The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,
Wycliffe, John, d. 1384., Forshall, Josiah, 1795-1863., Madden, Frederic, 1801-1873.

CAP. IV.

*. [Here . . . . . bigynneth a prolog on Josue. δ.]The vj. book, which is clepid Josue, tellith in general, that Josue brouȝte the peple into the lond of biheeste, and departide it bi lott to hem; and first how God bihiȝte to Josue that noon schulde mowe*. [now αζη.] aȝenstonde him and his peple in alle the daies of his lijf; and God bihiȝte that Josue schulde departe bi lot to his peple the lond of biheest; and God comaundide him to kepe al the lawe, and bowe not fro it, but thenke therinne bi*. [bothe ζ.] daies and nyȝtis, that he kepe and do tho thingis that ben writen therinne. Aftir this Josue sente aspies to bihoolde the lond and the citee of Jerico; and thei entriden in to the hous of a comun womman Raab, and weren sauid there bi counceil and helpe of the womman. Thanne Josue bad the prestis take the arke of boond*. [the boond εζι.] of pees of the Lord, and goo bifore the peple, and thei diden so. And whanne the*. [Om. ει.] prestis camen with*. [and brouȝten δε.] the arke to the brinke of Jurdan, the greet watir of Jurdan wente awey to the deed se, and the hiȝere wateris stooden stille as a wal, so that the peple passide bi the drie botme, and the prestis stoodin on the drie erthe in the myddis of Jurdan. Also Josue bad xij. men of xij.*. [the xij. ζ.] lynagis of Israel take xij. greete stoonis fro the botme of Jordan, and sette tho in Galgalis, where the peple settide*. [sett ζ.] tentis in the nyȝt*. [nexte nyȝt ι.] aftir the passage*. [passynge δει.] of Jurdan, and take xij. stoonis of the lond, and putte in the myddis of Jordan, where the arke hadde stoonde; and bad that fadris schulden*. [schulen ζ.] teche hire children, hou thei passiden bi the drie botme of Jurdan, for God driede the*. [Om. β.] watris theroffe, as he hadde do before in the reed se, and the prestis and princis and al the peple obeyede to Josue. Thanne*. [And δ.] Josue circumcide*. [circumsiside β. circumcidede δεζι.] the peple that was vncircumcidid xl. ȝeer in desert, and the peple made paask in the xiiij. day of the monthe at euentid; and Josue siȝ an aungel of the Lord, which aungel was prince of Goddis oost. Also the stronge wallis of Jerico felden doun at Goddis ordynaunce, whanne the*. [Om. ει.] prestis brayeden with vij. trumpis, and alle the peple criede an hiȝ in the vij. day of cumpassing of the citee. And the peple of Israel distroiede and brente the citee and alle thingis ther|inne, outaken Raab and tho that weren in her hous, and outtaken gold and syluer, and vessels of bras and yroun*. [of iren ζ.], whiche thei haleweden in to the tresorie of the Lord. Also for Achar dide aȝens Goddis bidding, and took to himself a thing reserued to Goddis vs, he was stoonid and brent, and alle hise goodis weren brent with hym; and til*. [al αεηι. om. δ.] this punysching was doon on hym, `the peple*. [for afore this the puple δει.] of Israel myȝte not stoonde, but was ouercomen of hire enemyes. After this punysching of Achar Josue took the citee of Hay, and killede the king and al the peple, and distroiede and brente the citee, and hangide the king therof in*. [on ι.] a iebat. Thanne Josue bildide an auter to God in the hill of Hebal, and offride theronne brent sacrifice*. [sacrifisis δει.] and peesible sacrificis*. [sacrifice βζ.], and wroot the Deutronomye of Moyses lawe on Page  9 stoonis. And first he blesside the peple of Israel, and aftir these thingis he redde alle*. [Om. δε.] the wordis of blessing and of cursing, and alle thingis that weren writen in the book of lawe*. [Goddis lawe ζ.]; he lefte noo thing vntouchid of these thingis whiche Moises hadde comaundid, but he de|claride alle thingis bifore al the multitude of Israel, to wymmen and litel*. [to litel δεηι.] children, and to comelyngis that dwelliden*. [dwellen ζη pr.m.] among hem. Also men of Gabaon feyneden hem to be of fer cuntre, and bi this fraude thei `gaten of Josue and other princis pees and lijf*. [gaten of Josue pees and lijf, and other princis αη. gatyn of Josue pees and lyf, of Josue and othere pryncis δει.]; and for this fraude thei and alle hire successouris weren maad boonde, to bringe woode and watir to the seruise of the auter and of*. [to ζ sup. ras.] al the multitude of Israel for euere*. [euer|more ζ.]. Also Josue by Goddis help ouercam v. greete kingis in oo day, and made hise princis trede*. [to trede ι.] on the neckis of these kingis, and aftirward*. [thanne he δει.] hangide these kingis in v. iebatis, and he ouercam alle the*. [tho ει.] kingis and her peplis that dwelliden in the*. [that β.] lond of biheest, that weren xxxj. kingis, and departide the lond of biheest to xij. lynagis of Israel bi lot, and citees of refuyt, and citees to prestis and dekenes to dwelle inne*. [therinne ζ.], as God comaundide. This processe of Josue schulde stire cristene men to haue greet trist in God, and dreede noo man neither*. [ne ζ.] peple, as longe as thei seruen*. [serueden αβδεηι.] treuly Almyȝty God. ¶ *. [Here . . . . . bigynneth a prolog on Judicum. δ.]The vij. book clepid*. [is clepid ζ.] Judicum tellith*. [and tellith ζ.] that the puple of Israel was reulid with iugis, either domysmen, aftir the deeth of Josue, and sum|tyme bi a womman Delbora. Whanne the peple felde to greete synnes, and specialy to ydolatrie, God sente aduersaries on hem that turmentiden the Jewis ful sore, and killide many thousendis of hem, and heeld othere vndir tribute and greet thraldam. And whanne the peple repentide vereily, and criede to God with al her herte, he sente help to hem, and reiside a iuge that ouercam her enemyes, and reulide hem wel in pees and in Goddis lawe. This prosces of Judicum schulde stire cristene men for to flee synne, and loue God that doith so greet mercy to hem that repentyn*. [repenten hem ζ.] verili. ¶ *. [Heere . . . . . bigynneth a prologe on Ruth. δ.]This book comprehendith the storie of*. [Om. δ.] Ruth, that was an hethene womman, and lefte her nacoun, and ydolatrie, and bileeuede in God, and kepte his lawe. Therfore sche was weddid to a noble man of the Jewis, and is set in the genelogie either*. [of ζ.] kynrede of oure Sauyour. This story schulde stire alle men*. [cristen men ζ.] to forsake her synne, and serue God treuly in al hire lijf, for reward of heuenly blisse. ¶ *. [Here . . . . . bigynneth a prologe on the firste book of Kyngis. δ.]The first book of Kingis tellith, how the prest Ely and his sones weren repreued and slayn, for thei gouerneden yuele Goddis peple, and for her synne and necligence the peple dide myche synne, and was ouercomen of hethene men, and the arke of God was taken of hethene men, and thei killeden manye thousindis*. [thousend δει.] of the*. [Om. δει. pr. m.] Jewis; and how the trewe chijld Samuel was a feithful prophete of the Lord, and gouernede wel the peple in Goddis seruise and riȝtfulnesse, and dide noon extorcioun, neither*. [ne ζ.] took ȝiftis of eny man, neither coueitide eny mannis good, but dide alle thingis in his offis iustly bifore God and man. And whanne Samuel was eeld, he settide*. [sett ζ.] his sones iuges of*. [on ι.] Israel; and for thei bowide aftir auarice, and tooken ȝiftis, and peruertiden doom, the peple axiden a king on*. [up on δει.] hem, to greet indignacoun of God and harm of*. [to δεζι.] hemself. Thanne Saul that*. [whil he δει.] was pore and meke, and souȝte the assis of his fadir, was maad king, and dide wel a lytel while, and aftirward for his pride and coueitise he was repreued of God, and pryued fro the reume, bothe he and his kyn; and pore Dauith was chosen king bi Goddis ordynaunce for his meeknesse, mersy, and charite. Dauith sparyde Saul his enemye, that pursuede him to deeth vniustly, and was a traitour and blasfemere*. [a blasfemere β.] of*. [to ζ.] God, and not oonly sparide him twyes bitaken in to his hoondis, whanne he myȝte haue slayn him, and ȝit ascapide*. [haue scapid δει.] harmles, but also lettide hise men to smyte hym, whanne thei myȝten haue slayn him, and scapid*. [ȝit haue scapid ι.] harmles. And ȝit the wickid tyraunt Saul pursuede him for enuye, Page  10 and souȝte his deth in manye maners, and euere God kepte Dauith in alle perrels, and ȝeldide peyne*. [perele β.] to Saul for his tyrauntrie and wickidnesse, and made him to be slayn of hethene men. This processe of the firste book of Kingis schulde stire prestis to be not necligent in her offis, neither to be coueytous, and styre seculer lordis to be meke and iust to God and men. ¶ *. [Here . . . . . bigynneth a prolog on the ij. book [of Kyngis]. δ.]The ij. book of Kingis tellith first, hou Dauith biweylide greetly the deth of Saul and of*. [Om. ι.] Jonatas, and of Goddis peple; and Dauith killede the man of Amalech that killede*. [seyde that he had killide ζ sec.m.] Saul outirly, aftir the deeth wounde of Saul, and brouȝte to Dauith the coroune `and bye*. [Om. η.] of Saul. Aftir this*. [this thing ζ.] the lynage of Juda corounnede either anoyntide Dauith in Ebron, that he schulde reyne on the hous of Juda; and thanne was longe werre bytwixxe*. [bytwene βζ.] Hisboseth, sone*. [the sone ζ.] of Saul, and bitwixe*. [bytwene β.] the hous of Dauith; Dauith encreside euere, and waxe strongere `and strongere*. [Om. δ.], and the hous of Saul dicreeside ech day; and Dauith rengnide vij. ȝeer in Ebron, and gat vj. sones. Also Dauith made mychel*. [myche βδεζι.] sorewe for the*. [Om. β.] deth of Abner, whanne Joab hadde killid him bi treesoun. Also Dauith killide Baana and Rechab, that killeden bi treesoun Hisboseth his enemye. Thanne al Israel cam in to Ebron, and anoyntide Dauith in to king of*. [on δει.] Israel, and Dauith regnede on Juda in Ebron vij. ȝeer and an half, and regnede*. [he regnide δει.] in Jerusalem xxxiij. ȝeer on al Israel and Juda, and was*. [he was ζ.] xxx. ȝer eeld whanne he began to rengne, and rengnede xl. ȝeer. Aftir this the noble king Dauith hadde twyes*. [twey δει.] victorie*. [victories δεηι.] of Filisteis. Thanne Dauith took xxx. thousind chosen*. [of chosen ζ.] men of Israel to bringe to his place the arke of God, for reuerence and deuocioun. Dauith made greet mynstrelsye, and mekide himself bifore the arke, and suffride rebukinge of Mycol, the douȝtir of Saul; therfore Dauith thouȝte to*. [Om. β.] bylde an hous to the ark of God. Thanne God telde to Dauith that his sone schulde bylde this hous, and the trone of the reume of Dauith schal be stable*. [stablischid ζ.] withouten ende; and this is fillid in Crist. Thanne Dauith hadde victorie of*. [on ζ.] many londis, and made tho tributarie to Israel, and God kepte Dauith in alle thingis, to whiche he ȝed forth. And Dauith dide dom and riȝtfulnesse to al his peple, and he dide mercy and curtesie to Myfyboseth, sone*. [the sone ζ.] of Jonatas. Aftir these thingis Dauith dwellide at home, whanne Joab and the oost wente to bateile, and*. [Om. ζ.] `in this tyme Dauith*. [Om. δει.] dide auoutrie with Bersabee, the wijf of Vrie, and procuride the deth of Vrie bi tresoun. Thanne God sente Nathan the prophete to repreue Dauith of this synne, and he took meekly his*. [this ζ.] repreuyng, and knoulechide that he synnede aȝens God; and God forȝaf the synne, but swerd and persecusioun ȝede*. [wente δει.] neuere awey fro his hous, for God killede the sone of Bersabee, and oo sone of Dauith killede another, and Absolon his sone roos aȝens him, and droof him out of Jerusalem, and souȝte with stronge oost to slee him. Thanne Dauith ȝede out of Jerusalem on his feet, and stiȝide with bare feet into the hiȝnesse of the hille of Olyuete, and wepte, and al his peple wepte bittirly. And Dauith mekede him to God, and seide, "Ȝif God seith*. [seie ζ.] to me, thou pleesist not me, I am redy, do he that that*. [Om. δει.] is good bifore himself." Thanne Semey, that was of the kyn of Saul, dispiside Dauith, and clepide him a manquellere, and a man of Belial, and a rauenour of the rewme, and he curside Dauith, and castide stoonis and erthe aȝens Dauith, and aȝens alle the seruauntis of king Dauith; and whanne Abisay wolde slee this cursere, Dauith bad him suffre Semey to curse him, and seide, God comaundide*. [comaundith β.] hym `that he curse*. [to curse δει.] Dauith. And*. [Om. δει.] the kyng seide to Abysay and to alle his seruauntis, "Loo! my sone that ȝede out of my wombe seekith my lijf, that is, to slee me, how myche more now this sone of Gemyny; suffre ȝe him to curse bi comaundement of the Lord; if in caas the Lord bihoolde my turment, and ȝelde good to me for this*. [Om. ζ.] cursing to day." Aftirward Absolon defoulide opynly his fadris wijfes bifore al Ysrael. Thanne Achitofel ȝaf a fel counceyl, to pursue Dauith in that*. [the ζ.] nyȝt with xij. thousandis*. [thousande ζ.] of men, and sle him bifore that he were war; but this counceil was Page  11 distroied bi Goddis wille, and bi a wijs counceil of Chusy, the frend of Dauith. Thanne Absolon gaderide al the power of Israel to make opyn werre aȝens his fadir; natheles Dauith for pite and charite comaundide*. [counseilide δ.] thre princis of his oost to kepe Absolon alyue, that he myȝte repente, and be sauid. And whanne Dauith knew that Absolon was slayn, he made so*. [a δ.] gret sorewe, that almest he was deed, and al the*. [his β. Om. ζ.] peple was*. [Om. β.] in poynt to forsake Dauith. Thanne for this perel Dauith lefte his moornyng, and sat opinly in the ȝate, to conforte al his oost. After this the counceil of al*. [Om. ζ.] Israel cam to Dauith, that thei wolde*. [shulden δει.] brynge him in to his rewme worschipfully; and Dauith forȝaf the opyn tresoun to hem that thei hadden do bifore*. [afore ι.], and stiride swetly*. [swittly ζ. pr. m. wittly sec. m.] men of Juda, that weren specialy his tray|touris, to come and bringe hym in to his rewme, and forȝaf her tresoun, and he forȝaf the souereyn tresoun to Amasa, that was of his owne kyn, and was prince of the oost of Absalon to slee Dauith; and Dauith swor to make this Amasa prince next Joab, and forȝaf the synne and cursing and tresoun*. [the tresoun δ.] to Semey, and swor that he shulde not dyȝe. Ȝit bifore that Dauith cam to Jerusalem, a*. [and δ.] new debate roos bitwixe the*. [Om. δει.] men of Israel and the men of Juda, for this bringing aȝen of the king was not teld first to men*. [the men β.] of Israel; and bi stiring of Syba, a man of Belial, that was of kyn*. [the kyn βδζ.] of Saul, al Israel was departid fro Dauith, and suede this Syba; and in this tyme Joab killyde bi tresoun the noble knyȝt Amasa. Thanne this Syba passide bi alle the lynagis*. [lynage ζ.] of Israel til into Habela, and into*. [Om. δει.] Bethmaka, and alle chosen men weren gaderid to him. And Joab and his oost bysegeden these citees, and wolde distroie the greet citee Habela, and a wijs woman of the citee sauid it bi hire counceil, and made Syba to be slayn, and al the peple to be sauid on*. [in β.] bothe sydis. Also vij. men of the kyn of Saul weren slayn of Gabaonytis, bi suffring of Dauith, and bi coun|ceil of God, for Saul killede wickidly the men of Gabaon; and for this synne of Saul hungir was maad thre ȝeer in the daies of Dauith; and aftir this veniaunce don on the hous of Saul, God dide mersy to the lond. Thanne is set a greet song of Dauith, which*. [the which βδ.] he spac to God, whanne he hadde delyuered him fro the hond of alle his enemyes; thanne sueth the noumbre of stronge men of Dauith. At the laste Dauith for pride and aȝens the lawe noumbride the peple of Israel, and*. [Om. δεηι.] therfore lxx. thousind of*. [Om. β.] men weren deed bi pestilence. Thanne Dauith repentide him*. [Om. βζ.] sore, and mekide him to God, and seide thus, "I it am, that synnede, and I*. [Om. δει.] dide wickidly; what*. [and what β.] han these men don that ben scheep, that is, symple and innocent in*. [of ζ.] comparisoun of me; I biseche that*. [thee that δει.] thin hond be turnid aȝens me, and aȝens the hous of my fadir." Thanne God sente his profete Gad to hym, and bad him make an auter, and offre brent sacrifices and peesible sacrifices; and God dide mercy to the lond, and the veniaunce ceeside of Israel. The*. [This δεζι.] prosces of this ij. book ouȝte to stire kingis and lordis to mersy*. [do merci ζ.] and riȝtfulnesse, and euere to be war of ydilnesse, that brouȝte Dauith to auoutrie and othere myscheues, and euere to be meeke to God and hise prestis, and sore*. [soone ζη sec. m.] repente*. [to repente β.] of*. [Om. δει.] hire mysdeedis, and make amendis to God and men, and wilfully forȝeue wroongis don to hem, and euere be war of pride and extorcouns, leest God take veniaunce on al the peple, as he dide on Dauith and his peple, and euere to be pacient and mersiful, as Dauith was, to gete remissioun of synnes bifore don, and*. [Om. δει.] to gete pees, and prosperite, and heuenly blisse withouten ende.