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¹ Forsothe in the sixe and thrittithe yeer of his rewme Baasa, the kyng of Israel, stiede in to Juda, and cumpasside Rama with a wal, that no man of the rewme of Asa myyte go out ether entre sikirli.² Sotheli Asa brouyte forth gold and siluer fro the tresours of the hows of the Lord, and fro the kyngis tresouris; and sente to Benadab, kyng of Sirie, that dwellide in Damask,³ and seide, Boond of pees is bitwixe me and thee, and my fadir and thi fadir hadden acordyng; wherfor Y sente to thee siluer and gold, that whanne thou hast broke the boond of pees, which thou hast with Baasa, king of Israel, thou make hym to go awei fro me.⁴ And whanne this was foundun, Benadab sente princes of hise oostis to the citees of Israel, whiche smytiden Ahion, and Dan, and Abelmaym, and alle the wallid citees of Neptalym.⁵ And whanne Baasa hadde herd this, he ceesside to bilde Rama, and left his werk.⁶ Forsothe kyng Asa took al Juda, and thei token fro Rama the stonys and trees, whiche Baasa hadde maad redi to bildyng; and he bildide of tho Gabaa, and Maspha.

⁷ In that tyme Anany, the profete, cam to Asa, kyng of Juda, and seide to hym, For thou haddist trist in the kyng of Sirie, and not in `thi Lord God, herfor the oost of `the kyng of Sirie aschapide fro thin hond.⁸ Whether `Ethiopiens and Libiens weren not many mo in charis, and knyytis, and ful greet multitude; whiche whanne thou haddist bileuyd to the Lord, he bitook in to thin hondis?<sup>9</sup> For the iyen of the Lord biholden al the erthe, and yyuen strengthe to hem, that with perfit herte bileuen in to hym. Therfor thou hast do folili, and for this, yhe, in present tyme batels schulen rise ayens thee.<sup>10</sup> And Asa was wrooth ayens the prophete, and comaundide hym to be sent in to stockis. Forsothe the Lord hadde indignacioun greetli on this thing, and killide ful many of the puple in that tyme.<sup>11</sup> Sotheli the firste and the laste werkis of Asa ben writun in the book of kyngis of Juda and of Israel.<sup>12</sup> Forsothe Asa was sijk ful gretli in the akynge of feet, in the nyne and thrittithe yeer of his rewme; and nether in his sikenesse he souyte the Lord, but tristide more in the craft of lechis.<sup>13</sup> And Asa slepte with hise fadris, and he was deed in the oon and fourtithe yeer of his rewme.<sup>14</sup> And thei birieden him in his sepulcre, which he hadde maad to hym silf in the cytee of Dauid; and thei puttiden hym on his bed ful of swete smellynge spices and oynementis of hooris, that weren `maad togidere bi the craft of oynement makeris, and thei brenten on hym with ful greet cost.