2 Samuel 4

¹ Forsothe thei entriden into the hows pryueli, and token eeris of whete; and Rechab, and Baana, his brother, smytiden Isbosech in the schar, and fledden. ² Sotheli whanne thei hadden entrid in to the hous, he slepte on his bedde in a closet; and thei smytiden and killiden hym; and whanne his heed was takun, thei yeden bi the weie of deseert in al the nyyt. 3 And thei brouyten the heed of Isbosech to Dauid, in Ebron, and thei seiden to the kyng, Lo! the heed of Isbosech, sone of Saul, thin enemy, that souyte thi lijf; and the Lord yaf to dai to oure lord the kyng veniaunce of Saul and of his seed. 4 Forsothe Dauid answeride to Rechab, and Baana, his brother, the sones of Remmon of Beroth, and seide to hem, The Lord lyueth, that delyueride my lijf fro al angwisch; 5 for Y helde hym that telde to me, and seide, Saul is deed, which man gesside hym silf to telle prosperitees, and Y killide hym in Sichelech, to whom it bihofte me yyue meede for message; 6 hou myche more now, whanne wickid men han slayn a giltles man in his hows on his bed, schal I not seke his blood of youre hond, and schal Y do awey you fro erthe? 7 Therfor Dauid comaundide to his children, and thei killiden hem; and thei kittiden awei the hondis and feet of hem, and hangiden hem ouer the cisterne in Ebron. Forsothe thei token the heed of Isbosech, and birieden in the sepulcre of Abner, in Ebron. ⁹ And alle the lynagis of Israel camen to Dauid, in Ebron, and seiden, Lo! we ben thi boon and thi fleisch. ¹⁰ But also yistirdai and the thridde day ago, whanne Saul was kyng on vs, thou leddist out, and leddist ayen Israel; forsothe the Lord seide to thee, Thou schalt fede my puple Israel, and thou schalt be duyk on Israel. ¹¹ Also and the eldere men of Israel camen to the kyng, in Ebron; and kyng Dauid smoot with hem boond of pees in Ebron, bifor the Lord; and thei anoyntiden Dauid in to kyng on Israel. ¹² Dauid was a sone of thretti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnyde fourti yeer in Ebron;