Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/507

 '''2, 3. The legend of Maḥanaim.—2. angels met him] The verb for 'meet,' as here construed (v.i.), usually means to 'oppose.'—3.' This is God's camp] or a camp of gods''. The idea of divine armies appears elsewhere in OT (cf. Jos. 5$14$), and perhaps underlies the expression 'Host of heaven' and the name Yahwe Ẓebā'ôth.—Maḥanaim is here apparently not regarded as a dual (ct. $8. 9. 11$). On its site, v.i.

The brief statement of the text seems to be a torso of a legend which had gathered round the name Maḥanaim, whose original meaning has been lost. The curtailment probably indicates that the sequel was objectionable to the religious feeling of later times; and it has been surmised that the complete story told of a conflict between Jacob and the angels (originally divine beings), somewhat similar to the wrestling of vv.$24ff.$ (Gu. Ben.). The word 'camp' (cf. the fuller text of G inf.), and the verbal phrase both suggest a warlike encounter.

'''4-14a. Jacob's precautionary measures (J).—4.''' Isaac's death and Esau's settlement in the country afterwards occupied by his descendants are here assumed to have already taken place: otherwise P (36$6$).—5, 6. We note the extreme servility of Jacob's language:—my lord thy servant  find grace,—dictated by fear of his brother's vengeance (27$41$). In substance the message is

2. After G ins. , enhancing the vividness of the description.—] = 'encounter with hostility,' Ju. 8$21$ 15$12$ 18{25}, 1 Sa. 22$17f.$, 2 Sa. 1$15$, 1 Ki. 2$25ff.$, Ru. 2$22$; = 'intercede,' Jb. 21$15$, Jer. 7{16} 27$18$, Ru. 1$16$. The neutral sense 'meet,' with pers. obj., is doubtfully supported by Nu. 35$19. 21$, Jos. 2$16$, where hostile intention is evidently implied: elsewhere this is expressed by acc. pers. (Ex. 5$20$ 23$4$, 1 Sa. 10$5$, Am. 5$19$). Gn. 28$11$ is somewhat different, the obj. being impers. (cf. the use in Jos. 16$7$ 17$10$ etc.).—3. ] an important East Jordanic city and sanctuary, the capital of Ish-bosheth (2 Sa. 2$8$), and David's headquarters during the revolt of Absalom (2 Sa. 17$24. 27$), the centre of a fiscal district under Solomon (1 Ki. 4$14$). The situation of Maḥne or Miḥne on W. el-Ḥimār, some 14 m. N of the Jabboḳ (see Buhl, GP, 257), suits all the other references (cf. Jos. 13$26. 30$—the boundary of Gad and Manasseh), but is too far from the Jabboḳ for this narrative (v.$23$). On the ending, which is probably no real dual, see on 24$10$.

4. ] G om.—] (cf. Ju. 5$4$) is probably a gloss on .—5. ] cf. 18$28ff.$—] for (G-K. § 64 h).—6. ] Cohort. form with vav consec.—chiefly late; see Dri. T. § 69 Obs., § 72; G-K.