that the Maccabees were called (
Greek characters) (Jos. Ant. xvi.
163; Ass. Mosis, 61]).[1] This title, the frequent recurrence of (Hebrew characters) as a
divine name in late Pss., the name Salem in one such Ps., and Melkiẓedeḳ
in (probably) another, make a group of coincidences which go to show
that the Melkiẓedeḳ legend was much in vogue about the time of the
Maccabees.
17, 21-24. Abram and the king of Sodom.—The
request of the king of Sodom presupposes as the usual
custom of war that Abram was entitled to the whole of the
booty. Abram's lofty reply is the climax to which the whole
narrative leads up.—22. I lift up my hand] the gesture
accompanying an oath (Ex. 68, Nu. 1430, Dt. 3240, Ezk. 2023,
Dn. 127 etc.).—to Yahwe, 'El 'Elyôn] A recognition of
religious affinity with Melkiẓedeḳ, as a fellow-worshipper
of the one true God. The (Hebrew characters), however, is probably an
addition to the text, wanting in G and S while [E] has
(Hebrew characters).—23. lest thou shouldst say, etc.] An earlier writer
(cf. 1216) would perhaps not have understood this scruple:
he would have attributed the enrichment of Abram to God,
even if the medium was a heathen king.—24. The condescending
allowance for the weakness of inferior natures
is mentioned to enhance the impression of Abram's
generosity (Gu.).
The Historic Value of Ch. 14.—There are obvious reasons why
this chapter should have come to be regarded in some quarters as a
'shibboleth' between two opposite schools of OT criticism (Homm.
AHT, 165). The narrative is unique in this respect, that it sets the
figure of Abraham in the framework of world-history. It is the case
that certain features of this framework have been confirmed, or
rendered credible, by recent Assyriological discoveries; and by those
who look to archæological research to correct the aberrations of
literary criticism, this fact is represented as not only demonstrating
the historicity of the narrative as a whole, but as proving that the
criticism which resolved it into a late Jewish romance must be vitiated
22. (Hebrew characters)] On the pf., G-K. § 106 i.—23. On the (Hebrew characters) of negative
asseveration, § 149 a, c. The second (Hebrew characters), which adds force to the
negation, is not rendered by G or V.—24. (Hebrew characters) lit. 'not unto me!'
(in Hex. only 4116. 44 [E], Jos. 2219 [late]). GVSTO seem to have read
(Hebrew characters) as a compound prepositional phrase (= 'except').
- ↑ Siegfried, ThLz., 1895, 304. On the late prevalence of the title, see also DB, iii. 450, EB, i. 70 (in and near Byblus), and Schürer, SBBA, 1897, p. 200 ff.
