When the Israelites left Egypt, they were accompanied by an ʿerev rav (Exodus 12:38). This obscure term has been interpreted in different ways throughout two millennia of Bible interpretation, both positively and negatively, and modern scholars still debate its exact meaning. The term survives in modern Jewish discourse as a slur against other Jews.
Dr. Rabbi
David J. Zucker
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The Book of Chronicles updates and reinterprets Deuteronomy’s court system.
Prof.
Yigal Levin
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Parry Moshe
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Contemporary abuse of a once popular biblical hero.
Prof.
Alan T. Levenson
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Inserting the Amorites into Transjordan to manage a Conflict between Cousins
Dr.
Rachel Havrelock
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Numbers 32 combines two versions of how Gad and Reuven receive Moses’ permission to settle the Transjordan. The non-Priestly story emphasizes fraternity and kinship, while the Priestly version emphasizes law and obedience to YHWH. By synthesizing them, the redactor suggests that law can serve as a pillar around which the Israelite community can coalesce.
Prof.
Jacob L. Wright
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