The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Whi han ye led out the chirche of the Lord in to wildirnesse, that bothe we and oure beestis die?

Whi han ye maad vs to stie from Egipt, and han brouyt vs in to this werste place, which may not be sowun, which nether bryngith forth fige tre, nether vineris, nether pumgranatis, ferthermore and hath not watir to drynke?

And whanne the multitude was left, Moises and Aaron entriden in to the tabernacle of boond of pees, and felden lowe to erthe, and crieden to God, and seiden, Lord God, here the cry of this puple, and opene to hem thi tresour, a welle of quyk watir, that whanne thei ben fillid, the grutchyng of hem ceesse. And the glorie of the Lord apperide on hem;

and the Lord spak to Moises,

and seide, Take the yerde, and gadere the puple, thou, and Aaron thi brother; and speke ye to the stoon bifore hem, and it schal yyue watris. And whanne thou hast led watir out of the stoon, al the multitude schal drynke, and the beestis therof `schulden drynke.

Therfor Moises took the yerde that was in the `siyt of the Lord, as the Lord comaundide to hym,

whanne the multitude was gaderid bifor the stoon; and he seide to hem, Here ye, rebel and vnbileueful; whether we moun brynge out of this stoon watir to you?

And whanne Moises hadde reisid the hond, and hadde smyte the flynt twies with the yerde, largeste watris yeden out, so that the puple drank, and the beestis drunken.

And the Lord seide to Moises and to Aaron, For ye bileueden not to me, that ye schulden halewe me bifor the sones of Israel, ye schulen not lede these puples in to the lond which Y schal yyue to hem.

This is the watir of ayenseiyng; there the sones of Israel stryueden ayens the Lord, and he was halewid in hem.

In the meene tyme Moises sente messangeres fro Cades to the kyng of Edom, whiche seiden, Israel thi brother sendith these thinges. Thou knowist al the trauel that took vs,

hou oure fadris yeden doun in to Egipt, and we dwelliden there myche tyme, and Egipcians turmentiden vs and oure fadris; and hou we crieden to the Lord,

and he herde vs, and sente an aungel that ledde vs out of Egipt. And lo! we ben set in the citee of Cades, which is in thi laste coostis,

and we bisechen that it be leueful to vs to passe thorou thi lond; we schulen not go bi feeldis, nether bi vyneris, nether we schulen drynke watris of thi pittis; but we schulen go in the comyn weie, and we schulen not bowe to the riyt side, nether to the left side, til we passen thi termes.

To whom Edom answeride, Ye schulen not passe bi me, ellis Y schal be armed, and come ayens thee.

And the sones of Israel seiden, We schulen go bi the weie comynli vsid, and if we and oure beestis drynken thi watris, we schulen yyue that that is iust; noon hardnesse schal be in prijs, onely passe we swiftli.

And he answeride, Ye schulen not passe. And anoon he yede out ayens Israel, with a multitude without noumbre, and `strong hond,

nether he wolde assente to Israel bisechynge, that he schulde graunte passage bi hise coostis. Wherfor Israel turnede awey fro hym.

And whanne thei hadden moued tentis fro Cades, thei camen in to the hil of Hor, which is in the endis of the lond of Edom;

where the Lord spak to Moyses and seide, Aaron go to his puples;

for he schal not entre in to the lond which Y yaf to the sones of Israel, for he was vnbileueful to my mouth, at the watris of ayenseiyng.

Take thou Aaron, and his sone with hym, and thou schalt lede hem in to the hil of Hor;

and whanne thou hast maad nakid the fadir of his cloth, thou schalt clothe `with it Eleazar, his sone, and Aaron schal be gederid, and schal die there.

Moises dide as the Lord comaundide; and thei stieden in to the hil of Hor, bifor al the multitude.

And whanne he hadde maad nakid Aaron of hise clothis, he clothide with tho Eleazar, his sone.

Sotheli whanne Aaron was deed in the `cop of the hil, Moises cam doun with Eleazar. Sotheli al the multitude siy that Aaron was deed, and wepte on hym thretti daies, bi alle her meyness.

And whanne Chananei, the kyng of Arad, that dwellide at the south, hadde herd this, that is, that Israel cam bi the weye of aspieris, he fauyt ayens hem; and Chananei was ouercomere and ledde pray of Israel.

And Israel bounde hym sylf bi avow to the Lord, and seide, If thou schalt bitake this puple in myn hond, Y schal do awei `the citees therof.

And the Lord herde the preieris of Israel, and bitook the Chananey; and Israel killid hym, and distruyede hise citees; and clepide the name of that place Horma, that is, cursyng, `ethir hangyng up.

`Forsothe thei yeden forth also fro the hil of Hor, bi the weie that ledith to the reed see, that thei schulden cumpasse the lond of Edom; and it bigan to anoye the puple, of the weie and trauel.

And the puple spak ayens the Lord and Moises, and seide, Whi leddist thou vs out of Egipt, that we schulden die in wildirnesse? breed failith, watris ben not; oure soule wlatith now on this `meete moost liyt.

Wherfor the Lord sente `firid serpentis in to the puple; at the woundis of whiche serpentis, and the dethis of ful many men,

thei camen to Moyses, and seiden, We synneden, for we spaken ayens the Lord and thee; preie thou, that he take awey fro vs the serpentis.

And Moises preiede for the puple; and the Lord seide to hym, Make thou a serpent of bras, and sette thou it for a signe ; he that is smytun and biholdith it, schal lyue.

Therfor Moyses made a serpent of bras, and settide for a signe; and men smytun and biholdynge it, weren heelid.

And the sones of Israel yeden forth,

and settiden tentis in Oboth; fro whennus thei yeden forth, and settiden tentis in Neabarym, in the wildirnesse, that biholdith Moab, ayens the eest coost.

And thei moueden fro thennus, and camen to the stronde of Zareth;

which thei leften, and settiden tentis ayens Arnon, which is in the deseert, and apperith in the coostis of Amorrei. Forsothe Arnon is the terme of Moab, and departith Moabitis and Ammoreis.

Wherfor it is seid in the book of batels of the Lord, As he dide in the reed see, so he schal do in the strondis of Arnon;

the harde rochis of the strondis weren bowid, that tho schulen reste in Arnon, and schulden ligge in the coostis of Moabitis.

Fro that place the pit apperide, of which the Lord spak to Moyses, Gadere thou the puple, and Y schal yyue watir to it.

Thanne Israel soong this song, The pit stie;

thei sungen togidere, The pit which the princes diggiden, and the duykis of the multitude maden redi, in the yyuere of the lawe, and in her stauys. And thei yeden forth fro the wildirnesse to Mathana,

fro Mathana to Naaliel, fro Naaliel in to Bamoth;

Bamoth is a valey in the cuntrey of Moab, in the cop of Phasga, that biholdith ayens the deseert.

Forsothe Israel sente messangeris to Seon, kyng of Ammorreis, and seide,

Y biseche that it be leueful to me to passe thorou thi loond; we schulen not bowe in to the feeldis and vyneris; we schulen not drynke watris of pittis; we schulen go in the kyngis weie, til we passen thi termes.

Which nolde graunte that Israel schulde passe thury hise coostis, but rather, whanne the oost was gaderid, he yede out ayens Israel, in to deseert. And he cam in to Yasa, and fauyt ayens Israel;

of whom he was smytun in the scharpnesse of swerd, and his lond was weldid fro Arnon `til to Jeboth and `the sones of Amon; for the termes of Amonytis weren holdun bi strong help.

Therfor Israel took alle `the citees of hym, and dwelliden in the citees of Amorrei, that is, in Esebon, and hise townes.

The citee of Esebon was Seons, kyng of Ammorei, which Seon fauyt ayens the kyng of Moab, and took al the lond that was of his lordschip, `til to Arnon.

Therfor it is seid in prouerbe, Come ye in to Esebon, be it bildid, and maad the citee of Seon;

fier yede out of Esebon, flawme yede out of the citee `ethir greet castel of Seon, and deuouryde Ar of Moabitis, and the dwelleris of the `hiye places of Arnon.

Moab, wo to thee! thou, puple of Chamos, perischidist; it yaf the sones therof in to fliyt, and the douytris in to caitifte to Seon, kyng of Ammoreis;

the yok of hem perischide, fro Esebon `til to Dibon; the wery men camen in to Jophe, and `til to Medaba.

And so Israel dwellide in the lond of Ammorrey.

And Moises sente men that schulden aspie Jaser, whos `townes thei token, and weldiden the dwelleris.

And thei turniden hem silf, and stieden bi the weie of Basan. And Og, the kyng of Basan, with al his puple cam ayens hem, to fiyte in Edray.

And the Lord seide to Moises, Drede thou not hym, for Y haue bitake hym, and al his loond, and puple, in thin hoond; and thou schalt do to hym as thou didist to Seon, kyng of Ammorreis, the dwellere of Esebon.

Therfor thei smytiden `bothe hym with hise sones and al his puple, `til to deeth; and thei weldiden `the lond of hym.

And thei yeden forth, and settiden tentis in the feeldi places of Moab, where Jerico is set ouer Jordan.

Forsothe Balach, the sone of Sephor, siy alle thingis whiche Israel hadde do to Ammorrei,

and that men of Moab `hadden dred Israel, and miyten not bere the assailing of him.

And he seide to the grettere men in birthe of Madian, So this puple schal do a wei alle men that dwellen in oure coostis, as an oxe is wont to do awei an eerbe `til to the rootis. Forsothe he, `that is, Balaac, was kyng in that tyme in Moab.

Therfor he sente messangeris to Balaam, the sone of Beor, a fals diuynour, that dwellide on the flood of the lond of the sones of Amon, that thei schulden clepe hym, and schulden seie, Lo! a puple yede out of Egipt, `which puple hilide the face of erthe, and sittith ayens me.

Therfor come thou, and curse this puple, which is strongere than Y, if in ony maner Y may smyte and dryue hym out of my lond; for Y knowe, that he is blissid whom thou blissist, and he is cursid whom thou hast cursid.

The eldere men of Moab and the grettere men in birthe of Madian yeden forth, hauynge in hondis the prijs of fals dyuynyng; and whanne thei hadden come to Balaam, and hadden teld to hym alle the wordis of Balaach, he answeride,

Dwelle ye here to nyyt, and Y schal answere what euer thing the Lord schal seie to me. Sotheli while thei dwelliden at Balaam, God cam, and seide to hym,

What wolen these men at thee `to hem silf?

Balaam answeride, Balaach, the sone of Sephor, kyng of Moabitis, sente to me, and seide, Lo!

a puple which is gon out of Egipt hilide the face of erthe; come thou, and curse hem, if in ony maner Y may fiyte, and dryue hym awey.

And God seide to Balaam, Nyle thou go with hem, nether curse thou the puple, for it is blessid.

Which Balaam roos eerli, and seide to the princes, Go ye in to youre lond, for God forbeed me to come with you.

The princes turneden ayen, and seiden to Balaach, Balaam nolde come with vs.

Eft Balaach sente many mo and noblere men, than he hadde sent bifore;

whiche seiden, whanne thei hadden come to Balaam, Balaach, the sone of Sephor, seith thus, Tarye thou not to come to me, redi to onoure thee;

and what euer thing thou wolt, Y schal yyue to thee; come thou, and curse this puple.

Balaam answeride, Thouy Balaach schal yyue to me his howsful of siluer and of gold, Y schal not mowe chaunge the word of my God, that Y speke ethir more ethir lesse.

Y biseche, that ye dwelle here also in this nyyt, that Y may wite what the Lord schal answere eft to me.

Therfor the Lord cam to Balaam in the nyyt, and seide to hym, If these men comen to clepe thee, rise thou, and go with hem, so oneli that thou do that that Y schal comaunde to thee.

Balaam roos eerli, and whanne his femal asse was sadelid, he yede forth with hem.

And God was wrooth. And the `aungel of the Lord stood in the weie ayens Balam, that sat on the femal asse, and hadde twei children with hym.

The femal asse siy the aungel stondynge in the weie, with swerd drawun, and `turnede a wei hir silf fro the weie, and yede bi the feeld. And whanne Balaam beet hir, and wolde lede ayen to the path,

the aungel stood in the streitnessis of twei wallis, with whiche the vyneris weren cumpassid.

And the femal asse siy the aungel, and ioynede hir silf to the wal, and hurtlide the foot of the sittere; and he beet eft `the asse.

And neuer the lesse the aungel yede to the streit place, where me `myyte not go out of the weie, nether to the riyt side nether to the left side, and stood ayens hym.

And whanne the femal asse siy the aungel stondynge, sche felde doun vndir the feet of the sittere, which was wrooth ful greetli, and beet hir sidis with a staaf.

And the Lord openyde the `mouth of the femal asse, and sche spak, What have Y doon to thee? whi smytist thou me, lo! now the thridde tyme?

Balaam answeride, For thou hast disserued, and hast scornyd me; Y wolde that Y hadde a swerd to sle thee.

And the femal asse seide, Whether Y am not thi beeste on which thou were wont to sitte euere til in to this present dai? seie thou, what lijk thing Y dide euere to thee? And he seide, Neuere.

Anoon the Lord openyde `the iyen of Balaam, and he siy the aungel stondynge in the weie, holdynge a drawun swerd in the hoond; and Balaam worschipide hym lowli in to erthe.

To whom the aungel seide, Whi `betist thou thi femal asse `the thridde tyme? Y cam to be aduersarie to thee, for thi weie is weiward, and contrarye to me;

and if the femal asse hadde not bowid a wey fro the weie, and youe place to ayenstondere, Y hadde slayn thee, and sche schulde lyue.

Balaam seide, Y synnede, not witynge that thou stodist ayens me; and now, if it displesith thee that Y go, Y schal turne ayen.

The aungel seide, Go thou with these men, but be war that thou speke not other thing than Y schal comaunde to thee. Therfor Balaam yede with the princes.

And whanne Balaach hadde herde this, he yede out in to the comyng of hym, in the citee of Moabitis, whiche is set in the laste coostis of Arnon.

And he seide to Balaam, Y sente messangeris to clepe thee; whi camest thou not anoon to me? whethir for Y may not yelde meede to thi comyng?

To whom Balaam answeride, Lo! Y am present, whethir Y schal mow speke other thing than that, that God schal putte in my mouth?

Therfor thei yeden forth to gidere, and camen in to a citee, which was in the laste coost of `his rewme.