Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/553



infusion of foreign blood in the southern tribe. The verse suggests that the first Judahite settlement was at 'Adullam, where the tribe gained a footing by alliance with a native clan named Ḥîrāh; but Mey. (INS, 435 f.) thinks it presupposes a previous occupation of the region round Bethlehem, and deals merely with an extension towards the Shephelah. It is certainly difficult otherwise to account for the verb (ct., Ju. 1$4$); but were Judah's brethren ever settled at Bethlehem? Gu.'s emendation,, 'freed himself' (see on 27$40$; cf. Hos. 12$1$), would relieve the difficulty, but is too bold for a plain prose narrative.

2. A more permanent amalgamation with the Canaanites is represented by Judah's marriage with or Bath-Shûa or Bath-Sheva (See on v.$12$). The freedom with which connubium with the Canaanites is acknowledged (ct. 34. 24$3$) may be a proof of the antiquity of the source (Ho. Gu.).—5b. in Kĕzîb, etc.] It is plausibly inferred that Kĕzîb (= 'Akzîb, an unknown locality in the Shephelah, Jos. 15$44$, Mic. 1$14$) was the centre of the clan of Shelah; though G makes all three births happen there.

6-11. Tamar's wrong.—6. Tamar, the Heb. word for date-palm, occurs twice as a female name in David's family (2 Sa. 13$1$ 14$27$). There is therefore little probability that it is here a personification of the city of the same name on the S border of Palestine (Ezk. 47$19$) (so Steuernagel). A mythological origin is suggested on p. 452 below.—As head of the family, Judah chooses a wife for his first-born (24$3$ 34$4$ 21$21$), as he is also responsible for the carrying out of the levirate obligation ($8. 11$).—7. No crime is alleged against 'Ēr, whose untimely death was probably the only evidence of Yahwe's displeasure with him (Pr. 10$27$).—8-10. 'Onān, on the other hand, is slain because of the revolting manner in which he

2. ] G. See on v.$12$.—3. ] Better as vv.$4. 5$ ([E]T$J$ Heb. MSS).—5. ] G ; comp. the gentilic, Nu. 26$20$.—] is impossible, and [E] little better. Rd. with G .—] [E] , cf. , 1 Ch. 4$22$.—] G .—Nothing can be made of the strange renderings of $5b$ in S and V: ; quo nato parere ultra cessavit (cf. 29$35$ 30$9$).—7. $2$] G .—8. ] Dt. 25$5. 7$ † ; denom. from, the ''term. techn.'' for 'husband's brother' in relation to the levirate institution.—9. ] 'as often as'; G-K. § 159 o.— (sc. semen)] in the sense of 'spoil,' 'make ineffective' (BDB).— for ] only again Nu. 20$21$; comp. , Ex. 3$19$, Nu. 22$13. 14. 16$.—10. ] G, pr. .