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land of Egypt, and followed other gods, the false gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves before them.

Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and He sold them into the hands of their enemies that were round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and they were greatly distressed."

Judges i. ii. *

A snare, is a trap into which animals are tempted to enter by something which appears pleasant to them, and so lose their liberty, or are destroyed. The Canaanites were a snare to the children of Israel, because they were tempted by the sinful pleasures of these people to worship their idols and false gods, by which they lost the blessings which they had, and were destroyed or brought into captivity.

A remnant, is the part which remains of a thing, or of a number of persons, of which the greater part has been taken away. To shrink, is to draw back from doing a thing, from fear or dislike.

* The five last chapters of the book of Judges also contain the account of events which happened during this time.

B.C.

Chapter LXXXVI.

THE FIRST SERVITUDE OF ISRAEL IN THE LAND

OF CANAAN, AND THEIR DELIVERANCE BY
THE HAND OF OTHNIEL.

About ABOUT twenty-five years after the death of Joshua, 1558. when the children of Israel had forsaken the Lord their God, and served the false gods of the Canaanites, who dwelt among them, the king of Mesopotamia came up with his army to fight against them, and take their land.

It was the Lord who caused the king of Mesopotamia to come from the far country where Abraham had once dwelt, against the land of Israel. The Lord made him to be His instrument to punish the sin and idolatry of His people, as of old He had punished them when they sinned in the wilderness, by the pestilence, and the serpents, and the earthquake, and the fire from heaven. He had destroyed the people of Canaan because of their exceeding wickedness, by the sword of Joshua and the children of Israel; but now, that Israel had

become sinners like the heathen, and walked in their ways, He brought another people from afar to take from them, for a while, the good land which He had given them.

So the Lord delivered His people Israel into the hand of the king of Mesopotamia. And he took from them their cattle and their goods, and made them pay tribute to him; and they became his

servants.

The Israelites served the king of Mesopotamia for eight years, and his officers ruled over them, and took from them year by year a portion of the fruits of their land. And in their distress, they thought upon the Lord their God, and repented of their sin. Then they cried unto the Lord to have mercy upon them; and the Lord heard their prayer, and raised up from among them a man of the tribe of Judah, whose name was Othniel, the nephew of Caleb, to deliver them from their bondage.

B.C.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and About he called forth the men of Israel, and led them 1550. to battle against the king of Mesopotamia. And

he overcame the enemies of Israel, for the Lord delivered them into his hand; and he drove them forth from the land of Canaan.

When Othniel had driven forth the king of Mesopotamia, he ruled as chief-judge over the children of Israel. Then they put from them the idol-gods of the heathen, and served the Lord their God, who had forgiven their sin, and had again delivered them from their enemies; and for forty years they dwelt in peace.

Judges iii.

An instrument, is a thing which is used to do a work of any kind. Thus a sword, is an instrument of war, or of death; a harp, is an instrument of music for with a sword men fight or kill, and with a harp they make music.

Tribute, is money, or a portion of the fruits of their land, which conquered nations are made to pay to those who rule over them.

Chapter LXXXEX.

THE SECOND SERVITUDE OF ISRAEL AND THEIR DELIVERANCE BY THE HAND OF EHUD; AND THE VICTORY OF DEBORAH AND BARAK.

In the time of Othniel, there was rest and peace

in the land of Israel for forty years; for the people had turned from their idol-worship to serve the Lord and do His will. But after Othniel was dead, they again forgot the Lord their God. "They thought not of His hand, and of the day when He delivered them out of the hand of the enemy. They kept not His covenant, and would not walk in His law, but forgot what He had done, and the wonderful works which He had showed for them." So they turned again to their evil way, and sinned against the Lord, as they had done before.

B.C.

Then the Lord caused Eglon, king of Moab, About to come up against them. He gathered together 1510. his people, and came up into the land of Israel with the Amalekites and the Ammonites; and he overcame the Israelites, and subdued them; for the Lord delivered them into his hand. Then he took possession of a part of the land of Israel, and made the Israelites to be his servants, and to pay him tribute.

When the children of Israel were in trouble, they again sought the Lord their God; when their

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