eived a new name, Israel, or
a prince, a champion of God.

Israel became the founder of the great Israelite nation, and from his
twelve sons grew up the twelve tribes of Israel, among whom was
distributed the country now called Palestine. Among these sons the
father's favorite was Joseph, who was next to the youngest. This
favoritism aroused the anger and jealousy of the older brothers, and
they plotted to get rid of him. One day when they were all out with
some flocks in a field quite distant from their home, they thought
they were rid forever of the hated Joseph by selling him to a company
of men who were journeying to Egypt. Then they dipped the lad's coat
in goat's blood and carried it to Israel, who, supposing his son to
have been devoured by a wild beast, mourned him as dead.

When Joseph had grown to manhood in Egypt, a singular chain of
circumstances brought the brothers together again. There was a sore
famine, and Egypt was the headquarters for the sale of corn. Joseph
had shown himself so able and trustworthy that he was given charge of
selling and distributing the stores of food. So when Israel's older
sons came from their home to Egypt to buy corn they had to apply to
Joseph, whom they little suspected of being the brother they had so
cruelly wronged. There is a pretty story, too long to repeat here, of
how Joseph disclosed himself to his astonished brethren, and forgave
them their cruelty, how he sent for his father to come to Egypt to
live near him, how there was a joyful reunion, and how "they all lived
happily ever after."

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he desired to bestow his
last blessing on his sons. And first of all his beloved son Joseph
brought him his own two boys, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Now according to the traditions of the patriarchs, it was the eldest
son who should receive the choicest blessing from his father. Israel,
however, had found among his own sons that it was a younger one,
Joseph, who had proved himself the most worthy of love. This may have
shaken his faith in the wisdom of the old custom. Perhaps, too, he
remembered how his own boyhood had been made unhappy because he was
the younger son, and how he had on that account been tempted to
deceit.

Whatever the reason, he surprised Joseph at the last moment by showing
a preference for the younger of the two grandsons, Ephraim, expressing
this preference by laying the right hand, instead of the left, on his
head. Th