the radiant light of heaven itself: and angels ascended and descended from the throne of God, to the spot where His favoured servant reposed. As Jacob looked upon the heavenly beings above him, the clear and solemn voice of the Lord rung in his ear. "I," said the Sublime, "am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed. Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; nor will I leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

At morning, when Jacob awoke from his sleep, impressed with the awful, yet happy vision with which he had been visited, exclaimed with devotion, referring probably to the loneliness he had experienced on the preceding evening,

Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not." But when he recalled all the circumstances and details of his dream—the angels of God, the glory and brightness of the unveiled heavens, and the living voice of Omnipotence-he trembled, and was afraid, saying, "How full of dread is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this it the gate of heaven."

Then Jacob arose, and took the stone which had served for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar or altar, and poured oil thereon, and worshipped the Lord; and he made there a vow to serve God all the days of his life, and to appropriate to His service the tenth of all the substance with which the Almighty should bless him.

On approaching Haran, Jacob beheld a well in a field, beside which were three flocks lying, and upon the mouth of the well was a great stone, to protect it from dust and drift, which the hot sun of the East, and its sudden gusts, render so prevalent. Other flocks were also gathering around the spot, the well being that from which the cattle of the neighbourhood were watered. Jacob, sympathising with the shepherds in their occupation, approached them without fear or hesitation, and accosting them, asked, "Whence be ye, my brethren ?" To which the herdsmen replied, "Of Haran."

"And know ye Laban," continued the interrogator, descendant of Nahor?"

"We know him," replied the stranger.

"Is he well?" resumed Jacob.

"the

"He is well," answered the men; and, behold, Rachel his daugther cometh with her father's sheep."

Then Jacob, wishing perhaps to have an opportunity of making himself known to the daughter of his uncle, unrestrained by the presence of the shepherds, said to the latter,

"Lo, it is yet high day, and not time to gather the cattle together; water ye the sheep, and go and feed them."

But the herdsman replied, "We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered, and till the stone be rolled from the well's mouth."

And while the shepherds and Jacob conversed, Rachel arrived at the place with her flock. Then Jacob, seeing her, and knowing from what he had just been informed, that she was the daughter of his mother's brother, approached the well, and rolling the stone from its mouth, gave water to Rachel's flock; and afterwards he made himself known to, and saluted her, and wept for pleasure that they had met. Rachel, too, who had heard much from her father of his sister Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, was overjoyed, and ran to her father to acquaint him of Jacob's arrival.

Laban instantly hastened to meet his nephew, and welcomed him with kind and cordial embraces, and invited him to his house, saying, "Surely thou art my bone and my flesh." And Jacob abode an honoured guest with his uncle Laban, for the space of a month, the period at that time of eastern hospitality; not, however, that he was an idle visitor. Jacob had passed a life of activity among flocks and herds; and during his stay he tended the cattle of his uncle, with such benefit to their owner, that Laban, fearing the young

man would otherwise depart speedily, proposed to him to continue his residence at Haran, and superintend his affairs for hire. "Tell me," he said, "what shall thy wages be?"

Now Jacob had seen the daughters of Laban, for he had two, Leah the elder, and Rachel the younger; and Jacob loved Rachel, who was beautiful, and mild, and modest, and he desired to make her his wife. So he said to Laban, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter." Laban answered, It is better that I give her to thee than to another man: abide therefore with me."

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And Jacob abode with his uncle, tending his flocks in the field, and managing all his affairs, with the zeal and devotedness of a son, for seven years; and they seemed to the young man as a few days only compared with the reward which was to crown his services, And when the time was fulfilled, Jacob claimed his bride; but Laban had dealt guilefully with Jacob, and then, for the first time, informed him that, according to the custom of that country, it was deemed unlawful to bestow the younger daughter in marriage before the elder. Jacob was therefore compelled to accept Leah for his wife; but at the same time his uncle said, "Fulfil also Rachel's week of years, and she shall be thine for thy services.”

To this proposal, so great was his love for Rachel, Jacob without hesitation consented, and he served Laban seven

other years, and became the husband of the woman on whom he had bestowed his heart. And Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, which, when the Almighty saw, he gave children to the despised wife, while she who was most beloved was childless.

Jacob continued his services to Laban, and in course of time he had ten sons and one daughter; and God then remembered Rachel, and she bare a son, who was named Joseph. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and send me away, that I may go to my own country."

Laban, however, knowing that the Lord had blessed him for his son-in-law's sake, was unwilling that the latter should depart; and, after entreaty, Jacob consented to stay for certain wages which were fixed between them-in order that he might be able to provide for his own household and family. And God was with Jacob alway; and the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maid servants, and man servants, and camels, and asses. But the sons of Laban, seeing that their sister's husband prospered even more than their father, whom he served, became even envious and angry; and they murmured against him, and turned away the kindness of Laban, and embittered the life of Jacob, until the latter resolved to return to the dwelling of his father Isaac— a determination in which he was strengthened by a vision,