significance of the number, see on 4334.—3, 4. The anticipated
question (4633) is answered in accordance with Joseph's
instructions, though the phraseology differs by the substitution
of (
Hebrew characters) for (Hebrew characters).—It is possible that the repeated
(Hebrew characters) is due to the omission between 3 and 4 of a further
question by Pharaoh as to the reasons for their coming to
Egypt (so Ba. Gu.). The whole leads up to a straight-*forward
request for a temporary domicile in Goshen; and
the point may be simply that as herdsmen they had brought
their means of subsistence with them, and needed nothing
but grazing land, which must have been obtainable in spite
of the famine. There is no hint of any aversion to the
strangers or their manner of life.—6b. Let them dwell, etc.]
is the continuation of 5a in G (v.i.), whose arrangement of
these vv. is obviously more original than that of MT.—As
an additional favour, Pharaoh offers to take any capable
members of the family into his service as cattle superintendents
((Hebrew characters)),—an office frequently mentioned in the monuments
as one of high dignity (Erman, LAE, 94 f., 108, 143).
The breeding of cattle was carried to great perfection in
ancient Egypt (ib. 436 ff.).
The admission of pastoral tribes within the frontier of Egypt is an
incident twice represented in Eg. inscrs. of the period here supposed.
Under Ḥor-em-heb of the 18th dynasty, some barbarians have a definite
district assigned to them by a high officer; and reference has already
been made (p. 437) to the Edomite nomads who in the time of Merenptah
were allowed to pass the fortifications and feed their flocks in "the
great pasture-land of Pharaoh"—probably this very Wādī Ṭumīlāt
where Goshen was (see ATLO2, 393; Dri. 372).
5, 6a, 7-11. Jacob before Pharaoh (P).—5. The text of
G (v.i.) supplies the following opening to P's account (continuing
467): And Jacob and his sons came to Egypt to Joseph; and Pharaoh king of Egypt heard it (5a), and Pharaoh said to Joseph, etc.—It is plain that 5b continues this conversation
and not that between Pharaoh and the five brethren.—6a.
Here Pharaoh himself selects the best [part] of the land for
1 Ki. 1231, Ezk. 332 (otherwise Gn. 194).—(Hebrew characters)] (plup.) [E] + (Hebrew characters).—3. (Hebrew characters)]
[E]GSTJ (Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)] [E] (Hebrew characters) (as 4634).—5, 6. The overlapping of J and P
at this point can be proved and corrected from G. After 5a (omitting
