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portion of Judah's lot； and such families as afterward became powerful
formed different colonies and settled in territory outside the borders of
the Holy Land。 Levi also received no inheritance except forty…eight cities
scattered in different parts of the land。 In the case of this tribe；
however； their fidelity of Jehovah when the other tribes apostatized；
secured their appointment to the sacred service of the sanctuary； and thus
the curse was changed into a blessing。
The crowning blessings of the birthright were transferred to Judah。 The
significance of the namewhich denotes praise；is unfolded in the
prophetic history of this tribe：
〃Judah； thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise：
Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies；
Thy father's children shall bow down before thee。
Judah is a lion's whelp：
From the prey； my son； thou art gone up：
He stooped down； he couched as a lion；
And as an old lion： who shall rouse him up？
The scepter shall not depart from Judah；
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet；
Until Shiloh come；
And unto Him shall the gathering of the people be。〃
The lion； king of the forest； is a fitting symbol of this tribe； from which
came David； and the Son of David； Shiloh； the true 〃Lion of the tribe of
Judah；〃 to whom all powers shall finally bow and all nations render homage。
For most of his children Jacob foretold a prosperous future。 At last the
name of Joseph was reached； and the father's heart overflowed as he invoked
blessings upon 〃the head of him that was separate from his brethren〃：
〃Joseph is a fruitful bough；
Even a fruitful bough by a well；
Whose branches run over the wall：
The archers have sorely grieved him；
And shot at him； and hated him：
But his bow abode in strength；
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob；
（From thence is the shepherd； the stone of Israel；）
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Even by the God of thy father； who shall help thee；
And by the Almighty； who shall bless thee
With blessings of heaven above；
Blessings of the deep that lieth under；
Blessings of the breasts； and of the womb：
The blessings of thy father have prevailed
Above the blessings of my progenitors
Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills：
They shall be on the head of Joseph；
And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from
his brethren。〃
Jacob had even been a man of deep and ardent affection； his love for his
sons was strong and tender； and his dying testimony to them was not the
utterance of partiality or resentment。 He had forgiven them all； and he
loved them to the last。 His paternal tenderness would have found expression
only in words of encouragement and hope； but the power of God rested upon
him； and under the influence of Inspiration he was constrained to declare
the truth； however painful。
The last blessings pronounced； Jacob repeated the charge concerning his
burial place： 〃I am to be gathered unto my people： bury me with my fathers 。
。 。 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah。〃 〃There they buried
Abraham and Sarah his wife； there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife；
and there I buried Leah。〃 Thus the last act of his life was to manifest his
faith in God's promise。
Jacob's last years brought an evening of tranquillity and repose after a
troubled and weary day。 Clouds had gathered dark above his path； yet his sun
set clear； and the radiance of heaven illumined his parting hours。 Says the
Scripture； 〃At evening time it shall be light。〃 Zechariah 14：7。 〃Mark the
perfect man； and behold the upright： for the end of that man is peace。〃
Psalm 37：37。
Jacob had sinned； and had deeply suffered。 Many years of toil； care； and
sorrow had been his since the day when his great sin caused him to flee from
his father's tents。 A homeless fugitive； separated from his mother； whom he
never saw again； laboring seven years for her whom he loved； only to be
basely cheated； toiling twenty years in the service of a covetous and
grasping kinsman； seeing his wealth increasing； and sons rising around him；
but finding little joy in the contentious and divided household； distressed
by his daughter's shame； by her brothers' revenge；
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by the death of Rachel； by the unnatural crime of Reuben； by Judah's sin； by
the cruel deception and malice practiced toward Josephhow long and dark is
the catalogue of evils spread out to view！ Again and again he had reaped the
fruit of that first wrong deed。 Over and over he saw repeated among his sons
the sins of which he himself had been guilty。 But bitter as had been the
discipline； it had accomplished its work。 The chastening； though grievous；
had yielded 〃the peaceable fruit of righteousness。〃 Hebrews 12：11。
Inspiration faithfully records the faults of good men； those who were
distinguished by the favor of God； indeed； their faults are more fully
presented than their virtues。 This has been a subject of wonder to many； and
has given the infidel occasion to scoff at the Bible。 But it is one of the
strongest evidences of the truth of Scripture； that facts are not glossed
over； nor the sins of its chief characters suppressed。 The minds of men are
so subject to prejudice that it is not possible for human histories to be
absolutely impartial。 Had the Bible been written by uninspired persons； it
would no doubt have presented the character of its honored men in a more
flattering light。 But as it is； we have a correct record of their
experiences。
Men whom God favored； and to whom He entrusted great responsibilities； were
sometimes overcome by temptation and committed sin； even as we at the
present day strive； waver； and frequently fall into error。 Their lives； with
all their faults and follies； are open before us； both for our encouragement
and warning。 If they had been represented as without fault； we； with our
sinful nature； might despair at our own mistakes and failures。 But seeing
where others struggled through discouragements like our own； where they fell
under temptations as we have done； and yet took heart again and conquered
through the grace of God； we are encouraged in our striving after
righteousness。 As they； though sometimes beaten back； recovered their
ground； and were blessed of God； so we too may be overcomers in the strength
of Jesus。 On the other hand； the record of their lives may serve as a
warning to us。 It shows that God will by no means clear the guilty。 He sees
sin in His most favored ones； and He deals with it in them even more
strictly than in those who have less light and responsibility。
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After the burial of Jacob fear again filled the hearts of Joseph's brothers。
Notwithstanding his kindness toward them； conscious guilt made them
distrustful and suspicious。 It might be that he had but delayed his revenge；
out of regard to their father； and that he would now visit u