The Decreasing of the Waters

FROM THE BIBLICAL SERIES BY GUSTAVE DORÉ.

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"And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat."-Gen., 8, 4.

NOR a hundred and fifty days the waters remained dominant over the grave of a sub

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merged world. But "God remembered Noah," and sent a wind which swept away the rain; “and the waters returned from off the earth continually." The ark floating deeply with its precious freight, grounded on Mount Ararat, whence, as the waters still fell away around it, it floated no more. No land could be seen, however, until the "tenth month," when the surrounding mountain peaks appeared.

After yet another forty days, Noah opened the window of the ark and sent out two birds, a raven and a dove, to see if they could find a habitable place. The dove soon returned weary and disappointed; but the raven doubtless found on those bare peaks much food, such as delighted it; for it failed. to be seen again in the ark. Doré is almost the only artist who has ventured to suggest the horrors of death that must have fronted the winged messengers. Mt. Ararat was the highest land of the known earth, the final refuge to which strong men had fled, hoping against hope that the divine sword might yet be stayed, the waters turned back from their ascent. The raven feasted among the dead.

GENESIS XXXIII-THE PEACE WITH ESAU

Chapter 33

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1 The kindness of Esau and Jacob at their meeting. 17 Jacob cometh to Succoth. 18 At Shalem he buyeth a field, and buildeth an altar called El-elohe-Israel.

ND Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two

handmaids.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the in the sight of my lord.

9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself."

10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

'In the East, to accept a present is a pledge of friendship, to refuse the present refuses friendship. Hence. Jacob was so urgent.