How long was this period? What were its traits? What were the conditions favorable to Israel during this period? How did their location aid the Israelites? Wherein were the Israelites one people? How did their religious institutions keep them together? What were the unfavorable and dangerous elements in the condition of Israel? How were they in danger from the native races? What was lacking in the government of Israel? What two tribes were in rivalry? What was the effect of this jealousy? What analogy is found in ancient history? How is the same principle illustrated in modern times? What evil tendency was manifested in Israel through nearly all its history? What causes are assigned for this tendency? What was the office of a judge in Israel? How were the judges appointed? What was their authority? How widely did their rule extend? What resulted from these evil tendencies in Israel? How many oppressors were there? Who were the first oppressors? Over what part of the country was the first oppression? Who delivered Israel from it? What was the second oppression? What part of the country suffered from it? Who was the deliverer? Where was the battle fought? What was the third oppression, and where? Who delivered Israel? What was the fourth oppression? Where was it? Who was the deliverer? Where was the victory won? What was the fifth oppression? Over what part of the country was it? Who delivered Israel from it? What was the sixth oppression? Over what part of the land was it? Who delivered from it? What was the last oppression? How did it differ from the others? What three names are associated in the deliverance from its power? What are the three general aspects of this period? Subjects for Special Papers. THE ISRAELITE REPUBLIC. THE CAREER OF GIDEON. THE VOW OF JEPHTHAH. THE FAILURE OF SAMSON. SHILOH AND THE TABERNACLE. FAMILY LIFE DURING THE AGE OF THE JUDGES. [Illustration: MODERN JERUSALEM.] FOOTNOTE: [F] With Jephthah is associated the only instance of human sacrifice offered to Jehovah in all Bible history; and this was by an ignorant freebooter, in a part of the land farthest from the instructions of the tabernacle and the priesthood. When we consider that the practice of human sacrifice was universal in the ancient world, and that not only captives taken in war but also the children of the worshipers were offered (2 Kings 3. 26, 27; Mic. 6. 7), this fact is a remarkable evidence of the elevating power of the Israelite worship. FIFTH STUDY. THE RISE OF THE ISRAELITE EMPIRE. The coronation of Saul (B. C. 1095) marks an epoch in the history of Israel. From that point, for five hundred years, the chosen people were under the rule of kings. I. =THE CAUSES LEADING TO THE MONARCHY.= The kingdom was not an accidental nor a sudden event. There had been a gradual preparation for it through all the period of the judges.