Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/593

we have a continuous J narrative from 46²⁸-47⁶: note (Hebrew characters), ^{29. 30}; Goshen, ^{28. 29. 34. 1. 4. 6b.}; the leadership of Judah, ²⁸; the ignoring of Pharaoh's invitation (45^17ff. E); (Hebrew characters), ²⁹; (Hebrew characters), ³⁰; (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), ³⁴.—46^1-5 is in the main from E, as appears from the night vision, the form of address, ²; Jacob's implied hesitation, ³ (ct. 45²⁸); the name Jacob, ^{2. 5a}; (Hebrew characters), ²; (Hebrew characters), ³.—^1a ((Hebrew characters)) and possibly ^5b belong to J.—47¹² is doubtful,—probably E ((Hebrew characters), as 45¹¹).—See We. Comp.² 60 f.; Di. Ho. Gu. Pro. 54 f. (who assigns 47⁷ to E instead of P and 47¹² to J).

1-7. Jacob bids farewell to Canaan.—1. came to Be'ersheba`] There is in E no clear indication of where Jacob lived after his return from Laban (see on 35¹). If at Beersheba, the above clause is redactional, written on the assumption that he started from Hebron (37¹⁴ J). The point would be determined if ^5b were the original continuation of ^5a, for it is absurd to suppose that the waggons were first put to use in the middle of the journey (We.). But even apart from that, the natural view undoubtedly is that Jacob would not start until his misgivings were removed in answer to his sacrifice, and that consequently his dwelling-place at this time was Beersheba. That he sacrificed at the last patriarchal sanctuary on the way is a much less plausible explanation.—the God of . . . Isaac] Isaac is apparently regarded as the founder of the sanctuary, as in ch. 26 (J^h); an Elohistic parallel to that tradition may have existed though in 21³¹ (E with J^b) its consecration is attributed to Abraham.—2-4. The last of the patriarchal theophanies. Comp. 12^1ff., where the theophany sanctions the occupation of Canaan, as this sanctions the leaving of it (Di.); and 26², where, under circumstances similar to Jacob's, Isaac is forbidden to go down to Egypt.—3. the God of thy father] As elsewhere in Genesis, (Hebrew characters) denotes the local numen, who here distinguishes himself from other divine beings,—a trace of the primitive polytheistic representation (cf. 31¹³ 35¹ 33²⁰ 21³³ 16¹³).—Fear not, etc.] The purpose of the revelation is to

1. (Hebrew characters)] G here and v.⁵ [Greek: ** to phrear tou horkou] (see p. 326).—2. (Hebrew characters)] The word has crept in from v.¹ through an inadvertence of the redactor or a later scribe: "'God said to Israel, Jacob! Jacob!' is a sentence which no original writer would have penned" (We.).—On the form of the v., see on 22¹¹.—3. (Hebrew characters)] From (Hebrew characters), the rare form of inf. const. of (Hebrew characters)