chem dealt treacheroufly with Abimelech : that the cru elty done to the threefcore and ten fons of Gideon might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother who flew them ; and upon the men of Shechem who aided in killing his brethren.

10....And the men of Shechem fet liers in wait for him in the top of the mountain; and they robbed all who came that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. And he took the people and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people were come forth ont of the city; and he rose up against them and fmote them.

11....And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and flood in the entry of the gate of the city and the other companies ran upon all the people who were in the fields, and flew them. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day: and he took the city, and flew the people who were therein.

12....And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into an hold of the houfe of the god Berith. And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together: And Abimelech gat him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his fhoulder, and faid unto the people who were with him, What ye have feen. me do, make hafte and do as I have done.

13....And all the people likewife cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and fet the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

14....Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamp

ed against Thebez, and took it. But there was a frong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and fhut it to them, and gat them to the top of the tower. And Abim. elech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower, to burn it with fire.

15....And a certain woman caft a piece of millftone upon Abimelech's head and all to break his skull. Then he called hoftily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, draw thy fword and flay me, that men may not fay of me, A woman flew him. And his young man thruft him through, and he died.

16....Thus God rendered the wickednefs of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in flaying his feventy brethren. And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads and upon them came the curfe of Jotham the fon of Gideon,

REMARKS.

The parable of Jotham is the most ancient compofition of the kind that is known to be on record. Not only is it beautifully adapted to the particular circumftan ces which gave rife to it; but also it conveys an interefting moral, that ought to engage the notice and contemplation of mankind in every age.

The olive tree, the fig tree and the vine, rich in their own resources, as well as pleasant and ufetul in their nature and fruits, had no wish to be exalted over the trees; aptly denoting that a man of real and eminent worth is modeft and unaffuming.

On the other hand, the worthlefs bramble, that bare no fruit, but cumbered the ground on which it grew and even wounded the hand that should touch it, was forward to obtain office and dominion; which repre- ·

fented that men of worthlefs or dangerous characters. were the moft afluming, and would thrust themfelves forward with unblufhing impudence.

The tragical end of Abimelech is one of the many remarkable inftances of providential retaliation; wherein bloody men have been cut off by a violent death, and have been made inftruments of punifhing one another for thofe very crimes and horrible cruelties, which they perpetrated together as accomplices.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

STORY OF RUTH.

A. M. about 2860.

OW it came to pafs, in the days when the Judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land and a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to fojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife, and his two fons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two fons Mahlon and Chillion; and they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

2....And Elimelech, Naomi's hufbind died; and the was left and her two fons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab ; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chillion died alfo both of them; and the woman was left of her two fons and her husband.

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3....Then the arofe with her daughters-in-law, that fhe might return from the country of Moab; for the

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had heard in the country of Moab, how that the Lord had vifited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore the went forth out of the place where he was, and her two daughters-in-law with her and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

4....And Naomi faid unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's houfe: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. Then fhe kiffed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they faid unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

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5....And Naomi faid, Turn again, my daughters, why will ye go with me? Turn again; nay,my daughters for it grieveth me much for your fakes, that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kif fed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. And fhe faid, Behold thy fifter-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy fifter. in-law.

6....And Ruth faid, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee for whither thou goeft, I will go; and where thou lodgeft, I will lodge: thy people fhall be my people, and thy God, my God. Where thou dieft,I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do fo to me, and more also, if aught but death thee and me. part

7....And when Naomi faw that fhe was fteadfastly minded to go with her, then the left Speaking unto her :

* Examine this paffage, ye admirers of Sterne. and candidly acknowledge that no lines of your favorite author are equally fentimental and affectionate. Indeed, it is justly doubted whether it be within the

they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pafs, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them; and they faid, Is this Naomi ? And the faid unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty.

8....And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley-harvest. And Naomi had a kinfman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitefs faid unte Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whofe fight I fhall find grace. And the faid unto her, Go,my daugh ter. And he went, and gleaned in the field after the reapers.

with you.

9....And her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and faid unto the reapers, The Lord be And they anfwered him, The Lord blefs thee. Then faid Boaz unto his servant who was fet over the reapers, Whole damfel is this? And the fervant anfwered and faid, It is the Moabitifh damfel who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab : and she faid, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the fheaves; fo fhe hath continued even from the morning until now.

10....Then faid Boaz unto Ruth, Heareft thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither

compafs of our language to express the warm affections of a feeling heart in a more tender and moving manner than they are here expreffedby this amiable woman. From this fame Ruth defcended Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of men; in whom all the nations of the earth are bleffed.