a ram caught in a thicket by his thy seed shall be as the dust of the horns: and Abraham went and took earth, and thou shalt spread abroad

the ram, and offered him up for a to the west, and to the east, and to burnt offering in the stead of his son. the north, and to the south and in And Abraham called the name of thee and in thy seed shall all the that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is families of the earth be blessed. said to this day, In the mount of the And, behold, I am with thee, and LORD it shall be seen. will keep thee in all places whither 6 And the angel of the LORD thou goest, and will bring thee again called unto Abraham out of heaven into this land; for I will not leave the second time, and said, By my- thee, until I have done that which I self have I sworn, saith the LORD, have spoken to thee of.

for because thou hast done this 3 And Jacob awaked out of his thing, and hast not withheld thy sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD son, thine only son: that in blessing is in this place; and I knew it not. I will bless thee, and in multiplying And he was afraid, and said, How I will multiply thy seed as the stars dreadful is this place! this is none of the heaven, and as the sand which other but the house of God, and this is upon the sea shore; and thy seed is the gate of heaven. shall possess the gate of his enemies; 4 And Jacob rose up early in the and in thy seed shall all the nations morning, and took the stone that he of the earth be blessed; because had put for his pillows, and set it up thou hast been obedient to my voice. for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el.

SELECTION III.

Facob's dream, and holy resolution.

5 And Jacob vowed a vow, say

AND Jacob went out from Beer-ing, If God will be with me, and

sheba, and went toward Haran. will keep me in this way that I go,

And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

2 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold,

and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

His night of prayer.

AN

ND Jacob was left alone; and the LORD stood above it, and said, there wrestled one with him unI am the LORD God of Abraham til the breaking of the day. And he thy father, and the God of Isaac: said, Let me go, for the day breakthe land whereon thou liest, to thee eth. And he answered, I will not will I give it, and to thy seed; and let thee go, except thou bless me,

2 And he said unto him, What is his brethren said to him, Shalt thou thy name? And he answered, Jacob. indeed reign over us? or shalt thou

indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

4 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he

And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 3 And Jacob called the name of told it to his father, and to his the place Peniel: For, he said, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

SELECTION IV.

brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down

Foseph's early anticipations of future ourselves to thee to the earth? And greatness. his brethren envied him; but his

JOSEPH, being seventeen years father observed the saying.

old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with

the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

The envy and treachery of his brethren.

AND his brethren went to feed

their father's flock in Shechem. 2 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock 2 Now Israel loved Joseph more in Shechem? come, and I will send than all his children, because he was thee unto them. And he answered, the son of his old age: and he made Here am I. And he said to him, him a coat of many colors. And Go, I pray thee, see whether it be when his brethren saw that their well with thy brethren, and well father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

3 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they 3 And a certain man found him, hated him yet the more. And he and, behold, he was wandering in said unto them, Hear, I pray you, the field: and the man asked him, this dream which I have dreamed: saying, What seekest thou? And for, behold, we were binding sheaves he said, I seek my brethren tell in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, me, I pray thee, where they feed and also stood upright; and, behold, their flocks. And the man said, your sheaves stood round about, and They are departed hence; for I made obeisance to my sheaf. And heard them say, Let us go to

Dothan. And Joseph went after sold him to the Ishmeelites for his brethren, and found them in twenty pieces of silver. And they Dothan. brought Joseph to Egypt. 4 And when they saw him afar 8 And Reuben returned unto the off, even before he came near unto pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in them, they conspired against him the pit; and he rent his clothes. And to slay him. And they said one to he returned unto his brethren, and another, Behold this dreamer com- said, The child is not; and I, whither eth. Come now therefore, and let shall I go? And they took Joseph's us slay him, and cast him into some coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and pit, and we will say, Some evil beast dipped the coat in the blood; and hath devoured him and we shall they sent the coat of many colors see what will become of his dreams. to their father; and said, This have 5 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

6. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript him of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; and they him into a pit. to eat bread:

we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or not.

9 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mournThus his father wept for him.

took him and cast ing.
And they sat down.
and they lifted up

their eyes and looked, and, behold,

His resistance of temptation.

AND Joseph was brought down

a company of Ishmeelites came from to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Gilead with their camels bearing officer of Pharaoh, captain of the spicery and balm and myrrh, going guard, an Egyptian, bought him of to carry it down to Egypt. And the hands of the Ishmeelites, which Judah said unto his brethren, What had brought him down thither. profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to 7 Then there passed by Midianites prosper in his hand. And Joseph merchantmen; and they drew and found grace in his sight, and he lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and served him and he made him over

seer over his house, and all that he nor angry with yourselves, that ye had he put into his hand. sold me hither: for God did send me

before you to preserve life.

3 And it came to pass from the For time that he had made him overseer these two years hath the famine been in his house, and over all that he had, in the land: and yet there are five that the LORD prospered the Egyp-years, in the which there shall neither tian's house for Joseph's sake; and be earing nor harvest. So now it the blessing of the LORD was upon all was not you that sent me hither, but that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.

God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

4 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt

4 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; but he refused, and said unto his master's wife, How can I do this great wickedness, and be near unto me, thou and thy chilsin against God? And it came to dren and thy children's children, and pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her.

His loyalty and love to his father and brethren after many years of separation.

THEN Joseph could not refrain

himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his

brethren.

thy flocks and thy herds, and all that thou hast and there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

5 And behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, And that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye

Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him.

2 And he wept aloud; and the Egyp-shall haste and bring down my father tians and the house of Pharaoh heard. hither. And he fell upon his brothAnd Joseph said unto his brethren, I er Benjamin's neck, and wept; and am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

3 Now therefore be not grieved,

:

SELECTION V.

Moses' vision of the burning bush.
OW Moses kept the flock of
Jethro his father-in-law, the

Now

flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

priest of Midian: and he led the said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And the LORD God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

5 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM and he said, thus shalt Thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

6 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not 3 And the LORD said, I have appeared unto thee. And besides, O surely seen the affliction of my peo- my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither ple which are in Egypt, and have heretofore, nor since thou hast heard their cry by reason of their spoken unto thy servant: but I am taskmasters; for I know their sor- slow of speech, and of a slow rows; and I am come down to de- tongue. liver them out of the hand of the 7 And the LORD said unto him, Egyptians, and to bring them up Who hath made man's mouth? or out of that land unto a good land who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or and a large, unto a land flowing the seeing, or the blind? have not I with milk and honey. Now there- the LORD? Now therefore go, and I fore, behold, the cry of the children will be with thy mouth, and teach of Israel is come unto me: and I thee what thou shalt say. And he have also seen the oppression where- said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, with the Egyptians oppress them. by the hand of him whom thou wilt Come now therefore, and I will send send. thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

4 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he

The commandments given by Moses.

AND God spake all these words,

saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.