Numbers · Chapter 1

[ edit] The Lord ſpak to Moyſes in deſeert of Synay, in þe tabernacle of þe boond of peeſe, þe firſt day of þe ſecounde moneþ, þat oþer ȝeer of þe goyng of hem out of Egipte, ſeiynge, Take ȝe þe ſowme of al þe congregacioun of þe ſones of Yrael, by kynredis, and her howſes, and þe names of eche, what euer of þe maal kynd, fro þe twentiþe ȝeer and aboue, of alle þe ſtronge men of Yrael; and ȝe ſhulen noumbre hem bi her companyes, þow and Aaron.

And þere ſhulen be wiþ ȝow þe prynces of þe lynages, and of þe howſis, in her kynredes, whos names ben þes; of Ruben, Eliſur, þe ſone of Sedeur; of Symeon, Salamyel, þe ſone of Sury of Sadday; of Juda, Naaſon, þe ſone of Amynadab; of Yſachar, Naþanael, þe ſone of Suar; of Zabulon, Eliab, þe ſone of Elon; of þe ſones forſoþe of Joſeph, of Effraym, Elizama, þe ſone of Amyud; of Manaſſe, Gamaliel, þe ſone of Phadaſſeur; of Beniamyn, Abidan, þe ſone of Gedeon; of Dan, Aiezer, þe ſone of Amyſadday; of Aſer, Phegiel, þe ſone of Ochran; of Gad, Elizaphan, þe ſone of Duel; of Neptalym, Ayra, þe ſone of Henam.

Þes þe mooſt noble princes of þe multitude, bi þe lynages, and her kynredes, and þe heedes of þe ooſt of Yrael, þe whiche Moyſes and Aaron token, wiþ al þe multitude of þe comoun. And þei gadreden to gidere þe firſt day of þe ſecounde moneþ, noumbrynge hem bi kynredes, and howſes, and meynees, and heedes, and names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, as þe Lord comaundide to Moyſes; and þei ben noumbred in þe deſert of Synay. Of Ruben, þe fyrſt goten of Yrael, bi generaciouns, and meyneys, and his howſes, and þe names of þe heedes of echon, and al þat is of maal kynde, fro twenti ȝeer and aboue, of men goynge forþ to batayl, ſix and fourti þowſynd and fyue hundreþ.

Of þe ſones of Semeon, bi his generaciouns, and meyneis, and howſes of his kynredes, ben noumbred bi names and heedes of echon, al þat is of maal kynde, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, of men goynge to bateil, nyn and fyfti þowſynd and þre hundreþ. Of þe ſones of Gad, by generaciouns, and meyneis, and alle þat ſhulden goo to batail, fyue and fourti þowſynd and ſix hundriþ and fifti. Of þe ſones of Juda, by generacyouns, and meyneis, and howſes of her kynredes, bi þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþe to batails, ben noumbred foure and ſeuenti þowſyndes and ſix hundriþ.

Of þe ſones of Yſachar, bi kynredys, and meyneis, and howſes of her kynredes, bi þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat ſhulden goo to batail, ben noumbred foure and fifti þouſynd and four hundriþ. Of þe ſones of Zabulon, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes of her kynredes, ben noumbred bi names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþe to batayl, ſeuen and fifti þouſyndes and foure hundriþ. Of þe ſones of Joſeph, of þe ſones of Effraym, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes of her kynredes, ben noumbred bi þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþ to batail, fourti þouſynd and fyue hundriþ.

Forſoþe of þe ſones of Manaſſe, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes of her kynredes, ben noumbred by þe names of echon, fro twenti ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþe to batail, two and þretti þowſynd and two hundriþ. Of þe ſones of Beniamyn, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes of her kynredes, ben noumbred wiþ þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþe to batail, fyue and þritti þowſynd and foure hundriþ. Of þe ſones of Dan, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes of her kynredes, ben noumbred wiþ þe names of echon, fro twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo forþe to batayl, two and ſexti þouſynd and ſeuen hundreþ.

Of þe ſones of Aſer, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſis of her kynredes, ben noumbred bi þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, þat myȝten goo forþ to batail, fourti þouſynd and a þouſind and fyue hundreþ. Of þe ſones of Neptalym, bi generaciouns, and meyneis, and houſes, and her kynredes, ben noumbred wiþ þe names of echon, fro þe twentiþ ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten goo to batail, þre and fifti þouſynd and foure hundriþ. Þes ben whom noumbred Moyſes and Aaron, and þe twelue princes of Yrael, eche bi þe houſes of her kynredes.

And þere were alle togidere of þe ſones of Yrael, bi howſes, and her meyneis, fro twenti ȝeer and aboue, alle þat myȝten go forþ to batail, ſix hundriþ þre þouſyndis of men, fyue hundriþ and fifti. Leuytes forſoþe in þe lynage of her meyneis ben not noumbrid wiþ hem. And þe Lord ſpak to Moyſes, ſeiynge, Þe lynage of Leuy wole þow not noumbre, ne putte þe ſowm of hem wiþ þe ſones of Yrael; but þow ſhalt ordeyne hem vpon þe tabernacle of witneſſynge, alle þe veſſels of it, and what euer þing to þe ſerymonyes perteyneþ. Þei ſhulen bere þe tabernacle, and alle þe vſable þinges of it, and þei ſhulen be in þe ſeruyce, and bi enuyroun of þe tabernacle þei ſhulen ſette her tentes.

Whanne it were to go forþ, þe Leuytes ſhulen ſett down þe tabernacle, whanne þei ſhulen arere þe tentis to be ſett; who ſo euer of oþer lynages comen þere neiȝ, ſhal be ſlayn. And þe ſones of Yrael ſhulen ſette tentes, eche bi þe companyes, and felowſhips, and her ooſtis; forſoþe þe Leuytes bi enuyroun of þe tabernacle ſhulen ficche tentes, leſt þere be maad indignacioun vpon þe multitude of þe ſones of Yrael; and þei ſhulen watche in þe waardes of þe tabernacle of wytneſſynge. Þanne þe ſones of Yrael diden after alle þingis þat þe Lord hadde comaundide to Moyſes.