Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/540



The last division of the Book of Genesis is occupied almost entirely with the history of Joseph,—at once the most artistic and the most fascinating of OT biographies. Its connexion is twice interrupted: (a) by the story of Judah and Tamar (ch. 38); and (b) by the so-called Blessing of Jacob (49$1-28$): see the introductory notes on these chapters. Everywhere else the narrative follows the thread of Joseph's fortunes; the plan and contents being as follows:

I. Chs. 37. 39-41. Joseph's solitary career in Egypt:—1. Joseph betrayed by his brethren and carried down to Egypt (37). 2. How he maintained his virtue against the solicitation of his master's wife, and was thrown into prison (39). 3. His skill in interpreting dreams discovered (40). 4. His interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams, and his consequent elevation to the highest dignity in Egypt (41).

II. Chs. 42-45. The reunion of Joseph and his brethren:—5. The first meeting of the brethren with Joseph in Egypt (42). 6. The second meeting (43. 44). 7. Joseph reveals himself to his brethren (45).

III. Chs. 46-50. The settlement of the united family in Egypt:—8. Jacob's journey to Egypt and settlement in Goshen (46. 47$1-12$). 9. Joseph's agrarian policy (47$13-28$). 10. Joseph at his father's death-bed (47$29-31$ 48). 11. Death and burial of Jacob, and death of Joseph (49$29-33$ 50).

The composition of documents is of the same general character as in the previous section of Genesis, though some peculiar features present themselves. The Priestly epitome (37$2$ 41$46a$ 42$5. 6a$ 46$6. [8-27]$ 47$5*. 6a. 7-11. 27b. 28$ 48$3-6$ 49$1a. 28b-33aundefinedb$ 50$12. 13$) is hardly less broken and fragmentary than in the history of Jacob, and produces at first sight the same impression as there, of being merely supplementary to the older narratives,—an impression, however, which a closer inspection easily dispels. Certain late words and constructions have led some critics to the conclusion that the JE passages have been worked over by an editor of the school of P (Giesebrecht, ZATW, i. 237, 266$2$; Ho. 234). The cases in point have been examined by Kue. (Ond. i. p. 317 f.), who rightly concludes that they are too few in number to bear out the theory of systematic Priestly redaction.—With regard to the composition of J and E, the most important fact is that the clue to authorship supplied by the divine names almost entirely fails us, and is replaced by the distinction between Israel and Jacob which as names of the patriarch are character