uncouth continuation of 48b, with which in the primary documents it had nothing to do; see further inf.—May God (read so with G) watch] Miẓpāh means 'watch-post.' On its situation, see p. 403.—50. The purport of the covenant, according to E. Jacob swears (53b) that he will not maltreat Laban's daughters, nor even marry other wives besides them. The latter stipulation has a parallel in a late Babylonian marriage contract (KIB, iv. 187, No. XI.).—God is witness] The idea is less primitive than that of J, where the witness is an inanimate object.—We observe how the religious sanction is invoked where human protection fails (cf. 2011 4218, both E).—51-53a. The terms of the covenant in J: neither party (people) is to pass the cairn with hostile intent. All the reff. to the maẓẓebāh (51b. 52a. b) are to be deleted as glosses.—The God of Abraham . . . [Nāḥôr] Whether a polytheistic differentiation of two gods is attributed to Laban can hardly be determined. The pl. vb. would not necessarily imply this in E (see 2013), though in J it might.—53b, 54. The covenant oath and feast in E.—The Fear of . . . Isaac] See on v.42.—54. his brethren] not Laban and his companions, but his own fellow-clansmen (v.37).—spent the night, etc.] Is this part of the religious ceremony? (Gu.).
The Scene of the Treaty.—The name Gil'ād (often with art.) in OT is
sometimes applied to the whole region E of the Jordan (Jos. 229 etc.),
but more properly denotes the mountain range ((
Hebrew characters)) extending from
(Hebrew characters) [(Hebrew characters) has met with the approval of several scholars (Ho. Str.);
but as the sequence to 45 we should rather expect (Hebrew characters). G has
(Greek characters), following MT.—(Hebrew characters)] G (Hebrew characters) must be adopted if
the v. is rightly ascribed to E.—51. (Hebrew characters)] G + (Hebrew characters) (so v.52).—(Hebrew characters)]
'which I have thrown up.' (Hebrew characters), 'throw,' is most commonly used of
shooting arrows, and only here of piling up stones. Once it means to
lay (jacere) a foundation (Jb. 386), but it could hardly be applied to the
erection of a pillar. It is an advantage of the analysis given above
that it avoids the necessity of retaining the maẓẓebāh as obj. of (Hebrew characters) and
rejecting the cairn.—52. (Hebrew characters)—(Hebrew characters) (bis)] The double negative is contrary to
the usage of asseverative sentt. (cf. 50), but may be explained by an
anakolouthon (G-K. § 167 b).—(Hebrew characters)] G om.—53. (Hebrew characters)] [E]GVS
(Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)] G and Heb. MSS om., [E] (Hebrew characters), S (Syriac characters).
Probably a marg. gloss to 53a.—XXXII. 1. (Hebrew characters)] G (Hebrew characters).
