THE MIDIANITES.

coming, she went out to meet him,
and said, “Come in, come in, fear
not.” So Sisera came in, and lay
down; and she covered him with a
mantle. Then he asked for water
to drink; and she gave him milk,
and he drank, and lay down again.
Then he said, “Stand by the door,
and if any one ask if I am here, say,
No.” Sisera was soon asleep, for he
was weary with fighting and run-
ning so far; and then Jael went
very softly, and took a large nail,
and a hammer, and hammered the
nail into Sisera’s head and down
into the ground, while he slept,

_~

 

 

wo,
—

11?

and killed him. Soon after, Barak
came to the door of the tent, and
Jael called him in, and showed him
his enemy lying dead upon the
ground.

Barak and Deborah felt that it
was the Lord, not themselvés nor
their soldiers, who had gained the
victory, and they sang a beautiful |
song of praise to Him. How glad
the Israelites were to be in peace
again! Warisasad thing. If we
live in a peaceful country, let us
thank God for it; because it is He
who gives us peace, as well as all
our other mercies.

oS.

 

LXXVI.

y HE Muivianites.

ORTY years passed hap-
(| pily and safely; the Is-
S raelites lived in the fear
Kee of God, and He kept
them in peace, and gave
them rest from their enemies. When
nations serve God, then they have
His blessing; He does them good,
and gives them all they need; and
they become happy and strong, and
none can make them afraid. Solo-
mon says, “Righteousness exalteth
a nation.” It is God’s blessing that
makes people truly happy: not
riches, nor power, nor possessions.
When the forty years were passed,
the Israelites began again to do
evil; and then new sorrows and
punishments came upon them.
God sent the Midianites to be their
enemies. These people came in
great numbers; they brought their
camels and their cattle with them,
and pitched their tents in the pos-

X2SeE

 

sessions of the Israelites; and the
Israelites left their pleasant houses
and fields, and ran to hide in dens
and caves, for fear of the cruel
Midianites. When the grass, and
corn, and fruit grew up in the
fields, these enemies took all away
for themselves, and for their cattle ;
and the pleasant land began to look
barren and desolate, because the
Midianites tried to destroy it. Then
the Israelites cried again to the
Lord, for they knew that He could
deliver them, and He alone. God
sent an answer to them by a pro-
phet. He had not forgotten his
people, but He was very much dis-
pleased with them: and the prophet
came to tell them this. He said,
“Thus saith the Lord, I brought
you safely out of Egypt, and de-
livered you from the cruel Egyp-
tians, and drove away your enemies,
and gave you the land of Canaan