Chapter 4 combines an account of a fresh census of adult Levites, with a statement as to their duties, By its elaboration, its phraseology, and its reference to the golden altar 4 (cf. Ex 30 P*), this chapter is marked as secondary.
5-6: Various ceremonial laws.—The first para- graph (02) on the exclusion of the leper and the unclean person seems to presuppose Lv 13-15, un- less indeed it refers to yet earlier codifications. The phrase in the midst of which I dwell recalls Ly 1551 264, and suggests that, if this be not a passage from an earlier source, at least the editor caught the spirit of his older models when he added this auprlentent to relate their provisions to the camp of Nu 1-3.—** supplements Ly 5'-67 on the guilt-offering by arranging that, where the injured person is absent or dead and has no kinsman, the compensation shall go to the priest.—* mentions other items of priestly revenue.
54-81, on marital jealousy, is marked as Pt because of its archaic flavour and certain reminiscences of P» (as in #81), with the absence of P®’s terms (ex- cept tabernacle 1). But after the criticism of Stade (ZATW, 1895?) it is difficult to accept it as
NUMBERS
aunity. The view here adopted is that two laws, A providing for a solemn curse on a defiled wife, and B furnishing a test for a wife suspected of defilement, have been woven together. In 7 a real alternative of guilt or innocence is contem- plated. With this *-, now a colophon, but, by analogy with other cases, probably originally a title, agrees, and the discriminating use of the water in 15: 3 corresponds. On the other hand, in the introduction ('“"-), to which answers a con- clusion in * (observe absence of connexion with »), the guilt is assumed, and the water is only the means of inflicting the curse. Similarly, A’s jealousy-offering is B's memorial-offering. The analysis which follows rests on the above main grounds, and is effected by aid of the parallels and contrasts tabulated below.
A 11.188 180 * l5r ar B® 18d 80aléd30d 16. 19. BD
28 Mr ὙΠ. 5b-2e altar a Bato J” Bb Bar 23
A. Parallels and Contrasts. Β, If any man’s wife 12 when a wife @ go aside 12 being under her husband, goeth aside 39. 19f.
lien with thee 19f. (18. 19. 20 diff. in Heb.)
it be kept close (diff. gender) 13>
he shall set the woman before J", and the priest . . . 30
meal-offering of jealousy 35. 1δτ. 1δγ; cf. law of jealousy 2, spirit of ἌΘΩΝ Cy
the priest shall bring her near, and set her before J” 16
the offering is taken from the woman's hand 35
the water that causeth the curse 19, 22 18r, 24r prepared 1 and administered
the priest shall cause her to swear, and say unto the a cf, Zr, ey native bei roposed, cf. 7. and Prd P
lie with her carnally 18
tt behid .. . no witness 1ϑδιο the man shall bring his wife unto the priest beech bebe J ms ee ; cf. bringing iniquity to eat babe} the Bojer shall set the woman ‘ore J” 18 the offering put on the woman's palms (Heb.) 18 the water of bitterness 18. 231. 1% taken 18 ceremonially the eae wen ae the 8 say unto t. woma J” make thee a@ curse Db ; cf.27, no alter- native being given (cf. 12 where her t is
assumed). and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitter-
ness thigh falling away and belly swelling U
and afterward shall make the woman drink the water 2b ; cf. 278 (om. LXX).
belly to swell and thigh to fall away 27
the offering waved before J”
61-2: The Law of the Nazirite.—As a whole this ordinance conforms to the type of Lv 1-7, such allusions as to the door of the tent of meeting readily dropping out here as there. *°§ may be even earlier than P*, as separation unto his God? and other
hrases recall po cf. especially Ly 21 7- 4.—*-7 The ormula of benediction is no doubt much older than the setting in which P* presents it.
7-8: The dedication of the altar.—It is agreed that this is a late section. The date given by comparing ἢ with Ex 40* 17 makes the transaction
rior to Nu 1, yet the order and position of tribes in 1-4 is presupposed, and the language is more overladen with repetitions than anywhere else, the same formula being 12 times repeated, with only the necessary change of 6 out of 118 English words in the translation.—*® Apparently an isolated fragment of Ps.—8', like Lv 24! and Ex 27%, relates to the candlestick, and seems to regulate the position and lighting of the lamps. It is probably the latest of the three yes,—*™3, pro- viding bor a consecration rite in the case of the Levites, can hardly be other than secondary, as this service if original would surely have been ordered in ch. 3, when the selection of the tribe was com- manded, just as the consecration in Lv 8 was com- manded in Ex 29. Much of the earlier matter is repeated here, and traces may be discerned of a double representation, according as Moses or Aaron
* 14 includes only and she be not defiled, iis given to R,