(Ex. 256 etc.); and to speak of it as expressing a markedly
prosaic view of the subject (Gu.) is misleading.—in the firmament, etc.] moving in prescribed paths on its lower
surface. This, however, does not justify the interpretation
of (Hebrew characters) as the Zodiac (above, p. 22).—to separate between the day, etc.]. Day and night are independent entities; but
they are now put under the rule of the heavenly bodies,
as their respective spheres of influence (Ps. 1216).—for signs and for seasons, etc.] (
Hebrew characters) (seasons) appears never (certainly
not in P) to be used of the natural seasons of the year
(Ho. 211, Jer. 87 are figurative), but always of a time conventionally
agreed upon (see Ex. 95), or fixed by some
circumstance. The commonest application is to the sacred seasons of the ecclesiastical year, which are fixed by the
moon (cf. Ps. 10419). If the natural seasons are excluded,
this seems the only possible sense here; and P's predilection
for matters of cultus makes the explanation plausible.—(
Hebrew characters)
(signs) is more difficult, and none of the explanations
given is entirely satisfactory (v.i.).—16. for dominion over the day . . . night] in the sense explained above; and so v.18.—and the stars] Since the writer seems to avoid on principle
the everyday names of the objects, and to describe
them by their nature and the functions they serve, the
clause is probably a gloss (but v.i.). On the other hand, it
would be too bold an expedient to supply an express naming
of the planets after the analogy of the first three works
(Tu.).
The laboured explanation of the purposes of the heavenly bodies is
confused, and suggests overworking (Ho.). The clauses which most
excite suspicion are the two beginning with (Hebrew characters) (the difficult 14b and
15aœ);—note in particular the awkward repetition of (
Hebrew characters). The
violent to render the first (Hebrew characters) und zwar (videlicet): "as signs, and that
for seasons," etc.; see BDB, s. (
Hebrew characters) 1. b, where some of the examples come,
at any rate, very near the sense proposed. Olshausen arrives at the
same sense by reading (
Hebrew characters) simply (MBA, 1870, 380).—16. (
Hebrew characters)] Dri.
(Hebr. ii. 33) renders "and the lesser light, as also the stars, to rule,"
etc. The construction is not abnormal; but would the writer have
said that the stars rule the night?—18. (
Hebrew characters)] On the comp. sheva see
Kön. i. § 10, 6 e.