the land in the name of Yahwe by erecting altars for His worship. It is, however, a singular fact, that in J there is no record of actual sacrifice by the patriarchs on such altars: see p. l.
The original motive of this and similar legends is to explain the
sacredness of the principal centres of cultus by definite manifestations of
God to the patriarchs, or definite acts of worship on their part. The
rule is that the legitimacy of a sanctuary for Israel is established by a
theophany (Ex. 2024 [E]). The historic truth is that the sanctuaries
were far older than the Hebrew immigration, and inherited their sanctity
from lower forms of religion. That fact appears in v.6 in the use of the
word (
Hebrew characters), which has there the technical sense of 'sacred place,' as in
224 2811 351 (G), Ex. 35, 1 Sa. 716 (G (Greek characters)), Jer. 712 (cf. Ar. maḳām).—Shechem
is the first and most northerly of four sanctuaries—the others
being Bethel, Hebron (Jh), and Beersheba (E, Jb)—connected with the
name of Abraham. The name (Skmm, with pl. termination)[1] occurs in
an Eg. inscr. as early as the 12th dynasty. It was an important place in
the Tel-Amarna period (see Steuernagel, Einwanderung, 120 f.; Knudtzon,
BA, iv. 127), and figures prominently in OT legend and history. On its
situation (the modern Nābulūs) between Mts. Ebal and Gerizim, see
EB, iv. 4437 f.—The (Hebrew characters) (= 'oracle-giving terebinth') was evidently
an ancient sacred tree from which oracles were obtained, and therefore
a survival of primitive tree-worship.[2] Besides Dt. 1130 (a difficult pass.,
originally the 'sacred tree' without distinction of species.[3] The (Hebrew characters) of
Gn. 358 is called a palm in Ju. 45, and (Hebrew characters) (pl. of (Hebrew characters)?) (Ex. 1527 etc.)
derived its name from 70 palm-trees. But though the Mass. tradition
may not be uniformly reliable, (Hebrew characters) and (Hebrew characters) appear to be distinguished in
Hos. 413, Is. 613 (Di.); and the existence of a form (Hebrew characters) is confirmed by
allânu, which is said to be an Ass. tree-name (G-B.14 36 b). It is
probable from Zec. 112, Ezk. 276 etc., that (Hebrew characters) is the oak. With regard
to the other names no convincing theory can be formed, but a connexion
with (Hebrew characters) ([)i]lu) is at best precarious.—6b is probably a gloss: cf. 137b.—7.
(Hebrew characters)] [E]GVS add (Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)] so 351 (E).
- ↑ It is possible that this ((
Hebrew characters)) is the oldest form in Heb. also; since
G often has the pl. (Greek characters) (3318 354. 5 etc.).
- ↑ "Where a tree is connected with a welī it was probably the original object of honour" (Curtiss, Prim. Sem. Rel.1 91). On the obtaining of oracles from trees, see Rob. Sm. RS2, 195. Comp. Ju. 45, 2 Sa. 524; and the oak of Zeus at Dodona.—Duhm's brilliant generalisation (Isaiah1, 13 f.), that Abraham was traditionally associated with sacred trees, Isaac and Ishmael with sacred wells, and Jacob with sacred stones, though not literally accurate, has sufficient truth to be suggestive; and may possibly correspond to some vague impression of the popular mind in Israel.
- ↑ We. Pr.6 234; Sta. GVI, i. 455; v. Gall, l.c.; cf. Schwally, ThLzg., 1899, 356.
