I-saac and Re-bek-ah had two sons. Their names were Ja-cob and E-sau. E-sau was the first-born, and in those days the first-born son had what was called the birth-right. This made him chief of all the rest, and heir to the most of his sire's wealth.

When the boys grew up to be men, E-sau took to the fields and to out-door sports, while Ja-cob was a plain man and dwelt in tents. And I-saac was fond of E-sau, who killed the deer, and brought him the meat to eat. But Re-bek-ah was more fond of Ja-cob.

One day Ja-cob had made some food called pot-tage, and E-sau came in from the field and said, Feed me, I pray thee, with that pot-tage, for I am faint.

And Ja-cob said, Sell me thy birth-right.

And E-sau said, I am at the point of death, so what good will a birth-right do me?

So he sold his birth-right to Ja-cob—which was a wrong thing for him to do—and took the bread and meat, and ate and drank, and then went on his way.

Now there came a time when I-saac was an old man, and his eyes were dim, for he had not long to live. And he called E-sau to his bed-side and told him to go out with his bow and shoot a deer and bring him some of the meat he was so fond of, that he might eat it and bless E-sau ere he died.

And Re-bek-ah heard what I-saac had said to E-sau, and she told it to Ja-cob. And she said to him, Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids, and I will make such a dish as thy fa-ther loves. And thou shalt bring it to him that he may eat, and that he may bless thee ere his death.

So Ja-cob did as he was told, and brought the kids to his mo-ther that she might cook them in a way that would please the good man of the house.

Then Re-bek-ah put some of E-sau's clothes on Ja-cob, and put the skins of goats on his hands, for E-sau's hands had on them a thick coat of hair. And then Ja-cob took the meat and the bread and went in to his fa-ther.

And I-saac said, Who art thou, my son?

And Ja-cob said, I am E-sau, thy first-born. Rise, I pray thee, and eat of the deer's meat I have brought, that thy soul may bless me.

And I-saac said to Ja-cob, How is it that thou hast found it so soon, my son?

And he said, The Lord thy God brought it to me.

And I-saac said to Ja-cob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, and know if thou be my son E-sau or not. And Ja-cob went near to his fa-ther and he felt him, and said, The voice is Ja-cob's voice, but the hands are the hands of E-sau.

And he said, Art thou in truth my son E-sau?

And Ja-cob said, I am.

And he said, Bring near the food, and I will eat, that my soul may bless thee.

And Ja-cob brought it near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine and he drank.

And his fa-ther said to him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

And he came near, and gave him the kiss. Then the old man asked God to bless this whom he thought was his first-born, and make him great, and give him all good things.

Ja-cob was scarce yet gone out from his fa-ther when E-sau came in from the hunt. And he brought in a nice dish of meat, and said, Let my fa-ther rise and eat of the flesh of the deer, that thy soul may bless me.

And I-saac said, Who art thou?

And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born, E-sau.

And I-saac shook like a leaf, and said, Who? Where is he that took deer's meat and brought it to me so that I did eat ere this, and bless him? Yea, and he shall be blest.

When E-sau heard these words he cried out with great grief, and said to his fa-ther, Bless me too, O my fa-ther!

But I-saac said that he could not take from Ja-cob what was now his—though he had won it through fraud.

And E-sau said in his heart, My fa-ther will soon be dead, and then I will kill Ja-cob.

And these words were told to Re-bek-ah, and she sent for Ja-cob and said to him that E-sau meant to kill him, and he must leave home at once and go and stay with her bro-ther La-ban till E-sau's wrath had cooled.

And Ja-cob went out from Beer-she-ba.

And as he went on his way he came to a place where he thought he would lie down and rest. The sun was set, the day had been a long one, and he was quite worn out. So he put some stones for his head to rest on, and was soon sound a-sleep.

And while he slept he had a strange dream. He saw a flight of steps that stood on the ground, the top of which was far, far up in the sky. And bright an-gels went up and down the steps. And the Lord stood at the top, and said, I am with thee, and will take care of thee, and will bring thee back to this land, for I will not leave thee till I have done that which I have told thee of.

And Ja-cob woke out of his sleep, and said, 'Tis true the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.

And he was in great fear, and said, This is the house of God, and this is the gate of heav-en!

Then he rose up and took the stone on which his head had lain and set it up on end, and he poured oil on top of it. And he gave to that place the name of Beth-el, and made a vow to love and serve God all the rest of his life.

And though he had done wrong, God for-gave him, and he was known as a great and good man.