Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/402

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

a mistake. The correct form is either (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (as 236. 11, etc.: so Di. Dri.), or (better, as 192) (Symbol missingHebrew characters): Sirs!—restoring (with [E]) the pl. throughout the v.—The whole of Abraham's speech is a fine example of the profuse, deferential, self-depreciatory courtesy characteristic of Eastern manners.—4. wash your feet] Cf. 192 2432 4324, Ju. 1921, 2 Sa. 118, Lk. 744, 1 Ti. 510.—recline yourselves] not at meat (Gu.), but during the preparation of the meal. Even in the time of Amos (64) reclining at table seems to have been a new-*fangled and luxurious habit introduced from abroad: ct. the ancient custom 2719, Ju. 196, 1 Sa. 205. 24, 1 Ki. 1320.—5. support your heart] with the food, Ju. 195. 8, 1 Ki. 137, Ps. 10415; cf. bread the 'staff' of life, Lv. 2626, Is. 31.—seeing that, etc.] Hospitality is, so to speak, the logical corollary of passing Abraham's tent.—6-8. The preparation of a genuine Bedouin repast, consisting of hastily baked cakes of bread, flesh, and milk in two forms. On the items, v.i.8. and they ate] So 193—the only cases in OT where the Deity is represented as eating (ct. Ju. 620f. 1316). The anthropomorphism is evaded by Jos. (Ant. i. 197: (Symbol missingGreek characters); cf. Tob. 1219), TJ, Ra. al.

9-15. The promise of a son to Sarah.—The subject is introduced with consummate skill. In the course of the conversation which naturally follows the meal, an apparently casual question leads to an announcement which shows


[E] (Symbol missingHebrew characters).—5. (Symbol missingHebrew characters) ([E]GTOJ) is the better reading, to which G adds (Symbol missingGreek characters) (cf. 192).—(Symbol missingHebrew characters) is not to be resolved into (Symbol missingHebrew characters) and (Symbol missingHebrew characters), denn eben desshalb (G-B.14, 308 a; De. al.); but is a compound conjunction = quandoquidem, 'inasmuch as' (Tu. Di. Dri.), as usage clearly shows; cf. 198 3310 3826 Nu. 1031 1443 (all J), Ju. 622, 2 Sa. 1820, Jer. 2928 384[B]; see G-K. § 158 b3; BDB, 475 b.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters) G (Symbol missingGreek characters) = (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (192f.), which is too rashly accepted by Ba.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] G has the sing. wrongly.—6. Three seahs would be (according to Kennedy's computation, DB, iv. 912) approximately equal to 4-1/2 pecks.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] G , [V similæ] which might stand either for (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (1 Sa. 124) or (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (as in every other instance). The latter (the finer variety) is here probably a gloss on (Symbol missingHebrew characters).—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] (G (Symbol missingGreek characters), V subcinericios panes) are thin round cakes baked on hot stones or in the ashes (Benz. Arch.2 64).—8. (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is the Ar. laban, milk slightly soured by fermentation, which is greatly esteemed by the nomads of Syria and Arabia as a refreshing and nourishing beverage (see EB, iii. 3089 f.).