Abraham represents a late development of the patriarchal
legends (cf. We. Prol.6 317 f.). But from this promise we
may fairly conclude that even in the pre-prophetic period
the name of Abraham was famous in Israel, and that in this
particular the religious ideas of the people are not fully
reflected in prophecy (1 Ki. 1836 has also to be considered).—The
antiquity of the name is now placed beyond doubt
by an archæological discovery made by Erman in 1888, but
first published by Breasted in 1904. In the Karnak list
of places conquered by Sheshonk I., the contemporary of
Rehoboam, there is mentioned pa-ḫu-q-ri-'a 'a-ba-ra-m =
(
Hebrew characters), 'Field of Abram.' It has not been identified;
but from its place in the list it must have been in the S of
Palestine (see Breasted, AJSL, xxi. 35 f.; and cf. Meyer,
INS, 266).[1]—and be thou a blessing (cf. Zec. 813)] Rather:
and it (the name) shall be a blessing (point (Hebrew characters), v.i.) i.e. 'a
name to bless by,' in the sense explained by 3b.—?]3b has
generally been rendered through thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed] i.e. the blessings of true religion
shall be mediated to the world through Abram and his
descendants (so all Vns.; cf. Sir. 4421, Ac. 325, Gal. 38).
The better translation, however, is that of Ra., adopted by
most modern comm.: by thee shall all . . . bless themselves]
the idea being that in invoking blessings on themselves or
others they will use such words as 'God make thee like
Abram,' etc. (see 4820, Is. 6516, Ps. 7217; and the opposite,
(ATliche Schätzung d. Gottesnamens, 15); see Gu. ad v.—3. (Hebrew characters)] sing.;
but the pl. of some MSS, [E]GVS ((Hebrew characters)), is more probable; cf. 2729, Nu.
249.—(Hebrew characters)] G (Greek characters), and so all Vns. The rendering
depends on the grammatical question whether the Niph. has pass. or
refl. sense. This form of the vb. does not occur except in the parallels
1818 (with (Hebrew characters)) and 2814 ((Hebrew characters)—(Hebrew characters)). In 2218 264 it is replaced by Hithp.,
which is, of course, refl., and must be translated 'bless themselves';
the renderings 'feel themselves blessed' (Tu. KS. Str.), or 'wish themselves
blessed' (De.) are doubtful compromises. These passages,
however, belong to secondary strata of J (as does also 1818, and perhaps
2814), and are not necessarily decisive of the sense of 123. But it is
significant that the Pu., which is the proper pass. of (Hebrew characters), is consistently
avoided; and the presumption appears to be distinctly in favour of the
- ↑ See, further, pp. 292 f. below.
