Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/633

 some Vns. is approved by several scholars (v.i.).—Strong One of Jacob] A poetic title of Yahwe, recurring Is. 49$26$ 60$16$, Ps. 132$2. 5$, and (with Israel for Jacob) Is. 1$24$. See, further, the footnote below.—Through the name], the reading of S and T$O$, though not entirely satisfactory, is at least preferable to the meaningless of MT.—the Shepherd of the Israel-Stone] A second designation of Yahwe as the Guardian of the Stone of Israel,—either the sacred stone of Bethel, or (better) that of Shechem (Jos. 24$26f.$), which was the religious rendezvous of the tribes in early times (see p. 416): so Luther, INS, 284$1$. Both text and translation are, however, uncertain (v.i.).—25, 26. The construction is ambiguous: it is not clear whether the lines beginning with Blessings are a series of accusatives depending on the of $25a$ ('may he bless thee with blessings,' etc.), or subjects to  in $26b$. The second view is adopted above; but the ambiguity may be an intentional refinement.—25aαβ. Ēl Shaddai] For the reading, v.i.; and see on 17$1$.—25aγδb,'

combination, but perhaps not too bold.—24b. ] occurs only in the pass. cited above. It is reasonably suspected that the Mass. changed the punctuation to avoid association of ideas with, 'bull,' the idolatrous emblem of Yahwe in N Israel. Whether the name as applied to Yahwe be really a survival of the bull-worship of Bethel and Dan is another question; (strong) is an epithet of men (Ju. 5$22$, Jb. 24$22$ 34$20$, Je. 46$15$, 1 Sa. 21$8$ etc.), and horses (Jer. 8$16$ 47$3$ 50$11$) much more often than of bulls (Ps. 22$13$ 68$31$ 50$13$, Is. 34$7$), and might have been transferred to Yahwe in its adj. sense. On the other hand, the parallelism with 'Stone of Israel' in the next line favours the idea that the title is derived from the cult of the Bull at Bethel, which may have had a more ancient significance than an image of Yahwe (cf. Mey. INS, 282 ff.; Luther, ZATW, xxi. 70 ff.). The further inference (Nö. Lut. Mey.) that Jacob was the deity originally worshipped in the bull is perhaps too adventurous.—] So GV; but ST$O$ .—] Cf. , 2 Sa. 23$3$, Is. 30$29$; also, 1 Sa. 4$1$ 5$1$ 7$12$. The translation above agrees with S; MT puts in apposition with  (so V); G omits, and may have read (Ba.). The line is too long for the metre, but is the one word that should not be omitted.—25. ] Cf. Ps. 69$33$, and see Ew. § 347 a.—] Read with [E]G, S : though alone (Nu. 24$4. 16$) would be suitable in an ancient poem.—] Metrically necessary in Dt. 33$13$, but here redundant; probably, therefore, a gloss from the other recension (Siev.).—26. ] There are two stages of corruption,