Numbers 17

¹ and founde that the yerde of Aaron, in the hows of Leuy, buriounnede; and whanne knoppis weren greet, the blossoms hadden broke out, whiche weren alargid in leeuys, and weren fourmed in to alemaundis. ² Therfor Moyses brouyte forth alle the yerdis fro the siyt of the Lord to al the sones of Israel; and thei sien, and resseyueden ech his yerde. ³ And the Lord seide to Moises, Bere ayen the yerde of Aaron in to the tabernacle of witnessyng, that it be kept there in to the signe of the rebel sones of Israel, and that her playntis reste fro me, lest thei dien. ⁴ And Moises dide, as the Lord comaundide. ⁵ Forsothe the sones of Israel seiden to Moises, Lo! we ben wastid, alle we perischiden; ⁶ who euer neiyeth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth; whethir wher, etc. thei seiden this, not in grucchinge ayenus God, but in axinge remedy, and therfor thei weren not punischid. This was her sorwful confessioun, desiring merci. we schulen be doon awei alle til to deeth? 8 And the Lord seide to Aaron, Thou, and thi sones, and the hows of thi fadir with thee, schulen schulen bere the wickidnesse of the seyntuarie, that is, ye schulen haue tho thingis that schulen be offrid in the seyntuarie for the synnes of the puple, as Austin and the glos here expownen. It semeth betere thus; thou and thi sones schulen suffre the synnes of youre presthod, that is, if ony me pressen forth hem silf bi youre necligence, not onely thei schulen be punyschid for her foolhardynesse, but also ye schulen be punyschid for youre necgligence, and therfor charge perteyneth to you to dryue awey hem, and to bifore eschewe [schewe BC.] diligently, lest ony man neiye unduly. bere the wickidnesse of the seyntuarie; and thou and thi sones togidere schulen suffre the synnes of youre preesthod. 9 But also take thou with thee thi britheren of the lynage of Leuy, and the power of thi fadir, and be thei redi, that thei mynystre to thee. Forsothe thou and thi sones schulen mynystre in the tabernacle of witnessyng; 10 and the dekenes schulen wake at thi comaundementis, and at alle werkis of the tabernacle; so oneli that thei neiye not to the vessels of seyntuarie, and to the autir, lest bothe thei dien, and ye perischen togidere. 11 Forsothe be thei with thee, and wake thei in the kepyngis of the tabernacle, and in alle the cerymonyes therof. An alien schal not be meddlid with you. 12 Wake ye in the kepyng of the seyntuarie, and in the seruyce of the auter, lest indignacioun rise on the sones of Israel. 13 Lo! Y haue youun to you Lo! Y haue youe to you, etc. not to do youre werkis in youre housis, but to serue in the seruyces of the tabernacle. youre britheren, dekenes, fro the myddis of the sones of Israel, and Y haue youe a fre yifte to the Lord, that thei serue in the seruyces of his tabernacle.