Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/578

 literary tact that Joseph never presses the question as to the fate of the missing brother.—14. This is what I said] 'It is as I have said' (cf. 41$28$). Joseph maintains his opinion with well-feigned official obstinacy (Di.).—15, 16. By this shall ye be tested] The pretext covers a real desire to see Benjamin, which is explicitly avowed in J (44$21b$ 43$30$).—By the life of Pharaoh] In Egypt the king was honoured as a god (Diod. i. 90; Erman, Handb. 36 f.); and the oath by his life is attested by an inscription of the 20th dynasty. The OT analogies cited by Kn. (1 Sa. 17$55$, 2 Sa. 11$11$) are not in point, since they do not differ from the same formula addressed to private persons (1 Sa. 20$3$ 25$26$).—17. The three days' imprisonment is rather meaningless after v.$16$ (see p. 477). Gu. remarks on the prominence of imprisonment in the Joseph narratives, and surmises that a good many Hebrews had known the inside of an Egyptian jail.

18-26. The second interview.—After three days Joseph appears to relent, and to entertain the idea that they may after all be telling the truth. He now proposes to retain only one of them as a hostage, and let the rest carry corn for their starving households.—18. I fear God] the guardian of 'international religious morality' (Gu.), which is presupposed throughout the patriarchal history; see on 20$3$ 39$9$.—21. Nay, but we are guilty] The confession is wrung from them by the distress which has overtaken them, reminding them of Joseph's distress of soul when they left him to die,—when he pleaded with us] This touch of pathos is not recorded in ch. 37.—22. Reuben had a right to dissociate himself from the confession of guilt, for he had meant to save Joseph; but like many another

rightly; cf. the v.$11$.—16. ] Impv. expressing a determination, G-K. § 110 c.—] G-K. § 93 aa$1$. The distinction between and is a Massoretic caprice (Di.).—At the end of the v. [E] inserts a refusal of the condition in the exact terms of 44$22aβ$ (J), which undoubtedly smooths the transition to v.$17$, but cannot be original.

18. ] See G-K. § 110 f.—19. ] without art. ([E] ) ib. § 134 d; cf. 43$14$; ct. 42$33$.—20. ] The words are out of place (cf. $25b$). Did they stand originally after v.$16$?—21. ] 'Nay, but—,' indicating an affirmation of what one would gladly deny (see on 17$19$).—