Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/346

 Abraham represents a late development of the patriarchal legends (cf. We. Prol.$6$ 317 f.). But from this promise we may fairly conclude that even in the pre-prophetic period the name of Abraham was famous in Israel, and that in this particular the religious ideas of the people are not fully reflected in prophecy (1 Ki. 18$36$ has also to be considered).—The antiquity of the name is now placed beyond doubt by an archæological discovery made by Erman in 1888, but first published by Breasted in 1904. In the Karnak list of places conquered by Sheshonk I., the contemporary of Rehoboam, there is mentioned pa-ḫu-q-ri-'a 'a-ba-ra-m = , 'Field of Abram.' It has not been identified; but from its place in the list it must have been in the S of Palestine (see Breasted, AJSL, xxi. 35 f.; and cf. Meyer, INS, 266). —and be thou a blessing (cf. Zec. 8$13$)] Rather: and it (the name) shall be a blessing (point, v.i.) i.e. 'a name to bless by,' in the sense explained by $3b$.—?]3b has generally been rendered through thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed] i.e. the blessings of true religion shall be mediated to the world through Abram and his descendants (so all Vns.; cf. Sir. 44$21$, Ac. 3$25$, Gal. 3$8$). The better translation, however, is that of Ra., adopted by most modern comm.: by thee shall all bless themselves] the idea being that in invoking blessings on themselves or others they will use such words as 'God make thee like Abram,' etc. (see 48$20$, Is. 65$16$, Ps. 72$17$; and the opposite,

(ATliche Schätzung d. Gottesnamens, 15); see Gu. ad v.—3. ] sing.; but the pl. of some MSS, [E]GVS, is more probable; cf. 27$29$, Nu. 24$9$.—] G, and so all Vns. The rendering depends on the grammatical question whether the Niph. has pass. or refl. sense. This form of the vb. does not occur except in the parallels 18$18$ (with ) and 28$14$ (—). In 22$18$ 26$4$ it is replaced by Hithp., which is, of course, refl., and must be translated 'bless themselves'; the renderings 'feel themselves blessed' (Tu. KS. Str.), or 'wish themselves blessed' (De.) are doubtful compromises. These passages, however, belong to secondary strata of J (as does also 18$18$, and perhaps 28$14$), and are not necessarily decisive of the sense of 12$3$. But it is significant that the Pu., which is the proper pass. of, is consistently avoided; and the presumption appears to be distinctly in favour of the