weighed it out in the presence of the people, that every one might know that the payment was made. At the same time it was understood by everybody what he was buying; the field and the cave and the trees in the field and in its borders were made sure unto him. This is also like the Eastern people, to mention every thing and part of a thing in a bargain, so that there can be no deception or mistake.

The field and cave were before Mamre or Hebron, which means to the east of the town. The present town is built all about the cave, and the cave itself is covered by a mosque with high walls and towers. You see this building in every picture of Hebron. The Mohammedans guard it very

strictly and let very few people see anything of the cave; but there is every reason to believe that it is truly the old cave which Abraham bought, where the body of Sarah was buried, and afterwards, as we shall learn, the bodies of Abraham himself, of Isaac and Rebekah, and of Jacob and Leah. Now listen to the story.

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with

you give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed

Hebron, and mosque over cave of Machpelah.

down himself before the people of the land. And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in

the land of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth. -Genesis XXIII.

REBEKAH AT THE WELL.

TO-DAY we have a most beautiful story. Let us talk a little about it and then we will read it. It is a long chapter, but I think you will want to hear it all without skipping any of the verses.

Abraham was old: he was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, and forty years had passed since then. The Lord had made him rich in flocks and herds and gold. Isaac was still unmarried. His wife must not be of the Canaanites,

the native people of the plains, but the old faithful servant was sent to bring a wife from Abraham's family. Remember how Abraham had come from Ur to Haran, and then from Haran into the land of Canaan. Abraham's brother Nahor stayed in Haran, and his family were still living there. We remember the place, in the "land between the rivers," called in Greek Mesopotamia.

The old servant swore a solemn oath that he would do as Abraham said. He took ten camels, for it was a long journey of perhaps a month. We see the camels in the East today swinging along in line, sometimes richly harnessed and trimmed with bright tassels, and perhaps a sweet-toned bell tinkles on the leader's neck. The camels carried the servant and the men that went with him and rich presents, and probably one bore the beautiful seat on which the bride

should ride. The camels kneel to be loaded and unloaded. At night after a long day's march they are very ready to drop down to rest.

Towards sunset after their long journey of many days the camels of Abraham came to the well outside the gate of Haran. It seems to have been not a deep well like that at Beersheba, but a large spring walled in, with steps by which the women went down to fill their jars. At every Eastern town the women come to the spring, which is often outside the town, especially morning and evening, to get water for their homes. They balance the large jar on their heads, resting it in a little ring-shaped cushion, but sometimes,

perhaps especially in northern Syria, they rest the jar on the shoulder as Rebekah did. The daughters of the chief people did their share of work in the fields and in bringing water.

See the camels resting by the well, the women coming and going with their jars, the old servant praying in his heart to the Lord that He would show him the one who should be the wife of his master's son.

The Lord put into the servant's heart the sign by which he should know her. He should ask for water to and draw for the Rebekah let down

drink, and the maiden who should give it camels also should be the one. So it was. her jar upon her hand for the man to drink, and poured into the little troughs for the camels. The servant knew in his heart that this was the maiden. He asked about her family. She was indeed the daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother. He gave her presents of gold, bracelets and a golden ring, perhaps to be worn on the forehead. He asked to stay at her father's house. There was prov

ender-that is, grain-for the camels, and chopped straw which is used as we use hay.

Rebekah ran to tell her parents that the stranger would lodge with them, and to show the jewels and to say that he had spoken of his master Abraham. Her brother Laban ran out and made the stranger welcome. We see the tired camels unharnessed and fed, and the servant and his men refreshed with water and brought into the house. You will learn the rest as you read the beautiful story.

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: and I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Meso