MOSES AND THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

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cruelty was, that the Hebrews might not become more numerous than the Egyptians, and conquer the whole country.

6. One of the Hebrew women, however, could not make up her mind to throw her son into the Nile. If she had positively disobeyed the king's order, she would have been put to death. She therefore very privately made a little ark, or boat, of bulrushes, placed the child in it, and laid it among the flags that grew by the river's side.

7. In a little while the king's daughter came down to the river to bathe. Perceiving the ark of bulrushes, she went with her maids

to fetch it. Whe. ney looked into it, they found a little Ilebrew boy there!

8. The heart of the princess was moved with compassion, and she resolved to save his life. She hired his own mother to nurse him.

6. What did one of th Hebrew women do? 7. What of Pharaoh's daughter? 8. What of Moses?

She gave him the name of Moses, and, when he grew old enough to be put to school, she caused him to be instructed in all the learning of the Egyptians. At that period they were the most learned people on earth.

9. But, though he himself was so well treated, Moses did not forget the sufferings of the other Hebrews. He remembered that they were his brethren, and he resolved to rescue them from their oppressors.

10. He and his brother Aaron received power from God to perform many wonderful things, in order to induce Pharaoh to let the Hebrews depart out of Egypt. Ten great plagues were inflicted on the Egyptians; and these were so terrible, that at last Pharaoh gave the Hebrews leave to go.

11. But scarcely were they gone, when the king was sorry that he had not still kept them in Egypt, that he might oppress them; and compel them to labor for him as before. He therefore mustered his warriors, and rode swiftly after the fugitives.

12. When he came in sight of them, they were crossing the Red Sea, which lies between Egypt and Arabia. The Lord had caused the waters to roll back, and form a wall on each side. Thus there was a path of glistening sand for the Hebrews through the very depths of the sea.

13. Pharaoh and his army rode onward, and by the time that the fugitives had reached the opposite shore, the Egyptians were in the midst of this wonderful passage.

14. As the Hebrews fled, they looked behind them. There was the proud array of the Egyptian king, with his chariots and horsemen, and all his innumerable army, and Pharaoh himself riding haughtily in the midst.

15. The affrighted Hebrews looked behind them again, and, lo! the two walls of water had rolled together. They were dashing against the chariots, and sweeping the soldiers off their feet. The waves were crested with foam, and came roaring against the proud and wicked king. In a little time the sea rolled calmly over Pharaoh and his host, and thus they all perished, leaving the Jews to proceed on their journey.

16. This was a terrible event, but Pharaoh had been very cruel; he therefore deserved his fate. This story may teach us that not only wicked rulers, but those who follow them, have reason to fear the judgments of Heaven.

9. What did he resolve to do? 10. What of Moses and Aaron? To what did Pharaoh consent? 11. Did he change his mind? What did he do? Which way was the Red fea from Egypt? 12. What miracle did God perform? How did the Hebrews eross the Red Sea? 15. What became of Pharaoh and his army?

WANDERINGS OF THE ISRAELITES.

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CHAPTER XVI.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

About the Wanderings of the Israelites in the Wilderness.

1. Ir was now two hundred and fifteen years since Jacob had come to settle in Egypt. His descendants had multiplied so rapidly that, at the time of their departure, the Hebrew nation are supposed to have amounted to at least two millions of people. Moses, their leader, was eighty years old, but his step was steady; and, though of meek and humble manners, he was a man of great wisdom and firmness of character.

2. The Hebrews intended to go directly from Egypt to the land of Canaan. This latter country is now called Palestine. Before reaching it, the children of Israel were to pass through a part of Arabia.

3. In order that they might not go astray, a vast pillar of mist, or cloud, moved before them all day long; and at night the pillar of cloud was changed to a pillar of fire, which threw a radiance over the regions through which they journeyed.

4. The country was desolate and barren, and often destitute of water, but the Lord fed the people with manna and with quails; and when they were thirsty, Moses smote upon a rock, and the water gushed out abundantly. This was a great relief, for the climate there was exceedingly hot. Besides all this, the Hebrews received divine assistance against the Am'-a-lek-ites, and were enabled to conquer them in battle.

5. But, in spite of these various mercies, the Israelites were an ungrateful and rebellious people. They often turned from the worship of the true God, and became idolaters.

6. At the very time when the Lord was revealing himself to Moses on the summit of Mount Sinai [si'-na], the people compelled Aaron to make a golden calf. They worshiped this poor image instead of Jehovah, who had brought them out of Egypt.

CHAP. XVI.—1. How long was it from the time Jacob settled in Egypt to the departure of the Israelites? What was the number of the Israelites at this time? How old was Moses? What was his character? 2. In which direction is Canaan from Egypt? What country lies between Canaan and Egypt? In what country did the Hebrews wander? 3. How were the Hebrews guided? 4. What sort of country did they travel through? How were they fed? When they could find no spring or river, how were they supplied with water? Why was this supply of water necessary? What other divine assistance was rendered to the Hebrews? 5. Were the Hebrews grateful for all the mercies bestowed upon them? 6. What did they do when Moses was on Mount Sinai? Were not the Hebrews very foolish and wicked to worship the image of a calf rather than to worship God? When children disobey their parents, and seek their own pleasure rather than do their duty, are they not like the Hebrews in this instance?

7. On account of their numerous sins, the Lord often inflicted severe punishments upon them. Many were slain by pestilence, and some were swallowed up in the earth. The remainder were compelled to wander forty years in the deserts of Arabia, though the whole distance in a direct line from Egypt to Canaan was but about three hundred miles.

8. Before they came to the land of Canaan, most of those who had fled out of Egypt were dead. Their children inherited the promised land, but they themselves were buried in the sands of the desert. Even Moses was permitted merely to gaze at the land of Canaan from the top of Mount Pisgah. Here he died, at the age of one hundred and twenty years.

9. After the death of Moses, Joshua, the son of Nun, became leader of the Israelites. Under his guidance they entered the promised land, and subdued the people who inhabited it. The territory of Canaan was then divided among the twelve tribes of Israel.

CHAPTER XVII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

Overthrow of the Midianites.-Samson, Judge of Israel.

1. AFTER their settlement in Canaan, the Israelites lived under the authority of Judges. These were their rulers in time of peace, and their generals in war. Some of them were very remarkable personages, and did many things worthy of remembrance.

2. The name of one of the judges was Gid'-e-on. While he ruled Israel, an army of Mid'-i-an-ites invaded the country, and oppressed the people for seven years. But the Lord instructed Gideon how to rescue the Israelites from their power.

3. Gideon chose three hundred men, and caused each of them to take an earthen pitcher, and put a lamp within it. With this small band he entered the camp of the Midianites by night. There was an immense army of them, sleeping in their tents, without apprehending any danger from the conquered Israelites.

4. But their destruction was at hand. Gideon gave a signal, and

7. What evil resulted from the disobedience of the Hebrews? Do you not know that evil always follows disobedience? How long did the Hebrews wander? What is the distance, in a straight line, from Egypt to Canaan? 8. Did most of the Hebrews who left Egypt reach Canaan? What of Moses? Where is Mount Pisgah? 9. Who became leader after the death of Moses? How was the land of Canaan divided?

CHAP. XVII.-1. How were the Hebrews governed after their settlement in Canaan? What of the judges? 2. What of Gideon? 3-6. Tell how Gideon contrived to over. come the Midianites.

EXPLOITS OF SAMSON.

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all his three hundred men broke their pitchers, at the same time blowing a loud blast upon trumpets which they had brought. This terrible clamor startled the Midianites from their sleep.

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5. Amid the clangor of the trumpets, they heard the Israelites shouting, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon." A great panic seized upon the Midianites. They doubtless imagined that all the Hebrew army had broken into their camp.

6. Each man mistook his neighbor for an enemy; so that more of the Midianites were slain by their own swords than by the swords of the men of Israel. Thus God wrought a great deliverance for his people.

7. The most famous of all the judges of Israel was named Samson. He was the strongest man in the world; and it was a wonderful circumstance that his great strength depended upon the hair of his head.

8. While he continued to wear his hair long, and curling down his neck, he had more strength than a hundred men put together. But if his hair were to be cut off, he would be no stronger than any single man.

9. In the days of Samson, the Phi-lis'-tines had conquered the Israelites. Samson disliked them on account of the injuries which they inflicted upon his countrymen. He made use of his great strength to do them all the harm in his power.

CHAPTER XVIII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

Samson's Exploits and Death.

1. On one occasion Samson slew a thousand of the Philistines, although he had no better weapon than the jaw-bone of an ass. At another time, when they had shut him up in the city of Ga'-za, he took the gates of the city upon his shoulders, and carried them to the top of a distant hill.

2. But though Samson hated the Philistines, and was always doing them mischief, there was a woman among them whom he loved. Her name was Del'-i-lah. She pretended to love Samson in return; but her only object was to ruin him.

3. This woman used many persuasions to induce Samson to tell

7. What of Samson? In what did his strength lie? 9. What of the Philistines? Why did Samson dislike them?

CHAP. XVIII.-1. With what weapon did Samson kill a thousand Philistines? What of the gates of Gaza? 2. What of Delilah?