Yet, much as I see in the history of Levi, and much as I admire what I do see, I could not think of directing the reader's thoughts to the subject without informing him that I purpose doing little more than to bring before his mind in a connected way the various scriptures which treat of this most interesting question; however, these scriptures are so plain and striking that no one who is at all familiar with Scripture truths can fail to enter into them. Now, as I purpose, with the Lord's blessing and grace, to follow the history of Levi through all the scriptures in which it is brought before us, I will commence with HIS BIRTH, As recorded in GENESIS xxix. 34. "And she (Leah) conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Now this time will my husband be _joined_ unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi" (that is, 'joined;' see margin). Here, then, we are presented with the birth and name of this most remarkable character--a name of wondrous significance as looked at in connection with his after history, whether in nature's wild and lawless extravagance, in which we find him "_joined_" with his brother in the perpetration of a deed of blood and murder (Gen. xxxiv.), or in the day when he was called to drink deeply and largely of the cup of God's electing grace, when "_joined_" with Aaron in "the work of the tabernacle" (Num. viii.). GENESIS xxxiv. 25, 26. "And it came to pass on _the third day_, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went out." As the Spirit of God in Jacob has furnished us with a striking commentary on the above piece of cruelty, we will consider the scripture in which the commentary is given, namely: GENESIS xlix. 5-7. "Simeon and Levi _are brethren_; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, _come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united_: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel; _I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel_."