A Lexical Study of the Septuagint Version of the Pentateuch

αποσκευή/ usually as a rendering of qu . Before looking at
these there are two points we ought to notice.
'Children', 'little ones', given by BDB, is not the only
sense of qo. As BDB themselves note in their Addenda et
Corrigenda, the word refers in a number of passages to women as
1R
well as children (e.g. Ge. 47.12, Ex. 10.10,24). It seems
clear that the meaning in these places is in fact 'family',
'dependents' (wives and children, and probably others as well).
Secondly, the places where the translators render qu
by some other word than αποσκευή have something to tell us about
their understanding of the Hebrew word. These other renderings
are: τέκνα (De. 2.34, 3.19), εκγονα (De. 29.10, 31.12), παιδία
(Ge. 45.19 and elsewhere), συγγένεια (Ge. 50.8), οίκίαι(σβ. 50.
21), απαρτία (NU. 31.17,18; the meaning of this word is uncer­
tain) , and in Ge. 47.12 qun 'at? is rendered κατά σώμα. It is
clear that the translators took qu as having not only the
sense of 'children', but also a more general sense, namely
'family', 'household'.
The usage of αποσκευή in the Pentateuch closely resembles
that found in contemporary Greek. In certain passages the word
is clearly used in the sense of 'a man's family (wife, children,
29
and other members of the household)'. Thus in Ex. 10.8ff.
Pharaoh agrees to let the Israelites go and offer worship, and
asks who are to go. Moses replies that they wish to take young
and old, sons and daughters, sheep and cattle. Pharaoh objects,
saying (10) καθότι αποστέλλω υμάς, μή και τήν άποσκευήν υμών;
... (11) μή ούτως· πορευέσθωσαν δέ οί άνδρες, και λατρεύσατε τω
θεω. The plague of locusts follows; then the three days of
darkness. Pharaoh relents, and says: (24) Βαδίζετε, λατρεύσατε
κυρίω τω θεω υμών πλήν τών προβάτων και τών βοών ύπολίπεσθε·
καΙ ή αποσκευή υμών άποτρεχέτω μεθ' υμών. (The sing, here is of
28. See also Skinner, Genesis (ICC), on Ge. AT.12.
Cf. KB s.v., who give the basic sense as 'those of a nomadic
tribe who are not (or in small extent) able to march'.
29. αποσκευή renders W in all the places cited unless otherwise
indicated.
I leave out of account Ex. 27.19, 39.22, Nu. 32.16, where ^
the major MSS disagree on the reading.