the elders and to them that brought vp Ahabs children saying 2 Nowe when this letter commeth to you ye that haue with you your maisters sonnes ye haue with you both charets and horses a strong citie haue ye also and harnesse 3 Loke which of your maisters sonnes is best and most meete and set him on his fathers seate and fight for your lordes house 4 But they were exceedingly afrayde sayde See two kinges were not able to stande before him howe shall we then be able to stande 5 And he that was gouernour of Ahabs house he that ruled the citie the elders also the tutours sent to Iehu saying We are thy seruauntes will do all that thou shalt byd vs we wil make no man king therefore do thou what seemeth good in thyne eyes 6 Then he wrote another letter to them saying If ye be myne and wil hearken vnto my voyce then take the heades of the men that are your maisters sonnes and come to me to Iezrahel by to morowe this time And the kinges sonnes were threescore and ten persons and they were with the great men of the citie which brought them vp 7 And when the letter came to them they toke the kinges children and slue them euen threescore and ten persons layed their heades in baskettes and sent them to him to Iezrahel 8 And there came a messenger and told him saying They haue brought the heades of the kinges sonnes And he said Let them lay them on two heapes in the entring in of the gate vntill the morning 9 And when it was day he went out and stoode and sayde to al the folke Ye be righteous Behold I conspired against my maister and slue him But who slue all these 10 Learne here that there shall fall vnto the earth nothing of the worde of the Lorde whiche he spake concerning the house of Ahab For the Lorde hath brought to passe y e thinges that he spake by the hande of his seruaunt Elias 11 And so Iehu slue all that remayned of the house of Ahab in Iezrahel and all that were great with him and his kinsfolkes and his priestes so that he leâ— nothing of him remayne 12 And he arose departed and came to Samaria And when Iehu was in the way of the house where the sheepheardes dyd sheare their sheepe 13 He met with the brethren of Ahaziahu king of Iuda and sayde What are ye They aunswered The brethren of Ahaziahu are we and go downe to salute the children of the king of the queene 14 And he said Take them alyue Whom when they had taken them alyue they slue them at the wel whiche was beside the house where the sheepe are shoren euen two and fourtie men neither left he any of them 15 And when he was departed thence he met with Iehonadab the sonne of Rechab comming against him and he blessed him sayde to him Is thyne heart right as myne heart is true with thine And Iehonadab aunswered Yea that it is Then geue me thyne hand And when he had geuen him his hande he toke him vp to him into the charet 16 And sayde Come with me and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. And so they made him ride in his charet 17 And when he came to Samaria he slue al that remained vnto Ahab in Samaria till he had wiped him out accorcording to the saying of the Lord which he spake to Elias 18 And Iehu gathered all the people together and sayd vnto them Ahab serued Baal a litle but Iehu shall serue him more 19 Now therfore call vnto me all the prophetes of Baal all such as serue him and al his priestes let none be lacking For I haue a great sacrifice to do to Baal therefore whosoeuer is missed he shall not lyue But Iehu dyd it for a sutteltie to the intent that he might destroy the seruauntes of Baal 20 And Iehu sayde Proclayme an holy conuocation for Baal And they proclaymed it 21 And Iehu sent vnto all Israel and al the seruauntes of Baal came that there was not a man left behind that came not And they came into the house of Baal and the house of Baal was full from one ende to another 22 And he sayde vnto him that was the keper of the vestrie Bring foorth garmentes for all the seruauntes of Baal And he brought them out garmentes 23 And when Iehu went with Iehonadab the sonne of Rechab into the house of Baal he sayd vnto the seruauntes of Baal Searche loke that ther be here with you none of the seruauntes of the Lord but the seruauntes of Baal only 24 And when they went in to offer sacrifice and burnt offring Iehu appoynted foure score men without and sayde If any of y e men whom I haue brought vnder your handes escape he that letteth him go shall dye for him 25 And it fortuned that assoone as he had made an ende of offring the burnt sacrifice Iehu sayd to the men of warre and to the captaynes Go in and slay them let none come out And they smote them with the edge of the sword And the men of warre the captaynes cast them out went to the citie of the temple of Baal 26 And fet the images out of the temple of Baal and burnt them 27 And they brake the image of Baal and brake the house of Baal made a draft house of it vnto this day 28 And so Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel 29 But from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat whiche made Israel to sinne Iehu departed not from them neither from the golden calues that were in Bethel and in Dan. 30 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iehu Because thou hast done right wel in bringing to passe the thing that is right in myne eyes and hast done vnto the house of Ahab according to all thinges that are in myne heart therefore shall thy children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seate of Israel 31 But Iehu cared not for this to walke in the lawe of the Lorde God of Israel with all his heart for he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam whiche made Israel to sinne 32 In those dayes the Lorde began to cut Israel short and Hazael smote them in all the coastes of Israel 33 From Iordane eastward euen all the land of Gilead the Gadites the Rubenites and them that were of Manasses from Aroer which is by the riuer Arnon euen Gilead and Basan 34 The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehu and al that he did al his power are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel 35 And Iehu slept with his fathers and they buryed him in Samaria Iehoahas his sonne raigned in his steade 36 And the time that Iehu raigned vpon Israel in Samaria is twentie eyght yeres The .xi Chapter 1 Athalia putteth to death all the kinges sonnes except Ioas
cryed with a lowde voyce in the Iewes language and spake saying Heare the wordes of the great king euen of the king of Assyria 29 Thus sayth the king Let not Hezekia beguile you for he shal not be able to deliuer you out of myne hande 30 Neither let Hezekia make you to trust in the Lorde saying The Lorde shall surely deliuer vs this citie shall not be geuen ouer into the hande of the king of Assyria 31 Hearken not vnto Hezekia For thus sayth the king of Assyria Deale kindely with me and come out to me and then eate euery man of his owne vine and of his owne figge tree and drincke euery man of the water of his owne well 32 Till I come and fet you to as good a lande as yours is a lande of corne and wine a lande of bread and vineyardes a lande of oyle of olyue trees and of hony that ye may liue and not dye And hearken not vnto Hezekia for he beguileth you saying The Lorde shall deliuer vs. 33 Hath euery one of the gods of the nations deliuered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria 34 Where is the god of Hamath of Arphad and where is the god of Sepharuaim Hena and Iua Dyd they deliuer Samaria out of myne hande 35 And what god is among al the gods of the nations that hath deliuered his land out of myne hande Shall the Lorde deliuer Hierusalem out of myne hande 36 But the people held their peace and aunswered not him a word for the king had commaunded saying Aunswere hym not 37 Then Eliakim the sonne of Helkia which was the steward of the houshold and Sobna the scribe Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder came to Hezekia with their clothes rent and tolde him the wordes of Rabsakeh The .xix. Chapter 6 God promiseth Isai victorie to Hezekia 35 The angel of the Lord killeth an hundreth and fourescore and fiue thousand men of the Assyrians 37 Sennacherib is killed of his owne sonnes 1 SO it came to passe that when king Hezekia hearde it he rent his clothes put on sacke came into the house of the Lorde 2 And sent Eliakim which was the steward of the houshold and Sobna the scribe and the elders of the priestes clothed in sacke to Isai the prophete the sonne of Amoz 3 And they sayd vnto him thus sayth Hezekia This day is a day of tribulation of rebuke and blasphemie For the children are come to the byrth and there is no strength to be deliuered 4 Peraduenture the Lorde thy God will heare al the wordes of Rabsakeh whō the king of Assyria his maister hath sent to rayle on the lyuing God to rebuke him with wordes which the Lorde thy God hath hearde And lift thou vp thy prayer for the remnaunt that are left 5 So the seruauntes of king Hezekia came to Isai 6 And Isai sayde vnto them So shall ye say to your maister Thus sayth the Lorde Be not afrayde of the wordes which thou hast heard with which the young men of the king of Assyria haue rayled on me 7 Beholde I will put hym in another mynde and he shall heare tydinges and so returne to his owne land and I will bring to passe that he shall fall vpon the sworde euen in his owne land 8 And Rabsakeh went backe againe and founde the king of Assyria fighting against Libna for he had hearde howe that he was departed from Lachis 9 And when he hearde men say of Thirhaka king of the blacke Mores Behold he is come out to fight against thee he departed and sent messengers vnto Hezekia saying 10 Thus speake to Hezekia king of Iuda saying Let not thy God deceaue thee in whom thou trustest saying Hierusalem shall not be deliuered into the hand of the king of Assyria 11 Beholde thou hast hearde what the kinges of Assyria haue done to all landes how they haue vtterly destroyed them And shalt thou escape 12 Haue the gods of the heathen deliuered them whiche myne auncestours haue destroyed As Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the children of Eden which were in Thelassar 13 Where is the king of Hamath and the king of Arphad the king of the citie of Sepharuaim and of Hena and Iua 14 And Hezekia receaued the letter of the hand of the messengers and read it And Hezekia went vp into the house of the Lorde and layde it abrode before the Lorde 15 And Hezekia prayed before the Lord and sayd O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene y e Cherubs thou art God alone ouer al the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen earth 16 Lorde bowe downe thyne eare and heare Open Lorde thyne eyes I besech thee and see and heare the wordes of Sennacherib whiche hath sent this man to rayle on the lyuing God 17 Of a trueth Lorde the kinges of Assyria haue destroyed nations and their landes 18 And haue set fire on their gods For they were no gods but the worke of the handes of man euen of wood and stone and they destroyed them 19 Nowe therfore O Lord our God I besech thee saue thou vs out of his hande that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely art the Lorde God 20 And Isai the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekia saying Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel That whiche thou hast prayed me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria I haue hearde it 21 This is therefore the worde that the Lorde hath sayd of him The virgin euen the daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne O thou king of Assyria the daughter of Hierusalem hath shaken her head at thee 22 Whom hast thou rayled on and whom hast thou blasphemed Against whom hast thou exalted thy voyce and lyfted vp thyne eyes so hye Euen against the holy of Israel 23 By the hande of thy messengers thou hast rayled on the Lord and sayd With the multitude of my charets I am come vp to the toppes of the mountaynes euen along by the sides of Libanon and I will cut downe the hye Cedar trees and the lusty fyrre trees therof and I will go into the lodging of his borders and into the wood of his Carmel 24 I haue digged and druncke straunge waters with the steppe of my goyng wil I drye al the water pooles that are besieged 25 Hast thou not heard howe I haue ordeyned such a thing a great whyle ago and haue prepared it from the beginning And shall I not nowe bring it foorth that it may destroy and bring strong cities into wast heapes of stones 26 And the inhabiters of them shal be of litle power and faynt hearted and confounded and shal be lyke the grasse of the field or greene hearbe or as the hay on the toppes of the houses or as the corne that is vnripe smitten with blasting 27 I knowe thy dwelling thy comming out and thy
the archers founde him and he was wounded of shooters 4 Then saide Saul to his harnesse bearer Drawe thy sword and thrust me through therwith that these vncircumcised come not and do me shame But his harnesse bearer would not for he feared exceedingly So Saul caught a sword and fell vpon it 5 And when his harnesse bearer saw that Saul was dead he fell on a sword also and dyed 6 And thus Saul and his three sonnes and al they of his house dyed together 7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley sawe how they fled and that Saul his sonnes were dead they forsoke their cities and ran away and the Philistines came and dwelt in them 8 And it fortuned that on the morowe when the Philistines came to strip the dead bodies they founde Saul and his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboa 9 And when they had stript him they toke his head and his harnesse and sent them into the lande of the Philistines rounde about to shewe them vnto their idols and to the people 10 And they put his harnesse in the house of their god and set vp his head in the temple of Dagon 11 And when all they of Iabes in Gilead hearde all that the Philistines had done to Saul 12 They arose all the strongest of them and fet away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sonnes and brought them to Iabes and buried the bones of them vnder an oke in Iabes and fasted seuen dayes 13 So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed against the Lorde in that he kept not the word of the Lorde and in that he sought and asked counsaile of a woman that wrought with a spirite 14 And asked not of the Lorde and therefore he slue him and turned the kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai ¶ The .xj. Chapter 3 After the death of Saul Dauid is annoynted in Hebron 5 The Iebusites rebell against Dauid from whom he taketh the towre of Sion 6 Ioab is made captayne 10 His valiaunt men 1 THen all Israel gathered them selues to Dauid vnto Hebron saying 2 Beholde we be thy bones and thy fleshe And moreouer in tyme past euen when Saul was king thou leddest Israel out in And the Lorde thy God sayde vnto thee Thou shalt feede my people Israel and thou shalt be captayne ouer my people Israel 3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebrō before the Lorde And they annoynted Dauid king ouer Israel according to the worde of the Lorde by the hande of Samuel 4 And Dauid and all Israel went to Hierusalem which is Iebus where as were the Iebusites the inhabiters of the lande 5 And the inhabiters of Iebus sayde to Dauid Thou commest not in here Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castel of Sion which is called the citie of Dauid 6 And Dauid sayde Whosoeuer smyteth the Iebusites first shal be the principall captayne and a lorde So Ioab the sonne of Zaruia went first vp and was made the chiefe captayne 7 And Dauid dwelt in the castell Sion and therefore they called it the citie of Dauid 8 And he built the citie on euery syde euen from Millo round about and Ioab repaired the rest of the citie 9 And Dauid prospered waxed great the Lorde of hoastes was with him 10 These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had and that claue to him in his kingdome with all Israel to make him king according to the word of the Lorde ouer Israel 11 And this is the number of the mightie men whom Dauid had Iosobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the chiefe among thirtie he lift vp his speare against three hundred and wounded them at one tyme. 12 After him was Eleazar his vncles sonne an Ahothite which was one of the three mightiest 13 He was with Dauid at Pasdammim and there the Philistines were gathered together to battaile And there was there a parcell of grounde full of barly and the people fled before the Philistines 14 And they stept foorth into the middest of the fielde and saued it and slue the Philistines and the Lorde gaue a great victorie 15 And the three of the thirtie chiefe captaynes went to a rocke to Dauid into the caue Adullam And the hoast of the Philistines abode in the valley of Rephaim 16 And when Dauid was in the holde the Philistines watch was at Bethlehem that same tyme. 17 And Dauid longed and sayde Oh that one woulde geue me drinke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethlehem 18 And the three brake through the hoast of the Philistines and drewe water out of the wel that was by y e gate at Bethlehem and toke it and brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse Dauid woulde not drinke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde 19 And sayd my God forbyd it me that I shoulde do this thing Shall I drinke the blood of these men that haue put their liues in ieoperdie for with the ieoperdie of their liues they brought it therefore he would not drinke it And this did these three mightiest 20 And Abisai the brother of Ioab he also was captayne among three For he lyft vp his speare against three hundred and wounded them and had a name among the three 21 Yea among three he was more honorable then the two for he was their captayne Howbeit he attayned not to the first three 22 Banaia y e sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a very strong man which had done many actes of Cabzeel he slue two strong lions of Moab went downe and slue a lion in a pit in time of snowe 23 And he slue an Egyptian whose stature was euen fiue cubites long and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame And the other went downe to him with a waster plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand and slue him with his owne speare 24 Such thinges did Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada and had the name among the three mightiest 25 And was honorable among thirtie but attayned not vnto the first three And Dauid made him of his counsaile 26 The other men of armes were these Asahel the brother of Ioab Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethlehem 27 Samoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite 28 Ira the sonne of Ickes the Thekoite Abieser the Anatothite 29 Sibbecai the Husathite Ilai the Ahohite 30 Maharai the Nepthophathite Heled the sonne of Baana the Nethophathite 31 Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea that pertayned to the children of Beniamin Benaia the Phirathonite 32 Hurai of the riuers of Gaas Abiel the Arbathite 33 Azmaueth the Baharumite Elihaba the Salabonite 34 The sonnes of Hassem the Gezonite Ionathan the sonne of Sage an Hararite 35 Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Hararite Eliphal the sonne of Vr. 36 Hepher the Mecherathite Ahia the Pelonite 37 Hezro the Carmelite
the beautie eloquence strength power successe administration of iustice aboundaunce of riches and maiestie of kyng Solomon with his wife and children setteth foorth Iesus Christe and his espouse the Churche whose eternal kingdome agaynst sinne death and hell is notably figured here in this psalme ¶ To the chiefe musition on the instrument Sosannim to be song of the children of Corach A song of loue geuyng wise instructions 1 MY heart is endityng of a good matter I wyll dedicate my workes vnto the king my tongue is as the penne of a redy writer 2 Thou art fayrer then the children of men full of grace are thy lippes because the Lorde hath blessed thee for euer 3 Girde thee with thy sworde vpon thy thygh O thou most mightie that is with thy glorie and thy maiestie 4 Prosper thou with thy maiestie ryde on the worde of trueth and of affliction for ryghteousnesse sake and thy ryght hande shall teache thee terrible thynges 5 Thyne arrowes are sharpe a people the kynges enemies shall submit in heart them selues vnto thee 6 Thy throne O Lorde endureth for euer and euer the scepter of ryghteousnesse is the scepter of thy kyngdome 7 Thou hast loued iustice and hated vngodlynesse wherfore the Lorde euen thy Lorde hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse more then thy felowes 8 All thy garmentes smell of Myrre Aloes and Cassia out of the iuorie palaces wherby they haue made thee glad 9 Kynges daughters are amongst thy honourable women vpon thy ryght hande standeth the queene in a vesture of golde of Ophir 10 Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house 11 So shall the kyng haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lorde and worship thou hym 12 And the daughter of Tyre shall come with a present the riche among the people shall make their earnest prayer before thee 13 The kynges daughter is all glorious within her clothyng is of wrought golde 14 She shal be brought vnto the kyng in rayment of needle worke the virgins that folowe her and her company shal be brought vnto thee 15 With ioy and gladnesse shall they be brought and shal enter into the kinges palace 16 In steade of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou mayst make princes in all landes 17 I wyll remember thy name from one generation vnto another therfore shall the people prayse thee worlde without ende ¶ The argument of the .xlvj. Psalme ¶ The prophete acknowledgeth God to haue deliuered Hierusalem so notably out of perilles that they all haue a cause to conceaue a full hope not for to feare any aduersitie in tyme to come He exhorteth other to beholde the great workes of God and turneth his speache to his aduersaries ¶ To the chiefe musition a song to be song of the children of Corach vpon Alamoth 1 THe Lorde is our refuge strength a helpe very easyly founde in troubles 2 Therfore we wyll not feare though the earth be transposed and though the hilles rushe into the middest of the sea 3 Though the waters thereof rage and swell and though the mountaynes shake at the surges of the same Selah 4 Yet the fludde by his ryuers shall make glad the citie of God the holy place of the tabernacles of the most hyghest 5 God is in the myddest of her therfore she can not be remoued the Lorde wyll helpe her and that ryght early 6 The heathen make much a do and the kyngdomes are moued but God shewed his voyce and the earth melted away 7 The God of hoastes is with vs the Lorde of Iacob is our refuge Selah 8 O come hither and beholde the workes of God what distructions he hath brought vpon the earth 9 He maketh warres to ceasse in all the worlde he breaketh the bowe knappeth the speare in sunder and burneth the charettes in the fire 10 Be styll then and knowe that I am the Lorde I wyll be exalted among the heathen I wyll be exalted in the earth 11 The God of hoastes is with vs the Lorde of Iacob is our refuge Selah The argument of the .xlvij. psalme ¶ The prophete inciteth the faythfull to prayse God with all kynde of melody for that he subdueth their enemies vnder them He also declareth that the heathen with their princes shall receaue the fayth ¶ To the chiefe musition a psalme to be song of the children of Corach 1 CLap your handes all ye people make a noise vnto the Lorde with a ioyfull voyce 2 For God is hygh and terrible he is the great king vpō all the earth 3 He wyll subdue the people vnder vs and the nations vnder our feete 4 He hath chosen for vs our inheritaunce the glorie of Iacob whō he loued Selah 5 The Lorde ascendeth in a triumph and God with the sounde of a trumpet 6 Syng psalmes to the Lorde syng psalmes syng psalmes to our kyng sing psalmes 7 For the Lorde is kyng of all the earth * syng psalmes all you that haue skyll 8 God raigneth ouer the heathen God sitteth vpon his holy throne 9 The princes of the people are assembled together for to be the people of the God of Abraham for the shieldes of the earth be Gods who is hyghly exalted ¶ The argument of the .xlviii. Psalme ¶ The prophete magnifieth the maiestie of God for his goodnesse benefites fayth and wonderfull defence towardes his Churche which he commendeth vnder the name of the citie of God of mount Sion of the holy hyll and palaces of the north syde ¶ A song the psalme of the children of Corach 1 GReat is God and hyghly to be praysed in the citie of our Lorde his holy hyll 2 The hyll of Sion is fayre in situation and the ioy of the whole earth vpon the north syde lyeth y e citie of the great king 3 God is well knowen in her palaces as a most sure refuge 4 For lo kinges did assemble and passe by together they them selues sawe it * lykewyse they marueyled they were astonyed with feare and sodenly in haste they were gone away 5 A feare came there vpon them and sorowe as vpon a woman in her childe trauayle 6 Thou didst breake the shippes of the sea through the east wynde 7 Lyke as we haue hearde so haue we seene in the citie of God of hoastes in the citie of our Lorde God vpholdeth the same for euer Selah 8 O Lorde we haue wayted for thy louyng kindnesse in the myddest of thy temple 9 O Lorde accordyng to thy name so is thy prayse vnto the worldes ende thy ryght hande is full of iustice 10 Mount Sion shall reioyce and the daughters of Iuda shal be glad because of thy iudgementes 11 Compasse about Sion and go rounde about her and tell the towres therof 12 Marke well her bulwarkes beholde her hygh palaces that ye may tell it to your posteritie
that is weaned from his mother yea my soule is within me as a weaned chylde 3 O Israel repose thou thy trust in God from this time foorth for euermore The argument of the .cxxxij. psalme ¶ The prophete desireth God to remember hym and his great affection towarde religion and to buylde a temple for his arke He sayeth it was declared vnto hym that Sion shoulde be the house of God Dauids petition when he brought the arke thyther God promiseth how that Dauids seede shal raigne after him for euer if they kepe his lawes and that he wyll blesse the citie of Sion and the inhabitauntes thereof with all kynde of felicitie ¶ A song of high degrees 1 O God be mindfull of Dauid with all his affliction 2 Who swore vnto God who made a vowe vnto the most mightie Lorde of Iacob 3 Saying I wyll not enter into the tabernacle of my house nor get vp into my bed 4 I wyll not suffer myne eyes to slepe nor myne eye liddes to slumber 5 Vntill I finde out a place for the temple of God an habitation for the most mightie Lorde of Iacob 6 Beholde we hearde it to be at Ephratha we founde it in the fieldes of the forest 7 We wyll go into his tabernacle and fall downe on our knees before his footestoole 8 Aryse O God for to come into thy resting place thou and the arke of thy strength 9 Let thy priestes be clothed with righteousnes and let thy saintes make a ioyfull noyse 10 For thy seruaunt Dauids sake turne not away from the face of thyne annoynted 11 God hath sworne for a trueth vnto Dauid and he wyll not go from it I wyll place vpon thy throne some of the fruite of thy body 12 If thy chyldren wyll kepe my couenaunt and my testimonies whiche I wyll teache them their chyldren also shall sit vpon thy throne for euermore 13 For God hath chosen to be in Sion he had a desire that it might be an habitation for hym 14 This is sayeth he my rest for euer heare I wyll dwell for I haue a desire to it 15 I wyll aboundauntly powre my blessinges vpon her victuals and I wyll satisfie her poore with bread 16 I wyll clothe her priestes with saluation and her saintes shall make an exceeding ioyfull noyse 17 I will make there the horne of Dauid to bud vp I wyll ordayne a light for mine annoynted 18 I wyll clothe his enemies with shame but his crowne shall florishe vppon hym selfe ¶ The argument of the .cxxxiii. Psalme ¶ Dauid declareth howe acceptable a thing is brotherly loue and concorde both to God and man ¶ A song of high degrees made of Dauid 1 BEholde howe good and howe pleasaunt a thing it is that brethren dwel together in vnitie 2 It is lyke vnto a pretious oyntment powred vpon the head which runneth downe vpon the beard euen vpon Aarons beard which also runneth downe vpon the skyrtes of his garmentes 3 It is also like vnto the deawe of Hermon whiche falleth downe vpon the hyll of Sion 4 For God hath commaunded his blessing and life euerlasting to be where is suche concorde ¶ The argument of the .cxxxiiii. psalme ¶ The prophete exhorteth those that do watche all night in the house of God to lift vp their handes and to prayse God The Priestes and Leuites of duetie watched all night by course in the temple as it appeareth Leuit. viii ¶ A song of high degrees 1 BEholde blesse God all ye the seruauntes of God who in the nyght tyme remayne in the house of God 2 Lyft vp your holy handes and blesse God 3 God who made heauen and earth blesse thee out of Sion The argument of the .cxxxv. psalme ¶ The prophete exhorteth all them to prayse God who come to the temple for that God hath chosen Iacob to be his inheritaunce and also for that he is able to do what he wyll in heauen earth and sea He rehearseth the workes that God did in deliuering them out of Egypt and in bryngyng them into the lande of Chanaan As for the gods of the Heathen they be but golde and siluer 1 PRayse ye the Lorde prayse ye the name of God prayse it ye seruauntes of God 2 Ye that stande in the house of God in the courtes of the house of our Lord 3 Prayse ye the Lorde for God is gratious sing psalmes vnto his name for it is pleasaunt 4 For the Lorde hath chosen Iacob vnto hym selfe and Israel for his owne possession 5 For I knowe that God is great and that our Lorde is aboue all gods 6 God doth whatsoeuer pleaseth hym in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all deepe places 7 He causeth cloudes to ascende from the lowest part of the earth he maketh it to lighten when it rayneth he bringeth wyndes out of his treasure houses 8 He smote the first borne of Egypt aswell of beast as of man 9 He sent tokens and wonders into the mydst of thee O Egypt against Pharao and all his seruauntes 10 He smote many nations and slue mightie kinges 11 Sihon king of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan and all the kingdomes of Chanaan 12 And he gaue their lande for an inheritaunce euen for an heritaunce to Israel his people 13 Thy name O God endureth for euer there wil be a remembraunce of thee O God from one generation to another 14 For God wyll iudge his people and he will be pacified beyng displeased with his seruauntes 15 As for the idols of the Heathen they are but siluer and golde the worke of mens handes 16 They haue a mouth and speake not they haue eyes but they see not 17 They haue eares and they heare not yea there is no breath in their mouth 18 They that make them are lyke vnto them and euery one that putteth his trust in them 19 Blesse God ye the house of Israel blesse God ye the house of Aaron 20 Blesse God ye the house of Leui ye that feare God blesse God 21 Blessed be God out of Sion who dwelleth at Hierusalem Prayse ye the Lorde The argument of the .cxxxvi. psalme ¶ The prophete exhorteth men to prayse God aswell for all thinges created by hym as for his benefites peculiarly bestowed vpon the chyldren of Israel in deliuering them out of Egypt and in bringing them into the lande of Chanaan He doth insinuate also ▪ that God is not praysed worthyly except we acknowledge that all his benefites proceede of his free and meere goodnes and not of our desertes 1 COnfesse you it vnto the Lord for he is gratious and his mercie endureth for euer 2 Confesse you it vnto the God of Gods for his mercy endureth for euer 3 Confesse you it vnto the Lorde of Lordes for his mercy endureth for euer 4 Who onlye doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer 5 Who by his excellent wysdome made the heauens for his mercy
people namely of ingratefulnesse stubburnesse 11 faithlesse seruice of God 24 and sheweth Gods terrible iudgement agaynst them vnlesse they repent 1 THe vision of Esai y e sonne of Amos which he sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem in the dayes of Vzia Ioathan Ahaz and Iehezekiah kinges of Iuda 2 Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken I haue norished and brought vp children and they haue done vnfaithfully against me 3 The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowen my people hath geuen no heede 4 Ah sinnefull nation a people laden with iniquitie a seede of the wicked corrupt children they haue forsaken the Lorde they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel vnto anger they are gone backwarde 5 Why shoulde ye be stricken any more for ye are euer fallyng away euery head is diseased and euery heart heauy 6 From the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothyng sounde in it but woundes blaynes and putrifiyng sore they haue not ben salued neither wrapped vp neither molified with the oyntment 7 Your lande is wasted your cities are burnt vp straungers deuour your lande before your face and it is made desolate as it were the destruction of enemies in the tyme of warre 8 And the daughter of Sion shal be left as a cotage in a vineyarde lyke a lodge in a garden of Cucumbers lyke a besieged citie 9 Except the Lorde of hoastes had left vs a small remnaunt we shoulde haue ben as Sodoma lyke vnto Gomorra 10 Heare the worde of the Lord ye lordes of Sodoma and hearken vnto the lawe of our God thou people of Gomorra 11 Why offer ye so many sacrifices to me wyll the Lorde say I am full of the burnt offeringes of weathers of the fatnesse of fed beastes I haue no pleasure in the blood of bullockes lambes and goates 12 When ye come to appeare before me treadyng in my courtes who hath required this at your handes 13 Offer me no mo oblations for it is but lost labour incense is an abhominable thyng vnto me I may not away with your newe moones your sabbathes solempne meetynges your solempne assemblies are wicked 14 I hate your newe moones and appoynted feastes euen from my very heart they make me weery I can not abyde them 15 When you holde out your handes I wyll turne myne eyes from you and though ye make many prayers yet I wyll heare nothyng at all seyng your handes are full of blood 16 Washe you make you cleane put away your euyll thoughtes out of my syght ceasse from doyng of euyll 17 Learne to do well applie your selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherlesse to his ryght let the widdowes complaynt come before you 18 And then go to saith the Lorde let vs talke together though your sinnes be as red as scarlet they shal be as whyte as snowe and though they were lyke purple they shal be as whyte as wooll 19 If ye be wyllyng and obedient ye shal eate the good of the lande 20 But yf ye be obstinate and rebellious ye shal be deuoured with the sworde for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 21 Howe happeneth it then that the righteous citie which was full of equitie is become vnfaythfull as a whore Righteousnesse dwelt in it but nowe murtherers 22 Thy siluer is turned to drosse and thy wine mixt with water 23 Thy princes are wicked and companions of theeues they loue gyftes altogether and gape for rewardes As for the fatherlesse they helpe hym not to his ryght neither wyll they let the widdowes causes come before them 24 Therfore saith the Lorde God of hoastes the mightie one of Israel Ah I must ease me of mine enemies and auenge me of mine aduersaries 25 And I shall lay my hande vpon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne 26 And set thy iudges agayne as they were sometyme and thy senatours as they were from the begynnyng and then thou shalt be called the ryghteous citie the faythfull citie 27 Sion shal be redeemed with equitie and her conuertes with righteousnesse 28 But the transgressours and the vngodly and such as forsake the Lorde shall altogether be vtterly destroyed 29 For ye shal be confounded for the trees which ye haue desired and ye shal be ashamed of the gardens that ye haue chosen 30 For ye shal be as a tree whose leaues are fallen away and as a garden that hath no moystnesse 31 And the very strong one of your idols shal be as towe and the maker of it as a sparke of fire and they shal both burne together and no man quenche them The .ij. Chapter 1 A prophecie of Christe and his kyngdome 12 Pryde couetousnesse superstition and idolatrie are reproued 17 Gods terrible iudgement agaynst these 1 THe selfe same worde that Esai the sonne of Amos sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem 2 And this shall come to passe in the latter dayes the hyll of the Lordes house shal be prepared in the heyght of the mountaynes and shal be hygher then the hylles and all nations shall preasse vnto hym 3 And a multitude of people shall go speakyng thus one to another come let vs ascende to the hyll of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he wyll instruct vs of his wayes and we wyll walke in his pathes for out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the Lorde from Hierusalem 4 And shall geue sentence among the heathen and shall refourme the multitude of people they shall breake their swordes also into mattockes and their speares to make sithes And one people shall not lyft vp a weapon agaynst another neither shall they learne to fyght from thencefoorth 5 Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walke in the lyght of the Lorde 6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Iacob because they be replenished with euils from the east and with sorcerers lyke the Philistines and in straunge children they thynke them selues to haue enough 7 Their lande is full of siluer and golde neither is there any ende of their treasure their lande is also full of horses and no ende is there of their charrettes 8 Their lande also is full of vayne gods and before the worke of their owne handes they haue bowed them selues yea euen before the thyng that their owne fingers haue made 9 There kneeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therfore forgeue them not 10 Get thee into the rocke and hyde thee in the grounde for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his maiestie 11 The high lookes of man shal be brought lowe and the hautinesse of men shal be bowed downe and the Lorde alone shal be exalted in that day 12 For the day of the Lorde of hoastes shal be vpon all the proude loftie and vpon all that is exalted and
because the rod of him that beateth thee is broken for out of the serpentes roote there shall come an Adder and his fruite shal be a fierie fleeyng worme 30 But the first borne of the poore shal be fed and the simple shall dwell in safetie Thy roote also wyll I destroy with hunger and it shall slay the remnaunt 31 Mourne thou porte weepe thou citie for O whole lande of Palestina thou art layd waste for there shal come from the north a smoke that not one alone may abide at home in his times 32 What shall one then aunswere the messengers of the Gentiles For the Lorde hath stablished Sion and the poore of his people that be therein shall put their trust in it The .xv. Chapter A prophecie agaynst Moab 1 THis is the burthen vpon Moab Ar of Moab was destroyed ouerthrowen in the nyght season Kir also in Moab was destroyed and perished in the nyght 2 Moab went vp to the idols house euen to Dibon to the hygh places to weepe for Neba and Moab shall mourne for Medba All their heades were balde and all their beardes shauen 3 In her streetes are they girded about with sackcloth In all the toppes of her houses and streetes shal be nothyng but mournyng and weepyng 4 Hesbon and Eleale shall crye that their voyce shal be hearde vnto Iahaz and therfore the armed souldiours also of Moab shall bleate out and crye for very sorowe of their myndes 5 Wo shall my heart be for Moabs sake they shall flee vnto the citie of Zoar which is lyke a faire young bullocke of three yere olde for they shall all go vp to Luith weepyng euen so by the way towarde Horonaim they shall make lamentation for their vtter destruction 6 For the waters of Nimrim shal be dryed vp by reason wherof the grasse is withered the hearbes destroyed and the greene thynges gone 7 Therfore the goodes that remayneth in Moab and the riches therof they shall cary to the brooke of wyllowes 8 For the crye went ouer the whole lande of Moab vnto Eglaim and vnto Beer Elim was there nothyng but mournyng 9 Because the waters of Dimon were full of blood I wyll adde more vpon Dimon and lions vpon the remnaunt of the lande and on them that are escaped from Moab The .xvj. Chapter The destruction of Moab 1 SEnde the lorde of the worlde a lambe from the rocke that lyeth towarde the desert vnto the hyl of the daughter Sion 2 For as for the daughters of Moab they shal be as a trembling birde that is put out of her neste for they shall cary them vnto Arnon 3 Gather your counsell come together in iudgement couer vs with your shadowe in the midday as the nyght doth hyde the chased and bewray not them that are fled 4 Let my persecuted people dwell among you Moab be thou their refuge against the destroyer for the aduersarie is brought to naught the robber is vndone the tiraunt is wasted out of the lande 5 And in mercie shall the seate be prepared and he shall sit vpon it in the trueth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and sekyng iudgement and makyng haste vnto ryghteousnesse 6 We haue hearde of the pride of Moab he is very proude presumptuous arrogant and full of indignation and vayne are his lyes 7 Therfore shall Moab make lamentation because of the Moabites that shal be slayne yea they shall wayle altogether because of the foundations of the citie that is made of bricke shall ye complayne euen ye lame people that are left only behynde 8 For the vines of Hesbon are cut downe as for the vine of Sibma the lordes of the heathen haue broken downe her principall braunches they are come euen vnto Iazer they went on wandering vnto the wildernesse her goodly braunches were throwen downe as they went ouer the sea 9 Therfore wyll I mourne for Iazer and for the vine of Sibma I wyl poure my teares vpon thee O Hesbon and Eleale for the crye of thyne enemies is fallen vpon thy sommer fruites and vpon thy haruest 10 The mirth and cheare is taken away out of the plentifull fielde and in the vineyardes there shal be no ioy nor gladnesse The treader shall treade out no wine in their presses the song of their mery cheare haue I layde downe 11 Wherfore my bowels shall rumble like an Harpe for Moabs sake mine inwarde partes for the cities sake that is made of bricke 12 And it shall come to passe that when it is seene that Moab shal be made weery of his hyll chappelles he shall come to his temple to pray but he shall not be able 13 So then this is the saying that the Lorde hath spoken concernyng Moab since that tyme. 14 But nowe the Lorde hath spoken saying In three yeres which shal be as the yeres of an hired seruaunt shall the glorie of Moab be turned into contempt throughout all his multitude which is very great and that which remayneth shal be very small and feeble ¶ The .xvij. Chapter A prophecie agaynst Damascus 1 THis is the burthen vpon Damascus Beholde Damascus is taken away to be no more a citie but shal be an heape of broken stones 2 The waste cities of Aroer shal be foldes for cattell which shall lye there and there shal be none to fray them away 3 Ephraim also shall no more be strong and Damascus shall no longer be a kyngdome and the remnaunt of Syria shal be as the glorie of the children of Israel saith the Lorde of hoastes 4 And in that day it shall come to passe that the glorie of Iacob shal be made very thinne and the fatnesse of his fleshe shall waxe leane 5 And he shal be as one that gathereth vp corne in haruest euen lyke hym whose arme reapeth the eares of corne He shal be also lyke hym that gathereth eares of corne in the valley of Rephaim 6 Some gatheryng in deede shall there be left in it euen as in the shakyng of an Oliue tree there remayne two or three berries in the toppe of the vppermost bowe and foure or fyue in the brode fruitfull braunches thereof saith the Lorde God of Israel 7 Then shall man turne agayne to his maker and his eyes shall haue respect to the holy one of Israel 8 As for the aulters which are his owne handy worke he shal not regarde them and the thynges that his fingers hath made as groues and images those shal he not cast his eye vnto 9 In that day shall their strong cities be as the forsaken shrubbes braunches which they left because of the childrē of Israel and the lande shal be desolate 10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy saluation and hast not ben myndfull of thy strong rocke therfore shalt thou set pleasaunt plantes and shalt graffe the braunche of another mans vine 11 In that day shalt thou make thy plant to growe and early in the mornyng shalt thou make thy seede to
florishe The haruest shal be gone in the day of inheritaunce and there shal be sorowe without hope of comfort 12 Wo shal be to the multitude of much people which shall make a sounde lyke to the noyse of the sea and the violence of the nations which shall rage lyke the russhyng in of many waters 13 Euen lyke many waters shal the people rage God shall rebuke hym and he shal flee farre of he shal be chased away lyke as drye strawe vpon the mountaynes before the wynde and lyke a thyng that turneth before the storme 14 At euen beholde there is trouble and or euer it be mornyng lo it is gone This is the portion of them that oppresse vs and the lot of them that robbe vs. The .xviij. Chapter 1 An exhortation to the Ethiopians and the countreys nygh adioynyng to them 7 The vocation of the Gentiles 1 O That lande that trusteth vnder the shadow of wynges that lande which is beyonde the waters of Ethiopia 2 Sendyng messengers by the sea euen in vessels of reedes ouer the water Get you hence ye speedy messengers to a nation that is scattered abrode and robbed of that they had a fearefull people from their begynnyng hytherto a nation troden downe by litle and litle whose lande the fluddes haue spoyled 3 All the inhabitours of the worlde and indwellers of the earth loke vp whē he setteth vp a token in the mountaynes and hearken when he bloweth with the trumpe 4 For so the Lorde sayde vnto me as for me I wyll take my rest and loke vpon the matter in my habitation lyke a faire heate after the rayne and lyke a cloude of deawe in the heate of haruest 5 For afore the haruest whē the braunch is growen there shall come ripe fruite of the floure and he shal cut downe the increase with sithes and the braunches shall he take away with hookes 6 Thus shall they be left together vnto the foules of the mountaines and to the beastes of the earth for in sommer the birdes shall remayne vpon it and euery beast of the lande shal be vpon it in wynter 7 In that tyme shall there a present be brought vnto the Lord of hoastes euen a people that is scattered abrode and robbed of that they had that same people which haue ben fearfull from their begynnyng hytherto a nation troden downe by litle and litle whose lande the fluddes haue spoyled to the place of the name of the Lorde of hoastes euen to the mount Sion The .xix. Chapter 1 He prophecieth agaynst Egypt 18 and the vocation of the Gentiles to Christe 1 THe burthen of Egypt Beholde the Lorde rideth vpon a swift cloude and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall tremble at the presence of hym and the heart of Egypt shall quake in the middest of her 2 And I wyll set the Egyptians one agaynst another so that one brother shall fyght agaynst another and one neighbour against another citie against citie and realme against realme 3 The mynde also of Egypt shal be cleane without counsayle within it selfe and the deuice that they take wil I destroy and they shall seke counsayle at idols and at sorcerers at workers with spirites and at soothsayers 4 And the Egyptians wyll I geue ouer into the hande of a maruaylous cruell lorde and a mightie kyng shall haue dominion ouer them saith the Lorde God of hoastes 5 The waters of the sea shall fayle and the riuer shall decrease and be dryed vp 6 The waters shal be drawen out the riuers of Egypt shal be emptied dryed vp the reedes and flagges shal be cut downe 7 The grasse in the riuer and by the riuers bancke and all that groweth by the riuer shall wither away and be brought to naught 8 The fisshers also shall mourne and all they that cast angle into the water shall make lamentation and they that lay foorth their net beside the waters shal be rooted out 9 Moreouer they that worke in flaxe and make fine workes shal be confounded and so shall they that weaue open workes 10 For their open workes shal euen be destroyed and all they that make pondes and slues for fishe shall come to naught 11 But you foolishe princes of Zoan ye wise counsaylers of Pharao whose wit is turned to foolishnesse howe say ye vnto Pharao I am come of wise men and of auncient kinges 12 Where are thy wise men Let them tell thee yf they can what the Lorde of hoastes hath deuised vpon Egypt 13 The princes of Zoan are become fooles the princes of Noph are deceaued they haue deceaued Egypt euen they that were taken for the chiefe stay therof 14 In the middest of it hath the Lorde powred the spirite of wickednesse and they haue deceaued Egypt in euery worke therof even as a drunken man staggereth in his vomite 15 Neither shall the head or tayle the braunche or reede be able to do any worke in Egypt 16 In that day shall Egypt be lyke vnto women It shal be afrayde and stande in feare at the motion of the hande of the Lorde of hoastes which he shaketh ouer it 17 And Egypt shal be afraide of the lande of Iuda so that euery one that maketh mention of it shal be afraide therat because of the counsayle of the Lorde of hoastes which he deuised for it 18 In that day shall fiue cities in the lande of Egypt speake the language of Chanaan and sweare by the Lorde of hoastes the citie of desolation shal be called one of them 19 In that day shall the aulter of the Lorde be in the middest of the lande of Egypt and this title beside it vnto the Lorde 20 And it shal be a token and a witnesse vnto the Lorde of hostes in the lande of Egypt For they shal crie vnto the Lord because of such as trouble them and he shall sende them a sauiour and a great man to delyuer them 21 And the Lorde shal be knowen in Egypt and the Egyptians shall knowe the Lorde in that day and do sacrifice and oblation yea they shall vowe a vowe vnto the Lord and perfourme it 22 The Lorde also shall smite Egypt sore and heale them agayne and they shal be conuerted vnto the Lorde and he shal be intreated of them and shall heale them 23 In that day shall there be a common way out of Egypt into Assyria and Assyria shall come into Egypt Egypt into Assyria so that the Egyptians and the Assyrians shall serue the Lorde together 24 In that day shal the nation of Israel be the thirde with Egypt and Assyria and they shal be blessed in the middest of the lande 25 Which lande the Lorde of hoastes hath blessed saying blessed is my people of Egypt Assur also is the worke of my handes and Israel is mine inheritaunce The .xx. Chapter Agaynst Egypt and Ethiopia 1 IN the yere that Tharthan came vnto Asdod when Sargon the kyng of Assyria had sent hym and
had foâ— agaynst Asdod and taken it 〈…〉 the same tyme spake the Lorde by the hande of Esai the sonne of Amos sayâ—ng Go and take of the sackcloth from thy loynes and put of thy shoe from thy foote And he dyd so walkyng naked and barefoote 3 And the Lorde sayde Lyke as my seruaunt Esai hath walked naked and barefoote for a signe and wonder three yeres vpon Egypt and Ethiopia 4 Euen so shall the kyng of Assyria take away out of Egypt and Ethiopia children and olde men naked and barefoote with their loynes vncouered to the great shame of Egypt 5 They shal be brought in feare also and be ashamed of Ethiopia their hope of Egypt wherin they are wont to glorie 6 And they that dwell in the same Isle shall say in that day Beholde such is our hope whyther shall we flee for helpe that we may be delyuered from the kyng of Assyria And howe shall we escape ¶ The .xxj. Chapter Agaynst Babylon Idumea and Arabia 1 THe burthen of the waste sea Euen as the stormie weather passeth through at the noone day from the wildernesse so shall it come from the terrible lande 2 A greeuous vision was shewed vnto me let one deceiptfull offendour come agaynst another and one destroyer agaynst another Vp Elam lay siege thou of Media all their gronyng haue I layde downe 3 Therfore are my loynes fylled with sorowe heauinesse hath taken holde vpon me as the panges of a woman that is trauaylyng it made me stoupe when I heard it and it vexed me when I sawe it 4 My heart panted fearefulnesse came vpon me the nyght of my voluptuousnesse hath he turned agaynst me into feare 5 Whyle they garnished the table the watchman loked and whyle I was eatyng and drynkyng it was sayde vp ye captaynes take you to your shielde 6 For thus hath the Lorde sayde vnto me God and set a watchman to tel what he seeth 7 And he sawe a charret which two horsemen sat vpon with the cariage of an Asse and the cariage of a Camel So he loked and toke diligent heede 8 And he cryed a lion my Lorde I stande continually vpon the watche towre in the day tyme and am appoynted to kepe my watch euery nyght 9 And beholde here commeth a charret of men with two horsemen and he aunswered and sayd Babylon is fallen it is fallen and all the images of her gods hath he smitten downe vnto the grounde 10 Thou art he whom I must threshe and thou belongest to my corne floure This that I hearde of the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel haue I shewed vnto you 11 The burthen of Duma He calleth to me out of Seir watchman what hast thou espied by nyght watchman what hast thou espied by nyght 12 The watchman sayde The mornyng commeth and so doth the nyght If ye wyll aske me any question then aske it returne and come agayne 13 The burthen concernyng Arabia In the wooddes of Arabia shall ye tary all nyght euen in the streetes of Dedanim 14 The inhabitours of the lande of Thema brought foorth water to hym that was thirstie they preuented hym that was fled away with their bread 15 For because of swordes they are become fugitiue Euen for the drawen sworde and for the bent bowe and because of the greeuousnesse of warre 16 For thus hath the Lorde sayde vnto me There is yet a yere accordyng to the yeres of an hired seruaunt and all the glorie of Cedar shall fayle 17 And the number of them that shall escape from the bowes shal be minished by the mightie children of Cedar for the Lorde God of Israel hath spoken it The .xxij. Chapter A prophecie agaynst Hierusalem 1 THe burthen of the valley of vision What hast thou to do here that thou clymbest to the house toppes 2 Thou that art full of tumultuousnes thou troublesome and proude citie Thy slayne men are neither put to death with the sworde nor dead in battayle 3 All thy captaynes are fugitiue together the archers haue taken them prisoners All they I say that are founde in thee are in captiuitie together and they also that fled farre of 4 Therfore sayde I Let me alone and I wyll make lamentation Ye shall not be able to comfort me because of the destruction of the daughter of my people 5 For this is a day of trouble of ruine and of destruction that the Lorde the God of hoastes wyll bryng to passe in the valley of vision breakyng downe the citie and crying vnto mountaynes 6 Elam bare the quiuer with a charret of footmen and horsemen and the citie of Kir shewed the shielde open 7 Thy chiefe valley also was full of charrettes and the horsemen set their faces directly towarde the gate 8 And in that day dyd the enemie take away the couer of Iuda and then didst thou loke towarde the armour of the house of the forest 9 Ye haue seene also the broken places of the citie of Dauid howe that they are many and ye gathered together the waters of the lower poole 10 As for the houses of Hierusalem ye haue numbred them and the houses haue ye broken downe to make the wall strong 11 A pit also haue ye made betweene the two walles for the waters of the olde poole haue not regarded the maker therof neither had respect vnto hym that fashioned it long ago 12 And in that day dyd the Lorde God of hoastes call men vnto weepyng and mournyng to baldnesse and girdyng about with sackcloth 13 And beholde they haue ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and kyllyng sheepe eatyng fleshe and drynkyng wine Let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shall dye 14 And it came to the eares of the Lorde of hoastes This iniquitie shall not be purged from you tyll ye dye saith the Lorde God of hoastes 15 Thus saith the Lord God of hoastes Get ye vnto yonder treasurer euen vnto Sebna which is the ruler of the house 16 What hast thou to do here and whom hast thou here that thou shouldest here hewe thee out a sepulchree as it were one that heweth hym out a sepulchree on hye or that graueth an habitation for hym selfe on an harde rocke 17 Beholde O thou man the Lorde shal cary thee away into captiuitie and shall surely couer thee with confusion 18 The Lorde shal turne thee ouer like a ball with his handes and shall sende thee into a farre countrey there shalt thou dye and there in steade of the charrets of thy pompe shall the house of thy Lorde haue confusion 19 I wyll driue thee from thy place and out of thy dwellyng shal he ouerthrowe thee 20 And in that day shall I call my seruaunt Eliakim the sonne of Helkia 21 And with thy garmentes wyll I clothe hym and with thy girdle wyll I strength hym thy power also wyll I commit into his hande and he shal be a father of such as dwell in Hierusalem and in
rusty with the fatnesse and blood of lambes and goates with the fatnesse of the kidneys of weathers For the Lord shall kyll a great offering in Bozra and a great slaughter in the lande of Idumea 7 There shall the vnicornes fall with them and the bulles with the giauntes and their lande shal be throughly soked with blood and their grounde corrupt with fatnesse 8 For it is the day of Gods vengeaunce and the yere of recompence for the reuenge of Sion 9 And his fluddes shal be turned to pitch and his earth to brimstone and therewith shall the lande be kindled 10 So that it shall not be quenched day nor nyght but smoke euermore and so foorth lye waste and no man shall go through it for euer 11 But Pellicanes Storkes great Owles and Rauens shall haue it in possession and dwell therin for God shall spreade out the line of desolation vpon it and the stones of emptinesse 12 Her nobles shall call and there is no kyngdome and all her princes shal be nothyng 13 Thornes shall growe in their palaces nettles thistles in their strong holdes that the dragons may haue their pleasure therin and that they may be a court for Estriches 14 There shall straunge visures monsterous beastes meete one another and the wylde kepe company together there shall the Lamia lye and haue her lodgyng 15 There shall the Owle make her nest builde be there at home bryng foorth her young ones there shall the Kytes come together eche one to his lyke 16 Seke through the booke of the Lorde and reade it there shall none of these thynges be left out there shall not one nor such lyke fayle for his mouth commaundeth and that same doth his spirite gather together or fulfyll 17 He hath cast the lot for them and to those beastes hath his hande deuided it by the line therfore those shall possesse it for euer from generation to generation shall they dwell therin ¶ The .xxxv. Chapter 1 Of the tyme and kyngdome of Christe 1 BVt the desert wildernesse shall reioyce the waste ground shall be glad and florishe as the Lilie 2 She shall florishe pleasauntly and be ioyfull and euer be geuing thankes more and more For the glorie of Libanus the beautie of Charmel and Saron shal be geuen her These shall knowe the honour of the Lorde the maiestie of our God 3 And therfore strength the weake handes and comfort the feeble knees 4 Say vnto them that are of a fearfull heart be of good cheare and feare not beholde your God commeth to take vengeaunce and you shall see the rewarde that God geueth God commeth his owne selfe and wyll delyuer you 5 Then shall the eyes of the blynde be lyghtened and the eares of the deaffe opened 6 Then shall the lame men leape as an Hart the dumbe mans tongue shall geue thankes for in the wildernesse there shall welles spryng and fluddes of water in the desert 7 The drye grounde shal turne to riuers and the thirstie to sprynges of water wheras dragons dwelt afore there shal growe sweete flowres greene russhes 8 There shal be foote pathes common streetes this shal be called the holy way no vncleane person shall go through it for the Lorde hym selfe shall go with them that way and the wayfayrer nor ignoraunt shall not erre 9 There shal be no lion no rauishyng beastes shall come therin nor be there but men redeemed shall go there free and safe 10 And the redeemed of the Lorde I say shall conuert and come to Sion with thankesgeuyng euerlastyng ioy shall they haue pleasure and gladnesse shal be among them and as for all sorowe and heauinesse it shall vanishe The .xxxvj. Chapter 1 Hierusalem is besieged by Sennacherib in the tyme of kyng Hezekias 1 IN the foureteenth yere of king Hezekias came Sennacherib kyng of the Assyrians downe to lay siege vnto all the strong cities of Iuda to conquer them 2 And the kyng of the Assyrians sent Rabsakeh from Lachis towarde Hierusalem agaynst Hezekias with an exceedyng hoast which set hym by the conduite of the ouer poole in the way that goeth through the fullers lande 3 And so there came foorth vnto hym Eliakim Helkias sonne the chiefe ouer the householde Sobâ—a the scribe and Ioah Asaphs sonne the secretarie 4 And Rabsakeh sayde vnto them Tell Hezekia that the great kyng saith thus vnto hym What presumption is this that thou trustest vnto 5 I sayde surely that thou trustest in vayne wordes when counsayle and strength are necessarie to battayle but nowe wherto trustest thou that thou rebellest agaynst me 6 Lo thou puttest thy trust in a broken staffe of reede I meane Egypt which he that leaneth vpon it goeth into his hande and shooteth it through euen so is Pharao the kyng of Egypt vnto all them that trust in hym 7 But if thou wouldest say vnto me We trust in the Lorde our God Is not he that God whose hygh places aulters Hezekia toke downe and commaunded Iuda and Hierusalem to worship only before this aulter 8 Nowe therfore deliuer hostages that thou rebell no more agaynst my Lorde the kyng of the Assyrians and I wyll geue thee two thousande horses yf thou be able to set men vpon them 9 Howe darest thou resist the power of the smallest prince that my Lorde hath howe darest thou trust in the charrets and horsemen of Egypt 10 Moreouer thinkest thou that I am come vp hyther to destroy this lande without the Lordes wyll The Lorde sayd vnto me Go vp agaynst this lande and destroy it 11 Then sayd Eliakim Sobna Ioah vnto Rabsakeh Speake to vs thy seruauntes we pray thee in the Syrians language for we vnderstande it well and speake not to vs in the Iewes tongue lest the folke heare which lyeth vpon the wall 12 Then aunswered Rabsakeh Hath my maister sent me to speake this only to thy maister and thee hath he not sent me to them also that lye vpon the wall that they may be compelled to eate their owne dunge and drinke their owne stale with you 13 And Rabsakeh stoode stiffe and cryed with a loude voyce in the Iewes tongue and sayde Nowe take heede howe the great kyng of the Assyrians geueth you warnyng 14 Thus saith the kyng Let not Hezekia deceaue you for he shall not be able to deliuer you 15 Moreouer let not Hezekia comfort you in the Lorde when he saith The Lorde without doubt shall defende vs and shall not geue ouer this citie into the handes of the king of the Assyrians 16 Hearken not to Hezekia for thus saith the kyng of Assyria Obtayne my fauour encline to me so may euery man enioy his vineyardes and figge trees and drynke the water of his cesterne 17 Vnto the tyme that I come my selfe and bryng you into a lande that is lyke your owne wherin is wheate wine which is both sowen with
Stoupe downe that we may go ouer thee make thy body euen with the grounde and as the streete to go vpon ¶ The .lij. Chapter 1 An exhortation and comfort to the people of God 1 VP Sion vp take thy strength vnto thee put on thyne honest rayment O Hierusalem thou holy citie for from this tyme foorth there shall no vncircumcised nor vncleane person come in thee 2 Shake thee from the dust arise and stande vp O Hierusalem Plucke out thy necke from the bonde O thou captiue daughter Sion 3 For thus saith the Lorde ye are solde for naught therfore shal ye be redeemed also without any money 4 For thus saith the Lorde God My people went downe afore tyme into Egypt there to be straungers and the kyng of the Assyrians oppressed them without any cause 5 And nowe what profite is it to me saith the Lorde that my people is freely caryed away brought into heauinesse by their rulers and my name euer styll blasphemed saith the Lorde 6 But that my people may knowe my name I my selfe wyll speake in that day Beholde here am I. 7 O howe beautifull are the feete of the embassadour that bryngeth the message from the mountayne and proclaymeth peace that bryngeth the good tidinges and preacheth health and saith vnto Sion Thy God is the kyng 8 Thy watchmen shall lyft vp their voyce with loude voyce they shall reioyce together for they shall see plainly when the Lorde shall conuert Sion 9 Be glad O thou desolate Hierusalem and reioyce together for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath deliuered Hierusalem 10 The Lorde hath made bare his holy arme and shewed it foorth in the syght of all the gentiles and all the endes of the earth hath seene the sauyng health of our God 11 Away away get you out from hence and touche no vncleane thyng Go out from among such and be cleane that beare the vessell of the Lorde 12 For ye shall not escape by runnyng nor by fleeyng away but the Lorde shall go before you and the God of Israel shall gather you together 13 Beholde my seruaunt shal deale prosperously therfore shal he be magnified exalted and greatly honoured 14 Lyke as the multitude shall wonder vpon hym because his face shal be so defourmed and not as mans face his beautie like no man 15 Euen so shall the multitude of the gentiles speake of him and kynges shall shut their mouthes before hym for they haue seene that which was not tolde to them and haue vnderstande that wherof they had not hearde The .liij. Chapter 1 He prophecâ—eth euidently of the passion of our sauiour Iesus Christe 1 BVt who hath geuen credence vnto our preaching or to whom is the arme of the Lorde knowen 2 For he dyd growe before the Lorde like as a braunche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neither beautie nor fauour when we loke vpon hym there shal be no fairenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym 3 He is dispised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities We haue reckened hym so vile that we hyd our faces from hym 4 Howbeit he only hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paynes Yet we dyd iudge hym as though he were plagued and cast downe of God 5 Wheras he notwithstandyng was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse for the payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and with his stripes are we healed 6 As for vs we are all gone astray lyke sheepe euery one hath turned his owne way but the Lord hath throwen vpon hym all our sinnes 7 He suffered violence and was euyll intreated and dyd not open his mouth He shal be led as a sheepe to be slayne yet shall he be as styll as a lambe before the shearer and not open his mouth 8 From the prison and iudgement was he taken and his generation who can declare for he was cut of from the grounde of the lyuyng which punishment dyd go vpon hym for the transgression of my people 9 His graue was geuen hym with the condempned and with the riche man at his death wheras he did neuer violence nor vnright neither hath there ben any disceiptfulnesse in his mouth 10 Yet hath it pleased the Lord to smite hym with infirmitie that when he had made his soule an offeryng for sinne he might see long lastyng seede and this deuice of the Lorde shall prosper in his hande 11 Of the trauayle and labour of his soule shall he see the fruite be satisfied My righteous seruaunt shall with his knowledge iustifie the multitude for he shall beare their sinnes 12 Therfore wyll I geue hym among the great ones his part and he shall deuide the spoyle with the mightie because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened among the transgressours which neuerthelesse hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers The .liiij. Chapter 1 Of the great dominion of Christe 7 The indignation of God endureth but a short space but his mercie is euerlastyng 1 BE glad nowe thou baren that bearest not reioyce syng and be mery thou that art not with childe for the desolate hath mo childreÌ„ then the maryed wyfe saith the Lorde 2 Make thy tent wyder and spreade out the hanginges of thine habitation spare not lay foorth thy wardes and make fast thy stakes 3 For thou shalt be multiplied on the ryght syde and on the left and thy seede shall haue the gentiles in possession and dwell in the desolate cities 4 Feare not for thou shalt not be confounded be not ashamed for thou shalt not come to confusion Yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the dishonour of thy widowhead 5 For he that made thee shal be thy Lorde and husbande whose name is the Lord of hoastes and thy redeemer shal be euen the holy one of Israel the Lorde of the whole worlde 6 For the Lorde hath called thee beyng as a desolate sorowfull woman and as a young wyfe that was forsaken saith thy God 7 A litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great mercifulnesse shall I take thee vp vnto me 8 When I was angry I hyd my face from thee for a litle season but through euerlastyng goodnesse haue I pardoned thee saith the Lorde thy redeemer 9 And this is vnto me as the water of Noe for like as I haue sworne that I wyll not bryng the water of Noe any more vpon the worlde so haue I sworne that I wyll neuer be angry with thee nor reproue thee 10 The mountaynes shall remoue and the hylles shall fall downe but my louyng kyndnesse shall not moue and the bonde of my peace shall not fall downe from thee saith the Lorde thy
wayes are so crooked that whosoeuer goeth therein knoweth of no peace 9 And this is the cause that equitie is so farre from vs and that righteousnesse commeth not nie vs We loke for light lo it is darknesse for the morning shine see we walke in the darke 10 We grope lyke the blinde vpon the wall we grope euen as one that hath none eyes we stumble at the noone day as though it were towarde night in the falling places lyke men that are halfe dead 11 We roare all like beares and mourne still like doues we looke for equitie but there is none for health but it is farre from vs. 12 For our offences are many before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs yea we must confesse that we offende and knowledge that we do amisse 13 Namely transgresse and dissemble against the Lorde and fall away from our God vsing presumpteous and trayterous imaginations and casting false matters in our heartes 14 And therefore is equitie gone aside and righteousnesse standeth farre of trueth is fallen downe in the streete and the thing that is playne and open may not be shewed 15 Yea the trueth is taken away and he that refraineth hym selfe from euyll must be spoyled When the Lorde sawe this it displeased hym sore that there was no equitie 16 He sawe also that there was no man righteous and he wondred that there was no man to helpe hym wherefore he helde hym by his owne power and he sustayned hym by his owne righteousnesse 17 He put righteousnesse vpon hym for a brest plate he set the helmet of health vpon his head He put on wrath in the steade of clothing and toke ielousie about him for a cloke 18 Euen as when a man goeth foorth wrathfully to recompence his enemies and to be auenged of his aduersaries he wyll recompence and rewarde the Ilandes 19 They shall feare the name of the Lorde from the rising of the sunne and his maiestie vnto the going downe of the same for he shall come as a violent water streame which the winde of the Lorde hath moued 20 But vnto Sion there shall come a redeemer and vnto them in Iacob that turne from wickednesse saith the Lord. 21 I wyll make this couenaunt with them saith the Lord My spirite that is vpon thee and the wordes whiche I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy childers chyldren from this time foorth for euermore worlde without ende saith the Lorde The .lx. Chapter 1 A consolation and confort to Hierusalem 5 The Churche is gathered together among the gentiles by preaching of the gospell 16 and aboundeth with all good thinges 1 GEt thee vp betymes and be bright O Hierusalem for thy light commeth and the glorie of the Lord is risen vp vpon thee 2 For lo whyle the darknesse cloude couereth the earth and the people the Lorde shall shewe thee light and his glory shal be seene in thee 3 The gentiles shall come to thy light kinges to the brightnesse that springeth foorth vpon thee 4 Lift vp thyne eyes and loke rounde about thee all these gather them selues and come to thee thy sonnes shall come vnto thee from farre and thy daughters shall gather them selues to thee on euery side 5 Then thou shalt see this and be glorious thou shalt maruayle exceedingly and thyne heart shal be opened when the aboundaunce of the sea shal be conuerted vnto thee that is when the riches of the gentiles shall come vnto thee 6 The multitude of camels shall couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha all they of Saba shall come bringing gold and incense and shewing the prayse of the Lorde 7 All the cattell of Cedar shal be gathered vnto thee the rammes of Nabaioth shall serue thee to be offred acceptablie vpon mine aulter and the house of my glory wyll I garnishe 8 But what are these that flee here like the cloudes and as the doues fleing to their windowes 9 The Isles also shall wayte for me and specially the shippes of Tharsis that they may bryng thy sonnes from farre and their siluer and their golde with them vnto the name of the Lorde thy God vnto the holy one of Israel that hath glorified thee 10 Straungers shall buylde vp thy walles and their kynges shall do thee seruice for whē I was angrie I smote thee and of my mercy I pardoned thee 11 Thy gates shall stande open still both day and night and neuer be shut that the hoast of the gentiles may come and that their kynges may be brought vnto thee 12 For euery people and kingdome that serueth not thee shall perishe and be destroyed with vtter destruction 13 The glory of Libanus shall come vnto thee the Firre trees Boxes and Cedars together to garnishe the place of my sanctuarie for I wyll glorifie the place of my feete 14 Moreouer those shall come kneeling vnto thee that haue vexed thee and all they that despised thee shall fall downe at thy foote Thou shalt be called the citie of the Lorde Sion the citie of the holy one of Israel 15 Because thou hast ben forsaken and hated so that no man went thorowe thee I wyl make thee glorious for euer and euer and ioyfull throughout all posterities 16 Thou shalt sucke the milke of the gentiles and kinges breastes shall feede thee and thou shalt knowe that I the Lorde am thy sauiour and redeemer the mightie one of Iacob 17 For brasse wyll I geue thee golde and for iron siluer for wood brasse and for stones iron I wyll turne thyne oppression into peace and thyne exactions into righteousnesse 18 Violence and robberie shall neuer be hearde of in thy lande neither harme and destruction within thy borders thy walles shal be called health and thy gates the prayse of God 19 The sunne shall neuer be thy day light and the light of the moone shall neuer shine vnto thee but the Lorde him selfe shal be thyne euerlasting light and thy God shal be thy glory 20 Thy sunne shall neuer go downe and thy moone shall not be hid for the Lorde hym selfe shal be thyne euerlasting light and thy sorowfull dayes shal be ended 21 Thy people shal be all righteous and possesse the lande euer the floure of my planting the worke of my hands wherof I wyll reioyce 22 The youngest and least shall growe into a thousande and the simplest into a strong people I the Lorde shall shortlye bryng this thing to passe in his tyme. ¶ The .lxj. Chapter 1 He prophesieth that Christe shal be annoynted and sent to preache 1 THe spirite of the Lord is vpon me for the Lord hath annoynted me and sent me to preache good tidinges vnto the poore that I might binde vp the wounded heartes that I might preache deliueraunce to the captiue and open the prison to thē that are bounde 2 That I might declare
thy gelousie thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and thy louing kindnesse wyll not be intreated of vs 16 Yet art thou our father for Abraham knoweth vs not neither is Israel acquainted with vs but thou Lorde art our father and redeemer and thy name is euerlasting 17 O Lorde wherefore hast thou led vs out of the way wherefore hast thou hardened our heartes that we feare thee not Be at one with vs agayne for thy seruauntes sake and for the generation of thyne heritage 18 Thy holy people haue had but a litle whyle thy sanctuarie in possession for our enemies haue troden downe thy holy place 19 And we were thyne from the beginning when thou wast not their Lorde for they haue not called vpon thy name ¶ The .lxiiij. Chapter 1 The prophete vnder the person of the Iewes bewayleth their exile and banishment ◠Mans righteousnesse is like a cloth defiled 1 O That thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder come downe that the mountaines might melt away at thy presence 2 Like as at an hotte fire and that the malitious might boyle away as the water doth vpon the fire whereby thy name might be knowen among thyne enemies and that the gentiles might tremble before thee 3 When thou wroughtest wonderous straunge workes we looked not for them thou camest downe and the hilles melted at thy presence 4 For since the beginning of the worlde it hath not ben hearde or perceaued neither hath any eye seene another God beside thee whiche doest so muche for them that put their trust in thee 5 Thou helpest hym that doth right with chearefulnesse and them that thinke vpon thee in thy wayes but lo thou hast ben angrie for we offended and haue ben euer in sinne though the worlde hath cleaued to them yet shall we be saued 6 We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges we fal euerychone as the leafe for our sinnes cary vs away lyke the winde 7 There is no man that calleth vpon thy name that standeth vp to take hold by thee therefore hidest thou thy face from vs and consumest vs because of our sinnes 8 But nowe O Lorde thou father of ours we are thy clay and thou art our potter and we all are the worke of thy handes 9 Be not to sore displeased O Lord and kepe not our offences to long in thy remembraunce but consider that we all are thy people 10 The cities of thy sanctuarie lye waste Sion is a wildernesse and Hierusalem a desert 11 Our holy house whiche is our beautie where our fathers praysed thee is brent vp yea all our commodities and pleasures are wasted away 12 Wylt thou not be intreated O Lorde for all this wylt thou holde thy peace and scourge vs so sore The .lxv. Chapter 1 The reiecting of the Iewes and the calling of the heathen 1 THey seeke me that hitherto haue not asked for me they finde me that hitherto haue not sought me I haue saide I am here I am here I am founde of a people that neuer called vpon my name 2 For thus long haue I euer holden out mine handes to an vnfaythfull people that go not the right way but after their owne imagination 3 To a people that is euer defiyng me to my face they make their oblations in gardens and their smoke vpon aulters of bricke 4 They lurke among the groues and lye in the dennes all night they eate swines fleshe and vncleane broth is in their vessels 5 If thou commest nye them they say touche me not for I am holyer then thou All these men when I am angry shal be turned to smoke and fire that shall burne for euer 6 Beholde it is written before my face and shall not be forgotten but recompenced I shall rewarde it them into their bosome 7 I meane your misdeedes and the misdeedes of your fathers together saith the Lord which haue made their smokes vpon the mountaines and blasphemed me vpon the hilles therefore wyll I measure their olde deedes into their bosome agayne 8 Moreouer thus saith the Lord Like as when newe wine is founde in the cluster and one saith Lose it not for there is blessing therein euen so wyll I do also for my seruauntes sakes that I wyll not destroy them all 9 But I will take a seede out of Iacob and out of Iuda one to take possession of my hill My chosen shall possesse it and my seruauntes shall dwell there 10 Saron shal be a sheepefolde and the valley of Achor shall geue the stalling for the cattell of my people that seeke after me 11 But as for you ye are they that haue forsaken the Lorde and forgotten my holy hyll ye haue set vp an aulter vnto Iupiter and geuen riche drinke offeringes vnto the planets 12 Therfore wyll I number you to the sworde that ye shal be destroyed altogether for that when I called no man gaue me aunswere when I spake ye hearkened not vnto me but dyd wickednesse before mine eyes and chose the thinges that pleased me not 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God Beholde my seruauntes shall eate but ye shall haue hunger beholde my seruauntes shall drinke but ye shall suffer thirst beholde my seruauntes shal be merie but ye shal be confounded 14 Beholde my seruauntes shall reioyce for very quietnesse of heart but ye shal crye for sorowe of heart and complaine for vexation of minde 15 Your name shall ye leaue accursed among my chosen for God the Lorde shall slay you and call his seruauntes by another name 16 Who so reioyceth vpon earth shall reioyce in the true God and who so sweareth vpon earth shall sweare in the true God for the olde afflictions shal be forgotten and taken away out of my sight 17 For lo I shall make a newe heauen and a newe earth and as for the olde they shall neuer be thought vpon nor kept in minde 18 But the Lorde saith Be glad and euermore reioyce for the things that I shall do For why beholde I shall make a ioyfull Hierusalem and his people ioyfull 19 Yea I my selfe will reioyce with Hierusalem and be glad with my people and the voyce of weeping and wayling shall not be hearde in her from thencefoorth 20 There shall neither be chylde nor olde man that haue not their full dayes but when the chylde commeth to an hundred yeres olde it shal dye and if he that is an hundred yeres of age do wrong he shal be cursed 21 They shall buylde houses and dwell in them they shall plant vineyardes and eate the fruite of them 22 They shall not buylde and another possesse they shall not plant and another eate but the life of my people shal be like a tree and mine elect shall enioy styll the worke of their handes 23 They shall not labour in vayne nor beget with trouble for
in the tyme of their trouble when they say stande vp and helpe vs 28 I shall aunswere them Where are nowe thy gods that thou hast made thee bid them stande vp and helpe thee in the time of thy neede For loke howe many cities thou hast O Iuda so many gods hast thou also 29 Wherfore then wyll ye go to lawe with me seeyng ye all are sinners agaynst me saith the Lorde 30 It is but lost labour that I smite your children for they receaue not my correction your owne sworde destroyeth your prophetes lyke a deuouryng lion 31 Oh generation hearken vnto the worde of the Lorde Am I become a wildernesse vnto the people of Israel or a lande that hath no lyght wherfore saith my people then We are lordes we wyll come no more vnto thee 32 Doth a mayde forget her rayment or a bride her stomacher but my people hath forgotten me a very long whyle 33 Why beautifiest thou thy wayes so hyely to obteyne fauour therthrough therfore also hast thou taught wickednesse through thy wayes 34 Vpon thy wynges is found the blood of poore and innocent people whom thou didst not fynde in corners holes but thou sluest the prophetes for reprouyng all these thynges 35 Yet darest thou say I am without sinne and giltlesse Tushe his wrath can not come vpon me Beholde I wyll reason with thee because thou darest say I haue not offended 36 Why gaddest thou so much hither and thither to chaunge thy wayes for thou shalt be confounded aswell of Egypt as thou wast of the Assyrians 37 Yea thou shalt go thy way from them and smite thine handes together vpon thy head because the Lorde shall bring that confidence and hope of thine to naught thou shalt not prosper withal The .iij. Chapter 1 God beyng mercifull calleth to repentaunce his people which he had forsaken for their whoredome with idols 20 He exhorteth Israel vnto repentaunce promisyng them sheepheardes that shoulde haue the true knowledge of God 23 The returne of Israel vnto God confessyng their offence 1 COmmonly when a man putteth away his wyfe and she goeth from hym maryeth with another then the question is shoulde he resort vnto her any more after that Is not that lande then defiled and vncleane But as for thee thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne agayne to me saith the Lorde 2 Lift vp thine eyes to the hygh places and loke where thou hast not ben defiled Thou hast wayted for them in the streetes and as a murtherer in the wildernesse through thy whoredome and shamefull blasphemies is the lande defiled 3 This is the cause that the rayne and euenyng deawe hath ceassed Thou hast gotten thee an whores forehead and wylt not be ashamed 4 Wylt thou not herafter say vnto me O my father thou art he that hast brought me vp and led me from my youth 5 Wyll God continue his wrath for euer wyll he kepe our faultes in memorie to the ende Neuerthelesse thou speakest such wordes but thou art euer doyng worse and worse to the vtmost of thy power 6 The Lorde sayde also vnto me in the tyme of Iosiah the kyng Hast thou seene what that rebellion Israel hath done howe she hath runne vp vpon all the hylles and among all thicke trees and there played the harlot 7 Hast thou seene also when she had done all this howe I sayde vnto her that she shoulde turne agayne vnto me and yet she is not returned Iuda that vnfaithfull sister of hers also sawe this 8 Namely that after I had well seene the adulterie of the shrinckyng harlot Israel I put her away and gaue her a byll of deuorcement For all this her vnfaithfull sister Iuda was not ashamed but went backe and played the whore 9 Yea and the wantonnesse of her whoredome hath defyled the whole lande For she hath cōmitted fornication with stones and stockes 10 Neuerthelsse her vnfaithfull sister Iuda is not turned vnto me agayne with her whole heart but faignedlye saith the Lorde 11 And the Lorde sayde vnto me The backslyder Israel is more righteous then the vnfaithfull Iuda 12 And therfore go preach these wordes towarde the north and say Thou disobedient Israel turne agayne saith the Lorde and I wyll not bring my wrath vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lorde and I wyll not alway beare displeasure agaynst thee 13 But on this condition that thou know thy great blasphemie namely that thou hast vnfaithfully forsaken the Lord thy God and hast made thy selfe partaker of straunge gods vnder all greene trees and hast had no wyll to heare my voyce saith the Lorde 14 O ye disobedient childrē turne againe saith the Lorde and I wyll be maryed with you for I wyll take one out of the citie and two out of one generation from among you and bryng you into Sion 15 And wyll geue you heardmen after myne owne mynde which shall feede you with learnyng and wisdome 16 Moreouer when ye be encreased and multiplied in the lande then saith the Lorde there shall no more boast be made of the arke of the Lordes testament No man shall thinke vpon it neither shall any man make mention of it for from thencefoorth it shall neither be visited neither shall such thyng be done any more 17 Then shall Hierusalem be called the Lordes seate and all heathen shal be gathered vnto it for the name of the Lordes sake which shal be set vp at Hierusalem And from that tyme foorth they shall folowe no more the imagination of their owne frowarde heart 18 Then those that be of the house of Iuda shal go vnto the house of Israel and they shall come together out of the north into the same lande that I haue geuen your fathers 19 I haue thought thus howe shall I take thee to be my children and geue a pleasaunt lande for thine heritage yea and a goodly hoast of the heathen And I sayd Call me father and shrincke not from me 20 Truely lyke as a woman fayleth her husbande so are ye vnfaithfull vnto me O ye house of Israel saith the Lorde 21 The voyce of the children of Israel was hearde on hye weepyng and waylyng for that they haue defiled their way and forgotten God their Lorde 22 O ye disobedient children turne againe so shall I heale your backturnynges Lo we come vnto thee for thou art the Lorde our God 23 Truely in vayne is health hoped for from the hylles be they neuer so many but the health of Israel standeth only vpon God our Lorde 24 Confusion hath deuoured our fathers labour from our youth vp yea their sheepe and bullockes their sonnes and daughters 25 So do we also sleepe in our confusion and shame couereth vs for we our fathers from our youth vp vnto this day haue sinned agaynst the Lord our God and haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde
the Lordes vengeaunce is come yea he shall rewarde her agayne 7 Babylon hath ben in the Lordes hande a golden cuppe that maketh all landes drunken of her wine haue all people drunken therfore are they out of their wittes 8 But sodaynly is Babylon fallen and destroyed mourne for her bryng plasters for her woundes yf she may peraduenture be healed agayne 9 We woulde haue made Babylon whole say they but she is not recouered therfore wyll we let her alone and go euery man into his owne countrey for her iudgement is come into heauen and is gone vp to the cloudes 10 The Lorde hath brought foorth our righteousnesse and therfore come on we wyll shewe in Sion the worke of the Lorde our God 11 Make sharpe the arrowes and multiplie your shieldes for the Lorde shall rayse vp the spirite of the kyng of the Medes which hath alredy a desire to destroy Babylon this shal be the vengeaunce of the Lorde the vengeaunce of his temple 12 Set vp tokens vpon the walles of Babylon make your watch strong set your watchmen in araye yea holde priuie watches and yet for all that shall the Lorde go foorth with his deuice which he hath taken vpon them that dwell in Babylon 13 O thou that dwellest by the great waters O thou that hast so great treasure and riches thine ende is come and the reckenyng of thy wynnynges 14 The Lorde of hoastes hath sworne by hym selfe that he wyll ouerwhelme thee with men lyke grashoppers in number whiche with a courage shall crye alarum alarum agaynst thee 15 Yea euen the Lorde of hoastes that with his power made the earth with his wisdome prepared the round world and with his discretion spread out the heauens 16 Assoone as he letteth his voyce be hearde the waters in the ayre waxe fierce he draweth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth he turneth the lightnynges to rayne he bryngeth the wyndes out of their secrete places 17 If they be esteemed by their wisdome all men are become fooles confounded be all the casters of images for the thing that they make is but deceipt and hath no breath 18 Vayne is it and an erronious worke and in the tyme of visitation it shall perishe 19 The portion of Iacob is none such but he that made all thinges whose name is the Lorde of hoastes he is the rodde of his enheritaunce 20 Thou hast ben mine hammer and weapons for warre for with thee haue I broken the people in peeces and with thee haue I destroyed kyngdomes 21 Through thee I haue beaten to powder horse and horsemen yea the charrettes and such as sate vpon them 22 Through thee I haue broken man and woman olde and young bacheler and mayden 23 Through thee I haue destroyed the sheepheard and his flocke the husbandman and his cattell the princes and the rulers 24 Therfore wyll I rewarde the citie of Babylon and all the inhabitauntes of Chaldea with all the euyll which they haue done vnto Sion yea that ye your selues shall see it saith the Lorde 25 Beholde I come vpon thee thou noysome hyll saith the Lorde thou that destroyest all landes I wyll stretch out my hand ouer thee and cast thee downe from the stony rockes and wyll make thee a burnt hyll 26 So that neither corner stones shal be taken any more out of thee but waste and desolate shalt thou lye for euermore saith the Lorde 27 Set vp a token in the lande blowe the trumpets among the heathen prouoke the nations agaynst her call the kyngdomes of Ararat Menni and Ascanez agaynst her set the prince agaynst her bryng as great a sort of terrible horses agaynst her as yf they were grashoppers 28 Prepare against them the people of the Medes with their kynges princes and all their chiefe rulers yea and the whole lande that is vnder hym 29 The lande also shall shake and be afrayde when the deuice of the Lorde shall come foorth agaynst Babylon to make the lande of Babylon so waste that no man shal dwel any more therin 30 The worthyes of Babylon shall leaue the battayle and kepe them selues in strong holdes their strength hath failed them they shal be lyke women their dwellyng places shal be burnt vp their barres shal be broken 31 One purseuaunt shall meete another yea one poste shall come by another to bryng the kyng of Babylon tidinges that his citie is taken on euery syde 32 The foordes occupied the fennes burnt vp and the souldiers sore afrayde 33 For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel The daughter of Babylon hath ben in her tyme lyke as a threshyng floore but shortly shall her haruest come 34 Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon hath deuoured and destroyed me he hath made me an emptie vessell he swalowed me vp lyke a dragon and fylled his belly with my delicates he hath cast me out 35 My substaunce wherof he hath spoyled me and the thyng that was left me which he hath caryed away crye out against Babylon saith the daughter that dwelleth in Sion yea and my blood also agaynst the Chaldees saith Hierusalem 36 Therfore thus saith the Lorde Beholde I wyll defende thy cause and auenge thee I wyll drynke vp her sea and drye vp her water sprynges 37 Babylon shall become an heape of stones a dwellyng place for dragons a fearefulnesse and wonderyng and no man shall dwell there 38 They shall rore together lyke lions and as the young lions when they be angry so shall they bende them selues 39 In their heate I shall geue them a dinner and they shal be drunken for ioy then shall they sleepe an euerlastyng sleepe and neuer wake saith the Lorde 40 I shall cary them downe to be slayne lyke sheepe lyke weathers and goates 41 O howe was Sesach wonne O howe was the glorie of the whole lande taken howe happeneth it that Babylon is so wondred at among the heathen 42 The sea is risen ouer Babylon hath couered her with her great waues 43 Her cities are layde waste the lande lyeth vnbuilded and voyde it is a lande where no man dwelleth and where no man trauayleth through 44 Moreouer I wyll visite Bell at Babylon the thyng that he hath swalowed vp that same shall I plucke out of his mouth the gentiles also shall runne no more vnto hym yea and the walles of Babylon shall fall 45 O my people come out of Babylon that euery man may saue his life from the fearfull wrath of the Lorde 46 Be not faynt hearted and feare not at euery rumoure that shal be hearde in the lande for euery yere bryngeth newe tidinges and in the yere folowing newe tidinges and robbyng in the lande and lorde vpon lorde 47 And lo the tyme commeth that I will visite the images of Babylon and the whole lande shal be confounded yea and her slayne shall lye in the middest of her 48 Heauen and
in his wrath As for the honour of Israel he hath cast it downe frō heauen vnto the earth and he remembred not his owne footestole when he was angry 2 The Lorde hath cast out all the habitations of Iacob without any fauour all the strong places of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath and throwen them downe to the grounde her kingdome and her princes hath he prophaned 3 In the wrath of his indignation he hath broken all the horne of Israel he hath withdrawen his right hande from the enemie yea a flambe of fire is kindled in Iacob and hath consumed vp all rounde about 4 He hath bent his bowe like an enemie he hath fastened his ryght hande as an aduersarie and euery thyng that was pleasaunt to see he hath slayne he hath powred out his wrath like a fire into the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion 5 The Lorde is become like as it were an enemie he hath deuoured Israel and all his palaces yea all his strong holdes hath he destroyed and fylled the daughter of Iuda with much sorowe and heauinesse 6 His tabernacle as a garden hath he destroyed his solempne meetinges hath he put downe the Lord hath brought it so to passe that the hye solempne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion are cleane forgotten in his heauy displeasure hath he dispised the kyng and priestes 7 The Lorde hath forsaken his owne aulter and hath abhorred his owne sanctuarie and hath geuen the walles of their towres into the handes of the enemie their enemies made a noyse in the house of the Lorde as it had ben in a solempne feast day 8 The Lorde thought to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Sion he spread out his line and drewe not in his hande tyll he had destroyed them therfore mourne the turrettes the broken walles fall downe together 9 Her gates are suncke downe to the grounde her barres are broken and smitten in sunder the kyng and princes are caryed away to the gentiles they haue neither lawe nor prophetes nor yet any vision from the Lorde 10 The senatours of the daughter Sion sit vpon the grounde in scilence they haue strawed asshes vpon their heads and gyrded them selues with sackcloth the maydens of Hierusalem hang downe their heades to the grounde 11 Mine eyes begin to fayle me through weeping my body is disquieted my liuer is powred vpon the earth for the great hurt of the daughter of my people seeing the chyldren and babes dyd swowne in the streetes of the citie 12 Euen when they spake to their mothers Where is meate and drinke for whyle they so sayde they fell downe in the streetes of the citie like as they had ben wounded and some dyed in their mothers bosome 13 What shall I say vnto thee O thou daughter Hierusalem to whom shal I liken thee To whom shall I compare thee O thou daughter Sion to comfort thee withall thy heart is lyke a mayne sea who may heale thee 14 Thy prophetes haue looke dout vayne and foolish thinges for thee they haue not shewed thee of thy wickednesse to kepe thee from captiuitie but they haue seene out for thee burthens of vanitie and banishment 15 All they that go by thee clappe their handes at thee hissing and wagging their heades vpon the daughter Hierusalem and say Is this the citie that men call so faire wherein the whole lande reioyceth 16 All thyne enemies gape vpon thee whispering and grinding their teeth saying let vs deuour for the tyme that we looked for is come we haue founde and seene it 17 The Lorde hath fulfilled the thing that he was purposed to do and perfourmed that he had deuised long ago he hath destroyed and not spared he hath caused thyne aduersarie to triumph ouer thee and set vp the horne of thyne enemie 18 Their heart cryed vnto the Lorde O thou citie of the daughter Sion let thy teares runne downe like a riuer day and night rest not and let not the apple of thyne eye leaue of 19 Stand vp and make thy prayer in the first watche of the night powre out thine heart like water before the Lord lift vp thyne handes for the liues of thy young chyldren that dye of hunger in the streetes 20 Beholde O Lorde and consider to whom thou hast done thus Shall the women then eate their owne fruite euen chyldren of a spanne long shall the priestes and prophetes be slayne in the sanctuarie of the Lorde 21 Young and olde lye thorowe the streetes vpon the grounde my maydens and young men are slayne with the sworde whom thou in the day of thy wrathfull indignation hast put to death yea euen thou hast put them to death and not spared them 22 My neighbours that are rounde about me hast thou called as it were to a feast day so that in the day of the lordes wrath none escaped neither was any left behinde those that I haue brought vp and nourished hath myne enemie destroyed The .iij. Chapter 1 I Am the man that thorowe the rodde of his wrath haue experience of miserie 2 He droue me foorth and led me yea into darknesse but not into light 3 Against me is he turned he turneth his hande dayly against me 4 My flesh and my skinne hath he made olde and my bones hath he bruised 5 He hath buylded rounde about me and closed me in with gall and trauaile 6 He hath set me in darknesse as they that be dead for euer 7 He hath so hedged me in that I can not get out and hath layde heauie linkes vpon me 8 Though I crye and call pitiously yet heareth he not my prayer 9 He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones and made my pathes crooked 10 He layeth wayte for me lyke a beare and as a lion in a hole 11 He hath marred my wayes and broken me in peeces he hath layde me waste altogether 12 He hath bent his bowe and made me as it were a marke to shoote at 13 The arrowes of his quiuer hath he shot euen into my reynes 14 I am laughed to scorne of all my people they make songues vpon me all the day long 15 He hath filled me with bitternesse and geuen me wormewood to drinke 16 He hath smitten my teeth in peeces with stones and roulled me in the dust 17 He hath put my soule out of rest I forget all good thinges 18 I thought in my selfe I am vndone there is no hope for me in the Lorde 19 O remember yet my miserie and my trouble the wormewood and the gall 20 Yea thou shalt remember them for my soule melteth away in me 21 Whyle I consider these thinges in my heart I get a hope agayne 22 Namely it is of the Lordes mercies that we are not vtterly consumed for truely his pitifull compassion hath not ceassed 23 Newe mercyes shall the Lord shewe vpon thee early in the day springing O Lorde great is
wayes to cut of them that shoulde escape neither shouldest thou haue shutte vp the remnaunt thereof in the day of affliction 15 For the day of the Lorde is neare vpon all the heathen as thou hast done it shal be done to thee thy rewarde shall returne vpon thyne head 16 For as ye haue drunke vpon myne holy mountaine so shall all the heathen drinke continually yea they shal drinke and swalowe vp and they shal be as though they had not ben 17 But vpon mount Sion shal be deliueraunce and it shal be holy and the house of Iacob shal possesse their possessions 18 And the house of Iacob shal be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flambe and the house of Esau as stubble and they shall kindle in them and deuoure them and there shal be no remnaunt of the house of Esau for the Lorde hath spoken it 19 And they shall possesse the south side of the mount of Esau and the plaine of the Philistines and they shall possesse the fieldes of Ephraim and the fieldes of Samaria and Beniamin shall haue Gilead 20 And the captiuitie of his hoast of the children of Israel which were among the Chanaanites shall possesse◠vnto Zarephath and the captiuitie of Hierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the cities of the south 21 And they that shall saue shall come vp to mount Sion to iudge the mount of Esau and the kingdome shal be the Lordes ⧠The booke of the prophete Ionas ¶ The first Chapter 3 Ionas fled when he was sent to preache 4 A tempest ariseth and he is cast into the sea for his disobedience 1 THe worde of the Lorde came vnto Ionas the sonne of Amittai saying 2 Aryse go to Niniue that great citie and crye against it for their wickednesse is come vp before me 3 And Ionas rose vp to flee into Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde and went downe to Ioppa and founde a ship going to Tharsis so he payed his fare and went downe into it that he might go with them vnto Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde 5 Then the maryners were afrayde and cryed euery man vnto his God and cast the wares that were in the shippe into the sea to lighten it of them but Ionas was gone downe into the sides of the shippe he laye downe sleeping 6 And the shippe maister came to him and saide What meanest thou sleeper Vp and call vpon thy God if so be that God wyl shine vnto vs that we perishe not 7 And they saide euery one to his felow Come let vs cast lottes that we may know for whose cause this euil is on vs. And they cast lottes and the lotte fel on Ionas 8 Then saide they vnto him Tell vs for whose cause is this euill come vpon vs what is thyne occupation whence camest thou what countrey man art thou and of what nation 9 And he aunswered them I am an Hebrue and I feare the Lorde God of heauen which hath made the sea and the drye lande 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraide saide vnto him Why hast thou done this for the men knewe we that he fled from the presence of the Lorde because he had tolde them 11 And they saide vnto him What shal we do vnto thee that the sea may be calme vnto vs For the sea wrought and was troublous 12 And he saide vnto them Take me and cast me into the sea and the sea shal be calme vnto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you 13 Neuerthelesse the men assayed with rowing to bring the shippe to lande but they could not because the sea wrought and was troublous against them 14 Wherfore they cryed vnto the Lorde and saide We beseche thee O Lord We beseche thee let not vs perishe for this mans lyfe and lay not to our charge innocent blood for thou O Lorde hast done as it pleased thee 15 So they toke vp Ionas and cast him into the sea and the sea left raging 16 And the men feared the Lorde exceedingly and offered a sacrifice vnto the Lorde and made vowes 17 And the Lorde prepared a great fishe to swalowe vp Ionas Ionas was in the belly of the fishe three dayes and three nightes The .ij. Chapter 1 Ionas is in the fisshes belly 3 His prayer 11 He is deliuered 1 AND Ionas prayed vnto the Lorde his God out of the fisshes belly 2 And saide In affliction I cryed vnto the Lorde and he heard me out of the belly of hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce 3 Thou haddest cast me downe into the deepe into the middest of the sea and the floods compassed me about all thy billowes and waues passed ouer me 4 And I saide I am cast away out of thy sight yet wyll I loke againe toward thyne holy temple 5 The waters compassed me euen vnto the soule the deapth closed me on euery side and the weedes were wrapt about my head 6 I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines the earth with her barres was about me for euer yet hast thou brought vp my lyfe from corruption O Lorde my God 7 When my soule fainted within me I remembred the Lorde and my prayer came in vnto thee into thy holy temple 8 They that holde vpon lying vanitie forsake his mercie 9 But I wyll sacrifice vnto thee with the voyce of thankesgeuing and wyll pay that that I haue vowed for saluation is of the Lorde 10 And the Lorde spake vnto the fisshe and it cast out Ionas vpon the drye lande The .iii. Chapter 2 Ionas is sent againe to Niniue 5 The repentaunce of the king of Niniue 1 AND the worde of the Lorde came vnto Ionas the second time saying 2 Aryse and go to Niniue that great citie and preache against it the preaching which I speake vnto thee 3 So Ionas arose and went to Niniue according to the word of the Lord Niniue was a great citie and excellent of three dayes iourney 4 And Ionas began to enter into the citie a dayes iourney and he cryed saide Yet fourtie dayes Niniue shal be destroyed 5 And the men of Niniue beleued God and proclaymed a fast and put on sackecloth from the greatest of them to the leaste of them 6 And worde came vnto the king of Niniue which arose from his throne and put of his robe and couered him selfe with sackcloth sate downe in asshes 7 And he caused a cryer to crye and say through the citie by the counsell of the king his nobles Let neither man nor beast bullocke nor sheepe taste ought at all neither feede nor drinke water 8 And let both man beast put on sackcloth and crye mightyly vnto God yea let euery man turne from his euill way and from the wickednesse that is in his handes 9 Who can tel whether God wyl turne and be moued with
I wyll put them together as the sheepe of Bozra as the flocke in the middest of their folde they shall make great noyse by reason of the multitude of men 13 The breaker shall come vp before them they shall breake out and passe by the gate and go out by it and their king shall go before them and the Lorde shal be vpon their heades ¶ The .iij. Chapter Against the tiranny of princes and false prophetes 1 ANd I saide heare I pray you O heads of Iacob ye princes of the house of Israel shoulde not ye know iudgement 2 But they hate the good and loue the euill they plucke of their skinnes from them and their fleshe from their bones 3 And they eate also the fleshe of my people slay of their skinne from them and they breake their bones and chop them in peeces as for the pot and as fleshe within the cauldron 4 Then shall they crye vnto the Lorde but he wyll not heare them he wyll euen hide his face from them at that time because they haue done wickedly in their workes 5 Thus saith the Lorde concerning the prophetes that deceaue my people and bite them with their teeth and crye peace but if a man put not into their mouthes they prepare warre against him 6 Therfore night shal be vnto you for a vision and darkenesse shal be vnto you for a diuination and the sunne shall go downe ouer the prophetes and the day shal be darke ouer them 7 Then shall the sears be ashamed and the soothsayers confounded yea they shal al couer their lippes for they haue none aunswere of God 8 Yet notwithstanding I am full of power by the spirite of the Lorde and of iudgement and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne 9 Heare this I pray you ye heades of the house of Iacob and princes of the house of Israel they abhorre iudgement and peruert all equitie 10 They builde vp Sion with blood and Hierusalem with iniquitie 11 The heades therof iudge for rewards and the priestes thereof teache for hyre and the prophetes thereof prophecie for money yet wyll they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among vs no euill can come vpon vs. 12 Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a fielde Hierusalem shal be an heape and the mountaine of the house as the hie places of the forest The .iiij. Chapter The calling of the Gentiles and conuertion of the Iewes 1 BVt in the latter dayes it wyll come to passe that the hill of the Lordes house shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shal be set vp hygher then any mountaynes or hilles and people shall prease vnto it 2 Yea the multitude of the Gentiles shall haste them thither saying Come let vs go vp the to hill of the Lorde and to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes and we wyll walke in his pathes for the lawe shall come out of Sion and the word of God from Hierusalem 3 And he shall iudge many people and rebuke mightie nations of farre countreys so that of their swordes they shal make plough shares and sythes of their speares one people shall not lift vp a sworde against another yea they shall no more learne to fight 4 But euery man shall sit vnder his vineyarde and vnder his figtree and no man shall make them afraide for the mouth of the Lorde of hoastes hath spoken it 5 Therfore all people wyll walke euery man in the name of his God and we wyll walke in the name of our lord God for euer and euer 6 At the same time saith the Lorde wyl I gather vp the lame and the outcast and such as I haue chastened 7 And wyll geue a remnaunt vnto the lame and make of the outcast a mightie people and the Lorde him selfe shal be their king vpon the mount Sion from this time foorth for euermore 8 And vnto thee O thou towre of the flocke thou strong holde of the daughter Sion vnto thee shall it come euen the lordeship and kingdome to the daughter Hierusalem 9 Why then doest thou crye and lament is there no king in thee are thy counsellers perished that thou art so payned as a woman in her trauaile 10 And now O thou daughter Sion sorowe and lament as a woman in her trauaile for nowe must thou get thee out of the citie dwelt vpon the plaine fielde yea vnto Babylon shalt thou go but there shalt thou be deliuered * and there the Lord shall redeeme thee from the hande of thyne enemies 11 Now also are there many people gathered together against thee saying Sion shal be condempned and our eye shall loke vpon Sion 12 But they know not the thoughtes of the Lord they vnderstand not his counsel for he shall gather them together as the sheaues in the barne 13 Therefore get thee vp O thou daughter Sion and thresshe out the corne for I wyll make thy horne iron and thy hooues brasse that thou mayst breake in peeces many people their goodes shalt thou consecrate vnto the Lorde and their substaunce vnto the ruler of the whole worlde ¶ The .v. Chapter Of the destruction of Hierusalem 1 NOW shalt thou be robbed thy selfe O thou robbers daughter they shall laye siege against vs smyte the iudge of Israel with a rodde vpon the cheeke 2 And thou Bethlehem Ephrata art little among the thousandes of Iuda out of thee shal he come foorth vnto me which shal be the gouernour in Israel whose out going hath ben from the beginning and from euerlasting 3 Therefore wyll he geue them vp for a season vntill the time that she which shall beare haue borne then shall the remnaunt of his brethren be conuerted vnto the children of Israel 4 He shall stande faste and geue foode in the strength of the Lorde and in the maiestie of the name of the Lorde his God and when they be conuerted he shal be magnified vnto the farthest partes of the worlde 5 And he shall be our peace when the Assirians shall come into our lande when he shal treade in our palaces then shall we raise against him seuen sheepheardes and eyght principall men 6 These shall subdue the lande of Assur with the sworde and the lande of Nimrod with their naked weapons Thus shall he deliuer vs from the Assirian when he commeth within our lande and setteth his foote within our borders 7 And the remnaunt of Iacob shal be among the multitude of people as the deawe of the Lord and as the droppes vpon the grasse that taryeth for no man and wayteth on no body 8 Yea the residue of Iacob shal be among the gentiles and the multitude of people as the lion among the beastes of the wood and as the lions whelpe among the flockes of sheepe which whē he goeth through treadeth downe
the twentie and fourth day of the eleuenth moneth whiche is the moneth Sebah in the seconde yere of Darius came the word of the Lord vnto Zacharias the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophete saying 8 I sawe by night and behold there sate one vpon a red horse and stoode still among the myrre trees that were in a botome and behinde hym were there red speckled and whyte horses 9 Then sayde I O my Lorde what are these And the angel that talked with me sayde vnto me I will shewe thee what these be 10 And the man that stoode among the myrre trees aunswered and said These are they whom the Lorde hath sent to go thorowe the world 11 And they aunswered the angel of the Lorde that stoode among the myrre trees and sayd We haue gone thorowe the world and beholde all the world sitteth still and is carelesse 12 Then the lordes angel gaue aunswere and saide O lorde of hoastes how long wylt thou be vnmerciful to Hierusalem and to the cities of Iuda with whom thou hast ben displeased now these three score and ten yeres 13 So the Lorde gaue a louing and a comfortable aunswere vnto the angel that talked with me 14 And the angel that communed with me saide vnto me Crye thou speake Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes I am exceeding ielous ouer Hierusalem and Sion 15 And sore displeased at the carelesse heathen for where as I was but a litle angry they helped forward the affliction 16 Therfore thus saith the Lorde I wyl returne vnto Hierusalem in tender mercie so that my house shal be builded in it saith the Lorde of hoastes yea and the lyne shal be stretched vpon Hierusalē 17 Crye also and speake thus saith the Lorde of hoastes My cities shal be in good prosperitie againe the Lorde shall yet comforte Sion choose Hierusalem 18 Then lyft I vp myne eyes and sawe and beholde foure hornes 19 And I saide vnto the angel that talked with me what be these He aunswered me These are the hornes which haue scattered Iuda Israel and Hierusalem 20 And the Lorde shewed me foure carpenters 21 Then saide I what wyll these do He aunswered said These are the hornes which haue scattered Iuda so that no man durst lyft vp his head but these are come to fray them away and to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles which lyft vp their horne ouer the lande of Iuda to scatter it abroade The .ij. Chapter The renewing of Hierusalem and Iuda 1 I Lyft vp myne eyes agayne and loked and beholde a man with a measure lyne in his hande 2 Then saide I whyther goest thou And he said vnto me To measure Hierusalem that I may see how long and how broade it is 3 And behold the angel that talked with me went his way foorth Then went there out another angel to meete him ▪ 4 And saide vnto him Runne speake to this young man and say Hierusalem shal be inhabited without any wall for the very multitude of people and cattaile that shal be therein 5 For I my selfe saith the Lorde wyl be vnto her a wall of fire rounde about wyl be the glory in the middest of her 6 O get you foorth O flee from the land of the north saith the Lorde for I haue scattred you into the foure windes of the heauen saith the Lorde 7 Saue thy selfe O Sion thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon 8 For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes After this glory hath he sent me out to the heathen which spoyled you for who so toucheth you shal touche the apple of his owne eye 9 Beholde I wyll lyft vp myne hande ouer them so that they shall be spoyled of those which afore serued them and ye shall knowe that the Lorde of hoastes hath sent me 10 Be glad and reioyce O daughter Sion for lo I am come to dwell in the middest of thee saith the Lorde 11 At the same time there shal many heathen cleaue to the lord shal be my people Thus wyll I dwell in the middest of thee and thou shalt knowe that the lorde of hoastes hath sent me vnto thee 12 The Lorde shall haue Iuda in possession for his part in the holy lande and shall choose Hierusalem yet againe 13 Let all fleshe be still before the Lorde for he is raysed vp out of his holy place ¶ The .iij. Chapter 1 Of the lw and hie estate of Christe vnder the figure of Iosua the priest 8 a prophecie of Christe 1 ANd he shewed me Iosua the hie priest standing before the angell of the Lord and Satan stoode at his right hande to resist him 2 And the Lorde saide vnto Satan The Lorde reproue thee thou Satan yea the Lorde that hath chosen Hierusalem reproue thee Is not this a brand taken out of the fire 3 Now Iosua was clothed in vncleane rayment and stoode before the angel 4 And he aunswered saide vnto those that stoode before him Take away the foule clothes frō him And vnto him he saide Beholde I haue taken away thy sinne from thee and I wyll clothe thee with chaunge of rayment 5 And I saide Let them set a fayre miter vpon his head So they set a fayre miter vpon his head put on clothes vpon him and the angell of the Lorde stoode there 6 Then the angell of the Lorde testified vnto Iosua and spake 7 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes If thou wylt walke in my wayes keepe my watch thou shalt iudge my house kepe my courtes and I wyll geue thee place among these that stande here 8 Heare O Iosua thou hie priest thou thy felowes that sit before thee for they are monstruous persons behold I wyl bring foorth the braunche my seruaunt 9 For lo the stone that I haue layde before Iosua vpon one stone shal be seuen eyes beholde I wyll cut out the grauing therof saith the Lorde of hoastes and I wyll take away the sinne of the lande in one day 10 In that day shall euery man call his neighbour vnder the vine and vnder the figtree saith the Lorde of hoastes The .iiii. Chapter The vision of the golden candelsticke and the exposition thereof 1 ANd the angell that talked with me came againe and waked me as a man that is raysed out of his sleepe 2 And saide vnto me what seest thou And I saide I haue loked and beholde a candelsticke all of golde with a boule vpon it and his seuen lampes therein vpon euery lampe seuen pypes 3 And two olyue trees thereby one vpon the right side of the boule the other vpon the left side 4 So I aunswered and spake to the angell that talked with me saying O my Lorde what are these 5 The angell that talked with me aunswered and saide vnto me Knowest thou not what these be And I said No my Lorde 6 He aunswered and
inheritaunce in the inheritaunce of them 10 And the third lot arose for the childrē of Zabulon throughout their kynreds And the coastes of their inheritaunce came to Sarid 11 And went vp westward euen to Maralah and reached to Dabbaseth came thence to the riuer that lyeth before Iokneam 12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunne risyng vnto the border of Chisloth Thabor then goeth out to Dabereth and goeth vp to Iaphia 13 And from thence goeth along eastward to Gethah Hepher to Itthah Kazin and goeth to Remmon and turneth to Neah 14 And compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon and endeth in the valey of Iephthahel 15 And Katath Nahalol Simeon Iedalah and Bethlehem twelue cities with their villages 16 This is the inheritaunce of the children of Zabulon throughout their kynredes and these are the cities with their villages 17 And the fourth lot came out to Isachar euen for the children of Isachar by their kinreds 18 And their coast was Iesraelah Casuloth ' and Sunem ' 19 Hapharaim Sion and Anaharath ' 20 Harabith Kision and Abez ' 21 Rameth Enganim Enhadah and ' Bethphazez ' 22 And his coast reacheth to Thabor Sahazimah and Bethsames and endeth at Iordane syxteene cities with their villages 23 This is the inheritaunce of the tribe of the children of Isachar by their kinreds and these are the cities with their villages 24 And y e fyfth lot came out for the tribe ' of the children of Aser by their kinreds ' 25 And their coast was Helkath Hali ' Beten and Achsap ' 26 Alamelech Amaad and Miseal and came to Carmel westwarde and to Sihor Libanath 27 And turneth toward the sunne rising to Bethdagon and commeth to Zabulon and to the valley of Iephthahel towarde the north side of Bethemek Neiel and goeth out on the lefte side of Cabul 28 And to Hebron Rohob Hammon ' and Kanah euen vnto great Sidon ' 29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah to the strong citie of Zor and turneth to Hozah endeth at the sea by the possession of Achzibah 30 Amah also and Aphek and Rohob twentie and two cities with their villages 31 This is the inheritaunce of the children of Aser by their kinreds these are the cities with their villages 32 And the syxth lot came out to the children of Nephthali euen to the childrē of Nephthali by their kinredes 33 And their coast was from Heleph ' and from Elon to Zaenanim Adami ' children of Iuda and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities by name 10 Which the children of Aaron being of the kynredes of the Caathites and of the childrē of Leui obtained for theirs was the first lotte 11 And they gaue them Kiriath Arba of the father of Enac which is Hebron in the hyll countrey of Iuda with the suburbes of the same rounde about it 12 But the lande that pertayned to the citie and the villages therof gaue they to Caleb the sonne of Iephune to be his possession 13 And thus they gaue to the childrē of Aaron the priest a citie to the which the slayer myght flee euen Hebron with her suburbes and Libna with her suburbes 14 And Iathir with her suburbes and Estemoa with he suburbes 15 Holon with her suburbes Dabir with her suburbes 16 Ain with her suburbes Iuttah with her suburbes Bethsames with her suburbes nine cities out of those two tribes 17 And out of the tribe of Beniamin they gaue Gibeon with her suburbes Gabae with her suburbes 18 Anatoth with her suburbes Almon with her suburbes foure cities 19 All these cities of the children of Aaron priestes were thirteene cities with their suburbes 20 And the kynredes of the children of Caath that were Leuites that is to say the other children of Caath had cities geuen them for their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim 21 For they gaue them the citie that the slear might flee vnto Sichem with her suburbes in mount Ephraim and Gazer with her suburbes 22 And Cibraim with her suburbes and Bethhoron with her suburbes foure cities 23 And out of y e tribe of Dan Elthee with her suburbes Gabethon with her suburbes 24 And Aialō with her suburbes Gathremon with her suburbes foure cities 25 And out of the halfe tribe of Manasses Thanach with her suburbes Gathremon with her suburbes two cities 26. All the cities for the other kynredes of the children of Caath were ten with their suburbes 27 And vnto the childrē of Gerson which were of the kynredes of the Leuites they gaue out of the other halfe tribe of Manasses the citie of refuge for y e slear Golan in Basan with her suburbes Beestherah with her suburbes two cities 28 And out of the tribe of Isachar Kision with her suburbes and Dabereh with her suburbes 29 And Iarmuth with her suburbes Enganim with her suburbes foure cities 30 And out of the tribe of Aser Misal with her suburbes Abdō with her suburbes 31 Helcath with her suburbes and Rohob with her suburbes foure cities 32 And out of the tribe of Nephthali the citie for the slear to flee vnto Kedes in Galilee with her suburbes Hamothdor with her suburbes and Carthan with her suburbes three cities 33 All the cities of y e Gersonites throughout their kynredes were thirteene cities with their suburbes 34 And vnto the other kynredes of the children of Merari the rest of the Leuites they gaue out of the tribe of Zabulon Iecnam with her suburbes and Cartha with her suburbes 35 Dimnah with her suburbes and Nahalal with her suburbes foure cities 36 And out of the tribe of Rubē Bezer with her suburbes and Iahasa with her suburbes 37 Kedmoth with her suburbes and Mephaath with her suburbes foure cities 38 And out of the tribe of Gad they gaue the citie for the slear to flee vnto Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbes and Mahanaim with her suburbes 39 Hesbon with suburbes and Iaser with her suburbes foure cities in all 40 So that all the cities of the children of Merari throughout their kinredes which were the rest of the kynredes of the Leuites were by their lot twelue cities 41 And all the cities that the Leuites had among the possession of the children of Israel were .xlviii. with their suburbes 42 And these cities lay euery one seuerally hauing their suburbes rounde about them throughout al the said cities 43 And the Lorde gaue vnto Israel all the lande which he sware to geue vnto their fathers And they conquered it dwelt therin 44 And the Lord gaue them rest rounde about according to all that he sware vnto their fathers and there stoode not a man of all their enemies before them The Lorde also deliuered all their enemies into their handes 45 There scaped nothing of al the good thinges which the Lord had sayd vnto y e house of Israel but all came to passe The
aunswered them should I forsake my sweetnes and my good fruite and go to be promoted ouer the trees 12 Then sayde the trees vnto the vine Come thou and be kyng ouer vs. 13 The vine sayde vnto them Should I leaue my wine wherby I cheare both God and man and go to be promoted ouer the trees 14 Then said all the trees vnto the bryer Come thou and raigne ouer vs. 15 And the bryer sayde vnto the trees If it be true that ye will annoynt me kyng ouer you then come and put your trust vnder my shadow If no the fyre come out of the bryer waste the Cedar trees of Libanon 16 Nowe therfore if ye do truely and vncorruptly to make Abimelech kyng and if ye haue dealte well with Ierobaal his house and haue done vnto hym according to the deseruing of his handes 17 For euen my father fought for you and aduentured his life and ridde you out of the hande of Madian 18 And ye are rysen vp agaynst my fathers house this day and haue slayne his children beyng threescore ten persones vpon one stone and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruaunt king ouer the men of Sichem because he is your brother 19 If ye then haue dealt truely and purely with Ierobaal and with his house this day then reioyce ye with Abimelech and let him reioyce with you 20 But if you haue not dealt truely then let a fire come out of Abimelech consume the men of Sichem the house of Mello and let there come out a fire frō among the men of Sichem out of the house of Mello consume Abimelech 21 And Ioatham ran away and fledde and went to Beer and dwelt there for feare of Abimelech his brother 22 When Abimelech had raigned three yeres ouer Israel 23 God sent an euyll spirite betweene Abimelech the men of Sichem and the citezins of Sichem brake their promise to Abimelech 24 That the wickednes done to the threescore and ten sonnes of Ierobaal might come on him and that God might lay the blood of them vnto Abimelech their brother which slue them and vpon the other men of Sichem which ayded him in the killing of his brethren 25 And the citezins of Sichem set men to lay awayte for hym in the toppe of the mountaynes which men robbed al that came along the way by them And it was tolde Abimelech 26 And Gaal the sonne of Obed came with his brethren and they gat them to Sichem and the men of Sichem put their confidence in him 27 And they went out into the fieldes and gathered in their grapes trode them and made mery went into the house of their god and dyd eate and drinke and cursed Abimelech 28 And Gaal the sonne of Obed sayde what is Abimelech what is Sichem that we shoulde serue him Is he not the sonne of Ierobaal Zebul is his officer Serue such as come of Hemor the father of Sichem for what reason is it that we shoulde serue him 29 Woulde God this people were vnder my hande then would I take Abimelech out of y e way And he spake against Abimelech Make thine hoast greater and go out 30 And when Zebul the ruler of the citie hearde the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Obed he was wroth 31 And sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuyly saying Behold Gaal the sonne of Obed and his brethren be come to Sichem and beholde they fortifie the citie agaynst thee 32 Now therfore vp by night thou and the people that is with thee and lye in wayte in the fielde 33 And rise early in the morning assone as the sunne is vp and fall vpon the citie And if he the people that is with hym come out against thee do to hym what thine handes shal be able 34 And Abimelech rose vp and all the people that were with him by night and they layde awayte against Sichem in foure companies 35 And Gaal the sonne of Obed went out and stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie And Abimelech rose vp and the folke that were with him from lying in wayte 36 And when Gaal sawe y e people he sayd to Zebul Beholde there come people downe from the top of the mountaines And Zebul sayd vnto him The shadow of the hylles seeme men vnto thee 37 And Gaal aunswered agayne sayd See there come folke downe by y e middle of the land another company come along by the playne of the charmars 38 Then sayd Zebul vnto him Where is nowe thy mouth that said what felowe is Abimelech that we should serue him Is not this the people that thou hast despysed Go out now fight with thē 39 And Gaal went out before the citezins of Sichem fought with Abimelech 40 And Abimelech chased him that he fled before him and many were ouerthrowen wounded euen vnto the entring of the gate 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah and Zebul thrust out Gaal his brethrē that they shoulde not dwell in Sichem 42 And on the morow the people wēt out into the fielde And they told Abimelech 43 And he toke the people deuided them into three cōpanies layd awayte in the fielde and loked and behold the people were come out of the citie and he ran vpon them and smote them 44 And Abimelech and the companions that were with him rushed forward stoode in the entring of the gate of the citie and the two other companions ran vpon all the people that were in the fieldes and slue them 45 And when Abimelech had fought against the citie al that day he toke it and slue the people that was therin and destroyed the citie and sowed salte in it 46 And when all the men of the towre of Sichem heard that they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith 47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together 48 And Abimeleh gat him to mount Zelmon both he all the people that were with him toke axes with him and cut downe bowes of trees toke them and bare them on his shulder sayde vnto the folke that were with hym what ye haue seene me do speede your selues do lykewyse as I haue done 49 And al the men that were among the people cut downe bowes and folowed Abimelech and put them into the hold and set the holde a fire by them so that al the men of the towre of Sichem died also vpon a thousande men women 50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez besieged it and toke it 51 But there was a strong towre within the citie and thyther ranne all the men and women and all the chiefe that were in the citie and shut it to them and gate them vp to the toppe of the towre 52 And Abimelech came vnto the towre and fought agaynst it and went harde vnto the doore
and more also if I taste bread or ought els tyll the sunne be downe 36 And all the people wist it and it pleased them as whatsoeuer the king did pleased all the people 37 For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day how that it was not the kinges deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slayne 38 And the king said vnto his seruauntes Knowe ye not howe that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel 39 And I am this day tender and newly annoynted king and these men the sonnes of Zaruia be to hard for me The Lorde rewarde the doer of euyll according to his wickednesse The .iiii. Chapter 5 Baanah and Rechab slay Isboseth the sonne of Saul 12 Dauid commaunded them to the slayne 1 AND when Sauls sonne hearde that Abner was dead in Hebron his handes were feeble al the Israelites were afrayde 2 And Sauls sōne had two mē that were captaines of bandes the one called Baanah the other Rechab the sonnes of Rimmon a Berothite of the children of Beniamin for Beroth was reckened to Beniamin 3 And these Berothites fled to Githaim and soiourned there vntill this day 4 And Ionathan Sauls sonne had a sonne that was lame on his feete and was fiue yeres olde when the tydinges came of Saul Ionathan out of Iesrael And his nurse toke hym vp and fled away and as she made haste to flee the chylde fell and began to halt and his name was Miphiboseth 5 And the sonnes of Rimmon the Berothite Rechab and Baanah went and came in the heate of the day to the house of Isboseth whiche slept on a bed at noone 6 And behold they came into the middes of the house as though they woulde haue fetched wheate and Rechab and Baanah his brother smote him vnder the fyft ribbe and fled 7 For when they came into the house he slept on his bed in his bed chamber and they smote him and slue him beheaded him and toke his head gat them away through the plaine all the night 8 And they brought the head of Isboseth vnto Dauid to Hebron and sayde to the king Behold there is the head of Isboseth Sauls sonne thyne enemie whiche sought after thy lyfe and the Lorde hath auenged my lorde the kyng this day of Saul and of his seede 9 And Dauid aunswered Rechab and Baanah his brother y e sonnes of Rimmon the Berothite and said vnto them As the Lorde lyueth whiche hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersites 10 When one tolde me sayde that Saul was dead thynking to haue brought good tydinges I caught him and slue him in Ziklag whiche thought that I woulde haue geuen him a rewarde for his tydinges bringing 11 Howe much more when wicked men haue slayne a righteous person in his owne house and vpon his bed Shal I not nowe therfore require his blood of your hande take you from the earth 12 And Dauid commaunded his young men and they slue them and cut of their handes and feete and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron But they toke the head of Isboseth buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron The .v. Chapter 3 Dauid is made king ouer all Israel 7 He taketh the forte of Zion 19 He asketh counsel of the Lorde 20 And ouercommeth the Philistines twise 1 THen came all the tribes of Israel to Dauid vnto Hebron and sayde thus Beholde we are thy bone and thy fleshe 2 And in time past whē Saul was our king thou leddest Israel in and out and the Lord hath sayd to thee thou shalt feede my people Israel thou shalt be a captayne ouer Israel 3 And so all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron and king Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron before the Lorde and they annointed Dauid king ouer Israel 4 Dauid was thirtie yeres olde when he began to raigne and he raigned fourtie yeres 5 In Hebron he raigned ouer Iuda seuen yeres and sixe monethes and in Hierusalem he raigned thirtie and three yeres ouer all Israel and Iuda 6 The king also and his men went to Hierusalem vnto the Iebusites the inhabitauntes of the lande whiche spake vnto Dauid saying Except thou take away the blinde and the lame thou shalt not come in hyther For they said Thou art not able to come in hyther 7 Neuerthelesse Dauid toke the strong hold of Sion the same is the citie of Dauid 8 And Dauid sayde the same day Whosoeuer smyteth the Jebusites and getteth vp to the gutters of the houses and smyteth the lame and the blinde hated of Dauid soule I will preferre him Wherfore they said The blinde and the lame shal not come into that house 9 And so Dauid dwelt in the towre and called it the citie of Dauid and buylt round about it from Millo inward 10 And Dauid prospered and grewe and y e Lord God of hoastes was with him 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to Dauid and Cedar trees carpenters and masons for walles and they buylt Dauid an house 12 And Dauid perceaued that the Lord had stablished him king ouer Israel that he had exalted his kingdome for his people Israels sake 13 And Dauid toke him mo concubines and wyues out of Hierusalem after he was come from Hebron and mo sonnes daughters were yet borne to Dauid 14 And these be the names of the sonnes that were borne vnto him in Hierusalem Samua Sobab Nathan Solomon 15 Ibhar also and Elisua Nepheg and Iaphia 16 Elisama Eliada and Eliphelet 17 But when the Philistines hearde that they had annoynted Dauid king ouer Israel they came all vp to seke Dauid And assoone as Dauid hearde of it he gat him to an holde 18 And when the Philistines came they spread them selues in the valley of Raphaim 19 And Dauid asked counsel of the Lord saying Shall I go vp to the Philistines wilt thou deliuer them into my handes And the Lorde aunswered vnto Dauid Go vp for I will doubtlesse deliuer the Philistines into thy handes 20 And Dauid came to Baal Perazim and smote them there and sayde The Lorde hath deuided myne enemies asunder before me as waters be deuided asunder And therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim 21 And there they left their images and Dauid and his men burnt them 22 And the Philistines came yet againe and layde them selues in the valley of Rephaim 23 And when Dauid asked counsel of the Lorde he aunswered Thou shalt not go vp but compasse them on the backsyde and come vpon them ouer against the Mulbery trees 24 And when thou hearest the noyse of a thing goyng in the toppe of the Mulbery trees then remoue for then shall the Lorde go out before thee to smyte the hoast of the Philistines 25 And Dauid did as the Lorde
ouer against the middest within the networke pomegranets and vpon the second head peece were there two hundred pomegranets in two rowes round about 21 And he set vp the pillers in the porch of the temple And when he had set vp the right piller he called the name therof Iachin and when he had set vp the left piller he called the name thereof Boaz. 22 And vpon the top of the pillers were lillie worke so was the workmanship of the pillers finished 23 And he made a moulten lauatorie ten cubites wide from brim to brim round in compasse and fiue cubites hie And a string of thirtie cubites did compasse it about 24 And vnder the brim of it there were knoppes round about ten in one cubite and thei compassed the lauatorie round about And the knoppes were cast with it in two rowes when it was cast 25 And it stoode on twelue oxen of which three loked toward the north three toward the west three toward the south and three toward the east and the lauatorie stoode vpon them and al their hinder partes were inward 26 It was an hand breadth thicke and the brym was wrought lyke the brym of a cup with flowres of lilies and it contained two thousand battes 27 And he made ten feete of brasse foure cubites long and foure cubites broade a peece and three cubites hie 28 And the worke of the feete was on this maner They had sides and the sides were betweene the ledges 29 And on the sides that were betweene the ledges were lions oxen and Cherubs and likewise vpō the ledges that were aboue and beneath the lions and oxen were certayne additions made of thynne worke 30 And vnder euery foote were foure brasen wheeles and boordes of brasse and in the foure corners thereof vnder the lauatorie were vndersetters moulten at the side of euery addition 31 And the stalke of the lauatorie was in the middle of it and aboue one cubite But the stalke thereof was round after the worke of the foote a cubite a halfe and also vpon the stalke were grauings with their bands foure square and not round 32 And vnder the sydes were foure wheeles and the axeltrees ioyned fast to the bottome and the height of euery wheele was a cubite and an halfe 33 And the workmanship of the wheeles was lyke the worke of a charet wheele and the axeltrees the nauelles spokes and shaftes were al moulten 34 And there were foure vndersetters in the foure corners of one foote the vndersetters were of y e very bottome selfe 35 And in the height of the bottome was there a rounde compasse of halfe a cubite hie and in that height of the bottome there proceeded both ledges and sydes out of the same 36 For in the boordes of the ledges and on the sydes he had grauen pictures of Cherubims lions paulme trees one by another rounde about 37 Thus made he the ten feete after this maner and they had all one fashion of casting one measure and one syse 38 Then made he ten lauers of brasse one lauer contayning fourtie battes and euery lauer was foure cubites vpon euery one of the ten feete he put one lauer 39 And he put fiue of those feete on the ryght syde of the house and other fiue on the left and he set the lauatorie on the right syde of the house eastward and toward the south 40 And Hiram made pots shouels and basons so finished all the worke that he made king Solomon for the house of the Lorde 41 That is to say two pillers and two round head peeces that were to be set on the toppes of the two pillers 42 And foure hundred pomegranates for the two networkes euen two rowes of pomegranates in one networke to couer the two head peeces that were to be set on the toppes of the pillers ' 43 And the ten feete and ten lauers on ' the feete ' 44 The lauatorie and twelue oxen vnder ' it 45 And pottes shouels and basons And all these vessels which Hiram made to king Solomō for the house of the Lord were of bright brasse 46 In the playne of Iordane did the king cast them euen in the thicke claye betweene Socoh and Zarthan 47 And Solomon left all the vessels vnwayed because they were so exceeding many neither founde they out the waight of the brasse 48 And so Solomon made al the vessels that parteyned vnto the house of the Lorde the golden aulter and the golden table wheron the shew bread was 49 And fiue candelstickes for the ryght side and fiue for the left before the quier of pure golde with flowres lampes and snuffers of golde 50 And bowles flat peeces basons spoones masours of pure golde and hyndges made he of golde both for the doores of the quier the place most holy and for the doores of the temple also 51 And so was ended all the worke that king Solomon made for the house of the Lorde And Solomon brought in the thinges which Dauid his father had dedicated euen the siluer golde and vessels and layde them vp among the treasures of the house of the Lord. ¶ The .viii. Chapter 4 The arke is borne into the temple 10 A cloude filleth the temple 15 The king blesseth the people 1 THen Solomon gathered the elders of Israel al the heads of the tribes and them that were captaynes amōg the fathers of the children of Israel vnto him in Hierusalem that they might bring vp the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde out of the citie of Dauid which is Sion 2 And all the men of Israel assembled vnto king Solomon to the feast that falleth in the moneth Ethanim which is the seuenth moneth 3 And al the elders of Israel were come and the priestes tooke vp the arke 4 And they bare the arke of the Lorde the tabernacle of the congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle those dyd the priestes and the leuites beare 5 And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled vnto him and went with him before the arke did offer sheepe and oxen that could not be tolde nor numbred for multitude 6 And so the priestes brought the arke of the appoyntment of the Lord vnto his place euen into the quier of the temple and place most holy vnder the winges of the Cherubs 7 For the Cherubs stretched out their winges ouer the place of the arke and couered both it and also the staues therof a hie vpon it 8 And they drew out the staues that the endes of them might appeare out of the holy place within the quier but they were not seene without and there they haue ben vnto this day 9 And there was nothing in the arke saue the two tables of stone which Moyses put there at Horeb in y e which tables the Lorde made an appoyntment with the children of Israel when he brought them
the wyng of the other Cherub 12 And euen so the one wyng of the other Cherub was fiue cubites reaching to the wall of the house and the other wyng was fiue cubites also and reached to the wyng of the other Cherub 13 So that the wynges of the sayde Cherubs were stretched out twentie cubites and they stoode on their feete and loked inwardes 14 And he made a fore hanging of yelow silke purple crymosin and fine white caused the pictures of Cherubs to be brodred theron 15 And he made before the house two pillers of thirtie and fiue cubites high and the head that was aboue on the top of euery one of them was fiue cubites 16 And he made chaynes of wreathē worke for the quier put them on the heades of the pillers and made an hundred pomegranates and put them on the chaynes 17 And he reared vp the pillers before the temple one on the right hande and the other on the left and called the right Iachin and the left Boaz. The .iiii. Chapter 1 The aulter of brasse 2 The lauatorie 6 The caldrons 7 The candelstickes c. 1 ANd he made an aulter of brasse twentie cubites long and twentie cubites broade and ten cubites hie 2 And he cast a brasen lauatorie of ten cubites from brym to brym rounde in compasse and fiue cubites hie and a line of thirtie cubites dyd compasse it round about 3 And vnder it was the fashion of oxen whiche dyd compasse it rounde about with ten cubites dyd they compasse the lauatorie rounde about and there were two rowes of oxen whiche were cast lyke molten worke 4 And it stoode also vpon twelue oxen three loked towarde the north three towarde the west three toward the south and three toward the east and the lauatorie was set vpon them and all their backes were towarde the lauatorie 5 And the thyckest of it was an hande breadth and the brym like the brym of a cuppe with floures of lilies and it receaued and helde three thousande battes 6 And he made ten lauers and put fiue on the right hand and fiue on the left to washe and clense in them such thinges as they offered for a burnt offring But the great lauatorie was for the priestes to washe in 7 And he made ten candelstickes of gold according to the patterne that was geuē of them and put them in the temple fiue on the right hande and fiue on the left 8 And he made also ten tables and put them in the temple fiue on the right side and fiue on the left And he made an hundred basens of golde 9 And he made the court of the priestes and the great court and doores to it and ouerlayde the doores of them with brasse 10 And he set the great lauatorie on the right side of the east ende ouer against the south 11 And Hiram made pottes shouels and basens finished the worke that he was appoynted to make for king Solomon in the house of God 12 The two pillers and the bowles and the pommels on the toppe of the two pillers and the two wreathes to couer the two bowles of the pommels whiche were on the toppe of the pillers 13 And foure hundred pomegranates on the two wreathes two rowes of pomegranates on one wreath to couer the two bowles of the pomels 14 And he made two bottomes and lauers made he vpon the bottomes 15 The great lauatorie and twelue oxen vnder it 16 Pottes also shouels and fleshhokes and all these vessels dyd Hiram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the Lord of bright brasse 17 In the playne of Iordane did the king cast them euen in the clay grounde that is betweene Socoth and Zaredatha 18 And Solomon made al these vessels in great aboundaunce for the weyght of brasse coulde not be reckened 19 And Solomon made al the vessels that were for the house of God the golden aulter also the tables to set the shewe bread vpon 20 Moreouer the candelstickes with their lampes to burne after the maner before the quier and that of precious golde 21 And the floures and the lampes and the snoffers made he of golde and that perfect golde 22 And the dressing knyues basens spoones and censers of pure golde And the doore of the temple and the inner doores within the place most holy and the inner doores of the temple were gilted The .v. Chapter 1 The things dedicated by Dauid are put in the temple 2 The arke is brought into the temple 10 What was within it 12 They sing prayse to the Lorde 1 ANd so all the worke that Solomon made in the house of the lord was finished And Solomon brought in all the thinges that Dauid his father had dedicated with the siluer and golde and al the iewels and put them among the treasures of the house of God 2 Then Solomon gathered the elders of Israel together and all the heades of the tribes and auncient fathers of the children of Israel vnto Hierusalem to bring the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde out of the citie of Dauid whiche is in Sion 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel resorted vnto the king in the feast euen in the seuenth moneth 4 And all the elders of Israel came and the Leuites toke vp the arke 5 And the priestes the Leuites brought away the arke of the tabernacle of y e congregatiō al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle and they bare them 6 And king Solomon all the congregation of Israel that were assembled vnto him before the arke offered sheepe and oxen so many that they coulde not be tolde nor numbred for multitude 7 And the priestes brought the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde vnto his place euen into the quier of the temple within the place most holy and set it vnder the wynges of the Cherubs 8 So that the Cherubs stretched out their wynges ouer the place of the arke and the Cherubs couered both the arke and her barres aboue on hye 9 And the barres of the arke were so long that the heades of the barres were seene without the arke within the quier but not without and there the arke remayned vnto this day 10 But there was nothing in the arke saue the two tables which Moyses put therin at Horeb when the Lord made a couenaunt with the children of Israel after they were come out of Egypt 11 And it fortuned that when the priestes were come out of the holy place for all the priestes that were present were sanctified and did not then wayte by course 12 That both the Leuites and the singers vnder Asaph Heman and Ieduthun were appoynted to sundry offices with their children and brethren and were arayed in syne whyte hauing cymbales psalteries and harpes and stoode at the east ende of the aulter and by them an hundred and twentie priestes blowing with trumpets 13 And the trumpet
that call vpon thee 6 Geue eare O God vnto my prayer and be attentiue vnto the voyce of my humble petitions 7 I call vpon thee in the day of my trouble for thou hearest me 8 Among the gods there is none like vnto thee O Lorde there is not one that can do as thou doest All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee O Lorde and shall glorifie thy name 10 For thou art great and doest wonderous thinges thou art God alone 11 Teache me thy way O God and I wyll walke in thy trueth make my heart all one with thyne that it may feare thy name 12 I wyll acknowledge thee O Lorde my God with all my heart and I wyl glorifie thy name for euer 13 For great is thy mercy towarde me and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest part of hell 14 O God the proude are rysen against me a companie of outragious naughtipackes haue sought after my soule and haue not set thee before their eyes 15 But thou O Lorde art a God full of compassion and mercy long yer thou be angry plenteous in goodnes and trueth 16 Turne thy face vnto me and haue mercy vpon me geue thy strength vnto thy seruaunt and helpe the sonne of thine handmayde 17 Shewe some good token of thy fauour towardes me that they whiche hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou God hast helped me and comforted me The argument of the .lxxxvij. psalme ¶ The prophete commendeth Sion the citie of God of the holy religion that is in it of the sitation of the great loue that God beareth to it of the noble actes done in it and in auauncing it aboue all the kingdomes of the earth ¶ A psalme the song of the sonnes of Corach 1 GOD loueth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellynges of Iacob for her foundations are vpon the holy hilles 2 Very excellent thinges are spoken of thee O thou citie of God Selah 3 I wyll make mention amongst those that knowe me of Egypt and Babylon behold also of Palestina and Tyre with Ethiopia and it shal be sayde suche a man is borne there 4 But of Sion it shal be reported that very many be borne in her and the most highest him selfe shall establishe her 5 God wyll number in the register of the people euery one that is borne there Selah 6 And the singers aswell as the players of instrumentes yea al my fountaines are in thee ¶ The argument of the .lxxxviij. psalme ¶ The prophete after a most lamentable sort desireth God to heare his prayers He complayneth of his great calamities and extreme perilles wherin he was wrapt by sicknes by ieoperdie of death and by the losse of his frendes as one forsaken of God and without al comfort He is loth to die for that then he can not prayse God with the faythful ¶ A song the psalme of the sonnes of Corach to the chiefe musition vpon Mahalath Leannoth a wise instruction of Heman the Ezrahite 1 O God the Lorde of my saluation I crye day and night before thee let my prayer enter into thy presence encline thyne eare vnto my crying 2 For my soule is full of miserie and my life toucheth the graue 3 I am counted as one of them that go downe vnto the pit and I am nowe become a man that hath no strength 4 I am free among the dead like such as beyng kylled lye in a graue whom thou remembrest no more and are cut away from thy hande 5 Thou hast layde me in the lowest pit in darknes and in deepenes 6 Thyne indignation sore presseth me and thou hast vexed me with all thy stormes Selah 7 Thou hast put away myne acquaintaunce farre fro me and made me to be abhorred of them I am shut vp I can not get foorth 8 My sight fayleth through my affliction O God I haue called dayly vpon thee I haue stretched out mine handes vnto thee 9 Wylt thou worke a miracle amongst the dead or shal the dead rise vp againe and acknowledge thee Selah 10 Shall thy louing kindnes be talked of in the graue or thy faythfulnes in destruction 11 Shall thy wonderous workes be knowen in the darke and thy righteousnes in the lande of forgetfulnes 12 But vnto thee do I crye O God and my prayer commeth early in the morning before thee 13 O God why abhorrest thou my soule and why hidest thou thy face from me 14 I am in miserie I labour euen from my youth with the panges of death I haue suffered thy terrours and I am styll in doubt 15 Thyne indignation hath gone ouer me and thy terrours haue vndone me 16 They came rounde about me dayly lyke water and compassed me altogether on euery syde 17 Thou hast put a way farre from me my frende and neighbour thou hast hid mine acquaintaunce out of sight The argument of the .lxxxix. psalme ¶ The prophete prayseth the inspeakable goodnes of God for the couenaunt made to him and to the elect people of God for euer He prayseth his great power goodnes and iustice He declareth what promise God hath made to hym of his kingdome and posteritie He complayneth of the great spoyling of his kingdome and of his people He desireth God for his couenauntes sake to deliuer hym out of affliction vpon the consideration that mans life is very short ¶ A wyse instruction of Ethan the Ezrachite 1 I Wyll sing alwayes of the mercy of God with my mouth I wyll make knowen thy trueth from one generatiō to another 2 For I sayde mercy shall for euer endure thou hast established thy trueth in the heauens 3 I haue made a couenaunt with my chosen I haue sworne vnto Dauid my seruaunt 4 I wyll establishe thy seede for euer and buylde vp thy throne from generation to generation Selah 5 O God the very heauens shall confesse thy wonderous workes and thy trueth in the congregation of saintes 6 For who is he in the cloudes that shal matche God and who is like vnto God amongst the children gods 7 God is very terrible in the assemblie of saintes and to be feared aboue al them that are about him 8 O God Lorde of hoastes who is like vnto thee a most mightie Lorde and thy trueth is on euery side thee 9 Thou rulest the ragyng of the sea when her waues aryse thou delayest them 10 Thou hast brought Egypt in so bad a case as if it were wounded thou hast scattered thyne enemies abrode with thy mightie arme 11 The heauens are thine the earth also is thine thou hast layde the foundation of the rounde worlde and of all the plentie that is therin 12 Thou hast made the north and the south Tabor and Hermon do reioyce in thy name 13 Thou hast a mightie arme thy hand is strong and thy right hand is exalted 14 Iustice and iudgement is the foundation of thy throne
Lorde 5 Shewe your selues ioyfull vnto God all ye in the earth make a ioly noyse reioyce you chearfully syng psalmes 6 Syng psalmes vnto God playing vpon an harpe vpon an harpe and with the sounde of a psalterie 7 Shewe your selues ioyfull before the kyng eternall with trumpettes and sounde of shawmes 8 Let the sea make a noyse and that is within it the rounde worlde and they that dwell therin 9 Let the fluddes clappe their handes and let the hylles be ioyfull altogether before the face of God 10 For he commeth to iudge the earth he wyll iudge the worlde accordyng to iustice the people accordyng to equitie The argument of the .xcix. psalme ¶ The prophete setteth foorth the exceedyng fauour of God towardes the Israelites in that he raigned most mightily ouer them defended them dwelled amongst them and most gently hearde them and their fathers callyng vpon hym for helpe in their neede to the great discouragement of their aduersaries Wherfore he wylleth all to prayse God and to worshyp God 1 GOD raigneth the people be in a rage he sitteth betweene the Cherubims the earth quaketh 2 God is great in Sion and high aboue all people 3 They shall prayse thy name great dreadfull for it is holy and a kynges * power that loueth iudgement 4 Thou hast ordeyned all thynges accordyng to equitie thou hast caused iudgement and iustice to be in Iacob 5 Magnifie God our Lorde and kneele downe before his footstoole for it is holy 6 Moyses Aaron among his priestes and Samuel among such as call vpon his name these called vpon God and he hearde them 7 He spake vnto them out of the cloudy pyller for they kept his testimonies and the lawe that he gaue them 8 O God our Lord thou heardest them O Lorde thou didst forbeare them and thou tokest auengement for their owne inuentions 9 Magnifie God our Lorde and kneele downe before his holy hyll for God our Lorde is holy ¶ The argument of the C. psalme ¶ The prophete moueth all the people of God to frequent Gods temple and to come thyther chearfully with all kynde of ioy seruyng praysyng and thankyng hym for that he only is the God that hath made vs and so gratious that we shal be partakers of his benefites and goodnesse for euer ¶ A psalme for to confesse 1 BE ye ioyfull in God all that be in the earth serue God with gladnesse and come before his face with a ioyfull noyse 2 Be ye sure that God is the Lorde it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture 3 Go your way into his gates with thankesgeuyng and into his courtes with prayse be thankfull vnto hym and blesse his name 4 For God is gratious his mercie is euerlastyng and his trueth endureth from generation to generation ⧠The argument of the .cj. psalme ¶ Dauid settyng foorth the duetie of a good ruler declareth that in his gouernment aboue all thynges he wyll acknowledge Gods benefites goodnesse He wyll study to lyue vprightly to do no wrong or euyll nor to beare any malice at all in his heart but he wyll employ hym selfe most zelouslie to confounde the wicked and to promote the godly and vertuous ¶ A psalme of Dauid 1 I Will sing of mercie and iudgement I wyll syng vnto thee O God psalmes 2 I wyll endeuour my selfe to be fully instructed in the way of perfectnesse when thou wylt come vnto me I wil go vp and downe in the middest of my house in the perfectnesse of my heart 3 I wyll neuer set before myne eyes any deuillishe thyng I wyll detest to do the worke of transgressours it shall take no holde of me 4 A frowarde heart shall depart from me I wyll not once knowe any euyll 5 I will destroy him who priuily slaundereth his neighbour I wyll not suffer hym who hath a proude loke and a great stomacke 6 Myne eyes shal be vpō such in the lande as haue a true meanyng that they may sit with me he that leadeth a perfect lyfe shall minister vnto me 7 There shall no deceiptfull person haue any seate in my house he that telleth lyes shall not tary long in my syght 8 I wyll euery mornyng destroy all the vngodly in the lande that I may roote out from the citie of God all workers of wickednesse ¶ The argument of the .cii. Psalme ¶ The prophete desireth God to heare hym vtteryng his godly affect and great griefe for the calamities of the people of God desolation of the citie of Sion He setteth foorth the reproches and outragious behauiours of the enemies and his affliction of mynde for it He wisheth that the people may returne home agayne and that Sion may be reedified that Gods glorie may therin be set foorth And he consideryng the eternitie of God assureth hym selfe that God wyll perfourme his promises in grauntyng that the children of his people shall lyue for euer ¶ A prayer of the afflicted when he was ouerwhelmed and when he did powre out his petition before the face of God 1 HEare my prayer O God and let my crying come in vnto thee 2 Hyde not thy face from me in y e day of my distresse encline thine eare vnto me heare me spedyly in the day that I call 3 For my dayes are consumed away like smoke and my bones are burnt vp as though they were a firebrande 4 My heart is smitten downe and wythered lyke grasse because I did forget to eate my bread 5 Through the noyse of my gronyng my bones wyll scase cleaue to my fleshe 6 I am become lyke a Pellicane of the wildernesse and like an Owle that is in the desert I watch and am as it were a sparrowe that sitteth alone vpon the house toppe 7 Myne enemies reuile me all the day long and they that are in a rage against me make their oth by me 8 For I haue eaten asshes as it were bread and mingled my drynke with weepyng because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast set me vp and cast me downe 9 My dayes fade away lyke a shadowe and I am wythered lyke grasse 10 But thou O God endurest for euer and thy remembraunce throughout all generations 11 Thou wylt aryse vp thou wylt haue compassion vpon Sion for it is tyme that thou haue mercie vpon her for the tyme appoynted is come 12 For thy seruauntes be well affected towarde her stones and it pitieth them to see her in the dust 13 And the heathen wyll feare thy name O God and all the kynges of the earth thy glorious maiestie 14 For God wyll buylde vp Sion to be seene in his glorious maiestie 15 He wyll regarde the prayer of the humble destitute of all helpe and he wyll not dispise their prayer 16 This shal be written for those that come
our God The .iiii. Chapter 1 The true repentaunce or returnyng to God 4 he exhorteth to the circumcision of the heart 5 The destruction of Iurie is prophecied for the malice of their heartes 1 O Israel yf thou wylt turne thee then turne vnto me saith y e Lord and yf thou wylt put away thine abhominations out of my sight thou shalt not be moued 2 And shalt sweare The Lord lyueth in trueth in equitie and righteousnesse and all people shal be fortunable and ioyfull in hym 3 For thus saith the Lorde to all Iuda and Hierusalem Plowe your lande and sowe not among the thornes 4 Be circumcised in the Lorde and cut away the foreskynne of your heartes all ye of Iuda and all the indwellers of Hierusalem * that myne indignation breake not out lyke fire and kindle so that no man may quenche it because of the wickednesse of your imaginations 5 Preach in Iuda and Hierusalem crye out and speake blowe the trumpettes in the lande crye that euery man may heare and say Gather you together and we wyll go into strong cities 6 Set vp the token in Sion speede you and make no tarying for I wyll bring a great plague and a great destruction from the north 7 For the spoyler of the gentiles is broken vp from his place as a lion out of his denne that he may make thy lande waste and destroy the cities so that no man may dwell therin 8 Wherfore girde your selues about with sackcloth mourne and weepe for the fearefull wrath of the Lorde is not withdrawen from vs. 9 At the same tyme saith the Lord the heart of the kyng of the princes shal be gone the priestes shal be astonished and the prophetes shal be sore afrayde 10 Then sayde I Oh Lorde God hast thou then deceaued this people and Hierusalem saying Ye shall haue peace and nowe the sworde goeth through their lyues 11 Then shall it be sayde to the people and Hierusalem A strong winde in the hye places of the wildernesse commeth through the way of my people but neither to fanne nor to cleanse 12 After that shall there come vnto me a strong wynde from those places then wyll I also geue sentence vpon them 13 For lo he ariseth like a cloude and his charrets are like a stormie wynde his horses are swifter then the Egle Wo vnto vs for we are destroyed 14 O Hierusalem washe thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be helped Howe long shall thy vayne thoughtes remayne with thee 15 For a voyce from Dan and from the hill of Ephraim speaketh out and telleth of a destruction 16 Remember the heathen and geue Hierusalem warning and preache vnto her that watchers ouer her are commyng from farre countries they haue cryed out against the cities of Iuda 17 And they haue beset her about in euery place lyke as the watchmen in the fielde For they haue prouoked me to wrath saith the Lorde 18 Thy wayes and thy thoughtes haue brought thee vnto this such is thine owne wickednesse and disobedience and because it is a bitter thyng it hath stricken thee to the heart 19 Ah my belly ah my belly shalt thou crie howe is my heart so sore my heart panteth within me I can not be styll for I haue hearde the crying of the trumpettes and peales of warre 20 They crye murther vpon murther the whole lande shall perishe Immediatly my tentes were destroyed and my hanginges in the twincklyng of an eye 21 Howe long shall I see the tokens of warre and heare the noyse of the trumpettes 22 Neuerthelesse this shall come vpon them because my people is become foolishe and hath not knowen me they are the children of foolishnesse and without any discretion To do euyll they haue wit inough but to do well they haue no wisdome 23 I haue loked vpon the earth and see it was waste and voyde I loked towarde heauen and it had no shine 24 I behelde the mountaynes and lo they trembled and all the hylles were in a feare 25 I loked about me and there was no body and all the birdes of the ayre were away 26 I marked well and the plowed fielde was become waste yea all their cities were broken downe at the presence of the Lord and indignation of his wrath 27 For thus hath the Lorde saide The whole lande shal be desolate yet wyll I not then haue done 28 And therfore shall the earth mourne and the heauen be sorie aboue for the thyng that I haue spoken to the prophetes purposed and taken vpon me to do shall not repent me and I wyll not go from it 29 The whole lande shall flee for the noyse of horsemen and bowmen they shall runne into dennes into wooddes and climbe vp the stonye rockes all the cities shal be voyde and no man dwellyng therin 30 What wylt thou nowe do thou being destroyed For though thou clothest thy selfe with scarlet and deckest thee with golde though thou payntest thy face with colours nowe yet shalt thou trimme thy selfe in vayne For those that hitherto haue ben thy louers shall abhorre thee and go about to slay thee 31 For I heare a noyse lyke as it were of a woman trauaylyng one labouryng of her first childe Euen the voyce of the daughter Sion that casteth out her armes and sowneth saying Ah wo is me howe sore vexed and faynt is my heart for feare of the murtherers The .v. Chapter 1 In Iurie is there no righteous or faithfull man founde either amongst the people or the rulers for whose sake the Lorde shoulde spare the citie 15 wherfore Iurie is destroyed of the Assyrians 1 LOke through Hierusalem beholde and see seeke through her streetes also within yf ye can fynde one man that doth equall and ryght or seketh for the trueth and I shall spare that citie saith the Lorde 2 * For though they can say the Lorde lyueth yet they sweare to deceaue 3 Wheras thou O Lorde lokest only vpon faith and trueth Thou hast scourged them but they toke no repentaunce thou hast corrected them for amendement but they refused thy correction they made their faces harder then a stone and woulde not amende 4 Therfore I thought in my selfe peraduenture they are so simple foolishe that they vnderstande nothyng of the Lordes way and iudgementes of their God 5 Therfore will I go vnto their heades and rulers and talke with them if they knowe the way of the Lord and iudgementes of their God But these in lyke maner haue broken the yoke and burst the bondes in sunder 6 Wherfore a lion out of the wood hath hurt them and a woolfe in the euenyng shall destroy them the Leoparde doth lye lurkyng by their cities to teare in peeces all them that come therout for their offences are multiplied and their departyng away is encreased 7 Shoulde I then for all this haue mercie vpon thee Thy children
broken my chyldren are gone fro me can no where be founde Nowe haue I none to spreade out my tent nor to set vp my hanginges 21 For the heardmen are become foolishe and they haue not sought the Lorde therefore haue they dealt vnwisely with their cattell and all are scattered abrode 22 Beholde the noyse is harde at hande and great sedition out of the north to make the cities of Iuda a wildernesse and a dwelling place for dragons 23 Nowe I knowe O Lord that it is not in mans power to order his owne wayes or to rule his owne steppes and goinges 24 Therefore chasten thou me O Lord but with fauour and not in thy wrath lest thou bring me vtterly to naught 25 Powre out thyne indignation vpon the gentiles that knowe thee not and vpon the people that call not vpon thy name and that because they haue consumed deuoured and destroyed Iacob and haue made his habitation waste The .xj. Chapter 1 A curse to them that obay not the worde of Gods promise 10 The people of Iuda folowing the steppes of their fathers worshippeth straunge gods 15 The Lord saith that he wyll not heare the Iewes and forbiddeth also Ieremie to pray for them 1 THis is a sermō which the Lorde commaunded Ieremie for to preache saying 2 Heare the wordes of this couenaunt and speake vnto the men of Iuda and to all them that dwell at Hierusalem 3 And say vnto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be euery one that is not obedient vnto the words of this couenaunt 4 Whiche I commaunded vnto your fathers what time as I brought them out of Egypt from the iron furnace saying Be obedient vnto my voyce and do according to all that I commaunde you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God 5 And wyll kepe my promise that I haue sworne vnto your fathers namelye that I woulde geue them a lande whiche floweth with milke and honie as ye see it is come to passe vnto this day Then aunswered I and sayde Amen let it be euen so Lorde as thou sayest 6 Then the Lord sayd vnto me againe Preache this in the cities of Iuda and rounde about Hierusalem say Heare the wordes of this couenaunt and kepe them 7 For I haue diligently exhorted your fathers euer since the tyme that I brought them out of the lande of Egypt vnto this day I gaue them warning be times saying hearken vnto my voyce 8 Neuerthelesse they would not obey me nor encline their eares vnto me but folowed the wicked imaginations of their owne heartes and therefore I haue brought vpon them al the wordes of this couenaunt that I gaue them to kepe which they notwithstanding haue not kept 9 And the Lorde sayde vnto me it is founde out that whole Israel and all these cities of Hierusalem are gone backe 10 They haue turned them selues to the blasphemies of their forefathers which had no lust to heare my wordes Euen lykewyse haue these also folowed straunge gods and worshipped them The house of Israel and Iuda haue broken my couenaunt whiche I made with their fathers 11 Therefore thus saith the Lorde beholde I will send a plague vpon them whiche they shall not be able to escape and they shall crye vnto me and I wyl not heare them 12 Then shall the townes of Iuda and the citizens of Hierusalem go and call vpon their gods vnto whom they made their oblations but they shall not be able to helpe them in tyme of their trouble 13 For as many cities as thou hast O Iuda so many gods hast thou had also and loke howe many streetes there be in thee O Hierusalem so many shameful aulters haue ye set vp aulters I say to offer vpon them vnto Baal 14 Therfore pray not thou for this people byd neither prayse nor prayer for them for though they crye vnto me in their trouble yet wil I not heare them 15 What part hath my beloued in my house seing he hath worked abhomination seruing many gods The holy fleshe offeringes in the temple are gone from thee O Iuda and thou when thou hast done euyll makest thy boast of it 16 The Lord called thee a greene oliue tree a faire one a fruitefull one a goodlye one but with great clamour hath the enemie set fire vpon it the braunches of it are destroyed 17 For the Lorde of hoastes that planted thee hath deuised a plague for thee O thou house of Israel and Iuda for the euyll that ye haue done to prouoke hym to wrath in that ye dyd seruice to Baal 18 This O Lorde haue I learned of thee and vnderstande it for thou hast shewed me their imaginations 19 But I am as a meeke lambe an oxe that is caryed away to be slayne not knowing that they had deuised suche a counsell against me saying We wyll destroy his meate with wood and driue him out of the lande of the liuing that his name shall neuer be thought vpon 20 Therfore I wyll beseche thee nowe O Lorde of hoastes thou righteous iudge thou that tryest the raynes and the heartes let me see thee auenged of them for vnto thee haue I committed my cause 21 The Lorde therfore spake thus of the citizens of Anathoth that sought to slay me saying Preache not vnto vs in the name of the Lorde or els thou shalt dye of our handes 22 Thus I say spake the Lorde of hoastes Beholde I will visit you your young mē shal perishe with the sworde your sonnes and your daughters shall vtterly dye of hunger 23 So that none shall remaine for vpon the citizens of Anathoth wyll I bring a plague euen the yere of their visitation The .xij. Chapter 1 The prophete marueyleth greatly at the prosperitie of the wicked although he confesse God to be righteous 7 The Iewes are forsaken of the Lord. 1◠He speaketh agaynst curates and preachers that seduce the people 14 The Lord threatneth destruction vnto the nations that bordered vpon Iurie which troubled and vexed it 1 O Lorde thou art more righteous then that I shoulde dispute with thee neuerthelesse let me talke with thee in thynges reasonable Howe happeneth it that the way of the vngodly is so prosperous and that it goeth so well with them which without any shame offend and liue in wickednesse 2 Thou plantest them they take roote they growe and bryng foorth fruite they boast much of thee yet art thou farre from their raynes 3 But thou Lorde to whom I am well knowen thou that hast sene and proued my heart take them away like as a flocke is caryed to the slaughter house appoynt them for the day of slaughter 4 Howe long shall the lande mourne and all the hearbes of the fielde perishe for the wickednesse of them that dwell therin The cattell and the birdes are gone yet say they tushe
and thy abhominations haue I seene Wo be vnto thee O Hierusalem wylt thou neuer be clensed any more Or when shall that be The .xiiij. Chapter 1 Of the dearth that shoulde come in Iurie 7 The prayer of the people askyng mercie of the Lorde 10 The vnfaithfull people are not hearde 12 Of prayer fastyng and of false prophetes that seduce the people 1 THe worde of the Lorde shewed vnto Ieremie concernyng the dearth of the fruites 2 Iuda hath mourned his gates are desolate they are brought to heauinesse euen vnto the grounde and the crye of Hierusalem goeth vp 3 The Lordes sent their seruauntes to fetche water and when they came to the welles they did finde no water but caried their vessels home emptie they be ashamed and confounded and couer their heades 4 For the grounde is dryed because there commeth no rayne vpon it the plowmen also be ashamed and couer their heades 5 The hynde also forsoke the young fawne that he brought foorth in the fielde because there was no grasse 6 The wylde asses did stande in the hye places and drewe in their winde lyke the dragons their eyes did fayle for want of grasse 7 Doubtlesse our owne wickednesse doth rewarde vs but Lorde do thou accordyng to thy name though our transgression and sinnes be many and agaynst thee haue we sinned 8 For thou art the comfort and helpe of Israel in the tyme of trouble Why wilt thou be as a straunger in the lande and as one that goeth his iourney and cōmeth in only to remayne for a night 9 Why wylt thou make thy selfe a cowarde and as it were a giaunt that yet may not helpe But thou O Lorde art in the middest of vs and thy name is called vpon of vs forsake vs not 10 Thus hath the Lorde sayde vnto his people seyng they haue had such a lust to wander abrode and haue not refrayned their feete therfore the Lorde hath no pleasure in them but he wyll nowe bring againe to remembraunce all their misdeedes and punishe all their sinnes 11 Yea euen thus sayde the Lorde vnto me Thou shalt not pray to do this people good 12 For though they fast I wyll not heare their prayers and though they offer burnt offeringes and sacrifices yet wyll not I accept them for I wyll destroy them with the sworde hunger and pestilence 13 Then aunswered I O Lorde God the prophetes say vnto them Tushe ye shall neede to feare no sworde and no hunger shall come vpon you but the Lorde shall geue you sure rest in this place 14 And the Lorde sayde vnto me The prophetes preach lyes in my name wheras I haue not sent them neither gaue I them any charge neither did I speake vnto them yet they preache vnto you false visions charming vanitie and deceiptfulnesse of their owne heart 15 Therfore thus saith the Lorde As for those prophetes that preache in my name whom I neuerthelesse haue not sent and that say Tushe there shall no sworde nor hunger be in this lande with sworde and with hunger shall those prophetes perishe 16 And the people to whom they preache shal be cast out of Hierusalem dye of hunger and be slayne with the sworde and there shal be no man to bury them both they and their wiues their sonnes and their daughters for thus wyll I poure their wickednesse vpon them 17 This shalt thou say also vnto them Mine eyes shall weepe without ceassyng day and nyght for my people shal be destroyed with great harme and shall perishe with a great plague 18 For yf I go into the fielde lo it lyeth all full of slayne men If I come into the citie lo they be all famished of hunger yea their prophetes also and priestes shal be led into an vnknowen lande 19 Hast thou then vtterly forsaken Iuda Doest thou so abhorre Sion Wherfore hast thou so plagued vs that we can be healed no more We loked for peace and there commeth no good for the tyme of health and lo here is nothyng but trouble 20 We knowledge O Lorde all our misdeedes and the sinnes of our fathers for we haue offended thee 21 Cast vs not of O Lord for thy names sake forget not thy louyng kindnesse ouerthrowe not the throne of thine honour breake not the couenaunt that thou hast made with vs. 22 * Are there any among the gods of the gentiles that sende rayne or geue the showres from heauen Art not thou thy selfe our Lorde God we wyll trust in thee for thou doest all these thynges The .xv. Chapter 1 The Lorde wyll not heare Moyses or Aaron yf they pray for the people but wyll wrappe them in many miseries The cause of such great miseries 1 THus spake the Lorde vnto me Though Moyses and Samuel stoode before me yet haue I no heart to this people driue them away that they may go out of my sight 2 And yf they say vnto thee whyther shall we go then tell them The Lorde geueth you this aunswere Some vnto death some to the sworde some to hunger some into captiuitie 3 For I wyll bryng foure plagues vpon them saith the Lorde The sworde shal slay them the dogges shall teare them in peeces the soules of the ayre and beastes of the earth shall eate them vp and destroy them 4 I wyll scatter them about also in all kingdomes and landes to be plagued because of Manasses the sonne of Hezekia kyng of Iuda for the thynges that he did in Hierusalem 5 Who shall then haue pitie vpon thee O Hierusalem who shal be sorie for thee Or who shall make intercession to obtayne peace for thee 6 Seing thou goest from me and turnest backwarde saith the Lorde therfore I dyd stretche out myne hande against thee to destroy thee and I haue ben sorie for thee so long that I am weerie 7 I haue scattred them abrode with the fanne of euery side of the land I haue wasted my people and destroyed them yet they haue had no lust to turne from their owne wayes 8 I haue made their widowes mo in number then the sandes of the sea vpon the mothers of their children dyd I bryng a destroyer in the noone day sodaynly and vnawares did I sende a feare vpon their cities 9 She that hath borne seuen children hath none her heart is full of sorowe the sunne doth fayle her in the cleare day she is confounded and faintie for very heauinesse As for those that remayne I wyll deliuer them vnto the sworde before their enemies saith the Lorde 10 O mother alas that thou euer didst beare me a brawler and rebuker of the whole lande though I neuer lent nor receaued vpon vsurie yet all men speake euyll vpon me 11 And the Lord aunswered me Veryly thy remnaunt shall haue wealth Come not I to thee when thou art in trouble helpe thee when thine enemie oppresseth thee 12 Doth one iron
46 Then sayde I vnto the angell what young person is it that crowneth them and geueth them the palmes in their handes 47 So he aunswered and sayd vnto me It is the sonne of God whom they haue knowledged in the world Then began I greatly to commende them that stoode so stiffely for the name of the Lorde 48 Then the angell sayde vnto me Go thy way and tell my people what maner of thinges howe great wonders of the Lorde thy God thou hast seene ¶ The .iij. Chapter 4 The wonderous workes whiche God dyd for the people are recited 31 Esdras marueyleth that God suffereth the Babylonians to haue rule ouer his people whiche yet are sinners also 1 IN the thirtith yere after the fall of the citie I was at Babylon and lay troubled vppon my bed and my thoughtes came vp ouer my heart 2 For I sawe the desolation of Sion and the plenteous wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon 3 And my spirite was sore moued so that I began to speake feareful wordes to the most hyest and sayde 4 O Lorde Lorde thou spakest at the beginning when thou plantedst the earth and that thy selfe alone and gauest commaundement vnto the people 5 And a body vnto Adam without soule whiche was a creature of thy handes and hast breathed in hym the breath of lyfe and so he liued before thee 6 And thou leddest hym into Paradise which thy ryght hande had planted or euer the earth brought fruites 7 And vnto him thou gauest commaundement to loue thy way which he transgressed and immediatly thou appoyntedst death in hym and in his generations Of whom came nations tribes people and kinredes out of number 8 And euery people walked after their owne wyll and did wonderfull thinges before thee and as for thy commaundementes they dispised them 9 But in processe of tyme thou broughtest the water fludde vpon those that dwelt in the worlde destroyedst them 10 So that by the fludde that was wrought in eche of them that was by death in Adam 11 Neuerthelesse one of them thou leftest namely Noe with his householde of whom came all ryghteous men 12 And it happened that when they that dwelt vpon the earth began to multiplie and had gotten them many children and were a great people they began to be more vngodly then the first 13 Nowe when they liued so wickedly before thee thou didst choose thee a man from among them whose name was Abraham 14 Hym thou louedst and vnto hym only thou shewedst thy wyll 15 And madest an euerlasting couenaunt with hym promisyng hym that thou wouldest neuer forsake his seede 16 And vnto hym thou gauest Isahac vnto Isahac also thou gauest Iacob and Esau As for Iacob thou dydst choose him to thee and put backe Esau And so Iacob became a great multitude 17 And it came to passe that when thou leddest his seede out of Egypt thou broughtest them vp to the mount Sina 18 Bowing downe the heauens setting fast the earth mouyng the grounde makyng the deapthes to shake and troublyng the worlde 19 And thy glorie went through foure portes of fire and earthquakes and windes and colde that thou myghtest geue the lawe vnto the seede of Iacob and diligence vnto the generation of Israel 20 And yet tokest thou not away from them that wicked heart that thy lawe myght bryng foorth fruite in them 21 For the first Adam bearyng a wicked heart transgressed and was ouercome and so be all they that are borne of him 22 Thus remayned weaknesse still and the lawe in the heartes of the people with the wickednesse of the roote so that the good departed away and the euyll abode styll 23 So the tymes passed away and the yeres were brought to an ende Then dyddest thou rayse thee vp a seruaunt called Dauid 24 Whom thou commaundedst to builde a citie vnto thy name and to offer vp incense and sacrifice vnto thee therin 25 When this was done nowe many yeres then the inhabiters of the citie forsoke them 26 And in all thynges dyd euen as Adam and all his generations had done for they also had a wicked heart 27 And so thou gauest the citie ouer into the handes of thine enemies 28 But do they of Babylon then any thyng better that they shoulde therfore haue the dominion in Sion 29 For when I came thyther and sawe there so great wickednesse that it coulde not be numbred then my soule sawe many euyl doers in this thirteth yere so that my heart fayled me 30 For I saw howe thou sufferedst them in such vngodlinesse and sparedst the wicked doers but thine owne people hast thou rooted out and preserued thine enemies and this hast thou not shewed me 31 I can not perceaue howe this happeneth Do they of Babylon then better then they of Sion 32 Or is there any other people that knoweth thee sauyng the people of Israel or what generation hath so beleued thy couenauntes as Iacob 33 And yet their rewarde appeareth not and their labour hath no fruite For I haue gone here and there through the heathen and I see that they be riche and wealthy and thynke not vpon thy commaundementes 34 Waygh thou therfore our wickednesse nowe in the ballaunce and theirs also that dwell in the worlde and so shall thy name be no where founde but in Israel 35 Or when was it that they which dwel vpon earth haue not sinned in thy sight or what people hath so kept thy commaundementes 26 Thou shalt finde that Israel by name hath kept thy preceptes but not the â—other people andâ— heathen The .iiij. Chapter 5 The angel reproueth Esdras because he seemed to enter into the profounde iudgementes of God 1 AND the angel that was sent vnto me whose name was Vriel gaue me an answere 2 And sayd Thy heart hath taken to much vpon it in this worlde and thou thinkest to comprehende the way of the hyghest 3 Then sayde I Yea my Lorde And he aunswered me and sayde I am sent to shewe thee three wayes and to set foorth three similitudes before thee 4 Wherof yf thou canst declare me one I wyll shewe thee also the way that thou desirest to see and I shall shewe thee from whence the wicked heart commeth 5 And I sayde Tell on my Lord. Then sayde he vnto me Go thy way waygh me the wayght of the fire or measure me the blast of the winde or call me agayne the day that is past 6 Then aunswered I and sayde What man borne is able to do that that thou shouldest aske such thynges of me 7 And he sayde vnto me If I shoulde aske thee howe deepe dwellynges are in the middest of the sea or howe great water springes are in the begynnyng of the deepe or howe great water springes are vpon the stretchyng out of the heauens or which are the outgoinges of Paradise 8 Peraduenture thou
touchyng thy lyfe I am not sent to shewe thee for I do not knowe it The .v. Chapter 1 In the latter tymes trueth shal be hyd 6 Vnrighteousnesse and all wickednesse shall raigne in the worlde 23 Israel is reiected and God deliuereth them 35 God doth all thyng in season 1 NEuerthelesse as concernyng the tokens marke this Behold the dayes shall come that they which dwell vpon earth shal be taken in a great number and the way of the trueth shal be hyd and the lande shal be barren from faith 2 But iniquitie shal be increased aboue that which nowe thou seest or that thou hast hearde long ago 3 And the lande that thou seest nowe to haue rule shalt thou shortly see waste 4 But yf God graunt thee to lyue thou shalt see after the thirde trumpet that the sunne shall sodaynly shyne agayne in the night and the moone three tymes in the day 5 And blood shall droppe out of wood and the stone shall geue his voyce and the people shal be vnquieted 6 And euen he shall rule whom they hope not that dwell vpon earth and the foules shall flitte 7 And the Sodomitishe sea shall cast out the fishe and make a noyse in the nyght which many haue not knowen but they shal all heare the voyce therof 8 There shal be a confusion also in many places and the fire shal be oft sent out agayne and the wylde beastes shall chaunge their places and menstruous women shall beare monsters 9 And salt waters shal be founde in the sweete and all friendes shall fyght one agaynst another then shall all wyt and vnderstandyng be hyd and put asyde into their secrete places 10 And shal be sought of many and yet not be founde then shall vnryghteousnesse and voluptuousnesse haue the vpper hande vpon earth 11 One lande also shall aske another and say Is ryghteousnesse that maketh a man righteous gone through thee And it shall say no 12 At the same tyme shall men hope but nothyng obteyne they shall labour but their wayes shall not prosper 13 To shewe thee such tokens I haue leaue and if thou wylt pray agayne and weepe as nowe and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare yet greater thynges 14 Then I awaked and a fearfulnesse went through all my body my mynde was feeble so that I almost sowned withall 15 So the angel that was come to talke with me helde me comforted me and set me vp vpon my feete 16 And in the seconde nyght it came to passe that Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me saying Where hast thou ben and why is thy countenaunce so heauy 17 Knowest thou not that Israel is committed vnto thee in the lande of their captiuitie 18 Vp then and eate and forsake vs not as the sheephearde that leaueth his flocke in the handes of wicked wolues 19 Then sayde I vnto hym Go thy wayes fro me and come not nye me And he hearde it and as I sayde so went he his way from me 20 And so I fasted seuen dayes mournyng and weepyng lyke as Vriel the angell commaunded me 21 And after seuen dayes so it was that the thoughtes of my heart were very greeuous vnto me agayne 22 And my soule receaued the spirite of vnderstandyng and I began to talke with the most hyghest agayne 23 And sayde O Lorde Lorde of euery wood of the earth and of all the trees thereof thou hast chosen thee one only vineyarde 24 And of all landes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen one pyt and of all floures of the grounde thou hast chosen thee one lilie 25 And of all the deapthes of the sea thou hast fylled thee one ryuer and of all builded cities thou hast halowed Sion vnto thy selfe 26 And of all the foules that are created thou hast named thee one doue and of all the cattell that are made thou hast prouided thee one sheepe 27 And among all the multitudes of peoples thou hast gotten thee one people vnto this people whom thou louedst thou gauest a lawe that is proued of all 28 And nowe O Lorde why hast thou geuen this one people ouer vnto many and vpon the one roote thou hast prepared others and why hast thou scattered thy one only people among many 29 Which treade them downe yea which haue euer withstande thy promises and neuer beleued thy couenauntes 30 If thou didst so much hate thy people yet shouldest thou punishe them with thine owne handes 31 Nowe when I had spoken these wordes the angell that came to me the nyght afore was sent vnto me 32 And sayde vnto me Heare me and I wyll instruct thee hearken to the thyng that I say and I shall tell thee more 33 And I sayde Speake on my Lorde Then sayde he vnto me Thou art sore troubled in mynde for Israels sake Louest thou that people better then he that made them 34 And I sayde No Lorde but of very griefe and compassion haue I spoken for my reynes payne me euery houre because I woulde haue experience of the way of the most hyest and seke out part of his iudgement 35 And he sayde vnto me That thou mayest not And I sayde Wherfore Lorde wherunto was I borne then or why was not my mothers wombe then my graue that I myght not haue seene the miserie and trouble of Iacob and the wearyng out of the stocke of Israel 36 And he sayde vnto me Number me the thynges that are not yet come gather me together the droppes that are scattered abroade make me the floures greene agayne that are withered 37 Open me the places that are closed and bring me foorth the wyndes that in them are shut vp shewe me the image of a voyce and then I wyll declare to thee the thyng that thou labourest to knowe 38 And I sayde O Lorde Lorde who may knowe these thynges but he that hath not his dwellyng with men 39 As for me I am vnwise howe may I then speake of these thynges wherof thou askest me 40 Then sayd he vnto me Lyke as thou canst do none of these thynges that I haue spoken of euen so canst thou not fynde out my iudgement or in the ende the loue that I haue promised vnto my people 41 And I sayde Beholde O Lorde yet art thou nye vnto them that be reserued tyll the ende and what shal they do that haue ben before me or we that be nowe or they that shall come after vs 42 Aâ— sayde vnto me I wyll lyken my iudâ—ment vnto a ryng Lyke as there is no slacknesse of the last euen so there is no swiftnesse of the first 43 So I aunswered and sayde Couldest thou not make those that haue ben made and be nowe and that are for to come at once that thou mightest shewe thy iudgement the sooner 44 Then aunswered he me and sayde The creature may not haste aboue the maker neither may the worlde holde them at once that
vnto me Sir let me alone that I may bewayle my selfe and take yet more sorow for I am sore vexed in my minde and brought very low 42 And I sayde vnto her what ayleth thee Or who hath done any thing to thee tell me 43 She sayde vnto me I thy seruaunt haue ben vnfruitfull and baren and haue had no chylde though I haue had an husbande thirtie yeres 44 And these thirtie yeres I do nothing els day and night and all houres but make my prayer to the highest 45 After thirtie yeres God hearde me thy handmayden looked vpon my miserie considered my trouble and gaue me a sonne and I was glad of hym so was my husband also and al my neighbours and we gaue great honour vnto the almightie 46 And I nourished him with great trauayle 47 So when he grewe vp and came to the tyme that he shoulde haue a wyfe I made a feast The .x. Chapter Esdras and the woman that appeareth vnto hym commune together 1 ANd it so came to passe that when my sonne went into his chaumber he fell downe and dyed 2 Then ouerthrewe we all the lightes and all my neyghbours rose vp to comfort me then toke I my rest vnto the seconde day at nyght 3 And when they had all left of to comfort me that I shoulde be quiet then I rose vp by nyght and fled and am come hyther into this fielde as thou seest 4 And am purposed not to returne into the citie but to remayne here and neither to eate nor drinke but continually to mourne and to fast vntyll I dye 5 Then let I my meditation and thoughtes fal that I was in and spake to her in displeasure saying 6 Thou foolish woman aboue al other seest thou not our heauines and mourning and what happeneth vnto vs 7 Howe Sion our mother is all wofull sory and howe she is cleane brought downe and mourneth extremely 8 Seyng we be all nowe in heauines make our mone for we all be sorowfull art thou so heauie for one sonne 9 Demaunde the earth and she shall tell thee that it is she whiche ought by reason to mourne for the fall of so manye that growe vpon her 10 For from the beginning all men are borne of her and other shall come and beholde they walke almost all into destruction and the multitude of them shal be rooted out 11 Who shoulde then by reason make more mourning then she that hath lost so great a multitude and not thou whiche art sory but for one 12 But if thou wouldest say vnto me My mourning is not like the mourning of the earth for I haue lost the fruite of my body whiche I brought foorth with heauines and bare with sorowes 13 But the earth is according to the maner of the earth and the present multitude goeth agayne into her as it is come to passe 14 Then say I vnto thee Like as thou hast borne with trauayle and sorowe euen so the earth also from the beginning geueth her fruite vnto man euen to him that laboured her 15 And therefore withholde thy sorowe and heauines by thy self looke what happeneth vnto thee beare it strongly 16 For if thou iudgest the marke and ende of God to be righteous and good and receauest his counsell in time thou shalt be commended therin 17 Go thy way then into the citie to thy husbande 18 And she sayde vnto me That wyll I not do I wyll not go into the citie but here wyll I dye 19 So I communed more with her and sayde 20 Do not so but be counselled and folow me for howe many fauls hath Sion Be of good comfort because of the sorowe of Hierusalem 21 For thou seest that our sanctuarie is layde waste our aulter broken our temple destroyed 22 Our playing of instrumentes is layde downe and songues art put to scilence our myrth is vanished away the light of our candelsticke is quenched the arke of our couenaunt is taken from vs all our holy thinges are defiled and the name that is called vpon ouer vs is almost dishonoured our chyldren are put to shame our priestes are brent our Leuites are caryed away into captiuitie our virgins are defiled and our wyues rauished our righteous men spoyled and our chyldren destroyed our young men are brought in bondage and our strong worthyes are become weake 23 And Sion our seale which is the greatest of al is loosed vp from her worship for she is deliuered into the handes of them that hate vs. 24 And therfore shake of thy great heauinesse and put away the multitude of sorowes that the mightie may be mercyfull vnto thee and that the highest may geue thee rest and ease from thy labour and trauayle 25 And when I was talkyng with her her face and beautie shined sodainely and her countenaunce glistered so that I was afraide of her and mused what it might be 26 And immediatly she caste out a great voyce very fearefull so that the earth shoke at the noyse of the woman 27 And I looked and beholde the woman appeared vnto me no more but there was a citie buylded a place was shewed from the ground foundation Then was I afraide and cryed with a loude voyce and sayde 28 Where is Vriel the angell whiche came to me at the first For he hath caused me to come in many considerations and hye thoughtes and myne ende is turned to corruption and my prayer to rebuke 29 And as I was speaking these wordes he came vnto me and looked vpon me 30 And lo I lay as one that had ben dead and myne vnderstanding was altred and he toke me by the right hande and comforted me and set me vpon my feete and sayde vnto me 31 What ayleth thee and why is thyne vnderstanding vexed and the vnderstanding of thy heart and wherefore art thou sory 32 And I sayde Because thou hast forsaken me and I haue done * according vnto thy wordes I went into the field and there haue I seene thinges and see that I am not able to expresse 33 He sayde vnto me Stande vp and be manly I shall geue thee exhortation 34 Then sayde I Speake on to me my Lorde forsake me not lest I dye thorowe my rashnesse 35 For I haue seene that I knewe not and heare that I do not knowe 36 Or is my vnderstanding deceaued or doth my soule dreame 37 Nowe therefore I beseche thee that thou wylt shewe thy seruaunt of this wonder 38 He aunswered me then and sayde Heare me and I shall enfourme thee and tell thee wherfore thou art afraide for the hyest hath opened many secrete thinges vnto thee 39 He hath seene that thy way is right for that thou takest sorowe continually for thy people and makest great lamentation for Sion 40 And therefore vnderstande the vision which thou sawest a litle whyle ago after this maner 41 Thou sawest a woman mourning and thou begannest to
comfort her 42 Neuerthelesse nowe seest thou the likenes of the womā no more but there appeared vnto thee a citie buylded 43 And where she tolde thee of the fall of her sonne so is this the solution of it 44 This woman whom thou sawest is Sion and where as she tolde thee euen she whom thou seest nowe as a citie buylded 45 And as touching that she sayde vnto thee that she hath ben thirtie yeres vnfruitefull and baren those are the thirtie yeres wherein there was no offering made in her 46 But after thirtie yeres Solomon builded the citie and offred offeringes and then bare the baren a sonne 47 And where as she tolde thee that she nourished hym with labour that was the dwelling in Hierusalem 48 But where as she tolde thee that her sonne dyed as his chaunce was when she came into her chaumber that is the fall that is come to Hierusalem 49 And beholde when thou sawest her like one that mourned for her sonne and begannest to comfort her of these things whiche haue chaunced these are to be opened vnto thee 50 For nowe the most hyghest seeth that thou art sory in thy minde and suffrest from thy whole heart for her and so hath he shewed thee her clearenesse and the fayrenesse of her beautie 51 And therefore I bad thee remayne in the fielde where no house was builded 52 For I knewe that the highest would shewe this vnto thee 53 Therfore I commaunded thee to go into the fielde where no foundation nor buylding is 54 For in the place where the highest beginneth to shewe his citie there can no mans buylding be able to stande 55 And therefore feare not and let not thyne heart be afraide but go thy way in and see the beautie and greatnes of the buylding as much as thyne eyes be able to see 56 And then shalt thou heare as muche as thyne eares may comprehende 57 For thou art blessed aboue many other and art called with the highest as the fewe 58 But to morowe at night thou shalt remayne here 59 And so shall the highest shewe thee visions of the hye thinges which he wyll do vnto them that dwell vpon earth in the last dayes So I slept y e same night another like as he commaunded me The .xi. Chapter 1 The vision of an Egle comming foorth of the sea and of her fethers 37 Of a Lion comming out of the forest 1 THen saw I a dreame and beholde there came vp from the sea an Egle whiche had xii fethered winges and three heades 2 And I sawe and beholde she spread her wynges ouer all the earth and al the wyndes of the ayre blew on her gathered them together 3 And I behelde and out of her fethers there grew other contrary fethers and they became litle fethers and small 4 But her heades remayned styll the head in the middest was greater then the other yet rested it with the residue 5 Moreouer I saw that the Egle flewe with her wynges and raigned vpon earth and ouer all them that dwelt vppon the earth 6 And I sawe that all thinges vnder heauen were subiect vnto her and no man spake against her no not one creature vpon earth 7 I sawe also that the Egle stoode vp vpon her clawes and gaue a sounde with her fethers and a voyce saying after this maner 8 Watche not altogether sleepe euery man in his owne place and watche by course 9 But let the heades be preserued for the last 10 Neuerthelesse I sawe that the voyce went not out of her heades but from the myddest of her body 11 And I numbred her contrary fethers and beholde there were eyght of them 12 And I loked and beholde vpon the ryght syde there arose one fether and raigned ouer all the earth 13 And so it was that when it raigned the ende of it came and the place therof appeared no more So the next folowyng stoode vp and raigned and had a great tyme. 14 And it happened that when it raigned the ende of it came also lyke as the first so that it appeared no more 15 Then came there a voyce vnto it and sayde 16 Heare thou that hast kept the earth so long this I say vnto thee before thou begynnest to appeare no more 17 There shall none after thee attayne vnto thy tyme neither vnto the halfe therof 18 Then arose the thirde and raigned as the other afore and appeared no more also 19 So went it with all the residue one after another so that euery one raigned and then appeared no more 20 Then I loked and beholde in processe of tyme the fethers that folowed stoode vp on the ryght syde that they myght rule also and some of them ruled but within a whyle they appeared no more 21 For some of them were set vp but ruled not 22 After this I loked and beholde the twelue fethers appeared no more nor the two wynges 23 And there was no more vpon the Egles body but two heades that rested and sixe wynges 24 Then sawe I also that two wynges deuided them selues from the sixe and remayned vnder the head that was vpon the right side for the foure continued in their place 25 So I loked and beholde the fethers that were vnder the wyng thought to set vp them selues and to haue the rule 26 Then was there one set vp but shortly it appeared no more 27 And the seconde was sooner away then the first 28 And I behelde and lo the two that remayned thought also in them selues to raigne 29 And when they so thought beholde there awaked one of the heades that were at rest namely it that was in the myddest for that was greater then the two other heades 30 And then I sawe that the two heades were ioyned with hym 31 And the head was turned with them that were with hym and dyd eate vp the two vnder wynges that woulde haue raigned 32 But this head put the whole earth in feare and bare rule in it ouer all those that dwelt vpon the earth with much labour and he had the gouernaunce of the worlde ouer all the wynges that had ben 33 After this I loked and beholde the head that was in the myddest sodaynly appeared no more lyke as the wynges 34 But there remayned the two heades which ruled vpon earth and ouer those that dwelt therin 35 And I behelde and lo the head vpon the ryght syde deuoured it that was vpon the left syde 36 Then I hearde a voyce which sayde vnto me loke before thee and consider the thyng that thou seest 37 Then I sawe and beholde as it were a lion that roareth runnyng hastyly out of the wood and I sawe that he sent out a mans voyce vnto the Egle and sayde 38 Heare thou I wyll talke with thee and the hyest shall say vnto thee 39 Is it not thou that hast the victorie of the foure beastes whom I made to raigne vpon earth and in my worlde
opened I my mouth and beholde he reached me a full cuppe which was full as it were with water but the colour of it was lyke fire 40 And I toke it and dranke And when I had drunken it my heart had vnderdandyng and wisdome grewe in my brest for my spirite was strenthened in remembraunce 41 And my mouth was opened and shut no more 42 The hyest gaue vnderstandyng vnto the fyue men that they wrote the hye thynges of the nyght which they vnderstoode not 43 But in the nyght they dyd eate bread as for me I spake in the day and helde not my tongue by nyght 44 In fourtie dayes they wrote two hundred and foure bookes 45 And it came to passe when the fourtie dayes were fulfylled that the hyest spake saying The first that thou hast written publishe openly that the worthy and vnworthy may reade it 46 But kepe the seuentie last that thou mayest deliuer them only to such as be wise among thy people 47 For in them is the spring of vnderstandyng the fountayne of wisdome and the streame of knowledge 48 And I dyd so The .xv. Chapter 1 The prophecie of Esdras is certayne 5 The euils that shall come on the worlde 9 The Lord wyll auenge the innocent blood 12 Egypt shall lament 16 Sedition 20 and punishment vpon the kynges of the earth 24 Cursed are they that sinne 29 Troubles warres vpon the whole earth 53 God is the reuenger of his elect 1 BEholde speake thou in the eares of my people the wordes of prophecie which I wyll put in thy mouth sayth the Lorde 2 And cause them to be written in a letter for it is the trueth 3 Feare not the imaginations agaynst thee Let not the vnfaythfulnesse of them trouble thee that speake agaynst thee 4 For all the vnfaythfull shall dye in their vnfaythfulnesse 5 Beholde saith the Lorde I will bring plagues vpon the worlde the sworde hunger death and destruction 6 For wickednesse hath the vpper hande in all the earth and their shamefull workes are fulfylled 7 Therfore sayth the Lorde 8 I wyll holde my tongue no more of their wickednesse which they do so vngodly neither wyll I suffer them in the thynges that they deale withall so wickedly Beholde the innocent and ryghteous blood cryeth vnto me and the soules of the iust complaine continually 9 And therfore sayth the Lorde I wyll surely auenge and receaue vnto me all the innocent blood from among them 10 Beholde my people is led as a flocke of sheepe to be slayne I wyll not suffer them nowe to dwell in the lande of Egypt 11 But wyll bryng them out with a mightie hande and a stretched out arme and smite it with plagues as afore and wyll destroy all the lande of it 12 Egypt shall mourne and the foundations of it shal be smitten with the plague and punishment that God shall bryng vpon it 13 They that tyll the grounde shall mourne for their seedes shal be destroyed through the blastyng and hayle and by an horrible starre 14 Wo worth the worlde and them that dwell therin 15 For the sworde and their destruction draweth nye and one people shal stande vp to fyght agaynst another swordes in their handes 16 For men shal be vnstedfast and some shall do violence vnto other they shall not regarde their kyng and the princes shall measure the way of their doinges by their power 17 A man shall desire to go into a citie and shall not be able 18 For because of their pride the cities shal be troubled the houses shall tremble and men shal be afrayde 19 A man shall haue no pitie vpon his neyghbour but shall destroy their houses with the sword and spoyle their goodes because of the hunger of bread and because of the great trouble 20 Beholde sayth God I call together all the kynges of the earth to reuerence me which are from the vprisyng from the south from the east and Libanus to turne vpon them and restore the thynges that they haue done to them 21 Lyke as they do yet this day vnto my chosen so wyll I do also and recompence them in their bosome Thus saith the Lorde God 22 My ryght hande shall not spare the sinners and my sworde shall not ceasse ouer them that shed the innocent blood vpon earth 23 The fire is gone out from his wrath hath consumed the foundations of the earth and the sinners lyke the strawe that is kyndled 24 Wo worth them that sinne and kepe not my commaundementes sayth the Lorde 25 I wyll not spare them Go your way ye children from the power defile not my sanctuarie 26 For the Lorde knoweth all them that sinne agaynst him therfore deliuereth he them vnto death and destruction 27 For nowe are the plagues come vpon the worlde and ye shall remayne in them For God shall not deliuer you because ye haue sinned agaynst hym 28 Beholde an horrible vision commeth from the east 29 Where generations of dragons of Arabia shal come out with many charettes the multitude of them shal be caryed as the wynde vpon earth that all they which heare them may feare tremble 30 Euen the Carmanies raging in wrath shall go foorth as the wylde boores of the forrest and with great power shall they come and stande fyghtyng with them and shall waste a portion of the lande of the Assyrians 31 And then shall the dragons haue the vpper hande and remembring their nature shall turne about conspiryng together in great power to persecute thē 32 Then these shal be troubled and kepe scilence in their power and shall flee 33 And from the lande of the Assyrians shall the enemie besiege them and consume some of them and in their hoast shal be feare and dread and strife among their kynges 34 Beholde cloudes from the east and from the north vnto the south and they are very horrible to loke vpon full of wrath and storme 35 They shall smite one vpon another and they shal smite downe a great multitude of starres vpon the earth euen their owne starre and the blood shal be from the sworde vnto the belly 36 And the doung of man vnto the Camels litter 37 And there shal be great fearfulnesse and tremblyng vpon earth and they that see the wrath shal be afraide and a tremblyng shall come vpon them 38 And then shal there come great raynes from the south and from the north and part from the west 39 And strong wyndes shall aryse from the east and shall open it and the cloude which he raysed vp in wrath and the starre stirred to cause feare towarde the east and west wind shal be destroyed 40 The great cloudes shal be lift vp and the mightie cloudes full of wrath and the starre that they may make all the earth afrayde and them that dwell therin and that they may powre out ouer euery high place an horrible starre 41 Fire and hayle and fleing
heareth the prayer of the oppressed 14 He despiseth not the desire of the fatherlesse nor the wydowe when she powreth out her prayer before him 15 Doth not God see the teares that runne downe the cheekes of the wydowe or heareth he not the complaint ouer such as make her to weepe For from her cheekes do the teares go vp vnto heauen and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them 16 Who so serueth God after his pleasure shal be accepted and his prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes 17 The prayer of him that humbleth him selfe goeth through the cloudes tell she come nye she wyll not be comforted nor go her way tyll the highest God haue respect vnto her geue true sentēce and perfourme the iudgement 18 And the Lorde wyll not be slacke in comming nor tary long tyll he haue smitten in sunder the backes of the vnmercifull and auenged him selfe of the heathen tyll he haue taken away the multitude of the cruell and broken the scepter of the vnrighteous tyll he geue euery man after his workes and rewarde them after their doinges tyll he haue delyuered his people maintayned their cause and reioyced them in his mercie 19 O how faire a thing is mercie in the time of anguishe and trouble it is lyke a cloude of rayne that commeth in the time of drouth ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapter 1 A prayer to God in the person of all faithfull men 22 The prayse of a good woman 1 HAue mercie vpon vs O Lorde thou God of all thinges haue respect vnto vs shewe vs the light of thy mercies 2 And sende thy feare among the heathen and straungers which seeke not after thee that they may knowe that there is no God but thou and that they may shew thy wonderous workes 3 Lyft vp thyne hande ouer the outlandishe heathen that they may learne to knowe thy might and power 4 Lyke as thou art halowed in vs before them so bring to passe that thou mayst be magnified also in them before vs. 5 That they may know thee lyke as we know thee for there is none other God but onely thou O Lorde 6 Renue the tokens and chaunge the wonderous workes shew thyne hand and thy right arme gloriouslie 7 Rayse vp thyne indignation and poure out thy wrath take away the aduersarie and smite the enemie 8 Make the time shorte remember thy couenaunt that thy wōderous workes may be praysed 9 Let the wrath of the fyre consume them that lyue so carelesse and let them perishe that do thy people hurt 10 Smyte in sunder the head of the princes that be our enemies and say there is none other but we 11 Gather all the tribes of Iacob together againe that they may knowe how that there is none other God but onely thou that they may shewe thy wonderous workes and be thou thy peoples heritage lyke as from the beginning 12 O Lorde haue mercie vpon the people that hath thy name and vpon Israel whom thou hast lykened to a first borne sonne 13 O be mercifull vnto Hierusalem the citie of thy sanctuarie the citie of thy rest 14 Fill Sion with thyne vnspeakable vertues and thy people with thy glorie 15 Geue witnesse vnto thy creature whō thou madest from the beginning and rayse vp the prophesies that haue ben shewed in thy name 16 Rewarde them that wayte for thee that thy prophetes may be founde faithfull 17 O Lorde heare the prayer of thy seruauntes according to the blessing of Aaron ouer thy people and guide thou vs in the way of righteousnes that al they which dwell vpon the earth may know that thou art the Lorde the eternall God which is from euerlasting 18 The belly deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another 19 Lyke as the tongue tasteth venison so doth an heart of vnderstandyng marke false wordes 20 A froward heart geueth heauines but a man of experience lyfteth him vp againe 21 The woman receaueth euery man yet is one daughter better then another 22 A faire wyfe reioyceth her husband and a man loueth nothing better 23 If there be in her tongue gentlenes meekenes and holsome talke then is not her husband lyke other men 24 He that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath a goodlie possession she is vnto him a helpe and piller wherevpon he resteth 25 Where no hedge is there the goodes are spoyled and where no huswyfe is there the frendles mourneth 26 Lyke as there is no credence geuen to a robber that goeth from one citie to another so is not the man beleued that hath no nest and must turne in where he may abide in the night The .xxxvii. Chapter 1 Howe a man should knowe friendes and counsellers 12 and searche the company of an holy man 1 EVery friende sayth I wyll be friendly vnto him also but there is some friend which is onely a frende in name 2 Remaineth not there heauines vnto death when a companion and friend is turned to an enemie 3 O most wicked presumption from whence art thou sprong vp to couer the earth with falshood and disceite 4 There is some companion which in prosperitie reioyceth with his friend but in the time of trouble he taketh part against him 5 There is some companion that mourneth with his friend for the bellies sake but when trouble commeth he taketh holde of the shielde 6 Forget not thy friend in thy minde thinke vpon him in thy riches 7 Seeke no counsell at thy kinsmen and hide thy counsel from such as beare thee no good wyll 8 Euery counseller prayseth his counsell neuerthelesse there is some that counselleth but for his owne profite 9 Beware of the counseller and be aduised afore whereto thou wylt vse him for he wyll counsaile for him selfe fest he cast the lot vpon thee 10 And say vnto thee Thy way and purpose is good and afterwarde he stande against thee and loke what shal become of thee 11 Aske no counsaile at him that suspecteth thee for an enemie hide thy counsaile from such as hate thee aske no counsell for religion of him that is without religion nor for iustice of him that hath no iustice aske no counsel at a woman touching her of whō she is ielous nor at a fearefull and faint harted body in matters of warre or at a marchaunt how deare he wyl cheape thy wares toward his or at a byer of selling or at an enuious man of thankesgeuing or at the vnmerciful of louing kindnesse or at an vnhonest man of honestie or at the slothfull of working or at an hyreling which hath no house of profit or wealth or at an idle body of much labour take no such folkes to counsell 12 But be diligent to seeke counsaile at a vertuous man that feareth God such a one as thou knowest to be a keper of the commaundementes which hath a minde after thyne owne minde and is sory for thee when thou stumblest 13 And holde thy
of vngodlines 24 Insomuch that their sinnes and misdeedes had the vpper hande so sore that at the last they were driuen out of the lande for the same 25 Yea he sought out and brought vp all wickednes tyll the vengeaunce came vpon them ¶ The .xlviij. Chapter The prayse of Elias Elizeus Ezechias and Esaias 1 THen stoode vp Elias the prophete as a fyre and his worde brent lyke a cresset 2 He brought an hunger vpon them and in his zeale he made theÌ„ fewe in number for they might not away with the commaundementes of the Lorde 3 Through the worde of the Lorde he shut the heauen three times brought he the fire downe 4 O Elias howe honorable art thou in thy wonderous deedes who may make his hoast to be lyke thee 5 One that was dead thou raysedst vp from death and in the worde of the hyest thou broughtest him out of the graue againe 6 Thou hast cast downe kinges and destroyed them and the honorable from their seate 7 Vpon the mount Sâ—na thou heardest the iudgement vpon horeb the iudgement of the vengeaunce 8 Which diddest annoynt kinges to recompence and ordaynedst prophetes after thee 9 Thou wast taken vp in the storme of fire in a charet of fixie horses 10 Thou wast ordayned in the reproouinges in time to pacifie the wrath of the Lorde before it raged to turne the heartes of the fathers vnto the children to set vp the tribes of Iacob againe 11 Blessed were they that sawe thee and were garnished in loue for we lyue in lyfe but after death we shall haue no such name 12 Elias was couered in the storme but Elizeus was filled with his spirite while he lyued he was afrayde of no prince and no man might ouercome him 13 There coulde no worde deceaue him and after his death his body prophecied 14 He did wonders in his lyfe in death were his workes maruaylous 15 For all this the people amended not neither departed they from their sinnes tyll they were caryed away prisoners out of the lande and were scattered abrode in all countries so that of them there remayned but a very litle people and a prince vnto the house of Dauid 16 Howbeit some of them did right and some heaped vp vngodlynes 17 Ezechias made his citie strong conueyed water into it digged through the stony rocke with iron and made vp a wall by the water side 18 In his time came Sennacherib vp and sent Rabsakes lyft vp his hande against Sion defied them with great pride 19 Then trembled their heartes and handes so that they sorowed lyke a woman trauayling with childe 20 So they called vpon the Lord which is mercifull and lyft vp their handes before him immediately the Lorde heard them out of heauen 21 He thought no more vpon their sinnes nor gaue them ouer to their enemies but deliuered them by the hande of Esaias 22 He smote the hoast of the Assyrians and his angel destroyed them 23 For Ezechias had done the thing that pleased the Lorde and remayned stedfastly in the way of Dauid his father as Esaias the great faithfull prophete in the sight of God had commaunded him 24 In his time the sunne went backward and he lengthened the kinges lyfe 25 With a right spirite prophecied he what shoulde come to passe at the last and to such as were sorowfull in Sion he gaue consolation wherewith they might comfort them selues for euermore 26 He shewed thinges that were for to come and secrete or euer they come to passe ¶ The .xlix. Chapter â–ª Of Iosias Ezechias Dauid Ieremie Ezechiel Zorobabel Iesus Nehemias Enoch and Ioseph 1 THe remembraunce of Iosias is lyke as wheÌ„ the apothecarie maketh many precious sweete smelling thinges together his remembraunce shal be sweete as hony in all mouthes and as the playing of musicke at a banket of wine 2 He was appoynted to turne the people againe and to take away all abhominations of the vngodlie 3 He directed his heart vnto the Lorde and in the time of the vngodlie he set vp the worship of God againe 4 All kinges except Dauid Ezechias and Iosias committed wickednes for euen the kinges of Iuda also forsoke the lawe of God 5 For they gaue their horne vnto other their honour worship also to a strauÌ„ge people 6 Therefore was the elect citie of the sanctuarie brent with fire and the streetes therof layd desolate and waste in the hande of Ieremie 7 For they entreated him euill which neuerthelesse was a prophete ordayned from his mothers wombe that he might roote out breake of and destroy and that he might builde vp and plant againe 8 Ezechiel sawe the glorie of the Lorde in a vision which was shewed him vpon the charet of the Cherubims 9 For he thought vpon the enemies in the rayne to do good vnto such as had ordered their wayes aright 10 And the bones of the twelue prophetes florished from out of their place for they gaue comfort and consolation vnto Iacob and deliuered them faithfully 11 How shal we prayse Zorobabel which was as a ring on the right hande 12 So was Iesus also the sonne of Iosedec these men in their times builded the house set vp the sanctuarie of the Lorde againe which was prepared for an euerlasting worship 13 And among the elect was Nehemias whose renowme was great which set vp for vs the walles that were broken downe made the portes and barres againe and builded our houses a new 14 But vpon the earth is there no man created lyke Enoch for he was taken vp from the earth 15 Neither was there a lyke man vnto Ioseph which was lord of his brethren and the vpholder of his people his bones were couered and kept 16 Seth and Sem were in great honour among the people and so was Adam aboue all the beastes when he was created The .l. Chapter 1 Of Simon the sonne of Onias 22 An exhortation to prayse the Lorde 1 SImon the sonne of Onias the hye priest which in his lyfe set vp the house againe and in his dayes made fast the temple 2 The height of the temple also was founded of him the double building and the hye walles of the temple 3 In his dayes the welles of water flowed out and were exceeding full as the sea 4 He toke care for his people and deliuered them from destruction he kept his citie made it strong that it shoulde not be besieged 5 How honorable was his conuersation among the people and when he came out of the house couered with the vaile 6 He gaue lyght as the morning starre in the middest of the cloudes and as the moone when it is full 7 He shined as the sunne in the temple of God he is as bright as the raynebowe in the faire cloudes 8 And florisheth as the floures and roses in the spring of the
as Iudas and Ionathas were in the land of Galaad and Simon their brother in Galilee before Ptolomais 56 Then Iosephus the sonne of Zachari and Azarias the captaynes hearing of the actes that were done and of the battailes that were striken saide 57 Let vs get vs a name also and go fight against the heathen that are rounde about vs. 58 So they gaue their hoast a commaundement and went toward Iamma 59 Then came Gorgias and his men out of the citie to fight against them 60 Iosephus also and Azarias were chased vnto the borders of Iewry and ther were slaine that day of the people of Israel two thousand men so that there was a great miserie among the people of Israel 61 And all because they were not obedient vnto Iudas and his brethren but thought they shoulde quite themselues manfully 62 Neuerthelesse they came not of the seede of these men by whom Israel was helped 63 But the men that were with Iudas were greatly commended in the sight of all Israel and all the Heathen wheresoeuer their name was heard vpon 64 And the people came vnto them bidding them welcome 65 After this went Iudas foorth with his brethren and fought against the children of Esau in the lande that lyeth toward the south where he wan the citie of Hebron and the townes that lye beside it and as for the walles and towers rounde about it he brent them vp 66 Then remoued he to go into the lande of the Philistines and went through Samaria 67 At the same time were there many priestes slaine in the battaile which wilfully and without aduisement went out for to fight to get them honour 68 And when Iudas came to Azot in the Philistines lande he brake downe their aulters brent the images of their idols spoyled the cities and came againe into the lande of Iuda The .vj. Chapter 1 Antiochus wylling to take the citie of Elymas for a pray is driuen away of the citezins 8 He falleth into sicknesse and dyeth 17 His sonne Antiochus is made king 34 The besieging of the towre of Sion Eupator commeth into Iewry with a great armie 43 The boldnesse of Eleazar 1 NOw when king Antiochus trauailed thorough y e hie countries he heard that Elymas in Persia was a noble and plenteous citie in siluer and golde 2 And that there was in it a very rich temple where as were clothes coate armours and shieldes of golde which Alexander the sonne of Philip king of Macedonia that raigned first in Grecia had left behinde him 3 Wherefore he went about to take the citie to spoyle it but he was not able for the citezins were warned of it and fought with him 4 And so he fled and departed with great heauinesse and came againe into Babylon 5 Moreouer there came one which brought him tidinges in Persia that his hoastes which were in the lande of Iuda were driuen away 6 And how that Lysias went foorth first with a great power and was dryuen away of the Iewes how that they had wonne the victory and gotten great goodes out of the hoastes that perished 7 How they had broken downe the abhomination which he set vp vpon the aulter at Hierusalem fenced the sanctuary with hie walles lyke as it was afore yea and Bethsura his citie also 8 So it chaunced that when the king heard these wordes he was afrayde greeued very sore Wherefore he layde him downe vpon his bed and fell sicke for very sorowe and all because it had not happened as he had deuised 9 And there continued he long for his griefe was euer more and more so that he sawe he must needes dye 10 Therfore he sent for all his friendes saide vnto them The sleepe is gone fro myne eyes for the very sorowe and vexation of heart that I haue 11 For when I consider in my minde the great aduersitie that I am come vnto and the fluddes of heauines which I am come in where as afore time I was so merie and so greatlie set by by reason of my power 12 Againe considering the euill that I haue done at Hierusalem from whence I toke all the riches of golde and siluer that were in it and sent to destroye the inhabitours of Iurie without any reason why 13 I know that these troubles are come vpon me for the same cause and behold I must dye with great sorowe in a straunge lande 14 Then called he for one Phillip a frend of his whom he made ruler of all his realme 15 And gaue him the crowne his robe and his ring that he shoulde take his sonne Antiochus vnto him bring him vp till he might raigne him selfe 16 So the king Antiochus died there in the hundred fourtie and nine yere 17 When Lysias knew that the king was dead he ordained Antiochus his sonne whom he had brought vp to raigne in his fathers steede and called him Eupator 18 Nowe they that were in the castle at Hierusalem kept in the Iewes rounde about the sanctuary and sought euer still to do them harme for the strengthening of the Heathen 19 Wherefore Iudas thought to destroy them and called all the people together that they might lay siege vnto them 20 So they came together in the hundred and fiftie yere and besieged them laying foorth their ordinaunce instrumentes of warre 21 Then certaine of them that were besieged went foorth vnto whom some vngodly men of Israel ioyned them selues also 22 And went vnto the king saying how long wyll it be or thou punishe and auenge our brethren 23 We haue euer ben minded to do thy father seruice to walke in his statutes and to obey his commaundementes 24 Therfore our people fell from vs and wheresoeuer they founde any of vs they slue them and spoyled our enheritaunce 25 And they haue not onely medled with vs but with all our countries 26 And beholde this day are they besieging the castle at Hierusalem to take it and haue made vp the strong holde in Bethsura 27 And if thou doest not preuent them right soone they wil do more then these and thou shalt not be able to ouercome them 28 When the king heard this he was very angry and called all his friendes the captaines of his armie and all his footemen and horsemen 29 He hired men of warre also of other realmes pertayning to the kinges that were confederate with him and of the Iles of the sea which came vnto him 30 And the number of his hoast was an hundred thousand footemen and twentie thousand horsemen and thirtie two Elephantes well exercised to battaile 31 These came through Idumea vnto Bethsura and besieged it a long season made diuers instrumentes of warre against it but the Iewes came out and brent them with fire fought like men 32 Then departed Iudas from the castle at Hierusalem and remoued the hoast toward Bethzacaran ouer against the kinges armie 33 So the king arose
and dyd according to his desire yea made an oth that he should neuer do him harme all the dayes of his lyfe 72 So he restored vnto him all the prisoners that he had taken out of the lande of Iuda and then turned and went his way into his owne land neither proceeded he any further to come vnto the borders of Iuda 73 Thus Israel had no more warre and Ionathas dwelt at Machmas and began there to gouerne the people and destroyed the vngodly men out of Israel The .x. Chapter 4 Demetrius desireth to haue peace with Ionathas 48 Alexander moueth warre against Demetrius 50 Demetrius is slayne 51 The friendship of Ptolomeus and Alexander 1 IN the hundred and threescore yere came Alexander the sonne of noble Antiochus and toke Ptolomais whose citizines receaued him and there he raygned 2 When Demetrius heard therof he gathered an exceeding great hoast and went foorth against him to fight 3 Wherfore Demetrius sent letters vnto Ionathas with louing wordes and praysed him greatly 4 For he sayde We will first make peace with him before he bynde him selfe with Alexander against vs 5 Els he shall remember the euyl that we haue done against him his brother and his people 6 And so he gaue Ionathas leaue to gatheran hoast to make weapons to be confederat with him and commaunded the pledges that were in the castle to be deliuered vnto him 7 Then came Ionathas to Hierusalem and read the letters in the audience of al the people and of them that were in the castle 8 And therefore were they sore afrayde because they hearde that the king had geuen him licence to gather an hoast 9 Thus were the pledges deliuered vnto Ionathas which restored them to their parentes 10 Ionathas also dwelt at Hierusalem and began to buylde vp and to repayre the citie 11 Commaunding the workmen to wall it and the mount Sion rounde about with free stone to be a strong hold and so they did 12 As for the heathen that were in the castles whiche Bacchides had made vp they fled 13 So that euery man left the place and went into his owne countrey 14 Only at Bethsura remayned certayne of the Iewes whiche had forsaken the lawe and commaundementes of God for Bethsura was their refuge 15 Nowe when king Alexander heard of the promises that Demetrius had made vnto Ionathas and when it was tolde him of the battayles and noble actes which he and his brethren had done and of the great trauayles that they had taken 16 He sayde Where shall we finde such a man well we wil make him our friend and be confederat with hym 17 Vpon this he wrote a letter vnto him with these wordes 18 King Alexander saluteth his brother Ionathas 19 We haue hearde of thee that thou art a valiaunt man and meete to be our friende 20 Wherfore this day we ordayne thee to be the hye priest of thy people and to be called the kinges friende Vpon this he sent hym a purple clothing a crowne of gold that thou mayest consider what is for our profite and kepe friendship towarde vs. 21 So in the seuenth moneth of the hundred and threescore yere vpon the solempne feast day of the tabernacles Ionathas put the holy rayment vpon him then gathered he an hoast and prepared many weapons 22 Whiche when Demetrius hearde he was marueylous sory 23 And sayde Alas what haue we done that Alexander hath preuented vs in getting the friendship of the Iewes for his owne defence 24 Yet will I wryte louingly vnto them also yea and promise them dignities and rewardes that they may be of my syde 25 Wherevpon he wrote vnto them these wordes King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto the people of the Iewes 26 Whereas ye haue kept your couenaunt toward vs and continued in our friendship not inclining to our enemies we were glad when we hearde therof 27 Wherfore remayne still and be faythfull to vs and we shall well recompence you for the thinges that ye haue done on our partie 28 We shal releasse you of many charges and geue you rewardes 29 And now I discharge you and all the Iewes from tributes I forgeue you the customes of salt and releasse you of the crowne taxes of the thirde part of seede 30 And halfe the fruite of trees whiche is myne owne duetie I do releasse them from this day foorth so that they shall not be taken of the lande of Iuda nor of the three cities which are added therunto out of Samaria and Galilee from this day foorth for euermore 31 Hierusalem also with all thinges belonging therto shal be holy and free yea the tythes and tributes shall pertayne vnto it 32 As for the power of the castle whiche is at Hierusalem I remit and geue it vnto the hygh priest that he may set in it such men as he shall choose to kepe it 33 I freely deliuer all the Iewes that are prisoners throughout all my realme so that euery one of them shal be free from paying any tribute yea euen of their cattell 34 All the solempne feastes Sabbathes newe moones the dayes appoynted the three dayes before and after the feast shal be free for all the Iewes in my realme 35 So that in them no man shall haue power to do any thing or to vexe any of them in any maner of cause 36 There shall thirtie thousand also of the Iewes be written vp in the kinges hoast and haue their wages payed as all other men of warre of the kinges should haue and of them shal be ordeyned certayne to kepe the kinges strong holdes 37 Yea and some of them shal be set ouer the kinges secret affaires and their gouernours and princes shal be of them selues and lyue after their owne lawes as the king hath commaunded in the lande of Iuda 38 And the three cities that are fallen vnto Iurie from the countrey of Samaria shal be taken as Iurie and be vnder one neither be subiect to any straunge lord but to the hie priest 39 As for Ptolomais and the land pertayning therto I geue it vnto the sanctuarie at Hierusalem for the necessarie expences of the holy thinges 40 Moreouer I will geue euery yere fyfteene thousande sicles of siluer of the kinges reuenues out of the places appertayning vnto me 41 And all the ouerplus which they haue not payed for thinges due as they dyd in the former yeres from hence foorth they shall geue it towarde the workes of the temple 42 And besides this the fyue thousande sicles of siluer which they receaued yerely of the account appoynted for the interteynement of the sanctuarie these yeres passed euen these thinges shal be releassed because they appertaine to the priestes that minister 43 Item whosoeuer they be that flee vnto the temple at Hierusalem or within the liberties therof where as they are fallen into the kinges daunger for any maner of businesse they shal be pardoned and al the goodes that they haue in
Nicanor goeth about to come vpon Iudas on the Sabbath day 5 The blasphemie of Nicanor 14 Machabeus expounding vnto the Iewes the vision boldeneth their heartes 21 The prayer of Machabeus 30 After the hoast of Nicanor is once ouercome Machabeus commaundeth his head his handes to be cut of and his tongue to be geuen vnto foules 1 NOwe when Nicanor knew that Iudas and his company were in the countrey of Samaria he thought with al his power to strike a fielde with him vpon a Sabbath day 2 Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him saide O do not so cruelly and vnkindly but halowe the Sabbath day and worshippe him that seeth all thinges 3 For all this yet saide the vngratious person Is there a mightie one in heauen that commaunded the Sabbath day to be kept 4 And when they saide yea the lyuing God the mightie Lord in heauen commaunded the seuenth day to be kept 5 He saide And I am mightie vpon earth to commaunde them for to arme them selues to perfourme the kinges busynesse Notwithstanding he might not haue his purpose 6 Nicanor had deuised with great pride to ouercome Iudas and to bring away the victory 7 But Machabeus had euer a fast confidence and a perfect hope in God that he would helpe him 8 And exhorted his people not to be afrayde at the comming of the heathen but alway to remember the helpe that had ben shewed vnto them from heauen yea and to be sure now also that almightie God would geue them the victorie 9 He spake vnto them out of the lawe and prophetes putting them in remembraunce of the battailes that they had striken afore and made them to be of good courage 10 So when their heartes were pluckt vp he shewed them also the deceitefulnesse of the heathen and how they woulde kepe no couenaunt nor oth 11 Thus he weaponed them not with the armour of shielde and speare but with wholsome wordes and exhortations he shewed them a dreame also wherethrough he made them all glad 12 Which was this He thought that he saw Onias which had ben hie priest a vertuous and louing man sad and of honest conuersation well spoken and one that had ben exercised in godlines from a childe holding vp his handes toward heauen and praying for his people 13 After this there appeared vnto him another man which was aged honorable and glorious 14 And Onias saide This is a louer of the brethren and of the people of Israel this is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the holy citie Ieremie the prophete of God 15 He thought also that Ieremie helde out his right hande and gaue vnto Iudas a sword of golde saying 16 Take this holy sworde a gift from God wherwith thou shalt smite downe the enemies of the people of Israel 17 And so they were well comforted through the wordes of Iudas whiche were very sweete and able to stirre vp their courage and toke courage vnto them so that the young men were determined in their mindes to fight and to abide stifly at it insomuch that in the thinges which they toke in hande their boldnesse shewed the same because the holy citie the sanctuary and the temple were in perill 18 For the which they toke more care then for their wyues children brethren and kinsfolkes 19 Againe they that were in the citie were most carefull for those which were to fight 20 Now when they were all in a hope that the iudgement of the matter was at hande and the enemies drue nye the hoast being set in aray the Elephantes and horsemen euery one standing in his place 21 Machabeus considering the coÌ„ming of the multitude the ordinaunce of dâ—uers weapons the cruelnes of 〈◊〉 beastes helde vp his handes towâ— heauen calling vpon the Lorde that doth wonders which geueth not the victory after the multitude of weapons and power of the hoaste but to them that please him according to his owne wyll 22 Therefore in his prayer he saide these wordes O Lorde thou that diddest send thyne angell in the time of Ezekiah king of Iuda and in the hoast of Sennacherib sluest an hundred fourscore and fiue thousand 23 Send now also thy good angel before vs O Lorde of heauens in the fearefulnesse and dreade of thy mightie arme 24 That they which come against thy holy people to blaspheme them may be afrayd And so he made an ende of his wordes 25 Then Nicanor they that were with him drue nye with trumpettes showtinges for ioy 26 But Iudas and his company with prayer and calling vpon God encountred with the enemies 27 With their handes they smote but with their heartes they prayed vnto the Lorde and slue no lesse then thirtie and fiue thousand men For through the present helpe of God they were gloriously comforted 28 Now when they left of and were turning againe with ioy they vnderstoode that Nicanor him selfe was slaine with the other for all his armour 29 Then they gaue a great shout and a crye praysing the almightie Lorde in their owne language 30 And Iudas which was euer redie to spend his body and lyfe for his citezins coÌ„maunded to smite of Nicanors head with his arme and hande and to be brought to Hierusalem 31 When he came there he called all the people the priestes to the aulter with those that were in the castle 32 And shewed them Nicanors head and his wicked hande which he had presumptuously holden vp against the temple of God 33 He caused the tongue also of that vngodly Nicanor to be cut in litle peeces and to be cast to the foules and that cruel mans hande to be hanged vp before the temple 34 So euery man gaue thankes vnto the Lorde saying Blessed be he that hath kept his place vndefiled 35 As for Nicanors head he hanged it vp vpon the hie castle for an euident and playne token of the helpe of God 36 And so they agreed al together to kepe that day holy namely the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar 37 Which in the Syrians language is called the next day before Mardocheus day 38 Thus was Nicanor slaine and from that time foorth the Iewes had the citie in possession and here wyll I nowe make an ende 39 If I haue done well and as the storie required it is the thing that I desired but if I haue spoken sclenderly barely I haue done that I coulde 40 For as it is hurtfull to drinke wine alone and then againe water as wine tempred with water is pleasaunt deliteth the taste so the setting out of the matter delighteth the eare of them that reade the story And here shal be the ende ¶ The ende of the second booke of the Machabees J. N. ¶ The description of the holy lande conteyning the places mentioned in the foure Euangelistes with other places about the sea coastes wherein may be seene the wayes and iourneyes of
Beholde also y e shippes which though they be so great and are dryuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small helme whither soeuer the violence of the gouernour wyll 5 Euen so the tongue is a litle member also boasteth great thynges Beholde how great a matter a litle fire kindleth 6 And the tongue is fyre euen a worlde of wickednesse So is the tongue set among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fyre the course of nature it is set on fyre of hell 7 All the natures of beastes of byrdes and of serpentes and thynges of the sea are meeked and tamed of the nature of man 8 But the tongue can no man tame it is an vnruly euyll full of deadly poyson 9 Therwith blesse we God the father and therwith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God 10 Out of one mouth proceadeth blessing and cursing My brethren these thynges ought not so to be 11 Doth a fountayne sende foorth at one place sweete water and bitter also 12 Can the fygge tree my brethren beare oliue beries either a vine beare figges So can no fountayne geue both salt water and freshe also 13 Who is a wise man and endued with knoweledge among you let him shewe his workes out of good conuersation with mekenesse of wisdome 14 But yf ye haue bitter enuiyng strife in your hearte glorie not neither be lyers agaynst the trueth 15 For such wisdome descendeth not frō aboue but is earthlie sensuall and deuelishe 16 For where enuiyng and strife is there is sedition all maner of euyll workes 17 But the wisdome that is from aboue is first pure then peaseable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercie and good fruites without iudgyng without simulation 18 Yea and the fruite of ryghteousnes is sowen in peace of thē that make peace ¶ The .iiij. Chapter 1 Hauyng shewed the cause of all wrong and wickednesse and also of all graces and goodnesse 4 he exhorteth them to loue God 7 and submit them selues to hym 11 not speakyng euyll of their neighbours 13 but patiently to depende on Gods prouidence 1 FRom whence cōmeth warre and fightyng among you come they not here hence euen of your lustes that fight in your members 2 Ye lust and haue not Ye enuie and haue indignation and can not obtayne Ye fyght and warre ye haue not because ye aske not 3 Ye aske and receaue not because ye aske amisse euen to consume it vpon your lustes 4 Ye adulterers adultresses knowe you not howe that the frendship of the world is enmitie with God Whosoeuer therfore wylbe a friende of the worlde is made the enemie of God 5 Either do ye thynke that the scripture sayth in vayne the spirite that dwelleth in vs lusteth after enuie 6 But the scripture offereth more grace and therefore sayth God resisteth the proude but geueth grace vnto y e lowlie 7 Submit your selues therfore to God but resist the deuyll and he wyll flee from you 8 Drawe nye to God and he wyll drawe nye to you Clense your handes ye sinners and purifie your heartes ye double mynded 9 Suffer afflictions and mourne and weepe Let your laughter be turned to mournyng and your ioy to heauinesse 10 Humble your selues in the sight of the Lorde and he shall lyft you vp 11 Backbite not one another brethren He that backbiteth his brother and he that iudgeth his brother backbiteth y e lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and yf thou iudge the lawe thou art not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge 12 There is one lawe geuer which is able to saue and to destroy What art thou that iudgest another 13 Go to nowe ye that say to day and to morowe let vs go into such a citie and continue there a yere and bye and sell and wynne 14 And yet can not ye tel what shall happen on the morowe For what thyng is your lyfe It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle tyme and then he vanisheth away 15 For that ye ought to say If the Lorde wyll and yf we lyue let vs do this or that 16 But now ye reioyce in your boastinges All such reioycyng is euyll 17 Therfore to hym that knoweth howe to do good and doth it not to hym it is sinne The .v. Chapter 2 He threatneth the wicked riche men 7 exhorteth vnto patience 12 to beware of swearyng 16 one to knowledge his faultes to another 20 and one to labour to bryng another to the trueth 1 GO to nowe ye riche men weepe and howle on your wretchednesse that shall come vpon you 2 Your riches is corrupt your garmentes are motheaten 3 Your golde and siluer is cankred and the rust of them shal be a witnesse agaynst you and shall eate your fleshe as it were fyre Ye haue heaped treasure together in your last dayes 4 Beholde the hire of labourers which haue reaped downe your fieldes which hire is of you kept backe by fraude cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde Sabaoth 5 Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth and ben wanton Ye haue nourisshed your heartes as in a day of slaughter 6 Ye haue condempned and kylled the iust and he hath not resisted you 7 ☞ Be patient therfore brethren vnto the commyng of the Lorde Beholde the husbandman wayteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patience thervpon vntill he receaue the early and the later rayne 8 Be ye also patient therfore and settle your heartes for the commyng of the Lorde draweth nye 9 Grudge not one agaynst another brethren lest ye be dampned Beholde the iudge standeth before the doore 10 Take my brethren the prophetes for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of patience which spake in the name of the Lorde ☜ 11 Beholde we count thē happy which endure Ye haue hearde of the patience of Iob and haue knowen what ende the Lorde made For the Lorde is very pitifull and mercifull 12 But aboue all thynges my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by earth neither any other othe Let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condempnation 13 Is any among you afflicted let hym pray Is any mery let him sing psalmes 14 Is any diseased among you let hym call for the elders of the Churche and let them pray for him and annoynt him with oyle in the name of the Lorde 15 And the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lorde shall raise him vp and yf he haue committed sinnes they shal be forgeuen hym 16 ☞ Knowledge your faultes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed For y e feruent prayer of a ryghteous man auayleth much 17 Elias was a man vnder infirmities euen as we are and he
my realme shal be free 44 For the buylding also and repayring of the worke of the sanctuarie expences shal be geuen out of the kinges reuenues 45 Yea and for the making of the walles rounde about Hierusalem for the breaking downe of the olde and for the setting vp of the strong holdes in Iurie shall the costes and charges be geuen out of the kinges reuenues 46 But when Ionathas and the people hearde these wordes they gaue no credence vnto them neither receaued them for they remembred the great wickednesse that he had done vnto Israel and howe sore he had vexed them 47 Wherfore they agreed vnto Alexanander for he was a prince that had dealt friendly with them and so they stoode by him alway 48 Then gathered king Alexander a great hoast and brought his armie against Demetrius 49 So the two kinges stroke battayle together but Demetrius hoast fled and Alexander folowed after and fell vpon them 50 A mightie sore fielde was it continuing till the sunne went downe and Demetrius was slayne the same day 51 And Alexander sent ambassadours vnto Ptolomi the king of Egypt with these wordes saying 52 Forsomuch as I am come againe to my realme and am set in the throne of my progenitours and haue gotten the dominion ouercommed Demetrius 53 Conquered the lande striken a fielde with hym so that we haue discomfited both hym and his hoast and sit in the throne of his kingdome 54 Let vs nowe make friendship together geue me thy daughter to wyfe so shal I be thy sonne in lawe and both geue thee rewardes and her accordyng to thy dignitie 55 Ptolomi the king gaue aunswere saying Happy be the day wherein thou art come againe to the lande of thy progenitours and set in the throne of their kingdome 56 And nowe will I fulfill thy wryting but meete me at Ptolomais that we may see one another and that I may marry my daughter vnto thee according to thy desire 57 So Ptolomi went out of Egypt with his daughter Cleopatra and came vnto Ptolomais in the hundred threescore and two yere 58 Where king Alexander mette hym and he gaue Alexander his daughter Cleopatra and maried them at Ptolomais with great worship like as the maner of kinges is to be 59 Then wrote king Alexander vnto Ionathas that he shoulde come and meete him 60 So he went honorably vnto Ptolomais there he mette the two kinges and gaue them and their friendes great presentes of golde and siluer and founde fauour in their sight 61 And there came together against Ionathas certayne wicked men and vngratious persons of Israel making complayntes of him but the king regarded them not 62 As for Ionathas the king commaunded to take of his garmentes to cloth him in purple and so they did Then the king appoynted him to sit by him 63 And sayde vnto his princes Go with him into the middest of the citie make a proclamation that no man complayne against him of any matter and that no man trouble hym for any maner of cause 64 So it happened that when his accusers sawe the worship whiche was proclaymed of hym that he was clothed in purple they fled euery one 65 And the king made much of him wrote hym among his chiefe friendes made hym a duke and partaker of his dominion 66 Thus Ionathas went againe to Hierusalem with peace and gladnesse 67 In the hundred threescore fyft yere came Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius from Creta into his fathers lande 68 Wherof when Alexander heard tell he was right sory and returned vnto Antioch 69 And Demetrius chose Apollonius whiche had the gouernaunce of Celosiria to be his captayne So he gathered a great hoast and came vnto Iamnia sent worde vnto Ionathas the hygh priest saying 70 Darest thou withstande vs thy selfe alone As for me I am but laughed to scorne and shamed because thou diddest vaunte thy strength against vs in the mountaynes 71 Now therfore if thou trustest in thyne owne strength come downe to vs into the playne fielde there let vs trye the matter together for thou shalt knowe that I haue the strength of many cities 72 And shalt knowe who I am and the other that stand by me which say That your foote is not able to stande before our face for thy fathers haue ben twyse chased in their owne lande 73 And nowe howe wilt thou be able to abyde so great an hoast of horsemen and footemen in the fielde where as is neither rocke stone nor place to flee vnto 74 When Ionathas hearde the wordes of Apollonius he was moued in his mynde wherfore he chose ten thousand men and went out of Hierusalem and Simon his brother mette hym for to helpe hym 75 And they pitched their tentes at Ioppa but the citie kept hym foorth for Apollonius garrison was in Ioppa 76 Then Ionathas layed siege to it and they that were in the citie for very feare let him in and so Ionathas wan Ioppa 77 Apollonius hearing of this toke three thousand horsemen with a great hoast on foote and went to Azotus as though he woulde go further and came immediatly into the playne fielde because he had so many horsemen and put his trust in them 78 So Ionathas folowed vpon hym to Azotus and the army skirmished with his rereward and there they stroke the battayle 79 Nowe had Apollonius left a thousande horsemen behynde them priuily in the tentes 80 And when Ionathas knewe that such wayte was layed behynde them they went rounde about the enemies hoast and shot dartes at the people from the morning to the euening 81 As for Ionathas people they kept their order as he had commaunded them and the enemies horses were weery 82 Then brought Simon foorth his hoast and set them against the footemen for the horsemen were weery alredy So he discomfited them and they fled 83 And they that were scattered in the fielde gat them to Azotus and came into the temple of Dagon their idoll that they might there saue their liues 84 But Ionathas set fire vpon Azotus and all the cities rounde about it and toke their goodes and brent vp the temple of Dagon with all them that were fled into it 85 Thus were slayne and brent welnye eyght thousande men 86 So Ionathas remoued the hoast from thence and brought them to Ascalon where the men of the citie came foorth and mette him with great worship 87 After this went Ionathas and his hoast againe to Hierusalem with great substaunce of good 88 And when king Alexander heard these thinges he thought to do Ionathas more worship 89 And sent him a coller of gold as the vse is to be geuen vnto such as are of the kinges next blood He gaue him also the citie of Accaron with the landes belonging therto in possession The .xi. Chapter 3 The discention betwixt Ptolomeus and Alexander his sonne in lawe 17 The death of Alexander 19 Demetrius
raigneth after the death of Ptolomeus 22 Sion is besieged of Ionathas 42 Demetrius seing that no man resisteth hym sendeth his armie againe 54 Tryphon moueth Antiochus against Demetrius 60 Demetrius is deliuered by the succour of Ionathas 63 After his deliueraunce he breaketh his couenaunt that he had made 1 ANd the king of Egypt gathered an hoast like the sande that lyeth vpon the sea shore and many shippes went about thorow disceyte to obtayne the kingdome of Alexander and to ioyne it vnto his owne realme 2 Vpon this he toke his iourney into Syria vsing gentle wordes so that he was letten into the cities men came foorth to meete hym for king Alexander had commaunded them so to do because he was his father in lawe 3 Nowe when Ptolomi entred into any citie he left men of warre to kepe it and this he did thorowout all the cities 4 And when he came to Azotus they shewed hym the temple of Dagon and Azotus that was brent vp with the other thinges which were destroyed the dead bodies cast abrode and the graues that they had made by the way side for such as were slayne in the fielde 5 And tolde the king that Ionathas had done all these thinges to the intent they might get him euyll will But the king sayde not one worde therto 6 And Ionathas mette the king with great honour at Ioppa where they saluted one an other and toke their rest 7 So when Ionathas had gone with the king vnto the water that was called Eleutherus he turned againe to Hierusalem 8 Nowe Ptolomi had gotten the dominion of the cities vnto Seleucia vpon the sea coast imagining wicked counsels against Alexander 9 And sent ambassadours vnto Demetrius saying Come let vs make a bonde betwixt vs so shall I geue thee my daughter that Alexander hath and thou shalt raigne in thy fathers kingdome 10 I repent that I gaue Alexander my daughter for he goeth about to slay me 11 And thus he slaundered Alexander because he woude haue had his realme 12 Thus he toke his daughter from him gaue her vnto Demetrius and forsoke Alexander so that his malice was openly knowen 13 And Ptolomi came to Antioch where he set two crownes vpon his owne head the crowne of Egypt and of Asia 14 In the meane season was king Alexander in Cilicia for they that dwelt in those places had rebelled against hym 15 But when Alexander hearde of this he came to warre against hym So king Ptolomi brought foorth his hoast and mette him with a mightie power and chased him away 16 Then fled Alexander into Arabia there to be defended and king Ptolomeus honour increased 17 And Zabdiel the Arabian smote of Alexanders head sent it vnto Ptolomi 18 But the thirde day after died king Ptolomi hym selfe and they whom he had set in the strong holdes were slayne one of another 19 And Demetrius raigned in the hundred threscore and seuenth yere 20 At the same time gathered Ionathas them that were in Iurie to lay siege vnto the castle which was at Hierusalem so they made many instrumentes of warre against it 21 Then went there certayne vngodly persons whiche hated their owne people vnto king Demetrius and told hym that Ionathas besieged the castle 22 So when he hearde it he was angry and immediatly came vnto Ptolomais wrote vnto Ionathas that he should not lay siege to the castle but come and speake with hym at Ptolomais in all haste 23 Neuerthelesse when Ionathas heard this he commaunded to besiege it He chose also certayne of the elders and priestes of Israel and put him selfe in peryll 24 And toke with him golde siluer clothing and diuers presentes and went to Ptolomais vnto the king and found◠him gracious 25 And though certayne vngodly men of his owne people made complayntes vpon him 26 Yet the king intreated him like as his predecessours had done before and promoted hym in the sight of all his friendes 27 Confirmed hym in the hye priesthood with all the worship that he had afore and made him his chiefe friend 28 Ionathas also desired the king that he woulde make Iurie free with the three head cities of Samaria and the landes perteyning therto vpon this did Ionathas promise hym three hundred talentes 29 Wherunto the king consented and gaue Ionathas wryting of the same conteyning these wordes 30 King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto his brother Ionathas and to the people of the Iewes 31 We sende you here a copie of the letter which we did write vnto our cosen Lasthenus concerning you that ye shoulde knowe it 32 King Demetrius sendeth greeting vnto Lasthenus his father 33 For the faythfulnesse that our friendes the people of the Iewes kepe vnto vs and for the louing kindnesse which they beare towarde vs we are determined to do them good 34 Wherfore we assigne vnto the coastes of Iudea the three gouernemētes Afferema Lydda and Ramatha whiche are added vnto Iurie from Samaria and all the landes pertayning therevnto to be freely separated for such as do sacrifice in Hierusalem both concerning the paymentes whiche the king toke yerely aforetime the fruite also of the earth and trees 35 As for other tithes and tributes that belonged vnto vs we discharge them therof from this time foorth 36 In like maner we graunt vnto them all the customes of salt crowne taxes which were brought vnto vs and this freedome shal they haue firme and stedfast from this time foorth for euermore 37 Therefore see that ye make a copie of these our letters and deliuer it vnto Ionathas that it may be set vpon the holy mount in a conuenient place 38 After this when Demetrius the king sawe that his land was in rest and that no resistaunce was made against him he sent away all his hoast euery man to his owne place except certayne bandes of straungers whom he brought from the Iles of the heathen wherefore all his fathers hoast hated him 39 Now was ther one Tryphon that had ben of Alexanders part afore whiche when he saw that all the hoast murmured against Demetrius he went to Samalcue the Arabian that brought vp Antiochus the sonne of Alexander 40 And lay sore vpon him to deliuer hym this young Antiochus that he might raine in his fathers steade He tolde him also what great euyll Demetrius had done how his men of warre loued him not so remayned there a long season 41 And Ionathas sent vnto king Demetrius to driue them out which were in the castle at Hierusalem and those that were in the fortresses for they dyd Israel great harme 42 So Demetrius sent word vnto Ionathas saying I will not only do these thinges for thee and thy people but at time conuenient I wil do both thee and thy people great worship 43 But now thou shalt do me a pleasure if thou wilt sende me men to helpe me for all myne armie is gone fro me 44 So