Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/466

 Beer Laḥai-roi, 25$11$.—On Abimelech and Gerar, see 20$1f.$. The assumption that Gerar was a Philistine kingdom is an anachronism (see on 10$14$), made also in J$b$ (21$32$) but not in E.—3a. and bless thee] a promise fulfilled in Isaac's successful husbandry ($12ff.$), and other tokens of the divine favour ($22. 24. 28f.$), with no reference primarily to the blessing of Abraham.

$1a$ (—) is a redactional gloss (R$J$ or R$JE$), pointing back to 12$10$.—$2ab$ is obviously inconsistent with $3a$, and is best explained as a gloss from the same hand as $1a$ (KS. Ho.). Di. Gu. al. consider it a variant from a parallel narrative of E (cf. with 22$2$), to which Di. quite unnecessarily assigns also $1a$ and $6$; but the evidence is too weak to warrant the improbable hypothesis of a second E version of 20$1ff.$.—$3b-5$ an expansion in the manner of 22$15-18$, emphasising the immutability of the oath to Abraham (see on 15$18$), and showing many traces of late composition.

7-11. Rebekah's honour compromised.—7, 8. Isaac's lie (as 12$13$ 20$2$), and the king's accidental discovery of it.—looked out at a window] possibly into a court of the palace: cf. 2 Sa. 11$2$.—] exchanging conjugal caresses (see on 21$6$),—a play on the name Isaac. The vb. is nowhere else construed with .—9, 10. Abimelech's rebuke of Isaac, and the latter's self-exculpation.—thou mightest have brought guilt] Cf. 20$9$. It is an instance of the writer's timid handling of the theme (see below) that no actual complication arises.—11. So stern an injunction would have been in place in ch. 12 or ch. 20, but here it is unmotived.

That the three narratives 12$10ff.$ 20, 26$7-11$ are variations of a common theme, appears not only from their close material resemblance, but also

3. ] so v.$4$; G Jub. read sing. The nearest analogies to this use of pl. (which is rare and mostly late) are 1 Ch. 13$2$, 2 Ch. 11$23$ = 'districts' (of Palestine).—] see 19$8$.—4a. The comparison with the stars, as 15$5$ 22$17$.—4b, 5 almost verbally identical with 22$18$: note esp. the uncommon .—5b is made up of Priestly and Dtnic. expressions: cf. Lv. 26$46$, Dt. 6$2$ 28$45$ 30$10$ etc.— denotes chiefly the service of priests in the sanctuary, but is here used in a wider sense (cf. Lv. 18$30$ 22$9$, Dt. 11$1$, Jos. 22$3$, 1 Ki. 2$3$, Mal. 3$14$). The expression is highly characteristic of P (Ho. Einl. 344).—] [E]G +.

7. ] cf. 29$22$ 38$22$, Ju. 19$16$.—] a very rare and questionable use of the word as a real inf. (dicere, not dicendo). Should be deleted? [E]G read .—10. ] G-K. § 106 p.—] cons. pf.; 'thou wouldst (in that case) have brought.'—11. ] [E]G.