DENISON

Rochester Institute of Technology Leaf 06

This leaf comes from an English Cambridge Bible, St. Jerome's edition, from the early thirteenth century. The script is early angular gothic. The vellum is 27.5 x 20cm, thin and soft with ink lining, obvious binding holes, and minimal yellowing. The ink used for the body of the text is brown, with decoration in the form of book name and chapter numbers red and blue with some minor squiggle emphasis, not unlike that found in Leaf 04. See Denison Leaf 06 for more information about this manuscript.

Text: Deuteronomy 17:16-20:3 (recto). A scan of the verso is not currently available.

Rochester 06.jpg
Rochester Leaf 06 Recto
Rochester Leaf 06 Recto

Rochester Institute of Technology Leaf 06 Recto

+ Rochester Leaf 06 Recto Transcription

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præcéperit vobis ut nequáquam ámplius per eámdem viam revertámini. Non habébit uxóres plúrimas, quæ allíciant ánimum ejus, neque argénti et auri imménsa póndera. Postquam autem séderit in sólio regni sui, descríbet sibi Deuteronómium legis hujus in volúmine, accípiens exémplar a sacerdótibus Levíticæ tribus, et habébit secum, legétque illud ómnibus diébus vitæ suæ, ut discat timére Dóminum Deum suum, et custodíre verba et cæremónias ejus, quæ in lege præcépta sunt. Nec elevétur cor ejus in supérbiam super fratres suos, neque declínet in partem déxteram vel sinístram, ut longo témpore regnet ipse et fílii ejus super Israël. XVIII. Non habébunt sacerdótes et Levítæ, et omnes qui de eádem tribu sunt, partem et hæreditátem cum réliquo Israël, quia sacrifícia Dómini, et oblatiónes ejus cómedent, et nihil áliud accípient de possessióne fratrum suórum: Dóminus enim ipse est hæréditas eórum, sicut locútus est illis. Hoc erit judícium sacerdótum a pópulo, et ab his qui ófferunt víctimas: sive bovem, sive ovem immoláverint, dabunt sacerdóti armum ac ventrículum: primítias fruménti, vini, et ólei, et lanárum partem ex óvium tonsióne. Ipsum enim elégit Dóminus Deus tuus de cunctis tríbubus tuis, ut stet, et minístret nómini Dómini, ipse, et fílii ejus in sempitérnum. Si exíerit Levítes ex una úrbium tuárum ex omni Israël in qua hábitat, et volúerit veníre, desíderans locum quem elégerit Dóminus, ministrábit in nómine Dómini Dei sui, sicut omnes fratres ejus Levítæ, qui stabunt eo témpore coram Dómino. Partem cibórum eámdem accípiet, quam et céteri: excépto eo, quod in urbe sua ex patérna ei successióne debétur. Quando ingréssus fúeris terram, quam Dóminus Deus tuus dabit tibi, cave ne imitári velis abominatiónes illárum géntium. Nec inveniátur in te qui lustret fílium suum, aut fíliam, ducens per ignem: aut qui aríolos sciscitétur, et obsérvet sómnia atque augúria, nec sit maléficus, nec incantátor, nec qui pythónes cónsulat, nec divínos, aut quærat a mórtuis veritátem. Ómnia enim hæc abominátur Dóminus, et propter istiúsmodi scélera delébit eos in intróitu tuo. Perféctus eris, et absque mácula cum Dómino Deo tuo. Gentes istæ, quarum possidébis terram, augúres et divínos áudiunt: tu autem a Dómino Deo tuo áliter institútus es. Prophétam de gente tua et de frátribus tuis, sicut me, suscitábit tibi Dóminus Deus tuus: ipsum áudies, ut petísti a Dómino Deo tuo in Horeb, quando cóncio congregáta est, atque dixísti: Ultra non áudiam vocem Dómini Dei mei, et ignem hunc máximum ámplius non vidébo, ne móriar. Et ait Dóminus mihi: Bene ómnia sunt locúti. Prophétam suscitábo eis de médio fratrum suórum símilem tui: et ponam verba mea in ore ejus, loquetúrque ad eos ómnia quæ præcépero illi. Qui autem verba ejus, quæ loquétur in nómine meo, audíre nolúerit, ego ultor exístam. Prophéta autem qui arrogántia depravátus volúerit loqui in nómine meo, quæ ego non præcépi illi ut díceret, aut ex nómine alienórum deórum, interficiétur. Quod si tácita cogitatióne respondéris: Quómodo possum intellígere verbum, quod Dóminus non est locútus? hoc habébis signum: quod in nómine Dómini prophéta ille prædíxerit, et non evénerit: hoc Dóminus non est locútus, sed per

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tumórem ánimi sui prophéta confínxit: et idcírco non timébis eum. XIX. Cum disperdíderit Dóminus Deus tuus gentes, quarum tibi traditúrus est terram, et posséderis eam, habitaverísque in úrbibus ejus et in aedibus: tres civitátes separábis tibi in médio terræ, quam Dóminus Deus tuus dabit tibi in possessiónem, sternens diligénter viam: et in tres æquáliter partes totam terræ tuæ provínciam dívides: ut hábeat e vicíno qui propter homicídium profúgus est, quo possit evádere. Hæc erit lex homicídæ fugiéntis, cujus vita servánda est: qui percússerit próximum suum nésciens, et qui heri et nudiustértius nullum contra eum ódium habuísse comprobátur: sed abiísse cum eo simplíciter in silvam ad ligna cædénda, et in succisióne lignórum secúris fúgerit manu, ferrúmque lapsum de manúbrio amícum ejus percússerit, et occíderit: hic ad unam supradictárum úrbium confúgiet, et vivet: ne fórsitan próximus ejus, cujus effúsus est sanguis, dolóre stimulátus, persequátur, et apprehéndat eum si lóngior via fúerit, et percútiat ánimam ejus, qui non est reus mortis: quia nullum contra eum, qui occísus est, ódium prius habuísse monstrátur. Idcírco præcípio tibi, ut tres civitátes æquális inter se spátii dívidas. Cum autem dilatáverit Dóminus Deus tuus términos tuos, sicut jurávit pátribus tuis, et déderit tibi cunctam terram, quam eis pollícitus est (si tamen custodíeris mandáta ejus, et féceris, quæ hódie præcípio tibi, ut díligas Dóminum Deum tuum, et ámbules in viis ejus omni témpore), addes tibi tres álias civitátes, et supradictárum trium úrbium númerum duplicábis: ut non effundátur sanguis innóxius in médio terræ, quam Dóminus Deus tuus dabit tibi possidéndam, ne sis sánguinis reus. Si quis autem, ódio habens próximum suum, insidiátus fúerit vitæ ejus, surgénsque percússerit illum, et mórtuus fúerit, fugerítque ad unam de supradíctis úrbibus, mittent senióres civitátis illíus, et arrípient eum de loco effúgii, tradéntque in manu próximi, cujus sanguis effúsus est, et moriétur. Non miseráberis ejus, et áuferes innóxium sánguinem de Israël, ut bene sit tibi. Non assúmes, et tránsferes términos próximi tui, quos fixérunt prióres in possessióne tua, quam Dóminus Deus tuus dabit tibi in terra quam accéperis possidéndam. Non stabit testis unus contra áliquem, quidquid illud peccáti, et facínoris fúerit: sed in ore duórum aut trium téstium stabit omne verbum. Si stéterit testis mendax contra hóminem, accúsans eum prævaricatiónis, stabunt ambo, quorum causa est, ante Dóminum in conspéctu sacerdótum et júdicum qui fúerint in diébus illis. Cumque diligentíssime perscrutántes, invénerint falsum testem dixísse contra fratrem suum mendácium, reddent ei sicut fratri suo fácere cogitávit, et áuferes malum de médio tui: ut audiéntes céteri timórem hábeant, et nequáquam tália áudeant fácere. Non miseréberis ejus, sed ánimam pro ánima, óculum pro óculo, dentem pro dente, manum pro manu, pedem pro pede éxiges. XX. Si exíeris ad bellum contra hostes tuos, et víderis equitátus et currus, et majórem quam tu hábeas adversárii exércitus multitúdinem, non timébis eos: quia Dóminus Deus tuus tecum est, qui edúxit te de terra Ægýpti. Appropinquánte autem jam praelio, stabit sacérdos ante áciem, et sic loquétur ad pópulum: Audi, Israël: vos hódie contra inimícos vestros pugnam commíttitis

+ Rochester Leaf 06 Recto Translation

[Deuteronomy 17:16-20:3]

...hath commanded you to return no more the same way. 17 He shall not have many wives, that may allure his mind, nor immense sums of silver and gold. 18 But after he is raised to the throne of his kingdom, he shall copy out to himself the Deuteronomy of this law in a volume, taking the copy of the priests of the Levitical tribe, 19 And he shall have it with him, and shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep his words and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law; 20 And that his heart be not lifted up with pride over his brethren, nor decline to the right or to the left, that he and his sons may reign a long time over Israel.

1 The priests and Levites, and all that are of the same tribe, shall have no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israel, because they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord, and his oblations, 2 And they shall receive nothing else of the possession of their brethren: for the Lord himself is their inheritance, as he hath said to them. 3 This shall be the priest's due from the people, and from them that offer victims: whether they sacrifice an ox, or a sheep, they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the breast: 4 The firstfruits also of corn, of wine, and of oil, and a part of the wool from the shearing of their sheep. 5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him of all thy tribes, to stand and to minister to the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever. 6 If a Levite go out of any one of the cities throughout all Israel, in which he dwelleth, and have a longing mind to come to the place which the Lord shall choose, 7 He shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, that shall stand at that time before the Lord. 8 He shall receive the same portion of food that the rest do: besides that which is due to him in his own city, by succession from his fathers. 9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee, beware lest thou have a mind to imitate the abominations of those nations. 10 Neither let there be found among you any one that shall expiate his son or daughter, making them to pass through the fire: or that consulteth soothsayers, or observeth dreams and omens, neither let there be any wizard, 11 Nor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead. 12 For the Lord abhorreth all these things, and for these abominations he will destroy them at thy coming. 13 Thou shalt be perfect, and without spot before the Lord thy God. 14 These nations, whose land thou shalt possess, hearken to soothsayers and diviners: but thou art otherwise instructed by the Lord thy God. 15 The Lord thy God will raise up to thee a PROPHET of thy nation and of thy brethren like unto me: him thou shalt hear: 16 As thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the assembly was gathered together, and saidst: Let me not hear any more the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see any more this exceeding great fire, lest I die. 17 And the Lord said to me: They have spoken all things well. 18 I will raise them up a prophet out of the midst of their brethren like to thee: and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 And he that will not hear his words, which he shall speak in my name, I will be the revenger. 20 But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods, shall be slain. 21 And if in silent thought thou answer: How shall I know the word that the Lord hath not spoken? 22 Thou shalt have this sign: Whatsoever that same prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and it cometh not to pass: that thing the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath forged it by the pride of his mind: and therefore thou shalt not fear him.

1 When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to thee, and thou shalt possess it, and shalt dwell in the cities and houses thereof: 2 Thou shalt separate to thee three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give thee in possession, 3 Paving diligently the way: and thou shalt divide the whole province of thy land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape. 4 This shall be the law of the slayer that fleeth, whose life is to be saved: He that killeth his neighbour ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before: 5 But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live: 6 Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him, if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain. 7 Therefore I command thee, that thou separate three cities at equal distance one from another. 8 And when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy borders, as he swore to thy fathers, and shall give thee all the land that he promised them, 9 (Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid: 10 That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, lest thou be guilty of blood. 11 But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid, 12 The ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die. 13 Thou shalt not pity him, and thou shalt take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with thee. 14 Thou shalt not take nor remove thy neighbour's landmark, which thy predecessors have set in thy possession, which the Lord thy God will give thee in the land that thou shalt receive to possess. 15 One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand. 16 If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression, 17 Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days. 18 And when after most diligent inquisition, they shall find that the false witness hath told a lie against his brother: 19 They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee: 20 That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things. 21 Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

1 If thou go out to war against thy enemies, and see horsemen and chariots, and the numbers of the enemy's army greater than thine, thou shalt not fear them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner: 3 Hear, O Israel, you join battle this day...


For more information, contact Dr. Fred Porcheddu.