A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis

V. 25-31 133
regfards as a deliberate variation of VKB'inD (4^®) intended to suggest the
wickedness of the later generations before the Flood (see above, p. 129).
Lenormant (247) took it as a designation of Saggitarius, the 9th sign
of the Zodiac ; according to Honimel, it means * sein Mann ist das
Geschoss '
(!), <strong>and</strong> is connected with the planet Mars.* If the 8th name
in the list of Berossus be rightly rendered ' man of Sin (the moon-god),' f
a more probable view would be that nVa* is a divine proper name.
Hommel, indeed, at one time regarded it as a corruption of iarraJju,
said to be an ancient name of the moon-god X (cf- Cheyne, EBy 625,
4412).—28-31. Lantech.—The scheme is here interrupted by the inser-
tion of V.
29. An extract from J, preserving an oracle uttered by
Lamech on the birth of Noah.
—
This (nt ; cf. nxT in 2^^) shall
bring us comfort from our labour^ <strong>and</strong> from the toil of our
h<strong>and</strong>s [proceeding] from the ground^ etc.] The utterance
seems to breathe the same melancholy <strong>and</strong> sombre view of
life which we recognise in the Paradise narrative ; <strong>and</strong> Di.
rightly calls attention to the contrast in character between
the Lamech of this v. <strong>and</strong> the truculent bravo of 42^^-.
There is an obvious reference backwards to 3^^ (cf. {"invy, m^—nanxn).
The forward reference cannot be to the Flood (which certainly brought
no comfort to the generation for whom Lamech spoke), but to Noah's
discovery of vine-culture : 9^^^- (Bu. 306 flf. al.). This is true even if
the hero of the Flood <strong>and</strong> the discoverer of wine were traditionally
27. After nWino ® ins. As itv