of men! “As the division of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever He will he shall turn it” (Prov. 21, 1).
Hatefulness of envy. Not only was Jacob blessed by God, but, for his sake, God prospered Laban as well. And yet Laban envied his son-in-law, and was unfriendly to him. We can see by Laban’s conduct what a foolish, hateful, and unjust vice envy is.
It is noble to forgive. What is the feeling of your heart, as you picture to yourself those two brothers weeping, and embracing one another ? Is it not a moving sight ? Is not Esau, forgiving and weeping, a thousand times better than Esau, angry and vindictive? Is it not, therefore, a beautiful and noble thing to forgive those who have injured us? “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” Parents are the representatives of God to their children . Jacob said, speaking of his children: “They are the children which God hath given to me.” God gives children to their parents to bring them up for Him, to love and serve Him. On this account, parents are to their children the representatives of God, and children ought to honour them as such.
Jesus Christ, the Author of all grace. The blessing which Jacob wrung from God is a figure of the great gift of grace which Jesus Christ, the true Israel, wrung from heaven for us by His sufferings and death.
Application. Do you ever refuse to make friends with your brothers and sisters, or any other children who have injured you ? Do you not nurse a feeling of resentment? Are you not ill-natured to them? Do you not wish them evil? Do you ask pardon of others (as, for example, your parents) when you have done wrong, and grieved them? Do you easily begin a quarrel? Forgive everyone from your heart! Be at peace with everybody, and especially with your brothers and sisters! Do not aggravate or strike anyone! It is far better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. Say to-day an “Our Father” for all those who have done you any injury!
Chapter XVIII.
JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.
[Gen. 37.]
JACOB had twelve sons, and he loved Joseph[1] above all the others, because he was young and very good. And Jacob made him a coat[2] of divers colours. One day, when the brothers
