Numbers · Chapter 27

[ edit] Camen nyȝ forſoþe þe douȝtres of Salphaad, ſone of Ephor, ſone of Galaad, ſone of Machir, ſone of Manaſſe, þat was þe ſone of Joſep; of whom þes ben þe names; Maala, and Noba, and Egla, and Melcha, and Therſa. And þei ſtoden before Moyſen and Eleazar, þe preeſt, and alle þe prynces of þe puple, at þe dore of þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees; and ſeiden, Oure fader is deed in deſeert, and was not in þe diſſencioun, þat is ſtyryd aȝens þe Lord, vndur Chore, but in his ſynne is deed; þis hadde not maal children. Whi is take þe name of hym fro his meyne, for he hadde no ſone? Ȝyfe ȝe to vs poſſeſſions amonge þe coſynes of oure fader.

And Moyſes toolde þe cauſe of hem to þe doom of þe Lord; þe which ſeide to hym, Ryȝtwiſe þingis aſken þe douȝtres of Salphaad; ȝyf to hem poſſeſſiouns amonge þe coſyns of her fader, and to hym in heritage come þei aftir. To þe ſones forſoþe of Yrael þow ſhalt ſpeke þes þingis, A man whanne he were deed wiþ out ſone, to þe douȝter ſhal paſſe þe herytage; if he haue no douȝter, he ſhal haue ſucceſſours his briþeren; and if þere weren no briþeren, ȝe ſhulen ȝyue þe herytage to þe briþeren of þe fader of hym; if forſoþe he haue not men briþeren to his fader, þe herytage ſhal be ȝeue to hem þat ben next to hym.

And þis ſhal be hooly to þe ſones of Yrael, bi perpetuel law, as þe Lord comaundide to Moyſes. Þe Lord forſoþe ſeide to Moyſes, Sty vp into þis hil of Abarym, and bihold fro þens þe loond, þat I am to ȝyuynge to þe ſones of Irael. And whanne þow ſeeſt it, and þow ſhalt goo to þi puple, as wente þi broþer Aaron; for þow haſt offendide me in þe deſeert of Syn, in þe contradiccioun of þe multitude, ne halowe me ȝe wolden before it, vpon þe watris. Þes ben þe watris of contradiccioun in Cades, of þe deſeert of Syn.

To whom anſwerde Moyſes, Puruey þe Lord God of þe ſpyritis of al fleſhe a man þat be vpon þis multitude, and may goo out, and goo yn before hem, and leden hem out, or leden hem yn; leſt þe puple of þe Lord be as ſheep wiþ out ſheepherd. And þe Lord ſeyde to hym, Take Joſue, þe ſone of Nun, a man in whom is þe ſpirit of God, and put þin hoond vpon hym; þe which ſhal ſtoond before Eleazar, þe preeſt, and al þe multitude. And þow ſhalt ȝyue to hym heeſtys, alle men ſeynge, and a part of þi glorye, þat al þe ſynagoge of þe ſones of Yrael here hym.

For þat if eny þing ſhal be to doynge, Eleazar, þe preeſt, ſhal counſeil þe Lord; at þe word of hym ſhal goo out, and ſhal goo yn; he, and al þe ſones of Yrael wiþ hym, and þat oþer multitude. Moyſes dide as þe Lord comaundide, and whanne he hadde takun Joſue, he ſette hym before Eleazar, þe preeſt, and al þe myche comynge of þe puple; and putt þe hoondis to his heed, alle þingis aȝen told þat þe Lord comaundide.