of music on the wide pasture-grounds or in Laban's house; and the pleasant intercourse of lovers; all this would well make time pass agreeably to persons situated as Jacob and the beautiful Rachel were. But, as the end of the seven years approached, Laban's hard selfishness began to resolve itself into a plot against the two young people and for his own advantage. Formerly he had not been as prosperous as the branch of the family in Canaan,' and his possessions had been small; but since Jacob's arrival he had fast been growing into wealth, as wealth was there estimated; therefore he determined to cheat the young man into another service of seven years. We may believe that he would feel slighter compunctions about it after learning from Jacob's own lips, in the frequent evening home-narratives, how the latter had procured the birth-right and the father's blessing intended for his brother. Treachery to Jacob now would only be paying him back after his own way. So when the seven years were passed, and Jacob had claimed his bride, and the marriage feast, to which "all the men of the place" were invited, had been made, and the bride had been delivered, the son-in-law found, next morning, that Leah had been substituted in his tent for Rachel, and had become his bride.

The scene of anger and reproaches in the general family, and of meek shame on the part of Leah, need not be dwelt upon here. The reason given by Laban,-that it was not the custom of the country to give the younger daughter before the first-born,-had to be received, whether satisfactory or not; and his proposal to give Rachel now, on condition of seven years' further service, was accepted; and the latter also became Jacob's wife.

Thus seven additional years were passed, attended not only with a rapid increase in Laban's flocks, but also to the

1 Compare Gen. xxx. 30 with Ibid xxvi. 14.

same degree in Jacob's family. For each of his two wives had offered him her female servant as concubine, and to these children were also born, as well as to the wives; so that, at the end of this time, Jacob was the father of eleven sons and one daughter; the former named, according to the order of their birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Joseph,' the last being up to this time the only child of Rachel. He said now to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my own country;" and indeed he had reason to be tired of his selfish father-in-law, who had kept him strictly to his bargain of service, and thus pecuniarily poor, while Laban had seen his own wealth constantly growing under Jacob's judicious care. "Give me my wives and children," said the latter, now, "for whom I have served thee, and let me go; for thou knowest my service which I have done thee." But the shrewd father-in-law was not willing to part with him so readily, and proposed to hire him, leaving to his own choice the manner of receiving his wages. The offer was accepted, Jacob choosing all in the flocks which were, or in future might be, naturally marked after a certain manner, intending, by a method which he had seen or heard of, to secure to himself the largest number and the best in the increase of the sheep and goats. We leave to naturalists to determine whether his method was philosophical or not; but the fact soon became evident that the rule to which Laban had agreed was very rapidly multiplying his son-in-law's portion with the best and strongest in the flocks, while his own showed no increase

1 The names were given by Jacob's wives, and are all significant. Reuben means, Behold, a son; Simeon, hearing, i. e., God had heard her, because she was slighted; Levi, joined; Judah, a confessor, one who acknowledged God; Dan, judging; Naphtali, my wrestling; Gad, prosperity; Asher, blessedness; Issachar, wages; Zebulun, dwelling ; Joseph, adding. A daughter, the only one, was called Dinah, judgment.

in numbers, and those which came to him were sickly and weak. Jacob had taken care to select the pasture-grounds for his own people at three days' journey from those of Laban, foreseeing that difficulties would probably arise, where there must be so much cause for jealousies and complaints between the two. Six years under this new system of wages saw a great change in the condition of the younger man. He had "increased exceedingly, and had much cattle and maid-servants and man-servants and camels and asses." "The prosperous are always admired; adherents gathered to him, and he was becoming a sheikh of consequence among those pastoral tribes.

Such a state of things between the two could not last much longer. Laban's sons were heard muttering, "Jacob hath taken away all that which was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory;" and he saw the countenance of Laban, always hard in its selfishness, darkening toward him more and more.

A divine intimation that it was time to return to Canaan, and that he would be protected from above in such efforts, now came to him, and brought matters to a quick decision. He had need of such a promise to cheer him; for difficulties were around him and must also meet him on the way. He had left his brother at home bent on his destruction, and he would have, in that country, to meet dangers the extent of which he now was unable to judge. He had escaped at that time because he was alone; but he had now a large family, and was encumbered by a numerous retinue, and had flocks that might well excite Esau's cupidity, and sharpen the desire for violence and blood. Here, his fatherin-law was scowling upon him, and his wives' brothers were growing into a jealousy and fierceness that only wanted a good excuse for stripping him of possessions to which they believed they had the greater right; they might easily find coadjutors in that country in deeds of violence or blood,

if plunder could be obtained. Jacob did not belong to that country; his retainers were bound to him only by interest, and would probably desert him in any emergency of peril. Dangers were threatening him, whether in the alternative to go or stay; but here they were getting every day to be more pressing, and God had moreover promised him protection in Canaan. But how was he to escape from this place without bringing about an open rupture and a catastrophe? His faculty in stratagem again came to his relief. He waited until the shearing-time had come, when Laban, with his sons, he knew, was busy with his sheep at home. There was a three days' journey between Jacob's flocks and those of his fatherin-law. The former now called his two wives to the field, where there could be a secret consultation without danger of being overheard, and said,

"I see your father's countenance that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me;" and he went on to recapitulate the transactions between him and Laban. They replied,

"Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Are we not counted of him strangers? He hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours and our children's; now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do."

Preparations for a sudden flight for Canaan were therefore immediately and stealthily made. Among their own domestic goods which his wives took care to secure, Rachel, without Jacob's knowledge, concealed also the teraphim (penates) or household gods of her father. Laban's family were doubtless to some extent idolaters; and we may wonder that Jacob, in his twenty years' familiar intercourse with them, was not himself infected by their example. The images in this case appear to have been the small idols or figures in human shape of which we have notice in other

parts of Scripture;' and Rachel may, in addition to her wish to possess them for her own use, have been anxious to keep from her father the means which she probably thought they might afford him of gaining, by consulting them, a knowledge of their purpose and of the course in their flight.

$

Teraphim or Household Idols.

Jacob on this occasion would need the exercise of all his astuteness; for such an act of secret departure would convey to the minds of others a consciousness in him of meditated wrong, and would readily form excuse for plundering him of all his hard-earned possessions. So he made his preparations cautiously and secretly. His flocks and herds were quietly drawn together; and while he and his family remained behind, were probably moved some distance onward in the course he was purposing to take an act which would not necessarily create suspicion in a country where general movements to new pasturage were of frequent occurrence. Then, when the proper time had come, his wives and children were placed on camels fit for rapid and convenient motion, his domestic establishment was broken up, his tents were packed for quick transportation, and he took his course

1 See Judges xvii. 15; xviii. 14 and 20; 1 Sam. xix. 13 and 16; 2 Kings xxiii. 24.