Jeremiah 41
1 And it was don in the seuenthe monethe, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, sone of Elisama, of the kingis seed, and the principal men of the kyng, and ten men with hym, camen to Godolie, the sone of Aicham, in Masphath; and thei eeten there looues togidere in Masphath.
The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord (now Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the country of his dominion, were warring against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Juda, ) saying,
2 Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and the ten men that weren with hym, risiden vp, and killiden bi swerd Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan; and thei killiden hym, whom the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad souereyn of the lond.
Thus has the Lord said; Go to Sedekias king of Juda, and you shall say to him, Thus has the Lord said, This city shall certainly be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it, and shall burn it with fire:
3 Also Ismael killide alle the Jewis, that weren with Godolie in Masphath, and the Caldeis, that weren foundun there, and the men werriours.
and you shall not escape out of his hand, but shall certainly be taken, and shall be given into his hands; and your eyes shall see his eyes, and you shall enter into Babylon.
4 Forsothe in the secounde dai, aftir that he hadde slayn Godolie, while no man wiste yit,
But hear the word of the Lord, O Sedekias king of Juda; Thus says the Lord,
5 foure scoor men with schauen beerdis, and to-rent clothis, and pale men, camen fro Sichem, and fro Silo, and fro Samarie; and thei hadden yiftis and encense in the hond, for to offre in the hous of the Lord.
You shall die in peace: and as they wept for your fathers that reigned before you, they shall weep also for you, [saying], Ah lord! and they shall lament for you down to the grave: for I have spoken the word, said the Lord.
6 Therfor Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, yede out of Masphath in to the metyng of hem; and he yede goynge and wepynge. Sotheli whanne he hadde met hem, he seide to hem, Come ye to Godolie, the sone of Aicham;
And Jeremias spoke to king Sedekias all these words in Jerusalem.
7 and whanne thei weren comun to the myddis of the citee, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, killide hem aboute the myddis of the lake, he and the men that weren with hym `killiden hem.
And the host of the king of Babylon warred against Jerusalem, and against the cities of Juda, and against Lachis, and against Azeca: for these strong cities were left amongst the cities of Juda.
8 But ten men weren foundun among hem, that seiden to Ismael, Nyle thou sle vs, for we han tresour of wheete, and of barli, and of oile, and of hony, in the feeld. And he ceesside, and killide not hem with her britheren.
The word that came from the Lord to Jeremias, after king Sedekias had concluded a covenant with the people, to proclaim a release;
9 Forsothe the lake in to which Ismael castide forth alle the careyns of men, whiche he killide for Godolie, is thilke lake, which kyng Asa made for Baasa, the kyng of Israel; Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fillide that lake with slayn men.
That every one should set at liberty his servant, and every one has handmaid, the Hebrew man and Hebrew woman, that no man of Juda should be a bondman.
10 And Ismael ledde prisoneris alle the remenauntis of the puple, that weren in Mesphath, the douytris of the kyng, and al the puple that dwelliden in Masphath, whiche Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde bitakun to kepyng to Godolie, the sone of Aicham. And Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, took hem, and yede to passe ouer to the sones of Amon.
Then all the nobles, and all the people who had entered into the covenant, [engaging] to set free every one his man-servant, and every one his maid, turned,
11 Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, herden al the yuel, which Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde do.
and gave them over to be menservants and maidservants.
12 And whanne thei hadden take alle men, thei yeden forth to fiyte ayens Ismael, the sone of Nathanye; and thei foundun hym at the many watris, that ben in Gabaon.
And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, saying,
13 And whanne al the puple, that was with Ismael, hadden seyn Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, thei weren glad.
Thus says the Lord; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day wherein I took them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
14 And al the puple, whom Ismael hadde take in Masphath, turnede ayen; and it turnede ayen, and yede to Johannan, the sone of Caree.
When six years are accomplished, you shall set free your brother the Hebrew, who shall be sold to you: for he shall serve you six years, and [then] you shall let him go free: but they listened not to me, and inclined not their ear.
15 Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fledde with eiyte men fro the face of Johannan, and yede to the sones of Amon.
And this day they turned to do that which was right in my sight, to proclaim every one the release of his neighbour; and they had concluded a covenant before me, in the house whereon my name is called.
16 Therfor Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, token alle the remenauntis of the comyn puple, whiche thei brouyten ayen fro Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, that weren of Masphat, aftir that he killide Godolie, the sone of Aicham; he took strong men to batel, and wymmen, and children, and geldyngis, whiche he hadde brouyt ayen fro Gabaon.
But you turned and profaned my name, to bring back every one his servant, and every one his handmaid, whom you had sent forth free [and] at their own disposal, to be to you menservants and maidservants.
17 And thei yeden, and saten beynge pilgryms in Canaan, which is bisidis Bethleem, that thei schulden go, and entre in to Egipt fro the face of Caldeis;
Therefore thus said the Lord; You have not listened to me, to proclaim a release every one to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a release to you, to the sword, and to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you up to dispersion [amongst] all the kingdoms of the earth.
18 for thei dredden thilke Caldeis, for Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde slayn Godolie, the sone of Aicham, whom the kyng Nabugodonosor hadde maad souereyn in the lond of Juda.
And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, who have not kept my covenant, which they made before me, the calf which they prepared to sacrifice with it,
the princes of Juda, and the men in power, and the priests, and the people;
I will even give them to their enemies, and their carcases shall be food for the birds of the sky and for the wild beasts of the earth.
And I will give Sedekias king of Judea, and their princes, into the hands of their enemies, and the host of the king of Babylon [shall come upon] them that run away from them.
Behold, I [will] give command, says the Lord, and will bring them back to this land; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire, and the cities of Juda; and I will make them desolate without inhabitants.
