Study Desk

I praye you speake in the eares of all the men at Sichem: What is better for you, that thre score and ten men all children of Ierubaal shulde be lordes ouer you, or that one man shulde be lorde ouer you? Remembre also that I am youre bone and youre flesh.

& he shewed her his whole hert, & sayde vnto her: There came neuer rasoure vpon my heade, for I am a Nazaree of God fro my mothers wombe. Yf I were shauen, my strength shulde departe fro me, so that I shulde be weake, and as all other men.

Micha axed him: Whence comest thou? He answered him: I am a Leuite of Bethleem Iuda, and am walkynge where I can.

And Micha sayde: I am sure the LORDE wyll do me good now, that I haue a Leuite to my prest.

He answered him: We are goinge on oure iourney from Betlee Iuda, vntyll we come besyde mount Ephraim, whece I am, and wente vnto Bethleem Iuda, and now I go vnto ye house of ye LORDE & no ma wil harbarow me.

Turne agayne my doughters, and go youre waye, for I am now to olde to take an hußbande. And though I shulde saye: I hope this night to take an hußbande & to brynge forth children,

yet coulde ye not tary tlll they were growne vp: for ye shulde be to olde, so that ye coulde haue no hußbandes. No my doughters, therfore am I sory for you, for ye hade of the LORDE is gone forth ouer me.

Then fell she downe vpon hir face, and bowed hir self downe to the earth, and sayde vnto him: How haue I founde this fauoure in yi sighte, that thou woldest knowe me, which am yet a straunger?

She sayde: let me fynde fauoure (syr) before thyne eyes, for thou hast comforted me, and spoken frendly vnto thy handmayde, where as I am not yet like one of yi handmaydes.

And he sayde: Who art thou? She answered: I am Ruth thy handmayden, sprede yi wynges ouer thy hadmayden: for thou art the nexte kynsman.

Trueth it is now, yt I am a nye kynsma, but there is one nyer then I.

But Elcana hir hußbande sayde vnto her: Wherfore wepest thou? and why eatest thou not? And wherfore is thine hert so greued? Am not I better vnto the then ten sonnes?

Neuertheles Anna answered and sayde: No my lorde, I am a soroufull woman, wyne and stronge drynke haue I not dronken but haue poured out my hert before ye LORDE.

And she sayde: O my lorde, as truly as thy soule lyueth my lorde, I am the woman that stode here by ye, and made intercession vnto the LORDE,

And Anna prayed, and sayde: My hert reioyseth in the LORDE, & my horne is exalted in the LORDE. My mouth is opened wyde vpo myne enemies, for I am glad of thy saluacion.

And the LORDE called Samuel. He answered: Beholde, here am I.

And he ranne vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. But he saide: I haue not called the, go thy waye agayne, and laye the downe to slepe. And he wente his waye, and layed him downe to slepe.

The LORDE called againe: Samuel. And Samuel arose, & wente vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. Neuertheles he sayde: My sonne, I haue not called the. So thy waye agayne, and laye the downe to slepe.

And ye LORDE called Samuel ye thirde tyme. And he arose, & wente vnto Eli, & sayde: Beholde, here am I, thou hast called me. Then perceaued Eli yt the LORDE called ye childe,

Then Eli called him & sayde: Samuel my sonne. He answered: Beholde, here am I.