In the tyme when the Iudges iudged, there felle a darth in the land. Wherfore a certayn man of Bethlehem Iuda went for to soiourne in the countrey of Moab wyth his wyfe and two sonnes.
And there fel a derth in the land passyng the fyrst derth that fell in the dayes of Abraham. Wherfore Isaac wente vnto Abimelech kynge of the Phylystyans vnto Gerar.
Thou sonne of man, when the lande synneth againste me, & goeth forthe in wyckednesse: I will stretche oute myne hand vpon it, & destroye all the prouysyon of theyr bread, and sende derth vpon them, to destroy man & beast in the lande.
And the man departed out of the cyty of Bethlehem Iuda, to go dwell where he coulde fynde a place. And he came to mount Ephraim, & to the house of Micah as he iourneyed.
Moreouer thus sayth the Lord god: Though I sende my foure troublous plages vpon Ierusalem: the swearde, honger, perlous, beastes and pestilence, to destroye man and beaste oute of it:
Then there fell an hongre in the daies of Dauid thre yeares, year by yeare. And Dauid enquyred of the Lorde. And the Lorde answered it is for Sauls sake and the house of bloude, because he slue the Gabaonites.
And thou Bethleem Ephrata, art lytle among the thousandes of Iuda, Out of the shall come vnto me, whyche shall be the gouernoure in Israell: whose out goinge hath bene from the begynnyge, and from euerlastynge.