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and to rejoice with her in the complete success of their plan.

He had but just gone out when Esau came in from hunting, and immediately prepared the venison and carried it to his father.

"Let my father arise," said he, " and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me."

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"And Isaac his father said unto him, who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born, Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed."

"And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.-And he said, thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, is he not rightly named Jacob? (which means a supplanter, or one who, by duplicity and stratagem, deprives another of some good which he is expecting to obtain,) for he hath supplanted me these two times. He took

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away my birthright; and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?"

“And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? -And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept."

"And Isaac his father answered, and said unto him, Behold thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck."-This prophecy was afterwards fulfilled in a very striking manner; as is shown in the subsequent history of Esau and his descendants.

The deception which Jacob practised upon his father, kindled in the breast of Esau the most vindictive passions. We are told, that he hated Jacob, because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau

said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob."

Rebekah, hearing of this threat, informed Jacob of it, and advised him to flee quickly from the danger, by going to Haran, and to remain there some time with her brother Laban. Esau, she thought, would at length become pacified; and as soon as it would be safe for Jacob to return she would send him word.

Thus both mother and son very early began to experience some of the evils growing out of their sinful conduct; and other troubles in their subsequent life, must have often made them feel that God was still chastising them for it.

This part of the sacred history shows us, that God can, as events in every age prove that he does, overrule the wickedness of man to promote the highest good, and bring about his own purposes of mercy. But this is no excuse for sin, which is always inexcusable and offensive to God; and the fact that he can overrule it for high and holy ends, only shows how great and good he is.

This history also shows that the sins of the

friends of God are recorded in it to teach us that they, as well as others, can yield to the force of temptation, and thus to lead us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

No one knows fully the deceitfulness of his own heart, most, very imperfectly,and many, not at all.

My dear reader, what do you think of yours? Have you ever practised deception for the accomplishment of what you conceived to be a good object, and justified yourself at the time, in doing it. So did Rebekah and Jacob. You condemn their deception. How can you approve your own. Condemn it also. Repent of it. Pray earnestly that you may always shun it in future.

STORY XXIV.

JACOB'S VISION, AND GOD'S COVENANT WITH

HIM.

REBEKAH, having advised Jacob to escape from the danger to which he was exposed

from the hatred of Esau, by going to her brother Laban's, was desirous of leading Isaac to approve of it, and even himself to direct it to be done. At the same time, she wished not to distress him with the fears which she felt for the safety of Jacob on account of the threats of his brother. Shame, too, and the dread of reproach, kept her from disclosing the matter to her husband. For she well knew that he could very justly charge upon the deception which she and Jacob had practised upon him, the rousing up of Esau's feelings of resentment against his brother.

She gave another reason, which was also a true one, why it was desirable that Jacob should leave home, and go to the land of her kindred. It was, that he might avoid the example of Esau, in procuring a wife from among the idolatrous families around them. The wives of Esau had given her much anxiety and trouble, and, in making known her views to Isaac, she said; "I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth; (the eldest son of Canaan, and father of the Hittites ;)-If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are

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