sired 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-in-law 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 the days following to gather the gleanings, with Booz's maid-servant.

could carry, and go to her mother-in-law, be|| fore 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

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 nearest 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

It was not many days before Booz, after the barley was winnowed, slept in his thresh-was come, he asked him whether he did not ing-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 com-thou must marry according to the law, in mand 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

case thou wilt retain their fields." So the
man yielded up both the fields and the wife to
Booz, who was himself of kin to those that
were dead, as alleging 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, accord-
ing to the law. And when this was
Booz married Ruth, and they had a son with-
in a year's time. Naomi was herself a nurse

one,

by receiving a glove. So in England, in the reign of
Edward the Second, the deprivation of gloves was a cere-
mony of degradation. With regard to the shoe, as the
token of investiture, Castell Lex. Polyg. col. 2342. men-
tions that the emperor of the Abyssinians used the casting
of a shoe as a sign of dominion. See Psalm 1x. 8. To
these instances the following may properly be added:
"Childebert the Second was fifteen years old when Gon-
tram his uncle declared that 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 assem-
bly, he added, you see that my son Childebert is become
a man. Obey him.'"
Montesquieu. Spirit of Laws, vol. i.
p. 361. B.
to

to this child;

called him Obedy the advice of the women one of a middling condition among his fellow

called him Obed, as being to be brought up in citizens, and one that dwelt at Ramathaim, order to be subservient to her in her old age. a city of the tribe of Ephraim, married two For Obed in the Hebrew dialect signifies a wives, Hannah and Peninnah. He had chil- · servant. The son of Obed was Jesse; and dren by the latter, but he loved the other king David was his son,* who left his domi- best, although she was barren. Now Elnions to his sons for one and twenty genera- canah came with his wives to the city Shiloh, tions. I was therefore obliged to relate this to sacrifice; for there it was that the taberhistory of Ruth, because I had a mind to de-nacle of God was fixed. Now, after he had monstrate the power of God; who, without sacrificed, he distributed at that festival pordifficulty, can raise those that are of ordinary tions of the flesh to his wives and children: parentage to dignity and splendor, to which and when Hannah saw the other wife's chilhe advanced David, though he were born of dren round about their mother, she burst into such mean parents.

CHAP. X.

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

OF THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL, AND HIS PREDICTION OF THE to consecrate the first son she should bear to

CALAMITY THAT BEFELL THE SONS OF ELI.

the service of God; and this in such a way

AND now, upon the ill state of the affairs that his manner of living should not be like of the Hebrews, they made war again that of ordinary men. upon the Philistines. The occasion was this: at her prayers a long time, Eli, the high-priest, Eli, the high-priest, had two sons, Hophni who sat before the tabernacle, bade her go and Phineas, who were guilty of injustice to- away, thinking she had been disordered with wards men, and of impiety towards God: and wine: but when she said she had drank water, abstained from no sort of wickedness. Some but was in sorrow for want of children, and of their gifts they carried off, as belonging to was beseeching God for them, he exhorted her the honorables employment they had others to be of good cheer, and told her that God of them they took away by violence. They would grant her request.‡ also were guilty of impurity with the women So she came to her husband full of hope, that came to worship God at the tabernacle.and ate her meal with gladness. And when Nay, the whole course of their life was no they returned to their own country, she found 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.

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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 by Hannah, and three daughters.

When Samuel was twelve years old, || he

OF THE MISFORTUnes which befeLL THE SONS OF ELI, THE feat the Philistines were afraid of fell to the

* 1 Sam. iii. 21. The word of the Lord. Without expression, the word of the Lord, is obvious, as the idea recurring to the learned explanations which have been must have been very familiar to them. This clearly apgiven of this expression, it may possibly receive an agree- pears to have been the case as to Joseph and his brethren. able illustration from the following extracts. "In Abys-Gen. xlii. 28. Joseph spake by an interpreter, not of sinia there is an officer named KAL HATZE, who stands languages, but of dignity and state. Other instances of always upon steps at the side of the lattice window, the same nature may probably be traced in 2 Kings v. 10. where there is a hole covered in the inside with a curtain Job xxxiii. 23. B. of green taffeta; behind this curtain the king sits." (Bruce's Trav. vol. iv. p. 76.) The king is described in another place as very much concealed from public view. He even covers his face on audiences, on public occasions, and when in judgment. On cases of treason he sits within his balcony, and speaks through a hole in the side of it, to an officer called KAL HATZE, the voice or word of the king, by whom he sends his questions, or any thing else that occurs, to the judges, who are seated at the council table." (Bruce's Trav. vol. iii. p. 265.) If such a cus tom ever obtained among the Jews, the propriety of the

as they came to a close fight with their ene-ently from what he expected; so he fell down mies, and lost about thirty thousand men from his throne, and died; having lived nineamong whom were the sons of the high-priest. ty-eight years, and retained the government The ark also was carried away by their ene- forty. mies.

On the same day the wife of his son Phineas died also: as not able to survive the misfortune of her husband. For they told her of her husband's death as she was in labor. However she bare a son at seven months, to whom they gave the name + Icabod: which name signifies disgrace; and this because the army received disgrace at this time.

When the news of this defeat came to Shiloh, with that of the capture of the ark (for a certain young man, a Benjamite, who was in the action, came as a messenger thither;) the whole city was full of lamentations. And Eli, the high-priest, who sat upon a high throne at one of the gates, heard their mournful cries; and supposed that some strange Now Eli was the first of the family of Ithathing had befallen his family. So he sent for mar, the other son of Aaron, that had the the young man, and when he understood what government: for the family of Eleazar officihad happened in the battle, he was not much ated as high-priest at first; the son still regrieved as to his sons, or what was told him ceiving that honor from the father: Eleazar about the army; as having previously known bequeathed it to his son Phineas, after whom by Divine revelation that those things would Abiezer, his son, took the honor, and delivered happen, and having himself declared them be- it to his son, whose name was Bukki: his son forehand. For what sad things come unex-next received it: after whom Eli, of whom we pectedly, they distress men the most; but as have been speaking, had the priesthood: and soon as he heard the ark was carried cap- so had his posterity until the time of Solomon's tive by their enemies, he was very much reign: but then it was resumed by the postegrieved at it, because it fell out quite differ-rity of Eleazar.

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