Isaac to send away Jacob to Padan-Aram, with a charge to take a wife from the family of her brother Laban.

About the same time, Esau, finding that his matrimonial connection with the Canaanites continued to be offensive to his parents, married * Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael.

The absence of Jacob extended, as we shall hereafter see, over a period of many years. Several years after his return, Isaac died, at the age of 180 years, and was buried by his sons Jacob and Esau (B. c. 1716).

ELEMENTARY AND GENERAL QUESTIONS.

120. Who were the children of Isaac and Rebekah?

121. Mention the circumstances of the sale of Esau's birthright.

122. How did Jacob obtain his father's blessing?

123. In what respect were all parties in that transaction morally wrong ?

124. What high purpose was hereby accomplished?

125. What was the immediate result of this affair, as to Rebekah and Jacob?

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

126. How old were Esau and Jacob at the death of their grandfather Abraham? 127. Describe generally the characters of Isaac-of Esau-and of Jacob.

128. State the occasion of Isaac's visit to Gerar, and its results.

129. Mention the marriages of Esau.

130. Relate briefly the history of the Edomites. Describe their territory.

131. Give the dates of the birth of Esau and Jacob-and of the death of Isaac.

CHAPTER IX.

THE HISTORY OF JACOB AND ESAU CONTINUED.

(Gen. xxviii. 10.-xxxv. 29.)

JACOB, having left his father's tents, hastily began his journey (B. C. 1760) as a solitary traveller, with slender provision for the way. Near the town of Luz, on the northern border of the country afterwards occupied by the tribe of Benjamin, he lay down to sleep in the open air, with a stone for his pillow.

* The posterity of Esau were called Edomites or Idumeans, from Edom (Heb. red), a name given to Esau on account of his sale of the birthright for a mess of red lentiles. They inhabited the mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Elanitic Gulf of the Red Sea, originally called Mount Seir (the rugged mountain), afterwards Edom or Idumea, from its inhabitants. The Edomites were often at variance with the descendants of Jacob; but they retained their independence until they were subdued by David, and annexed to the kingdom of Judah under the government of a viceroy or deputy. After various attempts, they succeeded in throwing off the yoke, and united with the Babylonians in the conquest of Judea, on which occasion they indulged to excess their hereditary hatred of the Jews. At length, Hyrcanus having forced upon them the alternative of embracing Judaism or quitting their country, they accepted the former of these conditions, and eventually lost the distinctive name of Idumeans.

Here he was encouraged by the vision of a ladder or flight of steps, reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it; above which the Lord stood, and made a solemn renewal of the covenant promise in favour of the wandering patriarch, including a special assurance of protection during his journeyings. Filled with reverent awe, Jacob exclaimed, 'How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.' He then called the place Bethel (house of God); and vowed to dedicate it to the purposes of Divine worship, and to devote to the Lord a tenth of his substance, upon his safe return. This vow is remarkable, as being the first of the kind recorded in Scripture; but it is by no means impossible that such vows may already have been made by Abraham and Isaac. We have seen that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek; but still this act of Jacob is the first instance of a solemn dedication of a tenth portion of property to the special service of the Most High. We have no record of the fulfilment of this part of Jacob's vow; but it has been supposed that, in due time, the patriarch employed the dedicated portion of his property in works of charity.

Jacob pursued a prosperous journey to the place of his destination. On his arrival in the neighbourhood of Haran, he encountered Rachel, a daughter of his uncle Laban, who had repaired to a well for the purpose of watering her father's sheep; and to her Jacob introduced himself by rolling away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watering the flock with his own hands-a circumstance which, upon explanation, led to his receiving a cordial welcome as a near relative of Laban. In this portion of the Scripture narrative, as in many others, we have a picture of Eastern life, such as has continued to subsist in all ages. 'It is a familiar sight still,' says a modern traveller,* 'to see a flock of sheep, or several flocks, crouching at a watering-place; as it was in the days when Jacob "looked, and behold a well in the field, and lo! there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks." It is added that "a great stone was upon the well's mouth." This precaution is necessary, especially in certain places where the wind would otherwise blow the sand into the well, and fill it up. In approaching the ancient Sychar, I passed a well, the mouth of which was stopped with a stone so large, that the united strength of two men would be required to move it.'

*Hackett, Illustrations of Scripture, chap. ii.

Laban had two daughters, Leah the elder, and Rachel the younger. Jacob fixed his affection upon the younger sister, and received from her father a promise of her in marriage, on condition of his rendering seven years' service in keeping Laban's flocks.* This service he faithfully performed; but, having found himself married to Leah instead of Rachel, by means of an artifice on the part of Laban, he was obliged to fulfil another period of seven years' service, in order to obtain the hand of Rachel. For some time Rachel had no children, while Leah became the mother of several; a state of things by which Rachel was so distressed that she insisted upon giving to Jacob her handmaid Bilhah, as a secondary wife or concubine, who might bear children, as it were, on her account, or to be placed to her credit in the family reckoning; a step which was afterwards followed by Leah, who procured Jacob's acceptance of her handmaid Zilpah. At length the family of Jacob consisted of twelve sons and one daughter, namely, by Leah six sons—Reuben (Heb. behold a son), Simeon (a favourable hearing), Levi (a joining), Judah (praised, celebrated), Issachar (an hire), Zebulun (a dwelling, habitation); and one daughter, Dinah (judgment):-by Rachel, two sons, Joseph (adding, increasing), and Benjamin (son of the right hand, or son of prosperity):-by Bilhah, two sons, Dan (a judge), and Naphtali (my wrestling):-and by Zilpah, two sons, Gad (a troop, company), and Asher (happy). All these children, except Benjamin, were born during the residence of Jacob with Laban.

Having completed his appointed period of service, Jacob was desirous of returning to Canaan; but Laban, having learned by experience that the Lord had blessed him for Jacob's sake, entered into an agreement with his son-in-law for the continued oversight and tending of his flocks, for a certain remuneration in kind. These conditions having become to Jacob a source of considerable wealth, and Laban having made several attempts to alter or evade the terms, the Lord at length (B. c. 1739) commanded Jacob to return to his native land. The Divine mandate was promptly obeyed; and Jacob, with his family and property, had reached the mountain range of Gilead, on the east of Jordan, when he was overtaken by Laban in pursuit. At this juncture, Laban was divinely forbidden to interfere with the movements of Jacob; and he therefore contented himself with reproving his son-in-law for

*This history may remind the classical reader of the story of Apollo, driven from his father's presence, reduced to the condition of a shepherd, and obliged to tend the flocks of Admetus, in Thessaly. (Apollod. i. 9, § 15, iii. 10, § 4; Eurip. Alcest. 8; Tibull. ii. 3, 11; Virg. Georg. iii. 2.)

having quitted Padan-Aram without giving him an opportunity of presenting those tokens of affection and esteem which such a departure demanded; at the same time charging him with having stolen and carried off some of his 'gods,' or 'images'—which, in point of fact, had been taken away by Rachel without Jacob's knowledge, and which she contrived to conceal from Laban during the search which Jacob permitted him to make. Some altercation ensued as to the treatment which Jacob had received from Laban; but terms of concord were at length adjusted, and were ratified by a solemn covenant and oath, at a place thence called Galeed (heap of witness), and Mizpah (watch-tower, beacon). Laban then returned to his country.

Proceeding on his journey, Jacob was met by the angels of God, at a place which he called on this account Mahanaim (two hosts).* Although encouraged by the recent assurance of Divine protection, Jacob was still anxious as to the reception which would be given him by his brother Esau, whose territory (Mount Seir) he was now approaching. He therefore sent forward some of his servants with a kind and conciliatory message; who, on their return, reported that Esau was advancing towards him with 400 men. Jacob was alarmed at this announcement, and having again solemnly commended himself to the Divine protection-in terms which, it has been observed, constitute the first prayer, properly so-called, in the sacred record (Gen. xxxii. 9-12)—he prepared a valuable present for his brother, with a view to appease his anger, at the same time adopting measures of precaution for the protection of his family and of the remainder of his property. He then sent all that belonged to him across the brook Jabbok, and he was left alone. Under these circumstances-forming, perhaps, the most severe and decisive trial of Jacob's faith, and being to him nearly, if not quite, what the offering of Isaac had been to Abraham-his prayer was answered by the following remarkable event: There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said

unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he

*This place afterwards became an important town. It was selected by Abner as the residence of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, when set up in opposition to David; and it was chosen by David himself as his place of refuge during the rebellion of Absalom.

said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel [i. e. a wrestler with God]: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name. And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [i. e. the face of God]: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.' (Gen. xxxii. 24–30.)

On the following day, Jacob pursued his journey, and soon met his brother Esau, by whom he was received with open arms, and with the utmost expression of good-will towards himself and his family. It is possible that Esau had set out with hostile intentions, but that he was restrained by the hand of God, from whom Jacob had won this blessing by prayer. But, be this as it may, nothing could be more cordial or generous than the whole bearing and conduct of Esau on this occasion; and it was with difficulty that Jacob could prevail on him to accept the large present which he had prepared, simply because, as Esau emphatically declared, he already had enough. After this, having declined Esau's offer to accompany him as a guard, Jacob proceeded to a place, still on the east of Jordan, which he denominated Succoth (tents), on account of the numerous tents which he there pitched for the accommodation of his party. After some time, he again went forward, crossed the Jordan, and encamped at Shechem (Sychem, Acts vii. 16), where he purchased from the children of Hamor (Emmor, Acts vii. 16) a piece of ground for an hundred pieces of money' (marg. an hundred lambs; probably, an hundred pieces of money impressed with the figure of a lamb). On this ground, where he first pitched his tent in Canaan, he built an altar, which he called El-elohe-Israel (God, the God of Israel). Shechem lay in the valley between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, in the district which afterwards belonged to Ephraim; the place had already become remarkable as the scene of Abraham's first encampment on his arrival in the land of Canaan. (p. 22.)

It seems that Jacob remained at Shechem some years; when a longer residence was rendered dangerous, if not impracticable, by an act of treachery and cruelty committed by his sons, Simeon and Levi, against the native inhabitants, in revenge for a grievous insult offered by Shechem, the son of Hamor, to their sister Dinah. Under these circumstances, God com

* [The correctness of this marginal rendering is however very doubtful. It is supported by the ancient interpreters, but is impugned by many eminent scholars, e. g. Bochart and Gesenius. In Smith's Dict. ii. 405, 406, the point is considered doubtful.]