And La-ban said, In our land the first-born must wed the first. Serve me sev-en years more, and thou shalt have Ra-chel for a wife. And Ja-cob did so, and though he dwelt with both--which was thought to be no sin in those days--he was far more fond of Ra-chel than he was of Le-ah. Le-ah bore Ja-cob a host of sons, but it was years ere Ra-chel had a child. And this made her sad. But at last she had a son, and she called his name Jo-seph. And as soon as Jo-seph was born Ja-cob told La-ban to give him his wives and all the goods that he owned, and let him go back to the land he came from. But La-ban begged him to stay. He had found, he said, that the Lord had blest him for Ja-cob's sake, and he might have some of the land and the flocks if he would still serve him. So Ja-cob took care of La-ban's flocks, and had sheep and goats of his own, and things went well for a time. But one day Ja-cob heard La-ban's sons say some hard things of him, and he saw that La-ban did not give him the kind looks that he used to. And he felt that the time had come for them to part. And the Lord told Ja-cob to go back to the land he came from, and he would deal well with him. And Ja-cob took his wives, and the flocks and the goods he owned, and set out for the land of Ca-naan. Ja-cob sent one of his men to E-sau to say that he was on his way home, and was in hopes he would find grace in his sight. And the man brought back word that E-sau was on his way to meet Ja-cob with a large force of men. And Ja-cob thought of the wrongs he had done his broth-er, and was in great fear of him. He sought the help of God, and God told him what to do. And Ja-cob sent great droves of sheep and goats, and ewes and rams, and ca-mels and colts, and cows, and choice ones from all his live stock, as a gift to E-sau. And at night, when no one else was near, a man whose face shone with a strange light, came to Ja-cob and wound his arms round him and tried to throw him. And the two strove so hard that Ja-cob's thigh was put out of joint. And as it grew light the man said, Let me go, for the day breaks. Ja-cob said, I will not let thee go till thou hast blest me. And the man said, What is thy name? And he said, Ja-cob. And he said, Thy name shall be no more Ja-cob but Is-ra-el, for as a prince thou hast pow-er with God and with men. And when he had blest Ja-cob he went his way. And Ja-cob gave the place the name of Pe-ni-el, for, said he, I have seen God face to face and my life has been spared. For Ja-cob knew by this that E-sau would not kill him. [Illustration: THE MEET-ING OF JA-COB AND E-SAU.] When Ja-cob was an old, old man Ra-chel bore him a son; and they called his name Ben-ja-min. And Ra-chel died. And it was hard for Ja-cob to have her die and leave him, for his love for her was great, and she was a good wife to him. CHAPTER VI. JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.