8, 9. The thought of strife between relatives ((
Hebrew characters)) is intolerable
to Abram, who, though the older man, renounces
his rights for the sake of an amicable settlement. The
narrator has finely conceived the magnanimity which springs
from fellowship with God. The peaceable disposition
ascribed to the patriarchs is characteristic of the old narratives.
Jacob substitutes guile for force, but Abraham and
Isaac conquer by sheer reasonableness and conciliation.—10, 11a, 12b(Greek characters). Lot's choice.—lifted up his eyes and saw, etc.]
The Burǧ Beitīn (p. 247), a few minutes SE from the village,
is described as "one of the great view-points of Palestine"
(GASm. EB, 552), from which the Jordan valley and the N
end of the Dead Sea are clearly visible.—the whole Oval of the Jordan] cf. Dri. Deut. 421 f.
(Hebrew characters) (only here and 1 Ki. 746 = 2 Ch. 417), or (Hebrew characters) simply (v.12
1917. 25. 28f, Dt. 343, 2 Sa. 1823), is not (as Di. 230) the whole of the 'Arābāh
from the Lake of Galilee to the Dead Sea, but the expansion of the
Jordan valley towards its S end, defined in Dt. 343 as 'the plain of
Jericho' (see HG, 505 ff.; Buhl, GP, 112). The northern limit is indeterminate;
the southern depends on the site of Zoar (v.10), whether
N or S of the Dead Sea. It is thus not quite certain whether the term
includes the Dead Sea basin; and on this hangs the much more important
question whether the writer conceives the Sea as non-existent at the
time to which the narrative refers. That is certainly the impression
produced by the language of v.10. Apart from the assumption of a
radical transformation of the physical features of the region, the words
before Yahwe destroyed S. and G. have no significance. As a mere note
of time they would merely show the connexion of the story with ch. 19,
and might very well be a gloss (Ols. Di.). See below, pp. 273 f.—Ẓô'ar
is the S limit of the Kikkār, and, if situated at the S end of the Lake
(as is most probable), would not be seen from Bethel.
but on insufficient grounds (cf. Hupf. Qu. 21 f.)—7b. (Hebrew characters)] [E] (Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)]
The name is coupled with (Hebrew characters) in 3430, Ju. 14. 5 (J), and often appears
in enumerations of the pre-Israelite inhabitants (1520 etc.). If, as is
probable, it be connected with (Hebrew characters) (Dt. 35, 1 Sa. 618, Est. 919), (Hebrew characters)
(Ezk. 3811, Zec. 28, Est. 919), it would mean 'hamlet-dwellers' as distinguished
from Canaanites, occupying fortified cities (see on (Hebrew characters), 1017).
That the P. were remnants of a pre-Canaanite population is hardly to
be inferred from the omission of the name in 1016f., or from its
association with the Rephaim in Jos. 1715: this last notice is wanting
in GAB and is perhaps a gloss (Moore, Jud. 17).—9. (Hebrew characters)] GS (Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)—(Hebrew characters)]
Ball suggests the pointing (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters) (infs. abs.). [E]
reads (Hebrew characters).—10. (Hebrew characters)] [E] (Hebrew characters); GL om.—(Hebrew characters)]
in the sense of 'watered region' only again Ezk. 4515 (where
