CHAPTER VIII.
1 Sundry happenings in En. 5 The women are full of foreboding. 10 Concerning the Flag Days. 14 The men cry aloud. 18 And are succoured. 20 Concerning lotteries. 29 Much money is brought by the people. 30 Wherefore the rulers awaken.
Now these things happened in the land of En, and these are the things that did come to pass.
2 And howsoever a matter fell out, then did men say, Verily, it is so because of the war.
3 Yet, it was a reason for all the things that were left undone; and the things that were done, these also it did fully justify.
4 Wherefore many waxed uneasy, fearing how it would be for them when the war, it should be over.
5 ¶ Now the women of the land, they were full of foreboding, knowing not when their garments, they might be taken from them.
6 And they did make pretence, the one unto the other, concerning their purple and concerning their fine linen also.
7 And they would speak in this wise, saying, Dost thou perceive the poverty of mine apparel, and how frugal I am become in the matter of it?
8 Therefore do I wear these poor rags that thou seest, having none others, save only some. And they would shed a few tears for the hardness of their lot.
9 Nevertheless, the vendors of apparel did flourish in that day; neither did the women of the land go naked before the world.
10 ¶ Now the days that men called Flag Days, they did grow in number beyond all computation.
11 And the sellers of flags, they did infest every place, so that to escape from them, it was beyond the power of man.
12 And whensoever a man did venture forth from his habitation on a day that was a flag day, assuredly, that man, he was lost.
13 And the damsels and the old women also, they would follow after him, and they would ensnare him by the way.
14 ¶ Wherefore all the men lifted up their voices unto heaven, and they cried aloud in their distress. And the rulers heard them.
15 And they sent unto the sellers of flags, even unto the damsels and unto the old women did they send, and they said unto them,
16 Forasmuch as ye have harried the men of the land beyond all reason, and the fighters that were come home, ye have driven them back into battle;
17 And because ye have followed after them, having no pity in your hearts, therefore shall ye pursue them no more.
18 ¶ But whatsoever place shall be appointed unto you, there shall ye continue. Verily, ye shall be even as pillars of salt, and shall stand still. Neither shall ye remove yourselves out of that very place.
19 And after the rulers had spoken, it came to pass that a little rest was vouchsafed unto the men; but the damsels, and the old women also, they were sad and sore at heart.
20 ¶ Now because there was need of money for to buy the munitions of war, and because it was necessary for other things also, therefore did the rulers set them about for to get it.
21 And there were certain men and they said, Let us now make us a lottery, and let there be a prize to it also.
22 Peradventure the people will bring them a mighty weight of money for the hazard, and the treasury, it will become full up and flowing over.
23 And though every man did agree that it was so, nevertheless, the rulers, they dared not to do it.
24 For they feared the Pharisees that did speak in their tabernacles against it. And the Pharisees at that time, they were a power in the land of En.
25 Nevertheless, it did come to pass in otherwise. For there were two bazaars in the city of Lon; and the one was of Har, and the other, it was of Sel.
26 And they set them up counters that the people might bring them money for to lend it unto the rulers; also, they made them a lottery of it.
27 And when the matter of their design, it was noised abroad, and that they did scheme to make them a lottery of it.
28 Then all the people hied them thither with one accord, and they did lend them money unto the rulers with a very ready hand.
29 ¶ And after it was all counted up, behold, the sum of it was very great, passing all belief.
30 ¶ But when the rulers heard about it, they sent word unto the bazaars, commanding them that they should do this thing no more.
31 Nevertheless, they forbad not the hazard in a race, which profiteth only a few.
32 Yet were they loth to suffer a lottery, that was made to advantage the course of the war.