A “Betdawd” miscellany: DWD, DWD’ or DWDH?

Abstract

Owing to certain linguistic facts, it is impossible to read Bytdwd in the Tel Dan inscription as “David's house”. Rather, it seems evident that DWD is to be understood as a DN, and the combined name then constitutes a parallel to placenames like Beth‐El or Beth‐Semes. This presumption would seem to be supported by a placename reference in 1 Henoch. As far as pure Aramaic‐language parallels to the expression are concernd, scholars have overlooked the Hatran bt dwd’, a euphemism for “kitchen”. Finally, Josef Tropper's recent study of the inscription is too slavish in following the date provided by the original publishers of the fragment; furthermore, he is forced to leap to linguistic expedients which have little in their favour to make his interpretation work.

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