Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/555

 the effect of the mourning ceremonies; see Jer. 16$7$.—The death of Judah's wife is mentioned as a palliation of his subsequent behaviour: "even in early times it was considered not quite comme il faut for a married man to have intercourse with harlots" (Gu.).—On the sheep-shearing, see 31$19$.—Ḥîrāh his associate] (see v.$1$) is mentioned here because of the part he has to play in the story (vv.$20-23$).—went up to Timnah] This cannot be the Danite Timnah (Jos. 15$10$ 19$43$, Ju. 14$1. 2. 5$), which lies lower than 'Adullam. Another Timnah S of Hebron (Jos. 15$57$), but unidentified, might be meant; or it may be the modern Tibne, W of Bethlehem, though this is only 4 m. from 'Adullam, and room has to be found for 'Enaim between them (but v.i. on v.$14$).—14. her widow's garments] Cf. Jth. 8$5$ 10$3$ 16$8$.—She assumes the garb of a common prostitute, and sits, covered by the veil (see below on v.$21$), by the wayside; cf. Jer. 3$2$, Ezk. 16$25$, Ep. Jer. 43.—15. for she had covered her face] This explains, not Judah's failure to recognise her, but his mistaking her for a harlot (see v.$16$).—17. a kid of the goats] Cf. Ju. 15$1$. The present of a kid on these occasions may be due to the fact that (as in classical antiquity) the goat was sacred to the goddess of love (Paus. vi. 25. 2 [with Frazer's Note, vol. iv. 106]; cf. Tac. Hist. 2, 3, and Lucian, Dial. meretr. 7. 1) (Kn-Di.).—18. The master-stroke of Tamar's plot is the securing of a pledge which rendered the identification of the owner

(cf. 1 Ch. 3$5$ with 2 Sa. 11$3$ etc.), through an intermediate. G, both here and v.$2$ (but not 1 Ch. 2$3$), gives as the name of Judah's wife.—] GV, 'his shepherd,' wrongly.—13. ] 'husband's father,' 1 Sa. 4$19. 21$ † . Smith (KM$2$, 161 f.) finds in the Arabic usage a distinct trace of ba'al-polyandry; the correlative is kanna, "which usually means the wife of a son or brother, but in the Ḥamāsa is used to designate one's own wife."—14. ] so Dt. 22$12$, Jon. 3$6$. Read either, Niph. (Gu.), or, Hithp., with [E] (as 24$65$).—] S , V in bivio itineris, and T$OJ$ take the meaning to be 'at the cross-roads' (of which there are several on the short way from 'Aid el-Mā to Tibne). The sense is good, and it is tempting to think that these Vns are on the right track, though their rendering has no support in Heb. usage. If be a proper name it may be identical with the unknown of Jos. 15$34$, in the Shephelah.—] G , better.—15 end] G +