Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/423

belongs to J^b rather than J^h (Gu.).—^8-21 is wholly Elohistic: (Hebrew characters), ^{12. 17. 19. 20.}; (Hebrew characters), ^{10. 12. 13}; (Hebrew characters), ^{13. 18} (J (Hebrew characters), 12²; P (Hebrew characters), 17²⁰); and rare expressions like (Hebrew characters), ^{14. 15. 19}; (Hebrew characters), ¹⁶; (Hebrew characters), ²⁰. Further characteristics are the revelation of God by night (^12f.), and in a voice from heaven (¹⁷).

1-7. The birth of Isaac.—2. a son to his old age] so v.⁷ 24³⁶ 37³ 44²⁰ (all J). All the sources emphasise the fact that Isaac was a late-born child; but this section contains nothing implying a miracle (ct. chs. 17, 18).—3-5. The naming and circumcision of Isaac, in accordance with 17^{19. 12} (P).—6a. God has made laughter for me] Both here and in ^6b laughter is an expression of joy, whereas in 18^12ff. 17¹⁷ it expresses incredulity.—6b, 7 is the Yahwistic parallel. It has been pointed out by Bu. (Urg. 224: so Kit. KS. Ho.) that the transposition of ^6b to the end of ⁷ greatly improves the sense, and brings out the metrical form of the original (in Heb. 4 trimeters):

Who would have said to Abraham,
    "Sarah gives children suck"?
For I have borne him a son in his old age!
    Every one that hears will laugh at me!

8-10. Sarah demands the ejection of Ishmael.—8. The occasion was the customary family feast of the weaning of Isaac (Benz. Arch.² 131). The age of weaning in modern Palestine is said to be 2 or 3 years (ib. 116); in ancient Israel also it must often have been late (1 Sa. 1^22ff., 2 Mac.

1a. (Hebrew characters)] never used by P sensu bono (Str.).—2. (Hebrew characters)] G (Hebrew characters)—3. (Hebrew characters)] pointed as pf. with art. (18²¹).—6a. (Hebrew characters)] The [root] (Hebrew characters) never occurs outside of Pent., except Ju. 16²⁵ (where (Hebrew characters) should probably be read) and Ezk. 23³² (but see Corn. and Toy), the Qal being used only in connexion with Isaac (17¹⁷ 18^{12. 13. 15} 21⁶), while Pi. has a stronger sense (19¹⁴ 21⁹ 26⁸ 39^{14. 17}, Ex. 32⁶). The other form (Hebrew characters) (not in Pent.) is mostly later than Jer. (except Ju 16²⁷, 1 Sa. 18⁷, 2 Sa. 2¹⁴ 6^{5. 21}): in four cases (Am. 7^{9. 16}, Jer. 33²⁶, Ps. 105⁹) even the name (Hebrew characters) appears as (Hebrew characters). It will be seen that in Gn. we have no fewer than 4 (17¹⁷ 18¹² 21^{6a. 6b.}) or 5 (21⁹?) different suggestions of a connexion of (Hebrew characters) with [root] (Hebrew characters). Analogy would lead us to suppose that in reality it is a contraction of (Hebrew characters), in all probability the name of an extinct tribe (cf. (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), etc.).—6b. (Hebrew characters)] see G-K. § 10 g.—7. (Hebrew characters)] Aram.; in Heb. rare and poetic.—On the modal use of pf. ('would have said'), cf. G-K. § 106 p; Dri. T. § 19.—(Hebrew characters)] pl. of species; cf. Ex. 21²², 1 Sa. 17⁴³, Ca. 2⁹ (Di.). G has sing.—(Hebrew characters) G (Greek characters).