THE BURNING AT TABERAH.

3644 And ðiſ folc ðor after teg.
ðre dages and nigtes faren it gan
the Israelites departed from Sinai,
And wið-ſtod in ðe deſerd pharan;
ðiſ folc iſ after ſofte togen,
and came into the wilderness of Paran.
3648 And hauen ſwinc in weige drogen;
for ðat ſwinc he grucheden ðor,
ðor-fore hem cam on more ſor.
For their complaining,
fier iſ on hem bi-ſiden ligt,
3652 fele it brende and made o-frigt,
the fire of the Lord consumed them,
Moyſes it bleſſ[ed]e wið his bede,
And brenninge he calde ðat ſtede.
Here hine-folc ðe waſ hem mide,
3656 And ſumme of hem ðor ille dede,
but is quenched by the prayers of Moses.
He gerneden after oðer mete[n],
Of manna he ben for-hirked to eten;
He greten up-on moyſen,
3660 And he to god made his bi-men.
The people lust for flesh and loathe manna.
"Loruerd!" quad he, "ðiſ folc iſ ðin,
And al ðis ſorge nu iſ min;
But ic haue an oðer[[343]] read,
3664 Ðu ſalt me raðe don[[344]] ðolen dead."
Moses complains of his charge.
Quað god, "ches ðe nu her ſeuenti
Wiſe men to ſtonden ðe bi,
God commands him to choose seventy wise men to help him in the government of the people.
And ic ſal hem geuen witter-hed,
3668 And he ðe ſulen don helpe at ned;
And ðin folc ſal to-morgen bi-geten
ynog fles(.) into a moneð[[345]] for to eten."
Moyſes was bliðe an glad[[346]] of ðis,
 [Fol. 71b.]
3672 And ches ðo men [ðe] god made wiſ;
waſ here non of herte dim,
prophetis he weren and holpen him.
Fro lond ortigie cam a wind,
The appointment of seventy elders.
3676 And brogte turles michel mind;
It flogen longe, and ðikke, and wel
Abuten ðe folc of yſrael;
Quails are sent in wrath at Kibroth-Hattaavah.
Two daiges hem ben fugeles cumen,
For two days the fowls came.

[343]

MS. oder.

[344]

MS. ðon.

[345]

MS. moned.

[346]

MS. glað.