Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/362

 3. all these] not the kings from the East (Di. Dri.), but (see v.$4$) those of the Pentapolis. That there should be any doubt on the point is an indication of the weak style of the chapter. What exactly the v. means to say is not clear. The most probable sense is that the five cities formed a league] of the Vale of Siddim, and therefore acted in concert. This is more natural than to suppose the statement a premature mention of the preparations for battle in v.$8$.—the Vale of Siddîm] The name is peculiar to this narrative, and its meaning is unknown (v.i.). The writer manifestly shares the belief (13$10$) that what is now the Dead Sea was once dry land (see p. 273 f. below).—The Sea of Salt] one of the OT names for the Dead Sea (Nu. 34$3$, Dt. 3$17$, Jos. 3$16$ 15$5$ etc.): see PEFS, 1904, 64. Wi.'s attempt to identify it with Lake Ḥuleh is something of a tour de force (GI, ii. 36 f.; cf. 108 f.).—4. they rebelled] by refusal of tribute (2 Ki. 18$7$ 24$1. 20$ etc.). An Elamite dominion over Palestine in the earlier part of Ḫammurabi's reign is perfectly credible in the light of the monumental evidence (p. 272). But the importance attributed in this connexion to the petty kings of the Pentapolis is one of the features which excite suspicion of the historicity of the narrative. To say that this is due to the writer's interest in Lot and Sodom is to concede that his conception of the situation is determined by other influences than authentic historical information.

5-7. The preliminary campaign.—One of the sur-

3. ] apparently a pregnant constr. (G-K. § 119 ee) = 'came as confederates to'; but this is rather harsh. after naturally refers to that to which one is joined (Ex. 26$3$; of a person, Sir. 12$14$): that being impossible here, must be understood absolutely as Ju. 20$11$ (v. Moore or Bu. ad loc.) and the may have some vague local reference: 'all these had formed a confederacy at (?) the V. of S.'—] G, apparently a conjecture from the context, V vallem silvestrem. T$O$ has (from ), T$J$ ; S 'v. of the Sodomites': on the renderings of Aq. and Θ. see Field's Note, p. 30 f. It is evident the Vns. did not understand the word. Nöldeke (Unters. 160$3$), Renan (Hist. i. 116), We. (Gesch.$5$ 105), Je. (ATLO$2$, 351), al. think the true form is : 'valley of demons.'—4. ] Acc. of time (G-K. § 118 i); but [E] is better.—] rare in Hex. (Nu 14$9$, Jos. 22$16. 18. 19. 29$ [P]); and mostly late.—5. ] The art. should be supplied, with [E]. G ; so ST$OJ$.—]