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¹ Forsothe it bifelde, that Naas, kyng of the sones of Amon, diede, and his sone regnyde for him.² And Dauid seide, Y schal do mercy with Anoon, the sone of Naas; for his fadir yaf merci to me. And Dauid sente messageris, to coumforte hym on the deeth of his fadir. And whanne thei weren comen in to the lond of the sones of Amon,³ for to coumforte Anon, the princes of the sones of Amon seiden to Anon, In hap thou gessist, that Dauid for cause of onour in to thi fadir sente men, that schulden coumforte thee; and thou perseyuest not, that hise seruauntis ben comen to thee to aspie, and enquere, and seche thi lond.⁴ Therfor Anoon made ballid and schauyde the children of Dauid, and kittide the cootis of hem fro the buttokis of hem til to the feet; and lefte hem.⁵ And whanne thei hadden go, and hadden sent this to Dauid, he sente in to the meting of hem; for thei hadden suffrid greet dispit; and he comaundide, that thei schulden dwelle in Gerico, til her berde wexide, and thanne thei schulden turne ayen.

⁶ Forsothe the sones of Amon sien, that thei hadden do wrong to Dauid, bothe Anoon and the tother puple, and thei senten a thousynde talentis of siluer, for to hire to hem charis and horsmen of Mesopotanye and Sirie, of Maacha and of Soba;⁷ and thei hiriden to hem two and thretti thousynde of charis, and the kyng of Maacha with his puple. And whanne thei weren comen, thei settiden tentis euene ayens Medaba; and the sones of Amon weren gaderid fro her citees, and camen to batel.⁸ And whanne Dauid `hadde herd this, he sente Joab, and al the oost of stronge men.<sup>9</sup> And the sones of Amon yeden out, and dressiden scheltrun bisidis the yate of the citee; but the kyngis, that weren comen to helpe, stoden asidis half in the feeld.<sup>10</sup> Therfor Joab vndurstood, that batel was maad ayens hym `euene ayens and bihynde the bak, and he chees the strongeste men of al Israel, and yede ayens Sirus;¹¹ sotheli he yaf the residue part of the puple vnder the hond of Abisai, his brother; and thei yeden ayens the sones of Amon.¹² And Joab seide, If Sirus schal ouercome me, thou schalt helpe me; sotheli if the sones of Amon schulen ouercome thee, Y schal helpe thee; be thou coumfortid,¹³ and do we manli for oure puple, and for the citees of oure God; forsothe the Lord do that, that is good in his siyt.¹⁴ Therfor Joab yede, and the puple that was with hym, ayens Sirus to batel, and he droof hem awei.¹⁵ Sotheli the sones of Amon sien, that Sirus hadde fled, and thei fledden fro Abisay, his brother, and entriden in to the citee; and Joab turnede ayen in to Jerusalem.¹⁶ Forsothe Sirus siy, that he felde doun bifor Israel, and he sente messageris, and brouyte Sirus, that was biyende the flood; sotheli Sophath, the prynce of chyualrie of Adadezer, was the duyk of hem.¹⁷ And whanne this was teld to Dauid, he gaderide al Israel, and passide Jordan; and he felde in on hem, and dresside scheltrun euene ayens hem, fiytynge ayenward.¹⁸ `Forsothe Sirus fledde fro Israel, and Dauid killide of men of Sirie seuene thousynde of charis, and fourti thousynde of foot men, and Sophath, the prince of the oost.¹⁹ Sotheli the seruauntis of Adadezer siyen, that thei weren ouercomun of Israel, and thei fledden ouer to Dauid, and seruiden hym; and Sirie wolde no more yyue helpe to the sones of Amon.