filled by the convex back of the camel, would have formed a good hiding-place for the images. If any object to this, that the saddles are not usually removed from the camels' backs at the end of a day's journey, when the traveller is to resume his course on the morrow, it may still be suggested that the teraphim might have been concealed by Rachel under the hesar, which consists of carpets, cloaks, cloths, and the like, heaped upon the saddle to form a comfortable seat for such women as do not ride in the cradle. These things are always

taken off at the end of the day's journey, and form a kind of mattress in the tent upon which a person may sit or lie down. Between these parts of the camel's furniture the alternative seems to lie.

When Laban returned from the last tent unsuccessful, Jacob at length spoke out. He spoke like a man of sense and spirit, and his words were words of weight. He demanded with warmth why he had been so hotly pursued. He set forth his services and sufferings; and he declared his conviction, that 'unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the

Revered One of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst now sent me away empty. God hath seen my affliction, and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.'

Laban did not, could not, directly reply. He said vaguely, that all Jacob had, all the substance spread upon the hills before him, was virtually his; but insinuated that he waived his claim to it, in consideration of his daughters and grandchildren. He proposed that there should be a covenant of peace between them, and that a monument should be set up in testimony of the transaction. Jacob, as he had done at Bethel, set up a stone as his memorial, while Laban and his friends piled up a heap of stones. The covenant proposed by Laban, and consented to by Jacob, was, that seeing (as he alleged) the property was his, it should not be allowed to be shared by others, by Jacob's taking any wives besides his daughters; and that they were neither of them to pass the boundaries defined by these memorials for harm to the other. In this point of view these became boundary monuments, analogous to others of the like kind found in various countries. Witness that mentioned in the treaty of peace between England and Scotland, as recited by Hollinshed: That Malcolm shall enjoy that part of Northumberland that lieth betwixt Tweed, Cumberland, and Stainmore, and do homage to the kinge of England for the same. In the midst of Stainmore there shall be a crosse set up, with the king of England's image on the one side, and the king of Scotland's on the other, to signify that one is on his march to England, and the other to Scotland. The crosse was called the Roi-crosse, that is, the crosse of the kings.' The intention of the cross, and the pains taken to defend it, seem, as Sir Walter Scott remarks,1 to indicate that it was intended to be a landmark of importance. In this case the two images represented the two contracting parties, shown, by a different kind of memorials, in the transactions between Jacob and Laban.

An interesting controversy has recently sprung up regarding the real site of Haran. Until within the last few years no one appears 'In Rokeby.

to have doubted that it was identical with Harrân in Mesopotamia. Dr Beke, however, a learned Orientalist, has started the theory that the Mesopotamia or Padan-aram mentioned in the story of Jacob lay in the plain of Damascus, between the Abana and Pharpar; that Haran, the city of Nahor, is represented by the modern village of Harrân-el-Awamîd, discovered and described a few years ago by the writer of this note; and that 'the river' which Jacob passed over on his flight to Canaan was not the Euphrates, but the Pharpar. His principal argument is the distance of Harrân of Mesopotamia from Gilead (300 miles), and the alleged impossibility of Laban accomplishing it in seven days. Dr Beke's arguments are not sufficient to disturb the opinion which has hitherto prevailed. It is quite possible for men on swift dromedaries to ride even more than 300 miles in seven days; and it is at the same time possible, and seems probable, that both Laban and Jacob may have started from a point much nearer Gilead than the town of Haran. Their pastoral habits often led them far away from home. At the time of Jacob's flight, Laban was three days' journey distant shearing his sheep.

Tenth Week-Seventh Day.

THE FIRST PRAYER.

GENESIS XXXII.

THE natural curiosity which we experience to know what Esau had been doing during the twenty years of Jacob's absence, is in part gratified. Still it is merely a glimpse of him and his condition that we obtain. He resided chiefly among the mountains of Seir, which were then occupied by the Horites; and by the power which he acquired through the gathering around him of persons of like bold and hardy character and habits, eventually strengthened by the pastoral wealth which he received on the death of his father, his children were enabled to establish a paramount influence in the country, and to become its sovereigns. Even at the time of Jacob's return, Esau's power had become very great; for when he received a submissive and most respectful message from Jacob, making known 1 PORTER'S Five Years in Damascus, i. 376.

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his return, he was able to command the services of four hundred men, at whose head he set forth to meet his brother.

What his intentions were in taking this step, he did not disclose to the messengers. They might be friendly; for, according to the custom of the East, the respect shown to a person is in proportion to the extent and splendour of the train sent forth to meet him. But Jacob feared, and had reason to fear, that his design might be hostile, although it does not often happen that men of Esau's impulsive temper retain their anger for twenty years. But the angels of the Lord encamp round about those that fear Him; and Jacob had been encouraged by a vision, in which he beheld the protecting angels, in two hosts, at Mahanaim. Still, his heart was moved by the intelligence which his messengers brought; and as a measure of precaution, he divided his people and flocks into two companies—the one to be in advance of the other, that if the foremost were smitten by his brother, the other, containing the women and the children, might be able to escape. What more could he do? He prayed. This prayer is the first on record; for the intercession of Abraham for Sodom was more of the nature of a remonstrance or argument, and Eliezer's utterance at Haran rather a proposal than a prayer. Many prayers had been offered before the time of Jacob, but this is the first of which we have any account; and since the most ancient remaining example of any human act or thought is deemed worthy of peculiar notice and consideration, the first human prayer that has reached us is entitled to attention. It is short, emphatic, comprehensive, and strictly appropriate to the exigency: O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who saidst unto me, "Return unto thy country and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee;" I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto thy servant: for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau : for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.'

It does not seem that there could be a finer model for a special prayer than this, the most ancient of all. He first claims his interest in the broad covenant with Abraham and Isaac just as we might, and indeed ought, to set forth our interest in the mercies covenanted to us in Christ; then he urges the covenant of personal mercies and promises; then he humbles himself into nothing before God, confessing with most affecting emphasis his utter unworthiness of the blessings that have been showered upon him, yet venturing notwithstanding to hope for deliverance from the danger that lay before him. His prayer was heard. Mysterious encouragements were given him that very night, when he remained alone, after he had sent his people over the river Jabbok. An Unknown Traveller engaged, as it were, in a struggle with him, in the course of which it seems that the Stranger did not disclose his spiritual nature, but allowed his opponent to seem the stronger of the two, until at length He put forth an atom of his shrouded strength, and by a simple touch caused the sinew of Jacob's thigh to shrink. Then, knowing that his conflict was not with flesh, Jacob yet retained his hold. and, with the strong importunity and boldness of conquering faith, cried, 'I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.' And he was blessed. And not only so; but he received a new name—the name of ISRAEL -intended to denote his power with God, and therefore to assure him and his against any cause of dread from the power of man.

The whole scene, which some do not hesitate to regard as the most important event in the life of Jacob, seems so like the spiritual struggles which take place in the experience of men at the present day, that some have doubted whether there is more in this than the representation of mental thought and conflict under the figure of bodily action; while others have supposed that Jacob, having remained behind, wrapped himself up in his mantle and slept, then undergoing in vision the conflict which is described. There is not, in the nature of things, any intrinsic objection to this, for we read in Genesis of divers communications being made to man in visions; but we shall not always be