Part 16

Ðo quad Ioſue and calef, "Leateð ben ſwilc wurdes ref, And doð nogt god almigten wrong, Iſ milce iſ mikel, iſ ſtrenge iſ ſtrong." 3728

God threatens them.

ðor ðrette god hem alle to ſlen, If moyſes ne wore ðor agen;

For Moses' sake he spareth them.

Oc for iſ benes and for iſ ſake[n], get he ſal wið hem milche maken, 3732

The murmurers are deprived of entering the land.

Oc alle he ſulen wenden a-gen, And in ðe deſert longe ben; And on ðe .xx. winter hold or mor ut of egipte told, 3736 ðat hauen ðuſ often fand, Ne ſulden welden ðat leue land,

Joshua and Caleb are excepted.

Wið-vten Ioſue & calef, Here rigt-wiſed waſ gode lef. 3740

Much sorrow came upon the people.

Moyſes told hem al ðis anſwere, And he ben ſmiten i_n_ ſorweſ dere;

Yet thirty-seven years shall they be in the desert.

Get he ſulen .xxx.vii. ger In ðe deſert ben vten her. 3744

[Fol. 73.]

Agen he maden here dragt, Al-ſo ðat ſkie haueð[354] tagt. Oſwas was moyſes eam,[355] And chore was iſ bernteam; 3748

Korah, with two hundred and fifty princes, rebel against Moses.

Ille nið iſ herte wexe on A-gen moyſen and aaron,

[353] MS. ðragen.

[354] MS. haued.

[355] MS. cam.

THE REBELLION OF KORAH AND ABIRAM.

Hem two .ii. hundred men, And two[356] ðo .xl. and ten; 3752

They said they were more worthy to perform the services of the Tabernacle.

He ſeiden he weren wurði bet to ðat ſeruiſe to ben ſet; And two migtful he hauen taken, Meiſtres princes he wolden he_m_ make_n_, 3756

Dathan and Abiram were joined to Korah.

On dathan(.) an oðer Abiron. Moyſes it herde and ſeide a-non, "To-morwen beð her alle redi,

Moses' directions to the company of Korah.

And ilc gure oðer ſtonde bi; 3760 And ilc gure hiſe reklefat, And fier ðor-inne and timi_n_ge on ðat, And ðan ſulde we brigte ſen, Q_u_ilc gure ſal god q_u_emest ben." 3764 And ðuſ it waſ on morgen don,

Dathan and Abiram would not obey the command of Moses.

Ne wulde he, dathan(.) ne abiron, For orgel p_ri_de forð ðor cumen; Moyſes wið[357] folc iſ to hem numen, 3768 In here teld he ſtonden a-gen Moyſes and vr, [&] ne wulde gon;

[Fol. 73b.]

Moyſes ðor gret and bad iſ bede,

The earth swallowed up Korah.

And erðe denede[358] ſone i_n_ ðat ſtede, 3772 And opnede vnder [h]ere fet; Held up neiðer ſton ne gret, Alle he ſunken ðe erðe wið-in, Wið wifes, and childre, and hines-kin, 3776 Swilc endeſið vn-bi-wen hauen;

None had need to toil in burying them.

darð[359] noman ſwinken hem to g_ra_uen, ðiſ erðe iſ to-gidere luken, Als it ne were neu_er_e or to-broken. 3780 FOr chore wel wiſte ðat

A fire came from God,

Gret fier wond vt of is reclefat, And of iſ fere on and on,

and burnt the two hundred and fifty men.

And for-brende hem ðor eu_er_ilck on; 3784 Oc aaron al hol and fer, Cam hi_m_ no fieres ſwaðe ner;

[356] to?

[357] MS. wid.

[358] MS. deuede.

[359] MS. ðarð.

A PLAGUE SLAYS FOURTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE.

Of the censers were made crowns for the altar of brass.

Of ðo Reklefates for wurðing, Woren mad, and for muning, 3788 Corunes at ðe alter of bras, ðe at here tabernacle was.

On the morrow the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, who fled to the Tabernacle.

For al ðiſ, oðer day ðor waſ neſt, Agenes moyſes and iſ prest 3792 Gan al ðiſ folc wið wreðe gon, And wulden hem werpen ſtones on; To ðe tabernacle he ben flogen, ðor [h]aueth a ſkie he_m_ wel bi-togen; 3796

[Fol. 74.] A fire slew many of the people.

A fier magti ðat folc feſt on, And haueð manige ðor for-don. ðan bad moyſes aaron, wið hiſe Rekelefat, to ðat fir gon; 3800 And he it dede[360] alſ he hi_m_ b[e]ad,

Aaron stays the plague.

Ran and ſtod tuen[361] liues and dead, And ðiſ fier bleſſede and wið-drog, It [h]adde or ſlagen manige ynog; 3804

Fourteen thousand and eighty were thus slain.

.xiiii. ðhusent it haueð ſlagen, And .iiii. ſcore of liue dragen. Ðog ðiſ folc miðe a ſtund for-dred,

The Israelites do not recognise Aaron's authority,

ðog he ben get i_n_ ſunder red, 3808 Get he aglen on here red(.) and wen ðat it mai loked betre ben; ðog ðiſe brende ben for-ſaken, ðog he wenen ðat god ſal taken 3812

but think that others are fitted for the service of God.

Of ðo .xii. tribuz ſu_m_me mo, To ben ðor he for-hu-gede ðo, Or ynog raðe of eu_er_ilc kin, He wile ðat ſu_m_me ſerue ðor-in. 3816 "Childre," q_u_at moyſes, "gure ſtrif

Moses addresses the people,

dereð ðe ſowle and greueð ðe lif; Do we uſ alle in godes red,

and directs each prince of the tribes to take a rod, and to write every man his name upon it.

Vs ſal timen ðe betre ſped; 3820 Ilc prince me take hiſe wond, And do we us here i_n_ godes hond;

[360] MS. ðede.

[361] MS. tiren.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON CONFIRMED.

[Fol. 74b.]

And on [ilc] wond writen ſal ben ðe kindes name ðe ðor to tgen; 3824 God ſal to-morgen token don, Q_u_ilc kinde he wile ðiſ meſt_er_ on.

The rods were written upon,

ðuſ it was don, and on a wond Wið-uten[362] ðo wrot he wið hond 3828 ðe twelfte names of ðat kin;

and laid before the Lord in the Tabernacle.

ðe tabernacle he dedis in, And ðor he iſ haued god bi-tagt, And let iſ ben ðor al ðat nagt. 3832

On the morrow the rods were examined,

O morgen q_u_an he com a-gen, Q_u_at was bitid he let hem ſen; Ilc wond he fond of eu_er_ilc kin Alſ ſwilc alſ he iſ dede ðor-in; 3836

and Aaron's rod, of the house of Levi, had budded, blossomed, and brought forth almonds,

Oc on, ðe was of aaron, (Writen was name leui ðor-on), It was grene and leaued bi-cumen, And nutes amigdeles ðor-onne numen; 3840 ðo wiſten he ðat[363] aaron

so it was seen that God had appointed Aaron as bishop.

Was hem biſſop ðurg god don; To ſen gode witneſſe ðor-on, ðat wond was in ðat arche don. 3844 [I]N ðe deſert he wuneden ðor

Thirty-seven years and more the people abode in the desert,

.xxx.vii. winter and mor; Longe abuten munt ſeyr, folgede hem ðat ſkie ſcir, 3848

[Fol. 75.] wandering about from place to place,

And often to ðe ſe ðor-bi, And often to ðe munt ſynay; Her and gund ðor he biried lin,

and all the old ones died.

Alle he[364] olde deden ðor fin. 3852 And at ðe laſte ne-ðe-les, Eft he come ſone to cades,

At Kadesh Miriam died,

ðor was moyſes ſiſter dead; ðat folc ðor .xxx. daiges a-bead, 3856 And after wune faire hire bi-stod, wið teres, rem, and frigti mod;

[362] MS. wid-uten.

[363] MS. dat.

[364] ðhe?

THE DEATH OF AARON AT HOR.

and her body was buried in Mount Zin.

Hire lich iſ biried in munt ſin, Hire ſowle iſ reſted ſtede wið-in. 3860 It bi-tidde after hire dead

The people murmur for water.

ðat ðis folc ſorge i_n_ ðriſte abead. And ðer roſ wreððe and ſtrif a-non Agen moyſen and aaron; 3864

Moses is commanded to gather the people before the rock at Meribah.

God [bad] ſemelen folc and gon, And foren he_m_ ſmiten on ðe ſton And ſeide, ut of ðe ſmiten ſton Ynog hem ſulde wat_er_ gon; 3868 He and hiſ folc comen ðer-to, Ic wene frigtlike ðat he do; Ones he ſmot ðor on ðe ſton,

Moses smote the rock twice, and the water flowed forth,

And miſte, and ſag ðe water gon; 3872 An oðer ſiðe he went iſ ðogt Betre and ſoftere, and ne miſte nogt,

[Fol. 75b.] and the folk and cattle had enough.

ðo flew ðor[365] water michil and ſtrong, Al folc and erue a-nog a-mong. 3876

The people are denied a passage through Edom.

Ðvrg lond edom ne migte_n_ he faren, ðor-fore he ſulen a-buten charen Bi ðe deſert of arabie lond; Long weige and coſtful he ðor fond, 3880 forð bi archim ðat meiſt_er_ burg; ðe deſert aren he walkeden ðurg,

They come to Mount Hor,

Til ðat[366] he comen to munt hor; Aaron ðo wente of liwe ðor, 3884

where Aaron dies.

Eleazar, iſ ſune, him neſt Was mad biſſop and meiſt_er_ p_re_ſt.

Thirty days the folk mourned for him.

xxx. daiges ðat folc in wep Wið bedes, and gret, and teres wep; 3888 Get iſt ſene, on ðe mu_n_t on ðat ſtede, Q_u_or men aaron i_n_ birieles dede;

The age of Aaron.

vii. ſcore ger and .iii. told, ðor he lið doluen on ðat wold. 3892 Forð ðeðen he comen to ſalmona,

The people murmur,

for-weried grucheden he ðoa,

[365] MS. dor.

[366] MS. dat.

SIHON AND OG ARE OVERCOME.

ðor-fore hem cam wrim-kin among,

and are plagued with serpents.

ðat hem wel bitterlike ſtong; 3896 Non oðer red ðor don ne waſ,

They, repenting, are healed by a serpent of brass,

Moyſes ðor made a wirme of bras, And henget hege up-on a ſaft, ðurg godes bode and godes craf[t]; 3900

[Fol. 76.]

Q_u_at ſtungen man so ſag ðor-on, ðat werk him ſone al was vn-don;

which long afterwards was worshipped in Jerusalem.

Digere it was al ðat berem-tem,[367] figer ſiðen in-to ierusalem; 3904 oc ſiðen it waſ to duſte don, for ðat folc miſleuede ðor-on.[368]

The people come to Zered.

Frigti nam forð ðis folc and bleð, Til he comen to flum iareth; 3908 ðiſ water him on-ſunder drog, And let hem ouer, drige ynog;

Sihon, king of the Amorites, comes out against Israel and is overcome.

King ouer(.) amor(.) reos(.) ſeon, for to figten cam he_m_ ageon; 3912 ðiſ folc him ſlog and hiſ lond tok, Suð fro arnon, norð to iabok, And weſten al to flu_m_ iordan;

The king of Bashan is slain.

Oc he ſlugen king of baſaan. 3916 To lond moab drugen he ſo, ðor nu iſ a burg, ierico. Balaac king was for-dred for-ðan, And ſente in to lond madian, 3920 To hiſe frend ðe ben hi_m_ neſt;

Balak sends after Balaam,

And ſente after balaam ðe preſt, Wið riche men an[d] giftes oc, for to ſtillen hiſe [vn-]eðe mod, 3924 And bad him cumen for to don

to curse the folk of Israel.

fol[c] of yſrael hiſ curſing on.

[Fol. 76b.]

Balaam wið-[h]eld him ðor ðat nagt

The failure of the first message.

To witen q_u_at him ſal wurðen tagt; 3928 Al waſ iſ fultu_m_ and hiſ ſped

[367] beren-tem?

[368] For this see 2 Kings, xviii. 4.

BALAAM SETS OUT TO CURSE ISRAEL.

Bi-luken ille, in fendes red. On nigt hi_m_ cam ſonde fro gode, Agen ðiſ kinges[369] red for-bode, 3932

God forbids Balaam to curse the Israelites.

And ðat he ne curſe non del ðiſ folc ðat god bliſcede wel. O morgen ſeide he, "fare ic nogt, for bode iſ me fro gode brogt." 3936

Balak's second message to the prophet.

Balaac ſente richere an[d] mo Medes, and oðer men to ðo. "Sondes, ſondes," q_u_að balaam, Or he ðeſe oðere medes nam, 3940

Balaam's answer to the messengers.

"Ðog balaac king me goue hold, Hiſ huſ ful of ſiluer and of gold, Ne mai ic wenden her bi-neðen;" Godes wurd iſ cumen alſ it iſ q_ue_ðen;[370] 3944 Oc or or ge wenden agen, ðiſ nigt ic ſal fonden and ſen." Q_u_at tiding so it cam on ðe nigt, On morgen, at ðe daiges ligt, 3948

He consents to go with the princes of Moab,

Vp-on hiſe aſſe hiſ ſadel he dede, To madian lond wente he hiſ ride, And wente iſ herte on werre ðhogt; Wicke giſcing it haueð[371] al wrogt. 3952

being influenced by covetousness.

ðuſ rideð forð ðiſ man for-loren,

[Fol. 77.] An angel meets him in the way. The ass is frightened,

An angel drog an ſwerd him bi-foren, ðiſ aſſe wurð ſo ſore of-dred, Vt of ðe weige it haueð him led. 3956 Sellic ðogte balaam for-ði, And bet and wente it to ðe ſti Bi-twen two walles of ſton;

and turns aside to the wall,

Eft ſtod ðiſ angel him a-gon,[372] 3960 ðiſ aſſe iſ eft of weige ſtired,[373] So ðat balames fot iſ hird;[374]

so that Balaam's foot is crushed.

And he wurð ðo for anger wroð, And ðiſ prikeð and negt ſloð; 3964

[369] MS. ginges.

[370] MS. queden.

[371] MS. haued.

[372] ? agen.

[373] ? stirt.

[374] ? hirt.

BALAAM'S ASS SPEAKS.

The angel went further, and stood in a narrow place,

forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe hi_m_ bar, And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war. ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen,

and the ass fell down under Balaam,

Ne he ne durſte forðere ten, 3968 Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don,

who smote her with his staff.

Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on; And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð,

God opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to her master.

So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð. 3972 Q_u_uað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe, "Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?" Q_u_að balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me; Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe." 3976

Nevertheless this infatuated man was not frightened.

So was ðis were to wunder brogt, ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt;

[Fol. 77b.]

ðe let god[375] him ðat angel ſen,

The angel tells Balaam,

wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen. 3980 Q_u_að ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð,

that but for the ass he would have slain him.

ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;[376] If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen, Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen." 3984

The prophet offers to return.

Q_u_að balaam, "q_u_ane ic haue miſ-faren, If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen."

He is cautioned by the angel.

"far forð," q_u_að ðe angel, "oc loc ðe wel, for-bi min red, q_u_að ðu non del." 3988

Balak entertains Balaam.

forð-na_m_ balaa_m_, and balaac king Cam him a-gen for wurðing, Gaf him giftes of mikil priſ; And balaam ſeide him to wiſ, 3992 "Sal ic non wurd[377] mugen forð-don, Vten ðat god me leið on."

Balak causes seven altars to be built.

Balaac him leddede[378] heg on an hil, And .vii. alteres wrogte in his wil, 3996 On ilc alter fier alðerneðer,

On each altar was offered a bullock and a wether.

And ðor-on an calf and a weðer, And he bad balaac ſtonden ðor-bi, And gede on-rum q_u_i[379] bute for-ði, 4000

[375] MS. goð.

[376] wroð?

[377] MS. wurð.

[378] ledde?

[379] q_u_ile?

BALAAM BLESSES ISRAEL.

fro abuuen cam to him bi-neðen, Word in herte ðat[380] he ſal queðen;

God's word comes to Balaam,

Q_u_an he cam to balaac a-gen, Swilc wurdes he let vt-ten. 4004

[Fol. 78.]

"Hu mai ic ðat folc curſen on,

and he blesses Israel.

ðor lou_er_d haueð[381] bliſcing don? ðiſ folk ſal waxen wel and ðen, And ou_er_ al oðer migtful ben, 4008 Hiſ lif beð bliðe, hiſ ending ſal, ðe timeð al-ſo ðiſ time_n_ ſal."

Balak is greatly displeased.

Balaac miſliked al ðiſ q_ue_ðe,[382] And ledde he_m_ ðeðen on oðer ſtede, 4012 To munt faga, for to ſen wel Of folc iſrael ðe oðer del.

He brings the prophet to another place.

He wente on oðer ſtund or ſtede, Betre timi_n_g ðor-fore he it dede, 4016 And wende wenden godes ðogt, Oc al he ſwinked him for nogt.

Again seven altars were raised, and offerings made.

Hef[t] haueð he mad her .vii. alter, And on ilc brend eft twin der. 4020 Gede eft balaam up on-rum, ðo ſeide ðuſ q_u_anne hem ca_m_ dun,

The parable of Balaam.

"ðis folc, ſprungen of iſrael, Iſ vnder god timed wel; 4024 Al-ſo leun iſ migtful der,

Israel is compared to a lion.

So ſal ðiſ folc ben migtful her; ðiſ leun ſal oðer folc freten, Lond canaan al preige bi-geten." 4028

Balak was ill pleased with the priest's words.

Ille liked ðanne balaac Eu_er_ilc word ðe p_re_ſt balaam ſpac.

[Fol. 78b.] Balak brings Balaam to Mount Peor.

Get he ledde him to munt fegor, And efte he ſacrede deres mor; 4032 ðor[383] ſpac balaam mikel mor Of ðiſ folckes migt, or he dede or. "folc ebru," q_u_að he, "ðat ic ſe,

Again he blesses the Israelites,

Bliſced ſal ben ðe bliſcede ðe; 4036

[380] MS. dat.

[381] MS. haued.

[382] quede?

[383] MS. dor.

BALAAM'S ADVICE TO BALAK.

And q_u_uo-ſo wile curſing maken, Ille curſing ſal him taken;

and prophesies their future happiness and greatness.

Of ðe ſal riſen ſterre brigt, And a wond ðe ſal ſmiten rigt 4040 Moab kinges, and under-don Al ſedes-kin ðiſ werld up-on."

Such tidings made Balak's heart sore.

Manie tiding q_u_ad balaam ðor, ðe made balakes herte ſor; 4044 Oc ðan balaam wente a-gen,

Balaam teaches Balak how to injure the Israelites,

Tagte he balaam q_u_at migte ben ðiſ folc to dere, and gaf him red ðat brogt iſr_ae_l iwel ſped. 4048

by sending out young women fair of face and soft of speech,

"ðe ginge wi_m_men of ðin lond, faiger on ſigte an[d] ſofte on hond, And brigte on hewe, on ſpeche glad, Wið ðgere[384] ſal ic ſondes ſad, 4052 ðe ðu ten vt gen ðiſ men,

who should "brew heart-burning and love,"

ðe cunen[385] brewen herte-bren, wið win, and wlite, & bodi, & dwale, Luue[li]ke and wið ſpeche ſmale, 4056

[Fol. 79.] and so turn the people from God.

To wenden hem fro godes age To ði londe godes and vre lage; Bute-if ðu migt forðen ðiſ red, And hem fro godes luue led, 4060

For war nor weapon had no power to harm them.

And fonde to wenden ðuſ here ðhogt, for wi ne wopen ne helpeð[386] nogt." forð-nam balaam, ðat ille q_u_[e]ad ðe gaf ðiſ read of ſoules dead. 4064

This counsel was followed,

ðuſ it was don, and bi ðat ſel

and thus it fell that Israel sinned in Shittim,

In ſichin ſingede iſrael, And for luue of ðiſ hore-plage Manie for-leten godes lage, 4068 And wrogten ðor ſwilc ſoules for

and worshipped Baal-peor.