Part 157 (1/2)

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went close under the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull. Then he called hastily unto the young man his armor-bearer, and said unto him, ”Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.'”

And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

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SAMUEL

_The Story of a Man Who Began to Do Right When He Was a Boy, and Who Never Departed from the Way in Which He Began_.

(Samuel is one of the finest characters in the Old Testament. In the midst of evil times, and in contact with evil men, he never departed from the strict way of truth and righteousness and service to G.o.d.

Samuel was fortunate in having an excellent mother. She dedicated her son to G.o.d, and gave him very early to the service of G.o.d. She loved him very much, and no doubt missed him very much from the home. Every year she went to see him, and brought him a little coat which she had made.

”But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.”)

HOW SAMUEL LEARNED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF G.o.d.

And the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pa.s.s at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of G.o.d was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of G.o.d was; that the Lord called Samuel: and he said, ”Here am I.”

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

SOURCES OF THE JORDAN. THE ANCIENT DAN

Dan was a city on the northern boundary of Palestine, and Beer-sheba was a city on the southern boundary, so there came to be a national saying ”from Dan to Beer-sheba,” to indicate the whole kingdom. ”And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.” The picture is taken near the supposed site of the ancient city at the point where a great spring bursting forth forms the princ.i.p.al source of the Jordan river.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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And he ran to Eli, and said, ”Here am I; for thou calledst me.”

And he said, ”I called not; lie down again.”

And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, ”Samuel.”

And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, ”Here am I; for thou calledst me.”

And he answered, ”I called not, my son; lie down again.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.

And he arose and went to Eli, and said, ”Here am I; for thou calledst.

me.”

And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.

Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ”Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, 'Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.'”