appears that he triumphed over his enemies, and lay buried beneath the dead bodies of lords and mighty men.

QUESTIONS. 1. How were the Hebrews governed after their settlement in Canaan? What of the judges? 2. What of

Gideon ?
nites.- -5. What of Samson ?

-3. Tell how Gideon contrived to overcome the Midia-
What of the Philistines?

6. What did the Philistines do to Samson ?- -8. How did Samson destroy the Philistine temple?

CHAPTER XV. ASIA continued.

Reign of Saul.

-Beginning of the

1. MANY other judges ruled over Israel, in the space of about four hundred years from the time that Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt. But at length they became dissatisfied with this mode of government, and demanded that a king should be placed over them.

2. Samuel was then the judge of Israel. He was an old man, and a wise one; and besides the wisdom that he had collected in the course of a long life, he possessed wisdom from on high.

3. When the people demanded a king, Samuel endea- · voured to convince them that they were much better without one. But they would not hearken to this wise and good old man, and still wished for a king. They imagined that none but a king would govern them well in time of peace, or fight successfully against their enemies in war.

4. Samuel, therefore, consulted the Lord, and was directed to find out a king for the Israelites. The person who was fixed upon was a young man named Saul, the son of Kish. He possessed great beauty of person, and was a head taller than any other man among the Israelites. Samuel anointed his head with oil, and gave him to the Israelites as their king.

5. For a considerable time king Saul behaved like a wise and righteous monarch. But at length he began to disobey the Lord, and seldom took the advice of Samuel, although that good old priest would have been willing to direct him in every action of his life.

6. In the course of Saul's reign, the Israelites were often at war with the neighbouring nations. At one time, when the Philistines had invaded the country, there was a great giant in their host, whose name was Goliath, of Gath. He was ten or twelve feet high, and was clothed from head to foot in brazen armour. He carried an enormous spear, the iron head of which weighed many pounds.

7. Every day did this frightful giant stride forth from the camp of the Philistines, and defy the Israelites to produce a champion who would stand against him in single combat. But, instead of doing this, the whole host of Israel stood aloof from him, as a flock of sheep from a lion.

8. At last a young shepherd, by the name of David, happened to come to the camp of the Israelites, and heard the terrible voice of Goliath as he thundered forth his challenge. Young as he was, David had already slain a lion and a bear; and, with the help of the Lord, he thought himself able to slay this gigantic Philistine. He therefore obtained leave of king Saul to accept the challenge.

9. But, instead of wearing the king's armour, which Saul would willingly have lent him, David went to the battle in his shepherd's garb. He did not even buckle on a sword. When the two combatants came into the field, there was the youthful David on the side of the Israelites, with a staff in one hand, and a sling in the other, carrying five smooth stones in a shepherd's scrip or pouch.

10. On the side of the Philistines, forth strode the mighty Goliath, in his brazen armour, brandishing his great iron-headed spear. He looked scornfully at David, and hardly thought it worth his while to lift his spear against

him.

"Come hither," said the giant, "and I will feed the fowls with your flesh!" But little David was not at all afraid, and told Goliath that he would cut off his head, and give his carcass to the beasts of the field. This threat so enraged the giant, that he put himself in motion to slay David.

11. The young man ran forward to meet Goliath, and as he ran, he took a smooth stone from his scrip, and placed it in his sling. When at the proper distance, he whirled the sling, and let fly the stone, which hit Goliath in the centre of the forehead. The stone sunk into the brain, the giant fell at full length upon the field, and David then cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. The Philistines were affrighted at their champion's overthrow, and fled.

12. The men of Israel pursued them, and made a prodigious slaughter. David returned from the battle, carrying the head of Goliath by the hair. The Hebrew women came forth to meet him, danced around him, and sang triumphant anthems in his praise.

QUESTIONS. 1. For how long a time were the Hebrews governed by judges? -2. What of Samuel? -3. What did he do when the people demanded a king ?- 4. What of Saul ? 6. What of Goliath ?- -8. Who was David? -9, 10. Tell the story of David and Goliath.- -11. What effect had the death of Goliath upon the Philistines? -12. What honours were paid to David?

CHAPTER XVI. ASIA continued.—The Reign of David. Wisdom of Solomon.

1. DAVID had won so much renown by his victory over Goliath, that Saul became envious of him, and often endeavoured to kill him. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David better than a brother.

2. During the life-time of Saul, David was forced to live in exile. But, after a reign of about twenty-four

years, king Saul was slain on the mountains of Gilboa, in a disastrous battle with the Philistines, and Jonathan was likewise killed.

3. When David heard of these sad events, he expressed his sorrow by weeping, and rending his garments. Yet he gained a kingdom by the death of Saul and Jonathan, for the men of Judah first elected him to reign over them, and afterwards the whole people of Israel chose him for their king.

4. A great part of David's life was spent in war. He gained many victories, and enjoyed high renown as a gallant leader. He conquered many of the surrounding nations, and raised his kingdom to a higher pitch of power than it ever enjoyed before or afterwards. But he also won a peaceful kind of fame, which will last while the world endures, and be remembered through eternity.

5. He won it by his heavenly poesy, for king David was the sweet Psalmist of Israel; and, in all the ages since he lived, his psalms have been sung to the praise of the Lord. It is now about three thousand years since David died, yet to this hour every pious heart loves to commune with God in the beautiful words of this inspired

man.

6. In the latter part of his life David was much grieved by the rebellious conduct of his son Absalom. But it grieved him more when Absalom was slain by Joab, who found him hanging by his long hair on the branches of an oak, and pierced his body with three darts.

7. When David had reigned forty years, and was grown a very old man, he died in his palace at Jerusalem, and the kingdom was inherited by his son Solomon. This prince was very young when he ascended the throne, but he was wiser in his youth than in his riper years.

8. Not long after he became king, two women came into his presence, bringing two children, one living and one dead. Each of the women claimed the living child

as her own, and they quarrelled violently, as if they would have torn the poor babe asunder.

9. "Bring hither a sword," said king Solomon; and immediately one of the attendants brought a sharp sword. "Now," continued Solomon, "that I may not wrong either of these women, the thing in dispute shall be equally divided between them. Cut the child in twain, and let each take half."

10. But when the real mother saw the keen sword glittering over her poor babe, she gave a scream of agony. "Do not slay the child!" she cried. "Give it to this wicked woman. Only let it live, and she may be its mother!"

11. But the other woman showed no pity for the child. "I ask no more than my just rights," she said. "Cut the child in two! I will be content with half." Now Solomon had watched the conduct of the two women, and he knew the true mother by her tenderness for the poor babe. "Give the child alive to her who would not have it slain," he said. "She is its mother."