thou shalt be (3) clear from this my oath: (4) only (5) bring not my son (6) thither again.

1. But if it should happen that.-2. Come with thee till she see Isaac. -3. Relieved from the terms and consequences of.-4. But above all things.-5. Take.-6. To that place.

S. If who was not willing? Follow whom? What was to was not willing to follow him? be clear?

Willing to do what?

happen if the woman From what was he to

Whose oath? When was he to be clear of his oath? What was he not to do? Who was not to be brought thither again?

9. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him (1) concerning (2) that matter.

1. With respect to.-2. His procuring a wife for Isaac, without taking him out of Canaan.

9. What did the servant do? Under what? What did he put under Abraham's thigh? Under whose thigh did he put his hand? What was Abraham? Whose master? What did the servant do when he had * put his hand under Abraham's thigh? To whom did he swear? Concerning wliat did he swear?

10. And the servant took ten (1) camels, of the camels of his master, and (2) departed: (for all the goods of his master were in his (3) hand,) and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

1. Beasts of burden, used in travelling.-2. Went away on his errand. -3. Power, and under his care and direction.

10. What did the servant take? How many camels? Whose camels? Who took the ten camels? What did the servant do when he had taken ten camels? Who departed? When did he depart? What was in his hand? Whose goods? How many of the goods of his master? In what were the goods of his master? Whither did the servant go? Who went to Mesopotamia? To what city did he go?

11. And he made his camels to (1) kneel down (2) without the city by a well of water, at the (3) time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

1. Rest themselves by kneeling.-2. A little way out of.-3. Close of the day.

11. What did the servant do when he came to the city of Nahor? What knelt down? Who made the camels kneel down? Where did he make the camels

kneel down? Without what? By what did they kneel down? At what time did he make them kneel down? What did the women do? Draw what? When did

the women go out to draw water?

12. And (1) he (2) said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee (3) send me good (4) speed this day, and (5) shew (6) kindness umo my master Abraham.

1. The servant.-2. Prayed in his own mind, saying.-3. Give.-4. Success.-5. Give another proof of thy.-6. Favour and good-will.

12. What did the servant do when he had made the camels kneel down at the well? To whom did he pray? To whose God did he pray? For what did the servant pray to God? Who was to send him good speed? When was God to send him good speed? What did he request God to show? Kindness to whom? Who was to show kindness to his master Abraham? 13. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the (1) daughters of the (2) men of the city come out to draw water.

1. Young women belonging to.-2. Families.

13. Where did he say he stood? Who stood by the well? What well? Who came out? Whose daughters? What men? What did the daughters of the men of the city come to do? Out of what did they come? For what purpose did they come out of the city?

14. And let it (1) come to pass, that the (2) damsel to whom I shall say (3) Let down thy (4) pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels (5) drink also; let (6) the same be (7) she that thou hast (8) appointed for thy servant Isaac; and (9) thereby shall I (10) know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

1. So happen.-2. Young woman.-3. Take from thy head, or shoulder.-4. Vessel of water.-5. Water to drink.-6. That young woman.7. The person.-8. In thy providence chosen and set apart.-9. By this circumstance.-10. Have evidence.

14. What did he pray should come to pass? What damsel? What was he to say to the damsel? What was she to let down? For what was she to let down her pitcher? What was she to do that he might drink? What was she to say? To what was she to give drink also? What did he pray that the woman who did this should be? Who had appointed this? For whom had

God appointed her? Whose servant was Isaac? What was the servant thereby to know? Showed what? That who had showed kindness? To whom would he know that God had showed kindness?

LESSONS.

[N. B. For some additional Lessons on several of the verses in this and the next Section, see Section XXXVIII.]

678. God had blessed Abraham in all things, ver. 1. We should seek the blessing of God on all that we have, and all that we do.

679. Abraham chose his eldest servant to go his message, ver. 2.-We should always choose the most proper person for important duties.

680. The ruler of his house was employed by Abraham to get a wife for his son, ver. 2.-The choice of a husband or a wife is an important matter, and should be gone about with judgment, prudence, and an humble dependence upon the help and direction of God,

681. Abraham was to make his servant swear, ver. 3. All oaths are not unlawful.

682. The servant was to swear by the Lord God of heaven and earth, ver. 3.-We should swear solemnly, and only by God.

683. He was not to take a wife from any of the families of Canaan, ver. 3.-We should be exceedingly cautious and scrupulous of connecting ourselves, or our friends, with ungodly persons or families.

684. The servant was to go to Abraham's country and kindred, ver. 4.-We should choose to deal and to connect ourselves with the pious and the godly in preference to all others.

685. The servant was to bring a wife for Isaac from a godly neighbourhood, ver. 4.-As we cannot judge the heart of individuals, we should be the

more careful to connect ourselves and our relations with those only who are at least outwardly religious.

686. The servant stated his objections before he would swear, ver. 5.-We should make sure of the lawfulness, the necessity, or our ability to fulfil the terms of an oath, before taking it.

687. The servant supposed a case, and asked direction, ver. 5.-We should be desirous of every species of information which will, or even may, assist us in the performance of our duty.

688. The servant was not to take Isaac out of Ca-. naan where God had sent him. ver. 6.-We should firmly and perseveringly continue in the path of duty pointed out to us by God.

689. Abraham took encouragement from God's former mercy, promise and oath, ver. 7.-We should strengthen our own faith,, and the faith of others, by a recollection of the past goodness and favour of God.

690. God was to send his angel before the servant, ver. 7.-God works by means; and even the common events of an overruling and directing providence are generally executed by the ministration of angels.

691. Abraham's faith in God made him speak with confidence, ver, 7.—We should never doubt the faithfulness, goodness, and wisdom of God.

692. If the woman was not willing, he was to be clear of his oath, ver. 8.-We should never burden servants or dependants with unreasonable demands; nor demand success, when the result depends upon others.

693. At all events, Isaac was not to go back to the country which Abraham had left, ver. 8.-We should be willing to be any thing, or to suffer any thing, rather than go back again to the pleasures or the paths of sin.

694. The servant, as soon as he understood his orders, sware as Abraham required him, ver. 9.-We

should be willing to obey and oblige our superiors, whenever we can do so consistently with our duty to God.

695. The servant sware by putting his hand under Abraham's thigh, ver. 9.-We may lawfully adopt the innocent customs, and outward forms, of those with whom we dwell.

696. The servant took with him no less than ten camels, ver. 10.-That outward distinctions of rank, and the exhibition of wealth and power, are not in themselves sinful; and may at times be both expedient and necessary.

697. The servant took ten camels, because all Abraham's goods were in his hand, ver. 10.-Offices of trust require a due attention to the honour and the respectability of our employers, as well as to economy, and the saving of their money.

698. The servant went to the country, and even to the city of Nahor, ver. 10.-We should obey our employers in the spirit, as well as in the letter of their orders.

699. The servant rested his camels, ver. 11.-We should be merciful to our beasts, and attentive to the ease and comfort of those under our care.

700. The servant chose a particular time and place for resting, ver. 11.-We should order all our affairs, even our relaxations and amusements, with prudent forethought and discretion.

701. The servant prayed to the God of Abraham, ver. 12.-Servants and dependants should follow the example of good and pious superiors.

702. The servant prayed for good speed, ver. 12.We should seek the blessing and direction of God in all that we do.

703. The servant's success was to be kindness to Abraham, ver. 12.-Servants should always promote the good and prosperity of their masters before their

own.