gleaned, and who had been so kind to her. Ruth said the man's name was Boaz.

And Ruth told Naomi that Boaz had asked her to come back and glean in his field as long as the barley and wheat harvest lasted; and she did as he told her.

Then Naomi said to Ruth, Boaz winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. The threshing-floor was a large circle of level ground, prepared for use by beating the earth until it was hard as a floor. The sheaves were brought in from the field and spread out upon this floor; and the grain was trodden out by oxen, cows, and young cattle. Then it was tossed up in the air with pitchforks, and the wind blew away the broken straw and chaff, and the barley or wheat fell to the ground.

Naomi had heard that Boaz was to thresh his barley that night, and she told Ruth to wash and anoint herself, and put her raiment on, and go down to the threshing-floor, and do as she had told her. And Ruth did as her mother-in-law said.

After the work was done, a feast was spread, and when Boaz had eaten and drunk enough he lay down to sleep with a thankful heart. When he was alone Ruth drew near him, saying, Thou art our near kinsman. And she asked him to be kind to her. Boaz said, May the Lord bless thee, my daughter. And he told her to fear not, for all the people of Bethlehem knew that she was a good woman. He said to her, Bring here thy veil and hold it out. And he poured into it six measures of barley, and she took it home with her. And when she showed it to Naomi, and told her all that had happened, Naomi told her to wait patiently and see what else Boaz would do.

After Ruth had left him, Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. The gate was a place where the people met to learn the news of the day, and to talk with each other. The rulers came there to hold their court, to try those who had broken the laws, and to decide in what way they were to be punished. Goods were also bought and sold there, making it a kind of market-place; and there the priests spoke to the people and the prophets warned them.

And he took ten men of the elders, or chief men of the city,

and said to them, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. And he spoke to them and to all the people, and told them that he was going to marry Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. And he said, You are witnesses. They had heard him tell it, and could tell it to others. And the people and the elders said, We are witnesses; and they prayed that the Lord would bless Ruth, and make Boaz still more prosperous and famous in Bethlehem.

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And Naomi was glad, for she loved Ruth as if she had been her own daughter. And God gave Boaz and Ruth a son, and Naomi took the child and laid it on her breast, and nursed it for them. And they named the child Obed.

CHAPTER XX.

JOB.

THERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, who feared God and did no evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was very rich also; for he had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred asses, and many servants, and was the greatest of all the men who lived in that part of the world.

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

After Job had enjoyed the blessings of life for a number of years, God let troubles come upon him to see how he would

bear them, and if he would be good and patient and think that his heavenly Father knew what was best for him.

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house :

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding beside them and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking there came another, who said a great fire had come out of the sky, and burned up all the sheep and those who were taking care of them. And he was the only one left to tell the tale. While this man was speaking there came another, who said, Three bands of Chaldeans came and drove off the camels and slew the servants with the edge of the sword. And I am the only one left to tell thee. While he was yet speaking another came and said, While thy sons and daughters were eating and drinking in their eldest brother's house, there came a great wind that blew down the house and killed all that were in it. And I am the only one left to tell thee.

Then Job rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and bowed down before God and worshipped him. He said, I came into the world like a little child. I brought nothing with me; and when I die I can take nothing away. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

After this God let sickness come upon Job, and boils broke out all over him, from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot. And he mourned and prayed continually. Then his wife, distressed by her husband's sufferings, said to him, Dost thou remain faithful? Curse God, and die! Say evil things of God, even though he kill thee for doing it.

But Job said to her, Thou speakest like a foolish woman. After we have received so many good things from God, shall we not be willing to receive evil things? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Now Job had three friends, who, when they heard of his afflictions, came to mourn with and comfort him. Their

names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. But when they saw Job they did not know him, for he was greatly changed. And they wept and rent their clothes, and then sat down near him, but did not speak, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Now these friends thought that Job's troubles must have been sent upon him because of some evil he had done. So

after a while they spoke to him and said if he would repent of his sins God would forgive him.

But Job knew that he had not sinned, and he told his friends that their words did him more harm than good, for there was no comfort in them. Job knew that God had afflicted him for some good reason, and although now he seemed to stand at a distance ard to frown upon him, Job felt in his

heart that when the trial time was over he should be brought forth pure as gold from the furnace.

He spoke beautifully of the wonders that God had created, and of his mighty power. He sends the snow and the rain, the frost, the cloud, the thunder and the lightning. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind, and cold out of the north. He teaches the wild beasts to hunt for their prey, and feeds the young birds that cry unto him. But, in order to set himself right with his friends, Job had shown some pride, and had spoken of God as he would have spoken of his equal.

And there came up a whirlwind. And the Lord spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, and asked him if he could do any of the wonderful things that God did, and if he thought himself as wise as the Creator of heaven and earth. Canst thou teach God? inquired the voice.

Job was ashamed, and could not speak for some time. He felt that he had no excuses to make, and finally confessed his sin to the Lord, and promised to submit to God's will, and make no more complaints.

The Lord spoke to Job again out of the whirlwind, and said, Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? and set forth the works and the wisdom of God in such a way that Job was humbled to the dust.

And he answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. He confessed that he had spoken of things he did not understand, and in a manner that called for punishment. Wherefore, he said, I hate myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

The Lord was angry with Job's three friends, and said that he would not forgive them unless they brought costly burnt offerings and asked Job to pray for them. So they brought sacrifices as the Lord commanded, and Job prayed for them, and their sins were forgiven.

After a time God removed Job's afflictions and his brothers, sisters, and acquaintances came to see him, and did eat bread with him in his house, and every man gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. And the Lord