BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 81

said, | am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and J will
eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he
brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him
wine, and he drank. And _ his father Isaac said unto him,
Come near now, and kiss me, iy son.

‘And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the
smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the
smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord
hath blessed:

“Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the
fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

‘“‘Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee:
be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow
down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and
blessed be he that blesseth thee.”

There is but one comment to be made after reading this
story, and that is, that the whole affair was as mean and
shameful as it possibly could be. This cunning and deceit
was as unworthy of Jacob as a son as it was contemptible
in Jacob as a brother.

Esau’s conduct on his return marks one of the brightest
pages of history. He is not heart-broken. Esau was not that
kind of young man. THe was humiliated; his proud spirit
was crushed. But instead of seeking instant vengeance on
his supplanting brother, he turns to his blind old father and
breaks the silence of the tents of Isaac with the exceeding
bitter cry:

‘Bless me, even me also, O my Father!”

To which pathetic plea Isaac answers, with unutterable
sadness:

“Thy brother came with subtlety and hath taken away
thy blessing!”