These three hundred men were then armed for their work, and in a strange manner. Each man was given a trumpet, a pitcher, and a blazing torch hidden in the pitcher. This little army was then divided into three companies, and, in the darkness of night, approached the hosts of Midian from three sides. At a signal from Gideon, all three companies gave a blast of their trumpets to awaken the sleeping enemy. Then they broke the pitchers and let their torches flame up, and gave the battle cry,--"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." To the Midianites it appeared that they were surrounded by a great army. In their fear they fled for life. They mistook their own companions for enemies, and killed one another. The news of the victory spread, and thousands of Israel joined in pursuit of their retreating foes, and the great army of Midianites was utterly destroyed. The strongest and most wonderful Judge of Israel was Samson. According to instruction given his mother from the Lord, he was a "Nazarite" from his birth. This meant that he was to drink no wine, and the hair of his head was never to be cut. As he grew up, the Lord gave him wonderful strength. One day as he was passing through a vineyard of the Philistines, a young lion met him. He had no weapons with him, but with his bare hands he tore the lion and killed him. Soon after this a great army of Philistines came out against Israel. "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson." His only weapon was the jaw bone of an ass; but with this he defeated the whole army of the Philistines, and slew a thousand of them. [Illustration: Samson Carrying the Gates of Gaza.] Here was another lesson of what the Lord could do for His people. Gideon had three hundred men when he fought the hosts of Midian; but at this time one man alone won the battle against an army of the Philistines. At another time Samson stayed part of a night in a city of the Philistines, called Gaza. And the dwellers in Gaza shut the gates, and set men to watch them, so that when he should come out they might kill him. But before morning Samson arose, tore down the great gate of the city, carried it on his shoulders to a hill, and left it there. All the wonderful things that Samson did, and how he finally died, a prisoner to the Philistines, are recorded in Judges 13-16. About fifty years after Samson's death, Samuel was born, who was to be both a judge and a prophet. His mother was a good woman. The Bible says, she "lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth." 1 Samuel 11:28. Eli was priest at this time in the temple of the Lord, and "the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli." While Samuel was a small boy, it came to pass one night, ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, "Here am I," thinking Eli had called him.