Messianic tradition is quite conceivable, it is probable that it is here
already applied to the Davidic monarchy. (3) It seems to me, therefore,
that justice is done to the terms and the tenor of the oracle if we regard
it as a prophecy of David and his dynasty,—a vaticinium ex eventu, like
all the other oracles in the chapter. The meaning would be that Judah
shall retain its tribal independence (see on 10a) against all adversaries
until its great hero makes it the centre of a powerful kingdom, and
imposes his sovereignty on the neighbouring peoples. As for the
enigmatic (
Hebrew characters), we may, of course, adopt the reading (Hebrew characters), which is as
appropriate on this view as on the directly Messianic interpretation.
But if the oracle rests on an early eschatological tradition, it is just
possible that (Hebrew characters) is a cryptic designation of the expected Ruler, which
was applied by the poet to the person of David. Bennett (p. 397) calls
attention to the resemblance with (Hebrew characters) in ch. 38; and it is a wonder that
those who recognise mythical elements in the story of Judah and Tamar
have not thought of identifying the (Hebrew characters) of our passage with Judah's
third son, of whose destiny the story leaves us in ignorance. Is it
possible that this connexion was in the minds of the Jewish authorities
(v.i.), who render (Hebrew characters) 'his youngest son'? (see Posnanski, 363).
11, 12. As usually understood, the vv. give a highly
coloured picture of Judæan life after the conquest, in a land
where vines are so common that they are used for tethering
the ass, and wine so abundant that garments are washed in
it. As a description of the vine-culture for which Judah was
famous, the hyperbole is perhaps extreme; and Gressmann
(l.c. 287) takes the subject to be not the personified tribe,
but the Ruler of v.10, the vv. being a prediction of the
ideal felicity to be introduced by his reign. Whether this
be the original sense of the passage or not is hard to decide;
but Gr. is doubtless right in thinking that it supplied the
imagery for the well-known picture of the Messianic king in
Zec. 99.—12. GV take the adjs. as comparatives: 'brighter
than wine (v.i.) . . . whiter than milk': but this is less
natural.
11. (Hebrew characters)] with archaic case-ending: cf. (Hebrew characters) below, and perhaps (Hebrew characters)
in v.12.—(Hebrew characters)] (Greek characters) = (Hebrew characters), Is. 52, Jer. 221 [(Hebrew characters), Is. 168]; probably from
the red colour of the best grapes.—(Hebrew characters)] [E] (Hebrew characters), 'covering' (Ex. 2110
etc.). (Hebrew characters) ([root] (Hebrew characters) ?) does not occur elsewhere.—12. (Hebrew characters)] In Pr. 2329 (Hebrew characters)
means 'dulness of eyes,' the effect of excessive drinking. This is
the only sense justified by etymology (Ass. akâlu, 'be gloomy'; Ar.
ḥakala, IV, 'be confused': see BDB, s.v. (Hebrew characters)), and must be retained
here, although, of course, it does not imply reproach, any more than (Hebrew characters)
in 4334. G (Greek characters), 'glad-eyed'; and similarly VS.
