account leaves much to be supplied by the imagination.
The repetition of (
Hebrew characters) and (Hebrew characters) in two consecutive sentences
is a mark of inferior style; but the phrase (Hebrew characters), which
anticipates the introduction of Abram in v.13, is probably a
gloss (v.i.).
13-16. Abram's pursuit and victory.—The homeward
march of the victorious army must have taken it very near
Hebron,—Engedi itself is only about 17 m. off,—but Abram
had 'let the legions thunder past,' until the intelligence
reached him of his nephew's danger.—13. Abram the Hebrew]
is obviously meant as the first introduction of Abram in this
narrative. The epithet is not necessarily an anachronism, if
we accept the view that the Ḫabiri of the Tel Amarna period
were the nomadic ancestors of the Israelites (see on 1021);
though it is difficult to believe that there were Ḫabiri in
Palestine more than 600 years earlier, in the time of Ḫammurabi
(against Sellin, NKZ, xvi. 936; cf. Paton, Syria and Pal. 39 ff.). That, however, is the only sense in which
Abram could be naturally described as a Hebrew in a
contemporary document; and the probability is that the
term is used by an anachronistic extension of the later
distinction between Israelites and foreigners.—Mamrē' the Amorite] see on 1318. In J (whose phraseology is here
followed) (Hebrew characters) is the name of the sacred tree or grove; in
P it is a synonym of Hebron; here it is the personal name
of the owner of the grove. In like manner 'Eškōl is a
personal name derived from the valley of Eshcol ('grape-cluster,'
Nu. 1323f.); and 'Anēr may have a similar origin.
The first two, at all events, are "heroes eponymi of the most
unequivocal character" (Nö. Unters. 166),—a misconception
of which no contemporary would have been capable.[1]—
noted also that Lot is elsewhere called simply the 'brother' of Abram
(14. 16).—The last clause is awkwardly placed; but considering the style
of the chapter, we are not justified in treating it as an interpolation.
13. (Hebrew characters)] Ezk. 2426 3321 (cf. (Hebrew characters), 2 Sa. 1513). For the idiom, see
G-K. § 126 r.—(Hebrew characters)] G (Greek characters) (only here), Aq. (Greek characters).—(Hebrew characters)] [E]
- ↑ Di.'s remark (p. 235), that "it makes no difference whether Mamre or the (lord) of Mamre helped Abram," is hard to understand. If
