The Jewish garrison of Elephantine · a new plain-English translation from the Aramaic
Date| 25 (partly restored) Tishri, that is day 6 of Epiphi, year […] of King Artaxerxes
1| On 25 ([5] restored, the 20 doubtful) [of] Tishri, [that is day] 6 of the month Epiphi, [year … of Artaxerx]es the kin[g],
2| Eshor son of [Seho], builder of the king, said to Mah[seiah, an A]ramean of Syene, of the detachment
3| of Varizath, as follows: I [ca]me to your house so that you would give me your daughter Mibtahiah in marriage.
4| She is my wife and I am her husband from this day and forever. I have given you as the bride-price
5| of your daughter Mibtahiah [silver] 5 shekels by the king's weights. It has come to you, and your heart is satisfied
6| with it. I have brought in to your [daughter] Mibtahiah, into her hand, silv[er] for an outfit, 1 karsh 2 shekels by the king's
7| weights, silver at 2 quarters to the 10. I {brought in} to {her}, into her hand, 1 garment of wool, new, striped,
8| dyed on both sides, 8 cubits long by 5, [w]orth silver 2 karsh 8 shekels
9| by the king's weights; 1 new shawl, 8 (one unit doubtful) cubits long by 5, worth
10| silver 8 shekels by the king's weights; another garment of wool, thin,
11| 6 cubits long by 4, worth silver 7 shekels; 1 mirror of bronze, worth
12| silver 1 shekel 2 quarters; 1 bo[wl] of bronze, worth silver 1 shekel 2 quarters; 2 cups of bronze,
13| worth silver 2 (partly restored) shekels; 1 jug of bronze, worth silver 2 quarters. All the silver
14| and the value of the goods: silver 6 karsh 5 shekel 20 hallurs, silver at 2 quarters to the 10, by the king's
15| weights. It has come to me, and my heart is [sat]isfied with it. 1 bed of papyrus reed, on which are 4 inlays
16| of stone; 1 dish of slq; 2 ladles, tqm, h(allurs) 8, of ivory, 1 msh'n; 1 chest of palm leaf, new.
17| Tomorrow or a[not]her day, should Eshor die and have no child, male or female,
18| by Mi[btah]iah his wife, Mibtahiah has the right to the house
19| of Eshor and [his] goods and his property and everything he owns on the face of the earth,
20| all of it. Tomorrow or any day, should Mibtahiah die and have no child, male or female,
21| by Eshor her husband, Eshor shall inherit from her her goods
22| and her property. Tomorrow [or an]other day, should [Mib]tahiah stand up in the assembly
23| and say, 'I hate Eshor my husband,' the silver of hatred is on her head: she shall sit at
24| the scale and weigh out to [Es]hor silver 7 (one unit doubtful) shekels 2 quarters, and all that she brought in
25| in her hand she shall take out, from {straw} to thread, and go away [to] wherever she wishes, and
26| there shall be no suit and no process. Tomorrow or another day, should Eshor stand up in the assembly
27| and say, 'I hate my [wi]fe Mibtahiah,' her bride-price [shall] be lost, and all that she brought in
28| in her hand she shall take out, from straw to thread, on one day, at one stroke, and go away
29| wherever she wishes, {from} no suit and no process. And [if] he rises up against Mibtahiah
30| to drive her out from the house of Eshor and his goods and his property, he shall give her
31| silver 20 karsh, and the law of this document shall [apply] to her. And I shall not be able to say,
32| 'I have another wife besides Mibtahiah, and other children besides the children whom
33| Mibtahiah will bear me.' If I say, 'I have ch[ildren] and another wife besides
34| Mibtahiah and her children,' I will give to Mibtahiah silv[er] 20 karsh by the king's
35| weights. And I shall not be able to [ta]ke away my goods and my property from Mib[tah]iah; and if I remove {them}
36| from her (erased: in accordance with a[nother docu]ment), I will give to Mibtahiah [silver] 20 karsh by the ki[ng's] weights.
37| Nathan son of {Ananiah} wrote [this document at the dictation of Eshor], and the witnesses hereto:
38| Penuliah son of Jezaniah; […]iah son of {Uriah}; Menahem son of [Za]ccur.
39| Witness Reibel {son} [of] …
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