Lachish letters

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ostrakon Lachisch III, obverse (replica)
Ostrakon Lachisch III, back side (replica)

The Lachisch letters (also: Lachisch-Ostraka ) are 21 described pottery shards that were found in the excavations in 1935 and 1938 on the Tel Lachisch (Tel ed-Duweir). Most of the letters are now in the British Museum in London , some in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem .

In 1935, 18 letters were found in the outer gate area of ​​the southwest bastion. They lay in a layer of fire under the floor of Persian period buildings. In 1938 three more ostracas were found. The majority of the letters belong to the time of Nebuchadnezzar II and his second campaign to Judah , immediately before the conquest of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Chr.

Text of the letters

Lachish 1

BM 125701

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. גמריהו. בן הצליהו.
2. יאזניהו. בן טבשלם.
3. חגב. בן. יאזניהו.
4. מבטחיהו בן ירמיהו
5. מתניהו. בן. נריהו

1. gmrjhw. bn hṣljhw.
2. j'znjhw. bn ṭbšlm.
3. ḥgb. bn. j'znjhw.
4. mbṭḥjhw bn jrmjhw
5. mtnjhw. bn. nrjhw

1. Gemariah, son of Hazaliah
2. Jaasaniah, son of Tobschalom
3. Hagab, son of Jaasaniah
4. Mibtachiah, son of Jirmeiah
5. Mattaniah, son of Neriah

Lachish 2

BM 125702

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. אל אדני. יאוש ישמע.
2. יהוה את אדני. שמעת של
3. ם. עת. כים. עת. כים מי. עבד
4. ך. כלב. כי. זכר. אדני. את.
5. [ע] בדה. יבכר. יהוה את א
6. [דנ] י. דבר. אשר. לא. ידעתה

1. 'l' dnj. j'wš jšm '.
2. jhwh 't' dnj. šm't šl
3rd m. 't. kjm. 't. kjm mj. 'bd
4. k. klb. kj. zkr. 'dnj. 't.
5. ['] bdh. jbkr. yhwh 't'
6. [dn] j. dbr. 'šr. l '. yd'th

1. To my Lord Ja'ūsch. Let it be heard
2. YHWH my Lord messages of salvation 3 s
3. now immediately, now immediately! Who is 4 your 3 servants (if not)
4. a dog that my master remembered
5. his servant? May YHWH be the first to grant
6. my 5 H 6 [err] n, which you do not (yet) know!

Lachish 3

Hebrew text transcription translation

Front:
1. עבדך. הושעיהו. שלח. ל
2. הגד לאדני. [י] א [ו] ש. ישמע.
3. יהו [ה את] אדני. שמעת. שלם
4. ו [שמעת. טב] ועת הפקח
5. נא את אזן עבדך לספר. אשר
6. שלחתה אל עבדך אמש. כי. לב
7. עבדך דוה. מאז. שלחך. אל. עבד
8. ך וכי אמר. אדני. לא. ידעתה.
9. קרא ספר חיהוה. אם. נסה. א
10. יש לקרא לי ספר לנצח. וגם.
11. כל ספר אשר יבא. אלי אם.
12. קראתי. אתה ועוד. אתננהו
13. אל. מאומ [ה ו] לעבדך. הגד.
14. לאמר ירד שר. הצבא
15. כני [הו] בן אלנתן לבא.
16. מצרימה. ואת
Back:
17. הודויהו בן אחיהו ו
18. אנשו שלח. לקחת. מזה.
19. וספר. טביהו עבד. המלך. הבא
20. אל. שלם. בן ידע. מאת. הנבא. לאמ
21. ר. השמר. שלחה. עב <ד> ך. אל. אדני.

Front:
1. 'bdk. hwš'jhw. šlḥ. l
2. hgd l'dnj. [j] '[w] š. jšm '.
3rd jhw [h 't]' dnj. šm't. šlm
4. w [šm't. ṭb] w't hpqḥ
5. n '' t 'zn' bdk lspr. 'šr
6. šlḥth' l 'bdk' mš. kj. lb
7. 'bdk dwh. m'z. šlḥk. 'l. 'bd
8.k wkj' mr. 'dnj. l '. jd'th.
9. qr 'spr ḥjhwh. 'm. nsh. '10
. jš lqr' lj spr lnṣḥ. wgm.
11. kl spr 'šr jb'. 'lj' m.
12. qr'tj. 'th w'wd. 'tnnhw
13.' l. m'wm [hw] l'bdk. hgd.
14. l'mr yrd śr. hṣb '15
. knj [hw] bn' lntn lb '.
16. mṣrjmh. w't
back:
17. hwdwjhw bn 'ḥjhw w
18.' nšw šlḥ. lqḥt. mzh.
19. wspr. ṭbjhw 'bd. hmlk. hb '20
.' l. šlm. bn sb '. m't. hnb '. l'm
21. r. hšmr. šlḥh. 'b <d> k. 'l. 'dnj.

Front:
1. Your servant Hōscha'jāhū hereby sends to
2. report to my lord [J] ā '[ū] sch 1 to 2 . Let it be heard
3rd JHW [H] my Lord News of salvation
4th and [good news]! And now: open
5. your servant's ear to the letter that
you 6. sent to your servant yesterday evening! For the heart
7. Your servant is sick, since you (him) have sent to 8 your seven servants.
8. And if my Lord says, "You are not able
9 to read a letter!" As surely as the LORD lives, never ever 10 mand 9 attempts
10 read to me a letter, never! And also
11. every letter that comes to me after
12. I have read it, I give it back
13. down to its details. [And] your servant was reported
14. As follows: “The commander-in-chief of the army,
15. Konjā [hū], the son of 'Elnātān, came down to go
16. to Egypt and
reverse:
17. Hōdawjāhū, the son of 'Achījāhū and
18. He sent his people to take provisions.
19. And the letter of Ṭōbjāhū, the servant of the king, who came
20th to Shallum, the son of Jaddua 'by the prophet folgenderma 21 SEN:
21 "! Beware," which sends your Dien <er> hereby to my Mr.

Lachish 4

Hebrew text transcription translation

Front:
1. ישמע. יה [וה את אדני] עת כים.
2. שמעת טב. ועת. ככל אשר. שלח. אדני
3. כן. עשה. עבדך. כתבתי. על הדלת ככל.
4. אשר. שלח [אדני א] לי. וכי. שלח א
5. דני. על. דבר. בית הרפד. אין שם א
6. דם וסמכיהו לקחה שמעיהו ו
7. יעלהו העירה ועבדך. אינ [נ]
8. י שולח שמה אֹתֹה עו [ד ? ]
Back:
9. כי אם. בתסבת הבקר [… ? ]
10. וידע כי אל. משאת לכש. נח
11. נו שמרים. ככל. האתת. אשר
נתן 12. אדני. כי לא. נראה את עז
13. קה.


Obverse : 1. jšm '. jh [wh 't' dnj] 't kym.
2. šm't ṭb. w't. kkl 'šr. šlḥ. 'dnj
3rd kn. 'śh. 'bdk. ktbtj. 'l hdlt kkl.
4. 'šr. šlḥ ['dnj'] lj. wkj. šlḥ '
5th dnj. 'l. dbr. bjt hrpd. 'jn šm'
6. dm wsmkjhw lqḥh šm'jhw w
7. j'lhw h'jrh w'bdk. 'jn [n]
8. j šlḥ šmh' th 'w [d ?
Back:
9. kj 'm. btsbt hbqr [… ? ]
10. wjd 'kj' l. mś't lkš. nḥ
11. nw šmrm. kkl. h'tt. 'šr ntn
12.' dnj kj l '. nr'h 't' z
13. qh.

Front:
1. Let it be heard by JH [WH my Lord] today
2. Messages of salvation! And now, according to all that my lord had sent,
3. so did your servant. I wrote on the writing board (or: door / column) according to everything
4. that [m] ir [my Lord] had sent. And when
5. my Lord has sent in the matter of Bēt Hārāpīd, there is no 6 and
6. (any more). And (as to) Semachjāhū, (see above) Shema'jāhū took him and
7. brought him up to the city. And your servant, 8 send him 7 [i] 8 ch 7 not
8. there anymore.
Back:
9. But when morning comes [will it come ? ]
10. And (my lord) may know that we 11 r 10
(can) observe the signals of Lachish 11. according to all the signs that gave
12. My lord. Because we cannot (can) see
13. 12 As 13 eqa .

Lachish 5

BM 125703

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. ישמע [. יהוה את אד] ני
2. [שמעת. של] ם ו [טב. עת
3. [כים עת כים. ] מי עבדך.
4. כלב. כי [שלחת] אל עבד
5. ך. את ה [ספרם. כ] זא
6. [ת] השב. עבדך. הספר
7. ם. אל אדני. יראך י
8. הוה. הקצ [ר] בטב
9. הים. ה [א] ל. עבדך. י <ב> א
10. טביהו. זרע למלך

1. jšm '[. jhwh 't' d] nj
2. [šm't. šl] mw [ṭb. 't
3. kjm' t kjm. ] mj 'bdk.
4. klb. kj [šlḥt] 'l' bd
5. k. 'th [sprm. k] z '
6. [t] hšb. 'bdk. hspr
7. m. 'l' dnj. jr'k j 8.hwh
. hqṣ [r] bṭb
9. hjm. h ['] l. 'bdk. j <b> '10
. ṭbjhw. zr 'lmk

1. Let it hear [YHWH] my [sir] rn
2. [News of peace] and [the good now]
3. [immediately, now immediately! ] Who is your servant,
4. (if not) a dog that [you have sent] to 5 your 4 servants
5. the [letters. ? Exactly 6 so
6. your servant sent the letters 7 fe 8 back
7. to my master. May you be seen J 8 HWH
8. the harvest in abundance
9. today. Will
you bring to your servant 10. 10.obījāhū seed of the king?

Lachish 6

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. אל אדני יאוש. ירא. יהוה א
2. ת אדני את העת הזה. שלם. מי
3. עבדך. כלב. כי. שלח. אדנ [י את ספ]
4. ר המלך [ואת] ספרי השר [ם לאמ]
5. ר קרא נא. והנה. דברי. ה [שר (ם?)]
6. לא טבם לרפת ידיך [...]
7. קט ידי ה [א ... ידע ...]
8. פ [ו ...] ע כ [... אדני ] הלא [תכ]
9. תב א [ל ... למה] ת [ע] שו.
10. כזאת [... ו ... י ...] ה ל
11. מלך [... י ...] ו [...]
12. [...] חייהוה אלה
13. יך כ [ י ...] אז קרא [עב]
14. דך [את] הספר [מ? ...]
15. ל [...] וח [...]

1. 'l' dnj j'wš. jr '. jhwh '
2. t' dnj 'th't hzh. šlm. mj
3. 'bdk. klb. kj. šlḥ. 'dn [j' t sp]
4. r hmlk [w't] sprj hśr [m l'm]
5. r qr 'n'. whnh. dbrj. h [śr (m?)
6. l 'ṭbm lrpt jdjk […]
7. qṭ jdj h ['… jd '…]
8. p [w…]' k [… 'dnj] hl' [tk]
9. tb '[l… lmh] t ['] św.
10. kz't [… w… j…] hl
11. mlk [… j…] w […]
12. […] ḥyyhwh 'lh
13. jk k [j…]' zqr '[' b]
14. dk ['t] hspr [m ? …]
15. l […] wḥ […]

1. To my Lord Jāʻūsch. Let it see YHWH
2. my 1 n 2 Lord at this time peace! Who is
3. your servant (if not) a dog that [my] master sent [the letter ] 4 f
4. the king [and] ate the letters of the officials [n the following] 5 :
5. “Read (them ) but!" And behold, the words of the [officials ? ]
6. are not good. Your ? To make hands slack [... ? ]
7.… the hands of [… he knows ? …]
8. [… sir], don't you want to shout 9 iben
9. a [n them like this: “Why] [do] you
10. so?” [... ? ] to the
11th king [… ? ]
12. [...] As surely as the LORD lives, 13 your 12 Got 13 t,
13 [...] 14 your 13 Tue 14 he
14 the letter [e ? ...]
15. [...]

Lachish 7

BM 125715

Only a few letters have survived, making reconstruction impossible. At the beginning of line 7 there is maybeבשלם bšlm , German 'in peace' or the personal name ṭbšlm "Ṭōbschalōm" can be added.

Lachish 8

BM 125704

Hebrew text transcription translation

Front:
1. ישמ [ע. יהוה את אדני שמ]
2. [ע] ת [טב. ע] ת כים כים וה [נ]
3. ה [. מ] נ [ע ... למ] לך. מא
4. ב. רח [...] י [...] ך יהוה
5. [...] ד \ ר [...]
6. [...]
Back:
7. למ [...] י [...] אכזב
8. וה [...] אדני. שמ [ה]


Obverse : 1. jšm ['. jhwh 't' dnj šm]
2. ['] t [ṭb. '] t kjm kjm wh [n]
3. h [. m] n ['... lm] lk. m '
4. b. rḥ [...] j […] k jhwh
5. [...] d / r [...]
6. [...]
back:
7. lm […] j […] 'kzb
8. wh […] 'dnj. šm [h]

Front:
1. May [YHWH] hear [my Lord] 2 [good] 1 [news] 2 [I] th
2. today, yes today. And they [h] 3 e
3. [... to the king of Moa 4 b
4. [...] JHWH
5. [...]
6. [...]
Back:
7. [.. .] 'Achzib
8. [...] my lord dor [t].

Lachish 9

BM 125705

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. ישמע יהוה את [אד]
2. ני ש [מעת] שלם. ו
3. [ע] ת תן. לחם 10 ו
4. [יין] 2 [השב]
5. [לע] בדך [ד]
6. בר ב
7. יד ש [ל] מיהו א
8. שר נ [עש] ה מ
9. חר

1. jšm 'jhwh' t ['d]
2. nj š [m't] šlm. w
3. ['] t tn. lḥm 10 w
4. [jjn] 2 [hšb]
5. [l '] bdk [d]
6. br b
7. jd š [l] mjhw'
8. šr n ['ś] h. m
9th ḥr

1. It'll hear YHWH 2 my 1 Her 2 rn
2. Nac [HPoint] of salvation! And
3. [n] un: Give 10 (loaf) bread and
4. 2 [( bath ? ) Wine]. [Ant] 5 [wo] 6 rte
5. your [Di] ener
6. du 7 rch
7. Schelemjāhū, w 8 as
8. we
9. 8 mo 9 rgen 8 should do.

Lachish 10

BM 125709

The letter contains maybe 13 lines. Except for a few ל "L" no letters can be recognized.

Lachish 11

BM 125712

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. בל […]
2. אלנתן
3. מכיהו
4. סמכיהו
5. צדק […]
6. [… ? ]

1. bl [… tracks ]
2. 'lntn
3. mkjhw
4. smkjhw
5. ṣdq…
6. [ tracks ? ]

1. BL [… ? ]
2. 'Elnātān
3. Michajāhū
4. Semachjāhū
5. Ṣidqi [jāhū ? ]
6. [… ? ]

Lachish 12

BM 125713

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. […] כלב. אדני ה […]
2. [… ס] פר
3. [ח] ייהוה […] י
4. [קר] אתי [א] תה עבד
5. […]
6. […] אדני
7. […] ה . עבדך
8. [...]

1. [...] klb. 'dnj h […]
2. [… s] pr
3. [ḥ] jjhwh […] j
4. [qr] ʼtj [ʼ] th ʻbd
5. […]
6. […] ʼdnj
7. […] H . ʼBdk
8. [...]

1. […] dog, my lord […]
2. [… B] cried
3. As true as YHWH [le] bt […]
4. I [have] [succeeded], servant
5. […]
6. […] my lord
7. […] your servant
8. […]

Lachish 13

BM 125714

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. קמו לעשת מלאכה
2. מסמ [כיהו… ח] פרה […] ו
3. […] את. אשפת

1. qmw l'śt ml'kh.
2. msm [kjhw ... ḥ] prh ... w
3. […] 't. 'špt

1. Get up to do work!
2. From Sema [chjāhū ? ...] he should dig it up [...]
3. [...] the quivers

Lachish 14

BM 125711

The letter contains maybe ten or eleven lines and is illegible.

Lachish 15

BM 125710

The letter is illegible.

Lachish 16

BM 125706

Hebrew text transcription translation

Front:
1. […] חמ ה \ ד […]
2. […] ה \ ד הי […]
3. […] שלחה ש […]
4. […] פר. בניך […]
5. […] הוהננא
6. […] מ […]
Back:
7. […] ח \ הא […]
8. […] ד ה […]
9. […] שלח. א […]
10. […] ב \ ע ד \ ר ו ח \ הו […]

Front:
1. […] ḥm h / d […]
2. […] h / d hj […]
3. […] šlḥh š […]
4. […] pr. bnjk […]
5. […] hwhnn '[…]
6. […] m […]
back:
7. […] ḥ / h' […]
8. […] dh […]
9. [… ] šlḥ. '[…]
10. […] b /' d / rw ḥ / hw […]

The recognizable letters cannot be translated together.

Lachish 17

BM 125707

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. […] עבד […]
2. […] אדני […]
3. […] ר \ דניד \ ר […]

1. […] ʻbd […]
2. […] ʼdnj […]
3. […] r / dnjd / r […]

1. […] servant
2. […] my lord
3. […]

Lachish 18

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. עד הערב […] שלם ישלח [ע] ב [דך ? ] הספר אשר
2. שלח אדני […] זר הא […]

1. ʻd hʻrb […] šlm jšlḥ [ʻ] b [dk ʼt ? ] hspr ʼšr
2. šlḥ ʼdnj […] zr. H[…]

1. Until the evening […] šlm will send [your] di [he] who ? Letter
sent by my master 2. [... ? ]

Lachish 19

BM 125708

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. בן. עזר. 10
2. פקח. 11
3. מבל. 20 \ 50
4. שמעיהו 20 \ 50 ?
5. יבש […]
6. ל […]
7. […] 11
8. […]
9. […]

1. bn. 'zr. 10
2. pqḥ. 11
3rd mbl. 20/50
4. šm'jhw 20/50 ?
5. jbš [… tracks ]
6. l [… tracks ]
7. […] 11
8. […]
9. […]

1. Son of 'Ezer 10
2. Peqach 11
3. Mabal 20/50
4. Shemajāhū 20/50 ?
5. Yabesh […]
6. [… ? ]
7. […] 11
8. […]
9. […]

Lachish 20

BM 1980,1214.16707

Hebrew text transcription translation

1. בתשעית בית […] יהו
2. חכלי [הו ? ...] זן [...]

1. btš'jt bjt […] jhw
2. ḥklj [hw ? ...] zn [...]

1. in the ninth (year), house of […] jāhū
2. Ḥachaljā [hū ? …] Variety ? [...]

Lachish 21

BM 125715, op

Hebrew text transcription translation

Front:
1. אל א [דני… ישמע יהו]
2. ה. את א [דני שמעת שלם…]
3. ת. כל אש [ר…]
4. וץ אדני […]
5. והא […]
Back:
6. א […]
7. טכ […] הד \ ר […]
8. ב \ נ […] ל […] א \ ת פ […]
9. מדאנ […]
10. חר […]
11 . דח [...]


Obverse : 1. 'l' [dnj… jšmʻ jhw]
2. h. 't' [dnj šmʻt šlm…]
3. t. kl 'š [r…]
4. wṣ' dnj […]
5. wh '[…]
back:
6.' […]
7. ṭk […] hd / r […]
8. b / n […] l […] '/ tp […]
9. md'n […]
10. ḥr […]
11. dḥ […]

Front:
1. To [my] M [errn… Let it be heard by JHW] 2 H
2. [my] M [errn messages of salvation…]
3. […] everything that [s…]
4. [… ? ] sir ? […]
5. […]
Back:
6. […]
7. […]
8. […]
9. […]
10. […]
11. […]

See also

Web links

Commons : Lachish letters  - collection of images, videos, and audio files
  1. ^ Lachisch 1 (with photo).
  2. ^ Lachisch 2 (with photo).
  3. ↑ Lachisch 5 (with photo).
  4. ↑ Lachish 7 .
  5. ↑ Lachish 8 .
  6. ↑ Lachish 9 .
  7. ↑ Lachish 10 .
  8. ↑ Lachish 11 .
  9. ↑ Lachish 12 .
  10. ↑ Lachisch 13 (with photo).
  11. ↑ Lachish 14 .
  12. ↑ Lachish 15 .
  13. ↑ Lachish 16 .
  14. ↑ Lachish 17 .
  15. ↑ Lachish 19 .
  16. ↑ Lachish 20 .
  17. ↑ Lachisch 21 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ KAI I, 192, p. 44.
  2. ↑ KAI I, 193, p. 44.
  3. ^ KAI I, 194, p. 45.
  4. ^ KAI I, 195, p. 45.
  5. ↑ KAI I, 196, p. 45.
  6. ↑ KAI I, 197, p. 45.
  7. ^ KAI I, 198, p. 45.
  8. ↑ KAI I, 199, p. 45.
  • ( B ) Abigail Zammit: The Lachish Letters: A Reappraisal of the Ostraca Discovered in 1935 and 1938 at Tell ed-Duweir. Volume 1, St. Antony's College 2016 ( online ).
  1. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 95-100.
  2. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 100–113.
  3. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 113–132.
  4. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 132–140.
  5. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 140–145.
  6. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 146–149.
  7. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 149–150.
  8. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 150–152.
  9. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 152–154.
  10. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 154–155.
  11. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 155–156.
  12. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 156–158.
  13. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 158–161.
  14. ↑ Zammit 2016, p. 161.
  15. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 161–162.
  16. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 162–163.
  17. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 163–164.
  18. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 164–166.
  19. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 166–171.
  20. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 171–174.
  21. ↑ Zammit 2016, pp. 174-180.
  • ( C ) Herbert Donner, Wolfgang Röllig: Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions. Volume 2: 3rd edition 1973.
  1. ↑ KAI II, 192, pp. 189-191
  2. ↑ KAI II, 193, pp. 191-193
  3. ↑ KAI II, 194, pp. 193-196
  4. ↑ KAI II, 195, p. 196
  5. ↑ KAI II, 196, pp. 196–197
  6. ↑ KAI II, 197, pp. 197-198
  7. ^ KAI II, 198, p. 198
  8. ↑ KAI II, 199, pp. 198-199
  1. ↑ HTAT 2010, pp. 420-421.
  2. ↑ HTAT 2010, pp. 421-422.
  3. ↑ HTAT 2010, p. 423.
  4. ↑ HTAT 2010, pp. 423-424.