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¹ And alle the lynagis of Israel camen to Dauid, in Ebron, and seiden, Lo! we ben thi boon and thi fleisch.² 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.³ 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.⁴ Dauid was a sone of thretti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnyde fourti yeer in Ebron;⁵ he regnede on Juda seuene yeer and sixe monethis; forsothe in Jerusalem he regnede thretti and thre yeer, on al Israel and Juda.

⁶ And the kyng yede, and alle men that weren with hym, in to Jerusalem, to Jebusey, dweller of the lond. And it was seide of hem to Dauid, Thou schalt not entre hidur, no but thou do awei blynde men and lame, seiynge, Dauid schal not entre hydur.⁷ Forsothe Dauid took the tour of Syon; this is the citee of Dauid.⁸ For Dauid hadde `sette forth meede in that dai to hym, that hadde smyte Jebusei, and hadde touchid the goteris of roouys, and hadde take awey lame men and blynde, hatynge the lijf of Dauid. Therfor it is seid in prouerbe, A blynde man and lame schulen not entre in to the temple.⁹ Forsothe Dauid dwellide in the tour, and clepide it the citee of Dauid; and he bildide bi cumpas fro Mello, and with ynne.¹⁰ And he entride profitynge and encreessynge; and the Lord God of oostis was with hym.

¹¹ Also Hyram, kyng of Tire, sent messangeris to Dauid, and cedre trees, and crafti men of trees, and crafti men of stoonus to wallis; and thei bildiden the hows of Dauid.¹² And Dauid knew, that the Lord hadde confermed hym kyng on Israel, and that he hadde enhaunsid his rewme on his puple Israel.¹³ Therfor Dauid took yit concubyns, and wyues of Jerusalem, after that he cam fro Ebron; and also othere sones and douytris weren borun to Dauid.¹⁴ And these ben the names of hem that weren borun to hym in Jerusalem; Samua, and Sobab, and Nathan,¹⁵ and Salomon, and Jobaar, and Helisua,¹⁶ and Repheg, and Japhia, and Helysama, and Holida, and Heliphelech.

¹⁷ Therfor Filisteis herden, that thei hadden anoyntid Dauid kyng on Israel, and alle Filisteis stieden to seke Dauid. And whanne Dauid hadde herd this, he yede doun into a strong hold.¹⁸ Forsothe Filisteis camen, and weren spred abrood in the valei of Raphaym.¹⁹ And Dauid counseilide the Lord, and seide, Whether Y schal stie to Filisties, and whether thou schalt yyue hem in myn hond? And the Lord seide to Dauid, Stie thou, for Y schal bitake, and Y schal yyue Filisteis in thin hond.²⁰ Therfor Dauid cam in to Baal Farasym, and smoot hem there, and seide, The Lord departide myn enemyes bifor me, as watris ben departid. Therfor the name of that place was clepid Baal Farasym.²¹ And thei leften there her sculptils, whiche Dauid took, and hise men.²² And Filisteis addiden yit, that thei schulden stie, and thei weren spred abrood in the valey of Raphaym.²³ Sotheli Dauid councelide the Lord, and seide, Whether Y schal stie agens Filisties, and whether thou schalt bitake hem in to myn hondis? Which answeride, Thou schalt not stie ayens hem, but cumpasse thou bihynde her bak, and thou schalt come to hem on the contrarie side of the pere trees.²⁴ And whanne thou schalt here the sown of cry goynge in the cop of `pere trees, thanne thou schalt biginne batel; for thanne the Lord schal go out befor thi face, that he smyte the castels of Filisteis.<sup>25</sup> Therfor Dauid dide as the Lord comaundide to hym; and he smoot Filisteys fro Gabaa til `the while thei camen to Jezer.