THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL. 101

THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL.

“ Israel, a name divinely blest,
May rise secure, securely rest ;
Thy holy guardian’s wakeful eyes,
Admit no slumber nor surprise.

** No sun shall smite thy head by day,
Nor the pale moon, with sickly ray,
Shall blast thy couch: No baleful star
Dart his malignant fire so far.

“ Should earth and hell with malice burn,
Still thou shalt go, and still return,
Safe in the Lord; his heavenly care
Defends thy life from every snare.”
Warts.

THE next evening, after we had assembled as usual,
grandfather told us that he was to give us an account
of some of the judges who at different times ruled the
people of Israel. George asked if they were warriors
as well as judges ?

Grandfather. They were, and brave warriors too.
The Israelites were very wicked ; the worship of false
gods was general among them. They forgot the Lord,
who had cast out the heathen to make room for them;
they united themselves with those very heathen, even so
far as to serve their gods. Their temples were groves