Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/471

 merated, however, the stylistic criteria are hard to trace; and in the attempt to disentangle them almost everything hangs on the word in $27$. As to (b), $24-27$ is certainly J, and $21-23$ consequently E; it will follow that in (c) $15$ belongs to J and $11-13. 16$ to E. With regard to (a), it is almost impossible to decide which is J's variant and which E's. Gu. assigns $35-38$ to E, on the somewhat subtle ground that in J ($33. 27$) Isaac is ignorant who it is that has personated Esau, whereas in E ($35. 22$) he knows very well that it is Jacob (so OH, SOT). Most critics have taken the opposite view, but without any decisive positive reason. See Gu. p. 270 f.; Pro. 19 f.—It is not worth while to push the precarious analysis further: anything else of importance may be reserved for the notes.

1-5. Isaac's purpose to bless Esau: explained by his partiality for his first-born son, and (more naïvely) by his fondness for venison (25$28$). It is quite contrary to the sense of the narrative to attribute to him the design of frustrating the decree of Providence expressed in the independent legend of 25$23$.—1. Blindness is spoken of as a frequent concomitant of old age (cf. 48$10$, 1 Sa. 3$2$, 1 Ki. 14$4$, Ec. 12$3$: ct. Dt. 34$7$).—3. thy quiver (v.i.) and thy bow] the latter, the hunter's weapon (Is. 7$24$; cf. 2 Ki. 13$15$).—4. that my soul may bless thee] so $19. 25. 31$. As if the expiring nephesh gathered up all its force in a single potent and prophetic wish. The universal belief in the efficacy of a dying utterance appears often in OT (48$10ff.$ 50$24f.$, Dt. 33, Jos. 23, 2 Sa. 23$1ff.$, 1 Ki. 2$1ff.$, 2 Ki. 13$14ff.$).—5. But Rebekah was listening] cf. 18$10$.

The close connexion of the blessing and the eating, which is insisted on throughout the narrative, is hardly to be explained as a reward for the satisfaction of a sensual appetite; it rests, no doubt, on some religious notion which we can no longer recover. Ho. compares the physical stimuli by which prophetic inspiration was induced (cf. 1 Sa.

1. ] On vav cons. in the subord. cl., cf. G-K. § 111 q.—The last cl. contains a characteristic formula of E (cf. 22$1. 7. 11$ 31$11$: so v.$18$), and is probably to be assigned to that source.—2. ] J; see on 12$11$.—3. ] ([E] ): only here, from [root], 'hang,' is a more suitable designation of the 'quiver' (GVT$J$ IEz.) than of the 'sword' (T$O$ Ra.).— Keth. may here be noun of unity (G-K. § 122 t) = 'piece of game' from (Qĕrê) (so Tu. De. Di. Gu.). Elsewhere (42$25$ 45$21$ etc.) it means 'provisions,' especially for a journey. This may be explained by the fact that game was practically the only kind of animal food used by the Semites (see RS$2$, 222 f.); but the identity of the [root] [root] is doubted (BDB, 845 a).—5. ] G is better, unless both words should be read.