Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/515

 of the 400 men (32$7$). He marshals his children (not the whole company, as 32$8f.$, though the motive is the same) under their mothers, and in the reverse order of his affection for them.—3. passed on before them] having previously been in the rear.—He approaches his brother with the reverence befitting a sovereign; the sevenfold prostration is a favourite formula of homage in the Tel Amarna tablets: "At the feet of my Lord, my Sun, I fall down seven and seven times" (38 ff. pass.). It does not follow, however, that Jacob acknowledged himself Esau's vassal (Nestle, MM, 12; Che. TBI, 405); cf. 1 Sa. 20$41$.—4. fell on his neck] 45$14$ 46$29$ (J); Lu. 15$20$.—5-7. An interesting picture: the mothers with their little ones come forward in groups to pay their respects to the grim-visaged warrior, whose name had caused such terror in the camp. 8-11. The present.—8. Esau remembers another great cavalcade—camp—which he had met. The 'present' of 32$14ff.$ (E) cannot be referred to, for Esau must have been told repeatedly what it was for (32$18f.$). The word points rather to the arrangement of 32$8f.$ (J). Gu. somewhat ingeniously explains thus: Esau had met the first division of Jacob's company; and Jacob, ashamed to avow his original motive, by a happy inspiration now offers 'this whole camp' as a present to his brother.—9. Esau at first refuses, but, 10, 11, Jacob insists on his accepting the gift.—as one sees the

Read accordingly for the first .—4. ] The puncta extraordinaria mark some error in the text. Di. observes that elsewhere (45$14$ 46$29$) 'fell on his neck' is immediately followed by 'wept.' The word should probably be inserted (with G) after (so 29$13$; cf. 48$10$).—] The sing. would be better, unless we add with G seem to be variants; of which one or other will be due to E.—5. ] with double acc., lit. 'has been gracious to me (with) them' (G.-K. § 117 ff.) = 'has graciously given' (so v.$11$); cf. Ju. 21$22$, Ps. 119$29$.—7. ] Niph. for the previous Qal. Point—?—] G transp. as v.$2$.

10. ] see on 18$5$. This and the preceding mark the v. as J's, in spite of the appellative use of .—11a is a doublet of $10a$, and may be assigned to E.—] 'blessing,' hence the gift which is meant to procure a blessing: 1 Sa. 25$27$ 30$26$, 2 Ki. 18$31$.—] see G-K. § 74 g; but [E]GVS read better.