Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/368

 the confederates of Abram (G )] The expression does not recur; cf. , Neh. 6$18$. Kraetzschmar's view (Bundesvorstg. 23 f.), that it denotes the relation of patrons to client, is inherently improbable. That these men joined Abram in his pursuit is not stated, but is presupposed in v.$18$,—another example of the writer's laxity in narration.—14. As soon as Abram learns the fate of his brother (i.e. 'relative'), he called up his trained men (?: on and, v.i.) and gave chase.—three hundred and eighteen] The number cannot be an arbitrary invention, and is not likely to be historical. It is commonly explained as a piece of Jewish Gematria, 318 being the numerical value of the letters of (15$24$) (Ber. R. § 43: see Nestle, ET, xvii. 44 f. [cf. 139 f.]). A modern Gematria finds in it the number of the days of the moon's visibility during the lunar year (Wi. GI, ii. 27).—to Dan] Now Tell el-Ḳāḍi, at the foot of Hermon.

, G .—14. ] Lit. 'emptied out,' used of the unsheathing of a sword (Ex. 15$2$, Lv. 26$9$, Ezk. 5$33$ etc.), but never with pers. obj. as here. Tu. cites the Ar. ǧarrada, which means both 'unsheath a sword' and 'detach a company from an army' (see Lane); but this is no real analogy, [E] has = 'scrutinize' (Aram.). G (so V) and T$2. 12$ ('equip': so S and T$O$) settle nothing, as they may be conjectural. Wi. (AOF, i. 102$J$) derives from Ass. diḳu = 'call up troops'; so Sellin, 937. Ball changes to .—], G , V expeditos, ST$2$ 'young men.' The [root] suggests the meaning 'initiated' (see on 4$O$), hence 'trained,' 'experienced,' etc. Sellin (937) compares the word ḫanakuka = 'thy men,' found in one of the Ta'annek tablets. If it comes direct from the ceremony of rubbing the palate of a new-born child (see p. 116), it may have nothing to do with war, but denote simply those belonging to the household, the precise equivalent of . The latter phrase is found only in P (17$17$, Lv. 22$12f. 23. 27$)