bought of Ephron the Hittite, after having refused the offer of the A.M. 2145. choice of all their sepulchres, in the first instance, and afterwards B.C. 1859. the request of Ephron, that he would accept the field which he wished to purchase. The land was bought, and secured to him by all the legal forms of the day; and he deposited the remains of his beloved Sarah, in the cave of Machpelah, the distinguished spot which afterwards contained the dust of so many illustrious patriarchs. To this sepulchre the last earthly wishes of Jacob and of Joseph turned; and their last solemn injunctions related.

Isaac.

Advancing far in life, Abraham now became anxious for the Marriage of settlement of his son Isaac, who had attained the fortieth year of his age. Selecting one of his most faithful servants, he engaged A.m. 2148. him by a singular, but most solemn oath, in its form peculiar to the B.C. 1856. country, if not to the age, and in its purport most binding, to choose a wife for nis son from among his own kindred; and dismissed him with suitable presents, authority, and instructions. Hastening to Haran, the spot where his master's relatives resided, and anxious to be favoured with divine direction in so important an affair, he secretly prayed that a certain token should be given him of the choice which he ought to make; and that the sign might be, that when the females (to whom the charge of flocks at that time seemed principally to appertain) should come to the well by the side of which he rested, and he should ask for drink, that the wife-elect might offer to supply his cattle also. Scarcely had he finished his prayer, before Rebekah, a near relative of his lord, came to the spot, and hearing his request, answered in the express terms which he had desired. He made her some rich presents, and accompanied her home, where he was well received; and having explained his errand, his proposals were accepted by Rebekah and her family. The presents seem to have made some impression upon the mind of Laban, her brother: and no fewer than ten camels were laden with her dowry. Having succeeded, this trusty servant refused to be detained; and returned with his beautiful charge to his master. Isaac was walking in the fields on the evening of their arrival; and when introduced to his lovely bride, conducted her with much satisfaction to his mother's tent; and received that consolation for the loss of a beloved parent, which an affectionate wife alone could administer. It was not until 19 years after his marriage, that Isaac had offspring.

second

In his 141st year, Abraham married again; his wife's name was Abraham's Keturah, by whom he had six sons: these he portioned off during marriage, his life, that they might not interfere with the inheritance of Isaac, A.M. 2154. the child of promise. Thirty-four years after this event, Abraham B.c. 1850. died at the age of 175 years; and was buried by his sons, Isaac His death. and Ishmael, who seem to have forgotten at this time their animosities, in the grave which he had purchased for Sarah, his only actual possession in the promised land. Thus lived and died this

A.M. 2154. distinguished patriarch, whose life has been more prominently and B.C. 1850. largely detailed by us, as he is the great ancestor of the Jews, and the fountain of their history.

Birth of
Esau and

975

Although Moses continues the narrative of Abraham's life unbroken Jacob. to its close, it is necessary to remark, that his grandsons, Esau and Jacob, must have been born about 15 years before his decease. A.M. 2168. Singular circumstances attended the birth of these children, who B.C. 1836. were twins, after 19 years barrenness, as has been observed, on the part of their mother. Some unusual throes of nature, even before the time of her delivery, induced her to inquire of God, what her severe pangs indicated; and she was answered, "Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels: and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. It is necessary to observe this oracle, because it gives a clue to the subsequent history. The prediction relative to the superiority of the younger over the elder, affords no apology for the means subsequently adopted by Jacob and his mother to obtain this pre-eminence; and nothing could be more distinct than the future character of the Israelites and the Edomites; they were even found in many instances engaged in the most bitter hostility. According to the prediction, Rebekah was soon delivered of twins; the first-born, Esau, was hairy from his birth; the second, grasped the heel of his brother, and was called Jacob, a supplanter, a name which he afterwards fully justified. Isaac was at their birth 60 years of age.

Esau sells his birthright.

The failing of Isaac appears to have been too great fondness for the pleasures of the table. Esau, who was a hunter, and contributed to the indulgence of his appetite, became a favourite. Jacob, on A.M. 2199. the contrary, who was altogether domestic, was as entirely beloved B.C. 1805. of his mother. Returning one day from the chase, wearied and

hungry, when the lads were about twenty years of age, Esau found his brother preparing some savoury provision; and desiring refreshment, requested it of Jacob, who refused it, unless he relinquished his birthright. This Esau did solemnly, and by oath; and the transaction is specially noticed by the historian, who seldom comments upon facts: "Thus Esau despised his birthright:"—whilst St. Paul hesitates not to call him in consequence, "a profane person." This birthright included the priesthood, the paternal blessing, the government of the family; all of which were slightly estimated by Esau: and let it be remembered, that however criminal Jacob was, as to the means which he employed to secure it, Esau had no just reason to complain of the result; since he had voluntarily and solemnly assigned all his own claims upon it to his brother.

A famine compelled the patriarch to remove; and he was directed

5 Gen. xxv. 23.

vexations.

to go to Abimilech, king of the Philistines, rather than to Egypt, A.м. 2199. as he seemed to have intended. He here resorted to the falsehood B c. 1805. of his father, on the same suspicion, that the beauty of his wife would expose him to danger; for which, when the fraud was discovered, he was justly and most severely rebuked. His labours of husbandry, and of every description, were crowned with unusual success; and excited the envy of the people among whom he lived. The jealousy of the king was roused, and he was required to remove. He departed from Gerar, and was exposed to much vexation and Various contention respecting various wells of water (most important possessions in connection with much cattle, in which the wealth of the times consisted) which were forcibly taken from him. Abimelech, who seems to have both feared and hated him, was yet anxious to have a covenant of amity between them, and came to Isaac for that purpose; after some warm expostulations and just rebukes, they contracted a mutual friendship. About this time, Esau displeased his father, and grieved his mother, by marrying two wives, both of them Hittites. He was still, however, regarded by his father, from whom Rebekah appears to have concealed the original oracle, and to whom probably the subsequent events were unknown, as his heir, with all the rights of the first-born.

fraud.

Old age was now fast stealing upon Isaac, and with it, all its A.M. 2225. infirmities. He was enfeebled, his eyes were dim, and he appre- в.c. 1779. hended the quick approach of death. Under these circumstances, he commanded Esau to prepare him some venison; and apprized him that he intended, on account of the uncertainty of human life, immediately to confer upon him his paternal blessing; which was then unquestionably prophetical; as will appear in a variety of subsequent cases. Rebekah overheard this arrangement; and preparing food of the description required by Isaac, dressed her Jacob's son Jacob in the raiment of Esau, perfumed with the odour of the field. She covered his smooth flesh with hairy skins, and trusting to the imperfect vision of his father, sent him in with a lie on his tongue, to defraud his brother of that, which was his own by right, and would have come to him lawfully, had he been satisfied to leave to heaven the execution of its own purposes. The aged patriarch had strong suspicions excited, by the voice, and other circumstances; and Jacob was reduced to the necessity of supporting his first falsehood by repeated prevarications: at length he succeeded in obtaining the blessing; and had scarcely departed, when Esau entered. The fraud was soon discovered, and the most piercing grief was expressed by Esau; but Isaac, who, however he disapproved of the stratagem, saw in the issue divine direction, firmly refused to revoke the blessing; it was indeed out of his power, and Esau imbibed so deep a hatred, from this circumstance, against his brother, that he resolved to kill him, so soon as his father expired; whose death he seems even to have anticipated with unnatural eagerness.

A.M. 2225.

Departs into Meso.

potamia.

Rebekah, who had devised this iniquitous plan, was now seriously B.C. 1779. alarmed for her son's safety, and advised Jacob to flee into Mesopotamia, and to " tarry for a few days with his uncle Laban," until his brother's fury should "turn away. Alas! more than twenty years elapsed, while he was a sojourner in Padan-aram; and when he had opportunity to return home, his mother was dead; he never saw her after this separation: a righteous punishment of their mutual crime. From this period, the life of Jacob is one continued scene of anxiety and suffering; a noble instance of the equity of God, and of the moral character of Scripture history; when the crimes of his most favoured servants are so closely connected with their punishment.

His vision.

Marriage with Leah and Rachel.

In his way to his mother's relations, night overtook Jacob at Luz; and taking a stone for his pillow, he slept under the open canopy of heaven, and was favoured with a vision, which greatly reassured and comforted him. He saw a ladder, whose foot rested upon the earth, and its top appeared to reach to heaven; upon it angels ascended and descended; while above it, God himself appeared, and declared his protection of the houseless wanderer. Awaking from this sleep, deeply affected and much impressed, he called the place Bethel, the house of God, and pouring oil upon the stone, on which he had rested his head, he consecrated it as a solemn and lasting memorial of this communication. He sealed it by a solemn vow and departed; travelling cheerfully, until he safely reached the end of his journey.

He found his uncle Laban the same as his grandfather's servant had left him, avaricious and unprincipled. Jacob formed here an attachment of the strongest and tenderest kind, to Rachel, Laban's second daughter. The father agreed that they should marry, if Jacob rendered him seven years service free of wages. This condition was joyfully accepted; and at the close of the time specified, a marriage feast was prepared, and Jacob supposed that his hopes were about to be fulfilled. He who had practised fraud upon a parent, was now to suffer fraud in his turn. Laban, sensible of the value of his services, resolved to secure them. He introduced his son-in-law to his elder daughter instead of the younger; and when his imposition was detected, he pleaded the custom of the country, A.M. 2232. not to marry the younger before the elder; and stipulated that he B.C. 1772. should still have Rachel, and at the end of the week, on condition he would serve him, gratuitously, another seven years. To this unprincipled compact, the love which Jacob bore to Rachel, induced him to agree.

Esau's new marriage.

In this interval, Esau perceiving how displeasing to his parents, his connection with the daughters of the land was, married the daughter of Ishmael, and had a numerous family by his three wives; who attained princely rank, before the descendants of his brother Jacob became distinguished.

Jacob's disappointed affection could not settle upon Leah; Rachel A.m. 2232. occupied his heart; but God gave honour to the wife least esteemed, B.C. 1772. and Leah became the mother of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, while Jacob's family. Rachel was barren; who, mortified at this circumstance, expressed herself with an impatience which excited the indignation of Jacob. Supposing she should not have any children of her own, she followed the pernicious example of Sarah; and, conformably to the customs of the times," gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, to wife:" who conceived, and bare Dan, and Naphtali. Leah, not satisfied with her own fruitfulness, adopted the same expedient, without the same excuse; and giving her servant to her husband also, Zilpah produced Gad and Asher. At this time, Reuben gathered at the wheat harvest, mandrakes, which Rachel coveted, as supposing Mandrakes. they conduced to conception; and she obtained them by connubial concessions to Leah. What the mandrake was, it is impossible now to determine: certainly some plant, very different from that which at present bears the same name. Nor is it necessary to enter into these matrimonial contentions, further than to observe, that the minuteness of the historian in these cases is in itself a pledge to the truth of his history: and that the result of the whole was, Leah Rachel bare Issachar, Zebulon, and Dinah: and that at length, Rachel becomes the became the mother of Joseph.

mother of Joseph.

Jacob, in the meanwhile, suffered much from Laban, who was constantly changing the terms of his servitude, while he was exposed to the most arduous and consuming toils. Whatever recompense Laban proposed in cattle, Jacob prospered beyond him; at the same time that he acknowledged his substance had greatly increased under the management of this son, whom he treated as a slave. At length the patience of the Patriarch yielded; and he resolved to leave his hard father-in-law. He imparted his intentions to his wives, who perfectly accorded with him as to the justice and propriety of the measure. Jacob departed secretly, and Laban A.M. 2265. pursued and overtook him: a warm contention passed between B C. 1739. them; during which Jacob expostulated with Laban on the cruelty Jacob leaves of his conduct, and justified himself with the honest indignation of Laban. an innocent and injured man. Laban accused him of having stolen his Gods: teraphim, the word is; to which we can affix no correct meaning, after the most unbounded speculation and inquiry. They were portable idols of some description, which Rachel had taken away, probably from a superstitious motive, unknown to her husband. At length they parted in peace.

Advancing towards his native country, he remembered the hatred Meets Esau. of his brother Esau, and thought it right to send messengers before his face, to endeavour to appease him; or at least to ascertain his disposition towards him. He dismissed them with an humble and conciliatory message, and in the meanwhile journeyed slowly on, preceded by a princely present which he intended for his brother.