formed the Jewish people. It is the religion of Jehovah which has
transformed an obscure tribe into the holy nation, a small nation, but
one of the most significant in the history of the world.

THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL

=The Judges.=--Once established in Palestine the Hebrews remained
divided for several centuries. "In those days," says the Bible, "there
was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own
eyes." Often the Israelites forgot Jehovah and served the gods of
neighboring tribes. Then "the anger of the Lord was kindled against
the Israelites, and he delivered them into the hands of their
enemies." When they had repented and had humbled themselves, "the Lord
raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those that
spoiled them." "But it came to pass that at the death of the judge
they corrupted themselves anew ... bowing themselves to other gods."
These judges--Gideon, Jephthah, Samson--were warriors who came in the
name of Jehovah to free the people. Then they fell at once into
idolatry again and their servitude was repeated.

=The Kings.=--At last the Israelites were wearied and asked of Samuel,
the high-priest, that he would give them a king. Samuel unwillingly
placed Saul at their head. This king should have been the ready
servant of the will of God; he dared to disobey him, upon which the
high-priest said to him, "Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord and
the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." A war-chief,
David, was set in his place. He defeated all the enemies of Israel,
captured from them Mount Zion, and transferred his capital thither.
This was Jerusalem.

=Jerusalem.=--Compared with Babylon or Thebes, Jerusalem was a poor
capital. The Hebrews were not builders; their religion prevented them
from raising temples; the houses of individuals were shaped like cubes
of rock which may be seen today on the sides of Lebanon in the midst
of vines and fig-trees. But Jerusalem was the holy city of the
Hebrews. The king had his palace there--the palace of Solomon, who
astonished the Hebrews with his throne of ivory; Jehovah had his
temple there, the first Hebrew temple.

=The Tabernacle.=--The emblem of the covenant between God and Israel
was a great chest of cedar-wood furnished with rings of gold, which
contained the tables of the Law. This was borne before the people on
high feast-days; it was the Ark of the Covenant. To preserve this ark
and necessary object