Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/550

 for medicinal and other purposes.—26. cover his blood] Ezk. 24$7$, Is. 26$21$, Jb. 16$18$.—28. twenty (shekels) of silver] cf. Lv. 27$5$ with Ex. 21$32$ (see Dri.).—28aαb, 29, 30 (E). Joseph is kidnapped by trading Midianites, who pass unobserved after the brothers have left the spot.—30. Only now does Reuben reveal his secret design of delivering Joseph. It is interesting to note his own later confusion of the intention with the act, in 42$22$.

That the last section is from another source than $25-27$ appears from (a) the different designation of the merchants, (b) the absence of the art. showing that they have not been mentioned before, (c) Reuben's surprise at finding the pit empty. The composite narrative requires us to assume that the brethren are the subj. of, against the natural construction of the sentence.

31-36. The deceiving of Jacob.—31, 32. Gu. remarks that the sending of a bloody token is a favourite motive in popular tales. Whether the incident is peculiar to J, or common to J and E, can hardly be determined (v.i.)—33. an evil beast has devoured him] Exactly as v.$20$ (E). A slight change of text in $32$ (v.i.) would enable us to take the words as spoken by the sons to Jacob (so Gu.). 34, 35. The grief of Jacob is depicted in both sources, but with a difference. E ($34a. 35b$) hardly goes beyond the conventional signs of mourning—'the trappings and the suits of woe'; but J ($34b. 35a$) dwells on the inconsolable and life-long sorrow of

— (43$11$† ) Gk. , Lat. ladanum, the gum of a species of cistus-rose (EB, 2692 f.). Mentioned amongst objects of Syrian tribute (ladunu) by Tiglath-pileser iv. (KAT$2$, 151).—27. ] G +. The word is apparently used in the general sense of 'Bedouin,' as Ju. 8$24$ (cf. 6$1$ etc.): see on 16$12$.—] [E]GSV prefix .—28b is assigned to E because of, J using in this connexion ($25$ 39$1$ 43$11$ etc.).—29. ] G.

31. The reason for assigning the v. to J (Gu.) is the precarious assumption that Joseph's coat plays no part at all in E. There is a good deal to be said for the view that it belongs to E (Di. Ho. al.).—32. ] Gu. , 'and they came' (see on $33$ above), which would be an excellent continuation of $31$: in E they dip the coat in blood, come to their father, and say 'an evil beast,' etc.; in J they send the coat unstained, and let Jacob form his own conclusion.—In any case is E's parallel to J's .— (cf. 38$25$), and the disjunctive question (cf. 18$21$ 24$21$) point distinctly to J (Di.).—] G-K. § 100 l.—33. After, [E]GS ins .—*