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 them, and gave them water from a rock; and at last, after Moses' death, He conducted them into Chanaan, or Palestine, the promised land, which they conquered with His powerful assistance, and divided into twelve parts, giving one of them to each of the twelve tribes.



13. In this beautiful country the Israelites lived happy, and were blessed by God, until, contrary to His express command, they united themselves by marriage to the Gentiles, or Pagans, and thereby fell again into vice and idolatry. As often as they turned away from God He abandoned them to their enemies; but when they returned to Him, He raised among them pious heroes called Judges, such as Gedeon, Jephte, and Samson, who rescued them from their foes.

14. For more than four hundred years the people of Israel were ruled by the high-priests and Judges, who were invested with supreme authority over them; but at length they desired to be governed, like the neighboring nations, by a king. In compliance with their wish, God appointed Saul to be their king, and the