And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came up with her father's sheep, for she took care of them. And when Jacob saw Rachel, he drew near, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother.

And Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy. And he told her that her father was his uncle, and that he was Rebekah's son. And Rachel ran and told her father.

When Laban heard that Jacob, his sister's son, was near, he ran to meet him, and threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And Jacob told Laban what he had come for.

Then

Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh; and Jacob stayed with him for the space of a month. Laban said to Jacob, Because thou art related to me, shouldst thou work for me for nothing? Tell me what shall thy wages be?

Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender. eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-formed. And Jacob loved Rachel. So when Laban asked what wages he would take, he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter.

Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man. So stay with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days, so great was his love for her.

And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for the time is up that I said I would serve thee. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. And in the evening he brought in Leah, closely veiled, so that her face could not be seen, and Jacob took her for his wife.

In the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah whom he had wed; and he went at once to Laban, and said, What is this thou hast done to me? did I not serve with thee for Rachel? Why hast thou played me such a trick?

Laban said, It is not the custom of our country to give the younger before the first-born. Be true to Leah, and thou shalt have Rachel also, if thou wilt serve me for another seven years.

And Jacob did so, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for a wife, for there was no law in those days to prevent a man from having more than one wife. And Jacob loved Rachel far more than he did Leah, and stayed with Laban even another seven years on her account.

God gave children to Leah; but Rachel had no children, and her heart was sad, and she was very jealous of her sister.

But at last God heard her prayer, and gave Rachel a son. And she called his name Joseph.

By this time Jacob had become a rich man, and had flocks and herds of his own. And Laban's sons spoke ill of Jacob; and Laban was not the good friend to him that he had been. And God told Jacob to go back to his own country.

So Jacob put his wives and his sons on camels, and took all

the flocks and herds, and everything that he owned, and left Laban, and went back to the home of Isaac, his father.

And on the way a company of angels met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, This is God's host. And he called the name of that place Mahanaim; which means Two hosts, or camps.

men.

Jacob was still afraid of his brother Esau, and had sent messengers to speak with him, and to offer him rich gifts if he would be at peace with him. The messengers brought word that Esau was on his way to meet Jacob with four hundred Jacob was in great fear, and prayed to God to save him from the hands of his brother who hated him so. He said, I am not worthy the least of thy mercies, and of all the kind care thou hast given me. But save me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me.

One night Jacob was left alone, and there came an angel, who wrestled with him till the break of day. And when the angel saw that he could not throw Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh and put it out of joint.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And Jacob said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And the angel said to him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

The angel said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince thou hast power with God and with The word Israel means, A prince of God.

men.

And Jacob said to the angel, who was in the form of a man, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Why dost thou need to ask my name? And he blessed him then and there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peni-e!: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is saved. The word Peni-el means, The face of God.

When Jacob raised his eyes, he saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. And he went out in front of his wives and children, and bowed down to the ground seven times on his way to his brother.

And Esau ran to meet him, and fell on his neck and kissed him; and they both wept together, and all the past was forgiven.

Then Esau raised his eyes, and saw the women and children, and said, Who are those with thee? And Jacob said, The children which God hath given thy servant. And they all bowed down before Esau. Then Esau said, What mean

est thou by all this drove which I met? Jacob told him they were sent as a present to him.

Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what is thine

own.

And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have founa grace in thy sight (that is, if thou art good friends with me), then take the present I bring. For to have seen thy face, and to know thou art pleased with me, is as if I had seen the face of God. He said God had been good to him, and he had enough and to spare, and he urged Esau so strongly to take his gifts, that Esau did so. And Esau went back to Seir, where he lived; and Jacob went on his way. And God told him to go up to Beth-el and dwell there for a while, and build there an altar to the God who came to him when he fled from his brother Esau.

Now Rachel when she left her father's house stole some of the images that she had been wont to worship. And when God told Jacob to go up to Beth-el he said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and let us go up to Beth-el, and I will make there an altar unto God, who helped me when I was in distress, and took care of me on my journey. And they took their earrings from their ears, and gave them and the idols to Jacob, and he buried them in the ground under an oak tree which was near Shechem. And they came to Beth-el, and Jacob built an altar there and gave praise to God.

As they went from Beth-el, they came near to a place called Ephrath-where Bethlehem now is. And there God gave Jacob and Rachel another son. And his father called him Benjamin.

And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Bethlehem. And Jacob set up a stone on her grave, to mark the spot where she lay.

Jacob came back to Hebron, to the land where Isaac his father dwelt, and made his home there.

And Isaac lived to be one hundred and eighty years old, and then he died, and Jacob and Esau buried him.