Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/565

 pression is an anachronism in the patriarchal history. It is barely possible that both here and in 39$14. 17$ (41$12$) there is a faint reminiscence of the historical background of the legends, the early occupation of Palestine by Hebrew tribes.—15b (J) was probably followed in the original document by an explanation of the circumstances which led to his imprisonment.—16-19. The baker's dream contains sinister features which were absent from the first, the decisive difference being that while the butler dreamed that he actually performed the duties of his office, the baker only sought to do so, and was prevented (Gu.).—16. three baskets of white bread] The meaning of, however, is doubtful (v.i.).—upon my head] See the picture of the court-bakery of Rameses in Ebers, Aeg. 332; Erman, LAE, 191. According to Ebers, the custom of carrying on the head (Herod. ii. 35) was not usual in ancient Egypt except for bakers.—17. in the uppermost basket] Were the other two empty (Ho. Ben.)? or were they filled with inferior bread for the court (Gu.)?—all manner of bakemeats] The court-baker of Rameses III. "is not content with the usual shapes used for bread, but makes his cakes in all manner of forms. Some are of a spiral shape like the 'snails' of our confectioners; others are coloured dark-brown or red," etc. (Erman, 192).—while the birds kept eating] In real life he would have driven off the birds (cf. 15$11$); in the dream—and this is the ominous circumstance—he cannot.—19. lift thy head from off thee] In view of the fulfilment, it is perhaps better (with Ball) to remove as a mistaken repetition of the last word of the v., and to understand the phrase of the baker's release from prison (see on v.$13$). The verb hang may then refer to the mode of execution, and not merely (as generally supposed)

essential an element of the request to be made a mere condition, has no great weight; and might be met by giving interrogative force (Ho.). See, further, Dri. T. § 119 .—] The only case of consec. pf. followed by (G-K. § 105 b).—] GVST$OJ$ seem to have read , or .—16. ], commonly derived from [root] 'be white'; so virtually G Aq. VST$J$; but T$O$ 'of nobility'. Others (Ra. al.) understand it as a characteristic of the baskets: 'perforated' (from, 'hole'). The (of palm-leaves) of Σ. seems to