Iudicum 9
1 Abiit autem Abimelech filius Jerobaal in Sichem ad fratres matris suæ, et locutus est ad eos, et ad omnem cognationem domus patris matris suæ, dicens:
Forsothe Abymelech, the sone of Gerobaal, yede in to Sichem to the britheren of his modir; and he spak to hem, and to al the kynrede of `the hows of his modir, and seide,
2 Loquimini ad omnes viros Sichem: Quid vobis est melius, ut dominentur vestri septuaginta viri omnes filii Jerobaal, an ut dominetur unus vir? simulque considerate quod os vestrum et caro vestra sum.
Speke ye to alle the men of Sichem, What is betere to you, that seuenti men, alle the sones of Gerobaal, be lordis of you, whether that o man be lord to you? and also biholde, for Y am youre boon, and youre fleisch.
3 Locutique sunt fratres matris ejus de eo ad omnes viros Sichem universos sermones istos, et inclinaverunt cor eorum post Abimelech, dicentes: Frater noster est.
And the britheren of his modir spaken of hym alle these wordis to alle the men of Sichem; and bowiden her hertis aftir Abymelech, and seiden, He is oure brother.
4 Dederuntque illi septuaginta pondo argenti de fano Baalberit. Qui conduxit sibi ex eo viros inopes et vagos, secutique sunt eum.
And thei yauen to hym seuenti weiytis of siluer of the temple of Baal Berith; and he hiride to hym therof men pore and hauynge no certeyn dwellynge, and thei sueden hym.
5 Et venit in domum patris sui in Ephra, et occidit fratres suos filios Jerobaal, septuaginta viros super lapidem unum: remansitque Joatham filius Jerobaal minimus, et absconditus est.
And he cam in to `the hows of his fadir in Ephra, and killide hise britheren the sones of Gerobaal, `seuenti men, on o stoon. And Joathan, the leste sone of Gerobaal, lefte, and was hid.
6 Congregati sunt autem omnes viri Sichem, et universæ familiæ urbis Mello: abieruntque et constituerunt regem Abimelech, juxta quercum quæ stabat in Sichem.
Forsothe alle the men of Sichem, and alle the meynees of the citee of Mello, weren gadirid to gydere, and thei yeden, and maden Abymelech kyng, bysidis the ook that stood in Sichem.
7 Quod cum nuntiatum esset Joatham, ivit, et stetit in vertice montis Garizim: elevataque voce, clamavit, et dixit: Audite me, viri Sichem; ita audiat vos Deus.
And whanne this thing was teld to Joathan, he yede, and stood in the cop of the hil Garisym, and cried with `vois reisid, and seide, Ye men of Sichem, here me, so that God here you.
8 Ierunt ligna, ut ungerent super se regem: dixeruntque olivæ: Impera nobis.
Trees yeden to anoynte a kyng on hem; and tho seiden to the olyue tre, Comaunde thou to vs.
9 Quæ respondit: Numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam, qua et dii utuntur et homines, et venire ut inter ligna promovear?
Whiche answeride, Whether Y may forsake my fatnesse, which bothe Goddis and men vsen, and come, that Y be auaunsid among trees?
10 Dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum: Veni, et super nos regnum accipe.
And the trees seiden to the fige tree, Come thou, and take the rewme on vs.
11 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam, fructusque suavissimos, et ire ut inter cetera ligna promovear?
Which answeride to hem, Whether Y may forsake my swetnesse and swetteste fruytis, and go that Y be auaunsid among othere trees?
12 Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.
Also `the trees spaken to the vyne, Come thou, and comaunde to vs.
13 Quæ respondit eis: Numquid possum deserere vinum meum, quod lætificat Deum et homines, et inter ligna cetera promoveri?
Which answeride, Whether Y may forsake my wyn, that gladith God and men, and be auaunsid among othere trees?
14 Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.
And alle trees seiden to the ramne, ether theue thorn, Come thou, and be lord on vs.
15 Quæ respondit eis: Si vere me regem vobis constituitis, venite, et sub umbra mea requiescite: si autem non vultis, egrediatur ignis de rhamno, et devoret cedros Libani.
Whiche answeride to hem, If ye maken me verili kyng to you, come ye, and reste vndur my schadewe; sotheli, if ye nylen, fier go out of the ramne, and deuoure the cedris of the Liban.
16 Nunc igitur, si recte et absque peccato constituistis super vos regem Abimelech, et bene egistis cum Jerobaal, et cum domo ejus, et reddidistis vicem beneficiis ejus, qui pugnavit pro vobis,
Now therfor if riytfuli and without synne `ye han maad Abymelech kyng on you, and ye han do wel with Jerobaal, and with his hows, and ye han yolde while to the benefices of hym,
17 et animam suam dedit periculis, ut erueret vos de manu Madian,
that fauyt for you, and yaf his lijf to perelis, that he schulde delyuere you fro the hond of Madian;
18 qui nunc surrexistis contra domum patris mei, et interfecistis filios ejus septuaginta viros super unum lapidem, et constituistis regem Abimelech filium ancillæ ejus super habitatores Sichem, eo quod frater vester sit:
and ye han rise now ayens the hows of my fadir, and han slayn hyse sones, seuenti men, on o stoon, and `han maad Abymelech, sone of his handmayde, kyng on the dwelleris of Sichem, for he is youre brother;
19 si ergo recte et absque vitio egistis cum Jerobaal et domo ejus, hodie lætamini in Abimelech, et ille lætetur in vobis.
therfor if ye han do riytfuli, and with out synne with Gerobaal and his hows, to dai be ye glad in Abymelech, and be he glad in you; but if ye han do weiwardli,
20 Sin autem perverse: egrediatur ignis ex eo, et consumat habitatores Sichem, et oppidum Mello: egrediaturque ignis de viris Sichem, et de oppido Mello, et devoret Abimelech.
fier go out `of hym, and waste the dwelleris of Sichem, and the citee of Mello; and fier go out of the men of Sichem, and of the citee of Mello, and deuoure Abymelech.
21 Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.
And whanne he hadde seide these thingis, he fledde, and yede in to Berara, and dwellide there, for drede of Abymelech, his brother.
22 Regnavit itaque Abimelech super Israël tribus annis.
And Abymelech regnede on Israel thre yeer.
23 Misitque Dominus spiritum pessimum inter Abimelech et habitatores Sichem: qui cœperunt eum detestari,
And the Lord sente the worste spirit bitwixe Abymelech and the dwelleris of Sichem, whiche bigynnen to holde hym abomynable,
24 et scelus interfectionis septuaginta filiorum Jerobaal, et effusionem sanguinis eorum conferre in Abimelech fratrem suum, et in ceteros Sichimorum principes, qui eum adjuverant.
and to arette the felony of sleyng of seuenti sones of Gerobaal, and the schedyng out of her blood, in to Abymelech her brother, and to othere princes of Sichem, that hadden helpid hym.
25 Posueruntque insidias adversus eum in summitate montium: et dum illius præstolabantur adventum, exercebant latrocinia, agentes prædas de prætereuntibus: nuntiatumque est Abimelech.
And thei settiden buyschementis ayens hym in the hiynesse of hillis; and the while thei abideden `the comyng of hym, thei hauntiden theftis, and token preies of men passynge forth; and it was teld to Abymelech.
26 Venit autem Gaal filius Obed cum fratribus suis, et transivit in Sichimam. Ad cujus adventum erecti habitatores Sichem,
Forsothe Gaal, `the sone of Obed, cam with his britheren, and passide in to Siccima; at whos entryng the dwelleris of Sichem weren reisid, and yeden out `in to feeldis,
27 egressi sunt in agros, vastantes vineas, uvasque calcantes: et factis cantantium choris, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui, et inter epulas et pocula maledicebant Abimelech,
and wastiden vyneris, and `to-traden grapis; and with cumpeneys of syngeris maad thei entriden in to `the temple of her God, and among metis and drynkis thei cursiden Abymalech, while Gaal,
28 clamante Gaal filio Obed: Quis est Abimelech, et quæ est Sichem, ut serviamus ei? numquid non est filius Jerobaal, et constituit principem Zebul servum suum super viros Emor patris Sichem? cur ergo serviemus ei?
the sone of Obed, criede, Who is this Abymelech? And what is Sichem, that we serue hym? Whether he is not the sone of Jerobaal, and made Zebul his seruaunt prince on the men of Emor, fadir of Sichem? Whi therfor schulen we serue hym?
29 utinam daret aliquis populum istum sub manu mea, ut auferrem de medio Abimelech. Dictumque est Abimelech: Congrega exercitus multitudinem, et veni.
`Y wolde, that sum man yaf this puple vndur myn hond, that Y schulde take awei Abimelech fro the myddis. And it was seid to Abymelech, Gadere thou the multitude of oost, and come thou.
30 Zebul enim princeps civitatis, auditis sermonibus Gaal filii Obed, iratus est valde,
For whanne the wordis of Gaal, sone of Obed, weren herd, Zebul, the prynce of the citee, was ful wrooth;
31 et misit clam ad Abimelech nuntios, dicens: Ecce Gaal filius Obed venit in Sichimam cum fratribus suis, et oppugnat adversum te civitatem.
and he sente priueli messangeris to Abymelech, and seide, Lo! Gaal, sone of Obed, cam in to Siccymam, with hise britheren, and he excitith the citee to fiyte ayens thee;
32 Surge itaque nocte cum populo qui tecum est, et latita in agro:
therfor rise thou bi niyt with the puple, which is with thee, and be thou hid in the feeld;
33 et primo mane, oriente sole, irrue super civitatem. Illo autem egrediente adversum te cum populo suo, fac ei quod potueris.
and first in the morewtid, whanne the sunne rysith, falle on the citee; forsothe whanne he goth out with his puple ayens thee, do thou to hym that that thou maist.
34 Surrexit itaque Abimelech cum omni exercitu suo nocte, et tetendit insidias juxta Sichimam in quatuor locis.
Therfor Abymelech roos with al his oost bi nyyt, and settide buyschementis bisidis Siccimam, in foure placis.
35 Egressusque est Gaal filius Obed, et stetit in introitu portæ civitatis. Surrexit autem Abimelech, et omnis exercitus cum eo, de insidiarum loco.
And Gaal, the sone of Obed, yede out, and stood in the entryng of `the yate of the citee. Forsothe Abymelech and al the oost with hym roos fro the place of buyschementis.
36 Cumque vidisset populum Gaal, dixit ad Zebul: Ecce de montibus multitudo descendit. Cui ille respondit: Umbras montium vides quasi capita hominum, et hoc errore deciperis.
And whanne Gaal hadde seyn the puple, he seide to Zebul, Lo! a multitude cometh doun fro the hillis. To whom he answeride, Thou seest the schadewis of hillis as the `heedis of men, and thou art disseyued bi this errour.
37 Rursumque Gaal ait: Ecce populus de umbilico terræ descendit, et unus cuneus venit per viam quæ respicit quercum.
And eft Gaal seide, Lo! a puple cometh doun fro the myddis of erthe, `that is, fro the hiynesse of hillis, and o cumpeny cometh bi the weie that biholdith the ook.
38 Cui dixit Zebul: Ubi est nunc os tuum, quo loquebaris: Quis est Abimelech ut serviamus ei? nonne hic populus est, quem despiciebas? egredere, et pugna contra eum.
To whom Zebul seide, Where is now thi mouth, bi which thou spekist, Who is Abymelech, that we serue hym? Whether this is not the puple, whom thou dispisidist? Go thou out, and fiyte ayens hym.
39 Abiit ergo Gaal, spectante Sichimorum populo, et pugnavit contra Abimelech,
Therfor Gaal yede, while the puple of Sichen abood; and he fauyt ayens Abymelech.
40 qui persecutus est eum fugientem, et in urbem compulit: cecideruntque ex parte ejus plurimi, usque ad portam civitatis.
Which pursuede Gaal fleynge, and constreynede to go in to the citee; and ful many of his part felde doun `til to the yate of the citee.
41 Et Abimelech sedit in Ruma: Zebul autem Gaal et socios ejus expulit de urbe, nec in ea passus est commorari.
And Abymelech sat in Ranna; sotheli Zebul puttide Gaal and hise felowis out of the citee, and suffride not to dwelle ther ynne.
42 Sequenti ergo die, egressus est populus in campum. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Abimelech,
Therfor in the dai suynge the puple yede out in to the feeld; and whanne this thing was teld to Abymelech,
43 tulit exercitum suum, et divisit in tres turmas, tendens insidias in agris. Vidensque quod egrederetur populus de civitate, surrexit, et irruit in eos
he took his oost, and departide `in to thre cumpenyes, and settide buyschementis in the feeldis; and he siy that the puple yede out of the citee, and he roos,
44 cum cuneo suo, oppugnans et obsidens civitatem: duæ autem turmæ palantes per campum adversarios persequebantur.
and felde on hem with his cumpeny, and enpugnyde and bisegide the citee. Sothely twei cumpenyes yeden aboute opynli bi the feeld, and pursueden aduersaries.
45 Porro Abimelech omni die illo oppugnabat urbem: quam cepit, interfectis habitatoribus ejus, ipsaque destructa, ita ut sal in ea dispergeret.
Certis Abymelech fauyt ayens the citee in al that dai, which he took, whanne the dwelleris weren slayn, and that citee was destried, so that he spreynte abrood salt ther ynne.
46 Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde.
And whanne thei, that dwelliden in the tour of Sichem, hadde herd this, thei entriden in to the temple of her god Berith, where thei hadden maad boond of pees with hym; and of that the place took name, which place was ful strong.
47 Abimelech quoque audiens viros turris Sichimorum pariter conglobatos,
And Abymelech herde the men of the tour of Sichem gaderid to gidere,
48 ascendit in montem Selmon cum omni populo suo: et arrepta securi, præcidit arboris ramum, impositumque ferens humero, dixit ad socios: Quod me videtis facere, cito facite.
and he stiede in to the hil Selmon with al his puple; and with an axe takun he kittide doun a boow of a tre, and he bar it, put on the schuldur, and seide to felowis, Do ye this thing, which ye seen me do.
49 Igitur certatim ramos de arboribus præcidentes, sequebantur ducem. Qui circumdantes præsidium, succenderunt: atque ita factum est, ut fumo et igne mille homines necarentur, viri pariter et mulieres, habitatorum turris Sichem.
Therfor with strijf thei kittiden doun bowis of the trees, and sueden the duyk; whiche cumpassiden and brenten `the tour; and so it was doon, that with smooke and fier a thousynde of men weren slayn, men togidere and wymmen, of the dwelleris of the tour of Sichem.
50 Abimelech autem inde proficiscens venit ad oppidum Thebes, quod circumdans obsidebat exercitu.
Forsothe Abymelech wente forth fro thennus, and cam to the citee of Thebes, which he cumpasside, and bisegide with an oost.
51 Erat autem turris excelsa in media civitate, ad quam confugerant simul viri ac mulieres, et omnes principes civitatis, clausa firmissime janua, et super turris tectum stantes per propugnacula.
Forsothe the tour was hiy in the myddis of the citee, to which men togidere and wymmen fledden, and alle the princes of the citee, while the yate was closid stronglieste; and thei stoden on the roof of the tour bi toretis.
52 Accedensque Abimelech juxta turrim, pugnabat fortiter: et appropinquans ostio, ignem supponere nitebatur:
And Abymelech cam bisidis the tour, and fauyt strongli, and he neiyede to the dore, and enforside to putte fier vndur; and lo!
53 et ecce una mulier fragmen molæ desuper jaciens, illisit capiti Abimelech, et confregit cerebrum ejus.
o womman castide fro aboue a gobet of a mylnestoon, and hurtlide to `the heed of Abymelech, and brak his brayn.
54 Qui vocavit cito armigerum suum, et ait ad eum: Evagina gladium tuum, et percute me, ne forte dicatur quod a femina interfectus sim. Qui jussa perficiens, interfecit eum.
And he clepide soone his squyer, and seide to hym, Drawe out thi swerd, and sle me, lest perauenture it be seid, that Y am slan of a womman. Which performede `the comaundementis, and `killide Abymelech;
55 Illoque mortuo, omnes qui cum eo erant de Israël, reversi sunt in sedes suas:
and whanne he was deed, alle men of Israel that weren with hym turneden ayen to her seetis.
56 et reddidit Deus malum quod fecerat Abimelech contra patrem suum, interfectis septuaginta fratribus suis.
And God yeldide to Abymelech the yuel that he dide ayens his fadir, for he killide hise seuenti britheren.
57 Sichimitis quoque quod operati erant, retributum est, et venit super eos maledictio Joatham filii Jerobaal.
Also that thing was yoldun to men of Sichem, which thei wrouyten, and the curs of Joathan, sone of Jerobaal, cam on hem.
