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to pass when their hearts were merry, they said, call for Samson, that he may make us spòrt. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. 26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars, whereupon the house standeth, that may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there : and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women that beheld while Samson made sport. 28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord Gòd, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might and the house fell (1) upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein: so the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

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THE SEIZURE OF MICAH SEPHOD.

UNIVERSITY JUDGES XVIII.-1 In those days there was no kingORIN rael and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah; wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim. 13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know

* Children, who read this passage, are reminded that Samson was in the open area between the four sides, or buildings of an Eastern palace.

that there is in these houses an ephod, and téraphim, and á graven ímage, and a mólten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to dò. 15 And they turned thitherward and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Mìcah, and saluted him. 16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. 18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What dò ye? 19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father, and a priest: Is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? 20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went into the midst of the people. 21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the carriage, before them.

22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the children of Dan and they turned their faces, and said unto Micah (°) What aìleth thee, that thou comest with such a còmpany? 24 And he said, (-) Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I mòre? And what is this that ye say unto me, What aìleth thee? 25 And the children of Dan said unto him, (..) Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 26 And the children of Dan went their way and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

*

* This passage requires a tone of taunting defiance.

CALL OF SAMUEL.

*

1 SAM. III.-1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before 'Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his pláce, and his eyes began to wax dím, that he could not sée; 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lórd, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, (°) Hère am I'. 5 And he ran unto 'Eli, and said, Hère am I'; for thou calledst me. And he said, () I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called yet again, (;;) Sámuel. (II) And Samuel arose. and went to Eli, and said, Hère am I'; for thou didst call me. And he answered, (°) I called nòt, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose, and went to Eli, and said, Hère am I'; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Gò, lie dòwn; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lórd; for thy servant heàreth.† So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord cáme, and stoód, and called as at other times, (::) Samuel, (||) Sāmuel. (||) Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth,

DEATH OF ELI.

1 SAM. IV.- -3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that when it cometh among us, it may sàve us out of the hand of

* "Precious," because, as prophecy had ceased for a time, it was eagerly sought for.

This passage requires a soothing tone of voice.

our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shoùt in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid; for they said, (。) Gòd is come into the camp. And they said, Wò unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 8 Wo unto ùs! Who shall delìver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods which smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like mèn, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like mèn, and fìght.

10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent; and there was a very great slaughter: for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11 (8) And the ark of Gòd was taken: and the two sons of 'Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same dày, with his clothes rént, and with earth upon his head. 14 And when he came, lo! Eli sat upon a seat by the way-side, watching for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tùmult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. man said unto Eli, (°) I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to-day out of the army.* And he said, What is there done my son? 17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fed before the Philistines; and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people; and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of

* Boasting.

16 And the

God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his nèck brake, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy: and he had judged Israel forty years.

ANOINTING OF SA U L.

1. SAM. IX.-15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Bènjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall reign over my people._ 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thée, where the sèer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the séer: go up before me unto the high plàce; for ye shall eat with me to-day; and to-morrow I will let thee gò, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of `Israel? Is it not on thée, and on all thy father's house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Bénjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of 'Israel and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to mè? 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bìdden, which were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. 24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saùl. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

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