THE THIRD BOOKE OF KINGES; ACCORDING TO THE HEBREWES THE FIRST OF MALACHIM. Chap. I. King Dauid waxing old, Abisag a Sunamite is brought to him. 5. Adonias pretending to reigne, 11. Nathan and Bethsabee obtaine, 28. that Salomon is declared and annointed King. 41. VVherupon Adonias (his folowers parting to their houses) 50. fleeth to the altar in the tabernacle, but vpon promise of safetie doth homage to Salomon.

1   And king Dauid was old, and had manie daies of age: and when he was couered with clothes, he was not warmed. ^note

2   His seruantes therfore sayd to him: Let vs seeke for our lord the king a yong woman a virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherishe him, and sleepe in his bosome, and warme our lord the king.

3   They sought therfore a beautiful yong woman in al the costes of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamite, and brought her to the king.

4   And the damsel was exceding beautiful, and she slept with the king, and serued him, but the king did not know her.

5   And Adonias the sonne of Haggith was eleuated, saying: I wil reigne. And he made him self chariotes and horsemen, and fiftie men, that should runne before him.

6   Neither did his father controwle him at any time, saying: Why didst thou this? And he also was very beautiful, the second borne after Absalom.

7   And he had talke with Ioab the sonne of Saruia, & with ^note Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias side.

8   But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of Dauids armie was not with Adonias.

9   Adonias therfore hauing immolated rammes and calues, and al fatte beastes beside the Stone zoheleth, which was nigh to the Fountaine Rogel, called al his brethren the sonnes of the

Dauid. king, and al the men of Iuda the seruantes of the king:

10   But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and al the strong ones, and Salomon his brother he called not.

11   Nathan therfore sayd to Bethsabee the mother of Salomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias the sonne of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord Dauid is ignorant thereof?

12   Now therfore come, take counsel of me, and saue thy life, and thy sonne Salomons.

13   Goe, and enter in to king Dauid, and say to him: Didst not thou my lord king sweare to me thy handmayd, saying: Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me, and he shal sitte in my throne? Why then reigneth Adonias?

14   And whiles thou art yet speaking there with the king, I wil come after thee, and make vp thy wordes.

15   Bethsabee therfore went in to the king in the chamber: and the king was exceding old, and Abisag the Sunamite ministred to him.

16   Bethsabee bowed her self, and adored the king. To whom the king sayd: What is thy wil? quoth he.

17   Who answering sayd: My lord, thou didst sweare to thy handmayd by our Lord thy God, that Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me, and he shal sitte in my throne.

18   And behold now Adonias reigneth, thou my lord the king not knowing therof.

19   He hath killed oxen, & al fatte thinges, and manie rammes, and called al the kinges sonnes, Abiathar also the priest, and Ioab the General of the warfarre: but Salomon thy seruant he called not.

20   Notwithstanding my lord king, the eyes of al Israel looke vpon thee, that thou wouldest shew them, who shal sitte in thy throne my lord king after thee.

21   And it shal be when my lord king sleepeth with his fathers, I and my sonne Salomon shal be ^note sinners.

22   As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

23   And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophete is here. And when he was gone in to the king, and had adored bowing to the earth,

24   Nathan sayd: My lord king, didst thou say: Let Adonias reigne after me, and let him sitte vpon my throne?

25   Because he is gone downe to day, and hath immolated oxen, and fattelinges, and manie rammes, and called al the kinges sonnes, and the captaynes of the armie, Abiathar also the priest: and they eating and drinking before him, and saying: God saue the king Adonias:

26   me thy seruant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, and Salomon thy seruant he called not.

27   Is this word proceded from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me thy seruant who

Dauid. should sitte vpon the throne of my lord the king after him?

28   And king Dauid answered, saying: Cal vnto me Bethsabee. Who when she was entered in to the king, and stood before him,

29   the king sware, and sayd: Our Lord liueth, which hath deliuered my soule from al distresse,

30   that as I sware to thee by our Lord the God of Israel, saying: Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me, and he shal sitte vpon my throne for me, so wil I doe this day.

31   And Bethsabee bowing her contenance vnto the earth adored the king, saying: God saue my lord for euer.

32   King Dauid also said: Cal me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, & Banaias the sonne of Ioiada. Who when they were entred in before the king,

33   he said to them: Take with you the seruantes of your lord, and sette Salomon my sonne vpon my mule: and bring him into Gihon.

34   And let Sadoc the priest anoint him there, and Nathan the prophet to be king ouer Israel: and you shal sound the trumpet, and shal say: God saue king Salomon.

35   And you shal goe vp after him, and he shal come, and shal sitte vpon my throne, and he shal reigne for me: and I wil ordaine him that he be prince ouer Israel, and ouer Iuda.

36   And Banaias the sonne of Ioiada answered the king, saying: Amen: so speake our Lord the God of my lord the king.

37   As our Lord hath beene with my lord the king, so be he with Salomon, and make his throne higher then the throne of my lord king Dauid.

38   Sadoc therfore the priest, and Nathan the prophet went downe, and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, and Cherethi, and Phelethi: and they set Salomon vpon the mule of king Dauid, and brought him into Gihon.

39   And Sadoc the priest tooke a horne of oile out of the tabernacle, and annointed Salomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and al the people said: God saue king Salomon.

40   And al the multitude went vp after him, and the people singing on shaulmes, and reioysing with great gladnes, and the earth sounded of their crie.

41   And Adonias heard, and al that were inuited of him, and the feast was ended: yea and Ioab hearing the voice of the trumpet, said: What meaneth the crie of the citie making a tumult?

42   As he yet spake, came Ionathas the sonne of Abiathar the priest: to whom Adonias said: Come in, because thou art a stout man, and bringest good newes.

43   And Ionathas answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king Dauid hath appointed Salomon king.

44   and hath sent with

Dauid. him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophete, and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, and Cerethi, and Phelethi, and they haue set him vpon the kinges mule.

45   And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophete haue annointed him king in Gihon: & they are gone vp thence reioysing, and the citie sounded: this is the voice that you heard.

46   Yea and Salomon sitteth vpon the throne of the kingdom.

47   And the kinges seruantes entring in, haue blessed our lord king Dauid, saying: God amplify the name of Salomon aboue thy name, and magnifie his throne aboue thy throne. And the king ^note adored in his bed:

48   and he hath thus spoken: Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel, who hath geuen this day one sitting in my throne, mine eies seing it.

49   They therfore were terrified, and they al arose, that had beene inuited of Adonias, and euery man went his way.

50   And Adonias fearing Salomon arose, and went, and held the horne of the altar.

51   And they told Salomon, saying: Behold Adonias fearing king Salomon, hath taken hold of the horne of the altar, saying: Let king Salomon sweare to me this day, that he wil not kil his seruant with the sword.

52   And Salomon sayd: If he be a good man, there shal not so much as one heare of his fal vpon the ground: but if euil shal be found in him, he shal die.

53   King Salomon therfore sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in he adored king Salomon: and Salomon sayd to him: Goe to thy house. Chap. II. Dauid geueth godlie preceptes to Salomon. 5. willeth him to punish certaine offenders: 10. and dieth. 12. Salomon reigneth. 13. Adonias, by interce&esset;ion of Bethsabee, requesteth to haue Abisag to wife: 22. but is put to death for demanding her. 26. Abiathar the priest is banished, and deposed, for conspiring with Adonias. 28. Ioab also for the same cause, and former crimes is slaine. 36. Semei is confined in Ierusalem, 40. & for transgre&esset;ing his limites, together with old faultes is likewise slaine.

1   And the dayes of Dauid approched that he should die, and he commanded his sonne Salomon, saying:

2   I enter into the way of al flesh: take courage, and play the man.

3   And obserue the watches of our Lord thy God, that thou walke in his waies, and keepe his ceremonies, and his preceptes, and iudgementes, and testimonies, as is written in the law of Moyses: that thou mayst vnderstand al thinges which thou doest, and whithersoeuer thou shalt turne thy selfe:

Dauid. Salomon.

4   that our Lord may confirme his wordes, which he hath spoken of me, saying: If thy children shal keepe their waies, and shal walke before me in truth, in al their hart, and in al their soul, there shal not altogether be taken from thee a man out of the throne of Israel.

5   Thou knowest also what Ioab the sonne of Saruia hath done to me, what he did to the two princes of the armie of Israel, to Abner the sonne of Ner, and Amasa the sonne of Iether: whom he slewe, & shed the bloud of warre in peace, & put the bloud of battel in his belt, which was about his loynes, and in his shoe, which was on his feete.

6   Thou shalt doe therfore according to thy wisdom, and shalt not bring his hoare head peaceably vnto hel.

7   But to the sonnes also of Berzellai the Galaadite thou shalt render kindnes, and they shal eate on thy table: for they mette me when I fled from the face of Absolom thy brother.

8   Thou hast also with thee Semei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini of Bahurim, who cursed me with a wicked curse, when I went to the Campe; but because he came downe to meete me when I passed Iordan, and I sware to him by our Lord, saying: I wil not kil thee with the sword:

9   doe not thou suffer him to be guiltles. But thou art a wise man, so that thou knowest what thou shalt doe to him, and thou shalt bring his hoare heare with bloud vnto hel.

10   Dauid therefore slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid.

11   And the daies that Dauid reigned in Israel, are fourtie yeares: in Hebron he reigned seuen yeares, in Ierusalem thirtie three.

12   And Salomon sate vpon the throne of Dauid his father, and his kingdome was confirmed excedingly. ^note

13   And Adonias the sonne of Haggith entered in to Bethsabee the mother of Salomon. Who said to him: Is thy coming peaceable? Who answered: peaceable.

14   And he added: I haue a word to speake with thee. To whom she said: Speake. And he:

15   Thou knowest, quoth he, that the kingdom was mine, and al Israel had purposed to make me ouer them to be their king: but the kingdom is transposed, & is made my brothers: for it was appointed him of our Lord.

16   Now therefore I desire one petition of thee; Confound not my face. Who said to him: Speake.

17   And he said: I pray speake to Salomon the king (for he can not denie thee any thing) that he geue me Abisag the Sunamite to wife.

18   And Bethsabee saied: wel, I wil speake for thee to the king.

19   Bethsabee therefore came to king Salomon, to

Salomon. speake vnto him for Adonias: and the king arose to meete her, and adored her, and sate downe vpon his throne: and a throne was sette for the kinges mother, who sate on his right hand.

20   And she said to him One litle petition I desire of thee, confound not my face And the king said to her: My mother aske: for ^note it behoueth not that I turne away thy face.

21   Who said: Let Abisag the Sunamite be geuen to Adonias thy brother to wife.

22   And king Salomon answered, and said to his mother: Why doest thou aske Abisag the Sunamite for Adonias? aske for him also the kingdom: for he is my brother elder then I, & hath Abiathar the priest, & Ioab the sonne of Saruia.

23   Therfore king Salomon sware by our Lord, saying: These thinges doe God to me, and these adde he, because Adonias hath spoken this word against his life.

24   And now, our Lord liueth which hath established me, and placed me vpon the throne of Dauid my father, and which hath made me a house, as he spake, this day shal Adonias be slaine.

25   And king Salomon sent by the hand of Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, who slewe him, and he died.

26   To Abiathar also the priest the king said: Goe into Anathoth to thy field, and thou in deede art a man of death: but to day I wil not kil thee, because thou didst carie the arke of our Lord God before Dauid my father, & hast susteyned labour in al thinges, wherein my father laboured.

27   Salomon therefore ^note cast out Abiathar, that he should not be the priest of our Lord, that the word of our lord might be fulfilled, which he spake concerning the house of Heli in Silo.

28   And then a messenger came to Ioab for that Ioab had turned after Adonias, and after Salomon had not turned: Ioab therfore fled into the tabernacle of our Lord, & caught the horne of the altar.

29   And it was told king Salomon, that Ioab was fled into the tabernacle of our Lord, and was beside the altar: & Salomon sent Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, saying: Goe, kil him.

30   And Banaias came to the tabernacle of our Lord, and said to him: Thus sayth the king: Come forth. Who said: I wil not come forth, but here wil I die. Banaias reported his word to the king, saying: Thus spake Ioab, and thus he answered me.

31   And the king said to him: Doe as he hath spoken: and kil him, & burie him, and thou shalt remoue the innocent bloud, which hath beene shed of Ioab, from me, and from the house of my father.

32   And our Lord shal render his bloud vpon his head, because he murdered two iust men, &

Salomon. better then him self: and slew them with his sword, my father Dauid not knowing, Abner the sonne of Ner general of the warfare of Israel, and Amasa the sonne of Iether general of the armie of Iuda:

33   and their bloud shal returne vpon the head of Ioab, and vpon the head of his seede for euer. But to Dauid and his seede and his house, and to his throne be peace for euer from our Lord.

34   Banaias therfore the sonne of Ioiada went vp, and setting vpon him slewe him: and he was buried in his house in the desert.

35   And the king appoynted Banaias the sonne of Ioiada for him ouer the armie, and Sadoc the priest he ^note placed for Abiathar.

36   The king also sent, and called Semei, and said to him: Build thee a house in Ierusalem, and dwel there: and thou shalt not goe out thence hither and thither.

37   But what day soeuer thou shalt goe out, and shalt passe the Torrent Cedron know that thou art to be slaine: thy bloud shal be vpon thy head.

38   And Semei said to the king: The saying is good: as my lord the king hath spoken, so wil thy seruant doe. Semei therfore dwelt in Ierusalem, manie dayes.

39   And it came to passe after three yeares, that the seruantes of Semei fled to Achis the sonne of Maacha the king of Geth: and it was told Semei that his seruantes were gone into Geth.

40   And Semei arose, and sadled his asse, and went to Achis into Geth to require his seruantes, and he brought them out of Geth.

41   And it was told Salomon that Semei went into Geth out of Ierusalem, and was returned.

42   And sending he called him, and said to him: Did I not testifie to thee by our Lord, and told thee before. What day soeuer thou going out shalt passe hither & thirher, know that thou shalt die? And thou didst answere me: The saying is good, which I haue heard.

43   Why then hast thou not kept the oath of our Lord, and the precept that I commanded thee?

44   And the king said to Semei: Thou knowest al the euil, wherof thy hart is priuy to thy selfe, which thou dist to Dauid my father: our Lord hath rendred thy malice vpon thy head:

45   And king Salomon be blessed, and the throne of Dauid shal be stable before our Lord for euer.

46   The king therfore commanded Banaias the sonne of Ioiada: who going out, stroke him, and he died. Chap. III. King Salomon marieth Pharaos sister. 3. offereth victims in high places. 5. admonished by God in his sleepe to demand what he wil, he asketh wisdom

Salomon. to gouerne his people. 10. which God granteth him, with much riche&esset;e also and glorie. 16. He decideth a controuersie betwen two wemen contending about a liuing child and a dead.

1   The kingdom therfore was established in the hand of Salomon, and he was ioyned in affinitie to Pharao the king of Ægypt: for he tooke his daughter, and brought her into the citie of Dauid, vntil he accomplished building his owne house, and the house of our Lord, and the wal of Ierusalem round about.

2   But yet the people immolated in the excelses: for there was no temple built to the name of our Lord vntil that day.

3   And Salomon loued our Lord, walking in the preceptes of Dauid his father, sauing that he immolated in the excelses, and burnt incense.

4   He went therfore into Gabaon, to immolate there: for that was a verie great excelse: a thousand hostes for holocaust did Salomon offer vpon that altar in Gabaon.

5   And our Lord appeared to Salomon in a dreame by night, saying: Aske what thou wilt that I may geue it thee.

6   And Salomon said: Thou hast done great mercie with thy seruant Dauid my father, euen as he walked in thy fight in truth, and iustice, and a right hart with thee: for thou hast kept thy great mercie, and hast geuen him a sonne sitting vpon his throne, as it is this day.

7   And now Lord God, thou hast made thy seruant to reigne for Dauid my father: but I am a litle childe, and ignorant of my going out and coming in.

8   And thy seruant is in the middes of the people, which thou hast chosen, a people infinite, which can not be numbred and counted for the multitude.

9   Thou shalt therfore geue to thy seruant a docible hart, that he may iudge the people, & discerne betwen good and euil. For who shal be able to iudge this people, this thy people great in number?

10   The word therfore was liked before our Lord, that Salomon had asked such a thing.

11   And our Lord sayd to Salomon: Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not desired for thy self manie dayes, nor riches, nor the liues of thine enemies, but hast desired wisedom for thy self to discerne iudgement:

12   behold I haue done vnto thee according to thy wordes, & haue geuen thee a wise hart and intelligent, inso much that none before thee hath beene like thee, nor shal arise after thee.

13   Yea and these thinges, which thou didst not aske, I haue geuen thee: to witte, riches, and glorie, so that none

Salomon. hath beene like thee among the kinges al dayes hertofore.

14   And if thou wilt walke in my wayes, and keepe my preceptes, and my commandementes, as thy father walked, I wil make thy dayes long.

15   Therfore Salomon awaked, and perceiued that it was a dreame: and when he was come to Ierusalem, he stood before the arke of couenant of our Lord, and offered holocaustes, and made pacifique victimes, and a great feast to al his seruantes. ^note

16   Then came there two wemen harlottes to the king, and stood before him:

17   of the which one said: I besech thee, my lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was deliuered of a childe beside her in the chamber.

18   And the third day, after that I was deliuered, she also was deliuered, and we were together, and no other person with vs in the house, except we two.

19   And this womans childe died in the night. For sleping she oppressed him.

20   And rysing in the dead tyme of the night, she tooke my childe from the side of me thy handmayd being aslepe, and layed it in her bosome: and her childe that was dead, she put in my bosome.

21   And when I was rysen in the morning to geue my childe milke, he appeared dead: whom more diligently beholding when it was cleere day, I found that it was not mine which I bare.

22   And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayst, but thy childe is dead, and mine liueth. On the contrarie part she sayd: Thou liest: for my childe liueth, and thy childe is dead. And in this maner they stroue before the king.

23   Then sayd the king: This woman saith, My childe liueth, and thy childe is dead. And this hath answered, No, but thy childe is dead, and mine liueth.

24   The king therfore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the King,

25   Diuide, quoth he, the liuing child into two partes, and geue the halfe part to one, and halfe to the other.

26   But the woman, whose childe was aliue, said to the king (for her bowels were moued vpon her childe) I besech thee my lord, geue her the childe aliue, and kil it not. On the contrarie part she sayd: ^note be it neither mine, nor thine, but let it be diuided.

27   The king answered, and said: Geue vnto this woman the infant aliue, and let it not be killed for this is the mother therof.

28   Al Israel therfore heard the iudgement that the king had iudged, and they feared the king, seing the wisedom of God to be in him to doe iudgement.

Salomon. Chap. IIII. Chiefe men of Salomons kingdom are recited by their names, and offices. 22. likewise the prouision of victuals for his house, 26. the number of his horses, 29. his wisedom excelleth al others. 32. he writte manie parables and verses, and lernedly discoursed of al thinges.

1   And king Salomon was reigning ouer al Israel:

2   and these were the princes which he had: Azarias the sonne of Sadoc the priest:

3   Elihoreph, and Ahia the sonnes of Sisa Scribes: Iosaphat the sonne of Ahilud, register:

4   Banaias the sonne of Ioiada, ouer the armie: and Sadoc, and Abiathar priestes.

5   Azarias the sonne of Nathan, ouer them that assisted the king: Zabud the sonne of Nathan priest the kinges frend:

6   and Ahizar gouernour of the house: and Adoniram the sonne of Abda ouer the tributes.

7   And Salomon had twelue gouernours ouer al Israel, which serued out victuals for the king and for his house: for euerie one ministred necessaries, eche man his moneth in the yeare.

8   And these are their names: Benhur in mount Ephraim.

9   Bendecar, in Macces, and in Salebim, and in Bethsames, and in Elon, and in Bethhanan.

10   Benhesed in Aruboth: his was Socho, and al the land Epher.

11   Benabinadab, whose was al Nepha Dor, had Tapheth the daughter of Salomon to wife.

12   Bana the sonne of Ahilud gouerned Thanach and Mageddo, and al Bethsan, which is beside Sarthana vnder Iezrahel, from Bethsan vnto Abelmehula ouer against Iecmaan.

13   Bengaber in Ramoth galaad: had Auothiair the sonne of Manasses in Galaad, he was chiefe in al the countrie of Argob, which is in Basan, three score cities great and walled, which had brasen lockes.

14   Ahinadab the sonne of Addo was chiefe in Manaim.

15   Achimaas in Nepthali: yea he also had Basemath the daughter of Salomon in mariage.

16   Baana the sonne of Husi, in Aser, and in Baloth.

17   Iosaphat the sonne of Pharue, in Isacar.

18   Semei the sonne of Ela, in Beniamin.

19   Gaber the sonne of Vri, in the land of Galaad in the land of Sehon the king of the Ammorrheite, & of Og the king of Basan, ouer al thinges that were in that land.

20   Iuda and Israel innumereble, as the sand of the sea in multitude: eating, and drinking, and reioysing.

21   And Salomon was in his dominion, hauing al the kingdomes with him from the riuer of the land of the Philisthijms vnto the border of Ægypt: of them that offered him

Salomon. presents, and serued him al the dayes of his life.

22   And the prouision of Salomon was euerie day thirtie measures of floure, & three score measures of meale,

23   tenne fat oxen and twentie pasture fed, & a hundred rammes, beside the venison of hartes, roes, and buffles, & fatted foule.

24   For he possessed al the countrie, which was beyond the riuer, from Thapsa vnto Goza, and al the kinges of those countries: and he had peace on euerie side round about.

25   And Iuda and Israel dwelt without anie feare, euerie one vnder his vine, and vnder his figtree, from Dan vnto Bersabe al the dayes of Salomon.

26   And Salomon had fourtie thousand stalles of chariothorses, and twelue thousand for the saddle.

27   And the foresaide gouernours of the king fed them: yea and the necessaries of king Salomons table they gaue forth with great care in their time.

28   Barley also and strow for the horses, and beastes, they brought to the place, where the king was, according as it was appointed them.

29   God also gaue wisdom to Salomon and prudence exceding much, and latitude of hart as the sand that is in the sea shore.

30   And the wisdom of Salomon passed the wisdom of al them in the east, and of the Ægyptians,

31   and he was wiser then al men: wiser then Ethan the Ezralite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Dorda the sonnes of Mahol and he was renowmed in al nations round about.

32   Salomon also spake ^note three thousand parables: and his songues were a thousand & fiue.

33   And he disputed of trees from the ceder, that is in Libanus, vnto the hyssop which cometh out of the wal: and he discoursed of beastes, and foules, and creeping wormes, and fishes.

34   And there came from al people to heare the wisdom of Salomon, and from al the kinges of the earth, which heard his wisdom. Chap. V. Hiram king of Tyre granteth timber and workmen for buildeng the Temple: Salomon allowing victuals, and paying wages. 13. the number of workmen and ouerseers.

1   Hiram also the king of Tyre sent his seruantes to Salomon: for he heard that they had auointed him king for his father: because Hiram had bene Dauids frend at al time.

2   And Salomon sent to Hiram, saying:

3   Thou knowest the wil of Dauid my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of our Lord his God, because of warres

Salomon. imminent round about vntil our Lord put them vnder the sole of his feete.

4   But now our Lord my God hath geuen me rest round about: and there is no satan, nor il rencounter.

5   Wherfore I purpose to build a temple to the name of our Lord my God, as our Lord hath spoken to Dauid my father, saying: Thy sonne, whom I wil geue for thee vpon thy throne, he shal build a house to my name.

6   Command therfore that thy seruantes cut me downe cedres out of Libanus, and let my seruantes be with thy seruantes: and I wil geue thee the hire of thy seruantes whatsoeuer thou wilt aske, for thou knowest how there is not in my people a man that hath skil to hew wood as the Sidonians.

7   When Hiram therfore had heard the wordes of Salomon, he reioysed excedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath geuen vnto Dauid a sonne most wise ouer this people so great in number.

8   And Hiram sent to Salomon, saying: I haue heard whatsoeuer thou hast willed me: I wil doe al thy wil in cedre trees, and firre trees.

9   My seruantes shal bring them downe from Libanus to the sea: and I wil put them in boates in the sea, vnto the place, which thou shalt signifie to me; and wil land them there, and thou shalt take them: and thou shalt allow me necessaries, that there be meate geuen for my house.

10   Therfore Hiram gaue Salomon cedre trees, and firre trees, according to al his wil.

11   And Salomon allowed Hiram twentie thousand cores of wheate, for prouision for his house, and twentie cores of most pure oile: these thinges did Salomon geue to Hiram euerie yeare.

12   Our Lord also gaue wisedom to Salomon, as he spake to him: & there was peace betwen Hiram & Salomon, and both made a league.

13   And king Salomon chose workmen out of al Israel, and the taxed number was of thirtie thousand men.

14   And he sent them into Libanus, ten thousand euerie moneth by course, so that two monethes they were in their houses: and Adoniram was ouer this taxing.

15   And Salomon had seuentie thousand of them that caried burdens, and eightie thousand hewers of stones in the mountaine:

16   besides the ouerseers which were ouer euerie worke, in number three thousand, and three hundred that commanded the people, and them that did the worke.

17   And the king commanded, that they should take great stones, chosen stones for the foundation of the temple, and should square them:

18   which the masons of Salomon, and masons of

Salomon. Hiram hewed: moreouer the Giblians prepared timber and stones, to build the house. Chap. VI. In the yeare foure hundred and foure score after the Israelites came from Ægypt, Salomon, the fourth yeare of his reigne, begenneth to build the Temple. 2. The principal partes with the greatnes, forme, and ornamentes therof are described. 38. It is in building seuen yeares.

1   And it came to passe in the foure hundred and foure score yeare of the coming forth of the children of Israel out of the Land of Ægypt, in the fourth yeare, the moneth Zio (that is the second moneth) of the reigne of Salomon ouer Israel, he began to build a house to our Lord.

2   And the house, which king Salomon built to our Lord, had three score cubites in length, and twentie cubites in bredth, and thirtie cubites in height.

3   And there was a porche before the temple of twentie cubites of length, according to the measure of the bredth of the temple: and it had ten cubites of bredth before the face of the temple.

4   And he made in the temple ^note oblique windowes. And he built vpon the wal of the temple loftes round about,

5   in the walles of the house round about the temple and the oracle, and he made sides round about.

6   The loft that was vnderneth, had fiue cubites of bredth, & the middle loft was of six cubites in bredth, and the third loft had seuen cubites of bredth. And he put beames in the house round about on the outside, that they might not cleaue to the walles of the temple.

7   And the house when it was built, was built of stones hewed and perfected: and hammer, and hachet, and al the toole of yron were ^note not heard in the house when it was built.

8   The doore of the middle side was in the wal of the house on the right hand: and by wynding staires they went vp into the middle rowme, and from the middle into the third.

9   And he built the house, and finished it: he couered also the house with seelings of cedre trees.

10   And he built a loft ouer al the house fiue cubites of height, and he couered the house with cedre timber.

11   And the word of our Lord came to Salomon, saying:

12   This house, which thou buildest, if thou wilt walke in my preceptes, and doe my iudgementes, and keepe al my commandementes, going in them, I wil establish my word to thee, which I spake to Dauid thy father.

13   And I

Salomon. wil dwel in the middes of the children of Israel, and wil not forsake my people Israel.

14   Salomon therfore built the house, and finished it.

15   And he built the walles of the house on the inside, with cedre loftes, from the pauement of the house to the toppe of the walles, and to the roofes, he couered it with cedre trees on the inside: and he couered the floore of the house with boordes of firre.

16   And he built loftes of cedre timber of twentie cubites at the hinder part of the temple, from the pauement to the higher partes: and he made the inner house of the oracle to be ^note Sanctum Sanctorum.

17   Moreouer the temple it self was fourtie cubites before the doores of the oracle.

18   And al the house was couered within with ceder, hauing roundels, and the ioyntes therof coningly wrought and the engrauinges standing out: al thinges were couered with bordes: ^note neither could there a stone appeare in the wal at al.

19   And he made the oracle in the middes of the house, in the inner part, that he might put the arke of couenant of our Lord there.

20   Moreouer the oracle had twentie cubites in length, and twentie cubites of bredth, and twentie cubites in height. And he couered and seeled it with most pure gold. and the altar also he decked with ceder.

21   The house also before the oracle he couered with most pure gold, and fastened on plates with nailes of gold.

22   And there was nothing in the temple that was not couered with gold: yea and al the altar of the oracle he couered with gold.

23   And he made in the oracle two cherubs of oliue trees, of ten cubites in height.

24   One wing of a cherub of fiue cubites, and the other wing of a cherub fiue cubites: that is, hauing tenne cubites, from the end of one wing vnto the end of the other wing.

25   Of ten cubites also was the second cherub: in like measure, and the worke was one in both cherubs,

26   that is to say, one cherub had the height of ten cubites, and in like maner the second cherub.

27   And he put the cherubs in the middes of the inner temple: and the cherubs extended their winges, and the one wing touched the wal, and the wing of the second cherub touched the other wal: and the other winges in the middle part of the temple touched ech other.

28   He couered also the cherubs with gold.

29   And al the walles of the temple round about he graued with diuerse engrauinges and caruing: & he made in them cherubs, and palme trees, and ^note diuerse pictures, as it were standing

Salomon. out of the wal, and coming forth.

30   Yea the pauement also of the house he couered with gold within and without.

31   And in the entrance of the oracle he made litle doores of the timber of oliuetrees, and fiue corner postes.

32   And two doores of oliuetimber: and he graued in them pictures of Cherubs, and figures of Palme trees, and grauen workes standing out very much; and he couered them with gold: and he couered as wel the cherubs as the palmetrees, and the other thinges with gold.

33   And he made in the entrance of the temple postes of oliuetimber foure square:

34   and two doores of firre trees, one agaynst an other: and either doore was duble, and so opened with folding leaues.

35   And he graued cherubs, and palmetrees, and engrauinges appearing very much: and he couered al with golden plates in square worke by rule.

36   And he built the inner court with three rowes of stones polished, and one rowe of ceder timber. ^note

37   In the fourth yeare was the house of our Lord founded in the moneth of Zio:

38   and in the eleuenth yeare in the moneth Bul (that is the eight moneth) the house was perfected in al the workes therof, and in al the implementes therof: and he was building it seuen yeares. : FROM the parting of Israel out of Ægypt, to the fundation of the Temple. The space of 480. yeares. ^note

VVe have senne already in the three first ages, or distinct times of the world, the biginning, increase, and continuance of the Church and Religion of God, without interruption. Now in this fourth age, in which God gaue his people a written Law, it is yet more euident, that the same faith and religion, not only continued but also was more expressed, and explicated; and the Church had more varietie of Sacrifices, Sacraments, and other holie Rites, & obseruances: & the two states Ecclesiastical and Temporal more distinguished, and ech of them, especially the Priestlie and Leuitical Hierarchie, more disposed in subordination: the ciuil gouernment also vnder Dukes Iudges, and Kinges, more distributed among superiour and inferiour officers then before. ^note

For first the principal point and ground of al religion, the beleefe in one God, and his proper diuine worship, is aboue al most stristly commanded, often repeated, diligently obserued by the good, and seuerely punished in

Salomon. transgre&esset;ours. ^note To which end and purpose, after that God had singularly selected three more renowmed Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, preseruing them by his special grace from idolatrie, and from wicked wayes of most peoples and nations, blessed their seede, not in the whole progenie of the two former, but in Iacob onlie, whom he otherwise named Israel, multiplying his children excedingly, yea most of al (which was most maruelous) in hotte persecution: then bringing them forth of the fornace of Ægypt, in his strong hand, as is recorded in the former age, at last his Diuine Maiestie deliuered to them his perfect and eternal Law, conteyned in two tables, distributed into tenne preceptes, teaching them their proper duties first towards himselfe their God and Lord, then towards ech other. ^{note note} Adding moreouer for the practise and execution therof, other particular precepts of two sortes, to witte, Ceremonial prescribing certaine determinate maners and rites, in obseruing the commandements of the first table pertaining to God: and Iudicial lawes directing in particular how to fulfil the commandements of the second table, concerning our duties towards our neighbours. ^{note note} So we see the whole law is nothing els, but to loue God aboue al, and our neighboures as our selues. The maner of performing al, is to beleue and hope in one onlie Lord God, honour and serue him alone, who made al of nothing, conserueth al, wil iudge al, and render to al men as they deserue, and therfore fully to confirme this point, he beginneth his commandements with expre&esset;e prohibition of al false and imaginarie goddes, saying (Exod. 20. v. 3.) ^note Thou shalt not haue strange goddes, & after threates to the transgressours, and recital of the other nine commandementes, he concludeth (v. 23.) with repetition of the first, saying: You shal not make goddes of siluer, nor goddes of gold shal you make to you. The same is repeted and explaned (Deut. 5.) And in the next chapter Moyses exhorting the people saith: Heare Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And God himselfe speaking againe sayth: (Exod. 23.) See ye that I am onlie, and there is no other God besides me. The royal prophet Dauid (2. Reg. 22. and Psalm. 17.) who is God but our God? and in sundrie other places the same doctrine of one God is grounded, confirmed, and established.

The Mysterie of the B. Trinitie, or of three Diuine Persons, is no le&esset;e true and certaine, then that there is but one God, though not so manifest to reason, nor so expre&esset;ly taught in the old Testament, yet beleued then also, and often insinuated, where God is expre&esset;ed by names of the plural number: as Elohim, Elim, Elohe, Saddai, Adonai, Tsebaoth: which import pluralitie of Persons in God, who is but one nature and substance. ^note Distinction also of Persons in God is deduced (Exod. 33.) God saying: I wil cal in the name of the Lord. That is (as S. Augustin and other fathers expound it) the second Person by his grace maketh his seruants to cal vpon God. More distinctly

Salomon. (Psalm. 2.) The Lord said to me: Thou art my Sonne, I this day haue begotten thee. (Psalm. 109.) The Lord said to my Lord: that is, God the Father to God the Sonne: who according to his diuinitie is the Lord of Dauid, according to his humanitie the sonne of Dauid. The same king Dauid maketh mention also of the third Person, the Holie Ghost, praying (Psalm. 50.) Thy holie Spirit take not from me. In the forme of ble&esset;ing the people (Num. 6.) al three Persons seme to be vnderstood in the name of our Lord thrise repeted; our Lord (the Father) blesse thee and keepe thee. Our Lord (the Sonne) shew his face to thee, and haue mercie vpon thee. Our Lord (the Holie Ghost) turne his countenance vnto thee, and geue thee peace.

Of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, we haue in this age manie prophecies and figures. ^note Moyses cuidently (Deut. 18.) forsheweth that after other prophets Christ the Sonne of God should come in flesh, and redeme mankind, as S. Peter teacheth (Act. 3.) Likewise in his Canticle, and Ble&esset;ing of the tribes (Deut. 32 & 33.) he speaketh more expresly of Christ and his Church, then of the Iewes and thier Synagogue. The starre prophecied by Balaam (Num. 24.) forshewed both to Iewes and Gentiles, that Christ should subdue al nations. Iosue both in name and office was a manifest figure of Iesvs Christ, Also the Iudges, and Kinges, some in one thing, some in an other, most especially king Dauid and king Salomon, were figures of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. The brasen serpent (Num. 21.) signified Christ to be crucified, as him selfe expoundeth it (Ioan. 3.) Briefly the whole Law was a pedagogue, or conductor to bring men to Christ (Galat. 3.) and by him to know God and themselues: to wit, God omnipotent, al perfect, Creator of al, our Father, Redemer, and Sanctifier: and man his chief earthlie creature; though of himselfe weake and impotent, yea through sinne miserable, yet in nature of free condition, indued with vnderstanding, to conceiue, and discourse; and with freewil, to choose or refuse what liketh or displeaseth him.

For God appointing al creatures their offices, ingraffed in al other thinges inuariable inclination to performe the same, so that they could neither by vertue nor sinne make their state better nor worse then it was created, but ordaining Angels and men to a higher end of eternal felicitie, left their wils free to agree vnto, or to resist his precepts, and counsels. ^note VVherupon Angels cooperating with Gods grace were confirmed in glorie, and some reuolving were eternally damned. Man also offending fel into damnable state, but through penance may be saued, if he cooperate with new grace of our Redemer, which is in his choise to doe, or omitte. As when God gaue his people meate in the desert (Exod. 16.) he so instructed them, how to receiue it and vse it, without forse or compulsion, that he might proue them (as himself speaketh)

Salomon. whether they would walke in his law or no. And after making couenant with them (Exod. 19. Deut. 26.) required and accepted their voluntarie consent: entring into formal contract or bargaine betwen him self and them: he promising on the one partie to make them his peculiar people, a priestlie kingdome, and a holie nation: they on the other partie promising loyaleie, obedience and obseruation of his commandements, saying: Al thinges that our Lord hath spoken we wil doe. For which cause Gods promises are conditional (Deut. 7.) if thou kepe his iudgements, God wil keepe his couenant to thee. Againe most plainly (Deut. 11.) Behold I sette before your sight this day benediction and malediction, and (Deut. 30.) I cal for witnesses this day heauen and earth, that I haue proposed to you life and death, blessing and cursing. Choose therfore life that thou mayest liue. In al which it is certaine that Gods promise being firme, mans wil is variable, and so the euent not necessarie: which made Caleb hoping of victorie to say (Iosue 14.) if perhaps our Lord be with me. Neither doth Gods foreknowledge make the euent necessarie, for he seeth the effect in the cause, as it is voluntarie or casual: yea God knoweth al before, and some times fortelleth thinges, vvhich conditionally vvould happen, and in deed (the condition fayling) come not to passe, as (1. Reg. 23.) ^note God answered, that the men of Ceila would betray Dauid (meaning if he staied there) vvhich they did not; for he parted from thence.

Yet is not man able by this his freedome, nor otherwise of himself, to do, nor so much as to thinke anie good thing but through Gods mere mercie, and grace, geuen him without his deseruing, sufficient to al, and effectual to those that accept it. ^note God also geueth particular grace for special functions; as (Leuit. 8.) to Priestes (Num. 11.) to seuentie ancients, and (1. Reg. 10.) to king Saul.

By vvhich diuine a&esset;istance the commandements of God are possible, as himselfe auoucheth, saying: (Deut. 30.) ^note This commandment that I command thee this day is not aboue thee. Againe; I haue sette before thee life and good, death and euil, that thou mayest loue God, walke in his wayes, and keepe his commandementes.

Workes done by grace and freevvil are good and commendable, Moyses so testifiing (Deut. 14.) This is your wisdome and vnderstanding before peoples. ^note Yea are meritorious: and revvardes are promised for the same (Leuit. 26.) and contrariwise punishments threatned to the transgressours. ^note And Booz knowing revvard to be due for vvel doing, prayed God to render to Ruth (ch. 2.) a ful reward for her wel deseruing. The royal prophet affirmeth (Psalm. 18.) that in keeping Gods preceptes is much reward. and (Psal. 118.) profe&esset;eth that he inclined his hart to keepe them for reward.

Amongst other seruices of God, and meanes of mens saluation, external

Salomon. Sacrifice is of the greatest. ^note And therfore the maner of offering al sortes is at large prescribed in the Law, especially in the seuen first Chapters of Leuiticus. The first and principal was Holocaust, wherin al the oblation was burned and consumed in the honour of God our Soueraigne Lord. ^note The second was Sacrifice for sinne, according to the diuersitie of offences and persones, wherof part was burned, the other part remained to the priestes, except it were for the sinnes of priestes, or of the whole multitude (Leuit. 4.) for then the priestes had no portion, but al was offered to God. ^note The third was pacifique sacrifice, either of thanksgeuing for benefites receiued, or to obtaine Gods fauour in al occurrent nece&esset;ities, and good desires. ^note And of both these sortes one part was consumed in Gods honour, an other part was the priestes, the third was theirs that gaue the oblation. In confirmation of these sacrifices God at first miraculously sent fire to burne them (Leuit. 9.) wherof he had geuen commandment before (Leuit. 6.) that it should be conserued, and neuer extinguished, to teach vs especially of the new Testament, that haue the real Sacrifice, and verie bodie of the former shadowes and figures, to nourish and keepe the fire of charitie, not procured by our owne power, but geuen by God, that it neuer cease, nor be extinguished in our hartes. ^note

Likewise in the same law of Moyses, besides Circumcision instituted before (Gen. 17.) and here confirmed and continued (Leuit. 12. Iosue. 5.) al hostes and sacrifices for sinne (Leuit. 4. 5. 6. and 7.) consecration of Priestes, (Leuit. 8.) and the sacrifices adioyned therunto, also diuers other washinges and purifications of legal vncleannes (Leuit. 14. 15. 16. and 17.) were al Sacraments; signifying either first iustification and remi&esset;ion of sinne, or increase of grace, and puritie; of which sort it is also probable that the Paschal lambe, and Loaues of proposition were sacramentes (Exod. 12. 25.) ^note VVhich multitude S. Augustin comparing with ours of the new Testament, sayth: The people bound with feare in the old law, was burdened with manie sacraments. ^note For this was profitable to such men (saith he) to make them desire the grace, foretold by the prophetes, which being come from the wisdome of God becoming Man, by whom we are called into freedom, a few most wholsome Sacraments are instituted, which hold the societie of christian people vnder one God of a free multitude. But as Christes Sacraments are fewer in number, so they are more excellent in vertue. And to most of these new, the former do answere as figures and shadowes. ^note So to our Baptisme answereth Circumcision, as S. Paul teacheth (Coloss. 1.) that Christians are circumcised in the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in Baptisme. To our holie Eucharist, as it is a Sacrament, did answere the Paschal lambe, & Loaues of proposition, as also Manna, and bloud of the Testament. It was prophechied Psal. 18. Adore his

Salomon. foote stoole: as holie Fathers expound it. ^note And as the same Eucharist is a Sacrifice, it was prefigured by al the old Sacrifices of the law of nature, and of Moyses: as S. Augustin, and S. Leo do proue; and prophecied (Psal. 19.) Be he mindful of al thy sacrifice &c. To the sacrament of holie Orders answered consecration of Priests. Al the ablutions, purifications, cleansinges and oblations for sinne, which in great part were both Sacramentes and Sacrifices, answered to our Sacrament of Penance, which was also prefigured by the second tables of the decalogue. (Exod. 34.) More plainly forshewed by example of particular confe&esset;ion of sinnes and satisfaction (Num. 5. 14. and 29.) Contrition also was no le&esset;e required, as appeareth by the example of king Dauid. 2. Reg. 24. Mariage in the old Testament, though not a sacrament yet signified the Sacrament of Mariage among Christians. But the Sacrament of Confirmation had not anie so answerable a figure, in the old law, which brought not to perfection. Neither Extreme vnction, because the law gaue not immediate entrance into the kingdome of heauen, which defectes were signified by the high priestes entring only once in the yeare into Sancta Sanctorum. Leuit. 16.

Likewise touching practise of holie Rites; diuers vncleannes hindering participation of sacrifices, and conuersation with other men (Leuit. 14.) ^note Degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie, hindering mariage (Leuit. 18.) and sundrie Irregularities excluding from the office of Priests (Leuit. 21.) were figuratiue resemblances of sinnes and censures, and of impediments to holie Orders, and to Mariage, in the new Testament.

To the peculiar seruice of God perteyned also the Tabernacle, with the Propitiatorie, Arke, Cherubims, Table for loaues of proposition, Candlesticke, Lampes, Altares for Holocaustes, & Incense, Vestments for Priestes, a brasen lauer, and other ve&esset;els described Exod. 25. et seq. ^note Al which were kept and carried by the Leuites, resting or marching in the middes of the campe. Num. 2. 3. And when the Land of Chanaan was conquered, the same were fixed in Silo. Iosue 18. whither the people resorted at certaine sette times, and vpon sundrie occasions. From thence long after they tooke the Arke, and often vpon diuers occasions remouing it, made Oratories, or Chappels, wheresoeuer it rested, deuotion increasing, & religious estimation of it in al Israel. 1. Reg. 4. 7. 10. Yea the infidel Philisthims in Azotus seing and feeling the vertue therof, ouerthrovving their god Dagon; and them selues sore plagued, found it best for them to send the Arke home to the Israelites, not vvithout costlie and pretious oblations (1. Reg. 5. & 6) King Dauid most specially honoring it (2. Reg. 6.) VVho further considering that himself dvvelt in a house of cedar, and the Arke of God remained in the tabernacle couered with skinnes, intended to build a more excellent house for God. 2. Reg. 7. But his godlie purpose vvas differred by Gods appointment, and

Salomon. his sonne king Salomon builded the famous Temple in Hierusalem. 3. Reg. 6.

VVhich succeding in the place of the Tabernacle, ech of them (one after the other) was the only ordinarie place of Sacrifice. ^note The law commanding (Leuit. 17.) If anie man of the house of Israel, kil an oxe, or a sheepe, or a goate (towit for Sacrifice, as S. Augustin, and other fathers expound it) and offer it not at the dore of the tabernacle, (afterwards at the dore of the Temple) he shal be guiltie of bloud, as if he had shed bloud. and so shal he perish out of the middes of his people. Neuertheles vpon occasions, and by special reuelation sacrifice was lawfully offered in other places. ^note For so in the time of the tabernacle, Samuel the prophet, offered Sacrifice in Masphath. 1 Reg. 7. And the prophet Elias offered Sacrifice without the Temple, vvhen he conuinced the false prophetes of Baal. 3 Reg. 18. whose fact (as S. Augustin noteth) the miracle sufficiently shewed to be donne by Gods dispensation.

And as peculiar places were dedicated, so also special times were sanctified, and diuers feastes, and festiuities partly ordained before (as the Sabbath. Gen. 2. and Pasch Exod. 12.) were confirmed by the Law (Exod. 20. 23.) and others likevvise instituted (Exod. 23. Leuit. 23. Num. 28, 29. and Deut. 16.) with proper sacrifices for euerie sort. ^note First and most general was the dailie sacrifice of a lambe euerie day twise, at morning and euening (Exod. 29.) which was not properly a feast, but a sacred perpetual office in the tabernacle, and after in the temple. Al the rest were festiual dayes, in which it was not lawful ordinarily to do seruile worke. ^note The first of these was the Sabbath, that is the seuenth and last day of euerie weke, which is our saturday: Kept stil solemnly by the Iewes, euen at this time, in al places vvhere they dvvel; but not by Christians, because the old Lavv is abrogaeed; and vve kepe the next day, which is Sunday, holie, by institution and tradition of the Church. The second, Neomenia, or new moone, in which day they alwaies beganne the moneth; and twelue such monethes made a yeare, by the course of the moone; for by the course of the sunne, the yeare conteineth eleuen dayes more, which in three yeares make aboue a moneth. And so euerie third yeare, and sometimes the second (for it happened seuen times in nintene yeares) had thirtene monethes: and was called Annus embolismalis, being increased by meanes of those eleuen dayes. The third feast was Pasch, or Phase, first instituted at the parting of the children of Israel out of Ægypt, in the ful moone of the first moneth in the spring, in which the Paschal lambe was eaten, as is prescribed; Exod. 12. The fourth feast was Pentecost, or first fruites, the fiftith day after Pasch, when Moyses receiued the Lavv in mount Synai. The fifth, the feast of Trumpets, the first day of the seuenth moneth, in grateful memorie that a ramme sticking by the hornes, vvas offered in sacrifice by Abraham in place of Isaac. The sixth vvas the feast of Expiation, the tenth

Salomon. day of the seuenth moneth; vvherein solemne fast vvas also prescribed from euening of the ninth day to euening of the tenth, for remi&esset;ion of sinnes in general, besides particular sacrifices and satisfaction for euerie sinne, wherof anie man found himself guiltie. ^note The seuenth vvas the feast of Tabernacles, seuen dayes together, beginning the fiftenth of the seuenth moneth, in memorie of Gods special protection, vvhen they remained in tabirnacles, fourtie yeares in the desert. The eight feast vvas of Assemblie and Collection, the next day after the forsaid seuen, in commemoration of vnion in the people, and peaceable posse&esset;ion in the promised land. In this day general collection vvas made for nece&esset;arie expences in the publique seruice of God.

Moreouer the seuenth yeare vvas as a Sabbath of rest (Leuit. 25.) in vvhich no land vvas plowed, no vines pruined, nor those fruites gathered that sprong vvithout mans industrie of the earth. ^note Againe the fiftith yeare vvas peculiarly made holie, and called the Iubiley, or ioyful yeare. In it al bondmen vvere sette free; al inheritances amongst the Israelites, being for the time, sold or otherwise alienated, returned to the former ovvners.

Besides Sacrifices; Sacramentes; holie places, holie times, and manie other sacred things belonging therto; there were yet more ceremonial Obseruances commanded by Moyses law, as vvel perteyning to the seruice of God in that time, as signifying christian life and maners. ^note So certaine beastes, birdes, and fishes were reputed vncleane (Leuit. 11.) and Gods people forbid to eate them; as also that they should not eate anie bloud at al, nor fatte. ^note Leui. 3. The reason of al which vvas not, as though anie creature were il in nature, but partly to auoide idolatrie, partly to exercise them in obedience, and temperance, & partly for that the same thinges signified vices and corruptions, from which Christians especirlly ought to refraine. ^note Likewise Leuit. 19. they were commanded not to sovv their fieldes vvith tvvo sortes of seede; nor to vveare garmentes women of tvvo sortes of stuffe, that they might be more distinguished from Infidels by external signes, and not only by Circumcision, but especially to teach christians to practise simple innocencie, & auoid duble & deciptful dealing. ^note

Al vvhich, and other preceptes as wel moral, as ceremonial and iudicial, vvere most strictly c&obar;manded; the obseruers ble&esset;ed & rewarded, & transgre&esset;ours seuerly threatned vvith great curses (Leuit. 20. 26. Deut. 4. 27. 28.) and diuers actually punished, Exod. 32. three thousand slaine for committing idolatrie. ^note Manie swallovved vp in the earth. (Num. 16.) descending quicke into hel, & manie more burned vvith fire from heauen, for making and fauoring Schisme. ^note Yea by one meanes & other, al that vvere aboue twentie yeares of age, coming forth of Ægypt, except tvvo onlie (Iosue & Caleb) died in the desert, for the general murmur of the people. Num. 11. 14. 25. & 26. Al Israel beaten in battle til one malefactor Achan was discouered & punished. ^note Ios. 7. Al the tribes were punished for suffering publique idolatrie in Dan: and Beniamin

Salomon. almost extirpate, for not punishing certaine malefactours. Iudic. 20. And the vvhole people verie often inuaded & sore afflicted for their sinnes; as appeareth in the booke of Iudges. In particular also diuers were aduanced & prospered for their vertues, as Iosue, Caleb, Phinees, Samuel, Dauid and others. Contrariwise Nadab and Abiu priests were miraculously burnt for offering strange fire, Leuit. 10. One stoned to death for gathering stickes on the sabbath day, Num. 15. King Saul deposed, for presuming to offer sacrifice, & not destroying Infidels (I. Reg. 13. 15.) & Oza, 2. Reg. 6. sodenly slaine for touching the Arke of God, the Lavv forbidding vnder paine of death, Num. 1. v. 51. & 18. v. 7. that none should approch to holie office being not therto orderly called.

Of workes also of Supererogation (called counsailes not preceptes) vve haue examples in vovves, voluntarily made of thinges not commanded; the law prescribing vvhat vovves might be made, & by vvhom. ^note Nu. 30. And Num. 6. a particular rule was proposed to such as of their ovvne accord, vvould embrace it, & a distinct name geuen them, to be called Nazarites, that is, Separate or Sanctified. ^note In which state they vvere to remaine either for a time, limited by themselues or their parents, or perpetually, if they so promised. Iudic. 13. 1. Reg. 1. For so farre as their promise extended, they were strictly obliged to performe. Deut. 23. When thou hast vowed a vow to our Lord thy God, thou shalt not slacke to pay it: because our Lord thy God wil require it: and if thou delay, it shal be reputed to thee for sinne. If thou wilt not promise, thou shalt be without (this) sinne. Pay thy vowes vnto the Highest, Psal. 75. Vow ye, and render (your vowes) to our Lord your God, Psal. 49. The Rechabites aftervvardes had a like rule to the Nazarites; & the same perpetual (Hierem. 35.) neuer to drinke wine, nor to build nor dwel in houses, but in tabernacles, nor sow corne, nor plant vineyardes. ^note VVhich rule though instituted by a man, yet the obseruation therof was much commended & rewarded by God. v. 19. Such distinct state of religious persons, with other states of the church of Christ, were also prefigured (Leuit. II.) by the cleane fishes, of three distinct vvaters, as some holie Fathers do mystically expound that place. ^note To vvitte, the cleane fishes of the sea are the multitude of laypersons, which are dravven out of the sea of this vvorld, and happely found good fishes in our Lords nette. ^note Math. 13. The cleane fishes of the riuers, are the good and fruitful Clergie men, that vvatter the vvhole earth, by teaching Christian doctrin, and ministring holie Sacramentes, vvith other Rites, and Gouerning the whole Church. ^{note note} And the cleane fishes of standing pooles, are the Monastical persons, liuing perpetually in Cloysters, vvhere good soules are alwayes readie for our Lordes table, as S. Bernard teacheth. ^note Much more the more ancient fathers. S. Beda S. Gregorie, S. Augustin, and others explicate innumerable places of holie Scripture mystically, relying therin

Salomon. vpon example of the new Testament so expounding the old. Namely S. Paul teaching (as before is noted) that the whole law was a pedagogue guiding men to Christ, and affirming that al thinges happened to the people of the old Testament in figure of the new.

Leauing therfore to prosecute the same further, which would require a verie great worke, it may here suffice to geue according to the literal sense, a briefe view of certaine other pointes of Religion, practised in this fourth age.

VVhere it is clere, that as Iacob the Patriarch had fortold (Gen. 48.) that Abrahams, Isaacs, and his owne name should be inuocated, so Moyses prayed God for his promise made to them, and for their sake, to pardon the people, saying: Exod. 32. ^note Remember ô Lord Abraham, Isaac, & Israel. And our Lord was pacified, from doing the euil which he had spoken against his people. His diuine prouidence so disposing, that he could be hindered, by such prayers, from that which he threatned. ^note And wheras Moyses did not directly inuocate the holie Patriarches, as Christians now cal vpon glorified Sainctes, to pray for them, the cause of difference is, for that now Sainctes seing God, know in him, whatsoeuer perteyneth to their glorie, which state none before Christ attained vnto. Num 35. v. 25. Deut. 4. v. 12. Againe Protestantes obiect, that for so much as God knoweth al our nece&esset;ities desires, dispositions, and whatsoeuer is in man, it is needles (say they) superfluous & in vaine, that Sainctes should commend our causes. To this we answer, that not only glorious Sainctes, but also mortal men by Gods ordin&abar;ce (by which nothing is done vainely) do such offices, as mediators betwen God and other men, for so Moyses told the wordes of the people to our Lord (Exod. 19.) notwithstanding Gods omniscience, or knowledge of al thinges. Also God expresly commanded Iobs freinds to goe to Iob, promising to heare his prayer for them. ^note As for Sainctes hearing or knowing our prayers made to them, though onlie God of himselfe, and by his owne power, seeth mens secrete cogitations, and therfore is properly called the searcher of hartes (1. Reg. 16.) yet God communicateth this power to prophetes, to see the secrete thoughtes of others; so Samuel knew the cogitations of Saul (1 Reg. 9. v. 20.) And Abias saw by reuelation the coming of Ieroboams wife to him in Silo (3. Reg. 14.) Much more God reuealeth our present state, and actes to glorified soules; vvho are as Angels in heauen (Math 22.) and being secure of their owne glorie, are careful (sayeth S. Cyprian) of our Saluation. Neither is it derogation to God that Saints are honoured, and titles ascribed to them, of interce&esset;ors, mediators, and the like; for such titles are geuen to them not as to God, but by vvay of participation only. ^note So Iudges are called goddes and sauiours (Exod. 21. Iudic. 3.) and Priestes called goddes (Exod. 21.) Praise geuen to God and Gedeon. Iudic. 7. Protection and adoration of Angels is very frequent, Exod. 23. 31.

Salomon. Num. 22. Iosue. 5. Iudic. 2. 6. 13. ^note The names of the twelue sonnes of Israel were grauen in the two chiefe ornaments of the high priest, in the Ephod and Rationale (Exod. 28) Manna was not only reserued as a memorie of Gods singular benefite, but also honorably reposed as a Relique in a golden vessel, and kept in the Arke of God (Exod. 16. Heb. 9.) ^{note note} Iosephs bones reserued and remoued (Iosue 24.) Images of holie Cherubims were made and sette vp together with the Arke, and Propitiatorie in the chiefe place of the Tabernacle, called Sancta Sanctorum (Exod. 25.) An image also of a serpent was made in bra&esset;e for the health of those that were striken by serpentes (Num. 21.) Images also of lions and oxen were made, and sette vnder the foote of the lauer (called a sea) in the Temple (3. Reg. 7.) The honour done to anie holie thing, namely to the Arke (2. Reg. 6.) redounded to Gods more honour, and al this so farre from idolatrie, that quite contrarie, in presence of the Arke the idol Dagon fel to the ground, and broke in peeces. 1. Reg. 5.

Exequies for the dead with weeping and fasting were then practised in the Church, as appeareth by the peoples mourning for Aaron thirtie dayes. ^note Num. 20. Also for Moyses. (Deut. 34.) By the Gabaonites fasting seuen dayes for Saul and his sonnes lately slaine. 1. Reg. 31. Likewise king Dauid with al his court mourning weping and fasting for them. 2. Reg. 1. Al which were to no purpose, if soules departed could not be releiued by such meanes. It moreouer appeareth that the same royal prophet beleued diuers places to be in hel, when he said (Psal. 86) Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lower hel, signifiyng plainly that there is a lower and a higher hel: Which higher the Church calleth Purgatorie. where soules suffer that paine in satisfaction for their sinnes, which remaineth not satisfied before death, & is due after the guilt of sinne is remitted, the law prescribing that besides restitution of damage, sacrifice should also be offered (Leuit. 5. 6. 16.) ^note And Dauid was punished by the death of his child. 2. Reg. 12. & by the plague sent amongst his people 2. Reg. 24. after his sinnes were remitted. He feared also punishment in the other world, yea two sortes and therfore prayed to be deliuered from both, saying: (Psal. 6.) Lord rebuke me not in thy furie, nor chastice me in thy wrath. That is (saith S. Gregorie) Strike me not with the reprobate, nor aflict me with those, that are purged by the punishing flames. And most expresly signifieth also a higher place called hel, saying (Psal. 16) in the person of Christ to his Father. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hel. ^note From vvhence Christ deliuered the holie Patriarches Prophetes and other perfect soules, resting vvithout sensible paine, & brought them into heauen, vvhither before him none could enter. ^note VVhich vvas also signified by the cities of refuge, whence none might depart to their proper

Salomon. countrie, til the death of the high priest (Num. 35.) & by Moyses dying in the desert, and not entring into the promised land ouer Iordan. Deut. 4. 31. &. 34.

Presupposing the general Resurrection of al men (as a truth knovven by former traditions) king Dauid shevveth the difference of the vvicked, and godlie in that time, saying (Psal. 1.) ^note The impious shal not rise againe in iudgement: nor sinners in the councel of the iust. That is, the vvicked shal not rise to ioy & glorie, as the iust & godlie shal doe.

Of general iudgement is more plainly prophecied, 1. Reg. 2. That our Lord shal iudge the endes of the earth, not that Dauid, nor Salomon, but Christ should raigne in his militant Church, euen to the endes of the earth, and in fine iudge the vvhole vvorld. ^note The same is confirmed Psal. 49. God wil come manifestly our God, and he wil not kepe silence. Fire shal burne forth in his sight. Psal. 95. He shal iudge the round world in equitie, and the peoples in his truth. Psal. 96. Fire shal goe before him, and shal inflame his enemies round about. Againe the same royal prophete (Psalm. 48.) describeth the future and eternal state of the damned saying: as sheepe (creatures vnable to helpe themselues) they are put in hel, death shal feede vpon them. Of the blessed he addeth: And the iust shal rule ouer them in the morning, that is, in the resurrection, and Psal. 149. The Sainctes shal reioyse in glorie, they shal be ioyful in their beddes (in eternal rest.) The exaltations (prayses) of God in their throate, and two edged swordes in their handes: to doe reuenge in the nations, punishments among the peoples. ^note To bind their kinges in fetters, and their nobles in yron manicles. That they may doe in them the iudgement that is written: This glorie is to al his Sainctes. And much greater glorie belongeth to Sainctes: for this is but accidental, vttered according to vulgar capacitie. The e&esset;ential and perfect glorie, which no eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard. nor hart can conceiue, consisteth in seeing God. Among accidental glorious giftes, the foure dowries of glorified bodies are especially prefigured: Impassibilitie by the wood Setim, wherof the Arke was made (Exod. 25.) ^note Agilitie and Penetrabilitie in some sorte by Dauids quicknes against Goliath, and his conueying of him self into Sauls campe and forth againe (1. Reg. 17. and 26.) but a more plaine figure of Claritie was in Moyses face (Exod. 34.) which by his conuersation with God, became more glorious then mortal eyes were able to behold, glistering and shining as most splendent light through christal, described as if his skinne had benne a clere horne, appearing and spreading beames like the sunne, proceding from the beautie of his soule, so that none of al the people could looke directly vpon him, except he couered his face.

Salomon.

Thus much concerning particular pointes of faith and religion. ^note And it is no le&esset;e euident, that the vniuersal Church and Citie of God stil continued: yea was more visible, and conspicuous to the whole world then before. First by Gods maruelous protection therof in the desert, and famous victories and conquestes of the land of Chanaan. And by the excellent lawes geuen to this people; which al nations admired, and none had the like. Deut. 4. For in this fourth age, besides other lavves and preceptes, the spiritual and temporal States were more distinguished, and the Ecclesiastical Hierarchie especially disposed in subordination of one supreme head, with inferiour gouerners, ech in their place and office, for edification of the whole bodie. ^note For Moyses being chief ruler and conductor of the Israelites out of Ægypt, receiued and deliuered to them the written Law (Exod. 20.) And for obseruation and conseruation therof by Gods expre&esset;e appointment (Leuit. 8.) consecrated Aaron the ordinarie High priest, himself remayning stil extraordinarie Superiour, also aboue Aaron. And after Aaron be consecrated in like maner his sonne Eleazar high priest and successour to his father (Num. 20.) ^note To whom succeded others in this order (1. Paralip. 6.) Phinees, Abisuë, Bocci, Ozi, Zacharias, (otherwise 1. Reg. 1. called Heli) Meraioth, Amarias (otherwise Achimelec, whom Saul slew, 1. Reg. 22.) Achitob (othervvise Abiathar, vvho vvas deposed, 3. Reg. 2.) and Sadoc, in vvhose time the Temple vvas founded.

To these vvere adioyned other Priestes, also consecrated in a praescript forme (Leuit. 8.) and Leuites ordayned to a&esset;ist in lower and distinct offices (Num. 3. & 4.) ^note In the first degree the Caathites, vvhose office was to carrie the Sanctuarie, and vessel therof vvrapped vp by the priestes, but vvere forbid in paine of death, to touch them, or to see them. In the second degree the Gersonites; vvho carried the cortines and couers of the Tabernacle, and vessel of the Altar. In the third degree the Merarites; vvho carried the bordes, barres, and pillers, vvith their feete, pinnes, cordes, and other implementes of the tabernacle; euerie one according to their office and burdens, Num. 4. v. vlt.

But in the temporal state and gouernment Iosue of the tribe of Ephraim succeeded to Moyses (Num. 27. Deut. 3. &. 34.) ^note And after Iosue were diuers interruptions of succession, with gouerners of diuers tribes, and change of gouernment, from Dukes to Iudges, and from Iudges to Kinges. For after Iosues death the people being sore afflicted by inuasions of Infidels, God raised certaine special men, with title of Iudges to deliuer and saue them. ^note First Othoniel of the tribe of Iuda; then Aod of Beniamin; after him Samgar (the Scripture not signifying of what tribe) then Barach with Debora of Ephraim; Gedeon of Manasios; Abimelech, his baser sonne, an vsurper; Thola of Issachar; Iair, and Iephte of Mana&esset;es;

Salomon. Abesan of Iuda; Aialon of Zabulon; Abdon of Ephraim; Sampson of Dan; and Heli, who was also high priest of Aarons stocke, otherwise called Zaraias (1. Paralip. 6.) and Samuel also of the tribe of Leui a Prophet. In his time the people demanding and vrging to haue a King, Saul of the tribe of Beniamin was annointed. ^note 1. Reg. 10. But for transgre&esset;ing Gods commandments, especially for exercising spiritual function without warrant (1. Reg. 13.) and not destroying idolaters (1. Reg. 15.) was deposed, and Dauid of the tribe of Iuda was annointed King; who after manie great trubles, po&esset;e&esset;ed the whole kingdome, and died in peace, leauing his sonne Salomon inuested and annointed king in his throne.

The Church being thus established in distinct states and orders, albeit there were manie imperfections in al sortes of persons, and great sinnes committed, yet God so punished offenders, and chastised the whole people, that he stil conserued, the greatest, or chiefe part, in true faith and religion. ^note For whiles they were in the desert, they murmured very often against God, and his Ministers their Superiours. (Exod. 17. Num. 11. 14. 20. 21.) ^note Manie fel to idolatrie (Exod. 32.) ^note Aaron not free from cooperating in the peoples sinne. Nadab and Abiu Aarons sonnes, and consecrated priestes, offered strange fire (Leuit. 10.) ^note Core Dathan and Abiron, with their complices made a great schisme (Num. 16.) Manie committed carnal fornication with Infidels; and where therby drawen to spiritual (Num. 25.) ^note Of which and other like sinnes the Psalmist speaketh (Psal. 94.) exhorting his people not to harden their hartes, as in the desert their fathers had tempted God. Fourtie yeares was I offended (sayth God) with that generation, and sayd: They alwayes erre in hart. And therfore he sware in his wrath: that the same generation should not enter into the promised land of Chanaan: but their children entred and possessed it. Num. 14. Iosue. 3.

Againe the people falling to idolatrie and other sinnes, were afflicted and sore pressed by forraine enemies, but repenting were deliuered and saued by certain capitaines called Iudges and ^note Sauiours: as appeareth in the booke of Iudges. ^note They had also tribulations by some of their owne nation, for among the Iudges one (called Abimelec) was a tyrannical vsurper. (Iudic. 9.) Saul their first King falling from God vniustly persecuted Dauid. 1. Reg. 18. & c.) Ambittous Absolom rebelled against the King his father. (2. Reg. 15.) and Seba of the tribe of Beniamin raised an other rebellion (2. Reg. 20.) Likewise Adonias, a&esset;isted by Abiathar the high priest, and by Ioab general of the armie, pretended to reigne his father Dauid yet liuing, to preuent Salomon of the kingdom (3. Reg. 1.) So God both shewed his iustice, in suffering such afflictions to happen, for punishment of sinne: and his mercie, in sauing his Church from ruine.

Moreouer for preseruati&obar; of the Church, there were diuers diuine Ordinances

Salomon. prouided by the law. ^note For first al were strictly commanded, not to c&obar;municate with Infidels in their idolatrie (Ex. 23.) nor with Schismatikes in their schisme (Nu. 16.) but to destroy al Idolaters (Num. 33.) and shunne al nouelties in religion, as a sure marke of idolatrie, or false doctrine (Deut. 13.) Further to conserue vnitie there was but one Tabernacle, and one Altar for Sacrifice, in the whole people of Israel. VVherupon when the two tribes and halfe, on the other side Iordan, had made a seueral altar, al the tribes that dwelt in Chanaan, suspecting it was for sacrifice, sent presently to admonish them, and prepared to make warre against them, except they destroyed their new altar, but being aduertised that it was only an altar of monument, and not for sacrifice, were therwith satisfied. (Iosue. 22.) Afterwards the tribe of Dan, setting vp idolatrie, and the other tribes not correcting it, they were al punished. VVhich happened by occasion of an other enormous sinne, committed and not corrected in the tribe of Beniamin. For the other eleuen tribes making warre against them for this iust cause, yea by Gods direction, and warrant, yet had the worse, susteyning great slaughter of men in two conflictes; and in the third Beniamin was almost destroyed. Iudic. 20.

Finally for decision of al controuersies and ending of strife, the High Priest was expresly ordayned supreme Iudge, (Deut. 17.) ^note And al were commanded in paine of death to submitte their opinions, and obey his sentence: with promise of Gods a&esset;istance, wherby his definitions were certaine and infallible. For in consultations of doubtes, and difficult cases, God inspired him with doctrine of veritie (Exod. 28. 29. Leuit. 8. Num. 3. 7. 9. 1. Reg. 23, 30.) VVhich iudgement Seate Christ admonished the Iewes to repayre vnto and folow (Math. 23.) though the Iudges themselues did not the thinges which they taught. In so much that Caiphas, through this a&esset;istance of Gods spirite, being otherwise a wicked man, yet pronounced the truth, That one must die for the people. VVhich therfore S. Iohn the Euangelist ascribeth to his Chayre and office, because he was High priest that yeare. Ioan. 11.

Seing then Gods prouidence and continual a&esset;istance was so clere, and assured in the Church of the old Testament, much more is the Church of christ builded vpon a sure rocke, assured of his perpetual assistance, and always preserued from erring in Faith, or in general practise of Religion. ^note And that by Gods like assured ordinance of one supreme head and Iudge, S. Peter, & his Successour: for vvhom our Sauiour prayed, that his faith should not faile. Further commanding him, that he should confirme his brethren. Al vvhich vve see is performed in the Succe&esset;ours of S. Peter, vvheras the successours of the other Apostles, are al failed long since. The same most a&esset;ured stabilitie of the Church of Christ, as further confirmed by the whole Lavv and Prophetes. Namely, Deut. 32. and 33. vvhere Moyses fortelleth more povver and grace in the Church, to be collected in the

Salomon. Gentiles of al nati&obar;s, then euer vvas in that of the Israelites or Iews. Likewise, 1. Reg. 2. The same vvas both prefigured and prophecied by holie Anna: The hungrie (those that desire Gods grace and glorie) are filled: vntil the barren woman (the Church of the Gentiles) bare verie manie: & she that had manie children was weakned. Shewing that the Church of the Iewes had manie, vntil the plenitude of Gentiles much more abounded. Wherfore the Psalmist inuiteth al nations to praise God, saying: Psal. 116. Praise our Lord al ye Gentiles: praise him al ye peoples. Also 2. Reg. 7. God promised Dauid, saying: Thy Kingdome for euer before thy face, and thy throne shal be firme continually. which was not verified in Dauids temporal kingdome. ^note For it was quickly diuided, after Salomons death, and a smal part left to his sonne Roboam. And after the captiuitie in Babilon, his seede had onlie title and right without posse&esset;ion of royal throne. Againe 2. Reg. 22. The same royal prophet in his Canticle of thankesgeuing, and last prophetical wordes (chap. 23.) much preferreth the spiritual kingdome of Christ, before the earthlie kingdome of the Iewes. But most specially and plainly in the Psalmes. Psal. 2. Why did the Gentiles rage, & peoples meditate vaine thinges? Signifying that the furie of al aduersaries rageth in vaine, against Christ and his Church. ^note For, I am appointed, by him (sayth Christ of his Father) king ouer Sion, his holie hil. I wil geue thee (sayth God to his Sonne) the Gentiles for thine inheritance, and thy possession the endes of the earth. Psal. 17. A people which I knew not, hath serued me. Psal. 44. The Queene (the Church) stood on thy right hand in golden rayment, compassed with varietie; of vertues, and diuers sortes of holie profe&esset;ions. Psal. 47. Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth. For euer and euer he (Christ) shal rule vs euermore. Psal. 86. Glorious thinges are sayd of thee, ô citie of God. But omitting innumerable other such textes, the 88. Psalme conteyneth a large prophecie of Christ and his Church, where S. Augustin geueth vs this brief admonition. Christiani estis, Christum agnoscite. You are Christians, agnize Christ. I wil put (sayth God) his hand in the sea, Christs dominion in the Gentiles, and his right hand in the riuers; al sortes shal serue him. He shal be high aboue the kinges of the earth. Of the Church he addeth: I wil put his seede for euer and euer, and his throne as the dayes of heauen. Neither do sinnes frustrate this promise of God, therfore it foloweth: But if his children shal forsake my law: and wil not walke in my iudgements. If they shal profane my iustices, and not keepe my commandements; VVhat then, wil Christ for al this abandon his Church, as he did the old Synagogue, of which God sayth: Deut. 32. ^note They haue prouoked me in that which was no God: and I wil prouoke them, in that which is no people? Not so. How then? I wil

Salomon. visite, sayth our Lord, their iniquities with a rodde, and their sinnes with stripes. But my mercie I wil not take away from him. This is a strong Firmament (sayth S. Augustin) God promiseth, yea sweareth, and vvil not lie to Dauid, that his seede shal continew for euer. His throne as the Sunne in Gods sight, and the Moone perfected for euer. So this great Doctor sheweth by holie Scriptures against the Donatistes, and in them against Protestantes, that the militant Church of Christ hath beene stil, and shal be visible, during this transitorie world. Chap. VII. Salomons palace, ^note 2. his house in the forrest, 8. and the quenes house is built, 13. Two great brasen pillers: 23. a sea (or lauer) 27. tenne brasen feete. 38. tenne le&esset;e lauatories, and other ve&esset;els, and implementes pertaining to the Temple, adorned vvith images of Angels, and other creatures are further described.

1   And his owne house Salomon built in thirtene yeares, and brough it to perfection.

2   He built also the house of the forest of Libanus of an hundred cubites in length, and fiftie cubites in bredth, and thirtie cubites in height: and foure score galleries betwen pillers of ceder: for he had cut ceder trees into pillers.

3   And he decked the whole vaut with bordes of ceder, which was held vp with fiue and fourtie pillers. And one order had fiften pillers,

4   set one against an other,

5   and looked one ouer against an other, with equal space betwen the pillers, and ouer the pillers square beames in al equal.

6   And the porche of the pillers he made of fiftie cubites in length, and thirtie cubites in bredth: and an other porche before the greater porche: and pillers, and toppes vpon the pillers.

7   He made also the porche of the throne, wherein the seate of iudgement is; and couered it with ceder wood from the pauement vnto the toppe.

8   And the litle house, where they sate in iudgement, was in the middes of the porche of like worke. He made also a house for the daughter of Pharao (which Salomon had taken to wife) of such worke, as also this porche.

9   Al of chosen stones, which were sawed by a certain rule & measure both within & without: from the fundation to the toppe of the walles, & without vnto the greater courte.

10   And the fundations of chosen stones, great stones of ten or eight cubites.

11   And aboue there were hewed chosen stones of equal measure, and in like maner of ceder.

12   And the greater court round with three rewes of hewed stones,

Salomon. and one rew of planed ceder, moreouer also in the inner court of the house of our Lord, and in the porche of the house.

13   King Salomon also sent, and tooke Hiram from Tyre,

14   the sonne of a widow woman of the tribe of Nepthali, his father a Tyrian, an artificer in brasse, and ful of wisdom, and intelligence, and skil to make al worke of brasse. Who when he was come to king Salomon, made al his worke.

15   And he cast two brasen pillers, of eightene cubites in height one piller: and a line of twelue cubites compassed both pillers.

16   He made also two litle heades, which should be put vpon the heades of the pillers, cast of brasse: fiue cubites high one litle head, and fiue cubites the other litle head:

17   and as it were in maner of a nette, and of cheynes knitte one to the other with maruelous worke. Both litle heades of the pillers were cast: seuen rewes of litle nettes in one litle head, & seuen litle nettes in the other litle head.

18   And finished the pillers, and two rewes round about euerie nette, that they might couer the litle heades, which were ouer the toppe of the pomegranates: in like maner did he also to the second litle head.

19   And the litle heades, that were vpon the heades of the pillers, were made as it were with lilie worke, in the porche, of foure cubites.

20   And againe other litle heades in the toppe of the pillers aboue, according to the measure of the piller against the litle nettes: and of the pomegranates were two hundred rewes round about the second litle head.

21   And he sette two pillers in the porche of the temple: and when he had erected the piller on the right hand, he called the name therof, ^note Iachin: in like maner he erected the second piller, and called the name therof ^note Booz.

22   And vpon the heades of the pillers he put a worke in maner of a lilie: and the worke of the pyllers was perfected.

23   He made also ^note a sea of founders worke of ten cubites from brimme to brimme, round in c&obar;passe, the height therof was of fiue cubites, and a corde of thirtie cubites did compasse it, round about.

24   And the grauing vnder the br&ibar;me compassed it, ten cubites going about the lauatorie: there were two rewes of chamfered forowed grauinges cast.

25   And it stood vpon twelue oxen, of which three looked to the North, and three to the West, and three to the South, and three to the East, and the sea was ouer them: whose hinder partes were al hid in ward.

26   And the thickenes of the lauatorie was of three ounces: and the brimme therof as it were

Salomon. the brimme of a chalice, and the leafe of crisped lilie: it contayned two thousand ^note bates.

27   And he made ten brasen feete, of foure cubites in length euerie foote, and foure cubites in bredth, and three cubites in height.

28   And the verie worke it selfe of the feete, was entergrauen: and entergrauinges betwen the ioyntures.

29   And betwen the litle crownes and the playtes, lions, and oxen, and cherubs: and in the ioyntures likewise aboue: and vnder the lions, and oxen as it were bandes of brasse hanging downe.

30   And foure wheeles at euerie foote, and axeltrees of brasse: and at foure sides as it were litle shoulders vnder the lauatorie cast, looking one against an other.

31   The mouth also of the lauatorie was inward in the toppe of the head: and that which appeared outward, was of one cubite al round, and together it had one cubite & a halfe: and in the corners of the pillers were diuers engrauinges: and the middle enterpillers square not round.

32   The foure wheeles also, which were at the foure corners of a foote, ioyned one to an other vnder the foote: one wheele had in height a cubite and a halfe.

33   And they were such wheeles as are accustomed to be made in a chariote: and their axeltrees and spokes, and strakes, and naues, al cast.

34   For those foure litle shoulders also at euerie corner of one foote, were cast out of the foote and ioyned together.

35   And in the toppe of the foote was a certayne roundnes of halfe a cubite, so wrought, that the lauatorie might be put thereon, hauing the engrauinges therof, and diuerse caruinges of it self.

36   He graued also in those sielinges, which were of brasse, and in the corners, cherubs, and lions, and palmetrees, as it were in the similitude of a man standing, that they semed not to be engrauen, but put to round about.

37   After this maner made he ten feete, of one casting and measure, & like grauing.

38   He made also ten lauatories of brasse: one lauatorie conteyned fourtie bates, and it was of foure cubites: also at euerie foote, that is ten, he put so manie lauatories.

39   And he sette the ten feete, fiue on the right side of the temple, and fiue on the leaft: and the sea he put on the right side of the temple against the East toward the South.

40   Hiram therfore made cauldrons, and shoueles, and litle pottes, and perfected al the worke of king Salomon in the temple of our Lord.

41   Two pyllers, and two cordes of the litle heades, vpon the litle heades of the pyllers: and two litle nettes, to couer the two cordes, that were

Salomon. ouer the heades of the pyllers.

42   And foure hundred pomegranates in the two nettes: two rewes of pomegramates in euerie nette, to couer the cordes of the litle heades, which were vpon the heades of the pyllers.

43   And tenne feete, and tenne lauatories vpon the feete.

44   And one sea, and twelue oxen vnder the sea.

45   And cauldrons, and shouels, and litle pottes. Al the vessels that Hiram made to king Salomon in the house of our Lord, were of bright latten.

46   In the champayne countrie of Iordan did the king cast those thinges in a clay ground, betwen Sacoth and Sarthan.

47   And Salomon placed al the vessel: but for the exceding great multitude the brasse could not be weyed.

48   And Salomon made al the vessels in the house of our Lord: an altar of gold, and a table, wherupon the loaues of proposition should be put, of gold:

49   and candlestickes of gold, fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the leaft against the oracle, of pure gold: and as it were lilie floures, and lampes aboue of gold: and golden snuffers,

50   and water pottes, and fleshehookes, and phiales, and morters, and censars, of most pure gold: and the hindges of doores of the inner Sanctum sanctorum, and of the doores of the house of the temple, were of gold.

51   And Salomon perfected al the worke that he did in the house of our Lord, and brought in the thinges that Dauid his father ^note had sanctified, siluer and gold, and the vessel, and layed them in the treasures of the house of our Lord. Chap. VIII. The arke is brought in, and the temple dedicated. 10. a glorious cloyvde replenisheth it, 14. Salomon prayeth long to God, 55. ble&esset;eth the people. 62. and manie victimes are offered in this solemne festiuitie.

1   Then were gathered together al the ancientes of Israel with the princes of the tribes, and the heades of the families of the children of Israel to king Salomon into Ierusalem: that they might carrie the Arke of the couenant of our Lord out of the citie of Dauid, that is, out of Sion.

2   And al Israel assembled to king Salomon in the moneth of Ethanim, on a solemne day, that is the seuenth moneth.

3   And al the ancientes of Israel came, and the priestes tooke the arke,

4   and caried the arke of our Lord, and the tabernacle of couenant, and al the vessels of the Sanctuarie, that were in the tabernacle: and the Priestes and the Leuites caried them.

Salomon.

5   And king Salomon, and al the multitude of Israel, which was assembled vnto him, went with him before the arke, and they immolated sheepe and oxen without estimation & number.

6   And the priestes brought in the arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place, into the oracle of the temple, into Sanctum sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs.

7   For the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place of the arke, and couered the arke, and the barres therof aboue.

8   And wheras the barres stood out, and the endes of them appeared without in the Sanctuarie before the oracle, they appeared no farder outward, which also were there vntil this present day.

9   And in the arke there was ^note nothing els but two tables of stone, which Moyses put in it in Horeb, when our Lord made the couenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the Land of Ægypt.

10   And it came to passe, when the priestes were gone out of the Sanctuarie, a clowde filled the house of our Lord,

11   and the priestes could not stand and minister for the clowde: for the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of our Lord.

12   Then sayd Salomon: Our Lord sayd that he would dwel in a clowde.

13   Building I haue built a house for thy habitation, thy most firme throne for euer.

14   And the king turned his face, and ^note blessed al the church of Israel: for al the church if Israel stood.

15   And Salomon sayd: Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel, who spake by his mouth to Dauid my father, & in his owne handes hath perfected it, saying:

16   Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Ægypt, I chose no citie of al the tribes of Israel, that a house might be built, and my name might be there: but I chose Dauid to be ouer my people Israel.

17   And Dauid my father would haue built a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel:

18   and our Lord sayd to Dauid my father: In that thou hast thought in thy hart to build a house to my name, thou hast done wel, casting this same thing in thy mynd.

19   Neuerthelesse thou shalt not build me a house, but thy sonne, that shal come forth of thy reynes, he shal build a house to my name.

20   Our Lord hath confirmed his word, which he spake: and I stand for Dauid my father, and sitte vpon the throne of Israel, as our Lord hath spoken: and I haue built a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel.

21   And I haue appoynted there a place for the arke, wherin the couenant of our Lord is, which he made with our fathers,

Salomon. when they came out of the Land of Ægypt.

22   And Salomon stood before the altar of our Lord in the sight of the assemblie of Israel, and extended his handes toward heauen,

23   and sayd: Lord God of Israel, there is no God like to thee in heauen aboue, and vpon the earth beneth: which keepest couenant and mercie with thy seruantes, that walke before thee in al their hart.

24   Which hast kept to thy seruant Dauid my father, the thinges that thou hast spoken to him: by mouth thou didst speake, and with thy handes thou hast accomplished, as this day proueth.

25   Now therfore Lord God of Israel, keepe vnto thy seruant Dauid my father the thinges which thou hast spoken to him, saying: There shal not be taken away of thee a man before me, which sitteth vpon the throne of Israel: ^note yet so if thy children shal keepe their way, that they walke before me as thou hast walked in my sight.

26   And now Lord God of Israel, let thy wordes be established, which thou hast spoken to thy seruant Dauid my father.

27   Is it then to be thought that in deede God dwelleth vpon the earth? for if heauen, and the heauens of heauens can not conteyne thee, how much more this house, which I haue built?

28   But looke toward the prayer of thy seruant, and to his petitions ô Lord my God: heare the hymne and the prayer, which thy seruant prayeth before thee this day:

29   that thy eies be opened vpon this house night and day: vpon the house, wherof thou sayest: My name shal be there: that thou heare the prayer, which thy seruant prayeth in this place to thee.

30   That thou heare the request of thy seruant and of thy people Israel, whatsoeuer they shal pray for in this place, and thou shalt heare in the place of thy habitation in heauen: and when thou hast heard, thou shalt be merciful.

31   If a man shal sinne agaynst his neighbour, and shal haue any oath, wherwith he is held fast bound: and shal come because of the oath before thine altar into thy house,

32   thou shalt heare in heauen: and shalt doe, and iudge thy seruantes, condemning the impious, and rendring his way vpon his head, and iustifying the iust, and ^note rewarding him according to his iustice.

33   If thy people Israel shal flee their enemies (because they wil sinne agaynst thee) and doing penance, and confessing to thy name, shal come, and pray, and besech thee in this house;

34   heare in heauen, and forgeue the sinne of thy people Israel, and thou shalt reduce them vnto the land, which thou gauest to their

Salomon. fathers.

35   If the heauen shal be shut, and it rayne not, because of their sinnes, and praying in this place, they doe penance to thy name, and shal be conuerted from their sinnes through their affliction:

36   heare them in heauen, and forgeue the sinnes of thy seruantes, and of thy people Israel: and shew them a good way wherin they may walke, and geue rayne vpon thy land, which thou hast geuen to thy people in possession.

37   If famine aryse in the land, or pestilence, or corrupt ayre, or blasting, or locust, or rust, and their enemie afflict them besieging the gates, al plague, al infirmity,

38   al cursing, and banning, that shal chance to any man of thy people Israel: if any man shal know the wound of his hart, and shal spred forth his handes in this house,

39   thou shalt heare in heauen, in the place of thy habitation, and shalt be merciful agayne, and shalt so doe that thou geue to euerie one according to his wayes, as thou shalt see his hart (for thou onlie knowest the hart of al the children of men)

40   that they feare thee al the dayes, which they liue vpon the face of the land, which thou hast geuen our fathers.

41   Moreouer also the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, when he shal come from a farre countrie for thy name (for thy great name shal be heard of, and thy strong hand,

42   and thy stretched out arme euerie where) when therfore he shal come, and shal pray in this place,

43   thou shalt heare in heauen, in the firmament of thy habitation, & thou shalt doe al thinges, for the which the stranger shal inuocate thee: that al the peoples of the earth may lerne to feare thy name, as thy people Israel, and may proue that thy name is inuocated vpon this house, which I haue built.

44   If thy people shal goe forth to warre agaynst their enemies, by the way, whithersoeuer thou shalt send them, they shal pray to thee agaynst the way of the citie, which thou hast chosen, and agaynst the house, which I haue built to thy name,

45   and thou shalt heare in heauen their prayers, and their petitions, and shalt doe iudgement for them.

46   But if they shal sinne to thee (for there is no man which sinneth not) and thou being wrath shalt deliuer them to their enemies, and they shal be led captiue into the land of their enemies farre or neere,

47   and shal doe penance in their ^note hart in the place of captiuitie, and conuerted shal besech thee in their captiuitie, saying: We haue sinned, we haue done wickedly, we haue dealt impiously:

48   and

Salomon. shal returne to thee in al their hart, and al their soule, in the land of their enemies, to the which they shal be led captiue: & shal pray to thee agaynst the way of their land, which thou gauest to their fathers, and of the citie which thou hast chosen, & of the temple which I haue built to thy name:

49   thou shalt heare in heauen, in the firmament of thy throne their prayers, and their petitions, and shalt doe their iudgement for them:

50   and shalt be merciful to thy people, which sinned to thee, and to al their iniquities, where with they haue transgressed agaynst thee: and thou shalt geue mercie before them, that shal haue them captiues, that they may haue compassion on them.

51   For they are thy people, and thine inheritance, whom thou hast brought out of the Land of Ægypt, from the middes of the yron fornace.

52   That thy eies be open to the petition of thy seruant, and of thy people Israel, & thou heare them in al thinges for which they shal inuocate thee.

53   For thou hast separated them to thee for an inheritance from al the peoples of the earth, as thou hast spoken by Moyses thy seruant, when thou didst bring our fathers out of Ægypt, Lord God.

54   And it came to passe, when Salomon had accomplished praying to our Lord al this prayer and petition, he rose from the sight of the altar of our Lord: for he had fastened both knees on the ground, and had spred his handes toward heauen.

55   He stood therfore and blessed al the assemblie of Israel with a lowde voyce, saying:

56   Blessed be our Lord, which hath geuen rest to his people Israel, according to al thinges that he hath spoken: there hath not fayled so much as one word of al the good thinges, that he spake by Moyses this seruant.

57   Be our Lord God with vs, as he hath beene with our fathers, not forsaking, nor reiecting vs.

58   But incline he our hartes to him, that we may walke in al his waies, and keepe his commandementes, and his ceremonies, and iudgementes whatsoeuer be commanded our fathers.

59   And be these my wordes, wherewith I haue prayed before our Lord, approching to our Lord God day and night, that he may doe iudgement for his seruant, and for his people Israel day by day:

60   that al the peoples of the earth may knowe, that our Lord he is God, and there is none other besides him.

61   Let our hart also be perfect with our Lord God, that we walke in his decrees, and keepe his c&obar;mandementes, as also this day.

62   Therfore the king, and al Israel with him,

Salomon. did immolate victimes before our Lord.

63   And Salomon killed pacifique hostes, which he immolated to our Lord, of oxen two and twentie thousand, and of sheepe an hundred twentie thousand: and they dedicated the temple of our Lord, the king, and the children of Israel.

64   In that day the king sanctified the middes of the court, that was before the house of our Lord: for he made the holocaust there, and sacrifice, and fatte of the pacifiques: because the brasen altar, that was before our Lord, was too litle, and could not take the holocaust, and sacrifice, and fatte of the pacifiques.

65   Salomon therfore made in that time a solemne festiuitie, and al Israel with him, a great multitude from the entrance of Emath vnto the Ryuer of Ægypt, before our Lord God, seuen daies and seuen daies, that is, fourtene daies.

66   And in the eight day he dismissed the people: Who blessing the king, went into their tabernacles reioysing, and with a ioyful hart for al the good thinges, that our Lord had done to Dauid his seruant, and to Israel his people. Chap. IX. Our Lord appearing againe to Salomon. 4. admonisheth him and his people to keepe the precepts. 6. threatning punishment if they do not. 10. The king of Tyre receiueth tvventie cities of Salomon, but liketh them not. 14. Salomon buildeth more cities and tovvnes. 20. Maketh diuers nations tributarie. 24. The Quene repayreth to her house. 25. The king offereth victimes thrise euerie yeare. 26. and fetcheth gold from Ophir.

1   And it came to passe when Salomon had perfected the building of the house, of our Lord, & the kinges house, and al that he wished and would haue done,

2   our Lord appeared to him the second time, as he had appeared to him in Gabaon.

3   And our Lord said to him: I haue heard thy prayer & thy petition, which thou hast prayed before me: I haue sanctified this house, which thou hast built, that I might put my name there for euer, and myne eies and my hart shal be there alwaies.

4   Thou also if thou wilt walke before me, as thy father walked, ^note in simplicitie of hart, and in equitie: and wilt doe al thinges, which I haue commanded thee, and wilt keepe my ordinances and my iudgementes,

5   I wil sette the throne of thy kingdom ouer Israel for euer, as I haue spoken to Dauid thy father, saying: There shal not be taken away a man of thy stocke from the throne of Israel.

6   But if by reuolting you

Salomon. and your children shal turne away, not folowing me, nor keeping my commandementes, and my ceremonies, which I haue proposed to you, but shal goe and worshippe strange goddes, and adore them:

7   I wil take away Israel from the face of the land, which I haue geuen them, and the temple which I haue sanctified to my name, I wil cast away from my sight, and Israel shal be for a prouerbe, and for a fable to al peoples.

8   And this house shal be for an example: euerie one that shal passe by it, shal wonder, and hisse, and say: Why hath the Lord done thus to this land, and to this house?

9   And they shal answere: Because they haue forsaken the Lord their God, which brought their fathers out of the Land of Ægypt, and haue folowed strange goddes, & adored them, and worshipped them: therfore hath the Lord brought vpon them al this euil.

10   And twentie yeares being complete, after that Salomon had built the two houses, that is, the house of our Lord, and the house of the king

11   (Hiram the king of Tyre ministring to Salomon ceder trees & firre trees, and gold according to al that he had neede) then Salomon ^note gaue to Hiram twentie townes in the Land of Galilee.

12   And Hiram went from Tyre, to see the townes which Salomon had geuen him, and they pleased him not,

13   and he sayd: Are these the cities, which thou hast geuen me, brother? And he called them the land ^note Chabul, vntil this day.

14   Hiram also sent to king Salomon an hundred and twentie talentes of gold.

15   This is the summe of the expences, which king Salomon offered to build the house of our Lord, and his owne house, and Mello, and the wal of Ierusalem, and Heser, and Mageddo, and Gazer

16   Pharao the king of Ægypt came vp and tooke Gazer, and burnt it with fire: And the Chananite, that dwelt in the citie, he slewe, and gaue it for a dowrie to his daughter the wife of Salomon.

17   Salomon therfore built Gazer, and Bethhoron the lower,

18   and Baalath, and Palmira in the Land of the wildernes.

19   And al the villages, that perteyned to him, and were without wal, he fensed, and the cities of the chariotes, and the cities of the horsemen, and whatsoeuer pleased him to build in Ierusalem, and in Libanus, and in al the land of his dominion.

20   Al the people, that was remayning of the Amorrheites, and Herheites, and Pherezeites, and Heueites, and Iebuseites, that are not of the children of Israel:

21   their children, that were remayning in the land, to witte, those whom

Salomon. the children of Israel could not abolish: Salomon made tributaries, vntil this day.

22   But of the children of Israel Salomon appoynted not any man to serue, but they were men of warre, and his seruantes, and princes, and captaynes, and ouerseers of the chariotes and horses.

23   And there were princes ouer al the workes of Salomon, made ouerseers, fiue hundred fiftie, which had the people subiect, and commanded ouer their appoynted workes.

24   And the daughter of Pharao went vp out of the citie of Dauid into her house, which Salomon had built her: then did he build Mello.

25   Salomon also offered three tymes euerie yeare holocaustes, and pacifique victimes vpon the altar, which he had built to our Lord, and he burnt incense before our Lord: and the temple was perfected.

26   King Salomon also made ^note a name09Q0188 in Asiongaber, which is beside Ailath in the shore of the Readsea in the Land of Idumea.

27   And Hiram sent in that nauie his men, that were mariners & skilful of the sea, with the seruantes of Salomon.

28   Who when they were come into Ophir, the gold taken thence of foure hundred and twentie talentes, they brought to king Salomon. Chap. X. The quene of Saba coming to king Salomon, admireth his wisdom, magnificence, and order of gouernment 10. She geueth and receiueth giftes. 14. Salomon receiueth much gold diuers vvayes: 16. maketh golden targeetes. 18. a magnificent throne. 21. and much golden ve&esset;el. 25. Manie bring him presentes. 26. He hath manie chariottes, horsemen. 27. abundance of siluer 28. Marchantes of diuers kingdomes sel him horses.

1   Bvt the Queene of ^note Saba also hauing heard the fame of Salomon, in the name of our Lord came to proue him, in hard propositions.

2   And entring into Ierusalem with a great trayne, and riches, and camels carying spices, and gold exceding infinite, and pretious stones, she came to king Salomon, and spake to him al thinges that she had in her hart.

3   And Salomon interpreted to her al the wordes, that she proposed: there was not a word, that the king could be ignorant of, and could not answer her.

4   And the queene of Saba seing al the wisedom of Salomon, and the house, which he had built,

5   and the meates of his table, and the habitations of his seruantes, and the orders of them that serued, and their garmentes, cupbearers, and the holocaustes

Salomon. which he offered in the house of our Lord ^note she had no longer spirit,

6   and she said to the king: The report is true, which I haue heard in my countrie,

7   concerning thy wordes, and concerning thy wisedom. and I did not beleue them that told me, til my selfe came, and sawe with myne eies, and haue proued that the half not been told me: greater is thy wisdom, and thy workes, then the rumour, which I haue heard.

8   Blessed are thy men, and blessed are thy seruantes, which stand before thee alwaies, and heare thy wisedom.

9   Be the Lord thy God blessed, whom thou hast pleased, and that hath sette thee vpon the throne of Israel, for that the Lord hath loued Israel for euer, and hath appointed thee king, to do iudgement and iustice.

10   She therfore gaue to the king an hundred and twentie talentes of gold, and spices exceding much, and pretious stones: There was no more brought so much spice, as that which the Quene of Saba gaue to king Salomon.

11   (But the naue also of Hiram, which caried gold out of Ophir, brought from Ophir thyine trees exceding manie, and pretious stones.

12   And the king made of the thyine trees the porches of the house of our Lord, and of the kinges house and harpes & vials for the singers: there were not such thyine trees brought, nor seen vntil this present daye.) ^note

13   And king Salomon gaue to the queene of Saba al that she would, and asked of him: beside those thinges, which of him selfe he offered her for a royal gift. Who returned, and went into her countrie with her seruantes.

14   And the weight of the gold, that was brought to Salomon euerie yeare, was of six hundred sixtie six talentes of gold:

15   beside that, which the men brought, that were euer the tributes, and merchantes, and al that sold light wares, and al the kinges of Arabia, and the dukes of the land.

16   Salomon also made two hundred shieldes of most pure gold, six hundred sicles of gold did he allow for the plates of one shield.

17   And three hundred tergattes of tried gold: and three hundred poundes of gold garnished one terget: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Libanus.

18   King Salomon also made a great throne of yuorie: and couered it with gold exceding yellow,

19   which had sixe steppes: and the toppe of the throne was round in the hinder part: and the two handes on either side holding the seate: and two lyons stood at euery hand.

20   And twelue litle lyons standing vpon the sixe steppes on either side: there

Salomon. was not such a worke made in al kingdomes.

21   Yea and al the vessels, out of the which the king Salomon drunke, were of gold: and al the furniture of the house of the forest of Libanus of most pure gold: there was no siluer, neither was it thought of any price in the daies of Salomon,

22   because the kinges nauie, once in three yeares, went with the nauie of Hiram on the sea into Tharsis, bringing thence gold, and siluer, and the teeth of elephantes, and apes, and pecockes.

23   King Salomon therfore was magnified aboue al the kinges of the earth in riches, and wisedom.

24   And al the earth desired to see Salomons face, that they might heare his wisedom, which God had geuen in his hart.

25   And euerie one presented him giftes, vessel of siluer and gold, garmentes and instrumentes for warre, spices also, and horses and mules euerie yeare.

26   And Salomon gathered together the chariotes and horsemen, and there amounted to him a thousand foure hundred chariotes, and twelue thousand horsemen: and he disposed them in fensed cities, and with the king in Ierusalem.

27   And he made that there was as great abundance of siluer In Ierusalem, as of stones: and of ceder trees he caused such a multitude, as if it were sycomore trees, which grow in the playnes.

28   And there were horses brought for Salomon out of Ægypt, and Coa, for the kinges merchantes brought them out of Coa, and brought them at a sette price.

29   And a chariote of foure horses came out of Ægypt, for sixe hundred sicles of siluer, and one horse for an hundred and fiftie. And after this maner did al the kinges of the Hetheites, and of Syria sel horses. Chap. XI. ^note Salomon louing and marying manie wemen of diuers nations, is drawen by them to idolatrie. 9. God therfore offended suffereth Adad an Idumean, 23. Razon king of Damascus, 26. and Hieroboam his owne seruant to make warre against him. 29. Abias the prophet fortelleth Hieroboam, that he shal reigne ouer tenne tribes, leauing but tvvo to Salomons heyres, 38. vvith promise to prosper, if he serue God. 42. Salomon dieth.

1   And king Salomon loued manie wemen strangers, the daughter also of Pharao, and Moabites, and Ammonites, Idumeians, and Sidonians, and Hetheiens:

2   of the nations, wherof our Lord sayd to the children of Israel: You shal not goe in vnto them, neither shal anie of them come in

Salomon. vnto yours: for they wil most certainly turne away your hartes to folow their goddes. To these therfore was Salomon copled in most feruent loue.

3   And he had wiues as it were queenes ^note seuen hundred, and concubines three hundred: and the wemen turned away his hart.

4   And when he was now old, his hart was depraued by wemen, that he folowed strange goddes: neither was his hart perfect with our Lord his God, as the hart of Dauid his father.

5   But Salomon worshipped Astarthee the goddesse of the Sidonians, and Moloch the idol of the Ammonites.

6   And Salomon did that which was not liked before our Lord, and he accomplished not to folow our Lord, as Dauid his father.

7   Then built Salomon a temple to Camos the idol of Moab, in the mount that is agaynst Ierusalem, and to Moloch the idol of the children of Ammon.

8   And in this maner did he to al his wiues that were strangers, which burnt frankencense, and immolated to their goddes.

9   Therfore our Lord was wrath with Salomon, because his minde was turned away from our Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared vnto him the second tyme,

10   and had commanded him concerning this word, that he should not folow strange goddes, & he kept not the thinges which our Lord commanded him.

11   Our Lord therfore sayd to Salomon: Because thou hast done this, and hast not kept my couenant, and my preceptes, which I haue commanded thee, breaking I wil rent asunder thy kingdom, and wil geue it to thy seruant.

12   Neuerthelesse in thy dayes I wil not doe it, because of Dauid thy father: out of the hand of thy sonne I wil rent it,

13   neither wil I take away the whole kingdom, but ^note one tribe I wil geue to thy sonne for Dauid my seruant, and ^note Ierusalem. Which I haue chosen.

14   And our Lord raysed vp an aduersarie to Salomon, Adad an Idumeite of the kinges seede, who was in Edom.

15   For when Dauid was in Idumea, and Ioab the general of the warfare was gone vp to burie them that were slayne, and had slayne al malekind in Idumea,

16   (for Ioab taried there six monethes and al Israel, til he slew al malekind in Idumea,)

17   Adad him self fled, and men of Idumea of his fathers seruantes with him, to goe into Ægypt: and Adad was a litle boy.

18   And when they rose out of Madian, they came into Pharan, and they tooke with them men of Pharan, and entered into Ægypt to Pharao the king of Ægypt: who gaue him a house, and appoynted him meates, and

Salomon. assigued him land.

19   And Adad found grace before Pharao excedingly, in so much that he gaue him to wife, the germane sister of his wife Taphnes the queene.

20   And the sister of Taphnes bare him a sonne Genubath, and Taphnes brought him vp in the house of Pharao: and Genubath was dwelling at Pharaoes house with his children.

21   And when Adad in Ægypt had heard, that Dauid slept with his fathers, and that Ioab the general of the warefare was dead, he sayd to Pharao: Dismisse me, that I may goe into my countrie.

22   And Pharao sayd to him: For what lackest thou with me, that thou seekest to goe into thyne owne countrie? But he answered: Nothing: yet I besech thee that thou dismisse me.

23   God also raysed vp to him an aduersarie, Razon the sonne of Eliada, who had fled Adarezer the king of Soba his lord:

24   and he gathered men agaynst him, and he became the captayne of theues, when Dauid killed them: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt there, and they made him king in Damascus,

25   and he was an aduersarie to Israel ^note al the dayes of Salomon: and this is the euil of Adad, and hatred agaynst Israel, and he reigned in Syria.

26   Ieroboam also the sonne of Nabath, an Ephratheite of Sareda, the seruant of Salomon, whose mother was called Serua, a woman widow lifted vp his hand agaynst the king.

27   And this is the cause of his rebellion agaynst him, because Salomon built Mello, and filled vp the breache of the citie of Dauid his father.

28   And Ieroboam was a strong man and mightie: and Salomon seing the youngman of a good witte & industrious, had made him chief ouer the tributes of al the house of Ioseph.

29   It came to passe therfore at that tyme, that Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem, and the prophete Ahias the Silonite found him in the way, couered with a new cloke: and they two onlie were in the field.

30   And Ahias taking his new cloke, wherwith he was couered, ^note cut it into twelue partes.

31   And he sayd to Ieroboam: Take vnto thee ten pieces: for thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: Behold I wil rent the kingdom out of the hand of Salomon, and wil geue thee ten tribes.

32   But one tribe shal remayne to him for my seruant Dauid, and Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen of al the tribes of Israel:

33   because he hath forsaken me, and hath adored Astarthee the goddesse of the Sidonians, & Chamos the god of Moab, and Moloch the god of the children of Ammon: and hath

Salomon dieth. not walked in my waies, to doe iustice before me, and my preceptes, and iudgementes as Dauid his father.

34   Neither wil I take away al the kingdom out of his hand, but I wil make him prince al the daies of his life, for Dauid my seruant, whom I chose, who kept my commandmentes and my preceptes.

35   But I wil take away the kingdom out of his sonnes hand, and wil geue thee ten tribes:

36   and to his sonne I wil geue one tribe, that there may remayne a lampe to Dauid my seruant at al times before me in Ierusalem, the citie which I haue chosen, that my name might be there.

37   And thee wil I take, and thou shalt reigne ouer al thinges, that thy soule desireth, and thou shalt be king ouer Israel.

38   If therfore thou wilt heare al thinges, that I shal command thee, and wilt walke in my waies, and doe that which is right before me, keeping my commandmentes and my preceptes, as Dauid my seruant did: I wil be with thee, and wil build thee a faythful house, as I built a house to Dauid, and I wil deliuer Israel to thee:

39   and I wil afflict the seede of Dauid vpon this, but yet not alwaies.

40   Salomon therfore would haue killed Ieroboam: who arose, and fled into Ægypt to Sesac the king of Ægypt, and was in Ægypt, vntil the death of Salomon.

41   And the rest of the wordes of Salomon, and al that he did, and his wisedom: behold they are al written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of Salomon.

42   And the daies, that Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer al Israel, are fourtie yeares.

43   And Salomon ^note slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father, and Roboam his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XII. Roboam folowing youngmens consel, 16. Ieroboam po&esset;essth ten tribes of his Kingdom. ^note 21. VVhich he endouoring to recouer by warre, is admonished by a prophet to cease. 26. Hieroboam setteth vp golden calues to be adored, making temples, altares, and priestes fitte for his purpose.

1   And Roboam came into Sichem: for thither was al Israel gathered together to make him king.

2   But Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, when he was yet in Ægypt fugitiue from the face of king Salomon, hearing of his death, returned out of Ægypt.

3   And they sent and called him: Ieroboam therfore came, and al the multitude of Israel, and they spake to Roboam, saying.

4   Thy father layd a most hard

Roboam. yoke vpon vs: thou therfore diminish now a litle of thy fathers most hard empire, and of the most heauie yoke, that he layd vpon vs, and we wil serue thee.

5   Who sayd to them: Goe vntil the third day, and returne to me. And when the people was gone,

6   king Roboam tooke counsel with the ancientes, that assisted before Salomon his father, whiles he yet liued, and he sayd: What counsel doe you geue me, that I may answer this people?

7   Who sayd to him: If this day thou wilt yeld to this people, and condescend to them, and graunt to their petition, and wilt speake to them gentle wordes, they wil be thy seruantes alwaies.

8   Who leaft the counsel of the ancientes, which they had geuen him, and admitted yongmen, that had bene brought vp with him, and wayted on him,

9   and he sayd to them: What counsel geue you me, that I may answer this people, which haue sayd to me: Make the yoke lighter which thy father hath put vpon vs?

10   And the yongmen, that had bene brought vp with him, sayd: Thus speake to this people, which haue spoken to thee, saying: Thy father aggrauated our yoke, doe thou ease it. Thus shalt thou speake to them: My leaft finger is grosser then the backe of my father.

11   And now my father layd vpon you a heauie yoke, but I wil adde vpon your yoke: my father bette you with scourges, but I wil beate you with scorpions.

12   Ieroboam therfore came, and al the people to Roboam the third day, as the king had spoken, saying: Returne to me the third day.

13   And the king answered the people rough wordes, leauing the counsel of the ancientes, which they had geuen him,

14   and he spake to them according to the counsel of the youngmen, saying: My father made your yoke heauie, but I wil adde to your yoke: my father bette you with whippes, but I wil beate you with scorpions.

15   And the king condescended not to the people: because our Lord was turned away from him, ^note that he might rayse vp his word, which he had spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite, to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

16   The people therfore seing that the king would not heare them, answered him, saying: What part haue we in Dauid? or what inheritance in the sonne of Isai? Goe into thy tabernacles Israel, now see to thy house Dauid. And Israel went into their tabernacles.

17   But ouer the children of Israel, whosoeuer dwelt in the cities of Iuda, Roboam reigned.

18   King Roboam

Ieroboam. therfore sent Aduram, who was ouer the tributes: and al Israel stoned him, and he died, moreouer King Roboam in hast went vp into his chariote, and fled into Ierusalem:

19   and Israel reuolted from the house of Dauid, vntil this present day.

20   And it came to passe when al Israel had heard, that Ieroboam was returned, they sent, and called him, and assemblie being gathered, and they made him king ouer al Israel, neither did any man folow the house of Dauid beside the tribe of Iuda onlie.

21   And Roboam came to Ierusalem, and gathered together al the house of Iuda, and the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred fourescore thousand chosen men warriers, to fight agaynst the house of Israel, and to reduce the kingdom to Roboam the sonne of Salomon.

22   But the word of our Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

23   Speake to Roboam the sonne of Salomon, the king of Iuda, and to al the house of Iuda, and Beniamin, and the rest of the people, saying:

24   Thus sayth our Lord: You shal not goe vp, neither shal you fight agaynst your brethren the children of Israel: let euerie man returne into his house, for this word is done by me. They heard the word of our Lord, and returned from their iourney as our Lord had commanded them.

25   And Ieroboam built Sichem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt there: and departing thence he built Phanuel.

26   And Ieroboam sayd in his hart: Now wil the kingdom returne to the house of Dauid,

27   if this people shal goe vp to make sacrifices in the house of our Lord into Ierusalem: and the hart of this people wil be turned to their lord Roboam the king of Iuda, and they wil kil me, and returne to him.

28   And finding out ^notea deuise he made two golden calues, and sayd to them: Goe vp no more into Ierusalem: Behold thy goddes Israel, which brought thee out of the Land of Ægypt.

29   And he put one in Bethel, and the other in Dan:

30   and this thing was an occasion of sinne: for the people went to adore the calfe, as farre as Dan.

31   And he made temples in the excelses, and priestes ^noteof the abiectes of the people, which were not of the children of Leui.

32   And he appoynted a solemne day in the eight moneth, the fiftenth day of the moneth, after the similitude of the solemnitie, that was celebrated in Iuda. And going vp he made in like maner an altar in Bethel, to immolate to the calues, which he had framed: and he ordayned in Bethel priestes of the ^note excelses, which he had made.

33   And he

Ieroboam. went vpon the altar, which he had built in Bethel, the fiftenth day of the eight moneth, which he had forged out of his owne hart: and he made a solemnitie to the children of Israel, and went vp vpon the altar, to burne incense. Chap. XIII. A prophet sent from Iuda to Bethel fortelleth the birth of Iosias, and destruction of Ieroboams altar, 4. whose hand being sudenly withered, 6. is restored by the prophets prayer. 11. The same prophet is deceiued by an other prophet, and slaine by a lion. 33. Hieroboam proceedeth in impietie.

1   And behold a man of God came out of Iuda, in the word of our Lord into Bethel, Ieroboam ^note standing vpon the altar, and censing.

2   And he cried out against the altar in the word of our Lord, and sayd: Altar, altar, thus saith our Lord: Behold a child shal be borne to the house of Dauid, named ^note Iosias, and he shal immolate vpon thee priestes of the excelses, which now doe burne frankencense on thee, and he shal burne mens bones vpon thee.

3   And he gaue a signe in that day, saying: This shal be the signe, that our Lord hath spoken: Behold the altar shal be clouen, and the ashes shal be powred out in it.

4   And when the king had heard the word of the man of God, which he cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched forth his hand from the altar, saying: Take him. And his hand withered, which he stretched forth agaynst him: neither was he able to draw it backe vnto him.

5   The altar also was clouen, and the ashes were powred out of the altar, according to the signe which the man of God had told before in the word of our Lord.

6   And the king said to the man of God: Besech the face of our Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me. And the man of God besought the face of our Lord, and the kinges hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before.

7   And the king spake to the man of God: Come home with me, that thou mayst dyne, and I wil geue the giftes.

8   And the man of God answered the king: If thou wouldest geue me the halfe part of thy house, I wil not come with thee, nor eate bread, nor drinke water in this place:

9   for so was it enioyned in the word of our Lord c&obar;manding: Thou shalt not eate bread nor drinke water, nor returne by the way that thou camest.

10   He departed therfore by an other way, and returned not by the way, that the came into Bethel.

Ieroboam. Ahias.

11   And a certaine prophete being old dwelt in Bethel, to whom his sonnes came and told him al the workes, that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: and the wordes which he had spoken to the king, they told their father.

12   And their father sayd to them: What way went he? His sonnes shewed him the way, by which the man of God was gone, which came out of Iuda.

13   And he said to his sonnes: Sadle me and asse. Who when they had sadled it, he got vp,

14   and went after the man of God, and found him sitting vnder a terebinth: and he said to him: Art thou the man of God that camest out of Iuda? He answered: I am he.

15   And he sayd to him: Come home with me, that thou mayst eate bread.

16   Who sayd: I can not returne, nor come with thee, neither wil I eate bread, nor drinke water in this place:

17   because our Lord spake to me in the word of our Lord, saying: Thou shalt not eate bread, and thou shalt not drinke water there, nor returne by the way thou wentest.

18   Who sayd to him: I also am a prophet like to thee: and ^note an Angel hath spoken to me in the word of our Lord, saying: Bring him backe with thee into thy house, that he may eate bread, and drinke water. He deceiued him,

19   and brought him backe with him: he did eate therfore bread in his house, and drunke water.

20   And when they sate at the table, the word, of our Lord came to the prophete, that brought him backe.

21   And he cried out to the man of God, which came out of Iuda, saying: Thus sayth our Lord: Because thou hast not beene obedient to the mouth of our Lord, and hast not kept the commandment, which our Lord thy God commanded thee,

22   and hast returned, and eaten bread, & drunke water in the place wherin he commanded thee that thou shouldest not eate bread, nor drinke water, thy dead bodie shal not be brought into the sepulchre of thy fathers.

23   And when he had eaten & drunke, he sadled his asse for the prophet, whom he brought backe.

24   Who when he was gone, a lion found him in the way, and ^note killed him, and his bodie was cast forth in the way: and the asse stood by him, and the lion stood by the dead bodie.

25   And behold, men passing by saw the dead bodie cast in the way, and the lion standing beside the bodie. And they came and diuulged it in the citie, wherein that old prophet dwelt.

26   Which when that prophet heard, which had brought him backe out of the way, he sayd: It is the

Ieroboam. man of God, that was disobedient to the mouth of our Lord, and our Lord hath deliuered him to the lion, & he hath torne him, and killed him according to the word of our Lord, that he spake to him.

27   And he sayd to his sonnes: Sadle me an asse. Who when they had sadled,

28   and he was gone, he found his dead bodie cast forth in the way, and the asse and the lion standing by the corse: the lion ^note did not eate of the dead bodie, nor hurt the asse.

29   The prophet therfore tooke the corse of the man of God, and layd it vpon the asse, and returning brought it into the citie of the old prophete, that they might mourne for him.

30   And he layd his corse in his owne sepulchre: and they mourned for him: Alas, alas my brother.

31   And when they had mourned for him, he sayd to his sonnes: When I shal be dead, burie me in the sepulchre, wherein the man of Ged is buried: beside his bones lay my bones.

32   For assuredly the word shal come to passe, which he hath foretold in the word of our Lord agaynst the altar that is in Bethel: and agaynst al the temples of the excelses, that are in the cities of Samaria.

33   After these wordes Ieroboam returned not from his wicked way: but on the contrarie part he made of the most abiect of the people priestes of the excelses: Whosoeuer would, he filled his hand, and he was made a priest of the excelses.

34   And for this cause did the house of Ieroboam sinne, and was ouerthrowen, and destroyed from the face of the earth. Chap. XIIII. Abias the prophet forsheweth the ruine of Hieroboams familie: 12. namely the death of his sonne, for whom being sick, the mother consulteth the prophet. 20. Hieroboam dieth, and his sonne Nadab reigneth. 21. Some also of the people of Iuda, committing idolatrie and other sinnes, 25. the King of Ægypt inuadeth and sacketh Hierusalem. 31. Roboam dieth and his sonne Abias reigneth.

1   At that time Abia the sonne of Ieroboam was sicke.

2   And Ieroboam sayd to his wife: Arise, and change thy habite, that thou be not knowen to be the wife of Ieroboam, and goe into Silo, where Ahias the prophete is, which spake to me, that I should reigne ouer this people.

3   Take also in thy hand ten loaues, and crackneles, and a vessel of honie, and goe to him: for he wil shew thee what shal happen to this childe.

4   The wife of Ieroboam did as he had

Ieroboam dieth. spoken: and rising vp went into Silo, and came into the house of Ahias: but he could not see, because his eies were dimme for age.

5   And our Lord sayd to Ahias: Behold the wife of Ieroboam cometh in, to consult thee concerning her sonne that is sicke: thus and thus shalt thou speake to her. When she therfore entered in, and dissembled to be that she was,

6   Ahias heard the sound of her feete entring in at the doore, and sayd: Come in Ieroboams wife: Why doest thou fayne thy self to be an other woman? But I am sent to thee a heauie messenger.

7   Goe, and tel Ieroboam: Thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: Because I haue exalted thee out of the middes of the people, and made thee prince ouer my people Israel:

8   and haue rent the kingdom of the house of Dauid, and geuen it to thee, and thou hast not beene as my seruant Dauid, who kept my commandementes, and folowed me in al his hatt, doing that which was wel liked in my sight:

9   but hast wrought euil aboue al, that haue beene before thee, and hast made thee strange and molten goddes, ^note that thou mightest prouoke prouoke me to anger, and hast reiected me behind thy backe:

10   therfore behold I wil bring in euils vpon the house of Ieroboam, and wil strike of Ieroboam him that pysseth to the wal, and the inclosed, and the vilest in Israel: and I wil cleanse the remaynes of the house of Ieroboam, as dung is wont to be cleansed til al be pure.

11   They that shal die of Ieroboam in the citie, them the dogges shal eate: and they that shal die in the field, them the foules of the ayre shal deuoure: because our Lord hath spoken.

12   Thou therfore arise, and goe into thy house: and in the verie entrance of thy feete into the citie, the childe shal die,

13   and al Israel shal mourne for him, and shal burie him: for this onlie of Ieroboam shal be brought into the sepulchre, because vpon him hath beene found a good word from our Lord the God of Israel, in the house of Ieroboam.

14   And our Lord wil appoynt to him self a king ouer Israel, that shal strike the house of Ieroboam in this day, and in this time:

15   and our Lord the God of Israel shal strike it, as a reede is wont to be moued in the water: and he shal plucke out Israel from this good countrie, which he gaue to their fathers, and shal scatter them ouer the Riuer: because they haue made to them selues groues, to prouoke our Lord.

16   And our Lord shal deliuer Israel for the sinnes of Ieroboam, who hath sinned, & made Israel to sinne.

17   The wise therfore

Roboam dieth. of Ieroboam arose, and departed, and came into Thersa: and when she entered the threshold of the house, the childe died,

18   and they buried him. And al Israel mourned for him according to the word of our Lord, which he spake in the hand of his seruant Ahias the prophete.

19   But the rest of the wordes of Ieroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold they are written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel.

20   And the daies, that Ieroboam reigned, are two and twentie yeares: and he slept with his fathers: and Nadab his sonne reigned for him.

21   Moreouer Roboam the sonne of Salomon reigned in Iuda: one and fourtie yeares old was Roboam when he began to reigne: seuentene yeares reigned he in Ierusalem the citie, which our Lord chose to put his name there, of al the tribes of Israel. And his mothers name was Naama an Ammonite.

22   And Iudas did euil before our Lord, and prouoked him aboue al thinges, that their fathers had done, in their sinnes which they sinned.

23   For they also built them altars, and statues, and groues vpon euerie high hil, and vnder euerie tree ful of grene leaues:

24   yea and effeminates were in the land, and they did al the abominations of the gentiles, which our Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.

25   And in the fifth yeare of the reigne of Roboam, Sesac the king of Ægypt came vp into Ierusalem,

26   and tooke the treasures of the house of our Lord, and the kinges treasures, and al thinges he spoyled: the shieldes also of gold, which Salomon had made:

27   for the which Roboam made brasen shieldes, & deliuered them into the hand of the captaynes of shield bearers, and of them that kept watch before the doore of the kinges house.

28   And when the king went into the house of our Lord, they that had the office to goe before, caried them: and afterward they recaried them to the armourie of the shieldbearers.

29   And the rest of the wordes of Roboam, & al that he did, behold they are written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda.

30   And there was warre betwen Roboam and Ieroboam alwaies.

31   And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the citie of Dauid: and his mothers name was Naama an Ammonite: and Abias his sonne reigned for him. Chap. XV. Abias reigneth wickedly in Iuda three yeares. 8. After him his sonne Asa succeding destroyeth idolatrie, reigning fourtie one yeares. 16. VVho hauing

of Iuda Abias. Asa. warres with the king of Israel, maketh league with the king of Syria, 24. As a dying Iosaphat succedeth. 25. Nadab reigneth wickedly two yeares in Israel, is then slaine by Baasa of the tribe of Issachar, 29. and his whole familie is destroyed. 33. Baasa also reigneth wickedly twentie foare yeares.

1   Therfore in the eightenth yeare of king Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, Abias reigned ouer Iuda.

2   Three yeares reigned he in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was Maacha the daughter of Abessalom.

3   And he walked in al the sinnes of his father, which he had done before him: neither was his hart perfect with our Lord his God, as the hart of Dauid his father.

4   But for Dauids sake our Lord his God gaue him a lampe in Ierusalem, that he might rayse vp his sonne after him, and establish Ierusalem:

5    ^notebecause Dauid had done right in the eies of our Lord, and had not declined from al thinges, which he commanded him, al the daies of his life, except the matter of Vrias the Hetheite.

6   But there was warre betwen Roboam and Ieroboam al the time of his life.

7   And the rest of the wordes of Abias, and al that he did, are they not written in the Booke of the wordes of the kinges of Iuda? And there was warre betwen Abias and Ieroboam.

8   And Abias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the citie of Dauid: and Asa his sonne reigned for him.

9   In the twenteth yeare therfore of Ieroboam the king of Israel reigned Asa the king of Iuda.

10   And he reigned one & fourtie yeares in Ierusalem. His mothers name was Maaca, the daughter of Abessalom.

11   And Asa did right before the sight of our Lord, as Dauid his father:

12   and he tooke away the effemmate out of the land, and he purged al the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made.

13   Moreouer he remoued also Maaca his mother, that she should not be princesse in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the groue which she had consecrated: and he destroyed her denne, and brake the most filthie idol, and burnt it in the torrent cedron:

14   but ^note the excelses he did not take away. Other wife the hart of Asa was parfect with our Lord al his daies:

15   and he caried in those thinges, which his father had sanctified, and vowed into the house of our Lord, siluer and gold, and vessels.

16   And there was warre betwen Asa, and Baasa the king of Israel al their daies.

17   Baasa also the king of Israel went vp into Iuda, and built Rama, that no man might go out or come in of Asaes

Of Israel Nadab. side the king of Iuda.

18   Asa therfore taking al the siluer, and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of our Lord, and in the treasures of the kinges house, gaue it into the handes of his seruantes: and he sent to Benadad the sonne of Tabremon the sonne of Hezion, the king of Syria, which dwelt in Damascus, saying:

19   There is a league betwen me and thee, & betwixt my father and thy father: therfore I haue sent thee giftes, siluer and gold: and I desire thee that thou come, and make void the league, that thou hast with Baasa the king of Israel, and he may retire from me.

20   Benadad agreing to king Asa, sent the princes of his armie into the citiees of Israel, and they stroke Ahion, and Dan, and Abeldomum of Maacha, and al Cenneroth, to witte, al the Land of Nepthali.

21   Which when Baasa had heard, he intermitted to build Rama, and returned into Thersa.

22   But king Asa sent word into al Iuda, saying: Let no man be excused. and they tooke stones from Rama, and the timber therof, wherwith Baasa had built, and Asa of it built Gabaa Beniamin, and Maspha.

23   But the rest of the wordes of Asa, and al his forces, and al that he did, & the cities that he built, are not these written in the Booke of the words of the dayes of the kinges of Iuda? How beit in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feete.

24   And he slept with his fathers, & was buried with them in the citie of Dauid his father. And Iosaphat his sonne reigned for him.

25   But Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam reigned ouer Israel the second yeare of Asa the king of Iuda: and he reigned ouer Israel two yeares.

26   And he did that which is euil in the sight of our Lord, and walked in the waies of his father, and in his sinnes, wherwith he made Israel to sinne.

27   And Baasa the sonne of Ahias of the house of Issachar, lay in wayte against him, and stroke him in Gebbethon, which is a citie of the Philistimes: for Nadab and al Israel besieged Gebbethon.

28   Baasa therfore slew him in the third yeare of Asa the king of Iuda, and reigned for him.

29   And when he reigned, he stroke ^note al the house of Ieroboam: he leaft not so much as one soule of his seede, til he destroied him according to the word of our Lord, which he had spoken in the hand of Ahias the Silonite,

30   for the sinnes of Ieroboam, which he had sinned, and wherwith he had caused Israel to sinne, and for the offence, wherwith he prouoked our Lord the God of Israel.

31   But the rest of the wordes of Nadab, and al

of Israel Baasa. Ela. that he wrought, are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?

32   And there was warre betwen Asa and Baasa the king of Israel al their daies.

33   In the third yeare of Asa the king of Iuda, reigned Baasa the sonne of Ahias, ouer al Israel in Thersa foure and twentie yeares.

34   And he did euil before our Lord, & walked in the waies of Ieroboam, and in his sinnes, wherwith he made Israel to sinne. Chap. XVI. ^note Iebu for prophecying the destruction of Baasa and his house, 7. is slaine. 8. yet his sonne Ela reigneth tvvo yeares. 9. Then Zambri rebelleth, killeth Ela, and reigneth. 16. Part of the people choosing Amri (prince of the armie) their king, 18. Zambri desperatly burneth himselfe and the kings palace, 21. an other part folow Thebni as king til his death. 23. Amri reigneth tvvelue yeares vvickedly. 29. His sonne Achab succedeth, marieth Iezabel, and serueth Baal. 34. In the meane time Hiel repairerh Iericho.

1   And the word of our Lord came to Iehu the sonne of Hanani agaynst Baasa, saying:

2   For so much as I haue exalted thee out of the dust, & sette thee duke ouer my people Israel, but thou hast walked in the way of Ieroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sinne, that thou mightest anger me with their sinnes:

3   behold, I wil cut downe the posteritie of Baasa, and the posteritie of his house, and I wil make thy house as the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

4   Whosoeuer of Baasa shal die in the citie, him shal the dogges eate: and whosoeuer of his shal die in the countrie, him shal the fowles of the ayre deuoure.

5   But the rest of the wordes of Baasa, and whatsoeuer he did, and his battels, are not these things written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?

6   Baasa therfore slept with his fathers, and was buried in Thersa: and Ela his sonne reigned for him.

7   And when the word of our Lord came in the hand of Iehu the sonne of Hanani the prophete agaynst Baasa, and agaynst his house, and agaynst al the euil, that he had done before our Lord, to anger him in the workes of his handes, that it should be made as the house of Ieroboam: for this cause he slew him, that is to say, Iehu the sonne of Hanani, the prophete.

8   In the sixe and twenteth yeare of Asa the king of Iuda, reigned Ela the sonne of Baasa ouer Israel in Thersa two yeares.

9   And his seruant Zambri rebelled agaynst him, the captayne of the

Of Israel Zambri. Amri. halfe part of the horsemen: and Ela was in Thersa drinking, and dronken in the house of Arsa the gouernour of Thersa.

10   Zambri therfore rushing in, stroke and slew him in the seuen and twenteth yeare of Asa the king of Iuda, & he reigned for him.

11   And when he reigned, and sate vpon his throne, he stroke al the house of Baasa, and he leaft not of it one that could pysse agaynst a wal, & his kinsfolke and frendes.

12   And Zambri destroyed al the house of Baasa, according to the word of our Lord, that he had spoken to Baasa in the hand of Iehu the prophet,

13   for al the sinnes of Baasa, and the sinnes of Ela his sonne, who sinned, and made Israel to sinne, prouoking our Lord the God of Israel in their vanities.

14   But the rest of the wordes of Ela, and al that he did, are not these writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?

15   In the seuen and twenteth yeare of Asa the king of Iuda, reigned Zambri seuen daies in Thersa: moreouer the armie besieged Gebbethon a citie of the Philisthines.

16   And when they heard that Zambri had rebelled, and slayne the king, ^note al Israel made Amri their king, who was General of the warfare ouer Israel that day, in the campe.

17   Amri therfore went vp, and al Israel with him from Gebbethon, and they besieged Thersa.

18   And Zambri seing that the citie should be taken, he went into the palace, and burnt him self with the kinges house: and he died

19   in his sinnes, which he had sinned doing euil before our Lord, and walking in the way of Ieroboam, and in his sinne; wherwith he made Israel to sinne.

20   But the rest of the wordes of Zambri, and of his treason, and tyrannie, are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the dayes of the kinges of Israel?

21   Then was the people of Israel diuided into two partes: the halfe part of the people folowed Thebni the sonne of Gineth, to make him king: and the halfe part Amri.

22   But the people that was with Amri, preuayled ouer the people that folowed Thebni the sonne of Gineth: and Thebni died, and Amri reigned.

23   In ^note the one and thirteth yeare of Asa the king of Iuda Amri reigned ouer Israel, twelue yeares: in Thersa he reigned six yeares.

24   And he bought the mount of Samaria of Somer for two talentes of siluer: and he built it, and he called the citie which he had built, by the name of Semer the lord of the mount of Samaria.

25   And Amri did euil in the sight of our Lord, and wrought wickedly aboue al, that were

Of Israel Achab. before him.

26   And he walked in al the way of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, and in his sinnes wherwith he made Israel to sinne: that they might anger our Lord the God of Israel in their vanities.

27   But the rest of the wordes of Amri, and the battels he made, are not these thinges writen in the Booke, of the battels that he made are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?

28   And Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria and Achab his sonne reigned for him.

29   But Achab the sonne of Amri reigned ouer Israel the eight and thirteth yeare of Asa the king of Iuda. And Achab the sonne of Amri reigned ouer Israel in Samiaria two and twentie yeares.

30   And Achab the sonne of Amri did euil in the sight of our Lord aboue al, that were before him.

31   Neither did it suffice him that he walked in the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat: besides he tooke to wife Iezabel the daughter of Ethbaul the king of the Sidonians. And he went, and serued Baal, and adored him.

32   And he sette an altar to Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria,

33   and he planted a groue: and Achab added in his worke, prouoking our Lord the God of Israel aboue al the kinges of Israel, that were before him.

34   In his daies Hiel of Bethel built Iericho: ^note in Abiram his first borne he founded it, and in Segub his last he sette vp the gates therof: according to the word of our Lord, which he spake in the hand of Iosue the sonne of Nun. Chap. XVII. Elias by his prayer shutteth the heauen from raining. 2. Is fed by a crovv. 8. and by a vvidovv of Sareptha. 13. vvhose potte of meale, and barrel of oyle diminisheth not. 17. Her sonne deeth, and is raysed to life.

1   And Elias the Thesbite of the inhabiters of Galaad said to Achab: Our Lord liueth the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, if there shal be these yearer dew and rayne, but according to the wordes of my mouth.

2   And the word of our Lord came to him, saying:

3   Depart from hence, and goe agaynst the East, and be hidde in the Torrent carith, which is agaynst Iordan,

4   and there thou shalt drinke of the torrent: and I haue commanded the rauens that they feede thee there

5   He therfore went, and did according to the word of our Lord: and when he was gone, he sate in the Torrent carith, which is against Iordan.

6   The rauens also brought him bread

Elias. Achab. and flesh in the morning, in like maner bread and flesh in the euening, and he dranke of the torrent.

7   But after certayne daies the torrent was dried: for it had not rayned vpon the earth.

8   Therfore the word of our Lord came to him, saying:

9   Arise, and goe into Sareptha of the Sidonians, and thou shalt tarie there: for I haue commanded a wydow woman there to feede thee. ^note

10   He arose, and went into Sareptha. And when he was come to the gate of the citie, the wydow woman appeared to him gathering stickes, and he called her, and sayd to her: Geue me a litle water in a vessel, that I may drinke.

11   And when she went to fetch it, he cried after her saying: Bring me also, I beseche thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand.

12   Who answered: Our Lord thy God liueth, I haue no bread, but so much meale in a potte as a hand can hold, and a litle oile in a vessel: behold I gather two stickes, that I may goe in, and dresse it for me and my sonne, that we may eate, and die.

13   To whom Elias sayd: feare not, but goe, and doe as thou hast sayd: but first make for me of the same meale a litle harth cake, and bring it to me: and for thy self and thy sonne thou shalt make afterward. ^note

14   For thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel: The potte of meale shal not fayle, nor the vessel of oile be diminished vntil the day, wherin our Lord wil geue rayne vpon the face of the earth.

15   Who went and did according to the word of Elias: and he did eate, and she, and her house: and from that day

16   the pot of meale fayled not, and the vessel of oyle was not diminished, according to the word of our Lord, which he spake in the hand of Elias.

17   And it came to passe after these thinges, the sonne of the woman, the goodwife of the house, fel sicke, and the sickenesse was verie vehement so that there remayned no breath in him.

18   She therfore sayd to Elias: What is to me and thee thou man of God? comest thou vnto me, that myne iniquities might be remembred, and thou mightest kil my sonne?

19   And Elias sayd to her: Geue me thy sonne. And he tooke him from her bosome, and caried him into the vpper chamber where him self abode, and layd him vpon his bed.

20   And he cried to our Lord, and sayd: O Lord my God, ^note what, the widow also with whom I am after a sort susteyned, hast thou afflicted, that thou wouldest kil her sonne?

21   And he stretched forth, & measured him selfe vpon the childe three tymes, & he cried to our Lord, and sayd. O Lord my God, let the soule of this childe, I beseche

Achab. Elias the prophet. thee, returne into his bodie.

22   And our Lord heard the voice of Elias: and the soule of the child returned into him, and he reuiued.

23   And Elias tooke the childe, and brought him downe from the vpper chamber into the lower house, and deliuered him to his mother, and sayd to her: Behold thy sonne liueth.

24   And the woman sayd to Elias: Now, in this I haue knowen that thou art a man of God, and the word of our Lord in the mouth is true. Chap. XVIII. The third yeare of famine, Elias meeting the chief gouernour of Achabs house, hardly perswadeth him to tel Achab, that he is present. 17. Achab blameth Elias; but Elias freely auoucheth that not he, but Achab trubleth Israel. 19. By a miracle foure hundred and fiftie falsprophetes are conuinced, 40. and are slaine. 41. Elias prayeth and it rayneth.

1   After manie daies the word of our Lord came to Elias, the third yeare, saying: Goe, and shew thy self to Achab, that I may geue rayne vpon the face of the earth.

2   Elias therfore went to shew himself to Achab: and there was sore famine in Samaria.

3   And Achab called Abdias the gouernour of his house: and Abdias did feare our Lord very much.

4   For when Iezabel killed the prophetes of our Lord, he tooke an hundred prophetes, and hid them by fiftie and fiftie in caues, and fed them with bread and water.

5   Achab therfore sayd to Abdias: Goe into the land to al the fountaynes of waters, and into al valleys, if perhaps we may finde grasse, and saue the horses and mules, and the beastes may not vtterly perish.

6   And they diuided the countries betwen them, that they might goe circuite about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias an other way seuerally.

7   And when Abdias was in the way, Elias mette him: who when he knew him, ^note fel on his face, and sayd: My lord, art not thou Elias?

8   To whom he answered: I am. Goe, and tel thy lord: Elias is here.

9   And he sayd: What haue I sinned, that thou deliuerest me thy seruant into the hand of Achab, that he may kil me?

10   Our Lord thy God liueth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seeke thee: and al answering: He is not here: he adiured al kingdomes and nations, for that thou wast not found.

11   And now thou sayest to me: Goe, and tel thy lord: Elias is here.

12   And when I am departed from thee, the Spirit of our Lord wil carie thee into a place, that I know

Achab. not: and I entering in shal tel Achab, and not finding thee, he wil kil me: and thy seruant feareth our Lord from his infancie.

13   Hath it not beene told thee my lord, what I did when Iezabel killed the prophetes of our Lord, that I hid of the prophetes of our Lord an hundred men, by fiftie and fiftie in caues, and fed them with bread and water?

14   And now thou sayst: Goe, and tel thy lord: Elias is here: that he may kil me?

15   And Elias sayd: The Lord of hostes liueth, before whose face I stand, this day wil I appeare to him.

16   Abdias therfore went to meete Achab, and told him: and Achab came to meete Elias.

17   And when he had seene him, he sayd: Art thou he that doest truble Israel?

18   And he sayd: not I haue trubled Israel, but thou, and the house of thy father, who haue forsaken the commandmentes of our Lord, and haue folowed Baalim.

19   Neuerthelesse send now, and gather vnto me al Israel in the mount of Carmel, and the prophetes of Baal foure hundred fiftie, and the prophetes of the groues foure hundred, which eate of Iezabels table.

20   Achab sent to al the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophetes in the mount of Carmel.

21   And Elias coming to al the people, sayd: ^note How long halt you on two sides? If our Lord be God, folow him: but if Baal, folow him. And the people did not answer him a word.

22   And Elias sayd agayne to the people: I onlie remayne a prophete of our Lord: and the prophetes of Baal are foure hundred and fiftie men.

23   Let two oxen be geuen vs, and let them choose to them selues one oxe, and cutting it into peeces let them lay it vpon wood, but put no fyre vnder: and I wil dresse the other oxe, and wil lay it vpon wood, and put no fire vnder.

24   Inuocate ye the names of your goddes, & I wil inuocate the name of my Lord: and the God that shal heare by fyre, let the same be God. And al the people answering sayd: A very good proposition.

25   Elias therfore sayd to the prophetes of Baal: Choose you one oxe, and make it first, because you are manie: & inuocate the names of your goddes, and put no fire vnder.

26   Who when they had taken the oxe, which he gaue them, they dressed it: and they inuocated the name of Baal from morning vntil midday, saying: Baal heare vs. And there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped ouer the altar, that they had made.

27   And when it was now midday, Elias iested at them, saying: Crie with a lowder voice: for he is God, and perhaps he speaketh,

Elias. Achab. or is in his inne, or in the way, or at the least he slepeth, that he must be waked.

28   They cried therfore with a lowd voice, and cut them selues after their rite with kniues and lancers, til they were al embrewed with bloud.

29   And after the midday was past, and whiles they prophecied, the time was come, when they vsed to offer sacrifice, neither voice was heard, nor any did answer, nor attend them praying:

30   Elias sayd to al the people: Come vnto me. And the people coming to him, he repayred the altar of our Lord, that was destroyed.

31   And he tooke twelue stones according to the number of the tribes of the children of Iacob, to whom the word of our Lord came, saying: Israel shal be thy name.

32   And he built of the stones an altar in the name of our Lord: and he made a water gutter, as it were by two furrowes round about the altar,

33   and he layed the wood in order, and diuided the oxe in iointes, and layd it vpon the wood,

34   and said: Fil foure buckettes with water, and powre vpon the holocauste, and vpon the wood. And againe he sayd: Doe it also the second time. Who hauing donne it the second time, he said: The third time also doe the same. And they did so the third time,

35   and the waters ranne about the altar, and the trough of the conduite was filled.

36   And when it was now time that the holocauste should be offered, Elias the prophete coming said: Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, & Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy seruant, & that according to thy commandment I haue done al these thinges.

37   Heare me Lord, heare me: ^note that this people may learne, that thou art our Lord God, & thou hast conuerted their hart againe.

38   And the fire of our Lord fel, & deuoured the holocauste, & the wood, and the stones, licking also the dust, and the water, that was in the water gutter.

39   Which when al the people had seene, they fel on their face, and said: Our Lord he is God, our Lord he is God.

40   And Elias said to them: Apprehend the prophetes of Baal, and let not one escape of them. Whom when they had taken, Elias brought them to the Torrent cison, and killed them there.

41   And Elias sayd to Achab: Goe vp, eate, and drinke: because there is sound of much raine.

42   Achab went vp to eate and drinke: and Elias, went vp into the toppe of Carmel, and flatte on the earth put his face betwen his knees,

43   and he said to his seruant: Goe vp, and looke toward the sea. Who when he was gone vp, and had looked, he said: There

Elias. Iezabel. is nothing. And againe he said to him: Returne seuen tymes.

44   And in the seuenth time: Behold a litle cloud as it were a mans foote, came vp from the sea. Who said: Goe vp and say to Achab: Yoke thy chariote and goe downe, lest the raine preuent thee.

45   And when he turned him selfe hither and thither, behold the heauens were darkened, and cloudes, and winde, and there fel great raine. Achab therfore going vp went into Iezrahel:

46   and the hand of our Lord was made vpon Elias, and his loynes girded he ranne before Achab, vntil he came into Iezrahel. Chap. XIX. ^note Elias fleing Iezabel, in the desert eateth a harth cake and drinketh water, brought by an Angel, and so goeth fourtie dayes and nightes vnto mount Horeb. 9. Lamenting that he alone is leift of the prophetes of God. 15. God commandeth him to returne to Damascus, and anoint Hazael king of Syria, Iehu king of Israel, and Eliseus a prophet: 18. and telleth him, there remaine seuen thousand in Israel, which haue not bowed to Baal.

1   And Achab told Iezabel al thinges that Elias had done, and how he had killed al the prophetes with the sword.

2   And Iezabel sent a messenger to Elias, saying: These thinges do the goddes to me, and these adde they, if this houre to morow I make not thy soule as the soule of one of them.

3   Elias therfore was afraid, & rysing he went whither soeuer his wil caried him: and he came into Bersabee of Iuda, and leaft his seruant there,

4   and went forward into the desert, one dayes iourney. And when he was come, and sate vnder a iuniper tree, he desired for his soule to die, and sayd: It sufficeth me Lord, take my soul: for I am not better then my fathers.

5   And he cast him self downe, and slept in the shadow of the iuniper tree: and behold an Angel of our Lord touched him, and sayd to him: Arise, and eate.

6   He looked, and behold at his head harthbaked bread, and a vessel of water: he therfore did eate, and drinke, and he slept againe.

7   And the Angel of our Lord returned the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eate: for thou hast yet a great way to goe.

8   Who when he was risen: did eate and drinke, & walked in the strength of that meate fourtie daies, and fourtie nightes, vnto the mount of God, Horeb.

9   And when he was come thither, he taried in a caue: and behold the word of our Lord vnto him, & he said to him: What doest thou here Elias?

10   But he answered: With zele haue I beene zelous

Elias. Iezabel. for our Lord the God of hostes. because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant: thy altars haue they destroyed, & thy prophetes they haue slaine with the sword, & ^note I alone am leaft, & they seeke my life to take it away.

11   And he said to him: Come forth, and stand in the mount before our Lord: and behold our Lord passeth, and a great winde, and strong ouerthrowing mountaynes, and breaking rockes before our Lord: not in the winde is our Lord, and after the winde an earth quake: not in the earth quake is our Lord,

12   and after the earth quake fire: not in the fire is our Lord, and after the fire a wistling of a gentle winde.

13   Which when Elias had heard, he couered his face with his mantel, and coming forth stood in the doore of the caue, and behold a voyce vnto him, saying: What doest thou here Elias?

14   And he answered: With zele haue I beene zelous for our Lord the God of hostes: because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant: thyn altars they haue destroyed, and thy prophetes they haue slaine with the sword, and I alone am leaft, and they seeke my life to take it away.

15   And our Lord sayd to him: Goe, and returne into thy way by the desert of Damiascus: and when thou art come thither thou ^note shalt anoint Hazael king ouer Syria,

16   and Iehu the sonne of Namsi thou shalt anoynt king ouer Israel: and Eliseus the sonne of Saphat, which is of Abelmeula, thou shalt anoynt prophet for thee.

17   And it shal be, whosoeuer shal escape the sword of Hazael, him Iehu shal kil: and whosouer shal escape the sword of Iehu, him shal Eliseus kil.

18   And I wil leaue me in Israel seuen thousand men, whose knees haue not beene bowed before Baal, and euerie mouth, that hath not adored him kyssing his handes.

19   Elias therfore departing thence, found Eliseus the sonne of Saphat, ploughing with twelue yoke of oxen, and he was one of them that ploughed with twelue yoke of oxen: and when Elias came to him, he cast his mantel vpon him.

20   Who forth with leauing the oxen ranne after Elias, and said: Let me kisse, I pray thee, my father, and my mother, and so I wil folow thee. And he sayd to him: Goe, and returne: for that which was my part, I haue donne to thee.

21   And returning from him, he tooke a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and sod the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gaue to the people, and they did eate: and rysing vp he departed, and folowed Elias, & ministred to him.

Of Israel Achab. Chap. XX. The Syrians threatning and besieging Samaria, 13. God signifieth by a prophet to Achab, that he shal haue the victorie. 20. which he obtaineth. 23. Also the second yeare fighting in the champaine. 31. But sauing the king of Syrians life, and making league with him, 35. one of the children of the prophetes being slaine, for not stryking when he was so commanded, 37. an other denounceth reuenge to Achab, for not killing the Syrian King.

1   Moreover Benadad the king of Syria, gathered together al his host, & two & thirtie kinges with him, & horses, and chariotes: and going vp fought agaynst Samaria, and besieged it.

2   And sending messengers to Achab the king of Israal into the citie,

3   he said: Thus saith Benadad: Thy siluer, and thy gold is mine: and thy wiues, and thy principal children be mine.

4   And the king of Israel answered: According to thy word my lord king, I am thine, and al that is mine.

5   And the messengers returning, said: Thus saith Benadad, which sent vs vnto thee: Thy siluer, and thy gold, and thy wiues, and thy children thou shalt geue me.

6   To morow therfore this verie houre I wil send my seruantes to thee, and they shal search thy house, and the house of thy seruantes: and al that pleaseth them, they shal put in their handes, and take away.

7   And the king of Israel called al the ancientes of the land, and said: Marke, and see that he seeketh to intrappe vs. for he sent to me for my wiues, and children, and for the siluer and gold: and I said not nay.

8   And al the ancientes, and al the people said to him: Heare not, neither agree vnto him.

9   He therfore answered the messengers of Benadad: Tel my Lord the king: Al thinges for the which thou didst send to me thy seruant in the beginning I wil doe: but this thing I can not doe.

10   And the messengers returning made report vnto him, who sent againe, and sayd: These thinges doe the goddes to me, and these adde they, if the dust of Samaria shal suffice for the hanfulles of al the people, that foloweth me.

11   And the king of Israel answering, sayd: Tel him ^note Let not the girded glorie as the vngirded.

12   And it came to passe, when Benadad had heard this word, himself and the kinges dranke in pauilions, and he sayd to his seruantes: Besette the citie, and they did besette it.

13   And behold a prophete coming to Achab the king of Israel, said to him: Thus sayth our Lord: Hast thou in dede sene al this exceding great multitude?

of Israel Achab. behold, I wil deliuer them into thy hand this day: that thou mayst know, that I am the Lord.

14   And Achab said: By whom? And he said to him: Thus saith our Lord: By the seruantes of the princes of the prouinces. And he said: Who shal begin to fight? And he said: Thou.

15   He therfore mustered the seruantes of the princes of the prouinces, and he found the number of two hundred thirtie two: and he mustered after them the people, al the children of Israel, seuen thousand.

16   And they went forth at noone. But Benadad dranke al dronken in his tent, and two and thirtie kinges with him, which were come to ayde him.

17   The seruantes therfore of the princes of the prouinces issued forth in the forefront. Benadad therfore sent. Who told him, saying: Men are come forth out of Samaria.

18   And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them aliue: or els to fight, aliue take ye them.

19   The seruantes therfore of the princes of the prouinces issued forth, and the rest of the armie folowed:

20   and euerie one stroke the man, that came against him: and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Benadad also the king of Syria fled on horsebacke with his horsemen.

21   Moreouer the king of Israel issuing forth stroke the horses and chariotes, and he stroke Syria with a great slaughter.

22   And a prophet coming to the king of Israel, said to him: Goe, and take courage, and know, and see what thou doest: for the yeare folowing the king of Syria wil come vp against thee.)

23   But the seruantes of the king of Syria said to him: The goddes of the mountaynes be their goddes, therfore haue they ouercome vs: but it is better that we fight against them in the champaine, & we shal ouercome them.

24   Thou therfore do this word: Remoue al the kinges from thine armie, and put captaines for them:

25   and repaire the number of souldiars, that are slaine of thine, and horses according to the old horses; & chariotes according to the chariotes, which thou hadst before: and we wil fight against them in the champaine, and thou shalt see that we shal ouercome them. He beleued their counsel, and did so.

26   Therfore after a yeare was passed, Benadad mustered the Syrians, and went vp into Aphec, to fight against Israel.

27   Moreouer the children of Israel were mustered, and taking victuals they went forth on the contrarie side, and camped against them, as it were two litle flockes of goates: but the Syrians filled the land.

28   (And a man of God coming, said to the king of Israel:

of Israel Achab. Thus saith our Lord: Because the Syrians haue said: The Lord is God of the mountaines, and is not God of the Valleis: I wil geue al this great multitude into thy hand, and ^note you shal know that I am the Lord.)

29   And seuen dayes did these, and they direct their armies one against the other, and in the seuenth day was the battel fought: and the children of Israel stroke of the Syrians an hundred thousand footemen in one day.

30   And they that remained in Aphec, fled into the citie: and the wal fel vpon seuen and twentie thousand men, that were leaft. Moreouer Benadad fleing entered the citie into a chamber that was within a chamber,

31   and his seruantes said to him: Behold, we haue heard that the kinges of the house of Israel are merciful: Let vs therfore put sackeclothes on our loynes, and cordes on our heades, and goe forth to the king of Israel: perhaps he wil saue our liues.

32   They girded their loines with sackclothes, and put cordes on their heades, and came to the king of Israel, and said to him: Thy seruant saith: Let my soule liue, I besech thee. And he said: If he be yet aliue he is my brother.

33   Which the men tooke for good lucke: and in hast caught the word of his mouth, and said: Thy brother Benadad. And he said to them: Goe and bring him to me. Benadad therfore came out to him, and he lifted him vp into his chariote.

34   Who said to him: The cities which my father tooke from thy father, I wil render: doe thou make thee stretes in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria, and I confederate wil depart from thee. He therfore made a league, and dimissed him.

35   Then a certaine man of the children of the prophetes sayd to his felow in the word of our Lord: Strike me. But he would not strike.

36   To whom he said: Because thou wouldest not heare the word of our Lord, behold thou shalt depart from me, and a lion shal strike thee. And when he was departed a litle from him, a lyon found him, and slew him.

37   But finding also an other man, he said to him: Strike me. Who stroke him, and wounded him.

38   The prophete therfore went, and mette the king in the way, and with sprinkling of dust changed his face and his eies.

39   And when the king passed by, he cried to the king, and said: Thy seruant went forth to fight hand strokes: and when a certaine man was fled, one brought him to me, and said: Keepe this man: who if he shal slippe away, thy life shal be for his life, or thou shalt pay a talent of siluer.

40   And

Achab. Naboth. Iezabel. whiles I being trubled turned hither and thither, sodenly he appeared not. And the king of Israel sayd to him: This is thy iudgement, which thy self hast decreed.

41   But he forthwith wyped of the dust from his face, and the king of Israel knew him, that he was of the prophetes.

42   Who sayd to him: Thus sayth our Lord: ^note Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man worthie to die, thy life shal be for his life, and thy people for his people.

43   The king of Israel therfore returned into his house, contemning to heare, & raging came into Samaria. Chap. XXI. Naboth for denying his vineyard to King Achab, is by quene Iezabels commandment, falsly accused, and stoned to death. 10. Achab hastening to posse&esset;e the vineyard, Elias the prophet threatneth him manie euiles. 23. and no le&esset;e to Iezabel: both being obstinate in sinne. 27. Yet Achab for feare of pnnishment, doth external workes of penance, and therby escapeth part of the temporal plagues.

1   And after these wordes, at that tyme Naboth the Iezrahelite had a vineyard, which was in Iezrahel, beside the palace of Achab the king of Samaria.

2   Achab therfore spake to Naboth, saying: Geue me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbes, because it is nigh, and ioyning to my house, and ^note I wil geue thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou thinke it more commodious for thee, the price of siluer, so much as it is worth.

3   To whom Naboth answered: Our Lord be merciful to me, that I geue not the inheritance of my fathers to thee.

4   Achab therfore came into his house with indignation, and fretting vpon the word, that Naboth the Iezrahelite had spoken to him, saying: I wil not geue thee the inheritance of my fathers. And casting him self vpon his bed, he turned away his face to the wal, and did not eate bread.

5   And Iezabel his wife went in vnto him, and sayd to him: What is this matter, whereupon thy soule is greued? and why eatest thou not bread?

6   Who answered her: I spake to Naboth the Iezrahelite, and sayd to him: Geue me thy vineyard, taking money for it: or if it please thee, I wil geue thee a better vineyard for it. And he sayd: I wil not geue thee my vineyard.

7   Iezabel therfore his wife sayd to him: Thou art of great authoritie, and doest wel gouerne the kingdome of Israel: Arise, and eate bread, and be of good cheere, I wil geue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite.

Achab. Iezabel. Naboth.

8   She therfore wrote letters in the name of Achab, and signed them with his ring, and sent to the ancientes, and the chiefe men that were in his citie, and dwelt with Naboth.

9   And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclame a fast, and make Naboth sitte among the chiefe of the people,

10   and suborne two men the children of Belial agaynst him, and let them beare false testimony: that he hath ^note blessed God and the king: and bring him forth, and stone him, and so let him die.

11   His citizens therfore the ancientes and chiefe men, that dwelt with him in the citie, did as Iezabel had commanded them, and as it was written in the letters which she sent to them:

12   they proclamed a fast, and made Naboth sitte among the chiefe of the people.

13   And two men the children of the diuel being brought forth, they made them sitte agaynst him: but they, as deuelish men, gaue testimonie agaynst him before the multitude: Naboth hath blessed God and the king: for the which thing they brought him forth without the citie, and killed him with stones.

14   And they sent to Iezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15   And it came to passe, when Iezabel had heard that Naboth was stoned, and dead, she spake to Achab: Arise, and possesse the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite, who would not agree vnto thee, and geue it taking money: for Naboth liueth not, but is dead.

16   Which when Achab had heard, to witte, that Naboth was dead, he arose, & went downe into the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite, to possesse it.

17   The word of our Lord therfore came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:

18   Arise, and goe downe to meete Achab the king of Israel, who is in Samaria: behold he goeth downe to the vineyard of Naboth, to possesse it:

19   and thou shalt speake to him, saying: Thus sayth our Lord: Thou hast slayne, moreouer also thou hast possest. And after these wordes thou shalt adde: Thus sayth our Lord: In this place, wherein the dogges haue licked the bloud of Naboth, they ^note shal licke thy bloud also.

20   And Achab sayd to Elias: Hast thou found me thyne enemie? Who sayd: I haue found thee, for that thou art sold, to doe euil in the sight of our Lord.

21   Behold I wil bring euil vpon thee, and wil cut downe thy posteritie, and wil kil of Achab him that pisseth agaynst the wal, and the inclosed, and the last in Israel.

22   And I wil make thy house, as the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, and as the house of Baasa the sonne of

Achab. Elias Ahias: because thou hast done, to prouoke me to anger, and hast made Israel to sinne.

23   But of Iezabel also our Lord spake, saying: The dogges shal eate Iezabel in the field of Iezrahel.

24   If Achab die in the citie, the dogges shal eate him: but if he die in the field, the foules of the ayre shal eate him.

25   Therfore there was not such an other as Achab, who ^note was sold to doe euil in the sight of our Lord: for his wife Iezabel sette him on,

26   and he became abominable, in so much that he folowed the idols, which the Amorrheites had made, whom our Lord consumed before the face of the children of Israel.

27   Therfore when Achab had heard these wordes, he rent his garmentes, and couered his flesh with haercloth, and fasted and slept in sackcloth, and walked casting downe his head.

28   And the word of our Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:

29   Hast thou not seene Achab humbled before me? therfore, because he hath humbled him self for my sake, I wil not bring in the euil in his dayes, but in his sonnes daies wil I bring the euil vpon his house. Chap. XXII. Achab King of Israel consulting and beleuing false prophetes rather then Micheas a true prophet, accompanied with Iosaphat king of Iuda, resolueth to fight against the Syrians for Ramoth Galaad. 26. Committeth Micheas to prison, 29. procedeth to the warre, 34. is slaine, and Ochozias succedeth. 41. Iosaphat refuseth to traffike longer with Ochozias; dieth, and his sonne Ioram reigneth. 52. Ochozias foloweth the euil steppes of his parents.

1   There passed therfore three yeares without warre betwen Syria aud Israel.

2   And in the third yeare, Iosaphat the king of Iuda went downe to the king of Israel.

3   (And the king of Israel sayd to his seruantes: are you ignorant that Ramoth Galaad is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?)

4   And he sayd to Iosaphat: Wilt thou come with me to fight into Ramoth Galaad?

5   And Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israel: As I am, so thou also: my people and thy people are one: and my horsemen thy horsmen. And Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israal: Aske, I besech thee, this day the word of our Lord.

6   The king of Israel therfore assembled the prophetes, about foure hundred men, and he sayd to them: Shal I goe into Ramoth Galaad to fight, or sitte stil? Who answered: Goe vp, and our Lord wil geue it into the kinges hand.

7   And Iosaphat sayd: ^note Is there not

Achab. Micheas a prophet here some prophete of our Lord, that we may aske by him?

8   And the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat: There is one man leaft, by whom we may aske our Lord: but I hate him, because he doeth not prophecie vnto me good, but euil, Micheas the sonne of Iemla. To whom Iosaphat sayd: Speake not so ô king.

9   The king of Israel therfore called a certaine eunuch, and sayd to him: Make hast, and bring hither Micheas the sonne of Iemla.

10   And the king of Israel, and Iosaphat the king of Iuda sate eche in his throne clothed with royal attyre, in a court beside the doore of the gate of Samaria, and al the prophetes prophecied before them.

11   Sedecias the sonne of Chanaana made him self ^note hornes of yron, and sayd: Thus sayth our Lord: With these shalt thou strike Syria, til thou destroy it.

12   And al the prophetes in like maner prophecied, saying: Ascend into Ramoth Galaad, and goe prosperousely, & our Lord wil deliuer it into the Kinges handes.

13   But the messenger, that went to cal Micheas, spake to him, saying: Behold the wordes of the prophetes with one mouth preach good thinges to the king: let thy word therfore be like to theirs, and speake good thinges.

14   To whom Micheas sayd: Our Lord liueth, whatsoeuer our Lord shal tel me, that wil I speake.

15   He therfore came to the king, and the king sayd to him: Micheas, shal we goe into Ramoth Galaad to fight, or sitte stil? To whom he answered: ^note Ascend, and goe prosperousely, and our Lord wil deliuer it into the kinges handes.

16   But the king sayd to him: I adiure thee agayne and agayne, that thou speake not to me but that which is true in the name of our Lord.

17   And he sayd: I saw al Israel dispersed in the mountaynes, as sheepe not hauing a shepeheard, and our Lord sayd: These haue no maister: let euerie man returne into his house in peace.

18   (Therfore the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat: Did I not tel thee, that he doeth not prophecie me good, but alwaies euil?)

19   But he adding, sayd: Therfore heare the word of our Lord: I saw our Lord sitting vpon his throne, and al the hoste of heauen assisting him on the right hand and on the left:

20   and our Lord sayd: Who shal deceiue Achab the king of Israel, that he may goe vp, and fal in Ramoth Galaad? And one sayd these maner of wordes, and an other otherwise.

21   And there came forth a spirit, and stood before our Lord, and sayd: I wil deceiue him. To whom our Lord spake: Wherein?

22   And he sayd: I

Achab slaine. wil goe forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of al his prophetes. And our Lord sayd: Thou shalt deceiue, and shalt preuayle: ^note goe forth, and doe so.

23   Now therfore behold our Lord hath geuen the spirite of lying in the mouth of al thy prophetes, that are here, and our Lord hath spoken euil agaynst thee.

24   And Sedecias the sonne of Chanaana came, and smote Micheas on the cheeke, and sayd: Hath the Spirit of our Lord leaft me, and hath it spoken to thee?

25   And Micheas sayd: Thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt enter into thy chamber, ^note within the chamber to be hid.

26   And the king of Israel sayd: Take Micheas, and let him tarie with Amon the gouernour of the citie, and with Ioab the sonne of Amelech,

27   and tel them: Thus sayth the king: Cast this man into prison, and feede him with bread of tribulation, and water of distresse, til I returne in peace.

28   And Micheas sayd: If thou returne in peace, our Lord hath not spoken in me. And he sayd: Heare al ye peoples.

29   Therfore the king of Israel went vp, and Iosaphat the king of Iuda into Ramoth Galaad.

30   The king of Israel therfore sayd to Iosaphat: Take armour, and goe into the battel, and put on thyne owne garmentes. Moreouer the king of Israel changed his habite, and went into the battel.

31   And the king of Syria had commanded the princes of his chariotes thirtie and two, saying: You shal not fight agaynst any lesser, or greater, but agaynst the king of Israel onlie.

32   When therfore the princes of the chariotes had seene Iosaphat, they suspected that he was the king of Israel, and making a violent assault they fought agaynst him: & Iosaphat cried out.

33   And the princes of the chariotes perceiued that he was not the king of Israel, and they ceased from him.

34   And a certaine man bent his bow, directing the arrow at al aduenture, and ^noteby chance he stroke the king of Israel betwen the lunges and the stomacke. But he sayd to his cochere: Turne thy hand, and carrie me out of the armie, because I am greuousely wounded.

35   The battel therfore was fought that day, and the king of Israel stood in his chariote agaynst the Syrians, and he died in the euening: & the bloud of the wound ranne into the middes of the chariote,

36   and the herauld sounded in al the armie before the sunne sette, saying: Euerie man returne into his citie, and into his countrie.

37   And the king died, and was carried into Samaria: and they buried the king

Of Iuda Iosaphat. Ioram. in Samaria,

38   and washed his chariote in the poole of Samaria, and the dogges licked his bloud, and they washed the raynes of the bridle, according to the word of our Lord which he had spoken.

39   But the rest of the wordes of Achab, and al that he did, and the house of yuorie, that he built, and of al the cities that he built, are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?

40   Achab therfore slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his sonne reigned for him.

41   But Iosaphat the sonne of Asa began to reigne ouer Iuda the fourth yeare of Achab the king of Israel.

42   Fiue and thirtie yeares old was he when he began to reigne, and fiue and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem: the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Salai.

43   And he walked in al the way of Asa his father, and he declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord.

44   But yet he tooke not away the excelses: for as yet the people did sacrifice, and burnt incense in the excelses.

45   And Iosaphat had peace with the king of Israel.

46   But the rest of the wordes of Iosaphat, and his workes, which he did, and his battels, are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda?

47   Yea and the remnant of the effeminate, which remayned in the daies of Asa his father, he tooke out of the land.

48   Neither was there then a king appoynted in Edom.

49   But king Iosaphat had made nauies on the sea, which should saile into Ophir for gold: and they could not goe, because they were broken in Asiongaber.

50   Then sayd Ochozias the sonne of Achab to Iosaphat: Let my seruantes goe with thy seruantes in the shippes. And Iosaphat would not.

51   And Iosaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the Citie of Dauid his father: and Ioram his sonne reigned for him.

52   And Ochozias the sonne of Achab began to reigne ouer Israel in Samaria, in the seuententh yeare of Iosaphat the king of Iuda, and he reigned ouer Israel two yeares.

53   And he did euil in the sight of our Lord, and walked in the way of his father and his mother, and in the way of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, who made Israel to sinne.

54   He serued also Baal, and adored him, and prouoked our Lord the God of Israel, according to al thinges which his father had done.

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