1 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 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 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 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 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 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 he blasfemyde Israel, and Jonathan, the sone of Samaa, brother of Dauid, killide hym. These ben the sones of Raphaym in Geth, that felden doun in the hond of Dauid and of hise seruauntis. |
