Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 7. Heir. She expresses their sentiments more than their words. Calmet.—Some of the relations might desire to obtain the inheritance. Menochius.—See Numbers 35:18.—Spark. Posterity is often denoted by a lamp. Calmet. 21:17. Hebrew and Septuagint “my coal,” reserved to enkindle my fire, ( Calmet.) or to perpetuate our name in Israel, ( Bible.) or that of his father, to whose title the son succeeded. The mother could claim no inheritance. Menochius.