1 WYC Forsothe in that tyme Israel dwellide in Sechym; and the puple dide fornycacioun with the douytris of Moab; BSB BSB: While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
2 WYC whiche douytris clepiden hem to her sacrifices, and thei eten, and worschipiden the goddis of tho douytris; BSB BSB: who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods.
3 WYC and Israel made sacrifice to Belphegor. And the Lord was wrooth, BSB BSB: So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them.
4 WYC and seide to Moises, Take thou alle the princes of the puple, and hange hem ayens the sunne in iebatis, that my wodnesse, `that is stronge veniaunce, be turned awai fro Israel. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
5 WYC And Moises seide to the iugis of Israel, Ech man sle his neiyboris, that maden sacrifice to Belphagor. BSB BSB: So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”
6 WYC And, lo! oon of the sones of Israel entride bifor his britheren to `an hoore of Madian, in the siyt of Moises, and al the cumpeny of the sones of Israel, whiche wepten bifor the yatis of the tabernacle. BSB BSB: Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
7 WYC And whanne Phynees, the sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, preest, hadde seyn this, he roos fro the myddis of the multitude; and whanne he hadde take a swerd, BSB BSB: On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand,
8 WYC he entride aftir the man of Israel in to the `hoore hows, and stikide thorou both togidere, that is, the man and the womman, in the places of gendryng. And the veniaunce ceesside fro the sones of Israel, BSB BSB: followed the Israelite into the tent, and drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and on through the belly of the woman. So the plague against the Israelites was halted,
9 WYC and foure and twenti thousand of men weren slayn. BSB BSB: but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
10 WYC And the Lord seide to Moises, BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses,
11 WYC Fynees, the sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, preest, turnede away myn yre fro the sones of Israel; for he was stirid ayens hem bi my feruent loue, that Y my silf schulde not do awai the sones of Israel in my greet hete, `ether strong veniaunce. BSB BSB: “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.
12 WYC Therfor speke thou to hym, Lo! Y yyue to hym the pees of my couenaunt, BSB BSB: Declare, therefore, that I am granting him My covenant of peace.
13 WYC and it schal be an euerlastynge couenaunt of preesthod, as wel to hym silf as to his seed; for he louyde feruentli for his God, and he clenside the greet trespas of the sones of Israel. BSB BSB: It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”
14 WYC Forsothe the name of the man of Israel, that was slayn with the womman of Madian, was Zambri, the sone of Salu, duyk of the kynrede and lynage of Symeon. BSB BSB: The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.
15 WYC Forsothe the womman of Madian that was slayn togidere, was clepid Cobri, the douyter of Sur, the nobleste prince of Madianytis. BSB BSB: And the name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.
16 WYC And the Lord spak to Moises and seide, BSB BSB: And the LORD said to Moses,
17 WYC `Madianytis feele you enemyes, and smyte ye hem; BSB BSB: “Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.
18 WYC for also thei diden enemyliche ayens you, and disseyueden thorow tresouns, bi the idol of Phegor, and bi `the douyter of Corbri, duyk of Madian, her sister, which douyter was sleyn in the dai of veniaunce, for the sacrilege of Phegor. BSB BSB: For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.”