Page images
PDF
EPUB

And the man took a golden Earring and two Bracelets and gave her, and said, Is there room in thy Father's House for us to lodge, and she said, We have Straw and Provender enough, and room to lodge. And she ran and told them of her Mother's House these things, and Rebekah's Brother Laban ran to the man, and he came to the House, and Water was brought to wash his feet, and meat was set before him, but he would not eat until he had told his errand-and he told of Abraham's great possessions, and that he had sent to his own kindred, to get a Wife for his Son, and how he had prayed, and had met Rebekah at the Well.

Then Laban and Bethuel said, the thing proceedeth from the Lord, behold Rebekah, take her and go. And the Servant gave Jewels of Silver and Gold and Raiment unto Rebekah, and to her Brother and Mother precious things. And they sent away Rebekah and her Nurse.

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide, and he saw the Camels coming; and when Rebekah saw Isaac she lighted off the Camel, for she had said to the Servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us, and the Servant had said, It is my Master-therefore she took a Veil and covered herself, and Isaac brought her into his Mother's Tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his Wife; and he loved her.

CHAPTER 11.

DEATH OF ABRAHAM AND PROMISE TO ISAAC.

ABRAHAM lived 175 years and died in a good old age, and gave all that he had to Isaac his Son, and to his other Sons he gave gifts and sent them away while he yet lived; Eastward unto the East Country. And Ishmael, Abraham's Son, was the Father of many Nations.

Isaac and Rebekah his Wife had two Sons, twins. And the Boys grew, and Esau was a cunning Hunter, a Man of the Field—and Jacob was a plain Man, dwelling in Tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his Venison; but Rebekah loved Jacob.And Jacob boiled Pottage, and Esau came from the field and he was faint. And Jacob said, Sell me thy Birthright. And Esau said, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this Birthright do me. And he sold his Birthright to Jacob.

And the Lord appeared unto Isaac, and said, Dwell in this Laud, and I will give thee these Countries, and in thy Children shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed. And he waxed great, and grew till he became very great-and had possession of Flocks and Herds and great store of Servants, and the Philistines envied him.-Now Isaac digged a Well in the Valley of Gerar, and the Herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's Herdmen, saying, the Water is ours;—and Isaac digged another Well; for Isaac knew that peace was better than contention.-And Abimelech, King of the Philistines, made peace with him.

CHAPTER 12.

ESAU AND JACOB.

AND when Isaac was old and his Eyes were dim, he called Esau, his eldest Son, and said, My Son take thy Quiver and Bow and take me some Venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat and my soul may bless thee before I die.

Now Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau, and she told Jacob, and sent him to fetch two Kids, and said, I will make of them savoury meat and thou shalt

bring it to thy Father, that he may eat it and bless thee. And Jacob said, My Brother Esau is a hairy man and I am smooth; my Father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a Curse upon me and not a Blessing. And his Mother said, Upon me be the Curse, only obey my voice-and Jacob did so.

And Rebekah made savoury meat, and put the Skins of the Kids upon his Hands and upon the smooth of his Neck, and he came unto his Father, and said, My Father, and he said, Who art thou my Son? And Jacob said, I am Esau thy first born, Arise, eat of my Venison, that thy Soul may bless me. And Isaac said, Come near, that I may feel thee, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, and blessed him.

And Jacob was scarce gone out, when Esau his Brother came in from hunting, and said, Let my Father eat of his Son's Venison, that thy Soul may bless me. And when he said, I am thy Son Esau, Isaac trembled and said, Who, where is he that hath taken Venison and brought me? and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him; yea and he shall be blessed. And Esau cried bitterly and said, Bless me oh my Father. But Isaac said, Behold I have made him thy Lord. And to Esau he said, By thy Sword shalt thou live, and shall serve thy Brother. And Esau hated Jacob and said, I will slay my Brother. Then Rebekah sent away Jacob to her Brother, to Haran.

CHAPTER 13.

JACOB'S DREAM.-JACOB CALLED ISRAEL.

AND Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and sent him away to Laban, his Mother's Brother, to take a Wife;

- C

and Jacob went toward Haran, and lighted on a certain place, and tarried there all night because the Sun was set; and took of the Stones for his Pillow, and laid down to sleep.

And he dreamed, and behold a Ladder set up on the Earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven, and the Angels ascending and descending on it; and the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord, God of Abraham and Isaac—and thy Children shall spread over the Earth to the West and East, to the North and South, and in them shall all the earth be blessed. And Jacob waked and said, Surely the Lord is in this place, this is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven.

Then Jacob went on his Journey and behold a Well and Flocks of Sheep, and they watered the Sheep; and when Rachel, the Daughter of Laban, came with her Father's Sheep, Jacob rolled the Stone from the Well's mouth and watered the Flock-and Jacob kissed Rachel and wept, and told her he was Rebekah's Son, and she brought him to Laban.

And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my Brother shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught? Tell me what shall thy wages be. And Laban had two Daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel;-Leah was tendereyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favoured.

And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, and it seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. But Laban deelder Daughter

ceived Jacob, and gave unto him his Leah. Then Jacob served another seven years and obtained Rachel also for his Wife.—And Jacob had twelve Sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Napthali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin.

And Laban gave Jacob for his hire all the speckled and spotted Goats, and the brown among his Sheep: and he increased exceedingly, and had much Cattle, Servants, Camels, and Asses. And Laban being displeased with Jacob's riches, Jacob departed with all his Family and Cattle.

When Jacob returning came near to the Country of his Brother Esau, he sent presents to Esau, many droves of Cattle, for he was afraid of him: but Esau met him and fell on his neck and kissed him--and they wept: and Esau said, I have enough my Brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself. And soon after, Isaac died, 180 years old.-And the Lord appeared again unto Jacob, and called his name Israel.

CHAPTER 14.

JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his Children, because he was the Son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colours. And Joseph being seventeen years old, was feeding the Flock with his Brothers. And when his Brethren saw that their Father loved him more than all his Brothers, they hated him.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it his Brethren, and they hated him yet the more--for he said, I dreamed we were binding the sheaves in the field, and lo my sheaf arose and stood upright, and your sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to my sheaf.

And Israel sent Joseph to his Brethren, when they were feeding the Flock, and when they saw him afar off, they conspired against him to slay him, and said one to another, Behold this Dreamer cometh. Let us

« PreviousContinue »