Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/641

 12, 13. The account of the actual burial (from P).—It is significant that here the Egyptians take no part in the obsequies: the final redactor may have assumed that they were left behind at the mourning place E of the Jordan.—See further on 49$29ff.$.—14 (J). The return to Egypt.

15-21. Joseph removes his brethren's fears.—The vv. contain a variation of the theme of 45$5ff.$ (Gu.), as if to emphasize the lesson of the whole story, that out of a base intent God brought good to His people.—15. saw] i.e. 'realised,'—took in the full significance of the fact (cf. 30$1$). If it were meant that they 'learned' for the first time that their father was dead, the inference would surely be not merely that the brethren had not been present at the funeral (Gu.), but that E had not recorded it at all.—16, 17. They send a message to Joseph, recalling a dying request of their father (not elsewhere mentioned).—the servants of the God of thy father] Religion is a stronger plea than even kinship (Gu.).—18. Cf. 44$16$. The v. may have been inserted from J (v.i.).—19. am I in God's stead?] (30$2$): to judge and punish at my pleasure.—20. Cf. 45$5. 7. 8$.—21. The continuance of the famine seems presupposed, in opposition to the chronology of P (47$28$).

22-26. Joseph's old age and death.—22. a hundred and ten years] Cf. Jos. 24$29$. It is hardly a mere coincidence, but

antecedents nearer than 49$J$, the last excerpt from P.—] G$33$ .—13. ] G, and so again for .—14. ] G om.
 * tuted for (so VT$B, al.$, Gu.).—12. ] The suff. find no suitable

15. ] Cond. sent. with suppressed apodosis, G-K. § 159 y.—16. ] G, and S , seem to have read , which if correct would make the excision of v.$18$ from E almost imperative (see on the v.). But the sense of, 'to commission,' is justified by Ex. 6$13$, Jer. 27$4$, Est. 3$12$ etc.; and would not properly be followed by .—17. ] a strong particle of entreaty; in Pent. only Ex. 32$31$.—18. ] G om.—For, Ba. (after Vatke) reads , which would give point to the following. But the change is not necessary: would mean 'they went away' only if they had previously been present. That certainly seems implied in $17b$ (apart from the reading of GS in $16$); and hence there is much to be said for assigning v.$18$ to J (Di. Ho. Pro.).—19b. G reads .—20. ] [E] : GSV also have the copula.—21. ] G .—-22. ] G