1 Chronicles 20

1 At the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.

Forsothe it was doon after the ende of a yeer, in that tyme wherinne kyngis ben wont to go forth to batels, Joab gederide the oost, and the strengthe of chyualrie, and he wastide the lond of the sones of Amon, and yede, and bisegide Rabath; forsothe Dauid dwellide in Jerusalem, whanne Joab smoot Rabath, and distriede it.

2 David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. It was set on David’s head, and he brought very much plunder out of the city.

Forsothe Dauid took the coroun of Melchon fro his heed, and foond therynne the weiyt of gold a talent, and moost precious iemmes, and he made therof a diademe to hym silf; also he took ful many spuylis of the citee.

3 He brought out the people who were in it, and had them cut with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Sotheli he ledde out the puple that was therynne, and made breris, `ethir instrumentis bi whiche cornes ben brokun, and sleddis, and irone charis, to passe on hem, so that alle men weren kit in to dyuerse partis, and weren al to-brokun; Dauid dide thus to alle the `cytees of the sones of Amon, and turnede ayen with al his puple in to Jerusalem.

4 After this, war arose at Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued.

Aftir these thingis a batel was maad in Gazer ayens Filisteis, wherynne Sobochai Vsachites slow Saphai of the kyn of Raphym, and mekide hem.

5 Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

Also another batel was don ayens Filisteis, in which a man youun of God, the sone of forest, a man of Bethleem, killide Goliath of Geth, the brother of giauntis, of whos schaft the tre was as the beem of webbis.

6 There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant.

But also another batel bifelde in Geth, in which a ful long man was, hauynge sixe fyngris, that is, togidere foure and twenti, and he was gendrid of the generacioun of Raphaym;

7 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

he blasfemyde Israel, and Jonathan, the sone of Samaa, brother of Dauid, killide hym.

8 These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

These ben the sones of Raphaym in Geth, that felden doun in the hond of Dauid and of hise seruauntis.