of the Philistines, where Abraham had previously sojourned, "Jehovah appeared unto him," and specially

directed him to remain there, at the same time renewing to him the promises He had made to Abraham. Both

in this direction and in the renewal of blessing we recognize the kindness of the Lord, Who would not

expose Isaac to the greater trials of Egypt, and would strengthen and encourage his faith. Apparently, he

had on reaching Gerar not said that Rebekah was his wife; and when he was, at last, "asked" about it, the

want of courage which had prompted the equivocation, ripened into actual falsehood. Imitating in this the

example of Abraham, he passed off his wife as his sister. But here also the kindness of the Lord interposed

to spare him a trial greater than he might have been able to bear. His deceit was detected before his wife had

been taken by any one; and an order given by Abimelech - whether the same who ruled at the time of

Abraham, or h is successor - secured her future safety. The famine seems now to have become so intense,

that Isaac began to till land for himself. And God blessed him with an unusually large return -still further to

encourage his faith amidst its trials. Commonly, even in very fruitful parts of Palestine, the yield is from

twenty-five to fifty times that which had been sown; and in one small district, even eighty times that of

wheat, and one hundred times that of barley. But Isaac at once "received an hundredfold" - to s how him that

even in a year of famine God could make the most ample provision for His servant. The increasing wealth of

Isaac excited the envy of the Philistines. Disputes arose, and they stopped up the wells which Abraham had

digged. At last, even Abimelech, friendly as he was, advised him to leave the place. Isaac removed to the

valley of Gerar. But there also similar contentions arose; and Isaac once more returned to Abraham's old

settlement at Beersheba. Here Jehovah again appeared unto him, to confirm, on his re -entering the land, the

promises previously made. Beersheba had also its name given it a second time. For Abimelech, accompanied

by his chief captain and his privy councilor, came to Isaac to renew the covenant which had formerly been

there made between the Philistines and Abraham. Isaac was now at peace with all around. Better still, "he

builded an altar" in Beersheba, "and called upon the name of Jehovah." But in the high day of his prosperity

fresh trials awaited him. His eldest son Esau, now forty years old, took two Canaanitish wives, "which were

a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah." Assuredly, if Isaac had not "lagged far behind," he would in this

have recognized the final and full unfitness of Esau to have "the birthright." But the same tendency which

had hitherto kept him at best undecided, led, ere it was finally broken, to a further and a far deeper sorrow

than any he had yet experienced.