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Salomon thanne, the sone of Dauid, is coumfortid in his rewme, and the Lord was with hym, and magnyfiede hym in to an heeȝ. And Salomon comaundyde to al Yrael, to leders of thousandis, and maystirs of hundrethis, and to domysmen, and to the duykis of al Yrael, and to princis of meynes; and wente with al the multitude in to the heiȝt of Gabaon, where was the tabernacle of the pese couenaunt of the Lord, that Moyses, the seruaunt of God, made in wyldirnesse. Dauid forsothe hadde lad the arke of God fro Cariathiarym in to the place that he hadde made redi to it, and wher he hadde piȝt to it a tabernacle, that is, in Jerusalem. Also a brasen auter, the whiche Beseleel, the sone of Vri, sone of Ur, hadde forgid, there was beforn the tabernacle of the Lord; the whiche and Salomon souȝt and al the chirche. And Salomon steiȝede up to the brasen auter, before the tabernacle of the pese couenaunt of the Lord, and offride in it a thousand hoostis. Lo! forsothe in that nyȝt God apeerid to hym, seyinge, Ask that thou wylt, that I ȝeue to thee. And Salomon seide to God, Thou didist with Dauith, my fadir, grete mercy, and settist me kyng for hym. Nowe thanne, Lord God, thi word be fulfild, that thou bihiȝtist to Dauid, my fadir; thou forsothe hast made me kyng vpon thi grete puple, the whiche is as vnnoumbreable as the poudre of the erth. Ȝeue to me wysdam and vndirstondynge, that I go in and go out beforn thi puple; who forsothe may this thi puple, that is so greet, worthily deemyn? God forsothe seide to Salomon, For this more pleside to thin herte, and askidist not rychesses, and substaunce, and glorie, ne the lijues of hem that hatiden thee, ne many days of lijf; but forsothe thou askidist wisdam and kunnynge, that thou myȝtist deme puple, vpon the whiche I haue sett thee kyng, wisdom and kunnynge ben ȝeuen to thee; ritchesses forsothe, and substaunces, and glorie I schal ȝeuen to thee, so that no man in kyngis, ne before thee ne aftir thee, were lijc thee. Than Salomon came fro the heiȝt of Gabaon in to Jerusalem, beforn the tabernacle of the pese couenaunt, and regned vpon Yrael. And he gadirde to hym charis and hors men, and ther ben maad to hym a thousand and foure hundrith chaaris, and twelue thousand of horse men; and he maad hem to ben in the citees of plowes of foure hors, and with the kyng in Jerusalem. And the kyng ȝaue in to Jerusalem syluer and gold as stonys, and cedres as long mulberies, that growen in wijld feeldis in myche multitude. Forsothe ther weren brouȝt to hym hors fro Egipt, and fro Ohoa, of the marchaundis of the kyng, that wenten and boȝten bi prijs, a plowȝ of hors for sixe hundrith platis of syluer, and an hors for an hundrith and fyfty. Lijc maner of alle the rewmes of Cetheys, and of the kyngis of Cirie, the bying was solemply don.
Forsothe Salomon demed to bilden up an hous to the name of the Lord, and a paleys to hym silf. And he noumbrede seuenty thousand of men berynge in schulderis, and eiȝti thousand that schulden hewen stones in hillis; and the prouostes of hem thre thousand and sixe hundrith. Also he sente to Yram, kyng of Tiry, seyinge, As thou hast don with my fadir Dauid, and hast sente to hym cedre trees, that he bilde to hym an hous, in the whiche and he dwellide; so do with me, that I bilde an hous to the name of the Lord my God, and that I sacre it, to brennen encense beforn hym, and to swote thingis to ben out smokid, and to the euermore propocicioun of looues, and to the brent sacrifices erly and at euen, also to the sabotis, and to the newe mones, and solempnytes of the Lord oure God in to euermore, that ben comaundid to Yrael. The hous forsothe, that I coueite to bilden up, is greet; forsothe the Lord oure God is grete vpon alle goddis. Who than schal mowen ben myȝty, that he bilde up to hym an worthi hous? Ȝif forsothe heuen and heuens of heuens mown not taken hym, how myche am I, that I may to hym bilden up an hous, bot to thes thingis al oonly, that encense be brent beforn hym? Sende thann to me an tauȝt man, that kann wirchen in gold, and siluer, brasse, and yren, purpur, cocco, and iacynte; and that kanne grauen in craft of grauyng with these craftise men, the whiche I haue with me in Jewrie and Jerusalem, the whiche Dauid, my fadir, made redy before. Bot and cedre trees senden to me, and tyne trees, and pyne trees of Lyban; I knowe forsothe, that thi seruauntis kunnen hewen trees of the wode; and my seruauntis schuln ben with thi seruauntis, that ther ben made redy to me many trees; the hous forsothe that I coueite to bilden up is ful myche grete, and ful glorious. Forthermore to werk men, that ben to hewen trees, to thi seruauntis, I schal ȝeuen in to metis choris of whete twenty thousand, and choris of barly as fele, and of oyle twenty thousand mesures, as of twelue galouns. Forsothe Iram, kyng of Tyry, seide bi the lettres that he sente to Salomon, For the Lord hath louede his puple, therfore thee he maad regnen vpon it. And he addid, seyinge, Blessid the Lord God of Yrael, that made heuen and erth, that ȝaue to kyng Dauid a wijs sone, and tauȝt, and witty, and sleeȝ, that he bilde up an hous to the Lord, and a paleis to hym silf. Therfore I haue sente to thee a sleeiȝ man and most kunnyng, Yram, my fadir, sone of a womman of the lynage of Dan, whos fadir was Tyrus; the whiche kouthe wirchen in gold, and in siluer, brasse, and yren, and marbil, and trees, in purpur also, and iacynct, and bijse, and cocko; and that kanne grauen al grauynge, and fynde sleeȝly what euer thing is nedeful in werk with thi craftise men, and with the craftise men of my lord Dauid, thi fadir. Thanne the whete, and the barly, and the oyle, and the wijne, the whiche, my lord, thou hast behoten, sende to thi seruauntis. We forsothe hewen the trees from the wode, as fele as thou schalt han need; and we schulen applyen hem in names bi the se in to Joppe; thin forsothe schal ben to leeden hem ouer in to Jerusalem. Than Salomon noumbride alle the men comlyngis, that weren in the lond of Yrael, aftir the noumbrynge that Dauid, his fadir, noumbred; and ther ben founden an hundrith and fyfty thousand and thre thousand and sixe hundrith. And he maad of hem seuenty thousand, that schulde beren birthens with schuldirs, and eiȝty thousand, that stoonys in hillis schulden hewen; thre forsothe thousand and sex hundrith prouostis of the werkis of the puple.
And Salomon beganne to bilden up an hous of the Lord in Jerusalem, in the hill of Moria, the whiche was schewed to Dauid, his fader, in the place that Dauid hadde maad redy in the corne flor of Ornam Jebusei. He beganne forsothe to bilden up the secounde moneth, in the ferth ȝeer of his regne. And thes ben the foundementis, the whiche Salomon leide, that he bilde up the hous of God; of lengthe cubitis in the first mesure sexty, of brede cubitis twenty. The ȝate hous forsothe beforne the frount, the whiche was strauȝt out in to leyngthe aftir mesure of brede of the hous, of cubitis twenty, bot the heiȝte was of an hundrith and twenty cubitis; and he gildide it with in forth with most cleen gold. Also the more hous he couerede with firre tablis, and he fitchide platis of briȝt gold thoruȝ out; and he graued in it hondis, and as cheynes catchynge hem silf to gydre. And he couerde the pawment of the temple with most preciouse marble, in myche feyrnesse. Forsothe the gold was most fyne, of whos platis he couerde the hous, and his bemys, and postis, and wallis, and dores; and he graued cherubyn in the wallis. Also he maad an hous to the holies of halowes, in leyngthe aftir the brede of the hous, of cubitis twenty, and the breed lijc maner of cubitis twenty; and with golden platis couerde it, as with sixe hundrith talentis. Bot and golden naylis he maad, so that eche naylis peyseden fyfty ounces; also the soupynge place he couerde with gold. And he maad in the hous of holies of halowis two cherubyn in ymage werke, and couerde hem with gold. The weengis of cherubyn in twenty cubitis weren strauȝt out, so that oo wenge hadde cubitis fyue, and schulde touchen the wall of the hous; and the tother wenge hauynge fyue cubitis touche the wenge of the tother cherub. Lijc maner of the tother cherub the wenge hadde fyue cubitis, and touchid the wall, and his othere weeng of fyue cubitis touched the weeng of the tother cherub. Thanne the weengis of either cherub weren sprad and strauȝt out bi cubitis twenty; thei forsothe stoden riȝt up the feet, and the faces of hem weren turned to the vttirmore hous. And he maad a veyl of iacinct, and purpur, and cocko, and bijs; and thei weueden to it cherubyn. Before the ȝatis also of the temple two pylers, the whiche thritty and fyue cubitis hadden of heiȝt; forsothe the heuedis of hem of fyue cubitis. Also and as litil cheynes in Goddis answerynge place, and he putte hem vpon the heuedes of the pilers; also an hundrith powngarnettis, the whiche he putte among to the litil cheynes. And thilk pilers he putte in the vestiarye of the temple, oon fro the riȝt, an other fro the left; it that was fro the riȝt he clepide Jachym, and that to the lift he clepid Booz.
And he maad a brasen auter of twenty cubitis of lengthe, and of twenty cubitis of breed, and of tenn cubitis of heiȝte; also a ȝoten se of tenn cubitis fro brynke vnto brynk, round bi enuyroun; fyue cubitis he hadde of heiȝte; and a litil coord of thritty cubitis enuyrounde the compas of it. And licnesse of oxen was vndur it, and in the ten cubitis maner grauyngis with oute forth as with two vers wente aboute the brynke of the se; the oxen forsothe weren ȝoten. And that se was put upon the twelue oxen, of the whiche thre biheelden to the north, and other thre to the west, bot the thre other the south, and the thre that weren laft the este, hauynge the se put aboue; the hyndirmore forsothe of the oxen weren with in forth vndur the se. Bot the thicnesse of it hadde the mesure of a spanne, and the lippe of it was as the lippe of a chalice, or as of a lilie aȝein crokid, and it toke of mesure thre thousand potels. Also he maad tenn watir vessels, and he putte fyue fro the riȝt, and fyue fro the lift, that they schulden waschen in hem alle thingis that in brent sacrifices thei weren to offren; bot in the se the prestis weren waschen. Forsothe he maad tenn golden chaundelers aftir the fourme the whiche he hadde comaundide to be maad, and he put hem in the temple, fyue fro the riȝt and fyue fro the left; also and tenn boordes, and putte hem in the temple, fyue fro the riȝt and fyue fro the left; and golden violis an hundrith. And he made the porche of prestis, and a greet hous, and the dores in the hous, the whiche he couerde with brasse. But the se he putte in the riȝt sijde aȝeinus the este at the south. Also Yram made caudrowns, and fleschhokis, and violis, and he fulfilde al the werk of the kyng in the hous of God, that is, two pilers, and heued coueryngis, and heuedes, and as maner nettis, the whiche the heuedis schulden coueryn vpon the heued coueryngis; also powngarnetis fourty, and two callis, so that two ordris of poungarnetis to alle the callis schulden ben ioyned, the whiche schulden coueren the heued coueryngis, and the heuedis of the pilers. Also feet he maad, and water vessels, the whiche he putte vpon the feet; oon se, and oxen twelue vndir the se, and cawdrouns, and fleschhookis, and viols. Yram, his fadir, made alle the vesselis to Salomon, in the hous of the Lord, of most clene brasse. In the regioun of Jordan the kyng ȝeetide hem, in the cley lond bitween Socoth and Saradatha. Forsothe ther was a multitude of vessels vnnoumbreable, so that the weiȝte of brasse was vnknowen. And Salomon maad alle the vessels of the hous of God, the golden auter, and boordis, and vpon hem the looues of proposicioun; and candilstikis with their lanternes, that thei ȝeuen liȝt before Goddis answeryng place aftir the rijt, of most pure gold; and sum floures, and lanterns, and golden snytters; alle of most clene gold ben maad; also the maad encense vessels, and censeres, and violis, and morters, of most pure gold. And he graued the doris of the innermore temple, that is, in the hoolyes of halowes, and the doris of the temple without forth golden; and so is fulfild al the werk that Salomon made in the hous of the Lord.
Salomon thanne brouȝte in alle thingis, that Dauid, his fadir, hadde vowed; syluer, and gold, and al the vessels, he putte in the tresores of the hous of the Lord. After the whiche thingis he gadride the more thoruȝ birthe of Irael, and al the princis of lynagis, and the heuedis of meynes, of the sonys of Yrael, in to Jerusalem, that thei bryngin the ark of the pese couenaunt of the Lord fro the cyte of Dauid, that is Syon. And so camen to the kyng alle the men of Yrael, in the solempne day of the seuenth moneth. And whanne weren commen alle of the elder of Yrael, the Leuytes beren the arke, and brouȝten it in, and al the aray of the tabernacle. Bot the vessels of the seyntuarye, that weren in the tabernacle, the prestis beeren with the Leuytis. Kyng Salomon forsothe, and al the companye of Irael, and alle that weren gadered beforn the arke, offreden wethers and oxen with oute eny noumbre; so myche forsothe was the multitude of slayn offryngus. And the prestis brouȝten in the arke of the pese couenaunt of the Lord in to his place, that is, to Goddis answerynge place of the temple, in to the holies of halowes, vndre the weengis of cherubyn; so that cherubyn spreden out their weengis vpon the place, in the whiche the ark was sett, and that arke thei schulden coueren with their beryng staues. Of the berynge staues forsothe, with the whiche the ark was born, for a litil wiȝt lengere thei weren, the heuedis weren opene beforn Goddis answerynge place; ȝif forsothe eny a litil wiȝt were with out forth, hem he myȝte not seen. And so the arke was there vnto the present day; and noon other thing was in the ark, bot the two tablis that Moyses hadde putte in Oreb, whanne he ȝaue the lawe to the sonis of Yrael goyng out fro Egipt. Forsothe the prestis goon out fro the seyntuarye, alle forsothe prestis, that there myȝt ben founden, ben halowed, ne ȝit in that tyme the whijlis, and the order of seruyses betwene hem seluen was deuydid; bothe Leuytis and syngers, that is, and that vndur Asaph weren, and that vndur Eman, and that vndir Idythum, sonis and bretheren of hem, clothed with surples, in cymbalis and sawtres and harpis sungyn, stondynge at the eest coost of the auter, and with hem prestis an hundrith and twenty, syngynge with trumpis. Thanne alle to gyder, in trumpis, and voice, and cymbalis, and orgnys, and of dyuerse kynde of musikis, sownynge to gydre, and the voice berynge vp an heeiȝ, afer the sown was hard, so that whanne the Lord thei hadden begunnen to preysen, and seyn, Knowlecheth to the Lord, for he is good, for in to the world the mercy of hym; the hous of God was fulfillid with a clowde, and the prestis myȝten not stonden and mynystren for the derknessis; forsothe the glorie of the Lord hadde fulfild the hous of God.
Thanne Salomon seith, The Lord behiȝte, that he schulde dwellen in the dirkenesse; I forsothe haue bilde up an hous to the name of hym, that he schulde dwellen there in to with oute eende. And the kyng turnede his face, and blesside to al the multitude of Israel; for why al the puple stood, inwardly takynge heede; and he seith, Blessed the Lord God of Yrael, for that he spake to Dauid, my fadir, in deede he hath fulfillide, seyinge, Fro the day that I ladde my puple fro the lond of Egipt, I chees not a cytee of alle the lynagis of Yrael, that there schulde be bilde up in it an hous to my name, ne eny othere man I chees, that he were duyke vpon my puple Yrael; bot I chees Jerusalem, that my name be in it, and I chees Dauid, that I ordeyn hym vpon my puple Yrael. And whanne it was of the wille of Dauid, my fadir, that he bilde an hous to the name of the Lord God of Yrael, the Lord seid to hym, For this was thi wille, that thou schuldist bylden an hous to my name, forsothe thou didyst wele, hauynge such a maner wille, bot thou schalt not bylden vp an hous to me; neuerthelater the sone, that gooth out of thi reynes, he schal bylden up an hous to my name. Thanne the Lord fulfillide his word, that he hadde spoken; and I roos for Dauid, my fadir, and sat vpon the trone of Ysrael, as the Lord spac, and bilde up an hous to the name of the Lord God of Yrael; and putte in it the arke, in the whiche is the couenaunt of the Lord, that he couenauntide with the sonis of Yrael. Thanne he stode before the auter of the Lord forn aȝeynst of al the multitude of Yrael, and strauȝt out his hondis. Forsothe Salomon hadde maad the brasyn stondynge, and hadde putte it in the mydil of the grete hous, hauynge fyue cubitis of lengthe, and fyue of brede, and thre cubitis of heiȝt, and he stode vpon it; and theraftir the knees bowed aȝeinus al the multitude of Yrael, and the hondis in to heuen rered, seith, Lord God of Yrael, ther is not lijc thee, God in heuen and in erth, the whiche kepist couenaunt and mercy with thi seruauntis, that goon before thee in al their herte; the whiche hast ȝeuen to Dauid thi seruaunt, my fadir, whateuer thingis thou haddist spoken to hym, and that with mouthe thou byheetist, in deed thou hast fulfylde, as and the present tyme preueth. Now thanne, Lord God of Yrael, fulfille to thi seruaunt my fadir Dauid, whateuer thingis thou hast spoken, seyinge, Ther schal not faylen of thee a man beforn me, that sytt vpon the trone of Yrael; so neuer the later ȝif thi sonis kepen my weies, and goon in my lawe, as and thou wentist before me. And nowe, Lord God of Yrael, be fastned thi word, that thou speke to thi seruaunt Dauid. Thanne whethir leeuable it be, that the Lord dwelle with men vpon erth? Ȝif heuen and heuens of heuens thee taken not, how myche more this hous, that I haue bylde? Bot to this oonly it is maad, that thou beholde the orisoun of thi seruaunt, and his bisechynge, Lord my God, and thou here the preyers, that thi seruaunt heldith out before thee; that thou opene thi eeȝen vpon this hows dais and nyȝtis, vpon the place in the whiche thou hast behoten, that thy name schulde be inwardly clepid, and thou schuldist heeren the orisoun, that thi seruaunt preieth in it. Heere thou the preyers of thi seruaunt, and of thi puple Yrael; who so euer preye in this place, here fro thi dwellynge place, that is fro heuens, and be thou maad plesed. Ȝif eny man synne in to his neiȝbour, and redi comme to sweren aȝeinus hym, and by curse bynde hym before the auter in this hous, thou schalt heeren fro heuen, and thou schalt do dome of thi seruauntis; so that thou ȝelde to the wickide his weie in to his owne heued, and venge the riȝtwijs, and ȝeldynge to hym aftir his riȝtwisnesse. Ȝif thi puple Yrael were ouercomen of enmyes, forsothe thei schul synnen to thee, and turned done penaunce, and besechen thi name, and preyen in this place, thou schalt heeren fro heuen, and haue thou mercy to the synne of thi puple Yrael, and brynge hem aȝein in to the lond, that thou ȝeue to hem, and to their fadirs. Ȝif, heuen closed, reyn flowe not for synne of thi puple, and thei preyen thee in this place, and knowlechen to thi name, and turned fro their synnes, whanne hem thou tormentist, here, Lord, fro heuen, and forȝeue the synnes to thi seruauntis, and to thi puple Yrael, and teche hem a good wei, by the whiche thei goon in, and ȝeue reyn to the erth, that thou hast ȝeuen to thi puple to weelden. Ȝif hunger were sprungyn in the lond, and pestilence, and rust, and weder rootynge tilth, and locust, and werm, and enmyes, the regyouns wasted, beseegen the ȝatis of the cytee, and alle veniaunce and infirmyte thrist doun; ȝif any of thi puple Irael preye, knowynge the veniaunce, and his infirmyte, stretche out his hondis in this hous, thou schalt heeren fro heuen, that is, fro thin heeȝ dwellynge place, and be thou plesed, and ȝeeld to eche man aftir his weies, the whiche thou hast knowen hym to han in his hert; thou forsothe aloone hast knowen the hertis of the sonis of men; that thei dreeden thee, and goon in thi weies alle days, the whiche thei lyuen vpon the face of the erth, that thou hast ȝeuen to oure fadirs. A straunger also that is not of thy puple Yrael, ȝif he come fro a ferre lond for thi grete name, and for thi strong hond, and for thi strauȝt out arme, and honour in this place, thou schalt heeren fro heuen, thi most fast place; and thou schalt don alle thingis, for the whiche that pilgryme inwardly clepith thee, that alle puplis of erth knowen thi name, and dreeden thee, as thi puple Yrael; and knowen thei, for thi name is inwardly clepide vpon this hous, that I haue bilde to thi name. Ȝif thi puple weren goon out to bataile aȝeinus ther aduersaries, by the weye in to the whiche thou sentist hem, thei schuln honouren thee aȝeinus the weye in the whiche is the cytee that thou hast chosen, and the hous that I haue bylde to thi name, that thou here fro heuen the preyers of hem and the besechynge, and thou do veniaunce. Ȝif forsothe thei synnen to thee, and forsothe ther is no man that synneth not, and thou were wroth to hem, and takist hem to the enmyes; and caytijf thei leeden hem in to a ferre lond, or certis that is niȝ; and turned in al their herte in the lond, to the whiche thei weren ladde caytijf, done penaunce, and preyen thee in the lond of their caytijfte, seyinge, We han synned, wickidly we han wrouȝt, vnriȝtwisely we han done; and weren torned to thee in al their herte, and in al their soule, in the lond of their caytyfte, to the whiche thei ben lad, thei schuln honouren thee aȝeinus the weie of their lond, that thou hast ȝeuen to their fadirs, and of the cytee that thou hast chosen, and of the hous that I haue bilde to thi name; that thou heere fro heuen, that is, fro thi fast dwellynge place, the preyers of hem, and do dome, and forȝyue to thi puple, thof synful; thou ert forsothe my God; I biseche, thin eeȝen ben opened, and thin eeris ben takynge heed to the orisoun that is don in this place. Nowe thanne, Lord God, arijs in to thi rest, thou and the ark of thi strength; thi prestis, Lord God, ben clothed helth, and thin halowes glaaden thei in goodes. Lord God, ne turne thou awey the face of thi crist; haue mynde of the mercyes of Dauid thi seruaunt.
And whanne Salomon hadde fulfilde heeldynge out preyers, fijr came doun fro heuen, and deuoured the brent sacrifices, and the slayn offrynges; and the mageste of the Lord fulfilde the hous. And the prestis myȝten not goon in to the temple of the Lord; forthi that the mageste of the Lord hadde fulfilde the temple of the Lord. Bot and alle the sonis of Ysrael sawen fijr goyng doun, and the glorie of the Lord vpon the hous, and fallynge doun bowed in to the erth vpon the pament paued with stoon, honourden, and preyseden the Lord, For he is good, for in to the world the mercy of hym. The kyng forsothe, and al the puple offreden slayn offryngis beforn the Lord. Kyng Salomon thanne slowȝ hoostis of oxen two and twenty thousand, of wethers an hundreth and twenty thousand; and the kyng bilde up the hous of God, and al the puple. The prestis forsothe stooden in their offices, and the Leuytes in orgnys of dytees of the Lord, the whiche kyng Dauid maad to preysen the Lord, For in to world the mercy of hym, syngynge the ympnes of Dauid bi their hondis; bot the prestis sungyn in trumpis beforne hem, and al the puple of Yrael stood. And Salomon halowed the myddil of the porche beforn the temple of the Lord; forsothe he hadde offrede there brent sacrifices, and talwes of peysible thingis, for the brasen auter that he hadde maad myȝte not susteynen the brent sacrifices, and sacrifices, and talwes of peysible thingus. Thanne Salamon made solempnyte in that tyme seuen days, and al Yrael with hym, a ful grete chirche, fro the entre of Emath vnto the streme of Egipt. And the eyȝthe day he maad a collect, for thi that he halowed the auter seuen dais, and hadde halowede the solempnyte seuen days. Thanne in the thre and twentithe day of the seuenth moneth he laft the puplis to their tabernaclis, ioyinge and gladynge vpon the good that God hadde don to Dauid, and to Salomon, and to his puple Israel. And Salomon ful eendid the hous of the Lord, and the hous of the kyng, and alle thingus that he hadde disposed in his hert, that he do in the hous of the Lord and in his owne hous; and he is maad welsum. Forsothe the Lord aperde to hym the nyȝt, and seith, I haue herde thi preier, and chosen this place to me in to an hous of sacrifice. Ȝif I schal closen heuen, and reyn flowe not, and schul senden, and comaunden to the locust, that he deuoure the lond, and schul sende pestilence in to my puple; forsothe my puple turned, vpon whom inwardly clepid is my name, me han preyed, and souȝt my face, and done penaunce fro their werst weyes, I schal heere fro heuen, and ben mercyable to the synnes of hem, and helyn their lond. Also myn eeȝen schul ben opened, and my eeris rerid up to the horisoun of hym, that in this place schal preie; forsothe I haue chosen, and halowed this place, that my name be there in to euermore, and my eeȝen and myn herte abiden stille there alle days. Thou also, ȝif thou go before me, as ȝeede Dauid thi fadir, and dost aftir alle thingus that I haue comaundide to thee, and my riȝtwisnesse and domes kepist, I schal areren the trone of thi rewme, as I behiȝte to Dauid thi fadir, seyinge, There schal not ben don awei fro thi lynage a man, that be prince in Ysrael. Ȝif forsothe ȝe weren turned aweiward, and forsaken myn riȝtwisnesses and myn hestis that I haue purposed to ȝou, and goynge awey ȝe seruen to alyen goddis, and honouren hem, I schal pullen ȝou vp fro my lond, that I haue ȝeuen to ȝou, and this hous that I haue bilde to my name I schal throwen awey fro my face, and taken it in to a parable, and in to exsaumple to alle puplis. And this hous schal ben in to a prouerbe to alle weye goeris; and thei schuln seyn, wondrynge, Why thus dide the Lord to this lond, and to this hous? And thei schuln answeryn, For thei forsoken the Lord God of their faders, the whiche lad hem out fro the lond of Egipt, and han taken alyen goddis, and honoureden hem, and heryeden; therfor camen vpon them alle thes euels.
Fulfild forsothe twenty ȝeer, aftir the whiche Salomon hadde bilde up the hous of the Lord, and his own hous, and the citees, the whiche Yram ȝaue to Salomon, he bylde up, and made the sonys of Yrael to dwellen there. Also he wente in to Emath Sobba, and weeldide it. And he bilde up Palmyram in desert, and othere citees most strengthid he bilde up in Emath. And he maad up the oouer Betheron and the nether Betheron, citees most strengthed, hauynge ȝatis and lockis and barres; Balaath also, and al the most fast cytees that weren of Salamon, and alle the cytees of plowes, and the cytees of horsmen; alle whateuer thingus he wolde, maad kyng Salamon, and disposede he bilde in Jerusalem, and in Lyban, and in alle the lond of his power. Al the puple that was laft of Etheis, and Amorreis, and Phereseis, and Eueis, and Jebuseis, that weren not of the stoc of Yrael, and of their sonis, and of ther after comers, the whiche the sonis of Yrael hadde not slayn, Salamon vndirȝokede into tributarijs vnto this day. Bot of the sonis of Yrael he vndirputte not, that thei schulden seruen to the werkis of the kyng; thei forsothe weren men fiȝters, and the first leders, and princis of plowes, and of the horse men of hym; alle forsothe princes of the hoost of kyng Salamon weren two hundrith and fyfty, that tauȝten the puple. The douȝter forsothe of Pharao he translatide fro the cite of Dauid in to the hous, that he hadde bilde to hyre; forsothe the kyng seide, My wijf schal not dwelle in the hous of Dauid, kyng of Yrael, forthi that it is halowed, for the ark of the Lord wente in to it. Than Salamon offride brent sacrifices to the Lord vpon the auter of the Lord, that he hadde maad up beforn the ȝate hous, that by eche days wer offrid in it, aftir the heest of Moises, in sabotis, and in kalendis, and in feste dais, thries bi the ȝer, that is, in the solempnyte of therfe looues, and in the solempnyte of wijkis, and in the solempnyte of tabernaclis. And he sette aftir the disposicioun of Dauid, his fadir, officis of prestis in their seruyses, and Leuytis in their ordre, that thei preisen and mynystren beforn the prestis aftir the rijt of eche day, and the porters in their dyuisiouns by ȝate and ȝate. Thus forsothe Dauid, the man of God, hadde comaundide; ne thei wenten beside fro the maundementis of the kyng, bothe prestis and Leuytis, of alle thingus that he hadde comaundide. And in the wardis of the tresoures alle the expensis maad redy hadde Salomon, fro that day that he foundide the hous of the Lord vnto that day that he perfourmede it. Thanne wente Salomon in to Asyongober, and in to Hailath, to the mouth of the rede se, that is in the lond of Edom. Thanne Yram sente to hym, by the hondis of his seruauntis, schippis, and wijs schipmen of the see, and thei wenten with the seruauntis of Salomon in to Oofer, and thei token thennis foure hundrithe and fyfty talentis of gold, and brouȝten to kyng Salamon.
And the quen of Saba, whanne sche hadde herde the loos of Salamon, sche cam, that sche tempte hym in dotous questiouns in Jerusalem, with grete rychessis, and camels that beren swote spices, and myche of gold, and precious gemmes. And whanne sche was commen to Salamon, sche spak to hym whateuer thingis weren in hyre herte. And Salamon expownede to hyre alle thingus that sche purposede, ne eny thing was, that cleer he maad not to hyre. The whiche aftir that sche sawȝ, the wisdam, that is, of Salamon, and the hous that he hadde made, also and the meetis of his boord, and the dwellyng place of his seruauntis, and the office of his mynystris, and the clothingis of hem, also the botelers, and their clothis, and the slayn sacrifices that he offride in the hous of the Lord, ther was no more in hyre spyrite for stoneynge. And sche seide to the kyng, Sothe is the sermoun, that I haue herde in my lond, of vertues and of thi wijsdam; and I trowed not to the tellers, to the tyme that I my silf were comen, and myn eeȝen hadden seen, and I hadde preued vnneth the half of thi wijsdam to han ben told to me; thou hast ouerpassed the los in thi vertues. Blessed thi men, and blessed thi seruauntis, and thei that stonden neeȝ beforn thee in al tyme, and heeren thi wisdam. The Lord thi God be blessid, the whiche wolde ordeynen thee vpon his trone kyng of the puple of the Lord thi God; forsothe for God loueth Yrael, and wille sauyn it in to with outen eend, therfor he putte thee kyng vpon it, that thou do domes and riȝtwisnesse. Forsothe sche ȝaue to the kyng an hundrith and twenty talentis of gold, and many swote spices ful myche, and most precyous gemmes; and ther weren not siche swote spices, as thes that qween Saba ȝaue to kyng Salamon. Bot and the seruauntis of Yram with the seruauntis of Salamon brouȝten gold fro Oofer, and tyne trees, and gemmes most precious; of the whiche the kyng made, that is, of tyne trees, grees in the hous of the Lord, and in the hous of the kyng, also harpis, and sawtrees to syngers; neuer ben seen in the lond of Juda siche trees. Kyng forsothe Salamon ȝaue to the qween of Saba alle thingus that sche wolde, and that sche asked, many mo than sche brouȝte to hym. The whiche turnede aȝein wente into hyre lond with hyre seruauntis. Forsothe the weiȝt of gold, that was offerd to Salamon by ech ȝeer, was sixe hundrith and sixe and sixty talentis of gold, outaken that soum that legatis of dyuerse gentylis, and merchauntis weren wont to bryngen to, and alle the kyngis of Arabie, and satrapis of londis, that brouȝten gold and syluer to Salamon. Thanne kyng Salamon maad two hundrith golden speris of the soum of sixe hundrith golde platis, the whiche in alle the speris weren spred abrod; also thre hundrith golden scheldis of thre hundrith gold platis, with the whiche alle the scheldis weren couerd; and the kyng putte hem in the armerie place, that was sett in the wode. Also kyng Salomon made a grete yuere sete, and clothed it with most clene gold; and sixe grees, in the whiche men steyȝede up to the sete, and a golden stole, and two lytyll armys, either aȝeinus other, and two lyouns stondynge besides the litil aarmes, bot and other twelue litil lyouns stondynge vpon the sixe grees on either party. There was not siche a kyngis see in alle rewmes. And alle the vessels of the kyngis feste weren golden, and the vessels of the hous of saltus Liban of most pure gold; syluer forsothe in tho days for nouȝt was countid. Forsothe and the schippis of the kyng wenten in Tharsis with the seruauntis of Yram oones in thre ȝeer, and thei brouȝten thennus gold, and syluer, and yuer, and apis, and poos. Thanne Salamon is magnified vpon alle the kyngis of erth for rychesse and glorie. And alle the kyngis of londis desireden to seen the face of Salamon, that thei heeren the wijsdam that God hadde ȝeuen in the herte of hym; and thei brouȝten to hym ȝiftes, sylueren vessels and golden, clothes and armes, and spices, hors and mulis, by alle ȝeeris. And Salamon hadde fourty thousand of hors in his stallis, and of charis and of horsmen twelue thousand; and he sette hem in the cytees of foure horsid carris, and where the kyng was in Jerusalem. Forsothe he enhauntide power vpon alle the kyngis, fro the flode of Eufrate vnto the lond of Philisteis, and vnto the termes of Egipt. And so myche plente of syluer he ȝaue in Jerusalem, as of stoones, and of cedres so myche multitude, as of wijlde mulberye trees that ben sprungyn in wijld feeldis. Forsothe ther weren brouȝt hors fro Egipt, and of alle regyouns. The remnaunt forsothe of the rather werkis of Salamon and of the last ben wrijten in the wordis of Nathan, the prophete, and in the wordis of Achie Sylonyte, and in the visioun of Addo, sear, aȝeins Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath. Salamon forsothe regnede in Jerusalem vpon al Yrael fourety ȝere, and he slepte with his fadirs; and thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauid, and Roboam, his sone, regned for hym.
Roboam forsothe wente in to Sychem; thidre forsothe al Yrael was comen to gydre that thei setten hym kyng. The whiche thing whan Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, that was in Egypt, hadde herd; forsothe he hadde flowen thidre beforn Salomon; anoon he is turned aȝeyn. And thei clepiden hym, and he came with al Ysrael, and thei speeken to Roboam, seiynge, Thi fadir with most harde ȝok oppressed us; thou comaunde liȝter than thi fadir, the whiche putte to us a grete seruage; and a litil wiȝt of the charge put off, that we seruen to thee. The whiche seith, Aftir thre days turneth aȝein to me. And whan the puple was gone aweie, he wente in counseil with the olde men, that stoden beforn his fadir Salamon, while ȝit he lyuede, seyinge, What ȝeue ȝe of counseil, that I answer to the puple? The whiche seyden to hym, Ȝif thou plese to this puple, and soften hem with mercyable wordis, thei schulen seruen to thee al tyme. And he laft the counceil of olde men, and with ȝonge men beganne to treeten, that with hym were nurischid, and weren in the felawschip of hym. And he seide to hem, What to ȝou semeth? or what schal I answeren to this puple, that seide to me, Heue of the ȝok, that thi fader putte vnto us? And thei answerden, as ȝonge men and nurschid with hym in delices, and seiden, Thus thou schalt answeren to the puple that seide to thee, Thi fadir aggregide oure ȝok, thou putte off; thus thou schalt answeren to hem, My lest fynger is gretter than the reynes of my fadir; my fadir putte to ȝou a grete ȝok, and I schal putten to a more weiȝte; my fader beet ȝou with scourgis, I forsothe schal beten ȝou with scorpiouns. Thanne Jeroboam came and al the puple the thidde day to Roboam, as he hadde comaundide to hem. And the kyng answerde hard thingus, the counseil laft of the eldre, spokyn aftir the will of ȝong men; My fadir putte an heuy ȝok to ȝou, and I schal maken heuyar; my fadir beet ȝou with scourgis, I forsothe schal beeten ȝou with scorpiouns. And he assentide not to the preyers of the puple; forsothe the wille of God was, that his word schuld ben fulfild, that he hadde spoken by the hond of Achie Sylonyte to Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath. Al the puple forsothe, the kyng seyinge harder thingus, thus spak to hym, There is not to us part in Dauid, ne heritage in the sone of Ysay; turne aȝein in to thi tabernaclis, Yrael, thou forsothe feed thin hous, Dauith. And Yrael wente in to their tabernaclis. Vpon forsothe the sonis of Yrael, that dwelleden in the cytees of Juda, regnede Roboam. And kyng Roboam sente Aduram, that stode vpon the tributis; and the sones of Yrael stooneden hym, and he is deed. Bot kyng Roboam heeȝede to steyȝen up the chaar, and fleiȝ in to Jerusalem. And Yrael wente awey fro the hous of Dauid vnto this day. It is done forsothe, whanne al Yrael hadde herd, that Jeroboam was turned aȝein, thei senten, and clepeden hym, the companye gederd, and setten kyng vpon al Yrael; ne any man folowed the hous of Dauid, saue the lynage of Juda and Beniamyn allon.
Roboam forsothe came into Jerusalem, and clepide al the hous of Juda and of Beniamyn, vnto an hundrith and eiȝty thousand of chosen fiȝtynge men, that he fiȝte aȝeynus Ysrael, and turne to hym his rewme. And the word of the Lord is maad to Semyam, the man of God, seyinge, Speke to Roboam, the sone of Salamon, kyng of Juda, and to al Yrael, that is in Juda and Beniamyn; Thes thingis seith the Lord, Ȝe schul not steyȝen up, ne fiȝten aȝeyn ȝoure bretheren; turne aȝein ech oon in to his hous, for this is doon by my wille. The whiche whan hadden herd the word of the Lord, ben torned aȝein, ne thei wenten aȝeinus kyng Jeroboam. Roboam forsothe dwellide in Jerusalem, and he bilde up wallid cytees in Juda; and he maad out Bethleem, and Ethan, and Thecue, and Bethsur; also and Sochot, and Odollam; also and Jeth, and Mareza, and Ciph; but and Huram, and Lachis, and Arecha; Saraa also, and Haylon, and Ebron, that weren in Juda and Beniamyn, cytees most strengthed. And whanne he hadde closed hem with wallis, he putte in hem princes of metis, and bernes, that is, of oyle and of wijne. Bot and to alle the cytees he maad armour places of scheeldis, and of speris, and he fastnede hem with most diligence, and comaundide vpon Judam, and vpon Benjamin. The prestis forsothe and Leuytis, that weren in al Ysrael, camen to hym fro al their seetis, forsakyng suburbis and their possessiouns, and goynge ouer to Juda and to Jerusalem; forthi that Jeroboam hadde cast hem awey, and his aftir comers, that thei vsen not the presthood of the Lord; the whiche ordeynede to hym silf prestis of heeȝe thingis, and of deuyls, and of calues, the whiche he hadde made. Bot and of al the lynagis of Yrael, whiche euer hadde ȝeuen their herte that thei sechen the Lord God of Yrael, came to Jerusalem to offryn their slayn sacrificis before the Lord God of their faders. And thei strengtheden the kyngdam of Juda, and to gither strengtheden Roboam, the sone of Salamon bi thre ȝeer; forsothe thei wenten in the weies of Dauid, and of Salomon, al oonly thre ȝeer. Forsothe Roboam weddide a wijf Malaoth, the douȝter of Jerymuth, sone of Dauid, and Abiail, the douȝter of Heliab, sone of Ysaye; the whiche bare to hym sonis, Jeus, and Somoriam, and Jereum. And aftir this he toke Maacham, the douȝtir of Absalon, that bare to hym Abia, and Thai, and Sisa, and Salomyth. Forsothe Roboam louede Maacham, the douȝter of Absalon, ouer alle his wijues and secundaries. Forsothe eiȝtene wijues he weddide, secundarie wijues forsothe sixty; and he gate eiȝte and twenty sonis, and sixty douȝters. Forsothe he sette in the heued Abiam, the sone of Maacha, duke ouer alle his bretheren; he thouȝte forsothe to makyn hym kyng, for wijser and myȝtyer ouer alle his sonis, and in alle the coostis of Juda and of Beniamyn, and in alle the walled cytees; and he ȝaue to hem many metis, and he hadde many wijues.
And whanne the rewme of Roboam was strengthed and confermed, he forsoke the lawe of the Lord, and al Yrael with hym. The fyfthe ȝeer forsothe of the regne of Roboam steyȝede up Sesach, the kyng of Egypt, in to Jerusalem, for thei hadden synned to the Lord; with a thousand and two hundrith chaaris, and sixty thousand horsmen, and ther was no noumbre of the comoun, that came with hym fro Egipt, Libies, that is, and Erogodite, and Ethiopes. And he tok the most strengthed cytees in Juda, and came vnto Jerusalem. Semeias forsothe, the prophete, wente in to Roboam, and the princes of Juda, that weren gadered in to Jerusalem, fleeȝyng Sesach. And he seide to hem, Thes thinges seith the Lord, Ȝe han forsaken me, and I haue forsaken ȝou in the hond of Sesach. And the princis of Yrael and the kyng aferd seyden, Riȝtwijs is the Lord. And whanne the Lord hadde seen that thei weren meked, the word of the Lord is doon to Semeiam, seyinge, For thei ben meekid, I schal not leesen hem, and I schal ȝeuen to hem a lytyll of help, and my woodnesse schal not droppen upon Jerusalem by the hond of Sesach. Neuer the later thei schul serue to hym, that thei knowen the distaunce of my seruyce and of the seruyse of the rewme of londis. And so Sesach, kyng of Egipt, wente awei fro Jerusalem, the tresoures taken awei of the hous of the Lord, and of the hous of the kyng; and alle thingis he toke with hym, and the golden tergetis the whiche Salamon hadde maad, for the whiche the kyng made brasen, and toke hem to the princis of the tergeteris, the whiche kepten the vestiarie of the paleis. And whanne the kyng schulde goone in to the house of the Lord, the tergeters camen, and token hem, and eft beeren hem aȝein to his armorie place. Neuer the later for thei ben meekid, the wrath of the Lord is torned awey fro hem, and thei ben not don awei al oute; forsothe and in Juda ben founden good werkis. Thanne Roboam is coumfortid in Jerusalem, and regnede. Forsothe of oon and fourty ȝeer he was, whanne he beganne to regnen, and eiȝtene ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem, the citee that the Lord chees that he conferme his name there, of alle the lynagis of Yrael. The name forsothe of his moder Naama Amanyte. And he dide euyl, and he greithede not his herte for to sechen God. The werkis forsothe of Roboam, the first and the last, ben writen in the bokis of Semei the prophete, and of Abdo sear, and besily expownede. And Roboam and Jeroboam fouȝten aȝeinus hem seluen alle days. And Roboam slepte with his fadirs, and is biried in the cyte of Dauid; and Abia, his sone, regnede for hym.
The eiȝtene ȝeer of kyng Jeroboam regnede Abia vpon Judam; thre ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; and name of his modir Machaia, the douȝter of Vriel of Gabaa. And ther was bataile betwene Abiam and Jeroboam. And whanne Abia hadde gon in strijf, and hadde most best fiȝtynge men, and of chosen foure hundrith thousand, Jeroboam ordeynde aȝeinward scheltrun of eiȝt hundrith thousand of men, the whiche and thei weren chosen and to batails most stronge. Thann Abia stood vpon the hil of Semeron, that was in Effram, and seith, Heere, Jeroboam and al Yrael; whether ȝe knowe not, that the Lord God of Yrael ȝaue the rewme to Dauid vpon Yrael in to euermore, to hym and to his sonis into couenaunt of salte? And Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, the seruaunt of Salamon, sone of Dauith, ros, and rebellide aȝeinus his lord. And ther ben gaderd to hym most vein men and the sonis of Belial, and thei hadden the ouer hond aȝeinus Roboam, the sone of Salamon. Bot Roboam was rude, and with ferde herte, and myȝt not aȝeinstonden to hem. Now thann ȝe sayn, that ȝe schul mown withstonde to the rewme of the Lord, that he weldith by the sonis of Dauid; and ȝe han a gret multitude of puple, and golden calues, the whiche Jeroboam hath made to ȝou in to goddis. And ȝe han throwen awei the prestis of the Lord, the sonys of Aaron, and Leuytis, and han maad to ȝou prestes, as alle the puplis of londis; whosoeuer commith and sacrith his hond in bool, in oxen and in seuen wethers, anoon he is maad the preste of hem that ben not goddis. Our forsothe Lord is God, whom we han not forsaken; and the prestis mynistriden to the Lord of the sonis of Aaron, and Leuytis ben in their ordre; also brent sacrifices thei offren to the Lord by ech days, erly and at euen, and the encense maad aftir the hestis of the lawe; and there ben leid forth looues in the most clene borde; and there is anentis us a golden chaundeler, and the lantern of it, that it be tend euermore at euen; we forsothe kepen the hestis of oure God, whom ȝe han forsaken. Thanne duke in oure hoost is God, and the prestis of hym, that crien in trumpis and sownen aȝeins ȝou; ȝe sonis of Yrael, willith not fiȝten aȝeinus the Lord God of oure fadirs, for it spedith not to ȝou. Thes thingis hym spekyng, Jeroboam bihynde kaste buschementis; and whanne he schulde stonden forn aȝeinus of the hoostis, he enuyrounde with his hoost Judam vnknowynge. And Juda biholdynge sawȝ to stonden in bataile forn aȝeinst, and bihynde the bac; and he criede to the Lord, and the prestis with trumpis begunnen to syngen. And alle the men of Juda crieden out, and loo! hem criynge out, God ferid Jeroboam and al Ysrael, that stood forn aȝeynst Juda and Abia. And the men of Yrael flowen Judam, and the Lord tok hem in to the hondis of hem. Than smote hem Abia and his puple in a grete veniaunce, and ther fellen of hem woundid fyue hundrith thousand of stronge men. And the sonis of Yrael ben mekid in that tyme, and the sonis of Juda most hugely coumfortid, forthi that thei hadden hopide in the Lord God of their fadirs. Forsothe Abia pursued Jeroboam fleeȝinge, and toke citees of him, Bethel and the douȝtirs of it, and Jesana with his douȝtirs, Efron also and the douȝtirs of it; and miȝt no more withstonde Jeroboam in the days of Abia, whome the Lord smote, and is deed. Than Abia, comfortid his empyre, toke fouretene wijues and gat two and twenty sonis, and sixtene douȝters. And the remnaunt of the wordis of Abia and of the weies and of his werkis, ben writen most bisily in the boke of Abdo, prophete.
Forsothe Abia slepte with his fadirs, and thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauith; and Aza, his sone, regnede for hym. In whos days restide the londe tenn ȝeer. And Aza dide that good and plesaunt was in the siȝte of his God, and he turned vpsadoun the auters of straunge heryinge, and the heeȝ thingis, and tobrac the ymagis, and the mawmet woodis hewȝ doun; and he comaundide to Jude, that he schulde sechen the Lord God of their fadirs, and done the lawe, and alle the maundementis. And he toke awei fro alle the cytees of Juda auters and mawmet templis, and regned in pese. Also he bylde up strengthed cytees in Juda; for quyete he was, and noon in his tyme batails risen, the Lord grauntynge pese. Forsothe he seide to Jude, Bilde we up thes cytees, and enuyrown we with wallis, and strengthe we with touris and ȝatis and lockis, the whilis fro batails alle thingis ben quyete; forthi that we han souȝt the Lord God of oure fadirs, and he hath ȝeuen to us pese by enuyrown. Thanne thei beelden up, and no lettynge was in the out makynge. Aza forsothe hadde in his enuyrown of bereris scheeldis and speris of Juda thre hundrith thousand, of Beniamyn forsothe of scheld berers and archers two hundrith and seuenty thousand; alle thes most stronge men. Forsothe aȝeinus hem went out Zara Ethiope with his hoost tenn hundrith thousand, and with chaaris thre hundrith, and he came vnto Mazara. Forsothe Aza wente to mete with hym, and maad a scheltrun to bataile in the valei of Sophata, that is beside Mazera. And he inwardly clepide the Lord God, and seith, Lord, ther is not anentis thee eny distaunce, whether in fewe thou helpist, or in many; help us, Lord oure God, in thee forsothe and in thi name hauynge trust we ben comen aȝeinus this multitude; Lord, oure God thou ert, haue not the ouerhand aȝeins thee a man. And so the Lord fered Ethiopis beforn Asa and Juda, and Ethiopis flowen; and Asa pursued hem, and the peple that was with hym, vnto Jerare. And Ethiopis fellyn vnto deth, for the Lord smijtynge thei ben to-hewen, and with the hoost of hym fyȝtyng. Thanne thei token many spoylis, and smijten alle the cytees by enuyrown of Jerare; forsothe a grete fere assaylede alle. And thei to-brosten cytees, and beren aweie mych preye; bot and the foldis of scheep distruynge token of beestis a multitude withoute eende, and of camels, and ben torned aȝein in to Jerusalem.
Azarias forsothe, the sone of Obed, the spirite of God maad in hym, wente out in to aȝein comynge of Aza; and seide to hym, Heere ȝe me, Aza and al Juda and Beniamyn; the Lord with ȝou, for ȝe weren with hym; ȝif ȝe sechen hym, ȝe schul fynden; ȝif forsothe ȝe forsaken hym, he schal forsaken ȝou. Forsothe ther schul passen many days in Yrael with oute verre God, and with oute prest, and with out doctour, and with oute lawe. And whanne thei weren turned aȝein in their anguysch, and schul crien to the Lord God of Yrael, and sechen hym, thei schul fynden hym. In that tyme ther schal not ben pese of goyng out and commynge in, bot feris on al sijde in alle dwellers of londis. Forsothe folc schal fiȝten aȝeinus folc, and cyte aȝeinus cytee, for the Lord schal distourblen hem in al anguysch; ȝe forsothe takith comfort, and ȝoure hondis ben not febled; forsothe meed schal ben to ȝoure werk. The whiche thing whann Aza hadde herd, that is, the wordis and the prophecie of Azarie, sone of Obed, prophete, is comfortid, and toke aweie alle the mawmetis of al the lond of Juda and of Beniamyn, and of the cytees that he hadd taken of the hill of Effraym. And he halowede an auter of the Lord, that was before the ȝate hous of the hous of the Lord. And he gadride al Juda and Beniamyn, and the comlyngis with hem of Effraym, and of Manasse, and of Symeon; forsothe many hadde flowen to hym of Ysrael, seeynge that the Lord God of hym was with hym. And whanne thei weren commen in to Jerusalem, the thrid moneth, the fiftenthe ȝeer of the regne of Aza, thei offreden to the Lord in that day, and of the hondis and pray, that thei hadden brouȝt, oxen seuen hundrith, and wethers seuen thousand. And he wente in of maner to strengthen the pese couenaunt, that thei schulden seche the Lord God of their fadirs in al herte, and in al their soule. Ȝif any forsothe sechith not, he seith, the Lord God of Yrael, be he deed, fro the leste vnto the most, fro man vnto womman. And thei sworen to the Lord with a grete voice, in ioye, and in crie of trumpe, and in sown of clariowns, alle that weren in Jewrye, with execracioun; in alle forsothe their herte thei sworen, and in alle wil thei souȝten hym, and founden; and the Lord ȝaue to hem reste by enuyroun. Bot and Maacha, the modir of kyng Aza, he put doun of hyre anguyschynge empyre, forthi that sche had maad a symulacre of a mans ȝeerde in the mawmet wode; the whiche al he distroyede, and in to gobetis munyschynge, he brent in to the streem of Cedron. Forsothe the heeȝe thingis ben laft stylle in Yrael; neuer the later the herte of Aza was perfijt alle the days of hym. Tho thingis that his fadir hadde avowed and he brouȝt in to the hous of the Lord, syluer and gold, and of vessels dyuerse purtenauncis; bataile forsothe was not vnto the thrittithe ȝeer of the regne of Aza.
The sixe and thrittithe ȝeer forsothe of his regne Baza, kyng of Yrael, steiȝide up in to Judam, and with a wal he enuyrounde Rama, that no man sikirly myȝte gon oute or comme in fro the rewme of Aza. Forsothe Aza brouȝt forth gold and syluer fro the tresories of the hous of the Lord, and fro the kyngis tresories; and sente to Benadab, kyng of Cyrie, that dwellid in Damasch, seyinge, Couenaunt of pese is betwene me and thee, forsothe my fadir and thi fader hadden acord; for what thing I haue sente to thee syluer and gold, that the pese couenaunt broken, that thou hast with Baza, kyng of Yrael, thou make hym gon awey fro me. The whiche thing founden, Benadab sente the princis of his hoostis to the cytees of Yrael, the whiche smyten Achyon, and Dan, and Abelmaym, and alle the walled cytees of Neptalym. The whiche thing whanne Baaza hadde herd, he cesede to bylden up Rama, and he laft of his werk. Bot kyng Aza toke al Judam, and thei token the stoones of Rama, and the trees, that Baaza had maad redy to bildyng; and he bilde up of hem Gaba, and Maspha. In that tyme came Ananye, the prophete, to Aza, kyng of Juda, and seide to hym, For thou haddist trust in the kyng of Cyrye, and not in the Lord thi God, therfore the hoost of the kyng of Cyrie is scapid fro thin hond. Whether Ethiopes and Libies weren not many mo with carris of foure hors, and the horsmen, and the ful grete multitude; the whiche whanne thou haddist trowed to the Lord, he toke in to thin hondis? The eeȝen forsothe of the Lord beholden al the erth, and ȝeuen strengthe to hem, that in perfijte herte bileeuen in to hym. Folily thanne thou didist, and for that also in the present tyme aȝeins thee batailes schul rijsen. And Aza is wroth aȝeinus the sear, and comaundide hym to be putt in the stockis. Forsothe myche vpon that was the Lord stered to indignacioun, and he slewȝ of the puple in that tyme manye. The werkis forsothe of Aza, the first and the last, ben writen in the boke of the kyngis of Juda and of Yrael. Forsothe Aza was seeke the nyne and thrittithe ȝeer of his regne, most hidously in sorowe of feet; and nether in the infirmyte he souȝte the Lord, bot more in the craft of lechis he trustide. And Aza slepte with his fadirs, and is deed the oon and fouretithe ȝeer of his regne. And thei birieden hym in his sepulcre, that he hadde maad to hym in the cytee of Dauith; and thei putten hym vpon his bed ful of swote spices and strumpetis oynementis, that weren maad by the craft of pyment makers, and thei brenden vpon hym in a ful myche mouynge to lust.
Josaphath forsothe, his sone, regnede for hym; and he wexe stronge aȝeinus Yrael. And he sette noumbris of knyȝtis in alle the cytees of Juda, that weren enuyrounde with wallis, and he disposede strengthes in the lond of Juda, and in the cytees of Effraym, that Aza, his fadir, hadde taken. And the Lord was with Josaphath, the whiche wente in the weies of Dauith, his fadir, in the first; he hoopide not in Baalym, bot in the Lord God of Dauid, his fadir, and he wente in the heestis of hym, and not aftir the synnes of Yrael. And the Lord confermede the rewme in his hond, and al Juda ȝaue ȝiftis to Josaphath, and with oute noumber rychessis ben maad to hym, and myche glorie. And whanne his herte hadde taken hardynesse for the weies of the Lord, also heeȝ thingis and mawmete wodus he toke awei fro Juda. The thrid forsothe ȝeer of his regne he sente of his princis Banayl, and Abdyam, and Zachyam, and Nathanael, and Mychiam, that thei schulden techen in the cytees of Juda; and with hem Leuytis, Semeyam, and Nathanyam, and Zabadyam, Azahil also, and Semyramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonyam, and Tobiam, and Abadonyam, Leuytis; and with hem Elizama and Joram, prestis; and they tauȝten the puple in Juda, hauynge the boke of the lawe of the Lord; and thei enuyrouneden alle the cytees of Juda, and tauȝten al the puple. And so the ferd of the Lord is maad vpon alle rewmes of londis, that weren by enuyroun of Juda; and thei weren not hardy to fiȝten aȝein Josaphath. Bot and the Philisteis brouȝten ȝiftis to Josaphath, and tribute of syluer; also Arabes brouȝten beestis, of wethers seuen thousand and seuen hundrith, and geet as feele. Than Josaphath wexe, and is magnyfied vnto in heiȝte, and bilde up in Juda houses at licnesse of touris, and strengthed cytees; and many werkis made redy in the cytees of Juda. And men fiȝters and strong weren in Jerusalem; of whome this is the noumbre, by houses and meynes of echone. In Juda prince of the hoost, duyk Eduas, and with hym most stronge men thre hundrith thousand. After this Johannan prynce, and with hym two hundrith and eiȝtye thousand. Aftir hym also Amazias, the sone of Zechri, sacrid to the Lord, and with hym two hundrith thousand of stronge men. This folowede a stronge man to batails, Eliada, and with hym of holdynge bowe and terget two hundrith thousand. Aftir hym also Josabath, and with hym an hundrith and eiȝtye thousand of al redy knyȝtis. Alle thes weren at the hond of the kyng, outake othere, the whiche he hadde sette forth in wallid citees and in al Juda.
Josaphath thanne was ryche and myche glorious, and in affynite ioyned is to Achab. And he wente doun aftir ȝeeris to hym in to Samarie; at whos commynge Achab slewȝ wethers and many oxen, and made to hym a feeste, and to the puple that was commen with hym; and he mouede to hym that he schulde steiȝe up in to Ramoth-galaad. And Achab, kyng of Yrael, seid to Josaphath, kyng of Juda, Comme with me in to Ramoth-galaad. To whome he answerde, As I, and thou; as thi puple, so and my puple; and with thee we schul ben in bataile. And Josaphath seide to the kyng of Yrael, Counseile, I beseche, now the word of the Lord. Than the kyng of Yrael gadrede of prophetis four hundrith men, and seide to hem, In Ramoth-galaad to fiȝten schul we gon, or cesen? And thei, Steiȝith up, thei seyn, and God schal take hem in the hond of the kyng. And Josaphath seide, Whether is ther not heere a prophete of the Lord, that of hym also we asken? And the kyng of Yrael seith to Josaphath, Ther is oon man, of the which we mown asken the wille of the Lord, bot and I hatide hym, for he prophecieth not to me good, bot euyl al tyme; he is forsothe Mychias, the sone of Jemla. And Josaphath seide to hym, Ne speke thou, kyng, this maner. Thanne the kyng of Yrael clepide oon of his geldyngis, and seide to hym, Clepe anoon Mychyam, the sone of Jemla. Bot the kyng of Yrael and Josaphath, kyng of Juda, either seeten in their see, clothed with kyngis honournyng; forsothe thei seeten in the corn flore bysidis the ȝate of Samarye; and alle the prophetis prophecieden beforn hem. Sedechias forsothe, the sone of Chanane, made to hym yren hornes, and seith, Thes thingus seith the Lord, With thes thou schalt wynewen Cyrie, to the tyme that thou to-trede it. And alle the prophetis prophecieden lijc maner, and seiden, Steiȝe up in to Ramoth-galaad, and thou schalt welsumly done; and the Lord schal take hem in to the hondis of the kyng. The messager forsothe, that wente to clepen Mychie, seith to hym, Lo! the wordis of alle the prophetis with oon mouthe good thingus tellen to the kyng; thanne, I beseche thee, that thi word fro hem dissente not, and speke thou welsum thingis. To whome answerd Mychias, The Lord liuith, for what euer thingis my Lord schal seyn, thes I schal speken. Thanne he came to the kyng. To whom the king seith, Mychie, schul we gon into Ramothgalaad to fiȝten, or resten? To whom he answerde, Steiȝith up, alle thingus forsothe welsum schul fallen, and the enmyes schul ben taken into ȝoure hondis. And the kyng seide, Eft and eft I adiure thee, that thou speke not to me bot that is sothe in the name of the Lord. And he seith, I sawe al Yrael scatered in hyllis, as scheep with oute schepherde. And the Lord seid, Thes han not lordis; be turned aȝein ech man in to his house in pees. The kyng of Yrael seith to Josaphath, Whether I seide not to thee, that this schulde not prophecien to me eny thing of good, bot tho thingis that ben euyl? And he therfore seith, Herith the word of the Lord. I sawȝ the Lord syttynge in his seete, and al the hoost of heuen stondynge neeȝ to hym fro the riȝt and fro the left. And the Lord seide, Who schal deceyuen Achab, kyng of Yrael, that he steiȝe up, and falle in Ramoth-galaad? And whanne oon seide in this maner, and another in another, a spirite went forth, and stood before the Lord, and seith, I schal deceyuen hym. To whome the Lord, In what thanne, he seith, thou schalt deceyuen? And he answerd, I schal goon out, and I schal ben a spirite lier in the mouth of alle the prophetis of hym. And the Lord seide, Thou schalt deceyuen, and han the oouer hond; go out, and do so. Nowe thanne, lo! the Lord ȝaue a spirite of lesynge in the mouthe of alle thi prophetis, and the Lord spac of thee euyl thingis. Forsothe Sedechias, the sone of Chanane, wente to, and smote the cheek boon of Mychie, and seith, Bi what weie passede ouer the Spirite of the Lord fro me, that he schulde speke to thee? And Mychias seide, Thou thi silf schal seen in that day, whanne thou schalt gon in the bed fro the bed, that thou be hid. Forsothe the kyng of Yrael comaundide, seyinge, Takith Myche, and ledith hym to Amon, the prince of the cyte, and to Joas, the sone of Amalech; and ȝe schul seyn, Thes thingis seith the kyng, Puttith this in to prisone, and ȝeuith to hym a litill of brede, and a lityll of water, to the tyme that I be turned aȝeyn in pese. And Mychias seide, Ȝif thou schal be torned aȝein in peese, the Lord hath not spoken in me. And he seith, Herith, alle puplis. Thanne steiȝeden up the kyng of Yrael, and Josaphath, kyng of Juda, in to Ramothgalaad. And the kyng of Yrael seide to Josaphath, I schal chaungen habite, and so I schal gone to fiȝten; thou forsothe be clothed with thi clothes. And, the habite chaungid, the kyng of Yrael came to bataile. The kyng forsothe of Cyrie hadde comaundid to the dukis of his chyualrye, seyinge, Fiȝtith not aȝeyn the lest, or aȝein the moste; bot aȝeins aloone the kyng of Yrael. And so whanne the princes of the chyualrye hadden seen Josaphath, thei seiden, Kyng of Yrael is this; and thei enuyrouneden hym, fiȝtynge. And he cried to the Lord; and he helpide to hym, and he torned hem awei fro hym. And whanne the duykis of the chyualrye hadden herd, that it was not the kyng of Yrael, thei laften hym. It felle forsothe, that oon of the puple in to vncerteyn kast an arowe, and smote the kyng of Yrael betwen the hatreel and the schulders. And he to his chariotere seith, Turne thin hond, and leede out me fro the scheltrun; for I am woundid. And the fiȝt is eendid in that day. Bot the kyng of Yrael stode in his chaar aȝeinus Cyries vnto euen, and is deed, the sone goynge doun.
Josaphath, the kyng of Juda, is turned aȝein pesibly in to his house in to Jerusalem. To whome Hieu, the sone of Ananye, sear, aȝein came, and seith to hym, To the vnpiteuous man thou ȝeuist helpe, and to hem that haten the Lord by frenschip thou ert ioyned; and therfore the wrath forsothe of the Lord thou haddist deserued; bot good werkis ben founden in thee, for thi that thou toke awey the mawmete wodis fro the lond of Juda, and haddist maad redy thin hert, that thou seche aȝein the Lord God of thi fadirs. Than Josaphath dwellide in Jerusalem; and eft he wente out to the puple fro Bersabee vnto the hill of Effraym, and he clepide hem aȝein to the Lord God of their fadirs. And he sette domesmen of the lond in alle the strengthed citees of Juda, by alle placis. And comaundyng to the iugis, Seeith, he seith, what ȝe done; forsothe ȝe enhaunten not dome of man, bot of the Lord; and what euer ȝe schul demyn, in to ȝou it schal redoundyn; be the drede of the Lord with ȝou, and with diligence alle thingus doith; forsothe ther is not anentis the Lord oure God wyckidnesse, ne acceptynge of persones, ne couetise of ȝiftis. And Josaphath in Jerusalem sette Leuytis, and prestis, and princes of the meynees of Yrael, that dome and the cause of the Lord thei schulden deemyn to the dwellers of it. And he comaundide to hem, seyinge, Thus ȝe schul doon in drede of the Lord, feithfully and in perfijte herte. Al cause that comith to ȝou of ȝoure bretheren, that dwellen in their cytees, bitwen kynrede and kynrede, wher euer questioun is of the lawe, of the maundement, of cerymonyes, of justyfyingis, scheweth to hem, that thei synnen not in to the Lord, and wrath come not vpon ȝou and on ȝoure faders. So thanne doynge ȝe schul not synnen. Amarias forsothe, preste and ȝoure bischop, in thes thingis that to God pertenen, schal sytten vpon. Bot Zabadias, the sone of Ysmael, the whiche is duyk in the hous of Juda, schal ben vpon tho werkis that pertenen to the office of the kyng; and ȝe han maistris and Leuytis before ȝou; takith coumfort, and doith diligently, and the Lord schal ben with ȝou in goodis.
Aftir these thinges ben gedered the sonis of Moab, and the sonis of Amon, and with hem of the Ydumes, to Josaphath, that thei fiȝten aȝeinus hym. And messagers camen, and scheweden to Josaphath, seying, Ther is comen aȝeins thee a grete multitude fro thes places that ben beȝonde the see, and of Cyrie; and, lo! thei ben in Azozonthamar, that is of Engaddi. Josaphath forsothe, for drede agast, al ȝaf hym self to preyen the Lord, and prechide fastyng to al Juda. And Juda is gadered to preye the Lord, bot and alle of their cytees camen to besechen hym. And whanne Josaphath hadde stonden in the mydil company of Jude and Jerusalem, in the hous of the Lord, before the newe porche, and seith, Lord God of oure fadirs, thou art God in heuen, and thou lordschipist to alle rewmes of gentilis; in thin hond is strengthe and myȝt, ne eny man may to thee aȝeyn stonden. Whether not thou, oure God, hast slayn alle the dwellers of this lond before thi puple Irael, and hast ȝeuen it to the seed of Abraham, thi frende, in to euermore? And thei dwelliden in it, and maden out in it a seyntuarie to thi name, seyinge, Ȝif euyls commen vpon us, swerde of dome, of pestilence, and hungur, we schul stonden before this hous in to euermore in thi siȝte, in the whiche is inwardly clepid thi name, and we schul crien to thee in oure tribulaciouns; and thou schalt heeren us, and maken us saaf. Nowe thanne see, sonus of Amon and of Moab and the hil of Seyr, by whome thou grauntidist not to the sonus of Irael that thei schulden passe, whann they wenten out fro Egipt, bot thei boweden aside fro hem, and thei slowen hem not, aȝeinward thei don, and enforsen to kasten us out fro the possessyoun, that thou, oure God, hast taken to us; thanne schalt thou not demen hem? In us forsothe is not so myche strengthe, that we mown to this multitude with stonden, that fallith vpon us; bot whanne we vnknowen what we owen to don, that oonly we han of residue, that oure eeȝen we dressen up to thee. Al forsothe Juda stood before the Lord, with litil childre and wijues and their free childre. Forsothe there was Yaziel, the sone of Sacharie, sone of Ananye, sone of Hieyel, sone of Machanye, Leuyte, and of the sonus of Asaph, vpon whome is maad the Spirit of the Lord in mydil of the puple, and seith, Takith heede, al Juda, and that dwellen in Jerusalem, and thou, kyng Josaphath, thes thingus seith the Lord to ȝou, Willith not dreeden this multitude, ne taken ferd, it is not forsothe ȝour fiȝt, bot of God. To morowe ȝe schul steyȝen up aȝeinus hem; forsothe thei ben to steiȝen up bi the pich hil, Cis by name, and ȝe schul fynden hem in the ouermest of the streme, that is aȝeinus the wildernesse of Jheruel. Forsothe ȝe schul not ben, the whiche schul fiȝten; bot onely tristely stondith, and ȝe schul seen the help of the Lord vpon ȝou. O Juda and Jerusalem, willith not dreeden, ne takith ferd; to morowe ȝe schul goon out aȝeynus hem, and the Lord schal ben with ȝou. Josaphath thanne, and Juda, and alle the dwellers of Jerusalem, fellen bowed in to the erth before the Lord, and honoureden hym. Bot the Leuytis of the sonus of Caath, and of the sonus of Chore, preyseden the Lord God of Yrael with a grete voice in to heiȝt. And whann erly thei hadden risen, they wenten out by the desert of Thecue; and, hem goon forth, Josaphath stonding in the mydil of hem, seide, Heerith me, Juda and alle the dwellers of Jerusalem; beleeuith in the Lord ȝoure God, and ȝe schul ben syker; leeuith to the prophetis of hym, and alle thingus schul commen welsum. And he ȝaf counseil to the puple, and he sette the syngers of the Lord, that they schulden preysen hym in their companyes, and that thei schulden gon before the hoost, and with cordaunt voice thei schulden seyn, Knowlecheth to the Lord for good; for in to the world the mercy of hym. And whanne thei hadden begunne preysyngis to syngyn, the Lord turned the buschementis of hem in to hem silf, of the sonus, that is, of Amon and Moab and of the hil of Seyr, the whiche wenten out to fiȝten aȝeinus Judam, and ben smyten. Forsothe the sonus of Amon and of Moab rysen to gydre aȝeinus the dwellers of the hyl of Seyr, that they schulden slen, and done awey hem; and whanne that in dede thei hadden fulfild, also in to hem selue turned thei smyten to gider in woundes either in other. Bot whanne Juda was commen to the denn, that beholdith wildernesse, he sawȝ aferre al the regyoun abrood ful of careyns, ne to ben ouer laft eny man, the whiche hadde mouȝt to scapen the deth. Thanne Josaphath came, and al the puple with hym, to the spoylis of the deed to ben drawen awey, and thei founden betwene the careynes dyuerse necessarie, and clothes, and vessels most precious; and thei breeken on two, so that alle they miȝten not beren, ne bi thre days the spoyles taken awey, for the mychilnesse of the preye. The ferth forsothe day thei ben gadered in the valey of Blessynge; forsothe for ther thei blissiden to the Lord, thei clepiden that place the valey of Blessynge in to the present day. And eche man of Juda is turned aȝein, and the dwellers of Jerusalem, and Josaphath beforn hem, in to Jerusalem with grete ioye; forthi that the Lord hadde ȝeuen to hem ioye of their enmyes. And thei wenten in to Jerusalem with sawtrees, and harpis, and trumpis, in to the hous of the Lord. Forsothe inward ferd of the Lord fel vpon alle the rewmes of londis, whanne thei hadden herd, that the Lord hadde fouȝten aȝeinus the enmyes of Irael. And the rewme of Josaphath hadde reste; and the Lord ȝaue to hym pese by enuyroun. Thanne Josaphath regnede vpon Judam; and he was of fyue and thritty ȝeer, whanne he beganne to regnen; forsothe twenty and fyue ȝeer he regned in Jerusalem; and name of his modir Azuba, the douȝter of Selathy. And he wente in the wey of his fadir Aza, and he bowide not fro it, doynge what euer thingus weren plesaunt before the Lord. Neuer the later the heeȝe thingus he dide not awey; ȝit the puple hadden not dressid their hert to the Lord God of their fadirs. The remnaunt forsothe of the deedis of Josaphath, of the rather and of the last, ben writen in the bokis of Hieu, the sone of Anany, the whiche he discriued in the boke of the kyngis of Yrael. After thes thingus Josaphath, kyng of Juda, wente in frenschippes with Ochosie, the king of Yrael, whos werkes weren werst, and parcener was that thei schulden maken schippis, that schulden gon in to Tharsis; and thei maden a nauee in Aziongaber. Forsothe Heliezer, the sone of Doden, of Mareza, prophecyede to Josaphath, seyinge, For thou haddist couenaunt of pese with Ochosia, the Lord smote thi werkes; and the schippes ben to-broken, and they myȝten not gon in to Tharsis.
Josaphath forsothe slepte with his faders, and is biryed with hem in the cite of Dauid; and Joram, his sone, regned for hym. The whiche hadde bretheren, sonus of Josaphath, Azaryam, Jahiel, and Zacharie, and Azarie, and Mychael, and Saphaciam; alle thes the sonis of Josaphath, kyng of Juda. And his fadir ȝaue to hem many ȝiftis of gold and of syluer, and pensyouns, with the most strengthed citees in Juda; the rewme forsothe he toke to Joram, for thi that he was the first goten. Joram forsothe roos vpon the rewme of his fadir; and whanne he hadde confermede him selue, he slewȝ alle his bretheren with swerde, and sum of the princis of Juda. Of two and thritty ȝeer Joram was, whanne he beganne to regnen; and eiȝt ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem. And he wente in the weyes of the kyngis of Irael, as the hous of Achab hadde don, the douȝter forsothe of Achab was his wijf; and he dide euyl in the siȝt of the Lord. Forsothe the Lord wolde not distruyen the hous of Dauid, for the couenaunt that he hadde gon in with hym, and for he hadde behoten that he schulde ȝeuen to hym a lantern, and to his sonus in al tyme. In tho days Edom rebellide, that he were not suget to Jude, and he sette to hym a kyng. And whanne Joram was passed with his princis, and with al the chyualrie, that was with hym, he ros the niȝt, and smote Edom, the whiche hadde enuyrounde hym, and alle the duykis of his chyualrye. Neuer the later Edom rebellide, that he were not vnder the comaundinge of Juda vnto this day. That tyme and Lobna wente awey, that he were not vnder the hond of hym; forsothe he hadde forsaken the Lord God of their fadirs. Forthermore he forgide heeȝe thingus in the cytees of Juda, and he maad the dwellers of Jerusalem to do fornycacioun, and Juda to breken the lawe. Forsothe ther ben brouȝt to hym lettris fro Helia, the prophete, in the whiche was writen, Thes thingus seith the Lord God of Dauid, thi fadir, For thou wentist not in the weies of Josaphath, thi fadir, and in the wei of Aza, kyng of Juda, bot and thou wentist bi the wey of the kyngis of Irael, and thou madist Judam and the dwellers of Jerusalem to don fornycacioun, folewynge the fornycacioun of the hous of Achab; ferthermore and thi bretheren and the hous of thi fadir, beter thanne thi silf, thou hast sleyn; loo! the Lord schal smyten thee with a grete veniaunce, with thi puple, and sonus, and thi wyues, and with al thi substaunce; thou forsothe schalt waxen seek the most warst langour of wombe, to the tyme that thi guttis gon out lityl melum by sundre days. Thanne the Lord rerede aȝeinus Joram the spirite of Philisteis, and of Arabes, the which ben neeȝ coostis to Ethiopes; and thei steyȝeden up in to the lond of Juda, and thei wastiden it, and thei distruyeden al the substaunce, that is founden in the hous of the kyng; ferthermore and the sonus of hym, and the wijues; and ther laft not to hym a sone bot Joacha, that was leste thoruȝ birth. And vpon alle thes thingus the Lord smote hym with vncurable sorowe of wombe. And whanne to the day schulde folowen day, and the spacis of tymes weren turned ouer, of two ȝeer the cercle is fulfild; and so with longe langour he is wastid, so that he schot out also his guttis, and so he wantide the langour to gydre and lijf, and he is deed in warst infirmyte. And the puple dide not to hym the deedis office after the maner of brennynge, as it hadde done to the more of hym. Of two and thritty ȝeer he was, whanne he beganne to regnen, and eiȝt ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem, and he wente not riȝt; and thei biryeden hym in the cyte of Dauid, neuer the later not in the sepulcre of kyngis.
The dwellers forsothe of Jerusalem setten Ochosiam, his leste sone, kyng for hym; alle forsothe the more thoruȝ birthe, that beforn hym weren, theeues of Arabes hadden slayn, the whiche hadden fallyn in to the tentis. And regnede Ochosias, the sone of Joram, kyng of Juda. Of two and fourty ȝeer was Ochosias, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and oon ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his modir, Athalia, douȝter of Amry. And he wente in by the weye of the hous of Achab; forsothe his modir putte hym in, that he vnpitously schulde done. Thanne he dyde yuel in the siȝt of the Lord, as the hous of Achab; thei forsothe weren to hym counseilers after the deth of his fadir, in to his own deth; and he wente in the counseyle of hem. And he wente with Joram, sone of Achab, king of Yrael, in to bataile aȝeinus Asael, kyng of Cyrie, in Ramoth-galaad. And Cyres woundiden Joram; the whiche is turned aȝein, that he were helid in Jezrael; forsothe many woundis he hadde taken in the forseid strijf. Thanne Ochosias, king of Juda, the sone of Joram, came doun for to visiten Joram, the sone of Achab, seeke in Jezrael; the wille forsothe of God was aȝeinus Ochosiam, that he were commyn to Joram. And whanne he were commen, that he schulde gon in with hym aȝeinus Hieu, the sone of Nampsy, whome God anoyntide, that he schulde don awey the hous of Achab. Thanne whanne Hieu schulde ouerturnen the hous of Achab, he fonde the princis of Juda, and the sonus of the bretheren of Ochosie, that mynystreden to hym; and he slewȝ hem. And hym Ochosie sechynge, he toke lurkyng in Samarie, and brouȝt forth to hym he slewȝ; and thei birieden hym, forthi that he was the sone of Josaphath, the whiche hadde souȝte God in al his herte. And ther was no more eny hope, that eny schulde regnen of the stoc of Ochosie. Forsothe Athalia, his modir, seeynge that hire sone was deed, ros, and slewȝ al the kingus stoc of the hous of Joram. Bot Josabeth, the douȝter of the kyng, toke Joas, the sone of Ochosie, and sche staale hym fro the myddis of the sonus of the kyng, whanne thei schulde ben slayn; and sche hidde hym with his nursche in the bed place of lityl beddis. Josabeth forsothe, that hadde hydde hym, was the douȝter of kyng Joram, wijf of Joiade, bischop, sister of Ochosie; and therfore Athalie slewȝ hym not. Thanne he was with hem in the hous of God hid sexe ȝeer, in the whiche Athalie regnede vpon the lond.
Joiada forsothe the seuenth ȝeer comfortide, toke the maisters of hundrithes, Azariam, that is, the sone of Jeroboam, and Ismael, the sone of Johannan, also Azariam, the sone of Obed, and Maaziam, the sone of Adaye, and Elisaphath, the sone of Ysecry; and he wente in with hem counseyl and pese couenaunt. The whiche enuyrounynge Judam, gaderden Leuytis of alle the cytees of Juda, and the princis of the meynes of Irael, and camen in to Jerusalem. Thanne wente in couenaunt al the multitude in the hous of the Lord with the kyng. And Joiada seide to hem, Loo! the sone of the kyng schal regnen, as the Lord spake vpon the sonus of Dauid. This is thanne the word that ȝe schul done. The thridde part of ȝou that ben commen to the saboth, of prestis, and of Leuytis, and of porters, schal ben in the ȝaatis; the thrid forsothe part at the hous of the kyng; and the thrid part at the ȝaate, that is clepid of the foundement. Al forsothe the tother comoun be in the porches of the hous of the Lord; ne eny other man comme in to the hous of the Lord, bot the prestis, and that mynystren of Leuytis; thei aloonly commen in, that ben halowed, and alle the tother comoun keepe wele the wardis of the Lord. The Leuytis forsothe enuyroun thei the kyng, eche hauynge their armes; ȝif eny other schal commyn in to the temple, be he slayn; and be thei with the kyng commynge in and goinge out. Thanne the Leuytis diden, and al Juda, after alle thingis that Joiada, the bischop, hadde comaundide; and alle thei token the men, that weren vndir hem, and thei camen by ordre of the saboth with hem, that nowe hadden fulfild the saboth, and weren gon out. Forsothe Joiade, the bischop, hadde not leetyn the cumpanyes to gon awey, the whiche weren wont by sundre weekis to comme after to hem selue. And Joiada, the prest, ȝaf to the leders of hundrithis speres, and tergetis, and bokelers of kyng Dauid, the whiche he hadde sacride in to the hous of the Lord. And he sette al the puple, of holdyng daggers, fro the riȝt partie of the temple vnto the left part of the temple, before the auter and the temple, by enuyroun of the kyng. And thei ladden out the kingus sone, and putten on to hym a dyademe; and ȝeuen to hym in his hond the lawe to ben holden, and thei setten hym kyng. And Joiada, the byschop, enoyntide hym, and his sonus; and thei inwardly preyden, and seyden, Lyue the kyng! That whanne Athalia hadde herde, that is, the voice of men rennyng and preysyng the kyng, sche wente in to the puple, into the temple of the Lord. And whanne sche had seen the kyng stondynge upon the gree in the entre, and princis and companyes abouten hym, and al the puple of the lond ioyinge, and criynge in trumpis, and orgnys of dyuerse maner, syngynge to gydir, and the voice of men preysynge, sche kutte hir clothis, and seith, Aspyes! aspyes! Forsothe Joiada, the bischop, gon out to the leeders of hundrithes, and princis of the hoost, seide to hem, Ledith hir out of the purseyntis of the temple, and be sche slayn with out forth with swerd; and the prest comaundid, that sche shuld not be slayn in the hous of the Lord. And he putte on hondis to the nollis of hyre; and whanne sche had gon in the ȝate of the hors, of the hous of the king, thei slewen hir there. Forsothe Joiada couenauntide couenaunt of pese betwene hym and al the puple and the kyng, that ther were a puple of the Lord. And so al the puple wente in to the hous of Baal, and thei distroyeden it; and auters, and mawmetis of it thei to-breeken; Mathan also, the preste of Baal, thei slewen before the auters. Forsothe Joiada sette prouostis in the hous of the Lord, that vndir the hondis of prestis, and Leuytis, the whiche Dauid delide in the hous of the Lord, that thei schulden offeren brent sacrifices to the Lord, as it is writen in the boke of Moysy, in ioye and songus, after the disposicyoun of Dauid. Also he sette porters in the ȝatis of the hous of the Lord, that ther schulde not gon in to it vnclene in eny thing. And he toke leeders of hundrithes, and most stronge men, and princis of the puple, and al the comoun of the lond. And thei maden the kyng to comme doun fro the hous of the Lord, and gon in by the mydil of the ouerȝate in to the hous of the kyng; and thei setten hym in the kyngus see. And al the puple of the lond gladide, and the cytee restyde; bot Athalia is slayn with swerde.
Of seuen ȝeer was Joas, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and fourtye ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his modir Sebia of Bersabe. And he dyde that was good before the Lord, alle the days of Joiada, the preste. Forsothe and Joas took two wijues, of the whiche he gat sones and douȝters. After whiche thingus it pleside to Joas, that he schulde enstore the hous of the Lord. And he gadirde the prestis and Leuytis, and seyde to hem, Goth out to the cytees of Juda, and gadereth of al Irael monee, to the reparaciouns of the temple of the Lord oure God, by alle ȝeers; and swijth doth it. Bot the Leuytis diden it more necgligently. And the kyng clepide Joiada, prince, and seyde to hym, Why was not to thee bisynesse, that thou constreyn Leuytis to brengyn in fro Juda and Jerusalem monee, the whiche is ordeynd of Moyses, the seruaunt of the Lord, that al the multitude of Irael schulde bryngyn it in to the tabernacle of wytnessynge? Athalia forsothe most vnpitous, and hir sonus, distruyeden the hous of God; and of alle thingus, that weren halowed to the temple of the Lord, sche enournede the temple of Baalym. Thann the kyng comaundide, and thei maaden the ark, and putten it beside the ȝate of the Lord with outeforth. And it is prechid in Juda and in Jerusalem, that alle schulden bere pris to the Lord, that Moyses ordeynde to the seruauntis of God vpon al Irael, in deserte. And alle the princis and alle the puple gladedyn, and goon in, thei ȝeuen in to the ark of the Lord, and putten, so that it was ful. And whanne tyme was, that thei schulden bern the arke bifore the kyng bi the hondis of Leuytis, forsothe thei seen myche monee; and ther wente in a scribe of lawe, whom the firste preste hadde ordeyned, and thei heelden oute the monee, that was in the arke; forsothe the arke thei bern aȝein to his place. And so thei diden bi sundre days, and ther is gadird monee with oute noumbre; the whiche the kyng and Joiada ȝeuen to hem that stoden vpon the werkis of the hous of the Lord. And thei hireden of it hewers of stoones, and craftise men of alle werkis, that thei restoren the hous of the Lord; also forgers of yren, and of brasse, that that, that hadde begunne to fallen, were susteyned. And thes that wrouȝten diden wijsly, and the gap of the wallis was hillid bi the hondis of hem; and thei rereden the hous of the Lord in to the rather state, and thei maaden it to stonden fast. And whanne thei hadden fulfild alle the werkis, thei brouȝten before the kyng and Joiada the tother part of the monee, of the whiche ben maad the vessels of the temple in to the seruyse, and to brent sacrifices; also violis, and other golden vessels and sylueren. And ther weren offrid brent sacrifices in the hous of the Lord contynuly, alle the days of Joiade. Forsothe Joiada eeldide ful of days, and dyed, whanne he was of an hundrith and thritti ȝeer; and thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauid with kingus; forthi that he hadde done good with Irael, and with his hous. Forsothe after that Joiada died, the princis of Jude wenten in, and honoureden the kyng, the whiche pleside by the seruyses of hem, assentide to hem. And thei forsoken the temple of the Lord God of their fadirs, and thei serueden to mawmette woodis, and grauen thingus; and ther is don the wrath of the Lord aȝeynus Judam and Jerusalem for this synne. And he sente to hem prophetis, that thei schulden turnen aȝein to the Lord; whom beforen witnessynge thei wolden not heeren. And so the Spirite of the Lord clothed Zacharie, the sone of Joiade, preste; and he stode in the siȝte of the puple, and seyde, Thes thingus seith the Lord, Why ouerpasse ȝe the heeste of the Lord, that schal not profiten to ȝou, and ȝe han forsaken the Lord, that he forsake ȝou? The whiche gadered aȝeynus hym, senten stoones, after the heste of the kyng, in the hall of the hous of the Lord. And king Joas is not recordid of the mercy that Joiada, the fadir of hym, hadde done with hym; bot he slewȝ his sone. The whiche, whanne he schulde dyen, seith, The Lord see, and requyre. And whanne the ȝeer was ouerturned, the hoost of Cirie steiȝede up aȝeinus hym, and came in to Judam and Jerusalem, and slewȝ alle the princis of the puple; and al the pray thei senten to the king, to Damasc. And certis whanne ther was commen a litil noumbre of Ciries, the Lord toke in the hondis of hem vnnoumbreable multitude, forthy that thei hadde forsaken the Lord God of their fadirs. In to Joas also thei enhauntiden schenschipful domys; and goynge awey thei laften hym in grete langours. Forsothe his seruauntis arisen aȝeinus hym, in to vengyng of the blode of the sone of Joiade, prest; and thei slewen hym in his bed, and he is deed. And thei birieden hym in the cytee of Dauid, bot not in the sepulcris of kingis. Forsothe ther aweytiden to hym Zabath, the sone of Semath Amanytidis, and Josabeth, the sone of Semarith, Moabitidis. Bot the sonus of hym, and the soume of monee that was leyd to gydre vndir hym, and the enstorynge of the hous of God, ben writen more diligently in the boke of Kyngis.
Amasias forsothe, his sone, regnede for hym; of fyue and twenty ȝeer was Amasias, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and nyne and twenty ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his modir Joiaden, of Jerusalem. And he dide good in the siȝte of the Lord, neuer the later not in perfijt herte. And whanne he sawȝ the empyre strengthed to hym, he kutte the seruauntis throtis, that slewen his fadir the kyng; bot the sonus of hem he slewȝ not; as it is writen in the boke of the lawe of Moyses, where the Lord comaundide, seyinge, The fadirs schul not ben slayn for the sonus, ne the sonus for their fadirs; bot echone in his synne schal dyen. Thanne Amazias gaderde Judam, and ordeynede hem by meynees leders of thousandis and maystris of hundrithis, in al Juda and Beniamyn; and he tolde fro twentye ȝeer and aboue, and he fonde thritty thousande of ȝonge men, that myȝten gon out to fiȝten, and holden spere and terget. Also by meed he hyred of Irael an hundrith thousand of stronge men, for an hundrith talentis of syluer, that thei schulden fiȝten aȝeinus the sonus of Edom. There came forsothe to hym a man of God, and seith, O! kyng, go not out with thee the hoost of Irael; forsothe the Lord is not with Irael and with alle the sonus of Effraym; that ȝif thou weenist in strengthe of hoost batails to stonden, the Lord schal maken thee to ben ouercommen of enmyes; of God forsothe is to helpen, and in to fliȝt to turnen. And Amazias seide to the man of God, What thanne schal be done of the hundrith talentis, that I ȝaf to the knyȝtis of Irael? And the man of God answerde, The Lord hath, wherof he may ȝeue to thee many mo thanne these. And so Amazias seuered the hoost that came to hym of Effraym, that he schulde turnen aȝeyn in to his place; and thei, aȝeinus Judam hugely wratthed, ben turnede aȝein in to their regyoun. Bot Amazias trustily ladde out his puple, and wente in to the valeye of salt places, and he smote the sonus of Seyr, tenn thousand. And other tenn thousand of men token the sonus of Juda, and brouȝten to an heeȝe fallynge place of a maner stoon; and thei tumbleden hem doun fro the cop in to the lowest; the whiche al tobrosten. And that hoost that Amazie sente aȝein, that it ȝeede not with hym in to batayle, is helde out in the cytees of Juda fro Samarie and to Betheron; and, thre thousand sleen, he deuydide myche preye. Amazias also after the slauȝter of Ydumes, the brouȝt to goddis of the sonis of Seyr, he sette hem in to goddis to hym, and he honourede hem, and to hem he brende ensence. For what thing the Lord wroth aȝeynst Amazie, he sente to hym a prophete, that schulde sey to hym, Why hast thou honourede goddis that han not delyuerde their puple fro thin hond? And whanne these thingus he schulde speken, he answerde to hym, Whether ert thou the counseylere of the kyng? rest, lest perauenture I slee thee. And so the prophete goynge aweye, I woote, he seith, that the Lord hath thouȝte to sleen thee; for thou hast don this yuel, and ferthermore thou hast not assentide to my counseyle. Thanne Amazias, king of Juda, the werst counseil gon in, sente to Joas, the sone of Joachas, sone of Hieu, the king of Irael, seyinge, Cum, see we us to gyder. And he sente aȝein messagers, seyinge, The thistil that is in Liban sente to the cedre of Liban, seyinge, Ȝeue thi douȝter wijf to my sone; and loo! the bestis that weren in the wode of Liban wenten and to-treden the thistil. Thou seidist, I haue smyten Edom, and therfore thin hert is rered in to prid; sitt in thi hous; why euyl stirrist thou aȝeinus thee, that thou falle, and Juda with thee? Amazias wolde not heeren, for thi that the wille of the Lord was, that he schulde ben taken in the hondes of the enmyes, for the goddis of Edom. Thanne Joas, kyng of Irael, steiȝide up, and thei ȝeuen to hem silf beholdingis either to other. Amazias forsothe, kyng of Juda, was in Bethsames of Juda; and Juda felle beforn Irael, and fleiȝ in to his tabernaclis. Forsothe Joas, kyng of Irael, toke Amaziam, kyng of Juda, sone of Joas, sone of Ochosie, in Bethsames, and brouȝt in to Jerusalem; and distruyde the wallis of it fro the ȝate of Effraym vnto the ȝate of the corner, in foure hundrith cubitis. And al the gold and the syluer, and alle the vessels that he founde in the hous of the Lord, and anentis Obededom, in the tresories and of the kyngis hous, also and the sonus of taken to prisoun he brouȝte in to Samarie. Forsothe Amazias, the sone of Joas, kyng of Juda, lyuede, after that Joas, the sone of Joachaz, kyng of Irael, is deed, fyfteen ȝeer. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Amazie, the rather and the last, ben writen in the boke of the kingus of Juda and of Irael. The whiche after that he wente awei fro the Lord benten to hym buschmentis in Jerusalem; and whanne he hadde flowen to Lachis, thei senten and slewen hym there; and bryngynge aȝein vpon hors, biryeden hym with his faders in the citee of Dauid.
Forsothe al the puple of Juda his sone, Osie, of sexteen ȝeer, setten kyng for his fadir Amazie. He bild up Aylath, and restored it to the lordschip of Juda, aftir that the kyng slepte with his fadirs. Of sexteen ȝeer Osias was, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen; and two and fyfty ȝeer he regned in Jerusalem; name of his modre, Yechelya, of Jerusalem. And he dide that was riȝt in the siȝt of the Lord, aftir alle thingus that Amazias, his fader, hadde done. And he souȝte the Lord in the days of Zacharie, vndirstondinge and seeing God; and whanne he schuld sechen God, he louede hym in alle thingus. Aftirward he wente out, and fauȝte aȝeinus Philisteis, and he distruyede the wall of Geth, and the wall of Jabnye, and the wal of Azoty; and he bilde up burȝ towns in Azote of Phylisteym. And the Lord halpe hym aȝeynus Philisteym, and aȝenus Arabas that dwelliden in Garbahal, and aȝenus Amonytis. And Amonytis spendiden the ȝiftis to Ozie, and his name is puplischit vnto the entre of Egipt for his oft victories. And Ozias bilde up toures in Jerusalem vpon the ȝate of the corner, and vpon the ȝate of the valey, and other in the same side of the wall; and he fastnede hem. And he bilde out also toures in wildirnesse, and dalf out many cysternes; forthi that he hadde many beestis bothe in the wijlde feeldis and in the wastite of desert. Also vynes he hadde and wyne makers in hillis, and in Carmele; forsothe he was a man ȝeuen to erth tyllyinge. The hoost forsothe of the fyȝtynge men of hym, that wenten forth to batayles, was vndir the hond of Heiel, scribe, and Mazie, doctour, and vndir the hond of Ananye that was of the duykis of the kyng; and al the noumbre of princis, by their meynees, of stronge men two thousand and sexe hundrith. And vndir hem al the hoost of thre hundrith and seuen thousand and fyue hundrith, that weren able to batail, and for the king aȝeinus the enmyes fouȝten. And Ozias maad redy to hem, that is, to al the hoost, tergetis, and speres, and helmes, and hauberiouns, and bowes, and slyngis to stones to ben throwen. And he maad in Jerusalem engynes of dyuerse maner, the whiche he sette in toures, and in the corners of wallis, that thei schulden casten arewes and grete stones; and his name is gon out aferre, for thi that the Lord halpe hym, and hadde strengthede hym. Bot whanne he was strengthed, his hert is arered in to his deth; and he dispisede the Lord his God; and gon in to the temple of the Lord, he wolde brenne encense vpon the autir of maad encense. And anoon aftir hym wente in Azarias, the preste, and with hym prestis of the Lord, seuenty men most worthi; and thei withstoden to the kyng, and seyden, Ozia, it is not of thin office, that thou brenne encense to the Lord, bot of the prestis of the Lord, that is, of the sonus of Aaron, that ben sacrid to syche a maner seruyse; go out fro the seyntuarye, ne dispise thou; for it schal not ben wijtyd to thee in to glorie of the Lord God. And Ozias is wroth, and holdinge in the hond a censere, that he brenne encense, he thratt to the prestis; and anoon ther is sprungen a lepre in his forhede, before the prestis in the hous of the Lord vpon the auter of maad encense. And whanne Azaria, the bischop, hadde beholden hym, and alle the tother prestis seen a lepre in his forhede, hastely thei puttyn hym out; and he aferd hyȝede to gon out; forthi that he hadde feelid anoon the veniaunce of the Lord. Thanne Ozias was mesel vnto the day of his deth, and dwellide in an hous seuered, ful of lepre; for the whiche he was throwen out fro the hous of the Lord. Bot Joathan, his sone, gouernede the hous of the kyng, and demede the puple of the lond. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Ozie, of the rather and of the last, wrote Ysayas, the sone of Amos, prophete. And Ozias slepte with his fadirs, and thei biryeden hym not in the feeld of kyngis sepulcres, forthi that he was leeprous; and Joathan, his sone, regnede for hym.
Of fyue and twenty ȝeer was Joathan, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and sixteen ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his moder Jerusa, the douȝter of Sadoch. And he dide that was riȝt before the Lord, aftir alle thingus that Ozias, his fadir, hadde don; out take that he wente not in to the temple of the Lord, and ȝit the puple trespasside. He bild up the heeȝ ȝate of the hous of the Lord, and in the wal of Ophel many thingus maad; and citees bilde in the hillis of Juda, and in heeȝ wodis, castels, and toures. And he fauȝt aȝeinus the kyng of the sonus of Amon, and ouercame hym; and the sonus of Amon ȝeuen to hym in that tyme an hundrith talentis of syluer, and tenn thousand choris of barly, and as fele of whete; thes thingus ȝeuen to hym the sonus of Amon the secound ȝeer and the thrid. And Joathan is strengthed, forthi that he hadde dresside his weys before the Lord his God. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Joathan, and alle the fiȝtyngis of hym, and werkes, ben writen in the boke of kingus of Irael and of Juda. Of fyue and twenty ȝeer he was, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and sixtene ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem. And Joathan slepte with his faders, and thei birieden hym in the citee of Dauid; and Achaz, his sone, regned for hym.
Of fyue and twenty ȝeer was Achaz, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and sexteene ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; and he dide not riȝt in the siȝt of the Lord, as Dauid, his fadir; bot wente in the weyes of the kyngis of Irael. Forthermore and he ȝeetyde ymagis to Baalym. He is that brende encense in the valey of Bennon, and he enuyrounde his sonus in fijr aftir the rijt of gentilis, the whiche the Lord slowȝ in the commynge of the sonus of Irael. Also he sacrified, and brende maad encense in heiȝtis, and in hillis, and vnder alle braunchid tree. And the Lord his God toke hym in the hond of the kyng of Cyrie, the whiche smote hym, and a gret prey of his empyre toke, and brouȝt in to Damasc. And he is taken to the hondis of the kyng of Irael, and smyten with a grete veniaunce. And Phacee, the sone of Romelie, slewȝ of Juda an hundrith and twenty thousand in oo day, and alle men fiȝters; for thi that thei hadden forsake the Lord God of their fadirs. The same tyme Jechry, a myȝty man of Effraym, slewȝ Maaziam, the sone of the kyng, and Esricham, duyke of his hous, also Elchanan, the secounde fro the kyng. And the sonus of Irael token of their bretheren two hundrith thousand of wymmen and of knaue childre and of mayde childre, and a pray with out noumbre; and thei brouȝten it in to Samarie. In that tempest was ther a prophete of the Lord, Obed by name, the whiche gon out meetyng to the hoost commyng to Samarie, seide to hem, Lo! the Lord God of oure fadirs is wrooth aȝeinus Judam, and toke hem in ȝour hondis; and ȝe han sleen hem cruely, so that in to heuen ȝoure cruelte schulde commen. Forthermore the sonis of Juda and of Jerusalem ȝee wiln subjecten to ȝou seruauntis and hond wymmen; that indeede is no nede; ȝe han synned vpon this to the Lord ȝoure God. Bot heerith my counseil, and bringith aȝein the caytyues, the whiche ȝe han lad awey of ȝoure bretheren; for grete woodnesse of the Lord stant ouer to ȝou. And so the men of the princis of the sonus of Effraym stodyn, Azarias, the sone of Johannan, Barachias, the sone of Mosollamoth, Jezechias, the sone of Sellum, and Amazias, the sone of Adaly, aȝeyn hem that camen fro the bataile; and seyden to hem, Ȝe schul not bryngen in hydre the caytifes, lest we synnen to the Lord; why wille ȝe casten to vpon ȝoure synnes, and hepen olde synnes? Grete forsothe synne it is; and the wrath of the wodnesse of the Lord stant vpon Yrael. And the fiȝtynge men laften the pray, and alle thingis that thei hadden taken, before the princis and al the multitude. And the men, the whiche aboue we myndedyn, stoden, and, takynge the caityues, clothedyn of the spoylis alle that weren nakyd; and whanne thei hadden clothede hem, and schod, and fyld hem with mete and drynk, and anoyntide for the trauayle, and ȝeuen to hem besynesse; who so euer myȝten not gon, and weren with feble body, thei putten hem on bestis, and ladden to Jericho, the citee of palmes, to their bretheren; and thei ben turned aȝein in to Samarie. That tyme kyng Achaz sente to the kyng of Assiries, askynge helpe. And Ydumeis camen, and smyten many of Juda, and token grete pray. And the Philisteis ben held out by wijld feeldy cytees, and at the south of Juda; and thei token Bethsames, and Hailon, and Gaderoth, Socoth also, and Thannan, and Zamro, with their litil touns; and thei dwelliden in hem. Forsothe the Lord hadde meekide Judam for Achaz, kyng of Juda; forthi that he hadde nakyd hym fro helpe, and hadde the Lord to dispyte. And the Lord brouȝt aȝeinus hym Teglat Falasar, king of Assiries, the whiche tourmentyde hym, and no man withstondinge, waastide. Thanne Achaz, the hous of the Lord spoylide, and the hous of kingus and princis, ȝaf to the kyng of Assiries ȝiftis, and neuer the latre it profitide no thing to hym. Forthermore and in tyme of his anguysch he echide dispite in to the Lord; he by hym silf kyng Achaz offrede to the goddis of Damasc slayn sacrifices, to his smyters, and seyde, The goddis of the kingus of Cyrie helpen to hem, the which I schal plesen with hoostis, and thei schul stonden to to me; whanne aȝeenward thei weren fallyng to hym, and to al Irael. And so Achaz, alle the vessels of the hous of God taken awey, and broken to gydre, closede the ȝatis of the temple of God, and maad to hym auters in alle the corners of Jerusalem. Also in alle the cytees of Juda he maad up auters to brennen encense, and he terrede to wrath the Lord God of their fadirs. The remnaunt forsothe of his wordis and of alle his werkes, of the rather and of the last, ben writen in the boke of the kyngis of Juda and of Irael. And Achaz slepte with his fadirs, and thei birieden hym in the cyte of Dauid of Jerusalem; ne forsothe thei receyueden hym in the sepulcres of the kingus of Irael; and Ezechias, his sone, regnede for hym.
Ezechias thanne beganne to regnen, whanne he was of fyue and twenty ȝeer, and nyne and twenty ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his modir, Abia, the douȝter of Zacharye. And he dide that was plesaunt in the siȝt of the Lord, aftir alle thingus that Dauid, his fadir, hadde done. In that ȝeer and the first moneth of his regne he opnede the ȝate leues of the hous of the Lord, and he enstorede hem; and brouȝte to the prestis and the Leuytis, and gaderede hem in to the este strete, and seide to hem, Heerith me, Leuytis, and beth halowed; clensith the hous of the Lord God of oure faders, and doth awey alle vnclennesse fro the seyntuarye. Oure fadirs synneden, and diden euyl in the siȝte of the Lord oure God, forsakyng hym; thei turneden awei their faces fro the tabernacle of the Lord oure God, and ȝeuen bac. Thei closeden the dores that weren in the ȝate hous, and quencheden the lanterns; and encense thei brenneden not, and brent sacrifices thei offreden not in the seyntuarye of God of Irael. And so the woodnesse of the Lord is sterid vpon Judam and Jerusalem; and he toke hem in to distourblynge, and into deth, and in to whistlyng, as ȝe beholden with ȝoure eeȝen. Lo! oure fadirs fellen with swerdis; oure sonus, and oure douȝters, and oure wijues ben lad caityf for this hidous gilt. Nowe thanne it plesith to me, that we gon in pese couenaunt with the Lord God of Irael, and he do awey fro us the woodnesse of his wrath. My sonus, willith not dispisen; the Lord chees ȝou, that ȝe stonden beforn hym, and mynystren to hym, and heryen hym, and brennen to hym encense. Thanne the Leuytis rysen, Maath, the sone of Amazie, and Joel, the sone of Azarie, of the sonis of Caath; bot of the sonus of Merery, Ciz, the sone of Abday, and Azarias, the sone of Jalalael; of the sonus forsothe of Jersan, Joha, the sone of Zemma, and Hedem, the sone of Joha; and forsothe of the sonus of Elizaphan, Zamry, and Jahiel; of the sonus also of Asaph, Zacharias, and Mathanyas; also of the sonus of Heman, Jahiel, and Semei; bot and of the sonus of Yditum, Semeyas, and Oziel. And thei gadreden their bretheren, and ben halowed, and gon in, after the maundement of the kyng, and the heste of the Lord, that thei clensen the hous of the Lord. And the prestis gon in to the temple of the Lord, that thei halowen it, beeren out al the vnclennesse, that with inne thei hadden foundyn in the vestiarie of the hous of the Lord; the whiche token the Leuytis, and beeren out with out forth to the streme of Cedron. And thei begunnen the first day of the first moneth to clensen, and in the eyȝthe day of the same moneth thei wenten in to the ȝate hous of the temple of the Lord, and thei purgedyn the temple eiȝte days; and in the sixtenthe day of the same moneth, that thei hadden begunnen, thei fulfilden. And thei wenten in to Ezechie, the kyng; and seyden to hym, We han halowed al the hous of the Lord, and the auter of brent sacrifice of hym, and his vessels, also and the borde of proposicyoun with alle his vessels, and alle the purtenauncis of the temple, that kyng Achaz in his rewme hadde polutide, after that he hadde trespassede; and loo! leid out ben alle thingus before the auter of the Lord. And Ezechie, the kyng, rijsyng erly, gadered in oon alle princis of the cytee, and he steiȝede up in to the hous of the Lord; and thei offreden to gyder boolis seuen, and wetheris seuen, and lombis seuen, and geet seuen, for the synne, for the rewme, for the seyntuarye, for Juda. And he seide to the prestis, sonis of Aaron, that thei schulden offren vpon the auter of the Lord. Thanne thei slewen boolis, and the prestis token the blood, and heldyn it vpon the auter; also thei slewen wethers, and of hem the blood thei heldyn vpon the auter; and thei offreden lombis, and helden vpon the auter the blood. And thei applieden the geet for the synne before the kyng and al the multitude, and thei putten their hondis vpon hem; and the prestis offreden hem, and thei sprengden the blood of hem beforn the auter, for the synne of al Irael. Forsothe for al Irael the kyng hadde comaundide, that there schulde be don brent sacrifice, and for synne. And he ordeynde Leuytis in the hous of the Lord, with cymbales, and sawtrees, and harpis, aftir the disposicyoun of king Dauid, and of Gad, seear, and of Nathan, the prophete; forsothe the heste of the Lord it was bi the hond of his prophetis. And the Leuytis stoden, holdyng the orgnys of Dauid; and prestis the trumpis. And Ezechias comaundide, that ther schulden ben offred brent sacrifices vpon the auter; and whanne thei schulden offren brent sacrifices, thei begunnen to syngen preysyngis to the Lord, and sown with trumpis, and in dyuerse orgnys, that Dauid, king of Irael, hadde maad redy to sown with. Al the puple forsothe honourynge, the syngers and tho that helden trumpis weren in their offices, to the tyme that the brent sacrifices weren ful eendid. And whanne the offryng was eendid, the kyng is ful bowed, and alle that weren with hym, and thei honoureden. And Ezechias comaundide and the princis to Leuytis, that thei schulden preysen the Lord with the wordis of Dauid, and of Asaph, seear; the whiche preyseden with grete gladnesse, and the knee ful bowede, thei honourden. Ezechias forsothe thes also addide, Ȝe han fulfild ȝoure hondis to the Lord; commith neeȝ, and offrith sacrifices and preysingis in the hous of the Lord. Thanne al the multitude offride oostis, and preysingis, and brent sacrifices, with deuout mynde. Forsothe the noumbre of the brent sacrifices, that the multitude offride, was this; boolis seuenty, wethers an hundrith, lombis two hundrith. Also thei haloweden to the Lord oxes sexe hundrith, and scheep thre thousand. The prestis forsothe weren fewe, and myȝten not suffice that thei drawen of the skynnes of the brent sacrifices; wherfore and the Leuitis their bretheren helpiden hem, to the tyme that the werc were fulfild, and the bischopis weren halowed; the Leuytis forsothe with liȝter rijt ben halowed thanne the prestis. Ther weren thanne many brent sacrifices, and talowes of pesible thingus, and liquours offryngis of brent sacrifices, and the herying of the hous of the Lord is ful eendid. And Ezechie is glad, and al the puple with hym, forthi that the seruyce of the Lord was ful eendid; forsothe of sodenly it pleside that to ben don.
Ezechie also sente to al Irael and Juda, and he wroote letters to Effraym and Manassen, that thei schulden commen in to the hous of the Lord in Jerusalem, and do pasch to the Lord God of Irael. Thanne gon in the counsele of the kyng, and of the princis, and of al the companye of Irael, thei deemedyn that they schulden don pasch the secounde moneth. Forsothe thei camen not to gydre to don in his tyme; for the prestis that myȝten suffisen weren not halowed, and the puple not ȝit was gadered in to Jerusalem. And the word pleside to the kyng, and to al the multitude. And they deemeden for to senden messagers in to al Irael, fro Bersabe vnto Dan, that thei schulden commen, and don pasch to the Lord God of Irael in Jerusalem; manye forsothe hadden not done, as in the lawe it is beforn writen. And curours wenten with letters, of the heste of the kyng and of his princis, in to al Irael and Juda, after the whiche thing the kyng hadde comaundide prechours, Sonis of Irael, turnith aȝein to the Lord God of Abraham, and of Ysaac, and of Irael; and he schal be turned aȝein to the releuys, that scapeden the hondis of the kyng of Assiries. Willith not ben maad as ȝoure fadirs and bretheren, that wenten awey fro the Lord God of their fadirs; and he toke hem in to deth, as ȝe seen. Willith not ful hardne ȝour nollis, as ȝoure fadirs; takith hondis to the Lord, and commith to the seyntuarye of hym, that he halowed with out eende; seruith to the Lord God of ȝour fadirs, and schal ben turned awey fro ȝou the wrath of his woodnesse. Ȝif forsothe ȝe weren turned aȝein to the Lord, ȝour bretheren and ȝour sonus schul haue mercy, with their lordis that hem laddyn caitijf; and thei schul ben turned aȝein into this lond. Forsothe pytouse and mercyable is the Lord oure God; and he schal not turnen awey his face fro ȝou, ȝif ȝe weren turned aȝein to hym. Thanne currours wente swiftly fro cyte vnto cite thoruȝ the lond of Effraym and Manasse vnto Zabulon, hem scoornynge and vndermowynge hem. Neuerthelater sum men of Aser, and of Manasse, and of Zabulon, assentynge to the counseile, camen in to Jerusalem. In Juda forsothe is done the hond of the Lord, that he schulde ȝeuen to hem oon herte, and thei schulden don, after the heste of the kyng and princis, the word of the Lord. And there ben gadered into Jerusalem many puplis, that thei don the solempnyte of therf looues in the secounde moneth. And rijsyng thei distruyden the auters, that weren in Jerusalem; and alle thingus in the whiche to mawmetis was brend encense, turnynge vpsadoun, thei threwen in to the streme of Cedron. Thei offriden forsothe pasch the fourtenth day of the secound moneth; the prestis also and Leuytis at the last halowed, offreden brent sacrifice in the hous of the Lord. And thei stoden in their ordre, aftir the disposicyoun and the lawe of Moyses, the man of God. The prestis forsothe hadden taken the blood to ben sched of the hondis of Leuytis, forthi that myche puple was not halowed; and therfore the Leuytis schulden offren pasch to hem, that came not to gydre to ben halowed to the Lord. A grete also part of the puple of Effraym, and Manasse, and Ysachar, and Zabulon, the whiche was not halowed, eetyn pasch not after that it is writen. And Ezechie preyede for hem, seyinge, The good Lord schal haue mercy to alle, that in al herte sechen the Lord God of ther fadirs; and it schal not ben wijtid to hem, that thei ben not halowed. Whome the Lord herde, and is plesid to the puple. And the sonus of Irael, that ben founden in Jerusalem, diden the solempnyte of therf looues seuen days in grete ioye, preisynge the Lord bi eche dais; the Leuytis also and the prestis by orgnys, that to their office fellen. And Ezechias spac to the herte of alle the Leuytis, that hadden good vndirstondynge vpon the Lord; and thei eeten seuen days of the solempnyte, offrynge slayn sacrifice of pesyble thingus, and preysyng the Lord God of their fadirs. And it pleside to al the multitude, that thei schulden also halowen other seuen days; the whiche and thei diden with ful grete ioy. Ezechias forsothe, king of Juda, ȝaf to the multitude a thousand boolis, and seuen thousand of scheep; the princis forsothe ȝeuen to the puple a thousand boolis, and scheep tenn thousand. Thanne is halowed a more multitude of prestis; and gladnesse thoruȝ held al the puple of Juda, both of prestis and of Leuytis, and of al the besy commyng, that weren commen of Irael, and of the comlyngis of the lond of Irael, and of the dwellers of Juda. And ther is don a grete solempnyte in Jerusalem, whiche maner was not in the same cyte fro the days of Salomon, sone of Dauid, kyng of Irael. Forsothe the prestis and Leuytis risen, blessyng to the puple; and the voyce of hem is herd, and the preyer ful came into the hooly dwellinge place of heuen.
And whanne thes thingus weren manerly ful halowed, al Irael wente out, that was founden in the citees of Juda; and thei breeken the mawmetis, and hewen doun mawmete wodis, and the heeȝe thingus thei wastiden, and the auters distruyden, not onely of al Juda and Beniamyn, bot and of Effraym also and of Manasse, to the tyme that fully thei weren don awey. And alle the sonus of Irael ben torned aȝein in to possessiouns, and their citees. Ezechias forsothe sette prestis companyes and Leuytis bi their deuysiouns, echone in propre office, bothe of prestis, that is, and of Leuytis, to brent sacrifices and pesible, that thei seruen, and knowlechen, and syngen in the ȝatis of the tentis of the Lord. A paartye forsothe of the kyng was, that of his propre substaunce schulde ben offrid brent sacrifice erly and at euen, the sabothis also, and kalendis, and other solempnytes, as it is writen in the lawe of Moyses. Also he comaundide to the puple of the dwellers in Jerusalem, that thei ȝeuen partis to prestis and Leuytis, that thei mown taken tent to the lawe of the Lord. The whiche whanne was puplischt in the eris of the multitude, the sonus of Irael offreden manye first fruytis of whete, and of wyne, and of oyle, also of hony; and of alle thingus that the erth getith, thei offreden dymys. Bot and the sonus of Irael and of Juda, that dwelliden in the cytees of Juda offreden dymes of oxen and scheep, and dymes of hooly thingus, that thei hadden vowed to the Lord ther God, and, alle thingus beerynge, maaden many heepils. The thrid moneth thei begunne to castyn groundis of the heepils, and the seuenth moneth thei eendiden hem. And whanne Ezechias and his princis weren commen in, thei seen the heepils, and thei blesseden to the Lord, and to the puple of Irael. And Ezechias askide the prestis and Leuytis, why the heepils schulden so lyen. Azazie, the prest, first of the stoc of Sadoch, answerde to hym, seyinge, Sithen the first fruytis begunne to ben offrid in the hous of the Lord, we eetyn and ben fulfild, and there ben laft many thingus; forthi that the Lord hath blessid to his puple; of the releuys forsothe this is the plente, that thou seest. Thanne Ezechias comaundide, that thei schulden make redy bernes in the hous of the Lord; the whiche thing whan thei hadden don, thei brouȝten in bothe first fruytis, and dymes, and what euer thingus thei hadden vowed feithfully. Forsothe the prefect of hem was Chonenyas, Leuyte; and Semeye, his brother, the secounde; aftir whome Jehiel, and Azarias, and Naath, and Azahel, and Jerymoth, Jozabad also, and Helieel, and Jesmahias, and Maath, and Banayas, prouostis vndir the hondis of Chonenye and Semeye, his brother, of the maundement of kyng Ezechie, and of Azarie, the bischop of the hous of the Lord, to whom alle thingus perteyneden. Chore forsothe, the sone of Jemna, Leuyte, and porter of the este ȝate, was prouost to thes that wilfully offreden to the Lord, and to the first fruytis, and to the sacred in to the holy of halowes; and vndir hir cure Eden, and Beniamyn, Jesue, and Semeyas, Amarias also, and Sechenyas, in the citees of prestis, that feithfully thei delen to their bretheren parties, to the lesse and to the more, out taken the men fro thre ȝeer and abouen, thes thingus to alle that wenten in to the temple of the Lord, and what euer thing bi eche dais was hired in the seruyse and keepyngis after their deuysiouns. To prestis bi meynes, and to Leuytis fro twenty ȝeer and aboue by ordres and their companyes, and to al the multitude, bothe to wijues and to the fre childre of hem of either kynde, feithfully of mete of thes thingus that weren halowed weren ȝeuen. Bot and of the sonus of Aaron bi feeldis and suburbis of eche cytees ther weren disposid men, that by partis schulden delen to al male kynde of prestis and Leuytis. Thanne Ezechias dide alle thingus, that we han seide, in al Juda, and wrouȝte riȝt and gode and soth thing before the Lord his God, in al herying of the seruyse of the hous of the Lord, after the lawe and cerymonyes, willynge to sechen the Lord his God in al his herte; and he dide, and is maad welsum.
After the whiche thingis and siche a maner treuth, came Senacherub, king of Assiries, and gon in to Judam, beseegide strengthed cytees, wilnynge to taken hem. The whiche thing whanne Ezechias hadde herd, that is, Senacherub to han commen, and al the bure of the batayl to ben turned aȝeinus Jerusalem, gon in counseile with the princis and most stronge men, that thei schulden stoppyn the heuedis of wellis, that weren with oute the cyte; and, that deemyng the sentence of alle, he gaderede a myche multitude, and thei stoppiden alle the wellis, and the ryuer, that flowede in the myddis of the lond; seyinge, Lest there commen kingis of Assiries, and fynde aboundaunce of watirs. And doyng tauȝtly he bilde up al the wal that was scatered, and maad out tours ther vpon, and with oute forth another wall. And he enstored Mello in the cyte of Dauid; and maad armour of al maner, and tergettis. And he sette princis of fiȝters in the hoost; and he togider clepide alle in the strete of the ȝate of the citee, and he spac to the herte of hem, seyinge, Doth manly, and takith coumfort; willith not taken ferd, ne dreeden the kyng of Assiries, and al the multitude that is with hym; forsothe many mo ben with us thanne with hym. With hym is the fleschely arm; with us the Lord oure God, the which is oure help and fiȝter for us. And the puple is comfortide with siche maner wordis of Ezechie, kyng of Juda. The whiche thingus after that ben don, Senacherub, the king of Assiries, sente his seruauntis vnto Jerusalem; he forsothe with al his host besegide Lachis; to Ezechie, kyng of Juda, and to al the puple that was in the cytee, seying, Thes thingus seith Senacherub, king of Assiries, In whome hauing trust ȝe sitten bisegid in Jerusalem? For why Ezechias deceyuith ȝou, that he take to deth in hungur and thirst, affermynge that the Lord ȝoure God delyuer ȝou fro the hond of the kyng of Assiries? Whether this is Ezechie, that distruyede his heeȝe thingus and auters, and comaundide to Jude and Jerusalem, seyinge, Before oon auter ȝe schul honouren, and in it ȝe schul brenne encense? Whether ȝe vnknowen what I haue don, and my fadirs, to alle puplis of londis? Whether the goddis of Gentilis and of alle londis myȝten delyueren their regyoun fro my hond? Who is of alle the goddis of Gentilis, whom my fadirs waastiden, that myȝte delyueren his puple of myn hond, that also ȝoure God myȝte delyueren ȝou of this hond? Thanne ȝou deceyue not Ezechie, ne by veyn mouynge begile, ne trowe ȝe to hym; ȝif forsothe no God of alle Gentilis and of regyouns myȝte delyueren his puple of my hond, and of the hond of my fadirs, folowyngly ne ȝour God schal mown delyuer ȝou of this myn hond. Bot and many other thingus his seruauntis speeken aȝeinus the Lord God, and aȝeinus Ezechie, his seruaunt. Also letters he wroot ful of blasfemy in to the Lord God of Irael, and he spac aȝeinus hym, As the goddis of Gentilis of other londis myȝten not delyueren their puple fro myn hond, so and the God of Ezechie schal not mowen delyuer his puple fro this hond. Forthermore and with a grete crie in Jews tunge aȝeinus the puple, that sat in the wallis of Jerusalem, he ful out sounnede, that he agaste hem, and take the cite. And he spac aȝein the God of Irael, as aȝeinus the goddis of the puplis of the erth, the werkis of menus hondis. Thanne preyden Ezechias, king, and Isaias, the sone of Amos, prophete, aȝeynus this blasfemye; and thei cryeden out vnto heuen. And the Lord sente his aungel, that smote eche stronge man and fiȝter, and the prince of the hoost of the kyng of Assiries; and he is turned aȝeyn with schenschip in to his lond. And whanne he was gon in to the hous of his god, the sonus, that weren gon out of his wombe, slewen hym with swerd. And the Lord sauede Ezechie, and the dwellers of Jerusalem, fro the hond of Senacherub, kyng of Assiries, and fro the hond of alle men; and ȝaue to hem reste by enuyroun. Many also beeren hoostis and sacrifices to the Lord in to Jerusalem, and ȝiftis to Ezechie, kyng of Juda; the whiche is enhaunsid after thes thingus before alle folkis of kynde. In tho dais siknede Ezechie vnto the deth, and he preyde the Lord; and he herde hym, and ȝaue to hym a sygne; bot not after the benefetis that he hadde taken, he ȝeeldide, for arered is his herte; and ther is don aȝeinus hym wrath, and aȝeinus Judam, and aȝeinus Jerusalem. And he is mekide aftirward, forthi that his herte was arered, bothe he and the dwellers of Jerusalem; and therfore came not vpon hem the wrath of the Lord in the dais of Ezechie. Forsothe Ezechias was riche, and ful glorious, and he gaderede to hym many tresoures of syluer, of gold, and of precious stone, of swote spices, and of alle maner armour, and of vessels of grete prise. And leyinge places of whete, and of wyne, and of oyle, and cratchis of alle bestis, and foldes to feeld bestis, and sixe cytees he bilde. He hadde forsothe flockis of scheep, and of droues vnnoumbreable; forthi that the Lord hadde ȝeuen to hym ful mych substaunce. He is Ezechie, that stoppide the ouer well of the waters of Gyon, and he turnede hem awey vndirnethe toward the west of the citee of Dauid; in alle his werkis he dide welsumly, that he wolde. Neuerthelater in the message of the princis of Babyloyne, that weren sente to hym, that thei schulden asken of the wonder, that hadde fallen vpon the erth, God forsoke hym, that he schulde be temptid, and alle thingus schulden ben maad knowen that weren in his herte. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Ezechie, and of his mercyes, ben writen in the visioun of Ysay, the sone of Amos, prophete, and in the boke of kingus of Juda and of Irael. And Ezechie slepte with his fadirs, and thei birieden hym vpon the sepulcres of the sonus of Dauid. And al Juda maad solempne his deed offices, and alle the dwelleres of Jerusalem; and Manasses, his sone, regnede for hym.
Of twelue ȝeer was Manasses, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and fyue and fyfty ȝeer he regned in Jerusalem. Forsothe he dide euyl before the Lord aftir the abomynacyouns of Gentilis, the whiche the Lord turnede vpsadoun before the sonus of Irael. And turnede he enstored the heeȝe thingus, the whiche Ezechie, his fadir, hadde distruyede. And he sette up auters of Baalym, and maad mawmete wodus, and honourede al the knyȝthode of heuen, and heriede it. And he bilde up auters in the hous of the Lord, of the whiche the Lord hadde seyde, In Jerusalem schal ben my name without eend. Forsothe he bilde up hem to al the hoost of heuen in the two porchis of the hous of the Lord. And he made his sonus to passen thoruȝ fijr in the valey of Hennon; and he weytide sweuens, and he folowede deuynynge in briddes, and he enseruede to enchauntyng craftis, and he hadde with hym deuynours and enchaunters, and many euyls wrouȝt before the Lord, that he terre hym. Grauen also and ȝoten tookne he putte in the hous of the Lord, of the whiche God spac to Dauid, and to Salomon, his sone, seyinge, In this hous and in Jerusalem, that I chees of alle the lynagis of Irael, I schal putte my name in to euermore; and I schal not maken to meuen the fote of Irael fro the lond that I toke to the fadirs of hem, so oonly ȝif thei kepyn to don that I comaundide to hem, and al the lawe, and cerymonyes, and domys, by the hond of Moyses. Thanne Manasses deceyuede Judam, and the dwellers of Jerusalem, that thei diden euyl ouer alle Gentylis, the whiche the Lord ouerturnede fro the face of the sonus of Irael. And the Lord spac to hym, and to his puple; and thei wolden not taken heede. Therfore he ouerladde in to hem princis and hoostis of the kyng of Assiries; and thei tooken Manassen, and bounden with cheynes and with gyues thei brouȝten hym in to Babyloyne. The which aftir that he was to gydre anguyscht, he preyde the Lord his God, and dide penaunce gretely before the God of his fadirs. And he preyede hym, and halsende ententijfly; and he herde the orisoun of hym, and he brouȝte hym aȝein in to Jerusalem in to his kyngdam; and Manasses knewȝ, that the Lord he is God. After thes thingus he bilde a wal withoute the cytee of Dauid, at the west of Gyon, in the grete valey, fro the entre of the ȝate of fischis, bi enuyroun vnto Ofel; and he enhauncide it hugeli; and he sette princis of the hoost in alle the strengthed cytees of Juda. And he toke awey alien goddis and symulacres fro the hous of the Lord; the auters also that he hadde maad in the hil of the hous of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and al he threwȝ aferre out of the cite. Bot he enstorede the auter of the Lord, and offrede vpon it slayn sacrifices, and pesible, and preysynge; and he comaundede to Jude, that he schulde seruen to God of Irael. Neuer the later ȝit the puple offrede in heeȝe thingus to the Lord his God. The remnaunt forsothe of the dedis of Manasse, and the obsecracioun of hym to his God, the wordis also of the seearis, that speeken to hym in the name of the Lord God of Irael, ben conteenede in the wordis of the kingus of Irael. The preyer also of hym, and heering, and alle the synnes, and dispitis, also the places in the whiche he bilde up heeȝe thingus, and maad mawmete wodis and ymagis, before that he dide penaunce, ben writen in the wordis of Ozai. Forsothe Manasses slepte with his faders, and they birieden hym in his hous; and Amon, his sone, regnede for hym. Of two and twenty ȝeer was Amon, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen; and two ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem. And he dide euyl in the siȝte of the Lord, as hadde done Manasses, his fader; and to alle the mawmetis, that Manasses hadde forgide, he offride, and seruede. And he dradde not the face of the Lord, as dradde Manasses, his fadir; and manye more thingus trespasside. And whanne his seruauntis hadden sworn to gydre aȝeinus hym, thei slowen hym in his hous. But the tother multitude of the puple, hem slayn that hadden smyten Amon, thei setten Joziam, his sone, kyng for hym.
Of eiȝt ȝeer was Jozias, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and oon and thritty ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem. And he dide that was riȝt in the siȝt of the Lord; and he wente in the weies of Dauid, his fadir, and he bowede not to the riȝt ne to the left. The eiȝthe ȝeer forsothe of his empyre, whanne ȝit he was a child, he beganne to sechen the God of his fadir Dauid; and the twelfthe ȝeer aftir that he hadde begunnen, he clensede Judeam and Jerusalem fro heeȝe thingus, and mawmete wodis, and symulacres, and grauen thingus. And thei distruyȝeden before hym the auters of Baalym, and the symulacres that weren sett vpon; thei waastiden also the mawmete wodis. And grauen thingus he hewȝ doun, and mynuscht; and vpon the toumbis of hem, that weren wount to offren, he scaterede the releuys. Forthermore the boones of prestis he brende in the auters of mawmetis, and he clensed Judam and Jerusalem. Bot and in the citees of Manasse, and of Effraym, and of Semeon, vnto Neptalym, alle thingus he turnede vpsadoun. And whanne the auters he hadde to-scaterede, and the mawmete wodus and grauen thingus he hadde to-brayȝide in to gobetis, and al the wasching templis he hadde waastide fro al the lond of Irael, he is turnede aȝein in to Jerusalem. Thanne the eiȝtenthe ȝeer of his regne, the lond now clensede and the temple of the Lord, he sente Saphan, the sone of Elchie, and Maazian, prince of the cytee, and Joa, the sone of Joachas, chauncelere, that thei schulden enstore the hous of the Lord their God. The whiche camyn to Elchyam, the grete preste; and monee taken of hym, that was brouȝt into the hous of the Lord, and that gadereden Leuytis and porters, of Manasse, and of Effraym, and of alle the tother of Irael, also of al Juda and Beniamyn, and the dwellers of Jerusalem, thei token in the hondis of hem that stoden vpon to the werkmen in the hous of the Lord, that thei enstoren the temple, and eche feble thingus thei bocchyn. And thei ȝeuen it to the craftise men, and to masouns, that thei schulden bien hewen stones of the quarers, and trees to the iunctours of the bildynge, and to the ioynynge of the houses, that the kingus of Irael hadden distruyede. The whiche feithfully alle thingus diden. Forsothe prouostis of the werkmen weren Jabath, and Abdias, of the sonus of Merery; Zacharias, and Mosollam, of the sonis of Caath; that streyneden the werk; alle Leuytis, cunnynge in orgnys to syngyn. Vpon hem forsothe that to dyuerse vses beeren birthens weren scribis, and maisters, the porters of the Leuytis. And whanne thei schulden offeren the monee, that was brouȝt in to the temple of the Lord, Elchias, the preste, fonde a boke of the lawe of the Lord by the hond of Moisy; and seith to Saphan, scribe, The boke of the lawe I haue founden in the hous of the Lord. And he toke to hym, and he brouȝt in the volume to the kyng; and tolde to hym, seyinge, Alle thingus that thou hast ȝeuen in to the hondis of thi seruauntis, loo! thei ben fulfild. The syluer that is founden in the hous of the Lord thei han ȝotyn; and it is ȝeuen to the prefectis of craftise men, and forgynge dyuerse werkis; forthermore Elchias, the preste, toke to me this boke. The whiche whanne the kyng present, he hadde reherside, and he hadde herd the wordis of the lawe, he kutte his clothes; and he comaundide to Elchie, and to Aichan, the sone of Saphan, and to Abdon, the sone of Micha, also to Saphan, scribe, and to Asie, the seruaunt of the kyng, seyinge, Goth, and preyeth the Lord for me, and for the remnaunt of Irael and of Juda, vpon alle the wordis of this boke, that is founden. Forsothe grete woodnesse of the Lord droppide vpon us, forthi that oure fadirs han not kept the wordis of the Lord, that thei schulden don alle thingus that ben writen in this volume. Thanne wente Elchias, and thes that to gider of the kyng weren sent, to Oldam, prophetisse, wijf of Sellum, sone of Thecuath, sone of Azia, keper of the clothes, the whiche dwellide in Jerusalem in the secounde wallynge; and thei speekyn to hyr the wordis, that we han aboue told. And sche answerde to hem, Thes thingus seith the Lord God of Irael, Seith to the man, that sente ȝou to me, Thes thingus seith the Lord, Loo! I schal bryngyn in euyls vpon this place, and vpon the dwellers of it, and alle the cursingus that ben writen in this boke, that thei radden beforn the kyng of Juda. For thei forsoken me, and sacrifieden to alien goddis, that me to wrath thei schulden terren in alle the werkis of their hondus; and therfor my woodnesse schal droppen vpon this place, and it schal not ben queynt. To the kyng forsothe of Juda, that sente ȝou for the Lord to ben preyede, thus spekith, Thes thingus seith the Lord God of Irael, For thou hast herd the word of this volume, and thin hert is tempered, and thou ert meekid in the siȝt of the Lord vpon thes thingus that ben seid aȝein this place and the dwellers of Jerusalem, and thou dreedist reuerently my face, and cuttist thi clothes, and weptist before me; I forsothe haue herd thee, seith the Lord. Nowe forsothe I schal gedre thee to thi faders, and thou schalt be brout in to thi sepulcre in pese; and thin eeȝen schul not seen al the euyl, that I am to bryngyn in vpon this place, and vpon the dwellers of it. And so thei tolden to the kyng alle thingus, that sche hadde seyde. And he, clepide to gidre alle the more thoruȝ birthe of Juda and of Jerusalem, steiȝede up in to the hous of the Lord, and also togydre alle the men of Juda, and the dwellers of Jerusalem, prestis, and Leuytis, and al the puple, fro the leste vnto the moste; the whiche heeryng in the hous of the Lord, the kyng radde alle the wordis of the volume; and stondyng in his chayere smote pese couenaunt before the Lord, that he schulde gon aftir hym, and keepyn the heestis, and witnessyngus, and justifiyngus, in al his herte and in al his soule; and he schulde done that ben writen in that volume, that he hadde radde. Also he adiurede vpon this alle, that ben founden in Jerusalem and Beniamyn; and the dwellers of Jerusalem diden after the couenaunt of the Lord God of their fadirs. Thanne Jozias dide aweye alle the abomynaciouns of alle the regyouns of the sonus of Irael; and maad alle, that weren laft in Jerusalem, to seruen to the Lord their God; alle the dais of his lijf thei wenten not awey fro the Lord God of their fadirs.
Forsothe Jozias maad in Jerusalem pasch to the Lord, that was offred the fourtenthe day of the first moneth; and he sette prestis in their offices; and he meuede hem louely, that thei schulden mynystren in the hous of the Lord. Also to the Leuytis, at whos techinge al Irael was halowed to the Lord, he spak, Puttith the ark in the seyntuarie of the temple, that Salomon, the sone of Dauid, kyng of Irael, bilde up; forsothe ȝe schul bern it namore. Nowe forsothe mynystreth to the Lord oure God and to his puple Irael, and makith ȝou redy by houses and ȝoure kynredis in the deuysiouns of eche oon, as Dauid, king of Irael, comaundide, and Salomon, his sone, discriuede; and mynystreth in the seyntuarie bi ȝour meynees and Leuytis companyes, and, halowed, offreth pasch; also ȝoure bretheren, that thei mowen aftir the wordis that the Lord spac in the hond of Moyses don, makith redy before. Forthermore Jozias ȝaue to al the puple, that was founden in to the solempnyte of pasch, lombis, and kides of the flockes, and of other feeld beestis thritty thousand, of oxen forsothe, thre thousand; thes thingus of al the substaunce of the kyng. Also his duykis wilfully that thei voweden offreden, bothe to the puple and prestis and Leuytis. Bot Elchias, and Zacharias, and Jehiel, princis of the hous of the Lord, ȝeuen to the prestis, to don pasch, feeld bestis mengyngly, two thousand and sexe hundrith, and oxen thre hundrith. Choneyas forsothe, and Semeyas, also Nathanael and his bretheren, also Azabias, Jahiel, and Josabas, princis of Leuytis, ȝeuen to other Leuytis, to halowen the pasch, fyue thousand of feeld beestis, and oxen fyue hundrith. And the seruyse is maad redy beforn; and the prestis stoden in their office, also Leuytis in companyes, after the kingis comaundement; and offred is pasch. And the prestis sprengeden their hondis with blood, and Leuytis drewen of skynnes of brent sacrifices, and seuerden hem, that thei schulden ȝeuen by houses and meynees of echon, and thei schulden ben offred to the Lord, as it is writen in the boke of Moyses; and of oxen thei diden lijc maner. And thei roosteden pasch vpon the fijr, after that it is wrijten in the lawe. Forsothe pesible hoostis thei seetheden in posnettis, and cawdrones, and pottis, and hastily thei deleden to al the puple; to hem selue forsothe, and to the prestis aftirward thei maden redy; for in the offrynge of brent sacrifices and talewis, vnto the nyȝt the prestis weren ocupied. Wherfore the Leuytis to hem silf and to the prestis, sonus of Aaron, greitheden last. Bot the syngers, sonus of Asaph, stoden in their ordre, aftir the heste of Dauid, and Asaph, and Eman, and Ydytym, of the prophetis of the kyng; the porters forsothe bi alle the ȝatis keptyn al about, so that in no poynt forsothe thei wenten fro the seruyse; wherfore and the bretheren of hem, Leuytis, greitheden to hem metis. Thanne al the heryinge of the Lord lawfuly is fulfild in that day, that thei do pasch, and offren brent sacrifice vpon the auter of the Lord, aftir the heste of the kyng Jozie. And the sonus of Irael, that weren founden, diden ther pasch in that tyme, and the solempnyte of therf looues seuen days. Ther was not a pasch lijc to this in Irael, fro the days of Samuel, prophete; bot ne eny of the kingus of Irael maad pasch as Jozias, to the prestis and Leuytis, and to al Jude and Irael, that was founden, and to the dwellers of Jerusalem. The eiȝtenthe ȝeer of the kyngdam of Jozie this pasch is halewed. After that Jozias hadde enstored the temple, Nechao, kyng of Egipt, steiȝede up to fiȝten in Charchamys beside Eufraten; and Jozias wente forth in to aȝein commynge of hym. And he, messagers sent to hym, seith, What to me and to thee, kyng of Juda? To day not aȝeinus thee I comme, bot aȝeinus an other hous I fyȝte, to whom God comaundide me hastely to gon; leue aȝeinus God to don, that is with me, lest he slee thee. Jozias wolde not ben turned aȝein, bot greithede aȝein hym bataile; and he assentide not to the wordis of Nechao, of the mouth of God, bot wente for to fiȝten in the feeld of Magedo. And there woundid of the scheters, seide to his childre, Ledith me out of the bataile, for gretely I am woundid. The whiche beeren hym ouer fro oon chaar to an other, that folowede hym, in kingus maner, and beeren hym awey in to Jerusalem; and he is deed, and beried in the costeuous toumbe of his fadirs. And al Juda and Jerusalem weileden hym, Jeremyas most, whos alle the syngers and syngeresses in to the present day lamentaciouns vpon Jozie replyen; and as lawe it is hadde in Irael, Loo! it is told writen in the Lamentaciouns. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Jozie, and of his mercyes, the whiche in the lawe of the Lord ben comaundide, also the werkis of hym, the first and the last, ben writen in the bok of the kyngus of Irael and of Juda.
Toke thanne the puple of the lond Joachaz, the sone of Jozie, and setten king for his fader in Jerusalem. Of thre and twenty ȝeer was Joachaz, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and thre monethis he regnede in Jerusalem. Forsothe the king of Egipt, whanne he was commen to Jerusalem, remeuede hym, and condempnede the lond in an hundrith talentis of syluer and a talent of gold. And he sette king for hym Elyachyn, his brother, vpon Judam and Jerusalem; and he turnede his name Joachym. Hym forsothe Joachaz he toke with hym, and brouȝt in to Egipt. Of fyue and twenty ȝeer was Joachym, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and elleuen ȝeer he regnede in Jerusalem, and he dide euyl beforn the Lord his God. Aȝeins this steiȝid up Nabugodonosor, king of Caldeis, and bounden with cheynes ladde in to Babyloyne. To the whiche and the vessels of the Lord he translatide, and putte hem in his temple. The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Joachym, and his abomynaciouns that he wrouȝte, and that ben founden in hym, ben contened in the boke of the kingus of Irael and of Juda. Thanne Joachym, his sone, regnede for hym. Of eiȝt ȝeer was Joachym, whanne he hadde begunn to regnen, and thre monethis and tenn days he regned in Jerusalem, and he dide euyl in the siȝt of the Lord. And whanne the cercle of oo ȝeer were turned, king Nabugodonosor sente hem, the whiche and brouȝten hym into Babiloyne, born awey togider the most precious vessels of the hous of the Lord. Forsothe he sette Sedechie, his vncle, kyng vpon Judam and Jerusalem. And of oon and twenty ȝeer was Sedechias, whanne he hadde begunne to regnen, and elleuen ȝeer he regned in Jerusalem. And he dide euyl in the eeȝen of the Lord his God, ne he schamyde the face of Jeremye, the prophete, spekinge to hym of the mouth of the Lord. Also fro king Nabugodonosor he wente awei, the whiche hadde adiurede hym bi God; and he endurede his nolle and herte, that he were not turnede aȝein to the Lord God of Irael. Bot and alle the princis of prestis and the puple trespaseden wickidly, after alle the abomynaciouns of gentilis; and thei defouleden the hous of the Lord, that he halowede to hym in Jerusalem. The Lord forsothe God of their fadirs sente to hem bi the hond of his messagers, fro nyȝt rijsyng, and eche day togydre monestynge; forthi that he wolde sparen to the puple, and to his dwellynge place. And thei vndremoweden the messagers of God, and dispiseden his wordis, and scorneden to the prophetis; to the tyme that schulde steiȝ vp the woodnesse of the Lord vpon his puple, and were no medecyne. And he brouȝt vpon hem the king of Caldeis; and he slowȝ the ȝong men of hem with swerd in the hous of the seyntuarye; and he hadde not reuth of the ȝong waxe man, and of the meyden, and of the olde man, ne forsothe of the ful feble for eeld, bot alle he toke in his hondis. And alle the vessels of the hous of the Lord, bothe more and lasse, and the tresores of the temple, and of the kyng, and of the princis, he bare ouer in to Babiloyne. Enmyes brenden up the hous of the Lord, distruyeden the wal of Jerusalem, alle the toures brenden, and whateuer was precyous thei waastiden. Ȝif eny hadde scapid the swerd, lad in to Babyloyne, seruede to the king and his sonus; to the tyme that the kyng of Persis hadde empyre, and were fulfild the word of the Lord of the mouth of Jeremye, and the lond schulde halowen their holy days. Forsothe alle the days of desolacioun he dide saboth, vnto the whijl seuenty ȝeer weren fulfild. Forsothe the first ȝeer of Cirus, kyng of Persis, to fulfille the word of the Lord, that he hadde spoken by the mouth of Jeremye, the Lord stired the spirite of Cirus, kyng of Persis, that comaundide to ben prechide to al his rewme also by scripture, seyinge, Thes thingus seith Cirus, kyng of Persis, Alle the rewmes of the erth ȝaf to me the Lord God of heuen, and he comaundide to me, that I schulde bilde up to hym an hous in Jerusalem, the whiche is in Jude. Who of ȝou is in al the puple of hym? be the Lord his God with hym, and steiȝe he up.
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