JACOB'S VISION OF THE LADDER.

WHEN Jacob left his father's house, in consequence of his brother's hostile threat, he proceeded on his way to Padanaram, where dwelt Laban his maternal uncle. On entering Mesopotamia, he "went toward Haran. 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. 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."* In this vision the promise was renewed to Jacob, which had been already made to Abraham, "that in his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed;" and in order to commemorate so signal a visitation, Jacob "took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it," thus dedicating it to God's service. Here he was no doubt afterwards accustomed to repair, and "offer his sacrifices unto the Lord," and thus this simple stone became the mark of a sacred locality-it was in fact one of the primitive temples. This vision of Jacob has been very ingeniously expounded by the great Jewish commentator Maimonides, one of the most learned men of his age and nation. He considers the ladder to represent the providence of God which governs all things. Its being set on earth indicates the immutability of his attributes. Its top reaching to heaven denotes his ubiquity; the several steps, the various actions of his providence. The angels ascending and descending, show that they are his accredited agents and always employed in his service, ascending to receive his commands and descending to execute them. In sum, that learned man considers this vision to have been a mystical representation of the power and attributes of God.

ESAU SELLING HIS BIRTHRIGHT.

THE habits of these distinguished brothers were as opposite as their characters. Though the offspring of one birth, the moral aspect of their minds, as well as the physical aspect of their bodies, was in direct opposition. "Esau was

a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." ." Esau was "red, all over like a hairy garment;" Jacob was "a smooth man." One was fond of the chase, delighting in it on account of the dangers and excitement which attended this severe pursuit; the other took pleasure in remaining at home tending his father's flocks. One was a hardy forester, the other a gentle shepherd. In one of his hunting excursions, Esau being faint with hunger came to Jacob's tent, and observing a pottage of lentiles which the latter had just prepared, desired to be permitted to eat of it, when Jacob, taking advantage of a brother's distress, refused to relieve it unless he immediately made him a transfer of his inheritance. Esau, being sore pressed by hunger, consented to this unnatural proposal, and having taken an oath to that effect, the stipulation became irrevocable. "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright."* In the illustration, Jacob is sitting at the door of his tent with the pottage in his hand, when Esau approaches armed with his bow and quiver. The tents of the "cunning hunter" appear in the distance on the borders of the forest, to denote that he had separated from his family and the occupation in which he delighted. He was not yet married, but may be supposed to have already associated himself with those tribes, then under the Divine malediction, from whom he shortly afterwards took his two wives, "which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah." A well appears near Jacob's tent, from which he watered his father's flocks.