Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/471

merated, however, the stylistic criteria are hard to trace; and in the attempt to disentangle them almost everything hangs on the word (Hebrew characters) in ²⁷. As to (b), ^24-27 is certainly J, and ^21-23 consequently E; it will follow that in (c) ¹⁵ belongs to J and ^{11-13. 16} to E. With regard to (a), it is almost impossible to decide which is J's variant and which E's. Gu. assigns ^35-38 to E, on the somewhat subtle ground that in J (^{33. 27}) Isaac is ignorant who it is that has personated Esau, whereas in E (^{35. 22}) he knows very well that it is Jacob (so OH, SOT). Most critics have taken the opposite view, but without any decisive positive reason. See Gu. p. 270 f.; Pro. 19 f.—It is not worth while to push the precarious analysis further: anything else of importance may be reserved for the notes.

1-5. Isaac's purpose to bless Esau: explained by his partiality for his first-born son, and (more naïvely) by his fondness for venison (25²⁸). It is quite contrary to the sense of the narrative to attribute to him the design of frustrating the decree of Providence expressed in the independent legend of 25²³.—1. Blindness is spoken of as a frequent concomitant of old age (cf. 48¹⁰, 1 Sa. 3², 1 Ki. 14⁴, Ec. 12³: ct. Dt. 34⁷).—3. thy quiver (v.i.) and thy bow] the latter, the hunter's weapon (Is. 7²⁴; cf. 2 Ki. 13¹⁵).—4. that my soul may bless thee] so ^{19. 25. 31}. As if the expiring nephesh gathered up all its force in a single potent and prophetic wish. The universal belief in the efficacy of a dying utterance appears often in OT (48^10ff. 50^24f., Dt. 33, Jos. 23, 2 Sa. 23^1ff., 1 Ki. 2^1ff., 2 Ki. 13^14ff.).—5. But Rebekah was listening] cf. 18¹⁰.

The close connexion of the blessing and the eating, which is insisted on throughout the narrative, is hardly to be explained as a reward for the satisfaction of a sensual appetite; it rests, no doubt, on some religious notion which we can no longer recover. Ho. compares the physical stimuli by which prophetic inspiration was induced (cf. 1 Sa.

1. (Hebrew characters)] On vav cons. in the subord. cl., cf. G-K. § 111 q.—The last cl. ((Hebrew characters)) contains a characteristic formula of E (cf. 22^{1. 7. 11} 31¹¹: so v.¹⁸), and is probably to be assigned to that source.—2. (Hebrew characters)] J; see on 12¹¹.—3. (Hebrew characters)] ([E] (Hebrew characters)): only here, from [root] (Hebrew characters), 'hang,' is a more suitable designation of the 'quiver' (GVT^J IEz.) than of the 'sword' (T^O Ra.).—(Hebrew characters) Keth. may here be noun of unity (G-K. § 122 t) = 'piece of game' from (Hebrew characters) (Qĕrê) (so Tu. De. Di. Gu.). Elsewhere (42²⁵ 45²¹ etc.) it means 'provisions,' especially for a journey. This may be explained by the fact that game was practically the only kind of animal food used by the Semites (see RS², 222 f.); but the identity of the [root] [root] is doubted (BDB, 845 a).—5. (Hebrew characters)] G (Hebrew characters) is better, unless both words should be read.