Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went close under the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull. Then he called hastily unto the young man his armor-bearer, and said unto him, "Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.'"

And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

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SAMUEL
The Story of a Man Who Began to Do Right When He Was a Boy, and Who Never Departed from the Way in Which He Began.

(Samuel is one of the finest characters in the Old Testament. In the midst of evil times, and in contact with evil men, he never departed from the strict way of truth and righteousness and service to God. Samuel was fortunate in having an excellent mother. She dedicated her son to God, and gave him very early to the service of God. She loved him very much, and no doubt missed him very much from the home. Every year she went to see him, and brought him a little coat which she had made.

"But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.")

HOW SAMUEL LEARNED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF GOD.

And the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was; that the Lord called Samuel: and he said, "Here am I."

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