Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/186

exceptional fertility was ascribed to a divine blessing (27²⁸ etc.), and exceptional barrenness to a curse (Is. 24⁶, Jer. 23¹⁰), so the relative unproductiveness of the whole earth in comparison with man's expectations and ideals is here regarded as the permanent effect of a curse.—in suffering (bodily fatigue and mental anxiety) shalt thou eat [of] it] See 5²⁹. The 'laborious work' of the husbandman is referred to in Sir. 7¹⁵; but this is not the prevailing feeling of the OT; and the remark of Kno., that "agriculture was to the Hebrew a divine institution, but at the same time a heavy burden," needs qualification. It is well to be reminded that "ancient Israel did not live constantly in the joy of the harvest festival" (Gu.); but none the less it would be a mistake to suppose that it lived habitually in the mood of this passage.—18. the herb of the field] See on 1¹¹. The creation of this order of vegetation has not been recorded by J. Are we to suppose that it comes into existence simply in consequence of the earth's diminished productivity caused by the curse? It seems implied at all events that the earth will not yield even this, except under the compulsion of human labour (see 2⁵).—19. in the sweat of thy brow, etc.] A more expressive repetition of the thought of ^17bβ. The phrase eat bread may mean 'earn a livelihood' (Am. 7¹²), but here it must be understood literally as the immediate reward of man's toil.—till thou return, etc.] hardly means more than 'all the days of thy life' (in v.¹⁷). It is not a threat of death as the punishment of sin, and we have no right to say (with Di.) that vv.^16-19 are simply an expansion of the sentence of 2¹⁷. That man was by nature immortal is not taught in this passage; and since the Tree of Life in v.²² belongs to another recension, there is no evidence that the main narrative regarded even endless life as within man's

to E (none to P).—(Hebrew characters)] The government of direct acc. seems harsh, but is not unexampled: see Jer. 36¹⁶.—18. G omits initial (Hebrew characters): so V Jub.—(Hebrew characters)] Hos. 10⁸; (Hebrew characters) occurs nowhere else in OT. It is still used in Syria (dardār) as a general name for thistles.—19. (Hebrew characters)] ([root] (Hebrew characters), waḏa[']a) is (Greek characters); cf. (Hebrew characters), Ezk. 44¹⁸.—(Hebrew characters)] G Jub. (Hebrew characters).