Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/490

 (Ba. Gu.).—13. The name 'Āšēr naturally suggested to Heb. writers a word for happiness; hence the two etymologies: In my happiness,' and '(women) count me happy.' It is possible that the name is historically related to the Canaanite goddess Ašērāh (Ba. Ho.), as Gad is to the Aramæan deity. Aser appears in Eg. monuments as the name of a district in NW Palestine as early as Seti and Ramses (Müller, AE, 236 ff.).

14-24. The later children.—14-16. The incident of the love-apples is a piece of folklore, adopted with reserve by the writer (J), and so curtailed as to be shorn of its original significance. The story must have gone on to tell how Rachel partook of the fruit and in consequence became pregnant, while Leah also conceived through the restoration of her marriage rights (see We. Comp.$2$ 38 f.). How much of this stood in J and has been suppressed in the history of the text we cannot say; we here read just what is necessary to explain the name of Leah's child.—14. (v.i.) is the round, greenish-yellow, plum-like fruit of mandragora vernalis, which in Syria ripens in May—the days of wheat harvest—and is still eagerly sought in the East to promote conception (see Tuch's note, 385 ff.). Reuben is named, probably as the only child old enough to follow the reapers in the field (cf. 2 Ki. 4$18$). The agricultural background shows that the episode is out of place in its present nomadic setting.—15. he shall lie with thee to-night] Jacob, therefore, had wrongly withheld from Leah her conjugal rights (, Ex. 21$10$).—16. I have hired thee ] Obviously an anticipation of

13. is .—] pf. of confidence (G-K. § 106 n). It is to be noted that pfs. greatly preponderate in E's etymologies, and impfs. in those of J; the two exceptions (29$32f.$) may be only apparent, and due to the absence of definite stylistic criteria.

14. (Ca. 7$14$† )] G, S , T$OJ$ (= Ar. yabrūh, explained to be the root of the plant). The sing. is, from the same [root] as , 'lover,' and 'love'; and very probably associated with the love-god (Meša, l. 12). Cheyne plausibly suggests (379) that this deity was worshipped by the Reubenites; hence Reuben is the finder of the apples.—15. ] G, S .— (inf.)] Dri. T. § 204; but (pf. f.) would be easier.—16. ] [E]G + .—] see on 19$33$.—17a is from E; but 17b probably from