The Jewish garrison of Elephantine · a new plain-English translation from the Aramaic
Date| 20 Marheshwan, year 17 (partly restored)
1| To o[ur lord Bagohi, governor of Judah, your servants Jedaniah and] his [colleagues], the pr[iests
2| may the God [of Heaven s]eek after at all times; may he [gr]a[nt you] favor [before Da]rius […]
3| and give you long life; and be happy and strong at all times. Now your serv[ant] Jedaniah […]
4| year 14 of King Darius, when Arsames went out and went [to] the {k}ing […]
5| the fortress, silver and goods they gave to Vidranga, the frataraka who was here, s[aying:
6| "Let them remove from there." Then that Vidranga, the wretch, sent a letter to Ne[fay]an his son, wh[o
7| of Yahu the God which is in Elephantine the fortress let them destroy." Then that Nefayan {led} the Egypt[ians
8| their weapons; they entered that temple, they demolished it to the ground, and the columns of s[tone
9| 5 great gateways, made of hewn stone, that were in that t[em]ple […]
10| those, of bronze; and the roofing of that temple, all of it, timbers of cedar, with the r[est
11| they burned with fire; and the basins of gold and of silver and the [thin]gs […]
12| they made. And from the time of Egypt's kings our fathers built that temple in Elephantine […]
13| found that one built; and the temples of the Egyptians' gods, [a]l[l of them, they overthrew], and anyone any[thing
14| done. We, with our wives and children, were wearing sackcloth and f[asting
15| let us gloat over that Vidranga, the dog: they took his fetters off his feet, and a[ll
16| who sought harm for that temple, all were killed, and we looked on them. Moreover […]
17| to us. A letter about this […] we sent to our lord, al[so] to Johanan […]
18| and to Ostanes, brother of Anani, and the Judean nobles; one let[ter] […]
19| year 14 of King Darius, and until this day we have been wearing sackclo[th
20| we do not anoint with oil and we do not drink wine. [Moreover, fr]om that t[im]e until th[is
21| meal-offering, incense and burnt offering {they have} not made in that temple. Now […]
22| and the Jews, all the citizens of Elephantine, say thus: If it please our lo[r]d, t[ake thought
23| they let us build it. Look on the recipients of your goodness and your friends who are here […]
24| about the temple of Yahu the God, to build it in Elephantine the fortress as […]
25| and burnt offering we will offer on the altar of Yahu the God in your name, and we will pr[ay
26| and the Jews, all who are here. If you do this, until that temple [is rebuilt
27| Heaven, more than a man who offers him burnt offering and sacrifices worth the value of a thousand talents of silver. About […]
28| the matters, in one letter, under our name, we sent to Delaiah and Shelemiah, the s[ons
29| of all that has been done to us Arsames knew nothing. On 20 Marheshwan, year 17 (partly restored).
Cite a passage by its number: every paragraph here has its own anchor (for example https://openscriptorium.com/read/elephantine/031-no-31-duplicate-petition-to-bagohi-to-rebuild-the-temple-of#p1), and the bracketed reference numbers link the same way.
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