As the attached files' names indicate, these papers take up a number of lexical, syntactical and geographical issues in Numbers.
Also, a paper with the title בֵּית אָב bē̂t āb ‘Father’s House’ in Numbers was published in the Journal of Translation (Volume 13, Number 1 (2017)) and is available under this link: ‘Father’s House’ in Numbers.
The purpose of this compilation is to give an overview over the use of the key phrase “father’s house” to alert to differences in meaning in various places and to discuss further issues connected with this phrase.
Further, a paper with the title The Meaning of “Father’s House” (בית אב) bêt ’āb and a Chiastic Structure in Numbers 18.1-7 was published in The Bible Translator (Vol. 71, Iss. 1) (2020) – see here.
Abstract
The phrase bet ’ābikā “your father’s house” in Num 18.1 is often translated as referring to the Levites or the Kohathites. I suggest the reference is, rather, to Aaron’s own family and descendants. That is, the whole of v. 1 refers to the priests only. The possessive suffix -kā “your” does not refer to ’āb “father,” but to the compound noun bet ’āb “father’s house,” an expression that means “family.” The two lines in v. 1 should be read as synonymous lines, not as contrasting ones. In both lines Aaron’s family stands in contrast to the whole tribe of Levi, which is not mentioned until v. 2. This understanding is confirmed by a chiastic structure that underlies the passage. Translating the phrase with “your family” (i.e., Aaron’s own family, not his family of origin) is recommended. Further translation issues in the passage are addressed.
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