descendants of Joseph (see on v.20), makes the total 75 (so Ac. 714), but
inadvertently substitutes (
Greek characters), instead of (Greek characters), for the (Hebrew characters) of MT 27,
overlooking the fact that both Jacob and Joseph have to be reckoned
in the 75.—26. (Hebrew characters)] 3511, Ex. 15.—27. (Hebrew characters)] [E] (Hebrew characters).
28-30. The meeting of Jacob and Joseph.—28. to direct before him to Goshen] The Heb. here gives no tolerable
sense. The meaning cannot be that Judah was to guide
the travellers to Goshen, for he is sent straight to Joseph;
and for the idea that Joseph was to give the needful instructions
for their reception in Goshen (Di.), the expression would
be extremely harsh. The only natural purpose of Judah's
mission was to bring Joseph to meet his father; and the
least difficult course is to read (with Vns. v.i.): to appear before him in Goshen, which had already been indicated by
Joseph as the goal of the journey (4510).—29. went up]
Goshen lying somewhat higher than the Nile-valley.—30.
The v. prepares us for the death-bed scenes (4729ff.), which
in JE must have taken place soon after, not as in P at an
interval of 17 years.
XLVI. 31-XLVII. 12.—Joseph obtains Pharaoh's permission for his brethren to settle in Goshen.—31-34 (J). prepares his brethren for an introduction to Pharaoh, in the expectation that by laying stress on their herdsmen's calling they may have the desirable frontier dis-
28. (Hebrew characters)] [E]G ? S (Hebrew characters) (We. (Hebrew characters)), which is confirmed by (Hebrew characters) in
the next v. There is no need to take the (Hebrew characters) in a temporal sense.
The construction is pregnant, but otherwise unobjectionable; the tone
of superiority assumed by Jacob towards Joseph is hardly a serious
difficulty. Ba. thinks that the (Greek characters) of G implies a reading (Hebrew characters)
'to meet'); but the Niph. of (Hebrew characters) would rather mean 'to come upon unexpectedly'
(Dt. 226, 2 Sa. 189).—(Hebrew characters)—(Hebrew characters)] G (Greek characters).
Heroöpolis has been shown by the excavations of Naville
(Store City of Pithom, etc.4, 5 ff.; cf. Gillett in JSBLBL], Dec. 1886, p. 69 ff.)
to be Pithom (Ex. 111), now Tell el-Maskhuṭa (see p. 488 above). The
Bohairic Vn. substitutes Pethom for the (Greek characters) of G. G thus makes
the meeting take place at the frontier town in the W. Ṭumīlāt towards
the desert (so v.29). The reading is noteworthy textually as containing
P's name for Goshen.—(Hebrew characters)] [E]VS (Hebrew characters) (better).—29. (Hebrew characters)] G
(Greek characters) (var. (Greek characters).—The (Hebrew characters) is strange; but cf. Ps. 845 (Ru. 114
is not in point).—30. (Hebrew characters)] S + (Hebrew characters).
31. (Hebrew characters)] G om., perhaps rightly.
