Judges · Chapter 3

[ edit] Thes ben þe Gentilis, þat þe Lord lafte, for to lerne Irael in hem, and alle þat knewen not þe bateils of Chananees; and afterward þe ſones of hem ſhulden lerne to ſtryue wiþ enemies, and to haue vſage of fiȝtynge in batayl. Þe fyue princes of Philiſtynys, and al Chanane, and Sydon, and Euee þe whiche dwelten in Liban hil, fro þe hil of Baal of Hermon vnto þe entre of Emaþ. And he lafte hem, þat in hem he myȝte haue experiens of Yrael, wheþer þei wolen here þe heeſtis of þe Lord, þe which haþ comaundid to þe faders of hem by þe hoondis of Moyſes, or noon. And ſo þe ſones of Yrael dwelten in þe mydil of Chananeei, Eþei, and Amorrei, and Pherezei, and Euei, and Jebuſei.

And wyues þei token douȝtres of hem, and þei token her douȝtris to þe ſones of hem, and ſerueden to þe goddis of hem. And þei diden yuel in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord, and forȝeten of þe Lord her God, ſeruynge to Baalym, and to Aſtaroþ. And þe Lord, wrooþ aȝens Yrael, took hem into þe hoondis of Chuſanraſaþaym, kyng of Meſopoþanye, and þei ſerueden to him eiȝt ȝeer. And þei crieden to þe Lord, þe which areryde to hem a ſaueour, and delyuerde hem, þat is, Oþonyel, þe ſone of Cenez, þe laſſe broþer of Caleph. And þe ſpiryt of þe Lord was in hym, and he demyde Irael. And he wente out to fiȝt, and þe Lord took into þe hoondys of hym Chuſanraſaþaym, þe kyng of Syrie, and oppreſſide hym.

And þe loond reſtid fourti ȝeer; and Oþonyel, þe ſone of Cenez, died. Forſoþe þe ſones of Yrael addiden to doon yuel in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord; þe which coumfortide aȝens hem Eglo, þe kyng of Moab, for þei diden yuel in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord. And he cowplid to hem þe ſones of Amon and of Amalech; and he wente, and ſmoot Yrael, and he weeldide þe citee of Palmys. And þe ſones of Yrael ſerueden to Eglon, þe kyng of Moab, eiȝteen ȝeer. And aftirward þei cryeden to þe Lord; þe which reryde to hem a ſaueour, Aod bi name, þe ſone of Gera, ſone of Gemyny, þe which eiþer hoond vſide for þe riȝt.

And þe ſones of Yrael ſenden bi hym ȝiftis to Eglon, þe kyng of Moab; þe which maade to hym a ſwerd bitynge in eche ſide, hauynge in þe mydil a pomel of lengþe of þe palm of an hoond; and he is gird wiþ it vndur þe coot armure, in þe riȝt hipe. And he offerde ȝiftis to Eglon, þe kyng of Moab; forſoþe Eglon was myche fat. And whanne he hadde offerd to hym ȝiftis, he folwide felawis þat wiþ hym camen; and turned aȝen fro Galgalis, where weren þe mawmettis, ſeide to þe kyng, A preue word Y haue to þee, O kyng. And he comaundide ſilence. And alle men goon out, þat weren a bout hym, Aod wente into hym; forſoþe he ſat in þe ſomer ſowpynge place alone. And he ſeide, Þe word of God Y haue to þee.

Þe which anoon roos fro þe troon. And Aod ſtrauȝte out þe left hoond, and he took þe ſwerd fro his riȝt hipe; and he piȝte into his wombe ſo ſtrongly, þat þe pomel folwide þe yren in þe wound, and þat wiþ mooſt fat grees it was ſtreyned; ne he drewe out þe ſwerd, but ſo as he ſmoot, he lafte in þe bodi; and anoon bi þe pryuetees of kynde þe tordis of þe wombe burſten out. Forſoþe Aod, cloſyde mooſt biſilich þe doris of þe ſowpynge place, and faſtnyd wiþ lok, wente out bi þe poſtern. And þe ſeruauntis of þe kyng goon yn, ſeyȝen þe ȝatis of þe ſowpinge place cloſid, and ſeiden, Perauenture he purgiþ þe wombe in þe ſomer ſowpynge place.

And abidynge long, to þe tyme þat þei weren aſhamyd, and ſeynge þat no man opnyde, þei token þe keye, and opnynge þei foonden her lord liggynge deed in þe erþe. Forſoþe Aod, while þei weren diſturbid, flowȝ awey, and he paſſide þe place of mawmettis, whens he turnede aȝen; and he cam into Seyraþ. And anoon he ſownede wiþ tromp in þe hil of Effraym; and þe ſones of Yrael deſſendiden wiþ hym, hym goynge in þe frount. Þe which ſeide to hem, Folwe ȝe me, forſoþe þe Lord haþ taak oure enemyes, Moabitis, into oure hoondis. And þei wenten doun after hym, and þei occupyeden þe foordis of Jordan, þat ouerſenden in to Moab.

And þei ſufferden not eny man to paſſe ouere, but þei ſmyten Moabites þat tyme about ten þowſand, alle myȝti and ſtronge men; noon of hem myȝte aſcaape. And Moab is mekid þat day vndur þe hows of Yrael, and þe loond reſtide foure ſcoor ȝeer. After þis was Sangar, þe ſone of Anaþ, þat ſmoot of Philiſtiym ſix hundrid men wiþ a ſhaar; and he forſoþe defendide Irael.