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No. 35 — Menahem's acknowledgement of a debt of silver to Salluah

The Jewish garrison of Elephantine · a new plain-English translation from the Aramaic

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Date| 21 [Pham]enoth, year 5 of King Amyrtaeus

1| On 21 [Pham]enoth, year 5 of King Amyrtaeus, then

2| said [Menahem] son of [Shal]lum, an Aramean of Elephantine the fortress, in the detachment of Nabukudurri,

3| addressing Sallu[ah] daughter of Sa[m]uah, as follows: There is due to you from me silver, 2 sh(ekels),

4| that is, [silv]{er}, 1 stater, from the portion of the silver and goods that are in the document concerning

5| your marriage. I, Menahem, shall give it and pay it to you by

6| 30 Pharmouthi, year 5 of King Amy[rta]eus. [If I do n]ot

7| [pay] and give you this silver, 2 [s]hekels, [that is,] [1] stater,

8| [by] this [date] which is written above, [and] [1 Pa]chons [ar]rives,

9| this silver of yours [shall be owing], silver, [2] sh[ekels], that is, sil[ver, 1 stat]er,

10| [and I will give] you, [you] Salluah, your [silver] and […] your [sil]ver

11| … all {until} [if I s]ue yo[u or sue] a s[on

frag b.1| (fragment b) {t-m} … ḥ

frag b.2| (fragment b) this … ky

frag b.3| (fragment b) sh … not

frag b.4| (fragment b) y{d}

frag b.5| (fragment b) ʾ

frag c.1| (fragment c) ṣ

frag c.2| (fragment c) barley

frag c.3| (fragment c) 3 shekels

frag c.4| (fragment c) to the {prefect}

frag c.5| (fragment c) silve(r)

frag c.6| (fragment c) mn

frag d.1| (fragment d) tnq

frag d.2| (fragment d) suit … ʾ

frag d.3| (fragment d) … all

frag d.4| (fragment d) ʾ

frag e.1| (fragment e) …

frag e.2| (fragment e) {in}side

frag f.1| (fragment f) …

frag f.2| (fragment f) {s}m sh

frag f.3| (fragment f) … ʿ …

frag f.4| (fragment f) …

Cite a passage by its number: every paragraph here has its own anchor (for example https://openscriptorium.com/read/elephantine/035-no-35-menahem-s-acknowledgement-of-a-debt-of-silver-to-sallu#p1), and the bracketed reference numbers link the same way.

An original translation made in 2026 by Scriptorium Press, working directly from the Aramaic text (never from another English translation), in one consistent modern voice. Free to read, download, and listen — no accounts, no paywalls.

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