XI.

"MOTHER," said Donald, one Sabbath evening, not long after their settlement in their American home, "I wish we could have some more Bibletalks, like those about the Kenite, which we used to have in Scotland and on the ship."

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My dear boy, the Bible is full of such interesting narratives, and we can hardly go amiss in our selection."

"Well, then, let us have one to-night. Where shall we begin?"

"I think," said Mrs Fraser, "it would be interesting and profitable to us both to study the blessing of Jacob, and that of Moses on the twelve tribes of Israel, and see what we can find in their after history that fulfils the predictions of these eminent servants of God.

"The blessing of Jacob you will find in the 49th chapter of Genesis, and that of Moses in the 33d chapter of Deuteronomy."

Donald read the 3d and 4th verses of the

former chapter:

"Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.''

And from the latter chapter the sixth verse :"Let Reuben live and not die; and let not his men be few.'

"Jacob here tells us," said Mrs Fraser, "first, what pertained to Rueben, as his first-born son. These blessings, however, were given to others. One of the privileges of an eldest son was to have a double portion of the inheritance. This you will see, by Genesis xlviii. 5, was given to Joseph; because there we learn that each of Joseph's two sons was to have a share equal to Jacob's own son, thus making Joseph's double. Another privilege was to be head or leader. This was taken from him and given to Judah. (Gen. xlix. 10.)"

"But, mother, what does unstable as water mean?"

"It evidently refers to lack of firmness, to

feebleness of character. And this we see illustrated in his history. It is apparent in his connexion with the treatment of Joseph. He seems to have been tender-hearted and easily affected; so when it is proposed to kill Joseph, he protests against it. He has him put in a pit, intending afterwards to deliver him to his father. Yet, when Joseph is sold into Egypt, instead of exposing the story about the bloody coat, he joins the rest in deceiving his father. An exposure of their guilt might have led to Joseph's deliverance; concealment of it made him a full party to it. Again, in Genesis xliii. 22, when the brethren are all in trouble, Reuben, instead of manfully acknowledging their common guilt, tries to throw the blame solely on his brethren, while he excuses himself. In the 37th verse of the same chapter, instead of promising to bear the blame personally, as Judah does, should anything befall Benjamin while down in Egypt, he says to his father, 'Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee;' just as if it could be any consolation or comfort to Jacob to kill his grandchildren, which were perhaps almost as dear to him as his children.

"We do not read that any of Reuben's descendants became famous, excepting Dathan and

Abiram, and they only for their wickedness, and the fearful and speedy punishment that befell them."

"But what does Moses' blessing mean?"

"It seems like a prayer for the protection of Reuben. He was on the other side of Jordan from the most of the tribes, and therefore more exposed to the ravages of the enemy than the others."

"But what is the meaning of the words, 'Let not his men be few," said Donald.

"We shall, perhaps, see some possible explanation when we go on to the others. Will you read what Jacob says of Simeon and Levi, for they are put together?"

Donald read: "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. Oh, my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.'"

"But, mother," said Donald, eagerly, "I don't see how this was fulfilled,—at least in the case of

one of these tribes, for Levi was given a noble place, being the tribe of the priesthood, and of those specially engaged in the service of God. To be thus exalted does not seem much like a curse, -does it?"

"And yet it was literally fulfilled," said his mother. "They were scattered. The tribe of Levi had no inheritance among the other tribes, but was supported by the others, and scattered among them. The sentence of Levi was not reversed, it was only turned into a blessing. Many suppose, because he was younger than Simeon, that the latter was the leader and the most guilty of the two. We have also reason to believe that Levi truly repented of his sin in the matter of the massacre of the Shechemites. Then great zeal for the Lord is seen in their conduct, as a tribe, in Exodus xxxii. 28.

"You will see that Moses invokes a great blessing on this tribe." Donald read the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th verses of the 33d chapter of Deuteronomy.

"You must remember that Moses was himself of the tribe of Levi, and it was not surprising that he should wish it well.

"The Thummim and Urim was to be with his