In Jacob’s history there is no lack of stirring incident and critical exigency; in his character, no lack of positive elements and vigorous force. _Bethel_ where he seems to have found God first; _Mahanaim_ where the double hosts of God met him and the murderous rage of Esau threatened every precious life in all his household, and he found help only as he wrestled with the angel of the covenant till he prevailed; the scenes of his sojourning in _Canaan_ where Joseph first comes to view, envied and hated of his brethren, and his father mourned for him many days as dead; and finally _Goshen_ where the aged patriarch found his lost Joseph yet alive and lord of all Egypt; stood before Pharaoh; saw his sons and sons’ sons――a growing host; gave them his blessing and was gathered to his fathers:――surely these salient points of his history indicate no lack of adventure, and in the religious point of view, abundant scenes of moral trial――exigencies that tasked his virtue and endurance, his faith and patience, and in the end brought forth his chastened soul purified by the discipline of suffering and strong in the faith of Abraham’s God. To understand well the scenes of Bethel, we must think of a young man, emerging from boyhood――his fond mother’s chief beloved――not to say, her pet boy――never yet thrown upon his own resources; an heir to wealth; a child of ease――perhaps of maternal indulgence;――but now suddenly brought into peril of life from his twin brother’s indignant rage and violence. It would be so horrible to the mother to see her Jacob slain by his own brother’s hand and to “lose them both in one day”! (Gen. 27: 45). Safety seemed to be only in flight, so she must needs send him secretly to the distant land of her birth――the old maternal family home. Therefore, with many a pang of heart, and (let us hope) with many a prayer, she commended him to the God of the covenant and sent him away.