Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/206

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shows that the 'gift-theory' of sacrifice (RS2, 392 ff.) was fully established in the age when the narrative originated.—of the fruit of the ground] "Fruit in its natural state was offered at Carthage, and was probably admitted by the Hebrews in ancient times." "The Carthaginian fruit-offering consisted of a branch bearing fruit, . . . it seems to be clear that the fruit was offered at the altar, . . . and this, no doubt, is the original sense of the Hebrew rite also" (RS2, 221 and n. 3). Cain's offering is thus analogous to the first-fruits ((Symbol missingHebrew characters): Ex. 2316. 19 3422. 26, Nu. 1320 etc.) of Heb. ritual; and it is arbitrary to suppose that his fault lay in not selecting the best of what he had for God.—4. Abel's offering consisted of the firstlings of his flock, namely (see G-K. § 154 a, N. 1 (b)) of their fat-pieces] cf. Nu. 1817. Certain fat portions of the victim were in ancient ritual reserved for the deity, and might not be eaten (1 Sa. 216 etc.: for Levitical details, see Dri.-White, Lev., Polychr. Bible, pp. 4, 65).—4b, 5a. How did Yahwe signify His acceptance of the one offering and rejection of the other? It is


206 etc.) is unnecessary, though not altogether unnatural (IEz. al.).—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] the ritual use is well established: Lv. 22. 8, Is. 113, Jer. 1726 etc.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters): Ar. minḥat = 'gift,' 'loan': [root] manaḥa.[1] On the uses of the word, see Dri. DB, iii. 587b. In sacrificial terminology there are perhaps three senses to be distinguished: (1) Sacrifice in general, conceived as a tribute or propitiatory present to the deity, Nu. 1615, Ju. 618, 1 Sa. 217. 29 2619, Is. 113, Zeph. 310, Ps. 968 etc. (2) The conjunction of (Symbol missingHebrew characters) and (Symbol missingHebrew characters) 1 Sa. 229 314, Is. 1921, Am. 525 etc.) may show that it denotes vegetable as distinct from animal oblations (see RS2, 217, 236). (3) In P and late writings generally it is restricted to cereal offerings: Ex. 309, Nu. 189 etc. Whether the wider or the more restricted meaning be the older it is difficult to say.—4. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] On Meth., see G-K. § 16 d. We might point as sing. of the noun ((Symbol missingHebrew characters), Lv. 816. 25; G-K. § 91 c); but [E] has scriptio plena of the pl. (Symbol missingHebrew characters).—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] G (Symbol missingGreek characters) (in v.5 (Symbol missingGreek characters)); Aq. (Symbol missingGreek characters); Σ. (Symbol missingGreek characters); Θ. (Symbol missingGreek characters) (see above); (Symbol missingGreek characters); V respexit; S (Symbol missingSyriac characters); TO (Symbol missingHebrew characters). There is no exact parallel to the meaning here; the nearest is Ex. 59 ('look away [from their tasks] to' idle words).—5. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] in Heb. always of mental heat (anger); G

  1. Some, however, derive it from (Symbol missingHebrew characters)= 'direct'; and Hommel (AHT, 322) cites a Sabæan inscr. where tanaḥḥayat (V conj.) is used of offering a sacrifice (see Lagrange, Études, 250). If this be correct, what was said above about the 'gift theory' would fall to the ground.