ed them a more happy wedlock than they had with her sons, and that they might have prosperity in other respects also; and, seeing her own affairs were so low, she exhorted them to stay where they were, and not to think of leaving their own country, and partaking with her of that uncertainty, under which she must return. Accordingly Orpah stayed behind; but she took Ruth along with her, as she could not be persuaded to stay behind, but would share her fortune, whatsoever it should prove.*

When Ruth was come with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem, Booz, who was near of kin. to Elimelech, entertained her. And when Naomi was so called by her fellow-citizens, according to her true name, she said, "You might more truly call me Mara." Now Naomi signifies, in the Hebrew tongue, Happiness; and Mara, Sorrow. It was now reaping time; and Ruth, by the leave of her mother-in-law, went out to glean; that they might get a stock of corn for their food. Now it happened that she came into Booz's field; and after some time Booz came thither, and when he saw the damsel, he inquired of his servant that was set over the reapers concerning the girl. The servant had a little before inquired about all her circumstances, and told them to his master. Booz then kindly embraced her; both on account of her affection to her mother-in-law, and her remembrance of that son of her's, to whom she had been married, and wished that she might experience a prosperous condition. So he desired her not to glean, but to reap what she was able; and gave her leave to carry it home. He also gave it in charge to that servant who was over the reapers, not to hinder her when she took it away, and bade him give her her dinner and make her drink, when he did the like to the reapers. Now what corn Ruth received of him, she kept for her mother-in-law, and carried it to her in the evening. And Naomi had kept for her a part of such food as her neighbours had plentifully bestowed upon her. Ruth also told her mother-inlaw what Booz had said; and when the other had informed her that he was near of kin to them, and perhaps was so pious a man as to make some provision for them, she went out again on

* Ruth i. 19

the days following to gather the gleanings, with Booz's maid

servant.

It was not many days before Booz, after the barley was winnowed, slept in his threshing floor. When Naomi was informed of this circumstance, she contrived that Ruth should lie down by him, for she thought that it might be for their advantage that he should discourse with the girl. Accordingly she sent the damsel to sleep at his feet, who went as she bade her; for she did not think it consistent with her duty to contradict any command of her mother-in-law. And at first she lay concealed from Booz, as he was fast asleep; but when he awaked about midnight, and perceived a woman lying by him, he asked who she was? and when she had told him her name, and desired that he, whom she owned for her lord, would excuse her, he said no more; but in the morning, before the servants began to set about their work, he waked her, and bid her take as much barley as she could carry, and go to her mother-in-law, before any body should see that she had lain down by him; because it was but prudent to avoid any reproach that might arise on that account, especially when there had been nothing done that was ill; but, as to the main point she aimed at, the matter should rest here; "He that is nearer of kin than I am shall be asked whether he wish to take thee to wife? if he says he does, thou shalt follow him; but if he refuse, I will marry thee, according to the law.'

When she had informed the mother-in-law of this, they were very glad of it; out of the hope they had that Booz would make provision for them. Now about noon Booz went down into the city, and gathered the senate together; and when he had sent for Ruth, he called for her kinsman also. And when he was come, he asked him whether he did not retain the inheritance of Elimelech, and his sons? he confessed that he did retain it, as he was permitted to do by the laws, because he was their ucarest kinsman. Then said Booz, "Thou must not remember the laws in part; but do every thing according to them. For the wife of Mahlon is come hither; whom thou must marry according to the law, in case thou wilt retain their fields." So

* Ruth iii. 13.

For Obed in the

the man yielded up both the fields and the wife to Booz, who was himself of kin to those that were dead; as alledging that he had a wife already, and children also. So Booz called the senate to witness, and bid the woman to loose his shoe, and spit in his face, according to the law. And when this was done, Booz married Ruth, and they had a son within a year's time.---Naomi was herself a nurse to his child; and by the advice of the women called him Obed, as being to be brought up in order to be subservient to her in her old age. Hebrew dialect signifies a servant. The son of Obed was Jesse; and king David was his son,† who left his dominions to his sons for one and twenty generations. I was therefore obliged to relate this history of Ruth, because I had a mind to demonstrate the power of God; who, without difficulty, can raise those that are of ordinary parentage to dignity and splendour, to which he advanced David, though he were born of such mean parents.

*It is not easy to give an account of the origin of this custom, but the reason of it is plain; it being a natural signification that he resigned his interest in the land, by giving him his shoe, wherewith he used to walk in it, that he might enter into and take possession of it himself. The Targum instead of the shoe hath right hand glove; it being then the custom, perhaps, to give that in room of the shoe.

In latter times the Jews delivered a handkerchief for the same purpose. So R. Solomon Jarchi says, we acquire, or buy, now, by a handkerchief or veil, instead of a shoe. The giving of a glove was, in the middle ages, a ceremony of investiture in bestowing lands and dignities. In A. D. 1002, two bishops were put in possession of their sees, each by receiving a glove. So in England, in the reign of Edward the Second, the deprivation of gloves was a ceremony of degradation. With regard to the shoe as a token of investiture, Castell, Lex. Polyg. col. 2342, mentions that the Emperor of the Abyssinians used the casting of a shoe as a sign of dominion. See Psalm lx. 8. To these instances the following may properly be added; "Childebert the Second was fifteen years old, when Gontram his uncle declared he was of age, and capable of governing by himself. "I have put" says he, "this Javelin into thy hands, as a token that I have given thee all my kingdom." And then turning towards the assembly, he added, “You see that my son Childebert has become a man. Obey him." Montesquieu, Spirit of Laws, vol i. p. 361. B.

↑ Ruth. iv. 17.

CHAP. X.

OF THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL, AND HIS PREDICTION OF THE CALAMITY THAT BEFEL THE SONS OF ELI.

AND now, upon the ill state of the affairs of the Hebrews, they made war again upon the Philistines. The occasion was this: Eli the high-priest had two sons, Hophni and Phineas, who were guilty of injustice towards men, and of impiety towards God; and abstained from no sort of wickedness. Some of their gifts they carried off, as belonging to the honourable employment they had: others of them they took away by violence. They also were guilty of impurity with the women that came to worship God at the tabernacle. Nay, the whole course of their life, was no better than tyranny.* Their father therefore was angry at them for such wickedness, and expected that God would suddenly inflict his punishments upon them, for what they had done. The multitude took it heinously also. And as soon as God had foretold what calamity would befall Eli's sons, which he did both to Eli himself, and to Samuel the prophet, who was yet but a child, he openly shewed his sorrow for his sons' destruction.

I will first despatch what I have to say about the prophet Samuel; and after that will proceed to speak of the sons of Eli, and the miseries which they brought upon the whole people of the Hebrews. Elcanah, a Levite, one of a middling condition among his fellow citizens, and one that dwelt at Ramathaim, a city of the tribe of Ephraim, married two wives, Hannab, and Peninnah. He had children by the latter, but he loved the other best, although she were barren. Now Elcanah came with his wives to the city Shiloh, to sacrifice; for there it was that the tabernacle of God was fixed. Now after he bad sacrificed, he distributed at that festival portions of the flesh to his wives and children; and when Hannah saw the other wife's children round about their mother, she burst into

1 Sam. ii. 12-17.

tears, on account of her barrenness; and, suffering her grief to prevail over her husband's consolations, she went to the tabernacle to beseech God to make her a mother, and to vow to consecrate the first son she should bear to the service of God; and this in such a way that his manner of living should not be like that of ordinary men. And as she continued at her prayers a long time, Eli the high-priest who sat before the tabernacle, bade her go away; thinking she had been disordered with wine; but when she said she had drank water, but was in sorrow for want of children, and was beseeching God for them: he exhorted her to be of good cheer, and told her that God would grant her request.*

So she came to her husband full of hope, and ate her meal with gladness. And when they returned to their own country, she found herself pregnant, and they had a son born to them; to whom they gave the name of Samuel, which may be styled one that was asked of God. They therefore came to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice for the birth of the child, and brought their tithes with them; but the woman remembered the vow which she had made concerning her son, and delivered him to Eli; dedicating him to God, that he might become a prophet. Accordingly his hair was suffered to grow long, and his drink was water. So Samuel was brought up in the† temple. But Elcanah had other sons of Hannah, and three daughters.

When Samuel was twelve years old, he began to prophesy, and when he was once asleep, God called to him by name; but he supposing he had been called by the high-priest, came to him; but when the high-priest said he did not call him, God did so thrice. Eli was then so far illuminated, that he said to him, "Indeed Samuel I was silent now as well as before. It is God that calls thee. Do thou therefore signify unto him, and say,

* 1 Sam. i. 17.

Josephus here says, that Samuel was brought up in the holy place, or the temple; that is in the sacred buildings about the tabernacle; as is the holy house used by Josephus for the tabernacle itself, VI. 12, and in many other places. About an. 1170.

1 Sam. iii. 21. The word of the Lord. planations which have been given of this

Without recurring to the learned exexpression, it may possibly receive an