Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/448

 riages were considered the most eligible by the Naḥorites (29$19$).—49. that I may turn, etc.] not to seek a bride elsewhere (Di.), but generally 'that I may know how to act.'

50-61. Departure of Rebekah, with the consent and blessing of her relatives.—50. The relatives, recognising the hand of Providence in the servant's experiences, decline to answer bad or good: i.e., anything whatever, as 31$24. 29$, Nu. 24$13$ etc.

The v. as a whole yields a perfectly good sense: 'we cannot speak, because Yahwe has decided'; and $51$ is a natural sequel. It is a serious flaw in Gu.'s analysis of $50ff.$, that he has to break up $50$, connecting with $51$, and the rest of the v. with $57f.$ ('we cannot speak: let the maiden decide').—On the other hand, in $50$ is barely consistent with in $53. 55$. Since the mention of the father after the brother would in any case be surprising, Di. al. suppose that here again is an interpolation; Kit. reads, and Ho. substitutes . Gu. (219) considers that in this recension Bethuel is a younger brother of Laban.

51. Here, at all events, the matter is settled in accordance with custom, without consulting the bride.—53. The presents are given partly to the bride and partly to her relatives. In the latter we may have a survival of the (34$12$, Ex. 22$16$, 1 Sa. 18$25$† ) or purchase-price of a wife; but Gu. rightly observes that the narrative springs from a more refined idea of marriage, from which the notion of actual purchase has all but disappeared. So in Islam mahr and ṣadaḳ (the gift to the wife) have come to be synonymous terms for dowry (KM$2$, 93, 96): cf. Benzinger, Arch.$2$ 106.—55. The reluctance to part with Rebekah is another indication of refined feeling (Gu.). On, v.i.—56. The servant's eagerness to be gone arises from the hope of finding his old master still alive.—57, 58. The question here put to Rebekah is not whether she will go now or wait a few days,

53. (Ezr. 1$6$, 2 Ch. 21$3$ 32$23$† )] 'costly gifts,' fr. [root], Ar. maǧada = 'be noble.'—55. ] GSV read ; and so SV and many Greek curss. in $53$.—] 'a few days, say ten,' is a fairly satisfying rendering (G ); 'a year or ten months' (T$O$ Ra.) is hardly admissible. But the text seems uncertain: [E] ; S (cf. 29$14$). In deference to [E]S we may insert before : 'a month or at least ten days' (Ols. Ba.).—] probably 3rd fem. (so all Vns.).*