Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/552

 supremacy of the former; and (possibly) the superiority of these two (as sons of Judah) to the more ancient Shelah (his grandson). See Steuernagel, Einw. 79 f.; where, however, the ethnological explanation is carried further than is reasonable.—It is obvious that the legend belongs to a cycle of tradition quite independent of the story of Joseph. The latter knows of no separation of Judah from his brethren, and this record leaves no room for a reunion. Although P, who had both before him, represents Judah and his sons as afterwards accompanying Jacob to Egypt (46$12$), there can be no doubt that the intention of this passage is to relate the permanent settlement of Judah in Palestine. Where precisely the break with the prevalent tradition occurs, we cannot certainly determine. It is possible that the figure of Judah here is simply a personification of the tribe, which has never been brought into connexion with the family history of Jacob: in this case the events reflected may be assigned to the period subsequent to the Exodus. It seems a more natural supposition, however, that the legend ignores the Exodus altogether, and belongs to a stratum of tradition in which the occupation of Canaan is traced back to Jacob and his immediate descendants (see pp. 418, 507).—On some touches of mythological colouring in the story of Tamar, see below, pp. 452, 454.

Source.—The chapter is a pure specimen of Yahwistic narration, free from redactional manipulation. The following characteristics of J may be noted:, $7. 10$; , $7. 10$; , $1$6; , $25$ (37$32$); , $26$; resemblance of $26$ to 25$3-5$. Since the sequence of 39$27f.$ on 37$24f.$ would be harsh, it is probable that ch. 38 was inserted here by R$1$ (Ho.).
 * $36$; further, the naming of the children by the mother, $JE$; and the

1-5. Judah founds a separate family at Adullam.—1. went down from his brethren] Since the chapter has no connexion with the history of Joseph, we cannot tell when or where the separation is conceived to have taken place. From the situation of 'Adullām, it is clear that some place in the central highlands is indicated. Adullam is possibly 'Īd el-Mīye (or 'Aid el-Mā), on the border of the Shephelah, 12 m. SW of Bethlehem and 7 NE of Eleutheropolis (Buhl, GP, 193; Smith, HG, 229). It is marked on the Pal. Surv. map as 1150 ft. above sea-level.

The isolation of the tribe of Judah was a fact of capital importance in the early history of Israel. The separation is described in Ju. 1$3ff$; in the song of Deborah (Ju. 5) Judah is not mentioned either for praise or blame; and his reunion with Israel is prayed for in Dt. 33$7$. The rupture of the Davidic kingdom, and the permanent cleavage between south and north, are perhaps in part a consequence of the stronger

1. ] G the precise force here of, 'turn aside,' is doubtful. The change of [ to (Ba.) is unnecessary (cf. 1 Sa. 9$9$).