Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/206

 shows that the 'gift-theory' of sacrifice (RS$2$, 392 ff.) was fully established in the age when the narrative originated.—of the fruit of the ground] "Fruit in its natural state was offered at Carthage, and was probably admitted by the Hebrews in ancient times." "The Carthaginian fruit-offering consisted of a branch bearing fruit, it seems to be clear that the fruit was offered at the altar,  and this, no doubt, is the original sense of the Hebrew rite also" (RS$2$, 221 and n. 3). Cain's offering is thus analogous to the first-fruits (: Ex. 23$16. 19$ 34$22. 26$, Nu. 13$20$ etc.) of Heb. ritual; and it is arbitrary to suppose that his fault lay in not selecting the best of what he had for God.—4. Abel's offering consisted of the firstlings of his flock, namely (see G-K. § 154 a, N. 1 (b)) of their fat-pieces] cf. Nu. 18$17$. Certain fat portions of the victim were in ancient ritual reserved for the deity, and might not be eaten (1 Sa. 2$16$ etc.: for Levitical details, see Dri.-White, Lev., Polychr. Bible, pp. 4, 65).—4b, 5a. How did Yahwe signify His acceptance of the one offering and rejection of the other? It is

20$6$ etc.) is unnecessary, though not altogether unnatural (IEz. al.).—] the ritual use is well established: Lv. 2$2. 8$, Is. 1$13$, Jer. 17$26$ etc.—: Ar. minḥat = 'gift,' 'loan': [root] manaḥa. On the uses of the word, see Dri. DB, iii. 587b. In sacrificial terminology there are perhaps three senses to be distinguished: (1) Sacrifice in general, conceived as a tribute or propitiatory present to the deity, Nu. 16$15$, Ju. 6$18$, 1 Sa. 2$17. 29$ 26$19$, Is. 1$13$, Zeph. 3$10$, Ps. 96$8$ etc. (2) The conjunction of and 1 Sa. 2$29$ 3$14$, Is. 19$21$, Am. 5$25$ etc.) may show that it denotes vegetable as distinct from animal oblations (see RS$2$, 217, 236). (3) In P and late writings generally it is restricted to cereal offerings: Ex. 30$9$, Nu. 18$9$ etc. Whether the wider or the more restricted meaning be the older it is difficult to say.—4. ] On Meth., see G-K. § 16 d. We might point as sing. of the noun (, Lv. 8$16. 25$; G-K. § 91 c); but [E] has scriptio plena of the pl. .—] G (in v.$5$ ); Aq. ; Σ. ; Θ. (see above); ; V respexit; S ; T$O$. There is no exact parallel to the meaning here; the nearest is Ex. 5$9$ (look away [from their tasks] to idle words).—5. ] in Heb. always of mental heat (anger); G