ner of life, (b) the intermarriage of the Jews with the new
people. (3) _Religious Problems_. The source of these problems arose
from two directions, (a) Baal worship ministered to their lusts and
was therefore a snare to them, (b) the religion of Israel required
purity and was, therefore, counted a burden. The problems of the times
of peace were greater than those in the times of war.

The Judges. Now that there was no central stable government and no
hereditary rulers the people accepted from time to time as their
rulers certain military leaders whom God raised up and who, by their
prowess, delivered them from the yoke of foreign oppression. It was,
therefore, a period of personal efforts some of which are preserved
for us in this portion of scripture. Fifteen Judges are named counting
Eli and Samuel, who are by some not so named, but we know very little
of any except six of the military judges and Eli and Samuel. These six
are brought into prominence because of as many invasions by other
nations as follows. (1) The Mesopotamians came down from the northeast
and oppressed Israel until Othniel, Caleb's nephew, was raised up to
deliver them. (2) The invasion of the Moabites and the deliverance
through Ehud. (3) The oppression of the Canaanites, who came down from
the north, was thrown off through the leadership of Deborah assisted
by Barak. (4) The Midianites came in from the east and greatly
oppressed Israel until Gideon defeated and destroyed these bold
oppressors. (5) The invasion of the Ammonites and Israel's deliverance
through Jephthah. (6) The Philistines were the next successful enemies
of Israel and were enabled to do great harm to Israel until Samson
arose and overthrew their power.

Eli and Samuel differed widely from the other judges and on that
account are sometimes not counted among them. Eli was a good but weak
man. His weakness in the control of his children ruined them and
brought him to sorrow and also caused a severe defeat for Israel.

Samuel was the last of the judges and was also a priest and prophet.
He is one of the outstanding Old Testament characters. Abraham founded
the Hebrew race; Joseph saved them from famine; Moses gave them a home
and Samuel organized them into a great kingdom which led to their
glory. His birth was in answer to prayer and as judge or deliverer he
won his most signal victory, that against the Philistines, by means of
prayer. He founded schools for the instruction of yo