is not elsewhere mentioned in OT.—29. It is in my power
(v.i.) to do you harm]—but for the interposition of God.—30.
Thou hast gone off forsooth, because forsooth, etc.] The
infs. abs. express irony (Dav. § 86).—stolen my god(s)] This
is a serious matter, and leads up to the chief scene of the
dispute.—32. Jacob is so sure of the innocence of his household
that he offers to give up the culprit to death if the theft
can be proved: a similar enhancement of dramatic interest in
449ff..—33-35. The search for the teraphim is described with
a touch of humour, pointed with sarcasm at a prevalent form
of idolatry.—34. Rachel had hidden the idol in the camel's litter
or palanquin (Burck. Bed. ii. 85; Doughty, Ar. Des. i. 437,
ii. 304; BDB, 1124), in which she was apparently resting
within the tent, on account of her condition.—35. (
Hebrew characters) =
(Hebrew characters) (1811), J). Women in this condition were protected
by a powerful taboo (cf. Lv. 1519 etc.).—36, 37. Jacob
now turns on Laban, treating the accusation about the
teraphim as mere pretext for searching his goods.—38-40 (J).
A fine picture of the ideal shepherd, solicitous for his
master's interests, sensitive to the least suspicion of fraud,
and careless of his personal comfort.—39. I brought not to thee] as a witness (Ex. 2212). Jacob had thus gone far
beyond his legal obligation.—made it good] lit. 'counted it
§ 75 n.—29. (Hebrew characters)] Mic. 21, Pr. 327, Sir. 51 (Dt. 2832, Neh. 55). The
meaning is certain ('be within one's power'), but the expression is very
obscure. The current explanations (both represented in the Vns.) are:
(1) That (Hebrew characters) is an abstract noun = 'power,' and (Hebrew characters) gen. (2) That (Hebrew characters) is
subj. of the sent. and (Hebrew characters) the word for God: 'my hand is for a God.'
The first depends on a singular sense of (Hebrew characters); and for the second (Hebrew characters)
would have been more natural. A third view has recently been propounded
by Brockelmann (ZATW, xxvi. 29 ff.), who renders 'it belongs
to the God of my hand,' a survival of a primitive belief in special deities
or spirits animating different members of the body (cf. Tylor, Prim. Cult.4 ii. 127).—(Hebrew characters)] [E]G have sing. suff.—30. (Hebrew characters)] G + (Greek characters).
The (Hebrew characters) should probably be restored.—31. G om. (Hebrew characters).—32. The
opening words in G (Hebrew characters) may be original, introducing the duplicate
from E.—32b is preceded in G by the variant (Greek characters).—33.
(Hebrew characters)] [E] + (Hebrew characters) (rd. (Hebrew characters)); so G.—The cl. 33a(Greek characters) disagrees
with what follows, and may be a gloss. G reduces the discrepancy by
omissions, and a complete rearrangement of clauses.—36. (Hebrew characters)2] Rd. (Hebrew characters)
with Heb. MSS [E]GS.—39. On (Hebrew characters) for (Hebrew characters), cf. G-K. § 74 k or
