Benjamin is praised for its predatory instincts, and its unflagging zest for war. The early history contains a good deal to justify the comparison: its fight with Moab (Ju. 315ff.), its share in the struggle with the Canaanites (Ju. 514), its desperate stand against united Israel (Ju. 19 f.); it was famous for its skill in slinging and archery (Ju. 2016, 1 Ch. 840 122, 2 Ch. 147 1717). But a special reference to the short-lived reign of Saul is probable: the dividing of spoil reminds us of the king who clothed the daughters of Israel with scarlet and ornaments (2 Sa. 124).—The contrast between this description and the conception of Benjamin in the Joseph-stories is an instructive example of how tribal characteristics were obscured in the biographical types evolved by the popular imagination.
28abα (to (
Hebrew characters)) is the subscription to the poem; the remainder
of the v. belongs to P, and probably continued 1a in
that source.—the tribes of Israel, twelve in number] The
division into 12 tribes is an artificial scheme, whose origin
is uncertain (see Luther, ZATW, xxi. 33 ff.; Peters, Early Heb. Story, 55 ff.). It obtained also amongst the Edomites,
Ishmaelites, and other peoples; and in Israel betrays its
theoretic character by the different ways in which the number
was made up, of which the oldest is probably that followed
in the Song of Jacob. In Dt. 33, Simeon is omitted, and
Joseph divided into Ephraim and Manasseh; in P (Nu. 2)
Joseph is again divided, to the exclusion not of Simeon, but
of Levi.
The recently revived theory of a connexion between the original
sayings of the Blessing and the signs of the Zodiac calls for a brief
notice at this point. The most striking correspondences were set forth
by Zimmern in ZA, vii. (1892), 161 ff.; viz., Simeon and Levi = Gemini
(see p. 517); Judah = Leo, with the king-star Regulus on its breast ((Hebrew characters)
(Hebrew characters)); and Joseph = Taurus. This last comparison, it is true, rests on
Dt. 33 rather than Gn. 49, and is only imported into this passage by a
violent reconstruction of v.22 (p. 530). Other possible combinations
mentioned by Zimmern are Issachar = Aselli (in Cancer), Dan = Serpens
(N of Libra), Benjamin = Lupus (S of Scorpio), and Naphtali = Aries
28. (Hebrew characters)] G (Greek characters).—(Hebrew characters)] Such a construction is
impossible. We must either omit the rel. (Vns.) or read (Hebrew characters) (Ols.
De. KS. Gu. al.).
