much entreaty, Samson confessed that he had been forbidden to have his hair cat, and that his great strength depended on his obedience in this particular. The treacherous wife waited until Samson slept, when she had his head shorn. When Samson awoke, and saw his enemies about him, he thought to put them to flight; but found himself as weak as a woman. The Philistines put out his eyes, and set him, like a beast of burden, to grind in a mill.

One evening the Philistines were celebrating a great banquet, and they sent for Samson to play for them. The hero, who had truly repented of his fault, begged of God to restore his strength. He then seized the pillars of the house, and shook them violently, so that the building fell, and he, with a vast number of Philistines, was buried in the ruins.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

STORY OF RUTH.

HE short story of Ruth belongs to the same time as the history of Judges, and forms a book

by itself.

At a time when the land of Israel was suffering much from famine, Elimelech, a citizen of Bethlehem, went, with Noemi, his wife, and their two sons, into

How was Samson treated by the Philistines? What was the manner of his death?

the country of the Moabites. After his death, Noemi married her two sons to two young Moabite women, Orpha and Ruth. The young men died, leaving no children, and Noemi told her daughters-in-law that she wished to return, and die in her own country. Orpha and Ruth declared that they would accompany her to Bethlehem; but Noemi advised them not to do so, saying that it would be better for them to remain with their wealthy relatives. She said that she was poor and friendless, and would only be more miserable if she saw them suffering on her account.

Orpha yielded to these reasons, and returned to her father; but Ruth refused to leave her mother-inlaw, saying: "Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee, and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God. The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried."

When they arrived in Bethlehem, it was harvest time, and Ruth asked her mother to let her go into the field, among the gleaners, and gather the ears of corn which the reapers left. Ruth went by chance into the field of a rich man, named Booz. He had heard how affectionate and dutiful she had been to her mother, and treated her with much kindness. He ordered the reapers to behave courteously to her, and

Who was Ruth, and how did she reply to the entreaties of her mother-in-law? How did Ruth employ herself in Bethlehem?

BIRTH OF SAMUEL.

to scatter corn on purpose, so that Ruth might gather a quantity, without any trouble.

Booz was afterwards married to Ruth; they had one son who was called Obed. He was the father of Isai, and the grandfather of David the king. Ruth is mentioned by name in the genealogy of the Messiah.

CHAPTER XXIX.

BIRTH OF SAMUEL.-PUNISHMENT OF HELI AND HIS SONS.

E

LCANA and Anna, the parents of this great prophet, had been married many years, without having any children. Anna besought God that He would give her a son; she fasted and prayed, and, at length, bound herself by a vow that, if God granted her petition, she would consecrate her son to the service of the temple. When Samuel was born, the pious mother did not forget her vow, and as soon as the child was weaned, she carried him to Heli, the highpriest. This generous sacrifice was rewarded by God, who gave to Elcana and Anna other sons and daughters to comfort their old age, and bestowed the choicest graces on little Samuel.

It would seem that Heli was himself a pious man, but his sons were so wicked that all Israel was scandalized at their conduct. Heli knew of this, and re

Relate the story of her marriage. Relate the circumstances attending the birth of Samuel.