Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/369

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This name originated in the period of the Judges (Jos. 1947, Ju. 1829); and it is singular that such a prolepsis should occur in a document elsewhere so careful of the appearance of antiquity.—15. He divided himself] i.e. (as usually understood) into three bands,—the favourite tactical manœuvre in Hebrew warfare (Ju. 716, 1 Sa. 1111 1317, Jb. 117, 1 Mac. 533): but see the footnote.—smote and pursued them as far as Hobah] Hobah (cf. Jth. 155) has been identified by Wetzstein with Hoba, c. 20 hours' journey N of Damascus. Sellin (934) takes it to be the Ubi of the TA Tablets, the district in which Damascus was situated (KIB, v. 139, 63; 146, 12). The pursuit must in any case have been a long one, since Damascus itself is about 15 hours from Dan. It is idle to pretend that Abram's victory was merely a surprise attack on the rearguard, and the recovery of part of the booty. A pursuit carried so far implies the rout of the main body of the enemy.

17, 18-20. Abram and Melkiẓedeḳ.—"The scene between Abram and Melkiẓedeḳ is not without poetic charm: the two ideals (Grösse) which were afterwards to be so intimately united, the holy people and the holy city, are here brought together for the first time: here for the first time Israel receives the gift of its sanctuary" (Gu. 253). 17. The scene of the meeting is (Symbol missingHebrew characters), interpreted as the king's vale. A place of this name is mentioned in 2 Sa. 1818 as the site of Absalom's pillar, which, according to Josephus (Ant. vii. 243), was two stadia from Jerusalem. The situation harmonises with the common view that Šalem is Jerusalem (see below); and other information does not exist.—18. Melkîẓedeḳ, king of Šālēm, etc.] The primitive


and Jer. 214.—15. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] (cf. 1 Ki. 1621). The sense given above is not altogether natural. Ball emends (Symbol missingHebrew characters). Wi. (GI, ii. 272) suggests a precarious Ass. etymology, pointing as Piel, and rendering 'and he fell upon them by night': so Sellin.—(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] Lit. 'on the left.' The sense 'north' is rare: Jos. 1927 (P), Ezk. 1646, Jb. 239.

17. (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (without art.) must apparently be a different word from that in v.5. Hommel and Wi. emend (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (šarrē, the Ass. word for 'king').—18. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] usually explained as 'King of Righteousness' (Heb. 72), with î as old gen. ending retained by the annexion; but more probably = 'My king is Ẓidḳ,' Ẓidḳ being the name of a S