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than Dan, the next in numbers; and on the borders of the promised land, when many of the other tribes had decreased, they were seventy-six thousand five hundred.

“In the division of the land, they were allotted fully one-third of the country west of the Jordan, while the remaining two-thirds were distributed between the eight and a half other tribes. Their territory was also more thickly covered with towns and villages than any other part of Palestine.

"The growth of the kingdom of Judah, after it separated from the other tribes, is seen by the following numbers

"In 1 Kings xii. 21, we are told that 'Rehoboam could only muster, out of both Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand warriors to fight against Israel;' while, in 2 Chron. xiii. 3, king Abijah, eighteen years afterwards, 'set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men.'

"A still further increase is mentioned in the reign of Asa, Abijah's son, (2 Chron. xiv 8,) while Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, from the united tribes of Judah and Benjamin, mustered an

almost incredible army. (See 2 Chron. xvii. 14-17.)

"But, Donald, you may read the next verse." "Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?'

"What does all this about the lions mean, mother."

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"As the lion is the king of beasts, so of the tribe of Judah were to be the kings of Israel. fact, tradition says that their standard was a lion's whelp. And then in Rev. v. 5, the Lord Jesus is called 'the lion of the tribe of Judah;' so this prophecy and blessing (for it was both) indicates from which of the tribes the blessed Saviour was to spring. But the next verse declares this more plainly still."

Donald read: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.'”

"The word sceptre signifies a rod or staff," said Mrs Fraser. "It probably was the tribal stick which the chief or leader of every tribe carried. It was the symbol of authority. It

meant that Judah should continue a distinct organised tribe, administering law and exercising authority until Shiloh-that is, until He whose inherent right it is to rule, who is the fountain of all authority-shall come and take the tribal stick. The word lawgiver means a ruler or judge; so the authority of Judah, though it might be changed and very much lessened, was not entirely to depart till Shiloh, or the Lord Jesus, should come. Long before this, it had departed from the other tribes, but Judah had some government of her own till the time of Christ. Up to the captivity their line of kings can be traced. Even in Babylon they seem to have had some form of government. On their return to their own country Zerubbabel, one of David's descendants, was their leader, and the tribe of Judah continued to have, even while under foreign domination, rulers of their own, of the royal line. Shortly after the crucifixion, this authority was much abridged, and in that generation, at the destruction of Jerusalem, it was entirely swept away."

"What do the other two verses mean?" said Donald.

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They indicate," said his mother, "the rich

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ness of Judah's promised inheritance, and the words were amply fulfilled in the territory bestowed upon them.

"Now you may read Moses' blessing in Deut. xxxiii. 7."

Donald read: "And this is the blessing of Judah, and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto His people; let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies."

"This you see is very like the blessing of Jacob, only not expressed in such strong language," said Mrs Fraser.

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Mother, shall we go on with the other tribes?"

"No, my son, we have not time to go any farther to-night; it is already past your bed-time; but we will consider them by-and-by."

XII.

The Chinaman.

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