Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/445

 with any other animals, nor with a less number."—goodly things] for presents to the bride and her relations ($22. 53$).—On Aram Naharaim, see the footnote.—the city of Nāḥôr in J would be Ḥarran (cf. 27$43$ 28$10$ 29$4$): but the phrase is probably an Elohistic variant to Aram Naharaim, in which case a much less distant locality may be referred to (see on 29$1$).—12-14. The servant's prayer. The request for a sign is illustrated by Ju. 6$36ff.$, 1 Sa. 14$8ff.$: note [] in all three cases. A spontaneous offer to draw for the camels would (if Thomson's experience be typical) be unusual,—in any case the mark of a kind and obliging disposition.—13. the daughters to draw water] cf. 1 Sa. 9$11$.

15-27. The servant and Rebekah.—15. who was born to Bethuel, etc.] cf. $24. 47$.

The somewhat awkward phrasing has led Di. al. to surmise that all these vv. have been glossed, and that here the original text ran , Rebekah being the daughter of Milkah and Nāḥôr. Comp. 29$5$, where Laban is described as the son of Nāḥôr. The redactional insertion of Bethû'ēl would be explained by the divergent tradition of P (25$20$ 28$2. 5$), in which Bethû'ēl is simply an 'Aramæan,' and not connected with Nāḥôr at all (see Bu. 421 ff.). The question can hardly be decided (Ho. 168); but there is a considerable probability that the original J made Laban and Rebekah the children of Nāḥôr. In that case, however, it will be necessary to assume that the tradition represented by P was known to the Yahwistic school before the final redaction, and caused a remodelling of the genealogy of 22$20ff.$ (see p. 333). Cf., however, Bosse, MVAG, 1908, 2, p. 8f.

the Heb. ending be anything but a Mass. caprice (rd. ?), or a locative term., to be read -ām (We. Comp.$2$ 45$1$; Meyer, ZATW, iii. 307 f.: cf. G-K § 88 c, and Str. p. 135 f. with reff.). There would in this last case be no need to find a second river (Tigris, Chaboras, Baliḫ, Orontes, etc.) to go with Euphrates. The old identification with the Greek Mesopotamia must apparently be abandoned. See, further, Di. 302; Moore, Ju. 87, 89; KAT$3$, 28 f.—12. ] 'make it occur,' 27$20$ (J).—14. ] Ḳrê. ; so vv.$16. 28. 55. 57$ 34$3. 12$, Dt. 22$15f. 20f. 23-29$. is found as Ke. in Pent. only Dt. 22$19$, but [E] reads so throughout. It is hazardous to postulate an archaic epicene use of on such restricted evidence: see BDB, 655 a; G-K. § 17 c.—] G + .—] decide, adjudicate, here = 'allot'; so only v.$44$. Contr. 20$16$ 21$25$ 31$37. 42$† (E), Lv. 19$17$† (P).—] 'and thereby'; G-K. § 135 p.

15. After rd. (cf. $45$); G-K. § 107 c.—[E]GV ins. after