Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/228

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the narrator. The excision of these suspicious elements leaves a sentence complete in itself, and exactly corresponding in form to the naming of Cain in v.1: (Symbol missingHebrew characters), 'God has appointed me seed' (i.e. posterity). There is an obvious reference to 315, where both the significant words (Symbol missingHebrew characters) and (Symbol missingHebrew characters) occur. But this explanation really implies that Seth was the first-born son (according to this writer), and is unintelligible of one who was regarded as a substitute for another. How completely the mind of the glossator is preoccupied by the thought of substitution is further shown by the fact that he does not indicate in what sense Cain has ceased to be the 'seed' of Eve.—As a Heb. word (with equivalents in Phœn. Arab. Syr. Jew.-Aram.: cf. Nö. Mand. Gr. p. 98) (Symbol missingHebrew characters) would mean 'foundation' (not Setzling, still less Ersatz); but its real etymology is, of course, unknown. Hommel's attempt (AOD, p. 26 ff.) to establish a connexion with the second name in the list of Berossus (below, p. 137) involves too many doubtful equations, and even if successful would throw no light on the name. In Nu. 2417 (Symbol missingHebrew characters) appears to be a synonym for Moab; but the text is doubtful (Meyer, INS, 219). The late Gnostic identification of Seth with the Messiah may be based on the Messianic interpretation of 315, and does not necessarily imply a Babylonian parallel.


26. On the name (Symbol missingHebrew characters) ( = Man, and therefore in all probability the first member of an older genealogy), see below.—Then men began to call, etc.] Better (with (G, etc., v.i.): He was the first to call on the name of Yahwe (cf. 920 108), i.e. he was the founder of the worship of Yahwe; cf. 128 134 2133 2625 (all J). What historic reminiscence (if any) lies behind this remarkable statement we cannot conjecture; but its significance is not correctly expressed when


even TO—26. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] (G-K. § 135h) G om.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] like (Symbol missingHebrew characters), properly a coll.: Enôš is a personification of mankind. The word is rare and mostly poetic in Heb. (esp. Jb. Ps.); but is common in other Sem. dialects (Ar. Aram. Nab. Palm. Sab. Ass.). Nestle's opinion (MM, 6 f.), that it is in Heb. an artificial formation from (Symbol missingHebrew characters), and that the genealogy is consequently late, has no sort of probability; the only 'artificiality' in Heb. is the occasional individual use. There is a presumption, however, that the genealogy originated among a people to whom (Symbol missingHebrew characters) or its equivalent was the ordinary name for mankind (Aramæan or Arabian).—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] so Aq. Σ.; [E] (Symbol missingHebrew characters); G (Symbol missingGreek characters) (from [root] (Symbol missingHebrew characters)) implies either (Symbol missingHebrew characters) or (Symbol missingHebrew characters); so V (iste coepit) and Jub. iv. 12; S has (Symbol missingSyriac characters). The true text is that read by G, etc.; and if the alteration of MT was intentional (which is possible), we may safely restore (Symbol missingHebrew characters) after 108. The Jewish exegesis takes (Symbol missingHebrew characters) in the sense was profaned,' and finds in the v. a notice of the introduction of idolatry (Jer. Qu., TOJ, Ra. al.),—although the construction is absolutely ungrammatical (IEz.).—After (Symbol missingHebrew characters) G adds carelessly (Symbol missingGreek characters).