A   After þe; death of Iosua the childr&ebar; of Israel asked þe; Lord saying Who shal go vp first vnto þe; Cananites to fyghte agaynst them? And the Lorde sayde: ^note Iuda shall go vp: beholde I haue delyuered the l&abar;d into hys h&abar;des. Then Iuda sayde vnto ^note Simeon hys brother: come wyth me into my lotte, and let vs fyghte agaynste the Cananites: And I lykewyse wil go with the into thy lotte. And so Simeon wente wyth hym.

And Iuda went vp, and the Lord deliuered the Cananites and Pheresites into theyr handes. And they slewe of th&ebar; in Bezek .x. thousand men. And they found ^note Adonibezek in Bezek. And they fought against him, ∧ slewe the Cananites ∧ Pheresites. But Adonibezek fled, and they folowed after him, ∧ caught h&ibar;, and cut of hys thombes and hys greate toes. Then Adonibezek sayd: thre score ∧ .x. kynges hauynge theyr thombes ∧ greate toes cut of, gathered theyr meate vnder my table: ^note wherfore as I haue done so, God hath done to me agayne. And they brought him to Ierusalem and there he dyed.

The children of Iuda fought agaynst Ierusal&ebar;, and toke it, ∧ smote it wyth the edge of the swerde, and set the cyty on fyre. And after that the chyldren of Iuda went euen to fyght agaynst the Cananites þt; dwelt in the mountayne, in the southe, ∧ in the lowe countreye. And Iuda went vnto the Cananites þt; dwelt in Hebron, whiche before tyme was called Karyath Arbe. And slewe Sesai, Ahiman and Thalmai. And from thence they went to the inhabyters of Dabir, whose name in olde tyme was called Kariathsepher.

And Caleb sayde: he that smyteth Kariathsepher, ∧ taketh it, to him wyll I geue Acsah my doughter to wyfe. And Othonyel þe; sonne of Kenez Calebs younger brother toke it: to C   whome he gaue Acsah hys doughter to wyfe and as they wente she counceled hym to aske of her father a felde. And then she lyghted of her asse: and Caleb sayde vnto her: What ayleth the? She sayde vnto hym: geue me a blessynge: for thou hast geuen me a Southwarde ∧ drye land, geue me also sprynges of water. And Caleb gaue her sprynge bothe aboue ∧ beneth. And the chyldren of the Kenyte ^note Moses father in lawe went vp out of þe; cytye of paulme trees, with the chyldren of Iuda into the wyldernesse of Iuda that lyeth in the Southe of Arad, and dwelte among the people.

And Iuda went ∧ Sime&obar; with him, ∧ they slewe the Cananytes that enhabyted Zephah, and vtterly destroyed it, and called the name of the cytye Hormah. D   And Iuda toke Azah with the coastes thereof, and Askalon wyth the coastes therof, and Akaron with the coastes thereof. And the Lorde was wyth Iuda that he conquered the mountaynes, but they coulde not dryue oute the enhabyters of the valeys, because they had charettes of yr&obar;. And they gaue Hebron vnto Caleb as Moyses sayde. And he expelled thence the thre sonnes of Enack.

And the chyldren of Ben Iamin dyd not caste oute the Iebusites that enhabyted Ierusalem, but the Iebusites dwell wyth the chyldren of Ben Iamin in Ierusalem, vnto thys daye.

E   And in lyke maner the house of Ioseph went vp to Bethell and the Lorde wyth them and the house of Ioseph serched out Bethell which before tyme was called Lus. And the

Iuda. spyes sawe a man come out of the cytye and they sayde vnto hym: shew vs the waye into the cytye. And we wyl shewe the mercy. And he shewed them the waye into the cytye, and they smote it with the edge of the swerde, but let the man and all hys houshold go free, And the man wente into the lande of the Hethites, and buylt a cytye and called the name thereof Lus whiche is the name thereof vnto thys daye.

F   Neyther dyd Manasses expelle Bethsean wyth her tounes, nether Tanaach wyth her tounes, neyther the enhabytoures of Dor &wt; her tounes, neyther the enhabytours of Ieblaam with her tounes, neyther the enhabitours of Magedo wyth her tounes, and so the Cananites went to and dwelt in the sayde lande. But as sone as Israell was waxed myghtye they put the Cananites to trybute: But expelled them not.

In lyke maner Ephraim expelled not the Cananites that dwelt in Gazer, but the Cananites dwelt stylle in Gazer among them.

Neyther dyd Zabulon expell the enhabytoures of Ketron, neyther the enhabytours of Naholol: But the Cananites dwelt amonge them, and be came trybutaryes.

G   Neyther dyd Aser cast out the enhabitours of Acho, neyther the enhabitours of Zidon, of Ahalab, Aczib, Halbah, Aphek, nor of Rohob, but the Aserytes dwelte amonge the Cananites the enhabytours of the lande, ∧ draue them not out.

Neyther dyd Nephtalim dryue oute the enhabytoures of Bethsames, nor the enhabytoures of Bethanath, but dwelle amongest þe; Cananytes the enhabytours of þe; lande. Neuerthelesse the enhabytours of Bethsames ∧ of Bethanath be came trybutaryes vnto th&ebar;.

And the Amorites kept the chyldr&ebar; of Dan in the mountaynes, and suffered them not to come doune to the valeys. And so the Amorites went to and dwelled in mount Heres in Haylon and in Galabim. Neuerthelater the hand of Ioseph waxed heuye vp&obar; th&ebar;, so that they became trybutaryes. And the coastes of the Amorytes was fr&obar; the goyng vp to Acrabim, and from the rocke vpwarde. The .ij. Chapter. The Angell rebuketh the people because they had made peace wyth the Cananites. Idolatrers are punnyshed, but yet leaue not theyr inuencyons. God sendeth them iudges to delyuer them.

A   And the angell of the Lorde came vp from Galgall to Bocim, and sayde, I broughte you oute of Egypt and haue brought you vnto the lande whiche I sware vnto your fathers. And I sayde that I wolde neuer breake myne appoyntment wyth you, but ye shulde haue made no couenaunt with þe; enhabytours of thys lande, ye shuld haue broken doune theyr aultares: But ye haue not obeyed my voyce, why haue ye thys done? wherfore I haue lykewyse determyned þt; I wyll not cast them out before you: ^note but they Othoniell. shalbe in the sydes of you, and theyr Goddes shalbe snares vnto you. And when the Angel of the Lorde had spoken these wordes vnto al the chyldren of Israel, the people cryed oute ∧ wepte. And called the name of the sayd place, Bocim and offered there vnto the Lorde.

And when Iosua had sente the people awaye the chyldren of Israell wente euerye man into hys enheritaunce to possesse the l&abar;d. And the people serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosua, and all the dayes of the elders that oute lyued Iosua, and had sene all the great workes of the Lorde that he dyd to Israel. B   And Iosua the sonne of Nun the seruaunte of the Lorde dyed when he was an hundred ∧ ten yeares olde: whome they buried in the coastes of hys enherytaunce: euen in Thamnath hares in mounte Ephraim on the northsyde of the hyll Gaas. And euen so all that generacyon were put vnto theyr fathers, ∧ there arose another generacyon after them which nether knewe the Lord, nor yet the worckes which he dyd vnto Israel.

And then the chyldren of Israel dyd wyckedlye in the syght of the Lorde, and serued Baalim, ∧ ^note forsoke the Lorde God of theyr fathers, C   whiche brought them out of the land of Egypt, and folowed straunge Goddes, euen of the Goddes of the nacyons that were rounde aboute them, and bowed them selues vnto them, and angred the Lorde. And so they forsoke the Lorde, and serued Baal and Astharoth. ^note Wherfore the Lorde waxed angry with Israel, ∧ delyuered them into the h&abar;des of raueners to spoyle them, and solde them into þe; h&abar;des of theyr enemyes rounde about them, so þt; they had no power any longer to stande before theyr enemyes. But vnto whatsoeuer thynge they went, the hand of the Lorde was vpon them wyth euyl lucke, euen as the Lord promysed them, and as he sware vnto them. And they were sore vexed.

Neuerthelesse the Lord raysed vp Iudges which delyuered them oute of the handes of theyr oppressers, and yet for al that they wold not harken vnto theyr iudges: But wente a whorynge after straunge Goddes ∧ bowed them selues vnto them, and turned quicklye oute of the waye which theyr fathers walked in obeyinge the c&obar;maundementes of the Lord and dyd not so.

And when the Lorde raysed them vp Iudges, he was wyth the Iudge, and delyuered them out of the h&abar;des of theyr enemyes al the dayes of the Iudge: for the Lorde had compassyon ouer theyr sorowynges whiche they had by the reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them: yet for all that as sone as the D   iudge was dead they turned and dyd worsse then theyr fathees in folowing straunge goddes, and in seruynge them, and ceased not fr&obar; theyr inuencyons nor from theyr malycyouse wayes.

Wherfore the Lorde was angrye with Israel and sayde: because thys people hath tr&abar;sgressed

Samgar. myne appoyntment whiche I commaunded theyr fathers, and haue not obeyed my voyce, therfore henceforth I wyll not cast out one man before th&ebar; of the nacyons which Iosua lefte when he dyed, and that to proue Israel through th&ebar; whether they wyll kepe the waye of the Lord to walke therin, as their fathers dyd or not. And so the Lord lefte those nacyons alone, and droue th&ebar; not oute ymmedyatlye, neyther delyuered them into the handes of Iosua. The .iij. Chapter. ¶ Certen nacyons are lefte amonge the Israelytes to the intent to vexe and afflict them. Othonyell delyuereth Israel, Ahud kylleth Kyng Eglon, Samgar kylleth the Phylystynes.

A   These are the nacyons whiche the Lord left to t&ebar;pt Israel: euen as many of Israel as had not knowen al the warres of Canaan: Onelye for the learnyng of the generacyon of the children of Israel: which before knewe nothyng of warre, he lefte the fyue Lordes of the Philistines, ∧ all the Cananites, the Sidonites, the Heuites that dwelt in mount Lybanon: euen fr&obar; mo&ubar;t Baal Hermon and Hemath. Those remayned to proue Israel by, to wete whether they wolde herken vnto the c&obar;maundementes of the Lorde, whiche he commaunded theyr fathers by the hand of Moses.

And as the chyldren of Israel dwelt am&obar;g the Cananites hethytes, Amorites, Pheresites, Heuytes, and Iebusytes, they toke the doughters of them to be theyr wyues, ∧ gaue theyr owne doughters to theyr sonnes, ∧ serued theyr Goddes. And so the chyldren of Israell dyd wyckedlye in the syght of the Lord B   and forgate the Lorde theyr God and serued Baalim ∧ Aseroth. Therfore the Lorde was angrye wyth Israel, and deliuered them into the handes of Chusan Rasathaim Kynge of ^note Mesopotamia. So that the chyldren of Israel serued Chusan Rasathaim .viij. yeares.

And then the chyldren of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde. And the Lord stered th&ebar; vp a ^note sauer, and saued them: one Othonyel the sonne of Kenes, Calebs younger brother. And the spryte of the Lorde came vpon hym. And he iudged Israell, and wente oute to warre. And the Lorde ^note solde Chusan Rasathaim Kyng of Mesopotamia in hys hande. So that his h&abar;d was myghtye ouer Chusan Rasathaim. And the lande had rest fourtye yeares. And Othonyel the sonne of Kenes dyed. And then þe; children of Israel went to agayne, ∧ commytted wyckednesse in the syght of the Lorde. And then the Lord hardened Eglon the Kyng of þe; Moabytes, agaynst the chyldren of Israel, because they had committed wyckednesse before the Lorde. And this Egl&obar; gathered vnto him the chyldren of Ammon, and the Amalekites ∧ went ∧ smote the chyldren of Israel, ∧ c&obar;quered the cytye of paulme trees. And the chyldr&ebar; of Israell serued Egl&obar; the king of þe; Moabytes .xviij. yeares. And then they cryed vnto the Lorde. And the Lord stered th&ebar; vp a sauer, Ahud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini, a man þt; could do nothyng handsomly with his ryght hande.

C   By whome the chyldren of Israell sente a present vnto Egl&obar; the kyng of the Moabites which Ahud made hym a dagger wyth two edges, of a cubyte lengthe, ∧ he dyd gyrde it vnder hys cote vpon hys ryght thigh and caried the present vnto Eglon the Kynge of the Moabytes, whych Eglon was a very fatte m&abar;. And when he had presented the present, he sent the people that bare it awaye, but he hym selfe turned agayne from the Idolles by ^note Galgal, and sayde. I haue a secret vnto the O Kynge: and the kynge commaunded hym to holde his peace vntyl all that stode aboute hym, were gone out from hym.

And Ahud came in vnto hym into a somer parler, whyche he had seueral vnto hym selfe alone, and sayde: I haue a ^note message vnto þe; fr&obar; God. And he arose out of hys seate. And Ahud put forth hys lefte hande and toke the dagger from hys ryght thyghe and thrust it into hys belye; so that the hafte went in after the blade. And the hafte stopped in the fatte, for he drue not the dagger out of hys belye. And the dyrt came out. But Ahud gat hym oute at a posterne dore, and shutte the dores of the parler vpon hym and locked them.

When he was gone out, hys seruauntes came and loked. And beholde, the dores of the parler were locked. D   And they sayde. A, he is a doiynge of hys easement in hys somer ch&obar;ber. And when they had taried tyl they were a shamed, for noman dyd the dores of the parler open: then they toke a keye and opened them. And beholde theyr Lorde was fallen doune dead, vnto the earth. But Ahud eskaped whyle they taryed ∧ was gone bey&obar;de the Idolles and eskaped into Seirath.

And when he was come he blew a trompette in mount Ephraim. And the chyldren of Israell went doune wyth him of the hille and he before th&ebar;. And he sayd vnto them, folowe me, for the lord hath delyuered your enemies, the Moabytes into your handes. And they descended after hym and toke the ^note passages of Iordan from þe; Moabites, ∧ suffered not a m&abar; to passe ouer. And they slew of the Moabites the same tyme vpon a ten thousande men, all fatte, ∧ men of might: þt; there skaped not a m&abar; and so the Moabytes were subdued that daie vnder the handes of Israell, and the land had rest .lxxx. yeares.

And after hym came Samgar the sonne of Anath, whiche slewe of the Phylistines syxe hundred men wyth an oxe gode, and delyuered Israel also. The .iiij. Chapter. ¶ Israel is commytted into the handes of Iabin because they were returned to Idolatry: Debora, and Barak delyuer them: Sisara is kylled of Iael.

Debora.

A   And the chyldren of Israel beg&abar; agayne to do wickedly in þe; sight of the Lorde, when Ahud was dead. And the Lorde ^note solde them into þe; handes of Iakin Kynge of Canaan, that raygned in Hazor, whose captaynes of warre was Sisara, which dwelt in Haroseth of the gentyles. And the chyldren of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde: for he had nyne hundred charettes of yron, he oppressed þe; chyldren of Israel wyth power .xx. yeares.

And Debora a Prophetysse, the wyfe of Lapidoth iudged Israell the same tyme, and dwelt vnder the paulme tree of Debora, betwene Ramath ∧ Bethell, in mount Ephraim.

And the chyldren of Israel came to her for iudgement. And she sent and called Barak þe; sonne of Abinoam, out of Kedes Nephtalim, and sayde vnto hym.

The Lorde God of Israel commaundeth the, that thou go and drawe to mounte Thabor, and take wyth the ten thousande men, of the chyldren of Nephtalim and of the chyldren of Zabulon. And I wyll brynge vnto þe; ryuer Kyson Sisara, the captayne of warre vnto Iabin, B   wyth hys charettes, and hys people, and wyll delyuer them into thyne h&abar;des. And Barak sayde vnto her, yf thou wylt go &wt; me, I wyll go: But ∧ yf thou wilt not go wyth me, then I wyll not go. And she answered, I wyll surely go wyth the, but then the prayse shall not be thyne, in the waye whiche thou goest, for the Lorde shall delyuer Sisara into the handes of a woman. And she arose and went wyth Barak to Kedes. And Barak called Zabulon and Nephthalim to Kedes. And he went vp a foote wyth ten thousande men: and Debora went wyth hym.

But Haber the kenyte was remoued oute of Kin, which was of the chyldren of ^note Hobab the father in lawe of Moyses, and pytched hys tente vntyll he was come to the Ocke of Zaanaim, by Kedes.

And then it was shewed vnto Sisara how that Barak the sonne of Abinoam was gone vp to mounte Thabor. And Sisara called for all hys charettes, E   euen .ix. hundred charettes of yron, and for all the people that he had, fr&obar; Haroseth of the gentyles vnto the ryuer of Kyson. Then sayde Debora vnto Barak: vp for thys is the daye in whiche the Lord hath delyuered Sisara, into thyne handes: for the Lorde is gone out before the. And so Barak went doune from mount Thabor, and ten thousande men after hym.

But the Lorde trounsed Sisara and al his charettes and all hys hoste wyth the edge of the swerde, before Barak. And Sisara lyghted doune of hys charet and fled afore. But Barak folowed after the charettes and after the hoste euen vnto Haroseth of the Gentiles. And all the hoste of Sisara fell vpon the edge of the swerde, that there was not a man lefte. Now be it Sisara fled a fote to the tent of Iael the wyfe of Haber the kenite: for there was peace betwene Iabin the kynge of Hazor, and the housholde of Haber the kenyte.

And Iael went oute agaynst Sisara and sayde vnto hym, turne in my Lorde, turne into her into her tente: and she couered him with a mantell. D   And he sayde vnto her, geue me a lyttell water to drincke, for I am thrysty. And she opened a bottel of mylke, ∧ gaue him drincke, and couered hym. And he sayde vnto her: stande in the dore of thy tente, ∧ yf anye man come, and aske the, or enquere of the whether there be any man here, saye naye.

Then Iael Habers wyfe toke a nayle of the tente, and an hamer in her hande, ∧ wente softlye vnto hym, and smote the nayle thorow the t&ebar;ples of his head into the grounde, as he slombered beyng wery. And so he dyed.

And beholde as Barak folowed after Sisara, Iael came oute agaynste hym, and sayd vnto him: come and I wyll shew the the man wh&obar; thou sekest. And when he came into her tente: Beholde, Sisara laye dead ∧ the nayle thorow his t&ebar;ples. And so God broughte Iaben the kyng of Canaan into subieccyon that daye, before the chyldren of Israel. And the hande of the chyldren of Israel prospered and was sore vpon Iaben the kyng of Canaan, vntyll they had broughte hym to naught. The .v. Chapter. ¶ The songe and thanckes geuyng of Debora ∧ Barak after the victorye.

A   Then Debora ∧ Barak the sonne of Abinoam, sange the same day: saying. ^notePrayse the Lorde in th&ebar; þt; were wyllyng whyle other sate stylle in Israel. Heare kynges Lordes, I wyl synge, and geue prayse vnto the Lorde God, of Israell.

Lorde when thou departedest out of Seir and camest from the feldes of Edom, þe; earth trembled, and the heau&ebar; rayned, ∧ þe; cloudes dropped water: the mountaynes mealted before the Lorde, euen mounte Sinai before the Lorde God of Israel.

In the dayes of Samgar the sonne of Anath and in the dayes of Iael, the hye wayes were vnoccupyed. And ^note they that walked by pathes, went by wayes that fet c&obar;pases aboute. The vyllages were vnenhabyted in Israell, were vnenhabyted, vntyl I Debora arose vntyll I arose a mother in Israell.

God chose new fashy&obar;s of warre, for wh&ebar; they had warre at theyr gates: there was not sene amonge fourtye thousande, eyther shyld or spere in Israel. Myne hert loueth þe; maynteners of the lawe in Israell, þt; are wyllynge amonge the people. Blesse the Lorde ye that ryde on goodly Asses, and sitte in iudgem&ebar;t. And ye that walcke by the wayes make dytyes.

B   How the archers dyd crye, where m&ebar; draw water, there shall they tell of the iustice of the Lorde, and of the ^note iustyce of his vplandyshe folcke in Israel. And then the people of the Lorde went doune vnto the gates.

Debora.

Vp vp Debora, vp vp and synge a songe, vp Barak, ∧ take thy praye, thou sonne of Abinoam. Then they that had escaped, raygned ouer the proudest of the people: The Lorde raygneth ouer the stronge.

Ephraim was the fyrst agaynst Amaleck, And after th&ebar; B&ebar;Iamin, among the people.

Of Machir came learned men in the lawe, and of Zabulon that well coulde drawe with the penne of a scrybe.

The Lordes of Isakar were wyth Debora. And as Barak, euen so was Isacar sente into the valeye a fote. C   But in the ^note diuisions of Rub&ebar;, were great ymagynacyous of hert.

Wherfore abodest thou amonge the shepe foldes, to heare the bleatynges of the flockes. In the deuysions of Ruben, greate were the ymaginacions of herte. Galaad abode on the other syde Iordan, and why taryed dan in shyppes. And Aser sate in the heauens of the sea, and abode styll in hys owne rostes. But Zabulon is a people that put theyr lyues in ieopardye of deathe, and Nephtalim in lyke maner, eu&ebar; vnto the toppe of the feldes ^note Kinges came and fought. Then fought the Kyng of Canaan at Thanach, vpon the water of Magedo. But the syluer that they coueted, they caryed not awaye.

From heauen came battell: for the sterres beynge in theyr course, fought agaynst Sisara. The ryuer of Kison caught them awaye: that auncyent ryuer the ryuer Kyson.

My soule: treade thou the myghtye vnder fote. Then they malled the horsses legges, þt; theyr myghtye coursers lefte praunsyng.

D   Curse Meroz bad the angell of the Lorde Curse, Curse the enhabytours therof because they came not forth to helpe the Lorde, to help the Lorde amonge the myghtye.

Blessed be Iael the wyfe of Haber the kenyte, aboue other women: aboue other wem&ebar; blessed be se in the tente.

He asked water, but she gaue him mylcke, and brought butter in a goodlye dyshe. She caught a nayle in her lefte hande, and a workynge h&abar;mer in her ryght, and nayled Sisara and wounded hys head and pearced ∧ w&ebar;t thorowe hys temples. Betwene her fete he bowed hym self, fell doune and laye styll: Betwene her fete he bowed hym selfe, and fell. And whether he bowed hym selfe, thyther he felle brought to nought.

Thorow a wyndow loked Sisaras mother and howled thorow a lattesse, why abydeth his charet so long, that it cometh not, why tarye the wheles of his waggans? The wyseste of her ladyes answered her: yea ∧ she answered her owne wordes her self haply they haue fo&ubar;d, ∧ deuyde the spoyle: A mayde, ye two maydes for a pece: a spoyle of diuerse colours for Sisara, a spoyle of dyuerse coloures wyth brodered workes, dyuerse coloured browdered workes for þe; necke for a praye. So perysh all thyne enemyes Lord: but they that loue þe;, let them be as the sunne rysyng in his might. And the lande had reste fourthye yeares. The .vi. Chapter. ¶ Israel is oppressed of the Madianites, because he returned agayne into Idolatrye. Gede&obar; is sent of god to be their deliuerer. The aulter of Baal is ouerthrow&ebar;

A   And the children of Israel c&obar;mitted wickednesse in the sight of þe; Lord. And þe; Lord deliuered th&ebar; into the handes of the Madianites seu&ebar; yeres. And wh&ebar; þe; hand of þe; Madianites was sore vpon Israel, þe; childr&ebar; of Israel made them dennes in þe; mo&ubar;taynes ∧ caues ∧ strong holdes. For when Israel had sow&ebar;, then came the Madianites þe; Amalechites, ∧ they of the east c&obar;treye vpon them ∧ pitched their t&ebar;tes agaynste th&ebar; ∧ destroyed the encrease of the earth eu&ebar; vnto Azah, ∧ left no sustinaunce in Israel, neyther shepe, oxe or asse, for they came wyth theyr cattell ∧ housholdes eu&ebar; as greshopers in multitude: so that both they ∧ also theyr camels were wythoute nombre. And they entrede the land to destroy it. And so was Israel excedyngly impoueresshed B   by the Madianites ∧ cryed vnto þe; Lord. And when the chyldren of Israell cryed vnto the Lorde because of the Madianites, þe; Lorde sent a Prophete vnto them, ∧ sayde vnto th&ebar;: Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: I fette you from Egipt ∧ brought you out of þe; house of bondage, and I rydde you out of the hand of the Egypcians ∧ out of the handes of all þt; oppressed you, and cast them out before you, ∧ gaue you theyr landes. And I said vnto you: I am the Lorde your God, ∧ therfore fear not the Goddes of the Amorytes, in whose lande you dwel. But you haue not obeyed my voice And the Angel of the Lorde came and sate vnder an Ocke in Ephrah, that pertayned vnto Ioas the father of the Eserytes. And his s&obar;ne Gedeon pressed out whete out of the eares in a presse, for to flee fr&obar; the Madianites. C   And þe; angel of the Lord apeared vnto him, ∧ sayd: þe; Lorde is with the, thou m&abar; of myght. And Gedeon answered him: Oh my Lorde, yf þe; Lord be with vs, why is al this come vpon vs: ye ∧ where be hys myracles whiche oure fathers tolde vs of ∧ sayde, the Lorde brought vs out of Egyypt. But now the Lorde hath forsaken vs, ∧ delyuered vs into the handes of the Madianites. And the Lorde loked vpon hym, and sayde: Go hence in thys thy myght ∧ delyuer Israel out of the h&abar;des of the Madianites: Behold I haue sent the: And he aunswered hym: Oh Lord wherewith shuld I saue Israel? Behold my kynred is the poorest in Manasses, ∧ am the least in my fathers house. But then þe; Lord sayd vnto him: I wil be with the: ∧ thou shalt smyte the Madianites, as they were but one m&abar;. And he answered him, yf I haue fo&ubar;d grace in thy syght, D   then shew me a sygne, that thou art the Lorde that talketh with me. Depart not hence, vntil I come agayne vnto þe; ∧ bryng myne offryng, ∧ haue set it before the.

And he sayde I wyll tarye vntyll thou come agayne. And Gedeon went ∧ made redy a kydde, ∧ swetekakes of an Epha of flour

Gedeon. ∧ put the fleshe in a basket, ∧ the broth in a pot ∧ brought it oute vnto hym vnder the Ocke, ∧ presented it. And the angell of God sayd vnto hym: take the fleshe and the swete kakes, ∧ put them vpon thys rocke, ∧ powre oute the broth. And he dyd so. Then the aungell of the Lord put forth the ende of the staffe that was in his h&abar;d, ∧ touched the flesh ∧ the kakes. And there arose vp fyre out of the rocke ∧ c&obar;sumed the fleshe and the kakes. And the angel of the Lord vanyshed out of his sight. And wh&ebar; Gedeon perceyued that it was an angel, he sayd: Alas my Lorde Iehouah, that I haue sene an angell of the Lord face to face. And the Lorde sayde vnto him: peace be with the ∧ feare not, for thou shalte not dye. E   Then Gede&obar; made an aultar there vnto the Lorde ∧ called it ^note Iehouah Salom, which vnto thys daye is yet in Ephrath that pertayneth vnto the father of þe; Eserites. And that same nyght the Lord sayd vnto him, take an oxe of thy fathers ∧ another of .vij. yeares olde ∧ destroye the aultare of Baal that bel&obar;geth vnto thy father, and cutte doune the groue þt; is about it, ∧ make an aultare vnto the Lord thy God vp&obar; the toppe of this rocke ∧ furnesshe it. And take the seconde oxe ∧ offer burnt sacryfyce &wt; the wood of the groue which thou shalt haue cut doune. Then Gede&obar; toke ten men of his serua&ubar;tes ∧ did as the Lorde bad hym. But because he durst not do it by day for feare of his fathers houshold and of the men of the citie, he dyd it by night.

F   When the men of the citie were vp erlie in the mornynge, beholde the aultare of Baal was brok&ebar;, ∧ the groue that stode about it cut doune. And the seconde oxe offered vpon the aulter that was made. And they sayd one to another, who hath done thys thyng, and they enquered ∧ asked. And it was tolde them that Gedeon the sonne of Ioas had done it. Then the men of the cytie sayde vnto Ioas, brynge out thy sonne that he maye dye, because he hath broken the aultare of Baal, ∧ cut doune the groue that was about it. And Ioas sayde vnto all that stode by hym, wyll ye fighte for Baal, or wyl ye be hys defenders: he that stryueth for hym, shal dye thys mornyng. If he be a God, let him stryue wyth him that caste doune his aulter. And he called Gedeon Ierobaal the same tyme, saying: let Baal stryue &wt; hym because he hath broken doune his aulter.

G   When al the Madianytes, the Amalekites and they of the east, were gathered together, ∧ had gone and pitched in the valeye of Ierael: the spryte of the Lorde entered into to Gedeon. And he blew a trompette, ∧ called ^note Abiezer to folowe hym, ∧ sent messengers thorou out all Manasses, ∧ called them vp to folowe hym also. And he sent messengers vnto Aser, Zabulon and Nephtalim, which came also to mete hym.

And Gedeon sayd vnto God: yf thou wilt saue Israel by my hande as thou haste sayde: Beholde I wyll put a flece of wolle in the threasshing place. And yf the dewe be on the flece onelye, and drye vpon al the earth beside then I shalbe sure that thou wilt saue Israell by my hande, as thou saydest. And it came so to passe. And he rose vp erlye on the morowe, and he thruste the flece together and wronge the dew thereout, and filled a boole of water. And Gedeon sayde vnto God: be not angrye with me þt; ^note I speake once more, let me proue onelye once agayne with the flece. Let it be drye onelye vpon the flece, and dewe vpon al the ground about. And God dyd so that same nyght: so that it was drye vpon the flece only and on all the grounde aboute, dewe. The .vij. Chapter. ¶ The soudyars that shulde go with Gede&obar; to battel are proued by takyng th&ebar; vp water. Gedeon with .iij hundreth men ouercometh the Madianites. Oreb and Zeb are slayne.

A   Then Ierobaal otherwyse called Gedeon rose erlye ∧ all the people that were with hym, ∧ pytched besyde the well of Harad, so that the hoste of the Madianites were in a valeye on the northsyde of the hyll Hamoreh. And the Lorde sayde vnto Gede&obar;: the people that are wyth the, are to many for me to geue the Madianites into theyr handes, lest Israel make theyr vawnte to my dishonoure ∧ saye, our owne hande hath saued vs. Now therfor make a proclamacyon in the eares of the people ∧ saye: ^note yf any m&abar; dreade or be afrayde, let hym returne and get hym sone from mounte Galaad. And there departed and returned of the people .xxij. thousand, and there abode ten thousande.

B   And the Lorde sayd vnto Gede&obar;, the people are yet to many, brynge them doune vnto the water, and I wyll trye them vnto the there. And of whom I saye vnto the, thys shall go with the, the same shal go with the. And whosoeuer I saye vnto the, thys shall not go wyth the, the same shall not go. And when he had brought doune the people vnto þe; water, The Lorde sayde vnto Gedeon: as many as lappe the water with theyr tounges, as dogges do them put by them selues, and so do them that knele doune vpon theyr knees to dryncke. And the nombre of th&ebar; that put theyr handes to theyr mouthes and lapped, were .iij. hundred men. And all the remnaunt of the people kneled doune vpon theyr knees to drynke water. And the Lorde sayde vnto Gedeon: wyth the thre h&ubar;dred men that lapped wyll I saue you, and delyuer the Madianites into thyne hande. And all the other people shall go euery man vnto hys owne whome.

C   And they toke vytayles wyth them for the folke, ∧ theyr trompettes. And he sente all the reste of Israel, euery man vnto hys tente, and kepte the thre hundred wyth hym. And þe; hoste of Madi&abar; was beneth hym in a valeye. And the same nyght the Lorde sayde vnto him, vp ∧ go doune vnto the hoste, for I haue delyuered it into thyne hande. But and yf thou feare to go doune, then go thou doune vnto the host ∧ Pharah thy ladde, ∧ herken what they say,

Gedeon. and so shal thyne handes be strong, and then thou shalt go doune vnto the hoste.

Then he went doune &wt; Pharah his ladde euen harde vnto the men of armes that were in the hoste. D   And the Madianites, the Amalekites, and all they of the east, laye a long in the valeye, lyke vnto greshopers in multitude ∧ theyr camelles were wythout nombre, euen as the sande by the sea syde in multitude. And when Gedeon was come: Behold, there was a man that tolde a dreame vnto hys felowe ∧ sayde: Beholde I dreamed a dreame, and me thoughte that a broyled looffe of barley bread tombled into the hoste of Madian, and came vnto a tente ∧ smote it that it fell, and ouerturned it, that the tente laye a longe. And his felowe aunswered, ∧ sayde, thys is nothynge elles saue the swerde of Gedeon the sonne of Ioas a man of Israel, into whose hande the Lord hath delyuered Madian ∧ all the hoste.

E   When Gedeon hearde the tellynge of the dreame ∧ the interpretacyon of the same, he bowed hym selfe to the earth ∧ returned vnto the hoste of Israel, and sayde: vp for the Lord hath delyuered into youre handes the hoste of the Madianites. And he deuyded the thre h&ubar;dred men into thre companyes, ∧ gaue euerye man a trompet in hys hand, wyth an emptye pitcher ∧ lampes therin, and sayd vnto them: loke on me ∧ do lykewyse: ∧ beholde, when I come to the syde of the hoste, euen as I do, so do you. And when I blow wyth a trompet and all that are wyth me, blowe ye with tr&obar;pettes also on euerye syde the hoste and saye: here be the Lorde and Gedeon.

F   And so Gedeon ∧ the thre hundred men þt; were wyth hym, came vnto the syde of þe; host in the begynnynge of the myddell watche, ∧ reysed vp the watche men. And they blewe &wt; their tr&obar;pettes ∧ brake the pytchers that were in theyr h&abar;des. And all thre c&obar;panyes blew &wt; tr&obar;pettes ∧ brake the pitchers, ∧ held the lampes in theyr left h&abar;des, ∧ the tr&obar;pettes in their right, to blowe wyth all. And they cryed the swerd of the Lord ∧ of Gede&obar;. And they stode stille, euery man in hys place rounde aboute þe; host. And al the host r&abar;ne ∧ cryed ∧ fleed. And as the thre hundreth blew wyth trompettes, þe; G   Lorde set euerye mannes swerde vpon hys neyghboure, thorow out all the hoste. And þe; hoste fleed vntyll they came to Bethsitah, to Zererath, ∧ to the edge of Abelmeholah besyde Tabath. And the m&ebar; of Israel gathered together of the trybe of Nephtalim, of Aser, ∧ of all Manasses, ∧ folowed after the Madianites. For Gede&obar; had sent messengers thorow out al mo&ubar;t Ephraim sayinge: come doune agaynst the Madianites ∧ take fr&obar; th&ebar; the waters both of Bethbarath and also of Iordan Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together, ∧ came doune ∧ toke the waters bothe of Bethbarath ∧ also of Iordan. And they toke two captaynes of the Madianites, Oreb and Zeb, ∧ slew Ored vpon the rocke Oreb, and Zeb at the presse Zeb, and folowed after Madian. And brought the heades of Oreb ∧ Zeb to Gedeon on the other syde Iordan. The .viij. Chapter. ¶ Ephraim maketh insurrecy&obar; agaynst Gede&obar;, but is sone pacyfyed. The inhabiters of Socoth refuse to geue Gedeon ∧ hys armye bread The toure Phanuel is destroyed. Gedeon is c&obar;stitute rular ouer the Israelytes, He hath ,lxx, sonnes. He dyeth,

A   And the m&ebar; of Ephraim sayd vnto hym. Why haste thou serued vs thus, þt; thou calledst vs not, when thou w&ebar;test to fyght with the Madianites. And they chode with hym a good. And he sayde vnto them: What dead haue I done lyke vnto yours: are not the ^note clusters of Ephraim better then the wyne heruest of Abiezer? God hath deliuered into your h&abar;des þe; Lordes of Madi&abar;, Oreb ∧ Zeb. And what was I able to do lyke as you haue done. And then their spyrytes abated fr&obar; of hym, when he had sayde that. And then Gedeon came to Iord&abar; ∧ passed ouer, bothe he ∧ the thre h&ubar;dred men that were with him very faynte, ∧ yet folowed the chace. And he sayde vnto the men of Socoth: geue I praye you kakes of bread vnto the people that folowe me: for they be fayntye, that I maye folowe after Zebath and Zalmona kinges of Madi&abar;. And þe; Lordes of Socoth sayd: are the h&abar;des of Zebath B   ∧ Zalmona now in thyne h&abar;des that we shuld geue bread vnto thy company. And Gedeon sayde, therfore when the Lorde hath deliuered Zebath and Zalmona into myne hand I wyl teare the flesh of you wyth the thornes of the wyldernes ∧ wyth breers. And he w&ebar;t thence to Phanuel, ∧ spake vnto th&ebar; lykewise. And the men of Phanuel answered him, as dyd the men of Socoth. And he sayd also vnto the men of Phanuel, when I come agayne in peace, I wyll breake doune thys toure. Zebah and Zalmona were in Arkar ∧ theyr hostes wyth them, vpon a .xv thousand, whiche C   were all that were lefte of al the hostes of th&ebar; of the Easte. And they that were slayne were a hundred ∧ twentye thousand men that drew swerdes.

And Gedeon went thorow th&ebar; that dwell in tabernacles on the east syde of Nobah and Iebahah, ∧ smote the hoste: for the hoste dyd cast no perelles. Zebah and Zalmona fledde. But he folowed after them, and toke the two Kynges of the Madianites, Zebah and Zalmona and discomforted all the hoste.

And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas returned fr&obar; battel, the sonne beyng yet vp, ∧ caughte a ladde of the men of Socoth, and enquered of hym. D   And he wrote him of the Lordes ∧ Elders of Socoth .lxxvij. men. Then he came vnto the men of Socoth and sayde: Beholde Zebah and Zalmona wyth whiche ye caste me in the tethe, sayinge: are the handes of Zebah ∧ Zalmona all redye in thyne hande, that we shulde geue bread vnto thy faynte men. And he toke the elders of the cytie, and thornes of the wyldernesse ∧ breers, and al to tare them therewyth. And he brake doune the toure of

Abimelech: Phanuel, and slewe the men of the cytye.

E   And then sayde vnto Zebah and Zalmona, what maner men were they whyche ye slew at Thabor? and they aunswered, þe; lykenesse of the ∧ th&ebar; is all one, euen after the fashyon of the chyldren of a kyng. And he sayd: they were my brethr&ebar;, euen my mothers chyldren, ∧ as trulye as the Lord lyueth, yf ye had saued theyr liues, I wolde not sleye you. And he sayd vnto Iether hys eldest sonne, vp, and slee them. But the ladde drue not hys swerde, for he feared, because he was yet young. Th&ebar; Zebah and Zalmona sayde. Ryse thou ∧ fall vpon vs, for as the m&abar; is so is hys strength. And Gedeon arose ∧ slewe them: ∧ he toke awaye the Chaynes that were on theyr camels neckes.

Then the m&ebar; of Israel sayde vnto Gedeon Raygne ouer vs, both thou, thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne, for thou hast delyuered vs oute of the handes of þe; Madianites. And Gedeon said vnto th&ebar;, I wyl not raygne ouer you, nether shall my chyldren raygne ouer you, but the Lorde shall raygne ouer you.

F   Neuerthelater Gedeon sayde vnto them: I wolde desyre a certayne requeste of you euen that you wolde geue me euerye man the earynges of hys praye. For they had golden earynges, because they were Ismaelites. And they sayd: we wyll do it. And they spreed a mantell, and dyd cast there into euerye man the earynges of hys pray. And the weyght of the golden earynges was a thousande ∧ seu&ebar; h&ubar;dred sycles of golde, besydes brouches, ouches and garmentes of skarlet that were of the kynges of Madi&abar;, ∧ besyde the chaynes, that were about theyr camels neckes. And Gede&obar; made an Ephod therof, ∧ put it in hys cytye Ephrah. And all Israell w&ebar;t a whoring after hym there, whiche thyng was the ruyne of Gedeons house. Thus were the Madianinites brought lowe before the chyldren of Israel, so that they lift vp theyr heades no more And the contreye was in quyetnesse fourtye yeares in the dayes of Gedeon.

G   And Ierobaal the sonne of Ioas went and dwelte in hys owne house. And Gedeon had lxx. sonnes of hys bodye begotten, for he had many wyues. And hys concubyne þt; dwelt in Sichem bare him a sonne also, whose name he called Abimelech. And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas dyed, when he was of a good age, ∧ was buryed in the buryal of Ioas hys father eu&ebar; in Ephrah that pertayned vnto the father of the Ezrytes.

But as sone as Gedeon was dead, þe; chyldren of Israel turned away, and went a whoryng after Baal, and made Baal berith theyr God, ∧ thought not on the Lorde theyr God which had delyuered them out of the handes of all theyr enemyes on euery syde. Nether shewed they mercy on the house of Ierobaal, otherwyse called Gede&obar;, accordyng to all the goodnesse which he shewed them. The .ix. Chapter. ¶ Abimelech is ordeyned a kynge after he had killed his .lxviij. brethren. He hym selfe was after kylled of a wom&abar; when he beseged Thebes. The parables of Ioatham concernynge hys brother Abimelech.

A   For Abimelech the sonne of Ierobaal went to Sichem, vnto hys mothers brethren, ∧ c&obar;muned &wt; them, ∧ with al hys mothers, fathers kynred saying: say I pray you, in the eares of all the enhabytours of Sichem: whether is better for you that al the sonnes of Ierobaal whiche are .lxx. personnes raigne ouer you, eyther that one raygne ouer you. And remember therto, that I am youre bones and your flesh. And his mothers brethren rehersed of hym in the audience of al the Citezens of Sichem, all these wordes, ∧ moued theyr hartes to folowe Abimelech, in that they sayd how he was theyr brother. And thei gaue him .lxx. peces of syluer out of the house of Baal Berith, wyth whiche Abimelech hyred Iehel, and lyght persons which w&ebar;t with him. And they went vnto his fathers house at Ephrah, ∧ slewe all his brethren, the sonnes of Ierobaal, euen .lxx. personnes ^note wyth one stone. Notwithstandynge yet Ioatham the youngest sonne of Ierobaal escaped: for he hyd hym selfe. And all the cytezens of Sich&ebar; gathered together wyth all the house of Mello, ∧ went and made Abimelech kynge ^note at a certen ocke that was by Sichem.

B   And when it was tolde Ioatham, he went ∧ stode in the toppe of mo&ubar;t Garizim, ∧ lyfte vp hys voyce ∧ called, ∧ sayd vnto th&ebar;: Herk&ebar; vnto me you citezens of Sich&ebar;, that God may herken vnto you. The trees went to anoynt a Kynge ouer them, ∧ sayde vnto the olyue tree raygne ouer vs. But the olyue tree sayd vnto them: shuld I leaue my fattenesse which both God ∧ man prayseth in me, and go to be promoted ouer the trees. Then sayde the trees to the fygge tree, come thou and be kyng ouer vs. And the fygge tree a&ubar;swered th&ebar;, shuld I forsake my swetnes ∧ my good frute, ∧ shuld go to be promoted ouer the trees. Then sayde the trees vnto the vyne, come thou ∧ be Kyng ouer vs. And the vyne aunswered, shulde I leaue my wyne that cheareth both God ∧ m&abar; ∧ go to be promoted ouer the trees. Then said all the trees vnto the ^note fyrre bushe come thou and ragne ouer vs. And the fyrre bushe sayd vnto the trees: yf it be true that ye wyl anoint me Kynge ouer you, then come and reste vnder my shadowe, ∧ ye shall se that a fyre shall come out of the fyrre bushe, ∧ waste the Cyper trees of Lybanon.

C   And eu&ebar; so now, yf ye haue done trulye ∧ vncorruptlye to make Abimelech kyng. And yf ye haue dealte well wyth Ierobaal ∧ hys house, ∧ haue done vnto hym according to the deseruynge of hys h&abar;des, for as muche as my father fought for you, and adu&ebar;tured his lyfe And rydde you out of the handes of the Madianites. And ye are rysen vp agaynst my fathers house thys daye. And haue slayne hys chyldr&ebar;, euen ,lxx, persones ^note wyth one stone

Abimelech. and haue made Abimelech the sonne of hys mayde seruaunt Kynge ouer the cytezens of Sich&ebar;, because he is youre brother, yf then ye haue dealte purelye and truelye wyth Ierobaal ∧ wyth hys house this day: th&ebar; reioyce ye in Abimelech, and let hym also reioyce in you. But yf you haue not dealte trulye, then I praye God a fyre maye come oute of Abymelech ∧ c&obar;sume the cytezens of Sichem and the house of Mello. And þt; there come a fyre out of the cytezens of Sichem, and oute of the house of Mello, and c&obar;sume Abimelech. And Ioatham ranne awaye and fledde ∧ wente to Beer, ∧ dwelte there, for feare of Abimelech hys brother. When Abimelech had raygned thre yere God sent an hate betwene Abymelech ∧ the cytezens of Sichem. And the cytezens of Sichem rayled vpon Abimelech, and wyshed that the wyckednes done to the .lxx. sonnes of Ieroboal myght come on hym, and layde the bloude of th&ebar; vnto Abimelech theyr brother which slewe them, ∧ vnto þe; other citezens of Sichem whiche ayded hym in the kyllyng of his brethren. And þe; cytezens of Sich&ebar; set men to laye awayte for hym in the toppe of the mountaynes, which men robbed all þt; came a longe the waye by them. And it was tolde Abymelech.

D   And Gaal the sonne of Abed ∧ his brethr&ebar; went ∧ gat them to Sichem. And the men of Sich&ebar;, put theyr c&obar;fidence in hym. And they w&ebar;t out into þe; feldes, ∧ gathered in theyr grapes ∧ troade th&ebar;, ∧ made mery: and went into the house of theyr God, ∧ dyd eate ∧ dryncke ∧ cursed Abimelech. And Gaal the sonne of Abed sayde: what is Abimelech? and what is Sich&ebar;? that we shuld serue him, is he not the sonne of Ierobaal? and Zebul is his offycer? serue suche as come of Hemor the father of Sich&ebar;, for what reason is it that we shulde serue him? wold God thys people were vnder my hande, then I wolde take Abimelech oute of the waye. And one sayd vnto Abimelech: make thyne hosts greater and go oute. And wh&ebar; Zebul the ruler of the cytye hearde the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Abed he was wroth and sent messengers vnto Abimelech pryuely saying: Beholde Gaal the sonne of Abed and hys brethren be come to Sichem: and beholde they set the cytye agaynste the. Now therfore vp by nyghte, bothe thou and all the people that is wyth the, and lye in wayte in the feldes. And ryse erly in the mornynge as sone as the sunne is vp, and come vpon the cytye. And wh&ebar; he ∧ the people that is with him come out agaynst the, do to him what thyne h&abar;des shalbe able. E   And Abimelech rose vp, ∧ all the people that were with him, by nyght. And they layde awayt to the cytye in foure c&obar;panies, And Gaal the sonne of Abed went oute ∧ stode in the entrynge of the gate of the cytye. And Abimelech rose vp ∧ the folcke þt; were with hym, from laying awayt. And wh&ebar; Gaal sawe the people, he sayd to Zebul: Beholde there come people doune fr&obar; the toppe of the mountaynes. And Zebul sayde vnto him: the shadow of the hylles seme men vnto the. And Gaal aunswered agayne ∧ sayd: se there come folcke doune by the mydle of the land, ∧ another c&obar;panye come a longe by the charmars Ocke. Then sayde Zebul vnto hym: where is now thy mouthe that sayde, what felow is Abimelech, that we shulde serue him. These are the people that thou so despysedest. Go oute now a feloushyppe ∧ fyght with th&ebar;. And Gaal went out before the cytezens of Sichem, ∧ fought with Abimelech And Abimelech chased him that he fled before him ∧ manye were ouerthrowen and slayne, euen vntyll they came vnto the enteryng of the gate. And th&ebar; Abimelech w&ebar;t ∧ dwelt at Arumah. And th&ebar; Zebul thrust out Gaal ∧ his brethr&ebar;, ∧ wolde not suffer them to dwelle in Sichem. F   And on the morowe þe; people w&ebar;t out into the felde. And it was tolde Abimelech. And he toke his people ∧ deuyded th&ebar; into thre c&obar;panies, and laye awayte in the feldes. And wh&ebar; he sawe that þe; people were come out of the citye, he ranne vpon them and layde vpon them.

And Abimelech and the c&obar;panyes þt; were &wt; him, ranne ∧ stode in the entrynge of the gate of the cytie. And the two other c&obar;panyes r&abar;ne vpon all the people þt; were in the feldes ∧ slue th&ebar;. And then Abimelech fought agaynste the cytye all that daye, ∧ toke it, ∧ slew the people that was therin, ∧ destroyed the cytye ∧ ^note sowed salt in the place. And when all the m&ebar; of the toure of Sich&ebar; hearde that, they entred into a stronge holde of the house of theyr God Baal Berith. And when it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the toure of Sichem were gathered together, he gat hym to mount Zelmon, both he ∧ al that were &wt; him, ∧ toke axes with him, ∧ cut doune an arme of a tree, ∧ toke it vp, ∧ put it on hys shoulder, ∧ sayde vnto the folcke that were wyth hym, whatsoeuer ye se me do, spede youre selues ∧ do lykewyse. And all the people cut doune also euery man a bough, ∧ folowed Abimelech, and put them into the holde, and set the holde a fyre vpon them: G   so that al the men of the toure of Sichem were slayne, vpon a thousande persones what of men and wemen together.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez ∧ beseged it, ∧ toke it. But there was a strong toure in the myddes of the cytye, ∧ thyther ranne al the men ∧ wemen, ∧ al the cytezens of þe; cytye ∧ shut it to them, and gotte them vp vpon the toppe of the toure. Then came Abimelech vnto the toure ∧ foughte agaynst it, ∧ w&ebar;t harde vnto the enteryng of the gate, to set it on fyre. But a woman cast a pece of a mylstone vpon hys head, ∧ all to brake hys brayne panne.

Then Abimelech called hastelye vnto the younge man that bare hys harnes, and sayde vnto him: drawe thy swerde and slee me, that men saye not of me, a woman slewe him. And hys ladde thrust hym thorowe, and he dyed.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, euerye man

Thola, Iair. vnto hys owne house. And thus al the wickednesse of Abimelech which he hyd vnto hys father, in sleyng his .lxx. brethren, ∧ therto al the wyckednesse of the men of Sich&ebar;, God dyd bryng vp&obar; theyr heades: And vpon th&ebar; came the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal. The .x. Chapter. Thola and Iair iudges of Israel. Israel synneth ∧ after cryeth on God for remyssyon.

A   After Abimelech there arose, to defende Israel, one Thola, the sonne of Phuah, the s&obar;ne of Dodo, a m&ebar; of Isacar, which dwelt in Samir in mounte Ephraim. And he iudged Israel .xxiij. yere, ∧ then dyed ∧ was buryed in Samir. And after him arose Iair a Galaadyte, which iudged Israel .xxij. yeare. And he had .xxx. sonnes that ^note rode on xxx. Asse coltes, ∧ had .xxx. cytyes for them, which are called the tounes of Iair vnto this daye, ∧ are in the lande of Galaad. And Iair dyed, and was buryed in Kamon.

B    ^noteAnd the chyldren of Israel wrought wyckednesse yet agayne, in the syght of the Lorde ∧ serued Baalim ∧ Astharoth, ∧ the Goddes of Syria, ∧ the Goddes of Sidon, þe; Goddes of Moab, the Goddes of the chyldren of Ammon, ∧ the Goddes of the Philystines, ∧ forsoke the Lord ∧ serued him not. And the Lord was wroth wyth Israell, ∧ solde th&ebar; into the handes of the Philistines, and into the h&abar;des of the chyldr&ebar; of Amm&obar;: which pyld ∧ oppressed the chyldren of Israel in those dayes .xviij. yeare, all that were on the other syde Iord&abar; in the lande of the Amorytes in Galaad. Moreouer the chyldr&ebar; of Ammon w&ebar;t ouer Iordan to fyghte agaynste Iuda, Beniamin, and the house of Ephraim: so that Israel was sore c&obar;bred. C   Then the chyldren of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde, sayinge: we haue synned agaynste the: for we haue forsaken oure owne God, and haue serued Baalim. And the Lorde sayde vnto the chyldr&ebar; of Israel: dyd not the Egypcyans, the Amorytes, the chyldr&ebar; of Amm&obar;, the Phylystynes, the Sidonites, the Ameleckytes, ∧ the Maonites, oppresse you? And ye cryed to me, ∧ I delyuered you out of theyr handes. And for all that ye haue forsaken me, and serue straunge Goddes, wherfore I wyl help you no more. But go, and crye vnto the Goddes which ye haue chosen, and let th&ebar; saue you in the tyme of youre trybulacyon.

D   But the chyldren of Israel sayde vnto the Lorde we haue synned: do thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please the, ∧ delyuer vs onelye at thys tyme. And they put awaye the straunge Goddes from th&ebar;, and serued the Lorde. And the myserye of Israel greued hys soule.

Then the chyldren of Ammon gathered together, ∧ pitched in Galaad. And the chyldr&ebar; of Israell gathered them together ∧ pytched in Mazphah. And the c&obar;panye of the Lordes of Galaad sayd eche to other, whosoeuer wyl begynne the battel agaynst the chyldr&ebar; of Ammon, the same shalbe head ouer all the enhabiters of Galaad. The .xi. Chapter. Iephthat the sonne of a harlot delyuereth Israell from the Ammonytes after they asked forgeuenes.

A   And there was one Iephthath a Galaadite, a strong man, which was the sonne of an harlot. How be it Galaad begatte Iephthah. But Galaades wyfe bare hym sonnes, which when they were come to age, thrust out of Iephthah, ∧ sayd vnto him: thou shalt not enheret in our fathers house, for thou art the sonne of a straunge wom&abar;. Then Iephthah fledde fr&obar; hys brethr&ebar;, ∧ dwelt in þe; lande of Tob. And there gathered Idle people to Iephthah, ∧ went out with him. But it chaunced in processe of tyme, that the childr&ebar; of Ammon made warre agaynst Israel, then the elbers of Galaad went ∧ fet Iephthah out of þe; l&abar;be of Tob, ∧ sayd vnto hym: come ∧ be oure captayne, ∧ let vs fyght with the chyldren of Ammon. B   And Iephthah sayd vnto the elders of Galaad. Dyd not ye hate me, ∧ expell me out of my fathers house? how happeneth it th&ebar; þt; you come vnto me now in tyme of your trybulacy&obar;? And the elders of Galaad aunswered Iephthah. Therfore we turne agayne to the now, that thou go with vs, ∧ fight against the chyldren of Amm&obar;, ∧ be oure head ouer al the enhabiters of Galaad. And Iephthah said vnto the elders of Galaad: If ye brynge me home agayne to fyght wyth the chyldren of Ammon then yf the Lord delyuer th&ebar; before me, I shalbe your head. And the elders of Galaad sayde to Iephthah, the Lorde be witnesse betwene vs, yf we do not accordynge to thy wordes. Then Iephthah w&ebar;t with the elders of Galaad. And the people made hym heade and ruler ouer th&ebar;. And Iephthah rehersed all hys wordes in Mazphah.

Then Iephthah sent messengers vnto the Kynge of the chyldren of Ammon, sayinge: what aileth the with me that thou comest vp&obar; me to fyght agaynst my lande? And the King of the chyldren of Ammon aunswered vnto þe; messengers of Iephthah, because Israel toke away my land, when they came out of Egipt: C    euen from Arnon vnto Iabok, ∧ fr&obar; thence vnto Iordan. Now therfore restore those landes agayne wyth fayre meanes. And Iephthah sent messengers agayne vnto the chyldren of Ammon, ∧ sayde vnto hym: thus sayth Iephthah. Israel toke not awaye the lande of Moab, nor the land of the chyldr&ebar; of Amm&obar;. But when Israel came out of Egypt, they walked thorow the wyldernesse, euen vnto the red sea ∧ came to Cades, ∧ sente messengers vnto the kynge of Ed&obar; sayinge: let vs we praye the go thorow thy lande. But þe; kynge of Ed&obar; wolde not agre therto. And in lyke maner they sente vnto the Kynge of Moab, but he wolde not consent. And so Israel abode styll in Cades. And then they wente a longe thorowe the wildernesse, and compased the lande of Edom, ∧ the lande of Moab, and came a longe by the eastsyde of the land of Moab, and pitched on

Iephthah. the other syde the riuer of Arn&obar;, and came not wythin the coastes of the Moabites: for Arnon was their vtmost border. And then Israel sent messengers vnto Sehon, Kynge of the Amorites, and Kynge of Hesbon, and said vnto him: D   Let vs passe thorow thy land vnto our owne countreye. But Sehon trusted not Israel, to go thorow hys coastes, but gathered all his people together and pytched in Iazah, and fought wyth Israell. But the Lord God of Israel delyuered Sehon and al his folcke into the handes of Israel. And so Israel smote them and conquered al the lande of the Amorites, the enhabiters of the sayde countreye. And they conquered al the coastes of þe; Amorites, from Arnon vnto Iabok, and from the wyldernesse vnto Iordan. So now seyng the Lorde God of Israel hath cast out the Amorites before his people, shouldeste thou possesse the land? Naye, but what people Camos thy God dryueth out, that land possesse thou. But whatsoeuer nacyons the Lorde oure God expelleth, that land ought we to enioye. And therto art thou better then Balack the sonne of Zephor Kynge of Moab? dyd he stryue wyth Israell or fyghte againste them? all the wyle Israell dwelte in Hesbon and her tounes, and in Aroer and her tounes, E   and in all the cytyes that be a longe by the coastes of Arnon .iij. h&ubar;dred yeres? why dydest thou not recouer th&ebar; in all that space, wherfore I haue not synned agaynste the. But thou doest me wronge, to warre agaynste me. The Lorde therfore be iudge this daye, betwene the chyldren of Israel, and the children of Ammon. How be it the Kynge of the children of Ammon harkened not vnto the wordes of Iephthah, which he sent him.

Then the spirite of the Lorde came vpon Iephthah. And he passed ouer Galaad ∧ Manasses, ∧ came to Mazphah that lyeth in Galaad, and from thence vnto the childr&ebar; of Ammon. And Iephthah vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde and sayd: If thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes, then that F   thinge þt; cometh out of the dores of my house agaynst me, when I come home in peace, fr&obar; the children of Ammon, shalbe the Lordes, and I wil offer it vp a burntoffering. And so Iephthah went vnto the children of Ammon to fyght wyth them. And the Lord deliuered them into his handes. And he smote them fr&obar; Aroer vnto Menith .xx. cytyes. And so forth to the plaine of the vineiardes, and made an exceding great slaughter. And thus the chyldren of Ammon were brought vnder, before the chyldren of Israel.

G   Then Iephthah came to Mazphah vnto hys house. And se, his doughter came oute agaynste hym, wyth tymberelles ∧ daunses, which was his onely child, so that beside her, he had neyther sonne nor doughter. And wh&ebar; he sawe her, he renth his clothes, ∧ said: Alas my doughter, thou hast ^note made me stoupe and art one of them, that trouble me. For ^note I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lorde, ∧ can not go backe. And she sayd vnto him: my father, yf thou haue opened thy mouth vnto þe; Lord, then do wyth me accordinge to that proceded out of thy mouthe, for as muche as the Lorde hath aduenged the of thyne enemyes the children of Ammon. And she sayde vnto her father, do this muche for me: let me alone two monethes, that I may go doune to the mountaines, and bewaile my virginite with my felowes. And he sayde: go, and so he sente her away two monethes. And she went with her companyons, and lamented her maydenhead vpon the mountaines. And after the two monethes, she turned againe vnto her father, which dyd with her accordinge to his vowe, which he had vowed, ∧ so she knewe no man. And it became an ordinaunce in Israell yere by yere, that the doughters of Israel shoulde go and lamente the doughter of Iephthah the Galaadite, foure dayes in a yere. The .xij. Chapter. The battel of Iephthah against Ephraim. After the death of Iephthah succedeth El&obar;. After El&obar; Abd&obar;.

A   And the men of Ephraim gathered themselues together, ∧ w&ebar;te northwarde, and sayde vnto Iephthah: Wherfore wenteste thou to fyght with the children of Ammon, ∧ dydest not cal vs to go &wt; the? we wil therfore burne thine house vpon the, wyth fyre. And Iephthah sayde vnto them: I ∧ my people were at greate stryfe with the children of Ammon. And I called you. But ye deliuered me not out of their h&abar;des. And wh&ebar; I sawe that ye delyuered me not, I ^note put my lyfe in my handes ∧ went vpon the chyldren of Ammon, And the Lorde delyuered them into my handes. Wherfore then are ye come vpon me to fyght wyth me.

And Iephthah gathered together all the men of Galaad, and fought with the Ephraites. And the m&ebar; of Galaad smote the Ephraites, because they sayd: B   Ye Galaadites are but runneagates of Ephraim among the Ephraites, and the Manassites. Moreouer the men of Galaad toke the passages of Iordan from the Ephraytes. And when those Ephraytes, that were escaped, sayde: let vs go ouer. Then the men of Galaad sayde vnto them: Ye are Ephraytes, and they sayde naye. C   Then the other answered: then saye ^note Scyboleth. And they sayde Syboleth, and coulde not so prono&ubar;ce, where vpon the other toke them, and slewe them at the passages of Iordan. And there were ouerthrowen at the tyme of the Ephraytes fourty thousande. And when Iephthah had iudged Israel .vi. yere. he died, and was buryed in one of the cytyes of Galaad. After thys man iudged Israel one Abezan of Bethlehem, and he had .xxx. sonnes, ∧ .xxx. doughters, ∧ sent also hys .xxx. doughters out, ∧ toke .xxx. other in, for hys sonnes. D   And wh&ebar; Abezan had iudged Israel .vij. yere

Samson he dyed, and was buryed at Bethlehem.

And after him Elon a Zabulonite iudged Israel ten yere, and he dyed, and was buried in Aialon, in the countreye of Zabulon.

And after him, Abdon the sonne of Hellel a Pharathonite iudged Israell. And he had fourtye sonnes, and thyrtye neuewes, that ^note rode on .lxx. asse coltes. And when Abdon the sonne of Helle the Pharatonite had iudged Israell .viij. yere, he dyed, and was buried in Pharthon, the land of Ephraim in the mount of the Amaleckites. The .xiij. Chapter. Israell beynge an Idolatrer is oppressed of the Philistines. The byrth of Samson. The sacryfyce of Samsons father.

A   And the chyldr&ebar; of Israell began again to committe wickednesse in the syght of the Lorde. And the Lorde delyuered them into the handes of the Phylistynes fourtye yere. And there was a m&abar; in Zaraah of the kynred of the Dannites, named Manoah, whose wyfe was barren and bare not. And the Angel of the Lord apeared vnto his wyfe and sayd vnto her: Behold, thou art barren and bearest not: But thou shalt conceyue and beare a sonne. And nowe beware, and dryncke no wyne, nor stronge drincke, neither eate any vncleane thinge: for se, thou shalt c&obar;ceiue and beare a sonne. And there maye ^note no rasor or sherers come on his head: For þe; lad shalbe an abstayner vnto God, euen from the tyme of his byrth. And he shal begynne to delyuer Israel out of the handes of the Phylystynes.

Then the wyfe wente and tolde her husbande saying: a man of God came vnto me, and the fashyon of him was lyke the fashy&obar; of an Angel of God, exceading fearful: But B   I asked him not whence he was, neyther told he me his name. And he sayd vnto me: ^note beholde thou shalt be wyth chylde and beare a sonne, and now dryncke no wyne nor stronge drincke, neyther any vncleane thinge: for the lad shalbe an abstayner to God euen from hys byrth to the daye of his death.

Then Manoah made intercession to the Lorde, and sayde: I praye the my Lorde let the m&abar; of God, which thou sendest come ones more vnto vs and teache vs, what we shal do vnto the lad wh&ebar; he is borne. And God heard the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came agayne vnto the wyfe, as she sat in the feldes: But Manoah her husbande was not wyth her. Then the wyfe made haste and ranne and shewed her husbande and sayde to hym: Beholde the man apeared vnto me that came the other daye vnto me.

And Manoah arose and wente after hys wyfe, and came to the man and sayde vnto him: C   art thou the man that spakeste vnto my wyfe? And he sayd, ye. Then Manoah sayde, now when thy saying is come to passe, what shalbe the maner of the chylde, and what shal he do? And the Angel of the Lorde sayd vnto Manoah: thy wife must abstaine from al that I sayde vnto her: she maye eate of nothynge, that cometh of the vyne tree, nor drincke wine or stronge dryncke, nor eate anye vncleane thynge: But must obserue all that I bad her. Then sayde Manoah vnto the Angell of the Lord, gra&ubar;te vs to tarye vntil we haue made redye a kyd and haue set it before the. And the angel of þe; Lorde sayd vnto Manoah: though thou make me abyde, I will not eate of thy meate. And moreouer, yf thou wylt prepare a burntoffryng, that thou must offer vnto the Lord. For Manoah wist not that it was an angel of the Lorde. And Manoah sayd vnto the angel of the Lord: what is thy name, that when thy sayinge is come to passe, we maye do the some worshippe? And the angell of the Lorde sayde vnto him: why askest thou after my name? when it is maruelouse.

And Manoah toke a Kydde wyth a meate offering, and offered it vpon a rocke vnto the Lord. And the angel dyd wonderslye, Manoah and his wyfe lokyng vpon. For when the fl&abar;me came vp out of the aultare, the angel of the Lord ascended vp in the flame of the aultare. D   And Manoah and hys wyfe loked vp&obar; and fell flat on their faces vnto the grounde: But the angel of þe; Lord dyd no more apeare vnto Manoah and hys wyfe. And then Manoah knew that it was an angel of the Lord, and sayd vnto hys wyfe: we shal surelye dye, because we haue sene God. But his wyfe said vnto him: If the Lorde woulde kylle vs, he woulde not haue receyued a burntoffrynge ∧ a meat offryng of our handes, neyther would he haue shewed vs all these thynges, nor would haue tolde vs as he hath of thinges to come. And the wyfe bare a sonne, and called his name Samson. And the lad grewe, and þe; Lord blessed him. And the spirite of the Lorde beganne fyrste to be wyth the house of Dan, betwene Zaraah and Esthaol. The .xiiij. Chapter. The maryage of Samson. He killeth a Lion He propoundeth a rydle. He kylleth .xxx. men. Hys wyfe forsaketh him and taketh another.

A   Samson wente doune to Thamnath, ∧ sawe a woman in Th&abar;nath of the doughters of þe; Philistines, and came vp and tolde hys father and his mother, and sayde: I haue sene a woman in Thamnath of the doughters of the Philistines. And nowe geue her me to wyfe. Then hys father and mother sayde vnto him, is there neuer a woman of the douhgters of thy brethren, among al my people, but that thou muste go and fette a wyfe of the vncircumcised Philistines? And Samson sayd vnto hys father, geue me thys woman for she pleaseth me well. But hys father and mother wist not that it was the Lordes doing, and that he sought an occasyon of the Phylystines, which at that tyme raigned ouer Israel.

Samson.

B   Then went Samson and his father and hys mother doune to Thamnath. And when they came to the vyneyardes of Thamnath: beholde a young Lyon rored vpon hym. And the spirite of the Lorde came vpon hym. And he tare hym, as a man woulde rent a Kydde, and yet had nothing in his hande. Neuerthelater he tolde not his father ∧ mother, what he had done. And he went doune and talked wyth the woman, whiche semed well fauored in the syght of Samson.

And within a shorte space after, as he went thether againe to take her to wyfe, he turned out of the waye, to se the carkasse of the Lion. And beholde there was a swarme of bees in the carkasse of the Lyon, and honye. And he toke of the honye in hys handes and wente eatyng, and came to hys father and mother and gaue them also. And they dyd eate. But he tolde not them, that he had taken the hony out of the carkasse of the Lyon.

C   And when his father was come vnto the woman, Samson made there a feaste, for so vsed the younge men to do. And when her frendes sawe him, they brought .xxx. companyons to beare felowshippe. And Samson sayde vnto them: I wyll put furthe a ryddle vnto you. And yf you can declare it wythin vij. dayes of the feast and fynde it out, I wyll geue you thyrtye shertes, and thyrtye cha&ubar;ge of garm&ebar;tes: But and yf you can not declare it me, then shal ye geue me thyrtye shertes ∧ thyrtye chaunge of garmentes. And they answered him, put forth thy rydle and let vs heare it. And he sayde vnto them. Out of the eater came meate: and out of the stronge came swetnesse. And they coulde not in thre dayes expounde the rydle. And wh&ebar; the seuenth day was come, they sayde vnto Samsons wyfe. Flatter wyth thyne husbande, that he maye declare vs the rydle, or elles we wyll burne the and thy fathers house wyth fyre, haue ye called vs to make vs beggers or not? D   Then Samsons wyfe wepte vnto hym and he said, it can not be, but that thou hatest me ∧ loueste me not: for thou haste put forth a rydle vnto the children of my folke, and wylt not tell me what it meaneth. And he sayde: Beholde, I haue not tolde it my father nor my mother, ∧ should I tell it the?

And she wepte vnto him .vij. dayes, while the feaste lasted. And the seuenth day he told her, because she laye so sore vp&obar; him. And she tolde it the chyldren of her folke. And the men of the cytye sayde vnto him the seuenth daye before the sonne went doune. What is sweter then honye, and what is stronger then a Li&obar;? Then sayde he vnto them: If ye had not ^note plowed wyth my caulfe, ye had not founde oute my rydle. Then the spirite of the Lorde came vpon him. And he went doune to Askalon, ∧ slewe thyrtye men of them, and spoyled th&ebar;, and gaue their garmentes vnto them whiche expounded the rydle. And he was wroth and went vp to his fathers house. But Samsons wyfe was geuen to one of his companyons that bare him companye. The .xv. Chapter. Samson tyeth fyrebrandes to Fox tayles, ∧ letteth them runne into the corne ∧ burne it, to be au&ebar;ged of them that toke his wyfe from him. With the Iawe bone of an Asse, he kylleth a thousand m&ebar;. Out of a great tothe in the Iawe God geueth him water, to satisfye hys thryst.

A   Bvt it chaunsed wythin a while after, euen in the tyme of whete herueste, that Samson visited his wyfe wyth a Kydde. And when he supposed to haue gone in vnto hys wife into the chamber, her father woulde not suffre hym to go in: But sayde: I thought that thou haddest hated her, ∧ therfore gaue I her vnto one of thy companions. Howe be it, her younger syster is fayrer then she. Take her in steade of the other. Then said Samson vnto them: Nowe I am blamelesse concerninge the Phylystynes, though I do them euill.

And Samson wente oute and caughte thre hundred Foxes, and toke fyrebrandes, and fastened tayle to tayle, and put a fyre brande in the middes, betwene two tayles. B   And he set the fyrebrandes on fyre, and put them into the corne of the Philistines, and burnte vp both the reped corne and also the standinge, wyth bynes and olyues. Then the Philistines asked, who had done that? And it was tolde them, that Samson the sonne in lawe of the Thamnite, because he had taken hys wyfe, and geuen her to one of his companions. And the Philistines came and burnte her and her father wyth fyre.

And Samson sayde vnto them: shoulde ye do so? I wyl surelye be aduenged of you, and then I wyl cease. And he smote them ^note legge and thygh wyth a mightye plage. And then he wente and dwelte in the caue of the rocke Etam.

Then the Philistines came vp and pytched agaynst Iuda and laye in Lehi. And the men of Iuda sayde, why are ye come agaynst vs? And they answered: to binde Samson are we come, euen to do him as he hath done to vs. Then thre thousande men of Iuda wente doune to the caue of the rocke Etam, and said to Samson: wotest thou not that the Phylystines are rulers ouer vs? Wherfore th&ebar; hast thou serued vs thus? And he answered th&ebar;, as they serued me, so haue I serued them.

And they sayde vnto him, we are come to bynde the and to delyuer the into the handes of the Philistines. And Samson sayde vnto them: swere vnto me, that ye shal not hurt me youre selues. C   And they sayde we wyll not hurte the, saue onelye bynde the and delyuer the vnto their handes: But we wyll not kylle the. And so they bounde him wyth two newe cordes and broughte him vp from the rocke. And when he came to Lehi, the Philystines shouted agaynst him. And the spirite of the Lord came vp&obar; him, and the cordes that were

Samson. vpon hys armes became as flaxe that was burnt with fyre, and the bandes loused from of his handes. And he founde a Iaw bone of a rotten Asse, ∧ put forth hys hande ∧ caught it, and slue a thousand men therwyth.

And Samson sayde: wyth the Iawe of an asse, haue I made heapes: wyth the Iawe of an asse haue I slayne a thousande men. D   And when he had left speakyng, he cast awaye the Iawe oute of hys hande and called the place ^note Ramath Lehi. And he was sore a thyrste, ∧ called on the Lorde and sayde: Thou Lorde hast geuen this greate victorye, thorowe the hand of thy seruaunt. And now I muste dye for thyrst, and falle into the handes of the vncircumcised. But God brake a greate tothe, that was in the Iawe, and there came water therout. And when he had droncke, his spirite came againe, and he was refresshed, wherfore the name therof was called, ^note the welle of the caller on, which is in Lehi vnto this day. And he iudged Israel in the dayes of the Philistines twentye yeres. The .xvi. Chapter. Samson lyfteth vp the Gates of Gaza, ∧ caryeth them vp into the mountayne. He was deceyued by Dalilah and made blynd. He pulleth doune the house vpon the Philistines and dyed with them.

A   Then went Samson to Gaza, ∧ saw there an whore, and wente in vnto her. And it was told the Gazytes, that Samson was come thether. And they wente aboute and layde awayte for him al nighte in the gate of the cyty, but were styll at þe; night saying: Tarye tyl the morning that it be day, and th&ebar; let vs kyl him. And Samson toke his rest tyl midnyght, and arose at midnight and toke the dores of the gate of the cytye, and the two syde postes, and rent th&ebar; of, barres and all, and put them vpon his shoulders, and caryed them vp to the toppe of an hyll that lyeth before Hebron.

And after that he loued a woman, vpon the ryuer of Sorek, called Dalilah, vnto wh&obar; came the Lordes of the Philistines, and sayd vnto her: Flatter wyth hym and se wherin hys greate str&ebar;gth lyeth, and by what meane we maye haue power ouer hym, that we may bynde hym, B   to brynge hym vnder, and we wyll geue euerye man eleuen hundred syluerlynges.

And Dalilah sayde to Samson. Oh, tell me where thy great strenght lyeth, ∧ yf thou were bounde, wherwith men might c&obar;straine the. And Samson sayde vnto her. If men bounde me wyth seuen grene wyththes that were neuer dryed, I shoulde be weake and as another man. And then the Lordes of þe; Philistines brought her seuen wyththes þt; were yet grene and neuer dried, and she bound him therwyth. Notwythstandynge she had men lyinge in waite wyth her in the chambre. And she sayde vnto him, the Philistines be vpon the Samson. And he brake the cordes as a stryng of towe breaketh, when it fealeth fyre. And so his strength was not knowen.

C   Then sayde Dalilah to Samson: Se thou hast mocked me and tolde me lyes. Nowe yet tell me I praye the, wherwith thou mighteste be bounde. And he sayde: If I were bounde wyth newe ropes that neuer were occupyed, then shoulde I be weake, and as another m&abar;. And Dalilah toke newe ropes and bounde hym therwyth, and sayde vnto hym: the Philistines be vpon the Samson. And there were lyers of wayte in the chamber, and he brake them from of hys armes, as they had bene but a threde. And Dalilah sayde vnto Samson, hetherto thou hast begyled me and tolde me lyes: I praye the yet tell me wherwyth men maye bynde the. And he sayde vnto her. If thou plattedest the seu&ebar; lockes of my head with an heare lace and fastnedest them wyth a nayle. And she sayde vnto hym, the Philistines be vpon the Samson. And he awaked out of hys slepe, and plucked and went away wyth the nayle, that was in the plattyng and wyth the heare lace. Then she sayd vnto him: How canst thou say that thou louest me, wh&ebar; thyne hert is not with me: for thou hast mocked me this thre tymes, and haste not tolde, wherin thy great strength lyeth. D   And as she laye vpon him with her wordes, contynually vexinge of him, his soule was enc&obar;bred euen vnto the death. And he tolde her all his herte, and sayde vnto her: there neuer came raser nor sheres vpon myne head, for I haue bene and abstayner to God euen from my mothers wombe. If myne heare were cut of, my strength woulde go from me, and I shoulde waxe ∧ be lyke all other men. And when Dalilah sawe that he had tolde her all hys herte, she sent for the Phylystynes, sayinge: come vp yet thys ones, for he hath shewed me all hys herte.

Then the Lordes of the Philistines came, and brought the money in their handes. And she made hym slepe vpon her lappe, E   and sent for a man, and cut of the seuen lockes of hys head, and beganne to vexe hym. But hys strength was gone from hym. And she sayd the Philistines be vpon the Samson. And he awoke out of hys slepe, and thoughte to go oute as at other tymes before and shake hym selfe, and wiste not that the Lord was departed from hym. But the Philistines toke hym and put out his eyes, and brought him doune to Gaza, and bounde hym wyth fetters And he was made to grynde in the pryson house, how be it the heare of his head beg&abar; to grow agayn, after that he was shorne.

Then the Lordes of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a solempne offringe vnto Dagon their God, and to reioice: F    for they sayd, our God hath deliuered S&abar;son oure enemie into oure handes. And when the people sawe hym, they praised their God: for they sayd oure God hath delyuered into our handes oure enemye, that destroied oure co&ubar;treye and slue manye of vs. And when theyr

Samson. hertes were merye, they sayd: sende for Samson, and let hym playe for vs. G   And they sette Samson out of the prisonhouse, and he plaied before them, and they set him betwene the pillers. And Samson sayde vnto the lad, that ledd him by the hande: set me that I maye touche the pyllers that the house stand vpon, and that I maye leane to th&ebar;. And the house was ful of men and women. And there was al the Lordes of the Philistines. And there were vpon the roufe a thre thousand men and women, that behelde how Samson played.