Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/226

of the legendary heroes to whom the discovery of the various arts and occupations is attributed. Whether the biblical or the Phœnician tradition is the more original may be doubtful; in any case "it is difficult," as Dri. says, "not to think that the Heb. and Phœn. representations spring from a common Canaanite cycle of tradition, which in its turn may have derived at least some of its elements from Babylonia" (Gen. p. 74).^[1]

IV. 25, 26.—Fragmentary Sethite Genealogy.

The vv. are the beginning of a Yahwistic genealogy (see above, p. 99), of which another fragment has fortunately been preserved in 5²⁹ (Noah). Since it is thus seen to have

1. Cf. Eus. Præp. Ev. i. 10 (ed. Heinichen, p. 39 ff.). The Greek text is printed in Müller's Fragm. Hist. Græc. iii. 566 f. French translations are given by Lenorm. Orig. i. 536 ff., and Lagrange, Études sur les Religions Semitiques¹, 362 ff. (the latter with a copious commentary and critical introduction).—The passage in Eusebius is much too long to be quoted in full, but the following extracts will give some idea of its contents and its points of similarity with Gen.: Of the two protoplasts (Greek characters) and (Greek characters), it is recorded (Greek characters).—The second pair, (Greek characters) and (Greek characters), dwelt in Phœnicia, and inaugurated the worship of the sun.—Of the race of (Greek characters) and (Greek characters) were born three mortal children, (Greek characters), (Greek characters), and (Greek characters): (Greek characters).—Then followed a race of giants, of whom was born [(Greek characters)](Greek characters) ( = (Hebrew characters)) (Greek characters), who founded Tyre. Of him we read: (Greek characters) . . . (Greek characters) . . . (Greek characters).—The further history of invention names (a) (Greek characters) and (Greek characters); (b) . . . (Greek characters); (c) (Greek characters) and (Greek characters); (d) (Greek characters) and (Greek characters) (or (Greek characters)): (Greek characters); (e) (Greek characters) and (Greek characters); (f) (Greek characters) ((Hebrew characters)) and (Greek characters) ((Hebrew characters)): (Greek characters). (g) Of (Greek characters) was born (Greek characters); and (h) of (Greek characters), the (Greek characters).—After them came others (Greek characters).—It is impossible to doubt that some traditional elements have been preserved in this extraordinary medley of euhemerism and archæology, however unfavourably it may contrast with the simplicity of the biblical record.]