their voyce, and dyd euen so.

26 And it fortuned, that after the yere was gone about, Benhadad numbred the Syrians, and went vp to Aphec to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were num∣bred, & with their whole number went they against them, and the children of Israel pitched before them lyke two litle lockes of kiddes: but the Syrians filled the countrey.

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[unspec E] 28 And there came a man of God, and sayd vnto the king of Israel, thus sayth the Lorde: Because the Syrians haue sayd, the Lorde is but God of the hilles, and not God of the valleys: therfore wil I deliuer all this great multitude into thyne hande, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde.

29 And they pitched one ouer against the other seuen dayes: and it came to passe, that in the seuenth day the battaile was ioyned, and the children of Israel slue of the Syrians an hundred thousande footemen in one day.

30 But the rest fled to Aphec into the citie, and there fell a wall vpon twentie and seuen thousande of the men that were left: And Benhadad fled, and came into the citie, from chamber to chamber.

31 And his seruauntes said vnto him: Be∣hold, we haue heard say that the kinges of the house of Israel are mercyfull kinges: We will therfore put sackcloth a∣bout our loynes, and ropes about our heades, and go out to the king of Israel, if happyly he will saue thy lyfe.

32 And so they girded sackcloth about their loynes, & put ropes about their heades, and came to the king of Israel, and said: Thy seruaunt Benhadad sayth, I pray thee let me lyue. He sayde: Is he yet a∣lyue? he is my brother.

33 And ye men toke that word for good lucke and hastyly caught it out of his mouth, and sayd: Yea thy brother (a 1.1454 Benhadad. He sayde: Go, bring him hyther. And Benhadad came out vnto him, and he caused him to come vp into the charet.

34 And he said vnto him: The cities which my father toke from thy father, I will restore agayne, and thou shalt make streates for thee in Damasco, as my fa∣ther dyd in Samaria: And I wil make an appoyntment with thee, & send the away. And so he made an appoyntment with him, and sent him away.

35 And there was a certayne man of the [unspec F] children of the prophetes, whiche sayde vnto his neyghbour in the word of the Lord: Smyte me I pray thee. And the man woulde not smyte him.

36 Then sayd he vnto him: Because thou hast not hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde: beholde, assoone as thou art de∣parted frō me, a lion shal slay thee. And it came to passe, that assoone as he was departed from him, * 1.1455a lion found him, and slue him.

37 Then he founde another man, & sayde: Smyte me I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smyting he woun∣ded him.

38 So the prophete went foorth, & way∣ted for the king by the way, and put him selfe out of knowledge with ashes whiche he layed vpon his face.

39 And when the king came by, he cryed vnto the king, and sayde: Thy seruaunt wēt out in the middes of the battel, and behold there went away a man, whom another man brought vnto me, & sayde, Kepe this man: and if he be myssed or lost, thy lyfe shall go for his, or els thou shalt pay a talent of siluer.

40 And as thy seruaunt had here & there to do, he was gone. And the king of Is∣rael sayde vnto him: Euen so shall thy iudgement be, as thou hast defined it thy selfe.

41 And he hasted, & toke the ashes away [unspec G] from his face, and the king of Israel knewe him, that he was of ye prophetes.

42 And he sayde vnto him, Thus sayth the Lorde: Because thou hast let go out of thy hande a man that is in my curse, thy lyfe shall go for his lyfe, and thy peo∣ple for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house wayward and in displeasure, and came to Samaria.

The .xxi. Chapter.

[unspec A] 8 Iezabel commaundeth to kill Naboth for the vineyard that he refused to sell to Ahab. 19 Elias reproueth Ahab, and he repenteth.

1 AFter these thinges, it chaunced, that Naboth the Iezraelite had a vineyard in Iezrahel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Sama∣ria.

2 And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, say∣ing: * 1.1456 Geue me thy vineyarde, that I may make me a gardē of hearbes there∣of, because it lyeth so nye my house, and I wil geue thee for it a better vineyarde then it is: or rather if it please thee, I will geue thee the worth of it in mo∣ney.

Page xcj

3 And Naboth sayd to Ahab: The Lord forbid that from me, that I should geue the inheritaūce of my fathers vnto thee.

4 And Ahab came into the house heauy and euyll apayde because of the worde whiche Naboth the Iesraelite had spo∣ken to him, for he had sayde: I will not geue thee the inheritaunce of my fa∣thers. And he layde him downe vpon his bed, and turned away his face, and woulde eate no bread.

5 But Iezabel his wyfe came to him, and sayde vnto him: Why is thy spirite so wayward that thou eatest no bread?

6 And he sayd vnto her: For I spake vn∣to Naboth the Iezraelite, and said vnto him, Geue me thy vineyarde for mo∣ney: Or els if it please thee, I will geue thee [another] vineyarde for it. And he aunswered: I will not geue thee my vineyarde.

[unspec B] 7 And Iezabel his wyfe sayde vnto him: * 1.1457Doest thou nowe gouerne the king∣dome of Israel? vp, and eate bread, and set thyne heart at rest: I wil geue thee ye vineyarde of Naboth the Iezraelite.

8 And so she wrote a letter in Ahabs name, and sealed it with his seale, and sent the letter vnto the elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwel∣ling with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letter, saying: Proclayme a b 1.1458 fast, and set Naboth on hye among the people:

10 And set two vnthriftes before him, to beare witnesse against him, saying, Thou dyddest blaspheme God and the king: And then carie him out, and stone him to death.

11 And c 1.1459 the men of his citie, euen the el∣ders and gouernours whiche dwelt in his citie, dyd as Iezabel had sent vnto them, and as it was written in the let∣ter whiche she had sent vnto them.

12 They proclaymed a fast, and set Na∣both among the chiefe of the people.

13 And there came in two men the chil∣dren of Belial, and sate before him: And the [two] vnthriftie persons witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying: Naboth dyd blaspheme God and the king. * 1.1460 And they caried him out of the citie, & stoned him with stones, that he died.

[unspec C] 14 And then they sent to Iezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned to death.

15 And it fortuned, when Iezabel hearde that Naboth was stoned to death, she sayde to Ahab: Vp, and take possession of the vineyarde of Naboth the Iezra∣elite, whiche he denied to geue for mo∣ney: for Naboth is not alyue, but dead.

16 And when Ahab hearde that Naboth was dead, he stoode vp to go downe to the vineyarde of Naboth the Iezrae∣lite, and to take possession of it.

17 And the worde of the Lorde came vn∣to Elias the Thesbite, saying:

18 Vp, and go downe to meete Ahab king of Israel, whiche is in Samaria: Beholde he is in the vineyarde of Na∣both, whyther he is gone downe to pos∣sesse it.

19 And therfore shalt thou say vnto him, thus sayth the Lorde: Hast thou killed & also gotten possession? And thou shalt speake vnto him, saying, thus sayth the Lord: * 1.1461 In the place were dogges licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogges licke euen thy blood also.

20 And Ahab sayde to Elias: Hast thou founde me, O thou myne enemie? He aunswered: I haue founde thee, for thou hast sold thy selfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde.

21 Behold, I will bring euyll vpon thee, & wil make cleane riddaunce of thy po∣steritie, and wil * 1.1462 destroy frō Ahab, [euen] [unspec D] him that maketh water against the wal, and him that is shut vp, & left behind in Israel.

22 And will make thyne house lyke the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Na∣bat, & lyke the house of Baasa the sonne of Ahia, for the prouocation wherwith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to synne.

23 And of Iezabel spake the Lord, saying: The dogges shall eate Iezabel by the wall of Iezrahel,

24 * 1.1463And he that dieth of Ahab in ye towne, him shall dogges eate: and he that dieth in the fielde, him shal the fowles of the ayre eate.

25 But there was none lyke Ahab, which dyd euen sell him selfe to worke wicked∣nesse in the sight of the Lorde, and that because Iezabel his wyfe pricked hym forwarde.

26 He dyd exceeding abhominablie in fo∣lowing foule idols, according to all thinges as dyd the Ammorites * 1.1464 whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel.

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27 And it fortuned, that whē Ahab heard those wordes, * 1.1465 he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth about his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth & went * 1.1466 bare foote.

28 And the worde of the Lorde came to Elia the Thesbyte, saying:

29 Seest thou howe Ahab humbleth him selfe before me? because he so submitteth him selfe before me, I wil not bring that euil in his dayes: but in his sonnes dayes will I bring euyll vpon his house.

The .xxii. Chapter.

2 Iehosaphat and Ahab fight against the king of Syria. 15 Michea sheweth the king what shal∣be the successe of their interprise. 24 Zedekia the false prophet smiteth him. 34 Ahab is slayne. 40 Ahazia his sonne succeedeth. 41 The raigne of Iehosaphat, 51 and Ioram his sonne.

[unspec A] 1 ANd they cōtinued three yeres without warre betweene Syria & Is∣rael.

2 And * 1.1467 in the third yere dyd Iehosaphat the king of Iuda come downe to the king of Israel.

3 (And the king of Israel sayde vnto his seruauntes: Know ye not that Ramoth [in] Gilead is ours, and we sit still, and take it not out of the hande of the king of Syria?)

4 And he sayde vnto Iehosaphat: Wilt thou come with me to battayle against Ramoth [in] Gilead? And Iehosaphat sayde vnto the king of Israel: * 1.1468 I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

5 And Iehosaphat sayde vnto the king of Israel: * 1.1469 Aske counsel I pray thee at the worde of the Lorde to day.

6 And then the king of Israel gathered the prophetes together, vpon * 1.1470 a foure hundred men, & sayde vnto them: Shall I go against Ramoth [in] Gilead to battayle, or shall I let it alone? And they sayde, Go vp: for the Lorde shall deliuer it into the handes of the king.

7 And Iehosaphat sayd: Is there here [unspec B] neuer a prophete of the Lord more, that we might inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel sayde vnto Ie∣hosaphat: There is yet one man (Mi∣chea the sonne of Iimla) by whom we may aske counsell of the Lorde: But I hate him, for he doth not prophecie good vnto me, but euyll. And Iehosaphat sayde: Let not the king say so.

9 Then the king of Israel called a cham∣berlayne, & sayde: Fet Michea the sonne of Iimla hyther at once.

10 And the king of Israel, and Iehosa∣phat the king of Iuda, sate eyther in his seate, and their apparell on them, in a voyde place besyde the entring in of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophetes prophecied before them.

11 And Zedekia the sonne of Chanaana made hornes of iron, and sayde, thus sayth the Lord: With these [hornes] shalt thou pushe the Syrians, vntill thou haue made an ende of them.

12 And all the prophetes prophecied euen so, saying: Go vp to Ramoth [in] Gilead, and prosper: for the Lorde shall deliuer it into the kinges hande.

13 And the messenger that was gone to cal Michea, spake vnto him, saying: Be∣holde, the wordes of ye prophetes speake good vnto the king with one mouth: Let thy worde therefore I pray thee, be lyke the worde of euery one of them, to speake that whiche is good.

14 And Michea sayde: As the Lorde [unspec C] lyueth, whatsoeuer the Lord sayth vn∣to me, b 1.1471 that will I speake.

15 And so he came to the king, & the king sayd vnto him: Michea, ought we to go against Ramoth [in] Gilead to battayle, or to be stil? He aunswered to him: (c) 1.1472 Go, and prosper, the Lorde shall deliuer it into the hande of the king.

16 And the king sayde vnto him: So and so many times do I charge thee that thou tell me nothing but that whiche is true, in the name of the Lorde.

17 He sayd: I saw all them of Israel scat∣tered vpon the hilles, as sheepe that haue not a sheephearde. And the Lorde sayde: These haue no maister, let euery man returne to his house in peace.

18 (And the king of Israel sayde vnto Iehosaphat: Dyd I not tell thee, that he woulde prophecie no good vnto me, but euyll?)

Page xcij

19 And he sayd againe: Heare thou there∣fore the word of the Lorde. I sawe the Lord sit on his seate, and all the hoast of heauen stoode about him on his right hande and on his left.

20 And the Lorde sayde: * 1.1473 Who shall per∣suade Ahab, that he may go and fall at Ramoth [in] Gilead? And one sayde on this maner, and another on that.

21 And there came foorth a certayne spirite, and stoode before the Lorde, and sayde: I will persuade him. And the Lorde sayde vnto him: Wherwith?

22 And he sayde: I will go out, and be a

[illustration]
false spirite in the mouth of all his pro∣phetes. He sayde, Thou shalt persuade him and preuayle: Go foorth then, & do euen so.

23 Nowe therefore beholde * 1.1474 the Lorde hath put a lying spirite in the mouth of all these thy prophetes, and the Lorde hath spoken euyll towarde thee.

24 But Zedekia the sonne of Chanaana went to & smote Michea on the cheke, and sayde: When went the spirite of the Lorde from me, to speake vnto thee?

25 And Michea sayde: Behold, thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hyde thee.

26 And the king of Israel sayde: Take Michea and cary him vnto Amon the gouerner of the citie, and vnto Ioas the kinges sonne,

27 And say: Thus sayeth ye king: Put this felow in the prison house, and feede him with bread of affliction, and with water of trouble, vntill I returne in peace.

28 And Michea sayde: If thou returne in [unspec E] peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he sayde: Hearken ye people euery one of you.

29 And so the king of Israel, and Iehosa∣phat the king of Iuda, went vp to Ra∣moth [in] Gilead.

30 And the king of Israel sayde vnto Ie∣hosaphat: I wil chaunge my apparell, and will enter into the battel, but put thou on thyne apparell. And the king of Israel chaunged him selfe, and went to battell.

31 But the king of Syria commaunded the thirtie and two captaynes that had rule ouer his charettes, saying: Fight neither with small nor great, saue onely against the king of Israel.

32 And when the captaynes of the cha∣rets saw Iehosaphat, they sayd: Sure∣ly it is the king of Israel. And they tur∣ned to fight against him: And Iehosa∣phat cryed.

33 And so it came to passe, that when the captaynes of the charettes sawe that he was not the king of Israel, they turned backe from him.

34 And a certayne man drewe a bowe ignorantly, & smote the king of Israel betweene the ribbes and his harnesse: Wherfore he sayd vnto the driuer of his charettes, Turne thy hand, and cary me out of the hoast, for I am hurt.

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35 (And the battel encreased that day: and the king stoode still in his charet against [unspec G] the Syrians) and died at euen: And the blood ran out of the wounde into the middes of the charet.

36 And ther wēt a proclamation through∣out the hoast about the goyng downe of the sunne, saying: Euery man to his ci∣tie, and to his owne countrey.

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 And one washed the charet in the poole of Samaria, & the dogges licked vp his blood: and they washed his ar∣mour, according vnto the worde of the Lorde whiche he spake.

39 The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahab and all that he did, and the iuorie house whiche he made, and all the cities that he buylded, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

40 And so Ahab slept with his fathers, & Ahazia his sonne raigned in his steade.

41 * 1.1475Iehosaphat the sonne of Asa began to raigne vpon Iuda in the fourth yere of Ahab king of Israel.

42 And Iehosaphat was thirtie and fiue yeres old when he began to raigne, and raigned twentie and fiue yeres in Hie∣rusalem: His mothers name was Azu∣ba the daughter of Silhi.

43 And he walked in all the wayes of Asa his father, and bowed not therefrom, but dyd that whiche was right in the eyes of the Lorde: Neuerthelesse the high places were not taken out of the way: for the people offred and burnt in∣cense yet in the high places.

44 And Iehosaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 * 1.1476The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehosaphat, & the might that he vsed, & howe he warred, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

46 And the remnaunt of the stewes of the males which remayned in the dayes of his father Asa, he put cleane out of the lande.

47 d 1.1477There was then no king in Edom, the deputie was king.

48 And Iehosaphat made shippes in the sea, to come through Tharsis to Ophir for golde, but they went not: for the shippes brake at Ezion Gaber.

49 Then sayd Ahazia the sonne of Ahab vnto Iehosaphat: Let my seruaūtes go with thy seruauntes in the shippes. But Iehosaphat woulde not.

50 And Iehosaphat dyd sleepe with his fathers, & was buried with his fathers in the citie of Dauid his father: And Ie∣horam his sonne raigned in his steade.

51 Ahazia the sonne of Ahab began to raigne ouer Israel in Samaria the se∣uenteenth yere of Iehosaphat king of Iuda, & raigned two yeres ouer Israel.

52 But he did euyl in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, & in the way of his mother, & in the way of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, whiche made Israel to synne.

53 For he serued Baal, & worshipped him, and prouoked the Lorde God of Israel vnto wrath, according vnto all that his father had done.

The ende of the third booke of the kinges after the reckening of the La∣tinistes, whiche the Hebrues call the first booke of the kinges.

Page xciii

❧ The fourth booke of the Kinges after the Latinistes: which booke and the third together, is but one with the Hebrues [unspec D]

¶The first Chapiter.

2 Ahazia by a fall falleth sicke, and consulteth with Beelzebub. 3 He is reproued by Elias. 10 The captaines ouer fiftie were sent to Elias, whereof two were burnt with fire from heauen by his prayer. 17 Ahazia dyeth, and Iehoram his brother suc∣ceedeth him.

[unspec A] 1 THen Moab re∣belled against Israel, after the death of Ahab.

2 And Ahazia fell through a lattesse wyn∣dowe of his vpper cham∣ber that he had in Samaria, and while he was in his sickenesse, he sent messen∣gers and saide vnto them: Go, and en∣quire of * 1.1478 Beelzebub the god of Ekrom, whether I shall recouer of this my di∣sease.

3 But the angell of the Lorde spake to Elias the Thesbite: Arise, and go vp a∣gainst the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say vnto them: Is there not a God in Israel, that ye go to aske counsel at Beelzebub the God of Ek∣rom?

4 Wherefore thus saith the Lorde: Thou shalt not come downe frō the bed on which thou art gone vp, but shalt die the death. And Elias departed.

5 And when the messengers turned backe againe vnto him, he saide vnto them: Why are ye now come againe?

6 They aunswered him: There came a man vp against vs, and sayde vnto vs: Go, & turne againe vnto the king that sent you, and saye vnto him, thus saith the Lorde: Is there not a God in Is∣rael, that thou sendest to enquyre of Beelzebub the God of Ekrom? There∣fore thou shalt not come downe from the bed on which thou art gone vp, but shalt dye the death.

[unspec B] 7 And he said vnto them: What maner of man was that which came vp and met you, and tolde you these wordes?

8 And they aunswered him: It was an heery man,* 1.1479 and girt with a girdell of leather about his loynes. And he saide: It is Elias the Thesbite.

9 Then the king sent vnto him a cap∣tayne ouer fiftie, with his fiftie men: which came to him (and beholde he sat on the top of an hill) And he spake vnto him, Thou man of God, the king hath saide: come downe.

10 Elias aunswered and saide to the cap∣taine ouer the fiftie: If I be a man of God, let fyre come downe from heauen & consume thee & thy fiftie.(b) 1.1480 And there came fyre from heauen, and consumed him and his fiftie.

11 Againe also he sent vnto him an other captaine ouer fiftie, with his fiftie: And he spake and saide vnto him, O man of God, thus hath the king saide: Make haste, and come downe.

12 Elias aunswered & saide vnto them: If I be a man of God, let fyre come downe from heauen, and consume thee and thy fiftie. And there came fyre of God from heauen, and consumed him and his fiftie.

13 And the king yet againe sent the [unspec C] third captaine ouer fiftie, with his fiftie men: And the third captaine ouer fiftie went vp, and came and fell on his knees before Elias, and besought him, & sayde vnto him: Oh man of God, I pray thee let my lyfe and the lyfe of the fiftie thy seruauntes be precious in thy sight.

14 Beholde, there came fyre downe from heauen, and burnt vp the two fore cap∣taines ouer fiftie with their fifties: ther∣fore let my lyfe now be precious in thy sight.

15 And the angell of the Lorde saide vn∣to Elias: Go downe with him, and (c) 1.1481 be not afrayde of him. And he arose, and went downe with him vnto the king.

16 And he saide vnto him, thus saith the Lorde: Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to aske counsell at Beelze∣bub the god of Ekrom, as though there had ben no God in Israel, whose word

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thou mightest seeke after: therfore thou shalt not come downe of the bed on which thou art gone vp, but shalt dye the death.

17 And so he dyed according to the worde of the Lorde which Elias had spoken: And Iehoram [his brother] began to raigne in his steade, in the second yere of Iehoram the sonne of Iehosaphat king of Iuda, because he had no sonne.

18 The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahazia, what thinges he dyd, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

The .ij. Chapiter.

8 Elias deuideth the waters with his cloke. 11 He is taken vp into heauen. 13 Elisa taketh his cloke and deuideth Iordane. 20 The bitter and venemous waters are healed. 23 The children that mocke Elisa, are rent in peeces with beares.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND it chaunced, that whē the * 1.1482 Lord would take vp Elias into hea∣uen by a whorle wind, Elias went with “ 1.1483 Eli∣sa from Gilgal.

2 And Elias saide vnto Elisa: Tary here I praye thee, for the Lorde hath sent me to Bethel. Elisa saide vnto him: * 1.1484 As the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee. And they came downe to Bethel,

3 (d) 1.1485And the children of the prophetes that were at Bethel came out to Elisa, and saide vnto him: knowest thou not how that the Lord wyll take away thy mai∣ster from thy head this day? He saide: I knowe it also, holde you your peace.

4 And Elia saide vnto him: Elisa, tary here I praye thee, for the Lorde hath sent me to Iericho. He saide: As the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule lyueth, I will not leaue thee. And so they came to Iericho.

5 And the children of the prophetes that were at Iericho came to Elisa, and said vnto him: Knowest thou not, that the Lorde wil take away thy maister from thy head this day? He aunswered: I know it also, holde ye your peace.

6 And Elias said vnto him: Tary I pray thee here, for the Lorde hath sent me to Iordane. He saide: As the Lord liueth, & as thy soule lyueth, I wyll not leaue thee. And so they two went together.

7 And fiftie men of the sonnes of the pro∣phetes came & stoode on the other syde [unspec B] a farre of: and they two stoode by Ior∣dane.

8 And Elias toke his mantell, & wrapt it together, and smote the waters, and they were deuided parte the one way,

Page xciiii

and part the other, so that they two went ouer through the drye lande.

9 And it fortuned, that assoone as they were ouer, Elias saide vnto Elisa: Aske what I shal do for thee, yer I be taken away from thee. And Elisa saide: I pray thee let thy spirite be double vpon me.

10 And he said, Thou hast asked an hard thing: Neuerthelesse, if thou see me whē I am taken away from thee, thou shalt haue it so: yf thou do not, it shall not be.

11 And it fortuned, that as they went wal∣king and talking: beholde, there appea∣red a charet of fyre, and horses of fyre, & parted them both a sunder, * 1.1486 and Elias went vp through the whorle winde into (b) 1.1487heauen.

12 And Elisa sawe, and cryed: O my fa∣ther, O my father, the charet of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he sawe him no more: and he toke his owne clo∣thes, and rent them in two peeces.

[unspec C] 13 He toke vp also the mantell of Elias that fell from him, and went backe a∣gaine, and stoode by Iordanes syde.

14 And toke the mantel of Elias that fel from him, and smote the waters, & he said: Where is the Lord God of Elias, & he him selfe? And when he had smit∣ten the waters, they parted this waye and that waye: and Elisa went ouer.

15 And when the childrē of the prophetes which were at Iericho sawe him from a farre, they sayde, The spirite of Elias doth rest on Elisa: And they came to meete him, and fel to the grounde before him,

16 And saide vnto him: See, now there be with thy seruauntes fiftie strong men, let thē go we pray thee & seeke thy mai∣ster: yf happly the spirite of the Lorde hath taken him vp, and cast him vpon some mountaine, or into some valley. And he saide: Ye shall send none.

17 And when they laye vpon him tyll he was ashamed, he said: Send. They sent therefore fiftie men, which sought him three dayes, but found him not.

18 And when they came againe to him (which taryed at Iericho) he saide vnto them: Did I not saye vnto you, that ye should not go?

19 And the men of the citie saide vnto E∣lisa: [unspec D] beholde sir, the dwelling of this citie is pleasaunt, as thou thy selfe seest: but the water is naught, & the grounde barren.

20 He saide: Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.

21 And he went vnto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in thyther, and saide, thus saith the Lord: I haue hea∣led these waters, there shall not come hencefoorth either death or barennesse.

22 So the waters were healed vnto this day, according to the saying of Elias, which he spake.

23 And he went vp from thence vnto Bethel: And as he was going vp the way, there came litle children out of the citie, and mocked him, & saide vnto him: Go vp thou balde head, go vp thou balde head.

24 And he turned backe, and loked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lorde: And there came two shee beares out of the wood, and tare fourtie and two children of them.

25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he turned a∣gaine to Samaria.

¶The .iii. Chapter.

1 The raigne of Iehoram. 6 He and Iehosaphat go to warre against Moab which rebelled. 13 Elisa reproueth him▪ 17 and geueth their hoast water. 24 The Mo∣abites are ouercome. 27 Their king sacrificeth his sonne.

[unspec A] 1 NOW Iehoram the sonne of Ahab began to raigne vpon Israel in Samaria the eyght∣teenth yere of Iehosa∣phat king of Iuda, and raigned twelue yeres.

2 And he wrought euil in the sight of the Lorde, but not lyke his father and lyke his mother: for he put away the images of Baal that his father had made.

3 Neuerthelesse, he cleaued vnto the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Na∣bat which made Israel to sinne, and departed not therefrom.

4 And Mesa king of Moab was a lorde of sheepe, and rendered vnto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambes,

Page [unnumbered]

and an hundred thousand rammes with the wooll.

5 But when Ahab was dead, it fortu∣ned that the king of Moab rebelled a∣gainst the king of Israel.

6 And king Iehoram went out of Sa∣maria the same season, and numbred all Israel:

[unspec B] 7 And went, & sent to Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, saying: The king of Mo∣ab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou come with me against Moab in battell? He aunswered, I will come vp: for as I am, so art thou: and as my people be, so are thy people: & thy horses, as myne.

8 And he saide: What way shall we go vp? And he aunswered: The way through the wildernesse of Edom.

9 And so the king of Israel toke his iour∣ney, and the king of Iuda, and the king of Edom: And when they had compas∣sed the way seuen dayes, they had no water for the hoast, and for the cattayle that folowed them.

10 And the king of Israel saide: Alas, the Lorde hath called these three kinges to∣gether, to deliuer them ouer into the hande of Moab.

11 But Iehosaphat said: * 1.1488 Is there not here a prophete of the Lorde, that we maye enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israels seruauntes aunswered and saide: Here is Elisa the sonne of Saphat, which powred water on the handes of Elias.

12 And Iehosaphat saide: The word of the Lorde is with him. And so the king of Israel, & Iehosaphat, and the king of Edom went downe to him.

[unspec C] 13 And Elias saide vnto the king of Is∣rael: What haue I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophetes of thy father, & to the prophetes of thy mother. And the king of Israel saide vnto him, Oh naye: for the Lorde hath called these three kinges together, to deliuer them into the hand of Moab.

14 And Elias saide: As the Lorde of hoastes liueth, in whose sight I stande, and it were not that I regarde the pre∣sence of Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, I would(a) 1.1489 not loke towarde thee, nor yet see thee.

15 But now bryng me a minstrell. And when the minstrell played, the hand of the Lorde came vpon him:

16 And he sayde, thus saith the Lorde: Make this valley full of ditches:

17 For thus saith the Lorde: Ye shall see neither wynde nor rayne, yet the valley shall be filled with water, that ye maye drinke, both ye, and your beastes, & your cattayle:

18 And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the Lorde, forasmuch as he wil geue ouer the Moabites also into your handes.

19 And ye shal smite euery strong towne, and euery goodly citie, and shal fell eue∣ry [unspec D] pleasaunt tree, and stop euery well of water, and marre euery good platte of ground with stones.

20 And in the morning when the meate offering was offered, beholde, there came water by the way of Edom, and the cuntrey was filled with water.

21 And when al the Moabites heard that the kinges were come vp to fight a∣gainst them, they gathered all that was able to put on harnesse, and stoode in the border of the lande:

22 And they were vp earlie in the mor∣ning, and the sunne shone vpon the wa∣ter, that the Moabites sawe the water a farre of as red as blood.

23 And they saide, This is the blood of slaughter: The kinges are slaine, & one haue smitten another: Now therefore Moab get thee to the spoyle.

24 And when they came to the hoast of Israel, the Israelites stoode vp & smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they folowed vpon them and smote Moab,

25 And they ouerthrew the cities, and on euery good parcell of lande cast euery man his stone, and filled it, & they stopt all the welles of water, and feld all the good trees, onely in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof: howbeit they went about it with slinges, & smote it.

26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battaile was to sore for him, he toke with him seuen hundred men that drew ye sword, to haue gone through [euen] vn∣to the king of Edom: but they could not.

27 And then he toke his eldest sonne that should haue raigned in his steade, and offered him for a burnt offering vpon the wall: And there was (a) 1.1490great indig∣tion against Israel, and they departed from him, and returned to their owne lande.

Page xcv

The .iiij. Chapiter.

4 God increaseth the oyle to the poore wydowe by Elisa. 12 He obtayneth for the Sunamite a sonne at gods hand. 28 Who dying. 32 he raiseth him vp a∣gaine. 40 He maketh sweete the potage. 41 And multiplieth the loaues.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND there cryed a cer∣tayne woman of the wyues of the sonnes of the prophetes, vnto E∣lisa, saying: Thy ser∣uaunt my husband is dead, & thou knowest that thy seruaunt did feare the Lorde: And the creditor is come to fet my two sonnes to be his bondmen.

2 Elisa saide vnto her: Tell me what I shall do for thee? What hast thou in thyne house? She saide: Thyne hande∣mayde hath nothing at all in the house, saue a pitcher with oyle.

3 He saide vnto her: Go, and borow ves∣sels for thee [of them that are] without, [euen] of all thy neighbours, emptie ves∣sels, and that not a fewe:

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the doore after thee and after thy sonnes, and powre out into (a) 1.1491 all those vessels: and set asyde that which is full.

5 And so she went from him, and shut the doore after her & after her sonnes: And they brought to her, & she powred out.

6 And it came to passe, that when the vessels were ful, she said vnto her sonne: Bryng me yet a vessel. And he said vnto her: I haue no mo. And ye oyle ceassed.

7 Then she came and tolde the man of God: And he sayde, Go, and sell the [unspec B] oyle, and pay them that thou art in debt vnto: but lyue thou and thy children of the rest.

8 And it fell on a day, that Elisa came to Sunem, where was a great woman, that toke him in for to eate bread: And so it came to passe, that from that tyme foorth (as oft as he came that way) he turned in thyther to eate bread.

9 And she saide vnto her husband: Be∣holde, I perceaue that this is an holy man of God which passeth by vs conti∣nually.

10 Let vs make him a little chamber I pray thee, with walles, & let vs set him there a bed, and a table, and a stoole, and a candelsticke: that he may turne in thyther when he commeth to vs.

11 And it fortuned on a day that he came thither, and turned into the chamber, & lay therein,

12 And saide to Gehezi his seruaunt: Call this Sunamite. And when he called her, she presented her selfe before him.

13 And againe he said vnto him: Tel her, beholde thou hast ben carefull for vs

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with all this care, (b) 1.1492 What shal we now do for thee? Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captayne of the hoast? She aunswered: I dwell among myne owne people.

14 And he said againe: What is to be done for her? Gehezi aunswered: Veryly she hath no childe, and her husband is olde.

15 And he said: Call her. And when he had called her, she stoode in the doore.

16 And he saide: * 1.1493 At this tyme appoyn∣ted, according to the tyme of lyfe, thou shalt imbrace a sonne. And she said: Oh nay my lorde thou man of God, do not lye vnto thyne handmayde.

17 And the wyfe conceaued, and bare a sonne that same season that Elisa had sayde vnto her, acording to the tyme of lyfe.

18 And when the childe was growen, it [unspec C] fell on a day that he went out to his fa∣ther, and to the reapers,

19 And he said vnto his father: My head, my head. And he saide to a lad: Cary him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken him & brought him to his mother, he sate on her knees till noone, and then dyed.

21 And she went vp, and laide him on the bed of the man of God, & shut [the doore] vpon him, and went out,

22 And called vnto her husband, & sayde: Send with me I pray thee one of the young men, and one of the asses: for I will runne to the man of God, and come againe.

23 And he saide: Wherefore wylt thou go to him? seing that to day is neither newe moone nor sabbath day. And she aun∣swered: All shalbe well.

24 Then she sadled an asse, and saide to her seruaunt: Dryue and go forwarde, staye not for me to get vp, except I byd thee.

[unspec D] 25 And so she went, and came vnto the man of God to mount Carmel: And it fortuned, that when the man of God sawe her farre of, he saide to Gehezi his seruaunt: Beholde, yonder is the Sunamite:

26 Runne therefore to meete her, & saye vnto her: Is all well with thee, & with thy husband, and with the lad? And she aunswered: All is well.

27 And when she came to the man of God vp to the hill, she caught him by the feete: But Gehezi went to her, to thrust her away. And the man of God sayde: Let her alone, for her soule is vexed within her, and the Lorde hath hid it from me, and hath not tolde it me.

28 Then she saide: Did I desire a sonne of my Lorde? did I not require thee that thou shouldest not deceaue me?

29 Then he saide to Gehezi: * 1.1494 Girde vp thy loynes, and take my staffe in thyne hande, and go thy way: * 1.1495 If thou meete any man (c) 1.1496 salute him not: And if any sa∣lute thee, aunswere him not againe: And lay my staffe vpon the face of the childe.

30 And the mother of the childe said: * 1.1497 As the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule ly∣ueth, I wyll not leaue thee. And he a∣rose, and folowed her.

31 Gehezi went before them, and layed [unspec E] the staffe vpon the face of the childe, but ther was neither voyce nor any feeling: wherfore he went againe to meete him, and tolde him, saying: The childe is not awaked.

32 And when Elisa was come into the house, behold the childe was dead, and layde vpon his bed.

33 He went in therefore, & shut the doore vpon them twayne, & prayed vnto the Lorde,

34 * 1.1498And went vp, and laye vpon the lad, and put his mouth on his mouth, & his eyes vpon his eyes, & his handes vpon his handes, & when he so laye vpon the childe, the fleshe of the childe waxed warme.

35 And he went againe, and walked once vp and downe in the house, & then went vp, & layde him selfe vpon him againe: And then the childe “ 1.1499 gasped seuē times, and opened his eyes.

36 And he called Gehezi, and saide: Call for this Sunamite. So he called her: which when she was come in vnto him, he saide vnto her: * 1.1500 Take thy sonne.

37 Therfore she went in, and fell at his feete, and bowed her selfe to the ground, [unspec F] and toke vp her sonne, and went out.

38 Elisa came againe to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the lande, and the chil∣dren of the prophetes dwelt with him: And he saide vnto his seruaunt, Set a great pot on [the fyre] and make potage for the children of the prophetes.

39 And one went out into the fielde to ga∣ther hearbes, and found a wylde vine, and gathered therof wylde gourdes his lap ful, and came and shred them in∣to

Page xcvi

the pot of pottage: for they knew it not.

40 So they powred out for the men to eate: And it fortuned, that when they tasted of the pottage, they cryed out and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eate ther∣of.

41 But he saide: bring meale. And he cast it into the pot, and he saide: Fill for the people, that they may eate. And there was no more harme in the pot.

42 There came a man from Baal Sali∣sa, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruites, euen twentie loaues of barlye, & full eares of corne in the huske: And he said, Geue vnto the people, that they may eate.

43 And his minister aunswered: Why shall I set this before an hundred men? He said againe, Geue it vnto the people, that they may eate: For thus saith the Lorde, * 1.1501 They shall eate, and there shal be left ouer.

44 And so he set it before them, and they did eate, and left ouer, according to the word of the Lorde.

¶The .v. Chapter.

1 Naaman the Syrian is healed of his leprosie. 16 Elisa refuseth his giftes. 27 Gehezi is striken with leprosie, because he toke money and rayment of Naaman.

[unspec A] 1 NAaman captayne of the hoast of the king of Syria, was a great man, and honorable in the sight of his maister, because that by him the Lorde had geuen health vnto Syria: He was also a migh∣tie man, & expert in warre [but he was] a leaper.

2 And the Syrians had gone out by com∣panies, & had brought out of the coun∣trey of Israel a litle mayde, & she was with Naamans wyfe.

3 And she saide vnto her lady: I would to God my lorde were with the pro∣phet that is in Samaria, for he would delyuer him of his leprosie.

4 And he a 1.1502 went in, and tolde his lorde, saying: Thus and thus saide the mayd that is of the lande of Israel.

5 And the king of Syria saide: Go thy way thither, and I wyll send a letter vnto the king of Israel. And he depar∣ted, and toke with him ten talentes of siluer, and sixe thousand peeces of golde, and ten chaunges of raymentes,

6 And brought the letter to the king of Israel, conteyning this tenour. Now, when this letter is come vnto thee, be∣holde I haue therewith sent Naaman my seruaunt to thee, that thou mayest ridde him of his leprosie.

[unspec B] 7 And it fortuned, that when the king of Israel had red the letter, he rent his clothes, and saide: * 1.1503 Am I God, that I should slay, and make a lyue? For he doth send to me that I should delyuer a man from his leprosie: Wherefore con∣sider I pray you, & see how he seeketh a quarell against me.

8 Which when Elisa the man of God had heard how that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying: Wherfore hast thou rent thy clo∣thes? Let him come now to me, and he shall knowe that there is a prophet in Israel.

9 And so Naaman came with his hor∣ses and with his charets, and stoode at the doore of the house of Elisa.

10 And Elisa sent a messenger vnto him, saying: Go, and washe thee in Iordane seuen tymes, and thy fleshe shall come againe to thee, and thou shalt be clean∣sed.

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and saide: Beholde, I thought with my selfe, he would surely come out, and stande and call on the name of the Lord his god, & put his hand on the place, that he may heale the leprosie.

12 Are not Abana and Pharphar riuers [unspec C] of Damasco, better then all the waters of Israel? If I washe me also in them, shal I not be cleansed? And so he turned him, and departed with displeasure.

13 And his seruauntes came, and commu∣ned with him, and saide: Father, if the prophet had byd thee do some great thing, oughtest thou not to haue done it? How much rather then when he saith to thee, washe, and be cleane?

14 Then went he downe, & washed him

Page [unnumbered]

selfe seuen tymes in Iordane, according to the saying of the man of God, and his fleshe came againe lyke vnto the fleshe of a litle childe,* 1.1504 and he was cleansed.

15 And he turned againe to the man of God, he and al his company, and stoode before him, and saide: Behold, I know nowe that there is no God in all the worlde, but in Israel: Now therfore I pray thee take a “ 1.1505 blessing of thy ser∣uaunt?

16 But he saide:* 1.1506 As the lorde lyueth be∣fore whom I stande, I wyll receaue none: And when the other would haue constrayned him to receaue it, he would not.

[unspec C] 17 And Naaman saide: Shall there not be geuē to thy seruaunt as much of this earth as two mules may beare? For thy seruaunt wyll hencefoorth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering vnto any other God, saue vnto the Lorde.

18 But herein the Lorde be mercyfull to thy seruaunt, that when my maister go∣eth into the house of Rimmon for to worship there, and leaneth on my hand, and I bowe my selfe in the house of Rimmon: when I do bowe downe I say in the house of Rimmon, the Lorde be mercyfull vnto thy seruaunt because of this thing.

19 Vnto whom he saide:(a) 1.1507 Go in peace. And when he was departed from him as it were a furlong of grounde,

20 Gehezi the seruaunt of Elisa the man of God, said: Beholde, my maister hath spared Naaman this Syrian, that he would not receaue at his hande those thinges that he offered: As the Lorde lyueth, I wyll runne after him, & take some what of him.

21 And so Gehezi folowed Naaman: And when Naaman saw him running after him, he light downe from the charet to meete him, and saide:* 1.1508 Is all well?

22 He aunswered, All is well: Beholde, my maister hath sent me, saying: See, there be come to me euen nowe from mount Ephraim two young men of the [unspec E] children of the prophetes: Geue them I pray thee one talent of siluer, and two chaunge of garmentes.

23 And Naaman said: With a good will, take two talentes: And he constrained him, & bounde two talentes of siluer in two bagges, with two chaunge of gar∣mentes, and laide them vpon two of his seruauntes, to beare them before him.

24 And when he came to the lower place, he toke [them] from their hand, and be∣stowed [them] in the house, and he let the men go, and they departed.

25 But he went in and stoode before his maister: And Elisa said vnto him, whēce commest thou Gehezi? He saide: Thy seruaunt went no whyther.

26 But he saide vnto him: (b) 1.1509 went not myne heart [with thee] when the man turned againe from his charet to meete thee? Is it now a tyme to receaue mo∣ney, to receaue garmentes, olyue trees, vnieyardes, sheepe, and oxen, men ser∣uauntes, and mayde seruauntes.

27 (c) 1.1510The leprosie therefore of Naaman shal cleaue vnto thee, and vnto thy seede for euer. * 1.1511 And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snowe.

The .vj. Chapter.

6 Elisa maketh iron to swimme aboue the water. 8 He discloseth the king of Syrias counsel to the king of Israel. 13 Who sending certaine to take him, were kept faste in Samaria. 24 Samaria is besieged and endureth extreme famine.

1 THe children of the pro∣phetes saide vnto Eli∣sa: Beholde we pray thee, the place where we dwell with thee is to litle for vs:

2 Let vs go we pray thee vnto Iordane, & take thence euery man a beame, & build vs a place to dwel in. And he aunswered, Go.

3 And one saide: Be content I pray thee, and come with thy seruauntes. And he aunswered: I wyll come.

4 And so he went with them: And when they came to Iordane, they cut downe wood.

5 But it fortuned, that as one was fel∣ling downe of a tree, the axe head fell in∣to the water: And he cryed, and saide, Alas maister, it was lent me.

6 And the man of God saide: Where fell it? And he shewed him the place: And he cut downe a sticke, and cast it in thy∣ther, and immediatly the iron did

Page xcvii

swymme.

[unspec B] 7 Therfore sayde he: Take it vp. And he stretched out his hand, and toke it vp.

8 But the king of Syria warred against Israel, and toke counsell with his ser∣uauntes, and sayde: In such and such a place shalbe my campe.

9 And the man of God sent vnto the king of Israel, saying: Beware that thou go not ouer to such a place, for there the Syrians are lurkyng.

10 Therfore the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God tolde him and warned him of, (a) 1.1512and saued him selfe from it, not once, nor twyse.

11 And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled for this thing, and he called for his seruauntes, and said vnto them: Wil ye not shewe me, whiche of our men [betrayeth me] to the king of Israel?

12 And one of his seruauntes sayde, None my lorde O king: But Elisa the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Is∣rael, yea euen the wordes that thou speakest in thy priuie chamber.

13 He sayde: Go, and spie where he is, that I may sende and fet him. And one told him, saying: Behold, he is in Dothan.

[unspec C] 14 Therefore sent he thyther horses and charets, and a mightie hoast: and they came by night, and compassed the citie about.

15 And when the seruaunt of the man of God rose vp early to go out: beholde, there was an hoast rounde about the towne with horses & charets: And his seruaunt sayde vnto him, Alas maister, what shall we do?

16 He aunswered, * 1.1513 Feare not: for they that be with vs, are mo then they that be with them.

17 And Elisa prayed and sayd: Lord I be∣sech thee open his eyes that he may see. And the Lorde opened the eyes of the young man, and he loked: and beholde the mountayne was full of horses, and charets of fire round about Elisa.

18 And when they came downe to him, Elisa prayed vnto the Lord, and sayde: Smyte this people I pray thee with * 1.1514blindnesse. And he smote them with blindnesse, according to the worde of Elisa.

19 And Elisa sayd vnto them: This is not the way, neither is this the towne: fo∣lowe me, & I will bring you to the man whom ye seke. But he led them to Sa∣maria.

20 But it fortuned that when they were come to Samaria, Elisa sayde: Lorde, open their eyes that they may see. And the Lorde opened their eyes, and they sawe, & behold they were in the middes of Samaria. [unspec D]

21 And the king of Israel sayde vnto Eli∣sa when he sawe them: My father, shall I smyte them, shall I smyte them?

22 And he aunswered, Thou shalt not smyte them: But smyte those that thou hast taken with thine owne sworde, and with thyne owne bowe: But rather set bread and water before them, that they may eate & drinke, & go to their maister.

23 And he prepared a great refection for them, and when they had eaten and drunke, he sent them away, & they went to their maister: And so the souldiours of Syria came no more into the lande of Israel.

24 After this it chaunced, that Benha∣dad king of Syria gathered al his hoast and went vp, and besieged Samaria.

25 But there was a great dearth in Sa∣maria: and beholde, they besieged it, vn∣till an asses head was sold for fourescore siluer pence, and the fourth part of a * 1.1515 cab of doues doung for fiue peeces of sil∣uer.

26 And as the king of Israel was goyng vpon the wal, there cryed a woman vn∣to him, saying: Help me my lord O king.

27 He sayde: If the Lorde do not succour thee, wherwith can I helpe thee? with the barne, or with the wine presse?

28 And the king sayde vnto her: What [unspec E] wilt thou? She aunswered: Yonder woman sayd vnto me, Bring thy sonne, that we may eate him to day, and we will eate myne to morowe.

29 * 1.1516And so we dressed my sonne, and dyd eate him: And I sayde to her the other day, bring thy sonne, that we may eate him: And she hath hyd her sonne.

30 And it came to passe, that when the king hearde the wordes of the woman, he rent his clothes, and went vp on the wall, and the people loked, and beholde he had a sackcloth vnder c 1.1517 vpon his fleshe.

31 Then he sayd: * 1.1518 God do so & more also to me, if the head of Elisa the sonne of Sa∣phat shall stande on him this day.

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32 But Elisa sate in his house (& the elders sate by him) And the king sent a man before him: but yer the messenger came to him, he sayd to the elders: haue ye not seene howe that the sonne of this mur∣therer hath sent to take away myne head? Be circumspect when the messen∣ger commeth, and shut the doore, and hold him at the doore: Is not the sound of his maisters feete behynde him?

33 While he yet talked with them: behold, the messenger came downe vnto him, & sayd, Behold, this euyl is of the Lorde: And what more shall I loke for of the Lorde?

The vii. Chapter.

1 Elisa prophecieth plentie of vittayle and other things to Samaria. 6 The Syrians run away and haue no man folowing them. The prince that woulde not beleue the worde of Elisa is troden to death.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THen Elisa saide: Heare ye the word of the lord, thus sayth the Lorde: * 1.1519To morow this time [shall] a bushell of fyne flowre [be solde] for a sicle, and two bushels of barlye for a sicle in the gate of Sa∣maria.

2 Then a certayne lorde (on whose hand the king leaned) aunswered the man of God, and sayde: Beholde, if the Lorde would make windowes in heauē, might this saying come to passe? He sayde: Be∣hold, thou shalt see it with thyne eyes, but shalt not eate therof.

3 And there were foure leperous men at the entring in of the gate: And they sayd one to another, Why sit we here vntill we dye?

4 If we say, we will enter into the citie: behold, the dearth is in the citie, and we shal die therin: And if we sit stil here, we dye also. Nowe therfore come, and let vs fall vpon the hoast of the Syrians: If they saue our liues, we shall lyue: If they kill vs, then are we dead.

5 And they rose vp in the twylight to go to the hoast of the Syrians: And when they were come to the vtmost part of the hoast of Syria, behold there was no man there.

6 For the Lorde had made the hoast of the Syrians * 1.1520 to heare a noyse of cha∣rets, & a noyse of horses, & the noyse of a great hoast: Insomuch that they sayde one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hyred against vs the kinges of the Hethites, and the kinges of the Egyp∣tians, to come vpon vs.

7 Wherfore they arose, and fled in the [unspec B] twylight, and left their tentes, their horses, and their asses, and the fielde which they had pitched, euen as it was, * 1.1521and fled for their lyues.

8 And when these lepers came to the edge

Page xcviii

of the hoast, they went into a tent, and did eate and drinke, and caried thence sil∣uer, and golde, and rayment, & went and hyd it: and came againe and entred into another tent, and caried thence also, and went and hyd it.

9 Then sayde one to another: We do not well this day, forasmuche as it is a day to bring good tydinges, and we holde our peace. If we tarie till the day light, some mischiefe wil come vpon vs: Now therfore come, that we may go and tell the kinges housholde.

10 And so they came, and called vnto the porter of the citie, and told them, saying: We came to the pauillions of the Sy∣rians, and see there was no man there, neither voyce of man, but horses & asses tyed, and the tentes were euen as they were wont to be.

11 And so the man called vnto the porters, and they told the kinges house within.

12 And the king arose in the night, & sayde vnto his seruauntes: b 1.1522 I wil shewe you nowe what the Syrians haue done vn∣to vs: They knowe that we be hungrie, and therefore are they gone out of the pauillions to hyde them selues in the fielde, saying: When they come out of the citie, we shall catche them alyue, and get in to the citie.

13 And one of his seruauntes aunswered, and sayde: Let men take I pray you fyue of the horses that remayne and are left in the multitude: (Beholde they are euen as all the multitude of Israel that are left in the citie: Beholde [I say] they are euen as all the multitude of the Is∣raelites that are consumed) and we will send, and see.

14 They toke therfore the horses of two [unspec C] charets, and the king sent after the hoast of the Syrians, saying: Go, and see.

15 And they went after them euen vnto Iordane, and lo, all the way was full of clothes, and vessels, which the Syrians had cast from them in their haste: And the messengers returned, and tolde the king.

16 And the people went out, and spoyled the tentes of the Syrians: And so it came to passe that a bushell of fyne flowre was solde for a sicle, and two bushelles of barlye for a sicle, * 1.1523according to the worde of the Lorde.

17 And the king appoynted that lorde (on whose hand he leaned) to be at the gate: And the people* 1.1524 trode vpon him in the gate, and he dyed according to the word of the man of God whiche he sayde when the king came downe to him.

18 And so came the thing to passe, that the man of God had spoken to the king, say∣ing: Two bushels of barlye for a sicle, and a bushell of fyne flowre for another shalbe * 1.1525 to morowe this tyme in the gate of Samaria.

19 Whervnto that lorde aunswered the man of God, and sayde: Yea and if the Lorde made windowes in heauen, might it come to passe? And he sayd: Be∣holde, thou shalt see it with thyne eyes, and shalt not eate thereof.

26 And euen so chaunced it vnto him: For the people trode vpon him in the gate, and he dyed.

The .viii. Chapter.

1 Elisa prophecied vnto the Sunamite the dearth of seuen yeres. 11 He prophecieth to Hazael that he shalbe king of Syria. 15 He raigneth after Benhadad. 16 Ioram raigneth ouer Iuda. 20 Edom falleth from Iuda. Ohoziah succedeeth Ioram.

[unspec A] 1 THen spake * 1.1526 Elisa vnto the woman (whose sonne he had restored to lyfe againe) saying: Vp, and go thou and thyne house, and so∣iourne where so euer thou canst: For the Lord hath called for a dearth, and the same shall come vpon the lande seuen yeres.

2 And the woman arose, and dyd after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her houshold, & soiourned in the land of the Philistines seuē yeres.

3 And at the seuen yeres ende, it fortuned that the woman came againe out of the land of the Philistines, and went out to call vpon the king for her house and for her lande.

4 And the king talked with Gehezi the seruaunt of the man of God, saying: Tel me I pray thee al the great deedes that Elisa hath done.

5 He told the king howe he had restored a dead body to lyfe againe: but in the meane time the woman whose sonne he

Page [unnumbered]

had raysed vp againe, cryed to the king for her house, and for her land: And Ge∣hezi sayde, My lorde O king, this is the woman, and this is her sonne whom Elisa raysed vp againe.

6 And when the king asked the woman, she tolde him: And so the king deliuered her a chamberlayne, saying, Restore thou vnto her all that are hers and all the (a) 1.1527 fruites of the fielde, sence the day that she left the land, vnto this tyme.

7 And * 1.1528 Elisa came to Damascon, & Ben∣hadad the king of Syria was sycke: [unspec B] And one tolde him, saying, The man of God is come hyther.

8 And the king sayd vnto Hazael: * 1.1529 Take a present in thyne hande, and go meete the man of God, that thou mayest in∣quire of the Lord by him, saying: Shal I recouer of this disease?

9 And so Hazael went to meete him, and toke the present with him, and of euery good thing of Damascon, euen as much as fourtie camels coulde beare: & came and presented him selfe before him, and said: Thy sonne Benhadad king of Sy∣ria hath sent me to thee, saying: Shal I recouer of this disease?

10 And Elisa sayde vnto him: Go, and say vnto him, Thou shalt * 1.1530 recouer: howe∣beit, the Lorde hath shewed me that he shall surely dye.

11 He loked vpon him stedfastlie, vntill he was ashamed: & the man of God wept.

12 And Hazael sayde: Why weepeth my lorde? He aunswered: For I knowe the euyl thinges that thou shalt do vnto the children of Israel: for their strong cities shalt thou set on fire, and their young men shalt thou slay with the sword, and shalt dashe out the braynes of their suck∣ing children, and al to teare their women with childe.

13 But Hazael sayd: What is thy seruaunt a dogge, that I shoulde do this great thing? And Elisa aunswered: The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king of Syria.

[unspec C] 14 And so he departed from Elisa, & came to his maister: which sayd to him, What sayde Elisa to thee? He aunswered: He tolde me, that thou shouldest recouer.

15 And on the morowe it fortuned, that he toke a thycke cloth, and dipt it in water, and c 1.1531 spread it on his face: & he died, and Hazael raigned in his steade.

16 The fyft yere of Ioram the sonne of Ahab king of Israel, Iehosaphat being also king of Iuda, Ioram the sonne of Iehosaphat king of Iuda began to raigne.

17 * 1.1532Thirtie and two yeres olde was he when he began to raigne, and he raig∣ned eyght yeres in Hierusalem.

18 And he walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel, as they that were of the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wyfe, and he dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde.

19 And the Lord woulde not destroy Iu∣da [and that] because of Dauid his ser∣uaunt, * 1.1533 as he promised him, to geue him alway a light among his children.

20 * 1.1534In those dayes Edom rebelled from vnder the hand of Iuda: for they made them a king of their owne.

21 So Ioram wēt to Zair, he & al his cha∣rettes with him: And he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compas∣sed him in with the captaynes of his charettes, and the people fled into their tentes.

22 But Edom rebelled, so that he woulde [unspec D] not be vnder the hande of Iuda vnto this day: Then Libnah rebelled that same time.

23 The rest of the wordes that concerne Ioram, and al that he dyd, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

24 And Ioram rested with his fathers, and was buried besyde his fathers in the citie of Dauid: And * 1.1535 Ahaziahu his sonne raigned in his steade.

25 In the twelfth yere of Ioram the sonne of Ahab king of Israel, dyd Aha∣ziahu the sonne of Ioram king of Iuda begin to raigne.

26 Two and twentie yeres old was Aha∣ziahu when he began to raigne, and he raigned one yere in Hierusalem: and his mothers name was Athaliahu, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

27 But he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde [euen] as dyd the house of Ahab: for he was the sonne in law of the house of Ahab.

28 And he went with Ioram the sonne [unspec E] of Ahab, to warre against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Ioram.

Page xcix

29 And* 1.1536 king Ioram went back againe to be healed in Iezrahel of the woundes whiche the Syrians had geuen him at Ramoth when he fought against Ha∣zael king of Syria: And Ahaziahu the sonne of Ioram king of Iuda, went downe to see Ioram the sonne of Ahab in Iezrahel because he was sicke there.

The ix. Chapter.

6 Iehu is made king of Israel. 24 And killeth Ioram the king therof. 27 and Aha∣ziah, otherwyse called Ochozias the king of Iuda. 33 And causeth Iezabel to be cast downe out of a windowe, and the dogges dyd eate her.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 ANd Elisa the prophete called one of the childrē of the prophetes, and sayd vnto him: * 1.1537 Gyrde vp thy loynes, and take this boxe of oyle in thyne hand, & get thee to Ramoth [in] Gilead.

2 And when thou commest thyther, loke wher is Iehu the sonne of Iehosaphat the sonne of Nimsi, and go to him, and make him arise vp from among his bre∣thren, & cary him to a secrete chamber.

3 Then take the boxe of oyle, and powre it on his head, and say, thus saith the Lord, I haue annoynted thee to be king ouer Israel: And then open the doore, and flee, without any tarying.

4 And so the seruaunt of the prophete gat him to Ramoth Gilead:

5 And when he came in, beholde, the cap∣taynes of the hoast were sitting toge∣ther: And he sayde, I haue an errand to thee, O captayne.

6 And Iehu sayd: Vnto whiche of al vs? He sayd: To thee, O captayne. And he arose, and went into the house, and he powred the oyle on his head, and sayde vnto him: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel,* 1.1538 I haue * 1.1539 annoynted thee to be king ouer the people of the Lorde, euen ouer Israel.

7 Thou shalt smyte the house of Ahab thy maister, that I may auenge the blood of my seruauntes the prophetes, & the blood of all the seruauntes of the Lord, of the hande of Iezabel:

8 For the whole house of Ahab shall be [unspec B] destroyed, and * 1.1540 I will destroy from A∣hab [euen] hym that maketh water a∣gainst the wal, and him that is prysoned and forsaken in Israel:

9 And I wil make the house of Ahab, like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, and like the house of Baasa the sonne of Ahia.

10 And as for Iezabel,* 1.1541 the dogges shall eate her in the fielde of Iezrahel, and there shalbe none to burie her. And he opened the doore, and fled.

11 Iehu came out to the seruauntes of his lord, and one sayd vnto him: Is al well?

Page [unnumbered]

Wherfore came this madde felowe to thee? And he sayd vnto them: Ye knowe what maner of man it is, and what his communication is.

12 They said vnto him againe: It is not so, tell vs. He said: Thus & thus spake he to me, saying, thus saith the Lord: I haue annoynted thee to be king ouer Israel.

13 Then they hasted, and toke euery man his garment, and put it vnder him on the toppe of the staires, and blewe with trumpettes, saying: Iehu is king.

[unspec C] 14 And so Iehu the sonne of Iehosaphat the sonne of Nimsi, conspired against Ioram: (Ioram kept Ramoth Gilead, he and al Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria:

15 And * 1.1542king Ioram returned to be hea∣led in Iezrahel of the woundes which the Syrians had geuen him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria) And Iehu sayde: If it be your mindes, then let no man depart and escape out of the citie, to go and tell in Iezrahel.

16 So Iehu gat vp [into a charet] & went to Iezrahel where Ioram lay: and A∣haziahu king of Iuda was come downe thyther to see Ioram.

17 And the watchman that stoode on the towre in Iezrahel, spied the companie of Iehu as he came, and sayde: I see a companie. And Ioram sayde: Take an horsman, and send to meete them, that he may aske whether it be peace.

18 And so there went one on horsbacke to meete him, and sayde: Thus sayth the king: is it peace? And Iehu sayd: What hast thou to do with peace? turne thee behind me. And the watchman told, say∣ing: The messenger came to them, but he commeth not againe.

19 Then he sent out another on horsbacke, whiche came to them, and sayde: Thus sayth the king: is it peace? Iehu aun∣swered: What hast thou to do with peace? turne thee behynd me.

20 And the watchman tolde, saying: He came to them also, and commeth not a∣gaine: And the driuing, is lyke the dri∣uing of Iehu the sonne of Nimsi: for he driueth the charet as he were mad.

[unspec D] 21 And Ioram sayde: Make redy. And the charet was made redy. And Io∣ram king of Israel, and Ahaziahu king of Iuda, went out eyther of them in his charet against Iehu, and met him in the fielde of Naboth the Iezrahelite.

22 And it fortuned, that when Ioram sawe Iehu, he sayd: Is it peace Iehu? He aunswered: What peace should there be, so long as the whordoms of thy mo∣ther Iezabel and her wytchcraftes are so great?

23 And Ioram turned his hande, and fled, and sayde to Ahaziahu: There is falshood O Ahaziahu.

24 And Iehu toke a bow in his hande, and smote Ioram betweene the armes, & the arrowe went through his heart, and he fell downe flat in his charet.

25 Then said Iehu to Bidkar a captayne: Take [him] and cast him in the plat of the ground of Naboth the Iezrahelite: For I remember that when I & thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lorde layed this heauy burthen vpon him:

26 I haue seene yesterday the blood of Naboth & the blood of his sonnes, sayde the Lord: and I wil quite it thee in this ground sayth the Lord. Nowe therfore take [him] and cast him in the plat of ground, according to ye word of the Lord.

27 But when Ahaziahu the king of Iu∣da sawe this, he fled by the way of the garden house: And Iehu folowed after him, and sayde, Smyte him also in the charet, at the goyng vp to Gur by Ieb∣leam. And he fled to Megiddo, and ther died.

28 And his seruauntes caryed him in a [unspec E] charet to Hierusalem, and buried him there in his sepulchre with his fathers in the citie of Dauid.

29 And in the eleuenth yere of Ioram the sonne of Ahab, began Ahaziahu to raigne ouer Iuda.

30 And when Iehu was come to Iezra∣hel, Iezabel hearde of it, & paynted her face, and tired her head, and loked out at a wyndowe.

31 And as Iehu entred at the gate, she sayd: Had b 1.1543 Zimri peace, which slue his maister?

32 And he lift vp his eyes to the windowe, and sayde: Who is of my side, who? And there loked out to him two or three chamberlaynes.

33 And he sayd: Throwe her downe. So they threwe her downe, & her blood das∣shed toward the wall, and towarde the horses: and he troade her vnder foote.

34 And when he was come in, he dyd eate and drinke, & sayd: Go and visite I

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pray you yonder cursed creature, and burie her: * 1.1544for she is a kinges daughter.

35 And so when they came to burie her, they founde no more of her then the skull, and the feete, and the palmes of her handes.

36 Wherfore they came againe, and tolde him: And he sayd, This is the worde of the Lorde whiche he spake by the hand of his seruaunt Elias the Thesbite, say∣ing: * 1.1545In the fielde of Iezrahel shall dogges eate the fleshe of Iezabel.

37 And so the carkasse of Iezabel was euen as dounge vpon the earth in the fielde of Iezrahel, so that no man might say, This is Iezabel.

The .x. Chapter.

6 Iehu causeth the seuentie sonnes of Ahab to be slayne. 13 And after that, fourtie and two of Ahaziahs brethren. 25 He killeth also all the priestes of Baal. 35 After his death his sonne raigneth in his steade.

[unspec A] 1 AHab had * 1.1546 threescore & ten sonnes in Sama∣ria: And Iehu wrote letters, and sent to Sa∣maria, vnto the rulers of Iezrahel, to the el∣ders, and to them that brought vp Ahabs children, saying:

2 Nowe when this letter commeth to you (ye that haue with you your mai∣sters sonnes, ye haue with you both cha∣rets and horses, a strong citie haue ye al∣so, and harnesse)

3 Loke which of your maisters sonnes is best and most meete, and set him on his fathers seate, and fight for your lordes house.

4 But they were exceedingly afrayde, & sayde: See, two kinges were not able to stande before him: howe shall we then be able to stande?

5 And he that was gouernour of Ahabs house, & he that ruled the citie, the elders also, & the tutours, sent to Iehu, saying: We are thy seruauntes, & will do all that thou shalt byd vs, we wil make no man king: therefore do thou what seemeth good in thyne eyes.

6 Then he wrote another letter to them, saying: If ye be myne, and wil hearken vnto my voyce, then take the heades of the men that are your maisters sonnes, and come to me to Iezrahel by to mo∣rowe this time: (And the kinges sonnes were threescore and ten persons, and they were with the great men of the ci∣tie which brought them vp.)

[unspec B] 7 And when the letter came to them, they toke the kinges children, and slue them, euen threescore and ten persons, & layed their heades in baskettes, and sent them to him to Iezrahel.

8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying: They haue brought the heades of the kinges sonnes. And he said: Let them lay them on two heapes in the entring in of the gate, vntill the morning.

9 And when it was day, he went out, and stoode, and sayde to al the folke, Ye be righteous: Behold, I conspired against my maister, and slue him: But who slue all these?

10 Learne here that there shall fall vnto the earth nothing of the worde of the Lorde, whiche he spake concerning the house of Ahab: For the Lorde hath brought to passe ye thinges that he spake by the hande of his seruaunt * 1.1547 Elias.

11 And so Iehu slue all that remayned of the house of Ahab in Iezrahel, and all that were great with him, and his kins∣folkes, and his priestes, so that he le no∣thing of him remayne.

12 And he arose, & departed, and came to Samaria: And when Iehu was in the way of the house where the sheep∣heardes dyd sheare their sheepe,

13 He met with the brethren of Ahaziahu king of Iuda, and sayde: What are ye? They aunswered: The brethren of A∣haziahu are we, and go downe to salute the children of the king & of the queene.

14 And he said: Take them alyue. Whom [unspec C] when they had taken them alyue, they slue them at the wel whiche was beside the house where the sheepe are shoren, euen two and fourtie men, neither left he any of them.

15 And when he was departed thence, he met with Iehonadab the sonne of * 1.1548 Re∣chab comming against him, and he bles∣sed him, & sayde to him: Is thyne heart right, as myne heart is true with thine? And Iehonadab aunswered: Yea that it is. Then geue me thyne hand. And when he had geuen him his hande, he toke him vp to him into the charet,

16 And sayde: Come with me, and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. And so they made him ride in his charet.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he

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slue al that remained vnto Ahab in Sa∣maria, till he had wiped him out, accor∣cording to the saying of the Lord which he spake to Elias.

18 And Iehu gathered all the people to∣gether, and sayd vnto them: * 1.1549 Ahab ser∣ued * 1.1550 Baal a litle, but Iehu shall serue him more.

19 Now therfore call vnto me all the pro∣phetes of Baal, all such as serue him, and al his priestes, & let none be lacking: For I haue a great sacrifice to do to Baal, & therefore whosoeuer is missed he shall not lyue. But Iehu dyd it for a sut∣teltie, to the intent that he might destroy the seruauntes of Baal.

20 And Iehu sayde: Proclayme an holy conuocation for Baal. And they pro∣claymed it.

21 And Iehu sent vnto all Israel, and al [unspec D] the seruauntes of Baal came, that there was not a man left behind that came not: And they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was full from one ende to another.

22 And he sayde vnto him that was the keper of the vestrie: Bring foorth gar∣mentes for all the seruauntes of Baal. And he brought them out garmentes.

23 And when Iehu went with Iehona∣dab the sonne of Rechab into the house of Baal, he sayd vnto the seruauntes of Baal: Searche, & loke that ther be here with you none of the seruauntes of the Lord, but the seruauntes of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to offer sa∣crifice and burnt offring, Iehu appoyn∣ted foure score men without, and sayde: If any of ye men whom I haue brought vnder your handes escape, he that let∣teth him go, shall dye for him.

25 And it fortuned, that assoone as he had made an ende of offring the burnt sacri∣fice, Iehu sayd to the men of warre and to the captaynes: Go in, and slay them, let none come out. And they smote them with the edge of the sword: And the men of warre & the captaynes cast them out, & went to the citie of the temple of Baal,

26 And fet the images out of the temple of Baal, and burnt them.

27 And they brake the image of Baal, and brake the house of Baal, & made a draft house of it vnto this day.

28 And so Iehu destroyed Baal out of [unspec E] Israel.

29 But from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat whiche made Israel to sinne, Iehu departed not from them [neither from] the golden calues that were in Bethel and in Dan.

30 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iehu: Be∣cause thou hast done right wel, in bring∣ing to passe the thing that is right in myne eyes, and hast done vnto the house of Ahab according to all thinges that are in myne heart, therefore shall thy * 1.1551 children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seate of Israel.

31 But Iehu cared not for this, to walke in the lawe of the Lorde God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam whiche made Israel to sinne.

32 In those dayes the Lorde began to cut Israel short, * 1.1552 and Hazael smote them in all the coastes of Israel,

33 From Iordane eastward, euen all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Rube∣nites, and them that were of Manasses, from Aroer (which is by the riuer Ar∣non) euen Gilead and Basan.

34 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehu, and al that he did, & al his power, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

35 And Iehu slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in Samaria, & Iehoa∣has his sonne raigned in his steade.

36 And the time that Iehu raigned vpon Israel in Samaria, is twentie & eyght yeres.

[unspec A] The .xi Chapter.

1 Athalia putteth to death all the kinges sonnes except Ioas the sonne of Ohosiah. 4 Ioas is appoynted king. 15 Iehoiada causeth Athalia to be slayne. 17 He maketh a couenaunt be∣tweene God and the people. 18 Baal and his priestes are destroyed.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Athalia ye mother of Ahaziahu, when she saw that her sonne was dead, she arose, and de∣stroyed all the kinges seede.

2 But Iehosaba the daughter of king Ioram and syster of Ahaziahu, toke Ioas the sonne of A∣haziahu, and stale him from among the kinges sonnes that were slayne, and his nurse with him in the bedde cham∣ber: and hyd him from Athalia, that he was not slayne.

Page ci

3 And he was with her hyd in the house of the Lord sixe yeres: And Athalia dyd raigne ouer the lande.

4 And the seuenth yere Iehoiada sent and fet the rulers ouer hundredes, with the captaynes and them of the garde, and toke them to him into the house of the Lorde, & made a bonde with them, and toke an oth of them in the house of the Lorde, and shewed them the kinges sonne.

5 And he commaunded them, saying, This is it that ye must do: One third part of you, whose duetie is to come in on the Sabbath day, shall keepe the watch of the kinges house:

6 And another third part shal keepe the gate of Sur: And another third part shall keepe the gate which is behinde them of the garde: and so shall ye keepe the watch of the house of Mesiah.

[unspec B] 7 And two partes of you, that is, al that go out on the Sabbath day, shall keepe the watch of the house of the Lorde a∣bout the king.

8 And ye shall compasse the king round about, & euery man shall haue his wea∣pon in his hand: And whosoeuer com∣meth within ye ranges, let him be slaine: And see that ye be with the king as he goeth out and in.

9 And the captaynes ouer the hundredes did according to all thinges that* 1.1553 Ieho∣iada the priest commaunded: and they toke euery man his men that were to come in on the Sabbath day, with them that should go out on the Sabbath, and came to Iehoiada the priest.

10 And to the captaynes ouer hundredes, did the priest geue king Dauids speares and shieldes, that were in the temple.

11 And they of the garde stoode, and eue∣ry man had his weapon in his hande rounde about the king, from the ryght corner of the temple to the left, along by the aulter and the temple.

12 And he brought out the kinges sonne, and put the crowne vpon him, and dely∣uered him * 1.1554 * 1.1555the witnesse, & made him king, & annoynted him: And they clapt their handes, and saide: God saue the king.

13 * 1.1556And when Athalia heard the noyse of the running of the people, she came to [unspec C] the people into the temple of the Lorde.

14 (b) 1.1557And whē she looked, behold, the king stoode by a piller as the maner was, & the singers & the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land reioysed, and blew with trumpets: And Athalia rent her clothes & cryed, treason, trea∣son.

15 But Iehoiada the priest commaun∣ded the captaines of the hundredes that had the rule of the hoast, and saide vnto them: Haue her foorth of the ranges, & if any folowe her, kill him with the sword. For the priest had saide: she may not be slaine in the house of the Lorde.

16 And they layde handes on her, till she came into the way by the which the horses went in to the kinges palace, and there was she slaine.

17 * 1.1558And Iehoiada made a bond betweene the Lorde and the king and the people, that they should be the Lordes people, and also betweene the king and the peo∣ple.

18 And all the people of the lande went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it, his aulters also, and his images brake they downe lustylie, and slue Mathan the priest of Baal before the aulters: And the priest set watch ouer the house of the Lorde.

16 And toke the rulers ouer hundredes, [unspec D] the captaines, and them of the gard, and all the people of the lande, and they brought the king from the house of the Lorde, and came by the way of the gate of them of the gard to the kings palace, and he sat him downe on the seate of the kinges.

20 And all the people of the lande reioy∣ced, and the citie was in quiet: And they slue Athalia with the sword, beside the kinges palace.

21 Seuen yeres olde was Iehoas when he began to raigne.

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¶The .xii. Chapter.

6 Iehoas maketh prouision for the repairing of the temple. 16 He stayeth the king of Syria by a present from comming against Hierusalem. 20 He is killed by two of his seruauntes.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Iehoas began to raigne in the seuenth yere of Iehu, fouretie yeres raigned he in Hierusalem: & his mo∣thers name was Ze∣biah of Beerseba.

2 And he did that which was good in the sight of the Lorde, as long as (a) 1.1559 Ie∣hoiada the priest enfourmed him.

3 But the high places were not taken a∣way: for the people offred and burnt in∣cense yet vpon the high places.

4 And Iehoas sayde to the priestes: All the siluer of the dedicate thinges that be brought to the house of the Lorde, that is, the money of them that were num∣bred, the money that euery man is set at, and all the money that euery man with a willing heart geueth and bryn∣geth into the house of the Lorde:

5 Let the priestes take it to them, euery man of his acquayntaunce, to repayre the broken places of the house where∣soeuer any decaye is founde.

6 And so it came to passe, that vnto the three and twentith yere of king Ieho∣as, the priestes had mended nothing that was decayed in the temple.

[unspec B] 7 Then king Iehoas called for Iehoia∣da the priest, and the other priestes, and saide vnto them: Why repaire ye not the broken places of the temple? Now ther∣fore, see that ye receaue no more money of your acquayntaunce, except ye deli∣uer it to repaire the temple withall.

8 And the priestes consented to receaue no more money of the people, except to repaire the decayed places of the tem∣ple.

9 But Iehoiada the priest toke a chest, and bored a hole in the lyd of it, and set it besyde the aulter, on the right syde as euery man commeth into the temple of the Lorde, and the priestes that kept the vessels put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lorde.

10 And it fortuned, that when they sawe ther was much money in the chest, * 1.1560 the kinges scribe & the hye priest came vp, and tolde the money that was found in the house of the Lorde, and put it into a bagge.

11 And they gaue the money sealed into the handes of them that executed the worke, and that had the ouersight of the house of the Lorde: and they brought it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought vpon the house of the Lorde,

12 And to masons, and hewers of stone: And they bought timber and free stone to repaire the decaye in the house of the Lorde, and to al that went out to mend the temple.

13 Howbeit, there was not made for the [unspec C] house of the Lorde bowles of siluer, in∣strumentes of musicke, basons, trum∣pets, or any vessels of golde, or vessels of siluer, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lorde.

14 But they gaue that to the workemen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lorde.

15 Moreouer, they reckened not with the men into whose handes they deliuered that money to be bestowed on workmē: for they did their busines faithfully:

16 Howbeit, trespasse money, and sinne money, was not brought into the house of the Lorde, for it was the priestes.

17 Then came Hazael king of Syria vp, and fought against Geth, and toke it: And Hazael set his face to go vp to Hie∣rusalem.

18 And Iehoas king of Iuda, toke all the halowed thinges that Iehosaphat, Iehoram & Haziahu his fathers kinges of Iuda had dedicate, and that he him selfe had dedicated, and al the gold that was founde in the treasures of the house of the Lorde and in the kinges house, and sent it to Hazael king of Sy∣ria, & so he departed from Hierusalem.

19 The remnaunt of the wordes that [unspec D] concerne Iehoas, and all that he dyd, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

20 And his owne seruauntes arose, and wrought treason, and slue Iehoas in the house Millo, when he came downe to Silla:

Page cii

12 Iozachar the sonne of Semaath, and Iehozabad the sonne of Somer his ser∣uauntes, smote him, and he dyed: And they buryed him with his fathers in the citie of Dauid, and Amaziahu his sonne raigned in his steade.

The .xiij. Chapter.

3 Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu is delyuered into the handes of the Syrians. 5 He prayeth vnto God and is delyuered. 9 Ioas his sonne raigneth in his steade. 24 Hazael dyeth. 26 Elisa dyeth.

[unspec A] 1 IN the three & twentith yere of Ioas the sonne of Ahaziahu king of Iuda, Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu began to raigne ouer Israel in Samaria seuen∣teene yeres.

2 And he wrought that which was euil in the sight of the Lorde, and folowed the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which made Israel to sinne, and departed not therfrom.

3 And the Lorde was angry with Is∣rael, and delyuered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, & into the hand of Benhadad the sonne of Hazael all their dayes.

4 And Iehoahaz besought the Lord, & the Lorde heard him: For he considered the trouble of Israel, wherewith the king of Syria troubled them.

5 (And the Lord gaue Israel a deliuerer, so that they went out from vnder the subiection of the Syrians: And the chil∣dren of Israel dwelt in their tentes as before tyme.

6 Neuerthelesse, they departed not from the sinnes of the house of Ieroboam which made Israel sinne, but walked in them: And there remayned an idols groue still also in Samaria.)

[unspec B] 7 Neither did he leaue of the people to Iehoahaz but fiftie horsemen, ten cha∣rets, and ten thousand footemen: * 1.1561 for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them lyke thresshed dust.

8 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehoahaz and all that he dyd, and his power, are they not writtē in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

9 And Iehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in Samaria, and Ioas his sonne raigned in his steade.

10 In the thirtie and seuenth yere of Io∣as king of Iuda, began Iehoas the sonne of Iehoahaz to raigne ouer Is∣rael in Samaria sixteene yeres.

11 And did that which is euill in the sight of the Lorde, and departed not from all the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat that made Israel sinne: for he walked therein.

12 The remnaunt of the wordes that con∣cerne Ioas, and all that he did, and his power wherewith he fought against Amaziahu king of Iuda, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

13 And Ioas slept with his fathers, and [unspec C] Ieroboam sat vpon his seate: And Io∣as was buryed in Samaria among the kinges of Israel.

14 When Elisa was fallen sicke of his sick∣nesse whereof he dyed, Ioas the king of Israel came downe vnto him, and wept before him, and saide: * 1.1562 O my fa∣ther, my father, the charet of Israel, & the horsemen of the same.

15 Elisa saide vnto him: Take bowe and arrowes. And he toke vnto him bowe and arrowes.

16 And he saide to the king of Israel: Put thyne hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: And Elisa put his handes vpon the kinges handes,

17 And said: Open a windowe eastward. And when he had opened it, Elisa sayd: shoote. And he shot: And he saide, The arrowe of health of the Lorde, and the arrowe of health against Syria: For thou shalt smyte Syria in Aphec, till thou haue made an ende of them.

18 And he saide: Take the arrowes. And he toke them: And he said vnto the king of Israel, Smyte the grounde. And he smote thrise, and ceassed.

19 And the man of God was angry with [unspec D] him, and saide: Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe tymes, and then thou haddest smytten Syria till thou haddest made an end of them: where now thou shalt smyte Syria but thrise.

20 And so Elisa dyed, & they buried him: and the souldiers of the Moabites came into the lande (a) 1.1563 the same yere.

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21 And it chaunced as some of them were burying a man, and spyed the souldiers, they cast ye man into the sepulchre of E∣lisa: And when the man was roulled downe, and touched the bones of Elisa, he reuiued, and stoode vpon his feete.

22 But Hazael king of Syria vexed Isra∣el all the dayes of Iehoahaz.

23 And the Lorde had mercie on them, and pitied them, and had respect vnto them, because of his appoyntment made with Abraham, Isahac, and Iacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from him as yet.

24 So Hazael the king of Syria dyed, & Benhadad his sonne raigned in his steade.

25 And Iehoas the sonne of Iehoahaz went againe, and toke out of the hande of Benhadad the sonne of Hazael, the cities which he had taken away out of the hande of Iehoahaz his father in warre: For three times did Ioas beate him, and restored the cities vnto Israel againe.

¶The .xiiii. Chapter.

1 Amaziahu the king of Iuda putteth to death them that slue his father. 7 And after smyteth Edom. 25 Ioas dyeth, and Ieroboam his sonne succeedeth him, and after him raigneth Zacharia.

[unspec A] 1 THE second yere of Io∣as, sonne of Iehoahaz king of Israel, raigned Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas king of Iuda.

2 * 1.1564He was twentie and fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne, and raigned twen∣tie and nyne yeres in Hierusalem: and his mothers name was Iehoadan, of Hierusalem.

3 And he did that which is good in the sight of the Lorde, yet not lyke Dauid his father: but did according to all thinges as Ioas his father did.

4 Neither were the high places taken a way: For as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

5 And assoone as the kingdome was set∣led in his hande, * 1.1565 it came to passe, that he slue his seruauntes which had killed the king his father.

6 But the children of those murtherers he slue not, according vnto it that is written in the booke of the law of Moy∣ses, wherein the Lorde commaunded, saying: * 1.1566 Let not the fathers dye for the children, nor let the children be slaine for the fathers: but let euery man be put to death for his owne sinne.

[unspec B] 7 He slue of Edom in the salt valley * 1.1567ten thousand, and toke the castell on the rocke in the same battaile, and called the name of it Ioktheel vnto this day.

8 Then Amaziahu sent messengers to Iehoas the sonne of Iehoahaz sonne of Iehu king of Israel, saying: Come, * 1.1568 let vs see eche other.

6 And Iehoas the king of Israel sent to Amaziahu king of Iuda, saying:* 1.1569 Did not a thistle that is in Libanon, send to a Cedar tree that is in Libanon, saying: Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife? And the wilde beast that was in Liba∣non went and trode downe the thys∣tle.

10 Thou hast smitten Edom, thyne heart hath made thee proude: Enioye this glory, & tarry at home: Why doest thou prouoke to mischiefe, that thou shoul∣dest be ouerthrowen & Iuda with thee?

11 But Amaziahu would not heare: And Iehoas king of Israel went vp, and he and Amaziahu king of Iuda, sawe ei∣ther other at Bethsames, which is in Iuda.

12 And Iuda was put to the worse be∣fore Israel, and they fled euery man to their tentes.

13 And Iehoas king of Israel toke A∣maziahu [unspec C] king of Iuda the sonne of Ie∣hoas the sonne of Ahaziahu at Bethsa∣mes, and came to Hierusalem, & brake downe the wall of Hierusalem, from the gate of Ephraim, to the corner gate, foure hundred cubites.

14 And he toke all the golde and siluer, and all the vessels that were founde in the house of the Lorde, and in the trea∣sures of the kinges house: and the chil∣dren toke he to be his wardes, and re∣turned to Samaria againe.

15 The rest of the actes of Iehoas which he did, and his power, & how he fought with Amaziahu king of Iuda, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles

Page ciii

of the kinges of Israel?

16 And Iehoas slept with his fathers, and was buried at Samaria among the kinges of Israel, & Ieroboam his sonne raigned in his steade.

17 Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas king of Iuda, liued after the death of Iehoas sonne of Iehoahaz king of Israel fif∣teene yeres.

18 And the remnaunt of the wordes that concerne Amaziahu, are they not writ∣ten in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

[unspec D] 19 But they conspired treason against him in Hierusalem: And when he fled to Lachis, they sent after him to La∣chis, and slue him there.

20 And they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Hierusalem with his fathers in the citie of Dauid.

21 * 1.1570And all the people of Iuda toke Aza∣ria (which was sixteene yeres olde) and made him king for his father Amazia∣hu.

22 He built* 1.1571 Elath, and brought it againe to Iuda after that the king was layde to rest with his fathers.

23 In the fifteenth yere of Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas king of Iuda, was Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas made king ouer Israel in Samaria, and raig∣ned fourtie and one yeres:

24 And wrought that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde, neither turned he away from all the sinnes of Ierobo∣am the sonne of Nabat which made Israel to sinne.

25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entring of Hemath vnto the sea of the wildernesse, according to the worde [unspec E] of the Lorde God of Israel which he spake by the hande of his seruaunt* 1.1572 Io∣nas the sonne of Amithai the prophete, which was of Geth Hepher:

26 For the Lorde sawe howe that the af∣fliction of Israel was exceeding bytter, insomuch that the prisoned and the for∣saken were at an ende, and there was none to helpe Israel.

27 * 1.1573And the Lorde saide not that he would put out the name of Israel from vnder heauen: but he helped them by the hande of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas.

28 The rest of the wordes that concerne Ieroboam, and all that he did, and his strength, and howe he fought in the warres, & howe he restored Damascon & Hemath to Iuda in Israel, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

29 And Ieroboam slept with his fathers, euen with the kinges of Israel, & Za∣charia his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .xv. Chapter.

1 Azaria the king of Iuda becommeth a leaper. 5 Of Iotham. 10 Sallum. 14 Menahem. 23 Pecahia. 30 Vziahu. 32 Iotham. 38 Ahaz.

[unspec A] 1 IN the twentie and se∣uenth yere of Iero∣boam king of Israel, began Azaria sonne of Amazia king of Iuda to raigne.

2 Sixteene yeres olde was he when he was made king, and he raigned two and fiftie yeres in Hieru∣salem: and his mothers name was Ie∣choliahu, of Hierusalem.

3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde, according to all thinges as did his father Amaziahu.

4 Saue that the high places were not put a way: For the people offered and burnt incense still on the high places.

5 And the Lorde smote the king, and he was a leaper vnto the day of his death, * 1.1574and dwelt in a seuerall house at liber∣tie: and Iotham the kinges sonne go∣uerned the palace, and iudged the people of the lande.

6 The rest of the wordes that concerne Azaria, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

7 And so Azaria slept with his fathers, [unspec B] and they buryed him with his fathers in the citie of Dauid, and Iotham his sonne raigned in his steade.

8 In the thirtie and eyght yere of Aza∣ria king of Iuda, did Zacharia the sonne of Ieroboam raigne vpon Isra∣el in Samaria sixe monethes:

9 And wrought that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde, as did his fa∣thers: And turned not away from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Na∣bat which made Israel to sinne.

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10 And Sallum the sonne of Iabes con∣spired against him, and smote him in the ight of the people, and killed him, and raigned in his steade.

11 The rest of the wordes that concerne Zacharia, beholde they are written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel.

12 This is also the worde of the Lorde which he spake vnto Iehu, saying: * 1.1575 Thy sonnes shall sit on the seate of Is∣rael in the fourth generation after thee. And so it came to passe.

[unspec C] 13 Sallum the sonne of Iabes began to raigne in the thirtie and ninth yere of Vzziah king of Iuda, and he raigned a moneth in Samaria.

14 For Menahem the sonne of Gadi went vp from Thirza, & came to Sa∣maria, and smote Sallum the sonne of Iabes in Samaria, and slue him, and raigned in his steade.

15 The rest of the wordes that concerne Sallum, and the treason which he con∣spired, beholde they are written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel.

16 The same time Menahem destroyed Thiphsah, and all that were therein, & the coastes therof from Thir: And because they opened not to him, he smote it, and ript vp al the women with childe.

17 The thirtie and ninth yere of Azaria king of Iuda began Menahem the sonne of Gadi to raigne vpon Israel ten yeres in Samaria.

18 And he did euil in the sight of the Lord, and turned not away al his dayes from the sinne of Ieroboam the sonne of Na∣bat which made Israel to sinne.

[unspec D] 19 And Phul the king of Assyria came vpon the lande: And Menahem gaue Phul a thousand talentes of siluer, that his hand might be with him & stablishe the kingdome in his hande.

20 And Menahem made a proclamation for the money in Israel, that all men of substaunce should geue the king of Assy∣ria fiftie sicles of siluer a peece: And so the king of Assyria turned backe againe, and taryed not there in the lande.

21 The rest of the wordes that concerne Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel?

22 And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pecahia his sonne did raigne in his steade.

23 In the fiftith yere of Azaria king of Iuda, began Pecahia the sonne of Me∣nahem to raigne ouer Israel in Sama∣ria two yeres:

24 And did that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde, and left not of from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which made Israel sinne.

25 But Pecah the sonne of Remaliahu, [unspec E] which was a captaine of his, conspired against him, & smote him in Samaria, euen in the place of the kinges house, with Argob and Aria, and with hym were fiftie men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and raigned in his roome.

26 The rest of the wordes that concerne Pecahia, & all that he did, behold they are written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel.

27 In the fiftie and two yere of Azaria king of Iuda, began Pecah the sonne of Remaliahu to raigne ouer Israel in Samaria twentie yeres:

28 And did euill in the sight of the Lorde, and turned not away from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat that made Israel sinne.

29 In the dayes of Pecah king of Is∣rael, came Thiglath Pelesar king of As∣syria, & toke Iion, Abel Beth maacha, Ianoah, Kedes, Hazor, Gilead, Gali∣lee, and all the lande of Nephthali, and carryed them away to Assyria.

30 And Hosea the sonne of Ela, conspired treason against Pecah the sonne of Remaliahu, and smote him, & slue him, & raigned in his steade in the twentith yere of Iotham the sonne of Vzziah.

31 The rest of the wordes that concerne Pecah, and al that he did, behold they [unspec F] are written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel.

32 The second yere of Pecah the sonne of Remaliahu king of Israel, began Iotham the sonne of Vzziah king of Iuda to raigne.

33 Fiue and twentie yeres olde was he when he began to raigne, and he raig∣ned sixteene yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name was Ierusa, the daugh∣ter of Zadoc.

34 And he did that which is right in the sight of the Lorde: euen according to all as did his father Vzziah, so did he.

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35 But the high places were not put a∣way, for the people offered and burnt in cense still in the high places: he built the higher doore of the house of the Lorde.

36 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

37 (In those dayes the Lorde began to sende into Iuda, Rezin the king of Sy∣ria, & Pecah the sonne of Remaliahu.)

38 And Iotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citie of Dauid his father, and Ahaz his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .xvi. Chapter.

1 Ahaz king of Iuda consecrateth his sonne in fire. 5 Hierusalem is besieged. 9 Damascon is taken, and Rezin slaine. 11 Idolatrie. 19 The death of Ahaz. 20 Hezechia succeedeth him.

[unspec A] 1 THe seuenteenth yere of Pecah the sonne of Re∣maliahu [king of Israel] * 1.1576 Ahaz the sonne of Iotham king of Iuda began to raigne.

2 Twentie yeres olde was he when he was made king, and raigned sixteene yeres in Hierusalem, & did not that which was right in the eies of the Lorde his God, lyke Dauid his father:

3 But walked in the way of the kinges of Israel, yea and made * 1.1577 his sonnes to go through the fire after the abhomina∣tions of the heathen whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel.

4 And he offred and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hilles, and vn∣der euery thicke tree.

5 * 1.1578Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pe∣cah sonne of Remaliahu king of Is∣rael, came vp to Hierusalem to fight: And they fought against Ahaz, but could not ouercome him.

6 At the same tyme Rezin king of Sy∣ria brought Elath againe to Syria, and ryd the Iewes thence: And the Syri∣ans* 1.1579 came to Elath, and dwelt therein vnto this day.

[unspec B] 7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Thig∣lath Peleser king of Assyria, saying: I am thy seruaunt and thy sonne, come vp and deliuer me out of the hande of the king of Syria, and out of the hande of the king of Israel, which rise vp a∣gainst me.

8 * 1.1580And Ahaz toke the siluer and golde that was founde in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the kinges house, and sent a rewarde to the king of Assyria.

9 * 1.1581And the king of Assyria consented vn∣to him: For the king of Assyria went vp against Damascō, and when he had ta∣ken it, he carryed the people away to Kir, and slue Rezin.

10 And king Ahaz went to Damascon to meete Thiglath Peleser king of Assy∣ria: And when king Ahaz sawe an aul∣ter that was at Damascon, he sent to Vria the priest, the paterne of the aulter and the fashion of it, and all the worke∣manship thereof.

11 And Vria the priest made an aulter, in (c) 1.1582all poyntes lyke to the paterne which king Ahaz had sent from Damascon, e∣uen so did Vria ye priest make it against king Ahaz came from Damascon.

12 And so when the king was come from Damascon, he sawe the aulter: and the king went to it, and offred thereon:

13 And he burnt his burnt offring, and [unspec C] his meate offring, & powred his drincke offring, and sprinckled the blood of his peace offringes beside the aulter,

14 And by the brasen aulter which was before the Lorde, and set it without the temple betweene the aulter and the temple of the Lorde, and put it on the northsyde of the aulter.

15 And king Ahaz commaunded Vria the priest, & saide: Vpon the great aul∣ter, set on fire in the morning the burnt offring, and in the euen the meate offe∣ring, and the kinges burnt sacrifice, and his meate offring, with the burnt offe∣ring of all the people of the lande, and their meate offring, and their drinke of∣fringes, and powre thereby al the blood of the burnt offring, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen aulter wyll I come, and see.

16 And Vria the priest did according to al thinges as king Ahaz commaunded him.

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17 * 1.1583And king Ahaz brake the sydes of the botomes, and toke the lauer from of them, & toke downe the lauatorie from of the brasen oxen that were vnder it, and put it vpon a pauement of stones.

18 And the vayle for the Sabbath that they had made in the house, and the kinges entrie without, turned he to the house of the Lorde, for feare of the king of Assyria.

19 The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahaz what he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the ci∣tie of Dauid, & Hezekia his sonne raig∣ned in his steade.

¶The .xvii. Chapter.

5 Hosea king of Israel is taken. 4 And he and al his realme brought to the Assy∣rians 18 for their idolatrie. 24 Lions destroy the Assyrians that dwelt in Sa∣maria. 29 Euery one worshipped the god of his nation, 35 contrary to the commaundement of God.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 IN the twelfth yere of Ahaz king of Iuda, began Hosea the sonne of Elah to raigne in Samaria vpon Isra∣el nine yeres:

2 And did that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde, but not as the kinges of Israel that were before him.

3 And Salmanasar king of Assyria came vp against him, and Hosea became his seruaunt, and gaue him“ 1.1584 presentes.

4 And the king of Assyria founde trea∣son in Hosea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present vnto the king of Assyria from yere to yere: and therefore the king of Assyria shut him vp, and bounde him in the pryson house.

5 * 1.1585And then the king of Assyria came vp throughout all the lande, and gat vp a∣gainst Samaria, and besieged it three yeres.

6 In the ninth yere of Hosea, the * 1.1586 king of Assyria toke Samaria, and carryed Israel away vnto Assyria, & put them in Hala & in Habor by the ryuer of Goza and in the cities of the (a) 1.1587 Medes.

7 For it came to passe, that the children of Israel sinned against the Lord their God which had brought them out of [unspec B] the land of Egypt, from vnder the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and feared other gods.

8 And they walked in the ceremonies of the heathen whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel, and [in the

Page cv

[ceremonies] which the kinges of Israel had made:

9 And the children of Israel went about to hide those thinges that were not wel from the Lorde their God: And they buylt them hygh places in all their ci∣ties, both in the towres where they kept watch, and also in the strong townes:

10 And they made thē images & groues in euery hye hill, & vnder euery thicke tree.

11 And there they burnt incense in all the hygh places, as did the heathen whom the Lord caryed away before them, and wrought wicked thinges to anger the Lorde withall:

12 For they serued most vile idols, wher∣of the Lorde had sayd vnto them: * 1.1588Ye shall do no such thing.

13 And the Lorde testified in Israel and in Iuda by all the prophetes and by all the sears, saying: * 1.1589Turne from your wicked wayes, and kepe my commaun∣dementes and my statutes, according to all the law which I commaunded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my seruauntes the prophetes.

[unspec C] 14 Nothwithstanding they woulde not heare, * 1.1590 but rather hardened their neckes, lyke to the stubburnesse of their (b) 1.1591 fathers, that dyd not beleue in the Lorde their God.

15 For they refused his statutes, and his appoyntment that he made with their fathers, and the witnesses wherwith he witnessed vnto them, and they folowed vanitie, and became vayne, and went af∣ter the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lorde had charged them that they shoulde not do lyke them.

16 But they left al the commaundemētes of the Lord their God, and made them images of metal, * 1.1592 euen two calues, and [made] idol groues, & worshipped all the * 1.1593hoast of heauen, and serued Baal.

17 * 1.1594And they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters in fire, and vsed witch∣craftes, & enchauntmentes, euen selling them selues to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde, and to anger him.

18 And the Lorde was exceeding wroth with Israel, & put them out of his sight, * 1.1595that there was left but the tribe of Iu∣da onely.

19 Neuerthelesse, Iuda also kept not the commaundementes of the Lorde their God, but walked in the ceremonies of Israel whiche they made.

20 And the Lord cast of all the seede of Is∣rael, and vered them, & deliuered them into the handes of spoylers, vntil he had cast them out of his sight.

21 For (d) 1.1596 he cut of Israel from the house [unspec D] of Dauid, and made them a king, euen Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat: And Ieroboam drewe Israel away that they shoulde not folowe the Lorde, and made them sinne a great sinne.

22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sinnes of Ieroboam whiche he dyd, and departed not therfrom,

23 Vntill the Lord put Israel away out of his sight, as he had sayd by all his ser∣uauntes the prophetes: And so was Is∣rael caried away out of their owne land to Assyria euen vnto this day.

24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, from (c) 1.1597 Cutha, frō Aua, from Hamath, and from Sepharuaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria in steede of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities therof.

25 And it fortuned, that at the beginning of their dwelling there, they feared not the Lorde, and the Lorde sent lions a∣mong them, which slue them.

26 Wherfore they spake to the king of As∣syria, saying: The nations which thou hast translated & put in the cities of Sa∣maria knowe not the lawe of the God of the lande: therefore he hath sent lions vpon them, and behold they slay them, because they knowe not the maner of worshipping the God of the lande.

27 Then the king of Assyria commaun∣ded, saying: Cary thyther one of the priestes whom ye brought thence, and let hym go and dwell there, and teache them the fashion how to serue the God of the countrey.

28 And then one of the priestes whom [unspec E] they had caried from Samaria, came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them howe they shoulde feare the Lorde.

29 Howebeit euery nation made them gods of their owne, and put them in the houses of the hygh places whiche the Samaritans had made, euery nation in their cities wherin they dwelt.

30 The men of Babylon made Socoth Benoth, & the men of Cuth made Ner∣gal, & the men of Hamath made Asima,

31 The Auites made Nibbaz and Thar∣thak: And the Sepharuites burnt

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their children in fire for Adramelech and Anamelech, the gods of Sepharuaim.

32 And so they feared the Lorde, & made them priestes of the basist of them, which sacrifised for them in the houses of the hygh places.

33 And so f 1.1598 they feared the Lord, and ser∣ued their owne gods, after the maner of the people whom they caryed thence.

34 And vnto this day they do after the olde maner: and neither feare God, nei∣ther do after their ordinaunces and cu∣stomes, and after the lawe & commaun∣dement which the Lorde commaunded the children of Iacob, * 1.1599whom he called Israel.

35 And the Lorde made an appoyntment with them, and charged them, saying: * 1.1600Feare none other gods, nor bowe your selues to them, nor serue them, nor sacri∣fice to them:

36 But feare the Lorde whiche brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power & a stretched out arme, him feare, and to him bow, and to him do sacrifice.

37 The statutes, ordinaunces, lawe and commaundement whiche he wrote for you, see that ye be diligent to do for euer∣more, and feare not any other gods.

38 And the appoyntment that I haue made with you see ye forget not, and feare none other gods:

39 But the Lord your God ye shal feare, & he shall deliuer you out of the handes of all your enemies.

40 Howebeit, they dyd not hearken, but did after their olde custome.

41 And so these nations feared the Lord, and serued their images also, like as did their children and their childrens chil∣dren: Euen as dyd their fathers, so do they vnto this day.

The .xviii. Chapter.

4 Hezekia king of Iuda putteth downe the brasen serpent, and destroyeth the idols, and prospereth. 11 Israel is caried away captiue. 30 The blasphemie of Sennacherib.

[unspec A] 1 IN the thirde yere of Hosea sonne of Ela king of Israel, it came to passe that Hezekia ye sonne of Ahaz king of Iuda did raigne.

2 * 1.1601Twentie and fyue yeres olde was he when he began to raigne, and raigned twentie and nine yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Abi, ye daughter of Zacharia.

3 And he dyd that whiche is right in the sight of the Lord, according to al as did Dauid his father.

4 He * 1.1602 put away the high places, & brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and all to brake the * 1.1603 brasen serpent that Moyses had made: For vnto those dayes the children of Israel dyd burne sacri∣fice to it: and he called it Nehustan.

5 He trusted in the Lorde God of Israel, so that after him was none lyke him a∣mong all the kinges of Iuda, neither were there any such before him.

6 For he claue to the Lorde, and departed not from him: but kept his commaunde∣mentes, which the Lorde commaunded Moyses.

[unspec B] 7 And the Lorde was with him, so that he prospered in all thinges whiche he toke in hande: And he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and serued him not.

8 He smote the Philistines euen vnto Azza & the coastes therof, both castels where they kept watches, and strong cities.

9 *And in the fourth yere of king Heze∣kia, (whiche was the seuenth yere of Hosea sonne of Ela king of Israel) it for∣tuned that Salmanazar king of Assy∣ria came vp against Samaria, and be∣sieged it.

10 And after three yeres they toke it: euen in the sixth yere of Hezekia (that is to say the nynth yere of Hosea king of Is∣rael) Samaria was wonne.

11 And the king of Assyria dyd cary away Israel vnto Assyria, & put them in Ha∣lah and in Habor by the riuer of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

12 Because they woulde not hearken vn∣to the voyce of the Lord their God, but transgressed his appoyntment, and all that Moyses the seruaunt of the Lorde commaunded: and would neither heare them, nor do them.

13 * 1.1604Therfore in the fourteenth yere of king Hezekia, did Sennacherib king of Assy∣ria come vp against all the strong cities of Iuda, and toke them.

14 And Hezekia king of Iuda sent to the [unspec C] king of Assyria to Lachis, saying: I haue offended: depart from me, and all

Page cvj

that thou puttest on me, that will I beare. And the king of Assyria appoyn∣ted vnto Hezekia king of Iuda three hundred talentes of siluer, and thirtie ta∣lentes of golde.

15 * 1.1605And Hezekia gaue him all the siluer that was founde in the house of the Lorde, & in the treasures of the kinges house.

16 At the same season dyd Hezekia rent of the doores of the temple of the Lorde and the pillers (whiche the sayde Heze∣kia king of Iuda had couered ouer) and gaue them to the king of Assyria.

17 And the king of Assyria sent * 1.1606 Thar∣than, and Rabsaris, & Rabsakeh from Lachis, to king Hezekia with a great hoast against Hierusalem: And they went vp, and came to Hierusalem, and gat them vp and stoode by the conduite of the vpper poole, whiche is in the way of the fullers fielde.

18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them * 1.1607 Eliakim the sonne of Elkia, which was stewarde of the houshold, and Sobna the scribe, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph, the recorder.

19 And Rabsakeh sayd vnto them: Tell ye Hezekia I pray you, thus sayth the great king, euen the king of Assyria: what confidence is this that thou hast?

20 Thou thinkest surely I haue eloquēce, but counsell and strength are for the warre: On whom then doest thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

[unspec D] 21 * 1.1608Doest thou trust to the staffe of this broken reede Egypt, on which if a man leane, it will go into his hande, & pearse it: Euen so is Pharao king of Egypt vn∣to all that trust on hym.

22 * 1.1609If ye say vnto me, we trust in the Lorde our God: Is not that he whose hygh places and whose aulters Hezekia hath * 1.1610 put downe? and hath sayd to Iu∣da and Hierusalem, ye shall worship be∣fore this aulter here in Hierusalem.

23 Nowe therfore I pray thee geue ho∣stages to my lorde the king of Assyria, and I will deliuer thee two thousande horses, if thou be able to set ryders vpon them:

24 Why thinkest thou scorne at the pre∣sence of one of the least Dukes of my maisters seruauntes, and trustest to E∣gypt for charets and horsmen?

25 Moreouer, am I come nowe without the bidding of the Lorde to this place, to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go vp to this lande, and destroy it.

26 And Eliakim the sonne of Helkia, and Sobna, & Ioah, sayde vnto Rabsakeh: Speake I pray thee to thy seruauntes in the Syrians language (for we vnder∣stande it) and talke not with vs in the Iewes tongue in the eares of this peo∣ple that are on the wall.

27 And Rabsakeh sayde vnto them: Hath my maister sent me to thy maister and thee, to speake these wordes? Hath he not sent me because of the men which sit on the wall, that they may eate their owne dongue, & drinke their owne pisse with you?

28 And so Rabsakeh stoode, & cryed with [unspec E] a lowde voyce in the Iewes language, and spake, saying: Heare the wordes of the great king, euen of the king of As∣syria.

29 Thus sayth the king: Let not Hezekia beguile you, for he shal not be able to de¦liuer you out of myne hande:

30 Neither let Hezekia make you to trust in the Lorde, saying, The Lorde shall surely deliuer vs, & this citie shall not be geuen ouer into the hande of the king of Assyria.

31 Hearken not vnto Hezekia: For thus sayth the king of Assyria, Deale kindely with me, and come out to me, and then eate euery man of his owne vine, and of his owne figge tree, and drincke euery man of the water of his owne well,

32 Till I come, and fet you to as good a lande as yours is, a lande of corne and wine, a lande of bread and vineyardes, a lande of oyle, of olyue trees, and of hony, that ye may liue, and not dye: And hear∣ken not vnto Hezekia, for he beguileth you, saying: The Lorde shall deliuer vs.

33 * 1.1611Hath euery one of the gods of the na∣tions deliuered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

34 Where is the god of Hamath, & of Ar∣phad? and where is the god of Sephar∣uaim, Hena, and Iua? Dyd they deliuer Samaria out of myne hande?

35 And what god is among al the gods of the nations, that hath deliuered his land [unspec F] out of myne hande? (d) 1.1612 Shall the Lorde deliuer Hierusalem out of myne hande?

36 But the people held their peace, and aunswered not him a word: for the king had commaunded, saying: Aunswere hym not.

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37 Then Eliakim the sonne of Helkia, which was the steward of the houshold, and Sobna the scribe, & Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekia with their clothes rent, and tolde him the wordes of Rabsakeh.

The .xix. Chapter.

6 God promiseth Isai victorie to Hezekia. 35 The angel of the Lord killeth an hundreth and fourescore and fiue thousand men of the Assyrians. 37 Sennacherib is killed of his owne sonnes.

[unspec A] 1 SO it came to passe, that when king Hezekia hearde it, he rent his clothes, & put on sacke, & came into the * 1.1613 house of the Lorde,

2 And sent Eliakim which was the steward of the houshold, and Sobna the scribe, and the elders of the priestes clothed in sacke, to Isai the prophete, the sonne of Amoz.

3 And they sayd vnto him, thus sayth He∣zekia: This day is a day of tribulation, & of rebuke and blasphemie: For the chil∣dren are come to the byrth, and there is no strength to be deliuered.

4 Peraduenture the Lorde thy God will heare al the wordes of Rabsakeh, whō the king of Assyria his maister hath sent to rayle on the lyuing God, & to rebuke him with wordes which the Lorde thy God hath hearde: And lift thou vp thy prayer for the remnaunt that are left.

5 So the seruauntes of king Hezekia came to Isai.

6 And Isai sayde vnto them, So shall ye say to your maister: Thus sayth the Lorde, Be not afrayde of the wordes which thou hast heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria haue rayled on me.

[unspec B] 7 Beholde, I will put hym in another mynde, and he shall heare tydinges, and so returne to his owne land, * 1.1614 and I will bring to passe, that he shall fall vpon the sworde * 1.1615 euen in his owne land.

8 And Rabsakeh went backe againe, and founde the king of Assyria fighting a∣gainst Libna: for he had hearde howe that he was departed from Lachis.

9 And when he hearde men say of Thir∣haka king of the blacke Mores, Behold he is come out to fight against thee: he departed, and sent messengers vnto He∣zekia, saying.

10 Thus speake to Hezekia king of Iuda, saying: Let not thy God deceaue thee in whom thou trustest, saying: Hierusa∣lem shall not be deliuered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

11 Beholde, thou hast hearde what the kinges of Assyria haue done to all landes, how they haue vtterly destroy∣ed them: And shalt thou escape?

12 Haue the gods of the heathen deliuered them, whiche myne auncestours haue destroyed? As Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelassar?

13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, the king of the citie of Sepharuaim, and of Hena and Iua? [unspec C]

14 And Hezekia receaued the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: And Hezekia went vp into the house of the Lorde, and layde it abrode before the Lorde.

15 And Hezekia (a) 1.1616 prayed before the Lord, and sayd: O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene ye Cherubs, thou art God alone ouer al the kingdomes of the earth, thou hast made heauen & earth.

16 Lorde bowe downe thyne eare, and heare: Open Lorde thyne eyes, [I be∣sech thee,] and see: and heare the wordes of Sennacherib whiche hath sent [this man] to rayle on the lyuing God.

17 Of a trueth Lorde, the kinges of Assy∣ria haue destroyed nations and their landes,

18 And haue set fire on their gods: For they were no gods, but the worke of the handes of man, euen of wood and stone: and they destroyed them.

19 Nowe therfore O Lord our God I be∣sech thee, saue thou vs out of his hande, that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely art the Lorde God.

20 And Isai the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekia, saying, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: That whiche thou hast prayed me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, I haue hearde it.

Page cvij

21 This is therefore the worde that the Lorde hath sayd of him: * 1.1617 The virgin, euen the daughter of Sion hath despi∣sed thee, and laughed thee to scorne [O thou king of Assyria,] the daughter of [unspec D] Hierusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

22 * 1.1618Whom hast thou rayled on? and whom hast thou blasphemed? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voyce, and lyfted vp thyne eyes so hye? Euen against the holy of Israel.

23 By the hande of thy messengers thou hast rayled on the Lord, and sayd: With the multitude of my charets I am come vp to the toppes of the mountaynes, euen along by the sides of Libanon, and I will cut downe the hye Cedar trees and the lusty fyrre trees therof: and I will go into the lodging of his borders, and into the wood of his Carmel.

24 I haue digged and druncke straunge waters: & with the steppe of my goyng wil I drye al the water pooles that are besieged.

25 Hast thou not heard howe I haue or∣deyned such a thing a great whyle ago, and haue prepared it from the begin∣ning? And shall I not nowe bring it foorth that it may destroy and bring strong cities into wast heapes of stones?

26 And the inhabiters of them shalbe of litle power, and faynt hearted, and confounded, and * 1.1619 shalbe lyke the grasse of the field, or greene hearbe, or as the hay on the toppes of the houses, or as the corne that is vnripe & smitten with blasting.

27 I knowe thy dwelling, thy comming out and thy goyng in, and thy fury a∣gainst me.

[unspec E] 28 And because thou ragest against me, & thy tumult is come vp to myne eares, I will put my hoke in thy nostrels, and my byt in thy lippes, and wil bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest.

29 And this shalbe a signe vnto thee, O Hezekia: Ye shall eate this yere of such [unspec C] thinges as grow of themselues, and the next yere such as come vp of those that dyd growe of their owne accorde, and the thirde yere sowe ye and reape, plant vineyardes, and eate the fruites therof.

30 And it that is escaped and left of the daughter of Iuda, shall yet againe take roting downewarde, and beare fruite vpwarde.

31 For out of Hierusalem shall go a rem∣naunt and a number that shall escape out of moūt Sion: The zeale of the lord of hoastes shal bring this thing to passe.

32 Wherfore thus sayth the Lord concer∣ning the king of Assyria: he shall not come to this citie, nor shote an arrowe into it, nor come before it with shielde, nor cast a banke against it.

33 But shall go backe againe the way he came, and shall not come into this citie, sayth the Lorde.

34 For I will defende this citie, to saue it, for myne owne sake, and for Dauid my seruauntes sake.

35 And it came to passe, that the selfe same night the angell of the Lorde went out, and smote in the hoast of the Assyrians an hundred fourescore & fyue thousand: And when the remnaunt were vp early in the morning, beholde they were all dead coarses.

36 * 1.1620And so Sennacherib king of Assyria [unspec F] auoyded and departed, and went againe and dwelt at Niniue.

37 And it fortuned, that as he was in a temple worshipping Nisroch his God, Adramelech & Saresar his owne sonnes (c) 1.1621smote hym with the sworde: And they escaped into the lande of Armenia, and Asarhaddon his sonne raigned in his steade.

The .xx. Chapter.

1 Hezekia is sicke, and receaueth the signe of his health. 12 He receaueth rewardes of Berodach. 13 sheweth his treasures, and is reprehended of Isai. 22 He dieth, and Manasse his sonne raigneth in his steade.

[unspec A] 1 ABout that time * 1.1622 was Hezekia sicke vnto the death: And the pro∣phete Isai the sonne of Amoz came to him, and sayde vnto him, Thus saith the Lord: Put thine houshold in an order, for thou shalt dye, and not lyue.

2 And Hezekia turned his face to the wal, and prayed vnto the Lord, saying:

3 I beseche the, O Lorde, remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart, & haue

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done that whiche is good in thy sight. And Hezekia wept sore.

4 And it fortuned that afore Isai was gone out into the middle of the court, the word of the Lorde came to him, saying:

5 Turne againe, and tell Hezekia the cap∣tayne of my people, thus sayth the Lorde God of Dauid thy father: * 1.1623 I haue hearde thy prayer, and seene thy teares, and beholde I will heale thee, so that on the thirde day thou shalt go vp into the house of the Lorde.

6 And I wil adde vnto thy dayes yet fif∣teene yeres, & I will deliuer thee & this citie out of the hand of ye king of Assyria, & will defende this citie, for myne owne sake, & for Dauid my seruauntes sake.

[unspec B] 7 And Isai sayd: Take a lumpe of dried figges. And they toke and layed it on the sore, and he recouered.

8 And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai: What shalbe the signe that the Lorde will heale me, and that I shal go vp into the house of the Lorde the thirde day?

9 Isai aunswered: This signe shalt thou haue of the Lord, that the Lord will do that he hath spoken: * 1.1624Shall the sha∣dowe go forwarde ten degrees? or go backe againe ten degrees?

10 Hezekia aunswered: It is a light thing for the shadowe to go downe ten de∣grees, I desire not [that:] but let the sha∣dowe go backwarde ten degrees.

11 And Isai the prophete called vnto the Lord, * 1.1625 and he brought the shadowe ten degrees backwarde, by whiche it had gone downe in the dyall of Ahaz,

12 * 1.1626The same season Berodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan king of Babylon, sent letters and a present vnto Hezekia: for he had hearde howe that Hezekia was sicke.

13 And Hezekia was glad of them, and shewed them all his treasure house, sil∣uer, golde, odours, precious oyntment, all the house of his armory, and all that was found in his treasures: There was nothing in his house, & in all his realme, that Hezekia shewed them not.

14 And Isai the prophete came vnto [unspec C] king Hezekia, and sayd vnto him: What sayde these men? and from wence came they to thee? And Hezekia sayde: They be come from a farre countrey, euen from Babylon.

15 And he sayde againe: What haue they seene in thy house? Hezekia aunswered: All ye thinges that are in my house haue they seene: there is nothing among my treasures, that I haue not shewed thē.

16 And Isai sayde vnto Hezekia: Heare the word of the Lord,

17 Beholde, the dayes come, that all that is in thy house, and whatsoeuer thy fa∣thers haue layde vp in store vnto this day, * 1.1627 shalbe caryed into Babylon: and nothing shalbe left sayth the Lorde.

18 And of thy sonnes that shall proceede out of thee, and which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shalbe chamberlaynes in the palace of the king of Babylon.

19 And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai: b 1.1628 Wel∣come be the worde of the Lorde whiche thou hast spoken. And he sayde: Shall there not be peace & trueth in my dayes?

20 The remnaunt of the wordes that con∣cerne Hezekia, and all his power, and howe he made a poole and a conduite, & brought water into the citie, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

21 * 1.1629And Hezekia slept with his fathers, * 1.1630 & Manasse his sonne raigned in his steade

The xxi. Chapter.

3 King Manasse restoreth idolatrie. 16 And vseth great crueltie. 18 He dieth, and Amon his sonne succeedeth, 23 who is killed of his owne seruauntes. 26 After him raigneth Iosia.

[unspec A] 1 MAnasse * 1.1631 was twelue yeres old when he be∣gan to raigne, and rai∣gned fyftie and fyue yeres in Hierusalē: his mothers name also was Hephziba.

2 And he did euil in the sight of the Lord, euen after the abominations of the hea∣then whom the * 1.1632 Lorde cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he went and buylt vp the hygh places * 1.1633whiche Hezekia his father had destroyed, and he reared vp aulters for Baal, and made idol groues as dyd Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the hoast of heauen, and serued them.

Page cviij

4 And he buylt aulters in the house of the Lord, of which the Lorde sayde: * 1.1634 in Hierusalem will I put my name.

5 And he buylt aulters for all the hoast of heauen, [euen] in two courtes of the house of the Lorde.

6 * 1.1635And he offred his owne sonne in fire, and gaue heede vnto witchcraft and sor∣cery, and mainteyned workers with spirites, and tellers of fortunes, and wrought much wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde to anger him.

[unspec B] 7 And he put an image of a groue that he had made [euen] in the temple, of which the Lord had sayd to Dauid and Solomon his sonne: * 1.1636 in this house and in Hierusalem which I haue chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for euer.

8 Neither will I make the feete of Is∣rael moue any more out of the lande which I gaue their fathers: so that they will obserue and do all that I haue commaunded them, and according to all the law that my seruaunt Moyses com∣maunded them.

9 But they hearkened not: and Manasse led them out of the way, to do more wickedly then dyd the heathen people whom the Lorde destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And the Lord spake by his seruauntes the prophetes, saying:

11 Because Manasse king of Iuda hath done such abhominations, and hath wrought more wickedly then all the A∣morites whiche were before him dyd, and hath made Iuda sinne also with his idols:

12 Therfore thus sayth the Lord God of Israel: * 1.1637 Behold, I will bring such euyll vpon Hierusalem and Iuda, that whoso heareth of it, both his eares shal tingle.

13 And I will stretche ouer Hierusalem the squaryng line of * 1.1638 Samaria, & the plummet of the house of Ahab: And I will wype out Hierusalem, as a man wypeth a dishe, and when he hath wy∣ped it, turneth it vp syde downe.

14 And I will leaue the * 1.1639 remnaunt of myne inheritaunce, and deliuer them in∣to the hand of their enemies, and they shalbe robbed and spoyled of all their aduersaries:

15 Euen because they haue done euyll in [unspec C] my sight, and haue angred me, sence the time their fathers came out of Egypt, vnto this day.

16 And Manasse shed innocent blood ex∣ceeding much, till he replenished Hieru∣salem from corner to corner, besyde his sinne wherwith he made Iuda to sinne and to do euyll in the sight of the Lorde.

17 The rest of the wordes that concerne Manasse, and all that he dyd, and his sinne that he sinned, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

18 And Manasse slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his owne house, euen in the gardē of Vzza, & Amon his sonne raigned in his steade.

19 * 1.1640Amon was twentie and two yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned two yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Mesullemeth the daughter of Harus of Iotba.

20 And he dyd euyll in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasse dyd:

21 And walked in al the way that his fa∣ther walked in, and serued the idols that his father serued, and worshipped them:

22 And he forsoke the Lord God of his fa∣thers, [unspec D] and walked not in the way of the Lorde.

23 And the seruauntes of Amon conspired against hym, & slue the king in his owne house.

24 And the people of the land slue al them that had conspired against king Amon, and the people made Iosia his sonne king in his steade.

25 The rest of the wordes that concerne Amon what thinges he dyd, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

26 And they buryed him in his sepulchre in the garden of Vzza, & Iosia his sonne raigned in his steade.

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The .xxii. Chapter.

4 Iosia repaireth the temple. 8 Helkia findeth the booke of the law, and causeth it to be pre∣sented to Iosia, 14 who sendeth to Hulda the prophetisse to inquire the Lordes will.

[unspec A] 1 IOsia was * 1.1641 eight yeres olde when he began to raigne, & he raigned thirtie & one yeres in Hierusalem: His mo∣thers name also was Iedida the daughter of Adaia of Bozcath.

2 He dyd that which is right in the sight of the Lorde, & walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hande or to the left.

3 * 1.1642And it came to passe, that in the eyght∣teenth yere of the raigne of king Iosia, the king sent Saphan the sonne of Aza∣lia the sonne of Mesulam the scribe to the house of the Lord, saying:

4 * 1.1643Go vp to Helkia the hye priest, that he may summe the siluer whiche is brought into the house of the Lorde, which the kepers of the porche haue ga∣thered of the people:

5 And let them deliuer it into the hande of them that do the worke, and that haue the ouersight of the house of the Lord: and let them geue it to them that worke in the house of the Lorde, to re∣paire the decayed places of the temple,

6 Euen vnto carpenters and masons, and workers vpon the walles, and for to bye tymber and free stone, to repaire the temple.

[unspec B] 7 Howbeit, let no reckenyng be made with them of the money that is deliue∣red into their hande, for their vse is to deale faithfully.

8 * 1.1644And Helkia the hie priest said vnto Sa∣phan the scribe: (a) 1.1645I haue founde the booke of the lawe in the house of the Lorde. And Helkia gaue the booke to Saphan, and he read in it.

9 And Saphan the scribe came to the king, and brought him worde againe, and sayde: Thy seruauntes haue gathe∣red the money that was founde in the temple, and haue deliuered it vnto them that do the worke, and that haue the o∣uersight of the house of the Lorde.

10 And Saphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Helkia the priest hath deli∣uered me a booke: And Saphan read in it before the king.

11 And it fortuned, that when the king had hearde the wordes of the booke of the lawe, he rent his clothes.

12 And the king commaunded Helkia the priest, and Ahikan the sonne of Saphan, and Achbor the sonne of Michaia, and Saphan the scribe, and Asahia a ser∣uaunt of the kinges, saying:

13 * 1.1646Go ye and enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for al Iuda, con∣cerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kyndled against vs, because our fathers haue not hearkened vnto the wordes of this booke, to do accor∣ding vnto al that which is written ther∣in for vs.

14 So Helkia the hye priest and Ahikam, [unspec C] Achbor, and Saphan, and Asahia, went vnto Hulda the prophetisse the wyfe of Sallum the sonne of Thikua the sonne of Harhas keper of the wardrope: (which prophetisse dwelt in Hierusalem in the house of the doctrine:) & they com∣muned with her.

15 And she aunswered them: thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus sayth the Lorde: Behold, I wil bring euyll vpon this place, and on the inhabiters therof, euen all the wordes of the booke whiche the king of Iuda hath read:

17 Because they haue forsaken me, and haue burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger me with all the workes of their handes: My wrath also shalbe kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Iuda whiche sent you to aske counsell of the Lord, so shall ye say: Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, as touching the wordes whiche ye haue hearde:

19 Because thyne heart dyd (b) 1.1647 melt, and because thou hast humbled thy selfe be∣fore me the Lorde, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and a∣gainst the inhabiters of the same, howe that they should be destroyed and accur∣sed: and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me, of that also haue I hearde sayth the Lorde:

Page cix

20 Beholde therefore I wyll receaue thee vnto thy fathers, and thou shalt be put into thy graue in peace, and thyne eyes shall not see all the euill which I wyll bryng vpon this place. And they brought the king worde againe.

The .xxiij. Chapter.

2 Iosias readeth the lawe before the people. 3 He maketh a couenaunt with the Lorde. 4 He putteth downe the idols after he had killed the priestes. 22 He ke∣peth Passouer. 24 He destroyeth the coniurers. 29 He was killed in Megiddo. 30 And his sonne Iehoahaz raigneth in his steade. 33 After he was taken, his sonne Iehoachim was made king.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 AND then * 1.1648 the king sent, and there gathe∣red vnto him all the elders of Iuda and of Hierusalem.

2 And the king went vp into the house of the Lorde, with all the men of Iuda, and all the inhabitours of Hierusalem, with the priestes, and prophetes, and all the people both small and great: And he read in the eares of them * 1.1649 al the wordes of the couenaunt which was founde in the house of the Lorde.

3 And the king stoode by a piller, * 1.1650 & made a couenaunt before the Lorde, that they should walke after the Lorde, and kepe his commaundementes, his witnesses, and his statutes, with all their heart and all their soule, and make good the wordes of the sayde appoyntment, that were written in the foresayde booke: And all the people consented to the ap∣poyntment.

4 (a) 1.1651And the king commaunded Helchia the hie prieste, and the inferior priestes, and the kepers of the “ 1.1652 ornamentes, to bryng out of the temple of the Lorde all the vessels that were made for Baal, for the idoll groues, and for all the hoast of heauen: And he burnt them without Hierusalem in the fieldes of Cedron, and carryed the asshes of them into Bethel.

5 And he put downe the ministers [of Baal] whom the kinges of Iuda had founded to burne incense in the * high places and cities of Iuda that were rounde about Hierusalem, & also them that burnt incense vnto Baal, to the sunne, to the moone, to the planets, and to all the hoast of heauen.

6 And he brought out the groue from the temple of the Lorde without Hie∣rusalem vnto the brooke Cedron, and burnt it there at the brooke Cedron, and stampt it to powder, and cast the dust thereof vpon the graues of the children of the people.

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7 And he brake downe the celles of the male stewes that were by the house of the Lorde, where the women woue hanginges for the idol groue.

[unspec B] 8 And he brought all the priestes out of the cities of Iuda, and defiled the high places where the priestes had burnt in∣cense, euen from Geba to Beerseba, and destroyed the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Iosua ye gouernour of the citie, which were [as a man goeth in] on the left hande of the gate of the citie.

9 (b) 1.1653Neuerthelesse, the priestes of the high places came not vp to the aulter of the Lorde in Hierusalem, saue onely they did eate of the sweete bread among their brethren.

10 And he defiled * 1.1654 Thopheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, be∣cause no man should offer his sonne or his daughter in fire to Moloch.

11 He put downe the horses that the kinges of Iuda had geuen to the sunne, at the entering in of the house of the Lorde, by the chambre of Nathanme∣lech the chamberlayne, which was ru∣ler of the suburbes, and burnt the cha∣rets of the sunne with fire.

12 And the aulters that were on the top of the parlour of Ahaz which the kinges of Iuda had made, and the aul∣ters which Manasse had made in the two courtes of the house of the Lorde, did the king breake downe, & ran thence, and cast the dust of them into the brooke Cedron.

[unspec C] 13 And the high places that were before Hierusalem, on the right hand of the mount (c) 1.1655 Oliuet, * 1.1656 which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Astaroth the idol of the Zidons, and for Chamos the idol of the Moabites, and for Mil∣chon the abhominable idoll of the chil∣dren of Ammon, those the king defiled:

14 And brake the images, and cut downe the idol groues, and filled their places with the bones of men.

15 Moreouer, * 1.1657 the aulter that was at Bethel, the high places made by Iero∣boam the sonne of Nabat which made Israel sinne, both the aulter and also the high places he brake downe, and burnt the high places, and stampt it to powder, and burnt the idol groue.

16 And as Iosia turned him selfe, he spy∣ed the graues that were in the mount, and sent and fet the bones out of the graues, and burnt them vpon the aul∣ter, to pollute it, according to the word of the Lorde that the man of God proclay∣med* 1.1658 which tolde the same wordes.

17 Then he saide: What title is that that I see? And the men of the citie tolde him: It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Iuda, and tolde the selfe same thinges that thou hast done to the aulter of Bethel.

18 And he saide, let him be: see that no man moue his bones. And so his bones were saued, with the bones of a prophete that came out of Samaria.

19 And all the houses of the high places [unspec D] in the cities of Samaria, which the king of Israel had made to anger [the Lorde withal] those Iosia put out of the way, & did to them according to all the actes that he had done in Bethel.

20 And he sacrifised all the priestes of the high places that were there, euen vpon the aulters, and burnt mens bones vp∣on them, and returned to Hierusalem.

21 And the king commaunded all the people, saying: Kepe the feast of Pas∣souer vnto the Lorde your God,* 1.1659 as it is written in the booke of this coue∣naunt.

22 * 1.1660There was no Passouer holden lyke that from the dayes of the iudges that iudged Israel, and in all the dayes of the kinges of Israel and of the kinges of Iuda.

23 In the eighteenth yere of king Iosia, was this Passouer holden to the Lord in Hierusalem.

24 And therto workers with spirites, & soothsayers, images, idols, and all the abhominations that were spyed in the lande of Iuda and in Hierusalem, those did Iosia put out of the way, to per∣fourme the wordes of the lawe, which were written in the booke * 1.1661 that Hel∣chia the priest founde in the house of the Lorde

25 Lyke vnto him was there no king be∣fore him that turned to the Lorde with [unspec E] all his heart, with all his soule, and all his might, according to all the lawe of Moyses, neither after him arose ther any such as he.

26 Notwithstanding, the Lorde turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath wherewith he was angry a∣gainst Iuda, because of all the prouoca∣tions

Page cx

that Manasse had prouoked him withall.

27 And the Lorde sayde: * 1.1662 I wyll put Iuda also out of my sight, as I haue done away Israel, and wyll cast of this citie Hierusalem which I haue chosen, and the house of which I sayde, My name shall be there.

[unspec F] 28 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iosia, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

29 * 1.1663In his dayes Pharao Necho king of Egypt went vp against the king of As∣syria to the riuer of Euphrates: And king Iosia went against him, and was slaine of him at Megiddo when he had seene him.

30 And his seruauntes carryed him dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Hierusalem, & buryed him in his owne sepulchre: And the people of the lande toke Iehoahaz the sonne of Iosia, and annoynted him, and made him king in his fathers steade.

31 Iehoahaz was twentie & three yeres olde when he began to raigne, and raig∣ned three monethes in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Hamiel, the daughter of Ieremia of Libna.

32 And he did euil in the sight of the Lord, according to all thinges as his (d) 1.1664 fathers had done.

33 And Pharao Necho put him in bondes at Ribla in the lande of Hamath while he raigned in Hierusalem, and put the lande to a tribute of an hundred talents of siluer, and a talent of golde.

34 And Pharao Necho made Eliakim [unspec G] the sonne of Iosia king in the roome of Iosia his father, and turned his name to Iehoakim, and toke Iehoahaz a∣way: which when he came to Egypt, dyed there.

35 And Iehoakim gaue the siluer and the golde to Pharao, & tayed the lande, to geue the money according to the com∣maundement of Pharao: requiring of euery man according to their habilitie siluer and golde, euen of the people of the lande, to geue vnto Pharao Necho.

36 Iehoakim was twentie & fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned aleuen yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Zebuda, the daughter of Pedaia of Ruma.

37 And he did that which was euill in the sight of the Lord, according to al things as his fathers had done.

¶The .xxiiii. Chapter.

1 Iehoakim made subiect to Nabuchodonosor rebelleth. 3 The cause of his ruine and all Iudaes. 9 Iehoakim raigneth. 15 He and his people are carryed vnto Babylon. 17 Zedekia is made king.

[unspec A] 1 IN his dayes came * 1.1665 Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon vp, & Ie∣hoakim became his seruaunt three yeres: and then turned, and rebelled against him.

2 And the Lord sent against him bandes of the Chaldes, and bandes of the Syri∣ans, and bandes of the Moabites, and bandes of the Ammonites: and sent them against Iuda to destroye it, accor∣ding to the saying of the Lorde which he spake by his seruauntes the pro∣phetes.

3 Onely at the bidding of the Lorde happened it so to Iuda, to put them out of his sight for the sinnes of Manasse, according to all that he did.

4 And for the innocent blood that he shed, and filled Hierusalem with innocent blood: and the Lorde would not be re∣conciled.

5 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehoakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda?

6 And so Iehoakim (a) 1.1666 slept with his fathers: and * Iehoachin his sonne raigned in his steade.

7 And the king of Egypt came no more out of his lande: For the king of Baby∣lon had taken from the ryuer of Egypt vnto the ryuer of Euphrates, all that [unspec B] pertayned to the king of Egypt.

8 Iehoachin was eighteene yeres olde when he began to raigne, and raigned in Hierusalem three monethes: His mo∣thers name also was Nehusta, the daughter of Elnathan of Hierusalem.

9 And he did that which was euil in the sight of the Lorde, according to all as

Page [unnumbered]

his father had done.

10 * 1.1667In that tyme came the seruauntes of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon vp against Hierusalem, & the citie was besieged.

11 And Nabuchodonosor the king of Ba∣bylon came against the citie, and his ser∣uauntes did besiege it.

12 * 1.1668And Iehoachin the king of Iuda, (b) 1.1669 came out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother, his seruauntes, his lordes, and his chamberlaynes: and the king of Babylon toke him in the (c) 1.1670 eight yere of his raigne.

13 * 1.1671And he carryed out [unspec C] thence al the trea∣sures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasure of the kinges house, and brake al the vessels of golde which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lorde, as the Lorde had sayde.

14 And he carryed away all Hierusalem, and al the lordes, and all the strong men of warre, euen ten thousand, into capti∣uitie, and all the craftesmen, & (d) 1.1672 kepers, none remaining saue the poore common people of the lande.

15 And he carryed away Iehoachin to Babylon, and the kinges mother, and the kinges wyues, his chamberlaynes: & them that were mightie in the lande those carryed he away into captiuitie, from Hierusalem to Babylon.

16 And all the actiue men of warre, euen seuen thousand, and craftesmen, and * 1.1673 porters a thousand, all that were strong and apt for warre, did the king of Baby∣lon bryng to Babylon captiue.

17 * 1.1674And the king of Babylon made Ma∣thania his fathers brother king in his steade, and chaunged his name to Ze∣dekia.

18 * 1.1675Zedekia was twentie and one yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned aleuen yeres in Hierusalem: His mothers name also was Hamital, the daughter of Ieremia of Libna.

19 And he did euill in the sight of the [unspec D] Lorde, according to all as Iehoachin had done.

20 For the wrath of the Lorde was mo∣ued against Hierusalem & Iuda, vntill he cast them out of his (e) 1.1676 sight: And Ze∣dekia rebelled against the king of Ba∣bylon.

The .xxv. Chapter.

1 Hierusalem is besieged of Nabuchodonosor and taken. 7 The sonnes of Zede∣kia are slaine before his eyes, and after are his owne eyes put out. 21 Iuda is brought to Babylon. 25 Gedolia is slaine. 27 Iehoachin is exalted.

[unspec A] 1 ANd it fortuned, * 1.1677 that in the ninth yere of his raigne, the tenth day of the tenth moneth, Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came, he & all his hoast, against Hierusalem, and pitched against it, and made engins against it on euery syde.

2 And the citie was besieged vnto the eleuenth yere of king Zedekia.

3 * 1.1678And the ninth day of the moneth, there was so great hunger in the citie, that there was no bread for the people of the lande.

4 And the citie was broken vp, and all the men of armes [fled] by night by a way through a gate [which is] betweene two walles by the kinges garden (the Chaldees lying about the citie:) And the king went the way toward the playne.

5 And the souldiers of the Chaldees fo∣lowed after the king, and toke him in the playne of Iericho: and all his army were scattered away from him.

6 So they toke the king, and brought him to [Nabuchodonosor] the king of Ba∣bylon to Ribla, where they gaue iudge∣ment vpon him.

7 And they slue the sonnes of Zedekia before his eyes, and he put out the eyes of Zedekia, and fettered him with [unspec B] chaynes, and carryed him to Baby∣lon.

8 And the seuenth day of the fifth mo∣neth (which is the nineteenth yere of king Nabuchodonosor king of Baby∣lon) came Nebusaradan a seruaunt of the king of Babylon & chiefe captayne of the men of warre, vnto Hierusalem:

9 And burnt the house of the Lord, and the kinges house, and all the houses of Hierusalem, and all great houses burnt he with fire.

10 And all the souldiers of the Chaldees that were with the chiefe captayne of the men of warre, brake downe the walles of Hierusalem rounde about.

Page cxj

11 But the rest of the people that were left in the citie, and them that were fled to the king of Babylon, with the rem∣naunt of the common people, did Na∣busaradan the chiefe captayne of the men of warre carry away.

12 But the captaine of the souldiers left of the poore of the land, to dresse the vines and to tyll the grounde.

13 [unspec C] * 1.1679And the pillers of brasse that were in the house of the Lorde, and the sockets, and the brasen lauatorie that was in the house of the Lorde, did the Chaldees breake, & carryed all the brasse of them to Babylon.

14 And the pots, shouels, instrumentes of musicke, spoones, and all the vessels of brasse that they ministred in, toke they away,

15 And the fire pannes, and basons: and such thinges as were of golde and of siluer, them toke the chiefe captayne away:

16 Euen two pillers, one lauatorie, and the sockets which Solomon had made for the house of the Lorde: The brasse of al these vessels was without waight.

17 The height of the one piller was eight∣teene cubites, and the pommel thereof was brasse: and the height of the pom∣mel was with wreathen worke three cubites, & pomegranates vpon the pom∣mel rounde about all of brasse: And of the same fashion was the second piller, with a wreathen worke.

18 And the chiefe captayne of the men of warre toke Saraia the chiefe priest, and Zephoniah the highest priest saue one, and the three kepers of the holy things:

[unspec D] 19 And out of the citie he toke a chamber∣layne that had the ouersight of the men of warre, & fiue men of them that were euer in the kinges presence which were founde in the citie, and him that was scribe to the captaine of the hoast which brought out the people of the lande to warre, and threescore men of the people of the lande that were founde in the ci∣tie.

20 And Nebusaradan the chiefe captaine of the men of warre, toke these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Ribla.

21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slue them at Ribla in the lande of Hamath: And so Iuda was carryed a∣way out of their lande.

22 Howebeit, there remayned people in the lande of Iuda, whom Nabuchodo∣nosor king of Babylon left, & made Ge∣dalia the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Saphan ruler ouer them.

23 And all the captaynes of the souldiers, & other men, heard that the king of Ba∣bylon had made Gedalia gouernour, and there came to Gedalia to Mizpah Ismael ye sonne of Nathania, Iohan∣nan the sonne of Karea, Saraia the sonne of Thanhumeth the Netopha∣tite, and Iaazania the sonne of Maa∣chati, they and their men.

24 And Gedalia sware to them and to the men whom they had with them, and saide vnto them:“ 1.1680 Feare not ye be∣cause ye are the seruauntes of the Chal∣dees: dwell in the lande, and serue the king of Babylon, and ye shall be well.

25 But it chaunced in the seuenth moneth, [unspec E] that Ismael the sonne of Nathania the sonne of Elisama of the kinges blood, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedalia that he dyed: and so did he the Iewes and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26 And all the people both small & great, and the captaynes of warre, arose and came to Egypt: for they were afrayde of the Chaldees.

27 Notwithstāding, yet in the seuen & thir∣tith yere after Iehoachin king of Iuda was carryed away, the seuen and twen∣tith day of the twelfth moneth Euil∣merodach king of Babylon the same yere that he began to raigne, did lyft vp the head of Iehoachin king of Iuda out of pryson.

28 And spake kindely to him, and set his seate aboue the seate of the kinges that were with him in Babylon,

29 And chaunged his pryson garmentes, and he did euer eate bread before him al the dayes of his lyfe.

30 His portion was a continuall portion that was assigned him of the king, eue∣ry day a certaine as long as he lyued.

¶The ende of the fourth booke of the Kinges.

Page [unnumbered]

❧The first booke of the Chronicles, called in Latine Verba dierum: or after the Grekes, Paralipomenon: which the Hebrues call Dibre Haiamim, and recken both the bookes but for one.

¶The first Chapter.

1 The genealogie of Adam and Noah vntill Abraham. 27 And from Abraham vnto Esau. 35 His children. 43 Kinges and Dukes came of him.

[unspec A] '* 1.16811 ADam, * 1.1682 Seth, 'Enos.

2 Kenan, Ma∣halehel, Ia∣red.

3 Henoh, Me∣thusalah, La∣mech.

4 Noah, Sem, Ham, and Ia∣pheth.

5 * 1.1683The sonnes of Iapheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Iauan, and Thubal, Mesech, and Thiras.

'6 The sonnes of Gomer: Aschenaz, Ri∣phath, 'and Thogarma.

[unspec B] '7 And the sonnes of Iauan: Elisa, and 'Tharsis, Citim, and Dodanim.

'8 The sonnes of Ham: Chus, and Miz∣raim, 'Phut, and Chanaan.

9 The sonnes of Chus: Seba, and Haui∣la, Sabbetha, and Raama: and Sab∣theca. And the sonnes of Raama: Se∣ba, and Dedan.

'10 And Chus begat Nimrod: and he be∣gan 'to be mightie vpon the earth.

'11 Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, 'Lahabim, and Naphthuim,

12 Phathrusim, and Casluim, of which came the Philistines and the Caphtho∣rites.

[unspec C] '13 Chanaan begat Zidon his eldest sonne, 'and Heth.

'14 Iebusi also, and Amori, and Girgasi,

'15 Heui, Araki, and Sini,

'16 And Aruadi, Zamari, and Hemathi.

17 The sonnes of Sem: Elam, and As∣sur, Arphacsad, Lud, and Aram, & Vz, Hul, and Gether, and Mesech.

'18 Arphacsad begat Selah, and Selah 'begat Eber.

19 And vnto Eber were borne two sonnes: the name of the one was Peleg, because that in his dayes the land was deuided, and his brothers name was Ioktan.

20 Ioktan begat Almodad, and Saleph,' [unspec D] Hazermaneth, and Ierah,'

21 Hadoram also and Vsal, and Dikla,'

22 Ebal, and Abimael, and Seba,'

23 And Ophir, Hauila, and Iobab:'

24 All these were the sonnes of Ioktan:' * 1.1684Sem, Arphacsad, Selah,'

25 Eber, Peleg, Rehu,'

26 Serug, Nahor, Therah,'

27 Abram, otherwyse called Abraham.' [unspec E]

28 The sonnes of Abraham: Isahac, and' Ismael.'

29

And these are their generations: * 1.1685the eldest sonne of Ismael was Nabaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, and Mibsam.

30 Misma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad,' and Thema,'

31 Ietur, Naphis, and Kedma: These' are the sonnes of Ismael.'

32

The children of Ketura Abrahams concubine, she bare Zimram, Ioksan, Medan, Midian, Iisbok, and Suah. The children of Ioksan: Seba, and De∣dan.

33

The children of Midian: Epha, and E∣phar, [unspec F] Henoch, Abida, and Eldaa:* 1.1686 All these are the children of Ketura.

34 And so Abraham begat Isahac. The' sonnes of Isahac: Esau and Israel.'

35 The sonnes of Esau: * 1.1687 Eliphaz, Rehu∣el,' Iehus, Iaelam, and Korah.'

36

The children of Eliphaz: Theman, Omar, Zephi, and Gatham, Kenas, Thimna, and Amalek.

37 The children of Rehuel: Nahath, Ze∣rah,' Samma, and Miza.'

38

* 1.1688The sonnes of Seir: Lotan, Sobal, Zibeon, and Ana, Dison, Ezer, and Di∣san.

39 The children of Lotan: Hori, and Ho∣man:' and Thimna was Lotans sister.'

40

The children of Sobal: Alian, Mana∣hath, Ebal, Sephi, and Onam. The sonnes of Zibeon: Aia, and Ana.

41

And the sonnes of Ana: Dison. The

Page cxij

sonnes of Dison: Hamran, Esban, Ie∣thran, and Cheran.

42 The sonnes of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaeuan, and Iakan. The sonnes of Dison: Vz, and Aram.

43 These are the kinges that raigned in the land of Edom, before any king raig∣ned ouer the children of Israel: Bela, the sonne of Beor, and the name of his citie was Dinhaba.

44 And Bela dyed, and Iobab the sonne of Zerah of Bozra raigned in his steade.

45 And when Iobab also was dead, Hu∣sam of the lande of ye Themanites raig∣ned in his steade.

46 And when Husam was dead, Hadad the sonne of Bedad, which smote Midi∣an in the fielde of Moab, raigned in his steade: and the name of his citie was A∣uith.

'47 So Hadad dyed, and Samla of Mas∣reka raigned in his steade.'

48

And Samla dyed, and Saul of Reho∣both by the ryuer syde, raigned in his steade.

49

And when Saul was dead, Baalha∣nan the sonne of Achbor raigned in his steade.

50

And Baalhanan dyed, & Hadad raig∣ned in his steade: and the name of his citie was Phai, and his wyues name was Mehetabel the daughter of Ma∣tred the daughter of Mesahab.

51

Hadad dyed also. And there were dukes in Edom: Duke Thimna, Duke Aliah, Duke Ietheth,

52 Duke Aholibama, Duke Ela, Duke' Pinon,'

53 Duke Kenaz, Duke Theman, Duke' Mibzar,'

54 Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram.* 1.1689 These' are the Dukes of Edom.'

'The .ij. Chapter.'

'2 The genealogie of Iuda, vnto Isai the father of Dauid.'

[unspec A] * 1.1690

1 THese are the sonnes of Israel: Ruben, Sime∣on, Leui, Iuda, Isa∣char, and Zabulon,

2 Dan, Ioseph, Benia∣min, Nephthali, Gad, and Aser.

3 * 1.1691The sonnes of Iuda: Er, Onan, and Sela: These three were borne vnto him of * 1.1692 Bath Sua ye Chanaanitesse. And Er the eldest sonne of Iuda was euil in the sight of the Lorde, and he slue him.

4 And * 1.1693 Thamar his daughter in lawe bare him Pharez, and Zara: and so all the sonnes of Iuda were fiue.

'5 * 1.1694The sonnes of Pharez: Hezron, and 'Hamul.

6 The sonnes of Zara: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Chalchol, and Dara: which were fiue in all.

[unspec B]

7 And the sonnes of Charmi, * 1.1695 * 1.1696 Achan, that troubled Israel, transgressing in the thing that was dampned.

'8 The sonnes of Ethan: Azaria.

9 The sonnes also of Hezron that were borne vnto him: Ierameel, Ram, and Chelubai.

10 * 1.1697And Ram begat Aminadab, and A∣minadab begat Naasson a lorde of the children of Iuda.

'11 And Naasson begat Salma, and Sal∣ma begat Boaz.'

12 Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat' Isai.'

13

* 1.1698And Isai begat his eldest sonne Eli∣ab, [unspec C] and Aminadab the second, and Si∣maa the third,

14 Nathanael the fourth, and Radai the' fifth,'

15 Ozem the sixt, and Dauid the seuenth:'

16

Whose sisters were Zeruia and Abi∣gail. The sonnes of Zeruia: Abisai, Io∣ab, and Azael, three.

17

And Abigail bare Amaza, * 1.1699 the father of which Amaza, was Iether an Is∣maelite.

18

And Caleb the sonne of Hezron begat Asuba, of his wyfe Asuba, and Ierioth, whose sonnes are these: Iaser, Sobab, and Ardon.

19 And when Asuba was dead, Caleb' toke Euphrata, which bare him Hur.' [unspec D]

20 * 1.1700And Hur begat Vri, and Vri begat' Bezaleel.'

21

Afterward came Hezron to the daugh∣ter of Machir the father of Gilead, and toke her when he was threescore yeres olde: and she bare him Segub.

22

And Segub begat Iair, which had three and twentie cities in the lande of Gilead.

23

And he ouercame Gessur and Aram

Page [unnumbered]

the townes of Iair, from them [which dwelt in them] and Kenath and the townes therof, euen threescore townes: All these were the sonnes of Machir the father of Gilead.

24 And after that Hezron was dead at Caleb in Euphrata, Abia Esroms wyfe bare him * 1.1701 Ashur the father of Thekoa.

[unspec E]

25 And the sonnes of Ierahmeel the el∣dest sonne of Hezron, were: Ran the el∣dest, Buna, Oren, Ozem, and Ahia.

26 And Ierahmeel had yet another wyfe named Atara, which was the mother of Onam.

27 And the sonnes of Ram the eldest sonne of Ierahmeel, were: Maaz, Ia∣min, and Ekar.

28 The sonnes of Onam were: Sam∣mai, and Iada. The sonnes of Sam∣mai: Nadab, and Abisur.

29 And the wyfe of Abisur was called Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.

30 The sonnes of Nadab: Seled, and Appaim. And Seled dyed without chil∣dren.

31 The sonne of Appaim, Iesi: And the sonne of Iesi, Sesan: And the sonne of Sesan, Ahlai.

32 And the sonnes of Iada the brother of Samai, Iether & Ionathan: And Iether dyed without children.

33 The sonnes of Ionatham: Peleth, & Zaza. These were the sonnes of Ie∣rahmeel.

34 Sesan had no sonnes, but daughters: And Sesan had a seruaunt that was an Egyptian, named Iarha:

'35 To whom he gaue his daughter to 'wyfe, and she bare him Athai.

'36 And Athai begat Nathan, and Na∣than 'begat Zabad.

[unspec F] '37 And Zabad begat Aphlal, and Aph∣lal 'begat Obed.

'38 Obed begat Iehu, and Iehu begat 'Azaria.

'39 Azaria begat Helez, and Helez begat 'Elasa.

'40 Elasa begat Sisamai, and Sisamai 'begat Sallum.

41 Sallum begat Iecamia, Iecamia be∣gat' Elisamah.'

42 The sonnes of Caleb the brother of Ierahmeel: Mesa his eldest sonne, which was the father of* 1.1702 Ziph: and the sonnes of Maresa the father of He∣bron.

43 The sonnes of Hebron: Corah, and' Thapuah, Rekem, and Sama.'

44

Sama begat Raham the father of Ierkoam, and Rekem begat Sam∣mai.

45 The sonne of Sammai was Maon:' And Maon was the father of Bethzur.'

46

And Epha a concubine of Calebs, bare Haran, and Mosa, and Gazez: Haran begat Gazez.

47

The sonnes of Iahdai, were: Regem, Iotham, Gesan, Phelet, Epha, & Sa∣aph.

48

And Maacha was Calebs concubine, of whom he begat Seber and Thir∣hana:

49

And she bare also Saaph the father of Madmanna, and Seua the father of Machbena, and the father of Gibea: * 1.1703And Achsa was Calebs daughter.

50

These were the sonnes of Caleb the sonne of Hur the eldest sonne of Ephra∣ta: Sabal the father of Kiriath Ia∣rim,

51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and' Hareph the father of Beth Gader.'

52

And Sobal the father of Kiriath Ia∣rim had sonnes, and he “ 1.1704 sawe the halfe of the countrey of the mansions.

53

The kinredes of Kiriath Iarim are these: The Iethrites, the Puthites, the Sumathites, & the Misrahethites: And of them came the Zarathites, and the Esthaulites.

54

The sonnes of Salma: Bethlehem, and Netophathi, the glory of the house of Ioab, and halfe the countrey of the Manahethites, the Zaraites.

55

The kinredes of the “ 1.1705 wryters dwelt at Iabes, the Thirathites, the Simea∣thites, the Suchathites, * 1.1706 which are the Kenites that came of Hemath the fa∣ther of the house of Rechab.* 1.1707

Page cxiij

'The .iii. Chapter.'

'1 The genealogie of Dauid, and of his posteritie vnto the sonnes of Iosia.'

[unspec A]

1 THese were the sonnes of Dauid whiche were borne vnto him in He∣bron: * 1.1708 ye eldest, Ammon of Ahinoam the Ies∣raelitesse: the seconde, Daniel of Abigail the Carmelitesse:

2 The thirde Absalom the sonne of Ma∣acha, the daughter of Thalmai king of Gesur: the fourth, Adonia the sonne of Haggith:

'3 The fyft, Sephatia of Abital: the sixt, 'Iethream, by Egla his wyfe.

4 These sixe were borne vnto him in He∣bron, and there he raigned seuen yeres and sixe monethes: and in Hierusalem he raigned thirtie and three yeres.

5 * 1.1709And these were borne vnto him in Hie∣rusalem: Sima, Sobab, Nathan, and Solomō, foure, of Bathsua the daugh∣ter of Ammiel,

'6 Ibhar also and Elisama, Eliphelet,

[unspec B] '7 Noga, Nepheg, and Iephia,

'8 Elisama, Eliada, and Eliphelet: nine [in 'number.]

9 These are all the sonnes of Dauid, be∣side the sonnes of the concubines: and Thamar was their sister.

10 Solomons sonne was Rehoboam, whose sonne was Abia, and Asa was his sonne, and Iehosaphat his sonne,

'11 Whose sonne was Ioram, & his sonne 'was Ahazia, and Ioas was his sonne,

'12 Amazia his sonne, Azariah his sonne, and Iotham his sonne,'

13 Ahaz was his sonne, Hezekia his sonne,' and Manasse his sonne,'

14 And Amon was his sonne, and Iosia' [unspec C] was his sonne.'

15

And the sonnes of Iosia, were: the el∣dest sonne Iohanan, the second Iehoa∣kim, the thirde Zedekia, and the fourth Sallum.

16 The sonnes of Iehoakim, were: Ieco∣niah' his sonne, and Zedekiah his sonne.'

17 The sonne of Ieconiah: Assir, and Sa∣lathiel' his sonne.'

18 Malchiram also and Pedaia, Sena∣zar,' Iecamia, Hosama, and Nedabia.'

19 The sonnes of Pedaia, were: Zoroba∣bel, and Semei: The sonnes of Zoro∣babel, Mesullam, Hanania, and Selo∣mith their sister:

20 And Hasubah, Ohel, Berechia, Hasa∣dia,' and Iusabhesed, fiue [in number.]'

21

The sonnes of Hanania: Pelatia, and [unspec D] Iesaia: whose sonne was Rephaia, and his sonne Arnan, & his sonne was Obadia, and his sonne Sechania.

22

The sonne of Sechania was, Semaia: and the sonnes of Semaia, were: Hat∣tus, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Saphat, sixe.

23 And the sonnes of Neariah, were: E∣lioenai,' Hizciiah, and Azricam, three.'

24

And the sonnes of Elioenai, were: Ho∣dauiahu, Eliasib, Pelaiah, Accub, Ioha∣nam, Dalaia, and Anani, seuen.

'The .iiii. Chapter.'

1 The genealogie of the sonnes of Iuda. 5 Of Ashur. 9 Of Iabes and his prayer. 11 Of Chelub. 24 and Simeon: their habitations, 38 and conquestes.

[unspec A]

1 THe sonnes of Iuda: * 1.1710 Pharez, Hesron, Charmi, Hur, & Sobal.

2 And Reaia the sonne of Sobal begat Ia∣hath, and Iahath be∣gat Ahumai and La∣had: and these are the kinredes of the Zorathites.

3 And these were of the father of Etam: Iezrahel, Isma, and Idbas: and the name of their sister was Hazlelphuni.

4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Eser the father of Husa: And these are the sonnes of Hur the eldest sonne of Ephratha the father of Bethlehem.

5 And Ashur the father of Thekoa had' two wyues: Helah, and Naarah.'

6

And Naarah bare him Ahusam, He∣pher, Themeni, and Ahasthari: These were the sonnes of Naarah.

7 And the sonnes of Helah, were: Ze∣reth,' [unspec B] Iezoar, and Ethnan.'

8

And Coz begat Anob, and Zobeba, and the kinred of Aharhel the sonne of Ha∣rum.

9

And Iabes was more honorable then his brethren: And his mother cal∣led his name Iabes, saying: because I bare him with sorowe.

Page [unnumbered]

10 And Iabes called on the God of Is∣rael, saying: If thou wilt blesse me in deede, and enlarge my coastes, and shalt let thyne hande be with me, and wilt kepe me from euyll that it hurt me not. And God graunted him his desire.

'11 Chelub the brother of Suah begat Me∣hir, 'which was the father of Esthon.

12 And Esthon begat Beth rapha and Pa∣seha, & Thehinna the father of the citie of Nahas: these are the men of Recha.

13 The sonnes of Kenas: Othniel, and Saraia: And the sonne of Othniel was, Hathath.

[unspec C]

14 And Meonathi begat Ophrah: And Seraia begat Ioab the father of the valley of craftes men, [so called] because they were craftes men.

15 And the sonnes of Caleb the sonne of Iephune were, Iru, Ela, and Naam: And the the sonne of Ela was Kenas.

'16 And the sonnes of Iehaleleel, were: 'Ziph, and Ziphah, Thiria, and Asarel.

17 And the sonnes of Ezra: were, Iether, Mered, Epher, and Ialon: and he be∣gat Miriam, and Sammai, and Iisbah the father of Esthemoa.

18 And his wife Iehudia bare Iered the the father of Gedor, and Heber the fa∣ther of Socho, and Iecuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sonnes of Bithiah the daughter of Pharao, which Mered toke.

19 The sonnes of the wife of Hodia the si∣ster of Naham ye father of Keilah, were: Garmi, & Esthemoia the Maachathite.

20 The sonnes of Simon, were: Am∣mon, and Rimna, Ben hanan, and Thi∣lon: And the sonnes of Iissi, were: Zo∣heth, and Ben zoheth.

[unspec D]

21 * 1.1711The sonnes of Selah the sonne of Iuda, were: Er the father of Lecha, and Laada the father of Maresa, and the kinredes of the housholdes of them that wrought linnen in the house of Asbea.

22 And Iokim and the men of Choze∣bah, and Ioas, and Saraph whiche had the dominion in Moab, and Iasubi Lehem: these also are wordes of olde.

23 These were potters, and dwelt there among trees and hedges, nye vnto the king, because of his worke.

'24 The sonnes of Simeon were: Nemu∣el, 'Iamin, Iarib, Zerah, and Saul:

25 Whose sonne was Sallum, and the sonne of him was Mibsam, & his sonne was Misma,

26

And the sonne of Misma was Hamuel, and his sonne was Zachur, & the sonne of him was Semehi.

27

Semehi had sixteene sonnes and sixe daughters: But his brethren had not many children, neither was all the kin∣red of them like to the children of Iuda in multitude.

28 And they dwelt at Beerseba, Molada,' [unspec E] and at Hazar Sual,'

29 At Bilha, at Ezem, and at Tholad,'

30 At Bathuel, at Horma, & at Ziklag,'

31

At Bethmarcaboth, Hazer, Susim, at Bethbirei, & at Saaraim: These were their cities vnto the raigne of Dauid.

32 And their villages were: Etan, and Ain,' Rimmon, Tochen, & Asan, fiue townes.'

33

And all their villages that were round about the same cities, vnto Baal. This is the habitation of them, and their ge∣nealogie:

34 Mosobab, and Iamlech, and Iosa the' sonne of Amasia,'

35

And Ioel, and Iehu the sonne of Io∣sibi, [unspec F] the sonne of Saraia, the sonne of Asiel,

36 And Elioenai, and Iaakoba, Isohaia,' and Asaiah, Adiel, Ismiel, and Benaia,'

37

And Ziza the sonne of Siphi, the sonne of Allon, the sonne of Iedaia, the sonne of Zimri, the sonne of Semaia.

38

These are famous captaynes in their kinredes, setting vp greatly the house of their fathers.

39

And they went to the entring in of Ge∣dor, euen vnto the eastsyde of the valley, to seke pasture for their sheepe:

40

And they founde fat pasture and good, and a wide lande, quiete and fruitefull: for they of Ham had dwelt there before.

41

And these now afore written by name, came in the dayes of Hezekia king of Iuda, and smote the tentes of them, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them vtterly vnto this day, and dwelt in their roomes: because ther was pasture there for their sheepe.

42

And some of the children of Simeon [unspec G] went to mount Seir, euen fiue hundred men, hauing for their captaynes, Phela∣thia, Nearia, Raphaia, and Vzziel, the sonnes of Isi:

43

And smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and they dwelt there vnto this day.

Page ciiij

'The .v. Chapter.'

1 The birth right taken from Ruben and geuen to the sonnes of Ioseph. 3 The genea∣logie of Ruben, 11 and Gad. 23 And of the halfe tribe of Manasse.

[unspec A]

1 THe sonnes of Ruben, the eldest sonne of Is∣rael (forasmuch as he was the eldest, * 1.1712 & had defiled his fathers bedde, his birthright was geuen vnto the sonnes of Ioseph the sonne of Israel: Howbeit the genealogie is not reckened after this birthright.

2 For Iuda preuayled aboue his bre∣thren, & of his tribe came the chiefe, and the birthright was geuen to Ioseph.)

3 The sonnes then of Ruben the eldest sonne of Israel, were: Henoch, Phalu, Hezron, and Charmi.

4 The sonnes of Ioel: Samaiah his sonne, Gog his sonne, and Semhi his sonne,

'5 Micah his sonne, Reaia his sonne, and 'Baal his sonne.

6 Beera his sonne, whom Thiglath Pil∣neser king of Assyria caried away: for he was a great lorde among the Rube∣nites.

[unspec B]

7 And when his brethren in their kin∣redes reckened the genealogie of their generations, Ieiel and Zachariah were the chiefe,

8 And Baal the sonne of Azan, the sonne of Sema, the sonne of Ioel, dwelt in A∣roer, & so foorth vnto Nebo, and Baal∣meon.

9 And eastwarde he inhabited vnto the entring in of the wildernesse, from the riuer Euphrates: for they had much cat∣tel in the land of Gilead.

10 And in the dayes of Saul, they warred with the Agarites, whiche were ouer∣throwen by their hand: and they dwelt in their tentes throughout all the east [land] of Gilgal.

11 And the children of Gad dwelt ouer against them in the land of Basan, euen vnto Salcha:

12 And in Basan Iohel was the chiefest, and Sapham the next: then Ianai, and Saphat.

13 And their brethren of the housholde of their fathers, were Michael, Mesullam, Seba, Iorai, Iahcan, Zia, Eber, se∣uen.

14

These are the children of Abihail the [unspec C] sonne of Huri, the sonne of Iaroah, the sonne of Gilead, the sonne of Michael, the sonne of Iesisai, the sonne of Iah∣do, the sonne of Buz:

15

Ahi the sonne of Abdiel, the sonne of Guni was a captayne of the housholde of their fathers.

16

And they dwelt in Gilead in Basan and in her townes, and in all the sub∣urbes of Saron and in their borders.

17

And these were reckened by kinredes in the dayes of Iotham king of Iuda, and in the dayes of Ieroboam king of Israel.

18

The sonnes of Ruben, and of Gad, and of halfe the tribe of Manasse, were figh∣ting men, and hable to beare shielde and sworde, and to shoote with bowe, ex∣ercised in warre, euen foure and fourtie thousand, seuen hundred and threescore, that went out to the warre.

19 And they fought with the Hagarites,' with Ietur, Nephis, and Nodab.'

20

And they were helped [of the Lorde] a∣gainst them, and the Hagarites were de∣liuered into their hande, and so were all that were with them: For they cryed to God in the battayle, and he heard them, because they put their trust in him.

21

And they toke of their cattell & of their [unspec D] camels, fiftie thousande and two hun∣dred, and fiftie thousande sheepe, and two thousande asses, and of the soules of men an hundred thousande.

22

And there fell many wounded, because the warre was of God: And they dwelt in their steades, vntil the time that they were caryed away.

23

And the children of the halfe tribe of Manasse dwelt in the lande, from Ba∣san vnto Baal Hermon, and Semir, and vnto mount Hermon: [for] they were growen to a great multitude.

24

And these were the heades of the housholdes of their fathers: Epher, and Iesi, Eliel, and Azriel, Ieremia, and Hodauia, and Iahdiel, strong men and valiaunt, famous men, and heades of the housholdes of their fa∣thers.

Page [unnumbered]

25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring af∣ter the gods of the people of the lande whom God destroyed before them.

26 And the God of Israel stirred vp the spirite of Phul king of Assyria, & the spi∣rite of Thiglath Pilneser king of Assy∣ria, and caried them away: euen the Ru∣benites, the Gadites, and the halfe tribe of Manasse, and brought them vnto Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the riuer Gosan, vnto this day.

'The .vi. Chapter.'

10 The genealogie of the sonnes of Leui. 31 Their order in the ministerie of the taber∣nacle. 4 Aaron and his sonnes priestes. 54.57. Their habitation.

[unspec A]

1 THe sonnes of Leui: Gersom, Caath, and Merari.

2 * 1.1713The sonnes of Ca∣ath: Amram, Iza∣har, Hebron, & Vzziel.

3 The childrē of Am∣ram: Aaron, Moyses, & Miriam. The sonnes also of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

'4 Eleazar begat Phinehes, Phinehes be∣gat 'Abisua.

'5 Abisua begat Boki, Boki begat Vzzi,

'6 Vzzi begat Zarahia, Zarahia begat 'Meraioth,

[unspec B] '7 Meraioth begat Amaria, and Amaria 'begat Ahitob,

'8 Ahitob begat Zadoc, and Zadoc begat 'Ahimaaz,

'9 Ahimaaz begat Azaria: and Azaria be∣gat 'Iohonan,

10 Iohonan begat Azaria, whiche mini∣stred in the temple that Solomon buylt in Hierusalem.

'11 * 1.1714Azaria begat Amaria, Amaria begat 'Ahitob,

'12 Ahitob begat Zadoc, and Zadoc begat 'Sallum,

'13 Sallum begat * 1.1715 Helkia, and Helkia be∣gat 'Azaria.

'14 Azaria begat Saraia, * 1.1716 and Saraia be∣gat 'Iehozedech,

[unspec C]

15 And Iehozedech departed when the Lorde caryed away Iuda and Hieru∣salem by the hand of Nabuchodonoser.

'16 * 1.1717The sonnes of Leui: Gersom, Caath, 'and Merari.

'17 And these be the names of the sonnes 'of Gersom: Libni, and Simhi.

'18 And the sonnes of Caath were: Am∣ram, 'Izahar, Hebron, and Vzziel.

19 The sonnes of Merari: Mahali, and Musi: and these are the kinredes of Le∣ui concerning their fathers.

20 The sonne of Gersom was Libni, whose sonne was Iahath, & his sonne Zemma,

21

And his sonne Ioah, and his sonne Id∣do, [unspec D] and his sonne Zerah, and his sonne Ieathrai.

22 The sonnes of Caath: Aminadab, and' his sonne Korah, and his sonne Assir,'

23 And his sonne Elcana, and his sonne' Ebiasaph, and his sonne Assir,'

24

And Thahath was his sonne, and V∣riel his sonne, and Vzzia his sonne, and Saul was his sonne.

25 The sonnes of Elcana: Amasai and A∣himoth.'

26 And Elcana: The sonnes of Elcana,' Zophai, whose sonne was Nahath,'

27 And his sonne Eliab, and Ieroham' his sonne, and Elcana his sonne,'

28 And the sonnes of Samuel: the eldest' Vasni, and Abia.'

29

The sonnes of Merari: Mahali, & his [unspec E] sonne Libni, and his sonne Simhi, and his sonne Vzza,

30 And his sonne Simha, and his sonne' Haggia, and his sonne Asaia.'

31

And these be they whom Dauid set for to sing in the house of the Lorde, after that the arke had rest.

32

And they ministred before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congrega∣tion with singing,* 1.1718 vntill Solomon had buylt the house of the Lorde in Hierusa∣lem: and then they wayted on their of∣fices, according to the order of them.

33

These are they that wayted with their children, of the sonnes of Caath, He∣man a singer, whiche was the sonne of Ioel, the sonne of Samuel,

34

The sonne of * 1.1719 Elcana, the sonne of Ie∣roham, the sonne of Eliel, the sonne of Thoah,

35 The sonne of Zuph, the sonne of Elcana,' the sonne of Mahath, ye sonne of Amasai,'

36

The sonne of Elcana, the sonne of Ioel, the sonne of Azaria, the sonne of Ze∣phania.

Page cv

37 The sonne of Thahath, the sonne of As∣syr, the sonne of Ebiasaph, the sonne of Korah,

38 The sonne of Izahar, the sonne of Caath, the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel:

39 And his brother Asaph stoode on his right hande, and Asaph was the sonne of Barachia, the sonne of Simha,

'40 The sonne of Michael, the sonne of 'Baasa, the sonne of Melchia,

'41 The sonne of Athan, the sonne of Za∣rah, 'the sonne of Adaia,

'42 The sonne of Ethan, the sonne of Zim∣ma, 'the sonne of Simhi,

'43 The sonne of Iahath, the sonne of 'Gersom, the sonne of Leui.

44 And their brethren the sonnes of Me∣rari stoode on the left hand, euen Ethan the sonne of Kisi, the sonne of Abdi, the sonne of Maluch,

'45 The sonne of Hazabia, the sonne of A∣mazia, 'the sonne of Helkia,

'46 The sonne of Amzi, the sonne of Ba∣ni, 'the sonne of Samer,

47 The sonne of Mahli, the sonne of Mu∣si, the sonne of Merari, the sonne of Leui.

48 Their brethren also the Leuites were appoynted vnto all maner of seruice of the tabernacle of the house of God.

49 But Aaron and his sonnes burnt in∣cense vpon the aulter of burnt offering, and on the aulter of incense [and were appoynted] for all that was to do in the place most holy, and to make an attone∣ment for them of Israel, according to all that Moyses the seruaunt of God had commaunded.

50 These are the sonnes of Aaron: Elea∣zar his sonne, whose sonne was Phine∣hes, and his sonne Abisua,

'51 And his sonne Bocci, whose sonne was 'Vzzi, and his sonne Zerahiah,

52 And the sonne of him Maraioth, and his sonne Amaria, and the sonne of him Ahitob,

'53 And Zadoc his sonne, and Ahimaaz 'his sonne.

54 And these are the dwelling places of them througout their townes & coastes, euen of the sonnes of Aaron throughout the kinredes of the Caathites: for so the lot fell for them.

55 And they gaue them * 1.1720 Hebron in the land of Iuda, and the suburbes thereof rounde about it.

56

But the fieldes of the citie and the vil∣lages pertayning thereto, they gaue to Caleb the sonne of Iephune.

57

And to the sonnes of Aaron they gaue [unspec G] the cities of refuge, euen Hebron and Libna with their suburbes, Iathir and Esthemoa with their suburbes:

58 And Hilen with her suburbes, and Da∣bir' with her suburbes,'

59 Asan and her suburbes, Bethsemes' and her suburbes.'

60

And out of the tribe of Beniamin, Ge∣ba and her suburbes, Alemeth and her suburbes, Anathoth and her suburbes: all their cities throughout their kin∣redes were thirteene.

61

And vnto the sonnes of Caath the remnaunt of the kynrede of the tribe, were cities geuen out of the halfe tribe of Manasse by lot, euen ten cities.

62

And the sonnes of Gersom through∣out their kinredes, had out of the tribe of Isachar, out of the tribe of Aser, & out of the tribe of Nephthali, and out of the tribe Manassein Basan, thirteene cities.

63

And vnto the sonnes of Merari were geuen by lot throughout their kinredes out of the tribe of Ruben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Za∣bulon, twelue cities.

64 And the children of Israel gaue the' Leuites cities with their suburbes,'

65

And that by lot, out of the tribe of the children of Iuda, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Beniamin, these cities, whiche they called by their names.

66

And they [that were] of the kinredes of the sonnes of Caath, had cities & their coastes out of the tribe of Ephraim.

67

* 1.1721And they gaue vnto them cities of re∣fuge: Sichem in mount Ephraim and her suburbes, Gaser and her suburbes,

68 Iocmeam and her suburbes, Bethho∣ron' and her suburbes,'

69 Aialon and her suburbes, Geth Rim∣mon' and her suburbes.'

70

And out of the halfe tribe of Manasse, Auer and her suburbes, and Bileam and her suburbes, for the kinred of the remnaunt of the sonnes of Caath.

71

And vnto the sonnes of Gersom were geuen out of the kinred of the halfe tribe of Manasse: Golon in Basan and her suburbes, and Assharoth and her suburbes. [unspec C]

Page [unnumbered]

72 Out of the tribe of Isachar, Kedes, and her suburbes, Dabrath and her suburbes,

'73 Ramoth also and her suburbes, A∣nem 'and her Suburbes.

'74 And out of Aser, Masal and her sub∣urbes, 'Abdon and her suburbes,

'75 Hukock and her suburbes, Rehob 'and her suburbes.

76 Out of the tribe of Nephthali, Kedes in Galilea and her suburbes, Ham∣mon and her suburbes, Kiriathaim and her suburbes.

77 And vnto the rest of the children of Merari were geuen out of the tribe of Zabulon, Rimmon and her suburbes, Thabor and her suburbes.

78

And on the other syde Iordane by Ie∣richo, euen on the east syde of Iordane, [were geuen them] out of the tribe of Ru∣ben, Bezer in the wildernesse with her suburbes, Iahzah with her suburbes,

79 Kedemoth also with her suburbes:' Mephaath with her suburbes.'

80

Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth [in] Gilead with her suburbes, Maha∣naim with her suburbes,

81 Hesbon with her suburbes, and Ia∣zer' with her suburbes.'

'The vii. Chapter.'

The genealogie of Isachar. Beniamin. 13 Nephthali. 14 Manasses. 20 Ephraim. 30 And Aser.

[unspec A]

1 THe sonnes of Isachar: Thola, Phua, Iasub, Simron, foure.

2 And ye sonnes of Tho∣la: Vzzi, Rephaia, Ieriel, Iamai, Ieb∣sam, and Sehmuel, which were heades in the housholdes of their fathers. Of Thola [ther were] men of might in their generations, * 1.1722 whose number [was] in the daies of Dauid two & twentie thousande and sixe hundred.

3 The sonnes of Vzzi: Izrahia. The sonnes of Izrahia, Michael, Obadia, Ioel, & Iesiah, fiue men, all captaynes.

4 And with them in their generations after the houshold of their fathers, were sixe and thirtie thousande souldiers and valiaunt men of warre: For they had many wyues and sonnes.

5 And their brethren among all the kin∣redes of Isachar were valiaunt men of warre, reckened in all by their genealo∣gies fourescore and seuen thousande.

'6 [The sonnes] of Beniamin: Bela, Be∣cher, 'and Iediel, three.

[unspec B]

7 The sonnes of Bela: Ezbon, Vzzi, Vz∣ziel, Ierimoth, & Iri, fiue heades of the houshold of their fathers, men of might, and were reckenened by their genealo∣gies twentie and two thousand and thir∣tie and foure.

8 The sonnes of Becher: Zemira, Ioas, Eliezer, Elionai, Omri, Ieremoth, A∣bia, Anathoth, and Alamath: All these are the children of Becher.

9 And the number of them after their ge∣nealogie and generations, & captaynes of the housholdes of their fathers, men of might [were] twentie thousande and two hundred.

10

The sonnes of Iediel: Bilhan. The sonnes of Bilhan: Ieus, Beniamin, Ehud, and Chanaana, Zethan, Thar∣sis, and Ahisahar.

11

All these are the sonnes of Iediel, aun∣cient heades and men of warre, seuen∣teene thousande and two hundred, that went out harnessed to battayle.

12

And Suppim and Huppim were the children of Ir: and the Husites were the children of Aher.

13

The sonnes of Nephthali: Iahziel, Guni, Iezer, and Sallum, the children of * 1.1723 Bilha.

14

The sonnes of Manasse: Azriel, whom [unspec C] his wife bare vnto him: But Aramiah his concubine bare Machir the father of Gilead.

15

And Machir toke wyues for Huppim, and Suppim: And the name of his sister was Maacha, and the name of an other sonne was Zelophahad: * 1.1724 and Zelo∣phahad had daughters.

16

And Maacha the wyfe of Machir bare a sonne, and called his name Pherez: and the name of his brother was Ze∣res, and his sonnes were Vlam, and Recem.

17

The sonnes of Vlam: Bedam. These are the sonnes of Gilead, the sonne of Machir, the sonne of Manasse:

18 And his sister Molecath bare Ieshud,' Abieser, and Mahelah.'

Page cv

'19 And the sonnes of Semida, were: A¦hia, 'Sechem, Lichi, and Amham.

20 The sonnes of Ephraim: Suthalah, whose sonne was Bered, and Thahah his sonne, and his sonne Eladah, and Thahah his sonne,

[unspec D]

21 And Sabad his sonne, and Suthelah his sonne, and Eser, and Elead: And the men of Gath that were borne in that lande, slue them, because they were come downe to take away their cat∣tell.

22 And Ephraim their father mourned many a day, and his brethren came to comfort hym.

23 And when he went in to his wyfe, she conceaued and bare him a sonne, and he called the name of it Beria, because it went euyll with his housholde,

24 And his daughter was Seera, which buylt Bethhoron the neather and also the vpper, and Vzan Seera,

25 And Raphah was his sonne: whose sonne was Reseph, and Thelah, whose sonne was Thaham,

'26 And his sonne Ladan, and his sonne 'Amihud, and his sonne Elisama,

'27 And his sonne Nun, and his sonne Io∣suah.

[unspec E]

28 Their possessions and habitations was in Bethel, and the townes that longed thereto, & vnto the east of Naeram, and on the west syde of Gazer with the townes thereof, Sichem and the townes thereof, Adaia and the townes therof,

29

And a long by the borders of the chil∣dren of Manasse, Bethsean and her townes, Thaanach and her townes, Megiddo and her townes, and Dor and her townes: In those dwelt the children of Ioseph the sonne of Israel.

30 The sonnes of Aser: Iimna, Iesua, I∣sui,' and Beria, and Serah their sister.'

31 The sonnes of Beria, Heber, and Mel∣chiel,' which is the father of Birsaith.'

32 And Heber begat Iaphlet, Somer,' Hotham, and Sua was their sister.'

33

The sonnes of Iaphlet: Pasah, Bim∣hal, & Asuah: These are the children of Iaphlet.

34 The sonnes of Semer: Ahi, Rohga,' Iehubba, and Aram.'

35 And the sonnes of his brother Helem:' [unspec F] Zophah, Iimna, Seles, and Amal.'

36 The sonnes of Zophah: Suah, Harne∣pher,' Sual, Beri, and Iimrah,'

37 Bezer, Hod, Samma, Silsa, Iethran,' and Beera.'

38 The sonnes of Iether: Iephune, Pis∣pa,' and Ara.'

39 The sonnes of Olla: Areh, Haniel, and' Rezia.'

40

Al these were the children of Aser, and heades of their fathers house, noble men, and mightie head captaynes: The number throughout the genealogie of them that were apt to the warre and battel, was twentie and sixe thousande men.

'The .viii. Chapter.'

'The sonnes of Beniamin. 33 And race of Saul.'

[unspec A]

1 BEniamin begat Bela his eldest sonne, Asbel the second, and Aha∣rah the thirde,

'2 Nohah the fourth, & 'Raphah the fyfth.

'3 And the sonnes of 'Bela, were: Adar, Gera, Abihud,

'4 Abisna, Naaman, and Ahoha,

'5 Gera, Sephuphan, and Huram.

6 And these are the sonnes of Ehud, and these are auncient heades among the in∣habiters of Geba, and they caryed them to Manahath:

[unspec B]

7 Naaman, Ahia, and Gera, which Ge∣ra caryed them away, and begat Vzza, and Ahihud.

8

And he begat Saharaim in the fielde of Moab, after he had sent them away, Husim also, & Baarah were his wyues.

9 And he begat of Hodes his wyfe, Io∣bab,' and Zibia, Mesa, and Malcham,'

10 Ieuz, and Sachia, and Mirma: These' were his sonnes [and] auncient fathers.'

11 And of Husim he begat Ahitob, and' Elpaal.'

12

The sonnes of Elpaal, were: Eber, Mi∣saham, and Samed, which buylt Ono, Lod, and the townes therof.

13

Beria and Sema were auncient fa∣thers among the inhabiters of Aialon, and they draue away the inhabiters of Geth,

14 And Aio, Sasac, and Ierimoth,' [unspec C]

Page [unnumbered]

[unspec C] '15 Zebadia, Arad, and Ader,

'16 Michael, and Iispa, and Ioha, the 'sonnes of Beria.

'17 Zebadia, Mesullam, Hezeki, & Heber,

'18 Ismerai also and Iesliah, and Iobab 'the sonnes of Elpaal.

'19 Iakim, and Zicri, and Sabdi,

'20 Elienai, Zilthai, and Eliel,

[unspec D] '21 Adaia, and Beraia, and Zimreth the 'sonnes of Simhi.

'22 Iispan, Eber, and Eliel,

'23 Abdon, and Zicri, and Hanan,

'24 Hanania, Elam, and Anathothia,

'25 Iephdeia, and Phenuel, the sonnes of 'Sadac.

'26 And Samserai, Seharia, and Atha∣liah,

'27 Iaresiah, Elia, and Zichri, the sonnes 'of Ieroham.

28 These were auncient fathers and cap∣taynes [unspec E] in their kinredes, & these dwelt in Hierusalem.

'29 And at Gibeon dwelt Abi Gibeon, 'whose wyfe was called Maacah.

'30 And his eldest sonne was Abdon, 'then Zur, Cis, Baal, and Nadab,

'31 Gedor, Ahio, and Zacher.

32 And Mikloth begat Simea: And these also dwelt with their brethren in Hieru∣salem ouer against them.

33

Ner begat Cis, and* 1.1725 Cis begat Saul, and Saul begat Iehonathan, Malchi∣sua, Abinadab, and Esbaal.

34 And the sonne of Iehonathan was' Meribbaal, & Meribbaal begat Micah.'

35 And the sonnes of Micah were Piton,' [unspec F] Melech, Tharea, and Ahaz.'

36

And Ahaz begat Iehoiada: And Ie∣hoiada begat Alemeth, Asmaneth, and Zimri: Zimri begat Moza.

37

Moza begat Binea, whose sonne was Rapha, and his sonne was Elasa, and his sonne Azel.

38

And Azel had sixe sonnes, whose names are these: Esricam, Bochri, Ismael, Se∣aria, Obadia, and Hanan: Al these were the sonnes of Azel.

39

And the sonnes of Esek his brother, were: Vlam his eldest, Iehus the se∣cond, and Eliphelet the thirde.

40

And the sonnes of Vlam were migh∣tie men, & strong archers, and had ma∣ny sonnes, and sonnes sonnes, an hun∣dred & fyftie. All these are of the sonnes of Beniam.

'The .ix. Chapter.'

1 All Israel and Iuda numbred. 10 Of the priestes, and Leuites, 11.18. and of their offices.

[unspec A]

1 ANd so all Israel num∣bred by kinredes, be∣holde they are written in the booke of the kinges of Israel and of Iuda, and were ca∣ryed away to Baby∣lon for their transgression:

2 Euen the olde inhabiters that dwelt in their owne possessions and cities, the Israelites, the priestes, Leuites, and Nathenei.

3 And in Hierusalem dwelt of the children of Iuda, of the children of Beniamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Ma∣nasse:

4 Vthai the sonne of Amihud, the sonne of Omri, the sonne of Imri, the sonne of Bem, * 1.1726of the children of Pharez the sonne of Iuda.

'5 And of Siloni: Asaia the eldest, and 'his sonnes.

'6 And of the sonnes of Zerah: Iehuel, & their brethren sixe hundred & ninetie.

7

And of the sonnes of Beniamin: Salu the sonne of Mesullam, the sonne of Ho∣dauia, the sonne of Senua. [unspec B]

8

And Iibneia the sonne of Ieroham: And Ela the sonne of Vzi the sonne of Michri: And Mesullam the sonne of Se∣phatia the sonne of Rehuel the sonne of Iibnia.

9

And their brethren according to their kinredes, nine hundred fyftie and sixe: All these were principall men and aun∣cient in the housholdes of their fathers.

10 And of the priestes: Iedaia, Iehoiarib,' and Iachin,'

11

Azaria the sonne of Helkia, the sonne of Mesullam, the sonne of Zadoc, the sonne of Maraioth, the sonne of Ahitob the chiefest in the house of God.

12

And Adaiah the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Phashur, the sonne of Mel∣chia: and Maasi the sonne of Adiel, the sonne of Iehezrah, the sonne of Mesul∣lam, the sonne of Mesillamith, the sonne of Immer.

Page cxvij

13 And their brethren which were heads of the auncient housholdes of their fa∣thers, a thousand seuen hundred and threescore, actiue men for the worke of the seruice of the house of God.

14 And of the Leuites: Semeia the sonne of Hasub, ye sonne of Asricam, the sonne of Hasabia of the sonnes of Merari.

15 And Bacbakar Heres, and Galal: And Mathania the sonne of Micah, the sonne of Zicri, the sonne of Asaph.

16 And Obadia the sonne of Semeia, the sonne of Galal, the sonne of Iduthun: And Berechia the sonne of Aza, the sonne of Elcana, that dwelt in the villa∣ges of the Netophathites.

17 * 1.1727The porters were, Sallum, Accub, Talmon, and Ahiman, and their bro∣ther: Sallum was the chiefe.

18 For they watched hitherto, euen vnto the kinges gate eastwarde * 1.1728 by course, the children of Leui.

19 And Sallum the sonne of Core, the [unspec D] sonne of Abiasaph, the sonne of Corah, and his brethren the Corathites of the house of their father, had their busines and office to kepe the porches of the ta∣bernacle: and their fathers being ouer the hoast of the Lorde, kept the ente∣ring.

20 And Phinehes the sonne of Eliazar was their foreguide, and the Lord was with him.

21 And Zacharia the sonne of Mesele∣mia kept the watch before the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation.

22 All these were chosen men to kepe the thressholdes, euen two hundred and twelue: and throughout all the genealo∣gie wer they numbred in their villages: And them did Dauid and Samuel the sear institute, “ 1.1729 because of their fidelitie.

23 So they and their children had the ouersight of the gates of the house of the Lorde, euen of the tabernacle, “ 1.1730 to kepe them.

24 * 1.1731In foure quarters did they kepe the watch: toward the east, west, north, and south.

[unspec E]

25 And their brethren remayned in the countrey, and came after seuen dayes from tyme to tyme with them.

26 For the Leuites which had the ouer∣sight of the vestries and treasures of the house of God, were vnder the custody of foure notable porters.

27 And they laye rounde about the house of God, because the keping thereof per¦tayned to them, and they had the charge to open it euery mornyng.

28

And certaine of them had the rule of the ministring vessels, & brought them in and out by tale.

29

Some of them were appoynted to o∣uersee the vessels, and al the ornaments of the sanctuarie, and the flowre, wine, oyle, frankencense, and sweete odours.

30

And certaine of the sonnes of the priestes made oyntmentes of the sweete odours.

31

And Mathathia one of the Leuites, [unspec F] (which was the eldest sonne of Sallum the Corathite) had the ouersight of the thinges that were made in the frying panne.

32

And other of their brethren the sonnes of Cahath had the ouersight of the shew bread, which they prepared euery Sabbath.

33

These are the singers, euen auncient fathers of the Leuites, which dwelt in seperate chambers and were free: for they had to doe in the temple both day and nyght.

34

These were auncient fathers of the Leuites in their generations, & dwelt at Hierusalem.

35

And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gi∣beon, Iehiel: whose wyfe was called Maacha.

36 His eldest sonne was Abdon, then Zur,' [unspec G] Cis, Baal, Ner, and Nadab,'

37 Gedor, Ahio, Zacharia, and Mikloth.'

38

And Mikloth begat Simeam: And they also dwelt with their brethren at Hierusalem, euen hard by them.

39

And Ner begat Cis, and * 1.1732 Cis begat Saul, and Saul begat Iehonathan, Malchisua, Abinadab, and Esbaal.

40

And the sonne of Iehonathan, was Meribbaal: And Meribbaal begat Mi∣cah.

41 And the sonnes of Micah, were: Pi∣thon,' Melech, and Thahrea.'

42

And Ahaz begat Iahra, Iahra begat Alameth, and Asmaueth, and Zimri: Zimri begat Moza,

43

Moza begat Binea, whose sonne was Rephaia, and his sonne was Elasa, and his sonne Azel.

44

And Azel had sixe sonnes, whose names are these: Azricam, Bochru, Is∣mael, Searia, Obadia, and Hanan: These are the sonnes of Azel.* 1.1733

Page [unnumbered]

The .x. Chapter.

1 The battaile of Saul against the Philistines. 4 In which he dyeth. 5 And his sonnes also. 13 The cause of Sauls death.

[unspec A] 1 AND the Philistines fought against Isra∣el, * 1.1734 and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and were ouerthrowen & woun∣ded in mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines folowed after Saul and his sonnes, and the Phi∣listines smote Ionathan and Abi∣nadab and Malchisua the sonnes of Saul.

3 And the battaile went sore against Saul, and the archers founde him, and he was wounded of shooters.

4 Then saide Saul to his harnesse bea∣rer: * 1.1735 Drawe thy sword, and thrust me through therwith, that these vncircum∣cised come not and do me shame. But his harnesse bearer would not, for he feared exceedingly: So Saul caught a sword, and fell vpon it.

5 And when his harnesse bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell on a sword also, and dyed.

6 And thus Saul and his three sonnes and al they of his house, dyed together.

[unspec B] 7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley, sawe how they fled, and that Saul & his sonnes were dead, they forsoke their cities, and ran away: and the Philistines came, and dwelt in them.

8 * 1.1736And it fortuned, that on the morowe when the Philistines came to strip the dead bodies, they founde Saul and his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboa.

9 And when they had stript him, they toke his head and his harnesse, and sent them into the lande of the Philistines rounde about, to shewe them vnto their idols, and to the people.

10 And they put his harnesse in the house of their god, and set vp his head in the temple (a) 1.1737 of Dagon.

11 And when all they of Iabes [in] Gile∣ad hearde all that the Philistines had done to Saul:

12 They arose all the strongest of them, [unspec C] and fet away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes, and brought them to Iabes, and buried the bones of them vnder an oke in Iabes, and fasted seuen dayes.

13 So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed against the Lorde, in that he kept not the word of the Lorde, and in that he sought and asked counsaile of a woman that wrought with a spi∣rite:

14 And asked not of the Lorde, and there∣fore he slue him, and turned the king∣dome vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai.

¶The .xj. Chapter.

3 After the death of Saul Dauid is annoynted in Hebron. 5 The Iebusites rebell against Dauid, from whom he taketh the towre of Sion. 6 Ioab is made captayne. 10 His valiaunt men.

[unspec A] 1 THen all Israel gathe∣red them selues to Da∣uid vnto Hebron, * 1.1738 say∣ing:

2 Beholde, we be thy bones, and thy fleshe: And moreouer in tyme past, euen when Saul was king, thou leddest Israel out & in: And the Lorde thy God sayde vnto thee, Thou shalt feede my people Israel, and thou shalt be captayne ouer my people Israel.

3 Therefore came all the elders of Is∣rael to the king to Hebron, and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebrō before the Lorde: And they annoynted Dauid king ouer Israel * 1.1739 according to the worde of the Lorde, by the hande of Samuel.

4 And Dauid and all Israel went to Hierusalem (which is Iebus, where as were the Iebusites, the inhabiters of the lande.)

5 And the inhabiters of Iebus sayde to Dauid: Thou commest not in here. Neuerthelesse, Dauid wan the castel of Sion: which is called the citie of Da∣uid.

Page cxviij

6 And Dauid * 1.1740 sayde: Whosoeuer smy∣teth the Iebusites first, shalbe the prin∣cipall captayne, and a lorde. So Ioab the sonne of Zaruia went first vp, and was made the chiefe captayne.

[unspec B] 7 And Dauid dwelt in the castell [Sion] and therefore they called it the citie of Dauid.

8 And he built the citie on euery syde, euen from Millo round about: and Io∣ab repaired the rest of the citie.

9 And Dauid prospered & waxed great, & the Lorde of hoastes was with him.

10 * 1.1741These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had, and that claue to him in his kingdome with all Israel to make him king, according to the word of the Lorde ouer Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mightie men whom Dauid had: Iosobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the chiefe among thirtie: he lift vp his speare against three hundred, and wounded [them] at one tyme.

12 After him was Eleazar his vncles sonne an Ahothite, which was one of the three mightiest:

[unspec C] 13 He was with Dauid at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathe∣red together to battaile: And there was there a parcell of grounde full of barly, and the people fled before the Phili∣stines.

14 And they stept foorth into the mid∣dest of the fielde, and saued it, and slue the Philistines, and the Lorde gaue a great victorie.

15 And the three of the thirtie chiefe cap∣taynes went to a rocke to Dauid, into the caue Adullam: And the hoast of the Philistines abode in the valley of Re∣phaim.

16 And when Dauid was in the holde, the Philistines watch was at Bethle∣hem that same tyme.

17 And Dauid longed, and sayde: * 1.1742 Oh that one woulde geue me drinke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethlehem.

18 And the three brake through the hoast of the Philistines, and drewe water out of the wel that was by ye gate at Beth∣lehem, and toke it and brought it to Da∣uid: Neuerthelesse, Dauid woulde not drinke of it, but rather offered it to the Lorde,

19 And sayd: my God forbyd it me that I shoulde do this thing: Shall I drinke [unspec D] the (a) 1.1743 blood of these men, that haue put their liues in ieoperdie? for with the ieoperdie of their liues they brought it: therefore he would not drinke it. And this did these three mightiest.

20 And Abisai the brother of Ioab, he al∣so was captayne among three: For he lyft vp his speare against three hundred, and wounded them, and had a name a∣mong the three:

21 Yea among three, he was more hono∣rable then the two, for he was their cap∣tayne: Howbeit, he attayned not to the [first] three.

22 Banaia ye sonne of Iehoiada, the sonne of a very strong man, which had done many actes, of Cabzeel: he slue two strong “ 1.1744 [lions] of Moab, & went downe and slue a lion in a pit in time of snowe.

23 And he slue an Egyptian, whose sta∣ture was euen fiue cubites long, and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame: And the other went downe to him with a waster, & plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand, and slue him with his owne speare.

24 Such thinges did Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the three mightiest,

25 And was honorable among thirtie: [unspec E] but attayned not vnto the [first] three: And Dauid made him of his coun∣saile.

26 The other men of armes were these: Asahel the brother of Ioab, Elhanan his vncles sonne, of Bethlehem:

27 Samoth the Harodite, Helez the Pe∣lonite,

28 Ira the sonne of Ickes the Thekoite, Abieser the Anatothite,

29 Sibbecai the Husathite, Ilai the Aho∣hite,

30 Maharai the Nepthophathite, Heled the sonne of Baana the Nethopha∣thite, [unspec F]

31 Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea [that pertayned] to the children of Benia∣min, Benaia the Phirathonite,

32 Hurai of the riuers of Gaas, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaueth the Baharumite, Elihaba the Salabonite.

34 The sonnes of Hassem the Gezonite: Ionathan the sonne of Sage an Hara∣rite,

35 Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Hara∣rite,

Page [unnumbered]

Eliphal the sonne of Vr.

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahia the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naari the sonne of Ezbai,

38 Ioel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the sonne of Hagari,

39 Zelec the Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite the bearer of the harnesse of Ioab the sonne of Zaruia,

40 Ira the Iethrite, and Gareb a Ieth∣rite,

41 Vria the Hethite, and Zahad the sonne of Ahlai,

42 Adina the sonne of Sisa a Rubenite a captaine of the Rubenites, and thirtie with him.

43 Hanan the sonne of Maacah, and Io∣saphat a Mithanite,

44 Vzzia an Astherathite, Sama & Ie∣hiel the sonnes of Hothan an Aroerite:

45 Iediel the sonne of Zimri, and Ioha his brother a Thosaite,

46 Eliel a Mahauite, Ieribai and Iosaia the sonnes of Elnaam, and Iithma a Moabite,

47 Eliel and Obed, and Iasiel a Meso∣baite.

The .xii. Chapter

1 What they were that went with Dauid when he fled from Saul.

[unspec A] 1 THese are they that came to Dauid to Zik∣lag while he yet kept himselfe close because of Saul the sonne of Cis: and they were ve∣ry strong helpers in battaile.

2 They were weaponed with bowes, and could hurle stones with the right hand and with the left, and shoote ar∣rowes out of a bowe, & were of Sauls brethren, euen of Beniamin.

3 The chiefest were Ahiezer, and Ioas the sonnes of Simaa a Gibeonite, and Ieziel and Pelet the sonnes of Asma∣ueth, Beracah and Iehu of Anathoth.

4 And Ismaia a Gibeonite, a mightie man among thirtie, and more then the thirtie: Ieremiah, Iehaziel, Iehonan, and Iosabad of Gedor.

5 Eleusai, Ierimoth, Bealia, Semaria, and Seaphatia, the Haraphites.

6 Elcana, Iesia, Azarael, Ioezer, Iose∣beam, Coranites.

[unspec B] 7 Ioela and Zebadiah the sonnes of Ieroam of Gedor.

8 And of the Gadites there seperated themselues some vnto Dauid into the houlde of the wildernesse, men of might and men apt for the warre, & that coulde handle shielde and speare, whose faces were lyke the faces of (a) 1.1745 lions, and they were as swyft as the Roes in the mountaynes.

9 Ezer the first, Obdia the seconde, and Eliab the third,

10 Masmana the fourth, Ieremia the fifth,

11 Atthai the sixt, Eliel the seuenth,

12 Iohanan the eight, Elsabad the ninth,

13 Ieremia the tenth, and Machbanai the eleuenth,

14 These were of the sonnes of Gad, and were captaines ouer the men of warre: one of the least coulde resist an hundred, and the greatest a thousand.

15 These are they that went ouer Ior∣dane [unspec C] in the (b) 1.1746 first moneth when he had filled ouer all his banckes, and they put to flight all them of the valley both to∣ward the east and west.

16 And there came of the children of Ben∣iamin & Iuda to the houlde vnto Da∣uid.

17 And Dauid went out to meete them, and aunswered, and sayd vnto them: If ye be come peaceably vnto me, to helpe me, myne heart shalbe knit vnto you: but and if you come to betraye me to myne aduersaries, seeing there is no wickednes in myne handes, the God of our fathers loke thereon and rebuke it.

18 And the (c) 1.1747 spirite came vpon Amasai, which was the chiefe among thirtie, & saide: Thyne are we Dauid, and on thy side thou sonne of Isai: * 1.1748 Peace, peace be vnto thee, & peace be to thy helpers, for thy God is thyne helpe. Then Da∣uid receaued them, & made them heades of companies of the men of warre.

19 And there fell some of Manasse to Da∣uid, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battaile, * 1.1749 but they hel∣ped them not: For the lordes of the Phi∣listines toke aduisement, and sent him a∣way againe, saying: he will fall to his

Page cxix

maister Saul to the ieoperdie of our heades.

20 As he went to Ziklag, there fel to him of Manasse Adna, Iozadad, Iediel, Michael, Iozabad, Elihu, and Zilthai, heades of the thousandes that were of Manasse.

21 And they holpe Dauid against * 1.1750 the rouers: For they were all mightie men of warre, and captaynes in the hoast.

22 For at that tyme there came one or o∣ther to Dauid day by day to helpe him, vntil it was a great hoast, like the hoast of God.

[unspec E] 23 And this is the number of the chiefe captaynes that were prepared to bat∣taile, and came to Dauid to Hebron, to turne the kingdome of Saul to him, ac∣cording to the word of the Lorde.

24 The children of Iuda that bare shield and speare, were sixe thousand & eight hundred, redie prepared to the warre.

25 Of the children of Simeon, men of might to warre .vii.M. & one hundred.

26 Of the children of Leui, foure thou∣sand and sixe hundred.

27 And Iehoiada was the chiefe of them of * 1.1751 Aaron, and with him three thou∣sand and seuen hundred.

28 And Zadoc a young man, strong and valiaunt, and of his fathers housholde, twentie and two captaines.

[unspec F] 29 And of the children of Beniamin the brothren of Saul, three thousand: And a great part of them did vnto that tyme folowe the house of Saul.

30 And of the children of Ephraim, twen∣tie thousand and eight hundred, mightie men of warre, and famous men in the houshoulde of their fathers.

31 And of the halfe tribe of Manasse, eyghteene thousand, which were ap∣pointed by name to come and make Da∣uid king.

32 And of the children of Isachar, which were men that had vnderstanding of the tymes, to knowe what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred: & all their brethren were at their wyll.

33 And of Zabulon which we out to battaile, expert in warre and in all in∣strumentes of warre, fiftie thousand, which coulde set the battaile in arraye, they were not of double heart.

34 And of Nephthali a thousand cap∣taines, and with them with shielde and speare thirtie and seuen thousand.

35 And of Dan expert in battayle, twen∣tie & eyght thousand and sixe hundred.

36 And of Aser that went out to the [unspec G] warre and kept the forefront of the bat∣taile fourtie thousand.

37 And of the othersyde of Iordane, of the Rubenites, and Gadites, and of the halfe tribe of Manasse, with all man∣ner of instrumentes of warre, an hun∣dred and twentie thousand.

38 (f) 1.1752All these were men of warre, keping the forefront of the battel [and] with per∣fecte heart came to Hebron to make Da∣uid king ouer all Israel: And all the rest of Israel was of one accorde to make Dauid king.

39 And there they were with Dauid three dayes eating & drinking: for their bre∣thren had prepared for them.

40 Moreouer, they that were nye them, euen vnto Isachar, Zabulon, & Neph∣thali, brought bread on asses, cammels, mules, & oxen, & meate, flowre, figges, reasinges, wine, & oyle, oxen, and sheepe aboundantly: For there was ioy in Is∣rael.

¶The .xiij. Chapter.

7 The arke is brought againe from Kariathiarim to Hierusalem. 9 Vzza dyeth because he toucheth it.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Dauid counsailed with the captaynes of thousandes and hun∣dredes, and with al the Lordes,

2 And sayde vnto all the congregation of Israel: If it seeme you good, & to be of the Lord our God, we will send abrode vnto our brethren that are left in all the lande of Israel, and with them also to the priestes and Leuites which are in their suburbes, to gather them toge∣ther vnto vs:

3 And we will bring againe the (a) 1.1753 arke of our God to vs: for we regarded it not in the dayes of Saul.

4 And all the congregation was content that he should do so: for the thing seemed good in the eyes of all the people.

Page [unnumbered]

5 So Dauid gathered all Israel toge∣ther from (b) 1.1754 Sihor in Egypt, vnto the entering of Hemath, to bring the arke of the Lorde from Kiriathiarim.

6 And Dauid went vp and all Israel to an high place towarde Kiriathiarim, that was in Iuda, to fet thence the arke of the Lorde God that dwelleth be∣tweene the Cherubs, where his name is called on.

[unspec B] 7 And they carryed the arke of God in a newe carte out of the house of Abina∣dab: and Vzza and his " brother guided the carte.

8 And Dauid and all Israel played be∣fore the arke of God with all their might, with singing, and harpes, psalte∣ries, and tymbrels, and cymbales, and trumpettes.

9 And when they came vnto the thres∣shing floore of Chidon, Vzza put foorth his hande to holde the arke, for the or∣en stumbled.

10 And the Lorde was wroth with Vz∣za, and * 1.1755 smote him, because he put his hand to the arke: and there he dyed be∣fore God.

11 And Dauid was out of quiet because the Lorde had rent a rent in Vzza, and he called the name of that place, the ren∣ting of Vzza, vnto this day.

12 And Dauid was afrayde of God that day, saying: how shall I bring the arke of God home to me? [unspec C]

13 And so Dauid brought not the arke home to him to the citie of Dauid: but carryed it into the house of Obed Edom a Gethite.

14 And the arke of God remayned with Obed Edom, euen in his house, three monethes: And the Lorde blessed the house of Obed Edom, & all that he had.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

2 Hiram sendeth wood and workemen to Dauid. 4 The names of his children. 8 14 By the counsell of God he goeth against the Philistines and ouercommeth them. 15 God fighteth for him.

[unspec A] 1 SO Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to Dauid, and timber of Cedar trees, with masons and carpēters, to builde him an house.

2 And Dauid percea∣ued that the Lorde had confirmed him king vpon Israel, & that his kingdome was lift vp on hie because of his (a) 1.1756 peo∣ple Israel:

3 And Dauid toke yet mo wyues at Hie∣rusalem, and begat mo sonnes and daughters.

4 These are the names of his children, which were borne vnto him at Hierusa∣lem: Samua, Sobab, Nathan, & So∣lomon,

5 Iibhar, Elisua, and Eliphalet,

6 Noga, Nepheg, and Iaphia,

[unspec B] 7 Elisama, Beeliada, and Eliphalet.

8 And when the Philistines heard that Dauid was annoynted king vpon all Israel, all the Philistines went vp to seeke Dauid: And Dauid heard of it, & went out against them.

9 And the Philistines came in, and spread them selues through the valley of Re∣phaim.

10 And Dauid (b) 1.1757 asked counsaile at God, saying: Shall I go against the Phili∣stines? and wilt thou deliuer them into myne hand?

11 And the Lorde saide vnto him: go vp, for I wil deliuer them into thyne hand. And so they came vp to Baal Perazim, and Dauid smote them there, and Da∣uid saide: God hath deuided myne ene∣mies with myne hand, as a man would deuide water, and therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

12 And when they had left their gods there, Dauid gaue a commaundement, and they were burnt with fire.

13 And the Philistines came together a∣gaine, [unspec C] and russhed into the valley.

14 And Dauid asked againe at God: And God said to him, Go not vp after them, but turne away from them that thou mayest come vpon them ouer against the * 1.1758 peretrees.

15 And when thou hearest a sounde go in the toppes of the peretrees, then go out to battaile: for God is gone forth be∣fore thee, to smyte the hoast of the Phi∣listines.

16 Dauid therfore did as God commaun∣ded him, and they smote the hoast of the Philistines, from Gibeon to Gazer.

Page cxx

17 And the fame of Dauid went out into all landes, and the Lorde made all na∣tions feare him.

The .xv. Chapter.

1 Dauid prepareth an hoast for the arke. 4 The number and order of the Leuites. 16 The singers are chosen out among them. 25 They bring againe the arke with ioy. 29 Dauid dauncing before it, is despised of his wyfe Michol.

[unspec A] 1 AND Dauid made him houses in the citie of Dauid, and prepared a place for the arke of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2 Then Dauid saide: The arke of God ought not to be car∣ryed but of the Leuites: For them hath the Lord chosen to beare the arke of the Lorde, and to minister vnto him for euer.

3 And Dauid gathered all Israel toge∣ther to Hierusalem, to fetch the arke of the Lorde vnto his place which he had ordayned for it.

4 And Dauid brought together the chil∣dren of Aaron and the Leuites.

5 Of the sonnes of Caath, was Vriel the chiefe, & of his brethren there were an hundred and twentie.

6 Of the children of Merari, Asaia the chiefe, and of his brethren two hundred and twentie.

[unspec B] 7 Of the sonnes of Gersom, Ioel the chiefe, and of his brethren an hundred and thirtie.

8 Of the children of Elizaphan, Semaia the chiefe, & of his brethren two hun∣dred.

9 Of the sonnes of Hebron, Eliel the chiefe, and of his brethren fourescore.

10 Of the sonnes of Vzziel, Aminadab the chiefe, and of his brethren an hun∣dred and twelue.

11 And Dauid called Zadoc and Abia∣thar the priestes: and the Leuites, Vz∣ziel, Asaia, Ioel, Semaia, Eliel, and A∣minadab,

12 And saide vnto them: Ye that are the principall fathers of the Leuites, see that ye be holy with your brethren, that ye may bring in the arke of the Lorde God of Israel vnto the place that I haue prepared for it.

13 For, because ye were not there at the [unspec C] first, the Lorde our God made a rent a∣mong vs, for that we sought him not as the fassion ought to be.

14 So the priestes and the Leuites sanc∣tified them selues, to fet the arke of the Lorde God of Israel.

15 And the children of the Leuites bare the arke of God vpon their shoulders with staues thereon, as Moyses com∣maunded according to the worde of the Lorde.

16 And Dauid spake to the chiefe heades of the Leuites, that they should ap∣poynt certaine of their brethren to sing with instrumentes of musicke, psalte∣ries, harpes, and cymbales, that they might make a sounde, and to sing on hie with ioyfulnesse.

17 And the Leuites appoynted Heman the sonne of Ioel, and of his brethren, Asaph the sonne of Berechia, and of the sonnes of Merari and of their brethren, Ethan the sonne of Cusaiahu.

18 And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zacharia, Ben, Iaziel, Semiramoth, Iehiel, Vnni, Eliab, Be∣naiahu, Maasiah, Mathathiahu, Eli∣phalehu, Mikniahu, Obed Edom, and Ieiel, porters.

19 So Heman, Asaph, and Ethan the [unspec D] singers, made a sounde with cymbales of brasse.

20 And Zacharia, Aziel, Semiramoth, Iehiel, Vnni, Eliab, Maasiahu, and Banaiahu, played with psalteries on an (a) 1.1759 Alamoth.

21 Mathathiahu, Eliphalehu, Miknia∣hu, Obed Edom, Ieiel, and Azaiahu, played vpon harpes an eyght aboue, with courage.

22 And Chenaniahu the chiefe of the Le∣uites was maister of the song: for he taught other to sing, because he was a man of vnderstanding.

23 Berehia and Elcana kept the doore of the arke.

24 And Sebaniahu, Iehosaphat, Natha∣nael, Amasai, Zachariahu, Banaiahu, and Eliezer the priestes did blowe with trumpettes before the arke of God: And Obed Edom and Iehia were kepers of the doore of the arke.

Page [unnumbered]

25 * 1.1760And Dauid and the elders of Isra∣el, and the captaynes ouer thousandes, went to fet the arke of the appoyntmēt of the Lorde out of the house of Obed Edom with gladnesse.

26 And when God helped the Leuites that bare the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde, they offered seuen oxen, and seuen rammes.

27 And Dauid had on him a linnen gar∣ment, lyke as had also all the Leuites that bare the arke, & so had the singers and Chenania the ruler of the songe, with the singers: and Dauid had vpon him an Ephod of linnen.

28 And al they of Israel brought the arke of the Lordes couenaunt with show∣ting, and blowing of the shawme, and trumpettes, making a noyse with cym∣bales, psalteries, and harpes.

29 And as the arke of the appointment of the Lorde came into the citie of Dauid, Michol the daughter of Saul looking out at a windowe, sawe king Dauid daunsing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.

¶The .xvj. Chapter.

1 The arke being placed, they offer sacrifices. 4 Dauid ordaineth Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lorde. 8 He appoynteth a notable psalme to be song in prayse of the Lorde.

[unspec A] 1 SO they brought in the arke of God, and set it in the middest of the tent that Dauid pit∣ched for it: And they of∣fered burnt sacrifices and peace offringes be∣fore God.

2 And when Dauid had made an end of offring the burnt offringes and peace offringes, he blessed the people in the name of the Lorde.

3 And he dealt to all Israel both man and woman, a cracknel of bread, and a good peece of fleshe, and a flacket of wine.

4 And he appoynted certaine of the Le∣uites to minister before the arke of the Lord, and to repeate, and to thanke and prayse the Lorde God of Israel.

5 And Asaph was the chiefe, and nexte to him Zacharia, Ieiel, Semiramoth, Iehiel, Mathathia, Eliab, Benaia, * 1.1761 O∣bed Edom, & Ieiel with instruments, psalteries, & harpes: But Asaph made a sounde with cymbales.

6 Banaia and Iahaziel priestes blewe with trumpettes continually before the arke of the couenaunt of God.

[unspec B] 7 And that same tyme Dauid did ap∣poynt chiefely to thanke the Lorde by Asaph and his brethren.

8 * 1.1762Confesse you [it] vnto God, call vpon his name: cause the people to vnder∣stande his deuises.

9 Sing vnto him, sing psalmes vnto him: talke you of all his wonderous workes.

10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them reioyce that do seeke God.

11 Seeke God and his strength: seeke his face euermore.

12 Remember the marueylous workes that he hath done: his wonders, and the iudgementes of his mouth,

13 O ye seede of Abraham his seruaunt, [unspec C] ye his chosen children of Iacob: he is God our Lorde, his iudgementes are in all the earth.

14 He hath ben mindfull alwayes of his couenaunt (for he promysed a word to a thousande generations:) euen of his co∣uenaunt that he made with Abraham, and of his othe vnto “ 1.1763 Isaac.

15 And he appoynted the same vnto “ 1.1764 Ia∣cob for a law: and to Israel for an euer∣lasting couenaunt.

16 Saying, vnto thee I wyll geue the lande of* 1.1765 Chanaan: the“ 1.1766 lot of your in∣heritaunce.

17 When they were a fewe men in num∣ber, and had ben straungers but a litle while in it: and when they went from one nation to another, from one king∣dome to another people,

18 He suffred no man to “ 1.1767 do them wrong: yea he reproued euen kinges for their sakes.

19 Touche not myne annoynted: and tri∣umph [unspec D] not ouer my prophetes.

20 * 1.1768Sing vnto the Lorde all the earth: and shewe from day to day his salua∣tion.

21 Tell of his glory among the heathen: his wonderfull deedes among all nati∣tions.

Page cxxj

25 For great is the Lorde, and worthy to be praysed exceedingly: he is to be feared aboue all gods.

26 For all the gods of the people are “ 1.1769 but idoles: but the Lorde made heauen.

27 Prayse and honour are in his presence: strength and gladnesse are in his place.

[unspec E] 28 Asscribe vnto the Lord ye kinredes of people, Asscribe to the Lorde glorie and dominion.

29 Asscribe vnto the Lord the glorie due vnto his name, bring sacrifices, and come before him, and worship the Lord in his glorious sanctuarie.

30 Let all the earth feare him: surely the world shalbe stable and not moue.

31 Let the heauens reioyce, and let the earth be glad, and let men tel among the nations that the Lorde is king.

32 Let the sea rore & the fulnesse thereof: let the fieldes reioyce, & all that is therin.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood re∣ioyce at the presence of the Lord, because he commeth to iudge the earth.

34 O geue thankes vnto the Lorde, for he is good, for his mercie endureth euer:

[unspec F] 35 And say ye, saue vs O God our salua∣tion, gather vs together, and deliuer vs from among the heathen, that we may geue thankes to thy holy name, and tri∣umph in the prayse of thee.

36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer: & let all people say Amen, and prayse the Lorde.

37 And so he left there before the arke of the lordes couenaunt Asaph & his bre∣thren, to minister before the arke conti∣nually, [in such thinges as were to be done] day by day.

38 And Obed Edom and his brethren, threescore and eyght, and Obed Edom the sonne of Ieduthun, and Hosa, were appoynted to be porters.

39 And Zadoc the priest & his brethren the priestes were before ye tabernacle of the lord, in the hie place that was at Gibeon,

40 To offer burnt offeringes vnto the Lorde vpon the burnt offering aulter perpetually, in the morning and eue∣ning, according to all that which is writ∣ten in the lawe of the Lorde whiche he commaunded Israel.

41 And with them were Heman and Ie∣duthun, and other that were chosen, whose names were expressed to geue thankes to the Lorde, That his mercie lasteth euer.

42 And with them dyd Heman an Iedu∣thun [unspec G] sing with the trumpets and cym∣bales, making a sweete melodie with in∣strumentes of musicke & godly songues: And the sonnes of Ieduthun were por∣ters.

43 And al the people departed euery man to his house, & Dauid returned to blesse his house.

The .xvii. Chapter.

3 Dauid is forbidden to buylde an house vnto the Lord. 12 Christ is promised vnder the figure of Solomon. 18 Dauid geueth thankes, 23 and prayeth vnto God.

[unspec A] 1 AND it fortuned, that when Dauid dwelt in his house, he sayde to Nathan the prophete: Lo, I dwel in * 1.1770 an house of Cedar tree, but the arke of the lordes co∣uenaunt remayneth vnder * 1.1771 curtaynes.

2 And Nathan sayde vnto Dauid: Do all that is in thyne heart, for God is with thee.

3 And the same night, it fortuned that the worde of God came to Nathan, say∣ing:

4 Go and tell Dauid my seruaunt, thus sayth the Lorde, Thou shalt not buylde me an house to dwell in:

5 For I haue dwelt in no house sence the day that I brought out the children of Israel, vnto this day: but haue gone from tent to tent, and from one habita∣tion to an other.

6 And whersoeuer I haue walked with all Israel, spake I euer one worde to any of the iudges of Israel, whom I commaunded to feede my people, say∣ing, Why haue ye not buylt me an house of Cedar tree?

7 Nowe therfore thus shalt thou say vn∣to [unspec B] my seruaunt Dauid, thus sayth the Lorde of hoastes: I toke thee from the sheepe coate, and from folowing the sheepe, that thou shouldest be captayne ouer my people Israel:

Page [unnumbered]

8 And I haue ben with thee whyther soe∣uer thou hast walked, and haue weeded out all thyne enemies out of thy sight, & haue made thee a name like the name of the greatest men that are in the earth.

9 And I haue ordeyned a place for my people Israel and made it fast, so that nowe they may dwell in their place, and moue no more: Neither shall the children of wickednesse vexe them any more as at the beginning.

10 And sence the time that I commaun∣ded iudges to be ouer my people Israel, I haue subdued all thyne enemies: and I told thee that the Lord would buyld thee an house.

11 This also shal come to passe: when thy dayes be expired that thou must go vn∣to thy fathers, I will rayse vp thy seede after thee, which shalbe of thy sonnes, and I will stablishe his kingdome.

12 He shall buylde me an house, and I wil stablishe his seate for euer.

13 I wilbe his father, and he shalbe my sonne, and I will not take my mercie a∣way from him, as I toke it from hym that was before thee.

[unspec C] 14 But I wil stablishe him in myne house and my kingdome for euer, and his seate shalbe sure for euermore.

15 According to all these wordes, and ac∣cording to al this vision, did Nathan tell king Dauid.

16 And Dauid the king came and sate be∣fore the Lord, and sayde: What am I O Lord God, and what is myne houshold, that thou hast promoted me thus farre?

17 And yet this seemed litle in thyne eyes, O God: But thou hast also spoken of thy seruauntes house for a great whyle to come, and hast loked vpon me as vpon a man of hye degree, O Lorde God.

18 What shall Dauid desire more of thee for the honour of thy seruaunt? For thou hast knowen thy seruaunt.

19 O Lord, for thy seruauntes sake, euen according to thine owne heart, hast thou done all this magnificence, to shewe all great thinges.

20 Lord there is none like thee, neither is there any God saue thou, according to al that we haue hearde with our eares.

21 Moreouer, what nation on the earth [unspec D] is like thy people Israel, to whom God hath vouchsafed to come and redeeme them to be his owne people, and to make thee a name of excellencie & terriblenes, with casting out nations from before the people, whom thou hast deliuered out of Egypt?

22 Thy people of Israel diddest thou make thyne owne people for euer, and thou becamest their God.

23 Therfore now Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy ser∣uaunt & his house, be true for euer, that thou Lord do as thou hast sayde:

24 Let it come to passe, that thy name may be magnified for euer, that it may be said, The Lord of hoastes is the God of Israel, euen the God of Israel, and the house of Dauid thy seruaunt endu∣reth stable before thee.

25 For thou O my God, hast tolde thy ser∣uaunt that thou wilt buylde him an house, and therefore thy seruaunt hath founde in his heart to pray before thee.

26 And now Lorde, thou art God, & hast promised this goodnes vnto thy seruaūt

27 Nowe therefore let it be thy pleasure to blesse the house of thy seruaunt, that it may continue before thee for euer: For whom thou blessest O Lorde, the same is blessed for euer.

The .xviii. Chapter.

The battel of Dauid against the Philistines. 2 And against Moab. 3 Zoba, 5 Aram, 12 And Edom.

[unspec A] 1 ANd after this, it fortu∣ned that Dauid smote the Philistines, & sub∣dued them, and toke Geth and the townes that * 1.1772 longed therto out of the handes of the Philistines.

2 And he smote Moab, and the Moabites became Dauids seruauntes, and payde him tribute.

3 And Dauid smote Hadarezer king of Zoba vnto Hanath, as he went to sta∣blishe his dominion by the riuer Eu∣phrates.

4 And Dauid toke from him a thousand charets, and seuen thousande horsemen, and twentie thousande footemen, and lamed all the charet horses, and reserued of them an hundred charets.

5 And when the Syrians of Damascon came to helpe Hadarezer king of Zoba,

Page cxxij

Dauid slue of the Syrians twentie and two thousande.

6 And Dauid put souldiers in Syria Da∣mascon, and the Syrians became Da∣uids seruauntes, and brought him tri∣bute: And the Lord preserued Dauid in all that he went to.

[unspec B] 7 And Dauid toke the shieldes of golde that were on the seruauntes of Hadar∣ezer, and brought them to Hierusalem.

8 And from Tebhath, and from Chun, ci∣ties of Hadarezar, brought Dauid excee∣ding much brasse, wherwith Solomon made the brasen lauatorie, * 1.1773the pillers, and the vessels of brasse.

9 And when Thou king of Hemath heard how Dauid had beaten al the * 1.1774 strength of Hadarezer king of Zoba,

10 He sent * 1.1775 Hadoram his sōne to king Da∣uid, to make peace with him, & to blesse him, because he had fought against Ha∣darezer, and beaten him (for Thou had warre with Hadarezer) and [Hadoram brought] all maner of iewels of golde, sil∣uer, and brasse, with him.

11 And king Dauid dedicated them vnto the Lord, with the siluer and golde that he brought frō all nations, from Edom, frō Moab, from ye children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amelec.

12 And Abisai the sonne of Zaruia slue of the Edomites in the salt valley eygh∣teene thousande,

13 And put souldiers in Edom, and all the Edomites became Dauid seruauntes: Thus the Lorde kept Dauid in all that he toke in hande.

14 And Dauid raigned ouer all Israel, and executed iudgement and righteous∣nesse [unspec C] among all his people.

15 And Ioab the sonne of Zaruia was ouer the hoast, & Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud recorder:

16 And Zadoc the sonne of Ahitob and Abimelech the sonne of Abiathar were the priestes, and Sausa was scribe,

17 And Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the Crethites and the Phele∣thites: and the sonnes of Dauid were next vnto the king.

The .xix. Chapter.

4 Hanon king of the children of Ammon doeth great iniuries to the seruauntes of Da∣uid. 6 He prepareth an armie against Dauid, 15 and is ouercome.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this, it chaunced that* 1.1776 Nahas the king of the children of Am∣mon dyed, & his sonne raigned in his steade.

2 And Dauid sayde: I will shewe kindnesse vnto Hanon the sonne of Nahas, be∣cause his * 1.1777 father dealt kindly with me. And Dauid sent messengers to comfort him ouer the death of his father: And the seruauntes of Dauid came into the lande of the children of Ammon to Ha∣non, to comfort him.

3 But the lordes of the children of Am∣mon sayd to Hanon: Thinkest thou that Dauid doeth honour thy father in thy sight, that he hath sent comforters vnto thee? Are not his seruauntes come to * 1.1778search, to loke, and espie out the land?

4 Wherefore Hanon toke Dauids ser∣uauntes, and * 1.1779 shaued them, and cut of their coates harde by their buttockes, & sent them away.

5 And there went certayne and told Da∣uid how the men were serued: And the king sent to meete them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the king sayde: Tary at Iericho vntill your beardes be growen, and then returne.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stanke in the sight of Dauid, Hanon and the children of Ammon sent a thousande talentes of siluer to hyre them charets and horsmen out of Meso∣potamia, and out of Syria Maacha, and out of Zoba.

7 And they hyred thirtie and two thou∣sande [unspec B] charets, and the king of Maacha and his people: which came and pitched before Medeba: And the children of Am∣mon gathered them selues together frō their cities, and came to battayle.

8 And when Dauid hearde of it, he sent Ioab and all the hoast of strong men.

9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put them selues in aray to battayle before the gate of the citie: And ye kinges that were come, kept them by them selues backe in the fielde.

10 When Ioab also saw that the frunt of the battayle was against him before and behind, he chose out of al the chosen men of Israel, and put them in aray against the Syrians.

11 And the rest of ye people he deliuered vn∣to the hand of Abisai his brother, & they

Page [unnumbered]

put them selues in aray against the chil∣dren of Ammon.

[unspec D] 12 And he sayde: If the Syrians be to strong for me, thou shalt succour me, and if the children of Ammon preuayle a∣gainst thee, I will helpe thee.

13 Plucke vp thyne heart, and let vs play the men for our peoples sake, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord shall do that which is good in his owne sight.

14 So Ioab and the people that were with him, drue nye before the Syrians vnto the battayle: and they fled before him.

15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they ran a∣way likewise before Abisai his brother, and gat them into the citie: and Ioab came to Hierusalem.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers and fet out the Sy¦rians that were beyond the * 1.1780 riuer: and Sophach the captayne of the hoast of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And it was told Dauid: and he gathe∣red all Israel, and went together ouer Iordane, and came and set vpon them: And when Dauid had put hym selfe in aray against the Syrians, they fought with him.

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel, and Dauid destroyed of the Syrians se∣uen thousand charets, and fourtie thou∣sand footemen, and killed Sophach the captayne of the hoast.

19 And when the seruauntes of Hadar∣ezer sawe that they were put to ye worse before them of Israel, they made peace with Dauid, & became his seruauntes: Neither would the Syrians helpe the children of Ammon any more.

The .xx. Chapter.

1 Rabba destroyed. 3 The Ammonites tormented. 4 The philistines are thrise ouercome with their giantes.

[unspec A] 1 AND it came to passe, that after the yere was expired (* 1.1781about ye time that kinges go out a warrefare) Ioab ca∣ryed out the * 1.1782 armie of the hoast, and * 1.1783 destroy∣ed the countrey of the children of Am∣mon, and came and besieged Rabba, and destroyed it: But Dauid taried at Hieru∣salem whyle Ioab smote Rabba and destroyed it.

2 * 1.1784And Dauid toke the crowne of their king from of his head, and sounde that it had the wayght of a talent of golde, and there were precious stones in it, and it was set vpon Dauids head: And he brought also exceeding much spoyle out of the citie.

3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and tormented them with sawes and harrowes of iron, and with other sharpe instrumentes,“ 1.1785 and so dealt Da∣uid with all the cities of the children of Ammon: And Dauid and all the people came againe to Hierusalem.

4 * 1.1786After this, it fortuned that there arose warre at Gazer with the Philistines: at which time Sobokai the Husathite slue Sippai that was of the children of * 1.1787 Re∣phaim, and they were subdued.

5 And there was battayle agayne with the Philistines, & Elhanan the sonne of Iair slue Lahemi the brother of Go∣liah the Gethite, whose speare was lyke a weauers beame.

6 And there chaunced yet againe warre at Geth, where as was a man of a great stature, with twentie and foure fingers and toes, sixe on euery hand, and sixe on euery foote, and was the sonne of Ra∣phah.

7 But when he defyed Israel, Iehona∣than [unspec B] the sonne of Simea Dauids bro∣ther slue him.

8 These were borne vnto Raphah at Geth, and were ouerthrowen in the hande of Dauid and in the hande of his seruauntes.

Page cxxiij

The .xxi. Chapter.

1 Dauid causeth the people to be numbred. 14 And there dye seuentie thousande men of the pestilence.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Satan stoode vp against Israel, and prouoked Dauid to number Israel.

2 And Dauid sayde to Ioab and to the ru∣lers of the people: Go ye and number Israel from Beerse∣ba to Dan: & bring it to me, that I may knowe the number of them.

3 And Ioab aunswered: The Lorde make his people an hundred times so many mo as they be: But my lorde, O king, are they not all my lordes ser∣uauntes? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will my lorde be a cause of * 1.1788 trespasse to Israel?

4 Neuerthelesse the kinges word preuay∣led against Ioab: And Ioab departed, and walked throughout all them of Is∣rael, and came to Hierusalem againe,

5 And gaue the summe of the number of the people vnto Dauid: And all they of Israel were a thousande thousand and an hundred thousande men that drue sworde: and Iuda was foure hundred threescore and ten thousande men that drue sworde.

6 But the Leuites and Beniamin coun∣ted he not among them: For the kinges word was abhominable to Ioab.

[unspec B] 7 And the Lorde was displeased with this thing, and smote Israel.

8 And Dauid sayde vnto God: I haue sinned exceedingly in doyng this thing: And nowe I besech thee, do away the wickednesse of thy seruaunt, for I haue done very foolyshly.

9 And the Lord spake vnto Gad Dauids sear, saying:

10 Go, and tell Dauid, saying, thus sayth the Lord, I geue thee the choyse of three thinges: choose the one of them, that I may do vnto thee.

11 And Gad came to Dauid, and sayd vn∣to him, thus sayth the Lorde: Choose thee

12 Eyther three yeres famishment, or three monethes to be destroyed before thyne aduersaries, & that the sworde of thyne enemies may ouertake thee: or els the sworde of the Lord and pestilence in the lande three dayes, and the angell of the Lorde destroying throughout all the coastes of Israel: And nowe aduise thy selfe, what worde I shal bring againe to him that sent me.

13 And Dauid sayde vnto Gad, I am in an exceeding strayte: Let me fall nowe into the hande of the Lorde (for passing great are his mercies) but let me not fal into the hand of men.

14 So the Lorde sent pestilence vpon Is∣rael: [unspec C] and there were ouerthrowen of Is∣rael threescore and ten thousande men.

15 And God sent the angell into Hierusa∣lem to destroy it: And as he was a∣bout to destroy, the Lorde behelde, and had compassion on the euyll, & sayde to the angel that destroyed: It is enough, let nowe thyne hand ceasse. And the an∣gel of the Lorde stoode by the threshing floore of Ornan the Iebusite.

16 And Dauid lift vp his eyes, and sawe the angell of the Lorde stand betweene the earth and heauen, hauing a drawen sword in his hand, stretched out toward Hierusalem: Then Dauid and the el∣ders of Israel whiche were clothed in sacke, fell vpon their faces.

17 And Dauid sayde vnto God: Is it not I that commaunded the people to be numbred? It is I that haue sinned and done euyll in deede: and what haue these sheepe done? Let thyne hande O Lorde my God be on me, and on my fa∣thers house: but not on thy people, that they shoulde be punished.

18 And the angell of the Lord commaun∣ded Gad to say to Dauid, that Dauid shoulde go vp and set vp an aulter vnto the Lorde in the threshing floore of Or∣nan the Iebusite.

19 And Dauid went vp according to the saying of Gad whiche he spake in the name of the Lorde.

20 And Ornan turned about, and saw the angell, and his foure sonnes were with him, and hyd them selues: But Ornan was threshing wheate.

21 And as Dauid came to Ornan, Ornan [unspec D] loked and sawe Dauid, and went out of the threshing floore, and bowed hym selfe to Dauid with his face to the grounde.

Page [unnumbered]

22 And Dauid sayde to Ornan: Geue me the place of the threshing floore, that I may buylde an aulter therin vnto the lord: Thou shalt geue it me for as much money as it is worth, that the plague may ceasse from the people.

23 And Ornan sayd vnto Dauid: Take it to thee, and let my lorde the king do that which seemeth good in his eyes: Lo, I geue thee oxen also for burnt sacrifices, and treshing instrumentes for wood, & wheate for meate offring, I geue it all.

24 And king Dauid sayde to Ornan: Not so, but I will bye it for as much money as it is worth: For I will not take that whiche is thyne for the Lorde, nor offer burnt offringes without coast.

25 And so Dauid gaue to Ornan for that place sicles of golde sixe hundred by wayght.

26 And Dauid buylt there an aulter vnto the Lorde, and offred burnt offringes and peace offringes, and called vpon the Lorde, and he hearde him from heauen in fire vpon the aulter of burnt offring.

27 And when the Lorde had spoken to the angel, he put vp his sword againe in∣to the sheathe of it.

28 At that time when Dauid sawe that [unspec E] the Lorde had hearde him in the thres∣shing floore of Ornan the Iebusite, he vsed to offer there:

29 For the tabernacle of the Lorde which Moyses made in the wildernesse, & the aulter of burnt offring, were at that sea∣son in the hill of Gibeon:

30 And Dauid coulde not go before it, to aske counsell at God, for he was afrayde of the sword of the angel of the Lorde.

The .xxii. Chapter.

2 Dauid prepareth things necessarie for the buylding of the temple. 6 He commaundeth his sonne Solomon to buylde the temple of the Lorde, which thing he him selfe was forbidden to do. 9 Vnder the figure of Solomon, Christ is promised.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Dauid said: This is the house of the lord God, & this is the aul∣ter for the burnt of∣fring of Israel.

2 And Dauid com∣maunded to gather to∣gether the straungers that were in the lande of Israel, and he set masons to hew and pullishe stones for the building of the house of God.

3 And Dauid prepared plentie of iron for nayles, & doores of the gates, & to ioyne withal, and aboundaunce of brasse with∣out wayght,

4 And Cedar trees without number: For the Zidons and they of Tyre brought much Cedar wood to Dauid.

5 And Dauid sayde: Solomon my sonne is young and tender, and the house that is to be buylded for the Lorde must be magnificall, excellent, and of great fame and dignitie throughout all countreys: I wil therfore make ordinaunces for it. And so Dauid prepared many thinges before his death.

6 And he called Solomon his sonne, and charged him to buylde an house for the Lorde God of Israel.

[unspec B] 7 And Dauid sayde to Solomon: * 1.1789 My sonne, I thought [as it was] in myne heart to buylde an house vnto the name of the Lorde my God:

8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed much blood, and hast made great battayles: thou shalt therefore not buylde an house vnto my name, for thou hast shed much blood vp on the earth in my sight.

9 Behold, a sonne is borne to thee, and he shalbe a man of rest, for I wil geue him rest from all his enemies rounde about: For his name is Solomon, & I wil send rest and peace vpon Israel in his dayes.

10 He shall buylde an house for my name, and he shalbe my sonne, and I wilbe his father, and I wil establishe the seate of his kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

11 Nowe therfore my sonne, the Lorde be with thee, and prosper thee, and thou shalt buylde an house to the Lorde thy God, as he hath sayde of thee.

12 And the Lord shall geue thee wysdom and vnderstanding, and shall geue thee commaundementes for Israel, that thou mayst kepe the lawe of the Lorde thy God.

13 For then thou shalt prosper, euen when thou takest heede and fulfillest the sta∣tutes and lawes which the Lorde char∣ged Moyses with for Israel: Plucke vp thyne hearte therfore, & be strong, dread not, nor be discouraged.

14 Behold, according to my pouertie haue [unspec C]

Page cxxiiij

I also prepared for the house of the Lorde, an hundred thousande talentes of golde, and a thousande thousande ta∣lentes of siluer: and as for brasse & iron, it can not be nūbred, (for it is verie much) And I haue prepared timber and stone, and thou mayest prouide more thereto.

15 Moreouer, thou hast workemen with thee mowe, and masons, and carpenters [to worke in stone and timber,] & many men that be actiue for euery worke.

16 And of golde, siluer, brasse, & iron, there is no number: Vp therefore, and be do∣ing, and the Lorde shalbe with thee.

17 And Dauid commaunded al the lordes of Israel to helpe Solomon his sonne, saying:

18 Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not geuen you rest on euery side? for he hath geuen the inhabitours of the lande into my hande, and the land is subdued before the Lorde, and before his people.

19 Nowe therefore set your heartes and your soules to seke the Lord your God: Vp, and buylde ye the temple of the Lord God, to bring the arke of the coue∣naunt of the Lorde and the holy vessels of God into the house so buylt for the name of the Lorde.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

1 Dauid being olde ordeineth Solomon king. 3 He causeth the Leuites to be numbred. 4 And assigneth them to their offices. 13 Aaron and his sonnes are for the hie priestes. 14 The sonnes of Moyses.

* 1.1790

1 SO when Dauid was [unspec A] olde and full of dayes, * 1.1791 he made Solomon his sonne king ouer Is∣rael.

2 And then he gathe∣red together all the lordes of Israel, with the priestes and the Leuites.

3 And the Leuites were numbred from the age of thirtie yeres and aboue: and the number and summe of them was thirtie and eyght thousande men.

4 Of which twentie and foure thousand were set to further the worke of the house of the Lorde: and sixe thousande were officers and iudges.

5 Foure thousande were porters, & foure thousand praysed the Lorde with such instrumentes as was made to prayse withall.

6 And so Dauid put an order among them deuiding them, in partes: Of the children of Leui, Gerson, Caath, and Merari.

[unspec B] '7 Of the Gersonites was Laadan, and 'Semei.

'8 The sonnes of Laadan, the chiefe was 'Iehiel, Zethan, and Ioel, three.

9 The sonnes of Semei: Selomith, Ha∣ziel, and Haran, three. These were the auncient fathers of Laadan.

10 And the sonnes of Semei: were, Ia∣hath, Zina, Ieus, & Beria: these foure were the sonnes of Semei.

11 And Iahath was the chiefe, Ziza the seconde: but Ieus, and Beria had not many sonnes, therfore they were in one reckening according to their fathers housholde, reckened for one auncient housholde.

12 The sonnes of Caath: Amram, Iza∣har,' Hebron, and Vzziel, foure.'

13

* 1.1792The sonnes of Amram: Aaron, and Moyses: And Aaron was separated to haue the rule of the holy thinges in the place most holy, he & his sonnes for euer, and to burne incense before the Lorde, and to minister vnto him, and to blesse in his name for euer.

14

Moyses also the man of God, and his [unspec C] children, were named with the tribe of Leui.

15 The sonnes of Moyses: Gersō, & Eliezer.'

16 Of the sonnes of Gersom, Sebuel was' the chiefe.'

17

The sonnes of Eliezer, Rehabia the chiefe: And Eliezer had none other sonnes, but the sonnes of Rehabia were verie many.

18 The sonnes of Izahar, Selomith the' chiefe.'

19

The sonnes of Hebron, Ieriahu the first, Amaria the seconde, Iahaziel the thirde, and Iecmaam the fourth.

20 The sonnes of Vzziel: Micha the first,' and Iesia the seconde.'

21 The sonnes of Merari: Mahli, & Musi.' The sonnes of Mahli: Eleazar and Cis.' [unspec D]

22

And Eleazar dyed, and had no sonnes, but daughters: and their brethren the sonnes of Cis toke them.

23 The sonnes of Musi: Mahli, Eder, and' Ieremoth, three.'

Page [unnumbered]

24 These are the children of Leui after the houshold of their fathers, euen the auncient of the fathers according to their offices, and after the number and summe of the names of them that dyd the worke in the seruice of the house of the Lord, from the age of twentie yeres and aboue.

25 And Dauid sayde: The Lorde God of Israel hath geuen rest vnto his people, that they may dwell in Hierusalem for euer.

26 That the Leuites also shoulde nowe no more beare the tabernacle, and al the vessels for the seruice thereof.

27 For according to the last wordes of Dauid, the Leuites were numbred from twentie yeres and aboue.

[unspec E]

28 And their office was vnder the hande of the sonnes of Aaron, for the seruice of the house of the Lorde in the courtes and celles, and in the purifying of all ho∣ly thinges, and in the worke of the ser∣uice of the house of God:

29

In the shewbread, in the fine ••••owre, in the meate offring, in ye wafers of sweete bread, in the frying panne, in the gredy∣ron, and in all maner of measures & sise:

30

And to stand euery day in the morning to thanke and prayse the Lorde, and so likewise at euen:

31

And to offer all burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord, in the Sabbathes, in the new moones, and on the feastfull dayes, by number and custome continually as they were commaunded, before the Lord.

32

And that they should wayte on the ta∣bernacle of the congregation, & on the holy place, and on the sonnes of Aaron their brethrē, in the seruice of the house of the Lord.

'The .xxiiii. Chapter.'

'Dauid assigneth offices vnto the sonnes of Aaron.'

[unspec A]

1 THese are the deuisions of the sonnes of Aarō. The sonnes of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Elea∣zar, and Ithamar.

2 * 1.1793Nadab also and A∣bihu dyed before their father, & had no children: But Eleazar, & Ithamar executed the priestes office.

3 And Dauid ordred them on this maner: Zadoc of the sonnes of Eleazar, and A∣himelec of the sonnes of Ithamar [were] according to their offices in their mini∣stration.

4 And there were mo auncient men founde among the sonnes of Eleazar, then the sonnes of Ithamar. And thus were they ordred together: Among the sonnes of Eleazar there were sixteene rulers according to the houshold of their fathers, and eyght among the sonnes of Ithamar according to the housholde of their fathers.

5 And thus were they put in order by lot the one sort from the other: and so were there rulers in the sanctuarie and lordes before God, aswell of the sonnes of E∣leazer, as of the sonnes of Ithamar.

6 And Semeia the sonne of Nathanael the scribe, of the kinred of the Leuites, wrote them before the king & the lordes, & before Zadoc the priest and Ahimelec the sonne of Abiathar, and before the auncient fathers of the priestes and Leuites, one principall housholde being reserued for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar.

7 And the first lot fell to Iehoiarib: and' [unspec B] the seconde to Iedaia,'

8 The third to Harim, and the fourth to' Sehorim,'

9 The fyft to Melchia, and the sixth to' Miiamin,'

10 The seuenth to Hakos, and the eyght' to * 1.1794 Abia,'

11 The nynth to Iesua, and the tenth to' Secaniah,'

12 The eleuenth to Eliasib, & the twelfth' to Iakim,'

13 The thirteenth to Huppa, and the four∣teenth' to Iesebeab,'

14 The fyftenth to Bilga, and the sixtenth' [unspec C] to Immer,'

15 The seuenteenth to Hezir, and the eygh∣teenth' to Aphses,'

16 The nynteenth to Pethahia, and the' twentieth to Ieheskel,'

17 The twentie and one to Iachin, and' the twentie and two to Gamul,'

18 The twentie and three to Delaiahu,' and the twentie and foure to Maasiahu.'

19

These are the ordinaunces of them in their offices when they came into the house of the Lord, according to their ma∣ner vnder Aaron their father, as the lord God of Israel had cōmaunded him.

Page cxxv

20 The rest of the sonnes of Leui, are these: Of the sonnes of Amram, Suba∣el: of the sonnes of Sabuel, Iehediahu.

'21 Of the sonnes of Rehabia, the first 'Iesia.

'22 Of the Iezaharites Selomoth: Of 'the sonnes also of Selomoth Iahath.

23 His sonnes Ieriahu the first, Amari∣ahu the second, Iahaziel the third, and Iekameam the fourth.

'24 Of the sonnes of Vzziel, Micha: Of 'the sonnes of Micha, Samir.

'25 The brother of Micha was Issia: Of 'the sonnes also of Issia, Zechariahu.

26 The sonnes of Merari, were Mahli, and Musi: The sonnes of Iaaziahu, Beno.

27 The sonnes of Merari by Iaazia∣hu,' Beno, Soham, Zacur, and Ibri.'

28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, and he had' no sonnes.'

29 Of Cis: the sonnes of Cis, Ierahe∣meel.'

30

The sonnes of Musi, Mahli, Eder, and Ierimoth: These are the children of the Leuites, after the housholde of their fathers.

31

And these cast lottes next to their bre∣thren the sonnes of Aaron in the pre∣sence of Dauid the king, and Zadoc, and Ahimelec, and the auncient fathers of the priestes & Leuites, euen the princi∣pall fathers, before their younger bre∣thren.* 1.1795

'The .xxv. Chapter.'

'The singers are appoynted with their places and lottes.'

[unspec A]

1 ANd so Dauid and the captaynes of the hoast appoynted out to do seruice the sonnes of Asaph, and Heman, & Ieduthun, which should prophecie with harpes, psalteries, and cymbales: And there was a multitude of the men that were appoynted to the seruice and mi∣nistration:

2 Of the sonnes of Asaph, Zacur, Io∣seph, Nathania, and Asarela that way∣ted on Asaph which prophecied ac∣cording to the commaundement of the king.

3 Of Ieduthun: the sonnes of Iedu∣thun, Gedeliahu, Zeri, Iesaiahu, Hasa∣biahu, and Mathathiahu, sixe, vnder the handes of their father Ieduthun, which prophecied with a harpe, for to geue thankes & prayses vnto the Lorde.

4 Of Heman: the sonnes of Heman, Buc∣ciahu, Matthaniahu, Vzziel, Zebuel, Ierimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliatha, Geddalthi, Romanthi Ezer, Iosbeka∣sa, Malothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

5 All these were the sonnes of Heman which was ye kinges sear in the wordes of God, to lyft vp the horne [of the regall dignitie:] And God gaue to Hemā foure∣teene sonnes, and three daughters.

6 All these also were at the hand of their father, singing in the house of the Lord, with cymbales, psalteries, and harpes, when Asaph, Ieduthun, and Heman executed the seruice in the house of God at the kinges commaundement.

7

And the multitude of them with their [unspec B] brethrē that were instruct in the songes of the Lorde, euen all that were cun∣ning, were two hundred fourescore and eyght.

8

And they * 1.1796 cast lottes among them selues how they should waite, aswel for the small as for the great, for the schol∣ler aswell as for the schoolemaister.

9

And the first lot in Asaph fell to Io∣seph, the second to Gedaliahu with his brethren and sonnes, which men were twelue.

10

The third fell to Zacur with his sonnes and brethren, being twelue per∣sons.

11 The fourth, to Izri with his sonnes' and brethren, twelue persons.'

12 The fifth to Nathaniahu with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

13 The sixt to Bucciahu with his sonnes' and brethren, twelue persons.' [unspec C]

14 The seuenth to Iesrarela with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

15 The eyght to Iesaiahu with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

16 The ninth to Mathaiahu with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

17 The tenth to Semei with his sonnes' and brethren, twelue persons.'

18 The eleuenth to Azareel with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

19 The twelfth to Hazabia with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

Page [unnumbered]

'20 The thirteenth to Subael with his sonnes and brethren twelue persons.'

21 The foureteenth, to Mathathiahu with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.

'22 The fifteenth to Ieremoth with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

23 The sixteenth to Hananiahu with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

'24 The seuenteenth to Iosbekasa with [unspec E] his sonnes & brethren, twelue persons.'

'25 The eyghteenth to Hanani with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

'26 The nineteenth to Malothi with his 'sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

27 The twenteeth to Eliatha with his' sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.'

28

The twentie and one to Hothir with his sonnes and brethren, twelue per∣sons.

29

The twentie & two to Geddalthi with his sonnes and brethren, twelue per∣sons.

30

The twentie and three to Mahazioth with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.

31

The twentie and foure to Romamthi Ezer with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persons.* 1.1797

'The .xxvi. Chapter.'

1 The porters of the temple are ordayned euery man to the gate which he should keepe, 20 and ouer the treasure.

[unspec A]

1 THese are the deuisions of the porters.* 1.1798 Among the Corethites, Mesele∣miahu, the sonne of Kore of the children of Asaph.

2 And the sonnes of Meselemiahu were these: Zachariahu the eldest, Iedihel the second, Zebadi∣ahu the third, and Iahniel the fourth,

'3 Elam the fifth, Iehohanan the sixt, and Eiloenai the seuenth.'

4 The sonnes of Obed Edom, Semeia the eldest, Iehosabad the second, Ioah the third, Sacar the fourth, and Na∣thanael the fifth,

'5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seuenth, 'Peulthai the eyght, for God blessed him.

6 And vnto Semeia his sonne, were sonnes borne, that ruled in the house of their father: for they were men of might.

[unspec B]

7 The sonnes of Semeia, Othni, Re∣phael, Obed, and Elzabad, and his bre∣thren were strong men, Elihu and Sa∣machiahu.

8 All these were of the children of Obed Edom: they and their children, and their brethren, actiue men and of strength to do seruice, euen threescore and two of O∣bed Edom.

'9 And Meselemiahu had sonnes and bre∣thren, actiue men, eyghteene.'

10 The sonnes of Hosa of the children of Merari, Simri the chiefe, & though he was not the eldest, yet his father set him in the chiefest place:

11 Helkiahu the second, Tebaliahu the third, and Zechariahu the fourth: all the sonnes and brethren of Hosa were thirteene.

12

Among these was deuided the office of the portership, that they shoulde be auncient men, to wayte with their bre∣thren, when they ministred in the house of the Lorde.

13

And they cast lottes betweene the great [unspec C] and small, after the housholde of their fathers, for euery gate.

14

And the lot on the eastsyde fell vpon Selemiahu: And for Zachariahu his sonne (which was a wyse counsailour) they cast lottes, and his lot came out to∣ward the north.

15

And Obed Edoms lot fell to the south: And for his sonnes fell the houses of(a) 1.1799 Asuppim.

16

For Shuppim and Hosa toward the west, with the gate Shallecheth by the paued streate that goeth vpward, one watch being ouer against an other.

17

In the east were sixe Leuites, and to∣ward the north foure a day, toward the south foure a day, and toward Asup∣pim two and two.

18

In (b) 1.1800 Parbar toward the west two at the going vp, and two in Pharbar.

19

These are the deuisions of the porters among the sonnes of Koreh, & among the sonnes of Merari.

20

And of the Leuites, Ahiah had the o∣uersight [unspec D] of the treasures of the house of God, & of the treasures of the dedicate thinges.

21

As concerning the sonnes of Laadan, which were the children of the Gerso∣nites

Page cxxvj

of Laadan, came auncient fa∣thers, euen of Laadan there came Ger∣suni, and Iehieli.

22 The sonnes of Iehieli, Zetham, and Ioel his brother, which were ouer the treasures of the house of the Lorde.

'23 Of the Amramites also and Izaha∣rites, 'Hebronites, and Ozielites.

24 And Subael the sonne of Gersom the sonne of Moyses, [was] a ruler ouer the treasures.

[unspec E]

25 And of his brethren the sonnes of Eli∣ezer was Rahabiahu, whose sonne was Iesaiahu, whose sonne was Io∣ram, whose sonne was Zichri, whose sonne was Selomith.

26 Which Selomith & his brethren were ouer all the treasures of the dedicate thinges, which Dauid the king, and the auncient fathers, the captaynes ouer thousandes and hundredes, and the cap∣taynes of the hoast had dedicated,

27 Out of the spoyles wonne in battailes, they did dedicate to maynetayne the house of the Lorde.

28 And all that Samuel the sear, & Saul the sonne of Cis, and Abner the sonne of Ner, and Ioab the sonne of Zaruia, had dedicated, and whosoeuer had de∣dicated any thing, it was vnder the hand of Selomith and of his brethren.

29

Of the Izaharites was Chenamahu and his sonnes appoynted to the busy∣nesse (c) 1.1801 without foorth ouer Israel: for they were officers and iudges.

30

And of the Hebronites, Hasabiahu and his brethren, men of actiuitie, a thousand and seuen hundred, were officers among them of Israel beyond Iordane west∣ward, in al busynesse belonging to God, and seruice of the king.

31

Among the Hebronites was Iedia the chiefest, euen a prince among the Hebro∣nites [unspec F] and fathers of his kinred: And in the fourtith yere of the kingdome of Dauid, they were sought for, and there were founde among them men of acti∣uitie at Iazer in Gilead.

32

And his brethren were men of actiui∣tie, euen two thousand and seuen hun∣dred auncient fathers: whom king Da∣uid made rulers ouer the Rubenites, Gadites, and ouer the halfe tribe of Manasse, for euery matter pertayning to God, and for the kinges busynesse.* 1.1802

'¶The .xxvij. Chapter.'

'Of the princes and rulers that ministred vnto the king.'

* 1.1803 [unspec A]

1 THE children of Israel, after the number of them, ye auncient heads and captaynes of thou∣sandes and hundredes, and their officers that serued the king by dy∣uers courses, which came in and went out moneth by moneth, throughout all the monethes of the yere: And in euery course were twentie and foure thou∣thousand.

2 Ouer the first course for the first mo∣neth, was Iasoboam the sonne of Zabdiel, and in his course were twen∣tie and foure thousand.

3 And the chiefest of all the captaynes of the hoast for the first moneth, was of the children of Pharez.

4 Ouer the course of the second moneth, was Dodai an Ahohite, & in his course was Mikloth a ruler, [his helper:] and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

5 The chiefe captayne of the third hoast for the third moneth, was * 1.1804 Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada the hie priest, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

6

This is that Banaiahu which was most mightie among thirtie, and aboue thirtie: And in his part was Amizabad his sonne.

7

The fourth captayne for the fourth moneth, was Asael the brother of Io∣ab, [unspec B] and Zabadaia his sonne after him, and in his course were twentie & foure thousand.

8

The fifth captayne for the fifth mo∣neth, was Samhut the Iezrahite, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

9

The sixt captayne for the sixt moneth, was Ira the sonne of Ickes a Thec∣kuite, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

10

The seuenth captayne for the seuenth moneth, was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

Page [unnumbered]

11 The eyght captayne for the eyght mo∣neth, was Sibbechai an Husathite of ye kynrede of Zarhi, & in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

12 The ninth captayne for the ninth mo∣neth, was Abiezer an Anathothite of the sonnes of Iemini, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

[unspec C]

13 The tenth captayne for the tenth mo∣neth, was Maharai the Netophatite of the Zarahites, & in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

14 The eleuenth captayne for the ele∣uenth moneth, was Banaia the Pira∣thonite of the children of Ephraim, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

15 The twelfth captayne for the twelfth moneth, was Heldai the Netophatite of Othoniel, and in his course were twentie and foure thousand.

16 And the rulers ouer the tribes of Is∣rael were these: Among the Rubenites, was Eliezer the sonne of Zichri: A∣mong the Simeonites also, was Sa∣phathiahu the sonne of Maacha.

17 Among the Leuites, Hasabia the sonne of Kemuel: Among the Aaro∣nites, Zadok.

18 Among them of Iuda, Elihu of the brethren of Dauid: Among them of Issachar, Omri the sonne of Michael.

[unspec D]

19 Among them of Zabulon, Iesmaiahu the sonne of Obadiahu: Among thē of Nephthali, Ierimoth ye sonne of Azriel.

20 Among the children of Ephraim, Ho∣sea the sonne of Azariahu: In the halfe tribe also of Manasse, Ioel the sonne of Pedaiahu.

21 Of the halfe tribe of Manasse in Gile∣ad, Iddo the sonne of Zachariahu: A∣mong them of Beniamin, Iaasiel the sonne of Abner.

22 Among them of Dan, Azarel the sonne of Ieroham. These are the lordes of the tribes of Israel.

23 But Dauid toke not the number of them vnder twentie yeres, because the Lorde saide he would encrease Israel lyke vnto the starres of the skye.

24

And * 1.1805 Ioab the sonne of Zaruia be∣gan to number: but he finished it not, be∣cause that there fell wrath for it against Israel, neither was the number put in∣to the cronicles of king Dauid.

25

Ouer the kinges treasures was Az∣maueth [unspec E] the sonne of Adiel: And ouer the treasures of the fieldes, in the cities, and villages, and castels, was Iehona∣than the sonne of Vzziahu.

26

And ouer the workemen in the fieldes that tilled the grounde, was Ezri the sonne of Chelub.

27

And the ouersight of the vineyardes, had Semei the Ramathite: Ouer the encrease also of the vineyardes, & ouer the winesellers, was Sabdi the Za∣phonite.

28

And ouer the oliue trees and mulbe∣rie trees that were in the valleyes, was Baal Hanan the Gederite: And ouer the treasure of oyle, was Ioas.

29

Ouer the oxen that fed in Saron, was Setrai the Saronite: And ouer the ox∣en that were in the valleyes, was Sa∣phat the sonne of Adlai.

30

Ouer the cammels, Obil the Ismae∣lite: And ouer the asses, was Iehdeia∣hu the Meronothite.

31

Ouer the sheepe was Iazez the Ha∣gerite: All these were the rulers of the [unspec F] substaunce of king Dauid.

32

And Iehonathan Dauids vncle, a man of counsell and of vnderstanding, was a (a) 1.1806 scribe, and Iehiel the sonne of Hachmoni was with ye kinges sonnes [instructing them.]

33

And Ahitophel was of the kinges counsell: And Husai the Arachite was the kinges companion.

34

And next to Ahitophel was Iehoiada the sonne of Banaiahu, and Abiathar:* 1.1807 and the captayne of the kinges warre, was Ioab.

The .xxviii. Chapter.

5 Because Dauid was forbidden to builde the temple, he willeth Solomon and the people to perfourme it. 8 Exhorting him to feare the Lorde.

[unspec A] 1 AND Dauid gathered all the lordes of Isra∣el, the lordes of the tribes, the lordes of the companies that ministred to the king by course, ye captaines ouer the thousandes and ouer the hun∣dredes, & the lordes that had the ouer∣sight ouer all the substaunce and posses∣sion of Dauid, & of his sonnes, with the chamberlaynes, & al the mightie and va∣liaunt, and all actiue men, vnto Hierusa∣lem.

Page cxxvij

2 And king Dauid stoode vp vpon his feete, and sayde: Heare me my brethren and my people, * 1.1808 I had in myne heart to builde an house of rest, for the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, and for the footestoole of our God, and had made redie for the building

3 But God saide vnto me: * 1.1809 thou shalt not builde an house for my name, be∣cause thou hast ben a man of warre, and hast shed blood.

4 Moreouer the Lorde God of Israel * 1.1810chose me before all the house of my fa∣ther, to be king ouer Israel for euer: for in Iuda would he choose a captaine, & of the householde of Iuda is the house of my father, & among the sonnes of my father he had a lust to me to make me king ouer all Israel.

5 And of all my sonnes (for the Lorde hath geuen me many sonnes) he hath chosen Solomon my sonne, to sit vpon the seate of the kingdome of the Lorde in Israel.

6 And he saide vnto me: * 1.1811 Solomon thy sonne he shall builde me an house and courtes: I haue chosen him to be my sonne, and I will be his father.

[unspec B] 7 I wyll stablishe his kingdome for e∣uer, if he wyll be strong to do my com∣maundementes and my lawes, as it goeth this day.

8 Nowe therefore in the sight of all Is∣rael the congregation of the Lorde, and in the audience of our God, keepe and seeke for all the commaundementes of the Lorde your God, that ye may enioy a good lande, and leaue inheritaunce for your children after you for euer.

9 And thou Solomon my sonne, knowe thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a pure heart and with a wyl∣lyng minde: * 1.1812 For the Lord searcheth al heartes, and vnderstandeth all the im∣maginations of thoughtes: And if thou seeke him, he wyll be founde of thee: but if thou forsake him, he wyll cast thee of for euer.

10 Take heede now, for the Lorde hath chosen thee to builde him an house of a sanctuarie: Be strong therefore & play the man.

11 And Dauid gaue Solomon his sonne the paterne of the porche, and of the houses that longed thereto, of the store∣houses, vpper chambers, inner par∣lours, and of the house of the mercie seate:

12 And the example of all that he had in his minde for the courtes of the house of the Lorde, and for all the celles rounde about, for the treasures of the house of God, and for the treasures of the dedi∣cate thinges:

13 For the deuisions of the priestes and Leuites that wayted by course, and for [unspec C] al the workemanship that should serue for the house of the Lorde, and for all the vessels that shoulde serue in the house of the Lorde:

14 For golde, and for the waight of golde, for all vessels of sundry ministrations, for all maner of vessels of siluer in waight, and for all vessels whatsoeuer purpose they serued vnto:

15 The waight of golde for the candel∣stickes, and the golde for their lampes, with the waight for euery candelsticke and for the lampes thereof: And for the candelstickes of siluer by waight, both for the candelsticke & also for her lampes, according to the diuersitie of the vse of euery candelsticke.

16 And by wayght [he gaue] golde for the tables of shewe bread, euen for euery ta∣ble, and likewyse siluer for the tables of siluer.

17 And pure golde for the fleshehookes, cuppes, and drinking pots: and [pure] golde in wayght for basons, euen for euery bason: and likewyse siluer by waight, for euery bason of siluer.

18 And for the aulter of incense, pure golde by waight, and golde for the pat∣terne of the charret of the Cherubs that stretched out their winges and couered the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde. [unspec D]

19 All [he sayde] was geuen me* 1.1813 by wry∣ting of the hande of the Lorde, which made me vnderstand al the workeman∣ship of the patterne.

20 And Dauid said to Solomon his sonne: be strong & of good courage, & do man∣fullye, feare not nor be faint hearted, for ye lord God, euen my God, is with thee, & he shall not faile thee, nor forsake thee, vntill thou hast finished al ye worke that must serue for the house of the Lorde.

21 Beholde, the priestes and Leuites are deuided in companies for all maner of seruice that pertayneth to the house of God, they are with thee for all maner of workmanship, and so are al that excel in wysedome for any maner of seruice:

Page [unnumbered]

thou hast also the princes and all the people who ly at thy commaundement.

¶The .xxix. Chapter.

2 The offering of Dauid and of the princes for the building of the temple. 10 Dauid geueth thankes to the Lorde. 20 He exhorteth the people to do the same, 22 Solo∣mon is created king. 28 Dauid dyeth, and Solomon his sonne raigneth in his steade.

[unspec A] 1 AND Dauid the king saide vnto all the con∣gregation: * 1.1814 God hath specially chosen Solo∣mon “ 1.1815 my sonne which is yet young & tender, & the worke is great: for the house shall not be for man, but for the Lorde God.

2 Moreouer, I haue prepared with all my might for the house of my God, golde for vessels of golde, siluer for them of siluer, brasse for thinges of brasse, iron for thinges of iron, & wood for thynges of wood, and onix stones, and stones to be set, “ 1.1816 glistering stones, and of diuers colours, & al maner of precious stones, & marble stones in great aboundaunce.

3 And because I haue lust to the house of my God, I haue of myne owne pro∣per good of golde and siluer which I haue geuen to the house of my God, beside all that I haue prepared for the holy house,

4 Euen three thousand talentes of golde of Ophir, and seuen thousand talentes of tried siluer, to ouer laye the walles of the house withall.

5 The golde for thinges of golde, siluer for them of siluer, and for all maner of worke by the handes of artificers: And whosoeuer is (a) 1.1817 wylling, may this day (b) 1.1818consecrate his hande vnto the Lorde.

6 And so the auncient fathers and the lordes of the tribes of Israel, the cap∣taynes of thousandes and hundredes, with the lordes that were rulers ouer the kinges worke, were willing,

[unspec B] 7 And gaue for the seruice of the house of God, fiue thousand talentes of golde, and ten thousand peeces [of golde,] and ten thousand talentes of siluer, & eyght∣teene thousand talentes of brasse, and one hundred thousand talentes of iron.

8 And they with whom precious stones were founde, gaue them to the treasure of the house of the Lord by the hand of Iehiel the Gersonite.

9 And the people reioyced when they were so wylling to geue their goodes, and with a perfect heart they offered wyllingly to the Lord: And Dauid the king reioyced with great gladnesse.

10 And Dauid blessed the Lorde before all the congregation, and sayde: Bles∣sed be thou Lorde God of Israel, our father from euer and for euer.

11 Thyne O Lorde is greatnesse, and power, glory, victorie, and prayse: for all that is in heauen and in earth is thyne, and thyne is the kingdome O Lorde, and thou excellest aboue all, euen as the head of all.

12 And richesse and honour come of thee, and thou raignest ouer all, and in thyne hande is power & strength, and in thyne hand it is to make great and to geue strength vnto all.

13 And nowe our God we thanke thee, [unspec C] and prayse thy glorious name.

14 But who am I? and what is my peo∣ple? that we should enforce our selues to geue these thinges so willingly? But all thinges come of thee, & of that which we receaued at thyne hand, we haue ge∣uen thee.

15 * 1.1819For we be but straungers before thee, and soiourners, as were al our fathers: Our dayes on the earth also are but as a * 1.1820 shadowe, and there is none abiding.

16 O Lorde our God, all this stuffe that we haue prepared to builde thee an house for thy holy name, commeth of thyne hand, and is all thyne.

17 I wot also my God that thou try∣est the heartes, and hast pleasure in vn∣faynednesse, & in the vnfaonednesse of myne heart I haue wyllingly offered al these thinges: And now haue I seene thy people which are founde here to of∣fer vnto thee wyllyngly, and with glad∣nesse.

18 O Lorde God of Abraham, Isahac, and of Israel our fathers, (c) 1.1821 keepe this for euer in the desire of the thoughtes of the heart of thy people, & prepare their heartes vnto thee. [unspec D]

19 And geue vnto Solomon my sonne a perfect heart, to keepe thy commaunde∣mentes, thy testimonies, & thy statutes, and to do all, and builde the house, for the which I haue made prouision.

Page cxxviij

20 And Dauid saide to all the congrega∣tion: Now blesse the Lorde your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lorde God of their fathers, and bowed downe their heades, and worshipped the Lorde and the king.

21 And they offered offringes vnto the Lorde: And on the morowe after the saide day, they offred burnt offringes vnto the Lorde, euen a thousand young oxen, a thousand rammes, and a thou∣sand sheepe, with their drinke offrings: Many sacrifices offred they for all Is∣rael,

22 And did eate & drinke before the Lord the same day with great gladnesse: And they made Solomon the sonne of Da∣uid king the second time, and annoynted him prince before the Lorde, and Za∣doc to be the hie priest.

23 * 1.1822And Solomon sate on the seate of the Lorde, and was king in steade of Da∣uid his father, and prospered: and all they of Israel obeyed him.

24 And all the lordes and men of power, and all the sonnes of king Dauid, sub∣mitted them selues, & were vnder king Solomon.

25 * 1.1823And the Lorde magnified Solomon in dignitie in the sight of all them of Is∣rael, and gaue him so glorious a king∣dome, as no king had before him in Is∣rael.

26 And so Dauid the sonne of Isai raig∣ned ouer all Israel.

27 And the space that he raigned ouer Is∣rael, was fouretie yeres: Seuen yeres raigned he in Hebron, and thirtie and three yeres raigned he in Hierusalem.

28 And he dyed in a good age, ful of dayes, riches, and honour: and Solomon his sonne raigned in his steade.

29 The actes of Dauid the king first and last, beholde they are written in the booke of Samuel the sear, and in the booke of (b) 1.1824 Nathan the prophete, and in the booke of Gad the sear:

30 With all his kingdome, and power, and times, that went ouer him, & ouer all Israel, and ouer all the kingdomes of the earth.

❧The end of the first booke of the Chronicles, otherwyse called the first booke of Paralipomenon.

Page [unnumbered]

❧The second booke of the Chronicles, which in the Hebrue is one with the first.

¶The first Chapter.

6 The offering of Solomon at Gibeon, 8 He prayeth vnto God to geue him wyse∣dome, 11 which he geueth him, and more. 14 The number of his charets and hor∣ses, 15 and of his riches.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Solomon the sonne of Dauid waxed strong in his kingdome, and the * 1.1825 Lord his God was with him, and mag∣nified him “ 1.1826 in dignitie.

2 And Solo∣mon spake vnto all Israel, to the cap∣taynes ouer thousandes, to the cap∣taynes ouer hundredes, to the iudges, and to euery officer in all Israel, and to the auncient fathers.

3 And so Solomon and all the congre∣gation with him * 1.1827 went to the hie place that was at Gibeon:* 1.1828 for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, * 1.1829 which Moyses the seruaunt of the Lorde made in the wyldernesse.

4 But the arke of God * 1.1830 had Dauid brought from Kiriathiarim, into the place which Dauid had prepared ther∣fore: For he had pitched a tent for it at Hierusalem.

5 Moreouer, the brasen aulter * 1.1831 that Be∣zaleel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur had made, was there before the taber∣nacle of the Lorde: And Solomon and the congregation went to visite it.

6 And Solomon gat vp there before the Lord, to the brasen aulter that was be∣fore the tabernacle of the congregation, and * 1.1832 offered a thousand burnt sacrifices vpon it.

[unspec B] 7 And the same night did God appeare vnto Solomon, and said vnto him: Aske what I shall geue thee.

8 And Solomon saide vnto God: Thou hast shewed great mercie vnto Dauid my father, and * 1.1833 hast made me to raigne in his steade.

9 * 1.1834Now therefore, O Lorde God, let thy promise which thou madest vnto Dauid my father, be true: * 1.1835 For thou hast made me king ouer a people which is lyke the dust of the earth in multi∣tude:

10 Wherefore geue me now wysedome and knowledge, that I may be able to (a) 1.1836 go in and out before this people: for who els can iudge this people that is so great?

11 * 1.1837And God saide to Solomon: Because this was in thyne heart, and because thou hast not asked treasure and riches, and honour, & the (b) 1.1838 liues of thyne ene∣mies, neither yet long lyfe, but hast as∣ked wysedome and knowledge for thy selfe, to iudge my people ouer which I haue made thee king:

12 Wysedome and knowledge is graun∣ted vnto thee, and I will geue thee trea∣sure, & riches, and glory: so that among the kinges that haue ben before thee, or after thee, none was or shalbe lyke thee.

13 And so Solomon came from the high [unspec C] place that was at Gibeon to Hierusa∣lem from the tabernacle of the congre∣gation, and raigned ouer Israel.

14 * 1.1839And Solomon gathered charets and horsemen: and he had a thousand and foure hundred charets, & twelue thou∣sand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the charet cities, and with the king at Hierusalem.

15 And* 1.1840 the king made siluer and golde at Hierusalem as plenteous as stones, and Cedar trees made he as plentie as the Mulbery trees that growe in the valleyes.

16 Also Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, & fine linnen: The kinges marchaūtes receaued the fine linnen for a price.

17 They came also and brought out of E∣gypt a charet for sixe hundred peeces of siluer, euen an horse for an hundred and fiftie: And so brought they [horses] for all the kinges of the Hethites, and for the kinges of Syria, by their owne hande.

Page cxxix

The .ii. Chapter.

2 The number of Solomons workemen to buylde the temple. 3 Solomon sendeth to Hiram the king of Cyrus for wood and workemen.

[unspec A] 1 AND Solomon deter∣mined to buylde an house for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdome.

2 And Solomon tolde out threescore and ten thousande men to beare burthens, and fourescore thousand men to hewe stones in the mountayne, and a 1.1841 three thousand and sixe hundred to ouersee them.

3 * 1.1842And Solomon sent to Hiram the king of Tyre, saying: As thou diddest deale with Dauid my father, and * 1.1843 diddest send him Cedar wood to buyld him an house to dwell in [euen so deale with me:]

4 Behold I buylde an house for the name of the Lorde my God, to offer vnto him holy thinges, & to burne sweete incense, and to set shewe bread before him conti∣nually, to offer burnt sacrifices of the morning and euening on the Sabbath dayes, in the firste day of euery newe moone, and in the solempne feastes of the Lorde our God: for it is an ordi∣naunce to be continually kept of Israel.

5 And the house which I buylde shalbe great: for great is our God aboue all gods.

6 But who is able to buylde him an house? when that heauen and heauen a∣boue all heauens is not able to receaue him, what am I then that should buyld him an house? nay, but euen to burne sa∣crifice before him [shall this buylding be.]

[unspec B] 7 Sende me nowe therefore a cunning man, that can worke in golde and siluer, in brasse and iron, in purple, crymosin, * 1.1844yelowe silke, & that can skyll to graue with the cunning men that are with me in Iuda and Hierusalem, whom Dauid my father dyd prepare.

8 Sende me also Cedar trees, pine trees, and * 1.1845 algume trees, out of Libanon: For I wot that thy seruauntes can skill to hewe timber in Libanon: and behold my men shalbe with thyne,

9 That they may prepare me timber e∣nough: For the house whiche I am de∣termined to buylde, shalbe wonderfull great.

10 And behold, for the vse of thy seruauntes the cutters and hewers of timber, I haue geuen twentie thousande quarters of beaten wheat, and twentie thousand quarters of barlye, and twentie thou∣sande battes of wine, and twentie thou∣sande battes of oyle.

11 And Hiram ye king of Tyre aunswered in writing, whiche he sent to Solomon▪ Because the Lorde hath loued his peo∣ple, therefore hath he made thee king ouer them.

12 And Hiram sayde moreouer. Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel whiche made heauen & earth, & that hath geuen Da∣uid the king a wise sonne, and one that hath descretion, prudence, and vnder∣standing, to buyld an house for the Lord, and a palace for his kingdome.

13 And now I haue sent a wise man, and [unspec C] a man of vnderstanding, whom my fa∣ther Hiram dyd vse:

14 * 1.1846The sonne of a woman of the daugh∣ters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, and he can skil to worke in gold and siluer, in brasse and iron, in stone and timber, in purple and “ 1.1847 yelowe silke, in fine whyte and crymosin, and can graue sundry maner of grauinges, and to finde out diuers maner of subtill worke that shalbe set before hym, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lorde Dauid thy father.

15 Nowe therefore, the wheate and bar∣lye, oyle and wine, which my lorde hath spoken of, let him sende vnto his ser∣uauntes:

16 And we will cut wood in Libanon as much as thou shalt neede, and wil bring it to thee in flotes by sea to Iapho, from whence thou mayest cary them to Hierusalem.

17 And Solomon numbred all the straun∣gers that were in the lande of Israel, af∣ter the number of them whom his fa∣ther Dauid had numbred: And they were founde an hundred fiftie and three thousand, and sixe hundred.

18 And he set threescore and ten thousande to beare burthens, and fourescore thou∣sande to hewe stones in the mountayne, and three thousande & sixe hundred offi∣cers to set the people a worke.

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The .iii. Chapter.

The temple of the Lorde, and the porche are buylded, with other things thereto belonging.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Solomon began to buylde the house of the Lorde at Hierusa∣lem in mount (a) 1.1848 Moria * 1.1849where the Lorde ap∣peared vnto Dauid his father, euen in the place that Dauid prepared in the thres∣shing floore of Ornan the Iebusite.

2 And he * 1.1850 began to buylde in the seconde day of the seconde moneth, * 1.1851the fourth yere of his raigne.

3 And these are the patternes whereby Solomon was instruct to buylde the house of God: The length was three∣score cubites after the olde measure, and the breadth twentie cubites.

4 And the porche that was before the length in the front, according to the breadth of the house, was twentie cu∣bites, and the heyght was an hundred and twentie cubites: and he ouerlayed it on the inner syde with pure golde.

5 And the greater house he seeled with firre tree, whiche he ouerlayed with the best golde, and graued thereto paulme trees and chaynes.

6 And he ouerlayed the house with pre∣cious stone beautyfully: And the golde was golde of Paruaim.

[unspec B] 7 The house [I say] the beames, postes, walles, and doores therof, ouerlayed he with golde, and graued Cherubs on the walles.

8 And he made the house most holy: whose length was twentie cubites like to the breadth of the house, and the breadth therof was also twentie cubites: and he ouerlayed it with good golde, euen with sixe hundred talentes.

9 And the wayght of the nayles of golde was fiftie sicles: and he ouerlayed the vpper chambers with golde.

10 * 1.1852And in the house most holy he made two Cherubims of image worke, like children, and ouerlayed them with gold.

11 And the wynges of the Cherubs were twentie cubites long: The one wyng was fiue cubites, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wyng was likewise fiue cubites, reaching to the wyng of the other Cherub.

12 And euen so the one wyng of the other Cherub was fiue cubites, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wyng was fiue cubites also, and reached to the wyng of the other Cherub.

13 So that the wynges of the sayde Che∣rubs [unspec C] were stretched out twentie cubites: and they stoode on their feete, and loked inwardes.

14 And he made a fore hanging of “ 1.1853 yelow silke, purple, crymosin, and fine white, & caused the pictures of Cherubs to be bro∣dred theron.

15 And he made before the house two pil∣lers of thirtie and fiue cubites high, and the head that was aboue on the top of euery one of them was fiue cubites,

16 And he made chaynes of wreathē worke for the quier, & put them on the heades of the pillers: and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chaynes.

17 And he reared vp the pillers before the temple, one on the right hande, and the other on the left: and called the right Iachin, and the left Boaz.

The .iiii. Chapter.

1 The aulter of brasse. 2 The lauatorie. 6 The caldrons. 7 The candelstickes. &c.

[unspec A] 1 ANd he made an aulter of brasse, twentie cu∣bites long, and twentie cubites broade, and ten cubites hie.

2 * 1.1854And he cast a brasen lauatorie of ten cubites from brym to brym, rounde in compasse, and fiue cubites hie: and a line of thirtie cubites dyd compasse it round about.

3 And vnder it was the fashion of oxen, whiche dyd compasse it rounde about: with ten cubites dyd they compasse the lauatorie rounde about, and there were two rowes of oxen whiche were cast lyke molten worke.

Page cxxx

4 And it stoode also vpon twelue oxen: three loked towarde the north, three to∣warde the west, three toward the south, and three toward the east: and the laua∣torie was set vpon them, and all their backes were towarde the lauatorie.

5 And the thyckest of it was an hande breadth, and the brym like the brym of a cuppe, with floures of lilies: and it recea∣ued and helde three thousande battes.

6 * 1.1855And he made ten lauers, and put fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the left, to washe and clense in them such thinges as they offered for a burnt offring: But the great lauatorie was for the priestes to washe in.

7 And he made ten candelstickes of gold, according to the patterne that was geuē of them, and put them in the temple, fiue on the right hande, and fiue on the left.

8 And he made also ten tables, and put them in the temple, fiue on the right side, and fiue on the left: And he made an hundred basens of golde.

9 And he made the court of the priestes, and the great court, and doores to it, and ouerlayde the doores of them with brasse.

10 And he set the great lauatorie on the right side of the east ende, ouer against the south.

11 And Hiram made pottes, shouels, and basens, & finished the worke that he was appoynted to make for king Solomon in the house of God.

12 The two pillers, and the bowles, and the pommels on the toppe of the two pillers, and the two wreathes to couer the two bowles of the pommels whiche were on the toppe of the pillers,

13 And foure hundred pomegranates on the two wreathes: two rowes of pome¦granates on one wreath to couer the two bowles of the pomels.

14 And he made two bottomes, and la∣uers [unspec C] made he vpon the bottomes.

15 The great lauatorie, and twelue oxen vnder it.

16 Pottes also, shouels, and fleshhokes: and all these vessels dyd * 1.1856 Hiram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the Lord, of bright brasse.

17 In the playne of Iordane did the king cast them, euen in the clay grounde that is betweene Socoth and Zaredatha.

18 And Solomon made al these vessels in great aboundaunce: for the weyght of brasse coulde not be reckened.

19 And Solomon made al the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden aulter also, & the tables to set the shewe bread vpon.

20 Moreouer, the candelstickes with their lampes, to burne after the maner before the quier, and that of precious golde.

21 And the floures, and the lampes, and [unspec D] the snoffers made he of golde, and that perfect golde.

22 And the “ 1.1857 dressing knyues, basens, spoones, and censers of pure golde: And the doore of the temple, and the inner doores within the place most holy, and the inner doores of the temple were gilted.

The .v. Chapter.

1 The things dedicated by Dauid, are put in the temple. 2 The arke is brought into the temple. 10 What was within it. 12 They sing prayse to the Lorde.

[unspec A] 1 ANd so all the worke that Solomon made in the house of the lord was finished: And * 1.1858 So∣lomon brought in all the thinges that Da∣uid his father had de∣dicated, with the siluer and golde, and al the iewels, and put them among the treasures of the house of God.

2 Then Solomon * 1.1859 gathered the elders of Israel together, and all the heades of the tribes and auncient fathers of the children of Israel, vnto Hierusalem, to bring the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde out of the citie of Dauid, whiche is [in] Sion.

3 Wherefore all the men of Israel resor∣ted vnto the king in the feast, euen in the (a) 1.1860seuenth moneth.

4 And all the elders of Israel came, and the Leuites toke vp the arke.

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5 And the priestes & the Leuites brought away the arke of the tabernacle of ye con∣gregatiō, & al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, and they bare them.

6 And king Solomon & all the congrega∣tion of Israel that were assembled vnto him before the arke, offered sheepe and oxen, so many that they coulde not be tolde nor numbred for multitude.

7 And the priestes brought the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde vnto his place, euen into the quier of the temple within the place most holy, and set it vn∣der the wynges of the Cherubs,

8 So that the Cherubs stretched out their wynges ouer the place of the arke, and the Cherubs couered both the arke and her barres aboue on hye.

9 And the barres of the arke were so long, that the heades of the barres were seene without the arke within the quier, but not without: and there the arke re∣mayned vnto this day.

10 But there was nothing in the arke * 1.1861saue the two tables which Moyses put therin at Horeb, when the Lord made a couenaunt with the children of Israel after they were come out of Egypt.

11 And it fortuned, that when the priestes were come out of the holy place (for all the priestes that were present, were sanc∣tified, and did not then wayte by course)

12 That both the Leuites and the singers, vnder Asaph, Heman, and Ieduthun, were appoynted to sundry offices with their children and brethren, and were a∣rayed in syne whyte, hauing cymbales, psalteries, and harpes, and stoode at the east ende of the aulter, and by them an hundred and twentie priestes blowing with trumpets:

13 And the trumpet blowers and the sin∣gers so agreed, that it seemed but one voyce in praysing & thanking the Lorde: And when they lift vp their voyce with the trumpets, cymbales, and other in∣strumentes of musicke, and when they praysed the Lord, How that he is good, and that his mercie lasteth euer: the house of God was filled with a cloude,

14 So that the priestes coulde not endure [unspec C] to minister by the reason of the cloude: For the maiestie of the Lorde had filled the house of God.

The .vi. Chapter.

3 Solomon blesseth the people. 4 He prayseth the Lorde. 14 He prayeth vnto God for those that shall pray in the temple.

[unspec A] 1 THen Solomon sayde: * 1.1862The Lord hath spo∣ken, howe that he wil dwell in the darcke cloude.

2 And I haue buylt thee an house of habi∣tation for thee, and a place for thy dwel∣ling for euer.

3 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, & all the congregation of Israel stoode.

4 And he sayde: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath with his handes fulfilled it that he spake with his mouth to my father Dauid, saying:

5 * 1.1863Since the day that I brought my peo∣ple out of the lande of Egypt, I chose no citie among all the tribes of Israel to buylde an * 1.1864 house in, that my name might be there, neither chose I any man to be a ruler ouer my people Israel:

6 Sauing that * 1.1865 I haue chosen Hierusa∣lem, that my name might be there, and haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my peo∣ple Israel. [unspec B]

7 * 1.1866And when it was in the heart of Da∣uid my father to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israel,

8 The Lorde sayde to Dauid my father: Forasmuch as it was in thyne heart to buylde an house for my name, thou did∣dest well that thou thoughtest in thyne heart.

9 Notwithstanding, thou shalt not buyld the house: but thy sonne which is procee∣ded out of thy loynes, he shall buylde an house for my name.

10 The Lorde therefore hath made good his saying that he hath spoken: and I am rysen vp in the roome of Dauid my father, and am set on the seate of Is∣rael, as the Lorde promised, and haue buylt an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

11 And in it haue I put the arke wherein is the (b) 1.1867 couenaunt of the Lorde that he made with the children of Israel.

Page cxxxj

12 And the king stoode before the aulter of the Lorde in the presence of all the con∣gregation of Israel, and stretched out his handes:

13 (For now Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of fyue cubites long, and fyue cubites brode, and three of heyght, and had set it in the middes of the great courte, and vpon it he stoode and kneeled downe vpon his knees before al the con∣gregation of Israel, and stretched out [unspec C] his handes towarde heauen,)

14 And sayde: * 1.1868O Lorde God of Israel, there is no god like thee in heauen and earth, which kepest couenaunt & shew∣est mercie vnto thy seruauntes that walke before thee with al their heartes.

15 Thou whiche hast kept with thy ser∣uaunt Dauid my father the thinges that thou promisedst him, thou saydest it with thy mouth, & hast fulfilled it with thyne handes, as it is to see this day.

16 And nowe Lorde God of Israel, kepe with thy seruaunt Dauid my father the thinges that thou promisedst him, say∣ing, * 1.1869Thou shalt in my sight not be without a man that shall sit vpon the seate of Israel, so that thy children take heede to their wayes to walke in my lawe, as thou hast walked before me.

17 And nowe Lord God of Israel, let thy saying be true whiche thou spakest vnto thy seruaunt Dauid.

18 (And wil God in verie deede dwel with men on earth? Beholde, * 1.1870heauen and heauen aboue all heauens do not con∣tayne thee, howe much lesse the house which I haue buylded?)

19 Let it be thy pleasure therfore to turne to the prayer of thy seruaunt and to his supplication O Lorde my God, to hear∣ken vnto the voyce and prayer whiche thy seruaunt prayeth before thee.

20 And let thyne eyes be open towarde this house day & night, ouer this place wherof thou hast sayde that thou woul∣dest put thy name there, to hearken vnto the prayer whiche thy seruaunt prayeth in this place.

[unspec D] 21 Hearken vnto the prayers of thy ser∣uaunt and of thy people Israel, which they pray in this place: heare thou I say, out of thy dwelling place, euen out of heauen, heare, and be mercifull.

22 * 1.1871If a man sinne against his neyghbour, and take an oth agaynst hym and make him to sweare, and they both come be∣fore thyne aulter in this house:

23 Then heare thou from heauen, and do and iudge thy seruauntes, that thou re∣warde the vngodly & recompence hym his way vpon his head, and iustifie the righteous, and geue him according to his righteousnes.

24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemie, because they haue sinned against thee: Yet if they turne & geue thankes vnto thy name, and make intercession, and pray before thee in this house:

25 Then heare thou from heauen, and be merciful vnto the sinne of thy people Is∣rael, and bryng them againe vnto the lande which thou gauest to them and to their fathers.

26 * 1.1872When heauen is shut vp, and there be no rayne, because they haue sinned a∣gainst thee: yet if they pray in this place, and confesse thy name, and repent from their sinne for the which thou chastenest them:

27 Then heare thou in heauen, and be merciful vnto the sinne of thy seruauntes & of thy people Israel, and guyde thou them into the good way to walke in, and send rayne vpon thy lande whiche thou hast geuen vnto thy people for an inheritaunce.

28 And if ther be dearth in the land, or pe∣stilence, [unspec E] corruption, or blasting of corne, grashoppers, or caterpillers, or that their enemies besiege them in the “ 1.1873 cities of their land, or whatsoeuer plage or sicke∣nesse it be:

29 Then what supplications and prayers soeuer shalbe made of any man and of all thy people Israel, which shall know euery man his owne sore, and his owne griefe, & shall stretche out their handes towarde this house:

30 Thou shalt heare from heauen, euen from thy dwelling place, and shalt be mercifull, and geue euery man according vnto all his wayes, euen as thou doest know euery mans heart: (for thou d 1.1874 on∣ly knowest the heartes of the children of men,)

31 That they may feare thee, & walke in thy wayes as long as they liue, in ye land which thou gauest vnto our fathers.

32 * 1.1875Moreouer, the straunger whiche is not of thy people Israel, if he come from a farre lande for thy great names sake, and thy mightie hande, and thy

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stretched out arme: If they come I say, and pray in this house:

33 Thou shalt heare from heauen, euen from thy dwelling place, and shalt do according to all that the straunger cal∣leth to thee for: That all people of the earth may knowe thy name, and feare thee as doth thy people Israel, and that they may knowe how that in this house whiche I haue buylt, thy name is called vpon.

[unspec F] 34 If thy people go out to warre against their enemies by the way that thou shalt sende them, and they pray to thee in the way * 1.1876 towarde this citie whiche thou hast chosen, euen toward the house which I haue buylt for thy name:

35 Then heare thou from heauen their supplication and prayer, and helpe them in their right.

36 If they sinne against thee (as * 1.1877 there is no man but he doth sinne) and thou be angry with them, and deliuer them ouer before their enemies, and they take them and carie them away captiues vnto a lande farre or neare:

37 Yet if they repent in their heart in the lande where they be in captiuitie, and turne, and pray vnto thee in the land of their captiuitie, saying, We haue sin∣ned, we haue done euyll and wickedly:

38 And turne againe to thee with all their heart and all their soule in the lande of their aptiuitie where they kepe them in bondage, and so pray towarde their land whiche thou gauest vnto their fa∣thers, euen toward the citie which thou hast chosen, & toward the house whiche I haue buylt for my name:

39 Then heare thou from heauen, euen from thy dwelling place, their supplica∣tion and their prayer, and iudge their cause, and be mercifull vnto thy people which haue sinned against thee.

40 Now my God, let thine eyes be open, and thyne eares attent vnto the prayer that is made in this place. [unspec G]

41 Nowe vp * 1.1878 O Lorde God into thy(e) 1.1879 resting place, thou and the arke of thy strength: O Lorde God, let thy priestes be clothed with health, & let thy sainctes reioyce in goodnesse.

42 O Lord God, turne not away the face of thyne (f) 1.1880 annoynted: remember the mercies whiche thou hast promised to Dauid thy seruaunt.

The .vii. Chapter.

1 The fire consumeth the sacrifice. 2 The glorie of the Lorde filleth the temple. 12 He heareth his prayer. 17 and promiseth to exalt him and his throne.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1881 when Solomon had made an ende of praying, * 1.1882there came downe fire from hea∣uen, and consumed the burnt offring and the sacrifices: & the house was filled with the glorie of the Lorde,

2 And the priestes coulde not go into the house of the Lorde, because the glorie of the Lord had filled the lordes house.

3 And when al the children of Israel saw howe the fire and the glorie of the Lord came downe vpon the house, they fell downe flat vpon their faces to the earth vpon the pauement, and worshipped and confessed vnto the lord, That he is gra∣cious, and that his mercie lasteth euer.

4 And the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lorde.

5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twentie and two thousande oxen, and an hundred and twentie thousande sheepe: and so the king and all the people dedi∣cated the house of God.

6 And the priestes wayted on their offi∣ces, & the Leuites had the instrumentes of musicke of the Lord, which king Da∣uid had made to confesse vnto the Lord, that his mercie lasteth euer, Dauid pray∣sing God by thē: And the priestes blew with trumpettes before them, and all they of Israel stoode.

7 Moreouer, Solomon halowed the mid∣dle of the court that was before the [unspec B] house of the Lorde, for there he offred burnt offringes: & the fat of the peace of∣fringes, because the brasen aulter which Solomon had made, was not able to re∣ceaue the burnt offringes, and the meate offringes, and the fat.

8 So at the same time Solomon kept * 1.1883 a (a) 1.1884feast of seuen dayes, and al they of Is∣rael with him, an exceeding great con∣gregation, euen from the entring in of Hamath vnto the riuer of Egypt.

9 And in the eyght day they made an as∣semblie: For they kept the dedication of the aulter seuen dayes, & the feast seuen dayes.

Page cxxij

0 And the three and twentie day of the seuenth moneth he let the people de∣part into their tentes glad and mery in heart, for the goodnesse that the Lorde had shewed to Dauid and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

11 * 1.1885And so Solomon finished the house of the Lorde, and the kinges house: and all that came in his heart to make in the house of the Lorde, & in his owne house, went prosperously forwarde.

12 And the Lorde appeared to Solomon by night, and sayd to him: I haue heard thy petition, and * 1.1886 haue chosen this place for my selfe to be an house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut vp heauen that there be no rayne, or if I commaund the locustes to deuour the lande, or if I sende pesti∣lence among my people:

[unspec C] 14 And if they that are of my people, a∣mong whom my name is called vpon, do humble them selues, and make inter∣cession, and seke my presence, and turns from their wicked wayes: then will I heare from heauen, and be mercifull to their sinne, and will heale their lande.

15 And from hencefoorth myne eyes shal∣be open, and myne eares attent vnto the prayer that is made in this place.

16 And therfore nowe * 1.1887 I haue chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for euer: and myne eyes and myne heart shalbe there perpetually.

17 And if thou wilt walke before me, as Dauid thy father walked, to do all that I haue commaunded thee, and shalt ob¦serue my statutes and my lawes:

18 Then will I stablishe the seate of thy kingdome, according as I made the co∣uenaunt with Dauid thy father, saying: * 1.1888 Thou shalt not be without a man to be ruler in Israel.

19 But and if ye turne away, and forsake my statutes & my commaundementes which I haue set before you, and shall go and serue other gods, and worship them:

20 Then will I plucke them vp by the rootes, out of my lande whiche I haue geuen them, and this house whiche I haue sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a prouerbe and a iest among all nations.

21 And this house whiche is most high, shalbe an astonishement to euery one [unspec D] that passeth by, and shal say: * 1.1889 Why hath the Lorde dealt on this fashion with this lande, and with this house?

22 And they shal aunswere: Because they forsoke the Lorde God of their fathers which brought them out of the lande of Egypt, and caught holde on other gods, and worshipped them, and serued them: euen therefore hath he brought all this euyll vpon them.

The .viii. Chapter.

2 The cities that Solomon buylt. 7 People that were made tributarie vnto him, 12 His sacrifices. 17 He sendeth to Ophir.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1890 it fortuned, that after * 1.1891 twentie yeres, when Solomon had buylt the house of the Lorde and his owne house:

2 He buylt the cities that Hiram gaue hym, and put of the children of Israel in them.

3 And Solomon went to Hamath Zo∣ba, * 1.1892 and strengthed it.

4 And he buylt Thadmor in the wilder∣nesse, & repaired all the store cities which were in Hamath.

5 And he buylt Bethhoron the vpper, and Bethhoron the neather, strong ci∣ties, hauing walles, gates, and barres:

6 And Baalah, and al the store cities that Solomon had, and all the charet cities, and the cities of the horsmen, and euery pleasaunt place that Solomon had lst to buyld in Hierusalem & Libanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.

7 And all the people that were left of the [unspec B] Hethites, Amorites, Pherezites, Heuites and Iebusites, whiche were not of the children of Israel,

8 But were the children of them whiche were left after them in the lande, and were not consumed of the children of Is∣rael, them dyd Solomon make to pay tribute, vntill this day.

9 But of the children of Israel dyd So∣lomon make no bondemen for his worke: but they were men of warre, and rulers, and great lordes with him, and captaynes ouer his charets and horse∣men.

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10 And king Solomons officers that ouer∣sawe and ruled the people, were two hundred and fiftie.

11 And Solomon brought the daughter of Pharao out of the citie of Dauid, into the house that he had buylded for her: For he sayde, My wyfe shall not dwel in the house of Dauid king of Israel, for it is holy, because that the arke of the Lorde is come vnto it.

12 Then Solomon offred burnt offringes vnto the Lorde on the aulter of the Lorde, whiche he had buylt before the porche:

13 Doyng euery thing in his due time, and offering according to the commaunde∣mēt of Moyses, in the Sabbathes, new moones, and solempne feastes, * 1.1893 three times in the yere, [that is to say] in the feast of sweete bread, in the feast of weekes, and in the feast of tabernacles.

[unspec C] 14 And Solomon set the sortes of priestes to their offices as Dauid his father had ordered them, and the Leuites in their watches, for to prayse and minister be∣fore the priestes day by day, and the por∣ters by course at euery gate: * 1.1894for so had Dauid the man of God commaunded.

15 And they omitted not the commaunde∣ment of the king vnto the priestes and Leuites, concerning any maner of thing, and concerning the treasures.

16 For Solomon made prouision for the charges, from the first day that the foundation of the house of the Lorde was layed, till it was finished, that the house of the Lorde was perfect.

17 Then went king Solomon to Ezion Gaber, and to Eloth at the sea side in the lande of Edom.

18 And Hiram sent hym by the handes of his seruauntes, shippes, and seruauntes that had knowledge of the sea: and they went with the seruauntes of Solomon to Ophir, and caryed thence foure hun∣dred and fyftie talentes of golde, and brought it to king Solomon.

The .ix. Chapter.

1.9. The queene of Saba commeth to see Solomon, and bringeth giftes. 12 His yerely reuenues. 30 The time of his raigne. 31 His death.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1895 when the queene of Saba hearde of the fame of Solomon, she came to proue him in hard questions at Hie∣rusalem, with a verie great companie, with camels that bare spices, and plentie of golde, and precious stones: And when she was come to Solomon, she commu∣ned with him of all that she had in her heart.

2 And Solomon soyled her all her que∣stions: and there was not one word hyd from Solomon, which he tolde her not.

3 And when the queene of Saba had seene the wisdome of Solomon, and the house that he had buylt,

4 And the meate of his table, the sitting of his seruauntes, and the standing of his wayters, their apparell, his butlars, their apparell, * 1.1896 his goyng vp by the whiche he went into the house of Lord: there was no more spirite in her.

5 And she sayde to the king: The saying which I hearde in myne owne lande of thyne actes and of thy wisdome, is true.

6 I beleued not the wordes of them, vn∣till I came and myne eyes had seene it: And beholde, the one halfe of thy wys∣dome was not tolde me: for thou excee∣dest the fame that I hearde.

7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these [unspec B] thy seruauntes which stand before thee alway, and heare thy wysdome.

8 Blessed be the Lorde thy God, whiche had lust to thee, to set thee [king] on his seate, that thou mightest be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loueth Israel [and hath delyte] to make them continue euer, therefore made he thee king ouer them, to do right and equitie.

9 And she gaue the king an hundred and twentie talentes of golde, and of spices exceeding great aboundaunce, and pre∣cious stones: neither was ther any more such spyce as the queene of Saba gaue king Solomon.

10 And the seruauntes of Hiram and the seruauntes of Solomon which brought gold from Ophir, brought also Algume wood and precious stones.

Page cxxxiij

11 And the king made of the Algume wood stayres in the house of the Lorde and in the kinges palace, & harpes, and psalteries for singers: And there was none such wood seene before in the land of Iuda.

12 And king Solomon gaue to the queene of Saba euery pleasant thing that she asked, * 1.1897 besides that which she had brought vnto the king: And so she turned and went away to her owne lande with her seruauntes.

13 The waight of golde that came to So∣lomon [unspec C] in one yere, was sixe hundred threescore and sixe talentes of golde:

14 Besides that which chapmen & mar∣chauntes brought: and all the kinges of Arabia and rulers of that countrey brought golde and siluer to Solomon.

15 And king Solomon made two hun∣dred tarkets of beaten golde: and sixe hundred sicles of beaten golde were spēt vpon one target.

16 And three hundred shieldes made he of beaten golde, & one shielde cost three hundred peeces of golde: and the king put them in the house that was in the forest of Libanon.

17 And the king made a great seate of yuory, & ouerlayde it with pure golde.

18 And there were sixe steps to the seate, with a footestoole of golde fastened to the seate: and pommels on eche syde of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the pommels.

19 And twelue lions stoode on the one side [unspec D] and on the other vpon the sixe steppes: so that there was no such worke made in any kingdome.

20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of golde, and al the ves∣sels of the house that was in the forest of Libanon were of precious golde: for siluer was counted nothing worth in the dayes of Solomon.

21 For the kinges shippes went to Thar∣sis with the seruauntes of Hiram, euery three yeres once came the shippes to Tharsis, and brought golde, siluer, yuo∣rie, and apes, and pecockes.

22 * 1.1898And king Solomon passed all the kinges of the earth, in richesse & wyse∣dome.

23 And all the kinges of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to heare his wysedome that God had put in his heart.

24 And they brought euery man his pre∣sent, vessels of siuer, & vessels of golde, rayment, harnesse, spises, horses, and mules, and whatsoeuer might be gotten yere by yere.

25 * 1.1899And Solomon had foure thousand stalles for horses, and charrettes, and twelue thousand horsemen: whom he [unspec E] bestowed in the charet cities, and [some were] with the king at Hierusalem.

26 And he raigned ouer all the kinges that were from Euphrates, vnto the lande of the Philistines, and to the bor∣der of Egypt.

27 * 1.1900And the king made siluer in Hierusa∣lem as plenteous as stones, and Cedar trees as plenteous as ye Mulberie trees that growe in the valleys:

28 And they brought vnto Solomon hor∣ses, out of Egypt, and out of all landes.

29 * 1.1901The rest of the actes of king Solo∣mon first and last, are they not written in the sayings of Nathan the prophete, and in the prophecie of Ahiah the Silo∣nite, and in the visions of Iddo the sear of visions against Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat?

30 And Solomon raigned in Hierusalem vpon all Israel fouretie yeres.

31 And Solomon slept with his fathers: and they buried him in the citie of Da∣uid his father, & Rehoboam his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .x. Chapter.

4 The rigour of Rehoboam. 13 He foloweth lewde counsell. 16 The people rebell.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1902 Rehoboam went to Sichem: for to Si∣chem were all Israel come together to make him king.

2 And when Ierobo∣am the sonne of Na∣bat (which * 1.1903 was fled into Egypt from the presence of Solomon the king) heard it, he returned out of Egypt.

3 And they sent and called him: And so Ieroboam and all they of Israel, came and communed with Rehoboam, say∣ing:

4 Thy father layde a greeuous yoke vp∣on vs: nowe therefore remit thou some∣what

Page [unnumbered]

of the greeuous seruice of thy fa∣father, & of his heauy yoke that he put vpon vs, and we wyll serue thee.

5 And he saide to them: Come againe vnto me after three dayes. And the peo∣ple departed.

6 And king Rehoboam counsailed with the elders that had stande before Solo∣mon his father while he yet lyued, and he saide: what counsaile geue ye me, to aunswere this people againe?

[unspec B] 7 And they tolde him, saying: If thou be kinde to this people, and shewe thy selfe lowlie to them, and speake louyng wordes to them, they wyll be thy ser∣uauntes for euer.

8 But he left the counsaile which the el∣ders gaue him, and toke counsaile with the young men that were growen vp with him, and (a) 1.1904 that stoode in his pre∣sence.

9 And he saide vnto them: What aduise geue ye, that we may aunswere this people, which haue communed with me, saying, Abate somewhat of the yoke which thy father did put vpon vs?

10 And the young men that were grow∣en vp with him, spake vnto him, say∣ing, Thus shalt thou aunswere the people that speake to thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heauy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for vs: Thus shalt thou say vnto thē, My litle finger, shalbe heauier then my fathers loynes.

11 * 1.1905For where my father put a heauy yoke vpon you, I will put more to your yoke: My father chastised you with whyppes, but I wyll chastise you with scourges.

12 And so Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come againe to me the third day.

13 And the king aunswered them cruelly: [unspec C] and king Rehoboam left the counsaile of the aged men,

14 And aunswered them after the aduise of the young men, saying: My father made your yoke greeuous, and I wyll adde thereto: my father chastised you with whyppes, but I wyll chastise you with scourges.

15 And so the king hearkened not vnto the people: but the occasion came of God, that the Lorde might make good his saying * 1.1906 which he spake by the hand of Ahia the Silonite to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

16 And when all they of Israel saw that the king woulde not agree vnto them, the people aunswered the king, saying: What portion haue we in Dauid? For we haue no inheritaunce in the sonne of Isai: Euery man to his tent oh Israel, * 1.1907 and nowe Dauid, see to thyne owne house. And so all Israel gat them to their tentes:

17 So that Rehoboam raigned ouer no mo of the children of Israel then dwelt [unspec D] in the cities of Iuda.

18 Then king Rehoboam also sent Ha∣duram that was ruler ouer the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he dyed: But king Re∣hoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Hierusalem.

19 And they of Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.

The .xj. Chapter.

4 Rehoboam is forbidden to fight against Ieroboam. 5 Cities which he built. 21 He hath eyghteene wyues, and threescore concubines, and by them eyght and twentie sonnes, and threescore daughters.

[unspec A] 1 ANd when Rehoboam was come to Hierusa∣lem, * 1.1908 he gathered of the house of Iuda and Beniamin, nine score thousand chosen men of warre, to fight a∣gainst Israel, & to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam.

2 And the worde of the Lorde came to Semiahu the man of God, saying:

3 Speake vnto Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon king of Iuda, & to all them of Israel that are in Iuda and Benia∣min, and say:

4 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go vp nor fight against your brethren: re∣turne euery man to his house, for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the wordes of the Lorde, and returned from going against Ieroboam.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Hierusalem, and built strong cities in Iuda.

6 He built vp Bethlehem, & Etam, and

Page cxxxiiij

Chekoa,

7 Bethzur, Socho, and Adullam,

8 Gath, and Maresa, and Ziph,

9 Adurahim, Lachis, and Azecah,

10 Zoraa, Aialon, and Hebron, which is in Iuda and Beniamin, strong cities.

11 And he repaired the strong holdes, and put captaynes in them, and store of vittaile, and wine, and oyle:

12 And in all cities he put shieldes and speares, & made them exceeding strong, hauing Iuda and Beniamin on his syde.

[unspec C] 13 And the priestes and the Leuites that were in all Israel, resorted to him out of all their coastes.

14 For the Leuites left their suburbes, and their possession, and came to Iuda and Hierusalem: * 1.1909 For Ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them out from mi∣nistring vnto the Lorde.

15 * 1.1910And he ordayned him priestes for the high places, for the * 1.1911deuils, and for the calues which he had made.

16 And after the Leuites, there went out all the tribes of Israel, such as submit∣ted their heartes to seeke the Lord God of Israel, and came to Hierusalem to offer vnto the Lorde God of their fa∣thers.

17 And so they strengthed the kingdome of Iuda, & made Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon mightie three yeres long: for three b 1.1912 yeres they walked in the way of Dauid and Solomon.

18 And Rehoboam toke him Mahalath the daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid to wyfe, and Abihail the daugh∣ter of Eliab the sonne of Isai.

19 Which bare him children, Ieus, Sa∣maria, [unspec E] and Zaham.

20 And after her he toke * 1.1913 Maacha the daughter of Absolon, which bare him Abia, Atthai, Ziza, and Selomith.

21 And Rehoboam loued Maacha the daughter of Absolō aboue al his wyues and concubines: for he toke eyghteene wyues and threescore concubines, and begat twentie and eyght sonnes & three∣score daughters.

22 And Rehoboam made Abia the sonne of Maacha, the chiefe ruler a∣mong his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

23 (c) 1.1914And he played wyselie, and scattered all his children throughout al the coun∣tryes of Iuda and Beniamin vnto eue∣ry strong citie, and he gaue them aboun∣daunce of vittaile, and obtayned many wyues.

¶The .xii. Chapter.

1 Rehoboam forsaketh the Lorde, and is punished by Sesac. 6 Seme ia repro∣ueth him. 6 He humbleth him selfe. 7 God sendeth him succour. 9 Sesac ta∣keth his treasures. 13 His raigne and death. 16 Abia his sonne succeedeth him.

[unspec A] 1 AND it came to passe, that when Rehoboam had stablished the king∣dome & became migh∣tie, he forsooke the law of the Lorde, and * 1.1915 all Israel with him.

2 * And it fortuned, that in the fifth yere of king Rehoboam, Sesac the king of Egypt came vp against Hierusalem, be∣cause they had transgressed against the Lorde,

3 With twelue hundred charettes, and threescore thousand horsemen: And the people wer without number that came with him out of Egypt, Lubim, * 1.1916 Suc∣kim, and the blacke Moores.

4 And he toke the strong cities in Iuda, and came to Hierusalem.

5 Then came Semeia the prophete to Rehoboam and to the Lordes of Iu∣da that were gathered together within Hierusalem for Sesac, and saide vnto them: Thus saith the Lorde, Ye haue left me, and therefore haue I also (c) 1.1917 left you in the handes of Sesac.

6 Whereupon the lordes of Israel and the king humbled themselues, and said: The Lorde is righteous.

7 And when the Lorde saw that they [unspec B] submitted them selues, the worde of the Lorde came to Semeia, saying: They submit them selues, therefore I wyl not destroye them, but I wyll deliuer them somewhat, and my wrath shall not be powred out vpon Hierusalem by the hand of Sesac.

8 Neuerthelesse, they shalbe his ser∣uauntes: to knowe what difference is betweene (d) 1.1918 my seruice and the seruice of the kingdomes of the worlde.

9 And so Sesac king of Egypt came to

Page [unnumbered]

Hierusalem, & toke away the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the trea∣sures of the kinges house, he toke euen all: and he carryed away the shieldes of golde * 1.1919 which Solomon made.

10 In steade of which, king Rehoboam made shieldes of brasse, and committed them to the handes of the chiefe of the garde, & that kept the entraunce of the kinges house.

11 And it came to passe, that when the king entred into the house of the Lorde, the garde came and fet them, & brought them againe vnto the gard chamber.

12 And when he humbled himselfe, the wrath of the Lorde turned from him, that he woulde not destroy altogether: and in Iuda all was well.

[unspec C] 13 And so king Rehoboam waxed migh∣tie, & raigned in Hierusalem: And Reho∣boam was one and fourtie yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raig∣ned seuenteene yeres in Hierusalem, the citie which the Lorde had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there: And his mothers name was Na∣ama, an Ammonitesse.

14 * 1.1920And he did euill, because he prepared not his heart to seeke the Lorde.

15 The actes also of Rehoboam first and last, are they not written in the sayinges of Semeia the prophete, & of Iddo the sear, which noted the genealogie? And there was warre alway betweene Re∣hoboam and Ieroboam.

16 And Rehoboam slept with his fa∣thers, and was buried in the citie of Da∣uid, and Abia his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .xiii. Chapter.

1 Abia maketh warre against Ieroboam. 4 He sheweth the occasion. 12 He trusteth in the Lorde, and ouercommeth Ieroboam. 21 Of his wyues and children.

[unspec A] 1 THE eyghteenth yere of king Ieroboam * 1.1921 be∣gan Abia to raigne o∣uer Iuda.

2 And he raigned three yeres in Hierusalem: (His mothers name also was Michaiahu, the daughter (a) 1.1922 of V∣riel of Gibea:) And ther was warre be∣tweene Abia and Ieroboam.

3 And Abia set the battaile in aray with the armie of valiaunt men of warre, euē foure hundred thousand chosen men: And Ieroboam set him selfe in aray to fight agaynst hym with eyght hundred thousand pickt men, which were strong, and men of armes.

4 And Abia stoode vp vpon Zemaraim, an hill which is in mount Ephraim, and saide: Heare me thou Ieroboam and al Israel.

5 Do not you knowe how that the Lord God of Israel gaue the kingdome ouer them of Israel to Dauid for euer, euen to him and to his sonnes, with a (b) 1.1923 sal∣ted couenaunt?

6 And Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat the seruaunt of Solomon the sonne of Dauid is risen vp, and hath rebelled against his lorde.

[unspec B] 7 And there gathered to him lewde men, the children of Belial, and preuai∣led against Rehoboam the sonne of So∣lomon, when Rehoboam was (c) 1.1924 young and tender hearted, and could not stand before them.

8 And now ye say, that ye be able to pre∣uaile against the kingdome of the Lord, which is in the hande of the sonnes of Dauid, and ye be a great multitude, and haue the golden calues * 1.1925 which Ierobo∣am made you for gods.

6 * 1.1926And haue ye not cast out the priestes of the Lorde the sonnes of Aaron and the Leuites, and haue made you priestes after the maner of the nations of other landes? so that whosoeuer commeth & consecrateth his hande with a young oxe and seuen rammes, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

10 But we belong vnto the Lorde our God whom we haue not forsaken, and the priestes are the sonnes of Aaron which minister vnto the Lorde, and the Leuites wayte vpon their office.

11 They burne vnto the Lorde euery morning and euening burnt sacrifices, and sweete incense: the shewe bread set they in order vpon a pure table, and pre∣pare the candelsticke of golde with the lampes of the same to burne euer at [unspec C] euē: And truly we kept the watch of the lord our God, but ye haue forsaken him.

12 And beholde, God him selfe is our cap∣tayne,

Page [unnumbered]

and his priestes blowe with the * 1.1927 trumpettes and crie alarum against you. O ye children of Israel, fight not a∣gainst the Lorde God of your fathers: for it wyll not prosper with you.

[unspec C] 13 But for all that, Ieroboam conuayed men priuyly about, to come behinde thē: and so they were before Iuda, and the layers in wayte were behinde them.

14 And when they of Iuda loked about, beholde the battaile was before and be∣hinde, and they cryed vnto the Lorde, and the priestes blewe with the trum∣pettes,

15 And the men of Iuda gaue a showte: And as the men of Iuda showted, it came to passe that God smote Ierobo∣am and all Israel before Abia and Iu∣da.

16 And the children of Israel fled before Iuda, and God delyuered them into their hande.

17 And Abia and his people slue a great slaughter of them: There fell downe wounded of Israel fiue hundred thou¦sand chosen men.

18 And so the children of Israel were brought vnder at that time, & the chil∣dren of Iuda preuayled, d 1.1928 because they leaned vnto the Lorde God of their fa∣thers.

19 And Abia folowed after Ieroboam, [unspec D] and toke cities from him, Bethel with the townes belonging thereto, Iesana with the townes that belonged thereto, and Ephron with her townes.

20 And Ieroboam recouered no strength againe in the dayes of Abia: And the Lorde plagued him, and he dyed.

21 But Abia waxed mightie, and mary∣ed foureteene wiues, and begat twentie and two sonnes, and sixteene daugh∣ters.

22 The rest of the actes of Abia, his ma∣ners and his sayinges, are written in the story of the prophete Iddo.

The .xiiij. Chapter.

3 Asa destroyeth idolatrie, and commaundeth his people to serue the true God. 11 He prayeth vnto God when he shoulde go to fight. 12 He obtayneth the victorie.

[unspec A] 1 SO Abia slept with his fathers, and they bury∣ed him in the citie of Dauid, and * 1.1929 Asa his sonne raigned in his steade, in whose dayes the lande was in quiet∣nesse ten yeres.

2 And * 1.1930 Asa did that was good & right in the eyes of the Lorde his God.

3 For he toke away straunge aulters and the high places, and brake downe the images, and cut downe the groues:

4 And commaunded Iuda to seeke the Lorde God of their fathers, and to do according to the lawe and commaunde∣ment.

5 And he put away out of all the cities of Iuda the high places & the images: & the kingdome was quiet before him.

6 And he built strong cities in Iuda, be∣cause the lande was in rest, and he had no warre in those yeres: for the Lorde had geuen him rest.

7 Therefore he saide vnto Iuda: let vs [unspec B] builde these cities, & make about them walles, towres, gates, and barres, for the lande is yet in rest before vs: because we haue sought the Lorde our God, we haue sought him, and he hath geuen vs rest on euery side. And so they built, and it prospered with them.

8 And Asa had an armie of men that bare shieldes and speares out of Iuda three hundred thousand, & out of Benia∣min that bare shieldes & drewe bowes two hundred and fourescore thousand: all these were valiaunt men.

9 And there came out against them Za∣rah the blacke Morian * 1.1931 with an hoast of ten hundred thousand, & three hundred charettes, & came as farre as Maresa.

10 And Asa went out before him, and they ioyned the battaile in the valley of Ze∣phata, beside Maresa.

11 And Asa cryed vnto the Lorde his God, and saide: Lorde, * 1.1932it is no harde thing with thee to helpe with many or them that haue no power: Helpe vs therfore O Lorde our God, for we trust to thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude: Thou art the Lord our God, and no man shall preuaile against thee.

12 So the Lord smote the blacke Moores before Asa and Iuda, and the blacke

Page [unnumbered]

Moores fled.

13 And Asa & the people that was with him, folowed after them vnto Gerar: And the blacke Moores hoast was ouer∣throwen, that there was none of them left, but were destroyed before the Lord and before his hoast: And they caryed a∣way a mightie great pray.

14 And they smote all the cities rounde a∣bout Gerar, for the feare of the Lorde came vpon them: And they spoyled all the cities, & there was exceeding much spoyle in them.

15 They smote also the tentes of cattaile, and caryed away plentie of sheepe and camels, and returned to Hierusalem.

¶The .xv. Chapter.

1 The exhortation of Azaria. 8 Asa purgeth his countrey of idolatrie. 11 He sacri∣fiseth with the people. 14 They sweare together to serue the Lorde. 16 He deposeth his mother for her idolatrie.

[unspec A] 1 AND the spirite of God came on Azaria the sonne of Obed,

2 And he went out to meete Asa, and said vn∣to him: Heare me Asa, and al Iuda and Ben∣iamin, the Lorde is with you, while ye be with him: and when ye seeke him, he wyll be founde of you: and againe when ye forsake him, he also wyll for∣sake you.

3 Nowe for a long season Israel hath ben without the true God, and with∣out priestes to teache, and without law.

4 And when any man in his trouble did turne vnto the Lorde God of Israel and sought him, he was found of them.

5 And in that time there was no peace to him that did go out and in, but great sedition was there among all the inha∣biters of the earth.

6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and citie of citie: for God did moue all aduersitie among them.

[unspec B] 7 Play ye therefore the men, and let not your handes slacke: for your worke shal be rewarded.

8 And when Asa heard those wordes, and the prophecie(a) 1.1933 of Azaria the sonne of Obed the prophete, he toke courage, and put away the abhominable idols out of all the lande of Iuda and Benia∣min, and out of the cities which he wan in mount Ephraim, and renued the aul∣ter of the Lorde that was before the porche of the Lorde.

9 And he gathered al Iuda and Benia∣min, and the straungers with them, out of Ephraim, Manasse, & Simeon: For there fell many to him out of Israel, when they sawe that the Lord his God was with him.

10 So they assembled together at Hie∣rusalē the b 1.1934 third moneth, the fifteenth yere of the raigne of Asa.

11 And they offered vnto the Lorde the same time of the spoyle which they had brought, seuen hundred oxen, and seuen thousand sheepe.

12 And they made a couenaunt to seeke the Lorde God of their fathers, with all their heart, and all their soule.

13 And whosoeuer woulde not seeke the Lorde God of Israel, (c) 1.1935 shoulde dye for [unspec C] it, whether he were small or great, man or woman.

14 And they sware vnto the Lorde with a loude voyce, showting and blowing with trumpettes and shawmes.

15 And all they in Iuda reioyced at the oth: for they had sworne vnto the Lord with all their heart, & sought him with all their lust, and he was found of them: And the Lorde gaue them rest rounde about on euery syde.

16 And king Asa put (d) 1.1936 Maacha his mo∣ther out of aucthoritie, because she had made an abhominable idol in a groue: And Asa broke downe her idol, & stam∣ped it, & burnt it at the brooke Cedron.

17 But al the high places were not taken away out of Israel, though the heart of Asa was perfect all his dayes.

18 And he brought into the house of God the thinges that his father had dedi∣cate, and that he him selfe had dedicate: euen siluer, and golde, and iewels.

19 And there was no more warre vnto the * 1.1937 thirtie and fiue yere of the raigne of Asa.

Page cxxxvj

¶The .xvi. Chapter.

1 Asa for feare of Baasa king of Israel maketh a couenaunt with Benhadad king of Aram. 7 He is reproued by the prophete. 10 whom he putteth in prison. 12 He putteth his trust in the phisitions. 13 His death.

[unspec A] 1 IN the thirtie and sixth yere of the raigne of Asa, came * 1.1938 Baasa king of Israel against Iuda, & built Rama, to the intent that he would let none passe out or in to Asa king of Iuda.

2 And Asa fet out golde and siluer out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, & [out] of the kings house, and sent to Ben∣hadad king of Syria that dwelt at Dar∣mese, and saide:

3 There is a confederation betweene me and thee, betweene my father and thyne: beholde I haue sent thee siluer and golde, that thou wilt come & breake thyne appoyntment with Baasa king of Israel, that he may departe from me.

4 And Benhadad graunted vnto king Asa, and sent the captaynes of his ar∣mies to the cities of Israel: and they smote Iion, Dan, and Abelmaim, & all the strong cities of Nephthali.

5 And when Baasa heard this, he left building of Rama, and let his worke ceasse.

6 And then Asa the king toke all Iu∣da, and caryed away the stones and tim∣ber of Rama wherewith Baasa was a building, and he built therewith Geba and Mispah.

[unspec B] 7 At that time Hanani the sear came to Asa king of Iuda, and saide vnto him: * 1.1939 Because thou hast trusted in the king of Syria, and not rather put thy trust in the Lord thy God, therfore is the hoast of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hande.

8 * 1.1940Had not the blacke Moores and Lu∣bim an exceeding great hoast, with ma∣ny charettes and horsemen? And yet be∣cause thou trustedst in the Lorde, he de∣liuered them into thyne hande.

9 For the eyes of the Lorde beholde all the earth, to strength them that are of perfect heart toward him: * 1.1941 Herem thou hast done foolishly, and therefore from hencefoorth thou shalt haue warre.

10 And so Asa was wroth with the sear, and put him into a (b) 1.1942 prison house, for he was displeased with him because of this thing: And Asa destroyed [certaine] of the people the same season.

11 And beholde, these deedes of Asa first and last, are written in the booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

12 And Asa in the thirtie and ninth yere of his raigne fell sicke in his feete, and that his disease continued very long: And * 1.1943 in his sickenesse he sought not the lord, but phisitions.

13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and [unspec C] dyed in the fourtie and one yere of his raigne.

14 And they buried him in his owne se∣pulchre which he had made for himselfe in the citie of Dauid, and layde him in the bed which he had filled with diuers kindes of spices, & sweete odours made by the craft of the appothecaries: and burnt very much spice about him.

The .xvii. Chapter.

5 Iehosaphat trusting in the Lorde, prospereth in richesse and honour. 6 He abolisheth idolatrie, 7 and causeth the people to be taught. 11 He receaueth tribute of straun∣gers. 13 His munitions and men of warre.

[unspec A] 1 AND * 1.1944 Iehosaphat his sonne raigned in his steade, and preuailed a∣gainst Israel.

2 And he put souldiers in all the strong cities of Iuda, and set rulers in the lande of Iuda, and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had wonne.

3 And the Lorde was with Iehosa∣phat, because he walked in the olde wayes of his father Dauid, and sought not Baalim,

4 But sought the Lorde God of his fa∣ther, and walked in his commaunde∣mentes,

Page [unnumbered]

and not after the doinges of Israel.

5 And the Lorde stablished the king∣dome in his hande, & all they that were in Iuda brought him presentes, so that he had aboundaunce of richesse and ho∣nour.

6 And he lyft vp his heart vnto the wayes of the Lorde, and he put downe yet more of the high places and groues out of Iuda.

[unspec B] 7 In the third yere of his raigne he sent to his lordes, euen to Benhail, Obadia, Zacharia, Nethanel, and to Michaia∣hu, that they shoulde (a) 1.1945 teache in the ci∣ties of Iuda:

8 And with them he sent Leuites, euen Semeiahu, Nethaniahu, Zebadiahu, Asael, Semiramoth, Iehonathan, A∣doniahu, Tobiahu, & Tob adoniahu, & with them Elisama, and Iehoram, priestes.

9 And they taught in Iuda, and had the booke of the lawe of God with them, and went about throughout all the ci∣ties of Iuda, and taught the people.

10 And the feare of the Lorde fell vpon all the kingdomes of the landes that were rounde about Iuda, and they fought not against Iehosaphat.

11 And some of the Philistines brought Iehosaphat giftes, and tribute siluer, and therto the Arabians brought him cattaile, euen seuen thousand and seuen hundred rammes, and seuen thousand and seuen hundred hee goates.

12 And so Iehosaphat prospered, and grew vp an hie: And he built in Iuda castels and cities of store. [unspec C]

13 And he had great * 1.1946 substaunce in the ci∣ties of Iuda: but the men of armes and strongest souldiers were in Hierusalem.

14 And these are the “ 1.1947 offices of them in the house of their fathers: the captaines ouer thousandes in Iuda, Adna the captayne, and with him of fighting men three hundred thousand.

15 And next to his hand was Iehoha∣nan a captayne, and with him two hun∣dred and fourescore thousand.

16 And next him was Amazia the sonne of Zichri, which of his owne good wyll offered him selfe vnto the Lorde, and with him two hundred thousand migh∣tie men of warre.

17 And of the children of Beniamin, Eli∣ada a man of might, and with him ar∣med men with bowe and shielde two hundred thousand.

18 And next him was Iehosabad, and with him an hundred and fourescore thousand, that were prepared for the warre.

19 These wayted on the king, besides those which the king put in the strong cities throughout all Iuda.

The .xviij. Chapter.

1 Iehosaphat maketh affinitie with Ahab. 1 Foure hundreth prophetes counsell Ahab to go to warre. 14 Michea is against them. 23 Zedekia smiteth him. 25 The king putteth him in prison. 29 The effect of his prophecie.

[unspec A] 1 AND Iehosaphat had aboūdaunce of richesse and honour, and ioy∣ned affinitie with A∣hab.

2 And * 1.1948 after certayne yeres he went downe to Ahab to Samaria: And Ahab slue many sheepe and oxen for him and for the people that he had with him, and entreated him to go vp with him vnto Ramoth [in] Gilead.

3 And Ahab king of Israel saide vnto Iehosaphat king of Iuda: wylt thou go with me to Ramoth [in] Gilead? And he aunswered him: I wyll be as thou, and my people shall be as thyne [and we wyll go] with thee to the warre.

4 And Iehosaphat saide vnto the king of Israel: Seke counsel I pray thee at the worde of the Lorde this same day.

5 Therfore the king of Israel gathered together of prophetes foure hundred men, & saide vnto them: Shall we go to Ramoth [in] Gilead to fight, or should I ceasse? And they saide: Go vp, & God shall deliuer it into the kinges hand.

6 But Iehosaphat saide: Is there yet here neuer a prophete more of the Lordes, that we myght aske of him?

7 And the king of Israel said vnto Ieho∣saphat: There is yet one man by whō [unspec B] we may aske the Lorde: but I hate him, for he neuer prophecieth me good, but alway euill, and the same is Mi∣chea the sonne of Iemla. And Iehosa∣phat

Page cxxxvij

sayde, Let not the king say so.

8 And the king of Israel called one of his chamberlaynes, and sayde: Fetch hyther quickly Michea the sonne of Iemla.

9 And the king of Israel and Iehosa∣phat king of Iuda, sate eyther of them on his seate in their apparell, in a thres∣shing floore beside the gate of Samaria, & al the prophetes prophecied before thē.

10 And one Zedekia the sonne of Chana∣ana had made him * 1.1949 hornes of iron, and sayde, thus sayth the Lorde: With these thou shalt pushe Syria, vntill they be brought to naught.

11 And all the prophetes prophecied euen so, saying, Go vp to Ramoth [in] Gilead, & it shall prosper with thee: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the king.

12 And the messenger that went to call Michea, spake to him, saying: Behold, the wordes of the prophetes speake good to the king with one assent: let thy wordes therefore I pray thee be like one of theirs, that thou speake that whiche is pleasaunt.

13 And Michea sayde: As the Lorde li∣ueth, euen what my God sayth, that wil I speake.

[unspec C] 14 And when he was come to the king, the king sayd vnto him: Michea, should we go to Ramoth [in] Gilead to fight, or leaue of? And he sayd: Go vp, & al shalbe well, and they shalbe deliuered into your hande.

15 And the king sayde to him: So and so many times do I charge thee that thou say nothing but the trueth to me in the name of the Lorde.

16 Then he sayd: I did see all them of Is∣rael scattered in the mountaynes, as sheepe that haue no sheephard: And the Lorde sayde, * 1.1950 These haue no maister, let them returne euery man therfore to his house in peace.

17 And the king of Israel said vnto Ieho∣saphat: Did I not tel thee, that he would not prophecie good vnto me, but euyll?

18 But he said againe, Therfore heare ye the word of the Lord: * 1.1951 I saw the Lord sit vpon his seate, and all the companie of heauen stoode on his right hande and on his left.

19 And the Lord sayd: Who shall deceaue Ahab king of Israel, that he may go vp and be ouerthrowne at Ramoth [in] Gi∣lead? And one sayde this, a nother that.

20 And there came out a spirite, & stoode before the Lorde, and sayde: I will de∣ceaue him. And the Lorde sayde vnto him, Wherin? [unspec D]

21 And he sayde: I wil go out and be a * 1.1952 lying spirite in the mouth of all his pro∣phetes. And the Lord sayd, Thou shalt deceaue him, and shalt preuayle: go out, and do euen so.

22 And nowe therfore behold * 1.1953the Lorde hath put a lying spirite in the mouthes of [all] these thy prophetes, and the Lord hath spoken euyll against thee.

23 And Zedkia the sonne of Chanaana went to, and smote Michea vpon the cheeke, & sayde: By what way went the spirite of the Lorde from me, to speake with thee?

24 And Michea sayd: Beholde, thou shalt see the day whē thou shalt go frō cham∣ber to chamber, for to hyde thy selfe.

25 And the king of Israel sayd: Take ye Michea, and bring him to Amon the go∣uerner of the citie, & to Ioas the kinges sonne.

26 And ye shall say, thus sayth the king: Put this felowe in the prison house, and feede him with bread of affliction and water of trouble, vntil I come againe in peace.

27 And Michea said: If thou come againe in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he sayde: Hearken to ye peo∣ple euery one of you.

28 And so the king of Israel and Iehosa∣phat [unspec E] the king of Iuda, went vp to Ra∣moth [in] Gilead.

29 And the king of Israel sayde vnto Ie∣hosaphat, I must chaunge me when I go to the battell: but see that thou haue thyne owne apparel vpon thee. And the king of Israel chaunged him selfe, and they came to the battel.

30 But the king of Syria had commaun∣ded the captaynes of the charets that were with him, saying: See that ye fight not against small or great, saue a∣gainst the king of Israel only.

31 And when the captaynes of the charets saw Iehosaphat, they sayd, It is ye king of Israel: And therfore they compassed about hym to fight. But Iehosaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God chased them away from him.* 1.1954

32 For it came to passe, that when the cap∣taynes of the charets perceaued that it was not the king of Israel, they turned backe againe from him.

Page [unnumbered]

33 And a certayne man drewe a bow * 1.1955 with all his might, and smote the king of Is∣rael beweene the ioyntes of his haber∣gin, and he sayde to his charetman: Turne thyne hand, that thou mayst ca∣rie me out of the hoast, for I am woun∣ded.

34 And the battel increased that day: How∣beit the king of Israel caused his charet c 1.1956to stand still against the Syrians vn∣till euen: And about the time of the sunne goyng downe, he died.

The .xix. Chapter.

1 After Iehosaphat was rebuked by the prophete, he calleth againe the people to the honoring of the Lord. 5 He appoynteth iudges and ministers, 9 and exhorteth them to feare God.

[unspec A] 1 ANd Iehosaphat the king of Iuda came home againe in peace to Hierusalem.

2 And Iehu the sonne of Hanani the sear went out to meete him, and sayd to king Iehosaphat: Wouldest thou helpe the vngodly, and loue them that hate the Lorde? Therfore is wrath come downe vpon thee from before the Lorde:

3 Neuerthelesse, there are some good actes founde in thee, in that thou hast hewen downe the groues out of the lande, and hast prepared thyne heart to seke God.

4 And Iehosaphat dwelt at Hierusalem, and turned (a) 1.1957 and went out to the people from Beerseba to mount Ephraim, and brought them againe vnto the Lorde God of their fathers.

5 And he set iudges in the lande through∣out all the strong cities of Iuda, citie by citie:

6 And sayde to the iudges, Take heede [unspec B] what ye do: for ye execute not the iudge∣mentes of man, but of God, whiche is* 1.1958 with you in the iudgement.

7 Wherfore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you, and take heede, & be doyng [the thing that pleaseth hym] for there is no vnrighteousnes with the Lorde our God, * 1.1959that he shoulde haue any respect of persons, or take rewardes.

8 Moreouer, in Hierusalem did Iehosa∣phat set of the Leuites, & of the priestes, and of the auncient fathers, ouer Israel in the iudgement and cause of the Lord: And they returned againe to Hierusalē.

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shal ye do in the feare of the Lord fayth∣fully, and with a pure heart:

10 What cause soeuer come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, be∣tweene blood and blood, betweene lawe and commaundemēt, betweene statutes and ordinaunces: ye shall warne them that they trespasse not against ye Lorde, and so wrath come vpon you and your brethren: Thus do, & ye shal not offende.

11 And beholde, Amaria the hie priest is a∣mong you in all matters of the Lorde, and Zebadia the sonne of Ismael, a ru∣ler of the house of Iuda for all the kinges matters: There be officers of the Leuites also before you, Take courage to you therfore, and be doyng [manfully] and the Lorde shalbe with such as be good.

The .xx. Chapter.

3 Iehosaphat and the people pray vnto the Lorde. 22 The marueylous victorie that the Lorde gaue him against his enemies. 30 His raigne and actes.

[unspec A] 1 AFter this also, it fortu∣ned that the children of Moab and the children Ammon, & with them other of the Ammo∣nites came against Ie∣hosaphat to battell.

2 And there came some that told Iehosa∣phat saying: There commeth a great multitude against thee from the other side of the sea, and out of Syria, and be∣hold they be in Hasason Thamar, which is Engadi.

3 And Iehosaphat feared, & set him selfe to seke the Lorde: and proclaymed fa∣sting throughout all Iuda.

4 And they that were in Iuda gathered thē selues together to aske counsel of the Lord: And they came out of al the cities of Iuda, * 1.1960 to make intercession to ye lord.

Page cxxxviij

5 And Iehosaphat stoode betweene the congregation of Iuda & Hierusalem in the house of ye Lord before the new court,

6 And sayd: O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heauen, and raignest not thou on all the kingdomes of the Heathen, and in thyne hande is power and might, and there is no man that is able to withstande thee?

[unspec B] 7 Art not thou our God, whiche diddest cast out the inhabiters of this lande be∣fore thy people Israel, & gauest it to the seede of Abraham thy louer for euer?

8 And they dwelt therin, and haue buylt thee a tēple therin for thy name, saying:

9 * 1.1961If euyll come vpon vs, as the sword of iudgement, pestilence or hunger: then, if we stande before this house in thy pre∣sence (for thy name is in this house) and crye vnto thee in our tribulation, heare thou, and helpe.

10 And nowe beholde the children of Am∣mon and Moab, and mount Seir, by whom thou wouldest not let them of Israel go when they came out of the lande of Egypt, but they departed from them, and destroyed them not:

11 See howe they rewarde vs, to come for to cast vs out of thy possession whiche thou hast geuen vs to inherite.

12 O our God, wilt thou not iudge them? for we haue no might against this great companie that commeth against vs: neither wote we what to do, but our eyes * 1.1962 be vnto thee.

13 And all Iuda stoode before the Lorde, with their young ones, their wiues, and their children.

14 And there was Iahaziel the sonne of [unspec C] Zacharia, the sonne of Banaia, the sonne of Iehiel, the sonne of Matthania, a Le∣uite, of the sonnes of Asaph, & vpon hym came the spirite of the Lorde euen in the middes of the congregation:

15 And he sayd, Hearken all Iuda, and ye inhabiters of Hierusalem, and thou king Iehosaphat, thus sayth the Lorde vn∣to you: Be not afrayd nor faynt hearted by reason of this great multitude: for the battell is not yours, but Gods.

16 To morow go ye downe against them: behold they come vp by the clift of Ziz, and ye shall finde them at the ende of the brooke before the wildernesse of Ieruel

17 Ye shall not neede to fight in this bat∣tell: but steppe foorth and stand, and be∣holde the helpe of the Lorde whiche is with you: feare not, nor let your heartes fayle you O ye of Iuda and of Hie∣rusalem: To morowe go out against them for, the Lord wilbe with you.

18 And Iehosaphat * 1.1963 bowed his face to the earth, and all Iuda and the inhabi∣biters of Hierusalem fel before the Lord, worshipping the Lorde.

19 And the Leuites of the children of the Caathites, & of the children of the Co∣rahites, stoode vp to prayse the Lorde God of Israel with a loud voyce on hie.

20 And when they arose early in the mor∣ning, they gat them out vnto the wilder∣nesse of Thekoa, and as they went out, Iehosaphat stoode and sayd, Heare me O Iuda, and ye inhabiters of Hierusa∣lem: Put your trust in the Lorde your God, that ye may be founde faythfull: Geue credence to his prophetes, and so shall ye prosper.

21 When he had consulted with the peo∣ple, [unspec D] and set some to sing vnto the Lorde, and to prayse him in the beautie of holi∣nesse, and to go out before the armie, and to say, Prayse the Lorde, for his mercie lasteth euer.

22 And when they began to shout and to prayse, the Lord layde ambushementes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, whiche were come a∣gainst Iuda: And they were ouer∣throwen with strokes among thēselues.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab, rose against the inhabiters of mount Seir, and they slue and destroyed them: And when they had made an end of the inhabiters of Seir, euery one helped to destroy another among them selues.

24 And when Iuda came towarde Mis∣pah in the wildernesse, they loked vnto the multitude: and beholde, they were dead carcasses fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Iehosaphat and his peo∣ple came to take away the spoyle of them, they founde among them aboun∣daunce of goods, rayment, & pleasaunt iewels, which they toke for them selues, more then they could cary away: so that they were three dayes in gathering of the spoyle, it was so much.

26 And the fourth day they assembled in the valley of blessing, for there they(c) 1.1964 blessed the Lord: And therfore they cal∣led the name of the same place the valley of blessing, vnto this day.

Page [unnumbered]

27 And so all the men of Iuda and Hie∣rusalē returned with Iehosaphat their head, for to go againe to Hierusalem with gladnesse: for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their enemies.

[unspec E] 28 And they came to Hierusalem with psalters and harpes, & shawmes, euen vnto the house of the Lorde.

29 And the feare of God fell on the king∣domes of all landes, when they had heard that the Lorde fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 And so the realme of Iehosaphat was in tranquillitie, and his God gaue him rest on euery side.

31 And * 1.1965 Iehosaphat raigned vpon Iuda, and was thirtie & fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne, & he raigned twentie and fiue yeres in Hierusalem: And his mothers name was Azuba the daugh∣ter of Silhi.

32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and bowed not therfrom, doyng that which was right in the sight of the Lorde.

33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for the people had not yet prepa∣red their heartes vnto the God of their fathers.

34 The rest of the actes of Iehosaphat first and last, behold they are written a∣mong the sayinges of Iehu the sonne of Hanani, which noted them in the booke of the kinges of Israel.

35 After this did Iehosaphat king of Iu∣da [unspec F] ioyne himselfe with Ahaziahu king of Israel, whose mind was to do wickedly.

36 He coupled him selfe with him, to make shippes to go to Tharsis: And they made the shippes in Ezion Gaber.

37 And Eliezer the sonne of Dodauah of Maresa prophesied against Iehosaphat, saying: Because thou hast * 1.1966 ioyned thy selfe with Ahaziahu, ye lord hath broken thy workes. And the shippes were brokē that they were not able to go to Tharsis.

The .xxi. Chapter.

3 Iehosaphat dieth. 1 Iehoram succedeth him. 4 Which killeth his brethren. 6 He was brought to idolatrie, 11 and seduceth the people. 16 He is oppressed of the Phi∣listines. 18 His miserable ende.

[unspec A] 1 IEhosaphat also * 1.1967 slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citie of Dauid: and Iehoram his sonne raigned in his steade.

2 And he had brethren whiche were the sonnes of Iehosaphat, Azaria, Ie∣hiel, Zacharia, Azariahu, Michael, and Sephatiahu: All these are the sonnes of Iehosaphat king of Iuda.

3 And their father gaue thē many great giftes of gold and siluer, and other * 1.1968 spe∣ciall substaunce, with strong cities in Iuda: but the kingdome gaue he to Ie∣horam, for he was the eldest.

4 And Iehoram rose vp against the king∣dome of his father, and preuayled, and * 1.1969siue all his brethren with the sworde, and diuers of the lordes of Israel.

5 * 1.1970Iehoram was thirtie and two yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned eyght yeres in Hierusalem.

6 And he walked in the way of the kinges of Israel, like as dyd the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to a 1.1971 wise: and he wrought euyll in the eyes of the Lorde.

7 Howbeit the Lord woulde not destroy [unspec B] the house of Dauid, because of the * 1.1972 coue∣naunt that he had made with Dauid, as he promised to geue a light to hym and to his sonnes for euer.

8 * 1.1973In his dayes the Edomites rebelled when they were vnder the dominion of Iuda, and made them selues a king.

9 And Iehoram went foorth with his lordes, and all his charets were with him: and he rose vp by night, and smote the Edomites, which compassed him in, and the captaynes of the charets.

10 But Edom rebelled still, so that they woulde not be vnder the hande of Iuda vnto this day: That same time also dyd Libna depart from being vnder his hande, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.

11 Moreouer, he made high places in the mountaynes of Iuda, & caused the inha∣biters of Hierusalem to commit fornica∣tion, and prouoked Iuda [to idolatrie.]

12 And there came a writing to him from Elia the prophete, saying, Thus sayth the Lord God of Dauid thy father: Be∣cause thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iehosaphat thy father, and in the wayes of Asa king of Iuda:

Page cxxxix

13 But walkedst in the wayes of the kinges of Israel, and hast made Iuda and the dwellers of Hierusalem to go a whoring like to the whordome of the house of Ahab, and hast slayne thy bre∣thren, euen thy fathers house, whiche were better then thou:

[unspec C] 14 Beholde, with a great plague will the Lorde smite thy folke, thy children, thy wyues, and all thy goods:

15 And thou shalt suffer great payne, euen a disease of thy bowels, vntill thy guttes fall out, by reason of thy sicknes day by day.

16 And so the Lorde stirred vp against Ie∣horam the spirite of the Philistines, and the Arabians that were besyde the blacke Moores.

17 And they came vp into Iuda, and wa∣sted it, & caried away all the substaunce that was found in the kinges house, and his sonnes, and his wyues: so that there was neuer a sonne left hym, saue Ieho∣hahaz, which was the youngest among his sonnes.

18 And after all these thinges, the Lorde smote him in his bowels with an incura∣ble disease.

19 And it came to passe, that in processe of time, euen after the ende of two yeres, his guttes fell out in his sicknes, and so he died of very euyll diseases: And they made no burning for him, lyke the bur∣ning of his fathers.

20 When he began to raigne he was thir∣tie and two yeres olde, and raigned in Hierusalem eyght yeres, and liued wret∣chedly: howebeit they buried him in the citie of Dauid, but not among the sepul∣chres of the kinges.

The .xxii. Chapter.

1 Ahaziahu raigneth after Iehoram. 8 Iehu king of Israel killeth Ahaziahu. 10 Atha∣liahu putteth to death all the kinges linage. 11 Ioas escapeth.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.1974 the inhabiters of Hierusalem made A∣haziahu his young sonne king in his stead: For the men of warre * 1.1975 that came * 1.1976 with the hoast of the Arabians, had slayne all his eldest sonnes: And so Ahaziahu the sonne of Iehoram king of Iuda was made king.

2 b 1.1977Two & fourtie yeres old was he when he began to raigne, and he raigned one yere in Hierusalem: His mothers name was Athaliahu, the daughter c 1.1978 of Amri.

3 And he walked also in the wayes of the house of Ahab: for his mother by her counsel enticed him to do wickedly.

4 Wherfore he dyd that which was euyll in the sight of the Lord, as dyd they that were of the house of Ahab: for they were his d 1.1979 counselers after the death of his father, to his destruction.

5 And he walked after their counsel, and went with Iehoram sonne of Ahab king of Israel, to fight against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth [in] Gilead: and the Syrians smote Iehoram.

6 And he returned to be healed in Iezra∣hel, of the woundes whiche were geuen him at Rama, whē he fought with Ha∣zael king of Syria: and Ahaziahu the sonne of Iehoram king of Iuda, went downe to see Iehoram the sonne of Ahab at Iezrahel, because he was diseased. [unspec B]

7 At it came of God that Ahaziahu shoulde be dispised for his comming to Iehoram: for when he was come, he went out with Iehoram against Iehu the sonne of Nimsi, * 1.1980whom ye Lord had annointed to destroy the house of Ahab.

8 And so it came to passe, that when Iehu was executing iustice vpon the house of Ahab, and had founde the lordes of Iu∣da and the sonnes of the brethren of A∣haziahu that wayted on Ahaziahu, he slue them.

9 * 1.1981And he sought Ahaziahu: & they caught him where he was hid in Samaria, and brought him to Iehu, and when they had slayne him, they buried him: because said they, he is the sonne of Iehosaphat, whiche sought the Lorde with all his heart: And the house of Ahaziahu had no powre to kepe still the kingdome.

10 * 1.1982But when Athaliahu the mother of Ahaziahu sawe that her sonne was dead, she arose and (e) 1.1983destroyed all the kinges seede in the kinred of the house of Iuda.

11 And Iehosabeth the daughter of the king, toke Ioas the sonne of Ahaziahu, and stale him from among the kinges sonnes that were slayne, & put him and his nurse in a priuie chamber: and so

Page [unnumbered]

Iehosabeth the daughter of king Ie∣horam the wyfe of Iehoiada the priest, and the sister of Ahaziahu hid him from Athaliahu, that he was not slayne.

12 And so he was with them hyd in the house of God sixe yeres: and Athaliahu raigned ouer the lande.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

1 Ioas the sonne of Ahazia is made king. 3 Athaliahu is put to death. 17 The temple of Baal is destroyed. 19 Iehoiada appoynteth ministers in the temple.

[unspec A]

1 ANd * 1.1984 in the seuenth yere Iehoiada beyng bolde, toke the captaynes of hundredes, Azariah the sonne of Iehoram, & Ismael the sonne of Iehohanan, Azaria∣hu the sonne of Obed, Maasiahu the sonne of Adaiahu, & Elisaphat the sonne of Zichri, & made a bonde with them.

2 And they went about in Iuda, and ga∣thered the Leuites out of all the cities of Iuda, & the auncient fathers of * 1.1985 Is∣rael, and they came to Hierusalem.

3 And all the congregation made a bonde with the king in the house of God, and he sayd vnto them: Beholde, the kinges sonne must raigne, * 1.1986as the Lorde hath sayde of the children of Dauid.

4 This is it therfore that ye shal do: The thirde part of you shall on the Sabbath come to the priestes, Leuites, & kepers of the porches,

5 And another thirde part shalbe by the kinges house, and another thirde part shalbe at the gate of the foundation: and al the people shalbe in the * 1.1987 courtes of the house of the Lorde.

6 But there shal none come into the house of the Lorde, saue the priestes and they that minister vnto the Leuites, they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shal kepe the watch of the Lord.

[unspec B] 7 And the Leuites shall compasse the king round about, and euery man shall haue his weapon in his hand: and what other man soeuer doth come into the house [of the Lorde] he shalbe slayne: and let them be with the king when he com∣meth in and when he goeth out.

8 And the Leuites and all Iuda dyd ac∣cording to al thinges that Iehoiada the priest had commaunded, and toke euery man his men that came in on the Sab∣bath, with them that went out on the Sabbath day: neither did Iehoiada the priest let the companies depart.

9 And Iehoiada the priest deliuered to the captaynes of hundredes, speares, shieldes, and bucklers, that had par∣teyned to king Dauid, and were in the house of God.

10 And he set all the people (euery man ha∣uing his weapon in his hande) from the right side of the temple to the lift side of the temple, along by the aulter and the temple, rounde about the king.

11 And they brought out the kinges sonne, and put vpon him the crowne, and* 1.1988 the testimonie, and made him king: and Ie∣hoiada and his sonnes annoynted him, and sayde, God saue the king.

12 When Athaliahu hearde the noyse of the people running, and praysing the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lorde.

13 And she loked, and beholde the king stoode “ 1.1989 in his place at the entring in, and the lordes and the trumpettes were by the king, and all the people of the lande reioysed, blowing with trumpets, and the singers were with instrumentes of musicke, and such as could sing prayse: But Athaliahu rent her clothes, and sayde, Treason, treason. [unspec C]

14 And Iehoiada the priest went out to the captaynes of hundredes that were gouernours of the hoast, and sayde vnto them, Haue her foorth of the ranges: & (b) 1.1990whoso foloweth her, let him be slayne with the sword. For the priest sayd, that they should not slay her in the house of the Lorde.

15 And they layde handes on her till she was come to the entring of the horse gate beside the kinges house, and there they slue her.

16 * 1.1991And Iehoiada made a bond betweene him and al the people and the king, that they shoulde be the Lordes people.

17 And all the people went to the house of Baal, and (c) 1.1992 destroyed it, and brake his aulters and his images, and slue Ma∣than the priest of Baal before the aul∣ters.

Page cxl

18 And Iehoiada put the officers for the house of the Lord, vnder the hand of the priestes and Leuites, * 1.1993 as Dauid had di∣stributed them in the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offeringes vnto the Lord, * 1.1994as it is written in the lawe of Moyses, with reioysing and singing, as it was or∣deyned by Dauid.

19 And he set porters by the gates of the house of the Lord, that none which was vncleane in any thing shoulde enter in.

20 And he toke the captaynes of hun∣dredes, and all the nobles, and the go∣uernours of the people, and al the folke of the lande, and caused the king to come downe out of the house of the Lorde, and they came through the hye gate in∣to the kinges house, & set the king vpon the seate of the kingdome.

21 And all the people of the land reioysed, [unspec D] and the citie was in tranquilitie after that they had slayne Athaliahu with the sworde.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

1 Ioas repaireth the house of the Lorde. 17 After the death of Iehoiada he falleth to ido∣latrie. 21 He stoneth to death Zecharia the prophete. 25 Ioas is killed of his owne ser∣uauntes. 27 After him raigneth Amaziahu.

[unspec A] 1 IOas was seuen yeres olde when he began to raigne, & * 1.1995 he raigned fourtie yeres in Hieru∣salem: His mothers name also was Zibia of Beerseba.

2 And Ioas dyd that whiche was right in the sight of the Lorde all the dayes of a 1.1996Iehoiada the priest.

3 And Iehoiada toke him two wyues, and he begat sonnes and daughters.

4 And it chaunced after this, that Ioas was minded to renue the house of the Lorde.

5 And he gathered together the priestes and the Leuites, and sayde to them: Go out vnto the cities of Iuda, and gather of all Israel money to repaire the house of your God from yere to yere, and see that ye haste the thing: Howebeit the Leuites were slacke.

6 And the king called Iehoiada that was the * 1.1997 chiefest, & sayd vnto him: Why re∣quirest thou not of the Leuites to bring in out of Iuda and Hierusalem * 1.1998 the col∣lection of money, according to the com∣maundement of Moyses the seruaunt of the Lorde, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witnesse?

[unspec B] 7 For wicked Athaliahu and her children brake vp the house of God, and all the thinges that were dedicate for the house of the lord, did they bestow for Baalim.

8 And at the kinges commaundement * 1.1999they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lorde:

9 And made a proclamation through Iu∣da & Hierusalem, to bring in to the Lord * 1.2000the taxation of money that Moyses the seruaunt of God set vpon Israel in the wildernesse.

10 And the lordes and al the people reioy∣sed, and brought in, & cast into the chest “ 1.2001 vntill it was full.

11 And it fortuned, that at the same time they brought in the chest vnto them whiche were in the kinges businesse by the hand of the Leuites, and when they sawe that there was much money, the kinges scribe, and one appoynted by the hye priest, came, and emptied the chest, and toke it, and caried it to his place a∣gayne. Thus they dyd day by day, and gathered much money.

12 And the king and Iehoiada gaue it to [unspec D] such as dyd the labour and worke in the house of the Lorde, and hired masons and carpenters to repaire the house of the Lorde, and so dyd they artificers in iron and brasse to mende the house of the Lorde.

13 And so the workmen wrought, and the worke mended through their handes: and they made the house of God as it ought to be, and strengthed it.

14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Iehoiada, and therwith were made vessels for the house of the Lorde, euen vessels to minister withall, [and to serue for burnt offringes] “ 1.2002 chargers and spoones, vessels of golde and siluer: And they offered burnt offringes in the house of the Lord continually all the dayes of Iehoiada.

15 But Iehoiada waxed olde, and dyed full of dayes: for an hundred and thir∣tie yeres olde was he when he died.

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16 And they buried him in the citie of Da∣uid among the kinges, because he dealt well with Israel, and with God and with his house.

17 And after the death of Iehoiada, came the (c) 1.2003 lordes of Iuda and made obey∣saunce to the king: And the king hear∣kened vnto them.

18 And so they left the house of the Lorde God of their fathers, and serued groues and idoles, and then came the wrath of God vpon Iuda and Hierusalem for this their trespaces sake.

19 And he sent prophetes to them, to bring thē againe vnto the Lord, & they testified vnto them: but they woulde not heare.

20 And the spirite of God came vpon Za∣charia the sonne of Iehoiada the priest, which stoode by the people, and sayd vn∣to them, thus sayth God: Why trans∣gresse ye the commaundementes of the Lorde, that ye can not prosper? For be∣cause ye haue forsaken the Lord, he also hath forsaken you.

[unspec D] 21 * 1.2004And they conspired against him, d 1.2005 and stoned him with stones at the commaun∣dement of the king, euen in the court of the house of the Lorde.

22 And so Ioas the king remembred not ye kindnesse whiche Iehoiada his father had done to him, but slue his sonne: And when he died, he sayde, The Lorde loke vpon it, and require it.

23 And when the yere was out, it fortu∣ned that the hoast of Syria came vp a∣gainst him, and they came against Iuda and Hierusalem, and destroyed all the lordes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoyle of them vnto the king to Damascon.

24 For the Syrians came with a small companie of men, and the Lorde deliue∣red a verie great hoast into their hande, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers: And they gaue sentence against Ioas.

25 And when they were departed from him, they left him in great diseases: and * 1.2006his owne seruauntes conspired against him for the blood of the (e) 1.2007 children of Ie∣hoiada the priest, and slue hym on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the citie of Dauid, but not in the sepul∣chres of the kinges.

26 And these are they that conspired a∣gainst him: Zabad the sonne of Si∣meath an Ammonite, & Iehosabad the sonne of Simrith a Moabite.

27 f 1.2008And his sonnes, & the summe of the taxe that was raysed in his time, and the repairing of the house of God, beholde they are written in the storie of the booke of the kinges: and Amaziahu his sonne raigned in his steade.

The .xxv. Chapter.

3 Amazia putteth them to death which slue his father. 10 He sendeth backe them of Is∣rael. 11 He ouercommeth the Edomites. 14 He falleth to idolatrie. 17 And Ioas king of Israel ouercommeth Amazia. 27 He is slayne by a conspiracie.

[unspec A] 1 AMaziahu was twen∣tie and fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raigned twentie and nine yeres in * 1.2009 Hierusalē: His mo∣thers name was Ie∣hoadan, of Hierusalem.

2 And he dyd that which is a 1.2010 right in the sight of the Lorde, but not with a perfect heart.

3 And assoone as he was setled in the king∣dome, he slue his seruauntes that had killed the king his father.

4 But he slue not their children, because it is written thus in the lawe and booke of Moyses, where the Lorde commaun∣ded, saying: * 1.2011The fathers shall not dye for the children, neither shall the chil∣dren dye for the fathers, but euery man shall dye for his owne sinne.

5 And Amaziahu gathered Iuda toge∣ther, and made them captaynes ouer thousandes and ouer hundredes, accor∣ding to the houses of their fathers throughout all Iuda and Beniamin: And he numbred them from twentie yeres olde and aboue, and found among them three hundred thousande chosen men, able to go to battell, and that could handle speare and shield.

6 He hired also an hundred thousande strong fighting men out of Israel for an hundred talentes of siluer.

7 And there came a man of God to him, and sayde, O king, let not the armie of [unspec B] Israel come with thee: for the Lorde is not with Israel, [to wit] with al the chil∣dren of Ephraim.

8 But if thou wilt needes [be faytlesse:] come on, and take the battell in hande, and God shall make thee fall before the enemie: For God hath power to helpe, and to cast downe.

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9 And Amaziahu saide to the man of God: What shal we do then for the hun∣dred talentes which I haue geuen for the hoast of Israel? The man of God aunswered: The Lorde is able to geue thee much more then they be.

10 And Amaziahu separated them, [to wit] the armie that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home againe: Wherefore they were exceeding wroth with Iuda, & returned home in great anger.

11 And Amaziahu toke heart, and caried out his people, and went to the salt val∣ley, and * 1.2012 smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.

12 And other ten thousand did the chil∣dren of Iuda take alyue, & caried them vnto the top of a rocke, and cast them downe from the top of the rocke, that they all to burst.

13 But the souldiers of the * 1.2013 armie which Amaziahu sent away that they should not go with his people to battaile, fell vpon the cities of Iuda from Samaria vnto Bethron, and smote three thou∣sand of them, and toke much spoyle.

14 And it chaunced after that Amaziahu was come from the slaughter of the E∣domites, he brought the gods of the chil∣dren of Seir, and set them vp to be his gods, and bowed him selfe before them, and burned incense vnto them.

15 Wherfore the Lorde was wroth with Amaziahu, & sent vnto him a prophete, which saide vnto him: Why hast thou sought the gods of the people which were not able to * 1.2014 delyuer their owne people out of thyne hande?

16 And it chaunced, that as ye prophete tal∣ked with him, the king saide vnto him: [unspec C] Haue men made thee of the kinges counsel: Ceasse, why wylt thou be bea∣ten? And the prophete ceassed, and said: I am sure that God is minded to de∣stroy thee, because thou hast done this, and agreest not vnto my counsell.

17 * 1.2015Then Amaziahu king of Iuda toke aduise, and sent to Ioas the sonne of Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu king of Israel, and said: Come, that we way see either other.

18 And Ioas king of Israel sent to Ama∣ziahu king of Iuda, saying: A thistle that is in Libanon, sent to a Cedar tree of Libanon, saying, * 1.2016 Geue thy daugh¦ter to my sonne to wyfe: And there came a wylde beast of Libanon, and trode downe the thistle.

19 Thou sayest: Loe, thou hast smitten the Edomites, & thyne heart maketh thee proude to glorifie thy selfe: Now there∣fore byde at home, why doest thou pro∣uoke vnto euyll, that thou mayest pe∣rishe, both thou and Iuda with thee?

20 But Amaziahu woulde not hearken to him: for it came of God, euen to dely∣uer them into the hande of their ene∣mies, because they sought counsell at the gods of Edom.

21 And so Ioas the king of Israel came vp, and they sawe either other both he and Amaziahu king of Iuda, at Beth∣sames which is in Iuda.

22 And Iuda was put to the worse be∣fore Israel, and they fled euery man to his tent.

23 And Ioas the king of Israel toke A∣maziahu king of Iuda the sonne of Io∣as the sonne of Iehoahaz at Beth∣sames, and brought him to Hierusalem, and tare the wall of Hierusalem (from the gate of Ephraim, vnto the gate that was ouer against it) foure hundred cu∣bites.

24 And he toke away also all the golde and siluer, and all the iewels that were founde in the house of God with Obed Edom, and the treasures of the kinges house, and the young wardes, and re∣turned to Samaria.

25 And Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas king of Iuda, lyued after the death of Ioas sonne of Iehoahaz king of Israel fif∣teene yere.

26 The rest of the actes of Amaziahu first and last, are they not written in the booke of the kinges of Iuda and Is∣rael.

27 And after the time that Amaziahu did turne away from the Lorde, * 1.2017 they con∣spired treason against him in Hierusa∣lem: and when he was fled to Lachis, they sent to Lachis after him, and slue him there:

28 And brought him vp with horses, and buryed him with his fathers in * 1.2018 the ci∣tie of Iuda.

Page [unnumbered]

¶The .xxvi. Chapter.

14 Vzzia obeying the Lorde, prospereth in his enterprises. 16 He waxeth proude and vsurpeth the priestes office. 19 The Lorde plagueth him. 20 The priestes dryue him out of the temple, and exclude him out of the Lordes house. 23 His buriall, and his successour.

[unspec A] 1 THen all the people of Iuda toke Vzzia, which was * 1.2019 sixteene yeres olde, & made him king in the roome of his father Amaziahu.

2 And he built Eloth, and brought it againe to Iuda, after that the king was layde to sleepe with his fathers.

3 Sixteene yeres olde was Vzzia when he began to raigne, and he raigned fiftie and two yeres in Hierusalem: His mo∣thers name also was Iecholia, of Hie∣rusalem.

4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde, according to all as did his father Amaziahu.

5 And [it came to passe that] he sought God * 1.2020 in the dayes of Zachariahu, who had vnderstanding in the visions of God: And as long as he sought the Lorde, God made him to prosper.

6 And he went to battaile against the Philistines, and brake downe the wall of Geth, and the wall of Iabne, and the wall of Asdod, & built cities about As∣dod and among the Philistines.

[unspec B] 7 And God holpe him against the Phi∣listines and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur baal and Hamehunim.

8 And the Ammonites gaue tribute to Vzzia, & his name spread abrode euen to the entring in of Egypt: for he played the man exceedingly.

9 Moreouer, Vzzia built towres in Hie∣rusalem by the corner gate, and by the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and made them strong.

10 And he built towres in the wildernesse, and digged many welles: For he had much cattaile in the valleyes & playnes, plowmen and vinedressers in the moun∣taines and in Charmel: for he loued hus∣bandry.

11 And Vzzia had an hoast of fighting men, that went out to warre in the ar∣mie, according to the number of their of∣fice, vnder the hande of Ieiel the scribe, and Maasiahu the ruler, and vnder the hand of Hananiahu, which was one of the kinges lordes.

12 And the whole number of the aunci∣ent fathers and of the men of might, were two thousand and sixe hundred. [unspec C]

13 And vnder the hand of them was the armie of the men of warre, euen three hundred and seuen thousand, and fiue hundred that made warre with the power of an armie, helping the king a∣gainst the enemies.

14 And Vzzia prouided them throughout all the hoast, shieldes, speares, helmets, haberginnes, bowes, and slinges for to cast stones.

15 And he made subtyll engins in Hieru∣salem, which he inuented and layed on the towres and corners, to shoote ar∣rowes and great stones withall: And his name spread farre abrode, because he had prepared to him selfe maruey∣lous strength.

16 But in his strength (a) 1.2021 his heart arose to his destruction: For he transgressed against the Lorde his God, and went into the temple of the Lorde to burne incense vpon the aulter of incense.

17 And Azariahu the priest went in after him, and with him fourescore priestes of the Lorde, that were valiaunt men:

18 And they stoode by Vzzia the king, and saide vnto him:* It parteyneth not to thee Vzzia to burne incense vnto the Lorde, but to the priestes the children of Aaron, that are consecrated for to offer incense: (b) 1.2022 Come therfore out of the sanc∣tuary, for thou hast trespassed, and it is no worship to thee before the Lorde God.

19 And Vzzia was wroth, & had incense in his hande to burne it, and so while he had indignation against the priestes, [unspec D] * 1.2023 the leprosie sprang in his fore∣head before the priestes in the house of the Lorde, euen beside the incense aul∣ter.

20 And Azariahu the chiefe priest, with al the other priestes, loked vpon him, and beholde he was become a leaper in his forehead, and they vexed him thence:

Page cxlij

and he was fayne to go out, because the Lorde had smytten him.

21 And Vzzia the king continued a le∣per vnto the day of his death, & dwelt seuerall in an house being a leper and shut out of the house of the Lorde: and Iotham his sonne had the gouernaūce of the kinges house, and iudged the peo∣ple of the lande.

22 The rest of the acres of Vzzia first and last, did Isai the prophete the sonne of Amos write.

23 And so Vzzia slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the fielde of the buriall which was beside the sepulchres of the kinges: for they saide, he is a leper: And Iotham his sonne raigned in his steade.

The .xxvij. Chapter.

1 Iotham raigneth, and ouercommeth the Ammonites. 8 His raigne and death. 6 Ahaz his sonne raigneth in his steade.

[unspec A] 1 IOtham was fiue and twentie yeres olde when * 1.2024 he began to raigne, and he raigned sixteene yeres in Hieru∣salem: His mothers name also was Ieru∣sa, the daughter of Zadoc.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde, in all poyntes as did his father Vzzia, saue that he came not into the * 1.2025 temple of the Lorde: and the people did yet wickedly.

3 He built the hie gate of the temple of the Lorde, and on the wall (where the house of ordinaūce was) he built much.

4 Moreouer, he built cities in the moun∣taines of Iuda, and in the wood coun∣trey he built castels and towres.

5 He fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and preuailed against them: And the children of Ammon gaue him the same yere an hundred talentes of sil∣uer, & ten thousand quarters of wheate, and ten thousand of barlye: So much did the children of Ammon geue him the second yere, and the third also.

6 So Iotham became mightie, (b) 1.2026 be∣cause he directed his way before the Lorde his God.

7 The rest of the actes of Iotham, and all his warres, & his conuersation, loe they are written in the booke of the [unspec B] kinges of Israel and Iuda.

8 He was twentie and fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne, and raigned sixteene yeres in Hierusalem.

9 And Iotham slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in the citie of Da∣uid: and Ahaz his sonne raigned in his steade.

¶The .xxviii. Chapter.

1 Ahaz an idolater is geuen into the handes of the Syrians and the king of Israel. 9 The prophet reproueth the Israelites crueltie. 18 Iuda is molested with enemies. 23 Ahaz increaseth his idolatrie. 26 His death, and successour.

[unspec A] 1 AHaz was * 1.2027 twentie yeres olde when he began to raigne, and raigned six∣teene yeres in Hierusa∣lem, and he did not that which is right in the sight of the Lorde, as did his father Dauid:

2 For he walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel, & made moulten ima∣ges for Baalim.

3 He offered incense in the valley of the sonne of Hinnon, and * 1.2028 burnt his chil∣dren in fire, after the abhominations of the heathen whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel.

4 He offered also and burnt incense in the high places, and on mountaynes, and vnder euery greene tree.

5 * 1.2029Wherefore the Lorde his God dely∣uered him into the hande of the king of the Syrians, which beat him, and ca∣ryed away a great multitude of his captiue, and brought them to Damas∣con: And he was deliuered into the hand of the king of Israel, which smote him with a great slaughter.

6 For Pekah the sonne of Remalia∣hu slue in Iuda an hundred and twen∣tie thousand in one day, which were all fighting men: and that because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.

Page [unnumbered]

7 And Zichri a mightie man of Ephra∣im [unspec B] slue Maasiahu the kinges sonne, and Africa the gouernour of the house, and Elcana that was next to the king.

8 And the children of Israel toke priso∣ners of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sonnes, and daugh∣ters, and caryed away much spoyle of them, and brought the spoyle to Sama∣ria.

9 But there was a prophet of the Lordes, whose name was Obed: and he went out before the hoast that came to Sa∣maria, & saide vnto them: Beholde, be∣cause the Lorde God of your fathers is wroth with Iuda, (a) 1.2030 he hath deliuered them into your hande, and ye haue slaine them with cruelnesse, that rea∣cheth vp to heauen.

10 And nowe ye purpose to keepe vnder the children of Iuda and Hierusalem, and to make them bondmen and bond∣women: And do ye not lade your selues with sinne in the sight of the Lord your God?

11 Now heare me therefore, and deliuer the captiues againe which ye haue ta∣ken of your brethren: for els shall the great wrath of God be vpon you.

12 Wherfore certayne of the heads of the children of Ephraim, as Azariahu the sonne of Iehohanan, Berechiahu the sonne of Mesillemoth, and Iehezkiahu the sonne of Sallum, & Amasa the sonne of Hadlai, stoode vp against them that came from the warre,

[unspec C] 13 And saide vnto them, Bryng not in the captiues hither: for where as we haue offended toward God alredy, ye entende to adde more to our sinnes and trespasse: For our trespasse is great al∣redie, and there is a fierce wrath against Israel.

14 And vpon that, the men of armes left the captiues and the spoyle before the lordes and all the congregation:

15 And the men that were now rehear∣sed by name, rose vp, and toke the priso∣ners, and with the spoyle clothed all that were naked among them, & aray∣ed them, & shoed them, and gaue them to eate and to drinke, and annoynted them, and carryed al that were feeble of them vpon asses, & brought them to Ie∣richo the citie of Paulme trees, to their brethren: and then they returned to Sa∣maria againe.

16 * 1.2031At that same time did king Ahaz send vnto the kinges of the Assyrians, to haue helpe of them.

17 And the Edomites came againe, and slue some of Iuda, and caryed away captiues.

18 And the Philistines inuaded the cities in the lowe countrey, and toward the south of Iuda: and toke Bethsames, and Aialon, and Gederoth, and Socho with the townes longing thereto, and Thimna with the townes of the same, Gimso and the townes thereof, and dwelt there.

19 For the Lorde brought Iuda lowe, [unspec D] because of Ahaz king of Iuda, which made Iuda naked, & transgressed sore against the Lorde.

20 And Thilgath Pilneser king of the As∣syrians came vpon him, and troubled him rather then strengthed him.

21 For Ahaz toke away a portion out of the house of the Lorde, and out of the kinges house, and out of the lordes hou∣ses, and gaue vnto the king of the Assy∣rians: and yet it helped him not.

22 And in the very time of his tribulati∣on, did king Ahaz trespasse yet more a∣gainst the Lorde.

23 For he offered vnto the gods of them of Damascon, which (b) 1.2032 beat him: and he sayd, Because the gods of the kinges of Syria helpe them, therefore wyll I offer to them, that they may helpe me also: But they were his destruction, and the destruction of all Israel.

24 And Ahaz gathered together the ves∣sels of the house of God, & brake them, and * 1.2033 shut vp the doores of the house of the Lorde, and made him * 1.2034 aulters in euery corner of Hierusalem.

25 And in all the cities of Iuda he made high places to burne incense vnto other [unspec E] gods, and angred the Lorde God of his fathers.

26 The rest of his actes, and his workes first and last, beholde they are written in the booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the citie of Hierusa∣lem: but brought him not vnto the se∣pulchres of the kinges of Israel: and Hezekia his sonne raigned in his steade.

Page cxliij

¶The .xxix. Chapter.

3 Hezekia repaireth the temple, and aduertiseth the Leuites of the corruption of reli∣gion. 12 The Leuites prepare the temple. 20 The kinges and his princes sacrifice in the temple. 25 The Leuites sing prayses. 31 The oblation of the people.

[unspec A] 1 HEzekia began to raigne when he was fiue and twentie yeres olde,* 1.2035 and he raigned nine & twen∣tie yeres in Hierusalem: And his mothers name was Abia, the daughter of Zachariahu.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde, in all poyntes as did Dauid his father.

3 He * 1.2036 opened the * 1.2037 doores of the house of the Lorde in the first yere and * 1.2038 first moneth of his raigne, and repaired them.

4 And he brought in the priestes and the Leuites, and gathered them together into the east streate,

5 And saide vnto them: Heare me ye Le∣uites, and now be sanctified and halow the house of the Lorde God of your fa∣thers, bring filthynesse out of the holy place.

6 For our fathers haue trespassed, and done euill in the eyes of the Lorde our God, and haue forsaken him, and tur∣ned away their faces from the habitati∣on of the Lord, and turned their backes on it.

[unspec B] 7 And beside that, they haue shut vp the doores of the porche, and quenched the lampes, and haue neither burnt incense, nor offered burnt offringes in the holy place vnto the God of Israel.

8 * 1.2039Wherefore the wrath of the Lorde fell on Iuda & Hierusalem, and he hath brought them to trouble to be wondred on, & to be hissed at, euen as ye see with your eyes.

9 For loe, our fathers were ouerthro∣wen with the sword, and our sonnes, our daughters, and our wyues were ca∣ried away captiue for the same cause.

10 And now it is in myne heart to make a couenaunt with the Lord God of Is∣rael, that he may turne away his heauy indignation from vs.

11 Now therefore my sonnes, be not neg∣ligent: for the Lorde * 1.2040 hath chosen you to stande before him, and for to minister and serue him, and to burne incense.

12 Then the Leuites arose, Mahath the sonne of Amasai, and Ioel the sonne of Azariahu of the children of the Caa∣thites: And of the sonnes of Merari, Cis the sonne of Abdi, and Azariahu the sonne of Iahalelel: And of ye sonnes of the Gersonites, Ioah the sonne of Simma, and Eden the sonne of Ioah:

13 And of the sonnes of Elizaphan, Sim∣ri [unspec C] and Iehiel: And of the sonnes of A∣saph, Zechariahu and Matthamahu:

14 And of the sonnes of Heman, Iehiel, and Simer: And of the sonnes of Iedu∣thun, Semaia and Vzziel.

15 And they gathered their brethren, and purified them selues, and came accor∣ding to the commaundement of the king and the wordes of the Lord for to clense the house of the Lorde:

16 And the priestes went into the inner partes of the house of the Lord to clense it, and brought out all the vnclennesse that they founde in the temple of the Lorde, into the court of the house of the Lorde: And the Leuites toke it, to cary it out into the brooke Cedron.

17 They began the first day of the first moneth to purifie, and the eyght day of the moneth came they to the porche of the Lorde: So they sacrified the house of the Lorde in eyght dayes, and in the sixteenth day of the first moneth they made an end.

18 And they went in to Hezekia the king, and saide: We haue clensed all the house of the Lorde, the aulter of burnt offring [unspec D] with all his vessels, and the shew bread table with “ 1.2041 all his apparell:

19 And all the vessels which king Ahaz did cast aside, when he raigned, & trans∣gressed, them we haue prepared and sanctified, and beholde they are before the aulter of the Lorde.

20 And Hezekia the king rose earlye, and gathered the lordes of the citie, and went vp to the house of the Lorde.

21 And they brought seuen oxen, seuen rammes, seuen sheepe, and seuen hee goates, to be a sinne offring for the king∣dome, for the sanctuary, and for Iuda: And he commaunded the priestes the

Page [unnumbered]

sonnes of Aaron, to offer them on the aulter of the Lorde.

22 And they slue the oxen, and the priestes receaued the blood and (d) 1.2042 sprinckled it on the aulter: likewyse when they had slaine the rammes, they sprinckled the blood vpon the aulter: They slue also the sheepe, and they sprinckled the blood vpon the aulter.

23 And then they brought foorth the hee goates for the sinne offering before the king and the congregation, & put their handes vpon them.

24 And the priestes slue them, and with the blood of them they clensed the aul∣ter, to make satisfaction for all Israel: for the king cōmaunded that the burnt offering and the sinne offering shoulde be made for all Israel.

25 And set the Leuites in the house of the Lorde with cymbales, psalteries, and harpes, * 1.2043 according to the commaunde∣ment of Dauid and of Gad the kinges sear, and Nathan the prophete: For so was the commaundement of the Lord through the hande of his prophetes.

[unspec E] 26 And the Leuites stoode, hauing the in∣strumentes of Dauid: and the priestes helde the trumpettes.

27 And Hezekia commaunded to offer the burnt offring vpon the aulter: And when the burnt offring began, the song of the Lorde began also, and the trum∣pettes, with the instrumentes that were ordayned by the hand of Dauid king of Israel.

28 And all the congregation worshipped, singing a song, and blowyng with the trumpettes, and all this [continued] vn∣till the burnt offring was finished.

29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were pre∣sent with him, bowed them selues,* 1.2044 and worshipped.

30 And Hezekia the king and the lordes, spake to the Leuites to prayse the Lord with the wordes of Dauid & of Asaph the sear: And they sang prayses with gladnesse, and the other bowed them selues, and worshipped.

31 And Hezekia aunswered, and saide: Now ye haue consecrated your handes to the Lorde: go to therefore, and bryng the sacrifices and thanke offeringes into the house of the Lorde. And the congre∣gation brought in the sacrifices & thank offeringes, and burnt offringes, as ma∣ny as were of a free liberall heart.

32 And the number of the burnt offringes [unspec F] which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten oxen, an hundred rammes, & two hundred sheepe: which were all for the burnt offering of the Lorde.

33 And there were dedicated sixe hundred oxen, and three thousand sheepe.

34 And the priestes were to fewe to flay al the burnt offringes: but their brethren the Leuites did helpe them, till they had ended the worke, & vntil the priestes were sanctified: For the Leuites were purer hearted to be sanctified, then the priestes.

35 And therto ye burnt offringes were ma∣ny, with the fat of the peace offringes, & the drinke offringes, that belong to the burnt offring: And so the seruice partey∣ning to the house of the Lorde, was fi∣nished.

36 And Hezekia reioyced, and all the peo∣ple, that God had made the folke so rea∣die, & that the thing was so soone done.

¶The .xxx. Chapter.

1 The keping of the passouer by the kinges commaundement. 6 He exhorteth Israel to turne to the Lorde. 18 He prayeth for the people. 24 His oblation and the prin∣ces. 27 The Leuites blesse the people.

[unspec A] 1 AND Hezekia sent to all Israel and Iuda, and wrote letters to E∣phraim and Manasse, that they shoulde come to the house of the lorde at Hierusalem, and of∣fer passouer vnto the Lorde God of Israel.

2 And the king helde a counsell with his lordes, and all the congregation of Hie∣rusalem, * 1.2045 to kepe the feast of passouer in the(a) 1.2046 second moneth:

3 For they coulde not kepe it at that time, because the priestes were not sanc∣tified sufficiently, neither was the peo∣ple gathered together to Hierusalem.

4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

5 And they decreed that it shoulde be

Page cxliiij

proclaymed throughout all Israel from Beerseba to Dan, that they shoulde come & holde the feast of Passouer vnto the Lord God of Israel at Hierusalem: For they had not done it of a great sea∣son, as it was written.

6 So the postes went with letters of the king and of his lordes throughout all Israel & Iuda, and at the commaun∣dement of the king they sayde: Ye chil∣dren of Israel, turne againe vnto the Lorde God of Abraham, Isahac, and Israel, and he wyll returne to the rem∣naunt that are escaped of you out of the hande of the kinges of the Assyrians.

[unspec B] 7 And be not ye lyke your fathers and your brethren, which trespassed against the Lorde God of their fathers, which gaue them vp to be destroyed, as ye see.

8 And now be not ye stiffe necked lyke as were your fathers: but yeelde your selues vnto the Lord, and enter into his holy place which he hath sanctified for euer, and serue the Lord your God, and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turne away from you.

9 For if ye turne againe vnto the Lorde, then shall your brethren and your chil∣dren finde compassion in the presence of them that toke them captiue, and they shall come againe vnto this lande:* 1.2047 For the Lorde your God is gratious and mercifull, and wyll not turne away his face from you, if ye conuert vnto him.

10 And so the postes went from citie to citie in the lande of Ephraim & Manas∣se, euen vnto Zabulon: but they laugh∣ed them to scorne, and mocked them.

11 Neuerthelesse, yet diuers of Aser, Manasse, and of Zabulon, submitted them selues, and came to Hierusalem.

12 And the hande of God was in Iuda, and he gaue them one heart to do the commaundement of the king and of the rulers, according to the worde of the Lorde.

[unspec C] 13 And there assembled to Hierusalem much people, and there was present a mightie great congregation, to hold the feast of sweete bread in the second mo∣neth.

14 And they arose, and remoued the * 1.2048 aul∣ters that were in Hierusalem: And all the aulters for incense did they away, and cast them into the brooke Cedron.

15 And they slue Passouer the foure∣teenth day of the second moneth: And the priestes and Leuites which were (b) 1.2049ashamed, sanctified them selues, and brought in the burnt offringes into the house of the Lorde.

16 And they stoode in their office after their maner and according to the lawe of Moyses the man of God: And the priestes sprinckled the blood, [which they receaued] of the hande of the Leuites.

17 For there were many in the congre∣gation that were not sanctified, and therefore the Leuites had the charge of the killing of the Passouer for euery one that was not cleane, to sanctifie him vnto the Lorde.

18 For many of the people, and very ma∣ny out of Ephraim, Manasse, Isachar, and Zabulon▪ were not clensed, and yet did eate Passour against the lawe ap∣poynted: but Hezekia prayed for them, saying, The good Lorde be mercifull toward euery one

19 That prepareth his heart to seeke the Lorde God, the God of his fathers: [unspec D] though he be not [clensed] accordyng to the purification of the sanctuarie.

20 And the Lorde heard Hezekia, and healed the people.

21 And the children of Israel that were present at Hierusalem, held the feast of sweete bread seuen dayes, with great gladnes: and the Leuites & the priestes praysed the Lorde day by day, singing with loude instrumentes vnto the lord.

22 And Hezekia spake comfortablie vnto all the Leuites that had good know∣ledge [to sing] vnto the Lorde: and they did eate throughout that feast seuen dayes long, and offered peace offringes, and thanked the Lorde God of their fa∣thers.

23 And the whole assemblie toke counsel to do so other seuen dayes: & they helde those seuen dayes with gladnesse:

24 For Hezekia king of Iuda, did geue to the congregation * 1.2050 a thousand young oxen, and seuen thousand sheepe: And the lordes gaue out to the congregation a thousand oxen, & ten thousand sheepe, [unspec E] and a great number of the priestes were sanctified.

25 And all the congregation of Iuda, with the priestes & Leuites, and all the con∣gregation that came out of Israel, & the straungers that came out of the lande of Israel, & that dwelt in Iuda, reioyced.

26 And there was great gladnesse in

Page [unnumbered]

Hierusalem: For since the time of So∣lomon the sonne of Dauid king of Is∣rael, there was no such [ioy] in Hieru∣salem.

27 And the priestes and the Leuites a∣rose, and blessed the people: and their voyce was heard [of the Lorde] and their prayer came vp vnto heauen his holy dwelling place.

¶The .xxxi. Chapter.

1 The people destroy idolatrie, 2 Hezekia appoynteth priestes and Leuites, 4 and prouideth for their liuing. 13 He ordayneth ouerseers to destribute to euery one his portion.

[unspec A] 1 AND when all these thinges were finished, all they of Israel that were present in the ci∣ties of Iuda, went out and brake the images, and * 1.2051 cut downe the idol groues, and all to brake the high places and * 1.2052 aulters throughout al Iu∣da and Beniamin, in Ephraim also and Manasse, vntil they had vtterly destroy∣ed them all: And all the children of Is∣rael returned euery man to his possessi∣ons, and to their owne cities.

2 And Hezekia appoynted sundry com∣panies of the priestes and Leuites after the diuersitie of their ministrations, eue∣ry man according to his office both priestes and Leuites, for the burnt offe∣ring and peace offringes, to minister and to geue thankes and praise in the gates of the (a) 1.2053hoast of the Lorde.

3 And the kinges portion of his sub∣staunce that he gaue, were dayly burnt offringes in the morning and euening, and burnt offringes for the Sabbath dayes, newe moones, & solempe feastes, according * 1.2054 as it is written in the lawe of the Lorde.

4 And he bade the people that dwelt in Hierusalem, to geue a (b) 1.2055 parte to the priestes and Leuites, that they might substancially applie them selues to the lawe of the Lorde.

5 And assoone as the kinges commaun∣dement came abrode, the children of Is∣rael brought aboūdance of first fruites, of corne, wine, oyle, hony, and of all ma∣ner of fruites of the fielde, & the tythes of all maner of thinges brought they in plenteously.

6 And the children of Israel and Iuda that dwelt in the cities of Iuda, they also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheepe, & other holy tithes which were consecrate vnto the Lorde their God, they did offer and brought them all by heapes.

7 In the third moneth, they began to lay the heapes in maner of a foundati∣on, [unspec B] and finished them in the seuenth mo∣neth.

8 And when Hezekia and the lordes came and sawe the heapes, they blessed the Lorde, and his people Israel.

9 And Hezekia questioned with the priestes and the Leuites concerning the heapes.

10 And Azaria the chiefe priest of the house of Zadoc, aunswered him and saide: Since the people began to bryng the heaue offringes into the house of the Lorde, (c) 1.2056 we also haue had inough to eate, there remayned so much: for the Lorde hath blessed his people, and this heape is left.

11 And Hezekia bade prepare “ 1.2057 the cham∣bers in the house of the Lord: And they did prepare them,

12 And caried in the first fruites, the tithes, and the dedicate thinges faith∣fully: ouer which Chonaniahu the Le∣uite had the rule, and Semei his bro∣ther next to him: [unspec C]

13 And Iehiel, Azariahu, Nahath, Asa∣el, Ierimoth, Iosabad, Eliel, Iesma∣chiahu, Mahath, and Banaiahu, were ouerseres ordayned by Chonaniahu, & Semei his brother was an officer of Hezekia the king, & Azariahu was the ruler of the house of God.

14 And Core the sonne of Imna the Leuite, and porter of the east doore, had the ouersight of the thinges that were offered of a free wyll vnto God, & were geuen in maner seuerally vnto the lord, and ouer the thinges most holy.

15 And vnder his hand were Eden, Mi∣niamin, Iesua, Semeiahu, Amariahu, and Sechaniahu in the cities of the priestes [appoynted] of their fidelitie to geue to their brethren their portions, as∣well

Page cxlv

to the small as to the great.

16 Beside their generation, beyng males, from three yeres old and vpwarde, euen vnto euery one that entereth into the house of the Lord, they should geue day by day, for their ministration, and for their geuing attendaunce, and for their diuers waytinges by course,

17 Both to the generation of the priestes and Leuites throughout the housholde of their fathers, from twentie yeres and aboue, to wayte when their courses came:

18 And to the families of all their babes, wyues, sonnes and daughters through all the congregation: For vpon the fide∣litie of them were the holy thinges be∣stowed.

19 And to the children of Aaron the priestes whiche were in the fieldes and suburbes of their cities, citie by citie, the men whose names were expressed a∣fore, shoulde geue portions, euen to all the males among the priestes, and to all the Leuites, according to their number.

20 And of this maner did Hezekia through∣out all Iuda: & wrought it that is good, and right and true before the Lorde his God.

21 And in al the workes that he began, for [unspec D] seruice of the house of God, for the lawe, & for the commaundementes, he sought his God: and that did he with all his heart, and prospered.

The .xxxii. Chapter.

1 Sennacherib inuadeth Iuda. 3 Hezekia prepareth for the warre. 7 He exhorteth the people to put their trust in the Lorde. 9 Sennacherib blasphemeth God. 20 He∣zekia prayeth. 21 The angell destroyeth the Assyrians, and the king is slayne. 25 Hezekia is not thankefull toward the Lorde. 33 His death.

[unspec A] 1 AFter that these deedes were faythfully done, * 1.2058Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came, and entred into Iuda, & compassed the strong cities, and thought to winne them for him selfe.

2 And so when Hezekia sawe that Sen∣nacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Hierusalem,

3 He toke counsell with his lordes and men of might, to stop the water of the fountaynes without the citie: And they dyd helpe him.

4 For there gathered many of the people together, and stopt all the welles, and the broke that ran through the middes of the land, saying: Why shall the kinges of the Assyrians come and finde much water?

5 And Hezekia went to lustyly, and buylt vp the wall where it was broken, and made ordinaunce vpon the towres, and to the other wall without, and repaired Millo in the citie of Dauid, and made many dartes and shieldes.

6 And he set captaynes of warre ouer the people, and gathered them together to him in the large streete of the gate of the citie, and spake gentylly to them, saying:

[unspec B] 7 Plucke vp your heartes and be strong: be not afrayde nor discouraged for the king of the Assyrians, & for all the mul∣titude that he hath with hym: * 1.2059for there be mo with vs then with hym.

8 With him is an * 1.2060 arme of flesh: but with vs is the Lord our God for to helpe vs, and to fight our battayles. And the peo∣ple toke a courage through the wordes of Hezekia king of Iuda.

9 * 1.2061After this did Sennacherib king of the Assyrians send of his seruauntes to Hie∣rusalem (but he him selfe remayned be∣side Lachis, hauing all his power with him) vnto Hezekia king of Iuda, and vnto all Iuda that were at Hierusalem, saying,

10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of the Assyrians: * 1.2062 wherin do ye trust O ye that dwell in Hierusalem which is besieged?

11 Doth not Hezekia entice you to geue o∣uer your selues vnto death, hunger, and thirst, saying: The Lord our God shall ryd vs out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

12 Hath not the same Hezekia put downe his hye places and his (a) 1.2063 aulters, & com∣maunded Iuda and Hierusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one aulter, and burne incense vpon the same?

13 Knowe ye not what I and my fathers haue done vnto the people of all landes? Were the gods of the people of other landes, able or mightie to saue their landes out of my hande?

Page [unnumbered]

14 Which of all the gods of those nations [unspec C] that my fathers destroyed, could deliuer his people out of my hande? And shall your God be able to deliuer you out of my hande?

15 Wherfore nowe let not Hezekia deceaue you, nor persuade you of this fassion, nor yet beleue him: For as no god among all nations and kingdomes, was able to rid his people out of my hand and out of the hand of my fathers: Howe much lesse shall your gods be able to kepe you out of my hande?

16 And yet mo thinges did his seruauntes speake against the Lorde God, and a∣gainst his seruaunt Hezekia.

17 And Sennacherib also wrote a letter to rayle on the Lord God of Israel, and spake against him, saying: As the gods of the nations of [other] landes haue not ben able to deliuer their people out of my hande: euen so shal not the God of Heze∣kia deliuer his people out of my hande.

18 And they cried with a loude voyce in the Iewes speach vnto the people of Hie∣rusalem that were on the wall, to feare them, and to make them faynt hearted, and that they might so take the citie.

19 And they spake against the God of Hie∣rusalem, as against the gods of the na∣tions of the earth, [whiche were] the workes of the handes of men.

20 But Hezekia the king, and the prophet Esai the sonne of Amos b 1.2064 prayed against that [blasphemie,] and cried vp to heauen.

[unspec D] 21 And the Lord sent an angel, which de∣stroyed all the men of warre and the lordes and captaynes of the hoast of the king of the Assyrians, that he turned his face againe with shame towarde his owne lande: * 1.2065 And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came of his owne body slue him therewith the sworde.

22 And so the Lorde saued Hezekia and the inhabiters of Hierusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib the king of the As∣syrians, and from the hande of all other, and mayntayned them on euery side.

23 And many brought offeringes vnto the Lorde to Hierusalem, and presentes to Hezekia king of Iuda: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thence foorth.

24 * 1.2066In those dayes Hezekia was sicke to the death, and prayed vnto the Lorde: which aunswered him, and shewed him a wonderfull miracle.

25 But Hezekia dyd not againe vnto God according to it that he had shewed him: for his heart arose, & there came wrath vpon hym, and vpon Iuda and Hieru∣salem.

26 Notwithstanding Hezekia submitted him selfe after that his heart was risen vp, he and the inhabiters of Hierusalem: and the wrath of the Lorde came not vpon them in the dayes of Hezekia.

27 And Hezekia had exceeding much riches and honour: And he gat him trea∣sures of siluer and gold, pretious stones, and spices, shieldes, and of all maner pleasaunt iewels:

28 And made store houses for the fruites [unspec E] of corne, for wine and oyle, and stalles for all maner of beastes, and foldes for sheepe.

29 And he made him cities, & had of sheepe and oxen great aboundaunce: For God had geuen him substaunce exceeding much.

30 This same Hezekia stopped the vpper water springes of (c) 1.2067 Gihon, and brought them downe to the west side of the citie of Dauid: And Hezekia prospered in all his workes.

31 And when the princes of Babylon sent vnto him ambassadours, to enquire of the wonder that chaunced in the lande, God left him, * 1.2068 to d 1.2069 trye him, and that all that was in his heart might be knowen.

32 The rest of the deedes of Hezekia, and his goodnes, beholde they are written in the vision of Esai the prophet the sonne of Amoz, in the booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel.

33 And Hezekia slept with his fathers, and they buried hym in the most worthy place of the sepulchres of the sonnes of Dauid, and all Iuda and the inhabiters of Hierusalem dyd him worship at his death: and Manasse his sonne raigned in his steade.

Page cxlvj

The .xxxiii. Chapter.

1 Manasses an idolater. 9 He causeth Iuda to erre. 11 He is led away prisoner into Ba∣bylon. 12 He prayeth to the Lorde and is deliuered. 15 He abolisheth idolatrie, 16 and setteth vp true religion. 20 He dieth, and Amon his sonne succeedeth, 24 whom his owne seruauntes slay.

[unspec A] 1 MAnasse was twelue yeres olde * 1.2070 when he began to raigne, and he raigned fiftie and fiue yeres in Hierusalem:

2 But dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde, like vnto the abhominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the chil∣dren of Israel.

3 For he went to, and buylt the high places * 1.2071whiche Hezekia his father had broken downe: And he reared vp aulters for Baalim, and made groues, and wor∣shipped all the hoast of heauen, and ser∣ued them.

4 And he buylt aulters in the house of the Lorde, where as the Lord yet had sayd, * 1.2072In Hierusalē shal my name be for euer.

5 And he buylded aulters for all the hoast of heauen, in the two courtes of ye house of the Lorde.

6 And he burnt his children in fire in the valley of the sonne of Hinnon: He was a sorcerer, he regarded the crying of birdes, vsed inchauntmentes, and mayn∣tayned workers with spirites and sears of fortunes, and wrought much euyll in the sight of the Lorde to anger hym withall.

[unspec B] 7 And he put the carued image and an idol whiche he had made, in the house of God: Of which house, God had sayd to Dauid and to Solomon his sonne, In this house and in Hierusalem whiche I haue chosen afore all the tribes of Isra∣el * 1.2073 will I put my name for euer.

8 Neither will I make the foote of Is∣rael to remoue any more out of the land whiche I haue ordeyned for your fa∣thers, yf so be that they wil be diligent and do all that I haue commaunded them in all the law and statutes, and or∣dinaunces by the hande of Moyses.

9 And so Manasse made Iuda and the in∣habiters of Hierusalem to erre, and to do worse then the heathen whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And the Lord spake * 1.2074 to Manasse and to his people: but they woulde not re∣garde.

11 Wherfore the Lord brought vpon them the captaynes of the hoast of the king of the Assyrians, whiche toke Manasse in holde, and bounde him with chaynes, and caried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in tribulation, he be∣sought the Lord his God, and humbled him selfe exceedingly before the God of his fathers,

13 And made intercession to him: and God was (b) 1.2075 intreated of him, and hearde his prayer, and brought him againe to Hie∣rusalem into his kingdome: and then Manasse knewe that the Lorde was God.

14 After this he buylt a wall without the [unspec C] citie of Dauid on the west side of Gion, in the valley, as they came to the fishe gate, and round about Ophel, & brought it vp of a very great heyght, and put cap∣taynes of warre in all the strong cities of Iuda.

15 And he toke away straunge gods and images out of the house of God, and * 1.2076 all the aulters that he had buylt in the mount of the house of God and Hierusa∣lem, and cast them out of the citie.

16 And he prepared the aulter of the Lord, and sacrifised thereon peace offeringes and thanke offeringes, and charged Iu∣da to serue the Lorde God of Israel.

17 Neuerthelesse, the people dyd offer stil in the high places, howbeit vnto the Lorde their God only.

18 The rest of the actes of Manasse, and his prayer vnto his God, & the wordes of the sears that spake to him in the name of the Lorde God of Israel, be∣hold they are [written] in the sayinges of the kinges of Israel.

19 And his prayer, and howe that he was hearde, and all his sinnes, and his trespasse, and the places where he made high places and set vp groues and ima∣ges before he was meekened, beholde they are written among the sayinges of the sears.

20 And Manasse slept with his fathers, & they buried him in his (c) 1.2077 owne house, and Amon his sonne raigned in his roome.

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21 Amon was two and twentie yeres old when he began to raigne, and raigned two yeres in Hierusalem.

22 But he did euill in the sight of the Lord, like as dyd Manasse his father: for A∣mon sacrifised to all the carued images whiche Manasse his father had made, and serued them.

23 And submitted not him selfe before the Lorde, as Manasse his father had meekened him selfe: but Amon trespas∣sed greatly.

24 And his owne seruauntes conspired against him, and slue him in his owne house.

25 But the people of the lande slue al them that had conspired against king Amon: and the same people of the lande made Iosia his sonne king in his roome.

The .xxxiiii. Chapter.

1 Iosia destroyeth the idoles, 8 and restoreth the temple. 14 The booke of the lawe is founde. 21 He sendeth to Hulda the prophetisse for counsell. 27 God heareth his prayer. 31 He maketh a couenaunt with God.

[unspec A] 1 IOsia was eyght yeres olde when he began to raigne, * 1.2078and he raig∣ned in Hierusalem thir∣tie and one yeres.

2 And he dyd that whiche was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.

3 In the eyght yere of his raigne, when he was yet a childe, he began to seke af∣ter the God of Dauid his father: And in the twelfth yere he began to purge Iu∣da & Hierusalem from the high places, groues, carued images, and images of metall.

4 And they brake downe the aulters of Baalim euen in his (a 1.2079 presence: and other images that were in greater honour then they, he caused to be destroyed: And the groues, carued images, and images of metall he brake and made dust of them, and strowed it vpon the graues of them that had offered vnto them.

5 And he burnt the bones of the priestes vpon the aulters of them, and clensed Iuda and Hierusalem:

6 And euen so did he in the cities of Ma∣nasse, Ephraim, Simeon, vnto Neph∣thali, and in the wildernesse of them [unspec B] rounde about,

7 He plucked asunder the * 1.2080 aulters & the groues, & did beate the images & stampe them to powder, and cut downe all the idoles throughout all the lande of Isra∣el, and returned to Hierusalem againe.

8 In the eyghtenth yere of his raigne, when he had purged the lande and the temple, * 1.2081he sent Saphan the sonne of Azaliahu, and Maasiah the gouernour of the citie, and Ioah the sonne of Ioa∣haz the recorder, to repaire the house of the Lorde his God.

9 And when they came to Helkiah the hie priest, they deliuered the money that was brought into the house of God, whiche the Leuites that kept the en∣tryes had gathered of the hand of Ma∣nasse and Ephraim, and of all that yet remayned in Israel, and of all Iuda and Beniamin, and they returned to Hierusalem.

10 And they put it in the handes of the workmen that had the ouersight of the house of the Lorde, & they gaue it to the labourers that wrought in the house of the Lorde, to repaire and mende the house.

11 Euen to masons and carpenters gaue they it, to get hewed stone, & timber for couples and for beames of the houses which ye kinges of Iuda had destroyed.

12 And the men did the worke (c) 1.2082 faythfully: And the ouersears of them to courage them forward, were Iahath and Oba∣diahu Leuites of the children of Mera∣ri: and Secharia and Mesullam of the children of the Caathites, and other of the Leuites, whiche all could skill of in∣strumentes of musicke.

13 And ouer the bearers of burthens, and ouer all that wrought in whatsoeuer worckmanship it were, were there scribes, officers, & porters of the Leuites.

14 And when they brought out the mo∣ney that was brought into the house of the Lorde, Helkia the priest * 1.2083 founde the [unspec C] booke of the law of the Lorde [geuen] by Moyses.

Page cxlvij

15 And Helkia aunswered and sayd to Sa∣phan the scribe: I haue found the booke of the law in the house of the Lord. And Helkia gaue the booke to Saphan.

16 And Saphan caried the booke to the king, and brought the king word againe, saying: All that was commited to thy seruauntes, that do they.

17 And they haue gathered together the money that was founde in the house of the Lord, and haue deliuered it into the handes of the ouersears of the worke, and to the handes of the worckmen.

18 And then Saphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Helkia the priest hath geuen me a booke: and Saphan read in it before the king.

19 And it fortuned, that when the king had heard the wordes of the lawe, he d 1.2084 tare his clothes:

20 And the king commaunded Helkia and Ahikam the sonne of Saphan and Ab∣don the sonne of Micah, and Saphan [unspec D] the scribe, and Asaa a seruaunt of the kinges, saying:

21 Go and enquire of the Lord for me and for them that are left in Israel and Iu∣da, concerning the wordes of the booke that is founde: For great is the wrath of the Lord that is fallen vpon vs, because our fathers haue not kept the worde of the Lorde, to do after all that is written in this booke.

22 And Helkia and they that the king had [appoynted] went to Hulda a prophetisse, the wyfe of Sallum, the sonne of The∣cuath, the sonne of Hasra, keper of the wardrope (for she dwelt in Hierusalem within the seconde wall:) & so they com∣muned with her.

23 She aunswered them, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you to me,

24 Euen thus sayth the Lorde: Beholde, I will bring euyll vpon this place, and vpon the inhabiters thereof, euen al the curses that are written in the booke whiche they haue read before the king of Iuda:

25 Because they haue forsaken me, and haue offred vnto other gods, to anger me with all maner workes of their handes: therfore is my wrath set on fire against this place, and shall not be quen∣ched.

26 And as for the king of Iuda which sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shal ye say vnto him: thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, concerning the wordes whiche thou hast hearde.

27 Because thyne heart did e 1.2085 melt, and thou diddest meeke thy selfe before God when thou heardest his wordes against this place, and against the inhabiters thereof, and humbledst thy selfe before me, and tarest thy clothes, and weepedst before me: that haue I heard also, sayth the Lorde.

28 Behold, I wil take thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in [unspec E] peace, and thyne eyes shall not see all the mischiefe that I will bring vpon this place, and vpon the inhabiters of the same. And they brought the king worde againe.

29 * 1.2086Then the king sent and gathered toge∣ther all the elders of Iuda and Hieru∣salem:

30 And the king went vp into the house of the Lorde, and all the men of Iuda, and the inhabiters of Hierusalem, and the priestes and Leuites, and all the people great and smal, and [the king] did reade in their eares all the wordes of the booke of the couenaunt that was founde in the house of the Lorde.

31 And the king stoode at his standing, and made a couenaunt before the Lorde, to folowe the Lorde, and to kepe his com∣maundementes, his witnesse, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with al his soule, and to fulfill the wordes of the appoyntment written in the sayd booke.

32 And he set in their roome all them that were founde in Hierusalem and Benia∣min: and the inhabiters of Hierusalem did according to the couenaunt of the Lorde God of their fathers.

33 And Iosia put away all maner of ab∣hominations out of all landes that par∣teyned to the children of Israel, and brought in all that were founde in Is∣rael, to worship and to serue the Lorde their God: And they turned not aside from after the Lorde God of their fa∣thers, as long as he liued.

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The .xxxv. Chapter.

1 Iosia kepeth the passouer. 2 He setteth foorth gods seruice. 20 He fighteth against the king of Egypt, and dieth. 24 The people bewayle him.

[unspec A] 1 AND Iosia helde * 1.2087 the [feast of] passouer vnto the Lorde in Hierusa∣lem, & they slue pass∣ouer in the fourteenth day of the first moneth.

2 And he set the priestes in their offices, and ayded them in the seruice of the house of the Lorde,

3 And sayd vnto the Leuites that taught all Israel, and were sanctified vnto the Lorde: Put the holy arke in the house whiche Solomon the sonne of Dauid king of Israel dyd buylde, it shalbe no more a burden vpon your shoulders: But now serue the Lord your God, and his people Israel:

4 And prepare your selues by your aun∣cient housholdes, and companies, accor∣ding to the writing of Dauid king of Is∣rael, and the writing of Solomon his sonne:

5 And stand in the holy place, according to the deuision of the auncient housholdes of your brethren the children of the peo∣ple, and after the deuision of the aun∣cient housholdes of the Leuites:

6 Kill passouer, and sanctifie your selues, & prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hande of Moyses.

[unspec B] 7 And Iosia gaue to the people flockes of sheepe and kiddes all for passouer, and for al that were present, thirtie thou∣sande by tale, and three thousande oxen: and these were euen of the kinges sub∣staunce.

8 And his lordes gaue willingly both vn∣to the people and to the priestes, and vn∣to the Leuites: Helkia also, Zacharia, and Iehiel, rulers of the house of God, gaue vnto the priestes for passouer offe∣ringes two thousande and sixe hundred sheepe, and three hundred oxen.

9 a 1.2088 Conania, and Semeiahu, & Natha∣nael his brethren, & Hasabiah, and Iehi∣el, and Iosabad, rulers of the Leuites, gaue vnto the Leuites passouer offe∣ringes [euen] fiue thousande sheepe and fiue hundred oxen.

10 And so the seruice was prepared, and the priestes stoode in their places, & the Leuites in their distinct companies, at the kinges commaundement:

11 And they slue passouer, and the priestes sprinckled the blood with their hande, and the Leuites pulled of the skinnes of the beastes.

12 And they fet away the burnt offeringes, to geue them vnto the people that were deuided be auncient houses, and that they shoulde offer vnto the Lorde, like * 1.2089as is written in the booke of Moyses: And so dyd they with the oxen also.

13 And * 1.2090they dressed the passouer with fire, as the maner was: And the other dedicate beastes sodde they in pottes, caldrons, and pannes, and deuided them among all the people.

14 And afterward they made redy for them selues and for the priestes: for the priestes [unspec C] the children of Aaron were busied in of∣fring of burnt offringes and the fat vn∣till night: therfore the Leuites prepared for them selues and for the priestes the sonnes of Aaron.

15 And the singers the children of Asaph stoode in their standing, * 1.2091 according to the commaundement of Dauid, and Asaph, Heman, and Ieduthun the kinges(b) 1.2092 fear: and the porters wayted at euery gate, and might not depart from their seruice: for their brethren the Leuites prepared for them.

16 And so all the seruice of the Lord was prepared the same day, to offer pass∣ouer, and to offer burnt offeringes vpon the aulter of the Lord, according to the commaundement of king Iosia,

17 And the children of Israel that were present, kept the passouer the same time, and the feast of sweet bread seuen dayes.

18 And there was no passouer like to that kept in Israel from the dayes of Samuel the prophete, neither did al the kinges of Israel holde such a passeouer feast as dyd Iosia, and the priestes and Leuites, and all Iuda and Israel that were present, and the inhabiters of Hie∣rusalem.

19 This passouer was holden in the eygh∣teenth yere of the raigne of Iosia.

Page cxlviij

20 * 1.2093After all this when Iosia had prepa∣red the temple, Necho king of Egypt came vp to fight against Charcamis be∣side Euphrates: and Iosia went out a∣gainst him.

[unspec D] 21 Whiche sent messengers to hym, and said: What haue I to do with thee thou king of Iuda? * 1.2094Be not thou against thy selfe this day, for my warre is a∣gainst another house, and God bad me make hast: Leaue of therfore & meddle not with God which is with me, lest he destroy thee.

22 Neuerthelesse Iosia would not turne his face from him, * 1.2095 but rather toke ad∣uise to fight with hym, and hearkened not vnto the wordes of Necho out of the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Mageddo.

23 And the shooters shot dartes at king Iosia: And the king sayde to his ser∣uauntes, Carie me away, for I am sore wounded.

24 His seruauntes therefore had hym out of that charet, and put him in another charet that they had: And when they had brought him to Hierusalem, he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers: * 1.2096 And all Iuda and Hierusalem mourned for Iosia.

25 And Ieremia lamented Iosia, and all singing men and singing women mour∣ned for Iosias in their lamentations to this day, and made the same lamenta∣tions an ordinaunce in Israel: and beholde they are written in the lamen∣tations.

26 The rest of the actes of Iosia and his goodnes [whiche he did] folowing in the writing of the lawe of the Lorde,

27 And his sayinges first and last, behold they are written in the booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda.

The .xxxvi. Chapter.

1 After Iosia raigneth Iehoahaz. 4 After Iehoahaz Iehoiacim. 8 After hym Iehoiacin. 11 After him Zedekia, 14. 17. in whose time all the people were caried away to Babylon, for contemning the admonitions of the prophetes. 22 And were restored againe the seuentith yere after, by king Cyrus.

[unspec A] 1 ANd * 1.2097 the people of the lande toke Iehoahaz the sonne of Iosia, and made hym king in his fathers steade in Hie∣rusalem.

2 And Iehoahaz was twentie & three yeres olde when he be∣gan to raigne, and he raigned three monethes in Hierusalem.

3 And the king of Egypt put him downe at Hierusalem, “ 1.2098 and merced the lande in an hundreth talentes of siluer, and a ta∣lent of golde.

4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king vpon Iuda and Hieru∣salem, and turned his name to Iehoia∣cim: and Necho toke Iehoahaz his bro∣ther, and caried him to Egypt.

5 Iehoiacim was twentie and fiue yeres old when he began to raigne, & he raig∣ned aleuen yeres in Hierusalem, and he did euil in the sight of the Lord his God.

6 Against him came vp Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and bounde hym with two chaynes, to cary him to Babylon.

7 The king * 1.2099 Nabuchodonosor also caried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to [unspec B] Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8 The rest of the actes of Iehoiacim, and his abhominations which he did, (a) 1.2100 and that which was found vpon him, behold they are written in the booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda: and Iehoi∣acin his sonne raigned in his steade.

9 And Iehoiacin was eyght yeres olde when he began to raigne, and he raig∣ned three monethes and ten dayes in Hierusalem, and dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde.

10 And when the yere was out, king Na∣buchodonosor sent and fet him to Baby∣lon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lorde, and made Zedekia his fa∣thers brother king ouer Iuda and Hie∣rusalem.

11 * 1.2101Zedekia was one and twentie yeres old when he began the raigne, and raig∣ned aleuen yeres in Hierusalem.

12 And he dyd euyl in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not him selfe be∣fore Ieremia the prophete, at the mouth of the Lorde.

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13 And he rebelled against king Nabucho∣donosor, which had receaued an oth of him by God: but he was stifnecked, and to hard hearted to turne vnto the Lord God of Israel.

[unspec C] 14 Moreouer, all the chiefe of the priestes and the people trespassed wonderfully after all maner of abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lorde which he had halowed in Hieru∣salem.

15 * 1.2102And the Lorde God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising vp betimes, and sending: for he had com∣passion on his people, and on his dwel∣ling place.

16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his wordes, and mis∣vsed his prophetes, vntill the wrath of the Lorde arose against his people, and till there was no remedie.

17 And so * 1.2103 he brought vpon them the king of Chaldee, which slue their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and spared neither young man, mayden, old man, nor him that stowped for age: He gaue them all into his hande.

18 And all the vessels of the house of God, both great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the trea∣sures of the king, and of his lordes: all these caryed he to Babylon.

19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake downe the wal of Hierusalem, and burnt all the pallaices thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly iewels therof.

20 And the rest that had escaped the sword, caried he to Babylon: where they were bondmen to him & his children, vn∣till the time that Persia had the Empire:

21 To fulfill the worde of the Lord * 1.2104 by the [unspec D] mouth of Ieremia, vntill the lande had her pleasure of her Sabbathes: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept Sab∣bath, vntil threescore and ten yeres were fulfilled.

22 * 1.2105And the b 1.2106 first yere of Cyrus king of Persia (when the worde of the Lorde * 1.2107spoken by the mouth of Ieremia was finished) the Lorde stirred vp the spirite of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his king∣dome, and that by wryting, saying:

23 Thus sayth Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdomes of the earth hath the Lorde God of heauen geuen me, & hath charged me to buylde hym an house in Hierusalem, that is in Iuda: Wherfore whosoeuer is among you of all his peo∣ple, the Lorde his God be with him, and let hym go vp.

E. VV.

The ende of the seconde booke of the Chronicles.

Page cxlix

❧The first booke of Esdras.

The first Chapter.

1 Cyrus sendeth againe the people that was in captiuitie, 8 and restoreth them their holy vessels.

[unspec A] 1 IN the first yere of * 1.2108 Cyrus king of Persia (that the worde of the Lord spoken * 1.2109 by the mouth of Ieremia might be fulfilled) the Lorde stirred vp the spirite of Cyrus king of Persia, that he caused to be proclaymed throughout all his em∣pyre, and to be written, saying,

2 Thus saith Cyrus the king of Persia: The Lorde God of heauen hath geuen me all the kingdomes of the earth, * and hath commaunded me to build him an house at Hierusalem, which is in Iuda.

3 Whosoeuer nowe among you is of his people, the Lord his God be with him, and let him go vp to Hierusalem in Iu∣da, and builde the house of the Lorde God of Israel, he is the God that is at Hierusalem.

4 And whosoeuer remayneth yet in any maner of place where he is a straunger, let the men of that place helpe him with siluer and golde, with good and cattaile, beside that which they willingly offer for the house of God that is at Hierusa∣lem.

5 Then gat vp the principall fathers of Iuda and Beniamin, and the priestes and Leuites, and all they whose spirite God had raysed to go vp and to builde the house of the Lorde which is at Hie∣rusalem.

6 And all they that were about them, strengthed their hande with vessels of siluer & golde, with goodes, and cattaile, and iewels, besides all that was wyl∣lingly offered.

7 And king Cyrus brought foorth the [unspec B] vessels of the house of the Lord: * 1.2110 which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of Hie∣rusalem, and had put in the house of his God.

8 Those did Cyrus the king of Persia bryng foorth by the hande of Mithrida∣tes the treasurer, & numbred them vnto Sesbazer the prince of Iuda.

9 And this is the number of them: thir∣tie chargers of golde, a thousand char∣gers of siluer, twentie and nine kniues:

10 Thirtie basons of golde, and of other siluer basons foure hundred & ten: and of other vessels a thousand.

11 Al the vessels of golde and siluer were fiue thousand and foure hundred: All these did Sesbazer cary away with them that came vp out of the captiuitie of Babylon, vnto Hierusalem.

The .ij. Chapter.

The number of them that returned from the captiuitie.

[unspec A] 1 THese are the children of the prouince, that went vp out of the captiuitie, whom Nabuchodono∣sor the king of Baby∣lon had caried away vnto Babylon: & came againe vnto Hierusalem and into Iuda euery one vnto his citie.

2 They that came with Zorobabel [are these:] Iesua, * 1.2111 Nehemiah, Saraiah, Rehelaia, Mardochai, Bilsan, Mispar, Biguai, Behum, Baana. This is the number of the men of the people of Is∣rael:

3 The children of Pharos, two thou∣sand an hundred seuentie and two.

4 The children of Sephatia, three hun∣dred seuentie and two.

5 The children of Arath, seuen hundred seuentie and fiue.

6 The children of the captaine of Moab, of the children of Iesua and Ioab, two thousand eyght hundred and twelue.

7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fiftie and foure.

8 The children of Zathu, nine hundred

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'and fouretie and fiue.

'9 The children of Zaccai, seuen hundred 'and threescore.

'10 The children of Bani, sixe hundred 'fouretie and two.

'11 The children of Bebai, sixe hundred 'twentie and three.

'12 The children of Asgad, a thousand 'two hundred twentie and two.

[unspec C] '13 The children of Adonicam, sixe hun∣dred 'sixtie and sixe.

'14 The childrē of Beguai, two thousand 'fiftie and sixe.

'15 The children of Adin, foure hundred 'fiftie and foure.

'16 The children of Ater of Hezekia, nine∣tie 'and eyght.

'17 The children of Bezai, three hundred 'twentie and three.

'18 The children of Iora, an hundred and 'twelue.

'19 The children of Hasum, two hundred 'twentie and three.

[unspec D] '20 The children of Gebbar, ninetie & fiue.

'21 The children of Bethlehem, an hun∣dred 'twentie and three.

'22 The men of Netopha, fiftie and sixe.

'23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred 'twentie and eyght.

'24 The children of Asmaueth, fouretie 'and two.

25 The children of Kiriathiarim, euen the children of Cephira and Beeroth, seuen hundred fouretie and three.

'26 The children of Harama and Geba, [unspec E] 'sixe hundred twentie and one.

'27 The men of Michmas, an hundred 'twentie and two.

'38 The men of Bethel and Hay, two 'hundred twentie and three.

'29 The children of Nebo, fiftie and two.

'30 The children of Magbis, an hundred 'fiftie and sixe.

'31 The childrē of the other Elam, a thou∣sand 'two hundred fiftie and foure.

[unspec F] '32 The children of Harim, three hundred 'and twentie.

'33 The children of Lodhadid and Ono, 'seuen hundred twentie and fiue.

'34 The childrē of Iericho, three hundred 'fouretie and fiue.

'35 The children of Senaa, three thou∣sand 'sixe hundred and thirtie.

36 The priestes: of the children of Iedaia of the house of Iesua, nine hundred se∣uentie and three.

'37 The children of Immer, a thousand fiftie and two.'

38 The children of Phashur, a thousand' two hundred fouretie and seuen.'

39 The children of Arim, a thousand' and seuenteene.'

40

The Leuites: the children of Iesua & Cadmiel, of the children of Hodauia, seuentie and foure.

41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an' hundred twentie and eyght.'

42

The children of the doore kepers, the children of Sallum, the children of A∣ter, the children of Talmon, the children of Accub, the children of Hatita, the chil∣dren of Sobai, altogether an hundred thirtie and nine.

43

The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Asupha, the children of Tabaoth,

44 The children of Ceros, the children of' Siaa, the children of Padon,'

45 The children of Lebana, the children' of Hagaba, the children of Accub,'

46 The children of Hagab, the children of' Semlai, the children of Hanan,' [unspec G]

47 The children of Giddel, the children of' Gahar, the children of Reaia,'

48 The children of Razin, the children of' Necoda, the children of Gasam,'

49 The children of Vzza, the children of' Paseah, the children of Besai,'

50 The children of Asna, the children of' Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,'

51 The children of Bacbuc, the children' of Hacupa, the children of Harhur,'

52 The children of Bazluth, the children' of Mehida, the children of Harsa,'

53 The children of Barcos, the children' of Sisara, the children of Thamah,'

54 The children of Neziah, the children' of Hatipha.'

55

The children of Solomons seruaūtes, the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

56 The children of Iaala, the children of' Darcon, the children of Giddel,'

57

The children of Sephatiah, the chil∣dren of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazbaim, the children of Ami.

58

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomons seruauntes, were altoge∣ther three hundred ninetie and two.

59

And these went vp from Thelmelah, and from Thelharsa, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they coulde not dis∣cerne their fathers house & their seede, whether they were of Israel.

Page cxlxj

60 The children of Delaia, the children of Tobia, the children of Necoda, sixe hun∣dre fiftie and two.

61 And of the children of the priestes: the children of Habaia, the children of Ac∣coz, the childrē of Berzillai, which toke one of the daughters of * 1.2112 Berzillai the Gileadite to wyfe, and was called after their name.

62 These sought their euidence among them that had the regester of birth, and were not founde therein, therefore were they put from the priesthood.

* 1.2113'63 And Hathirsatha said vnto them that they should not eate of the most holy, till there rose vp a * 1.2114 priest [to weare] Vrim and Thummim.

64 The whole congregation together, was fouretie & two thousand, three hun∣dred and threescore:

65 Beside their seruauntes and maydens, of whom there were seuen thousand three hundred thirtie and seuen: And there were among them two hundred singing men and women.

66 Their Horses were seuen hundred thirtie and sixe: their Mules two hun∣dred fouretie and fiue,

67 And their Camels foure hundred thir∣tie and fiue: their Asses sixe thousand seuen hundred and twentie.

68 And certaine of the chiefe fathers, when they came to the house of the Lorde at Hierusalem, they offred them selues wylling for the house of God, to set it vp in his place:

69 And gaue golde after their habilitie, vnto the treasure of the worke, euen threescore and one thousand peeces, and fiue thousand pounde of siluer, and an hundred priestes garmentes.

70 So the priestes, and the Leuites and certaine of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

¶The .iii. Chapter.

1 They builde the aulter of God. 6 They offer to the Lorde. 7 They prepare for the temple, 11 and sing vnto the Lorde.

[unspec A] 1 ANd when* 1.2115 the seuenth moneth came, and the childrē of Israel were now in their cities, the people came together euen as one man to Hierusalem.

2 And there stoode vp Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and his brethren the priestes, and Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and his brethren, and builded the aulter of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offe∣ringes thereon, as it is written in the law of Moyses the man of God.

3 And the aulter set they vpon his“ 1.2116 soc∣kets: for there was a fearefulnesse a∣mong them, because of the people of those countries, therefore they offered burnt offeringes theron vnto the lorde, euen burnt offeringes * in the morning and at euening.

4 And they helde the feast of taberna∣cles * as it is written, and offered burnt sacrifices dayly, according to the num∣ber and custome, day by day.

5 Afterwarde they offered dayly burnt offringes also, and in the new moones, and in al the feast dayes that were con∣secrated vnto the Lord, and for all them which did of their owne free wyll offer vnto the Lorde.

6 From the first day of the seuenth mo∣neth, began they to offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord: euen when the founda∣tion of the temple of the Lorde was not yet layde.

7 They gaue money also vnto the ma∣sons [unspec B] and “ 1.2117 carpenters, and meate and drincke, and oyle vnto them of Sidon and of Tyre, to bring the Cedar timber from Libanus by sea vnto Ioppa, ac∣cording to the graunt that they had of Cyrus the king of Persia.

8 In the second yere of their comming vnto the house of God at Hierusalem in the second moneth, began Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and the remnaunt of their brethren, the priestes and Leuites, and all they that were come out of the captiuitie vnto Hierusalem: and appoyn∣ted the Leuites from twentie yeres olde and aboue, to see that the worke of the house of the Lorde went forwarde.

9 And Iesua stoode with his sonnes and brethren, and Cadmiel with his sonnes & the children of Iuda together, to set forwarde the workmen of the house of

Page [unnumbered]

God, euen the childrē of Henadad, with their children, and their brethren the Le∣uites.

10 And when the builders layed the foundation of the temple of the Lorde, they appoynted the priestes in their * 1.2118 araye with trumpettes, and the Le∣uites the children of Asaph with cym∣bales, to prayse the Lorde * 1.2119 after the maner of Dauid king of Israel.

11 And they sang together when they gaue prayse and thankes vnto the lorde, Because he is gracious, and because his mercie endureth for euer vpon Israel: And all the people showted loude in praysing the Lorde, because the founda∣tion of the house of the Lord was layd.

12 Many also of the priestes & Leuites and chiefe fathers, and auncient men which had seene the first house, when the foun∣dation was layde before their eyes, wept with a loude voyce, and many showted [unspec C] aloude with ioy:

13 So that the people coulde not discerne the ioyfull sounde & gladnesse, from the noyse of the weeping among the peo∣ple: for the people showted with a loude crye, and the noyse was heard farre of.

The .iiij. Chapter.

2 The building of the temple is hindred, and how. 11 Letters to Artaxerxes, and the aunswere.

[unspec A] 1 BVt * 1.2120 the aduersaries of Iuda and Benia∣min, heard that the children of the captiui∣tie builded the temple vnto the Lorde God of Israel:

2 And they came to Zorobabel and to the principall fathers, and saide vnto them: We wyll builde with you, for we seeke the Lorde your God, as ye do, and we haue done sacrifice vnto him since the time of Asor Hadon the king of As∣sur* 1.2121 which brought vs vp hither.

3 And Zorobabel, and Iesua, and the other auncient fathers of Israel, sayde vnto them: “ 1.2122 It can not be, that you and we together shoulde builde the house vnto our God: for we our selues wyll builde alone vnto the Lorde our God of Israel, * 1.2123 as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commaunded vs.

4 And it came to passe, that the folke of the lande discouraged the people of Iu∣da, & troubled them as they were buil∣ding:

5 And hyred counsellers against them, to hinder their deuice as long as Cyrus the king of Persia liued, vntil the raigne of Darius king of Persia.

6 And in the raigne of Ahasuerus, euen at the beginning of his raigne, wrote they vnto him a complaynt against the inhabiters of Iuda and Hierusalem.

[unspec B] 7 And in the dayes of Artaxerxes, wrote Mithridath, Tabel, and the other of his counsell, vnto Artaxerxes the king of Persia with faire wordes: And the wri∣ting of the letter was in the Syrians speache, and interpreted in the language of the Syrians:

8 Rehum the recorder, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter “ 1.2124 from Hierusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it foloweth.

9 Then Rehum the recorder, and Sam∣sai the scribe, and other of their compa∣ny, they of Dina, of Apharsath, of Tharpelai, of “ 1.2125 Persia, of Arache, of Ba∣bylon, of Susan, of Deha, of Elan,

10 And other of the people * 1.2126 whom the great & noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and o∣ther that are nowe beyond the water, and Cheeneth.

11 This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto king Artaxerxes: Thy seruauntes, and the men that are nowe eyond the water, and Cheeneth.

12 Be it knowen vnto the king that the Iewes which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Hierusalem, a citie se∣ditious and froward, and builde the same, and set vp the walles thereof, and lay the foundations.

13 Be it knowen now vnto the king, that [unspec C] if this citie be builded, and the walles made vp againe, then shal not they geue toule, tribute, and custome, & the kinges profite shall incurre damage.

14 And now “ 1.2127 in the meane season we haue destroyed the temple, and woulde no longer see the kinges dishonour, therefore sent we out also and certifi∣ed the king,

15 That it may be sought in the booke of the cronicles of thy progenitours, and

Page clij

so shalt thou finde in the booke of the cronicles, and perceaue that this citie is seditious and noysome vnto the kinges and landes,* 1.2128 and that they cause other also among them to rebell of olde: and for the same cause was this citie destroy∣ed.

16 Therfore do we certifie the king, that if this citie be builded againe, and the walles thereof made vp, thou shalt hereafter haue no portion beyond the water.

17 Then sent the king an aunswere vnto Rehum the recorder and Samsai the scribe, and to the other of their compa∣nions that dwell in Samaria, and vnto the other that were beyond the water in Selam and * 1.2129 Cheeth.

[unspec D] 18 The letter which ye sent vnto vs, hath ben openly read before me.

19 And I haue commaunded to make searche, and it is found that this citie of olde hath made insurrection against kinges, and that rebellion and sedition hath ben committed therein.

20 There haue ben mightie kinges also at Hierusalem, which haue raigned ouer all countreys beyond the water: and toule, tribute, and custome was ge∣uen vnto them,

21 Geue ye nowe therefore commaunde∣ment, that the same men be forbidden, and that the citie be not builded againe, till I haue geuen another commaun∣dement.

22 Take heede now that ye be not negli∣gent to do this: for why should the king haue harme there through?

23 Nowe when the copie of king Artax∣erxes letter was read before Rehum & Simsai the scribe, and their company∣ons, they went vp in all the haste to Hierusalem vnto the Iewes, and for∣bad them with violence and power.

24 Then ceassed the worke of the house [unspec E] of God at Hierusalem, and continued so vnto the second yere of Darius king of Persia.

¶The .v. Chapter.

1 Aggeus and Zachari do prophecie. 3 The worke of the temple goeth forward, contrary to the minde of Thathanai. 6 His letters to Darius.

[unspec A] 1 THe prophetes Aggeus, and Zachari the sonne of Iddo, prophecied vnto the Iewes that were in Iuda and Hie∣rusalem in the name of the God of Israel, euē vnto them.

2 * 1.2130Then gat vp Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and began to builde the house of God at Hierusalem: and with them were the prophetes of God, which hel∣ped them.

3 At the same time came to them Tha∣thanai which was captaine beyond the water, and Stharbuzanai, and their companions, and saide thus vnto them: Who hath commaunded you to builde this house, & to make vp these walles?

4 Then saide we vnto them after this maner: What are the names of the men that make this building?

5 But the eye of their God was vpon the elders of the Iewes, that they could not cause them to ceasse, till the matter was brought to Darius: and then they aunswered by letters therevnto.

6 This is the copie of the letter that Thathanai which was captayne be∣yond the water, & Stharbuzanai, & the counsailours of Apharsath which were beyond the water, sent vnto king Dari∣us.

7 And the matter that they sent vnto [unspec B] him, was written thus within the let∣ter: Vnto Darius the king, all peace.

8 Be it knowen vnto the king that we went into the prouince of Iurie to the house of the great God, which is builded with mightie great stones, and beames are layde in the walles, and the worke goeth fast foorth, and prospereth in their handes.

9 Then asked we the elders, and saide vnto them as it foloweth: Who com∣maunded you to builde this house, and to make vp the walles thereof?

10 We asked their names also, that we might certifie thee, and write the names of the men that were their rulers.

11 But they aunswered vs with these wordes, and saide: We are the ser∣uauntes of him that is God of heauen and earth, and builde the house that was builded of olde and many yeres

Page [unnumbered]

ago, * 1.2131 which the great king of Israel builded, and set vp.

12 But after our fathers had prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath,* 1.2132 he gaue them ouer into the hande of Na∣buchodonosor the king of Babylon & of the Chaldees, which brake downe this house, and caried the people away cap∣tiue vnto Babylon.

13 * 1.2133But in the first yere of Cyrus the king [unspec C] of Babylon, the same king Cyrus gaue commaundement concerning this house of God, that it shoulde be built againe.

14 And the vessels of golde and siluer of the house of God which Nabuchodo∣nosor toke out of the temple that was at Hierusalem, and brought them into the temple at Babylon: those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple at Babylon, * 1.2134and they were deliuered vnto one Sas∣bazar by name, whom he made cap∣taine,

15 And saide vnto him: Take these ves∣sels, and go thy way, and set them in the temple that is at Hierusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16 Then came the same Sasbazar, and layed the foundation of the house of God which is at Hierusalem: Since that time also vntill nowe hath it ben in building, and yet is it not finished.

17 Now therefore if it please the king, let there be searche made in the kinges li∣brarie which is there at Babylon, whe∣ther it haue ben king Cyrus commaun∣dement that this temple of God at Hie∣rusalem shoulde be builded: and let the king send his minde concerning the same matter.

¶The .vi. Chapter.

At the commaundement of Darius king of Persia after the temple was builded and dedicate, the children of Israel kepe the feaste of vnleuened bread.

[unspec A] 1 THen cōmaunded king Darius: & they made searche in the librarie, euē in the place where they layed vp the trea∣sure at Babylon:

2 And there was found in a coffer in the palace that is in the prouince of the Medes, a volume: and therein was it thus written as a memo∣riall.

3 In the first yere of king Cyrus, gaue the same king Cyrus commaundement concerning the house of God at Hierusa∣lem, that the same house should be buil∣ded in the place where they offer the sa∣crifices, & to ioyne the walles together of threescore cubites heyght, and three∣score cubites breadth.

4 Three rowes of rough stones, and one rowe of newe timber: and the expences shalbe geuen of the kinges house.

5 And let the golde and siluer vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodo∣nosor toke out of the temple at Hierusa∣lem and brought vnto Babylon, be re∣stored, and brought againe vnto the tem∣ple at Hierusalem to their place in the house of God.

6 Now therefore thou Thathanai cap∣taine beyond the water, & Stharbuza∣nai, and your counsailers, and Apherse∣chei which are beyond the water, get ye away from them.

7 Let the worke of the house of this [unspec B] God alone, that the captaine of the Iewes and their elders may builde the house of God in his place.

8 I haue commaunded what ye shall do to the elders of Iuda for the buil∣ding of the house of God, that of the kinges goodes, euen of the tribute be∣yond the water, foorthwith expences be geuen vnto the men, that they be not hindred.

9 And if they haue neede of calues, rammes, and lambes for the burnt offe∣ring of the God of heauen, wheate, salte, wine, and oyle, after the custome of the priestes at Hierusalem, let the same be geuen them dayly without any delay:

10 That they may haue to offer sweete sa∣uours vnto the God of heauen, & pray for the kinges lyfe, and for his children.

11 And such a commaundement haue I geuen, that what man soeuer he be that altereth this word, there shall a beame be taken from his house, and set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, & his house shalbe made a dounghill for the same thing.

12 And the God that set his name there, destroy all kinges and people that put to their hande to aulter and to breake

Page clij

downe the house of God which is at Hierusalem. I Darius haue made a de∣cree, that this be done with speede.

[unspec C] 13 Then Thathanai the captaine [of the countrey] beyond the water, & Sthar∣buzanai, with their counsailours, accor∣ding to that which king Darius had sent, so they did speedyly their diligence.

14 And the elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered through the prophe∣cying of Aggeus the prophete and Za∣chari the sonne of Iddo, and they buil∣ded, and they finished it according to the commaundement of the God of Israel, and after the commaundement of Cy∣rus and Darius & Artaxerxes, kinges of Persia.

15 And this house was finished the third day of the moneth Adar, euen in the sixt yere of the raigne of king Darius.

16 * 1.2135And the childrē of Israel, the priestes, the Leuites, and the other children of the captiuitie, helde the dedication of this house of God with ioy:

17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred oxen, two hūdred rammes, foure hūdred lambes: and for the reconciling of all Israel twelue hee goates, according to the num∣ber of the tribes of Israel:

18 And set the priestes in their sundry courses, and the Leuites in their diuers offices, to minister vnto God at Hierusa∣lem, as it is written in the booke of Moyses.

19 And the children of the captiuitie held Passouer vpon the foureteenth day of the first moneth.

20 For the priestes and Leuites were pu∣rified [unspec D] all together, & killed Passouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the priestes, and for them selues.

21 And the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had seperated them selues vnto them from the filthinesse of the hea∣then of the lande, to seeke the Lorde God of Israel, did eate,

22 And helde the feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: For the Lorde had made them glad, and tur∣ned the heart of the king of Assur vnto them, to strengthen their handes in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.

The .vij. Chapter:

1 By the commaundement of the king, Esdras and his companions come to Hieru∣salem. 27 He geueth thankes to God.

[unspec A] 1 AFter these thinges, ther was in the raigne of Artaxerxes king of Persia, one Esdras the sonne of Saraia, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Helkia,

2 The sonne of Sallum, the sonne of Zadoc, the sonne of Ahitob,

3 The sonne of Amaria, the sonne of A∣saria, the sonne of Meraioth,

4 The sonne of Zeraia, the sonne of Vz∣zi, the sonne of Bucci,

5 The sonne of Abisua, the sonne of Phinehes, the sonne of Eleasar, the sonne of Aaron the chiefe priest.

6 This Esdras also went vp from Ba∣bylon, and was a * 1.2136 perfect scribe in the law of Moyses * 1.2137 which the Lorde God of Israel did geue: And the king gaue him al that he required, according to the hand of the Lorde his God which was vpon him.

7 And there went vp certaine of the chil∣dren of Israel, of the priestes, leuites, singers, porters, and of the Nethinims vnto Hierusalem, in the seuenth yere of [unspec B] king Artaxerxes.

8 And he came to Hierusalem in the fifth moneth, euen in the seuenth yere of the king.

9 For vpon the first day of the first mo∣neth, began he to go vp from Babylon: and on the first day of the fifth moneth came he to Hierusalem, according to the good hand of his God that was vpon him.

10 For Esdras prepared his heart to seeke the law of the Lorde, and to do it, and to teache the preceptes and iudgementes in Israel.

11 And this is the copie of the letter that king Artaxerxes gaue vnto Esdras the priest, and scribe, which was a writer of the wordes and commaundementes of the Lorde, and of his statutes ouer Is∣rael.

12 Artaxerxes a king of kinges, vnto

Page [unnumbered]

Esdras the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heauen, peace and salutation.

[unspec C] 13 I haue commaunded that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priestes and Leuites in my realme, which are minded of their owne good wyll to go vp to Hierusalem, go with thee:

14 And therfore art thou sent of the king and of his seuen counsailers, to visite Iuda and Hierusalem, according to the law of thy God, which is in thy hande:

15 And that thou shouldest take with thee siluer and golde which the king and his counsailers offer of their owne good wyll vnto the God of Israel, whose ha∣bitation is at Hierusalem:

16 And all the siluer and golde that thou canst finde in al the “ 1.2138 countrey of Baby∣lon, with it that the people offer of their owne good wyll, and the priestes geue wyllingly for the house of their God which is at Hierusalem:

17 That thou mayst bye diligently with the same money, oxen, rammes, and lambes, with their meate offringes and drinke offringes, & thou shalt offer them vpon the aulter of the house of your God which is at Hierusalem.

18 And looke what lyketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnaunt of the siluer and golde, that do after the wyll of your God.

[unspec D] 19 And the vessels that are geuen thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God at Hierusalem.

20 And whatsoeuer thing more shalbe nedefull for the house of thy God which is necessary for to spend, thou shalt re∣ceaue the charges out of the kinges treasure house.

21 I king Artaxerxes haue commaun∣ded all the treasures beyond the water, that loke what soeuer Esdras the priest and scribe in the law of the God of hea∣uen requireth of you, that ye fulfill the same speedylie,

22 Vntill an hundred talentes of siluer, and till an hundred quarters of wheate, and till an hundred battes of wine, and till an hundred * 1.2139 battes of oyle, & salt without measure.

23 Whatsoeuer also is by the commaun∣dement of the God of heauen, let the same be done without any delay for the house of the God of heauen, that he be not wroth against the realme, & against the king and his children.

24 And we certifie you, that ye haue no aucthoritie to require taxing and cu∣stome and yerely rentes, vpon any of the priestes, leuites, singers, porters, Ne∣thinims, and ministers in the house of his God.

25 And thou Esdras, after the wysdome of thy God that is in thyne hande, set iudges and arbitrers [by my aucthoritie] to iudge all the people that is beyond the water, euen all such as know the law of thy God: and them that knowe it not, those see that ye teache.

26 And whosoeuer wyll not fulfill the [unspec E] lawe of thy God, and the kinges lawe, let him haue his iudgement without de∣lay, whether it be vnto death, or to be rooted out, or to be condempned in goodes, or to be put in prison.

27 * 1.2140Blessed be the Lorde God of our fa∣thers, which so had inspired the kinges heart, to garnishe the house of the Lord that is at Hierusalem:

28 And hath enclined mercie vnto me in the presence of the king and his counsai∣lers, and before all the kinges high estates: And I was comforted euen as the hande of the Lord my God was vp∣on me, and so gathered I the heades of Israel together, that they might go vp with me.

¶The .viii. Chapter.

1 The number of them that returned to Hierusalem with Esdras. 21 He causeth them to fast. 24 He admonisheth the priestes of their duetie.

[unspec A]

* 1.21411 THese are now the prin∣cipall fathers of them, and this is the “ 1.2142 regi∣ster of them that went vp with me from Ba∣bylon, what time as king Artaxerxes raig∣ned.

2 Of the children of Phinehes, Gersom: of the children of Ithamar, Daniel: of the children of Dauid, Hattus:

3 Of the children of Zechania, among the children of Pharos, Zachari & with him were numbred an hundred and fif¦tie men.

4 Of the childrē of the captaine of Moab,

Page cliij

Elioenai the sonne of Zerahia, & with him two hundred men.

5 Of the children of Zechania the sonne of Iahasiel, and with him three hun∣dred men.

6 Of the children of Adin, Abed the sonne of Ionathan, and with hym fiftie men.

7 Of the children of Elam, Isai the sonne of Athalia, and with hym seuentie men.

[unspec B] 8 Of the children of Saphatia, Zebadia the sonne of Michael, and with hym fourescore men.

9 Of the children of Ioab, Obadia the sonne of Iehiel, and with him two hun∣dred and eyghteene men.

10 Of the children of Selomith, the sonne of Iosephia, and with hym an hundred and threescore men.

11 Of the children of Bebai, Zachari the sonne of Bebai, and with hym twentie and eyght men.

12 Of the children of Asgad, Iohanan the sonne of Hakatan, and with hym an hundred and ten men.

13 Of the children of Adonicam that were the last, whose names are these: Eliphe∣let, [unspec C] Iehiel, and Samaiah, & with them threescore men.

14 Of the children of Biguai, Vthai, and Zabud, & with them seuentie men.

15 And I gathered them together by the water that runneth towarde Ahaua, and there abode we three dayes: And I loked among the people and the priestes, and founde there none of the children of Leui.

16 Then sent I to Eliezer, to Ariel, Se∣meia, Elnachan, Iarib, Elnathan, Na∣than, Zacharia, and to Mesullam, the rulers, and to Ioiarib and Elnathan, which were men of vnderstanding.

17 “ 1.2143And to those gaue I commaunde∣ment vnto Iddo the chiefest at Cas∣phia, and I told them what they should say vnto Iddo & to his brethren the Ne∣thinims at Casphia, that they shoulde cause the ministers of the house of our God to come vnto vs.

18 And through the good hande of our God vpon vs, they brought vs a very wyse man from among the children of Moholi the sonne of Leui the sonne of Israel, and Sarabia with his sonnes and his brethren, euen eyghteene.

19 And Hasabia and with him Isai of the children of Merari, with his brethren, and their sonnes, twentie.

20 And of the Nethinims whom Dauid and the princes gaue to minister vnto the Leuites, two hundred and twentie of Nethinims: which al were named by name.

21 And euen there at the water beside Aha∣ua [unspec D] I proclaymed a fast, that we might humble our selues before our God, and seke of hym a right way for vs, and for our children, and for all our substaunce.

22 For I was ashamed to require of the king souldiers and horsemen, to helpe vs against the enemie in the way: for we had spoken vnto the king, saying: The hande of our God is vpon all them that seke him in goodnesse, & his power and wrath is against all them that for∣sake hym.

23 So we fasted, and besought our God for this, and he was entreated of vs.

24 And I toke out twelue of the chiefe priestes, Sarabia, and Hasabia, and ten of their brethren with them,

25 And wayed them the siluer and golde, and vessels that were appoynted for the house of our God, whiche the king and his consaylers, and his lordes, and al Is∣rael that were there at hand, had geuen together.

26 And I wayed vnto their hande sixe hundred and fiftie talentes of siluer, and in siluer vessels an hundred talentes, and in golde an hundred talentes:

27 Twentie basons of gold of a thousand drammes, and two costly vessels of good brasse, as cleare as golde.

28 And I sayde vnto them: Ye are con∣secrate [unspec C] vnto the Lord, like as the vessels are holy also: and the gold and siluer are geuen of a good wil vnto the Lord God of your fathers.

29 Watch ye, and kepe them: for ye shall way them downe before the chiefe priestes, and Leuites, and auncient fa∣thers of Israel at Hierusalem, in the treasuries of the house of the Lorde.

30 Then toke the priestes and Leuites the wayed siluer and golde, and vessels, to bring it to Hierusalem vnto the house of our God.

31 And we brake vp from the water of Ahaua on the twelfth day of the first moneth, to go vnto Hierusalem: and the hande of our God was vpon vs, and de∣liuered vs from the hande of the ene∣mies, and of such as layed wayte for vs by the way.

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32 And we came to Hierusalem, and a∣bode there three dayes.

33 But on the fourth day was the siluer and gold and vessels wayed in the house of our God by the hande of Meremoth the sonne of Vria the priest, and with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phine∣hes, and with them was Iosabad the sonne of Iesua, and Noadia the sonne of Bennoi the Leuites.

34 According to the number and weyght of euery one, was the wayght all writ∣ten vp at the same time.

35 And the children of the captiuitie, which were come out of captiuitie, offred burnt offringes vnto the God of Israel, twelue bullockes for all Israel, ninetie and sixe rammes, seuentie and seuen lambes, twelue hee goates for sinne [offe∣ring] all to the burnt offering of the Lorde.

36 And they deliuered the kinges commis∣sion vnto the kinges officers, and to the captaynes that were beyonde the wa∣ter: And they promoted the people, and the house of God.

The .ix. Chapter.

1 Esdras complayneth on the people that had turned them selues from God, and ma∣ried with the gentiles, 5 He prayeth vnto God;

[unspec A] 1 WHen these thinges were done, the rulers came to me, and sayde: The people of Israel, and the priestes & Leuites are not separated from the people of the landes, as touching their abhomina∣tions: namely of the Chanaanites, He∣thites, Pherezites, Iebusites, Ammo∣nites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amo∣rites.

2 * 1.2144For they haue taken the daughters of the same to them selues and to their sonnes, and the holy seede is mixed with the nations of the landes, & the hand of the princes and rulers hath ben princi∣pall in the trespasse.

3 * 1.2145And when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, & pluckt of the heere of my head & of my beard, and “ 1.2146 sate mourning.

4 And there resorted vnto me all such as feared the wordes of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of the [peo∣ple] of the captiuitie: And I sat “ 1.2147 mour∣ning vntill the euening sacrifice.

5 And about the euening sacrifice I arose vp from my heauinesse, and rent my clothes and my rayment, and fell vpon my knees, and spread out my handes vnto the Lorde my God,

6 And sayde: My God, I am ashamed, and dare not lift vp myne eyes vnto thee my God: for our wickednesses are growen ouer our head, and our tres∣passe is waxed great vnto the heauen.

7 Since the time of our fathers haue [unspec B] we ben in great trespasse vnto this day, * 1.2148and because of our wickednesses haue we and our kinges and our priestes ben deliuered into the hande of the kinges of the nations, vnto the sworde, into cap∣tiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as it is to see this day.

8 And nowe for a litle space grace hath ben shewed from the Lorde our God, in causing a remnaunt to escape, and in ge∣uing vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and geue vs a litle lyfe to take breath in our bondage:

9 For we were bondmen, and yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bon∣dage, but hath enclined mercie vnto vs in the sight of the king of Persia, to geue vs lyfe to set vp the house of our God, and to redresse the desolation ther∣of, and to geue vs a wall in Iuda and Hierusalem.

10 And nowe O our God, what shall we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commaundementes,

11 Whiche thou hast commaunded by thy seruauntes the prophetes, saying: The lande vnto which ye go to possesse, it is an vncleane lande, because of the fil∣thinesse of the people of the landes, whiche with their abhominations haue made it full of vncleannesse on eue∣ry syde.

12 * 1.2149Therfore shal ye not geue your daugh∣ters vnto their sonnes, and their daugh∣ters shall ye not take vnto your sonnes, nor seke their peace and wealth for euer: that ye may be strong and “ 1.2150 enioy the goodnesse of the lande, and that ye and your children may haue the inheritaunce of it for euermore.

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13 And after that all these thinges are come vpon vs because of our euyll deedes and great trespasses, seyng that thou our God hast stayed vs from beyng beneath for our iniquities, and hast ge∣uen vs such deliuerance:

14 Shoulde we returne to breake thy commaundementes, and ioyne in affi∣nitie with the people of these abhomina∣tions? wouldest not thou be angry to wardes vs till thou hadst consumed vs, so that there should be no remnaunt, nor any escaping?

15 O Lorde God of Israel, thou art righ∣teous, for we remayne yet escaped, as it is to see this day: Beholde also, in thy presence are we in our trespasses, & be∣cause of it may we not stand before thee.

The .x. Chapter.

1 The people repent and turne, and put away their straunge wyues.

[unspec A] 1 ANd when * 1.2151 Esdras prayed after this ma∣ner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted vnto hym out of Israel a very great congregation, of men, and women, and children: and the people wept very sore.

2 And Sechania the sonne of Ichiel, one of the children of Elam, aunswered, and sayde vnto Esdras: We haue trespassed against our God, & haue taken straunge wyues of the people of the lande: Yet nowe there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

3 For nowe we will make a couenaunt with our God, and put away all the wiues and such as are borne of them, ac∣cording to the counsel of the Lorde: and we wil be in the “ 1.2152 feare of the commaun∣dementes of our God, that we may do according to the lawe.

4 Get thee vp, for this matter belongeth vnto thee, we also will be with thee: be of good comfort therfore, and do it.

5 * 1.2153Then rose Esdras, and toke an oth of the chiefe priestes and Leuites, and of all Israel, that they should do according to this worde: And they sware.

5 And Esdras rose vp from before the house of God, and went into the cham∣ber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasib: and when he came thyther, he dyd eate no bread, nor dronke water: for he mour∣ned, because of the transgression of the people that had ben in captiuitie.

[unspec B] 7 And they caused a proclamation to go throughout Iuda & Hierusalem vnto al them of the captiuitie, that they shoulde gather them selues together vnto Hie∣rusalem:

8 And that whosoeuer came not within three dayes, according to the deuice of the rulers and elders, all his substaunce should be forfayted, and he should be put out from the congregation of them of the captiuitie.

9 Then all the men of Iuda and Benia∣min gathered them selues together vn-Hierusalem within three dayes, euen the twentith day of the nynth moneth: & all the people sate in the streete of the house of God, and trembled, because of this matter, and for the rayne.

10 And Esdras the priest stoode vp, and sayd vnto them: * 1.2154 Ye haue transgressed, & haue taken straunge wyues, to make the trespasse of Israel yet more.

11 “ 1.2155Confesse now therfore vnto the Lord God of our fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate your selues from the peo∣ple of the lande, and from the straunge wyues.

12 And all the congregation aunswered, and sayde with a loude voyce: It shalbe so, and we will do as thou hast sayde.

13 But the people are many, and it is a rayny weather, & the people are to faynt to tary without in the streete, neither is [unspec C] this a worke of one day or two: for “ 1.2156 we haue offended very sore in this thing.

14 Let our rulers stande therefore in all the congregation, and let al them which haue taken straunge wyues in our ci∣ties come at the time appoynted, and let the elders of euery citie and their iudges be with them, till the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from vs.

15 Then were appoynted Ionathan the sonne of Asahel, and Iahasia the sonne of Thecua ouer this matter: & Mesul∣lam and Sabathai the Leuites helped them.

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16 And the children of the captiuitie dyd euen so: And Esdras the priest, and the auncient heads through the house of their fathers, all men of great fame, se∣parated them selues, & sate them downe in the first day of the tenth moneth to examine the matter.

17 And vntill the first day of the first mo∣neth they were finishing the businesse, with al the men that had taken straunge wyues.

18 And among the children of the priestes there were men found that had taken straunge wiues, namely among the chil∣dren of Iesua, the sonne of Iosedec, and of his brethren, Maasia, and Eliezer, Iarib, and Gedalia.

19 And they gaue their handes that they woulde put away their wiues: and they that had trespassed, gaue a ramme for their trespasse.

20 And among the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadia.

[unspec D] 21 Among the children of Harim: Maasia, Elia, Semeia, Iehiel, and Vzziah.

22 Among the children of Pashur: Elioe∣nai, Maasia, Ismael, Nethanel, Iosa∣bad, and Elasah.

23 Among the Leuites: Iosabad, Semei, and Celaia (whiche same is Centah) Phathaiah, Iuda, and Eliezer.

24 Among the singers also, Eliasib: And a∣mong the porters, Sellum, and Telem, and Vri.

25 And of Israel: Among the children of Pharos, Remeia, Iesia, Melchia, Miamin, Eliezer, Melchia, & Banaiah.

26 Among the children of Elam: Matha∣nia, Zacharia, Iehiel, Abdi, Ierimoth, and Elia.

27 Among the children of Zatthu: Elioe∣nai, Eliasib, Mathania, Ierimoth, Za∣bad, and Aziza.

28 Among the children of Bebai: Ieho∣hanan, Hanania, Zabbai, and Athalai.

29 Among the children of Bani: Mesul∣lam, Malluch, Adaiah, Iasub, Saal, and Ieramoth.

30 Among the children of the captayne of Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaia, Maasia, Mathania, Besalel, Bennui, & Manasse.

31 Among the children of Harim: Eliezer, Isuah, Melchiia, Semeia, and Simeon,

32 Beniamin, Malluch, and Semariah. [unspec E]

33 Among the children of Hasum: Matthe∣nai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Ie∣remai, Manasse, and Semei.

34 Among the children of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Vel,

35 Banea, Badaia, Cheliau,

36 Vaniah, Maremoth, Eliasib,

37 Mathaniah, Mathanai, Iasi,

38 Bani, Bennui, and Semei,

39 Selemia, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Sasai, Sarai,

41 Asarel, Selemiahu, and Semariah,

42 Sallum, Amaria, and Ioseph.

43 Among the children of Nebo, Iehiel, Mathathia, Zabad, Zabina, Iadau, Ioel, and Banaia.

44 All these had taken straunge wyues, and among the same there were some that had children by the wyues.

❧The seconde booke of Esdras, other∣wyse called the booke of Nehemia.

The first Chapter.

1 Nehemia bewayleth the calamitie of Hierusalem. 5 He confesseth the sinnes of the people, and prayeth God for them.

[unspec A] 1 THe wordes of Ne∣hemia the sonne of Hachalia. In the moneth Chi∣sleu, in the twen∣tie yere, as I was in the castell at Susan,

2 Came Hanani, one of my brethren, he and the men of Iuda: and I asked them howe the Iewes dyd that were deliuered and es∣caped from the captiuitie, and howe it went at Hierusalem.

3 And they sayde vnto me: The rem∣naunt that are left of the captiuitie there in the lande, are in great affliction and rebuke: * 1.2157 the wall of Hierusalem also is broken downe, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.

Page clv

4 And when I hearde these wordes, I sat downe and wept, and mourned cer∣tayne dayes, and fasted and prayed be∣fore the God of heauen,

5 And sayde: O Lorde God of heauen, thou great and terrible God, * 1.2158thou that kepest couenaunt and mercie for them that loue thee & obserue thy commaun∣dementes:

6 Let thyne eares hearken I beseche thee, and let thyne eyes be open, that thou mayest heare the prayer of thy ser∣uaunt, whiche I pray nowe before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy seruauntes, and knowledge the sinnes of the children of Israel which we haue sinned against thee: I and my fathers house haue sinned,

[unspec B] 7 We haue greeuously sinned against thee, and haue not kept thy commaun∣dementes, statutes, and iudgementes, whiche thou commaundedst thy ser∣uaunt Moyses.

8 I beseche thee call to remembraunce the worde that thou commaundedst thy seruaunt Moyses, and saydest, Ye will transgresse, and * 1.2159 I will scatter you a∣brode among the nations:

9 But if ye turne vnto me, and kepe my commaundementes, & do them: though ye were cast out vnto the vttermost part of heauen, yet wil I gather you from thence, and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen, to set my name there.

10 They are thy seruauntes and thy peo∣ple, whom thou hast deliuered through thy great power, and in thy mightie hande.

11 O Lorde I besech thee, let thyne eare hearken to the prayer of thy seruaunt, and to the prayer of thy seruauntes, whose desire is to feare thy name: and let thy seruaunt prosper this day, and graunt him mercie in the sight of this man. For I was the kinges butler.

The .ii. Chapter.

1 After Nehemia had obteyned letters of Artaxerxes, 11 He came to Hierusalem, 17 and buylded the walles.

[unspec A] 1 IT came to passe, that in the moneth * Nisan in the twentith yere of king Arthaxerxes, the wine stoode before him: and I toke vp the wine, and gaue it vnto the king: And I had not ben before hea∣uy in his presence.

2 And the king sayde vnto me: Why lokest thou so sadly, seyng thou art not sicke? It is nothing els, but that thou art hea∣uy hearted. And I was sore afrayde,

3 And sayde vnto the king, God saue the king for euer: Howe shoulde I not loke sadly, when the citie and place of my fa∣thers burials lye waste, and the gates therof are consumed with fire?

4 And the king sayde vnto me: What is then thy request? I made my prayer al∣so to the God of heauen,

5 And sayd vnto the king: If it please the king, and if thy seruaunt haue founde fa∣uour in thy sight, sende me vnto Iuda vnto the citie of my fathers burialles, that I may buylde it.

6 And the king sayd vnto me (the queene his wyfe sitting by him:) Howe long shal thy iourney continue, and when wilt thou come againe? And it pleased the king to sende me, and I set him a time,

7 And sayde vnto the king: If it please [unspec B] the king, let hym geue me letters to the captaynes whiche are beyonde the wa∣ter, that they may conuay me ouer, till I come into Iuda:

8 And letters vnto Asaph the lorde of the kinges wood, that he may geue me tim∣ber to make beames for the gates of the palace which is harde by the house, and for the walles of the citie, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king gaue me according to the hande of my God which was good vpon me.

9 And when I came to the captaynes be∣yonde the water, I gaue them the kinges letters: And the king had sent captaynes of the armie and horsemen with me.

10 Sanaballat also the Horonite, and To∣bia a seruaunt the Ammonite hearde of it, & it greeued them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.

11 And I came to Hierusalem, and was there three dayes.

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12 And I gat me vp in the night season, and a fewe men with me, neither tolde I any man what God had geuen me in my heart to do at Hierusalem: and there was not one beast with me, saue it that I rode vpon.

13 And I departed in the night by the val∣ley port, before the dragon well, and to the doung port, & considered the walles of Hierusalem howe they were broken downe, and the portes therof consumed with the fire.

[unspec B] 14 And I went ouer vnto the well port, and to the kinges “ 1.2160 conduite, and there was no roome for the beast that was vnder me to passe.

15 Then went I on in the night by the brooke side, and considered the wall, and turned backe, and came home againe by the valley port.

16 And the rulers knewe not whyther I went or what I dyd: neither dyd I as yet tel it vnto the Iewes, to the priestes, to the noble men, to the rulers, and to the other that laboured in the worke.

17 Afterwarde sayde I vnto them: Ye see the miserie that we are in, howe Hieru∣salem lyeth waste, and howe the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come there∣fore, and let vs buylde vp the wall of Hierusalem, and that we be no more a rebuke.

18 Then I tolde them of the hand of my God that it was gratious ouer me, and the kinges wordes that he had spoken vnto me: And they sayde, Let vs get vp and buylde. And they strengthed their handes to good.

19 But when Sanaballat the Horonite, and Tobia the seruaunt an Ammonite, and Gesem the Arabian hearde it, they laughed vs to scorne, & despised vs, and sayde: What is this that ye do? Will ye fall away from the king?

20 Then aunswered I them, and sayde: The God of heauen, he it is that hath graunted vs prosperitie, and we his ser∣uauntes will get vp and buylde: As for you, ye haue no portion, nor right, nor re∣membraunce in Hierusalem.

The .iii. Chapter.

The number of them that buylded the walles.

[unspec A]

1 AND Eliasib the hye priest gat him vp with his brethrē the priestes, and they buylded the sheepe gate: they re∣paired it, and set vp the doores of it: euen vnto the towre Mea repaired they it, and vn∣to the * 1.2161 towre of Hananeel.

2 Next vnto him also buylded the men of Iericho: And beside him buylded Sa∣chur the sonne of Amri.

3 But the fishe port did the children of As∣naa buyld, which also layed the beames therof, and set on the doores, lockes, and barres of it.

4 And next vnto them buylded Mere∣moth the sonne of Vria, the sonne of Ha∣koz: and next vnto them buylded Mesul∣lam the sonne of Berachia, the sonne of Mesesabel: and next vnto them buylded Zadoc the sonne of Baana.

5 And next vnto hym buylded they of Thekoa: But the great men that were among them put not their neckes to the worke of their Lorde.

6 The olde gate buylded Iehoiada the sonne of Paseah, & Mesullam the sonne of Besodia, they layed the beames ther∣of, and set on the doores, lockes, & barres of it.

7

Next vnto them buylded Melatiah of [unspec B] Gibeon, and Iadon of Merona, men of Gibeon and of Mispah, vnto the throne of the duke [which was] beyond the riuer.

8

Next vnto him buylded Vzziel the sonn of Harhaiah of the goldesmythes: Next vnto hym also buylded Hananiah the sonne of Harakahim, and they repaired Hierusalem vnto the brode wall.

9

Next vnto them buylded Raphaiah the sonne of Hur, the ruler of the halfe part of Hierusalem.

10

Next vnto him buylded Iedaia the sonne of Harumaph ouer against his house: and next vnto him buylded Hat∣tus the sonne of Hasabnia.

11

But Melchia the sonne of Harim, and Hasub the sonne of the captayne of Mo∣ab buylded the other peece, and the towre beside the fornaces.

12

Next vnto hym buylded Sallum〈…〉〈…〉 sonne of Hallohes, the ruler of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 part of Hierusalem, he & his dau••••••••••

Page clvj

13 The valley gate buylded Hanun, and the citezins of Zanoa: They buylded it, and set on the doores, lockes, and barres thereof, and a thousande cubites on the wall, vnto the doung port.

[unspec C]

14 But the doung port buylded Melchiah the sonne of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth part of Beth acharem: he repai∣red it, and set on the doores, lockes, and barres thereof.

15 But the wel gate repaired Sallum the sonne of Cholhosah, the ruler of the fourth part of Mispah: He buylded it, and couered it, and set on the doores, lockes and barres thereof: and the wall vnto the poole Siloah by the kinges garden, and vnto the steppes that go downe from the citie of Dauid.

16 After him buylded Nehemiah the sonne of Asook, the ruler of the halfe parte of Bethzur, vntill the other side ouer a∣gainst the sepulchres of Dauid, and to the poole that was repaired, and vnto the house of the mightie.

17 After him buylded the Leuites, Re∣hum the sonne of Bani: and next vnto him buylded Hasabia the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah in his quarter.

18 After him buylded their brethren Ba∣uai the sonne of Henadad the ruler of the halfe part of Keilah.

19 And after him buylded Ezer the sonne of Iesua the ruler of Mispah the other peece, harde ouer against the goyng vp to the house of ordinaunce [that was] in the corner.

20 Againe, after him brake foorth Baruch the sonne of Zachai of indignation, and repaired the other peece from the tur∣ning corner, vnto the doore of the house [unspec D] of Eliasib the hie priest.

21 After him also buylded Merimoth the sonne of Vria, the sonne of Haccos, the o∣ther peece, from the doore of the house of Eliasib, euen as long as the house of Eli∣asib extended.

22 After him buylded the priestes, the' men of the playne.'

23

After him buylded Beniamin and Ha∣sub ouer against their house: and after him wrought Asaria the sonne of Maa¦sia the sonne of Anania by his house.

24

After hym also buylded Bennui the sonne of Henadad the other peece, from the house of Azaria vnto the turning [of the wall] and vnto the corner.

25

After him buylded Pala the sonne of Vsai, ouer against the corner and the high towre whiche lyeth out ouer from the kinges house, that was beside the court of the prison: After him Phadaia the sonne of Pharos.

26

As for the Nethinims they dwelt in the strong hold vnto the water gate to∣ward the east, and to the towre that lyeth out.

27

After him buylded they of Thekua the other peece ouer against the great towre that lyeth outwarde, vnto the wall of the strong holde. [unspec E]

28

But from aboue the horse gate foorth buylded the priestes, euery one ouer a∣gainst his house.

29

And after them buylded Zadoc the sonne of Immer ouer against his house: After him buylded also Semeia ye sonne of Sechania the keper of the east gate.

30

After him buylded Hanania the sonne of Selemia, and Hanun the sonne of Zalaph the sixt, the other peece: And af∣ter him buylded Mesullam the sonne of Barachia ouer against his store house.

31

After him buylded Melchia the gold∣smithes sonne vnto the house of the Ni∣thinims and of the marchauntes, ouer against the gate Mephkad, and to the parlour in the corner.

32

And betweene the parlour of the corner vnto the sheepegate, buylded the golde∣smithes, and the marchauntes,

The .iiii. Chapter.

7 The buylding of Hierusalem is hindred, 15 But God breaketh their enterprise. 17 The Iewes buylde with one hande, and holde their weapon in the other.

[unspec A] 1 BVt when Sanaballat hearde that we buyl∣ded the wall, he was wroth in him selfe, and toke great indigna∣tion, and mocked the Iewes:

2 And sayde before his brethren and the souldiers of Samaria: what do these impotent Iewes? “ 1.2162 will the [heathen] suf∣fer them? shall they offer? shal they per∣fourme it in one day? shal they make the stones whole againe that are brought to dust and brent?

3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside

Page [unnumbered]

him, and sayde: Though they buyld, yet if a foxe go vp, he shall breake downe their stony wall.

4 Heare O thou our God, for we are des∣pised, turne their shame vpon their owne head, & geue them ouer into * 1.2163 des∣pising in the lande of their captiuitie.

5 Couer not their wickednesse, and let not their sinne be put out in thy presence: for they haue prouoked the buylders.

6 And so buylded we the wall, and it was ioyned whole together vnto the halfe heyght thereof: And the people were minded to labour.

[illustration]

[unspec B] 7 But when Sanaballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, Ammonites, and As∣dodites, heard that the walles of Hieru∣salem were made vp, & that the breaches began to be stopped, they were very wroth,

8 And conspired all together to come and fight against Hierusalem, and to make an hinderaunce therin.

9 Neuerthelesse, we made our prayer vn∣to our God, and set watchmen by them day and night, because of them.

10 And Iuda sayde: The strength of the bearers is feeble, and there is yet much more morter, and we are not able to buylde on the wall.

11 And our aduersaries sayde: They shall not knowe, neither see, till we come in the middes among them, and slay them, and cause the worke to ceasse.

12 But when the Iewes which dwelt be∣side them, came, they told vs as good as ten times, that in all places where ye go vnto, they are appoynted to fal vpon vs.

13 Therefore set I the people after their kinredes, with their swordes, speares, and bowes, beneath in the lowe places behinde the wall vpon the toppes of the stones.

14 And I loked, and gat me vp, and sayde [unspec C] vnto the chiefe men, to the rulers, and to the other people, Be not ye afrayde of them: but * 1.2164 thinke rather vpon the great Lorde whiche ought to be feared, and fight for your brethrē, your sonnes, your daughters, your wiues, & your houses.

15 Neuerthelesse, when our enemies heard that we had gotten worde of it, God brought their counsell to naught: and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his labour.

16 And from that time foorth, the halfe part of the young men dyd the labour, and the other halfe part of them helde the speares, shieldes, bowes, and brest∣plates: and the rulers stoode behinde all the house of Iuda.

17 They which buylded on the wall and they that bare burthens, and those that laded them, with one hande did euery one his worke, and with the other helde his weapon.

18 For euery one that buylded had his sword girded by his thingh, and so buyl∣ded they: And he that blewe the trum∣pet was beside me.

Page clvij

19 And I saide vnto the principall men, to the rulers, and to the other people: The worke is great and large, & we are [unspec D] seperated vpon the wall one farre from another.

20 Loke in what place therefore ye heare the noyse of the trumpet, resort ye thi∣ther vnto vs, * 1.2165 and our God shall fight for vs:

21 And we wil be labouring in the worke. And the halfe part of them helde their speares from the morning spring, tyll the starres came foorth.

22 And at the same time saide I vnto the people: Let euery one with his seruaūt lodge within Hierusalem, that in the night season we may watch, and labour on the day time.

23 As for me and my brethren, my ser¦uauntes, and the men of the watch which folowed me, we put neuer of our clothes, saue onely because of the was∣shing.

¶The .v. Chapter.

1 The people are oppressed and in necessitie. 7 Nehemia remedieth it. 15 He tooke not the portion of others that had ruled before, lest he shoulde greeue the people.

[unspec A] 1 ANd there arose a great complaynt of the peo∣ple and their wyues a∣gainst their brethrē the Iewes.

2 For there were some that saide, Our sonnes and daughters and we are very many: therefore wyll we take corne for them, that we may eate and liue.

3 Some also there were that saide: Let vs set our landes, vineyardes, and hou∣ses to pledge, and take vp corne in the dearth.

4 But some there were that saide: We haue borowed money for the kinges tri∣bute, and that vpon our landes & vine∣yardes.

5 And now our fleshe is as the fleshe of our brethren, and our children as their children: and loe we bring into subiecti∣on our sonnes and our daughters as seruauntes, and some of our daughters are subdued vnto bondage alredie, and no strength is there in our handes to redeeme them, and other men haue our landes and vineyardes.

6 And when I heard their complaynt and such wordes, it displeased me sore.

[unspec B] 7 And I aduised so in my minde, that I rebuked the counsellers and the rulers, and saide vnto them: Euery one of you layeth great burdens vpon his brother. And I brought a great congregation a∣gainst them,

8 And saide vnto them: We after our ha∣bilitie haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the heathen: And wyll you sell your brethrē againe, and shall they be solde vnto vs? Then held they their peace, and coulde finde nothing to aunswere.

9 And [Nehemia] saide, It is not good that ye do: Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God, because of the rebuke of the heathen that are our enemies?

10 I and my brethren, and my seruauntes, do lende them money and corne: I pray you let vs leaue of this burden.

11 Therefore this same day I pray you see that ye restore them their landes a∣gaine, their vineyardes, olyue gardens, and their houses, and remit the hun∣dred parte of the money, of the corne, wine, and oyle that ye haue exacted of them.

12 Then saide they: We wyll restore them againe, & wyll require nothing of them, and wyll do as thou hast spoken. And I called the priestes, and tooke an oth of them that they should do so.

13 And I shooke my lappe and saide: [unspec C] God shake out euery man after the same maner from his house & laboure that maintaineth not this worde, euen thus be he shaken out, and voyde. And all the congregation saide, Amen, and praysed the Lorde: And the people did according to this promise.

14 And from the time foorth that the king committed vnto me to be captayne of them that were in the lande of Iuda, euen from the twentie yere, vnto the thirtie & two yere of king Artaxerxes, that is twelue yeres, I with my brethrē liued not of such sustinaunce as was ge∣uen to a captayne.

15 For the olde captaynes that were be∣fore me, had ben chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread &

Page [unnumbered]

wine, beside fouretie sicles of siluer, yea and their seruauntes had oppressed the people: But so did not I, and that be∣cause of the feare of God.

16 * 1.2166But I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall, and we bought no lande: and all my seruauntes came thither to∣gether vnto the worke.

17 Moreouer, there were at my table an hundred and fiftie of the Iewes and ru∣lers, which came vnto me from among the heathen that are about vs.

18 And there was prepared for me dayly an oxe and sixe chosen sheepe, and birdes were prepared for me: and euer once in ten dayes wine for all in aboundance: Yet required not I the * 1.2167 liuing of a cap∣tayne, for the bondage was greeuous vnto the people.

19 * 1.2168Thinke vpon me my God vnto the best, according to all that I haue done for this people.

The .vj. Chapter.

8 Nehemia aunswereth with great wysdome and zeale to his aduersarie. 11 He is not discouraged by the false prophetes.

[unspec A] 1 AND when Sanabal∣lat, Tobia, and Gesem the Arabian, and the other of our enemies, heard that I had buil∣ded the wall, and that there were no mo * 1.2169 gappes therein: (howebeit at the same time had I not hanged the doores vpon the gates,)

2 Sanaballat and Gesem sent vnto me, saying: Come, that we may meete & take counsel together in the villages that are in the playne of the citie Ono. Neuer∣thelesse, they thought to do me euill.

3 And I sent messengers vnto them, saying: I haue a great businesse to do, and I can not come downe: Why should the worke ceasse, whilest I leaue it and come downe to you?

4 Howbeit, they sent vnto me as good as foure times after the same maner: And I gaue them the same aunswere.

5 Then sent Sanaballat his seruaunt a∣gaine vnto me the fift time, with an o∣pen letter in his hande,

6 Wherein was written: It is tolde the heathen, and Gesem hath saide it, that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebel: for the which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayst be their king, according to these wordes:

[unspec B] 7 And hast ordayned the prophetes to preache of thee at Hierusalem, and to say, He is king of Iuda. And now shall this come to the kinges eares: come now therefore, and let vs take our coun∣sell together.

8 And I sent vnto him, saying: There is no such thing done as thou sayest, for thou fainest them out of thyne owne heart.

9 For they were all minded to make vs afrayde, saying, They shall withdrawe their handes from their worke, that it shall not be finished: Nowe therefore strengthen thou my hande.

10 And I came vnto the house of Sema∣ia the sonne of Delaia, the sonne of Me∣hetabeel, & he had shut him selfe within, and saide: Let vs come together in the house of God, euen vnto the middest of the temple, & shut the doores of the tem∣ple, for they wyll come to slay thee, yea euen in the night wyll they come to put thee to death.

11 And I saide: should any such man as I flee? Who is, that being as I am, wyll go into the temple to saue his life? I wil not go in.

12 And loe, I perceaued that God hath not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecie against me: For Tobia and Sanaballat had hired him for mo∣ney.

13 Therfore was he hyred, that through [unspec C] feare I should so do, & sinne, that they might haue an euill report of me to lay to my charge.

14 My God, thinke thou vpon Tobia and Sanaballat according vnto these their workes, and on the prophetisse Noadia, and the other prophetes that would haue put me in feare.

15 And the wall was finished on the twentie and fifth day of the moneth E∣lul, in fiftie and two dayes.

16 And when all our enemies hearde thereof, all the heathen that was about vs were afrayd, and their courage fay∣led them: For they perceaued that this worke came of our God.

Page clviij

17 And at the same time were there ma∣ny of the chiefe of Iuda whose letters wente vnto Tobia, and againe from Tobia vnto them.

18 For there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in lawe of Sechania, the sonne of Arah, and his sonne Iehonathan had the daughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia,

19 And they spake good of him before me, and tolde him my wordes: and Tobia sent letters to put me in feare.

¶The .vii. Chapter.

1 After the wall once builded, is the watch appoynted. 6 They that returned from the captiuitie are numbred.

[unspec A] 1 NOw when the wall was builded, I han∣ged on the * 1.2170 doores al∣so, and the porters, sin∣gers, and Leuites, were appoynted:

2 And I commaun∣ded my brother Hanani, and Hanania the * 1.2171 ruler of the castle at Hierusalem, (for he was a faithfull man, and feared God more then did many other)

3 And saide vnto them: Let not the gates of Hierusalem be opened vntil the sunne be whot: and while they stand by, let them shut the doores & barre them. And we appoynted certaine citezins of Hierusalem to be watchmen, euery one to keepe his watch, and euery one to be ouer against his house.

4 As for the citie, it was large of roome, and great, but the people were fewe therein, and the houses were not buil∣ded.

5 And God gaue me in myne heart that I gathered together the principal men, and the officers, & the people, to * 1.2172 num∣ber them: and I founde a register of the number of them * 1.2173 which came vp * 1.2174 be∣fore, and founde written therein,

6 These are the sonnes of the * 1.2175 lande that went vp from the captiuitie that was caried away, whom Nabuchodo∣nosor the king of Babylon had brought away, and came againe to Hierusalem and Iuda, euery one vnto his citie.

[unspec B] 7 They which came with Zorobabel are these: Iesua, Nehemia, Asariah, Raamia, Nahamani, Mardochee, Bel∣san, Mesperath, Beguai, Nahum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel:

8 The children of Pharaos, were two thousand an hundred seuentie and two.

9 The children of Saphatia, three hun∣dred seuentie and two.'

10 The children of Arah, sixe hundred' fiftie and two.'

11

The children of the captayne of Moab among the children of Iesua & Ioab, two thousand eyght hundred and eight∣teene.

12 The children of Elam, a thousand two' hundred fiftie and foure.'

13 The children of Zathua, eyght hun∣dred' fouretie and fiue.' [unspec C]

14 The children of Zachai, seuen hun∣dred' and threescore.'

15 The children of Bannui, sixe hundred' fouretie and eyght.'

16 The children of Bebai, sixe hundred' twentie and eyght.'

17 The children of Asgad, two thousand' three hundred twentie and two.'

18 The children of Adonicam, sixe hun∣dred' threescore and seuen.'

19 The children of Beguai, two thou∣sand' threescore and seuen.'

20 The children of Adin, sixe hundred [unspec D] fiftie and fiue.'

21 The children of Ater of Hezekia, nine∣tie and eyght.'

22 The children of Hasem, three hundred twentie and eyght.'

23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twentie and foure.'

24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelue.'

25 The children of Gibeon, ninetie and' fiue.'

26 The men of Bethlehem and Netho∣phah,' an hundred fourescore and eyght.'

27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred' twentie and eyght.'

28 The men of Bethasmaueth, fouretie' and two.'

29

The men of Kariathiarim, Cep and Beeroth, seuen hundred four and three.

Page [unnumbered]

'30 The men of Ramah and Geba, sixe 'hundred twentie and one.

'31 The men of Michmas, an hundred 'twentie and two.

'32 The men of Bethel and Ai, an hun∣dred 'twentie and three.

'33 The men of the other Nebo, fiftie and 'two.

[unspec F] '34 The childrē of the other Elam, a thou∣sand 'two hundred fiftie and foure.

'35 The children of Harim, three hundred 'and twentie.

'36 The children of Iericho, three hun∣dred 'fourtie and fiue.

'37 The children of Lodhadid and Ono, 'seuen hundred twentie and one.

'38 The children of Senaa, three thou∣sand 'nine hundred and thirtie.

39 The priestes: The children of Ieda∣ia, of the house of Iesua, nine hundred seuentie and three.

'40 The children of Immer, a thousand 'fiftie and two.

'41 The children of Phashur, a thousand 'two hundred fourtie and seuen.

'42 The children of Harim, a thousand 'and seuenteene.

43 The Leuites: The children of Iesua of Cadmiel and of the children of Hodi∣iah, seuentie and foure.

'44 The singers: The children of Asaph, 'an hundred fourtie and eyght.

45 The porters: The childrē of Sallum, the children of Ater, the children of Tal∣mon, the children of Accub, the chil∣dren of Hatita, the children of Sobai, [altogether] an hundred thirtie & eyght.

46 The Nethinims: The children of Si∣ha, [unspec G] the children of Hasupha, the children of Tebbaoth,

'47 The children of Ceros, the children of 'Sia, the children of Phadon,

'48 The children of Lebanah, the children 'of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,

'49 The children of Hanan, the children of 'Giddel, the children of Gaher,

'50 The children of Reaiah, the children of 'Resin, the children of Necodah,

'51 The children of Gazzam, the children 'of Vzza, the children of Phasea,

'52 The children of Besai, the children of 'Meunim, the children of Nephussim,

'53 The children of Bacbuc, the children 'of Hacupha, the children of Harhur,

'54 The children of Baslith, the children 'of Mehida, the children of Harsa,

'55 The children of Barcos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

56 The children of Nesiah, the children' of Hatipha,

57

The childrē of Solomons seruaūtes, the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Pharida,

58 The children of Iaala, the children of' Darcon, the children of Giddel,'

59

The children of Sephatiath, the chil∣drē of Hattil, the children of Phochereth of Sabaim, the children of Amon.

60

All these Nethinims and the children of Solomons seruauntes, were three hundred ninetie and two.

61

And these went vp also from Thel∣mela: Thelharsa, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their fathers house, nor their seede, and that they were of Israel.

62

The children of Dalaiah, the children of Tobia, and the children of Neco∣da, sixe hundred fourtie and two.

63

And of the priestes: the children of Ha∣baiah, the children of Haccos, the childrē of Barzillai, which toke one of ye daugh∣ters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wyfe, and was named after their name.

64

These sought their writing in the re∣gister of their generation, but they were not founde: therfore they were put from the priesthood.* 1.2176

65 And Athirsatha saide vnto them that they shoulde not eate of the most holy, tyll there came vp a priest which should were Vrim and Thummim.

66 And so the whole congregation toge∣ther, was fourtie and two thousande three hundred and threescore,

67 Beside their seruauntes and maydens, of whom there were seuen thousand three hundred thirtie and seuen: And they had two hundred fourtie and fiue singing men and women.

68 Their horses seuen hundred thirtie and sixe: and their Mules two hundred fourtie and fiue:

69 The Camels foure hundred thirtie and fiue: sixe thousand seuen hundred and twentie Asses.

70 And certaine of the auncient fathers gaue vnto the worke: Athirsatha gaue to the treasure a thousand “ 1.2177 peeces of golde, fiftie basons, fiue hundred and thirtie priestes garmentes.

71 And some of the chiefe fathers gaue vnto the treasure of the worke, twentie thousand peeces of gold, & two thousand

Page clix

and two hundred pounde of siluer.

72 And the other people gaue twentie thousand peeces of golde, and two thou∣sand pound of siluer, and threescore and seuen priestes garmentes.

73 And the priestes and Leuites, the por∣ters, and the singers, and the other of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities: And whē the seuenth moneth came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

The .viij. Chapter.

2 Esdras gathereth together the people, and readeth to them the law. 12 They re∣ioyce in Israel for the knowledge of the word of God. 15 They keep the feaste of tabernacles or boothes,

[unspec A] 1 ANd all * 1.2178 the people ga∣thered them selues to∣gether as one man, in the streete that was before the water gate, and they saide vnto Esdras the scribe, that he should fetch * 1.2179 the booke of the law of Moyses, which the Lorde commaun∣ded to Israel.

2 And Esdras the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men & women, and all that could vnderstand did hearken vnto it vpon the first day of the seuenth moneth.

3 And he read therein in the streete that was before the water gate, from the morning vntill the noone day, before men and women that did hearken to it: and the eares of all the people were in∣clined vnto the booke of the law.

4 And Esdras the scribe stoode vpon a pulpet of wood which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stoode Mathathia, Sema, & Anaiah, Vriah, Helkia, & Maaseiah, on his right hande: and on his left hand stoode Pedaia, Mi∣sael, & Melchia, & Hasum, Hasabadana, Zachari, and Mesullam.

5 And Esdras opened the booke before all the people, (for he stoode aboue al the people:) and when he opened it, all the people stoode vp.

6 And Esdras praysed the Lorde the great God: And all the people aunswe∣red, Amen, Amē, lifting vp their handes, and bowed them selues and worship∣ped the Lord falling downe vpon their faces to the grounde.

[unspec B] 7 And Iesua, Bani, Serebiah, Iamin, Accub, Sebbethai, Hodaia, Maasia, Ce∣lita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pela∣iah, & the Leuites caused the people to geue heede vnto the law: and the people stoode in their place.

8 And they read in the booke of the lawe of God distinctly, and gaue the sense, and caused them to vnderstand the reading.

9 And Nehemia which is Athirsatha, and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Leuites that caused the people to take heede, said vnto al the people, This day is holy vnto the Lorde your God, be not ye sory, and weepe not: For all the people wept when they heard the wordes of the lawe.

10 And he saide vnto them: * 1.2180 Go your way, and eate the fat, and drinke the sweete, and send part vnto them also that haue not prepared for them selues, for this day is holy vnto our Lorde: be not ye sory therefore, for the ioy of the Lorde is your strength.

11 And the Leuites stilled all the people, and saide: Holde your peace, for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.

12 And all the people went their way to eate, and to drinke, & to sende part vnto other, and to make great mirth, because they had vnderstand the wordes that were declared vnto them.

13 And on the next day were gathered to∣gether [unspec C] the chiefe fathers among all the people, and the priestes, and leuites, vnto Esdras the scribe, that they might vn∣derstand the wordes of the law.

14 And they founde written in the lawe * 1.2181 which the Lorde had commaunded by Moyses, that the children of Israel should dwell in boothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth:

15 And that they should cause it to be de∣clared and proclaymed in all their cities, and throughout Hierusalem, saying: Go foorth vnto the mount and fetch O∣lyue braūches, Pine braunches, Myrtel braunches, Palme braunches, & braun∣ches of the thicke tree, to make boothes, as it is written.

16 And so the people went foorth, and fet

Page [unnumbered]

them and made them boothes, euery one vpon the roofe of his house, and in their courtes, and in the courtes of the house of God, and in the streete by the water gate, and in the streete of the port of Ephraim.

17 And all the congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie, made boothes, & sat vnder the boothes: for since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun, vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so: And there was very great gladnesse.

18 And euery day from the first day vnto the last, read Esdras in the booke of the lawe of God: And seuen dayes held they the feaste, and on the eyght day they gathered together, according vnto the maner.

¶The .ix. Chapter.

1 The people repent, and forsake their straunge wyues. 5 The Leuites exhort them to prayse God, 6 declaring his wonders. 26 and their ingratitude, 30 and Gods great mercies toward them.

[unspec A] 1 IN the twentie and fourth day of this mo∣neth, came the children of Israel together a∣gaine, with * 1.2182 fasting, and sackeclothes, and earth vpon them,

2 And they that were of the seede of Isra∣el, were separated from all the straunge children, and stoode & knowledged their sinnes, & the wickednes of their fathers:

3 And stoode vp in their place, & read in the booke of the law of the Lorde their God foure times on the day, and they knowledged and worshipped the Lord their God foure times on the day.

4 Then stoode vp vpon the stayres of the Leuites, Iesua, Bani, Cadmiel, Saba∣niah, Bunni, Serebiah, Bani, and Cha∣nani, and cryed loude vnto the Lorde their God:

5 And the Leuites, Iesua, and Cadmi∣el, Bani, and Hasabnia, Serebiah, and Hodia, Sebania, and Phathahia, sayde: Stand vp, and prayse the Lorde your God for euer, and let thankes be geuē vnto the name of thy glory, which excel∣leth all thankes geuing and prayse.

6 Thou art Lorde alone, thou hast made heauen and the heauen of all hea∣uens with all their hoast, the earth and all thinges that are therein, the sea & all that is therin, & thou preseruest them al, & the hoast of heauen worshippeth thee.

[unspec B] 7 Thou art, O Lorde, the God that hast chosen Abraham, and broughtest him out of Vr in Chaldea, * and calledst him Abraham:

8 And foundest his heart faithfull be∣fore thee, * 1.2183 & madest a couenaunt with him, to geue vnto his seede the lande of the Chanaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Pherezites, Iebusites, and Gergesites, and hast made good thy wordes: for thou art righteous,

9 * 1.2184And hast considered the miserie of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their complaynt by the red sea:

10 And shewed tokens and wonders vp∣on Pharao and all his seruauntes, and on all the people of his lande: For thou knowest that they were presumptuous and cruell against them: and so madest thou thee a name as it is this day.

11 And the [red] sea diddest thou deuide in sunder before them, so that they went through the middest of the sea “ 1.2185 drye shod: and their persecuters threwest thou into the deepe, as a stone in the mightie waters:

12 And leddest them on the day time in a cloudie piller, and on the night season in a piller of fyre, to shewe them light in the way that they went.

13 * 1.2186Thou camest downe also vpon [unspec C] mount Sinai, and spakest vnto them from heauen, and gauest them right iudgementes, true lawes, good com∣maundementes and statutes:

14 And declaredst vnto them thy holy Sabbath, and commaundedst them pre∣ceptes, ordinaunces, and lawes, by the hande of Moyses thy seruaunt:

15 And * 1.2187 gauest them bread from heauen when they were hungry, and * 1.2188 brough∣test foorth water for them out of the rocke when they were thirstye, and promysedst them that they should go in and take possession of the lande ouer which thou haddest lyft vp thyne hand for to geue them.

16 But they and our fathers were proud

Page clx

and hardnecked, so that they folowed not thy commaundementes:

17 And woulde not obey, neither were mindeful of the wonders that thou did∣dest for thē: but hardened their neckes, and had in their heades to returne to their bondage by their rebellion: But thou O God of mercies, gracious, and full of compassion, of long suffering, and of great mercie, yet forsookest them not.

18 Moreouer, when they had made them a moulten calfe, and saide. This is thy God that brought thee out of the lande of Egypt, and did blasphemies:

[unspec D] 19 Yet forsookest thou them not in the wildernesse, according to thy great mer∣cies: * 1.2189 And the cloudy piller departed not from them on the day time to leade thē the way, neither the piller of fire in the night season, to shewe them light in the way by which they should go.

20 And thou gauest them thy good spirite to enfourme them, * 1.2190 and withheldest not thy Manna from their mouth, * 1.2191 and ga∣uest them water when they were thir∣stie.

21 Fourtie yeres long didst thou feede them in the wildernesse, so that they lacked nothing: * 1.2192 their clothes waxed not olde, and their feete swelled not,

22 And thou gauest them kingdomes and nations, and scatteredst them into corners: so they possessed * 1.2193 the lande of Schon and the lande of the king of He∣sebon, and the lande of Og king of Ba∣san.

23 And their children multipliedst thou as the starres of heauen, and brough∣test them into the lande whereof thou haddest spoken to their fathers, that they should go into it, and haue it in pos∣session.

24 And the children went in, and posses∣sed the lande, * 1.2194 and thou subduedst be∣fore them the inhabiters of the lande, euen the Chanaanites, and gauest them into their handes, with their kinges and the people of the lande, that they might do with them what they would.

25 And they wanne their strong cities, [unspec E] and a fat lande, and toke possession of houses that were full of all maner of goodes, welles digged out, vineyards, oliue gardens * 1.2195, & many fruiteful trees: and they did eate, and were filled, and be∣came fat, and liued in pleasure through thy great goodnesse.

26 Neuerthelesse, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behinde their backes, & * 1.2196 slue their prophetes. * 1.2197 which exhorted them ear∣nestly that they might bring them a∣gaine vnto thee, and did great blasphe∣mies.

27 Therefore thou gauest them ouer in∣to the hand of their enemies that vexed them: And in the time of their trouble whē they cryed vnto thee thou heardest them from heauen, and through thy great mercie thou gauest them sauiours which helped them out of the hande of their enemies.

28 But when they came to rest, they tur∣ned backe againe to do euill before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hande of their enemies, so that they had the dominion ouer them: And when they conuerted, & cryed vnto thee, thou hear∣dest them from heauen, and many times hast thou deliuered them accor∣ding to thy great mercie,

29 And “ 1.2198 testifiedst vnto them, that thou mightest bring them againe vnto thy lawe: Notwithstanding, they were proude, and hearkened not vnto thy commaundementes, but sinned * 1.2199 in thy lawes, * 1.2200 which if a man do, he shall lyue in them: and turned the shoulder away, and were stiffenecked, and would not heare.

30 Yet many yeres diddest thou for∣beare them, and * 1.2201 testifiedst vnto them through thy spirite, euen by the hand of thy prophetes, and yet would they not heare: therefore gauest thou them in∣to [unspec F] the hand of the nations of the landes.

31 And for thy great mercies sake, thou hast not vtterly consumed them, neither forsaken them: for thou art a gratious and mercifull God.

32 * 1.2202Now therfore our God, thou great God mightie and terrible, thou that ke∣pest couenaunt and mercie, regarde not a litle al the trauaile that hath come vn∣to vs, and our kinges, our princes, our priestes, our prophetes, and our fathers, and all the people since the time of the kinges of Assur▪ vnto this day.

33 And truely thou art iust in al that thou hast brought vpon vs, for thou hast done right: As for vs, we haue ben vngodly,

34 And our kinges, and our princes, our priestes, and our fathers, haue not done

Page [unnumbered]

thy lawe, nor regarded thy commaun∣dementes, and thy * 1.2203 earnest exhortati∣ons, wherewith thou hast * 1.2204 exhorted them,

35 And they haue not serued thee in their kingdome, and in thy great goodnesse that thou gauest them, and in the large and * 1.2205 plenteous lande which thou ga∣uest before them, and haue not conuer∣ted from their wicked workes.

36 Beholde, we are in bondage this day, and so is the lande that thou gauest vn∣to our fathers to eate the fruites and goodnesse thereof, beholde there are we bondmen.

37 And great is the increase of it vnto the kinges whom thou hast set ouer vs be∣cause of our sinnes, and they haue domi∣nion ouer our bodies and cattaile, euen as they wyll them selues: and we are in great trouble.

38 Now because of all this make we a sure couenaunt and write it, & our prin∣ces, leuites, and priestes, seale vnto it.

The .x. Chapter.

1 The names of them that sealed the couenaunt betweene God and the people.

[unspec A]

1 THe sealers were,* 1.2206 Nehe∣miah [that is] Athirsa∣tha the sonne of Hacha∣liah, and Sedecias,

'2 Seraiah, Azariah, 'Irmeiah,

'3 Pashur, Amariah, 'Malachiiah,

'4 Hattus, Sebeniah, Malluch,

'5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

'6 Daniel, Ginethon, Baruch,

[unspec B] '7 Mesullam, Abiiah, Miiamin,

'8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Semaiah: these 'were priestes.

9 The Leuites were, Iesua the sonne of Azaniah, Bennui among the children of Henadad, and Cadmiel.

'10 And their brethren, Sebaniah, Hodi∣iah, 'Celita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

'11 Micha, Rehob, Hasabiah,

'12 Zacchur, Serebiah, Sebaniah,

'13 Hodiiah, Bani, Beninu.

14 The heads of the people were, Pha∣ros the captayne of Moab, Elam, Zat∣thu, Bani,

[unspec C] '15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai.

'16 Adomiah, Biguai, Adin,

'17 Ater, Hizciiah, Azur,

'18 Hoditah, Hasum, Besai,

'19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai.

'20 Magpias, Mesullam, Hezir,

'21 Mesesabel, Sadoc, Iaddua,

'22 Phelatia, Hanan, Anaaia,

'23 Hosea, Hanania, Hasub.

'24 Halohes, Phaleha, Sobek,

'25 Rehum, Hasebna, Maasia,

'26 Ahia, Aanan, and Anan,

* 1.2207'27 Malluch, Harim, and Baana:

28 And the other people, the priestes, Le∣uites, porters, singers, Nethinims, and all they that had separated them selues from the people of the landes vnto the law of God, with their wyues, their sonnes, and their daughters, & as many as could vnderstand, [unspec D]

29 And their lordes that had rule of thē, receaued it for their brethren: * 1.2208 And they came to sweare, & to binde them selues with an oth to walke in gods lawe, which was geuen by Moyses the ser∣uaunt of God, and that they would ob∣serue and do according vnto all the com∣maundementes, iudgementes, and sta∣tutes of the Lorde our God:

30 * 1.2209And that we woulde not geue our daughters vnto the people of the lande, neither to take their daughters for our sonnes.

31 * 1.2210And if the people of the land brought ware on the Sabbath, and all maner vitailes to sell, that we would not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy dayes, * 1.2211 and that we would let the seuenth yere be free, and the debtes of euery person.

32 And we decreed a statute vpon our selues, to geue yerely the third part of a sicle to the ministration in the house of our God,

33 To the shewe bread, to the dayly meate [unspec E] offering, to the dayly burnt offering, of the Sabbathes, of the new Moones, and feaste dayes, and to the thinges that were sanctified, & to the offringes of attonement, to reconsile Israel with∣al, and to all the busines in the house of our God.

34 And we cast the lot among the priestes, Leuites, and the people, for the offering of the wood, to be brought vnto the house of our God from yere to yere, af∣ter the houses of our fathers, that it

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might be brent at times appoynted vpon the aulter of the Lorde God, as it is written in the lawe:

35 And to bring the first fruites of our land, and the firstlinges of our fruites of all trees yere by yere vnto the house of the Lorde.

36 And the first borne of our sonnes, and of our cattel, (as it is written in the law) and the firstlinges of our oxen and of our sheepe, whiche we shoulde bring to the house of our God vnto the priestes that minister in the house of our God.

37 And that we shoulde bring the first fruites of our dough and our heaue of∣feringes, and the fruites of all maner of trees, of wine also and of oyle, vnto the priestes to the * 1.2212 chestes of the house of our God, and the tythes of our lande vnto the Leuites, that the Leuites might haue the tythes in all the cities of our ministration.

38 And the priest the sonne of Aaron shal∣be with the Leuites when the Leuites take tythes: so that the Leuites shall bring vp the tythes of their tythes vnto the house of our God, to the store houses and to the treasure houses.

39 For the children of Israel and the chil∣dren of Leui shall bring vp the heaue offeringes of the corne, wine, and oyle, [unspec F] vnto the store houses, there as are the vessels of the sanctuarie and the priestes that minister, and the porters and sin∣gers, and we will not forsake the house of our God.

The .xi. Chapter.

1 Who dwelled in Hierusalem after it was buylded. 21 And who in the cities of Iuda.

[unspec A] 1 ANd the rulers of the people dwelt at Hieru∣salem: The other peo∣ple also cast lottes, that among ten one part should go to Hie∣rusalem into the holy citie to dwell, and nyne partes to be in the cities.

2 And the people thanked all the men that were willing to dwel at Hierusalē.

3 These are the heades of the prouince that dwelt in Hierusalem, and in the ci∣ties of Iuda, euery one in his posses∣sion, and in their cities: they of Israel, the priestes, Leuites, the Nethinims, & the children of Solomons seruauntes.

4 And at Hierusalem dwelt certayne of the children of Iuda, and of Beniamin: Of the children of Iuda, Athaiah, the sonne of Vzzia, the sonne of Zacharia, the sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Sa∣phatia, the sonne of Mahalaleel, of the children of Phares.

5 And Maasia the sonne of Baruch, the sonne of Chol Hosa, the sonne of Hasaia, the sonne of Adaia, the sonne of Ioia∣rib, the sonne of Zacharia, the sonne of Siloni.

6 All these were the children of Phares that dwelt at Hierusalem, euen foure hundred three score and eyght valiaunt men.

[unspec B] 7 These are the children of Beniamin: Salu the sonne of Mesullam, the sonne of Ioed, the sonne of Pedaia, the sonne of Colaia, the sonne of Masia, the sonne of Ithiel, the sonne of Isai.

8 And after hym Gabai, Sellai, nine hun∣dred and twentie and eyght.

9 And Ioel the sonne of Zichri had the ouersight of them: and Iuda the sonne of Senua was the second ouer the citie.

10 * 1.2213Of the priestes: Iedaiah the sonne of Ioiarib, Iachin,

11 Saraiah the sonne of Helkia, the sonne of Mesullam, the sonne of Zadoc, the sonne of Meraioth, the sonne of Achitob, was chiefe in the house of God,

12 And their brethren that dyd the worke in the temple, eyght hundred and twen∣tie and two: And Adaia the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Pelaliah, the sonne of Amzi, the sonne of Zachari, the sonne of Phashur, the sonne of Malchia,

13 And his brethren chiefe among the fa∣thers, two hundred and fourtie & two: And Amasai the sonne of Azrael, the sonne of Ahasai, the sonne of Mosele∣moth, the sonne of Immer,

14 And their brethren valiaunt men, an [unspec C] hundred and twentie and eyght: And their ouersear was Zabdiel a sonne of one of the great men.

15 * 1.2214Of the Leuites: Semeia the sonne of Hasub, the sonne of Azarikam, the sonne of Hasabia, the sonne of Buni,

16 And Sabathai, and Iosabad of the

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chiefe of the Leuites, had the ouer∣sight of the outwarde businesse of the house of God.

17 And Mathania, the sonne of Micha, the sonne of Zabdi, the sonne of Asaph, was the principall to begin the thankes∣geuing and prayer: and Bacbucia the seconde among his brethren, and Abda the sonne of Sammua, the sonne of Ga∣lal, the sonne of Ieduthun.

18 All the Leuites in the holy citie, were two hundred foure score and foure.

19 * 1.2215And the porters Accub and Talmon, and their brethren that kept the portes, were an hundred and seuentie and two.

20 As for the residue of Israel, of the priestes and Leuites, they were in al the cities of Iuda, euery one in his inheri∣taunce.

[unspec D] 21 And the Nethinims dwelt “ 1.2216in Ophel, and Ziha and Gispa were set ouer the Nethinims.

22 The ouersear of the Leuites at Hieru∣salem was Vzzi, the sonne of Bani, the sonne of Hasabia, the sonne of Mattha∣nia, the sonne of Micha: Of the children of Asaph, singers were ouer the busines in the house of God:

23 For it was the kinges commaundement concerning them, that the singers should deale faythfully euery day, as was ac∣cording.

24 And Pathaia the sonne of Me••••daze of the children of Zerah the sonne of Iuda, was “ 1.2217 next the king in al matters concerning the people.

25 And in the villages in their landes, some of the children of Iuda that were with∣out in the townes of their land dwelt at Kiriath arba, and in the villages ther∣of: and in Dibon and in the villages therof, and at Iecabzeel and in the vil∣lages therof:

26 At Iesua, Moladath, Bethphale:

27 In * 1.2218 the towne of Sual, Beerseba, and in the villages therof:

28 At Siklag, and Moconah, and the villages therof:

29 And at En rimmon, Zarah, Ierimuth,

30 Zonoa, Odollam, & in their villages, at Lachis, and in the fieldes therof: at Aseka, and in the villages thereof, and they dwelt from Beerseba vnto the val∣ley of Hinnom.

31 The children also of Beniamin from Geba, dwelt at Machmas, Aia, Bethel, and in their villages,

32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gethaim,

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballath,

35 Lod, and Ono, in the carpenters val∣ley.

36 And the Leuites had possession both in Iuda and in Beniamin.

The xii. Chapter.

1 The priestes and Leuites, whiche came with Zorobabel vnto Hierusalem are num∣bred. 27 and the wall is dedicated.

[unspec A] 1 THese are the priestes and Leuites that went vp with Zoro∣babel the sonne of Sa∣lathiel: and with Ie∣sua, Saraia, Ieremia, and Esdras,

2 Amaria, Malluch, Hattus,

3 Sechania, Rehum, Merimoth,

4 Iddo, Genthon, Abia,

5 Miamin, Madaia, Belga,

6 Semaia, Ioiarib, Iedaia,

7 Salu, Amok, Helkia, and Iedaia: These were the heades among the priestes and their brethren in the dayes of Iesua.

8 The Leuites were these: Iesua, Ben∣nui, Cadmiel, Sarebia, Iuda, and Ma∣thania, whiche was ouer [the office] of thankesgeuing, he and his brethren.

9 Bacbucio, and Hanni, and their bre∣thren, [unspec B] were about them in the watches.

10 Iesua begat Ioakim, Ioakim also begat Eliasib, and Eliasib begat Ioiada:

11 Ioiada begat Ionathan, and Iona∣than begat Iaddua.

12 In the dayes of Ioakim were these the chiefe fathers among the priestes: vnder Saraia, Maraia: vnder Iere∣mi, Hanania:

13 Vnder Esdras, Mesullam: vnder Ama∣ria, Iehoanan:

14 Vnder Milico, Ionathan: vnder Se¦bania, Ioseph:

15 Vnder Horim, Adna: vnder Maraioth, Helka:

Page [unnumbered]

•••• Vnder Iddo, Zacharie: vnder Ge¦thon, Mesullam:

17 Vnder Abia, Zichri: vnder Munamin, and Moadia, Piltai:

18 Vnder Belga, Sammua: vnder Se¦maia, Iehonathan:

9 Vnder Ioiarib, Mathena: vnder Ia∣daia, Vzzi:

20 Vnder Selai, Kellai: vnder Amok, Eber:

[unspec D] 21 Vnder Helchia, Hasabia: vnder Ia∣daia, Nathanael.

22 And in the time of Eliasib, Ioiada, Io∣hanan, and Iadua, were the chiefe fa∣thers among the Leuites & the priestes written, in the raigne of Darius the Persian.

23 The children of Leui the principall fa∣thers, were written in the cronicles, vn∣till the time of Ionathan the sonne of Eliasib.

24 And these were the chiefe among the Leuites: Hasabia, Serebia, and Iesua the sonne of Cadmiel, and their brethren * 1.2219 in their presence, to geue prayse and thankes, according as Dauid the man of God had ordeyned it, one watch ouer a∣gainst another.

25 Mathania, Bacbukia, Obadia, Mesul∣lam, Talmon, and Accub, were porters * 1.2220 in the watch at the thresholdes of the gates.

26 These were in the dayes of Ioiakim the sonne of Iesua, the sonne of Iose∣dec, and in the dayes of Nehemia the captayne, & of the priest Esdras the scribe.

27 And in the dedication of the wall at Hierusalem they sought the Leuites out of all their places, that they might be brought to Hierusalem, to kepe the dedi∣cation and gladnesse with thankesge∣uinges, & singing, with cymbales, * 1.2221 psal∣teries, and harpes.

[unspec E] 28 And the children of the singers gathe∣red them selues together from euery side, out of the playne countrey about Hierusalem, and from the villages of Nethophathi,

29 From the house of Gilgal, and out of the countreys of Geba, and Asmaueth: for the singers had buylded them vil∣lages round about Hierusalem.

30 And the priestes and Leuites were pu∣rified, & clensed the people, & the gates, and the wall.

31 And I brought the princes of Iuda vpon the wall, and appoynted two great quyers of men to geue thankes, whiche went on the right hande of the wall to∣warde the doung gate.

32 And after them went Hosaia, and halfe of the princes of Iuda,

33 And Asaria, Esdras, and Mesullam,

34 Iuda, Beniamin, Semeia, & Iereim,

35 And certayne of the priestes children, with trumpettes: namely Zacharie the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Se∣meia, the sonne of Mathania, the sonne of Michaia, the sonne of Zaccur, the sonne of Asaph,

36 And his brethren, Semeia, Asarael, [unspec F] Melalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Iuda, and Hanani, with the musicall in∣strumentes of Dauid the man of God: And Esdras the scribe went before them.

37 And beside the wel gate, they went vp ouer against them vpon the steppes of the citie of Dauid at the goyng vp of the wall, beyonde the house of Dauid, vnto the water gate eastwarde.

38 The other quyer of them that gaue thankes went ouer against them, and I after them, and the halfe part of the people vpon the wall beyond the for¦nace gate, vntill the brode wall,

39 And beyonde the port of Ephraim, and beyonde the old gate, beyonde the fishe gate, and the towre of Hanancel, & the towre of Mea, euen vnto the sheepe gate and they stoode still in the “ 1.2222 prison gate,

40 And so stoode the two quyers of them that gaue thankes in the house of God, and I, & the halfe of the rulers with me.

41 And the priestes, namely Eliakim, Maasia, Miniamin, Michaia, Elionai, Zachari, & Hanania, with trumpettes:

42 And Maasia, Semeia, Eleaser, Vzzi, Iehohanan, Melchiah, Elam, & Ezer: And the singers sange loude, hauing Iesrahiah for their ouersear.

43 And the same day they offered great [unspec G] sacrifices, and reioyced: for God had ge∣uen them great gladnesse, so that both the wiues & children were ioyfull, & the mirth of Hierusalē was hearde farre of.

44 At the same time were the men ap∣poynted ouer the treasure houses, wher∣in were the heaue offeringes, the first∣linges, and the tythes, that they shoulde gather them out of the fieldes about the cities, to distribute them vnto the priestes and Leuites according to the lawe: for Iuda was glad of the priestes and Leuites that serued.

Page [unnumbered]

•••• And there stoode and wayted vpon the office of their God, whiche is a pure of¦fice, both the singers and porters, after the commaundement of Dauid, and of Solomon his sonne:

46 * 1.2223For in the time of Dauid and Asaph, of olde were the chiefe singers founded & the songes of prayse and thankesgeuing vnto God.

47 In the time of Zorobabel and Nehe¦mia, did all they of Israel geue portions vnto the singers and porters euery day his portion: and they gaue tythes vnto the Leuites, & the Leuites gaue tythes againe vnto the children of Aaron.

The .xiii. Chapter.

1 The lawe is read. They separate from them all straungers. 15 Nehemia reproueth▪ them that breake the Sabbath▪ An ordinaunce to serue God.

[unspec A] 1 ANd that day dyd they read in the booke of Moyses in the audi∣ence of the people, and therein was founde written, * 1.2224 that the Am∣monites, & Moabites shoulde neuer come into the congrega∣tion of God,

2 Because they met not the children of Is∣rael with bread and water, * 1.2225but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them: and our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Nowe when they had hearde the law, they separated from Israel euery one that had mixt him selfe therin.

4 And before this had the priest Elia∣sib the ouersight of the treasurie of the house of our God, and he was kyns¦man vnto Tobia,

And had made hym a great chamber, and there had they afore time layed the offringes, frankencence, vessels, and the tythes of corne, wine, and oyle according to the commaundementes geuen to the Leuites, singers and porters, and the heaue offringes of the priestes.

But in all this time was not I at Hie∣rusalem: for in the two and thirtie yere of Artaxeres king of Babylon, came I vnto the king, & after certayne dayes obtayned I licence of the king to come to Hierusalem.

[unspec B] 7 And I gat knowledge of the euyll that Eliasib dyd for Tobia, in that he had made hym a chamber in the court of the house of God,

8 And it greeued me sore: therefore I cast foorth all the vessels of the house of To∣bia out of the chamber:

And commaunded them to clense the chambers, and thyther brought I a∣gaine the vessels of the house of God, with the meate offring, and the incense.

10 And I perceaued that the portions of the Leuites had not ben geuen them, and that euery one was fled to his land, euen the Leuites and singers that exe∣cuted the worke.

11 Then reproued I the rulers, and sayd; Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

12 Then brought all Iuda the tythes of corne, and wine, and oyle, vnto the trea∣sure.

13 And I made treasures ouer the trea∣sure, euen Selemiah the priest, and Za∣doc the scribe, and of the Leuites, Pha∣daa: and vnder their hand was Hanan the sonne of Zacur, the sonne of Matha∣nia: for they were counted faythful, and their office was to distribute [the por∣tions] vnto their brethren.

14 Thinke vpon me O my God herein, [unspec C] and wype not out my * 1.2226 mercie that I haue shewed on the house of my God, and on the offices therof.

15 And the same time sawe I in Iuda some treading wine presses on the Sab¦bath, and bringing in sheues, and which laded asses also with wine, grapes, and figges, and all burthens, and brought them into Hierusalem vpon the Sab¦bath day: And I rebuked them earnest∣ly the same day that they solde the vit∣tayles.

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also there¦in, which brought fish and all maner of ware, and solde on the Sabbath vnto the childrē of Iuda, euen in Hierusalem.

17 Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, & sayd vnto them: What euyl thing is this that ye do, & breake the Sabbath day?

18 Dyd not your fathers euen thus, and our God brought all this plague vpon vs, and vpon this citie? And ye make the wrath more yet vpon Israel, in that ye breake the Sabbath?

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19 And when the pos of Hierusalem be¦gan to be darke in the euening before the Sabbath, I commaunded to shut the gates▪ and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my seruauntes set I at the gates, that there shoulde no burthen be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Then remayned the chapmen and marchauntes once or twyse ouer night without Hierusalem with all maner of wares.

[unspec D] 21 Then reproued I them sore, and sayde vnto them: Why tary ye all night about the wall? If ye do it once againe, I will lay handes vpon you: From that time foorth came they no more on the Sab∣bath.

22 And I said vnto the Leuites, that they should clense them selues, and that they shoulde come and kepe the gates, to ha∣lowe the Sabboth day: Thinke vpon me O my God concerning this also, and spare me, according to thy great mercie.

23 In those dayes also sawe I Iewes that maried wyues of Asdod, of Am∣mon, and of Moab,

24 And their children spake halfe in the speach of Asdod, and could not speake in the Iewes language, but according to the language of the one people and of the other people.

25 Then I reproued them, and cursed them, and smote certayne men of them, and made them bare: and toke an oth of them by God, Ye shall not geue your daughters vnto their sonnes, neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes, or for your selues.

26 * 1.2227Dyd not Solomon the king of Israel sinne by these thinges? and yet among many heathen was there no king like him, which was deare vnto his God, & God made hym king ouer all Israel: and * 1.2228yet neuerthelesse outlandishe wo∣men caused him to sinne.

27 Shall we then obey vnto you to do al this great euyll, and to transgresse a∣gainst our God, and marie straunge wyues?

28 And one of the children of Iehoiada the sonne of Eliasib the hye priest, was the sonne in law of Sanaballat the Ho∣ronite: but I chased him from me.

29 O my God, thinke thou vpon them that defile the presthod, and the couenaunt of the presthod and of the Leuites.

30 Thus clensed I them from all such as were outlandishe, and appoynted the courses of the priestes and Leuites, eue∣ry one in his office:

31 And to offer the wood at times ap∣poynted, and the first fruites: Thinke thou vpon me O my God for the best.

The ende of the seconde booke of Esdras, otherwyse called the booke of Nehemia.

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❧The booke of Esther.

The first Chapter.

3 King Ahasuerus maketh a royall feast. 10 Wherevnto the queene Vasthi will not come. 19 For which cause she is diuorced. 20 The kinges decree touching the preeminence of man.

[unspec A] 1 IT came to passe that in the dayes of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasue∣rus whiche raig∣ned from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundred and twentie and seuen prouinces)

2 Euen in those dayes when the king A∣hasuerus sate on his seate royall, which was in Susan the chiefe citie:

3 In the third yere of his raigne, he made a feast vnto all his princes & seruauntes: and the mightie men of Persia and Me∣dia, the captaynes also and rulers of his countreys were before hym.

4 And he shewed the richesse and glorie of his kingdome, and the glorious wor∣ship of his greatnesse many dayes long, [euen] an hundred and fourescore dayes.

5 And when these dayes were expired, the king made a feast vnto al the people that were in Susan the chiefe citie, both vn∣to great & small, seuen dayes long, in the court of the garden by the kinges pa∣lace.

6 Where there hanged white, greene, and “ 1.2229yelowe clothes, fastened with cordes of fine silke and purple, in siluer ringes, vpon pillers of marble stones: The “ 1.2230benches also were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of * 1.2231 greene, white, yelowe, and blacke marble.

7 And they dranke in vessels of gold, and [unspec B] chaunged vessel after vessel, and royal wine in aboundaunce, according to the power of the king.

8 And the drinking was by an order, none might compell: for so the king had ap∣poynted to all the officers of his house, that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure.

9 And the queene Vasthi made a feast al∣so for the women in the palace of Aha∣suerus.

10 And on the seuenth day when the king was mery after the wine, he commaun∣ded Nehuma, Biztha, Harbona, Big∣tha, Abagthan, Zethar, and Charchas, the seuen chamberlayns that did seruice in the presence of king Ahasuerus,

11 To fetch the queene Vasthi with the crowne regall into the kinges presence, that he might shewe the people & princes her fairenesse: for she was beautifull.

12 But the queene Vasthi would not come at the kinges worde by his chamber∣laynes: Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in hym.

13 And the king spake to the wyse men which knewe the times (for so was the kinges maner towardes all that knewe the lawe and the iudgementes:

14 And the next vnto hym were, Carse∣na, [unspec C] Sethar, Admata, Thersis, Mares, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seuen princes of Persia and Media, whiche sawe the kinges face, and sate the first in the kingdome.)

15 What, shall we do vnto the queene Va∣sthi according to the lawe, because she dyd not according to the worde of the king Ahasuerus whiche he commaun∣ded by his chamberlaynes?

16 And Memuchan aunswered before the king & the princes: The queene Vasthi hath not onely done euyll against the king, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus.

17 For this deede of the queene shall come abrode vnto all women, so that they shall despise their husbandes before their eyes, and shall say: The king Ahasuerus commaunded Vasthi the queene to be brought in before hym, but she woulde not come.

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18 And so shal the princesses in Persia and Media say lykewise this day vnto al the kinges princes when they heare of this deede of the queene: thus shal there arise to much despite fulnesse and wrath.

19 If it please the king, let there go a commaundement from hym, and let it be written according to the lawes of the Persians and Medians, and not to be transgressed, that Vasthi come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king geue her royal estate vnto an other that is better then she.

20 And when this commaundement of the king which shalbe made, is published throughout all his empire whiche i great, all women shall holde their hus¦bandes in honour both among great and small.

21 This saying pleased the king and the [unspec D] princes, and the king did according to the worde of Memucan.

22 For he sent letters foorth into all the kinges prouinces, into euery lande accor∣ding to the wryting therof, and to euery people after their language, that euery man shoulde be lorde in his owne house: and this to be published after the lan∣guage of his people.

The .ii. Chapter.

2 After the queene is put away, certeyne young maydes are brought to the king. 14 Esther pleaseth the king, and is made queene. 22 Mardocheus discloseth vnto the king those that woulde betray hym.

[unspec A] 1 AFter these actes, when the displeasure of king Ahasuerus was nowe * 1.2232 alayed, he thought vpon Vasthi, & what she had done, & what was decreed against her.

2 Then sayde the kinges seruauntes that ministred vnto hym: Let there be faire young virgins sought for the king,

3 And let the king appoynt officers in all the prouinces of his empire, that they should bring together al the faire young virgins vnto Susan the head citie to the womens buylding, vnder the hande of Hegai the kinges chamberlayne that kept the women, to geue them their * 1.2233 apparell:

4 And that the mayden which pleased the king, should be queene in Vasthis steede. And this pleased the king, and he did so.

5 In the citie of Susan there was a cer∣tayne Iewe, whose name was Mar∣docheus, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Semei, the sonne of Cis, a man of Ie∣mini,

6 Which was caryed away from Hieru∣salem with the captiuitie, * 1.2234 when Ieko∣ma the king of Iuda was led away, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of [unspec B] Babylon caryed thence:

7 And he norished Hadassa (that is Esther) his vncles daughter: for he had neither father nor mother, and she was a faire and beautifull mayden, whom Mardo∣cheus (when her father & mother were dead) receaued for his owne daughter.

8 So when the kinges commaundement and commission was published, and ma∣ny maydens were brought together into the citie of Susan vnder the hand of He∣gai, Esther was brought also vnto the kinges house vnder the hande of Hegai the keper of the women.

9 And the mayden pleased hym, and she founde fauour in his sight: and he cau∣sed “ 1.2235 ornamentes to be geuen her speedy∣ly, and such thinges as belonged to her, and appoynted her seuen comely may∣dens out of the kinges house, * 1.2236 & fauou∣red both her and her gentlewomen sin∣gularly in the house of the women.

10 But Esther shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mardocheus had char∣ged her that she shoulde not tell it.

11 And Mardocheus walked euery day before the court of the womens house, that he might knowe howe Esther did, and what shoulde become of her.

12 And when the appoynted time of eue∣ry mayden came that she shoulde go in to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes according to the maner of the women (for so were the dayes of their purification accomplissed, sixe monethes with oyle of mirre, and sixe monethes with sweete odoures, and in the purifiyng of the women:

13 And thus went the maydens vnto the king) whatsoeuer she required, that must be geuen her to go with her out of the womens buylding vnto the kinges palace.

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14 In the euening she went, and on the [unspec C] morowe she returned into the seconde house of the women abyding vnder the hande of Saasgaz the kinges chamber∣layne, which kept the concubines: And she came in vnto the king no more, ex∣cept it pleased the king to haue her, and that she were called by name.

15 Nowe when the course came of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the vncle of Mardocheus (which had receaued her as his owne daughter) that she shoulde come in vnto the king, she desired no∣thing but what Hegai the kinges cham∣berlayne the keper of the women saide: And Esther found fauour in the sight of all them that loked vpon her.

16 And Esther was taken vnto king Aha∣suerus into his house royall, in the tenth moneth (which is the moneth Tebeth) in the seuenth yere of his raigne.

17 And the king loued Esther aboue all the women, and she found grace and fa∣uour in his sight more then all the vir∣gins, so that he set the crowne of the kingdome vpon her head, and made her queene in steede of Vasthi.

18 And the king made a great feast vnto all his princes and seruauntes, whiche feast was because of Esther, and caused the prouinces to be in quietnesse, & gaue giftes, as became the royaltie of a king.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the seconde time, Mardocheus sate in the kinges gate.

20 And as yet had not Esther shewed her kinred & her people, according as Mar∣docheus had bidden her: for Esther dyd after the worde of Mardocheus, like as if she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce.

21 At the same time (whyle Mardocheus [unspec D] sate in the kinges gate) two of ye kinges chamberlaynes, Bigthan and Theres, which kept the doore, were wroth, and sought to lay their handes on the king Ahasuerus:

22 Whereof also Mardocheus gat know∣ledge, *and tolde it vnto queene Esther, and Esther certified the king therof in Mardocheus name.

23 And when inquisition was made, it was founde so, and they were both hanged on tree: and it was written in the Chronicles before the king.

The .iii. Chapter.

1 Haman after he was exalted, obteined of the king, that all the Iewes shoulde be put to death, because Mardocheus had not done him worship as other had.

[unspec A] 1 AFter these actes, dyd king Ahasuerus pro∣mote Haman the sonne of Amadatha the A∣gagite, and set hym on hie, and set his seate a∣boue all the princes that he had with hym.

2 And al the kinges seruauntes that were in the kinges gate, bowed their knees, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had so commaunded concerning hym: But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, nei∣ther dyd hym reuerence.

3 Then the kinges seruauntes whiche were in the kinges gate, said vnto Mar∣docheus: Why transgressest thou the kinges commaundement?

4 And though they spake this dayly vn∣to hym, yet woulde he not heare them, therfore they tolde Haman, that they might see howe Mardocheus matters woulde stande, for he had tolde them that he was a Iewe.

5 And when Haman sawe that Mardo∣cheus bowed not the knee vnto him, nor dyd reuerence vnto hym, he was full of indignation,

6 And thought it to litle to lay handes onely on Mardocheus, for thy had shewed him the nation of Mardocheus: wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus, and that were of the nation of Mardocheus.

7 In the first moneth (that is, the moneth [unspec B] Nisan) in the twelfth yere of king Aha∣suerus, they cast Phur, that is a lot, be∣fore Haman from day to day, and from moneth to moneth to the twelfth moneth, that is, the moneth Adar.

8 And Haman sayde vnto king Aha∣suerus: There is here a people scat∣tred abrode, and dispearsed among all people in all the prouinces of thyne empire, and their lawes are diuers from all people, and do not after the kinges lawes, therefore it is not the kinges profite to suffer them after this maner.

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9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and so wyll I waye downe ten thousand talents of siluer by the handes of them that haue the charge of this busines, to bring it in∣to the kinges treasurie.

10 And the king toke his ring from his hand, & gaue it vnto Haman the sonne of Amadatha the Agagite, the Iewes enemie.

11 And the king saide vnto Haman: Let the siluer be thyne, & do with that peo∣ple as it pleaseth thee.

12 Then were the kinges scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, & there was written according as Haman commaunded vnto all the kinges offi∣cers, and to the captaynes that were o∣uer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery side according to the writing therof, and to euery nation after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it wr¦ten, and sealed with the kinges ring.

31 And the letters were sent by postes in∣to [unspec C] all the kinges prouinces, to roote out, to kill, and to destroy all Iewes both young and olde, children and women in one day [namely] vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) & to spoyle thē as a pray.

14 This was the summe of the writing, that there should be a commaundement geuen in al prouinces, and published vn∣to all people, that they should be redy against the same day.

15 And the postes went in all the haste according to the kinges commaunde∣ment, and in Susan the chiefe citie was the commaundement deuised: And the king and Haman sate and dranke, when in the meane time the citie of Susan was disquieted.

¶The .iiij. Chapter.

5 Mardocheus geueth the queene knowledge of the cruell decree of the king against the Iewes. 16 She wylleth that they pray for her.

[unspec A] 1 WHen Mardocheus per∣ceaued all that was done, he rent his clo∣thes, and put on sacke∣cloth with asshes, and went out into the mid∣dest of the citie, and cryed loude and lamentably,

2 And came before the kinges gate: but he might not enter within the kinges gate, because he had sackcloth on.

3 And in all prouinces, countries, and pla∣ces, as farre as the kinges worde & com∣maundement extented, there was great lamentatiō among the Iewes, fasting, weeping, and mourning, and many lay in sackeclothes and in asshes.

4 So Esthers maydens and her cham∣berlaynes, came and told it her: Then was the queene exceedingly astonied, and she sent rayment that Mardoche∣us shoulde put on, and lay the sackcloth from him: But Mardocheus would not take them.

5 Then called Esther Hathach one of the kinges chamberlaines which stoode be∣fore her, and gaue him a commaunde∣ment vnto Mardocheus, to know what it was wherefore he did so.

6 So Hathach went foorth to Mardo∣cheus, vnto the streete of the citie which was before the kinges gate:

7 And Mardocheus tolde him of al that [unspec B] had come vnto him, & of ye summe of sil∣uer that Haman had promised to waye downe into the kinges treasurie, because of the Iewes if he would destroy them.

8 And he gaue him the copie of the kinges commaundement that was deuised at Susan to destroy them, that he might shewe it vnto Esther, and to speake to her, and charge her that she should go in vnto the king, & make her prayer and supplication vnto him for her people.

9 And when Hathach came in, he tolde Esther the wordes of Mardocheus.

10 And againe Esther spake vnto Hathach and commaūded him to say vnto Mar∣docheus:

11 All the kinges seruauntes, & the peo∣ple in the prouinces of the king knowe, that whosoeuer commeth within the courte vnto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, “ 1.2237 the cō∣maundement is, that the same shall dye, except the king holde out the golden sep∣ter vnto him, for then he shall lyue: As for me, I haue not ben called to come in vnto the king now this thirtie dayes.

12 And they certified Mardocheus of

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Esthers wordes.

13 And Mardocheus bad say againe vn∣to Esther: Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kinges house more then all the Iewes.

14 For if thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall the Iewes haue * 1.2238 helpe and deliueraunce out of an other place, and thou and thy fathers house shalbe destroyed: And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome * 1.2239 for this causes sake?

15 Esther bad them geue Mardocheus this aunswere:

16 Go thou thy way, and gather toge∣ther all the Iewes that are founde at Susan, and fast ye for me, that ye eate not and drinke not in three dayes nei∣ther day nor night, I and my maydens wyll fast likewyse: and so wyll I go in¦to the king, which thing yet is contrary to the commaundement: and if I pe∣rishe, I perishe.

17 So Mardocheus went his way, and did according to al that Esther had com∣maunded him.

¶The .v. Chapter.

1 Esther entreth into the king, and biddeth him and Haman to a feaste. 11 Haman prepareth a gallous for Mardocheus.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 ANd on the third day it came to passe, that Est∣her put on her royall apparell, and stoode in the court of the kinges palace within, ouer a∣gainst ye kinges house: and the king sat vpon his royall seate in the kinges palace ouer against the gate of the house.

2 And when the king sawe Esther the queene standing in the court, she founde grace in his sight: And the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand: So Esther stept foorth and touched the top of the scepter.

3 Then saide the king vnto her: What wylt thou queene Esther? and what re∣quirest thou? [aske] euen the halfe of the empire, and it shalbe geuen thee.

4 And Esther aunswered: If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day vnto the banket that I haue prepared for him.

5 And the king saide: Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath saide. So the king and Haman came to the banket that Esther had pre∣pared.

6 And the king saide vnto Esther at the banket of wine: What is thy petition, [unspec B] that it may be geuen thee? And what re∣quirest thou? If it be euen the halfe of the empire, it shall be done.

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7 Then aunswered Esther, and said: My [unspec B] petition and desire is,

8 If I haue founde grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to geue me my petition, and to fulfil my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for thē: and so wyl I do to morowe, as the king hath saide.

9 Then went Haman foorth the same day ioyfull and mery in his minde: But when the same Haman sawe Mardo∣cheus in the kinges gate, that he stoode not vp nor moued for him, he was ful of indignation at Mardocheus.

10 Neuerthelesse, Haman refrained him selfe, and when he came home he sent and called for his friendes and Zares his wyfe.

11 And Haman tolde them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his chil∣dren, and all the thinges wherein the king had promoted him so greatly, and how that he had set him aboue the prin∣ces and seruauntes of the king.

12 Haman saide moreouer: Yea, Esther the queene did let no man come in with the king vnto the bancket that she had prepared, except me: and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the king.

13 But in all this am I not satisfied, as [unspec C] long as I see Mardocheus the Iewe sitting at the kinges gate.

14 Then saide Zares his wyfe and all his friendes vnto him: Let them make a galous of fiftie cubites hie, and to mo∣rowe speake thou vnto the king that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon: then go thou in meryly with the king vnto the banket. And Haman was well content withall, and caused the galous to be made.

The .vi. Chapter.

1 The king turneth ouer the chronicles, and findeth the fidelitie of Mardocheus, 10 and commaundeth Haman to cause Mardocheus to be had in honour.

[illustration]

[unspec A] 1 THe same night coulde not the king sleepe, and he commaunded to bring * 1.2240 the chronicles and stories: and they were read before the king.

2 Then it was founde written howe * 1.2241 Mardocheus had tolde that Bigtha∣na & Theres the kinges two chamber∣laynes which kept the “ 1.2242 thresholdes, sought to laye handes on king Ahasue∣rus.

3 And the king saide: What honour and dignitie hath ben geuen to Mardoche∣us therfore? Then saide the kinges ser∣uaūtes that ministred vnto him: There is nothing at all done for him.

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4 And the king saide: Who is in the court? (for Haman was come into the court without before the kinges house, that he might speake vnto the king to hang Mardocheus on the tree that he had prepared for him.)

5 And the kinges seruauntes saide vnto him: Beholde, Haman standeth in the court. And the king saide: let him come in.

6 And when Haman came in, the king saide vnto him: what shalbe done vnto the man whom the king would faine bring vnto worship? (Haman thought in his heart: Whom desireth the king to bring vnto worship more then me?)

[unspec B] 7 And Haman aunswered the king: Let the man whom the king pleaseth to bring vnto worship, be brought hither,

8 That he may be arayed with the roy∣all garmentes which the king vseth to weare, and the horse that the king ry∣deth vpon, and that the crowne royall may be set vpon his head:

9 And let this rayment and horse be de∣liuered vnder the hande of one of the kinges most noble princes, that they may aray the man withal whom the king is disposed to bring to honour, and cary him vpon the horse through the streete of the citie, and proclayme before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king pleaseth to bring to ho∣nour.

10 And the king saide to Haman: Make haste, and take as thou hast saide the rayment and the horse, and do euen so vnto Mardocheus the Iewe that sit∣teth before the kinges gate, and let no∣thing faile of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then toke Haman the rayment and the horse, and arayed Mardocheus, and brought him on horsebacke through the streete of the citie, and proclaymed be∣fore him, Euen this shall it be done vnto the man whom the king is disposed to honour.

12 And Mardocheus came againe to the kinges gate: but Haman gat him home in all the haste mourning, and his head couered,

13 And tolde Zares his wyfe and all his [unspec C] friendes euery thing that had befallen him. Then saide his wise men and Za∣res his wyfe vnto him: If it be Mardo∣cheus of the seede of the Iewes, before whō thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not preuaile against him, but shalt sure∣ly fall before him.

14 And whyle they were yet talking with him, came the kinges chamberlaynes, & caused Haman to make hast to come vnto the banket that Esther had prepa∣red.

¶The .vij. Chapter.

The queene biddeth the king and Haman againe, and prayeth for her selfe and her people. 6 She accuseth Haman, and he is hanged on the galous which he had prepared for Mardocheus.

[unspec A] 1 AND the king and Ha∣man came to bancket with the queene Est∣her.

2 And the king saide a∣gaine vnto Esther on the seconde day at the bancket of wine: What is thy petition queene Esther, that it may be geuen thee? And what requirest thou? if it be euen to the halfe of the empire, it shalbe done.

3 And Esther the queene aunswered, and saide: If I haue found grace in thy sight O king, and if it please the king, then graunt me my lyfe at my desire, and my people for my petitions sake.

4 For we are solde I and my people to be destroyed, to be slaine, and to perishe: And would God that we were solde to be bondmen and bondwomen, then would I holde my tongue: although the enemie coulde not recompence the kinges losse.

5 The king Ahasuerus aunswered and saide vnto queene Esther: Who is he? And where is he, that dare presume in his minde to do after that maner?

6 And Esther saide: the enemie and ad∣uersarie is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was exceedingly afrayde before the king and the queene.

7 And the king arose from the bancket and from the wine in his displeasure, [unspec B] and went into the palace garden: And Haman stoode vp, and besought queene Esther for his lyfe: for he saw that there was a mischiefe prepared for him of the

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king alreadie.

8 And when the king came againe out of the palace gardē into the place where they dranke wine: Haman had layde him vpon the bed that Esther sate vp∣on. Then saide the king: wil he force the queene also before me in the house? As soone as that worde went out of the kinges mouth, they couered Hamans face.

9 And Harbona one of the chamber∣laynes that stoode before the king, said Beholde, there standeth yet a galous in Hamans house, fiftie cubites hye, which he had made for Mardocheus, that spake good for the king. Then the king saide, Hang him thereon.

10 So they hanged Haman on the ga¦lous that he had made for Mardoche¦us: Then was the kinges wrath paci∣fied.

¶The .viii. Chapter.

1 After the death of Haman was Mardocheus exalted. 14 Comfortable letters are sent vnto the Iewes.

1 THe same day did king [unspec A] Ahasuerus geue the house of Haman the Iewes enemie vnto queene Esther, and Mardocheus came be∣fore the king: for Est∣her tolde what he was vnto her.

2 And the king toke of his ring which he had taken from Haman, and gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Esther sette Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman.

3 And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fel downe at his feete weping, and besought him that he would put a∣way the wickednesse of Haman the A∣gagite, and his deuice that he had ima∣gined against the Iewes.

4 And the king held out the golden scep∣ter toward Esther. Then rose Esther, and stode before the king,

5 And saide: if it please the king, and if I haue founde grace in his sight, and if it be acceptable before the king, and I please him, then let it be writtē, that the letters of the deuise of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the Agagite may be called againe, which letters he wrote to destroy the Iewes which are in all the kinges prouinces.

6 For how can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vnto my people? or how can I beare and loke vpon the destruc∣tion of my kindred?

7 And the king Ahasuerus saide vnto [unspec B] queene Esther, and to Mardocheus the Iewe: Beholde, I haue geuen Esther the house of Haman, whom they haue hanged vpon a tree, because he layde hand vpon the Iewes.

8 Write ye also for the Iewes as it ly∣keth you, in the kinges name, and seale it with the kinges ring: For the writinges that were written in the kinges name, and sealed with the kinges ring, durst no man disanul.

9 Then were the kinges scribes called at the same time, euen in the thirde mo∣neth (that is the moneth Swan) on the three and twentie day thereof, and it was written according to all as Mar∣docheus commaūded vnto the Iewes, and to the princes, to the debuties and captaynes in the prouinces which are from India vnto Ethiopia, namely an hundred twentie and seuen prouinces, vnto euery prouince according to the writing thereof, and vnto euery people after their speach, and to the Iewes ac∣cording to their writing and language.

10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name, & sealed it with the kinges ring, and by postes that rode vpon horses, and swyft young Mules, sent he the writinges,

11 Wherin the king graunted the Iewes in what cities soeuer they were, to ga∣ther themselues together, and to stand for their lyfe, and for to roote out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the peo∣ple and prouince that woulde trouble them, both children and women, and to spoyle their goodes:

12 Vpon one day in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus, namely vpon the thir∣teenth [unspec C] day of the twelfth moneth, which is the moneth Adar.

13 The summe of the writing was, how there shoulde be a commaundement ge∣uen in all and euery prouince, and publi∣shed among all people, and that the Iewes should be redy against that day,

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to auenge them selues on their enemies.

14 And so the postes that rode vpon the swyft Horses and Mules, made haste with all speede to execute the kinges word: and the commaundement was deuised in Susan the chiefe citie.

15 And Mardocheus went out from the king in royall apparell, of * 1.2243 yelowe and white, & with a great crowne of golde, being arayed with a garment of “ 1.2244 silke and purple: and the citie of Susan reioy∣sed and was glad.

16 And vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse, ioy and worship.

17 In all prouinces and cities into what places soeuer the kinges word and com∣maundement reached, there was ioy and mirth, a feaste and good dayes a∣mong the Iewes: insomuch, that many of the people in ye lande became Iewes, for the feare of the Iewes came vpon them.

The .ix. Chapter.

1 At the commaundement of the king, the Iewes put their aduersaries to death. 14 The ten sonnes of Haman are hanged. 17 The Iewes kepe a feaste in remem∣braunce of their deliueraunce.

[unspec A] 1 IN the twelfth moneth (that is the moneth A∣dar) vpō the thirteenth day of the same, when the kinges worde and commaundement drue neare to be put in exe∣cution, in the day that the enemies of the Iewes hoped to haue power ouer thē, it turned contrary: for the Iewes had rule ouer them that hated them.

2 For then gathered the Iewes toge∣ther in their cities within all the prouin∣ces of king Ahasuerus, to lay hande on such as woulde do them euill, and no man could withstand them: for the feare of them was come ouer all people.

3 And all the rulers in the prouinces, and princes, and deputies, and officers of the king, promoted the Iewes: for the feare of Mardocheus came vpon them.

4 For Mardocheus was great in the kinges house, & the reporte of him was noysed in all the prouinces: for this man Mardocheus waxed greater and grea∣ter.

5 Thus the Iewes smote all their ene∣mies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, & did what they would vnto their enemies.

6 And at Susan the chiefe citie slue the Iewes, & destroyed fiue hundred men.

[unspec B] 7 And slue Pharsandatha, Dalphon, Asphatha,

8 Phoratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

9 Pharmastha, Arisai, Aridai, and Va∣izatha,

10 The ten sonnes of Haman the sonne of Hamadata the enemie of the Iewes: but * 1.2245 on his goodes they layed no handes.

11 At the same time was the king certifi∣ed of the number of those that were slaine in the citie of Susan.

12 And the king saide vnto queene Est∣her: The Iewes haue slaine and de∣stroyed fiue hundred men in the citie of Susan, and the ten sonnes of Haman: What haue they done [thinkest thou] in o∣ther landes of the king? And what is thy petition, that it may be geuen thee? or what requirest thou more to be done?

13 Esther aunswered: If it please the [unspec C] king, let him suffer the Iewes which are in Susan, to morow also to do accor∣ding vnto this dayes decree, that they may hang Hamans ten sonnes vpon the tree.

14 And the king charged to do so: and the decree was deuised at Susan, and they hanged Hamans ten sonnes.

15 For the Iewes that were in Susan gathered them selues together, vpon the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar, and slue three hundred men at Susan: but on their goodes they layed no handes.

16 As for the other Iewes that were in the kinges prouinces, they came toge∣ther and stoode for their liues, & had rest from their enemies, & slue of their ene∣mies seuentie and fiue thousand: how∣beit they layed no handes on their goodes.

17 [This they did] on the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar, & on the fourteenth day of the same moneth rested they, which day they held with feasting and gladnesse.

18 But the Iewes that were at Susan

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came together both on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth: and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and held that day with feasting & glad∣nesse.

[unspec C] 19 And therefore the Iewes that dwelt in the villages and vnwalled townes, held the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar with gladnesse and feasting, and kept holy day, and euery one sent prea∣sentes vnto his neighbour.

20 And Mardocheus wrote these wordes, and sent letters vnto all the Iewes that were in all the prouinces of king A∣hasuerus, both nie and farre:

21 That they should make a lawe among thē selues, & holde the fourteenth & fif∣teenth day of the moneth Adar, yerely.

22 As the dayes wherein the Iewes came to rest from their enemies, and as a moneth wherein their paine was tur∣ned to ioy, and their sorowe into a ioyful day: and that in those dayes they should make feastes and gladnesse, and one to send giftes vnto another, and to distri∣bute vnto the poore.

23 And the Iewes promised to do as they had begunne, and as Mardocheus had written vnto them:

24 Because Haman the sonne of Hama∣datha the Agagite all the Iewes ene∣mie, had deuised against the Iewes how he might destroy them, and caused to cast Phur (that is a lot) for to con∣sume them, & to bring them to naught.

25 But when Esther came before the king, he commaunded by letters that his wicked deuice which he imagined a∣gainst the Iewes, should be turned vp∣on his owne head, and that he and his sonnes should be hanged on the tree.

[unspec D] 26 For the which cause they called these dayes Phurim, because of the name of the lot, and because of all the wordes of this writing, and what they themselues had seene, & what had come vnto them:

27 And the Iewes ordayned, and toke it vpon them and their seede, and vpon all such as ioyned them selues vnto them, that they would not misse but obserue these two dayes yerely, according as they were written and appoynted in their season,

28 And that these dayes are to be remem∣bred and to be kept of childers children among al kinredes in all landes and ci∣ties: In these dayes of Phurim which are not to be ouerslipt among ye Iewes, and the memoriall of them ought not to perishe from their seede.

29 And queene Esther the daughter of A∣bihail & Mardocheus the Iewe, wrote with all aucthoritie to confirme this se∣cond writing of Phurim.

30 And he sent the letters vnto all the Iewes, to the hundred twentie and se∣uen prouinces of the empire of Ahasue∣rus, with wordes of peace and trueth:

31 To confirme these dayes of Phurim in their time appoynted, according as Mardocheus the Iewe and Esther the queene had appo••••ted them: and they bound their soule and their seede to fa∣sting and prayer.

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these wordes of Phurim, and was writ∣ten [unspec E] in the booke.

33 And the king Ahasuerus layed tribute vpon the land, & vpon the iles of the sea.

34 And all the actes of his power and of his might, & the declaration of the digni∣tie of Mardocheus wherwith the king magnified him, be they not written in the bookes of ye chronicles of the kinges of Medes and Persia?

35 For Mardocheus the Iewe, was the second next vnto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Iewes, and accepted among the multitude of his brethren, as one that seeketh the wealth of his peo∣ple, and speaketh peaceably for all his seede.

The ende of the booke of Esther.

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❧The booke of Iob.

The first Chapter.

1 The holines, riches, and care of Iob for his children. 11 Satan hath per∣mission to tempt him. 13 He tempteth him by taking away his substaunce, and his children, 20 His faith and patience.

[illustration]

1 IN the lande of(a) 1.2246 * Hus there was a man whose name was(b) 1.2247 Iob, & the same was a per∣fect and iust man, one that feared God and eschued euill.

2 And he had seuen sonnes and three daughters.

3 His (c) 1.2248 substaunce also was seuen thou∣sand sheepe, and three thousand camels, fiue hundred yoke of oxen, and fiue hun∣dred shee asses, and a very great house∣holde: so that he was one of the most principall “ 1.2249 men among all them of the (d) 1.2250 east [countrey.]

4 And his sonnes went and * 1.2251banquetted in their houses euery one his day, and sent for their three sisters to eate and drinke with them.

5 And when the dayes of their banquet∣ting were gone about, Iob sent (f) 1.2252 and sanctified them, and gat vp early and (g) 1.2253 offered for euery one a burnt offring: For Iob saide, It may be that my sonnes haue done some offence, & haue ben (h) 1.2254 vnthankfull to God in their heartes. Thus did Iob euery day.

6 And vpon a day when the (i) 1.2255 children of God came and stoode before the lord, Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lorde saide vnto Satan (k) 1.2256 Whence comest thou? Satan aun∣swered the Lorde and saide: (l) 1.2257 From compassing the earth to and fro, & from walking through it.

8 And the Lorde saide vnto Satan: Hast thou not considered my seruaunt Iob, how there is none lyke him in the earth? a perfect and a iust man, one that feareth God, and eschueth euill?

9 Satan aunswered, and saide vnto the Lorde: Doth Iob feare God for naught?

10 Hast thou not “ 1.2258 preserued him and his house, and al that he hath on euery side? Thou hast blessed the worke of his handes, and his possession is encreased in the lande.

11 But laye thyne hand now vpon him, and touche all that he hath, and he shall (m) 1.2259curse thee to thy face.

Page clxix

12 And the Lorde saide vnto Satan: Lo, * 1.2260 all that he hath be in thy * 1.2261 pow∣er, only vpon him selfe see that thou lay not thine hand. And Satan went foorth from the presence of the Lorde.

13 And vpon a certayne day, when his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house,

14 There came a messenger vnto Iob, and sayde: The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them:

15 * 1.2262And the Sabees came violently, and toke them away, yea they haue slayne thy seruauntes with the edge of the sword: and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came another, and sayde: The fire of God is fallen from heauen, and hath brent vp thy sheepe and seruauntes, and consu∣med them: and I only am escaped a∣lone to tell thee.

17 And whyle he was yet speaking there came another, and sayde: The Caldees made out their bandes, and fel vpon the camels, and haue caried them away, yea and slayne thy seruauntes with the sworde: and I only am gotten away a¦lone to tell thee.

18 And whyle he was yet speaking there came an other, and sayde: Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating and drincking wine in their eldest brothers house,

19 And behold there came a mightie great wind from beyond the wildernesse, and smote the foure corners of the house, whiche fell vpon thy children, and they are dead: and I am gotten away alone to tell thee.

20 Then Iob stoode vp, and (p) 1.2263 rent his clothes, & shaued his head, fell downe vpon the ground, worshipped,

21 And sayde: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, & naked shall I turne thyther againe: The Lorde gaue & the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lorde.

22 In (q) 1.2264 all these thinges dyd Iob not of∣fende, nor charged God foolishly.

The .ii. Chapter.

6 Satan hath permission to afflict Iob, 9 His wyfe tempteth him to forsake God. 11 His three friendes visite hym.

1 AND on a day the * 1.2265 children of God came and stoode before the Lorde, and Satan came also among thē, and stoode before the Lorde.

2 And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: From whence commest thou? Satan aunswered the Lorde, and sayd: I haue gone about the lande, walked thorow it.

3 And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: Hast thou not considered my seruaunt Iob? howe there is none like vnto hym in the earth, a perfect and a iust man? one that feareth God, and eschueth euil, & continueth still in his vprightnesse, al∣though thou mouedst me against hym, to * 1.2266 destroy him without cause.

4 And Satan aunswered the Lord, and sayd, * 1.2267 Skinne for skinne, yea a man wil geue al that euer he hath for his life.

5 But lay thyne hande nowe vpon hym, and touch [once] his bone and his fleshe, and he shall curse thee to thy face.

6 And the Lord sayde vnto Satan: Lo, he is in thyne hand, but (d) 1.2268 saue his lyfe.

7 So went Satan foorth from the pre∣sence of the Lorde, and smote Iob with sore byles, from the sole of his foote vn∣to his crowne.

8 And he toke a potsharde to scrape hym: and he sat downe among the asshes.

9 Then sayd his wyfe vnto him: (e) 1.2269 Doest thou continue yet in thy perfectnesse? curse God, and dye.

10 But he sayde vnto her, Thou speakest like a foolish woman: shal we (f) 1.2270 receaue good at the hande of God, and not re∣ceaue euyll? In all these thinges did not Iob sinne with his lippes.

11 Nowe * 1.2271 when Iobs three friendes heard of all the trouble that came vpon him, they came euery one frō his owne place [namely] Eliphas the Themanite, Bildad the Suhite, and Zophad the Naamathite: for they were agreed to∣gether to come to shewe their compas∣sion vpon him, and to comfort hym.

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12 So when they lift vp their eyes a farre of, they knew him not: then they cryed and wept, and euery one of them rent his clothes, and sprinckled * 1.2272 dust vpon their heades “ 1.2273 in the ayre.

13 They sate them downe by him also vpon the grounde seuen dayes & seuen nightes, and none spake a worde vnto him: for they sawe that his greefe was very great.

The .iii. Chapter.

1 Iob complayneth and curseth the day of his byrth. 11 He desireth to dye, as though death were the end of all mans miserie.

[unspec A] 1 AFter (a) 1.2274 this opened Iob his mouth, and cursed his day,

2 And Iob aunswe∣red, and sayde:

3 Let (b) 1.2275 the day perishe wherin I was borne, * 1.2276and the night in the whiche it was sayd, There is a man childe conceaued.

4 The same day be [turned to] darknesse, and not regarded of God from aboue, neither let the light shyne vpon it:

5 But let it be stayned with darknesse and the shadowe of death, let the [dimme] cloude fall vpon it, whiche may make it terrible as a most bitter day.

6 Let the darke storme ouercome that night, and let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yere, nor counted in the number of the monethes.

7 Desolate be that night, and without gladnesse.

8 Let them that curse the day, and that be redy to rayse vp mourning, geue it also their curse.

9 Let the starres of that “ 1.2277 night be dimme thorowe darkenesse of it, let it loke for light, but haue none, d 1.2278 neither let it see the dawning of the day:

10 Because it shut not vp the doores of my mothers wombe, nor hyd sorowe from myne eyes.

11 [Alas] why died I not in the birth? why dyd not I perishe assoone as I came out of [my mothers] wombe?

12 Why set they me vpon their knees? why gaue they me sucke with their brestes?

13 Then should I nowe haue lyen stil, I shoulde haue slept, and ben at rest,

14 Lyke as the kinges and * 1.2279 lordes of the earth, which haue buylded them selues “ 1.2280speciall places,

15 Or as the princes that haue had golde, and their houses full of siluer:

16 Or [why] was not I hyd, as a thing borne out of time, [either] as young chil∣dren which neuer sawe the light?

17 There (e) 1.2281 must the wicked ceasse from their tyrannie, and there such as labou∣red valiauntly be at rest:

18 There the (f) 1.2282 prisoners rest together, they heare no more the voyce of the op∣pressour:

19 There are small and great, and the ser∣uaunt [is] free from his maister.

20 Wherefore is the light geuen to hym that is in miserie? & lyfe vnto them that haue heauy heartes?

21 Whiche long for death and finde it not, though they search more for it than for treasures:

22 Which reioyce exceedingly, and be glad when they can finde the graue,

23 From whom their endes are hyd, and consealed by God?

24 For my sighes come before I eate, and my roringes are powred out like the water:

25 For the thing that (g) 1.2283 I feared is come vpon me, and the thing that I was a∣frayde of is happened vnto me,

26 Was I not happy? Had I not quiet∣nesse? Was I not in rest? And nowe commeth such miserie vpon me.

Page clxx

The .iiii. Chapter.

Iob is reprehended of impatiencie, and vniustice▪ and of the presumption of his owne righteousnes.

1 ANd Eliphas the The∣manite [unspec A] aunswered, & sayde:

2 If we assay to come with thee, wilt thou be discontent? * 1.2284 But who can withhold him selfe from speaking?

3 Beholde, thou hast ben an instructer of many, & hast strenghtned the * 1.2285 weery handes:

4 Thy wordes haue set vp him that was falling, thou hast refreshed the weake knees.

5 But * 1.2286 nowe it is come vpon thee, and thou art greeued: it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

6 Was not thy feare according to thy hope? and the perfectnesse of thy wayes accor∣ding to thy expectation?

7 Consider I pray thee who euer peri∣shed * 1.2287 beyng an innocent? or when were the godly destroyed?

8 For as I haue proued by experience, they that plow iniquitie & sow wretched∣nesse, reape the same.

9 With the blast of God they perishe, with the breath of his nostrels are they consu∣med away.

10 The roring of the lion, and the voyce of the lion, and the teeth of the lions whelpes are pulled out.

11 The e 1.2288 lion perisheth for lake of pray, & the lions whelpes are scattered abrode.

12 But wheras a thing was * 1.2289 hyd from me, yet myne eare hath receaued a litle therof.

13 In the thoughtes and visions of the night when sleepe commeth on men,

14 * 1.2290Feare came vpon me & dread, which made all my bones to shake.

15 The winde passed by before my pre∣sence, and made the heeres of my fleshe to stande vp.

16 He stoode thereon and I (h) 1.2291 knewe not his face, an image there was before myne eyes, and in the stilnesse hearde I a voyce.

17 Shall (i) 1.2292 man be more iust then God? or shall a man be purer then his ma∣ker?

18 Beholde, he founde not trueth in his seruauntes, and in(k) 1.2293 his angels there was folly:

19 Howe much more in them that dwel in (l) 1.2294 houses of clay, and whose foundation is but dust, which shall be consumed as it were with a moth?

20 They shalbe smitten (m) 1.2295 from the mor∣ning vnto the euening: yea they (n) 1.2296 shall perishe for euer, when no man regar∣deth them.

21 Is not their royaltie gone away with them? they shall dye truely, and not in wysdome.

The .v. Chapter.

1.2 Eliphas sheweth the difference betweene the children of God and the wicked. 3 The fall of the wicked. 9 Gods power who destroyeth the wicked, and deliuereth his.

1 CRye * 1.2297 I pray thee, if there be any that will aunswere thee, & loke thou vpon any of the holy.

2 As for the foolish mā, wrathfulnesse kil∣leth him, and enuie slayeth the ignorant.

3 I haue seene my selfe when the * 1.2298 foo∣lish was deepe rooted, and * 1.2299 sodenly I cursed his habitation.

4 His children were without prosperitie, and they were d 1.2300 slayne in the gate, and there was no man to deliuer them.

5 His haruest was eaten of the hungrie, & taken from among the thornes and the thurstie drunke vp their labour: It is not the earth that bringeth foorth ini∣quitie,

6 Neither commeth sorowe out of the (e) 1.2301 ground:

7 But man is borne vnto labour, f 1.2302 like as the sparkes flee vp [out of the hot coles.]

8 But g 1.2303 I woulde aske counsell at the Lorde, and talke with God:

9 Whiche doth great thinges and vnsear∣cheable, [and] maruels without number.

10 He geueth rayne vpon the earth, and powreth water vpon the streetes,

11 To set vp them that be of lowe degree, and that those which are in heauenesse may be exalted to saluation.

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12 He destroyeth the deuices of the sub∣tyll, so that their handes are not able to perfourme that which they do enter∣prise.

13 He compasseth the wise in their owne craftinesse, & maketh foolishe the coun∣sell of the wicked.

14 They runne into (h) 1.2304 darknesse by fayre day, and grope at the noone day as in the night.

15 But he deliuereth the (i) 1.2305 poore from the sworde, from their threatninges, and from the violence of the mightie.

16 He is the hope of the poore, & the mouth of the wicked shalbe stopped.

17 Behold, blessed is the man whom God correcteth, therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the almightie:

18 For he maketh a wounde and he hea∣leth: he smiteth, and his hande maketh whole againe.

19 He shall deliuer thee in (k) 1.2306 sixe troubles, & in the seuenth there shall no euil come to thee.

20 In hunger he shall saue thee from death, and when it is 〈…〉〈…〉 power of the sworde.

21 Thou shalt be hyd from the ge of the tongue, & when destruction com¦meth thou shalt not neede to feare.

22 In destruction and dearth thou shalt be mery, and shalt not be afrayde of the beastes of the earth.

23 For the l 1.2307 stones of the land shalbe con∣federate with thee, and the beastes of the fielde shalbe at peace with thee.

24 And thou shalt knowe that thy dwel∣ling place shalbe in rest, and thou shalt visite thy habitation, & shalt * 1.2308 not sinne.

25 Thou shalt see also that thy seede shall be great, and thy posteritie as the grasse vpon the earth.

26 Thou shalt come also to thy graue in a full age, like a corne sheafe cut downe in due season.

27 Lo, this we our selues haue proued by experience, and euen thus it is: Hearken thou to it also, that thou mayest take heede to thy selfe.

The .vi. Chapter.

1 Iob aunswereth, that his payne is more greeuous then his fault. 8 He wisheth death. 14 He complayneth of his friendes.

[unspec A] 1 BVT Iob aunswered, and sayde:

2 O that my com∣playnt were (a) 1.2309 truely wayed, and my punish∣ment layde in the ba∣launces together:

3 For nowe it woulde be heauier then the sande of the sea: and this is the cause, that my wordes fayle me.

4 For the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me, the poyson therof hath drinke vp my spirite, and the terrible(b) 1.2310 feares of God are set against me.

5 Doth the c 1.2311 wild asse rose when he hath grasse? or loweth the oxe when he hath fodder [inough]

6 That which is vnsauerie, d 1.2312 shall it be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the whyte of an egge?

7 The thinges that sometime I might not away withal, are nowe my meate for very sorowe.

8 O that I might haue my desire, and that God woulde graunt me the thing that I long for:

9 O that God would begin and smite me▪ that he would let his hand go and take me cleaue away:

10 Then shoulde I haue some comfort, yea I woulde desire him in my payne that he would not spare, e 1.2313 for I wil not be against the wordes of the holy one.

11 f 1.2314For what powre haue I to endure? And what is myne end, * 1.2315that my soule might be patient?

12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my fleshe of brasse?

13 Is it not so that there is in me no helpe? & that my substaunce is taken from me?

14 He that is in tribulation, ought to be comforted of his neyghbour: but the feare of the almightie is cleane away.

15 Myne owne brethren passe ouer by me (g) 1.2316 as the water brooke, & as the ouer∣flowing of waters, whiche do hastly go away,

16 Whiche are blackish be reason of the ice, and wherin the snowe is hyd.

17 Which when they haue passed by do vanishe, and when the heate commeth they fayle out of their place.

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8 They depart from the course of their wonted chanell to other places, they runne in vayne and perishe.

19 They that went to * 1.2317 The man conside¦red them, and they that went to * 1.2318 Sa∣ba wayted for them.

20 But they were confounded in their hope, they came thyther and were a∣shamed.

21 Euen such truely are ye, nowe that ye see my miserie ye are afrayde.

22 Did I desire you to bring vnto me, or to geue me any of your substaunce?

23 To deliuer me from the enemies hand, or to saue me from the hande of the ty∣rauntes?

24 Teache me, and I will hold my tong: and wherin I haue erred, cause me to vnderstande.

25 How strong are the wordes of trueth? and which of you can rebuke or reproue them?

26 Do ye imagine to reproue l 1.2319 wordes, that the talke of the afflicted shoulde be as the winde?

27 Ye fall vpon the fatherlesse, and digge a pit to ouerthrowe your owne frende.

28 And therfore be content, & * 1.2320 loke now vpon me, and I will not lye before your face.

29 Turne I pray you, “ 1.2321be indifferent iudges: turne agayne, and ye shall see myne vngiltinesse, whether there be any vnrighteousnes in my tongue, or vayne wordes in my mouth.

The .vii. Chapter.

1 Iob sheweth the shortnesse and miserie of mans lyfe.

[unspec A] 1 IS ther not an appoyn∣ted time to man vpon earth? Are not his dayes also like the dayes of an * 1.2322 hired seruaunt?

2 For like as a bonde seruaunt desireth the shadowe, and as an hyreling woulde fayne haue the re∣warde of his worke:

3 Euen so haue I laboured whole monethes long in vayne, and many a carefull night haue I tolde.

4 When I layde me downe to sleepe, I sayde, O when shall I arise? and * 1.2323 mea∣suring the euening, I am euen full with tossing to and fro vnto the dawning of the day.

5 My fleshe * 1.2324 is clothed with wormes and dust of the earth: my skinne is withered and become horrible.

6 My dayes passe ouer more spedyly then a weauers shuttle, and are spent with∣out hope.

7 * 1.2325O remember that my lyfe is but a winde, and that myne eye shall no more see pleasures:

8 Yea and the eye that hath seene me, shal see me no more: for yer thou* 1.2326 fasten thyne eye vpon me, I come to naught.

9 The cloude is consumed and vanished away: so he that goeth downe to the graue * 1.2327 shall come no more vp,

10 Nor turne againe into his house, neither shall his place knowe him any more.

11 Therfore (g) 1.2328 I wil not spare my mouth, but I will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my mynde.

12 Am (h) 1.2329 I a sea or a whale fish, that thou kepest me [so] in prison?

13 When I say, My bed shal comfort me, I shall haue some refreshing by talking to my selfe vpon my couch:

14 Then fearest thou me i 1.2330 with dreames, & makest me so afrayde through visions,

15 That my soule wisheth rather to perishe and die, then my bones to remayne.

16 I can see no remedy, I shall liue no more: (k) 1.2331 O spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.

17 What(l) 1.2332 is man that thou doest magni∣fie him? and that thou settest thy heart vpon him?

18 Thou visitest him early and euery day, euery moment doest thou trie him.

19 Why (m) 1.2333 goest thou not fro me, nor lettest me alone, so long till I may swalowe downe my spyttle?

20 I n 1.2334 haue offended, what shall I do vnto the, O thou preseruer of men? Why hast thou set me [as a marke] against thee, so that I am a burden to my selfe?

21 Why doest thou not pardon my tres¦passes, and take away myne iniquitie? Behold, nowe must I sleepe in the dust, and if thou sekest me to morowe in the morning, (o) 1.2335 I shal not be.

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The viii. Chapter.

1 Bildad sheweth that ob is a sinner bcause God 〈…〉〈…〉 and preserueth the good

[unspec A] 1 THen aunswered Bil∣dad the Suhite, & said:

2 Howe long wilt thou talke of such thinges? howe long shall the wordes of thy mouth be as a mightie wind?

3 Doth God paruert the thing that is lawfull? or doth the almightie destroy the thing that is right?

4 For seyng that a 1.2336 thy sonnes sinned a∣gainst him, did not he send them into the place of their iniquitie?

5 If thou wouldest nowe resorte vnto God be times, and make thy prayer to the almightie,

6 If thou wouldest liue a pure and godly life: shoulde he not awake vp vnto thee immediatly, and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous?

7 In so much that wherin so euer thou haddest litle afore, thou shouldest haue nowe great aboundaunce.

8 Enquire I pray thee b 1.2337 of the former age, and search diligently among their fa¦thers:

9 (For we are but of c 1.2338 yesterday, and consi∣der not that our dayes vpon earth are but a shadowe.)

10 Shall not they shew thee, and tel thee, yea and gladly confesse the same, and vtter the wordes of their heart?

11 May a * 1.2339 rushe be greene without moyst¦nesse? or may the grasse growe with out water?

12 No, but whilste it is nowe in his green∣nesse, though it be not cut downe, yet withereth it before any other hearbe:

13 So are the pathes of al that forget God, and the e 1.2340 hypocrites hope shall come to naught.

14 His confidence shalbe destroyed, and his trust shalbe a * 1.2341 spiders webbe.

15 He shal leaue vpon his house, but it shal not stande: he shall holde him fast by it, yet shall it not endure.

16 It is a greene [tree] (g) 1.2342 before the sunne, & shooteth foorth the braunches ouer his garden.

17 The rootes thereof are wrapped about the fountayne, and are folden about the house of stones.

18 If * 1.2343 any plucke it from his place, and it denie, saying, I haue not seene thee:

19 Behold it will reioyce by this meanes, if it may growe in another mould.

20 Beholde, God (i) 1.2344 will not cast away a vertuous man, neither wil he * 1.2345 helpe the vngodly.

21 Thy mouth shall he fill with laughing, and thy lippes with gladnesse.

22 They also that hate thee shalbe clo∣thed with shame, & the dwelling of the vngodly shall come to naught.

The .ix. Chapter.

1 Iob declareth the mightie power of God, and that mans righteousnes is nothing.

1 IOb * 1.2346 aunswered, and sayde,

2 I knowe it is so of a trueth: For how may a man [compared] vnto God be iustified?

3 If he wil argue with hym, he cannot aunswere hym * 1.2347 one thing of a thousande.

4 He is wyse in heart and mightie in strength: * 1.2348 who hath ben fearce against hym, and hath prospered?

5 He translateth the mountaynes, or euer they be aware it is he that ouerthrow¦eth them in his wrath.

6 He remoueth the earth out of her place, that the pillers therof shake withall.

7 He commaundeth the sunne, and it ry¦seth not: he closeth vp the starres as vn¦der a signet.

8 He hym selfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and goeth vpon the * 1.2349 waues of the sea.

9 He maketh the Waynes of heauen, d 1.2350 the Orion, the seuen starres, and the secret places of the south.

10 He doth great thinges & vnsearcheable, yea and wonders without number.

Page [unnumbered]

11 Lo, * 1.2351 when he goeth by me, I shal not see hym, and when he passeth I shall not perceaue hym.

12 If he be hastie to ake away, who wil make him * 1.2352 restore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or who will say vnto hym, what doest thou?

13 God will not withdraw his anger, and the most mightie helpes do stowpe vn∣der hym:

14 Howe much lesse shall I aunswere [unspec C] him? or howe shoulde I finde out my wordes with him?

15 For though I were righteous, yet might I not geue him one word againe, but mekely submit my selfe to hym as my iudge.

16 If I had called vpon hym, and he had aunswered me, (g) 1.2353 yet woulde I not be∣leue that he hearde my voyce:

17 He troubleth me so with the tempest, and woundeth me out of measure with∣out a cause,

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.

19 If [men will speake] of strength, lo he is strong: if [men will speake] of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?

20 If I will iustifie my selfe, myne owne mouth shall condempne me: if I will [put foorth my selfe for] a perfect man, he shall proue me a wicked doer.

21 For though I be an innocent and my conscience cleare, yet am I weery of my lyfe.

22 This is one poynt, and therefore I sayd, He destroyeth both the perfect and vngodly.

23 And though he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sodaynly with the scourge, yet will he laugh at the punish¦ment of the innocent.

24 As for the worlde it is geuen ouer into the hande of the wicked, and he shall couer the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he, or who is he [that can shewe the contrarie?]

25 My dayes are more swyft then a run∣ner, they are gone & haue seene no good thing.

26 They are passed away as the shippes that be good vndersayle, & as the eagle that fleeth to the pray.

27 If I say, I will forget my complay∣ning, I will ceasse from my wrath, and comfort my selfe:

28 Then am I afrayde of all my sorowes, for I knowe that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.

29 If I be wicked, why then (h) 1.2354 labour I in vayne?

30 If I washe my selfe with snowe wa∣ter, and make myne handes neuer so cleane at the well:

31 Yet shalt thou “ 1.2355 dippe me in the myre, and (i) 1.2356 mine owne clothes shal defile me.

32 For he that I must geue aunswere vn∣to, and with whom I go to the lawe, is not a man as I am:

33 Neither is there any dayesman to lay his hande betweene vs.

34 Let hym take his rodde away from me, yea let hym make me no more a∣frayde of him,

35 And then shall I aunswere hym with∣out any feare: but because I am not so, I holde me still.

The .x. Chapter.

1 Iob is weery of his lyfe, and setteth out his fragilitie before God. 20 He desireth hym to stay his hande. 22 A description of death.

1 MY * 1.2357 soule is cut of though I lyue, I wil powre out my cōplaynte against my selfe, and will speake out of the very heauinesse of my soule.

2 I will say vnto God: O * 1.2358 do not condempne me, but shewe me wherefore thou contendest so with me?

3 Thinkest thou it welldone to oppresse me? to cast me of beyng the workes of thy handes? and to (c) 1.2359 mayntayne the counsell of the vngodly?

4 Hast thou (d) 1.2360 fleshy eyes? or doest thou loke as a man loketh?

5 Or are thy dayes as the dayes of (e) 1.2361 man? and thy yeres as mans yeres?

6 That thou makest such inquisition for my wickednes, and searchest out my sinne?

7 Whereas thou knowest (f) 1.2362 whether I shall do wickedly or no, and that none can deliuer me out of thyne hande.

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8 g 1.2363Thy handes haue made me, & fashio∣ned me altogether rounde about, wilt thou then destroy me?

9 Remember I besech thee that thou ma∣dest me as the moulde of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust againe.

10 Hast thou not powred me as it were milke, & turned me to cruddes like cheese?

11 Thou hast couered me with skinne and fleshe, and ioyned me together with bones and sinnowes.

12 Thou hast graunted me life, and done me good: and thy visitation hath preser∣ued my spirite.

13 Thou hast hyd these thinges in thyne heart [yet] I am sure that thou re∣membrest this thing.

14 If I dyd sinne, thou haddest an eye [unspec C] vnto me, and shalt not pronounce me in∣nocent from myne offence.

15 If I haue done wickedly, wo is me therefore: If I haue done righteously, yet (h) 1.2364 dare I not lift vp my head, so full am I of confusion, and see myne owne miserie.

16 And let it increase, hunte me as a lion, & returne and shew thy selfe maruaylous vpon me.

17 Thou bringest freshe * 1.2365 witnesse against me, and thy wrath increasest thou vpon me: diuers and many are the plagues that I am in.

18 Wherfore hast thou brought me out of the wombe? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seene me,

19 And that I were as though I had not ben, but brought from the wombe to the graue.

20 Are not my dayes fewe? Let him then leaue of fro me, and let me a lone, that I may comfort my selfe a litle,

21 Afore I go [thyther from whence] I shall not turne againe, euen to the lande of darknesse and shadowe of death: [unspec D]

22 Yea a lande as darke as darknesse it selfe, and into the shadowe of death where is none order, but the light is there as darknesse.

The .xi. Chapter.

1 Iob is vniustly reprehended of Sophar. 7 God is incomprehensible. 14 He is mer∣cifull to the repentaunt. 18 Their assuraunce that liue godlie.

[unspec A] 1 THen aunswered So∣phar the Naama∣thite, and sayde:

2 Shoulde not [he that maketh] many wordes (a) 1.2366 be aunswered? Shoulde he that ba∣bleth much be commended therin?

3 Shoulde thy lies make men holde their peace, and when thou mockest [others] shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 For thou hast sayde, b 1.2367 my doctrine is pure, and I am cleane in thyne eyes.

5 But * 1.2368 O that God woulde speake, and open his lippes against thee:

6 That he might shewe thee the secretes of wysdome, howe thou hast deserued double according to right: Know ther∣fore that God hath forgotten thee for thyne iniquitie.

7 Art thou able to finde out [the secretes of] God? Or wilt thou attayne to the per∣fectnesse of the almightie?

8 It is * 1.2369 hier then heauen, what art thou able to do? deeper then the hel, how wilt [unspec B] thou then knowe it?

9 The measure of it is longer then the earth, and broder then the sea.

10 Though he turne all thinges vpsyde downe, close them in, gather them toge∣ther, who will turne hym from his pur∣pose?

11 For it is he that (e) 1.2370 knoweth vayne men, he seeth their wickednesse also, shoulde he not then consider it?

12 Yet vayne man would be wyse, though man [newe] borne is lyke a wilde asses coulte.

13 If thou preparedst thyne heart, and liftedst vp thyne handes towarde hym:

14 If thou wouldest put away the wic∣kednes whiche thou hast in hande, so that no vngodlinesse dwell in thy house:

15 Then mightest thou (f) 1.2371 lift vp thy face without * 1.2372 shame, & then shouldest thou be sure and haue no neede to feare.

Page clxxiij

16 Then shouldest thou forget thy miserie, and thinke no more vpon it, then vpon the waters that runne by.

17 Then should thy “ 1.2373 lyfe be as cleare as the noone day, thou shouldest shine forth, and be as the morning.

18 Then mightest thou be bolde because there is hope, and take thy rest quietly, as compassed with a trenche.

19 Then mightest thou lye downe and none to make thee afrayde, yea many one should make suite vnto thee.

20 As for the eyes of the vngodly they shall faile, and they shal not escape: and their hope shalbe sorowe of minde.

The .xij. Chapter.

1 Iob accuseth his friendes of ignoraunce. 7 He declareth the might and power of God. 17 And how he chaungeth the course of thinges.

1 SO Iob aunswered, & saide:

2 Then no doubt ye are the men (a) 1.2374 alone, and wysdome shall pe∣rishe with you.

3 (b) 1.2375But I haue vnder∣standing aswell as ye, and am not infe∣rior to you: Yea who knoweth not these thinges?

4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, & he heareth him: (c) 1.2376 The iust & the vpright is laugh∣ed to scorne.

5 Being as alight(d) 1.2377 despised in the heartes of the riche, and as one redy to fall.

6 The houses of (e) 1.2378 robbers are in wealth and prosperitie, and they that malicious∣lie meddle against God dwell without care, in those thinges that God hath (f) 1.2379 geuen richely with his hande.

7 Aske the cattaile, * 1.2380 and they shall en∣fourme thee: the foules of the ayre, and they shall tell thee.

8 Or the encrease of the earth, and it shall shew thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall certifie thee.

9 What is he but he knoweth that the hande of the Lorde made all these?

10 In whose hande is the * 1.2381 soule of eue∣ry liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.

11 Haue not the eares (i) 1.2382 pleasure in hea∣ring? and the mouth in tasting the thing that it eateth?

12 Among (k) 1.2383 olde persons there is wyse∣dome, and in age is vnderstanding.

13 Yea, with [God] is wysdome and strength, it is he that hath counsell and foreknowledge.

14 Beholde (l) 1.2384if he breake downe a thing, who can set it vp againe? yf he shut a thing, who wyll open it?

15 Beholde, if he withholde the waters, they drye vp: yf he let them go, they de∣stroy the earth.

16 With him is strength and wysdome: both the deceauer and he that is decea∣ued are his.

17 He carieth away the wyse men as it were a spoyle, and bringeth the iudges out of their wittes.

18 He taketh away the subiection of the people from their kinges, and girdeth their loynes with a bonde.

19 He leadeth away the great men into captiuitie, and turneth the mightie vp∣side downe.

20 He stoppeth the mouth of them that speake trueth, & disapoynteth the aged of their reason.

21 He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.

22 Loke what lyeth hid in darkenesse he declareth it openly, and the very sha∣dowe of death bringeth he to light.

23 He [both] increaseth the people and de∣stroyeth them, he maketh them to mul∣tiplie, and diminisheth them.

24 He taketh away the hearte of them that be heades of ye people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in the wil∣dernesse out of the way.

25 They grope in the darke without light, and he maketh them to stacker like a drunken man.

Page [unnumbered]

¶The .xiii. Chapter.

1 Iob compareth his knowledge with the experience of his friendes. 16 The penitent shalbe saued, and the hypocrite condempned. 20 He prayeth vnto God that he would not handle him rigorously.

1 LO, (a) 1.2385 all [this] haue I seene with mine eye, heard with mine eare, and vnderstande it.

2 What ye knowe, that same do I know also, neither am I inferior vnto you.

3 Neuerthelesse, I talke with the al∣mightie, and my desire is to commune with God.

4 As for you, ye are workmaisters of lyes, and (b) 1.2386 vnprofitable phisitians alto∣gether.

5 Woulde God ye kept (c) 1.2387 your tongue, for then might ye be taken for wise men.

6 Now heare my (d) 1.2388 reasoning, and pon∣der the argument of my lippes.

7 Wyll you speake wickedlie for gods [defence] and talke deceitfully for his [cause?]

8 Wyll ye accept the person of him? or wyll ye contende for God?

9 Shall that helpe you when he calleth you to reckening? For as one man moc∣keth an other, so do ye mocke him.

10 He shall punishe you, and reproue you, if ye do secretly accept any person.

11 Shall not his excellencie make you a∣frayde? Shall not his terrible feare fall vpon you?

12 Your (e) 1.2389 remembraunce is lyke vnto a * 1.2390sparke, and your bodies lyke the claye.

13 Holde your tongues for my sake, that I also may speake, and my sorowe shal∣be the lesse.

14 Wherefore do I * 1.2391 beare my fleshe in my teeth, and (g) 1.2392 put my soule in myne handes?

15 Lo, though he slay me, yet wyl I trust in him: but I wyll reproue myne owne wayes in his sight.

16 He shalbe my saluation: for there may no h 1.2393 hypocrite come before him.

17 Heare diligently my wordes, and pon∣der my sayinges with your eares.

18 Beholde, now haue I prepared my iudgement, and knowe that I shalbe founde (i) 1.2394 righteous.

19 What is he that wyll (k) 1.2395 go to lawe with me? if I now holde my (l) 1.2396 tongue I dye.

20 Neuerthelesse, (m) 1.2397 graunt me two thinges, and then wyll I not hide my selfe from thee:

21 Withdrawe thyne hande from me, and let not the fearefull dreade of thee make me afrayde.

22 Then call, and I wyll aunswere: or let me speake, and geue me then an aun∣swere.

23 How many are my misdeedes and sinnes? let me knowe my transgressi∣ons and offences.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thyne enemie?

25 Wylt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro, and wilt thou pursue the drye stub∣ble?

26 For thou layest sharply to my charge, and punishest me for the sinnes of my youth.

27 Thou puttest my feete also in the stockes, and lokest narowly vnto all my pathes, and makest the “ 1.2398 print thereof in the heeles of my feete:

28 And I as a rotten thing do consume away, as a garment that is motheaten.

¶The .xiiii. Chapter.

1 Iob describeth the shortnes and miserie of the lyfe of man. 14 Hope sustaineth the godly. 22 The condition of mans lyfe.

1 MAn that is (a) 1.2399 borne of woman, hath but a short time to lyue, and is full of miserie.

2 He commeth vp, and is cut downe * 1.2400 like a floure: He fleeth as it were a shadow, and neuer continueth in one state.

3 Doest thou (c) 1.2401 open thyne eyes vpon such one, and bringest me into thy iudge∣ment?

4 Who can make it cleane that commeth of an vncleane thing? no bodye.

Page clxxiiij

5 * 1.2402The dayes of man surely are ece••••••¦ned, the number of his monethes are knowen onely vnto thee, thou hast appoynted him his bondes which e can not go beyonde.

6 Go from him, that he may rest vntill his day come which he loketh for, lyke as an hireling doth.

7 For if a tree be cut downe, there is (d) 1.2403 some hope yet that it wyll sproute and shoote foorth the braunches againe.

8 Though the roote of it be waxen olde, and the stocke thereof be dead in the grounde:

9 Yet when it getteth the sent of water, it wyll budde and bring foorth bowes, lyke as a tree that is planted.

10 (e) 1.2404But as for man, when he is dead, peri∣shed, and consumed away, what becom∣meth of him?

11 As the waters passe from the sea, and as the flood decayeth and dryeth vp:

12 So man after he is asleepe ryseth not, he shall not wake tyll the heauens be no more, nor rise out of his sleepe.

13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the graue, & keepe me secret vntyl thy wrath were past, and to appoynt me a time wherein thou mightest remember me.

14 May a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 man lyue againe▪ All the dayes of my lyfe wyll I wayte still, till my chaunging shall come.

15 Thou shalt * 1.2405 call [me] and I shall aunswere thee, * 1.2406 despise not thou the worke of thyne owne handes.

16 For now thou g 1.2407 numbrest all my go∣inges, and geuest no delay vnto my sinne.

17 Myne iniquitie is sealed vp as it were in a bagge, and thou addest [punishement] vnto my wickednesse.

18 The mountaines fal away at the last, the rockes are remoued out of their place.

19 The waters pearse through the very stones by litle & litle, the floodes washe away the grauell and earth: so shalt thou destroy the hope of man.

20 Thou preuaylest still against him, so that he passeth away: thou chaungest his “ 1.2408 estate and puttest him from thee.

21 And whether his children come to worship or no, he can not tell: And if they be men of lowe degree, he knoweth not.

22 But while his fleshe is vpon him it must haue sorowe: and his soule shall mourne within him.

The .xv. Chapter.

1 Eliphaz reprehendeth Iob, because he ascribeth wysdome and purenes to him selfe. 16 He describeth the curse that falleth on the wicked, reckoning Iob to be one of that number.

[unspec A]

1 THen aunswered Eli∣phaz the Themanite, and saide:

2 Shalla wyse mans aunswere be as the winde, and fill a mans belly as it were with the a 1.2409 winde of the east?

3 Shall he reproue with a worde that is nothing worth, & speake the thinges which can do no good?

4 Surely thou hast cast of feare, and re∣strainest prayer before God.

5 For thy mouth setteth forth thyne owne iniquitie, seeing thou hast chosen the tongue of the craftie.

6 (b) 1.2410Thyne owne mouth condempneth thee, and not I: yea, thyne owne lippes shape an aunswere against thee.

7 * 1.2411Art thou the first man that euer was borne? or wast thou made before 〈…〉〈…〉?

8 Hast thou heard the secret counsell of [unspec B] God? and doest thou restraine wysdome to thee?

9 What knowest thou, that we knowe not? And what vnderstandest thou, but we can the same?

10 With vs are both olde, and aged men, yea such as haue liued longer then thy father.

11 Thinkest thou it a small thing of the consolations of God? with thee is a ly∣ing worde.

12 Why doth thyne * 1.2412 heart so bewitche thee? And wherefore winckest thou with thyne eyes,

13 That thy minde is so e 1.2413 pufte vp a∣gainst God, and lettest such wordes go out of thy mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be cleane? and he which is borne of a woman, whereby he might be righteous?

15 Beholde he doth not trust his 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Page [unnumbered]

yea, the very heauens are not cleane in his sight:

16 How much more then an abhominable and vyle man, which drincketh wicked∣nesse like water.

17 I will tel thee, heare me, and I will * 1.2414 shewe thee that I haue seene:

18 Which wyse men haue tolde, and haue not hid that which they receaued from theyr fathers:

19 Vnto whom alone the earth was geuē, and no straunger went among them.

20 The * 1.2415 vngodly soroweth all the dayes of his lyfe as it were a woman with childe, and the (h) 1.2416 number of a ti∣rauntes yeres is vnknowen.

21 A feareful sounde is [euer] in his eares, and when he is in peace, the destroyer shall come vpon him.

22 He beleueth neuer to be deliuered (i) 1.2417out of darknesse: for the sworde is alwayes before his eyes.

23 He wandreth abrode for bread where it is, knowing that the (k) 1.2418 day of darke∣nesse is redie at his hande.

24 Trouble and anguishe wil make him afrayde, and compasse him about, as is a king in the middest of an armie.

25 For he hath stretched out his hande a∣gainst God, and armed him selfe against the almightie.

26 He runneth proudly vpon him, & with a stiffe necke fighteth he against him.

27 Where as he * 1.2419 couereth his face with fatnesse, and maketh his body well ly¦king.

28 Therefore shall his dwelling be * 1.2420 in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, but are become heapes of stones.

29 He n 1.2421 shall not be riche, neither shall his substaunce continue, neither shal the prosperitie thereof be prolonged vpon earth.

30 He shall neuer depart out of darke∣nesse, the flame (o) 1.2422 shal drye vp his bran∣ches, with the blast of ye mouth [of God] shall he be taken away.

31 He beleeueth not that he erreth in va∣nitie, and yet vanitie shalbe his recom∣pence.

32 He shal perishe afore his time be worne out, and his(p) 1.2423 braunche shall not be greene.

33 He shalbe plucked of as an vntimely grape from the vine, and shall let his floure fall as the oliue doth.

34 For the congregation of hypocrites shalbe desolate, and the fire shall con∣sume the houses of such as are greedie to receaue giftes.

35 He conceaueth trauaile, and beareth vanitie, and their body bringeth foorth disceyte.

The .xvj. Chapter.

1 Iob moued by the importunacie of his friendes, 7 counteth in what extremitie he is, 19 and taketh God witnes of his innocencie.

[unspec A] 1 IOb aunswered, & saide:

2 I haue oft times heard such thinges: (a) 1.2424 miserable ge∣uers of comfort are ye all the sort of you.

3 * 1.2425Shall not vaine wordes come yet to an ende? Or what maketh thee bolde so to aunswere?

4 I coulde speake as ye do also: but would God that your * 1.2426 soule were in my soules steade, then could I frame wordes for you, and shake my head at you:

5 I shoulde comfort you with my mouth, & releasse your paine with the talking of my lippes.

6 For all my wordes my sorowe wyll not ceasse: And (c) 1.2427 though I holde my tongue, what am I eased?

7 But now that [God] hath sent me ad∣uersitie, thou hast troubled al(d) 1.2428 my con∣gregation.

8 And that thou (e) 1.2429 hast filled me with wrinckles my fleshe is recorde, and my leanenesse ryseth vp against me and beareth witnes thereof in my face.

9 His wrath hath torne [me] he hateth me, & gnasheth vpon me with his teeth: myne enemie loketh fiercely vpon me with his eyes.

10 They haue opened their mouthes wide vpon me, and (f) 1.2430 smitten me vpon the cheeke dispitefully, they gather thē selues together against me.

11 God hath shut me vp with the vngod∣ly, and deliuered me g 1.2431 into the handes of the wicked.

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12 I was in wealth, but he hath ••••ught me to nought: he hath taken 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the necke, he hath all to shaken me and set me as a marke for him selfe.

13 His * 1.2432 archers compasse me rounde a∣bout, he woundeth my raines, and doth not spare, my bowels hath he powred vpon the grounde.

14 He hath geuen me one wounde vpon an other, and is fallen vpon me lyke a giaunt.

15 I haue sowed a sackecloth vpon my skinne, and wallowed my head in the dust.

16 My face is withered with weeping, & in myne eyes is the shadowe of death.

17 Howbeit there is no * 1.2433 wickednesse in my handes, but * 1.2434 my prayer is cleane.

18 O earth couer not thou my blood, and let * 1.2435 my crying finde no roome.

19 For lo, * 1.2436 my witnesse is in heauen, and he that knoweth me, is in the height.

20 My friendes geue me many wordes to scorne, and myne eye powreth out teares vnto God.

21 O that a body might pleate with God, as one man doth with an other:

22 Yet the number of my yeres is come, and the way that I must go is at hand, from whence I shall not turne againe.

¶The .xvii. Chapter.

1 Iob saith that he consumeth away, and yet doth paciently abyde it. 10 He exhor∣teth his friendes to repentaunce, 13 shewing that he loketh but for death.

[unspec A] 1 MY breath is corrupt, my dayes are shortened, I am harde at deathes doore.

2 (a) 1.2437 * 1.2438Froward men are with me, and myne eye must continue in the bitternesse of them.

3 O deliuer me, and (b) 1.2439loke out one to be my suretie in thy sight: what is he that knoweth who wyll promise for me?

4 For thou hast withholden their heartes * 1.2440 from vnderstanding, there∣fore shalt thou not set [them] vp on hie.

5 He that speaketh flatterie to his friend, the eyes of his children shall fayle.

6 He hath made me a byworde of the people, where as afore I was their ioy.

7 Myne eye is dimme for very heaui∣nesse, and all my strength is lyke a sha∣dowe.

8 Vertuous men therefore shall well consider this, and the innocent shal take part against the hypocrite.

9 The righteous also wyll d 1.2441 kepe his way, and he that hath cleane handes wyll euer be stronger and stronger.

10 As for al you, turne you and * 1.2442 get you hence [I pray you] seeing I can not finde one wyse man among you.

11 My dayes are past, and my counsailes and thoughtes of my heart are vani∣shed away,

12 (e) 1.2443Chaunging the night into day, and the light approching into darkenesse.

13 * 1.2444Though I tary neuer so much, yet the graue is my house, & I haue made my bed in the darke.

14 I saide to corruption, thou art my fa∣ther, and to the wormes, you are my mother and my sister.

15 * 1.2445Where is then now my hope? or who hath considered the thing that I loke for? These shall go downe with me into the pit, and lye with me in the dust.

¶The .xviii. Chapter.

1 Bildad rehearseth the paines of the vnfaithfull and wicked.

[unspec A] 1 THen aunswered Bildad the Su∣hite, and saide:

2 When wyll ye make an ende * 1.2446 of your wordes? Marke well, and then we wyll speake.

3 Wherfore are we counted as beastes, and reputed so vyle in your sight?

4 He destroyeth him selfe with his an∣ger: Shall the earth be forsaken, or any stone remoued out of his place (b) 1.2447 because of thee?

5 Yea, the light of the vngodly shalbe put out, and the sparke of his fire shall not shine.

6 The * 1.2448 light shall be darke in his dwel∣ling, and his candle shall be put out

Page [unnumbered]

with him.

7 The steppes of his strength shalbe re∣strayned, and his owne counsaile shall cast him downe:

8 For his feete are taken as it were in the net, & he walketh vpon the snares.

(d) 1.24499 The grinne shall take him by the heele, and it shall catche him that is thirstie of blood.

10 The snare is layde for him in the grounde, and a pitfall in the way.

11 Fearefulnesse shall make him afraide on euery side, and shall driue him to his feete.

12 Hunger shalbe his strength, and de∣struction shalbe redye at his side.

13 (e) 1.2450It shall eate the strength of his owne skinne, euen the * 1.2451 first borne of death shall eate his strength.

14 His hope shalbe rooted out of his dwelling, and shall bring him to the (g) 1.2452king of feare.

15 Other men shall dwell in his house and it shalbe none of his, and brimstone shall be scattered vpon his habitation.

16 His rootes shalbe dryed vp beneath and aboue shall his braunche be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 downe.

17 His remembraunce h 1.2453 shall perishe from the earth, and he shall haue no name in the streete.

18 They shall driue him from the (i) 1.2454 light into darkenesse, and chaste him cleane out of the worlde.

19 He shall neither haue “ 1.2455 children nor kinsfolkes among his people, no nor a∣ny posteritie in his dwellinges.

20 They that come after him, shalbe a∣stonyed at k 1.2456 his day, and “ 1.2457 they that go before shalbe afrayde.

21 Such are now the dwellinges of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

The .xix. Chapter.

1 Iob reproueth his friendes, 15 and reciteth his miseries and greuous paines. [unspec A] 15 He assureth him selfe of the generall resurrection.

1 IOb aunswered, and saide:

2 How long wyll ye vexe my soule, and trouble me with wordes?

3 Lo, (a) 1.2458 ten times haue ye reproched me, and are not a∣shamed, but haue laughed me to scorne.

* 1.24594 Be it that I haue erred in deede, myne errour then remaineth with my selfe.

5 But if ye wyll aduaunce your selues a∣gainst me, and rebuke me for the shame that is come vpon me:

6 Know this then, that it is God which hath ouerthrowē me, and hath compas∣sed me with his net.

7 If I complaine of the violence that is done vnto me, I cannot be heard: and if I crye, there is no sentence geuen with me.

8 He hath hedged vp my way that (c) 1.2460 I can not passe, and he hath set darkenesse in my pathes.

9 He hath spoyled me (d) 1.2461 of myne honour, and (e) 1.2462 taken the crowne away from my head.

10 He hath destroyed me on euery side and I am “ 1.2463 gone: my hope hath he ta∣ken away as a tree pluckt vp by the roote.

11 His wrath is kindled against me, he taketh me as though I were his ene∣mie.

12 * 1.2464His men of warre come together, which made their way ouer me, and be∣sieged my dwelling rounde about.

13 He hath put my brethren farre away from me, and myne acquaintaunce are also become straungers vnto me.

14 Myne owne kinsefolkes haue forsaken me, and my best acquainted haue forgot∣ten me.

15 “ 1.2465The seruauntes and maydens of myne owne house toke me for a straun∣ger, and I am become as an aliaunt in their sight.

16 I called my seruaunt, and he gaue me no aunswere: [no though] I prayed him with my mouth.

17 Myne owne wyfe might not abyde my breath, though I prayed her for the children sake of myne owne body.

18 Yea, the young men despised me, and when I rose they spake euill vpon me.

19 All my most familiers abhorred me: and they whom I loued best, are tur∣ned

Page [unnumbered]

against me.

20 My * 1.2466 bone cleaueth to my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and to my fleshe, onely there is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the skinne aboue my teeth.

21 Haue pitie vpon me, haue pitie vp me, O ye my friendes, for the handed, God hath touched me.

22 Why do ye persecute me as God [do] and are not satisfied with my fleshe?

23 * 1.2467O that my wordes were now writ∣ten, O that they were put in a booke,

24 And grauen with an iron penne in leade, or in stone, to continue.

25 For I am sure * 1.2468 that my redeemer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and he sha rayse vp at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day them that lye in the dust.

26 And though after my skinne the wormes destroy this body, yet shall I see God in my fleshe:

27 Whom I my selfe shall see, and myne eyes shall beholde, and none other for me, though my rames are consumed within me.

28 But ye saide, why is he persecuted? and there was a deepe matter in me.

29 * 1.2469But beware of the sworde: for the sword wylbe auenged of wickednesse, and be sure that there is a iudgement.

The .xx. Chapter.

1 Sophar sheweth that the wicked and the couetous shall haue a short ende, 22 though for a time they florishe.

[unspec A] 1 THen aunswered So∣phar the Naamathite, and saide:

2 For the same cause do (a) 1.2470 my thoughtes com∣pell me to aunswere, and therefore, make haste.

3 I haue sufficiently heard the * 1.2471 checking of my reproofe, therefore the spirite of myne vnderstanding causeth me to aun∣swere.

4 Knowest thou not this of olde, and since God plaged man vpon earth,

5 * 1.2472That the gladnesse of the vngodlie hath ben short, and that the ioy of hypo∣crites continued but the twinckling of an eye?

6 Though he be magnified vp to the heauen, so that his head reacheth vnto the cloudes:

7 Yet at ad 1.2473 turne he perisheth for euer, insomuch that they which haue seene him, shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall vanishe as a dreame, so that he can no more be founde, and shal passe away as a vision in the night.

9 So that the eye which sawe him be∣fore, shal haue no more sight of him, and his place shall * 1.2474 know him no more.

10 His children shalbe faine to agree with the poore, and his handes shall restore their goodes.

11 From his youth his bones are (e) 1.2475 full of pleasures, but now shall it lye downe within him in the * 1.2476 earth.

12 When wickednesse was f 1.2477 sweete in his mouth, he hyd it vnder his tongue.

13 That he fauoured, that would he not forsake, but kept it close in his throte.

14 The bread that he did eate, is turned to the g 1.2478 poyson of serpentes within his bodye.

15 The riches that he deuoured shall he parbreake againe: for God shall drawe them out of his belly.

16 He shall sucke the (h) 1.2479gall of serpentes, and the adders tongue shall slay him:

17 So that he shall no more see the * 1.2480 ry∣uers and brookes of hony and butter.

18 The thing he hath laboured for, shall he restore, and k 1.2481 shall not eate of it: great trauaile shall he make for riches, but he shall not enioy them.

19 And why? he hath oppressed the poore, and not helped them: houses hath he spoyled, and not builded them.

20 Because he could not perceaue when his belly was well, through his greedie desire he shall not escape.

21 There l 1.2482 shall none of his meate be left, therefore shall no man loke for his goodes.

22 When he had plenteousnesse of euery thing, yet was he poore, though he was helped on euery side.

23 And it shall come to passe, that where∣with he purposed to fill his belly, God shall powre the furie of his wrath ther∣on, and shall cause his indignation to raigne vpon him, and vpon his meate.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bowe of steele shall strike him through.

25 The [arowe] is taken foorth and gone out of the quiuer, and a glistering swo

Page [unnumbered]

through the gall of him: so feare shall come vpon him.

26 All darknesse shalbe hid in their secrete places, * 1.2483 an vnkindled fire shal consume him: and loke what remaineth in his house, it shalbe destroyed.

27 The heauen shal * 1.2484 declare his wicked∣nesse, and the earth shall take part a∣gainst him.

28 The substaunce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken away and perishe in the day of the Lordes wrath.

29 This is the portion that the wicked man shal haue of God, and the heritage that he may loke for of God, because of his wordes.

¶The .xxi. Chapter.

1 Iob declareth how the prosperitie of the wicked maketh them proude, 15 inso∣much that they blaspheme God. 16 Their destruction is at hande. 23 None ought to be iudged wicked for affliction, neither good for prosperitie.

[unspec A]

1 IOb aunswered, and saide:

2 O heare diligently my wordes, and that shalbe in steede of your consolations,

3 Suffer me that I may speake, and when I haue spoken mocke on.

4 Is it for (a) 1.2485 mans sake that I make this disputation? Which if it were so, shoulde not my spirite then be in sore trouble?

5 Marke me [well] and be abashed, and * 1.2486 lay your hande vpon your mouth.

6 For when I consider [my selfe] I am afrayde, and my fleshe is smitten with feare.

7 Wherefore (c) 1.2487 do wicked men liue, come to their olde age, and increase in richesse?

8 Their “ 1.2488 children lyue in their sight, and their generation before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from all feare, and the rod of God is not vpon them.

10 Their bullocke gendreth and that not out of time, their cowe calueth and is not vnfruitfull.

11 They sende foorth their children by flockes, & their sonnes [leade the] daunce.

12 They beare with them tabrets and harpes, and reioyce in the sounde of the organs.

13 They spend their dayes in wealthines, but * 1.2489 sodainely they go downe to the graue.

14 They say also vnto God: * 1.2490 Go from vs, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes.

15 Who is the almightie that we should serue him? And what profite should we haue if we should pray vnto him?

16 Lo, there is vtterly no goodnesse in their hande therefore wyll I not haue to do with the counsaile of the vngodly.

17 How oft shall the (f) 1.2491candell of the wic∣ked be put out, and their destruction come vpon them? O what sorowe shall God geue them for their part in his wrath?

18 Yea, they shalbe euen as hay before the winde, and as chaffe that the storme carieth away.

19 God wyll lay vp the sorowe of the fa∣ther for his children: & when he rewar∣deth him, he shall know it.

20 Their owne miserie shal they see with their eyes, and drinke of the fearefull wrath of the almightie.

21 For what careth he for his house after his death, when the (g) 1.2492 number of his monethes is cut short?

22 Seeing God hath the highest power of all, who can teache him any know∣ledge?

23 (h) 1.2493One dyeth in his full strength, be∣ing in all ease and prosperitie,

24 His breastes are full of milke, and his bones runne full of marowe.

25 Another dyeth in the(i) 1.2494 bitternes of his soule, and neuer eateth with pleasure.

26 They shall sleepe both alyke in the earth, and the wormes shall couer them.

27 Beholde, (k) 1.2495 I know what ye thinke, yea and the subtiltie that ye imagine a∣gainst me.

28 For ye say (l) 1.2496 where is the princes pa∣lace? and where is the dwelling of the vngodly?

29 Haue ye not asked them that go by the way? Doubtlesse ye cannot denie their tokens,

30 That the wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction, and the vngodly shalbe brought foorth to the day of wrath.

Page clxxvii

31 Who * 1.2497 dare declare his way to his face? who wil rewarde him for that he doth?

32 Yet shall he be brought to his graue, and dwell among the heape [of the dead.]

33 Then shal the (n) 1.2498 slymie valley be sweet vnto him, all men also must folowe him, as there are innumerable gone be∣fore him.

34 Howe vayne then is the comfort that ye geue me, seyng falshood remayneth in all your aunsweres?

The .xxii. Chapter.

2 Eliphas affirmeth that Iob is punished for his sinnes. 6 He accuseth him of vnmerciful∣nesse, 13 and that he denied gods prouidence. 21 He exhorteth hym to repentaunce.

[unspec A] 1 SO (a) 1.2499 Eliphas the The∣manite gaue aun∣swere, and sayde:

2 May a man be profi∣table vnto God, as he that is wise may be pro∣fitable vnto him selfe?

3 Is it any aduauntage to the almightie that thou art righteous? or shall it pro∣fite him that thou makest thy wayes perfect?

4 Is he afrayde to reproue thee, and to step foorth with thee into iudgement?

5 Is (b) 1.2500 not thy wickednesse great, and thy vngratious deedes innumerable?

6 For thou (c) 1.2501 hast taken the pledge from thy brother for naught, and robbed the naked of their clothing.

7 To such as were weery, hast thou geuen no water to drinke, & hast withdrawen bread from the hungrie.

8 But the mightie man had the earth, and he that was in auctoritie dwelt in it.

9 Thou hast sent wydowes away emp∣tie, and the armes of the fatherlesse were broken.

10 Therefore art thou (d) 1.2502 compassed about with snares, & sodenly vexed with feare.

11 Shouldest thou then see no (e) 1.2503 darknesse? shoulde not the water studde run ouer thee?

12 Is not God on high in the heauen? be∣holde the heyght of the starres how hie they are.

13 Wilt thou therfore say, Tushe, howe should God know? can he iudge through the darke cloude?

14 Tushe, the cloudes couer him that he may not see, and he walketh on the top of heauen.

15 Hast thou marked the way of the world, wherin wicked men haue walked?

16 Whiche were cut downe out of time, and whose (f) 1.2504 foundation was as an ouerflowing ryuer.

17 Whiche sayd vnto God, Go from vs: and asked what the almightie coulde do for them?

18 He filled their houses with good things: but the counsell of the vngodly be farre from me.

19 The righteous sawe it and were glad, and the innocent laughed them to scorne.

20 Is our substaunce hewen downe? As for the remnaunt of them (g) 1.2505 the fire hath consumed.

21 Therefore (h) 1.2506 reconcile thee vnto God, and be at peace: so shall all thinges pros∣pere with thee right well.

22 Receaue I pray thee the lawe at his mouth, and lay vp his wordes in thyne heart.

23 For if thou wilt turne to the almightie, thou shalt be buyld vp, and put all vn∣righteousnes from thy dwelling.

24 Thou shalt lay vp golde [as plentyful] as the dust, and the golde of Ophir as the flyntes of the riuers.

25 Yea almightie God his owne selfe shal∣be be thy defence, and thou shalt haue plen∣tie of siluer.

26 Then shalt thou haue thy delite in the almightie, and lift vp thy face vnto God.

27 Then shalt thou make thy prayer vn∣to him, and he shall heare thee, and thou shalt “ 1.2507 kepe thy promises.

28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establishe it vnto thee, and the (i) 1.2508 light shall shine in thy wayes.

29 When [the wicked] be cast downe, thou shalt say, I am lifted vp: and God shall saue the humble person.

30 The innocent shal deliuer the Ilande: (k) 1.2509it shalbe preserued by the purenesse of thyne handes.

Page [unnumbered]

The .xxiii. Chapter.

2 Iob affirmeth that he both knoweth and feareth the power and sentence of the iudge, 10 and that he is not punished only for his sinnes.

[unspec A]

1 IOb aunswered, & said:

2 Though my talke be this day in (a) 1.2510 bitter∣nesse, and my plague greater then my gro∣ning.

3 O that I * 1.2511 might know him, and finde him, and that I might come before his seate:

4 I woulde pleade my cause before hym, and fill my mouth with argumentes:

5 I woulde knowe what aunswere he woulde geue me, and vnderstande what he woulde say vnto me.

6 Will he pleade against me with his great power? No, but he will make me the stronger.

[unspec B] 7 There the righteous might dispute with him, so shoulde I be deliuered for euer from my iudge.

8 Behold, though I go forwarde I find him not: If I go backwarde, I can get no knowledge of hym:

9 If I go on the left side where he doth his worke, I can not attayne vnto him: Againe, if I go on the right side, he hy∣deth him selfe that I can not see hym.

10 But as for my way, he knoweth it, and tryeth me, that as the gold I may come foorth.

11 My (c) 1.2512 foote doth kepe his path, his hie way haue I holden, and will not go out of it.

12 I will not forsake the commaundement of his lippes, I haue esteemed the wordes of his mouth more then myne appoynted foode.

31 He is still at one poynt, and (d) 1.2513 who can turne him? he doth as him listeth, and bringeth to passe what he will.

14 He (e) 1.2514 perfourmeth the thing that is ap∣poynted for me, and many such thinges doth he.

15 This is the cause that I shrinke at his presence, so that when I consider him, I am afrayde of hym.

16 For God maketh my heart (f) 1.2515 softe, and the almightie putteth me in feare.

17 Because I am not (g) 1.2516 cut of before the darkenesse, neither hath he couered the (h) 1.2517 cloude fro my face.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

1 Iob describeth the wickednesse of men, and sheweth what curse belongeth to the wicked. 12 How all thinges are gouerned by gods prouidence, 17 and the destruction of the wicked.

[unspec A] 1 COnsidering * 1.2518 then that there is no time hyd from the almightie, how happeneth it that they which know him do not regarde his dayes?

2 For some men remoue the lande∣markes, robbe men of their cattell, and feede of the same:

3 They driue away the asse of the father∣lesse, and take the wydowes oxe for a pledge:

4 They cause the poore to turne out of the way, so that the poore of the earth hyde them selues together.

5 Beholde, as wilde b 1.2519 asses in the desert go they foorth to their worke, & ryse be∣times to spoyle: Yea the very (c) 1.2520 wilder∣nesse ministreth foode for them & their children.

6 They reape the corne fielde that is not their owne, and let the vineyarde of the vngodly alone.

7 They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without couering in the colde.

8 They are wet with the showres of the mountaynes, and embrace the rocke for want of a couering.

9 They plucke the fatherlesse from the brest, and take the pledge from the poore.

10 They let hym go naked without clo∣thing, and haue taken away the sheafe of the hungrie.

Page clxxviii

11 The poore are fayne to labour in their oyle mylles, yea and to treade in their wyne presses, and yet to suffer thirst.

12 Men out of the citie crye vnto the Lord with sighing, the soules of the slayne al∣so crye out, yet God regardeth not their complaynt.

13 Where as they are conuersaunt among them that abhorre the light, they know not his way, nor continue in his pathes.

14 The murtherer ryseth early and kil∣leth the poore and needy, and in the night is as a thiefe?

15 The * 1.2521eye of the adulterer wayteth for the darkenesse, & sayth, There shall no eye see me: and disguiseth his face.

16 In the darke they digge through houses, whiche they marked for them selues in the day time: they knowe not the light.

17 The morning is to them euen as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrours of the shadowe of death,

18 [The vngodly] is swyft vpon the water: their portion shalbe cursed in the earth, and he shall not beholde the way of the vineyardes.

19 As the drye grounde and heate (e) 1.2522 con∣sume the snowye waters: so shall the graue the sinners.

20 The (f) 1.2523 pitifull man shall forget hym, he shalbe sweete to the wormes, he shalbe no more remembred, & his wickednesse shalbe broken as a tree.

21 He hath oppressed the barren that can not beare, and vnto the wydow hath he done no good.

22 He (g) 1.2524 drue the mightie after hym with his power, and when he was gotten vp no man was sure of lyfe.

23 And though they gaue him to be in safe∣tie, yet his eyes are vpon their wayes.

24 They are exalted for a litle, but [shortly] are gone, brought to pouertie, and taken out of the way, yea and vtterly pluckt of, as the eares of corne.

25 Is (h) 1.2525 it not so? Who will then reproue me as a lyer, and say that my wordes are nothing worth?

The .xxv. Chapter.

Bildad proueth that no man is cleane nor without sinne before God.

1 THen aunswered Bil∣dad the Suhite, and sayde:

2 Is there (a) 1.2526 power and feare with him a∣boue, that maketh * 1.2527peace sitting in his hyghnesse?

3 Is there any number of his (c) 1.2528 armies, and vpon whom shal not his light arise?

4 (d) 1.2529But how may a man compared vnto God, be iustified? or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman?

5 Beholde, the moone shyneth nothing in comparison to him, and the starres are vncleane in his sight.

6 Howe much more then man that is but “ 1.2530 corruption, and the sonne of man which is but a worme?

The .xxvi. Chapter.

1 Iob sheweth that man can not helpe God, and proueth it by his miracles.

1 IOb aunswered, and sayde:

2 (a) 1.2531Whō hast thou hel∣ped? Him that is with∣out strength? sauest thou the arme that hath no strength?

3 Where is the counsayle that thou shoul∣dest geue him which hath no wisdome? Hast thou shewed the way of right ly∣uing?

4 To whom hast thou spoken these wordes? who made the breath to come out of thy mouth?

5 * 1.2532Are not dead thinges shapen vn∣der the waters, and thinges by the wa∣ters side?

6 (c) 1.2533He is naked before him, and the very destruction it selfe can not be hyd out of his sight.

7 He stretcheth out the noorth ouer the emptie place, and * 1.2534hangeth the earth vpon nothing.

Page [unnumbered]

8 He byndeth the water in his cloudes, & the cloude is not broken vnder them.

9 e 1.2535He holdeth backe the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloude before it.

10 He hath compassed the waters with certayne boundes, (f) 1.2536 vntill the day and night come to an ende.

11 The * 1.2537 very pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe.

12 He stilleth the sea with his power, and through his wysdome smyteth he the strength therof.

13 His spirite hath h 1.2538 garnished the hea∣uens, & his hand hath made (i) 1.2539 the croo∣ked serpent.

14 Lo, this is now a * 1.2540 short summe of his wayes: but howe litle a portion heare we of hym? who can vnderstande the thunder of his power?

The .xxvii. Chapter.

3 The constancie and perfectnesse of Iod. 13 The reward of the wicked and of the tirauntes.

1 AND Iob proceeded and went foorth in his parable, saying,

2 * 1.2541As God lyueth whiche hath ta∣ken away my iudge∣ment, and the almigh∣tie that hath * 1.2542 vexed my minde:

3 Whyle my breath is in me, (c) 1.2543and the winde that God hath geuen me is in my nostrels,

4 My lippes shall talke of no vanitie, and my tongue shall speake no disceite.

5 God forbyd that I should graunt your cause to be right: As for me, vntill myne end come will(d) 1.2544 I neuer go fro myne innocentie.

6 My righteous dealing kepe I fast, which I will not forsake: my heart shal not reproue me (e) 1.2545 of my dayes.

7 Therfore * 1.2546 myne enemie shalbe founde as the vngodly, and he that taketh part against me, as the vnrighteous.

8 For g 1.2547what hope hath the hypocrite though he haue great good, if God take away his soule?

9 Will * 1.2548 God heare his crye, when trou∣ble commeth vpon him?

10 Hath he such pleasure and delite in the almightie, * 1.2549that he dare alway call vpon God?

11 I wil teache you in the * 1.2550 name of God, and the thing of the almightie will I not kepe from you.

12 (k) 1.2551Behold, all ye your selues haue seene it, why then do ye thus vanishe in va∣nitie?

13 Saying: (l) 1.2552 This is the portion that the wicked haue of God, and the heritage that tyrauntes shall receaue of the al∣mightie.

14 If he get many children, they shall pe∣rishe with the sworde, and his posteritie shall haue scarcenesse of bread.

15 His remnaunt shalbe buried in death, and his widowes shall not weepe.

16 Though he (m) 1.2553 heape vp siluer as the dust, and prepare rayment as the clay:

17 He may well prepare it, but the godly shall put it on, and the innocent shall deale out the money.

18 He (n) 1.2554 buyldeth his house as the moth, & as a booth that the watchman maketh.

19 When the riche man sleepeth, he shall not be gathered [to his fathers,] they ope∣ned their eyes, and he was gone.

20 Terrour taketh holde vpon hym (o) 1.2555 as a water fludde, and the tempest stealeth him away in the night season.

21 A (p) 1.2556 vehement east winde caryeth him hence, and he departeth: a storme hur∣leth him out of his place.

22 God shal cast vpon him, and not spare, though he woulde fayne flee out of his hande.

23 Then clap men their handes at hym, and hisse at him out of his place.

Page clxxix

The .xxviii. Chapter.

1 Iob sheweth that the wysdome of God is vnsearcheable.

1 THere is * 1.2557 a place wher siluer is brought out of, and where golde is tryed,

2 Where yron is digged out of the grounde, &b 1.2558 stones resolued to me tall.

3 c 1.2559The darkenesse shall once come to an ende: he can seke out the grounde of all thinges, the stones, the darke, and the shadowe of death.

4 He causeth the fluddes to breake out a∣gainst the inhabitant, and the waters forgotten of the foote, beyng hygher then man, are gone away.

5 * 1.2560Out of the same earth commeth bread, and vnder it as it were fire is tur∣ned vp.

6 The * 1.2561 stones of it are a place of Sa∣phires, and the dust of it is golde.

7 There is a way that the birdes knowe not, that no vultures eye hath seene:

8 Wherin the lions whelpes walke not, and where no lion commeth.

9 [There] (f) 1.2562putteth he his hande vpon the stonie rockes, and ouerthroweth the mountaynes by the rootes.

10 Riuers flowe out of the rockes, & loke what is pleasaunt, his eye seeth it.

11 He bindeth the fluddes that they do not ouerflow: and the thing that is hid brin∣geth he to light.

12 Where then is wysdome founde? and g 1.2563where is the place of vnderstanding?

13 Veryly no man can tell howe (h) 1.2564 worthy a thing she is, neither is she found in the lande of them that lyue.

14 The deepe sayth, She is not in me: the sea sayth, She is not with me.

15 She can not be gotten for golde, neither may the price of her be bought with any siluer.

16 No * 1.2565 wedges of gold of Ophir, no pre∣cious * 1.2566 Onir stones, no Saphires may be valued with her.

17 No, neither golde nor christall shall be equall vnto it, nor her exchaunge shalbe for the plate of fine golde.

18 No mention shalbe made of Corall nor of the Gabis: for wisdome is more pre∣tious then pearles.

19 The (l) 1.2567 Topas of Ethiopia shall not be equall vnto it, neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure golde.

20 Whence then commeth wysdome? and where is the place of vnderstanding?

21 She is hid from the eyes of all men li∣uing, yea & from the foules of the * 1.2568 ayre.

22 Destruction and death say, We haue hearde the fame therof with our eares.

23 But God seeth her way, and knoweth her place.

24 For he beholdeth the endes of the worlde, and loketh vpon all that is vn∣der heauen.

25 When he wayed the windes and mea∣sured the waters:

26 When he made a decree for the rayne, and a way for the lightninges of the thunder:

27 Then dyd he see her, then declared he her, prepared her, and knewe her.

28 And vnto man he sayd: * 1.2569 To feare the Lorde is wysdome, and to forsake euyll is vnderstanding.

The .xxix. Chapter.

1 Iob complayneth of the prosperitie of the time past. 7. His auctoritie, 12 iustice and equite.

1 SO Iob proceeded and went foorth in his pa∣rable, saying:

2 O that I were as I was in the monethes by past, and in the daies when God preserued me:

3 When his * 1.2570 light shined vpon my head, when I went after the same light and shining, euen through the darknesse:

4 As it stoode with me when I was young, when God prospered my house:

5 When the almightie was yet with me, when my children stoode about me:

6 When my wayes (b) 1.2571 ranne ouer with butter, and when the stonie rockes gaue me riuers of oyle:

7 When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seate, and when I pre∣pared my seate in the streete:

Page [unnumbered]

8 The * 1.2572 young men saw me and hid them selues, and the d 1.2573 aged arose, and stoode vp.

9 The (e) 1.2574 princes left of their talking, and layed their hand to their mouth:

10 The mightie kept still their voyce, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.

11 When the eare heard me, it blessed me: & when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me:

12 For I * 1.2575 deliuered the poore when he cryed, and the fatherlesse, and hym that had none to helpe hym.

13 The blessing of him that was redy to perishe came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

14 And why? I put vpon me righteous∣nesse, which couered me as a * 1.2576 garment, and equitie was my crowne.

15 I was an eye to the blinde, and a foote to the lame.

16 I was a father to the poore: and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

17 I brake the (h) 1.2577 iawes of the vnrighte∣ous man, and pluckt the spoyle out of his teeth.

18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my * 1.2578 ne•••• and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sande.

19 For my k 1.2579 roote was spread out by the water side: and the l 1.2580 deawe lay vpon my * 1.2581 corne.

20 Myne honour encreased more and more, & my bow was * 1.2582 euer the stron∣ger in my hande.

21 Vnto me men gaue eare, me they re∣garded, and with scilence they taried for my counsell.

22 After my woordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.

23 They (m) 1.2583 wayted for me as for the raine: and gaped vpon me, as [the grounde doeth to receaue] the latter shoure.

24 When I laughed, they beleued it not, & the light of my countenaunce would they not put out.

25 When I agreed vnto their way, I was the chiefe, and sate as a king with his armie about him: and when they were in heauinesse, I was their com∣fortour.

The .xxx. Chapter.

1 Iob complayneth that he is contemned of the most contemptible, 11, 21. because of his aduersitie and affliction. 23 Death is the house of all sheshe.

[unspec A] 1 BVt (a) 1.2584 nowe they that are younger then I haue me in derision: yea euen they whose fathers I would haue thought scorne to haue set with the dogges of my cattell.

2 For wherto might the strength of(b) 1.2585 their handes haue serued me? for the time was but lost among them.

3 For very c 1.2586 miserie and hunger they fled into the wildernesse, a darke place, hor∣rible and waste,

4 Plucking vp nettles among the busshes, and the iuniper rootes for their meate.

5 And when they were dryuen foorth, men cryed after them as it had ben af-after a thiefe.

6 Their (d) 1.2587 dwelling was in the cleftes of brookes, yea in the caues and dennes of the earth.

7 Among the busshes went they about crying, and vnder the thornes they ga∣thered them selues together.

8 They were the children of fooles and vyllaynes, which are more vile then the earth.

9 Now am I their (e) 1.2588 song, & am become their yesting stocke.

10 They abhorre me and flee farre from me, and stayne my face with spittle.

11 Because God hath loosed my corde and humbled me, they haue loosed the (f) 1.2589bridle before me.

12 Vpon my g 1.2590 right hande ryse the young men against me, they haue hurt my feete, treading vpon me as vpon the wayes of their destruction.

Page clxxx

13 My * 1.2591 pathes haue they cleane marred, it was so easye for them to do me harme, that they needed no man to help them.

14 They fell vpon me, as it had ben the breaking in of waters, and came in by heapes to destroy me.

15 Feare is turned vpon me, and they pur∣sue my soule as the wind, and my health passeth away as i 1.2592 a cloude.

16 Therfore is my soule now powred out vpon me, and the dayes of my trouble haue taken hold vpon me.

17 My bones are pearsed through in the night season, and my sinewes take no rest.

18 For the vehemencie of sorowe is my garment chaunged, whiche compasseth me about as the (k) 1.2593 coller of my coote.

19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like asshes and dust.

20 When (l) 1.2594 I crie vnto thee, thou doest not heare me: and though I stande before thee, yet thou regardest me not.

21 Thou art become myne enemie, and with thy violent hande thou takest part against me.

22 [In times past] thou diddest * 1.2595 set me vp on hye, to be caried as it were aboue the wynde, [but nowe] hast thou geuen mea very sore fall.

23 Sure I am that thou wilt bryng me vnto death, euen to the * 1.2596 lodging that is due vnto all men liuing.

24 Notwithstanding, thou wilt not* 1.2597 stretch out thyne hand against him that is in the graue: shal men crie out against him that is in destruction?

25 Dyd not I weepe with hym that was in trouble? Had not my soule compassion vpon the poore?

26 Yet neuerthelesse, where as I loked for good, euyll came vnto me: & (p) 1.2598 where I wayted for light, there came darke∣nesse.

27 My bowels seethe in me without rest, for the dayes of my trouble are come vpon me.

28 I went mourning without heate, I stoode vp in the congregation, & (q) 1.2599 com∣muned with them.

29 But nowe I am a brother of dragons, and a felowe of Estriches.

30 My skinne vpon me is [turned] to (r) 1.2600 blacke, and my bones are brent with heate.

13 My harpe is turned to mourning, and my organs into the voyce of them that weepe.

The .xxxi. Chapter.

1 Iob reciteth the innocentie of his liuing, and number of his vertues, which decla∣reth what ought to be the lyfe of the faythfull.

[unspec A]

1 I Made a(a) 1.2601 couenaunt with myne eyes: why then * 1.2602 should I loke vpon a mayden?

2 For how great a por∣tion shall I haue of God? and what inheri∣taunce from the almightie on hye?

3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and straunge * 1.2603 punishement to the workers of iniquitie?

4 Doth not he see my wayes, and tell all my goynges?

5 If I haue walked in (d) 1.2604 vanitie, or if my feete haue runne to disceaue:

6 Let me be wayed in an euen balaunce, that God may see myne innocencie.

7 If my steppe hath turned out of the way, & myne heart walked after myne eyes, and if any blot haue cleaued to my handes:

8 Then shall I sowe, and an other eate: yea my “ 1.2605 posteritie shalbe cleane rooted out.

9 If my heart haue ben deceaued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at my neyghbours doore:

10 Then let my wife (e) 1.2606 grinde vnto an o∣ther man, and let other men “ 1.2607 lye with her.

11 For this is a wickednesse, and sinne that is worthy to be punished:

12 Yea a (f) 1.2608 fire that vtterly should consume and roote out all my increase.

13 If I euer thought scorne to do right vnto my seruauntes & maydens, when they had any matter against me:

14 When God (g) 1.2609 will sit in iudgement, what shall I do? & when he will visite me, what aunswere shal I geue him?

15 He that (h) 1.2610 fashioned me in my mothers wombe, made he not him also? were we not both shapen a like in our mothers bodies?

Page [unnumbered]

16 If I demed the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the wydow to waye in vayne:

17 I I haue eaten my * 1.2611 morsell alone, that ye fatherlesse hath not eaten therof:

18 For from my youth it hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue ben guyde to the (wydowe)

19 If I haue seene any perishe for want of clothing, or any poore for lake of ray∣ment:

20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, be∣cause he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe:

[unspec C] 21 If I haue lift vp mine hand against the fatherlesse, when I sawe that I might helpe him in the gate:

22 Then let myne arme fall fro my shoul∣der, and myne arme holes be broken from the bone.

23 For I haue euer feared the vengeaunce and punishment of God, and [knewe very well that] I was not able to beare his burthen.

24 Haue I put my trust in golde? or haue I sayde to the wedge of golde, thou art my confidence?

25 Haue I reioyced because my power was great, and because my hande gat so much?

26 Dyd I euer greatly regarde the (k) 1.2612 ry∣sing of the sunne? or had I the goyng downe of the moone in great reputa∣tion?

27 Hath my heart medled priuyly with any disceite? or did I euer l 1.2613 kisse myne owne hande?

28 (That were a wickednesse worthy to be punished: for then shoulde I haue de∣nyed the God that is aboue.)

29 Haue I euer reioyced at the hurt of myne enemie? or was I euer glad that any harme happened vnto him? [Oh, no]

30 I neuer suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse to his soule.

31 Dyd not the men of myne owne hous holde say, Who shall let vs to haue our belly full of his fleshe?

32 The straunger dyd not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him that went by the way.

33 Haue I kept secrete my sinne, and hyd myne iniquitie, as Adam dyd?

34 Though I coulde haue made afeard a great * 1.2614 multitude, yet the most con∣temptible of the families dyd feare me: so I kept scilence, and went not out of the * 1.2615 doore.

35 O that I had one which woulde heare me: beholde my signe in the whiche the almightie shal aunswere for me, though he that is my contrarie partie hath written a booke against me.

36 Yet will I take it vpon my * 1.2616 shoulder, & as a garlande binde it about my head.

37 I will tell hym the number of my goinges, & go vnto him as to a (p) 1.2617 prince.

38 But if case be that my lande * 1.2618 crye a∣gainst me, or that the (r) 1.2619 forowes thereof make any complaynt:

39 If I haue eaten the fruites therof vn∣payed for, yea if I haue greeued the soules of the maisters therof:

40 Then let thystles growe in steede of my wheate, and cockle for my barlye.

Here end the wordes of Iob.
The .xxxii. Chapter.

1 Elihu reproueth them of folly. Age maketh not a man wife, but the spirite of God.

[unspec A] 1 SO these three men ceas∣sed to aunswere Iob, * 1.2620because he held him selfe a righteous man.

2 But Elihu the sonne of Barachel the * 1.2621 Bu∣zite, of the kinred of Ram, was very sore displeased at Iob, because he called hym selfe iust before God.

3 And with Iobs three friendes he was angry also, because they had founde no reasonable aunswere, and yet condemp∣ned Iob.

4 Nowe taried Elihu, till they had ended their cōmunication with Iob: for why? they were elder them he.

5 So when Elihu sawe that these three men were not able to make Iob aun∣swere, he was miscontent.

Page clxxxi

6 Therfore Elihu the sonne of Barachel the Buzite aunswered, and sayde: [Con∣sidering that] I am young, and ye be men of age, I was afrayde, and durst not shewe foorth my mynde.

[unspec B] 7 For I thought thus within my selfe: “ 1.2622It becommeth old men to speake, and the * 1.2623 aged to teache wysdome.

8 Euery man no doubt hath a mynde, but it is the inspiration of the almightie that geueth vnderstanding.

9 Great men are not alway wyse, neither doth euery aged man vnderstande “ 1.2624 the thing that is lawfull:

10 Therefore I say, heare me, and I wil shewe you also myne vnderstanding.

11 For when I had wayted till ye made an end of your talking, and hearde your wysdome, (c) 1.2625 what arguments ye made in your communication,

12 Yea when I had diligently pondred what ye sayde, I found not one of you that made any good argument against Iob, that directly could make aunswere vnto his wordes,

13 Lest ye should say: We haue found out wisdome, * 1.2626 God shall cast hym downe, and no man.

14 He hath not spoken vnto me, and I wil not aunswere hym as ye haue done.

15 For they were so abashed, that they coulde not make aunswere, nor speake one worde.

16 When I had wayted (for they spake not, but stoode still and aunswered no more:)

17 Then aunswered I in my turne, and I shewed myne opinion.

18 For I am full of “ 1.2627 matter, and the spi∣rite within me compelleth me.

19 Beholde, my (e) 1.2628 belly is as the wine, whiche hath no vent, lyke the newe bot∣tels that bruste.

20 [Therfore] will I speake, that I may haue a vent: I will open my lippes, and make aunswere.

21 I will (f) 1.2629 regarde no maner of person, no man will I spare.

22 For if I woulde go about to(g) 1.2630 please men, I knowe not howe soone my ma∣ker would take me away.

The .xxxiii. Chapter.

5 Elihu accuseth Iob of ignoraunce. 14 He sheweth that God hath diuers meanes to instruct man and to drawe hym from sinne. 19. He afflicteth man and sodenly deliuereth hym, 26 Man beyng deliuered, geueth thankes to God.

[unspec A] 1 WHerefore heare my wordes O Iob, and hearken vnto all that I will say:

2 Behold, I haue now opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my throte.

3 My heart doth order my wordes aright, and my lippes talke of pure wysedome.

4 The * 1.2631 spirite of God hath made me, and the breath of the almightie hath ge∣uen me my lyfe.

5 If thou canst then geue me aunswere, prepare thy selfe and stande before me face to face.

6 Beholde, (b) 1.2632before God I am euen as thou: for I am fashioned & made euen of the same molde.

7 Beholde, my terrour shall not feare thee, neither shall my hande be heauy vpon thee.

8 * 1.2633Now hast thou spoken in myne eares, & I haue heard the voyce of thy wordes:

9 I am cleane without any fault, I am innocent, & there is no wickednesse in me.

10 But lo, he hath piked a quarell against me, and taketh me for his enemie.

11 He hath put my foote in the stockes, and looketh narowlye vnto all my pathes.

12 Behold, in this hast thou not done right, I wil make aunswere vnto thee, that God is greater then man.

13 And why doest thou then striue against him? for he shall not geue the accomptes of all his wordes.

14 For God speaketh (d) 1.2634 once or twise, and yet man vnderstandeth it not.

15 In dreames and visions of the night, when slumbring commeth vpon men that they fall asleepe in their beddes,

16 He roundeth them in the eares, and sea∣leth their correction:

17 That he may withdrawe man from euyll enterprises, and deliuer hym from * 1.2635 pride,

18 And kepe his soule from the graue, and his life from the sworde.

Page [unnumbered]

19 He chasteneth hym with sickenesse vpon his bedde, he layeth sore punishe∣ment vpon his bones:

20 So that his * 1.2636 lyfe may away with no bread, and his soule abhorreth to eate any dayntie meate:

21 * 1.2637In so much that his body is cleane consumed away, and his bones appeare which before were not seene.

22 His soule draweth vnto the graue, and his lyfe to “ 1.2638 death.

23 Now(h) 1.2639 yf there be a messenger, one a∣mong a thousande, sent for to speake vn∣to man, and to shew him the right way:

24 Then the Lord is mercifull vnto him, and sayth, He shalbe deliuered, that he fall not downe to the graue: for I am sufficiently reconciled.

25 Then shal his i 1.2640 fleshe be as freshe as a childes, and shal returne as in the dayes of his youth.

26 He shall pray vnto God, and he will be fauorable vnto him, and he shall see his face with * 1.2641 ioy, for he will render vnto man his righteousnesse.

27 A respect hath he vnto men, let man then say, I haue offended, I did vn∣righteously, & * 1.2642 it hath done me no good:

28 Yea he hath deliuered my soule from destruction, and (m) 1.2643 my lyfe shall see the light.

29 Lo all these worketh God alway with man:

30 That he bring backe his soule from the graue to the light, yea the light of the lyuing.

31 Marke wel O Iob, and heare me: hold thee still, and I will speake.

32 But if thou hast any thing to say, then (n) 1.2644aunswere me, and speake: for I desire to iustifie thee.

34 If thou hast nothing, then heare me, and hold thy tongue, and I shall teache thee wysdome.

The .xxxiiii. Chapter.

5 Elihu chargeth Iob that he calleth him selfe righteous. 12 He sheweth that God is iust in iudgementes. 24 God destroyeth the mightie. 30 By him the hypocrite raigneth.

[unspec A]

1 ELihu proceeding in his aunswere, sayde:

2 Heare my wordes O ye (a) 1.2645 wise men, hear∣ken vnto me ye that haue vnderstanding:

3 For the eare discerneth wordes, and the mouth tasteth the meates.

4 As for (b) 1.2646 iudgement, let vs seke it out a∣mong our selues, that we may knowe what is good.

5 [And why?] Iob hath sayd, I am righte∣ous, and God hath (c) 1.2647 taken away my iudgement.

6 In my right I shoulde be a lyer: my wounde is incurable without my fault.

7 Where is there such a one as Iob, that d 1.2648 drinketh vp scornefulnesse like water?

8 Which goeth in the companie of wicked doers, and walketh with vngodly men?

[unspec B] 9 For he hath sayde, It profiteth a man nothing that he shoulde walke with God.

10 Therfore hearken vnto me ye that haue vnderstanding: farre be it from God that he shoulde meddle with wic∣kednesse, & farre be it from the almightie that he shoulde meddle with vnrighte∣ous dealing.

11 For he shall rewarde man after his workes, and cause euery man to finde according to his wayes.

12 Sure it is that God wil not do wicked∣ly, neither wyll the almightie paruert iudgement.

13 Who ruleth the earth but he? or who hath placed the whole world?

14 If he set his heart vpon [man] and ga∣ther [unspec C] vnto hym selfe his spirite and his breath,

15 All fleshe shall come to naught at once, and all men shall turne againe vnto dust.

16 If thou nowe haue vnderstanding, heare what I say, and hearken to the voyce of my wordes:

17 May he be a (c) 1.2649 ruler that loueth not right? or may he that is a very inno∣cent man do vngodly?

18 Is it reason that thou shouldest say to the king, Thou art wicked, or thou art vngodly, and that before the princes?

19 God hath no respect vnto the persons of the lordly, and regardeth not the riche more then the poore: for they be al the worke of his handes.

Page clxxxij

20 In the f 1.2650 twinckling of an eye shall they dye, and at midnight when the people and the tirantes rage, then shall they pe∣rishe, & be taken away without handes.

21 For his eyes loke vpon the wayes of man, and he seeth all his goinges.

22 There is no darkenesse nor shadowe of death that can hide the wicked do∣ers from him.

23 For God wil not lay vpon man more then he hath sinned, that he should en∣ter into * 1.2651 iudgement with him.

24 He shall destroy the mightie without seeking, and shall set other in their * 1.2652 steede.

25 Therefore shall he declare their workes: he shall (i) 1.2653 turne the night, and they shalbe destroyed.

26 The vngodly doth he punishe (k) 1.2654 openly,

27 Because they tourned backe from him, and would not consider all his wayes:

28 Insomuch that they haue caused the voyce of the (l) 1.2655 poore to come vnto him, and now he heareth the complaint of such as are in trouble.

29 When he geueth quietnesse, who can make trouble? and when he hydeth his face, who can beholde him? whether it be vpon nations, or vpō one man onely▪

30 Because the hypocrite doth raigne, be¦cause the people are snared.

31 Surely of God onely it can be saide, I haue pardoned, I wyll not destroy.

32 If I haue gone amisse, enfourme thou me: If I haue done wrong, I wyll leaue of.

33 Wyll he perfourme the thing through thee? for thou hast reproued his iudge∣ment, thou also hast thyne owne minde, and not I: But speake on what thou knowest.

34 Let men of vnderstanding tell me, and let a wyse man hearken vnto me.

35 Iob hath not spoken of knowledge, neither were his wordes according to wysdome.

36 O (m) 1.2656 father, let Iob be * 1.2657 well tryed, because he hath aunswered for wicked men:

37 Yea aboue his sinne he doth wickedly, triumpheth among vs, and multipli∣eth his wordes against God.

The .xxxv. Chapter.

6 Neither doth godlines profite, or vngodlines hurt God, but man. 18 The wicked crye vnto God, and are not heard.

[unspec A] 1 ELihu (a) 1.2658 spake moreo∣uer and saide:

2 Thinkest thou it right that thou sayest, I am more righteous then God?

3 For thou sayest: what aduauntage wyll it be vnto thee, and what profite shall I haue of my sinne?

4 Therefore wyll I geue aunswere vn∣to thee, and to thy (b) 1.2659 companions with thee.

5 Loke vnto the (c) 1.2660 heauen and beholde it, consider the cloudes which are hyer then thou.

6 If thou hast (d) 1.2661sinned, what hast thou done against him? If thyne offences be many, what hast thou done vnto him?

7 If thou be e 1.2662 righteous, what geuest thou him? or what wyll he receaue of thyne hande?

8 Thy wickednesse [may hurt] a man as thou art, and thy righteousnesse [may profite] the sonne of man.

9 They which are oppressed crye out vp∣on the multitude, yea they crye out for the power of the mightie:

10 But (f) 1.2663 none sayth, Where is God that made me? and that geueth * 1.2664 vs occasi∣on to praise him in the night?

11 Which teacheth vs more thē the beastes of the earth, and geueth vs more wys∣dome then the foules of heauen.

12 If any (g) 1.2665 such complaine, no man ge∣ueth aunswere, and that because of the wickednesse of proude tirauntes.

13 For God wyll not heare vanitie, neither wyll the almightie regarde it.

14 Although thou sayest [to God] thou wylt not regarde it: yet iudgement is before him, trust thou in him.

15 But now because his anger hath not (h) 1.2666 visited, neither called men to accompt with great extremitie:

16 Therefore doth Iob open his mouth but in vaine, & he maketh many wordes without knowledge.

Page [unnumbered]

The .xxxvi. Chapter.

1 Elihu sheweth the power of God. 6 and his iustice, 9 and wherefore he puni∣sheth. 13 The propertie of the wicked.

1 ELihu also procee∣ded, and saide:

2 Holde thee still a litle, & I shall shew thee what [unspec A] I haue yet to speake on gods behalfe.

I wyll open vn∣to thee yet farre higher knowledge, and wil ascribe righ∣teousnesse vnto my maker.

4 And truely my wordes shall not be vaine, seeing he is with thee that is (a) 1.2667 perfect in knowledge.

5 Beholde, the great God casteth away no man, for he him selfe is (b) 1.2668 mightie in power and wysdome.

6 As for the vngodly he shall not pre∣serue him, but shall helpe the poore to their right.

7 He shal not turne his eyes away from the righteous, but as (c) 1.2669 kinges shal they be in their throne, he shal stablish them for euer, and they shalbe exalted.

8 But if they be layde in chaynes, or bounde with the bondes of trouble,

9 Then wyll he (d) 1.2670 shew them their worke, & their sinnes which haue ouer∣come them.

10 He with punishing and nurturing of them, roundeth them in the eares, war∣neth them to leaue of from their wic∣kednesse, and to amende.

11 If they now wyll take heede & serue him, they shal weare out their dayes in prosperitie, and their yeres in pleasure.

12 But if they wil not hearken, they shal go through the sworde, and perishe or euer they be aware.

13 As for (e) 1.2671 hypocrites in heart, they shall heape vp wrath [for them selues] for they call not vpon him, though they be his prisoners.

14 Thus shal their soule perishe in * 1.2672 foo∣lishnes, and their lyfe among the forni∣catours.

15 The poore shall he deliuer out of his affliction, and “ 1.2673 rounde them in the eare when they be in trouble.

16 Euen so would he take thee out of the straite place, into a brode place in the which there is no straitnes: yea, & make thy table quiet replenished with fat∣nesse.

17 Neuerthelesse, (f) 1.2674 thou hast commen∣ded the iudgement of the vngodly, and euen such a iudgement & sentence shalt thou suffer.

18 And seeing there is (g) 1.2675 wrath with God, beware lest he take thee away in thy wealth, & all that thou hast to redeeme thee can not deliuer thee.

19 Thinkest thou that he wyll regarde thy riches? he shall not care for golde, nor for all them that excell in strength.

20 (h) 1.2676Spend not the night in carefull thoughtes, how he destroyeth some, and bringeth other in their place.

21 But beware that thou turne not aside to wickednesse and sinne, which hither∣to thou hast chosen more then affliction.

22 Beholde, (i) 1.2677 God is of a mightie hie power: Where is there such a guide and lawe geuer as he?

23 Who wyll reproue him of his way? Who wil say vnto him, Thou hast done wrong?

24 Remember that thou do magnifie his worke which men do praise,

25 All men see it, yea men do beholde it a farre of.

26 Beholde, so great is God that he pas∣seth our knowledge, (k) 1.2678 neither can the number of his yeres be searched out.

27 Sometime he restrayneth the rayne, and againe he sendeth rayne by his cloudes:

28 Which rayne the cloudes do droppe, and let fall aboundantly vpon men.

29 Who can consider the (l) 1.2679 spreadinges out of his cloudes, the coueringes of his ta∣bernacle?

30 Behold, he doth stretch his light vpon it, and couereth the bottome of the sea.

31 For by these gouerneth he his people, and geueth them aboundance of meate.

32 With the cloudes he hydeth the light, and at his commaundement it breaketh out:

33 Which dashing vpon the next cloudes, shew tokens of wrath.

Page clxxxiij

¶The .xxxvij. Chapter

2 Elihu proueth that the vnsearcherable wysdome of God is manifest by his workes, 4 as by the thunders, the snow, the whirle winde. 11 and the rayne.

1 AT * 1.2680 this also my heart is astomed, and moued out of his place.

2 Heare * 1.2681 then the sounde of his voyce, & the noyse that goeth out of his mouth.

3 He directeth it vnder the whole hea∣uen, and his light vnto the endes of the worlde.

4 A roring voyce foloweth it: for his glo∣rious maiestie geueth a thūder clappe, & he will not stay whē his voyce is heard.

5 God thundreth marueylously with his voyce, great thinges doth he which we can not comprehend.

6 He commaundeth the snow, and it fal∣leth vpon earth: he geueth the rayne a charge, and the showres haue their strength and fall downe.

7 With the force of the rayne he shutteth men vp, that all men may knowe his (c) 1.2682 workes.

8 The beastes * 1.2683 creepe into their dennes, and remaine in their places.

9 Out of the south commeth the tempest, and colde out from the north winde.

10 At the e 1.2684 breath of God the hoare frost is geuen, and the brode waters are frosen.

11 He maketh the (f) 1.2685 cloudes to labour in geuing moystnesse, and againe with his g 1.2686 light he dryueth away the cloude.

12 He turneth the heauens about by his go∣uernement, that they may do whatso∣euer he (h) 1.2687 commaundeth them vpon the whole worlde.

13 Whether it be for punishment, or for his lande, or to do good to them that seeke him.

14 Hearken vnto this O Iob, stand still, and consider the wonderous workes of God.

15 Didst thou know when God disposed them? & caused the * 1.2688 light of his cloudes to shine?

16 Hast thou knowen the varietie of the cloudes, and the wonderous workes of him which is perfect in knowledge?

17 And how thy clothes are warme, when the lande is stil through the south winde?

18 Hast thou helped him to spreade out the heauens which are strong and bright as a (k) 1.2689 loking glasse?

19 Teache vs what we shall saye vnto him: for we are vnmeete to frame our talke because of l 1.2690 darkenesse.

20 Shall it be tolde him what I saye? Shall man speake when he shalbe de∣stroyed?

21 For men see not the light that shineth in the cloudes: but the winde passeth and cleanseth them.

22 The faire weather commeth out of the north, the prayse thereof is to God who is terrible.

23 It is the almightie, we can not finde him out: he is excellent in power and iudgement, and aboundaunt in iustice: he afflieteth not.

24 Let men therefore * 1.2691 feare him for there shall no man see him that is wyse in his owne conceit.

¶ The .xxxviii. Chapter.

God speaketh to Iob and declaeth the weakenes of man in the consideration of his crea∣tures, by whose excellencie the power, iustice, and prouidence of the creator is knowen.

1 THen aunswered the Lorde vnto Iob out of the a 1.2692 whirle winde, and saide:

2 What is he that b 1.2693 darkeneth his coun∣saile by wordes with∣out knowledge?

3 Grde vp thy c 1.2694 loynes lyke a man: for I wyl question with thee, see thou geue me a direct aunswere.

4 Where wast thou when I (d) 1.2695 layed the foundations of the earth? Tell playne∣ly, if thou hast vnderstanding.

5 Who hath measured it, knowest thou? or who hath (e) 1.2696 spread the lyne vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉

6 Whereupon are the (f) 1.2697 foundations 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or who layed the * 1.2698 corner stoe 〈…〉〈…〉

Page [unnumbered]

7 Where wast thou when the morning starres praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced triumphantly?

8 Who (h) 1.2699 shut the sea with doores, when it brake foorth as out of the wombe?

9 When I made the cloudes [to be] a co∣uering for it, and (i) 1.2700 swadled it with the darke:

10 When I gaue it my commaundement, making doores and barres for it,

11 Saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shalt thou laye downe thy proude and hie waues.

12 Hast thou geuē the morning his charge since thy dayes, and shewed the day spring his place,

13 That it might take holde of the “ 1.2701 cor∣ners of the earth, and that the vngodly might be shaken out of it.

14 (k) 1.2702They are fashioned as is the clay with the seale, and all stand vp as a gar∣ment.

15 The vngodly shall be disapointed of their light, and “ 1.2703 the arme of the proude shalbe broken.

16 (l) 1.2704Camest thou euer into the “ 1.2705 grounde of the sea, or walkedst in the lowe cor∣ners of the deepe?

17 Haue the gates of death ben opened vn∣to thee? or hast thou seene the doores of the shadowe of death?

18 Hast thou also perceaued how brode the earth is? If thou hast knowledge of all this:

19 Then shewe me the way where light dwelleth, & where is the place of darke∣nesse?

20 That thou shouldest receaue it in the boundes thereof, and know the pathes to their houses.

21 Knewest thou afore thou wast borne how olde thou shouldest be?

22 (m) 1.2706Wentest thou euer into the treasures of the snow, or hast thou seene the secrete places of the hayle,

23 Which I haue prepared against the time of trouble, against the time of bat∣taile and warre?

24 By what way is the light parted? and into what land breaketh the east winde?

25 Who deuideth the waters into diuers chanels? or who maketh a way for the lightening and thunder,

26 To cause it to rayne on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernesse where none inhabiteth?

27 To satisfie the desolate and waste grounde, and to cause the budde of the hearbe to spring foorth.

28 Who is the (n) 1.2707 father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the deawe?

29 Out of whose wombe came the yee? Who hath gendred the “ 1.2708 coldnesse of the ayre?

30 That the waters are “ 1.2709 hidde as [with] a stone, and lye congealed aboue the deepe.

31 Wylt thou hinder the sweete influen∣ces of the seuen starres? or loose the bandes of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Artu∣rus with his sonnes?

33 Knowest thou the course of heauen, that thou mayest set vp (o) 1.2710 the ordi∣naunce thereof vpon the earth?

34 Moreouer, canst thou lift vp thy voyce to the cloudes, that they may powre downe a great rayne vpon thee?

35 Canst thou send the lightninges also, that they may go their way, and be obe∣dient vnto thee, saying, Lo here are we?

36 Who hath put wysdome in the reynes? or who hath geuen the heart vnder∣standing?

37 Who numbreth the cloudes in wys∣dome? who stilleth the vehement “ 1.2711 wa∣ters of the heauen?

38 (p) 1.2712To cause the earth to grow into hard∣nesse, & the clots to clots to cleaue fast together?

39 (q) 1.2713Wylt thou hunt the pray for the lion? or fill the appetite of the lions whelpes,

40 When they couche in their places, and tarie in the couert to lye in wayte?

41 Who prouideth meate for the rauen, when his young ones crye vnto God, and flee about for lacke of meate?

Page [unnumbered]

The .x 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

1 The bountie and prouidence of God. which extendeth euen to beastes, geueth man full occacion to put his confidence in God.

1 KNowest thou the time whē the wylde goates bring foorth their young among the sto∣nye rockes? or a 1.2714 lay∣est thou wayte when the hindes vse to calue?

2 Canst thou number the monethes that they go with young? or knowest thou the time when they bring foorth?

3 They lye downe, they calue their young ones, and they are deliuered of their trauaile and paine:

4 Yet their young ones grow vp, and waxe fatte through good feeding with corne: They go foorth, and returne not againe vnto them.

5 Who letteth the wylde asse to go free? or who looseth the bondes of the wylde mule?

6 Euen I which haue geuen the wyl∣dernesse to be their house, and the (b) 1.2715 vntilled land to be their dwelling.

7 They c 1.2716force not for the multitude of people in the citie, neither regarde the crying of the driuer:

8 But seeke their pasture about the mountaines, and folowe the greene grasse.

9 Wyll the * 1.2717 vnicorne do thee seruice, or abide still by thy cribbe?

10 Canst thou binde the yoke about the vnicorne in the forowe, to make him plowe after thee in the valleyes?

11 Mayst thou trust him because he is strong, or commit thy labour vnto him?

12 Mayst thou beleue him that he wyll bring home thy * 1.2718 corne, or carry any thing vnto thy barne?

13 Gauest thou the faire winges vnto the pecockes, or winges and fethers vnto the Estriche?

14 For she leaueth her egges in the earth, and heateth them in the dust.

15 She remembreth not that they might be troden with feete, or broken with some wlde beaste.

16 So harde is she vnto her young ones as though they were not hers, and * 1.2719 la∣boureth in vaine without any feare.

17 And that because God hath * 1.2720 taken wysdome from her, & hath not geuen her vnderstanding.

18 When her time is that she fleeth vp on hie, she careth neither for the horse nor the ryder.

19 * 1.2721Hast thou geuē the horse his strength, or learned him to ney coragiously?

20 Canst thou make him afrayde as a grashopper? where as the stoute ney∣ing that he maketh is fearefull.

21 He breaketh the grounde with the hooffes of his feete, he reioyceth chere∣fully in his strength, and runneth to meete the harnest men.

22 He layeth aside all feare, his stomacke is not abated, neither starteth he backe for any sworde.

23 Though the quiuers rattle vpon him, though the speare and shielde glister:

24 Yet rusheth he in fiercely beating the grounde, he thinketh it not the noyse of the trumpettes:

25 But when the trumpettes make most noyse, he saith, * 1.2722 ushe, for he smelleth the battaile a farre of, the noyse of the cap¦taines and the shouting.

26 Commeth it through thy wysdome that the Goshauke slieth toward the (h) 1.2723 south?

27 Doth the Egle mount vp, and make his nest on hye at thy cōmaundement?

28 He abydeth in stony rockes, and dwel∣leth vpon the hye toppes of moūtaines:

29 From whence he seeketh his praye, and loketh farre about with his eyes.

30 His young ones also sucke vp blood: and where any dead body lyeth, there is he.

Page [unnumbered]

¶ The .xl. Chapter.

2 How weake mans power is, being compared to the workes of God. 10 whose power appeareth in the creation and gouerning of the great beastes.

1 MOreouer the Lorde spake vnto Iob, and saide:

2 Shall he whom the almightie wyl chasten, contend with him? Should not he which disputeth with God, geue him an aun∣swere?

3 Then Iob * 1.2724 aunswered the Lorde, saying:

4 Beholde, I am vyle, what shall I aunswere thee, [therefore] I wyll laye my hande vpon my mouth.

5 Once haue I spoken, but I wyll saye no more: yea twyse, but I wyl proceede no further.

6 Then aunswered the Lorde vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and saide:

7 Girde vp thy loynes now lyke a man: I wyll demaunde of thee, and make thou aunswere.

8 Wylt thou * 1.2725 disanul my iudgement? or wylt thou condempne me, that thou mayst be righteous?

9 Is thy * 1.2726 power then lyke the power of God? maketh thy voyce a sounde as his doth?

10 Decke thy selfe now with excellencie and maiestie, and araye thy selfe with (c) 1.2727beautie and glory:

11 Cast abrode the indignation of thy wrath, and beholde euery one that is proude, and abase him:

12 Loke on euery one that is arrogant, and bring him lowe, & destroy the wic∣ked in their place:

13 Hide them in the dust together, and co∣uer their faces in * 1.2728 secrete:

14 Then wyll I confesse vnto thee also, that (e) 1.2729 thyne owne right hande shall saue thee.

15 Beholde the beaste (f) 1.2730 Behemoth, whō I made with thee, which eateth haye as an ore:

16 Lo how his strength is in his loynes, and what power he hath in the nauil of his body.

17 When he wyll, he spreadeth out his tayle lyke a Cedar tree, all his sinowes are stiffe.

18 His bones are lyke pipes of brasse, yea his bones are lyke staues of iron.

19 He is the chiefe of the wayes of God, he that made him wyl make his sword to approche vnto him.

20 Surely the mountaines bring him foorth grasse, where all the beastes of the fielde take their pastime.

21 He resteth him in the shade, in the co∣uerte of the reede and fennes.

22 The trees couer him with their sha∣dowe, and the wyllowes of the brooke compasse him about.

23 Beholde, he drinketh vp whole ry∣uers and feareth not, he thinketh that he can drawe vp Iordane into his mouth.

24 He taketh it with his eyes, and yet the hunter putteth (g) 1.2731 a bridle into his nose.

25 Canst thou drawe out (h) 1.2732 Leuiathan with an hooke, or binde his tongue with a corde?

26 Canst thou put a hooke in the nose of him, or bore his iawe through with a naule?“ 1.2733

27 Wyl he make many faire wordes with thee [thinkest thou] or flatter thee?

28 Wyll he make a couenaunt with thee? or wilt thou take him for a seruaunt for euer?

29 Wylt thou take thy pastime with him as with a birde, wilt thou binde him for thy maydens?

30 That thy companions may make a refection of him: or shall he be parted a∣mong the marchauntes?(i) 1.2734

31 Canst thou fil the basket with his skin? or the fishe panier with his head?

32 Laye thyne hande vpon him, remem∣ber the battaile, and do no more so.

33 Beholde his hope is in vaine: for shall not one perishe euen at the sight of him?

Page clxxxv

¶ The .xli. Chapter.

1 By the greatnesse of this monster Leuiathan, God sheweth his greatnes and his power, which nothing can resist.

1 NO * 1.2735 man is fo fierce that dare stirre him vp: Who is able to stande before me?

2 Or who hath geuen me any thyng afore∣hande, that I may re∣warde him againe? All thinges vnder heauen are myne.

3 I wyll not keepe secrete his great strength, his power, nor his comely pro∣portion.

4 Who can discouer the face of his gar∣ment? or who shall come to him with a double brydle?

5 Who (b) 1.2736 shall open the doores of his face? for he hath horrible teeth round a∣bout.

6 His scales are as it were strong shieldes, so fastened together as if they were sealed:

7 One is so ioyned to another, that no ayre can come in:

8 Yea, one hangeth so vpon another, & sticketh so together, that they can not be sundred.

9 His (c) 1.2737 neesinges make a glistering like fyre, and his eyes lyke the * 1.2738 morning shine.

10 Out of his mouth go torches, and sparkes of fire leape out.

11 And out of his nostrels there goeth a smoke, lyke as out of an hotte seething pot, or caldron.

12 His breath maketh the coles burne, and the flambe goeth out of his mouth.

13 In his (d) 1.2739 necke ther remaineth strength, and nothing is to labourous for him.

14 The members of his body are ioyned [so strait one to another,] and cleaue so fast together, that he cannot be moued.

15 His (e) 1.2740 heart is as hard as a stone, and as fast as “ 1.2741 the stythie that the smyth smiteth vpon.

16 When he goeth the mightie are afraide, and feare troubleth them.

17 If any man drawe out a sword at him, it shall not hurt him: there may neither speare, iaueling, nor brestplate abide him.

18 He setteth asmuch by iron as by a strawe, and asmuch by brasse as by a rotten sticke.

19 He starteth not away from him that bendeth the bowe: & as for sling stones he careth asmuch for stouble as for thē.

20 He counteth the dartes no better then a strawe, he laugheth him to scorne that shaketh the speare.

21 (f) 1.2742Sharpe stones are vnder him lyke potsheardes, and he lyeth vpon sharpe thinges as vpon the soft myre.

22 He maketh the (g) 1.2743 deepe to boyle lyke a pot, and stirreth the sea together lyke an oyntment.

23 He maketh the (h) 1.2744path to be seene after him, and he maketh the deepe to seeme all hoarie.

24 Vpon earth there is no power lyke vnto his: for he is so made that he fea∣reth not.

25 He beholdeth all the hye thinges, (i) 1.2745he is a king ouer all the children of pride.

❧ The .xlij. Chapter.

6 The repentaunce of Iob. 9 He prayeth for his friendes, 12 and his goodes are restored double vnto him.

1 THen Iob aun∣swered the Lord, and saide:

2 I * 1.2746 know that thou hast power ouer all thinges, and that there is no thought hid vnto thee.

3 For who can keepe his owne counsaile so secrete but it shalbe knowen? There∣fore haue I spoken that I vnderstoode not, euen the thinges that are to won∣derfull for me, and passe myne vnder∣standing.

4 O (b) 1.2747 hearken thou vnto me also, and let me speake: aunswere vnto the thing that I wyll aske thee.

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5 I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare, but nowe myne eye c 1.2748 seeth thee.

6 Wherefore I geue myne owne selfe the blame, and take d 1.2749 repentaunce in the dust and asshes.

7 Now when the Lorde had spoken these wordes vnto Iob, it came to passe that the Lorde saide to Eliphas the Themanite: I (e) 1.2750 am displeased with thee, and thy two friendes: for ye haue not spoken of me the thyng that is right, lyke as my (f) 1.2751 seruaunt Iob hath done.

8 Therefore take you now seuen oxen, and seuen rammes, and go (g) 1.2752 to my ser∣uaunt Iob, and offer vp for your selues a burnt offring, and my seruaunt Iob shall pray for you: him wyll I accept, and not deale with you after your foo∣lishnesse, in that ye haue not spoken of me the thing which is right, lyke as my seruaunt Iob hath done.

9 So Eliphas the Themanite, and Bil∣dad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naa∣mathite, went and did according as the Lorde commaunded them: the Lorde also accepted “ 1.2753 the person of Iob,

10 And the Lorde (h) 1.2754 tourned the capti∣uitie of Iob when he prayed for his friendes: Yea the Lorde gaue Iob twyse as much as he had afore.

11 And then came there vnto him * 1.2755 all his brethren, all his sisters, and all they that had ben of his acquaintaunce k 1.2756 a∣fore, and did eate bread with him in his house, and had compassion on him, and comforted him ouer all trouble that the Lorde had brought vpon him: euery man also gaue him a certaine summe of money, and * 1.2757 a iewell of golde.

12 So the Lorde blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first: for he had fourteene thousand sheepe, sixe thou∣sand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses:

13 He had seuen sonnes also, and three daughters.

14 The first daughter called he (l) 1.2758 Iemi∣ma, the second * 1.2759 Kezia, and the third (n) 1.2760Kerenhapuch.

15 In al the land were no women found so faire as the daughters of Iob: and their father gaue them inheritaunce a∣mong their brethren.

16 After this liued Iob an hundred and fourtie yeres: so that he sawe * 1.2761 his chil∣dren, and his childrens children into the fourth generation.

17 And so Iob dyed, being olde, and “ 1.2762 of a perfect age.

The ende of the booke of Iob.

A. P. C.

Notes

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