Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/556

 absolutely certain. Seal, cord, and staff must have been the insignia of a man of rank amongst the Israelites, as seal and staff were among the Babylonians (Herod. i. 195) and Egyptians (Erman, LAE, 228 f.). The cord may have been used to suspend the seal, as amongst modern town Arabs (Robinson, BR, i. 36), or may have had magical properties like those occasionally worn by Arab men (We. Heid. 166). For illustrations of ancient Hebrew seals, see Benzinger, Arch.$2$ 82, 179 f., 228 ff.

20-23. Judah fails to recover his pledge.—20. It is significant that Judah employs his fidus Achates Ḥirah in this discreditable affair, and will rather lose his seal, etc., than run the risk of publicity (v.$23$.—21. Where is that Ḳĕdēshāh?] strictly 'sacred prostitute,'—one 'dedicated' for this purpose to Ištar-Astarte, or some other deity (Dt. 23$18$, Hos. 4$14$†).

This is the only place where appears to be used of an ordinary harlot; and Luther (INS, 180) points out that it is confined to the conversation of Ḥirah with the natives, the writer using. The code of Ḥammurabi (§ 110) seems to contemplate the case of a temple-votary (ḳadistu, KAT$3$, 423; ATLO$2$, 380) separating herself for private prostitution; and it is possible that this custom was familiar to the Canaanites, though not in Israel.—That the harlot's veil (vv.$14. 19$) was a symbol of dedication to Ištar the veiled goddess (KAT$3$, 276, 432; ATLO$2$, 109) is possible, though it is perhaps more natural to suppose that the veiling of Ištar is an idealisation of the veiling of her votaries, which rests on a primitive sexual taboo (cf. the bridal veil 24$65$).

24-26. The vindication of Tamar.—24. As the widow of 'Er, or the betrothed of Shelah, Tamar is guilty of adultery, and it falls to Judah as head of the family to bring her to justice.—Lead her out] a forensic term, Dt. 22$21. 24$.—let her be burnt] Death by burning is the punishment imposed in Ḫammurabi, § 157, for incest with a mother, and was doubt-

21. ] [E]GS (v.$22$). If this reading be accepted, there is no reason to hold that (if a place-name at all) was Tamar's native village.—] [E] ; but see 19$33$ etc.—24. ] [E] more correctly .