ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE

IN UMSCHRIFT UND UBERSETZUNG

IM AUFTRAGE DER KONIGLICH NIEDERLANDISCHEN

AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN

HERAUSGEGEBEN VON

K.R. VEENHOF

HEFT 14

K.R. VEENHOF

LETTERS
IN THE LOUVRE
 LETTERS
IN THE LOUVRE

TRANSLITERATED AND TRANSLATED

BY

K.R. VEENHOF

BRILL
LEIDEN-BOSTON
2005

CAtHOU( llN-IVfft
 This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

~~hu
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38''6(
. A's-
~,ttf

ISSN 0065-6593
ISBN 90 04 15081

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 PREFACE

This volume has a long history. The letters of TCL 1, which had been
edited by A. Ungnad, in 1914, in his Babylonische Briefe (BB), were
collated by R. Frankena in the early stages of the AbB project. As research
assistant of F .R. Kraus in 1966-68 I prepared transliterations of the letters in
TCL 17-18 and filed their lexical and prosopographical data. No edition,
however, was planned, since G. Dos sin, the author of TCL 17-18, had the
intention of editing these letters himself. When finally, due to his age, he
gave up this plan and offered them to Kraus for inclusion in AbB, I returned
to the manuscript and in 1989 collated all letters in Paris. Progress,
however, was slow, mainly because I had just started to copy and publish
the "Ktiltepe Texts" in Berlin (published as VAS 26, in 1992). In 1991 I was
invited by Professor Tahsin bzgtic; to study two large archives of Old
Assyrian texts excavated at Kanish-Ktiltepe, which made me concentrate on
Old Assyrian for many years. When work on AbB 14 had been resumed, I
discovered, in 1998, the "Old Assyrian Eponym List", the publication of
which had to be given priority. Final collations for AbB 14 were made in
August 2002, now also of the letters published by Arnaud in 1983 and 1989.
I express my gratitude to all those who have helped me to realize this
volume. Annie Caubet and Beatrice Andre-Salvini received me very kindly
in The Louvre and made my work there both pleasant and efficient. I am
grateful to Frans van Koppen for computerizing many of the transliterations
and offering useful observations. Theo Krispijn assisted me with Sumerian
lexical references and Guy Deutscher with some notes on the translation.
Bert Kouwenberg and Marten Stol helped me by a critical reading of the
completed manuscript. The grammatical expertise of the former resulted in
several corrections in the transcriptions and translations. Marten Stol
deserves my sincere gratitude for tracing mistakes, proposing improvements,
and supplying me with references to relevant literature and notes on lexical,
archival and prosopographical matters. In the footnotes they are credited for
suggestions taken over or mentioned in the final manuscript, which, together
with the decisions and choices it incorporates, of course is my responsibility.
This applies also to its camera-ready version, which is an attempt to help
keeping this basic text edition, in line with the aims of the AbB project,
J affordable for every interested Assyriologist.

July 2005 K.R. VEENHOF

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations VII

I. Introduction IX
1. Provenance and date of the letters X
2. Groups of letters and archival lots xv
a. Royal letters XVI
b. School letters XVI
c. Letters to Lipit-Ea XVII
d. Letters of Silli-Samas XVIII
e. Letters to Nur-Samas xx
f. Letters to Nabi-Samas XXI
g. Letters of Samas-ha~ir and Zinfi XXI
h. Letters of Dadaya XXI
i. Letters of Ilima-ilum XXII
j. Letters of Ahum XXII
k. Various smaller groups XXIII
3. Envelopes and copies XXIV
4. Editorial format XXV

II. Concordance of museum numbers and text editions XXIX

III. Indices XXXIII

1. Writers and addressees of the letters XXXIII
2. Geographical names XXXVI
3. Gods and kings XXXVII

IV. Texts and translations of letters nos. 1:-226 1

V. Lexical Notes 205

VI. Collations 221

 ABBREVIATIONS

AO Accession numbers of Le Musee du Louvre.

BB A. Ungnad, Babylonische Briefe aus der Zeit der
Hammurabi-Dynastie (VAB 6, Leipzig 1914),
quoted by number.
Breckwoldt, Grain Storage Tina Breckwoldt, 'Management of Grain Storage in
Old Babylonian Larsa', AfO 42/43 (1995/6) 64-88
(with editions of unpubl. Larsa texts in the Yale
Babylonian Collection).
Charpin, Babylonie D. Charpin, 'La Babylonie de Samsu-iluna a la
lumiere de nouveaux documents', BiOr 38 (1981)
cols. 517-547
Charpin, Clerge D. Charpin, Le clerge d'Ur au siecle d'Hammurabi
(XIX.e-XVIW siecles av. 1.-C.) (Geneve/Paris, 1986).
Coquerillat, Pheniculture D. Coquerillat, 'Apen;us sur la pheniculture en
Babylonie a l'epoque d~ la Iere dynastie de
Babylone', JESHO 10 (1967) 161-222.
Deutscher, Syntactic Change Guy Deutscher, Syntactic Change in Akkadian. The
Evolution of Sentential Complementation (Oxford
2000).
Dyckhoff, Balmunam!Je Chr. Dyckhoff, Das Haushaltbuch des Balmunam!Je
(unpubl. diss. Mtinchen 1999);
Ebeling E. Ebeling, Altbabylonische Briefe der Louvre
Sammlung aus Larsa (MAOG 15, Leipzig 1942).
Kouwenberg, Gemination N.J.C. Kouwenberg, Gemination in the Akkadian
Verb (Stud. Sem. Neerlandica 32, Assen 1997)
Kraus, Briefschreibubungen P.R. Kraus, 'Briefschreibtibungen im altbabyloni-
schen Schulunterricht', JEOL 16 (1959-62) 16-39.
Kraus, Edikt F.R. Kraus, Ein Edikt des Konigs Ammi-$aduqa
von Babylon (SD 5, Leiden 1958).
Kraus, Koppelungen P.R. Kraus, Sonderformen akkadischer Parataxe:
Die Koppelungen (MKNA W 50/1, 1987).
Kraus, Mensch P.R. Kraus, Vom mesopotamischen Menschen der
altbabylonischen Zeit und seiner Welt (MKNA W
36/6, Amsterdam 1973).
Kraus, Nominalsiitze F.R. Kraus, Nominalsiitze in altbabylonischen Brie-
fen und der Stativ (MKNAW 47/2, Amsterdam
1984).
Kraus, Siegelabrollungen 'Altbabylonische Briefe mit Sieglabrollungen', in: J.-
M. Durand - J.-R. Kupper (eds.), Miscellanea
Babylonica. Melanges offerts a Maurice Birot (Paris
1985) 137-146.
Kraus, Veifiigungen F.R. Kraus, Konigliche Veifiigungen in altbabylo-
nischer Zeit (SD 11, Leiden 1984).
VIII ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

Kraus, Viehhaltung Staatliche Viehhaltung im altbabylonischen Lande

Larsa (MKNA W 29/5, Amsterdam 1966).
Leemans, Merchant W.F. Leemans, The Old Babylonian Merchant. His
Business and Social Position (SD 3, Leiden 1950).
Melanges PN Festschriften with various titles presented to or
edited in memory of PN, as listed in CAD.
MKNAW Mededelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akade-
mie van Wetenschappen, Afd. Letterkunder, Nieu-
we Reeks (Amsterdam).
OAss Old Assyrian.
OB Old Babylonian.
OBO 160/4 D. Charpin, D.O. Edzard, M. Stol, Mesopotamien.
Die altbabylonische Zeit. Anniiherungen 4 (OBO
160/4, Fribourg-Gottingen 2004.
Oppenheim, Letters A.L. Oppenheim, Letters from Mesopotamia.
Official, business, and private letters on clay tablets
from two millennia (Chicago, 1967).
PNAV Festschriften presented to PN on the occasion of a
particular anniversary, as listed in CAD.
Richter, Panthea Th. Richter, Untersuchungen zu den lokalen Pan-
thea Sud- und Mittelbabyloniens in altbabylonischer
Zeit (AOAT 257, Munster 1999).
Sallaberger, Interaktion W. Sallaberger, "Wenn Du mein Bruder hist, ..... ".
Interaktion und Textgestaltung in altbabylonischen
Alltagsbriefen (Cuneiform Monographs 16, Gronin-
gen 1999).
Sommerfeld, Marduk W. Sommerfeld, Der Aufstieg Marduks. Die
Stellung Marduks in der babylonischen Religion des
zweiten Jahrtausends v. Chr. (AOAT 213, Neu-
kirchen-Vluyn 1982).
Stol, OB History M. Stol, Studies in Old Babylonian History
(Istanbul 1976).
Studies PN Festschriften with the word "Studies" in the title,
presented to PN, as listed in CAD.
Stamm, Namengebung J.J. Stamm, Die Akkadische Namengebung
(MV AeG 44, Leipzig 1939).
 I. INTRODUCTION

"Destroy my letter after reading it,

do not preserve any letter I send you".
(Letter no. 112: 36-38)

This volume contains 226 Old Babylonian letters in the collections of Le

Musee du Louvre. After the earlier publication of the letters of Samas-ha~ir
(TCL 7) by F.R. Kraus in AbB 4 (1968), 1 all other Old Babylonian letters in
The Louvre have now been included, with the exception of those excavated
in 1912 at Kish, by H. de Genouillac. The texts of Kish were divided into
four series, A-D, the last two of which were assigned to The Louvre, while
the first two were deposited in the Archeological Museums at Istanbul. In
his Premieres recherches archeologiques a Kich, I (Paris 1924-5), de
Genouillac presented a catalogue and copies of selected texts, while vol. II
offered copies of all texts assigned to Paris. A full edition of the latter is still
not available, but the (in general better preserved) letters of series D (with
numbers between AO 10763 and 10811) were published by J.-R. Kupper,
'Lettres de Kis' (RA 53 [1959] 19-38 and 177-82). Those of series C have
been collated by Kupper and R. Frankena (in 1960).2 These letters are are
not included in this volume because, stemming from official excavations at
Kish, they should be edited together with the records belonging to the same
archives. 3

1 In RA 21 (1924) 147, Thureau-Dangin added the letter AO 8887 (= AbB 4, 78), a

copy of which was subsequently published by Dossin as TCL 18, 107. In this
volume it is no. 161, alongside nos. 162-166, letters of Samas-hiisir's wife Zinfi.
2 The letters from Kish in Istanbul were published by Kraus in AbB 5, nos. 58-134,
to which one can now add Ki 73 and 733, published by V. Donbaz - N. Yoffee in
BiMes 17 (1986) 70 and 78 (see BiOr 44, [1987] 26a).
3 Other letters from Kish are in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, mainly deriving
from its excavations at the site, the bulk of which was edited by Kraus in AbB 10
(1985). Copies of them, made independently of Kraus's edition by Stephanie
Dalley, are published in OECT 13 (1991), which "correct and augment the
information in AbB X". Not all texts with accession numbers A.M. 1924 are from
Kish and many of those with accession numbers A.M. 1933 (including the letters
edited as AbB 10, 131-135) are from Ishchali. OECT 13 also includes "14 letters
(and fragments of letters) ... newly identified in the Ashmolean's collections". In
addition, there are some letters from Kish (formerly belonging to the collection of
the Hartford Seminary Foundation) in the Hom Archaeological Museum of
Andrews University, see now M. Sigrist, in AUCT vol. 5.
X ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

Most of the copies of the letters in this volume were published in Textes
cuneiformes du Louvre, in vol. 1 by F. Thureau-Dangin (1910), and in vols.
17-18 by G. Dossin (1933). They are supplemented by ten letters published
by D. Arnaud in BBVOT 1 (1990), a mixed group, which consists of some
older accessions (numbers between AO 3233 and 6897), apparently omitted
or overlooked by earlier editors, and some recent ones (numbers between
AO 20334 and 26691). A second supplement are the seven letters published
by Arnaud in J.-L.Huot (ed.), Larsa et :;Oueilli. Travaux de 1978-1982
(Paris 1983), not excavated by the French at Larsa, as the title might
suggest, but acquired by The Louvre. This group includes one early
accession (AO 5420) and a few later ones (between AO 21938 and 24211).
The letters of TCL 1 were included in A. Ungnad's, Babylonische Briefe
aus der Zeit der Hammurabi-Dynastie (V AB 6, Leipzig 1914), Those of
TCL 17-18 were edited by E. Ebeling, Altbabylonische Briefe der Louvre-
Sammlung aus Larsa (MAOG 15, Leipzig 1942). The first volume, by a
specialist in Old Babylonian, has been widely used, the second, less well
known due to its publication during the second world war, is not quite
satisfactory in its treatment of the texts, but on p. 103-113 contains useful
indexes of names, followed by summaries of the letters and notes to the
translation.

1. Provenance and date of the letters

All these letters, apart from five excavated by G. Cros at Tello (here nos.
9-13),4 were acquired from dealers. Thureau-Dangin's 'Avant-propos' of
TCL 1 only mentions that a number of letters (anyhow nos. 1-5, 7-8) must
have been written in Babylon and that nos. 5-6, 30-46 must originate from
Dilbat. 5 TCL 17-18 provides no information on the acquisition and the
groups of texts to which the letters belong. Their origin and date therefore
can only be deduced from internal criteria and from links with other
records. This is to some extent possible because many letters in The Louvre
belonged to larger groups, consisting of (parts of) archives dug up by native
diggers. Their AO numbers give insight in the Louvre's acquisitions over
the years, of which Beatrice Andre gave a short survey in the 'Avant-
propos' to BBVOT 1. The letters in TCL 1, and five of those published by
Arnaud have inventory numbers ranging between AO 1629 and AO 4658

4 See TCL 1, p. VII. TCL 1, 9 (AO 4318) was joined with L 10934 (in Istanbul=
AbB 5, 140) and republished by F.R. Kraus in RA 65 (1971) 27ff. TCL 1, 10 is not
a letter and has been replaced here by AO 4324 (also from Tello), published by D.
Arnaud in RA 71 (1977) 4.
5 His arguments are found in f~otnote 4; see below § 2c, on the Lipit-Ea archive.
 I. INTRODUCTION XI

and were acquired before 1909.6 Those of TCL 17-18 range between AO
5426 and 11137 and comprise tablets from six different acquisitions, made
between 1910 and 1927. Those with the lower numbers belong in part to the
same acquisitions as the 250 texts published by Ch.-F. Jean in TCL 10-11,
as Contrats de Larsa, whose numbers range between AO 5478 and 8548
and_represent acquisitions from Gejou in 1910, from Naaman and from
Gejou in 1914, and from Ihler-Pognon in 1921.7 This suggests that a
substantial number of the letters of TCL 17-18 also comes from Larsa,
which must also be the origin of the archive of Samas-ha~ir (TCL 7; AO
8314-8368, 8578-8597, and a few others), acquired from Gejou in 1922. To
these groups also belong letters from the archive of the Balmunamhe
family, such as nos. 55-64. Such letters from Larsa must all date from
before year 12 of king Samsu-iluna of Babylon, because Larsa has not
yielded any records dated later than his 11th year.
The sale of large groups of tablets, unearthed by local diggers, not only
meant the dispersion of coherent lots over many collections, it also deprives
us of information about their provenance. Larsa was a notorious victim of
this fate, already before and in particular after the soun-dings of W. Andrae
in 1903, which was one of the reasons for A. Parrot to resume excavations
there in 1933. 8 Larsa tablets were a.o. sold to Le Musee du Louvre, The
Yale Babylonian Collection, 9 The British Museum, 10 The Fitzwilliam
Museum at Cambridge, 11 The Ashmolean Museum at Museum in Oxford, 12

6 The letter with the lowest accession number is AO 1630 = TCL 1, 18. The letters
excavated by Cros at Tello between 1903 and 1909 bear inventory numbers
between AO 4317 and 4324.
7 According to Dyckhoff, Balamunam!Je 1, 105, note 375, quoting information
provided by Mrs. Andre-Salvini, AO 6695-6771 and 7025-7036 were acquired from
the Gejou in 1914.
8 See his description of the situation in Archeologie mesopotamienne. Les etapes
(Paris, 1946) 362: "plusieurs tribus etaient a l'oeuvre .... D'enormes ravages avaient
ete commis et ..... le territoire de la ville nous apparut comme s'il venait d'etre
pilonne par des milliers d'obus et pendant plusieurs mois."
9 See G. Beckman, Old Babylonian Archival Texts in the Yale Babylonian
Collection. Catalogue of the Babylonian Collections at Yale 4 (Bethesda, 2000),
Introduction. Texts were published in particular in YOS 2 (= AbB 9), 5 and 8.
10 Only few of them have been published, mainly by M. Anbar, in RA 69 (1975)
109ff., nos. 8-12, RA 72 (1978) 113ff., nos. 1-22, and RA 85 (1991) 13ff., nos. 1-
11. The bulk still has to be catalogued.
11 See the edition by E. Szlechter, TJA (1963). It comprises seven letters (among
which three from the archive ofLipit-Ea), published as AbB 10, 138-144.
12 First publication in OECT 3, where nos. 1-87 are letters of Samas-ha~ir, edited in
AbB 4, nos. 79-165. The remaining texts from Larsa have quite recently been
XII ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

of St. Petersburg and Moscow, 13 to De Liagre Bohl in Leiden, 14 and to A.

Boissier, whose collection was acquired by the Musee d'Art et d'Histoire in
Geneva. 15 This scattering of texts makes it difficult to apply an "archival
approach" to the letters in this volume. Many Larsa texts are still
unpublished (notably those in London and at Yale), the (necessarily
incomplete and hence premature) prosopography proves to be a difficult
task. 16 Such an investigation, moreover, does not fit in what is basically a
text edition. In the second part of this introduction I will deal with a number
of easily isolated, more or less coherent groups, presumably archival lots.
Moreover, footnotes to the translation will occasionally ..point out
prosopographical data and textual links.
Even a cursory study of the inventory numbers shows that the main
accessions upon arrival in The Louvre were not mechanically numbered,
but were frequently first sorted out in various categories, such as letters,
legal and administrative records, and literary texts, most probably by F.
Thureau-Dangin. Note the following distribution of inventory numbers
(AO), which ignores single tablets and smaller lots and passes over coherent
groups of other of texts (such as the "tablettes d'Uruk", the "Cappadocian
tablets", and Sumerian records from Umma and Drehem):

published in OECT 15 by S. Dalley. The introduction to this volume, which she

kindly allowed me to use before its publication, mentions that they were acquired
in 1923 and in 1932 (bought by the Kish Field Expedition).
13 Published by A.P. Rfitin, SVJAD (1937).
14 Edited by W.F. Leemans, Legal and Economic Records from the Kingdom of
Larsa (SLB 1/2, Leiden 1954). AbB 3 contains a number of letters which must have
belonged to this lot; Frankena believed that nos. 71,72, 74, 88-90 and 109
originated from Southern Babylonia.
15 Letters published as AbB 10 nos. 169-211, among which three letters of Silli-
Samas, (173, 177, and 193). See for the other texts, E. Szlechter, Tablettes juri-
diques (Paris 1958).
16 There are a number of unpublished dissertations which deal with the pros-
opography and/or with the known texts from Larsa:
T. Breckwoldt, Economic Mechanics in Old Babylonian Larsa (Cambridge, 1994);
Chr. Dyckhoff, Das Haushaltbuch des Balmunamb,e (Miinchen, 1999);
S.R. Harris, Land Conveyance in Old Babylonian Larsa (Ann Arbor, 1983);
M.P. Pers, Prosopografia ed Onomastica di Larsa del regno di Warad-Sfn al reg-
no di Samsu-iluna (Napoli, 2002)
K. Reiter, Untersuchungen zum Archivwesen der altbabylonischen Zeit, dargestellt
an den Brief-, Rechts-, und Verwaltungsurkunden des Sep-Sin und des Balmu-
namb,e (Berlin, 1982).
 I. INTRODUCTION XIII

6317-6345 - TCL 17, OB letters 8314-8368 - TCL 7, OB letters

6345-6441 - TCL 10, OB records 8369-8377 - TCL 18, OB letters
6706-6725 - TCL 16, Sum. lit. texts 8378-8444 - TCL 10, OB records
6730-6758 -TCL 17, OB letters 8451-8529 - TCL 11, OB records
6759~6767 - TCL 10, OB records 8578-8597 - TCL 7, OB letters
6884-6903 - TCL 17, OB letters 8872-8893 - TCL 18, OB letters

To determine the origin of letters the names of writers and recipients, the
gods mentioned in the greeting formulae, and the geographical names are
important and. they are therefore presented in alphabetic order in the Index.
It does not list all persons occurring in the letters, which must figure in an
index on all letters, which is a task for the future.
Additional clues for their origin are some lexical data, notably the use in
the south of unnedukkum instead of tuppum, 17 certain phonetic features (e.g.
the contraction of ia, especially in pronominal suffixes), 18 and differences in
the use of cuneiform signs, such WA (in the south also for pi), HI = ta in the
north, DU = tu in the south, and TU = tu in the north, etc. 19 As has been
repeatedly noted such distinctions are rather basic and "in the south/north"
often is too general to be helpful. Some paleographic criteria ("Larsa script",
"late cursive", "archaic", see no. 138 note a) are fairly obvious, but they still
have to be refined and systematized to become reliable instruments of
classification.
Geographical names in some cases reveal where letters were written
and/or where an addressee lived. Some texts, dealing with the cultivation
and delivery of dates, refer to and probably were written in one of the towns
of "Lower Yahrurum" (see below,§ 2,c). Nos. 16, 23, 26, 54, and 93 were
sent from and no. 25 to Sippar (from where also letters belonging to the
early accessions, published in TCL 1, derive). No. 19 was sent to the city of
Kish, where part of the clergy of Uruk had found and the asylum during the
later years of Samsu-iluna. 20 Nos. 48 and 80, and the letters of Hammurabi
and his successors (nos. 1-5, 8, 117, 130, and 225) were sent and no. 94 to
Babylon, no. 88 is from Isin, no. 107 from Ur, etc. Specific gods invoked in
· blessings also provide clues. No. 160 must come from Nip-

17 Unnedukkum in nos. 70:5, 175:5, 194:2, and 209:1; the writer ofno. 115 uses this
word in 10, 184: rev.6.
18 See nos. 141 note f, 177 note a, 208 note a, and 218 note a.
19 Mainly in liballitii; note tu in nos. 14:5, 110:5, 115:6, 139:5, 148:5, and in the
letters of Samas-hii~ir's archive, 163-169, with the sole exception of no. 164:3.
(written when Samas-hii~ir was away from home, possibly by a different scribe).
Occasionally I have added a note to the translation to point out remarkable sign use,
cf. nos. 82 note a and 137 note a.
20 See the analysis of Charpin, Clerge, 403ff. and now OBO 160/4, 343-46.
 r'
XIV ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

pur (Enlil and Ninurta), 190 from Kish ([!star] and Zababa), and no. 206
(Damu and Urmasum) from Isin, but blessings by Ea (no 124), Ningirsu
(197) or Samas and Nergal (no. 14) are less clear. These isolated data can be
complemented by looking at the archival lots to which some groups of
letters belong.
If many texts acquired by the Louvre originate from Larsa, or more
generally from the Southern Babylonia, they must date to the 'classical' Old
Babylonian period, ranging from Rim-Sin (note the date in no. 58) and
Hammurabi to the first half of Samsuiluna's reign. This is supported by the
fact that the collection counts only three so-called ze ::,pums, a type which
starts to appear during the reign of Ammiditana, nos. 47, 52 (with address!),
and 207. 21 Some letters from Northern and Middle Babylonia, "Lower
Yahrurum" (the region bordered by Kish, Dilbat and Marad), the two
Sippars, and Kish could be later, but general statements are risky, especially
for the group of early accessions by the Louvre, which apparently was a
mixed lot, which includes also a very late letter by king Samsu-ditana
(no.8).
Another clue is provided by the greeting formulae in the heading of a
letters, which show a historical evolution, most recently described by
Sallaberger, Interaktion, part II. Applying the basic distinctions described
there (24ff.), AbB 14 offers the following picture of cases where we have
less or more than the standard greeting formula DN 1 (u DN 2) (assumia)
(daris umz-1ana dariatim) liballit(u)ka: 22
a) No greeting formula:
1-11, 13, 15, 17, 21-25, 32, 38, 40, 49, 53-64, 66, 68-69, 71-72, 78, 89,
94, 100, 102, 117, 120- 121, 126, 128 - 131,133, 135-137, 147, 149, 152,
170, 173-175, 179, 185, 191-193, 199-200, 208-213, 218, 220-226, and
in the ze::,pumsnos. 47 and 207.
As nos. 30-38 and 66-71 show, the same writers of letters to the same
addressees may invoke one god, two gods, or not god at all. The lack of
the greeting formula here occurs in particular in short letters (nos. 32, 38
and 71), and several other letters in this volume without greeting are also
short and business-like (21-24, 89, 100, 117, 121, 128-129, 133, 136-137,
147, 172, 175, 199-200, 210-213, 220-222, 226). The early date of some
of these undoubtedly explains the lack of a greeting (e.g. in the letters of

21 See for this type of letter Sallaberger, Interaktion, 26, 1.4, with literature. No.
209, also without address, from the south (unnedukkum in line 1), is no ze::,pum.
22 Deviating formulae: no. 183, assum bit abia; no. 110, mu. s ar. k am libal-
litiika salmiiku sulumki suprim; no. 204 (written to a captain), sa DN 1_2 sumsu
udammiqii, from lsin). Blessings by beff and beltfby nadztu's in nos. 24, 26 and 48,
all early accessions and most probably sent from Sippar.
 I. INTRODUCTION xv
Ahum, nos. 211-13), but one gets the impression that some, which do not
seem to be early, are a kind of precursors of the ze::,pum,which, after the
address, immediately pass on to the business (several start with assum or
anumma). A blessing may have been considered superfluous to introduce
a short instruction, question or piece of information, although there are
several short letters that have the greeting (24, 76, 96, and 99). Royal
letters do not have the customary greeting and the very business-like
correspondence between Silli-Samas and his boss, Balmunamhe (nos. 55-
64 ), also lacks it.
b) sa DN uballitusu or uballatusu*, 23 added to a name, title or qualification
(awz7um, abum, siipirum, u g u 1 a mar.tu, etc.) of the addressee,
usually followed by the standard greeting, attested since the reign of
Samsu-iluna:
52 (ze::,pum!), 83-86 (addressed to high officials; in 84 without the
standard greeting formula), 90, 112*, 1397, 158* (ana awz7e, followed
only by lu salmiitunu), 204 (sumsu udammiqu);
c) lu baltiita lu salmiita ana sulmika aspuram sulumka supram, probably
also since the reign of Samsu-iluna:
155 (after the standard greeting, and followed by d); 52 (ze::,pum) after b
and with sulumka mahar DN 1 u DN 2 lu dari instead of ana sulmika etc.;
189 (ana siipirini, ana sulum siipirini, etc.) after the standard greeting,
but without lu .... salmiita.
d) ilum nii$irka reska ana damiqtim likz7 ana sulmika aspuram sulumka
mahar DN 1 u DN 2 lu diiri, added after lu baltiita lu salmiita:
51 (ana awz7im), 90 (ana awz7im sa + b, and with $ibutam ajirsi instead
of res-ka .. lihl), 155 (ana abia), 156 (ana awz1im), 157 (ana awz7im),
159 (ana awz7im), 178 (ana PN).
The distribution of the greeting formulae confirms the conclusion that AbB
14 does not contain many late Old Babylonian letters.

2. Groups of letters and archival lots

Among the letters of this volume there are several which make more or less
coherent groups. A few larger lots are recognizable pieces of archives,
several others only their scattered remains. In nearly all these cases we can
identify in other collections letters belonging to these same archives or files,

23 See for the meaning of this addition, Sallaberger, Interaktion, 78 note 108. He
calls uballitusu a rare variant, but in AbB 14 it is more frequent. Could its use in
nos. 83-86 be explained as expressing the recognition that these high officials
(u g u 1 a mar . tu etc.), as their high status indicates, indeed have been blessed by
Marduk? Note also no. 91, ana abia sailsu banisu lamassam dantam iddinusum,
followed by the wish ina palem saRN qabum u magarum lu szmatuka.
 '
XVI ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14
'
1
many of which have been published in previous AbB volumes. We have a '
few cases of letters by the same writers, but with different addressees,
which must have belonged to different archives.
In what follows I present these groups or lots. Information on single
letters which can be matched which others with the same correspondents in
other collections (such as nos. 46, 97, 111, 115, 140, and 199) is given in
the first footnote to their translations. The alphabetical list of the names of
writers and recipients may help to establish more links, but with common
names without patronyms and no information on find-spots, this is only
possible on the basis of further analysis. Letters addressed to persons
mentioned not by name but by title (u g u la m a r . tu , nos. 83-85; u g u 1a
dam.gar, nos. 86-87), or addressed to "my/our superior (siipirum),
"my/our lord" (belum), "my/our father" (abum), "the gentleman" (awz1um),
only rarely allow archival classification, but "my lord" in nos. 55-64 is
Balmunamhe, and "the gentleman" in no. 166 is Zinft's husband Samas-
ha~ir.24
Note that in what follows references to letters edited in the AbB series
are referred to by the number of the volume only, omitting "AbB", and
references to letters in this volume simply by "no.".

a) Royal letters
The only coherent lot are the letters of Hammurabi and Samsuiluna to Sm-
idinnam, governor of the 'Lower District', presumably originally
Hammurabi's secretary (cf. D. Charpin, NABU 2003/1), nos. 1-3 and 225.
They are part of a much larger collection, found at Larsa, most of which
were acquired by the British Museum; see 2, 1-44, 55-63, 76-78 (from
collections acquired between 1896 and 1899) and 13, mainly nos. 5-45
(from the 1901-5-11 collection). Other royal letters were written by Samsu-
iluna (4, 5, 130), Ammiditana (7), and Samsuditana (8).

b) School letters
This category has been analyzed by Kraus, Briefschreibubungen, and
further observations, also based on additional examples, are offered by Sal-
laberger, Interaktion, 149-154. In this volume nos. 128, 129, 135, and 195
and perhaps the badly written no. 72, belong to this category and some are
similar to the letters analyzed by Kraus. See the footnotes to their
translations.

24 See for the use, in the address, of designations such as "my lord", my
observationsin Etudes Garelli 297f. with footnotes2lff.
r
I. INTRODUCTION XVII

c) Letters to Lipit-Ea
Letters nos. 30-42 are addressed to Lipit-Ea, the son of Mar-er~etim (TCL
1, 138:9f.) and with three exceptions (39-41) they are written by Adad-rabi.
The acquisition numbers, between AO 3956 and 3981, show that they
belong to a single group, the archive of Lipit-Ea, which has been studied by
J. Renger in Zikir sumim (Kraus AV), 292ff. Thureau-Dangin wanted to
include nos. 43-46, from the same acquisition, where Lipit-Ea does not
appear in the addresses as far as preserved, but occurs in no. 44:13'. Records
from the same archive are TCL 1, 138-9 and 141-4, and quite a number (at
least fifteen, including three short letters )25 were acquired by the
Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge (FM numbers), published in 1963 in E.
Szlechter, Tablettes. The texts are from the reign of Samsuiluna (latest text
from year 27). TCL 1, 139:3f. and FM 25:4 show that their writer, Adad-
rabi, was a general (u g u 1a mar. tu), and according his seal inscription
(on FM 38 = 10, 142) "the son of Ha~irum, servant of Samsuiluna"; see also
Kraus, 10, xvii, 9. The origin of these tablets is disputed and while Szlechter
(Tablettes II, vii B,1) considered Sippar most likely, Thureau-Dangin (TCL
I, vii, note 4), followed by Landsberger (Date Palm 58f. 4), considers the
mention of the town of Kunnun in our no. 34: 12' as an indication for their
provenience from (the district of - so Landsberger) Dilbat.26 . There are
some indications for the proximity of the city of Kish, and it is anyhow
clear that the records of this archive deal with activities in "Lower
Yahrurum", considered to be an area south of Babylon, between Kis, Dilbat
and Marad (Charpin, Babylonie, 527f.).
The texts from this archive show that Lipit-Ea belonged to a military
formation, probably under Adad-rabi as general,27 wbich had ilku-lands for
growing barley and dates. In the correspondence, in which we meet several
persons known from the other texts of this archive (notably Taribatum), the
main issues are assignment of land, estimating and imposing of the yield of
date gardens (sukunne kirem), the delivery and issue of barley and the use of

25 FM 15, 30 and 38 = Szlechter, Tablettes II, p. 136f. = 10, 139, 141 and 142. All
three were written by Adad-rabi, as were eleven letters in this volume.
26 But the absence of du r as in personal names is annoying. Landsberger, Date
Palm 58, note 213, wants to assign some (a. o. FM 36, which mentions the
n i m g i r Kunnumki) to a "sub-archive". Kunnum also figures in no. 5 (a garden
bab dzababa, adjoining Kunnum) and the related letter 8, 132:8 and 12, but without
an obvious link with the Lipit-Ea archive. Both Kunnum and the Imgur-lstar canal
(also dug by Asduniyarim of Kish, see RIME 4, 655, 1. 41f.), are mentioned in nos.
5 and 6 and occur in a list of orchards in Lower Yahrurum (Riftin 137 1:20, 11:28,
III:3', 6').
27 Another general is Nuha (in nos. 31:7, 35:11, 42:5) and there is a captain (35:5).
XVIII ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

boats. Lipit-Ea's rank is unknown and, as pointed out by Landsberger, his

tasks and roles vary.

d) Letters of Silli-Samas sent to Balmunamhe

Letters nos. 55-64, 28 together with AbB 1, 90; 9, 49, 94 and 110; 10, 173,
177 and 193; YOS 15, 67, and YBC 7566 (unpubl.; short letter on transport
of barley by boat), all written by Silli-Samas and in the so-called 'Rim-Sin
script', and all addressed to "my lord", constitute one single group. Nos. 55-
64, which I could study in the original, all are made of the same type of clay
and are almost identical in size (ca. 4,7 by 9,0 by 2,7 ems, plus or minus a
few millimeters), 29 even when the text covers only (part of) the obverse,
which suggests that the tablets were prepared in a mould. More important is
the common subject matter of most of the letters, agriculture in or around
the towns of Pi-ilim, Sirimtum, Iskun-Ea, and "your dimtum". Exceptions
are 9, 49 (a report on a court case) and our nos. 60 (preparation of beer for a
festival) and 62 (problems with cattle marks). Many letters mention fields
with the same names (fullest lists in 1, 90 and our no. 56) and several texts
that report on the progress of the harvest and its yield actually link up and
complement each other (e.g. 9, 94 and our no. 55).
M. Birot in a review of 1,90, in RA 61 (1967), 82, proposed to identify
the addressee, "my lord", with king Rim-Sin of Larsa and saw in Silli-
Samas an "administrateur des vastes domaines d'etat au debut du regne de
Rim-Sin", in which I cannot follow him. His dating, however, is correct,
since AbB 9, 94 mentions the king's second year and our no. 58 his third
year. We may discover the identity of "my lord" with the help of
administrative records published in YOS 5 in which Silli-Samas occurs, all
dated to the early part of Rim-Sin's reign. In YOS 5, 176 he occurs
alongside Gimillum (cf. 9, 110:7 and our no. 62:7) and the pair Nanna-imah
- Sin-magir (also attested in TCL 10, 28:3f.), and handles (n f g. s u) the
expenditure of no less than 5276 kor of barley. YOS 5, 181 records the
expenditure, handled by him alone, of 2282 kor of barley which originates
from the towns of Sin-niir-matim, Pi-ilim, Dimat-Balmunamhe, and
Sirimtum. Several bookings in this text (shipments to granaries, issues of
seed and fodder, rations to personnel and plough-teams, and transport by
boat) are similar to those of our letters. In YOS 5, 182 we read about the
delivery by him of 600 kor of barley from the town of Sin-niir-matim,
shipped to the storehouse (e. kisi b. b a), and in YOS 5, 172:7 we have an
issue of oil to Silli-Samas, son of Simmugra (also attested in YOS 5, 174:9

28 No. 64, where the name of the writer is broken off, must belong to the group on
account of its subject matter and handwriting.
29 There is some variation in the length, normally 8,9 - 9.0 cm (nos. 55-59 and 62),
but also 8,3 (no. 60), 8,7 (no. 61), 8,5 (no. 63), and 9,5 cm (no. 64).
 I. INTRODUCTION XIX

and in our no.1:20). 30 Records of the Yale Babylonian Collection, recently

published in Breckwoldt, Grain Storage, 80ff. 31 contain additional
evidence. These records associate Silli-Sarnas with the sphere of activity of
the well-known capitalist Balmunamhe, son of Sin-nur-matim. The latter
has received much attention in recent years and, unable to go into details
here, I refer the reader to M. Van De Mieroop, AJO 34 (1987) 1-29, D.
Charpin, Babylonie, 546f. and NABU 1987/36 (his descendants), N.V.
Kozyreva, Drevnjaja Larsa (Moscow 1988; his role as state official in-
volved in agricultural production and as private entrepreneur), 32 and to Ch.
Dyckhoffs still unpublished dissertation on Balmunamhe. 33
Important is, as was also discovered by Kozyreva and elaborated by
Dyckhoff, that we can identify Silli-Samas's "lord" with Balmunarnhe, for
whom he worked as manager of the estates, as is clear from a comparison of
YOS 5, 181:13; 9, 94:5; and our nos. 55:17 and 61:4. In the administrative
record there is mention of Dimat-Balmunamhe (a fortified farmhouse called
after its founder/owner), but when Silli-Samas personally addresses his lord
he speaks of "your dimtum". In YOS 15, 67 he reports on barley which has
been stored ina dimat aw'ilia (line 7), where aw'ilum is another designation
of his lord. The relation between Silli-Sarnas and the family of his lord is
also clear from YOS 8, 42 (Rim-Sin year 23),34 where five persons, headed
by Silli-Sarnas, renounce claims on property of the Balmunamhe family.
Van de Mieroop's reconstruction of Balmunarnhe's archive concen-
trates on legal documents; administrative records and letters addressed to
"my lord" are more difficult to classify. The links pointed out suggest that
our letters and the records mentioned above do belong to the same
archive, 35 which was continued by Balmunarnhe's son(s) and his grandson,

30 The wife of Simmugra, hence probably the mother of Silli-Samas, occurs in TCL
10, 17:rev.7, together with Silli-Samas himself in line 23 (AO 6760, dated to Rim-
Sin year 2).
31 See YBC 5585:25 (barley ... n i g. s u S. u Sin-miigir), YBC 6231:4 (barley
from Dimat-Balmunamhe, delivered by S.), and YBC 7194:3 (barley from the town
of Sin-niir-miitim, delivered by S).
32 Cf. her article on agricultural domains in Larsa in VDI 132/2 (1972/2) 3-17.
33 He kindly supplied me with a copy of it; a summary in J. Prosecky (ed.),
Intellectual Life in het Ancient Near East (CRRAI 43, Prague, 1998) 117-124.
34 Van de Mieroop, AJO 34 (1987) 17f., and Dyckhoff, Balmunamhe 2, l lOff.
35 Records of the group published in YOS 5 have been studied by K. Butz in OLA 5
(1979) 33lff., who believes that they concern crown land "da nur wenige
Ortschaften auftreten", and he identifies the house(hold; bitum), which occurs in
some texts, as the palace (337f.). I am not convinced by this interpretation, though
it is likely, as pointed out by N.V. Kozyreva, that Balmunamhe was not only a
 xx ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE

Bala, 36 and was dug up by locals to be sold piecemeal to various

collections. Many of his administrative records ended up in the Yale
Babylonian Collection (which acquired a few letters, published in AbB 9
and YOS 15, 57), 37 while the Louvre obtained many of his letters but,
according to Van De Mieroop, only two records (TCL 10, 47 and 74). But
this picture needs correction, since several administrative records published
in TCL 10 link up with documents in YOS 5 and 8,38 and a systematic
analysis will bring to light more connections. The presence of letters of
Silli-Samas in London (1, 90) and in Geneva (10, 173, 177 and 193) shows
that tablet dealers sold texts from this archive in various places. 39

e) Letters to Niir-Samas
Letters from this archive are nos. 65-71, 218, together with 6, 81, 83, 88,
109, and 118; 9, 113; and Boyer, Contribution, HE 108. Apart from no. 65
(by Toni-Marduk), all are from Samas-na~ir, while Niir-Samas as addressee
appears alone or together with Awil-Adad, to which 6, 88 adds "the
foremen of the groups of ten workers" (u g u I a. n am. 10. erin 1• mes;
6, 188 and HE 108 add "the others" (madiitum), while 9, 113 instead of the
last term has Sin-pilah and Silli-Adad (cf. no. 69:14?). As pointed out by
Charpin (Babylonie, 521) and Stol (JAOS 102 [1982] 162b), Samas-na~ir
was a s ant an a/ sandanakkum, an official in the service of the central
government for collecting taxes in natura, but also in silver, due by the date-
growers (nukaribbum), and he was active during the early yers of Samsu-
iluna. He was the superior (HE 108:27, sapirni) of Niir-Samas and seems to

wealthy capitalist, but also had a public function and as such had been granted land
by the king which provided him with income.
36 AO 6757, no. 124 in this volume, is a letter addressed to Sin-imguranni and Bala
(hypocoristicon of Balmunamhe). Bala was a scribe, probably (with Dyckhoff) a
grandson of Balmunamhe, who also occurs in the subscript of the incantation tablet
YOS 11, 21 35: "For the sake of (assum) B., son of Iddin-Ea, p i s an du b b a sa
unneduk[katim]". In YOS 12, 35 (again together with Sin-imguranni) and 67 he
figures as recipient of silver due from the zabardabbum of Ur, Sin-seme, which the
officer Gimil-ilim - the writer of our no. 124 - had to collect. In YOS 12, 77:19 Lu-
Enkika (of 1. 12 of our letter) also receives such silver.
37 There are also no letters among the texts in Russia, published by Riftin.
38 Dyckhoff also assigns TCL 10 nos. 17, 24, 25, 28, and 39 to Balmunamhe's
"Haushaltbuch". That all of Silli-Samas's letters and related records in the Louvre
belong to the relatively small group of tablets with numbers between AO 6730 and
6770 indicates a common origin and one single acquisition.
39 YOS 15, 75 and 86, in the collections of the Princeton Theological Seminary and
the Mount Holyoke College, probably also come from Balmunamhe's archive.
 I. INTRODUCTION XXI

have been based in Babylon (cf. 6, 81:llf.; in no. 70:6 and 15 "my lord"
may have been the king). A variety of administrative records sheds light on
his activities, such as YOS 12, 112 (see no. 68, note f to translation), 237
(dates borrowed from the palace and S.), and 273 (dates from gardens
delivered by S.). Nu_r-Samas was apparently based in Pl-Kasi, a town
situated in "Lower Yahrurum", the region south-east of Babylon (the letters
mention several place-names, in particular Tur-dUgulla), but it is difficult to
identify him for lack of a patronym. 40

f) Letters to Nabi-Samas
No. 127 and perhaps also no. 136 (addressee missing) belong to the ca. 25
letters sent by Alammus-na~ir to Nabi-Samas. Most are in the collection of
the Oriental Institute in Chicago, known from the unpubl. Chicago
dissertations of Stuneck (1927) and Sweet (1958).41 Others are 9, nos 11,42
14, 125, 127, and 144; and YOS 15 nos. 51, 65, and 66. The correspondence
dates from the reign of Samsuiluna.

g) Letters of Samas-hii$ir and Zinu

No. 161 is from Lu-Ninurta to Samas-ha~ir (cf. note a to no. 161), nos. 162-
164 were sent by Samas-har;;ir,when he was away from home, to his wife
Zinu, and she also receives a letter from her son Iddin-Sin, perhaps an
apprentice scribe, who adds Marduk to the gods Samas and Ilabrat normally
invoked by his father and mother. 43 Zinu wrote letter no. 166 to her
husband, addressing him (as in 11, 168) as awz1um. He must have taken
these letters along when he returned home.

h) Letters of Dadaya
Nos. 204-206 (AO 11122-4, 11137) are from Isin and we meet Dadaya, son
of Kubbulum, as writer and addressee in nos. 204-05; see already P.R.
Kraus, JCS 3 (1951) 49-55, with Dadaya's family tree. As pointed out by D.
Charpin, RA 74 (1980) 189, they belong to a small group of tablets, AO
11120-11153 (including a few Old Akkadian texts MAD 4, nos. 14-15), ac-

40 He must be distinguished from namesakes attested as date-growers in texts

dealing with that area, such as YOS 12, 56: 53; 112: 10; and 210: 9
41 M.A. Stuneck, Hammurabi Letters from the Haskell Museum Collection, and
R.F.G. Sweet, On Prices, Moneys, and Money Uses in the Old Babylonian Period,
respectively. See for A 3529, M.T. Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and
Asia Minor (1995) 6.
42 See already Stol's footnote a to this letter.
43 No clue that he lived in Babylon; he uses the "southern" spelling of uballitu.
 F

:XX]I ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

quired in 1927 ("acquisition David") 44 , as year-names and prosopographical

data indicate. The name Dadaya is not uncommon and it is rather unlikely
that this Dadaya is identical to one of the several namesakes attested in the
addresses of letters (5, 84; 6, 101; 8, 112, 121; 9, 17, 55, 101, 112, and 134),
since their greetings mention no gods of Isin.

i) Letters of Ilzma-ilum
Nos. 73-75 (AO 6331, 6344 and 6345) were written to Iddi by Ilima-ilum,
who invokes the blessing of Samas and Marduk and is staying elsewhere (in
no. 73:lOf. he calls himself as an aliinu, "who is eagerly awaiting messages
from home"). The archive must have contained more such letters, since the
writer complains of never receiving any reaction to the two (73:6) and even
five (no. 75:6) letters he wrote. The letters treat domestic issues, at times
with. emotion and a literary flavor (73:8-14, 75:24ff.), and mention several
persons, but there are no good clues for their provenience, unless one takes
the mention of "the gate of Samas" (74:22) as referring to Larsa. No. 104
must be from the same Ilima-ilim (AO 6340, same blessing and mention of
Dumuq-Samas, as in no. 73:16). Archival coherence can be explained by
assuming that both lddi and Dumuq-Samas belonged to the writer's
household and that the letters written when Ilima-ilum was elsewhere ended
up in his own archive. If 2, 130 is from the same writer, we might locate
him in Kisurra (1. 4f. ,"barley, rent for my field in Kisurra").

j) Letters of Ahum
Nos. 211-213 (AO 3234-6), written by Ahum, according to their accession
numbers are from a single lot, which was an early acquisition. To the same
group belong 19 mostly short letters in the British Museum (edited as 2,
117-129 and 13, 54-59),45 part of the 1898-10-12 acquisition, which
matches the early accession numbers of the Louvre. According to W. Som-
merfeld, ZA 73 (1983) 205 and 220 note 51, they are early OB letters from
Kisurra. Ahum may have been a "captain" (PA.PA), if he is identical to his
namesake mentioned in 11, 166:5.46 The main addressees are Lu-Ba:iu and
Lipit-Istar and the letters may have been written from the city of Umma (see
2, 122:15 and 13, 59:16, and references to "the city" in 2, 118:7 and 123:7),

44 Most of these records were copied by Jean (RA 26 [1929] 101-114) and
Nougayrol (RA 73 [1979] 76-77, 80). Part of the same group was acquired by J.B.
Nies and is now in the Yale Babylonian Collection; see footnote a to no. 205,
which links up with BIN 7, 44 = 9,231.
45 See the list in note a to the translation of 13, 54.
46 The argument is presented in note e to 13, 57.
 I. INTRODUCTION XXIII

which might fit the mention of the "Sara gate" in 13, 55:7 (see note b to the
translation of this text). 47

k) Various smaller groups

In addition there are small groups of a few letters written by or ad-dressed
to the same persons:
Bali-erah: recipient of nos. 146-148 and 219; other letters to a man of that
name: 1, 56 and 124, and 9, 80.
Balmunamhe: identical to "my lord" in the letters written by Silli-Samas
(see above under d), recipient of no. 121 (sent by Haria) and writer of no.
173 (to Kes-idinnam). No. 117 is a letter by Hammurabi to his son Iddin-
Ea.
Belf-rirn-ilz: recipient of nos. 11-12, part a small file of seven records,
excavated by G. Cros at Girsu, for which Stol refers me to his OB History,
57, under "Lagash" (ca. Samsuiluna year 10).
Belsunu: recipient of two letters sent to him by Qurdusa, nos. 81-82.
Etel-pz-..Marduk: writer of nos. 99 and 143, both addressed to Sin-samuh, to
be grouped with 9, 120 and 10, 59, in all of which he invokes Samas. This
file stems from Lower Y ahrurum, but his common name makes it difficult
to decide which occurrences in OB letters concern this Etel-pi-Marduk. He
cannot be identified with his namesake in Kish, the correspondent of
Gimillia and of Munawwirum, who always invokes the blessing of Samas
and Marduk, several letters of whom are edited in AbB 10.48
Gurrurum: recipient of two letters from Bunene-qardum, nos. 201-02.
Jahgunnum: recipient of three letters from different persons, nos. 78-80; see
on him note a to the translation of no. 78.
Marduk-dajjiin: recipient of nos. 199 and 200, and 6, 100. No. 101 (to
Marduk-da[ ...]), and NBC 6269, a letter from Etel-pi-Marduk, probably are
also addressed to him.
naditums of Samas: identifiable by their blessing (beff u beltz~ Samas and
Aja), wrote letters nos. 16, 23, 26, and 48.
Ninsianna: the goddess, received a letter from a certain Ur-Nanse.

47 The mention of the "Akul-Silal field" in 2, 127:5 and 13, 58:17 does not offer a
clue; ina sa ku ru x [x], in 2, 119:13, is not necessarily a place-name. Of the
villages mentioned in 13, 59:5ff., Kubatum is known from 4, 35:6, 162:14 and 11,
165:18, and was situated in the region over which Samas-ha~ir had authority. If the
identity of Ahum, suggested above, is correct, he would own a field in Bad-Tibira.
48 Cf. 10, p. XVI-XVII(d) and (e). The letters AUAM 73. 3194, 3201, and 3227, ad-
dressed to Gimillia, are also of this E. (courtesy M. Sigrist). Another group of letters
by E. is addressed to Sin-magir: 6, 129, 143, and 162 (also with a blessing by Samas
and Marduk).
 XXIV ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14
r
Sfn-imguranni: wrote two letters to "the gentleman", nos. 158-59, but the
name is too common and awz1um too vague to allow identification.
Sfn-samuh: see under Etel-pi-Marduk.

3. Envelopes and copies

Five letters in this volume were acquired together with (pieces of) their
envelopes, nos. 160, 169, 190, 200, and 203. Those of 160 and 190 are
small fragments, with only a few signs of writing, in both cases the
beginning of the address. The only preserved sign after ana in no. 160 does
not match the address on the tablet, abini, "our father", but perhaps the
envelope mentioned the name of the addressee (E-[a- ..... ?), in order to
allow the messenger to deliver it.49 What is preserved of the envelope of no.
203 repeats the first three lines of the address on the tablet, including what
Sallaberger calls the "Adressengruss", "who [are being granted good hea]lth
by M[arduk]". The well-preserved envelopes of nos. 169 and 200 contain
the names of the addressees (ana ...) and a seal impression; on both of them
also a kind of cross is drawn, the meaning of which is not clear. Following
the OB practice, the name of the writer is not mentioned 50 and he must to
be identified from the impression of his seal, which also authenticates the
document. That on no. 169 is without inscription, but that on no. 200 gives
his full name.
For the difficult question what the existence of a letter with or in its
sealed envelope means - never sent off, archive copy, not delivered or not
opened by the (absent?) addressee, and perhaps sent back - I refer to the
observations in Kraus, Siegelabrollungen. The preserved envelopes of this
volume do not answer these questions.
Interesting is the pair nos. 5 and 6, the first addressed by king Samsu-
iluna to Marduk-nii~ir, the second sent by the latter to two other men, most
probably the "field surveyors" who are co-addressees of no. 5. In no. 6:13ff.
Marduk-nii~ir writes: "A letter of my lord reached me and I herewith send it
to you under my seal". Since both letters belong to the same lot (AO 3956
and 3957), they must have turned up in one archive, which could have been
that of the addressees of no. 6. But since in no. 6:23 Marduk-nii~ir repeats
his duty to report to the king on the land assignment, it is also possible that
the addressees of no. 6, having carried out their task and informing him by

49 This is uncertain, because the address on the envelope ofno. 169 consists only of
a-na a-bi-[ia]; the person delivering the letter must have known who that was.
50 See Kraus, Siegelabrollungen, 138, and now also Sallaberger, Interaktion, 26-28,
who also lists five cases _where the envelope mentions the writer by means of the
words tuppi PN. New envelopes, 12,133,170, and 191; 13, 100-102, 126, 128, and
148, confirm the conclusions of Kraus.
 I. INTRODUCTION XXV

letter of the results, at the same time returned to him (copy of?) the king's
letter. Lack of information about the find spot of these letters makes it
impossible to choose between these alternatives.
To what extent copies were made and letters preserved is difficult to tell.
There are about thirty cases were the addressee of an OB letter is advised to
preserve it as proof of the words (instruction, request, etc.) of the writer.51
But this also happened with many private and official letters without such a
request, for reasons about which we can only speculate (see CRRAI 30,
32f.). Even a clear instruction to destroy letters received (no. 112:36-38)
fortunately was ignored.
Since the overwhelming majority of letters, having been opened and
read, are without envelope, we cannot identify (archival) copies. No. 116,
(see note a to its translation) most probably was not an archive copy of two
letters received by the same man, but a tablet with two letters from two
different but cooperating writers, addressed to the same man.

4. Editorial format
This volume shows some differences with previous ones. The results of
the collations are not presented in verbal descriptions in footnotes to the
transliterations, but as a list of drawings at the end of the volume p. 219ff.).
A visual image is clearer, allows a check, and may stimulate others to come
up with alternative reading proposals. Collation allowed correction of errors
in the copies, ranging from the omission of lines (in nos. 123:6 and 159:3)
to imperfectly drawn signs and the identification of erasures, but many
problems remain, mainly due to damage of the tablets. Tablets have
deteriorated since G. Dossin made his copies around 1930, mainly due to
the fact that during World War II they were stored in the cellars of the
Chateau de Chambord. Its humidity stimulated the formation of salt
crystals, which in some cases led to the disintegration of a tablet, while in
others part of the surface have crumbled away or become less readable. In
the transliterations collations shown in the list are marked by an asterisk (*),
erasures by the letter e in superscript (e). While in the transliterations every
line number is indicated by a small number in superscript, in the translations
such numbers appear irregularly, usually every three to five lines, especially
where new (parts of) sentences start.
A separate list of collations and an asterisk for erasures mean a con-
siderable reduction of the number of notes. With transliterations and
translations on facing pages, longer right hand pages with annotated
translations, would cause much blank space on the left hand ones. To reduce

51 See for the terminology used and the reasons for preserving letters, Kraus,
Siegelabrollungen, 141f., with my observations in CRRAI 30 (1986) 33, note 125.
XX.VI ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14
r
this unbalance and to obtain a little more room for lexical observations
(which in the traditional AbB system have to be kept very short), I have
removed many of the latter from the notes to an alphabetically arranged list
of "Lexical Notes" at the end of this volume. They refer to the letter to
which they apply, but can also be used without going through the texts
themselves. In footnotes and Lexical Notes cross references are given to
other letters where the word/expression in question occurs, including
occurrences not yet registered in our dictionaries. To save space the
references to letters in this volume are indicated simply by "no." and those
to letters in other volumes of this series are of the type 2, 4:7, omitting
"AbB ". In addition to the current abbreviations, for which I generally follow
the CAD, I have introduced some new ones for more frequently quoted
publications on Old Babylonian matters (seep. VII-VIII).
In the transliteration of personal names I have linked all signs by a short
hyphen, without using the long one to mark off their component parts. With
the latter system one may occasionally run into problems (e.g. In-bi-
DINGIR-su for In(i)b-ilisu) and the interpretation of a name is clear from
the accompanying translation.
The translations given generally follow the style of previous AbB
volumes. I have maintained the translation of the address used in the last
volumes, though I am aware that, as Deutscher, Syntactic Change, ch.5, has
argued, it would be better to render it by "Speak to A, this is what B said").
As for measures and weights, iku is rendered by "acre", slla/qum by
"quart", and se by "grain". I have profited from W. Sallaberger's book
"Wenn Du mein Bruder hist, ..... ". Interaktion und Textgestaltung in
altbabylonischen Alltagsbriefen (1999), which, though not drawing on the
letters edited in this volume, deals with many issues that recur in them.
Many of his observations do not necessarily ask for different translations
and at times it is also not easy how to reflect his ideas in them. But, to
mention one example, inspired by his observations on the greeting formulas
(87-92), I have rendered ana sulmika aspuram by "I am writing to wish you
well", and the usually following request sulumka sup ram, with some
hesitation, by "send me your greetings", on the assumption that "greetings"
not only contain good wishes, but also information on how the addressee is
doing, which is implied in this request and at times shown by the reaction. 52

52 See Interaktion, 90, in connection with example (62), where the reaction to ana
sulmia taspuram is salmiiku. Note in this volume no. 104:5, where sulum PN
supram can only be a request for information about how PN is doing.
 INTRODUCTION XXVII

Editorial conventions

sue su written over erasure

su* collated, see the list in the back of the volume
su a) see footnote a) to this sign (word)
rsul partially destroyed sign, reading certain
[su] sign missing but restoration (almost) certain
[sul uncertain restoration
lsu last sign of a line which belongs to the end of the last word
of the previous line
su,su7 reading of sign (rather) uncertain
su (X)
1 emendation of sign X into su
<su> sign mistakenly omitted on tablet
<<su>> superfluous sign or word, not erased on the tablet
X unidentified sign
rx, damaged unidentified sign
[x x (x)] approximate number of signs missing
tablet uncertain translation or reading (in names)
[tablet] word missing by damage, (fairly) certain restoration
[tablet] word missing by damage, uncertain restoration
(tablet) word added in translation
h,H render b, ij
no. 1:1 reference to a line of a letter edited in this volume
1, 1:1 reference to a line of a letter edited in AbB I (etc.).
,
II CONCORDANCE
OF MUSEUMNUMBERSAND NUMBERSIN TEXT EDITIONS

TCL 1 nos. 1-54 AbB 14 nos. 1-54

however:no. 10 (AO 4317) is replacedby AO 4324 (Arnaud,RA 71, 4).
TCL 17-18nos.1-155 AbB 14 nos. 55-209
however:no. 154 (AO 6770) is replacedby AO 21105 (Nougayrol,RA 73, 80).
Arnaud,BBVOT 1 nos. 15-18,21, 55, 76, 160,174,176 AbB 14 nos. 210-19
(abbreviatedas B + numberin the followinglist)
Arnaud,Larsa et ::,Oueili(1983)259-281.No. 1 =259,2;2 =260,1;3 =260,2; 4 =
260,3+261,1;5 = 261,2; 6 = 267,3+268,1;7 = 281,2 AbB 14 nos. 220-26
(abbreviatedas LO 1-7 in the followinglist)

AO TCLl AbB14 BB AO TCL 1 AbB 14 BB

1630 18 18 210 3962 46 46 176

1631 8 8 88 3964 40 40 186
1664 52 52 241 3965 B 21 214
1667 48 48 239 3967 34 34 191
1673 51 51 243 3969 45 45 220
1674 26 26 180 3970 41 41 197
1728 25 25 139 3971 33 33 190
1732 21 21 155 3976 44 44 199
1745 47 47 267 3977 36 36 194
1747 20 20 219 3978 42 42 196
1771 24 24 177 3979 38 38 195
1774 16 16 127 3981 39 39 19
1781 23 23 129 4318+ 9 9 88
2504 49 49 232 4320 12 12 120
2703 14 14 93 4321 13 13 94
2704 1 1 37 4322 11 11 119
2705 2 2 4 4324 a 10
3010 15 15 207 4420 27 27 157
3072 3 3 45 4615 4 4 66
3233 B 15 210 4616 53 53 222
3234 B 16 211 4617 17 17 230
3235 B 17 212 4618 50 50 246
3236 B 18 213 4619 22 22 182
3956 5 5 64 4620 19 19 181
3957 6 6 150 4622 7 7 80
3958 30 30 187 4658 29 29 143
3959 35 35 192
3960 31 31 188 a) Arnaud,RA 71 (1977)4
3961 32 32 189
XXX ALTBABYLONISCHE
BRIEFE 14

AO TCL 17/18 AbB14 BB AO TCL 17/18 AbB14 BB

5420 LO6 225 6731 57 111

5426 41 95 6732 58 112
5433 35 89 6733 2 56
5440 46 100 6734 1 55
5459 18 72 6735 3 57
5462A B 55 215 6736 59 113
6021 36 90 6737 10 64
6022 37 91 6738. 4 58
6023 33 87 6739 60 114
6317 11 65 6740 15 69
6318 12 66 6741 61 115
6319 17 71 6742 5 59
6320 42 96 6743 62 116
6321 16 70 6744 63 117
6323 13 67 6745 64 118
6324 25 79 6746 6 60
6325 22 76 6747 7 61
6326 43 97 6748 8 62
6327 45 99 6749 9 63
6328 44 98 6750 23 77
6329 39 93 6751 65 119
6331 19 73 6752 38 92
6332 24 78 6753 66 120
6333 40 94 6754 67 121
6334 47 101 6755 69 123
6322 14 68 6756 68 122
6335 48 102 6757 70 124
6336 27 81 6758 71 125
6337 49 103 6768 153 207
6338 28 82 6771 155 209
6339 32 86 6806 145 199
6340 50 104 6884 72 126
6341 51 105 6885 73 127
6342 29 83 6886 74 128
6343 52 106 6887 75 129
6344 20 74 6888 77 131
6345 21 75 6897B B 76 216
6442 26 80 6898 78 132
6695 31 85 6899 76 130
6696 53 107 6900 79 133
6697 30 84 6901 80 134
6698 34 88 6902 81 135
6700 55 109 6903 82 136
6730 56 110 6907 83 137
r
IL CONCORDANCE XXXI

AO TCL 17/18 AbB14 BB AO TCL 17/18 AbB14 BB

6910 84 138 8874 129 183

6968 96 150 8875 126 180
6969 85 139 8876 127 181
7013 86 140 8877 128 182
7014 87 141 8878 130 184
7015 88 142 8879 131 185
7265 89 143 8880 133 187
7266 90 144 8881 132 186
7471 93 147 8882 134 188
7472 91 145 9994 135 189
7473 92 146 8883 142 196
7474 94 148 8885 136 190
7475 95 149 8886 137 191
7583 97 151 8887 107 161
7586 98 152 8888 138 192
7587 99 153 8889 139 193
7591 28 28 91 8891 141 195
7675 100 154 8892 143 197
b)
······ 101 155 8893 144 199
7797 103 157 9074 146 200
7799 102 156 9088 148 202
7800 104 158 9090 147 201
7801 195 159 11122 150 204
8197 122 176 11123 151 205
8369 108 162 11124 149 203
8370 109 163 11137 152 206
8371 110 164 20334 B 174 218
8372 111 165 21105 .....c) 208
8373 112 166 21938 LO 1 222
8374 113 167 21944 LO2 221
8375 114 168 21962 LO4 222
8376 115 169 21963 LOS 224
8377 117 171 21965 LO3 223
8465 116 170 24159 B 176 219
8467 118 171 24211 LO7 226
8488 121 175 29691 B 160 217
8598 119 173 ........
b) 101 155
· 8601 120 174
8846 106 160 b) AO numberunknown(not
8847 123 177 AO 7798)
8872 124 178 c) J. Nougayrol,RA 79 (1979)
8873 125 179 80
 III. INDEXES

l. Writers and addressees (indented)

abia 91, 92, 131, 155, Awil-ilisu 190

167-169,176,206 awz7um 49, 50, 51, 52,
abia u belia 141 89,90, 156,157
abia u ummim 93 159, 166,2147
Abi-iff 22 awz7ii 158
abini 160 A[ .....] 122
Abi-Samas 215 Babaya 28
Abum-waqar 200 Bala 124
Adad-rabi 30-38, 42 Bali-erah 146-148,
Adad-rim-ili 154 217,219
Adad-sarrum 40,142 Balmu-namhe 121
Adi-annitim 23 Balmu-namhe 173
Aguja 142 Bas(i)-ilim 157
Aham-uta 77 Beya 18
Ahatia 53 Belania 115
Ahia 138 Belanum 78,86, 187
Ahum 211-213 Belanum 123
Ahuni 133 Belessunu 16,48
Ahuni 187 belia 55-64, 132, 183,
Ahusina 118 208,210
Ahusunu 97 belini 94,179
Ahu-waqar 112 [Beff-rim-ili] 11,12
Aj(a)[ ....] 110 Belsunu 21
Alammus-na~ir 127 Belsunu 81,82
Afftum 177 Beltani 25
Aff-waqartum 102 Belum 24
Ammi-ditana 7 Bunanusu 27
Anatum 29 Bunene-qardum 201,202
Annfi 94 Buttatum 211
Anum-muballit 107 Dadaya 88,204
Anum-pisa 183 Dadaya 76, 205, 2267
Apil-Amurrim 85 dajjiinii Adab 7 184
Apil-ilisu 169-170 Damqilisu 11
Apil- ........ 224 Ea-inbam 12
Aplatum 41 en 28
Aplum 138,177 Enlil-issu 223
Arrabu 48 Eib-Sin 100
Atanah-iff 194 Eristi-Aja 23
Atija 118 Etellum 220
Awil-[ ......] 43 Etel-pi-Marduk 99,143,199
Awil-iff 84 Etel-pi-Marduk 130
XXXIV

Etel-pi-Nabium
Etel-pi-Samas
Giirnil-Marduk
ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

156
196
157
Iluni?
Imgur-Ninurta
Imgur-Sin
72
167
223
l
t;

•f
I
Gimil-ilim 124 Imgur-Samas 193
Gimillum 39 Inanna-dingir.mu 119
glr.se.ga e dNingirsu 84 Inbusa 80
Gungunum 221 Ipa"um 221
Gurrurum [201], 202 Ipiq-Adad 129
Habil-ahi 29 Ipiq-Arahtum 17
Habil-kenum 141 Ipqu-Nabium 120
Hali[ ..... ] 95 lpqu-dNE ...... 150
Hammurabi 1-3, 117,225 lr-dimin 15
Baria 121 Iskur-mansum 51
Ha~irtum 194 Isum-u-ZA-x 115
Huzalum 101 Itiir-asdum 123
Ibbi-Ilabrat 125 Jahgunnum 78-80
Ibbi-Sin 42,195 Jarhabum 13
lb bi-Samas 109 Kazubtum 46
Ibni-Amurrum 18, 102, 105, Kes-idinnam 173
Ibni-Amurrum 104 Kubbutum 168
Ibni-Ea 108 Kukkfi 178
Toni-Marduk 65 Kulparahe 14
Toni-Marduk 105 Kuruna ...... 220
Ibni-Uras 190 Lipit-Ea 30-42 :,~
Iddi 73-75 i
Lipit-Ea 196
Iddin-Ea 117 Lipit-Irra 210 '
-,;
~'

Iddinjatum 188 Lipit-Istar 90,192

Iddin-Marduk 53 Lipit-Istar 125
Iddin-Sm 113, 165 Lipit-Sm 137
Igmil-d[ .....] 172 Lipit-Tispak 26
k
Ikiin-pi-[ ..... ] 172 Lipit-[ .....] 152 f~
Ilan-danna 46 Liqtum 113
Ili-bani 114 Liwwirassum 24
Ili-idinnam 144 Lu-dB a.u 213
Ili-kakkabi 4 Lublut-ili 103
Ili-iqisam 52 Lu-dingira 149
Ili-iqisam 109,172 Ui-Lugalbanda 197
Ili-inbam 180 Lumur-gimil-Samas 181
[Il]i-kimti 185 Lumur-sa-Marduk 97
Ilima-ilum 73-75,104 Lu-Ninurta 160,161
Ili-manatum 171 madutum 70, 71, 101
Ili-nada 212 Mannasi 140
Ili-rabi 129 Marduk-dajjan 199,200
Ili-sukkal 175 Marduk-da ..... 101
Ilsu-ibnisu 76 Marduk-lamassasu 95,120
Iltani 23 Marduk-massu 114
Iluni? 72
 III. INDICES XXXV

Marduk-muballit 54 Sin-eriba 224

Marduk-niisir 5 Sin-eris 15
Marduk-niisir 6, 87. 107 Sin-giimil 6
Marduk-nisfi 21 Sin-idinnam 184
Mar-ei:setim 96 Sin-idinnam 1-3, 225
miir Ili-kakkabf 4 Sin-ili 133
Ma.si-ill 170 Sin-imguranni 124,203
Munawwirtum 26 Sin-imguranni 158, 159,
Nabi-Enlil 19 186,217
Nabi-Samas 127 Sin-iqIBam 54, 119, 146
Nabium-hasir 22 Sin-ismeanni 50
Nabium-miilik 79,140 Sin-ismeanni 120
Nabium-niisir 106 Sin-kiisid 211
Nabudia 179 Sin-lii-saniin 150
Namrum-ili 171 Sin-miigir 19
Namram-sarur 189 Sin-miilik 128
Narn/wram-sarur 197,203 Sin-muballit 147
Namratum 145 Sin-mustiil 135
Nanna-u-tu-ni-is 83 Sin-remeni 126,
Nariim-Sin 22 Sin-remeni 139, 155
Na ...... 215 Sin-samuh 99,143
Namratum 145 Sin-uselli 154
Nidnatum 106 Sin-[ ......] 111
Nfg .ge.e-l.ki. ag 14 Sin-[ .....] 152
dNinsianna 9 Sirfi 180
Nur-Samas 65-71,122, Sullali 149
218 Sillf-Damkina 97
Nur-Samas 191 Silli--Samas 55-63, 647
Pana-ilisu 222 Silli-Samas 139
PA.PA 204 Sissu-nawrat 148
Pusiatum 116 Samas-hiisir 161
QIBtum 219 Samas-hiisir 162-164
Qurdusa 81-82 Samas-nasir 66-71,987,
Qurrudum 132 218
Rii0 imtum 49 Samas-[ ....] 108
Rig 7-um 132 siipiria 17, 88, 182,
dRim-Sin-[ .....] 111 186
dRim-Sin-qardum 175 siipirini 189
Ris-Marduk 103 Siit-Istar 89
Ris-[Samas] 128 Sega-Enlila 144
sag.dun.mes 5 Serum-ili 110
Samsu-ditana 8 sibiit iilim 189
Samsu-iluna 4, 5, 130 Simut-pa[ ..... ] 176
Samum 137 Subultum 24
Sin-aj-abiis 98, 112 Su-Dumuzi 222
Sin-asared 195 Sumi-ahia 13
Sin-enbam 126,205 Summa-ilf 7
 XXXVI ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14
r
I
Sumu-li~i, son of Warad-Sin 21i31
Iddin-Marduk Watar-Samas 170,175
Sumum-libsi 203 Zababa-nii~ir 91
Tanbum 188 Zababa-qarriid 181
Taribusa 27 Zinu 162-165
Temi 93 Zinfi 166
Ubarrum 94 [.......]-da-a-a 226
Ubarrum 54 [........ ]-er~etim7 226
Ubiir-Sin 145,208 [........ ]-nii~ir 136
ugula.dam.gar 86-87 [........ ]-~illia 116
ugula. mar. tu 83-85 [........ ]-Samas 185
ugula.nam.10 eren 70 [........ ]ursa 182
ummia 43
Umtum 178 broken away 8, 10, 44, 45,
Uras-musallim 6 64, 77, 92, 100,
Ur-Nanse 9 134, 151, 153,
W arad-er~etim 135 174,191, 192,
Warad-Amurrim 193 198,214,216
Warad-Gula 206 no address 47,207,2

2. Geographical names

TOWNS Diir-Sumula 0 el 5:14; 6:8

E-dGibil 11:11, 23
Abi-Dfr 1:20 Girsu 11:8; 97:7
Aha-[niita] 1:29 Ha ....... 225:4
Al-Sin-iqisam 33:5 Harinum 142:9
Asdubba 163:21 Hiritum 21:4
Babilim 7:14; 48:15;68: Hubabi 150:8
6; 80:6, 27; 83: Hudu 162:7, 12
19,28; 95:19; Indahas 123:12, 22
124:11, 21; Isin 10:4' ,9' ;88:5,
153:3'; 158: 15; 6; 186:10; 204:
169:7; 177:9; 13, 22, 25; 205:
178:14; 198:3'; 5, 30, 32; 209:
205:33; 225:29 27; 209:27
Bad.didli 7 4:29 lskun-Ea 61:9
Bad-Tibira 108:7 lskun-Sin 121:5
176:11,15 lskun-Samas 1:22
Be-ku-a 209:10 ka.i7.didli see Pi-niiriitim
Biriitum 198:4' Karisu 1:15,32
Damm 87:6, 15 Karkar (?) 182:19
', I
Di .... 64:8 Kar-Samas 54:21
Dimat-Kuniinum 217:18 Kis 81:22,25
Diir-iili-ahi 17:4 Kunnum 5:9; 32:12'
,
1

1 I
Diir-Apil-Sin 87:13, 18; 93:7

l :;
l I,:
1

I
 III. INDICES XXXVII

Kururu 210:5 62:17; 63:4; 114:87

Larsa 3:7; 110:42; Tabnuk 29:6
114:14; 207:18; Titur-ilim 158:11
226:10 Tiir-(ii)gulla 67:5, 17, 26; 218:5,
!,tum s,aplum 117: 8; 124:6 15
Maskan-sapir 167:13,16; 185:5 Ur 107:6, 12; 112:10,
Murum (?) 182:19 173:16
Muti-abal 46:7 Usab 104:21
Pi-ilim 55:11; 56:26; 57:7; Uzar-suhar 208:27
59:8, 13 Ya .... 186:7
Pikasi 68:5; 140:27 .....gunum 217:20
Pi-naratim 91:30 ..........um 193:14
PI-taga 53:12
Rahabu 2:9 WATERCOURSES
Rakabat 162:8,13; 163:31
Rapiqum 203:11 atap dNarim 91:24
Simas-Zababa- 91:13 Haharum 168:19, 27
LAGAB Idiglat 132:24
Sippar 49:15; 54:24; 93:8; Imgur-Istar 5:2,11; 6:7
145:10; 156:28; In ....... 168:26
Sippar-Y ahrurum 8:5; 155:11 Purattum 44:4
Sirimtum 55:4; 56:25, 33;

3. Gods and kings

a. Gods in the blessing in the address of a letter

Adad Samas+ Adad 88, 176

Aya Samas+ Aya 16
An-Inanna +Nana.ya 19
bell+ beltz- 23, 26, 48 (letters of nadztu's)
Damu Gula+ Damu + Urmasum 206:2 and 5
Gula + Lugal-marada + Damu + Urmasum 204
Ea 124
Samas + Marduk + Ea + Damkina 141
Enlil + Ninurta 160
Gula + Damu + Urmasum 206:lf. and 5
+ Lugal-marada + Damu + Urmasum 206
Samas+ Gula 203
ilsu biinisu 91
[!star] + Zababa 190
Lugal-marada + Urmasum 204 (in sasumsu udammaqu)
Gula+ Lugal-marada + Damu + Urmasum 204:5f.
Marduk* 83, 85, 86(?), 90, 112, 158, 203
Samas+ Marduk+ Ea+ Damkina 141
Samas + Marduk + Ningirsu 84
XXXVIII

Nanaya
Nergal
ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE

Samas,+ Marduk+ Ninsubur 108, 165

An-Inanna + Nanaya 19
Samas+ Nergal 14
14
l
'

f
Ningirsu 197 \;
Samas+ Ningirsu 77, 84:7
Samas + Marduk + Ningirsu 84 J
Ninsubur 171 i
Samas+ Ninsubur, see under Samas+ (cf. 139:25) '
Samas+ Marduk+ Ninsubur 108, 165
Sm 28 l
+Marduk 154
+ Samas 107 (Ur);
+Samas+ Ninsubur 168
i
Samas + Sin 115, 132
Samas 12, 22, 31, 35, 36, 42, 70, 81, 82, 99, 111, 113, 116:24, 119, 143-
144,146,150,161,172,180,184, 187-88, 194-96,217,219
+ Adad 88, 176
+ Aya 16
+ Gula203
+ Marduk 18, 24, 27, 29-30, 33-4, 37, 39, 41, 43 7, 44-46, 5052,
65, 67, 73-76, 79-80, 83, 87, 91-93, 96, 98, 101, 103, 106, 109,
114, 118, 123, 125, 127, 134, 138, 140, 142, 145, 155-57, 159,
167,178, 181-83, 186,189, 198?,201-02,215
+ Marduk + Ea + Damkina 141
+ Marduk + Ningirsu 84
+Marduk+ Ninsubur 108, 165
+ Nergal 14
+ Ningirsu 77, 84 l
+ Ninsianna 110 t'
+ Ninsubur 112, 139:5,25, 162-64, 166, 169
+ Sm 115,132 i
Urmasum
Sm+ Samas + Ninsubur 168
Lugal-marada + Urmasum 204
rf.
Zababa [!star]+ Zababa 190

* Marduk alone is never invoked in a blessing (liballifka), but occurs in the phrase
sa M. uballa/itusu, which qualifies the addressee, but only after Samas.

b. Gods in other contexts

Alammus 154:24 (Sm u A.)

An-Inanna 19:10 (A. Nanaya u Kanisurra beletia), 22 (mahar A. u Nanaya
karabum)
beiki u beletki 25:llf., 21
Gula 204:26 (namrat /sin u matim G. isakkan)
Inanna 234:15 (ana mahar Zababa u I. alakum)
Kanisurra 19: 10 (An-Inanna, Nanaya u K. beletia), 14f. (PN sa K.)
 III. INDICES XXXIX

Marduk 30:19, 22 (banes of M.), 51, 4 (sutu of M.), 83:30 (mahar

Samas u M. kariibum), 109:7 (miitum sa M. u Samsu-iluna),
144:25 (slave e M. 7)
Nabium 200 (inscription on seal on case: PN l r N.)
Nanaya 19:11 (offerings for An-Inanna, N. u Kanisurra beletia), 22
(mahar An-Inanna u N. beletia kariibum)
Nanna 58:19 (e N. in name of second year of Rim-Sin)
Nergal 167:12(glr.se.ga N.)
Ningal 107:5 (e Sin u N. salim)
Ningirsu 112:27 (Panumunaka, Ninsubur u N.)
Ninsubur 112:26 (Panumunaka, N. u Ningirsu), 139:25 (ana Samas u N.
dummiq)
Ninsianna 9: 1 (letter to N.)
Ninurta 160:6 (1 u k u r N.), 8, 14 (e analina x N. satiirum)
Panumunaka 112:26 (with Ninsubur and Ningirsu)
Sin 107:5 (e N. u Ningal), 154:24 (S. u Alammus), 192:18 ([ina
e7 S. izuzzum)
Samas 8:10, 15 (k a. g a 1 S.), 15:10 (accounting zna mahar S.), 16:28
(ana S. nadiinum), 43:7 (ana piini S. nadilm), 47:2 and 51:2
(gisban S.), 53:21 (mahar S. kunnum), 54:30 (nadit S.), 64:41
(dznum sa S.), 74:22 (ina k a S. burrum), 83:30 (mahar S. u
Marduk kariibum), 139:14 (S. PN ana diniin eper( sa takbusu
liddin), 25 (ana S. u Ninsubur dummiq), 205:28 (S. liballitka)
Tasmetum 76:13(gisban gi T.)
Zababa 5:8 (k a Z.), 134:15 (ana mahar Z. u Inanna aliikum), 190:16,
20 (fa Z. uballatuka).

c. Kings

Gungunum? 220:15
Hammu-rabi writer ofletters 1-3, 117 and 225
Kudur-mabuk 58: 18, in year-name of Rim-Sin
Samsu-iluna writer ofletters 4-5 and 130; 91:7 (ina palem saS.), 109:7
(miitum kalusa sa Marduk u S.)
Samsu-ditana writer of letter 8
Sumu-binasa 208:16
Zabaya 10:10'
r

IV. TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS

 TEXTS
II
1. AO 2704. TCL 1, Pl. I No. 1.
1 a-na rdEN.ZU-i-din-nam qi-bfl-ma 2 um-ma ha-amJmu-ra-bi-ma 1 3 PGE6-Ii-
ristar Pl r _dma r. tu 1 4 u nu-ur-du tu s i p a d x x x 5 ki-a-am u-lam-mi-du-
ni-in-ni um-ma [su-nu-m]a 6 k a.bar.mes sa qa-ti-ni 7 a-na
I
I

a g a.us.mes il-qu-[nim-m]a pu-ha-am u-ul id-di-nu-ni-a-si-[im] 9 ki-a-

8

am u-lam-mi-du-ni-in-[ni] 10 dub k a.bar.mes *[s]a i-na dub x x x *

11 in-na-me-er-ma (ruling)
12 Pa-hi-ia-a [du mu 1 du 10-ab-[x x xJ 13 d ah zi-ia-tum s es. n i a)
14 [P]dutu-h a-zi-ir rd um u x x1 15 [u r] u b) ka-ri-suki
16 [xx] xx dumu dEN.ZU-da-a-[a-an] 17 [dah xx x x]-NI sa sip ad.
ab. h i. a a)
lo. e. 18 [3] n a.gad GE6-Ii-istar
19 [xx] x du mu ta-ri-bu-u[m] 20 [u r] u a) a-bi-di-i-irk:ia)
rev. 21 [P x x]-istar d um u dEN.ZU-ma-gir22 [dah x x]-rum s es. ni is-ku-
un-du tu ki a)
23 [P x x]-ma-gir du mu nu-ra-tum 24 [d ah x] x-ma-gir s es. n i
25 [P]in-bi-l-li-su dumu dEN.ZU-[x x] 6 [da]h dingir-su-na-~i-ir
2
s es. ni a)
27 3 erin um-ma-tim nig. su dingir-su-x* [x x]
28 P[ll]-a-ba-ha-~:f-irdu mu ha-b:fPke-nu-um 1 29 [d ah x x] x-lr-ra s es. n i
urua-ha-[nu-ta]ki a)
30 3 n a . g ad l r _dma r . tu (ruling)
3 Pa-bi-ia-tum du mu dEN.ZU-x 32 d[a] h istar-d in g i r s es. n i ka-r[i-
1
suki] a)
33 1 n a. gad nu-ur-du tu (ruling)
34 i-na dub e. g a 1 ki-a-am sa-te4 -er 35 k a.bar.mes su-nu-[ti] 36 ki-ma i-
na dub e. gal sa-at-ru a-pu-ul-su-nu-ti
37 38 u wa-ar-ka-at hi-bi-il-ti-su-nu
39 pu-ru-us-ma u.e. 40 hi-bi-il-ta-su-nu te-er-su-nu-si-im

1. a) Lines 12-13, 16-17, 18-20, 21-22, 23-26, 28-29, and 31-32 lack the normal
rulings between the lines and are thereforepresented as single paragraphs. b) Both
signs, at the beginning of indented lines, could be the remains of [u r ]u, as
suggestedby l. 29.
 TRANSLATIONS

1. AO 2704. Ungnad, BB 37.

Speak to Sin-idinnam: Thus says Hammurabi. 3 Silli-Istar, Warad-Amurrim
4 and Niir-Samas, the shepherds of[ ...], 5 have brought the following to my
notice: 7 "One has taken 6 the herdsmen a) under our authority 7 to serve as
soldiers, 8 without giving us replacements!" b) 9 This they have brought to
my notice. 10 The register of the herdsmen which is among the records of the
palace 11 has been inspected (with the following resttlt):
12 Ahiyaya, son of Tab-[ ...],13subsitute Zijatum, his brother;
14 svamas-h-a~tr,
V c·)
. [son oif ...] , 15 [......] c) m th e town L\..arzsu,
17 • •

16 [ ... ], son of Sin-dajjan, 17 [substitute ...]-NI, belonging to the cowherds,

18 [3] herdsmen of Silli-Istar.
19 [ .. ], son of Tanlmm, 20 [in the town] Abi-Dir;
21 [ ... ]-!star, son of Sin-magir, 22 [substitute .... ]rum, his brother, oflskun-
Samas;
23 [ ... ]-magir, son of Niiratum, 24 [substitute ....]-magir, his brother;
25 In(i)bilisu, son of Sin-[ ...], 26 substitute Ilsu-na~ir, his brother,
27 3 workers d) of the troops under the authority of Ilsu-[ ....].
28 [Il]"aba-ba~ir, son of HabiVkenum 1, 29 [substitute ....]-lrra, his brother
(in) the town Aha[niita];
30 3 herdsmen e) ofWarad-Amurrim.
31 Abiyatum, son of Sin-[ ....], 32 substitute Istar-ilum, his brother, (in) the
town Kar[isu];
33 1 herdsman (of) Niir-Samas.
34 Thus is written in the records of the palace. 37 Give them 35 these

shepherds 36 they are entitled to, just as they are registered in the records of
the palace. 38 Moreover, 39 establish 38 how much damage they have suffered
f) and 40 refund them.

1. a) See for the meaning and translation of the various designations used for the
"shepherds", Lexical Notes s.v. u. tu 1. b) A similar unauthorized transfer of
shepherds in 2, 3, and in CT 8, 32b (Samsu-iluna year 21), where it is cancelled by
order of the king. c) The break in 1. 15 is too small for [dab] followed by a
personal and a place-name. d) The complaint does not deal with these workers
under Usu-[...], but they are mentioned, since the text of the "palace register" is
quoted. e) 3 (in an indented line, which is to be taken as summarizing) is strange af-
4 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

2. AO 2705. TCL 1, Pl. II No. 2.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-i-din-nam 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma rha-am-m 1u-ra-bi-ma 4 PzPtu-
bi-tum1 lu.kas 4 .e 5 kiJa-am] u-lam-mi-da-an-ni 6 um-m[a] su-ma 7 as-
sum rdEN.ZU-ta1-ia-ar si[pa.ab.hi.a] 8 [du]mu a-ha-ti-ia u dumu.
m[ es - su] 9 PGE6-li-istar u. tu I sa ta [x x] 10 i~-ba-ta-an-ni um-ma su-[ma]
1l rpdEN1.ZU-ta-ia-ars i [pa. ab.hi. a] 12 [mah]-*ri-ka at?- [x x X)
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginningof rev., ca. 12 lines, broken)
1' u a-na bi-ti-ia J5:[xx x] 2' ka-ni-ik-su us-t[e-zi-ib-su] 3' mu. 3. k am il-li-
ik-m[a] 4' as-sum dEN.ZU-ta-ia-ar sip a. a[b. hi. a] 5' PGE6-Ii-istar u. tu le
suJu 1 6' 3 g u d. hi. a-ia it-te-pe ki-a-am i[q-bi-a-am] 1' a-nu-um-ma *zi-
tu?-bi-tum su-a-ti 8' a-na ~e-ri-ka at-tar-dam 9' su-pur GE6-li-istar su-a-ti li-it-
ru-ni-ik-kum 10" wa-ar-ka-tam pu-ru-us-ma 11' ki-ma ~i-im-dae-tim 12' [di-
nam su-hi]-is-su-nu-ti

3. AO 3072. TCL 1, Pl. II No. 3.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-i-din-nam 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ha-am-mu-ra-bi-ma 4 a-nu-um-
ma 6 su-si UN.ii.mes 5 at-tar-da-ak-kum 6 3 su-si UN.ii.mes it-tie-pi-
is-tim sa 1ar s am ki u 3 su-si UN. ii.mes
7 8 it-ti e-pi-is-tim 9 sa urura-ha-
biki 10 li-pu-su 11 [tap]-pu-tam li-il-li-ku
(lo. e. and rev. uninscribed)

4. AO 4615. TCL I, Pl. III No. 4.

1 a-na *d u m u l-li-ka-ak-ka-bi 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma sa-am-su-i-lu-na-ma 4
Pna- ki -mu-um u 'l' pa- u-u-um 5 a-na ma- ah"" ,v
-n-ia u-se-n-"b.u-mm-ma 6xxa1,-1,Um
u 8 • u du. h i. a sa qa-ti-ka ha-sa-nim 7 i-na sa-di-im e'-ma ri-tum 8 i-ba-as-
su-u 9 i-zu-uz-zi-im-ma 10 u 8 • u du.hi. a si-na-ti 11 su-ul-lu-mi-im 12 u-
wa-e-er-su-nu-ti 13 a-nu-um-ma 1 ra.gaba lu.kas 4 .e 14 u aga.us.
16
sag 15 at-tar-dam lo.e. ki-ma is-sa-an-qu-ni-ik-kum rev.17 pa-ni 1 me 11
u 8 • u du.hi. a 18 sa qa-ti-ka 19 ~a-ba-at 20 a-na ma-har na-ki-mu-um u pa-
lu-u-um 21 a-li-ik-ma 22 u 8 . u du.hi. a si-na-ti 23 ki-ma u-wa-e-ru-su-nu-ti
24 i-na sa-di-im 25 a-sar ri-tum i-ba-as-su-u 26 li-iz-zi-iz 27 66 u 8 .hi. a um-
ma-at sil a4 .hi.a 28 ib. tak 4 u 8 . ud u. hi. a sa qa-ti-ka 29 a-na a-al rb ad.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 5

2. AO 2705. Ungnad, BB 4; G. Lautner, Die Richterliche Entscheidung

(LRS 3, 1922) 13.
Speak to Sin-idinnam: Thus says Hammurabi. 4 The runner Zi ...tum has
brought the following to my notice, he said: 9 "Silli-Istar, the manager of the
herds, whom you [...], 10 has seized me 7 because of the [cowehe]rd Sin-
tajjar, 8 the son of my sister and because of [his] sons, 10 saying: 11 the
[cowhe]rd Sin-tajjar (large break)
1' and against my house ... 2 ' I had [him make out] his sealed deed ... 3 ' After
three years had passed, a) 5' the afore-mentioned Silli-Istar, the manager of
the herds, 4 ' because of Sin-tajjar, the [cow]herd, 6 ' destrained three oxen of
mine!" Thus he brought to my notice. 7' Herewith I am sending that Zi ...tum
to you. 9' Send orders to bring the afore-mentioned Silli-Istar before you. 10'
Take the matter in hand and 12' try their [case] 11' in accordance with the
regulation.

3. AO 3072. Ungnad, BB 45.

Speak to Sin-idinnam: Thus says Hammurabi. 4 Herewith I am sending you
360 carriers. 6 180 carriers must join the work force of Larsa and 180
carriers 10 must join 8 the workforce of Rahabu. 11 They must assist them.

4. AO 4615. Ungnad, BB 66.

Speak to the son of Ili-Kakkabi: Thus says Samsu-iluna. 5 One has brought
Nakimum and Palum here before me and 12 I have instructed them 6 to
shelter a) the sheep for which you are responsible 9 (and) to let them settle b)
on high ground, wherever herbage is available, (in order) to save c) those
sheep. 13 Herewith I am sending one mounted courier and a head soldier. 16
Take, as soon as they have arrived with you, the 111 sheep for which you are
responsible along (and) 21 go to Nakimum and Palum and 26 let these sheep,
as I instructed them, settle b) 24 on high ground where herbage is available.
Bring 27 66 ewes which have lambs, d) 28 the rest of the sheep for which you

ter one person only. f) hibiltum refers to workdays missed or loss of production due
to lack of personnel.
2. a) The subject of illik is not specified, the verb being construed with mu 3.
k am as an adverbal accusative, see CAD A/I 311, 3 j) 2' b'.
4. a) See for ljasiinum IO, 159, noted to translation. b) In 9 and 26 $enum must be
the singular subject of izuzzum; note the use of SI for /zf/ in 9. c) sullumum is not
"to deliver safely" (CAD S 129, a, but "to save" (see bullutum in 32), since the the
threat is a drought. d) Transfer to high ground seems not to be feasible for the ewes
6 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE14

*di d li a-sar in 1. nu 30 u g i. zi had.du ta-ak-ku-mu 31 su-ri-ib-ma u.e.

32 bu-ul-li-is-si-na-ti

5. AO 3956. TCL 1, Pl. IV No. 5.

1 a-na dm a rd u k -na-~i-ir 2 u sag . dun . mes idiffi-gur-istar 3 qi-bi-ma 4
um-ma sa-am-su-i-lu-na-ma 5 Pib-ni-di s k u r n i g. s u be-la-nu-um u g u I a
mar. tu
6 0.2.0 i k u a. s a a. gar hi-is-sa-tum
7 o.0.2iku a.sa a.gar lugal
8 u 0.0.2 i k u gisk i r i 6 k a _dza. b a 4 . b a 4 9 i-ta ku-un-nimki
10 1.0.0i k u a . sa gisk i ri 6
11 ~i-bi-is-su sai-na idim-gur-istar ~a-ab-tu 12 id-[d]i-ma 13 [pu-uh a. s a s]a
id-du-u 14 [a. sa i-na b a d-su-[mYu-la 1 -d in g irki
(rest of obv. and lo. e. broken)
rev.I' r~i-bi-it ib-ni-dis k u r sa id-d 1 [u-u] 2' a-na PI-li-i I u. e lam.ma
3' nig. su be-la-nu-um ugula mar. tu 4' id-na 5' uni-bi a. s a a. gar u
i-te-e 6' saa. s a sa ta-na-ad-di-na-sum 7' i-di-sa-am i-na dub -pi-im su-ut-ra
8' pa-nam su-ur-si-a 9' su-up-ra-nim-ma 10' ka-ni-kum li-ik-ka-ni-ik-sum

6. AO 3957. TCL 1, Pl. V No. 6.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-ga-mil 2 u du r as -mu-sa-lim 3 qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma
dmarduk-na-~i-ir-ma 5 as-suml.0.0 iku a.sa ugi~kiri 6 ~i-bi-itib-ni-
dis k u r n i g. s u be-[la-nu-u]m 7 sa i-na ridim-gur-istar sa id-d 1u- u-ma] 8
pu-uh-su i-na b a d-su-mu-la-d in g i r [ki] 9 id-di-nu-sum 10 a-na a. s a su-a-
ti a-na PI-li-i/ lu. elam .maki 11 nig.su be-la-nu-um ugula mar.tu
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 7

are responsible, 29 into the town of Bad-didli, e) where 30 you have stored
straw and dried kzsu-reeds and 32 keep them alive!

5. A~ 3956. Ungnad BB 64.

Speak to Marduk-na~ir a) and to the field-surveyors of (the district of) the
Jmgur-Istar-canal: Thus says Samsu-iluna. 5 lbni-Adad who ranges under
general Belanum -
6 12 acres of field in the irrigation district Hissatum,
7 2 acres of field in the irrigation district 'The King', b)
s and 2 acres of garden at the Zababa-gate, adjoining (the village of)
Kunnum,cJ
10 (in all) 18 acres of field and garden, d)

his holding, which he has posseses in (the area irrigated by) the lmgur-lstar-
canal c) - 12 he gave up and [instead of the fields] he gave up 14 one has
given him fields in Dur-Sumu-la-El. e)
(substantial break)
give the holdings of lbni-Adad, which he gave up to WAli, the Elamite, 3'
1'

who ranges under general Belanum. 5' And write the name and size of the
field, the irrigation district and (those of) the neighbours 6' of the fields that
you will give him well specified on a tablet. 8' Present the data clearly (and)
send them to me 10' so that a sealed deed can be made out for him.

6. AO 3957. Ungnad, BB 150.

Speak to Sin-gamil and Uras-musallim: Thus says Marduk-na~ir. 5 As for the
18 acres field and garden, the holding of lbni-Adad, who ranges un der
general Belanum, 7 which are in (the district of) the lmgur-Istar-canal, which
he has given up and instead of which 9 one has given him (holdings) 8 in
Dur-Sumu-la-El - 13 a letter of my lord has reached me 10 that the afore-
mentioned field 12 should be given to the Elamite W Ali, 11 who ranges under

which have (recently) lambed. I take ummat as construct state plur. fem. of ummum,
"mother". e) Name of the town not clear. See for straw and dried kisu-reed, 3, 52:13
(g i . z i h ad . du . a), where they are the cheapest food, and for g i . z i h ad . du as
animal fodder 3, 11: 48f.
5. a) Another letter from Samsu-iluna to Marduk-na~ir is 8, 132, where the village
Kunnum is probably also mentioned in lines 8 and 12. b)a.gar lugal, not
"belonging to the king", but the name of the district. c) See for the town of Kun-
num and the lmgur-Istar canal (also in no. 6:7 and 8, 132:8, 12), Introduction, § 2 c.
d) The (indented) total of 18 acres (also no. 6:5) probably a scribal mistake, since the
sum of the parcels described in 1. 6-9 is only 6 acres. e) See no. 6: 8f.
 8 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

lo.e. 12 na-da-nim 13 dub -pi be-li-ia il-li-kam-ma 14ak-nu-kam-ma rev. 15

us-ta-bi-la-ak-ku-nu-si 16 a. s a u gisk i r i 6 ~i-bi-it 17 Pib-ni-di s k u r a-na
PI-li-i lu.elam.maki 18 id-na l9 ni-*bi a.sa a.gar u i-te-e 20 sa
a. s[a sa ta-n]a-di-n[a-sum] 21 pa-nam su-ur-si-a-nim-[ma] 22 su-up-ra-nim-
ma 23 ra1 -na be-li-ia lu-[us-pu-ur-ma] 24 ka-ni-kum l[i-ik]-ka-niJik-sum 1

7. AO 4622. TCL 1, Pl. VI No. 7.

1 a-na sum-ma-ding i r 2 du mu i-din-dm a rd u k 3 qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma am-
mi-di-ta-na-ma 5 g a u 1. nun 6 a-na k i . s 1 . g a sa itin e . n e . gar 7 ih-ha-
as-se-eh 8 ki-ma dub -pi an-ni-a-am 9 ta-am-ma-ru 10 1 I u be-el pi-ha-ti-ka
1130 ab.hi.a 12u 0,1.0 Lnun 131i-il-qe-a-am14a-naka.dingir.raki
15 li-il-li-kam-ma 16 a-di k i. s 1. g a i-sa-al-li-mu 17 g a li-ki-il rev. 18 la u-
la-ap-pa-tam l9 ar-hi-is 20 li-is-ni-qa-am

8. AO 1631. TCL 1, Pl. VII No. 8.

1 [a-na xx xx xx x] 2 [qi]-bi-ma 3 [um-ma] sa-am-su-di-ta-na-ma 4 [s]a ta-
as-pu-ra-nim um-ma at-tu-nu-ma 5 [s e -u]m sa i-na er-~e-et z i m bi r ki-ia-ah
-ru-rum 6 [i]b-ba-su-u 7 i-na pa-ni ere n I u. k u r i-na ki-di a-na na-de-e u-
ul na-tu 8 be-el-ni li-iq-bi 9 te4-mu-um li-is-sa-ap-ra-an-ni-a-si-im 10
k a. g a I du tu li-ip-pe-ti-ma 11 s e -um su-u a-na li-ib-bi a-lim li-ru-*ub 12
sa ta-as-pu-ra-nim 13 ki-ma s e -um me-re-es a-lim 14 i-na e-~e-di uq-ta-ta-
at-tu-u 15 k a. g a I du tu pi-ti-a-ma 16 a-di s e -um me-re-es a-lim uq-ta-at-
tu-u 17di.ku 5 .mes su-si-ba-a-ma 18 a-na k a. g a I na-~a-ri-im la i-ig-gu-u

il1i
I i: I ,,I
 LETTERSIN THE LOUVRE 9

general Belanum, 15 and I am herewith sending you (that tablet) under seal.
a) 18 Give the field and garden, the holding 17 of Ibni-Adad, to WAli, the
Elamite. 22 Send me, well specified, the name and size of the field, the
irrigation district and (those of) the neighbours 20 of the field that you will
give him, 23 so that I can send them to my lord and a sealed deed can be
made made out for him.

7. AO 4622. Ungnad, BB 80.

Speak to Summa-ilum, son of lddin-Marduk: Thus says Ammi-ditana. 5 Milk
and ghee are needed 6 for the funerary offering of the month of Abu. a) 8 As
soon as you have read this letter, let 10 one of your officials take 30 cows 12
and 60 quarts of ghee 15 (and) come to Babylon, 17 so that milk will be
available b) until the funerary offerings are completed. 18 He must arrive here
quickly without any delay.

8. AO 1631. Ungnad, BB 88.

Speak to ... and ... : Thus says Samsu-ditana. 3 As for the fact that you (plur.)
wrote me as follows: 6 "In view of the enemy troops it is not right to leave 4
the barley, which became available in the territory of Sippar-Yahrurum, in
store outside (the city). 7 Our lord should order that an instruction be sent to
us, that the Samas-gate be opened 10 so that that barley can enter the city!" 11
(In response to) what you wrote me (I tell you): 12 As soon as all the barley
of the cultivation belt of the city has been harvested, 14 open the Samas-gate
and while (the gathering of) the barley of the cultivation belt of the city is
being completed, 16 let the judges ges take up position a) and 17' let let not
fail to guard that city-gate!

6. a) Lines 14f. explain how we have both no. 5 and no. 6, which may have ended up
in the archive of the addressees of no. 6, who probably were the sassukku's
mentionedin the address of no. 5. See also Introduction§ 3.
7. a) See for the month of Abu as the date of the kispum also 5, 267 (see note b to
translation), 6, 51:5, BA 5, 511 no. 46:7, CT 48, 100: 3, JCS 11, 37 no. 27:11, and
JCS 21, 222f., G, and A. Tsukimoto, Untersuchungen zur Totenpflege (kispum) im
alten Mesopo-tamien (1985) 40f. and 48ff. b) Taking likz7 as resam liki7, with the
milk as subject; the alternative is a personal subject, "so that he (the official?) can
make (it) available".
10 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

9. AO 4318. TCL 1, Pl. VII No. 9. From Tello (Girsu), joined with L 10934
(= AbB 5 140) and edited by F. R. Kraus, RA 65 (1971) 27-36. a)
1 a-na dnin.si 4 .an.na 2 qf-bf-ma 3 [u]m-ma ur-dnanse-ma 4 mi-nam
e-pu-u[s]-k[a]-ma 5 [x] xx [x xx]
(break of undetermined length)
1' i-na q:Vti du 1 -li-im 2 ' re-si u-la a-na-si 3 ' a-na UD DIM SI-ma 4 ' a-ka-la-am
5 ' u-la e-se-bi lo. e. 6' ~u-ba-ti ta-ba-1 am u-la i-su rev.7 ' sa-am-na-am e-~e-
em-1 ti u-la u-la-ba-ak 8' du-lu-um ki-ma he-re-ni-im 9' i-te-ru-ub a-na li-bi-
, 1" 2 11
I ia 10 lu daJab-ba-ku 1 (break) un-ne-[d]u-[ki (x)]
II
a-na li-bi-ka 3 a-sa-
kam sa e-~e-em-1 ~[ebLri x] x ia i[p]-li-kam 4 " [x xx G]I

10. AO 4324. D. Arnaud RA 71 (1977) 4. From Tello (Girsu). a)

1 [x xx x] x KI su ri [(x)] 2 [x xx x m] u. DU 3 [x xx x] me Kl 4 1 x [x KI
[xx] ni-u 5 mu. D[U xx x]-tum 61 x [x xx x] 7 s e-a[m xx xx] 8 a-n[a xx x
x] x 9 i-[x xx x] lO i-[x xx x]
(rest of obv. lo.e. and beginning ofrev. broken)
l' ra-hu it-ti1 [x xx x] 2 ' us-ta-ri-id U[D x xx] 3 ' 1 l r mu. DU dEN.ZU-x [x] 4 '
a-na i-si-inki us-ta-r[i-id] 5' us-tu i ZA [x x] x* [(x)] 6' 2 l r HAR HI UD TE ta
*x Ji.:7' 2 slla la.I 2 slla l.nun 1 slla rx1 8' 0.0.5 A.TIR sa.dull
db a. u 1B x [(x)] 9' a-na i-si-inki! l-lf-t ab. b a-e us-[ta-ri-id] 10' us-tu za-ba-
a-a be-If 11' i-na gisg u. z a-im us-bu-ma 12' a-ni-a-am ka-la-ma i-d[i]n 13' [x]
a a kum sa us-tu u r. n lg in. I gar. r a 14' [x xx] x ma sa Ii *KI ta su 15' [x x
xx x] x (end of tablet)

11. AO 4322. TCL 1, Pl. IX No. 11. G. Cros, Nouvelles Fouilles de Tel-
lo (1910) 190. From Tello (Girsu).
1 [a-na be-lf-ri-im-l-lf] 2 [qf-bf-ma] 3 [um-ma d]am-qf-l-lfJsu 1 -ma a) 4 [as-

sum i-b]i-ia-a sa ta-as-pur-am 5 [a-na s e]-e-im ma-an-nu-um is-si-su [s e -

am ma]-ti-i-ma u-ul i-sa-an-ni-iq 7 [ki-a-am] aq-bi-sum um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma
8 [a-di] a-na g fr. s u ki ta-al-la-ku 9 ans e. hi. a na-as-pa-ak 10.0.0 g u r 10

9. a) See also K.A. Metzler, Tempora in altbabylonischen literarischen Texten

(AOAT 279, Munster, 2002) 770f. b) Rather [S]I than [T]A, see F.R. Kraus, RA 65
(1971) 33.
10. a) Big tablet with much damage on the obverse. Replaces TCL 1, 10, AO 4317,
which is a legal text from Tello, see B. Landsberger in J.A. Ankum, R. Feenstra,
W.F. Leemans (eds.), Symbolae iuridicae et historicae Martino David dedicatae II
(Leiden, 1968) 45-46.
11. a) The restorations proposed for lines 4-7 require a little more room than seems
to be available according to the copy.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 11

9. AO 4318 + L.10934. Ungnad, BB 89; W. von Soden, SAHG p. 269; and

Kraus, RA 71 (1965) p. 27~36. a)
Speak to Ninsianna: Thus says Ur-Nanse. 4 What have I done to you that ... ?
(break,of several lines) 1' Because of hardship I cannot raise my head for ...
bl I do not become sated with bread, 6' I have no decent garment, I cannot
make my bones supple with oil. 8' Misery has entered my heart like weeds.
c) 10' Let me speak... (break)
.... my letter to your heart. .... [Save me from] 3" the asakkum-demon, who
struck the spine d) of my ...

10. AO 4324. D. Arnaud RA 71 (1977) 3f. with note 2. a)

(Obverse(?) mostly broken away, beginning ofreverse(?) missing)
2' to .... [........ ] he sent down [........ ] 4' 1 slave, delivered by Sin- ..... , he sent
down to Isin. 5' Since bl ......... 2 slaves ........ 7' 2 quarts of honey, 2 quarts of
ghee, I quart of ..... , 8' 50 quarts of sasqu-flour, a regular offering for Ba~u,
..... Ili-tappe se[nt down] to Isin. lO' Since my lord Zabaya c) has ascended to
the throne he has given all this. 13' The ..... which since Ur-nigin-garra ...... .

11. AO 4322. Ungnad, BB 119.

[Speak to Beli-rim-ili: aJ Thus says D]amqi-ilisu. 4 [As for] lbbija, about
whom you wrote me, b) who has summoned him for the barley? He never
carries out checks [on the barley]! c) 7 [Thus] I told him: "Until you go to go

8. a) Wasiibum is typical for the activity of the judges; "convening" hence means to
let them be active, on the alert. This is a rare reference showing that the res-
ponsibilities of judges could go beyond the purely judicial sphere. Supervision of the
city-gates would be easy if they held their sessions in a gate (chamber).
9. a) See for letters to gods, 12, 99, note a to the translation, and 13, 164, and for
our letter K.A. Metzler, Tempora in altbabylonischen literarischen Texten (AOAT
279, Miinster 2002) 770f. (ref. Stol). b) Not understood, see the remarks of Kraus,
RA 65, 31 ad b 3'. c) Meztler (see note a) wants to take i-te-ru-ub, after a series of
present tenses in lines 2' -7', as a preterite of the Gt-stem, "ist auf Dauer? Ein-
gedrungen", but I prefer a perfect, as a flash-back or summary. d) The same
expression in the OA letter CCT 3, 25:26. e) See the description of the broken sign
in 5, 140, note a to the transliteration, "kaum das zu erwartende t[a]", hence not
e,\'emt[am].
10. a) See for ustu F.R. Kraus, RA 72 (1978) 77f. b) King of Larsa, see most
recently F.N.H. al-Rawi, Iraq 64 (2002) 247f.
11. a) Address already restored by Thureau-Dangin, on the basis of no. 12 (also
from Girsu), see Introduction,§ 3 k. b) Or: "As for what you wrote me on Ibbija".
c) I assume that saniiqum (6), madiidum (18) and sunnum (16,19, and 26) all refer to
12 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE14

lu-u na-as-pa-ak. 20.0.0 g u r s e ~i-mi-id-ma 11 a-na urue-db i I. g·i ki! tu-ru-

ud-ma 12 ki-ma ta-at-ta-ar-du lo. e. 13 Pku-ub-bu-tum tu-ur-dam-ma 14 lu-ul-
li-kam-ma rev.15s e-a-am a-na qa-ti be-li-ri-im-l-H l6 lu-sa-an-ni 17 ki-a-am
aq-bi-sum 18 a-na s e-e-im ma-da-di-im 19 [u] e. l. dub.mes su-un-ne-[e-
e]m 20 [P]i-bi-ia-a ma-an-nu-um is-s[i-s]u 21 [du b]-pf an-ni-a-am i-na a-ma-
ri-im 22 [ans e]. hi. a ~i-im-dam-ma 23 [u a]t-ta it-ti-su-nu a-na urue-
db i 1. g i ki 24 [al]-kam-ma 25 [s e -a-am s]u-a-ti a-na qa-ti-i-ka 26 [lu-sa]-an-
ni [xx] (at least two lines broken)

12. AO 4320. TCL 1, Pl. X No. 12; G. Cros, Nouvelles Fouilles de Tello
(1910) 191. From Girsu
1 a-na be-H-ri-im-l-H2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma e. a-i-ri-ba-am-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-
li-it-ka 5 sag.gem e sa mah -ri-ka 6 ak.-lu-u 7 be-el-sa it-ta-al-ka-ak.-ku 8 a-
na be-li-sa 9 us-si-ir-sil(SU)

13. AO 4321. TCL 1, Pl. X No. 13. From Tello (Girsu).

1 a-na ia-ar-ha-bu-um 2 qf~bf-ma 3 um-ma su-mi-a-hi-ia-ma 4 sum-ma i-na
ki-ti-im 5 a-hi at-ta 6 a-wi-le-e 7 i-na pa-ni-[ka] rev. 8 re-d[i-a-am] 9 Ia [x xx
(x)] 110 [x x (x)] a) 11 a-pu-[t]um

14. AO 2703. TCL 1, Pl. X No. 14.

1 a-na ku-ul-pa-ra-he-e 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma n f g . g e . e -l. k i . a g -ma 4
dutu u dne.eri 11.gal 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 as-sum geme sa ta-as-pu-ra-
am 7 gem e u mu-us-sa 8 a-na e-te-el-pi4-di nan n a 9 u s es sa Pma-re-er-
. 10 [a]p-ta-q1-1s-su-nu-s1-1m
~e-trm ' • ' v• • • • ka 12.[at]-tar- da-as-su-nu-
11 [a-n] a ~e-n-1- v v

13
ti-[ma] [wa-a]r-ka-tam pu-ru-u[s-ma] 14 [li-i]b-ba-ka la i-ma-a[r-ra-a~]

15. AO 3010. TCL 1, Pl. XI No. 15.

1 a-na lr-dingir.imin 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-uru 4 -ma 4 1
ma.na ku.babbar saku.babbar 5 saa-nal-H-we-de-ku6a-di-nu-ma
7 am-sa-li a-na-ku at-ta 8 u a) u r i mki-se-mel* u-si-im-ma 9 ni-ka-as-sf i-na
ma-ha-ar 10 du tu nu-pa-ri-ik-ma 11is-tu ma-la le-qe-ku 12us-ta-ah-ri-~[u] 13_
10 g fn ku. b ab bar e-li-su 14 ar-si-i-ma a~-*ba-su-u-ma 15 um-ma a-na-
ku-ma rev. l6 a-di k u. b ab bar-pi ta-na-di-na-am 17a-na-ku u at-ta u-<ul>

13. a) Line 10 must be the indented continuation ofline 9.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 13

go to Girsu, load donkeys with a stock d) of 10 lO or 20 kor of barley and

send (them) to the town of E-Gibil. 12 And as soon as you have sent them off
you must send Kubbutum here, 14 then I will come to measure out c) the
barley. into the hands of Beli-rim-ili". 17 Thus I told him. 20 Who has
sulllllloned Ibija 18 to take the measure of the barley and to check the
contents of the silos? 21 When you see this tablet, load the donkeys and come
23 yourself with them to the town of E-Gibil, 26 then I will measure out the
barley into your hands .....

12. AO 4320. Ungnad, BB 120.

Speak to Beli-rim-ili: Thus says Ea-eribam. 4 May Samas grant you good
health! 5 As for the slave-girl, which I detained in your place, 7 her owner
hereby comes to you. 9 Release her a) to her owner! b)

13. AO 4321. Ungnad, BB 94.

Speak to Jarhabum: Thus says Sumi-ahia. 4 If you truly are my brother, 7 you
must personally conduct the gentlemen (here). 9 Do not [delay]. 11 Please!

14. AO 2703. Ungnad, BB 93.

Speak to Kul-parahe a): Thus says Nigge-ikiag. b) 4 May Samas and Ner-gal
grant you good health. 6 As for the slave-girl you wrote me about, 10 I have
entrusted 7 the slave-girl and her husband to Etel-pi-Istar 9 and the brother of
Mar-er~etim 12 (and) I have sent them to you. 13 Inves-tigate the matter; do
not have bad feelings about it!

15. AO 3010. Ungnad, BB 207; Kraus, Verfagungen, 74.

Speak to Warad-Sebetti: Thus says Sin-eris. 4 (As for) the one mina of silver
of the silver which I gave to Ili-wedeku, 7 yesterday I, you and Urim-seme,
we sat down and in the presence of Samas we have squared the accounts. a)
11 After all I had already had been deduced, I ended up with a claim of 10

shekels of silver on him for which I seized him, saying: 16 "Until you give

the measuring of the barley; see also Lexical Notes s.v. sunnum. d) See for
naspakum, Lexical Notes s.v.
12. a) -su must be a mistake for -si. b) The owner of the slave-girl brought this letter
to the addressee.
14. a) Kul-parabe is the sender of 1, 62. b) An artificial(?) Sumerian rendering of
Kittam-irim?
15. a) nikkass'i purrukum, see Lexical Notes, s.v. pariikum.
14 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

at-ta u-<ul> nu-ta-as-sa-a[r] 18 sar-ru-um ku-nu-ka-tim 19 sa hu-bu-li-im u-

he-ep-pi 20 u 4 -mu i-re-quJu 1 -[ma] ku. babbar-pi ta-<ta->ba-al 21 um-ma
su-ma s[a]r-ra-am at-ma 22 is-tu i-na-a[n]-na a-di u 4 5 . k am 23
[k ]u. b ab b a r-[k]a lu a-na-di-ku-um 24 qa-[t]a-ti-su a-na u 4 . 5 . k am 25 a-
na ku. b ab bar sa-na-qf-im 26 Pp[a]-ri-du-um il'(ALe)-qe 27 rni-pu-ut1 pa-
ri-di-im su-ri-im-ma 28 k u. b ab bar* lu-us*e-ni-iq 29 ap-pu-tum 30 la te-gi4

16.AO 1774. TCL 1, Pl.XIINo.16.

1 [a-n]a e-ri-ib-dEN.Z[U] 2 [qf]-bf-ma 3 [um-m]a be-le-su-nu 4 [a-h]a-at-ka-
ma 5 du tu u <la-aas-su-mi-ia 6 Ii-ba-li-¢-ka 7 ~u-ha-ra-a-tim 8 ar-hi-is li-li-
ka-ni-im 9 i-na ~f-ba-ti-si-na 10 a-ma-at 11 si-we-ri sa k u. g i 12 lu sa-ak-na
l3 u 5 ma. n a k u. b ab bar 14 si-we-ri 15 su-uk-na-as-si 16 ni-di-it [a]p-pi-
ime 17 *u-la-su 18 id-na-as-si-im l9 al-ka-am-ma 20 a. s a u gisk i r i 6
21 [s]u-ur-si-a-ne-ti 22 rmunuss]a-at-du
tu 23 [x] *xx-ma-a 24 [tu]-ur-da-am 25
ap-pu-tum 26 I.e. [x xx x x-r]e-e

15. a) The sign looks like KI and is different from U in line 17. b) See note d) to
translation.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 15

me my silver we, you and me, are not rid of each other! 18 The king will
break b) the sealed bonds. 20 Since this may take quite some time c), do you
intend to keep my silver (in the mean time)?" d) 21 He answered: "I have
sworn. by the king, within five days from now 23 I will surely give you your
silver!". 26 Paridum has assumed guarantee for him that the silver will arrive
24 within five days. 27 Bring a hostage of Paridum into (the house), so that I
can get at the silver! 29 Please, don't be negligent!

16. AO 1774. Ungnad, BB 127.

Speak to Enb-Sm: Thus says Belessunu, your sister. 5 May Samas and Aya
grant you good health for my sake! 7 Let the girls come here quickly, 10 I am
dying of desire for them! a) 12 Let them wear golden rings and put also five
minas of silver in bracelets on her (sing.) b) 18 Give her no reason to be
down-hearted. c), d) 19 Come here and put us in the possession of a field and a
x- X
gar den. 22 .:-,at-.:-,amas
v . k 28 ... Gi ve ...... to
... 24 sen d h ere, p 1ease. I 26 ... I am sic
Samas!

15. b) I follow Kraus, Verfiigungen 74, in talcing ulJ,eppi as a future tense, which
implies that people knew that a royal measure could be expected, even though its
exact date was unpredictable; see D. Charpin, in A.C.V.M. Bongenaar (ed.),
Interdependency of Institutions and Private Entrepreneurs (Istanbul 2000), 186 and
202f. A past tense would mean that one knew that the implementation of such a
measure would take time. c) umu ireqqu, see Lexical Notes, s.v. raqum. d) The
reading ta-<ta>-ba-al (tabalum in the sense of "to take along, to retain for onself")
and the interpretation follows a suggestion of Deutscher rather than Kraus, op. cit.
note 167, who explains the imperative as a rhetoric devise for formulating the
opposite of the action intended.
16. a) Rather not, with CAD S 168, b, "I am dying for need of them", but $ibatu
"desire, longing". b) Note the sudden shift to the suffix of the third pers. fem. sing.
c) See for nidit appim Lexical Notes s.v. appum. d) Reading and translation not
certain. Frankena, after collation, proposed the reading u-um-su (not clear on the
tablet, first two signs damaged and written over erasures), accepted by Kraus, RA 62
(1968) 78f., (9), whose translation ""Kopfhangen bis heute - tibergib (es) ihr!", takes
nidit appim umsu as an interjected nominal phrase, which explains why the girl has
to be given the silver ornaments.
 16 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

17. AO 4617. TCL 1, Pl. XII No. 17.

1 a-na sa-pi-ri-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma i-pi-iq-a-ra-ah-tum-ma 4 ma-as-ka-ni sa
a. s a b a d-a-li-a-hi 5 a. s a he-er-re-tum ha-ar-pa-tum 6 u a. s a he-er-re-
turn up-pu-la-tum 7 u 4 -ma-am i-na za-ri-im 8 a-ka-am-rni-is 9 u 4 -ra-am i-na
na-ha-li-im 10 qa-ti-i a-na-sa-a[h] 11 ul-li-ti-is 12 i-na gisra-ap-si-im a-na *la-
a-DI-i[m] 13 u a-na ka-ri-im 14 u-se-re-eb rev. 15 uki-ma sa-pi-ri-ma 16 iq-bi-
a-am se-um 17 i-n[a] re1-[~e-d]i-im l8 *ma-[di-is d]u?-mu-uq 19 su ul *x [x
(x)] xx BU-ZU-x* 20 la KI [x x x]-i 21 a-di a-ma-ar [x]-ri-ia 22 i-*x-ri-ka sa-
pi-ri 23 x* (x) ka-am li-it-ru-dam (erasures)

18. AO 1630. TCL 1, Pl. XIII No. 18.

1 a-na be-e-ia-a 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ib-ni-dm a r. tu ma-ru-ka-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ia 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 tu-us-ta-am-ri-i~ li-ib-bi 7 u mu-
ru-u~ li-ib-bi ra-bi-a-am 8 a-na pa-ni-ia ta-as-ta-ka-an 9 ki-ma la a-tu-ur-ru-
ru1-ma 10 i-na pu-hu-ur ah-hi-i[a] lo. e. 11 su-rni bi-it a-bi la a-za-1 ak-ka-ru
rev.12 te-te-ep-sa-an-ni l3 u a-ba-am i-su-u *la a x x x 14 a-nu-um-ma BI-ir-
d[a-am] 15 a-na ~e-ri-ka at-ta[r-da-am] 16 it-ti-su KUR-[tum] 17 ~u-ba-ti li-il-
qe-a-[am-m]a 18 a-la-kam li-pu-sa-am l9 sum-ma ~u-ba-tu re-es-ka 20 la u-
ka-al 2 1 k u. b ab bar-am ru1 [~]u-ba-ta-am 22 sa u-te-er-ra-ak-ku 23 su-bi-
lam u.e. 24 ~u-ha-rum sa as-pu-ra-ak-ku 25 u-ul ki-a_rsu ba-lum 1 KUR-tum 26
la i-la-ka-am le.e. 27 i-na ma-ki-im at-ru-da-ak-ku-us 28 sum-ma be-Ii at-ta
KUR-tum it-ti-su li-il-li-kam

19. AO 4620. TCL 1, Pl. XIV No. 19.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-ma-[girJ 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma na-bi-de n. 1il-ma 4 an -
din an n a u dna-na-a 5 as-sum-ia da-ri-is u 4-rni-im 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 7
0.0.3 zid. [s]ag.gu 8 0.0.3 zi[d.g]u.sig.ga 9 ma-a~-ha-ti lo. e. 10 a-na an-

. I

,,I:

19. a) Unusual 'Personenkeil' before the name of the god. b) The text on the left
11 11
edge was not copied in TCL 1, see Ungnad BB 150, note 181 g.

Iii 1iillI
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 17

17. AO 4617. Ungnad, BB 230.

Speak to my superior: Thus says Ipiq-Ara]Jtum. 7 Today I will complete the
winnowing (of the barley on) my threshing floor of the Diir-Ali-ahi-field,
(both ,that of) the fields dug up early and of those dug up late. a) 9 Tomorrow
I will finish the sifting. 11 The day after tomorrow, with the big scoop I will
bring it into the ..... b) and into the silo. 15 And, as my superior ordered me,
the barley has been carefully handled during the harvesting: 19 no ... or ...
(and) trampling [have occurred]. c) The ... 21 (are ready) to be inspected by
my ...22 Let my superior send a .... to me".

18. AO 1630. Ungnad, BB 210.

Speak to Beya: Thus says Ibni-Amurrum, your son. 4 May Samas and
Marduk grant you good health for my sake! 6 You have caused me sorrow
and you have afflicted me with great pain! 12 You have treated me 9 in such
a way that I can no longer mention the name of my family in the meeting of
my colleagues. 13 Really, do I have a father, yes or no? a) 14 Now, I am
sending Birda[ ...] to you. 17 Let KURtum b) take a garment for me and let
him come back to me in his company c)_ 19 If you have no garment available,
let (him) bring 21 the silver and the garment that I returned to you. 24 The
servant, about whom I wrote you, is not all right, d) 26 he shall not come
(back) without KURtum! 27 I send him to you from need. 28 If you are my
lord, let KURtum come (back) here together with him!

19. AO 4620. Ungnad, BB 181; D. Charpin, Clerge, 411f.

Speak to Sin-miigir: Thus says Nabi-Enlil. 4 May An-Inanna and Naniiya for
my sake forever grant you good health! 13 Herewith I send you 7 30 quarts
of sag.gu-flour and 30 quarts of gu.sig.ga-flour, a) my flour offering. b) 10 to

17. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. herretum. b) Unclear, one rather expects a verb like
"to gather" or "to load" preceding surubum, than a noun; ka-ri-im, of course, could
also mean "the quay". c) The translation assumes that these lines state that all the
barley has been carefully gathered and winnowed.
18. a) Frankena proposed la ra-ba-am i-flu. b) The name (cf. VS 18, 17:20 and
YOS 13, 556:30) could be both Kurtum and Mattum related to respectively Kurtija
and Mattija (suggestion Stol). c) The construction is different from that mentioned
in Kraus, Koppelungen, 65, § 59 c, because itti here means "(to travel) in the com-
pany of'. d) See CAD K 329 s.v. kiasu. Read in 2, 145:17ff. u ana $Ubiiti-x (not
HA) ra-nu-mu 7 -ti 18 awi1tum 19 ul kiasa (collation C.B.F. Walker); cf. no. 140:33.
19. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. z id. b) ma$!J,atumoccurs alongside sasqum, the most
common type of floor offered, scattered or poured (if soaked in water) before a god;
18 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

dinanna rev. 11 pdna-na-a a) u dka-ni-sur-ra 12 be-le-ti-ia 13 us-ta-bi-la-ak-

ku-um 14 0.0.1 z id. g u a-na Pni-id-ni-istar 15 sa dka-ni-sur-ra i-di-in 16 si-si-
ik-ta-am 17 u me-he-er du b-pi-im 18 su-bi-lam l9 a-na pi-it ba-bi-im 20 a-la-
ka-ak-ku-um 21 ma-ha-ar an-din [an ]n a rev. 22 u dna-na-a be-l[e-l]ti-ia ku-
ur-ba-am le.e. b) 23 is-tu i-na-an-ni u 4 10. k am 24 Phu-su-tum a-ta-ra-da-ak-
ku-u[m]

20. AO 1747. TCL 1, Pl. XIV No. 20.

1'-5 ' (missing apart from a few traces) lo. e. 6 ' dub -pa-am ~-[n]a u g[u 1] a [s] u.
[i] 7' li-te 4-eh -hi rev.s' u-ul ta-at-ru-da-as-su 9' dub -pa-am a-na u g u 1a
s u. i 10' ut-te 4 -eh-hu-u 11' u is-te-me 12' a-na si-bu-t[i]m saa[l-li-kam] 13' iq-
qa-bi~sum-ma um-ma rsu-ma 1 14' se-he-er i-tu-ru-[ma] 15' iq-bu-sum-ma a-
an-nam 16' i-ta-pa-al ku-ur-ba-am 17' [xx] ~-kam dmard u [k- xx]
(1 or 2 lines broken)
le.e. 1' [x x x (x)] x 2' [x x (x)]-BI 3' [ku-nu-uk-k]i sa-al-mu-tim 4 ' pi-iq-da-
nim-ma 5' a-na se-ri-ia 6' li-ib-lu-nim

21. AO 1732. TCL 1, Pl. XIV No. 21.

1 a-na dmard uk-ni-su 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma be-el-su-nu-ma 4 as-sum 41u
hi-ri-tumki.m es 5 sa ma-ah-ri-ka wa-as-bu 6 um-ma a-na-ku-ma 7 0.0.5
s e. am dam-qa-am 8 i-di-is-su-nu-si-im 9 at-ta s e -a-am da-al-la-ma 10 ta-
ad-di-su-nu-si-im lo.e. 11 0.0.5 s e . am dam-qa-a[m] 12 i-di-su-nu-si-im 13 u
ki-ma a-hi-su-nu si-ip-ra-am 14 li-pu-su

22. AO 4619. TCL 1, Pl. XV No. 22.

1 a-na dna-<bi>-um-ha-zi-ir 2 u a-bi-l-li 3 qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma na-ra-am-
dEN.ZU-ma 5 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ku-nu-ti 6 a-na k u. b ab bar ku-ru-ma-ti-ia
7 as-pu-ra-ku-nu-si-im 8 a-mi-ni la tu-sa-bi-la-ni 9 a-nu-um-ma rev.rn Pli-pi-
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 19

An-lnanna, Nanaya and Kanisurra, my mistresses. c) 14 Give 10 quarts of fine

flour to Nid(i)n-Istar, who belongs to Kanisurra. 18 Send me (a piece ot) the
hem and an answer to my letter. 20 I will come to you before the (feast ot)
'The Opening of the Gate' d)_ 22 Pray for me before An-lnanna and Nanaya,
my mistresses. 23 Within two days from now I will send you Hussutum e).

20. AO 1747. Ungnad, BB 219.

(beginning fragmentary) 5 ' Let [... and] let him bring the letter before the head
of the 'barbers' 8' (but) you did not send him. 10' One has now brought the
letter before the head of the 'barbers' and he has heard it. 13' He was told
about the wish for which I had [come] a) and he said: 14' "He is (too)
young". They again spoke to him and he has now given his consent. 16' Pray
for me ... Marduk( -) ... (break) ... entrust it 3" with intact seals and 5" let them
bring it to me.

21. AO 1732. Ungnad, BB 155.

Speak to Marduk-nisu: Thus says Belsunu. 4 As for the four men from
Hiritum 5 who are with you, a) 6 I said: "Give them each 50 quarts of good
barley". 9 But you have given them barley of inferior quality! b) 12 Give them
each 50 quarts of good barley, 14 so that they may perform (their) work
under the same conditions c) as their colleagues.

22. AO 4619. Ungnad, BB 182.

Speak to Nabium-ha~ir and Abi-ili: Thus says Naram-Sfa. 5 May Samas
grant you good health! 7 I wrote you about the silver of my allowance. Why
grant you good health! 7 I wrote you about the silver of my allowance. 8
Why did you not sendjit to me? 9 Now I am sending Lipit-Istar to you. 13 If

see also RIME 4, 673: 45f. c) This attests the cult of a triad of gods of Uruk by
worshippers who went into exile to Kis during the reign of Samsu-iluna, see
Charpin, Clerge, 41 lf. The addressee could be a priest of that cult. d) pit bi.ibim,
"Opening of the door", a festival, cf. B. Landsberger, LSS 6/1-2, 4; M.E. Cohen,
Cultic Calendars (1993) 363; in later times also the name of a month (AJO Beih. 9,
17:3; AOAT 5/2 186f.). e) Perhaps identical with ffu-us-su-tum, the addressee of 12,
178, a letter oflstar-[ ..... ], which mentions !star and Nanaja in the greeting formula.
20. a) See 12, 50: 6.
21. a) wasi.ibum mab-ar can also mean "to serve somebody", cf. Kraus AV, 375, note
42. b) dallum, perhaps "with small, thin grains"?; -ma stresses the contrast. c) So
rather than "with the same output".
20 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

it-istar 11 at-tar-da-ku-nu-si 12 k u. b ab bar ku-ru-ma-ti-ia 13 sum-ma ta-ra-

ma-ni-in-ni 14 su-bi-la-ni 15 k u. b ab bar su-u 16 ka-li-a-ni

23. AO 1781. TCL 1, PL XV No. 23.

1 a-na a-di-an-ni-tim 2 u eris-ti-da-a qf-bi-ma 3 um-ma il-ta-ni-ma 4 be-Ii u
be-el-ti 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ki-<na>-ti 6 P30-i-din-nam 7 u du mu -k i _titim lo. e. 8
ma-ah-ri-ki-na 9 wa-as-bu rev. 10 um-ma Pgu-lu-:ub-tum-ma 11 i-na i-di-ka 12
sa a-na na-am-ra-am-sa-ru-1 ur 131 slla se u-ul i-di-nam 14 u mi-im-ma 15
la-a ta-pa-la-ha 16 su-lu-um-ku-nu 17 su-up-ra-nim-ma u.e. 18 Ii-bi Ii-nu-uh 19
u um-ma il-ta-ni le. e. 20 be-re-ku 21 u ku-~u 22 ik-ta-<as>-du-ni-ni 23 e-ri-si-
ia-1ma

24. AO 11771. TCL 1, PL XV No. 24.

1 a-na be-lum 2 u su-bu-ul-tum 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma li-wi-ra-su[m]-ma 5
du tu u dm a rd u k li-b[a-al]-li-¢-ku-nu-ti 6 a-nu-um-ma Pli-wi-ra-sum 1u
:;:[(x)] 7 at-ta-ar-da-ku-nu-si-im 8 ~u-ba-tam sa mah-ri-k[u-n]u 9 su-bi-la-nim
rev. 10 a-wi-lum u-[x xx (x)] 11 [x x (x)] x[x x (x)] 12 [x xx (x)]-su 13 [x x x
(x)]-li 14 u[m-m]a [x xx x (x)]

25. AO 1728. TCL 1, PL XVI No. 25.

1 a-na be-el-ta-ni 2 qf-bf-ma 3 [u]m-ma su-mu-li-~f-ma 4 [a]d-ma-ti ta-zi-im-
ta-ki 5 i-ta-ak-la-an-ni 6 u-lu i-na pa-ni-ki 7 mu-tu-um li-it-ba-la-an-ni 8 wa-
ar-ka-tam u-ul ta-ap-ru-si 9 geme-ki u-ul ta-qf-pf-i 10 ~a-ab-ta-ti-ma 11 ma-
ha-ar be-li-ki lo. e. 12 u be-el-ti-ki l3 rtu1 *-na-za-mi-in-ni rev. 14 ad-ma-ti u-
mi-im 15 ta-zi-im-ta-ki 16 i-ta-ak-la-an-ni 17 sum-ma i-na qa-ti-ia 18 ru1 i-na
e-ti-ia 19 [i-b]a-as-si-ma 20 [lu] ra1 -pa-qf-id-ki 21 [be-e]l-ki u be-le-et-ki 22
[a-a]p*-pa-al 23 [x x (x)] x-ti a-ze-er-ki 24 [g e ]me lu ka-ia-na-at-ma 25 bi-
r
LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 21

you love me, send me the silver of my allowance. 15 That silver is being
withheld from me!

23. AO 1781. Ungnad, BB 129.

Speak to Adi-annitim and Eristi-Aya: Thus says Iltani. 4 May my Lord and
my Mistress grant you good health! 6 Sin-idinnam and Mar-er~etim are
staying with you! 10 Thus says Gullubtum: 11 "Of your wages, which (were
given) to N amram-sarur, a) 13 he failed to give me even one quart of barley!"
15 But do not get afraid in any way! 17 Write me how you are doing, so that
my heart is eased!" 19 And thus says Iltani: 20 "I am suffering want and the
cold has caught up with me, b) 23 even while I have nothing to wear". c)

24. AO 1771. Ungnad, BB 177.

Speak to Belum and Subultum: Thus says Liwwirassum. 5 May Samas and
Marduk grant you good health! 6 Herewith J am sending you Liwwirassum,
the man of ... 9 Have (him) take along the garment that is with you. 10 The
gentleman ... (reversebroken)

25. AO 1728. Ungnad, BB 139.

Speak to Beltani a): Thus says Sumu-li~i. 4 Long enough b) your complaints
have now been eating me up. 6 Rather may death carry me off, away from
you! 8 You have not investigated the matter nor trusted your slave-girl. 10
Doggedly you keep complaining about me before your Lord and your
Mistress. 14 Too many days your complaints have now been eating me up! 17
If what is on hand or in my household allows it, 20 I will [surely] provide for
you. c) 22 [I will] meet the demands of your (fem.) Lord and your Mistress. 23
[Why would] I hate you? 24 If the slave-girl is constantly available, the bur-

23. a) Note that CT 8, 33b (107-vi-Abi-esuh year p) mentions a barley loan by the
naditum Iltani, a daughter of the king (probably Abi-esub), to Annum-pisa and
Namram-sarur. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. kU$$Um. c) The letter contains messages
by two different women, the first of which is responsible for the blessing and the
final complaint. I take 1. 6-9 as acknowledging information which had reached the
senders earlier on from the addressees. The referent of "you" (sing. masc.) in 11 is
not clear and the subject of "he gave" might be the person of 1. 12, if we take 1. l lf.
as a nominal sentence with a prepositional predicate, which is unusual.
25. a) The addressee is a naditum, because of "your Lord and Mistress" and the
provisions (piqittum) she is entitled to. b) ad(i)mati usually introduces a question,
CAD All 119, 2', takes it as interjection, but prefer a syntactically integrated adverb.
c) Or restore [la] at the beginning of 20: "Would I not provide for you?" d) lu
probably expresses an affirmation.
22 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

AL-tum lu ka-ia-na-1 at u.e. 26 <la-a-ti-la-ti27 [m]a-ar-~a-at-ma 28 [b]i-il'(AL)-

tam u-ul i-sa-qi le.e. 29 [as]-sum Pka-ni-ia 30 sa ta-as-p[u]-ri-im 31 um*-ma
[at-ti-ma] 32 ki-ma 10 ma. n a k u. b ab bar 33 sa a-bu-sa la i-du 34 a-di
bu-si-ki *it-ta-a) I 35 [x x b/k]a-al

26. AO 1674. TCL 1, Pl. XVII No. 26.

1 a-na li-pi-it-dt is pa k 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma mu-na-wi-ir-tum-ma 4 be-H u
be-el-ti 5 li-ba-li-¢-ka 6 ki-ma ba-ri-a-ku 7 u-ul aq-bi-ku-um 8 um-ma at-ta-
a-ma 9 s e -am u s e. g is. l lo.e. 10 u-sa-ba-la-ki-im rev.ll a-nu-um-ma s e -
am u se. gis .l 12 su-bi-lam 13 u a-na dEN.ZU-re-me-ni 14 u dtispak-ga-
mil 15um-ma mu-na-wi-ir-tum-ma 16 be-Hu be-el-ti 17 li-ba-li-tu-ku-nu-ti l8
a-di-na-ni-ku-nu 19 ba-ri-a-ku 20 1.0.0 s e. g u r. ta. am u.e. 21 su-bi-la-nim-
ma 22 lu-uk-ru-ba-ku-nu-si-im

27. AO 4420. TCL 1, Pl. XVII No. 27.

1 a-na ta-ri-bu-sa 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma bu-na-nu-su-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k
as-su-mi-ia 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 as-sum Pa-wi-il-dEN.ZU 7 sata-as-pu-ra-am 8
um-ma su-u-ma 9 tu-pa-am u-sa-bi-lam-ma lo. e. 10 pa-na-[a]m u-li-su 11
[a]s-sum a. s a -im sa na-di-t[im] rev. 12 s e -a-am ma-la ma-~u 13 sa-*ni-is a)
zu-u-zi 14 s e-a-am 0.1.4 s e a-hi-tam-ma 15 su-ku-un 1 sum-ma a-wa-tum 16
la im-ta-ag-ra-ka 17 a-di a-la-kam s e 1/ 2 s ll a l8 la i-la-pa-at 19 su-lu-um-
ka li-il-<li>-kam 20 u su-lu-um da- qa-tim u.e. 21 li-il-<li>-kam 22 Pma-an-
nu-um-ba-lu-du t [u] le.e. 23 u 4 5. k am ri-iq su-ma 24 ut-te4-tam an-ni-a-am
25 u an-ni-<a-am> *li_rik1 -mi-sa-a[m]

25. a) The traces after -ta belong to the end of line 28.
27. a) sa-ni-is probably written over a badly erased sa-lu-us.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 23

den can (also) remain constant! d) 26 Aya-tillati is ill and hence cannot lift
burden e)_ 29 As for Kanija, about whom [you] wrote me as follows: 32
"(Goods) equivalent to 10 minas of silver, of which her father knew nothing,
34 including property of yours, .... 35 ........ f)

26. AO 1674. Ungnad BB 180.

Speak to Lipit-Tispak: Thus says Munawwjrtum. a) 4 May my Lord and my
Mistress grant you good health! 7 Did I not tell you that I am starving, and
(then) you) told me 10 "I will send you barley and sesame". 11 Now, send me
the barley and sesame! 13 And speak to Sm-remeni and Tispak-gamil: thus
says Munawwirtum. 16 "May my Lord and my Mistress 17 grant you good
health! It is for your (plur.) sake b) that I am starving! 21 Send me each 1 kor
of barley and I will pray for you!"

27. AO 4420. Ungnad BB 157.

Speak to Taribusa: Thus says Bunnannusu. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant
you good health for my sake! 6 Coceming Awil-Sin, about whom you wrote
to me, this is what he said: 9 "He a) sent me a letter, but it was not clear". 11
As for the field of the naditum, divide b) all the barley there is for her into
two parts. c) 14 Set one-third kor of barley aside. Should the proposal not
meet with your agreement, 18 then he shall not touch d) the barley, not even
half a quart, until I arrive! 19 Let (a message about) how you and how
Daqqatum e) are doing reach me. 22 (As for) Mannum-balu-Samas, he has
five days off, let him gather f) 24 every available grain of barley!

25. e) One expects a D-stem, a G-stem, "go upstream", does not fit with biltam 7• f)
The verbal form seems to begin at the end of 1. 34 with it7-ta- and probably ends in
35 in b]a-al or k]a-al; candidates are akiilum (it 7-ta-/[na-k]a-al?) and t/wabiilum.
26. a) Munawwirtum was a naditum of Samas in Sippar, but the names of 1. 1 and 14
indicate that she originated from Esnunna and we have evidence of girls from
various cities (Mari, Karana) sent to the gagum in Sippar, cf. OBO 160/4, 258.
b) See for the background of this statement, Lexical N ates s.v. naditum.
27. a) He" in 9 probably refers to the addressee, Bunnannusu, also the referent of the
imperatives in 1.13 and 15 and of "your" in 1. 16. b) Since the letter has a masc.
addressee (15f. sukun and -ka), zu-u-zi has to be analysed as ziiz+si(m). c) Is sanis
equal to ana sinisu; I assume that the phrase refers to a division of the harvest
between the owner (the naditum) and a tenant or manager (Awil-Sin). d) Subject
Awil-Sin, or a passive, illappat (CAD Q 289b). e) Because of its combination with
sulmum I take Daqqatum as personal name; daqqiitum, "Kleinigkeiten" (Stal, OBO
160/4, 904 note 1911) does not seem to fit. f) Reading of the final verb suggested
by Stal. One wonders why the scribe wrote anniam instead of anmtam.
 24
ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

28. AO 7591. TCL 1, Pl. XVITNo. 28.

1 a-na ba-ba-a 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma en -ma 4 dEN.ZU li-ba-al-li-it-k[i] 5 a-nu-
um-ma 6-tul-istar 6 [a]t-tar-da-ki-im 7 [x xx xx (x)] ~x1 (remainderbroken)

29. AO 4658. TCL 1, Pl. XVIII No. 29.a)

1 a-na ha-bil-a-h[i q]i-bi-ma 2 um-ma a-na-tum-ma 3 dutu ii. dmar-duk
as~su-mi-ia da-ri-is u 4 -m[i] 4 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 as-sum pdn in . sub u r -ta-
ia-a-ar a-h i-ka 6 a-na ta-ab-nu-ukki al-li-ik-ma 7 di-r'-ti 6-ul i-sa-al-ma 8 <}.-
na ~e-e-er sa-pi-ri-ia 9 [a]t-tu-ra-am 10 a-li-ik i-di-ia ap-pu-na-ma 11 i-mu-ur-
su i~-ba-as-s6-ma 12 um-ma su-6-ma 13 Pa-na-tum ii. ha-bil-a-hi 14 i-li-id bi-
tim ar-du-ia-a 15 sa il-ki i-la-ku Io. e. 16 i-~6-u-ma 17 ia-a-ti ta-as-sa-na-hu-ra-1
ni-in-ni rev. 18 pdn in.sub u r-ta-ia-ar a-na a-li-ik i-di-ia 19 ki-a-am id-bu-uh
20 a-li-ik i-di-ia a-wa-tim sa id-bu-bu-sum 21 6-sa-an-ni-a-am-ma 22 a-li-ik
at-ra-as-su-6-ma 23 a-na [g a JI. u k kin. n a ni-is-ni-iq-ma 24 um-m[a a-n]a-
ku-u-ma ma-[a]n-na-su at-ta 25 sa is-tum u .10.k am ri-qa-ta-a-ma 26 ii. su-6-
um-ni dam-qa-am 27 i-na a-li-ni tu-ma-sa-ku 2 8 ma-har gal. ukkin ki-a-
am ad-bu-uh-sum-ma 29 u 4 4. kam i-na e gal. ukkin. n a ak-la-su 30
na-pie-is-tum Hi-ib-sum-ma 31 um-ma su-u-ma na-pi-is-tum 32 qi-in-ni la is-
sa-ap-pa-ah 33 ki-a-am iq-bi-a-am-ma 34 li-ib-bi i-re-em-su-ma u. e.35 us-te-
r~i1-su 36 [x] x* PdEN.ZU-i-qi-sa-am ma-ri-[i]a 37 6-ul a-al-la-ka-ak-kum 38
b) a-ra-an su-um-ni dam-qa-am 39 [i-n]a a-li-ni 6-m[a]-sa-ku 40 ii. a-na-ku a-
ma-as-si um-ma a-na-ku-ma 4 1 si-[i]p ra-ma-ni-su ha-ra-na 42 i-la-ak

30. AO 3958. TCL 1, Pl. XIX No. 30.

1 [a-na li]-pi-it-e-a 2 [qi]-bi-ma 3 [um-ma] diskur-ra-bi-ma 4 [dutu ii.]
dm ard u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 [sum]-ma ere n i-pa-at-ta-ar-ma 6 [al-l]a-kam-
ma 6-hi-in-ni-ia 7 [a-s]a-ak-ka-an ere n 6-ul ip-tu-ur-ma 8 [6-ul] al-li-ka-ma
9 [6-hi-i]n-ni-ia u-ul as-ku-un 10 [s]a-[a]t-ti-sa-am-ma e-ma a-sa-ka-nu-ka 11

6-ul at-ka-la-ak-ku 12 ni-zi-iq-tu-um-ma 13 ma-ti-a-ma li-ib-bi 6-ul tu-na-pi-

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 25

28. AO 7591. Ungnad BB 91.

Speak to Babaja: Thus says Belum a). 4 May Sin grant you good health! 5
Herewith I am dispatching 5 Utul-Istar to you....... (rest broken away)

29. AO 4658. Ungnad BB 143.

Speak to Habil-ah1: Thus says Anatum. 3 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health forever for my sake! 5 As regards Ilabrat-tajjar, your brother,
(when) I went to Tabnuk, a) he did not take notice of me. 9 (When) I had
returned to my superior, 10 my escort actually spotted him and seized him,
whereupon he said: 16 "Is it not enough that Anatum and Habil-ah1, house-
born slaves of mine, b) perform my service obligation, 17 that you (plur.) keep
turning to my person?" This is what Ilabrat-tajjar answered my escort. 20 My
escort repeated to me the words he had spoken to him, 22 then I went to fetch
him and we went to the director. 24 I said: "Who are you, c) an idler since ten
years, to besmirch our good reputation in our town?" 28 That I told him in
the presence of the director and I had him detained for four days in the house
of the director. 30 He then came to value his life and said: "(My) life life (is at
stake), d) my family shall not be scattered!" 33 When he said so, I felt pity for
him and had him released. 37 I will not come to you for the ... e) of Sin-
iqisam, my son. 40 The guilt of besmirching our good reputation in our town,
I myself will also forget, thinking: 42 "He will go his own way". fl

30. AO 3958. Ungnad BB 187; Landsberger, Date Palm, 59, note 216;
Cocquerillat, Pheniculture, 207f.
Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 May [Samas and] Marduk grant
you good h~alth! 5 [You told me]: a) "When the troops depart I will come and
estimate my green dates, 7 (but since) the workers did not leave I could [not]
come to estimate my green dates". 10 Every year, wherever I place you, I
could never rely on you. 12 Only worries and you have never b) relieved my

28. a) Or "the enum-priest"?

29. a) See for Tabnuk, C. Wilcke, WdO 8 (1976) 277 (points out the connection with
Dilbat) and Riftin 1371:9, which shows it to be in "Lower Yahrurum". b) How can
Ilabrat-tajjar call "his brother" Habil-ahi "a house-born slave of mine", unless a!Jum
has a more general meaning? c) mannusu atta, see for this construction no. 31: 25
and note the lengthening of vowels to indicate the question. d) Nominal sentence,
cf. 8, 121: 16; Cod. Esn. § 58. e) Or perhaps the construction abstract noun +
alakum. f) si-[i]p = sep, cf. CAD H 109a, 2, a).
30. a) There is room for only 2 signs before -ma in the break at the beginning of 5,
and both [ta-aq-bi]-ma or [ta-as-pur]-ma require more space. b) Note the spelling
26 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

is 14 [i-n]a-an-na a-na su-ku-un-ne-e sa-k[a-nim] 15 [u-w]aJe 1-er-ka-ma lo.e.

16 [t]a-al-li-ik 17 [a-nu-u]m-ma dingir-su-ba-ni u a-wi-il-diskur ~ev. 18
[a]Hta-ar-d]a-ak-ku 19 i-na [xx] x dm a rd u k xx KI* 20 [x x x xx] *x x 21
x [x x x x x x] 22 i-na gisban es rdm a rd u k u-hi 1 -in-ni 23 su-ku-un 1 s l la
, h"
u- .
1-1n-nu 24 1a 1p-pa-ra-
. ak-ku 25 ki-ma u-, hi-m-nu-u-ia
. , . na-su 26 as-pu-ra-am-
V V

ma i-mu-ru-nim 27 [k]a*-[s]a-tu la us-sa-la-la-ma 28 [la] e-se-me-e-ma la a-

na-az-zi-iq 29 giskiri 6 sa ra-ma-ni-ia 30 a-na ta-ri-ba-tum su-ku-un 3 1
giski r i 6 den. z u -s es -i-din-nam a-na du mu -er-se-tim 32 su-ku-un u ka-
n[i-ka]m 33 a-na qa-qa-ad u-hi-in-ni s[u]-zi-ib 34 at-[t]a gisk i r i 6 ding i r-
ha-bil u.e. 35 gisk i r i 6 e-ti-rum ta-sa-ba-a[t] 36 u ka-ni-kam te-zi-ib 37 [u]
gisk i r i 6 ta-ri-bu-um le.e. 38 a-na x [x xx su-ku-un] 39 u a-na rx 1 [x x iWLti
ding i r -su-ba-ni a-li-ik-ma / 41 u-hi-in-ni-su su-ku-un

31. AO 3960. TCL 1, Pl. XX No. 31.

1 a-na li-pf-it-e-a qf-bf-ma 2 um-ma disk u r -ra-bi-ma 3 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka
4 dub -pf si-ni-su us-ta-bi-la-ak-kum 5 ze-nu-um za-ni-a-ta 6 Pi-bi-dEN.ZUu
mu-te-er-gi-mil-lim 7 a-na a. s a .mes u gisk i r i 6• mes sa nu-ha-a 8 ma-an-
nu-um i-si-su-nu-ti-i-ma 9 a. s a.mes a-na e-re-su 1(SE)-tim i-ta-na-di-nu 10
as-tap-ra-ak-kum lu-u ti-de-e 11 a-na a. s a.mes u-lu * <gis>ki r i 6• mes a-
na sa-na-qf-im 12 a-na-ku-u a-sa-pa-ar-ma 13 a. s a a-na e-la-li i-na-ad-di-nu
lo.e. 14 i-is-sa-ah-ru-u i-ki'(DI)-mu-su-ma 15 a. sa a-na du mu mu-na-wi-rum
r
' LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 27

heart! 14 Now you went away, although I ordered you to estimate the dates.
17 Herewith I am sending you Ilsu-bani and Awil-Adad 19 with the [...
measure] of Marduk c) (two lines destroyed) 22 with the 3 sutu-measure [of
23
Mardu,k] d) estimate the green dates. Not a single quart should be missed!
26 An inspection at my orders has revealed that my green dates are fully ripe.
e) 28 ldon't want to hear that the ... are not shaded/covered f) and get worried.
29 My own orchard you must estimate (and assign) to Tarioatum; 31 the
orchard of Sin-aham-iddinam you must estimate (and assign) to Mar-er~etim
and 33 have (them) issue a contract for the amount of the green dates. 34 You
yourself will take into cultivation the orchard of Ilum-habil (and) the orchard
of Etirum g) and issue a sealed document. 37 And the orchard of Tarioum you
must estimate it (and assign it) to [...]. 39 Furthermore, go to [...., to]gether
with Usu-bani and estimate the green dates!

31. AO. 3960. Ungnad BB 188. Cf. no. 42.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 3 May Samas grant you good
health! 4 Twice I sent you a letter, you really must be angry (not to
haveanswered me)! 6 As for Tobi-Sin and Muter-gimillim, 8 who has called
them a) to the fields and gardens of Nuha, b) 9 (where) they now are giving
out fields for cultivation? c) 10 I have now written you, be warned! 12 I am
the one to give written orders for transferring fields or gardens and (that is
how) they shall give a field to Elali. d) 14 Now they have again taken it away

ma-ti-a-ma for matima. c) Cocquerillat's reading of 1. 17-22 not acceptable. L. 22

states that the "estimation forfataire" of the green dates on the trees uses a particular
measure of volume and it is not clear why this should be preceded by an oath
(reading [ni-z]s rdu t u 1 in 1.20 is impossible, but I have not better solution). d) Less
likely ina gifsb a. r i 1 .[ g a] , since this would leave no room for dm a rd u k and
the standard would remain undefined. e) nasfl, "to bear fruit", stative, see CAD
Nill, 112, b, used of a date palm. t') US-ZA-la-la-ma can a present tense Dt-stem
fem plur. of either salalum or $alalum. CAD S 369 s.v. sullulu hesitates between
SLL and SLL, AHw 1013b prefers the former, "ausraumen", in 3, 108:6 ( Salonen
Festschrift 329), but CAD S 240, $Ullulu A, opts for the latter in our letter and
translates "must not be in the shade". Since the meaning of the subject, ka-$a-tu, is
unknown, uncertainty remains. g) See for these persons also nos. 40: 13f., 42:5'ff.
31. a) The long vowels written in this letter seem to express emotional emphasis
(lines 12, 14, 16, 29) and t.omark questions (lines 8, 17, 18, 19, 21, 25). b) Cf. nos
35:1, 42:5. c) I assume that a-na e-re-se/i-tim is a mistake for erresutum (or perhaps
for errese, "cultivators"); see also 7, 3:7. d) The duratives spell out the rules of the
28 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ha-a 8 ma-an-nu-um i-si-su-nu-ti-i-ma 9 a. s a.mes a-na e-re-su 1(SE)-tim i-

ta-na-di-nu 10 as-tap-ra-ak-kum lu-u ti-de-e 11 a-na a. s a.mes iklu*
<gi~>k i r i 6 • mes a-na sa-na-qi'.-im 12 a-na-ku-u a-sa-pa-ar-ma 13 a. s a a-na
e-la-li i-na-ad-di-nu lo.e. 14 i-is-sa-ah-ru-u i-ki 1(DI)-mu-su-ma 15 a. s a a-na
d um u mu-na-wi-rum rev.l 6 i-na-a[d-d]i-[n]u-u 17 ma-an-na-suJu 1 [du] mu
mu-na-wi-rum [an]-nu-um 18 sa a-na-ku-u a. s a a-na e-la-li a-na-di-nu-ma
19 vsu-nu-u, a-na vsa-su-um
v •
1-na-a d-di-nu-su
v 20 a-na e-pe-s1-1m
, v• • an-m-rm
• • 21 u-
,

wa-as-sa-ar-su-nu-tl-1
vV V • 22 as-tap-ra- ak-kum Iu-u.
• V , t ["1-d]e-e 23 a. s a ta-k a-ap-p1-
V ' ,
daJsu-um 1 24 a-na e-la-li i.-[d]i-in 25 ma-an-na-su Pta-[r]i-[b]a-[tump) an-nu-
um 26 sa a. s a.mes sa a g a.* u [s. mes] 27 a-na e-re-su 1(Sl)-tim i-[na-di-
nu] 28 a. s a.mes ru1 gisk i r i 6 sa i-[di-nu] 29 e-ki-im-su-u-ma a-na sa-na-
! .
qi'.-im30 a-ap-pa-su lu-u se-bi-ir

32. AO 3961. TCL 1, Pl. XXI No. 32.

1 a-na li-pi'.-it-e-a 2 qi'.-bi'.-ma3 um-ma disk u r-ra-bi-ma 4 as-pu-ra-kum-ma
u-ul ta-pu-*u[l] 5 s e -um u z u .1 um sa tu-sa-b[i-la]m 6 ki-a-am-ma i-ma-
da-du!(ZU) 7 al-kam-ma wa-ar-ka-at z u .1 um su-nu-ti 8 li-ip-pa-ri-:is1(AS) 9
3 gisapin. g u 4 • hi. a a-na ta-ab-li-il-tim 10 ma-ah-ri-ka ik-ka-lu-u 11 1
m a -ka a-na ta-ri-ba-tum lo. e.l 2 a-na ta-ab-li-il-tim 13 i-di-in rev.l 4 u ma sa
disk u r-sar-rum 15 i-na qa-qa-ri-im su-li-a-as

33. AO 3971. TCL 1, Pl. XXI No. 33.

3 um-ma disk u r -ra-bi-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k
1 a-na li-pi'.-it-e-a2 qi'.-bi'.-ma
li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 a. s a sa u r u _dEN.ZU-i-qi'.-sa-amma-la 6 a- na e-~e-di u
su-ul-li 7 a-na pa-ni-ka na-di 8 pi'.-ha-at-ka a-na s e -e sa a. [s ]a 9 la te-e-gi
ut-te4-tum la ip-[pa-ra-ak-ku] 10 as-sum a. s a sa-a-tu e-~e-di u [su-ul-li] 11
a-na ra-bi-a-nim u si-bu-ut u ru kri, 12 dub-pi'. us-ta-bi-lam [(x)] lo.e. 13 de-
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 29

them a) to the fields and gardens of Nuha, b) 9 (where) they now are giving
out fields for cultivation? c) 10 I have now written you, be warned! 12 I am
the one to give written orders for transferring fields or gardens and (that is
how) they shall give a field to Elali. d) 14 Now they have again taken it away
from him e) in order to give the field to the son of Munawwirum. 17 Who is
this son of Munawwirurn, that when I give a field give to Elali they give it to
hirn? 21 Do you believe that I will let thern get away with this behaviour? 22 I
have now written it to you, be warned! Give 23 the field that you have in
rnind for hirn to Elali! 25 Who is this Taribaturn, f) that he gives g) fields of
soldiers 27 for cultivation? c) 29 Take frorn hirn the fields and the garden that
he has [given out] and let it be rammed into his head not to transfer (thern
again)! h)

32. AO 3961. Ungnad BB 189.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 I wrote to you, but you did not
answer! 5 The barley and dates you sent rne, how is it that they will be
measured? a) 7 Corne here and let the whereabouts of those dates be
investigated. 9 Three oxen-ploughs are kept with you for overhauling. b)
Give 11 one boat of yours to Taribaturn for overhauling, and 15 track down c)
Adad-sarrurn' s boat.

33. AO 3971. Ungnad BB 190.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health! The field of the town of Sin-iqisarn, all of it, is at your disposal
for harvesting and bringing the harvest up. a) 8 It is your responsibility, don't
be negligent regarding the barley of that field, 9 not a grain shall be
[missing]! b) 12 I have now sent a letter to the rn;iyor and the eldermen of the

procedure and because there is question of ekemum, inaddinu cannot be a future

tense. See for Elali also no. 42:5'ff. e) Taking issa!Jru zkimu with CADS 54, 18, a,
as hendiadys. f) Since Tanoatum is forbidden to transfer fields (1.29f.), he must be
the one who gives them out, which means that ekemum is to take away from under
his authority, which explains the plural "fields". If this is correct we have to restore
in 1. 27 i-[(ta)-na-di-nu] (see 9); if not we may read in 1. 27 i-[na-di-nu-sum] and in 1.
28 i-[di-n]u-[sum]. g) See for him also nos. 36:3'ff. and 42:l'ff. and 14'ff. h) See
Lexical Notes s.v. appum and for the construction ibidem, s.v. ana + infitinitive.
32. a) Reading of the verb suggested by M. Stol. b) See for tabliltum the Lexical
Notes, s.v. c) See Stol, BiOr 31 (1974) 222f. Another example of this metaphor in
Kienast, Kisurra 153: 29f. See also note f) to no. 67, and note the short suffix.
33. a) sulum, "to bring (the barley) up" to the threshing-floor (see ARMT 27, 100
and 102, and M. Stol, OBO 160/4, 830f.) or to the city? b) See no. 30: 24.
30 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

ke-e-su-nu-ti-m[a] 14 a. sa-su-[nu li-~i-du-ma] rev. 15 rs e -am P[i-se-lu-

nim] 16 *x x [x xx (x)]

34. AO 3967. TCL 1, Pl. XXI No. 34.

1 a-na li-pi-it-e-a qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma disk u r -ra-bi-ma 3 du tu u dm a rd u k
li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 4 i-nu-ma ta-Ii-a-ma at-ta u ta-ri-b[a-tum] 5 ma-ah-ri-ia ta-
ad-bu-ba 6 ki-a-am ta-aq-bi-su um-ma at-ta-a-ma 7 12.0.0 s [e. g] u r ad-di-
na-ku su-u ki-a-am *i-p[u]-ul-ka 8 um-ma su-u-ma 12.0.0 s e. g u r u-ul ta-di-
na 9 8.0.0 s e . g u r -ma ta-di-na a-na-ku-u 10 ki-a-am aq-bi-ku-nu-si um-ma
a-na-ku-u-ma 11 a-la-ki qe-ru-ub al-ka i-na ma-har si-bu-ti 12 s e -a-am ma-la
ta-di-nu-su-ma ik-ki-ru-ka bi-irJsu 1 13 it ki-a-[a]m u-na-hi-id-ka um-ma a-
na-ku-ma 14 a-[n]a [x xx xx] rx xx x x 1
(rest of obv., lo.e. and beginning ofrev. broken)
1' i-na s e -e-k[a x x x x x] 2' 41 i-ni-a-tim ra1-[na x x x x (x)] 3' bu-u-ur u [x
x] *x x-su 4 ' e-z[u-u]b ri-ba-ti-[s]u ma-at-ti 5' u ki-ma ab i-na se-e-ia [t]e-ba-
at 6 ' u-bi-irJru-su-ma 1 7 ' i-na e -ti-ia a. s a u g u 4 . hi. a-ia 8 ' [ap ]-ta_raq-qi-
id1 9 ' [Pi]-bi-dEN.ZU i-na x-x-ia 10' [a] . s a e g u 4 . hi. a u ~e-eh-he-ru-ti-ia
11' [a]p-ta-qi-id 12' s e -a-am ma-la i-na ku-un-nimki il-te-qu-u 13' [a] . s a
z u .1 um use. g is. l lu sa-at-ra-ku 14' [z u. l] um s e. g is. l us e-e ma-la
im-su-u-ma l5' [u-se-e]t*-bu-u-[su] 16' [i-na e-t]i* sa i-bi-dEN.ZU 17' ru1-ka-
la-mu-ka i-na n a 4 . k is i b -ka 18' ku-nu-uk 1 s l la a-na ma-am-ma-an 19' la
ta-na-di-in

35. AO 3959. TCL 1, Pl. XXII No. 35.

1 a-na li-pi-it-e-a 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma disk u r-ra-bi-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-
ka 5 as-sum e-a-ra-bi PA.PA 6 a-na-ku u su-u a-na sar-ri-im 7 ni-ru-um-ma
s e -a-am u a. s a-am 8 u-ul ad-di-is-sum 9 sar-rum i-sa-ri-is i-tap-la-an-ni 10
um-ma su-u-ma 11 s e-a-am sa nu-ha-au g u la mar.tu -ia 12 il-te-ne-eq-qe
rev. 13 a-na-ku u sa sar-ri-im 14 a-na bu-ur!(IR)-ri-im 15 ni-il-la-kam 16 ~i-bi-it
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 31

town 10 concerning the harvesting of that field and [bringing the harvest up].
13 Summon them, so that [they start harves-ting] that field and bring the
barley up ....

34. AO 3967. Ungnad BB 191.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 3 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health! 4 When you and Taribatum came here and argued in my
presence, you spoke to him as follows: 7 "I gave you 12 kor of barley!" He
answered you as follows: "You did not give me 12 kor, but only 8 kor of
barley!" I myself spoke to you in the following terms: 11 "I am leaving soon.
Go (and) before witnesses bring evidence against him on how much barley
you gave him and that he denied it to you". 13 Moreover I instructed you in
the following way: ... (break) ... 1' of your barley ... 41 rented oxen for ... 3' has
been established and his ......., apart from his substantial arrears. 5' And they
brought proof against him that .... from my barley had been ... and 7' (that) in
my household he had repeatedly taken care of fields and oxen. 9' I had put
lbbi-Sin in my [absence?] in charge of field, house, oxen and my minor
crops. 12' All the barley that he successively took in Kunnum, a) 13' (the data
on) the field, the dates and the sesame I surely have available in writing. 14'
The dates, the sesame and the barley that he forgot and removed b) 17'
theywill show you in lbbi-Sm's [house]. c) 18' Seal (it) with your seal (and)
do not give a single quart to anybody!

35. AO 3959. Ungnad BB 192.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 May Samas grant you good
health! 5 As for the captain Ea-rabi, he and I, we came before the king, 8 but
I did not give him barley or a field. 9 The king has given me due satisfaction,
but (Ea-rabi) he said: 12 "He keeps trying to take the barley of Nuha, my
general!" 15 We, I and somebody from the king, will come to have the facts
established.a) 16 Be well prepared! 18 Do not allow anybody to filch even one

33. a) sulum, "to bring (the barley) up" to the threshing-floor (see ARMT 27, 100
and 102, and M. Stol, OBO 160/4, 830f.) or to the city? b) See no. 30: 24.
34. a) See for this town, Introduction,§ 2,c. b) tebum S, cf. AHw 1343a, S 6). The
preceding im-su-u, not "(all) he took away by force", since in OB masii:;um retains
the laryngal (cf. no. 45:18). c) Or: in lbbi-Sm's [hand], ([i-na qa-t]i).
35. a) Note the broken spellings bu-er-ri-im (1. 14) and bu-er-tim (1. 22). b) See for
the unique St-stem of lapiitum CAD L, 93, 7 (correcting CAD Z 160, d, 1'), but I take
ina zumrika as partitive, "from you", as in no. 78:9 (with lequm).
32 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

te 4-mi-im 17 ri-si-i 18 1 s l1 a se i-na zu-um-ri-ka 19 la tu-us-ta~la-pa-at 20 u

dub-pa-am sa it-ti-ka 21 mi-im-ma la ib-ba-su 22 dub-pf bu-ur 1(IR)-tim na-
si-a-ku 23 u dub -pa-ka re-si r1i1-ki-il

36. AO 3977. TCL 1, Pl. XXII No. 36.

1 a-na li-pf-it-e-a 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma disk u r-ra-bi-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-
ka 5 as-sum 0.0.3 i k u a. s a-im sa ia-hu_rli1 aLia 6 sa a-ah mu-us-pal-[k]um
~u-ha-rum su-u 7 ia-h uJli 1-ia ma-ah-ri-ia SU:-U8 i-li-ik-su sa-lim u-ul i-na
ha-al-qu-tim su-u 9 P[di s] k u r-e-ri-is PA.PA i[l-l]i-k[am-m]a*
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning of rev. broken)
1' r1a ta-na-di-in is-tu i-na-an-na u 4 . 21 • [k am] 2' ma-ah-ri-ka a-na-ku 3' Pta-
ri-ba-tum a-na a. s a-im gisk i r i 6 4 ' pu-lu-us pdna-bi-um-mu-sa-lim 5 ' at-
tar-da-kum at-tau dna-bi-um-mu-sa-lim 6' pf-ha-at s e. g is. l-ia e-li-ku-nu

37. AO 3966. TCL 1, Pl. XXIII No. 37.

1 a-na li-pf-it-e-a 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma disk u r -ra-bi-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k
li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 ki-ma ti-du-u sa-at-tam gism a.hi. a 6 u-ul ni-pu-us 7 u ki-
ma ti-du-u 4 g u 4 . a pin. [hi]. a 8 bu-bu-tum i-na mu-uh-hi-ia 9 gism a-ka
a-na ma-am-ma-an 10 la ta-na-ad-di-in 11 gism a-ka pf-qa-at a-na ta-ab-li-il-
tim1(TUM) 12 ta-na-ad-di-in 13 k u. b ab bar u s e -a-am lo.e. 14 li-ki-lu Lni-
ku-ma 15 la ta-ma-ha-ar rev. 16 u lu-u ma-ah-ra-ta 17 te-e-er l8 as-tap-ra-ak-
ku bu-bu-tum 19 i-na mu-uh-hi-ia ka-am-ra-at 20 Pta-ri-b[a-t]um at-tar-da-ku
21 gism a-ka i-di-su-um-ma 22 g u 4 . hi. a sa-am-mi li-sa-ki-il 23 g u 4 • hi. a
la i-be-er-ru 24 a . b i gism a -ka 25 s e -am sa qa-ti-ka ta-ba-al

38. AO 3979. TCL 1, Pl. XXIII No. 38.

1 a-na li-p[f-it]-e-a 2 qf-[bf-ma] 3 um-ma d[i s k u r-ra-b]i-ma 4 2 il-ki [(x)
ma]-an-nu-um 5 i-la-ak 6 2 il-ku-ka na-du-u 7 dub-pf i-na a-ma-ri-im!(SD
lo.e. 8 qa-du 2 il-ki-ka 9 a-la-kam e-ep-sa-am rev. 10 u i-na pa-ni-ka 11 sa 1/2
g f n k u. b ab bar en-ke 1(DI)-tim 12 Ie-qfJ a- am] 13 ~i-bu-tum ma-di-[i]s

36. a) Traces suggests LI rather than TU, but there is no other TU to be compared
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 33

single quart of barley from you! b) 20 Moreover, I have with me a tablet with
a sworn deposition, b) stating that you owe c) nothing and let also a tablet of
yours be at my disposal.

36, AO 3977. Ungnad BB 193.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 May Samas grant you good
health! 5 As regards the three acres field of Jahulia, beside ... a), that boy
Jahulia is with me. 8 His service(-field) is in good order, he is not among
those who have disappeared. 9 Captain Adad-eris cam here and .. (break) .. 1'
you shall not give! Within two days from now I will be with you. Overrule b)
3' Taribatum as to the field and garden. 5' I have dispatched Nabium-
musallim to you. It is on you and Nabium-musallim 6' that the responsibility
for my sesame rests.

37. AO 3966. Ungnad BB 194.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health! 5 As you know, we have not built any ships this year 7 and as
you (also) know it is my task to provide what the four plough-oxen need. 10
Do not give your boat to anyone, you may have to give your boat for
overhauling. b) 14 Even if one offers you silver or barley, 15do not accept it
and if you have already accepted it, give it back! 18 I have now written to
you: I am crushed down by lack of fodder. 20 I am now sending you
Taribatum; give him a boat of yours and let him feedthe oxen grass. 23 The
oxen shall not starve! 24 As rent for your boat take for yourself the barley
you have available.

38. AO 3979. Ungnad BB 195.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-rabi. 4 Who is able to perform two
(different) services? a) Your two services are neglected! 8 Make sure to come
here when you see my letter, together with (the) two (persons who perform)
(your services. 10 And bring along for a value of half a shekel of silver
enketu-fishes. b) 13 They are in great demand!

35. b) Cf. CAD L 93, 7 (correcting CAD Z 160, d, 1'), but I take ina zumrika as
partitive, as in no. 78:9 (with lequm). c) ib-ba-su as mistake for ibassu?
36. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. muspalkum. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. paliisum, but
pu-lu-us, "T. is concerned about the field", cf. ARMT 26/1, 170, text 36, note b.
37. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. tabliltum.
38. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. ilkum. b) See 2, 140: 7f. and 11, 126: 6f. (also in
connection with ilkum).
34 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

39. AO 3981. TCL 1, Pl. XXIII No. 39.

1 a-na li-pi-itAS-a 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma gi-mil-lum-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k
l[i-b]a-[al-li-tu-ka] 5 k u 6 . hi. a sa pa-[x x x (x)] 6 a-na a-wi-i[l-x x x (x)]
lo.e. 7 [x xx xx xx (x)] 8 ra*Jxl [x xx xx (x)] rev. 9' x [x xx xx x (x)]
(rest of rev. broken)

40. AO 3964. TCL 1, Pl. XXN No. 40.

1 a-na 1· , . , 2 q1-
1-p1-1t-e-a , b'1-ma 3 um-ma d·1s k u r ~sar-rum-ma 4 k a-tau' a-h u-k a
V V

a-sa-ri-is ma-an-nu-um u-wa-se-er-ku-nu-ti-ma a-sa-ri-is 6 wa-as-ba-tu-nue

5
il-ki-i tu-ha-li-qa-ma 7 u a-sa-ri-is ta-at-ta-as-ba 8 se-re-et-ka a-na u 4 . mes
ka-li-su 9 u-ul u-ma-AK 10 dub -pi us-ta-bi-la-ku 11 a-na ~e-ri-ia a-la-kam e-
ep-[s]a 12 lu-u ti-de-e lo.e. 13 as-sum a. s a u gisk i r i 6 rev. 14 sa Pd in g i r -
ha-bfl sa ma-ah-ri-ka l5 a. s a u gisk i r i 6 a-na e-tel-pi-dna-bi-um 16 i-di-in
17 e-tel-pi-dna-bi-um ku-ul-li-im l8 a. s a u gisk i r i 6 sa Pdingir-ha-bfl 19 Pe-
tel-pi-dna-bi-um i-ka-al 20 a-na a-sa-ri-is wa-sa 1(AS)-bi-im 21 u-ul ta-pa-la-
ah 22 su-mi l-H-ka u mu-ta-ki-li-ka 23 sa ka-ta u a-ha-ka a-sa-ri-is 24 u-se-si-
bu-u 25 li-ib-li-i

41. AO 3970. TCL 1, Pl. XXV No. 41.

1 a-na li-pi-it-e-a 2 qi-bi-ma 3 rum-ma ap-la-tum 1 -ma 4 [du tu u dmar] duk
li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 as-sum Pta-ri-ba-tum 6 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am
7 sa um-ma at-ta-a-ma 8 3.0.0 g u r z u .1 um u-ki-la-am 9 a-nu-um-mad u b -
pi us-<ta>-bi-la-ak-kum lo. e.10 ki-ma dub -pi ta-am-ma-lru rev. 11 3.0.0 g u r
z u .1 um 12 sa ru1 -[k]i-la-ak-kum 13 e-te4 -er-[m]a *a-w[i]-le 14 bi-si-im-ma
wa-ar-ka-nu-um 15 di-nam a-wi-lu-u 16 i-qa-ab-bu-nim 17 bu-lri-ta-an-ni 1 18
sum-mama. h [ i. a a-n]a rg u r 7]-ia 19 i-[l]a-ka-nim 20 it*-ti m [a]. h [i]. ra
xx xx 1 u.e. 21 su-ur-ki-ba-am 22 i-na an-ni-tim le.e. 23 at-hu-ut 1(RI)-ka lu-mur
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 35

39. AO 3981. Ungnad BB 198.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Gimillum. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
health! 5 The fish whichpre[viously you sent] to Awil-[ ...] (broken)

40. AO 3964. Ungnad BB 186.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: Thus says Adad-sarrum. 4 Who over there has given you
and your brother the freedom to settle there? 6 You have (first) ruined my
service-land and now you have also settled down over there! 9 I will not
pardon a) your guilt forever! b) 10 I am now sending you this letter, 11 come
immediately to me, you are warned! 13 As concerns the field and garden of
Ilum-habil, c) who is with you - 16 give (that) field and garden to Etel-pi-
Nabium. 17 Show d) (them) to Etel-pi-Nabium: 19 Etel-pi-Nabium shall live
from Ilum-habil's field and garden. 21 Are you not afraid of staying there? e)
22 Should the name of your god f) and trust, who made you and your brother
settle down there, be extinguis-hed? g)

41. AO 3970. Ungnad BB 197.

Speak to Lipit-Ea: thus says Aplatum. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health! 5 As concerns Taribatum, about whom you wrote to me in the
following way: 8 "He has offered me three kor of dates." I am now sending
you this letter. 10 As soon as you see it, take from him the 3 kor of dates he
offered you. 14 Humour the gentlemen up, a) so that later 15 the gentlemen
will pronounce a favourable judge. 17 Help me to survive! 18 When ships will
come to my barley storage, ship the ... to me with. the boats. 23 Let me
experience in this that you are a brother.

"
40. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. muqqum. b) ana umi kalisu is strange, one expects
kalfs umi. c) See for this man also no. 30:34. d) kullumum, showing a field with
its boundary pegs (sikkatum), was part of the formal transfer procedure, see 4,
31:lOf.; 77:26f. ; 83:7f. e) One might also take L 20f. as a conditional protasis
(without conjunction) "If you don't fear ... , then . . . ". In L 20 wa-as-bi-im is a
mistake for wa-sa-bi-im. f) Probably not the personal god of the addressee but his
protector, who allowed him to act as he did. Cf. the OA letter KTS 15: 42, isten atta
ilz tukulti u basti, addressed to the trader Imdi1um. g) Last line taken as a question
because of the spelling li-ib-li-i, which makes it likely that L 20f. is also a question,
which fits line 7.
41. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. basamum.
36 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

42. AO 3978. TCL 1, Pl. XXV No. 42.

1 [a-na li-pi]-it_re-a u i-b 1 i-30 2 [qi-b]i-ma 3 [um-ma d]iskur-ra-bi-ma 4
[du tu l]i-ba-al-li-i[t-k]u-nu-ti 5 [as-sum] a. s a.mes sa [n]u-ha-a 6 [a-n]a
ta-ri-ba-tum s e -e-em-ma 7 ka-ma-si-im u e. g a 1-li a-pa-lim 8 [l]u-u as-pu-
ra-as-su-um 9 a-na a.Sa.mes u giskiri6.me[s] 10 [x XX (x)] Xu e-[x (x)]
(rest of obv., lo.e. and beginning of rev. broken)
1'
[a. s a u1 gisk i r i 6 sa Pta-r[i-ba-tum] 2 a-na e-re-si u sa-ki-nim 3' id-di-nu
•v 1

at-tu-nu ek-ma-a-ma su-u [(x)] 4' a-na sa-nu-tim id-na-a 5' a. s a sa e-ti-rum
a-na qa-ba-e-ia 6' is-tu sa-ad-da-aq-di a-na e-la-li 7' in-na-di-in 8' u ma-na-ah-
tam a-na qa-be-e-ia 9' is-ku-un a-na qa-be-e ma-nim 10' Pta-ri-ba-tum i-na
ma-na-ah-ti-su-u 11 u-se-li-i-su 12' [a] . s a e-ti-rum i-na qa-be-e-ia 13' [a-n]a
1

e-la-li-ma tu-ur 14' [Pta-ri-ba-tum l]a i-sa-an-ni-iq 15' [x xx x (x)]-su li-irp-

he-e-ma 1 (2 lines broken) le.e. 1 (2 lines broken) 18' [p]i-ha-at a. s a.mes u
gisk i r i 6. mes 11(I line broken) 20' u rx xx xx (x)] 21' sa Ii [x xx x (x)]

43. AO 3963. TCL 1, Pl. XXVI No. 43.

1 a-na um-mi-i[a qi-bi-ma] 2 um-ma a-wi-i[l-x xx (x)] ma-ru-ki-ma 3 du tu
u d[m a rd u k da-ri-is U4-m]i-im 4 li-ba-a[l-li-tu-ki] 5 is-tu te_rx X X x (x)] 6
ki-ma si-in-ni-[i]m [x x x-t]im 7 a-na pa-ni du tu ta-ad-[di-i]n-ni 8 il-ku-um
es-ra-an-ni-ma 9 na-pa-ar-ka-am u-ul e-le-i 10 u at-ti ma-ti-ma lo.e. 11 ki-ma
um-ma-tim 12 u-ul ta-as-pu-ri-im-ma rev. 13 li-ib-bi u-ul tu-ba-li-ti 14 a-nu-
um-ma ma-an-na-si 15 as-ta-ap-ra-ki-im 16 2 s l la l. g is su-bi-lim l 7 mu-ur-
,
~u-um . b a-ta-n ["]
1~- 1 -ma 18 1-na
. ,
na-p1-1s-tlm
•v
an-na- d"1
•

44. AO 3976. TCL 1, Pl. XXVI No. 44.

(two or three lines broken) 1' [du tu u dm a r] du k rli-ba-al-li-tu-ku-nu 1 -[ti] 2'
a-nu-um-ma Pli-pi-it-e-a 3' at-tar-da-ku-nu-si 4' 0.0.3 i k u a. s a us . s a.du
pu-ra-ti 5' u us. s a.du Pli-pi-it-e-a 6' 2.0.0 s e. g u r a-na li-pi-it-e-a i-zi-im-
ma 7 ' a. s a sa-tu sa k a ka-ni-ki-ia 8 i-pu-sa-as-su as-sum a. s a ma-du-ti 9'
1
 LETTERSIN THE LOUVRE 37

42. AO 3978. Ungnad BB 196. Cf. no. 31.

Speak to Lipit-Ea and lbbi-Sin: Thus says Adad-rabi: 4 May Samas grant
you good health! 5 As regards the fields of Nuha, a) 8 I have indeed written
to Taribatum that b) he should collect the barley and give to the palace what
it is entitled to. 9 For the fields and gardens ... and ... (break)1' The field and
the garden which Taribatum had given to a tenant-farmer and to a date-
contractor, you must take away ...... 4 ' Give them to other people. 5 ' The field
of Etirum, b) at my order c) has been given to Elali since last year 8' and he
has made the (necessary) investments at my order. 9' At whose order has
Taribatum robbed him of his investments? 12' Etirum's field has been given
back to Elali at my order. 14' Taribatum shall not reassign it! d) (3 linesbroken)
18' The responsibility for the fields and gardens ... (2 linesbroken)

43. AO 3963. Ungnad BB 117.

Speak to my mother: Thus says Awil-[ ...], your son. 3 May Samas and
Marduk forever grant you good health. 5 Since you ... ... 7 you have
relinquished me to Samas a) 6 like a dropped out b) tooth. 8 The service put a
strain on me, 9 so I could not stop working. 10 And you have never 12 written
to me, 11 as (other) mothers do, 13 to encourage me! 14 Now I have
dispatched Mannasi to you. 16 Let her bring me 2 quarts of oil. 17 I have
contracted an illness and 18 my life is endangered. c)

44. AO 3976. Ungnad BB 199.

[Speak to ...... and ..... : Thus says ...] l' May Samas and Marduk grant you
V V

(plur.) good health! Herewith I am sending Lipit-Ea to you. 4' As for the 3
acres of field bordering on the Euphrates and bordering on Lipit-Ea - 6' leave
2 kor of barley (from it) to Lipit-Ea, 8' (since) he is the one who, according to
the text of my sealed record, has worked it for me. 9' Because of the fields of

42. a) See no. 31, note b. b) A preposition (ana) is missing before se::;emma
kamiisim, probably because the sentence already used [assum] and ana. The -ma af-
ter se::;emand lu in 1. 8 reflect the emotion of the writer, possibly in reaction to an
earlier denial by his addressee. c) Etirum may be identical with the son of
Munawwirumof no. 31:15, since this text also deals with a field originally assigned
to Elali. d) Note qabii::;eja(probablya scribal error) alongside qabeja in 8' and 12'.
e) See for Tanbatum no. 31, note f. f) See for saniiqum no. 31: 11, 29.
43. a) Cf. the name Ana-piini-DN-nadi(Stamm, Namengebung, 231). b) Ungnad
BB, AHw 1243a, and CAD S/III 49 restore sinnim [na-di]-tim, "a knocked-
out/droppedout tooth". c) See the references collectedin CAD Nil 299b, 1.
38 ALTBABYL0NISCHEBRIEFE 14

a
9' a. s sa-tu sa-AB-DA lo. e. 10' a-hi-ti-ia il-qe rev. 11' er-re-sa la tu-da-ba-ba
12 ' a-na Pli-pi-it-e-a 13' a. s a pa-qi-id 14' u sum-ma ta-ra-ma-ni-in-ni 15'
z u .1 um sa gisk i r i 6 -ia 16' Pli-pi-it-e-a it-ti-ku-nu 17' [l]i-im-hu-ur-ma l8'
[a/i-na a) gis]m a.hi. a -ku-nu 19' [su-ur-k]i-ba-ni-im-ma
(rest of rev. and u. e. broken)

45. AO 3969. TCL 1, Pl. XXVII No. 45.

1 <J,-[nax x x (x)] 4 4 2 qi-[bf-m]a 3 um-ma [ x x x (x)-m]a 4 du tu [u
dm a rd u k li-ba-a]l-li-tu-ki 5 as-s[um xx xx] 4 -[n]i 6 ga-x [x xx x x]-ma 7
rx1 su [x xx (x) x 1 -ma 8 a-na a-[x xx aq-b]i-i-ma 9 um-ma ra1 -[na-ku]-u-ma
10 s e - re1 ta_rab-li-im 1 -ma 11 sa te-ep-ti-tim lo.e. 12 a-hi-tam-ma rev. 13 ad-di-i
14 sum-ma la im-gu-ur-ki 15 ni-is sar-ri-im 16 i-na pf-su su-ku-un-ni-ma
17 um-ma at-ti-ma l8 a-na s e-e* a g a.us ma-sa-i-[im] l9 pa-na-am ta-as-ta-
ka-an 20 te4-em-ki su-up-ri-im-ma 21 ma-ha-ar sa-pi-ri 22 lu-us-ku-un u.e. 23
1>i-di-tamam-mi-ni 24 [ta-a]p*-lu-si

46. AO 3962. TCL 1, Pl. XXVII No. 46.

1 [a-na] ding i r. ding ir-dan-na 2 [qi]-bf-ma 3 um-ma [p munusk]aaLzu-ub-
tum-ma 4 du tu [u dm ar du] k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 as-su[m sa] aq-bi-a-kum 6
um-m[a a-n]a-ku-u-ma 7 a-na [u r ]u mu-ti-a-ba-alki a-la-kam 8 a-wi-lum te-
em e. g al-li-su is-ni-a-sum-ma 9 a-la-kam u-ul e-li-i 10 [a]s-sum i-nu-ma ta-
al-li-kam-ma 11 [x] x-um i-se-tu-ka 12 [ki-1 a-am aq-bu-sum 13 [uma-ma] ra1 -
[n]a-ku-u-ma 14 [x x x] a-la-kam b) 15 [a-nu-um-m]a dna-bi-um-mu-sa-lim
lo. e. 16 [as-t]ap-ra-kum rev.
(two or three lines broken)
l' [x xx xx] x 2 ' [x x a]ga. us d um u x-[x-d]a-mi-iq 3 ' [i-di]-is-sum as-sum
et-lu 4' [xx] li-ba-al-li-is-su 5 ' [sum- ma m]a-ar-ti hi-ta-am i-su-u 6' [x]Jx 1 -
ma-ar li-li-kam-ma 7 ' [pa-ni m]a-ar-ti-ia lu-mur 8' [ki-ma e-te-er]-ba-am KI
UR KA 9 [x x l]a-qf-a-kue lO [u 4 -mu] as-sum-mi-ia li-ri-ku 11 [x xx] a-na
1 I I

a-la-ki-im ku-ub-bu-ul 12' ru1 [ma-a]r-ti it-ti Bi [Pd]na-bi-um-mu-sa-lim u.e.

14' [a]-l[a]-kam li-pu-sa-am 15' [s]a ma-ar-ti te-pu-su 16' [x] qu-la-lam sa a-li-
ia (Le. in 2 colums) c) 17' [xx x] rma-ar-ti 1 l8' [xx] x [xx x] 19' ta-[ ]
(ca. 4 lines missing)

44. a) Rather ana (attested with surkubum in 1, 96:9) in view of the space available.
46. a) Space between -ma and rka7 -. b) a-la-kam written over erased a-la-ka-kum.
c) The text on the left edge was not copied by Thureau-Danginin TCL 1.42
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 39

the others, he has taken this .... a) field at my side.bl 11' Do not harass (its)
tenant, the field has been entrusted to Lipit-Ea. 14' Fur-ther, if you love me,
let Lipit-Ea receive dates from my garden together with you and 19' ship
(them.)here in your own boats ... (broken)

45. AO 3969. Ungnad BB 220.

Speak to [....] a): Thus says [....]. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you good
health! 5 As regards ... 8 I spoke to ... in the following terms: 10 "Take along
the barley ... a) 13 I have stored that of the new cultivation separately". b) 14 If
he does not agree with you, make him swear an oath by the king, c) 17
saying: "(This is because) you now intend 18 to take the barley of the
soldiers!". 20 Send me your report, then I will submit it to the chief. 23 Why
have you ... the provisions?

46. AO 3962. Ungnad BB 176.

Speak to Ilan-danna: Thus says Kazubtum. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health! 5 As for what I told you in the following terms: 7 "I
am coming to the town of Mutiabal" - 8 (since) the gentleman's palace
changed its attitude toward him, I am unable to come. Because, when I had
arrived, 11 the [gentle]man had missed you, b) 12 I spoke to himas follows: 14
"I [cannot] come" 16 I am now sending Nabium-musallim to you ...
(ca. 3 lines missing)
the soldier, the son of [...]-damiq ....... 3' give to him. Because the young
2' ...
man is ........ , he must sustain him. 5 ' [If] my daughter bears guilt, let her
come [to ....... ], so that I can look my daughter in [the face]. 8' When/ have/
she has arrived here ..... I have obtained .... 10' It may take more [time] for
my sake, (But) [if PN] is physically unable to come, my daughter must see to
it that she come here together with 13' Nabium-musallim. What you did to
my daughter [brought] the discredit of my town [upon her/me] ..... my
daughter[ ..... ]
(ca. 4 lines missing)

44. a) Imperative plural of an unidentified verb. b) Ahitija could also be a personal

name and the subject of ilqe.
45. a) Letter addressed to a woman. b) See for alJ,itam nadum A 3524, cited CAD
A/I 189a. c) Apparently: make him promise under oath to renounce his plans, cf. 3,
82: 9 and 6, 153: 25, see Lexical Notes s.v. nzsum.
46. a) The same correspondents as 10, 200. b) See for this meaningg of setualso
no. 169:10. c) Or "I will obtain for you", [a-l]a-qe-a-ku.
 1
11
I

40 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

47. AO 1745. TCL 1, Pl. XXVII No. 47. ze::ipuin.

lo.0.4numun sum.sar 2 gisban <lutu 3 ul 1/2slla sum.sikil.sar
babbar 4 Pdumu-cte4.r[u 6 (x)] 5 us-ta-b[i-la-kum] 6 numun su-[u] 7
ma-ah-ri-[ka] rev. li-im-ma-hi-ih 9 u a-na si-ip-ri
8 10 su-pu-si-im 11 ni-di a-
hi-im 12 la ta-ra-as-si

48. AO 1667. TCL 1, Pl. XXVIII No. 48.

1 a-na ar-ra-bu 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma munusbe-le-su-nu-ma 4 be-If u be-el-ti 5
li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 lu sa-al-ma-ta 7 l /2 g f n k u. b ab bar sa tu-sa-bi-lam 8
ku-nu-uk-ku u-ul <sa>-al-mu-ma 9 u-te-ra-ak-kum rev. 10 ta-ba-lum ta-at-ba-
I
al 11 sum-ma s e -um ma-ah-ri-ka i-ba-as-si 12 s e -a[m s]a-ma-am-ma su-bi-
lam 13 sum-mas e -um la [i]-ba-as-si 14 ku-nu-uk-k[i sa-al]-mu-tim 15 [su]m-
I'. ma ku-nu-u[k x (x) ka]-dingir-raki 16 [x xx xx su]-bi-lam

49. AO 2504. TCL 1, Pl. XXVIII No. 49.

1 [a-na] a-wi-lim 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma munusra-i-im-tum-ma 4 is-tu ta-al-li-ku
it i. 3. k am ki-a-am 5 i-na 1.4.3 s e. g u r sa te-e-zi-ba 6 0.4.5 s e ~f-i-tum 7
111
sa-pf-il-tum 0.4.2 see 8 sa-al-sa-am ar-ha-am as-ta-pa-a 9 a-bu-ma a-na s e -e
na-sa-ri 10 ma-am-ma u-ul il-li-<kam 7> 11 a-na munuse-ti-ir-tum pa-qa-di 12
Ill
0.0.4 s e it-ti su-bu-ul-ti ah-bu-ut 13 as-sum munusna-ah1(HI)-du-si lo. e. 14 sa
ta-at-ta-na-la-ka-ku 15 um-ma si-ma a-na z i m b [i r ki] 16 li-qf-a-an-ni rev.
17 pa-na-nu-um mi-nam tu-x*-li-kum 18 id- di-ma it-ta-la-ak 19 i-na-an-na
mi-nam tu-dam-mi-qa-kum 20 um-ma si-ma te-er ta-a-ri 21 sum-ma li-ib-ba-
ka 22 li-qa-as-si-ma 23 te 4 -e-nu Ii-ti-in sum-ma s f k li-pu-us 24 a-nae be-el-
ti bi-ti-ka 25 [i]t-ta-na-la-kam-ma 26 [mun]u8 su-bu-ul-tum be-el-ti 27 [u s]a it-
ti-sa 28 [x xx x] l. g is r L/1 EL 29 [x xx x a]l-la-ka 30 [x xx xx x]-ma [(x)]

49. a) Or restore [li].

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 41

47. AO 1745. Ungnad BB 267.

40 quarts of garlic seed, according to the sutu-measure of Samas 3 and 1 1/2
liter of white onions a) 5 I let Mar-Erua bring you. 6 Let that seed be soaked b)
there.with you and do not be lazy in having the work done!

48. AO 1667. Ungnad BB239.

Speak to Arrabu: Thus says Belessunu. 4 May my Lord and my Mistress
grant you good health! 6 May you be well! 7 The half shekel of silver, which
you sent me, 9 I sent back to you as the seals were not intact. a) 10 Have you
indeed got it back (by now)? 11 If where you are barley is available, buy
barley for me and send it. 13 If it is not available, send [the silver back] with
intact seals, 15 either with a seal of Babylon [ ... J.h

49. AO 2504. Ungnad BB 232.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Ra"imtum. a) 4 Since you left, now three
months ago, expenditures 5 from the 570 quarts of barley you left behind for
me have amounted to 290 quarts, 7 there remain 260 b) quarts of barley. 8 I
have kept silent for a third month. c) 9 It is now the month of Abu, but
nobody has come here to set apart barley (for me). 12 I even had to borrow
40 quarts from Subultum in order to provide for Etirtum. 13 As regards the
woman Na"dusi d) who keeps coming to you, e) saying: 16 "Take me to
Sippar!", 17 previously, what ........ has she ....... to you f) that she gave up and
she could say: "You must bring me back!"? 21 If you wish, take her to you
and let her just do the grinding, or else let her spin wool! 24 She keeps
visiting the mistress of your household .. 26 Subultum, my mistress, and her
companions ... oil, shallot ... (3 lines broken)

47. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. sum. s a r. b) See 3, 65: 2 and no. 141: 22f. for the
soaking of seeds preparatory to planting, to speed up germination.
48. a) I follow the emendation suggested by CAD K 545, b; see for "intact seals" 6,
123: 10 and 11, 88: 9. b) For a "seal of Babylon" (perhaps not an official seal, but
one applied in that city), Stol refers me to OBO 160/4, 903 note 1904. I take summa
as introducing an alternative (followed by another summa?).
49. a) Or, if Rii"imtum is not a name, "Thus says the woman who loves (you)".
b) Mistake for 0.4.4 g u r = 280 quarts? c) One expects "for 10 days", perhaps a
mistake for "three months". d) Name attested in 7, 182:12 and YOS 13, 112:23.
e) fa tattanallakakku, the letter uses i- and ta- as verbal prefixes for the 3rd pers.
sing. fem., but ta- is restricted to forms with a 2nd. pers. sing. masc. dative suffix.
f) A reading tu-s[a]-li-kum is possible (see for sullum with dat. suff., CAD S 368, 8,
mainly OA examples, but perhaps also 5, 160:5'), but "she pleaded with you" is.
difficult in view of the following "she left". One expects the opposite of dummuqum
42 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

le. e. 31 [x x (x) tu] aLsa-ar-ki-bal-as-si i-na-an-na 32 [te4-em-ka] ~a-[b]a-at

*at-ta-ma li-qa-as-si*

50. AO 4618. TCL 1, Pl. XXVIII No. 50.

1 a-na a-wi-lim 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-is-me-a-ni-ma 4 du tu u
dm ar d uk da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 lu sa-al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta
6 ding i r na-~i-ir-ka re-es-ka a-na da-mi-iq-tim 7 li-ki-il 8 a-na su-ul-mi-ka
[as-pu-r]a-am 9 su-lum-ka ma-h ar du tu [u dmard u] k lu da-ri 10ki-ma ti-
du-u su-ba-ru-u g a 1a 11 is-tu mu 8. k am it-ti-ia 12 is-ta-Ii Lma i-f'-la-am
13 a-na e-e-li-im u-ul ad-di-in-su 14 i-na-an-na sa is-tu itib ar a.zag.gar
u4.l.kam 15xxxx[xxxx]x
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning ofrev. broken)
1' ti-x [x x x x xx xx x] 2' um-ma su-nu-ma u-ul li-ib-ba-n[i] 3' a-na ma-ri
dnin. su bur-ma. an.sum 4' uum-mi-su 5' ka ap-ta-qi-id 6' u ka-ni-kam
i-te-ez-bu-n[im] 7' a-na a-hi-ti-su-nu i-zi-is_rsu-nu-si-im-ma] ma] 8' ar-ha-am
si-bu-ta-am 9' u sa-pa-at-ta-am 10' ki-ma ku-ul-lu-ma-a-ta 11' su-ul-li-im 12' a-
na sa as-pu-ra-ak-kum 13' ni-di a-hi la ta-ra-as-si

51. AO 1673. TCL 1 Pl. XXIX No. 51.

1 a-na a-wi-lim 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma diskur-ma.an.sum-ma 4 dutu u
dm a rd u k da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 lu sa-al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta 6
ding i r na-~i-ir-ka re-es-ka a-na da-mi-[iq]-tim 7 li-ki-il 8 a-na su-ul- mi-ka
as-pu-ra-am 9 su-lum-ka ma-har du tu u dm a rd u k lu da-r[i] 10 as-sum sa
ki-a-am ta-as-pu-ra-am 11 um-ma at-ta-ma 12 15 g i [n] rk u .b ab bar 1 [i-n]a
rqa-ti1 lr-l-li-su g udu4 a) 13 [x XX XX Xx] rx1
(restof obv.lo. e. andbeginningof rev.broken)
1' [su]m-ma da-ba-ba-am ru-pa-ar-ra-ak 1 2' [g]isban du tu i-na se-qi-im 3'
1/3 s l 1a. ta. am lu se-qt9-et 4' sum-ma i-na gisban dm a rd u k -ma i-di-in-
ma 5' a-n[a-ku] i-na e-re-bi-ia 6' uJuk-ki 1 lu-ud-di-in

51. a) This damaged sign looks like AH-SILA, but a reading NAR is not excluded.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 43

31[Previously you] had shipped her/it here. Now 32 take [a decision] and you
yourself must take her/it to you!

50. AO 4618. Ungnad BB 246.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Sin-ismeanni. 4 May Samas and Mar-duk
grant you forever good health. 5 May you be well, may you be in good
health! 6 May the god who protects support you to good effect. 8 I am writing
to wish you well. 9 May your wellbeing last forever before Samas and
Marduk! 10 A.s you know Subaru, a) the lamentation priest, has been living
with me for eight years. 12 He has asked me (so) repeatedly b), but I did not
allow him to enter into a binding agreement 14 Now that, since the first day
of the first month (of this year) .. (break) .... 2' Thus they said: "We do not like
this. 5' I have entrusted the gate c) to the son of Ninsubur-mansum and his
mother 6' and they have issued to me a sealed document. 7' Guarantee them d)
their additional income. Perform in full the rites on the new moon day, on
the seventh and on the fifteenth day of the month, 10' as you have been
instructed. 12' Do not grow lax in doing what I have written you!

51. AO 1673. Ungnad BB 243.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Iskur-mansum. 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health forever! 5 May you be well, may you be in good
health. May the god who protects you support you to good effect. I am
writing to wish you well. May your wellbeing last forever before Samas and
Marduk! 10 As for the fact that you wrote to me in the following terms: 12 15
shekels of silver in possession of Warad-ilisu, the ................. (break)
1' If he raises protest, a) let at the measuring the sutu of Samas 3' be calibrated
(by quantities of) 1/3 quart each. b) 4' If he has given it (measured) by the
sutu of Marduk, I myself, upon arrival, will give the deficit. c)

in 1.19,but lummunum is impossible.

50. a) Or perhaps "the Subarean lamentation priest"? b) istiiJi, perhaps a form with
a short acc. suff. (instead of istiilanni)? c) Rather ka than na 4 (collation R
Frankena). The agreement seems to concern the transfer (sale) of a temple office,
presumably a "custodianship of the gate" (n am. l . du 8 k a), frequently attested in
OB texts from Nippur. d) Reading and interpretation of CAD A/I 191f. require a
durative izzazzunim, but the constructionis ana item ana person izzuzum.
51. a) See for this reading 7, 86:38 with note e and Lexical Notes s.v. pariikum. b)
See Lexical Notes s.v. sequm. c) u-uk-ki, might be a derivation from the root yku,
and a meaning "deficit" is required since the sutu of Marduk is smaller.
44 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

52. AO 1664. TCL 1 Pl. XXIX No. 52. ze::ipum

1 a-na a-wi-lim sa dm a rd u k 6.-ba-al-li-tu-su 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma l-li-i-qi-sa-
am-ma 4 du tu u dm ar du k li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 lu sa-al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-[t]a 6
su-lum-ka ma-har du tu [u dm a r] du k 7 lu da-[ri] 8 as-sum s e -e sa i-na
gipis an s[a] a) 9 i-na pa-ni su-su-ri-ia 10 P munussa-mu-6.h-tumrev. 11 u
munusbi-it-te-e12 6.-na-AH-i-du-ma 13 a-na munusbu-za-zula na-da-nam 14 aq-
bu-6. 15 i-na-an-na wa-ar-ki-ia-ma 16 a-na ZU-UK-KIit-ta-al-kam 17 ze-e~-pi
us-ta-bi-la-ak-kum 18 s e-am su-a-ti munusbu-za-zu19 li-il-qe-e-ma 20 a-na si-
bu-ti-sa u.e. 21 Ii-is-ku-un

53. AO 4616. TCL 1 Pl. XXIX No. 53. a)

1 a-na a-ha-ti-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma i-din-dm a rd u k-ma 4 at-ti as-su-mi-ia
da-ri-is u 4 -mi bu-ri 5 de-en-ki il-l[i-kam-m]a* 6 i-na* an-ni ta-al-li-[ki-ma] 7
dub -pa-ki tu-ga-[a]m-me-ri-im-ma 8 ta-as-pu-ri 9 x hLGis-a-AB ta-as-pu-ri
10 6.-ul sa-al-ma-at 11 is-tu al-li-kam 12 1u. k u r -ma a-na PI-ta-gaki 13 6.-ul e-
te-eq 14 ~-na-an-na i-na itigan.gan.e 15 u4 29. kam 16 re1 -et-ti-iq lo. e. 17 ~-
[n]a u 4 30. k am 18 [l]a Ti-tu1 -ur-ru* rev. 19 sum-ma ere n. mes u gisgi g i r
20 a-ta-ra-da-ak-ki 21 KU.GIS-a-BU sa ma-har du tu 22 [k]u-un-nu ma-la mi-

ni-im 23 re1 -pe-si ma-si-a-ti 24 u a-na te-er-si-x* ta-as-pu-ri 25 a-wa-at

ding i r ir-ku-su 26 i-da 6.-ul i-ra-as-si-a 27 sa te-te-ne-ep-pu-si 28 su-na-tu-ia
it-ta-na-ab-1 ba-la-nim

54. AO 7588. TCL 1 Pl. XXX No. 54.

1 a-na u-bar-rum u dm ar du k-mu-ba-li-it 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-i-qi-
sa-am-ma 4 ki-ma be-li-ia-tum be-el pi-ha-ti-ia 5 la e-eb-bu sa-at-ti-sa-am-ma
6 i-na e-bu-ri-im s e -um ka-si-it-tum 7 u i-ni-a-at g u 4 . hi. a-ia sa-ar-qa-tum
8 i-na qa-ti-su u i-na qa-ti du mu.mes -su i-ka-as-sa-du 9 a-na ma-ah-ri-ia
6.-ub-lu-ni-is-su-ma 10 i-na sa-ba-tim-ma 6.-us-su-ri-im 11 a-wa-tim a-na ma-
al-ta-ki-im 6.-ut-te-er 12 i-na-an-na i-na qa-ti be-li-ia-tum su-a-ti 13 la ba-re-e
i-ni-a-at g u 4 . hi. a-ia ka-si-it-tum 14 i-na qa-ti-su ik-ka-as-da-ma 15 ar-ka-
tum si-i 6.-ul ip-pa-ri-isx(US)-m[a] 16 Pbe-li-ia-tum su-6. a-di si-ni-su 17 a-na
ma-ah-ri-iail-li-kam-marev. 18 1.3.0 se.gur a-na i-di eren.hun.ga 16..

52. a) A reading -k[a] is not excluded.

53. a) Surface very damaged. b) The sign could be MA, ZU or KU.
r
i
LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 45

52. AO 1664. Ungnad BB 241.

Speak to the gentleman whom Marduk grants health: Thus says Ili-iqisam. 4
May Samas and Marduk grant you good health. 5 May you be well, may you
be in. good health, may your wellbeing last forever before Samas and
Marduk. 8 As regards the barley which is in the chest, about which, before
my departure, a) 10 I gave instructions to Samuhtum and Bette, forbidding
(them) to give it to Buzazu - 15 now, after my departure, she has left to
winnow. b) 17 I am now sending you a note of mine that 18 Buzazu can take
that barley and use it 20 for her needs.

53. AO 4616. Ungnad BB 222.

Speak to my sister: Thus says lddin-Marduk. 4 Stay forever well for my
sake. 5 A judgement concerning you arrived here and now you have gone
and you have written to me a full scale letter! 9 The ... a) about which you
wrote is not safe. 11 Since I came (back) here, the enemy is around and
(therefore) 13 I did not proceed as far as Pitaga. 14 Now, onthe 29th day of
the month Kislimu I will travel on, 17 on the 30th day ... will come back.
19 If I can dispatch to you troops and chariot(s), 21 the ... a) which is/are
placed before Samas - 22 how much are you able to do yourself? 24 And as
regards the ... , b) about which you wrote, what has been made binding by a
god cannot be objected to! 28 May dreams bring me all the time (messages
about) whatever you are doing.

54. AO 7588. Ungnad BB 245.

Speak to Ubarum and Marduk-muballit: Thus says Sin-iqisam. 4 Since
Beliyatum, my manager, a) is not trustworthy, every year, 6 at harvest time,
one catches pinched barley and stolen allotments for my oxen in his and his
sons' hands. 9 They used to bring them before me and by (only) seizing and
then releasing them 11 I had the affair develop into a (mere) excercise. 12
Now (again), after pinched allotments for my oxen had been caught 13
without publicity in the possession of that Beliyatum, 15 the case has not
been taken up. And 16 that Beliyatum has twice appeared before me and 18 1
3/5 kor of barley as wages for the hired ploughmen have been given to him

52. a) For this formula see 9, 181:3 and 10, 51:7. b) Translation of ZU-UK-KI is
uncertain: sukkum, "shrine", or zukkum, "to winnow"; suqum, "street", is impossible.
53. a) The interpretation of the word in 9 is unclear; it probably reappears in 21,
although it is fern. in 9 and masc. in 21 ! b) Reading and interpretation unknown.
54. a) See for Beliyaturn, the issakkum, W. Burggraaff, AulOr 13 (1995) 161-67. The
interpretation of this letter by H. Sauren in ZSSRA 103 (1986) 104f. is wrong.
46 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

a pin. s a. g u 4 19in-na-di-in-sum 20 ar-ki-su-ma 1 1/2 g f n k u. b ab bar a-

na i-di eren. h un. g a 21 sa a. s a kar-du tuki Plr-dbe-le-tum 22 a-na ma-
ah-ri-ku-nu u-sa-bi-lam ki-ma ze-e~-pf ta-am-ma-ra 23rdm a rd u k-mu-ba-li-
it dumu e.dub.ba.a 24 a-di zimbirki li-il-li-ik 25 ar-ka-at i-ni-a-at
g u 4 . hi. a-ia 26 sa-ar-qa(KA)-tum li-ip-ru-us 27re-es ere n. h u n. g a.mes
ka-si-mu sa i-na a. s a-ia 28 ik-su-mu li-is-si-ma 29 u te4-em e g a. g i. a 30
sa munus1a-ma-sa-niI u k u r du tu a-ha-ti 31 is-pu-ra-am li-ip-ru-us-ma 32 te4-
em-su a-na ma-ah-ri-ia li-te-er-ra-am (ruling)

55. AO 6734. TCL 17 Pl. I No. 1.

1 a-na be-H-ia 2 qf-bi-ma 3 um-ma ~i-li-dutu -ma 4 420.0.0 g u r s e -um i-na
u r u ki si-ri-im-tum 5 ib-ba-si-i 6 300.0.0 g u r a-na pi-i na-ri-i-im 7 us-te-e-~f
*90.0.0 g u r s e. nu mun u s a. g a I g u 4 . hi. a 8 30.0.0 g u r s e. b a
I u. s a. g u 4 u *x s e. g is. l 9 gisma.hi. a li-il-li-ka-ni-im-ma 10 s e -a-am
lu-~e-e-nam 11 u 300.0.0 s e. g u r sa u r u ki k a.ding i r 12 sum-ma a-na
s e. b a in-na-an-di-in 13 ar-hi-is li-il-li-ku-ni-im-ma 14la-ma mu-u im-qu-u-
tu 15li-im-hu-u-ru sum-ma la ki-a-am 16a-na bi-tim lu-sa-bi-la-as-su 17s e -
um sa an. z a.gar ka-a-at-tim 18er-re-sum-ma a-di-i-ni u-ul zu-uk-ku-ma
19 u-ul a-sa-ap-pa-ra-ak-kum rev.2o u si-im- rev. 20 u si-im-mu-ug-ra 21is-pu-
ra-am-ma ah-hi dEN.ZU-ri-im-urim ki 22 sag u 4 . hi. a-ka na-su-u 23 sa-a-at
qa-tim im-ha-*~u-u-ma 24 a-na ~e-ri-i-su it-ru-u 25 is-te-en i-na qa-tim ip-pa-
ar-si-dam-ma 26 a-na ~e-ri-i-ka *it-ta-al-kam 27 u 4.0.0 *i k u s e. g is. lJ-as-
sa-pa-an 28 u ma-ah-ri a-hi pi-ti-iq-tam 29 * [i]p-ta-ti-i-iq u a-na u 4 . 2. k am
30 pa-ni 5.0.0 i k u a-ka-a~-~a-a-ar 31 u gisig. hi. a sa tu-sa-hi-za-an-ni 32 sa
giser in* mi-OH-~u-u-um 33 1/2 n ind a 4 k us me-e-Iu~u-um 2 2/3 k us ru-
up-sum 34ga-am-ra as-ka-pu-us-sf-*na-ma' 35uh-hu-ra-a-at
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 47

to him. 20 After he had left I had Warad-Beletum bring you 1 1/2 shekel of
silver as wages for the hired workers of the field(s) of Kar-Samas. 22 As soon
as you see my note, let the administrator Marduk-muballit go to Sippar to
investigate the whereabouts of the stolen allotments for my oxen. 28 Let him
check'b) (the number of) the hired weeders that have worked on my field and
31 let him assess the report of the gagum, 30 about which my sister
Lam~ssani, the naditum of Samas, sent me a message 32 and let him report
back to me.

55. AO 6734. Ebeling 6-7.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 4 There proved to be 420 kor of
barley in the town of Sirimtum. 6 I have now moved out 300 kor to where
the canal branches off, 90 a) kor (I kept) as seed com and fodder for the
oxen, 8 30 kor as rations for the ox-drivers and as ... for sesame. 9 Let boats
come here so that I can load the barley. 11 And as for the 300 kor of barley
of the town of Pi-ilim, if it has to be given out as rations 13 let one come here
quickly to take delivery of it before the water falls. b) 15 If not, I want to
have it brought to the house. 17 As for the barley of your own farmstead, c)
since the cultivator has not yet finished winnowing, 19 I cannot write you
r
(how much it is). d) 20 Furthermore, Simmugra e) wrote me that one has put
Sin- rim-Urim's brothers, who are resposinble for f) the oxen, in handcuffs g)
and has taken them to him. 25 One (of them) escaped and has made off to
you. 27 Furthermore, I have now levelled 72 acres of sesame and in front of
(it) my brother has now erected 28 a mud wall and within two days I will be
ready with the surface of the (whole of the) 90 acres. h) 31 Furthermore, as
for the doors about which you instructed me that the(ir) frame i) should be of
cedar wood, 33 with a height of 10 cubits (and) a width of 2 2/3 cubits, 34
they are finished, only their leather-work is not yet ready.

54. b) See for resam nasum, Lexical Notes.

55. a) According to collation. b) Cf. 5, 138:8'; 9, 215:9; ARM 3, 29:19. c) dimtum
is a fortified farmstead, named after its founder/owner, in this case Balmunamhe
(see Introduction, § 2, d). d) The information, a yield of 300(!) kor, was supplied
- later, in 9, 94, dated to the 2nd year of Rim-Sin. e) Probably the father of the writer,
cf. YOS 5, 172:7, and note DAM Simmugra in TCL 10, 17:7 and BAD Simmu[gr]i
in 9, 150:18. f) Cf. 9, 52:10; and no. 111:51, in the sense of "to take care of'. g)
Cf. CAD MIi 79b, h; TIM 2, 16:76(?), and ARMT 26/2, 413: 19-21, where sat qii.tim
mab,ii.$um alternates with ina gi~qii.t[imnadum]. h) "To level" is the final stage of
the sowing of sesame, cf. Kraus, JAOS 88 (1968) 116b, so that ka$ii.rum, with the
surface area as object (cf. no. 61:4), cannot be "to collect (linseed)" (CAD K 259, 1,
c). i) See Lexical Notes s.v. meh$um.
48 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

56. AO 6733. TCL 17 Pl. II No. 2.

1 a-na be-lf-i[a] 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma ~i-lf-dutu-ma
4 390.0.0 g u r a. s a mu-un-hi-a-tum
5 120.0.0 g u r a. s a hi-is-sar
6 174.0.0gur a.sa igi.*u[ru]ki
7 110.0.0gur a.sa a.gar gu.la
8 854.0.0 g u r 9 sa dEN.ZU-da-mi-iq
10 114.0.0 g u r a. s a mu-un-hi-a-tum
11 470.0.0 g u r a. s a *~e-rum
12584.0.0 g u r 13 sa l-lf-tu-ra-am
14su.nfgin 1438.0.0gur
15 sag. n i g. g a. r a sa ip-pa-as-ru 16 i-na li-ib-bi-im a-na g u r 7 -e-em 17
ub-lu-*ni rx x 1 18 sa-pi-il-ti se-e-em i-na ma-as-ka-an 19ka-ar-pa-a-timas-ta-
pa-a-ak rev. 20 s a. g a 1 g u 4 . hi. a i-na ~ e *lib [ir (x)] 21ka-al-ma-tam la-
pi-it-m[a] 22 a-na-ad-di-in gisma.hi. a 23 li-il-li-ka-ni-im- ma 24 li-it-ba-lu-
ni-is-su 25 as-sum se-e-im sa u ru ki si-ri-im-[t]um 26 u sa uru ki ka. dingir
27 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am is-tu i-na-an-na 28 a-na U4.2.kam an-nu-u-um u an-nu-
u-um za-a-ku 29 U a-na pa-sa-ri-im qa-ti a-sa-ak-ka-an 30 is-tu apJta 1 -as-ru
na-ap-sa-*ar-tam 31 ma-la ib-ba-as-su-u ku-nu-uk-kam 32 u-sa-ab-ba-la-ak-
kum se-a-am 33 sa uruki si-ri-im-tum 34 a-na a-ah na-ri-im ra-bi-tim 35 u-
se-e~-~f-a-am as-sum sa-ad-da-aq 1-di-im 36 li-ib-ba-ti-ia ta-am-lu-u 37um-ma
at-ta-a-ma am-mi-i-*ni-im 38 ba-lum sa-li-ia tu-si-e-~f 39 u ~u-ha-ru-u ep-ra-
a-am 40 a-a-i-ki-a-am i-ma-ah-ha-a-ru 41 as-srum s1 e-em su-~f-i-x*
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 49

56. AO 6733. Ebeling 7-8.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas.
4 390 kor, the Munhiatum field, a)

5 120 kor, the Hissar field,

6 174 kor, the 'Field facing the town',
. 110 kor, the field in the 'Great Polder', b)
7
8 854 kor c) 9 of Sin-damiq.
10 114 kor, the Munhiatum field,
11 470 kor, the 'Steppe field', d)
12 584 kor 13 of Ili-turam. e)

14 Total: 1438 kor, the available assets that were measured and made ready.
f) 16 Part of it they brought to the granery, g) 18 the remainder of the barley I
have now stored at the "Storage site". h) 20 As for the fodder for the oxen .....
of the barley is infested by vermin and (therefore) I will sell (it). i) Let boats
23 come here to take it along. 25 As for the barley of the towns of Sirimtum
and Pi-ilim, about which you wrote me, 28 within two days from both will be
winnowed 29 and then I will set to measure f) it. 30 When I have measured it
I will send you the resulting figures by means of a sealed document. 32 The
barley of the town of Sirimtum I intend to move out j) to the bank of the
main canal. 35 (I am telling you so) because, last year, you got angry with
me, 37 saying: "Why have you moved it out j) without asking me? 39 And the
servants, from where should they receive rations - 41 because of you moving
out the barley?" k)

56. a) Cf. 1, 90:4-8. b) In 1, 90 6: g u .1 a; cf. YOS 5, 202 6: 209 kor of barley

napsartum a. s a a. gar g u. 1a. c) One expects 794 kor; Sin-damiq also in 1,
90: 11. d) Cf. no. 59: 14: sa pani $erim. e) Cf. 9, 49:4. f) See Lexical Notes s.v.
pasarum. g) See YOS 5, 181:1: mu.DU gurre-em. In YOS 15, 67:6f.pasarum
precedes the storing (sapakum) of the barley in the dimtum. h) Taken as a name
because there is no preposition before karpatim, but one might also translate "at the
threshing floor in storage jars". i) Assuming ana kaspim, or simply "to give away".
j) SU$11mis a technical term for the transfer of the barley, from the threshing floor to
the bank of a canal (also no. 63:7), and by boat to a town or silo, cf. CAD A/II 373a-
374b. k) The quotation could also end with line 38, if we take lines 39f. as an
argument, in the form of a question, added by the writer.
50 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

57. AO 6735. TCL 17 Pl. III No. 3.

1 a-na be-li-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ~i-If-dutu -ma 4 a-sa-ar sa-ad-da-aq-di-i-
im 5 *480.0.0 s e. g u r i-ib-su-u 6 i-na-an-na 210.0.0 s e. g u r 7 i-na u r u ki
k a.ding i r ib-ba-a-si 8 ma-ti-i-ma ki-i-ma sa-ad-da-aq-di-im 9 mi-ik-ra-a-
am 10 u-ul am-ku-u-ur 11 1 su 1-si se.gur a-na <se>. nu mun u sa.gal
g u 4 . hi. a 12 ad-di-i-[i]n 13 u a~-~e-er gisapin -ni-su-nu 14 gisapin sa-ni-a-
am 15 u-~i-ib-su-nu-si-i-im 16 a-nu-um-ma Pu-~i-nu-ru-um 17 u ~i-If-dEN.ZU
s es. a. n i 18 it-ta-al-ku-ni-i-im-ma 19 sa-al-su-nu-u-ti 20 a-na-ku aq-bi-su-
nu-si-i-im-ma rev. 21 di-ha-a-ti u-ul is-t[a]-a-lu

58. AO 6738. TCL 17 Pl. III No. 4.

1 a-na be-li-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ~i-Ii-dutu -ma 4 s e -a-am sa a. s a mu-un-
hi-a-tum 5 ap-su-ur-ma 360.0.0 g u r ib-si 6 u a. s a s u 7 120.0.0 gur s e -um
zu-uk-ku 7 sa-a-ru-u u-ul i-sa-ru-u-ma 8 ak-ka-a-li sum-ma-a-an sa-ru-um 9 i-
is-si-ra-am s e-a-am ka-la-su-ma-an 10 uz-za-ak-ki a-na u 4 . 4. kam s e-um
er-su 11 as-sum s e -e-em sa a-na s a. g a 1 e 12 sa ta- as-pu-ra-am 13 sa a. s a
*hiJis 1-sar 14 u a. s a s u k u a. ab . b a. a 15 ka-ba-ar u pu-~a-am pe-e-~i 16
sa-a-ti e-ez-zi-ib-su
On the middle of rev.: 17 itigu 4 . s i . s a u 4 . 1 1 . k a m 18 s a m u 4 °rud0a l a m
ku-du-ur-ma-bu-uk 19 e dn an n a. s e* i. n i. in. k u 4 . re

59. AO 6742. TCL 17 Pl. N No. 5.

1 a-na be-li-i[a] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ~i-If-dutu -ma 4 90.0.0 g u r s e. g 1 s .1
ib-ba-su-u 5 la-ma sa-me-e-em *he-epJsu-nu 1 ap-pu-u~ 6 sa-mu-u-um u-ul
ik-su-da-as-su-nu-ti 7 as-sum a. s a -im sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 8 a. s a -um sa
u r u ki k a.ding i r 9 is-tu i ti gisapin.du 8 . a i-na e-re-si-im 10 ga-me-er u
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 51

57, AO 6735. Ebeling 8-9.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 4 Where last year the yield was
480 kor of barley it is now turned out to be (only) 210 kor a) in the town of
Pi-ilim,. 8 I have never watered (the fields) as much as last year! b) 11 Sixty
kor of barley I have given for seed and fodder of the oxen. 13 In addition, I
bad added to their ploughteams c) a second ploughteam. 16 Now U$i-nurum
and his brother Silli-Sin have left for you, so interrogate them. 20 I talked to
them, but they did not take notice of what I said.

58. AO 6738. Ebeling 9.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 5 I have measured and made ready
the barley of the 'Munhiatum field' and it proved to be 360 kor. 6 And, as for
the 'Threshing-floor field', 120 kor is clean.a) 7 I have been delayed because
the winds were not right. If the wind had been all right for me, I would have
cleaned all the barley. 10 The barley (now) wmbe ready within four days. 11
As for the barley which (is to serve) as fodder for the household, about
which you wrote me, 13 that of the 'Hissar field' and of the 'Sea ration
field'b) is thick and fully ripe. That (barley) I will put aside. c)
17 The 11th day of month II of the year in which he (Rim-Sin) brought four
statues of copper of Kudur-mabuk into the temple of Nanna. d)

59. AO 6742. Ebeling 10.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 4 There proved to be 90 kor of
sesame. 5 Before the rain I had beaten out half of it; a) the rain did not reach
it. 7 As for the field(s) about which you wrote me, the seed-ploughing of the
fields of the town of Pi-ilim is finished 9 since the month VIII and the oxen

57. a) In no. 55:11 the yield was 300 kor, which indicates that the correspondence
covers at least three years. b) Since the harvest is in month I (see the dates in no.
58 and 9, 94), the reference could be to the irrigation of this very crop, but that of the
previous year, when the harvest was exceptionally rich, is more likely. In 10, 177 we
learn about problems with irrigation due to insufficient maintenance of canals and
delay of the work. c) Masc. pl. epinnu, cf. no. 61:9.
58. a) Here the barley is subject of zukku,but in no. 55:18 the farmer. The threshing
floors of both fields are also mentioned in 10, 177:12f. b) Cf. YOS 5, 181:23:
barley ana bzt a. ab . b a, but this last word could also be a personal name. c) To be
kept in store for other purposes, because of its quality. d) Rim-Sin year 3; month II
is also mentioned in connection with winnowing in 10, 177:12.
59. a) The signs preceding appU$ are damaged. Reading proposed because 40 g u r -
su-nu yields an unlikely word; see Lexical Notes s.v. b,epum.
52 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

g u 4 . hi. a-su pa-at-ru 11 as-sum ta-aq-bi-a-am 12 g u 4 . hi. a fa *kap-ri-im

as-su-ha-am-ma 13 2.0.0 i k u i-na u r u k:i k a.ding i r 14 u sa pa-ni ~e-ri-im
15 3.0.0 i k u i-ir-riJi-su 1 * 16 a. s a-um sa pa-ni ~e-ri-im 17 3.0.0 i k u ~a-a-pi

i-na li-ib-bi-im 18 *[x+ ]3.0.0 i k u a. s a-um e-ri-is rev. 19 [sum]-ma-an la

sa-me-e-em 20 [i-n]a e-re-si-im ka-lu-su-ma-an ga-me-e[r] 21 [s]a-ma-a-tum
sa-la-a-as 22 iz-nu-na-a-ma a. s a-am a-na wa-ar-ki-su 23 u-te-er-ra a-na ri-is
wa-ar-*hi-im 24 i-na e-re-si-im i-ga-am-ma-a-ru

60. AO 6746. TCL 17 Pl. V No. 6.

1 a-na be-li-ia 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma ~i-1£-du tu -ma 4 as-sum P1r _dma rd u k * s
ta-as-pu-ra-am me-e as-ta-pa-a-ak ru-ut-tu-u-ub 7 itigu 4 . si. sa u 4 .1.kam
6

is-te-a-at 8 [s]a-ni-i-ta-am i-na wa-ar-hi-i-im 9 [s]a-lu-us-tam i-na ur-ri wa-

ar-hi-i-im 10 ni-ba-al-la-al den. k i su-u ma-di-is u 4 -mi-i 12 qa-aq-qa-ad-
ka li-i~-~u-ur* 13 a-na pa-ni-i-ka te-e-mi ~a-ab-ta-a-ku 14 u ka-lu-u-ma er-su-
u 15 g u 4 . hi . a qa-du-um 16 sa u r u ki is-ku-un-e-a 17 *[e]r-be-et-ma mah-ri-
ia (rev. uninscribed)
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 53

have been unjoked. 11 In consequence of what you told me I have transferred

the oxen of the village and 15 they are now ploughing 36 acres in the town of
Pi-ilim and 54 acres of the 'Field facing the steppe' _b) 16 The 'Field facing
the steppe', 54 acres, is soaked with water, c) (but only) 18 [ ... ] acres thereof
have been ploughed. 19 But for the rain d) the ploughing of all of them would
have been completed. 21 No less than three rain-showers occurred and have
thrown back (the work on) these fields. 24 One will now be ready with the
ploughing before the beginning of the (next) month.

60. AO 6746. Ebeling 10-11.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 4 As for Warad-Marduk, (about
whom) you wrote me, 5 I have now poured water (on the malt), it is soaked.
10 We will stir and rnix it a) 7 for the first time on the first day of the month
Ajjaru, 8 for the second time on the day of the new moon, 9 for the third time
the day after the new moon. 11 May the god Enki himself b) protect you for
many days to come! 13 I have taken my measures in view of your impending
arrival and absolutely everything is ready. c) 15 The oxen, including those of
the town oflskun-Ea, d) 17 number four and are at my disposal.

59. a) The signs preceding appus are damaged. Reading proposed because 40 g u r -
su-nu yields an unlikely word; see Lexical Notes s.v. 1:Jepum. b) Assuming that
eqlum sapani serim is the same field called a . s a serum in no. 56: 11. c) Soaking
(sabpum) preceded seed-ploughing, cf. 2, 127:18f.; 5, 176:10'; 9, 151:Sf. and 10,
16:5f. The ploughing, according to this letter, took place in month VIII and IX. d)
The number is a problem since ina libbim implies that it is smaller than 3 b u r ,
which does not seem to be the case. e) Cf. 9, 255, note a to translation.
60. a) Reference to the brewing of beer, see Lexical Notes s.v. balalum. b) Cf.
Boyer, Contribution, H.E. 107:21. c) Presumably for a festival, where beer was
served. Dyckhoff explains he blessing by Enki in line 11 and by Ea in no. 124:5 (let-
ter of Balmunarnhe's brother) from the close connection between the family and the
Enki temple in Larsa. Note that Balmunarnhe's seal identifies him as "servant ofEnki
and Damgalnunna" (Charpin, NABU 1987/36) and that his grandson, Eridu-liwwir,
was an is i b-priest of that god (YOS 12, 57:11). d) See for plough-teams of that
town also no. 61: 9 and YOS 5, 184
54 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

61. AO 6747. TCL 17 Pl. V No. 7.

1 [a-na] be-lf-ia 2 [qf]-bf-ma 3 um-ma ~i-If_dutu -ma 4 *4.0.0 i k use. g is. l
i-na an. z a.gar ka-at-tim 5 i-na sa-pa-ni-im ga-me-er 6 u ma-di-is da-mi-iq
7 sum-ma-an as-sum me-e [l]a-a *ap-tu-ra-am 8 10.0.0 i k u a. s a -am as-sa-
pa-ma-an 9 80.0.0 g u r s e -um sa e-pi-ni sa u r u ki is-ku-un-e-a 10 240.0.0
g u r sa er-re-e-si 11 sa sa-at-tam ib-ba-si-i 12 *a-wi-lu-u sa u-la-am-mi-du-ka
13 240.0.0 g u r se-a-am sa le-qe-e-ka 14 it-ba-lu-u (rev. uninscribed)

62. AO 6748. TCL 17 Pl. VI No. 8.

1 a-na be-lf-i[a] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma ~i-lf-dutu -ma 4 i-na pa-ni sa-at-tim
gisma u-ul ia-at-tum 5 ar-ka-ab-si-i-ma 6 it-bu-u-ma si-im-tum is-tu a-nu-mi-
i-su 7 ih-ta-li-iq u gi-mi-il 5-lum i-de 8 ki-i-ma gisma it-bu-u 9 si-im-tum ma-
la ab. g u 4 . hi. a 10 is-sa-ak-na is-se-e-pi 11 u-ul wu-du u um-ma a-na-ku-u-
ma 12 a-na be-lf-ia lu-uq-bi-i-ma 13 lu-na-ak-ke-e-er-ma lu-ta-a-am 14 si-ma-
at u 8 . u du.hi. a sa la nu-uk-ku-ri-im 15 lu sa-ak-na u g u 4 . hi. a sa u~-~u-
u 16 lu-ta-a-am li-is-s[a-ak]-nu 17 use-um sa uruki sa uruki si-[ri-im-t]um
18 a-sa-ar a. s a-um meJ e ma-ak-ru] rev. 19 [s] e -um ma-di-is u-ul ka-b[a-ar]
20 a-na s e. b a 1u. ma i-li-i-q[f] 21 u ma-ak-ku-u-um i-dam ma-a-dam 22 la
i-ik-ka-a-al

63. AO 6749. TCL 17 Pl. VI No. 9. a)

1 a-na be-lf-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma ~i-If-dutu -ma 4 s e -um sa u r u ki si-ri-im-

tum 5 840.0.0 g u r ib-[b ]a-si-i 6 u *wu-di-i se-a-am * 5 su-si g u r 7 a-na r a-

63. a) Tablet very dirty. Note the use, twice, of EL for il5
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 55

61. AO 6747. Ebeling 11.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 5 The leveling of 72 acres of
sesame a) in your own farmstead b) is finished and it looks very good. 7 If I
bad not interrupted the work c) because of the water, I would have levelled
an area of 180 acres. 9 As for the 80 kor of barley of the ploughing teams of
the town of lskun-Ea (and) the 240 kor of the cultivators, 11 which was this
year's yield - 12 the gentlemen who informed you have taken along the 240
kor of barley that was yours to take.

62. AO 6748. Ebeling 11-12.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Silli-Samas. 4 In spring a boat - it did not
belong to me a) - which I had boarded 6 sank and the marks disappeared
right off and Gimillum b) knows that the boat sank. 9 All the paint marks
with which the cattle are marked have faded away (and) c) 11 they are
nolonger identifiable. So I thought: 12 I will propose my lord to get rid of
them, 15 they must be provided with a ........ d) the mark used for small cattle,
which cannot be removed. 15 So, let the oxen which leave e) be provided
with a ...-mark. 17 Furthermore, as for the barley of the town of Sirimtum,
(even) where the fields have been irrigated f) the barley is not at all thick. g)
20 It will be taken for rations of the boatmen. 21 Moreover, the ... h) must not
consume too much in the way of wages.

63. AO 6749. Ebeling 12.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Sillr-Samas. 4 The barley of the town of
Sirimtum proved to be 840 kor. 6 And, nota bene, I have now moved out to
the bank of the river an amount of 300 kor of barley. 8 Let the cargo boats, a)

61. a)See for "levelling" of the sesame no. 55 note h. See for the surface area also
no. 55: 27 (collation of line 4 does not allow a reading *5.0.0 iku, which would
connect this letter with 1, 90). b) See no. 55 note c) to translation. c) CAD A/I
109a reads ad-[d]a-ra-am, from adarum B, "to fear", but the second sign is not DA
and a ventive not common with this verb. My reading was suggested by Kou-
wenberg; see for intransitive patarum, "to depart, to stop", frequently in the ventive,
2, 23:8, and 13, 25:7.
62. a) One expects *la jattum. b) Gimillum also in 9, 110:7 and perhaps the writer
of 9, 22. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. sl$1zepum. d) See Lexical Notes, s.v. lud/tum.
e) Cf. 1, 114:7', where also oxen which "go out, leave" have to be marked. f) See
for examples of makiirum with double accusative, CAD Mil 125, 1,2', from Mari. g)
Cf. no. 58:15. h) See Lexical Notes s.v. makkum.
63. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. naspakum.
56 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ah 1 na-ri-im us-te-e-~f 8 gism a .[hi. a n]a-as-pa-ak 1 s a.tam 9 u eh-bu-tum

li-i15-li-ku-nim-ma 10 s e -um *:i_-[n]aa-ah na-ri-im 11 la it-[t]a-ab-ba-ak 12 ar-
hi-is [l]i-it-ba-lu-ni-is-su 13 a-sa-ar s e -*u[m] ta-ab-ku-u 14 u-la a-lu-u-*u[m]
u-ul sa-tum 15 as-su-ur-ri s[e]-um 1 s l 1 a 16 i-ha-al-li-iq-ma 17 li-ib-ba-ka i-
ma-ar-ra-a~ 18 gism a.hi. a ar-hi-is 19 Ii-i15 -Ii-ka-ni-i-i (rev. not inscribed)

64. AO 6737. TCL 17 PL VII No. 10. a)

1 a-na be-lf-[ia] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma *$[i 1-U-dUtu-nia] b) 4 as-sum s e -e-em

[x x x-t]i-ra 5 ma-Ii a ta [x sa-*a]d-da-aq- 1 di1-im* 6 u 4 . 10.k am [x]-u-tam

7 sa-a-ru-u-ma *[i]s-pi-lu-ni-im 8 s e -um is-tu *[a-n]a u r u ki di x ❖ 9 ta-al-li-

ku i-na di-a-siJim ga 1 -m[i]-ir 10 u is-tu u 4 [x] .kam se-um ka-lu-sa *z[u-

uk]-ku 11 gisma.hi. a *[l]i-il-Ifi-ka-nim-m 1 a 12 bi-il-tam lu-sa-ar-ki-ba-a[m]
13 s e -um ip-pa-se-er-ma * 160.0.0 gur a. s a! hi-[is-s]ar 14 150.0.0 g u r
i g i. u [ru ki] ib-si-:i. 15 as-sum Pmu-ha-ad-du-um u l-lf-[ip]-pa-al-sa-am 16 sa
ta-as-pu-ra-am 17 ha-al-gum *a-na-k[u] i-na a-a-i-tim-ma 18 li-ib-ba-ka im-
ra-a-a~ 19 *um-ma at-ta-a-ma 20 a-na-ku u-ha-ba-la 1-ak-ku[m] 21 is-tu i-na-
an-na WA-[x x] 22 e-te-pu-us-ma ta-ha- t[im x] 23 tu-ub-x-x [x-(x)] 24 a. sa-
am ta-as-ta-[X XX] rev. 25 sa [X X X X XX XX X X] 26 U [X X X X X X X X X X] 27
la-ma suJx-x XX XX Xx] 28 i-il-la-[x XX XX XX x] 29 a. s a-am U [x XX XX
xx] 30 sa il-li-kam x [xx xx x] 31 ta-a~-ba-tu *i-[x x] rxx 1 Ix] 32 sa u-la-am-
mi-du-*ni'-[ik]-ka 33 la pa-ni-a-at si-ik-ni-ka-a-ma 34 pa-ni-a-at a. s a-su 35 u
lu-u bi-ti-i-su-ma* a-na-ku a-wi-ir-ma 36 as-pu-ra-kum wa-*ar-<ka>-tam pu-
ru-us-ma 37 a-ra-an-si-na lu-ut-ta-as-si-i 38 a. s a-su a-na giski r i 6 -im 5 usu-
ul He-eh-hi 39 li-ib-ba-ka-ma la i-ma-ar-ra-a~ 40 is-tu ta-as-pu-ra-am *~i-bi a-
di 41 di-nu-um sa du tu a-sa-ar *gissin i g 2 s l 1a.ta 42 ka-ab-ru ki-a-am i-
ta-a-wu 43 is-tu i-na-an-na li-du-ku-ni-a-ti 44 ma-am-ma-an ni-ip-pa-a-al

64. a) Surface damaged and broken. b) Dossin's copy is correct, in drawing a small
Winkelhaken in the upper right comer of the first sign of the name of the sender,
which would preclude reading $i-[lf-du tu]. But the subject matter of this letter is so
similar to that of Sillf-Samas's other letters and his name fits so well in the space
available that I still consider him the writer.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 57

one administrator b) and some checkers c) come lO so that the barley does not
remain piled up d) on the river bank. 12 Let them take it along quickly,
(since) where it piled up there is no village, it is not appropriate. e) 15 By no
weans ,should any barley, even one quart, get lost, so that you would get
angry! 18 Let the boats come here quickly!

64. AO 6737. Ebeling 13-14.

Speak to my lord: Thus says S[illi-Samas]. 4 As for the barley ... as much as
... last year, for ten days ... the winds fell. 9 The ... of the barley Since you
came to the town of Di..... the thrreshing of the barley has been completed
and since ... days all the barley has been winnowed. 11 Let boats come here
so that I can bring the yield on board 13 The barley has been measured and it
amounted to 160 kor of the 'Hissar field' (and) 14 150 kor of the 'field
facing the town' .15 As for Muhadd0m and Ili-ippalsam, a) about whom you
wrote me: 17 "I am ruined!" b) In what way have you been hurt? 19 You
sai·d: "I w1·11........ you.'" c) 21 From now on I h ave done ... finen
. dly ... 24 Th e
field you have .... (4 lines too broken for translation)
29 the field and ... who came here ... 31 [whom] you have seized ... 32 about
which one informed you is not the first, (that of) your own installation
comes first. 35 It is his field and it indeed belongs to his household. d) I
came into action and I have now
written to you. 36 Investigate the matter and I will bear the guilt of whatever
their (fem.) fault may be. 38 The distance between his field and the garden is
at least one mile, do not worry! 40 Since you wrote to me ..... 41 Samas'
verdict, where the tamarisks are each 2 quarts thick. e) Thus he argues: 43
"From now on let them kill us, 44 (for) whom do we have to answer?"

63. b) A reading 60 g u r . ta, which would yield the capacity of the boats and link
up with the description of the amount of barley as "5 times 60 kor", is not supported
by the original. See for s a.tarn here M. Gallery, AJO 27 (1980) 16b, 6. c) See
Lexical Notes s.v. ebbum. d) This rendering of the durative N is required by what
follows. e) Taking sa-tum as sattum, which CADS/III, 155, c (ref. Stol).
64. a) Ili-ippalsarn also mentioned in YOS 15, 67, where Silll-Sarnas tells his boss
that Ili-ippalsarn informed him about his garden. b) In the absence of umma attama
I take line 17 as the reaction of the writer. c) Unclear; the damaged sign is not LA,
habalum I requires an acc. suff., and habalum II ("I will become indebted to you")
does not make sense. d) Difficult and syntactically unclear. In view of siknum and
36f., perhaps referring to damage of a neighbouring field or garden due to irrigation.
e) Thickness is measured in slla's, cf. M. Powell, AJO 31 (1984) 42-46 and RIA 7
(1987-90) 491, § IDB. The reading in Richter, Panthea 285, note 1197, needs
correction.
58 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

65. AO 6317. TCL 17 Pl. VIII No. 11.

1 a-na nu-ur-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ib-ni-dm a rd u k-m[a] 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 as-sum ~i-bu-ti-ni an-ni-tim 6 u[m-ma ni-nu-
m]a Pi-se-e-pa-an-du tu 7 x [xx] *x-ma-ak-[k]um 8 *x [x x x-*a]n-ni sa-ki-
[i]n 9 rx1 [x x x] rx x1 10 te-pu-sa-[x] 11 a-na tape-pee-e-k[a] 12 qi-bi-ma 13
um-ma at-ta-ma 14 *ne-nu-u ne-id-di-in 15 at-tu-nu-u rev. 16 *id-na a-wi-lum
17 Pib-ni-dm a rd u k 18 u-ul sa ha-te 4 -em 19 ~i-bu-ta-am an-ni-ta-am 20 a[t]-

t[a]-ma re1 -pu-us 21 ki-ma ha-di-ia e-pu-us 22 su-up-ra-am-ma 23 ka-ni-ki lu-

sa-bi-la-kum

66. AO 6318. TCL 17 Pl. IX No. 12.

l a-na nu-ur-du t U 2 qi-*rbr-ma 3 um-ma rd1u t U -na-~i-ir-ma 4 as-sum

Pd um u -er-~e-tim 5 pa-ga-nu-um ia-a-ti u a-hi-sa-*gi'(ME)-is 6 i-sa-ni-a-ti-

ma ki-a-am iq-bi 7 um-ma su-ma i-na ere n. mes -ku-nu 8 is-te-en a-wi-lam
el-te-qi 9 qa-ti la ta-na-pa-~a 10 pa-ga-nu-um ki-a-am iq-bi 11 um-ma su-u-ma
12 a-na a-hi-sa-gi-is i-di-in-su rev. l3 pu-uh-su sa-ni-a-*[a]m-[m]a 14 li-di-na-

ak-kum 15 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 16 a-hi-sa-gi-is pu-uh-su 17 u-ki-il-la.,.am-ma

18 u-ul am-hu-ur-su 19 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 20 qa-aq-qa-ad te-er-tim 21 a-pa-

sa-as 22 dub -pi ki-ma te-es 15-te-mu 23 i-na te-er-ti-su la ta-na-sa-ah-su

67. AO 6323. TCL 17 Pl. X No. 13. a)

1 a-na nu-ur-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma du tu -na-~i-ir-ma 4 du tu u
dm ar du k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 is-tu u ru tu-ur-du. g u 1.1 a! (ME) ki 6 *7 u-su-
um-mi tu-tu-ma-gir 7 u-se-bi-lam-ma 8 6 a-na du tu -la-ma-sa-su za-mar-da-
bi-im 9 us-ta-bi-il 10 is-te-en *a-na a-ka-li-ia lo.e. 11 ak-la-ma-a rev. 12 ma-di-is
r 65. AO 6317. Ebeling 14.
LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 59

Speak to Nus-Samas: Thus says Toni-Marduk. 4 May Samas and Marduk

grant you good health. 5 As for this request of ours, thus we said: Ise)i-pan-
Samas, a) ... to you ... is placed 9 ... [what] you have done for [me]! 11 Speak
to your colleagues b) as follows: 14 "We have given, (now) you (plur.) must
give! The gentleman 17 Toni-Marduk is not somebody to be ignored!" 20 You
are the one who must grant this request of mine! 21 Make me glad by what
you do. 22 Write me then I will send you a sealed document of mine.c)

66. AO 6318. Ebeling 14-15.

Speak to Nur-Samas: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 5 Paganum has addressed us, a)
me and Ahi-sagis, concerning Mar-er~etim and he said: 8 "I have just taken
one man from your workers, 9 do not refuse me (to do so)!" 10 Paganum
(also) said: 12 "Assign him b) to Ahi-sagis, and let him give you somebody
else in his place." 15 I answered: "Abi-sagis (indeed) has offered me
somebody in his place, 18 but I have not accepted (it) from him." 19 I said: "
Should I cancel his original job?" c) 22 When you have heard this letter of
mine, do not remove him from his job!

67. AO 6323. Ebeling 15; Englund, AoF 22 (1995) 47.

Speak to Nur-Samas: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 4 May Sam.as and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 From Tur-Ugulla a) Tutu-magir b) sent me seven
usummu-mice. c) 8 Six I had brought to the zabardabbu Sam.as-lamassasu, d)
10 one I kept to eat it myself and it was delicious! 13 Had I known that it was

65. a) Ise)i-piin(i)-Sam.as also in 6, 118: 22 (where he is called fa b'it asfrl) in no.

68: 3', and in 0. Loretz, UF 10 (1978) 124, no. 5:3 (ref. Stol). b) The "colleagues"
presumably are the persons mentioned in the address of nos. 70-71 and in 6, 118; 9,
113. c) Written proof of the receipt of the item asked for.
66. a) Ahi-sagis and Samas-nii~ir, both sandanakkus, are colleagues, cf. no. 14:6'
and the text quoted in no. 68, note f.; i-sa-ni-a-ti is taken as issianniiiti (sasum).
b) Refers to Miir-er~etim of 1. 4. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. qaqqadum. Since the
writer rejects the request, lines 20f. must be a (rhetorical) question.
67. a) See for this town Rep. geogr. 3,240, and MSL 11 (1974) 57:43 (bad.
u . g u 1. 1aki;listed between Durum and Kullab) and for the spelling and meaning of
the element u, P. Steinkeller, BSA 4 (1988) 81. b) Tutu-miigir (Tutu is a god of
Kish) is known as a date-gardener from BIN 2, 94:5, YOS 12, 100:1 and 118:2 (all
Si 4). c) See Lexical Notes s.v. usummum. d) Samas-lamassasu (cf. Stol, JCS 34
[1982] 152ff.) was a servant of Hammurabi and Samsuiluna, attested as collector of
dues from the merchants in Larsa and date-gardeners in Lower Yahrurum. See for
60 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

ta-ab 13 ki-ma ta-bu lu-u i-de-e 14 mi-im-ma-ma-an a-na du tu -la-ma-sa-su

15u-ul u-se-bi-il 16 a-nu-um-ma dub -pi us-ta-bi-la-ku 17 i-nu-ma a-na tu-ur-
du . g u 1.1 a ki 18 tu-ra-du a-nan u . giski r i 6 sa a-sa-ri-is 19 wa-as-bu qi-bi-ma
20 15 u-su-um-mi i-na qa-qa-ri 21 li-se-lu-nim-ma su-bi-lam 22 u u du.nit a
a-na e-*DI-x x (x) u.e. 23 [s]a aq-bi-a-ku-um su-bi-la[m]

68. AO 6322. TCL 17 Pl. XI No. 14 a).

1 a-na nu-ur-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma du tu -na-~i-ir-ma 4 an-du-ra-ar

z u .1 um 5 i-na KA-ka-siki-ma 6 sa-ki-in i-na k a.ding i r. r a ki 7 u-ul sa-ki-

in 8 u sa-da-na-ka-tum 9 i-na ba-ab *e dingir.BA 10 qa-du-um 2 ma.na
ku.babbar 11 [xxx] rxxxx 1

(break of ca. two lines)

rev.I' rX1 [x XX XX Xx] 2' X DUZI rX1 [x (x)] 3' U i-se-i-pa-ni-du t U 4' il-li-kam-
ma 5' um-ma su-u-ma 6' a-na *a-hi-sa-gi-is 7' su-pu-ur-ma 8' k u . b ab bar a-
na ma-ni-a-ti-ku-nu 9' ki-ma sa-da-na-ki 10' *ta-pe-kue-nu 11' a-na *e din -
g i r. BA u.e. 12' di-na-ma sa pa-ag-ri-ku-nu 13' *su-zu-bi ep-sa

69. AO 6740. TCL 17 Pl. XII No. 15.

1 a-na nu-ur-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma du tu -na-~i-ir-ma 4 as-sum id-su-ka-
bi-it 5 sa ta-as-pur-ra-am 6 ma-ah-ri-ia ki-a-am is-ku-un 7 um-ma su-u-ma
a. s a-lum sa *GE6-HA s k u r 8 pa-tam u-ul i-su 9 u te-ri-iq-ta-su u-ul ka-ap-
da-at 10 a-wi-lam sa giskiri6-su la ka-ap-du II a-na giskiri6 sa ta-ap-pi-su 12 i-
in-su i-na-as-si-ma lo.e. 13 giskiri6-su u-ul i-ka-pu-ud rev. 14 a-na giskiri_
6 sa GE6

67. a) "Larsa script", different from that of 68.

68. a) Sharp, deep script, but many signs are written over erasures.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 61

(so) delicious, e) I would have sent none at all to Samas-lamassasu! 16 I am

now sending you this letter of mine. 17 When you go down to Tur-Ugulla,
tell 18 the date-gardeners who live there 21 to dig up f) fifteen usummu-mice
and sep.d them to me. 23 Send me also sheep for ... g) about which I talked to
you.

68. AO 6322. Ebeling 16.

Speak to Nur-Samas: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 4 An exemption a) from (the
taxes due on) dates has been instituted in Pikasi, b) 7 but has not been
instituted in Babylon. 8 And the administrators of the date-orchards c) in the
gate of the temple of .... , d) 10 together with 2 minas of silver ... (break) ...
3' and lse~i-pan-Samas e) came here and said: 7' "Send a message to Abi-
sagis (with the order): 12' "Give (plur.) 8' the silver according to your
computed shares, f) just like your fellow administrators at the date-orchards,
11' to the temple of ... d) 13' and do what you can to save yourselves!" g)

69. AO 6740. Ebeling 16-17.

Speak to Nur-Samas: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 4 As for Issu-kabit, about
whom you wrote to me, he put the following before me: 7 "Silli-Adad's field
has no irrigation ditch a) and there exists no plan b) for its uncultivated area.
c) 10 A man who, d) not having planned his own garden, covets his collegue's
garden, 13 will never develop his own garden! 16 Let five workers go down

for zabardabbum also Charpin, Clerge, 158ff. and 236ff. e) GAG § 152f: affir-
mative tu + zde, "I should have known", but perhaps better a precative with
conditional force. f) See for this expression no. 32, note c to translation; it is used
metaphorically,though the animals may indeed have been "dug up", see R. Englund,
AoF 22 (1995) 47, note 37. g) Reading and meaning of e-KI-im-x(-x) not clear;
etemmum seems excluded.
68. a)See Lexical Notes s.v. andurarum. b) See for this place-name Lexical Notes
s.v. Pi-kasi. c) I cannot explain the fem. plural alongside the masc. form in 1. 9'.
These rare syllabic spellings of GAL.NI I s ant an a use SA and not SA, cf. S.
Lieberman, Sumerian Loanwords (HSS 20, 1977) 456 no. 587. d) The traces of the
signs of line 9b, written over an erasure, exclude a reading "Babylon" (CAD S/1
374b). e) This man is designated as "the man (in chartge) of the prison" in 6,
118:22. f) maniatum, translation with CAD M/1187, a, e (minztu), perhaps also in
7, 41:9.
69. a) Pattum probably an irrigation ditch, which supplied water for one particular
field or orchard (cf. JCS 24 [1971-72] 66 no. 66:10). b) kapadum, see Lexical
Notes s.v. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. tenqtum. d) awzlam must be a mistake,
presumably because the scribe originally had a different constructionin mind.
62 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

GE6-1f-dis [kur] 15 u id-su-ka-bi-it 16 5 eren. mes it-ti-ka li-ir-du-ma 17

gi~kiri6 sa ka-ap-du 18 u la ka-ap-du 19 a-mu-ur-ma 20 ki-ma ni-it-li-ka 21 e-
pu-us 22 3 ere n. mes sa ta-as-su-hu 23 ne-bi-ih-su-nu *3 gin
ku. b ab bar 24 ar-hi-is su-bi-lam 25 as-sum d um u du tu-tap-pe-e 26 a-na
*tu-ur-du .<g u L> 1a ta-na-sa-ah-1 su u.e. 27 [su]m-ma GE6 -1i-dinan n a x rx1
28 [x] ki-ma ni-it-li-su lu-[x x]

70. AO 6321. TCL 17 Pl. XIII No. 16.a)

1 a-na nu-ur-dutu 2 ugula nam.10 eren.a) mes u ma-*du-tim 3 qi-bi-
ma 4 um-ma du tu -na-si-ir-[m]a 5 du tu li-ba-al-li-i[t-k]u-nu-ti 6 ma-har be-
li-ia ki-a-am as-ku-[u]n 7 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 8 z u .1 um g u. u n be-li-ia
sa is-tu mu. 4. k am 9 ih-ta-al-qu-u 10 ma-am-ma-an u-ul *i-ma-ha-ra-an-ni
11 i-na qa-ti u-ul i-s[e]-ru-nim lo.e. 12 ba-ab-bi-lu- um 13 z u .1 um sa is-tu

mu.4.kam rev. 14 u-ul i-ma-ha-ru-ni-ni 15 a-na be-li-ia ub-te-ri 16 rur-ra 1 -

am* be-li u-ul tu-ba-ri-a-am 17 [la i-qa]-ab-bi 18 [e. ki s]i b. b a* sa-ka-pa-
am 19 [x xx] iq-ta-bi 20 mi-in-dee. ki s i b. b a 21 *i-sa-ki-pa-am 22 si-[b]i-
[i]t te4 -mi-im 23 ma-ti *r[i1-s]i24 la pi-qi-it-ti mu-sa-di-ni u.e. 25 re-sa-am li-
ki-il 26 la-ma sa-me-e-em na-*ah-sa-tim le.e. 27 *si-ik-pa-nim

71. AO 6319. TCL 17 Pl. XIV No. 17.

l a-na nu-ur-du t U U ma-du-tim 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma du t U -na-sir-ma 4 as-sum
z u .1 um sa <ta>-as-pu-ra-ni 5 4200.0.0 z u .1 um *ri-ba-tum 6 ta-ap-la-su-
ma 7 a-nu-ma *u-su 7-ur rev. 8 r/d 7-a-am. ap-la-AS 9 um-ma at-<tu>-nu-ma 10
Z U .1 um ki-a-am 11 at-ta-a-ma 12 su-ze-zi U 13 U us-ze-zi

70. a) Script similar to that of no. 68; see also the observations in 9, 113 note a to
the transliteration.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 63

with you to Silli-Adad's and Issu-kabit's gardens and find out 17 which
garden has been developed and which not. 21 And then act according to your
appraisal. 22 As for the three workers you transferred, 24 send me quickely as
compe.nsation for them 3 shekels of silver. 25 As for Samas-tappe' s son,
transfer him to Tur-Ugulla! 27 If Silli-lstar ... I will ... according to his
appraisal.

70. AO 6321. Ebeling 17.

Speak to Nor-Samas, the overseers of the groups of ten workers and the
others a): Thus says Samas-na~ir. 5 May Samas grant you good health. 6 I put
the following before my lord: 8 "Dates, the rent for my lord, which have
become missing since four years, nobody wants to accept them from me! 11 It
is not right that they remain in my charge, (but) the bearers b) refuse to accept
from me dates which are (due) since four years. 15 I hereby notify my lord (so
that) later on my lord cannot say: 16 'You failed to notify me!"' 19 [PN] has
now promised to dispatch (by boat) the (contents of the) sealed storehouse. c)
20 Perhaps he will indeed dispatch the (contents of the) sealed storehouse. 23
Take at last a decision. d) (Realise) that it is not my duty, my tax-collector
should handle the matter. 27 Dispatch the ..... e) before the rains.

71. AO 6319. Ebeling 18.

Speak to Nor-Samas and the others: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 4 As for the
dates, about which you wrote me, the arrears amount to 4200 (kor of) dates.
a) 6 You have ..... him, now then, be watchful, satisfy him in this way. b) 9
This is what you say: "You yourself must ....... b) the dates in this way!" 13
Well, I have done so.

70. a) See for such addresses Sallaberger, Interaktion 37, note 43, and for this letter
file Introduction§ 2 e. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. babbilum. The "bearers" refuse to
handle the huge quantities of dates, now that the arrears, built up over a period of
four years, finally will be delivered. c) The verb sakapum implies shipment by
boat. d) Collation favours ar-si over ri-si, but the latter makes better sense as an
urgent request, followed by an emphatic la. e) See Lexical Notes s.v. nahsatum.
71. a) Cf. 6, 88:15, arrears of 4800 (kor of dates), but earlier there is question of
silver which is still due. Arrears in dates could be converted into silver according to
a fixed tariff, so that date-gardeners can owe the authorities "silver for/from sesame"
(e.g. YOS 12, 56, see Charpin, Babylonie, 519, Archives A). b) Difficult, since
palasum and palasum both have u as the preterite theme vowel, and the spelligs
exclude apalum. c) The forms look like an imperative and a preterite tense of
izuzzum, S-stem, but the final -i and the repeated u are puzzling, and the meaning
remains unclear; a causative of wa$ilm would make better sense.
64 AL TBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

72. AO 5459. TCL 17 PL XN No. 18. a)

1 a-na dingir-<<x>>-ni 2 qf-bf-ma 3 *um-ma dingir x nix 4 a-hu-ka-ma
5 a-na ka 1-ni x 6 x in ti *x (break) rev. 1' [x xx] rx1 2 ' 15-da-an-ni 3' ap-pu-
tum (erasures)

73. AO 6331. TCL 17 PL XV No. 19. a)

1 a-na id-di-i 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l-lf-ma-din g ir-ma 4 du tu u dm ar-d uk
as-su-mi-i[a] 5 da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-li-[tu-ka] 6 2 tu-up-pa-ti-ia u-sa-bi-
[lam]-ma 7 me-he-er du b-pf-ia u-ul tu-sa-[b]i-la-am 8 uz-na-ia ma-di-is i-
ba-as-si-a-ku 9 a-na mi-ni-im ki-a-am te-mi-sa-an-ni 10 ki-ma a-la-nu-u a-na
si-pf-ir-ti-im 11 sa bi-ti-su uz-na-su i-ba-as-si-a 12 at-ta u-ul ti- de-e 13 te4 -
em s e -im u mi-im-ma 14 sa e-zi-ba-ak-ku-um lo.e. 15 su-up-ra-am* rev. 16 te4-
em Pdu-mu-uq-dutu Pku-bu-li-im 17 Pku-ur-si-in-ni 18 u se-eh-he-re-ti-[i]m 19
sa i-na bi-ti-im e-zi-bu* 20 su-up-ra-am 21 su-lum Pna-bi-dnin.sub u r u su-
lum 22 bi-ti-im u te-ma-am sa as-pur-ra-*ku b) 23 me-he-er du b-pf-ia su-bi*-
lam 24 u sum-ma lu-u i-na a-hi-ia 25 lu-u i-na ma-ar a-hi a-bi-ia 26 ma-ma-an
bi-ta-am u-da-ba-ab 27 te4 -ma-am ga-am-r[a-am] 28 su-up-ra-am-ma 29 an-ni-
ki-a-am ki-ma e-le-u u.e. 30 lu-pu-us

74. AO 6344. TCL 17 PL XVI No. 20. a)

1 a-na id-di-[i] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l-lf-i-ma-d in g i r -ma 4 du tu u
dm ar du k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 as-sum bi-ti sa Pli-pf-it-istar 6 sa ta-as-pur-ra-
am 7 i-na bi-ti-su mi-ni sa-ki-in-ma 8 ki-si-ir bi-ti-su* i-ri-is 9 a-na se-er bi-ti-
su 10 u a-di a-al-la-ka-am 11 ba-ma-at bi-ti-ia 12 Ii-il-qe-e-ma li-si-ib 13 a-di a-
al-la-ka-am-m[a] lo.e. 14 i-ta-am u-ka-an-nu-su-um-ma 15 bi-it-su i-pe-hu-u
rev. 16 1/2 ma.na ku.babbar li-ib-bu ku.babbar su-ti-im 17 17.0.0
s e. g u r sa as-sum Pl-lf-ip-pa-al-sa-am i-na bi-ti-ia il-qu-u 19 1 su-ba-tu-
18
um sa Pun-nu-ub-tum 20 id-di-nu-su-um 21 6 g f n k u. b ab bar si-[i]t-ti k u.

72. a) Coarse script, probably a school exercise.

73. a) Lines 1-4 and the beginnings of lines 12-14 now mostly missing. b) There is
a vertical wedge at the end of line 22 to separate this line from the end of line 10.
74. a) The scribe uses GI for qi and GU for qu.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 65

72. AO 5459. Not in Ebeling. Possibly a scribal exercise.

Speak to ..... : Thus says ... your brother. 5 To ... (too fragmentary for translation)
3' Please!

73. AO 6331. Ebeling 18-19.

Speak to Iddi: Thus says Ilima-ilum. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk for my
sake forever grant you good health. 6 I sent you two letters, but you did not
send me an answer to my letter. 8 My attention is very much focussed on
you, why, then, do you despise me in this way? b) 10 Don't you know that
somebody abroad is eagerly awaiting messages from home? Write me 13
how it is with the barley and with everything I left behind for you. 20 Write
me news about Dumuq-Samas, Kubbulum, 17 Kursinni and the young girls
which I left behind at home. 21 Write me how it is with Nabi-Ilabrat and
with the household and write me an answer to my letter, to the report I sent
you. 24 And if either among my brothers or among my nephews anyone
harasses the household, 28 then write me a full report, so that I can do here
what I can.

74. AO 6344. Ebeling 19.

Speak to Iddi: Thus says Ilima-ilum. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health. 5 As regards the house of Lipit-Istar, about which you wrote me:
7 What property of mine a) is to be found in his home that he asked for rent of
his house? Let him 9 in addition to b) his own house (and) until I arrive take
half of my house to live in it. 13 Before I arrive one should fix the boundary
for him and close off his (part of the) house. c) 16 Half a mina of silver, part
of the silver of the sutu-provisions; d) 17 17 kor of barley, which he took in
my house in the name of Ili-ippalsam; 19 1 garment which Unnubtum gave

73. a See for his letters, Introduction § 2 i. The addressee of A Cavigneau, AUWE
23 (1996), no. 69 might be our lddi (ref. Stol). b) Not answering letters is
tantamount to despising someone, cf. 7, 149 and ARM 10, 179.
74. a) mznz, cf. CAD M/11 91, and note BWL 162: 32, menuja sakin ina ekalli sarri,
or take MI-NI as ~z1-U,an (abbreviated) PN. If we take 1. 7f. (note the absence of
umma attiima) as reaction to the letter mentioned (cf. 1. 27f.), i-ri-is could be an
imperative. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. ana ~er. c) Apparently the division of an
(inherited) house in two parts by blocking a door, cf. E. Stone, Iraq 43 (1981) 25,
with note 12. The use of itum (14) could imply that both "houses" together made
one architectural unit. d) See for sutu-provisions, rated in silver, Stol, JCS 34
(1982) 155.
66 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE14

b ab bar 22 sa i-na k a du tu bu-ur-ru 23 e-zu-ub 2.0.0 g u r l. g is 24 sa a-na

dEN.ZU-u-dutu 25 i-na ga-ba-re-e-em ta-mu-u 26 an-nu-u i-i~-ma sa qa-ti-su
27 u a-na ki-~i-ir bi-ti-im 28 bi-ti u-da-ab-ba-[ab] 29 u as-sum Pdum u-
dm a[r. tu] u.e. 30 am-mi-ni la ta-ap-p[a-al-su] 31 bi-ti u-da-ab-ba-[ab] 32 u
at*-ta a-na ha-l[i xx (x)] 33 pa-na-am ta-as-ta-[ka-an]

75. AO 6345. TCL 17 Pl. XVII No. 21. a)

1 [a-n]a id-di-i 2 [qi]-bi-ma 3 um-ma l-li-i-ma-d in g i r-ma 4 du tu u

dm ar du k as-su-mi-ia 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 5* du b-pa-ti-ia u-sa-bi-la-ak-ku-

um-ma 7 ma-ti-ma dub -pa-ka a-na su-ul-mi-ia 8 u as-sum te4 -em bi-ti-ia u-
ul il-li-ka-am 9 Pli-pi-it-istar u l-li-ip-pa-al-sa-am 10 10.0.0 s e. g u r i-na bi-ti-
ia a-na PdEN'.ZU-i-qu-la-am 11 nu. gi~kiri 6 id-di-nu 12 u a-na a-hi-a-ti-im
sa-ni-a-ti 13 30.0.0 s e. g u r i-na bi-ti-ia id-di-nu 14 Pli-pi-it-istar a-na pu-hi
se-im <sa> id-di-nu lo.e. 15 17.0.0 s e . g u r sa 0.1.1 s e a-na 1 gin
k u. b ab bar rev.l6 i-na bi-ti-ia i-il-qe 17 at-tau Pdin g i r -su-i-bi-su 18 *i-zi-
iz-za-a-mae 19 P[li-pi]-it-istar u Pl-li-ip-pa-al-sa-am 20 li-is-su-ni-ku-um-ma 21
di-nam ql-bi-a-su-nu-si-im-ma 22 sa su-ud-du-un-su s e -a-am li-sa-ad-di-im-
ma 23 a-na bi-ti-im Ii-id-di-in 24 as-sum mi-ni-im sa a-na ia-si-im 25 id-di-nu-
ni-im i-na bi-ti-iae b) 26 i-le-eq-qu-u-ma 27 s[a i]-na* bi-ti-ia il-qu-u 28 a-na
ia-si-im la u-ta-ar-ru-ni 29 ~i-im-[da]-tum a-na ia-si-im 30 <J.-hi-ta-amsa-ni-a-
at u.e. 31 ki-ma a-ha-am u qe-er-ba-am 32 [l]a i-su-u ep-sei 0-e-ku 33 [as-su]m
wa-ar-ka-nu-um da-ba-bi-ia 34 [i-n]a? ma-ha-ar si-i-bi su-di-a-su-lnu-si-im

75. a) The tablet has deteriorated and parts of lines 2-6, 12, 19-24 and 33-34 are now
missing. The scribe uses GI for qi (lines 21 and 31). b) The word figuring at the
beginning ofline 26 was first written and then erased at the end of line 25.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 67

him; 2l 6 shekels of silver, the rest of the amount of silver which has been
established (by oath) in the gate of Samas; 23 besides 2 kor of oil, which
according to a duplicate record e) had been assigned to Sin-u-Samas t) under
oath-. 26 are all these possessions of his only a trifle, that he (nevertheless)
dares to pester my household for the rent for a house? g) 29 Also, concerning
Mar-Amurrim, why do you not satisfy him? 31 He is pestering my
household. 33 Are you also determined to ruin me? h)

75. AO 6345. Ebeling 20-21.

Speak to Iddi: Thus says Ilima-ilum. 4 May Samas and Marduk for my sake
grant you good health. 6 I have sent you five letters of mine, but never has
any letter of yours inquiring about ,my well-being and reporting about my
household reached me! 9 Lipit-Istar and Ili-ippalsam gave 10 kor of barley
from my household to the gardener Sin-iqulam, 12 and for various other
purposes a) they have given 30 kor of barley from my household. 14 Lipit-
Istar, in exchange for the barley he had given out, took 17 kor of barley,
rated at 70 quarts for 1 shekel of silver, from my household. b) 17 You and
Ilsu-ibbisu, take action to have Lipit-Istar and Ili-ippalsam summoned
before you and then pass judgement on them. 22 Let him collect all the
barley from whoever has to deliver it, c) and let him give it to the household.
24 Why is it that they take from my house what one has given to me and do
not return to me what they have taken from my house? 29 Do different rules
apply to me, as a special case? d) 32 I have been treated as somebody who
has neither brother nor relative! 34 Notify them in the presence of witnesses
what will be the sequel to my complaint. e)

74. e) Since gabarum is not attested in OB with this meaning (and why is the
reference is to a duplicate and not to the original record?), perhaps better "promised
under oath during/in gabarum"? f) Rather a PN, as in VAS 9, 108:9, than two gods;
see also Stamm, Namengebung 135. g) In annu i$ma lengthening indicates a
question, cf. 1,134:18f., i-a$-ma-a sa ana sulmija tasappari. h) Instead of b,aliqtija
one would prefer b,ulluqija or b,ulluq bztija.
75. a) Cf. F.R. Kraus, in: J. Brugman e.a. (eds.), Essays on Oriental Law of
Succession (1969) 56f. b) See also no. 74:17ff.; the price is very high, over 4
shekels of silver per kor. c) sa suddunsu either instead of *sa suddunisu, or a
stative with a pron. suff. referring to the virtual object of the verb ("him to whom it
applies that ..."), or sa to introduce the verdict. d) See F.R. Kraus, RA 73 (1979) 61,
(e); I do not believe that a "royal regulation" (CAD A/I, 189a, b) is meant. e)
Taking dabiibum as verb; CAD D 3, 4, a, [assu]m ... dabiibia [ba-si-i]m, is without
parellel and there is not enough room for it on the tablet.
68 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

76. AO 6325. TCL 17 PL XVIII No. 22. a)

1 a-na da-da-a 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dingir-su-ib-ni-su-ma 4 du tu u
dm ar du k da-ri-is u 4 -mi 5 li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 6 a-wi-lum u-ul ri-iq-ma 7 u-ul
a-li-ka-am 8 a-di *is'-ti i-na-an-na 9 u 4 . 2. k am a-ka-sa-ad-ka 10 Pna-ap-si-
ra-am-dm a rd u k 11 dub -pf us-ta-bi-la-ku rev. 12 2.0.0 s e. gur i-na gisba n .
g i 13 <ltas-me-tum14 a-na si-na-tum i-di-in 15 la ta-ka-la-su 16 a-di a-la-ka-
ma 11 sa ru-de-e 18 u-ra-du-su

77. AO 6750. TCL 17 PL XIX No. 23.

1 [a-na x x (x)]-x-a 2 [qf-bf-m]a 3 [um]-ma a-ha-am-u-ta-ma 4 ~utu u
dn in. g fr. s u a-na da-ri-a-tim 5 [l]i-ba-al-li-tu-u-ka 6 as-sum u 8 . u du.
hi. a sa a-na-ku u at-ta* 7 ni-id-bu-bu i-na ki-im i-na-an-na 8 u 8 . u du.hi. a
na-as-qa-tum .9 i-na-am u-ul i-ma-ah-ha-ra 10 da-an-na-at sa-at-tim
11 u 8 . u du . hi . a si-in-sa-ri-am a-na ne-ri-su 12 u-ul a-ba-aq-qa-am 13 as-
sum ki-a-am ta-as-pu-ra-am lo.e. 14 um-ma at-ta-a-ma rev. 15 u 8 . u du.hi. a
u ma-ri-si-na 16 su-ri-a-am is-te-en ka-lu-mu-um 17 e-zi-ib la ia-a-ti 18 i-na
*a-al wa-as-ba-a-ku 19 u-ul i-ba-as-si 20 u 8 . u du.hi. a bu-ul-t[a]-am* 21 li-
ik-su-da-a-ma 22 ki-ma li-ib-bi-i-ka la ma-ra-~f 23 u a-na-ku u a[t-t]a* 24 i-sa-
ri-is ni-i[d-b]u-bu 25 wa-ar-ki wa-ar-hi-im 26 a-na-ku a-na ~e-ri-ka 27 [a]-al-
la-ka-a[k-k]um

76. a) The beginnings of lines 5-9 and 12-14 are now missing.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 69

76. AO 6325. Ebeling 21.

Speak to Dadaya: Thus says llsu-ibnisu. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
forever good health. 6 Since the gentleman is not free, I could not come. 8
Withht two days from now a) I will arrive with you. 11 I am now sending you
this letter by Napseram-Marduk. Give 12 2 kor of barley according to the
normal b) sutu-measure of Tasmetum to Sin(n)atum. 15 Do not withhold it
from him.c) 16 Before I come one has to give him as much more as is
possible. d)

77. AO 6750. Ebeling 21-22.

Speak to ....a: Thus says Aham-iita. 4 May Samas and Ningirsu grant you
forever good health. 6 As regards the sheep about which we, you and I,
talked: right now even the choice sheep look terrible. 10 The weather is
unseasonably bad. a) 12 I cannot pluck the sheep, not even a tiny fraction b)
of them. 13 As regards what you wrote me in the following terms: 15 "Send
me the sheep with their young!" 19 There is not a single lamb available, not
only not for me, c) but in the (whole) town where I live! 20 The sheep must
(first) regain their strength (before I can send them), otherwise you would be
annoyed. d) 23 Moreover, you and me, we have spoken frankly with each
other. 25 After the New Moon I myself will come to you.

76. a) isti is an Assyrian form, unless we assume vowel contraction due to crasis,
istinanna. Combination with adi is rare, but attested in 9, 3:6. b) I take GI as an
abbreviation of g i. n a, "normal, standardized"; see Lexical Notes s.v. g i (. n a).
c) Translation demanded by the context; not "do not detain him" (the messenger). d)
Cf. Kouwenberg, Veenhof AV, 225ff., 245f., and ARM 6, 38:7' and 10, 176:13.
77. a) Sheep-shearing normally took place during the last month of the year, after the
winter, if it was not too cold (see Kraus, Viehhaltung, 46f.); the New Moon (25)
could be the beginning of the New Year. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. sinserium.
c) See for ezub lii RA 76 (1982) 134f.; I assume that here 1. 17 is the minus and 1. 18
the majus: it is not just personal bad luck, but the whole town experiences it. d) We
may supply a missing apodosis from the request in 16: *usarrakkum. L. 22 is a
nominal sentence with preposition+infinitive as predicate (Kraus, Nominalsatze, 39,
h), logically preceded by "I did not send them now". One could also take 22ff. as
depending on 25ff.: "I will come ... to prevent you from being disappointed and in
order to have a frank talk" (reading ni-d[a-b ]u-bu in 24).
70 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

78. AO 6332. TCL 17 Pl. XX No. 24. a)

1 a-na ia-ah-gu-un-nu-um 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma be-la-nu-um-ma 4 is-tu a-bu-
ka i-mu-tu mu. 3. kam 5 *[U]D TU zi-zu-ka* na-di u PA.PA lug a zb) 6 sa
a-na ti-bi a-bi-ka be-Ii su-um-su 7 iz-ku-ru g u. u n a. s a-im giski r i 6 u
se.gis .l 8 sa is-tum u 2. k am sa la le-qe-ka te-el-te-ne-qu 9 us-te-em-mi-id-
ma ri1-na zu-um-ri-ka 10 i-le-qe a-nu-um-ma a-hu-su 11 it-ta-al-ka-ak-ku mi-
ik-sa-at lo.e. 12 a. s a giski r i 6 u s e. g is. l 13 sa te-el-qu-u a-ha-su 14 a-pu-ul
u 3 g u 4 rev. 15 sa bee_Jf a-na a-bie-ka id-di-nu 16 a-wi-lum su-u ~a-bi-it-ka 17
um-ma su-u-ma *3 [g] u 4 a-bu-ka 18 a-na mu-um-mi-*du-um a-na PA.PA 19
sa-ka-ni-su id-di-in 20 ~i-bf-it te-mi-im ri-si-ma 21 a-wi-lam a-pu-ul

79. AO 6324. TCL 17 Pl. XX No. 25. a)

1 a-na ia-ah-gu-*u[n] 1-n[u-um] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dna-bi-um-ma-lik-ma 4
du tu u dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 a-nu-um-ma Pib-ni-di s k u r 6 as-tap-ra-
ak-kum 7 ki-ma sa-ad-da-aq-dam 8 10 s e k u. b ab bar 1u sa-bi-i 9 tu-sa-ar-
ru-u 10 i-na-an-na 10 se ku. babbar lo.e. 11 *i-na uru wa-as-ba\BA-AS)-
ta-ma 12 [a]-na' ib-ni-di s k u r rev. i-di-im-ma 14 1u sa-bi-i *rsu-ur-ri1 15 la
13
tu-za-ab-ba-al-su 16 at-hu-ut-ka lu-mu-ur

78. a) The tablet has deteriorated and parts of lines 1-3, 7-11, and 15-20 are now
rmssmg. b) P.R. Kraus, RA 65 (1971) 102, reads PA.PA-t[i]m, hence rabi I sa
b,attiitim (cf. 4, 94 note b to translation, and 6, 44 note a to transliteration), but the
sign looks more like LUGAL.
79. a) Written with a blunt stylus.
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 71

78, AO 6332. Ebeling p. 22.

Speak to Jahgunnum a): Thus says Belanum. 4 Since you father died, three
years ago, your ... b) has run out and the captain of the king, which my lord
appointed as successor c) of your father, 9 will add up d) the revenue of field,
orchard and sesame (plantantion) 8 which you have been collecting since
two years without having the right to do so, and will deprive you of it. 10
Now his brother has left for you, pay his brother the share (of the yield) of
field, orchard and sesame (plantantion) that you took. 14 And as regards the
3 oxen, which my lord gave to your father, 16 that gentleman holds you in
his grip, e) saying: "Your father has given 3 oxen 18 to Mummidum f) in
°
order to put them at the disposal of the captain." 2 Come to a decision and
give satisfaction to the gentleman!

79. AO 6324. Ebeling 22-23.

Speak to Jahgunnum: Thus says Nabium-malik. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 Herewith I am dispatching Ibni-Adad to you. 7 Just
as you advanced b) last year 10 grains of silver to the brewers, so give 10
now in the town where you live 10 grains of silver to Ibni-Adad 14 and so
make the brewers an advance.b) 15 Do not keep him waiting. Let me
experience that you are my brother!

78. a) Ja(h)gun(n)um was active in 'Lower Y ahrurum' and attested in a dozen texts
(see the names index of YOS 12 including 3, 82. The inscription on his seal, on YOS
12, 542, writes ia-gu-nu-um). b) Unclear. AHw 1445a, uttuzilum, from Sum. u tt e -
z i 1 (a) , which would mean "gutes Land", not convincing. The reference must be to
the office or the fief, but a plural noun is difficult with nadi, which probably means
"has expired, run out", because the addressee (the son) still considers it his, though
somebody else had been appointed by "my lord" (the king) as his father's
successor(?); cf. F.R. Kraus, RA 65 (1971) 102. c) Tentative, see Lexical Notes, s.v.
tibum. d) ustemmedma ileqqe, a "Koppelung", "he will take everything together/at
once". e) The seizure must have taken place earlier, when both persons were in the
same place. f) Mummidum as personal name, with CAD M/11196b s.v. I assume
hap-lography of ana: he gave them ana (*ana) PN sakanisu, cf. J. Aro, lnfinitiv, 205,
CH§ 177:25f., § 253:70f., and ARM 1, 62: 8'.
79. a) M. Gallery, AJO 27 (1980) 19, note 86, identifies him with Larsa's governor
under Hammurabi (cf. M. Anbar and M. Stol, RA 85 [1991] 19f.), but this is not
certain. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. sarum.
 72 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

80. AO 6442. TCL 17 Pl. XXI No. 26. a)

1 a-na ia-ah-gu-un-n[u-um] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma in-bu-sa-ma 4 du tu u
dmarduk as-su-mi-ia 5 Ii-ba-al-li-¢-ka 6 [i-n]a ka. dingir .raki 7 ni-in-
na-me-er-ma 8 as-sum I u _dna-bi-um 9 ki-a-am aq-bi-i-kum 10 [um-m]a a-na-
Ii
ku-ma lo.e. 11 [tu]-ur-da-as-su-u-ma 12 [i]t-ti-ia a-na x (x)* rev. 13 li-il-li-ik 14
11

u-ul ta-aq-bi-sum 15 u-ul ta-at-ru-da-as-su 16 i-na-an-na i-na it i se-bu-ut sa-

11 at-1tim 17 a-la-a-am a-na pa-ni-ia 18 u du.hi. a sa i-re-u li-te-er-ma 19 sum-
ma ta-ba-ak.-kum 20 it-ti-ia li-il-li-ik 21 i-na z u .1 um TIM x x 22 sa 1
ma. na ku. b ab bar zu. rzu m1 23 tu-uk-ki-il-ma u.e. 24 ku. b ab bar lu-
Ii

11

11 ,I
us-qu-ul-ma 25 lu-sa-am sa 2 gin k u. b ab bar le.e. 26 sa-ar-tam sa u z sa-
1, 11

1 ;I
ma-am 27 lu-tam i-na k a. ding i r. r a i-pe-su-nim

I
81. AO 6336. TCL 17 Pl. XXII No. 27.
1 a-na be-el-su-nu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma qur-du-sa-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5
ki-ma te-es-mu-u ma-tum da-al-ha-at* 6 u na-ak.-ru-um i-na ma-tim na-di-i 7
*dub -pi a-na *ib-ni-dm a rd u k 8 a-na l r -s i. gar 9 u a-na ka-sum *us-
<ta>-bi-<<la>>-lam* 10 1 sila 4 i-na u 8 .udu.hi.a 11 a-na mas.su.
g id. gid 12 li-qi-a-ma 13 ar-ka-at gu 4 . hi. a-ia 14 u u 8 . ud u .hi. a-iarev.
15pu-ur-*s[a-m]a 16 sum-ma a-na ma-ah-*[r]i-ia 17 i-il-la-ka-nim 18 sum-ma
ti-bi na-ak.-ri-im 19 sum-ma ti-bi ha-ab-ba-tim 20 la i-ba-as-si-i* 21 a-na ma-
ah-ri-ia li-il-li-ka-nim 22 sum-ma a-na k is ki su-ri-ba-ma 23 na-ak.-ru-um la i-
ka-sa-as*-su-nu-ti 24 u s e -am ma-la i-ba-as-su-u 25 a-na k is ki su-ri-ba-ma
26 *t[e4 -m]a-am ga-am-ra-am 27 [su-up]-ra-nim

80. a) The tablet has deteriorated and the beginnings of lines 5-12 are now missing,
while most of the reverse is very brittle.
 LETTERSOF THE LOUVRE 73

SO.AO 6442. Ebeling 23.

Speak to Jahgunnum: Thus says Inbusa. 4 May Samas and Marduk for my
sake grant you good health. 7 When we met in Babylon I spoke to you
concei:ning Awil-Nabium in the following terms: 11 "Send him to me so that
he can go together with me to ...". a) 14 But you did not tell him so (and) did
not send him to me. 16 Now, in the month of (the) sebiit sattim (festival) b) I
will come up.c) 18 Let him bring back the sheephe is herding before my
arrival. 19 If it pleases you, let him go in my compagny. 21 Of the dates ... ,
d) make me a reliable offer e) of dates for a value of 1 rnina of silver, 24 then
I will pay you the silver and buy them. 26 Buy for me (also) for two shekels
of silver goat hair. 27 They will make for me a ... f) in Babylon.

81. AO 6336. Ebeling 23-24; Oppenheim, Letters, 88, no. 23.

Speak to Belsunu: Thus says Qurdusa. 4 May Samas grant you good health.
5 As you have heard the country is in confusion and the enemy has settled in
the countryside. 9 Herewith I arn sending a letter to Toni-Marduk, to Warad-
Sigarim and to you. Take (plur.) 10 one lamb from the sheep to the diviner
and find out about my oxen and my sheep, 16 whether they must come here
where I am. 18 If no enemy attack or raid by robbers will take place they
must come here where I arn. 22 Or else bring them into the city of Kis so that
the enemy cannot get them. a) 24 Moreover, bring all the barley there is into
Kis and then write me a full report.

80. a) Not clear, presumably one single logogram. b) Cf. M.E. Cohen, Cultic
Calendars (1993) 270-71; see Lexical Notes s.v. sebiitum. c) a-la-a-am rather a
present tense of elum, (< *alliam) than an imperative sing. with ventive (*aliam).
d) Unclear, hardly a phonetic compement to z u . 1 u m or tem[riitim], "buried".
e) See Lexical Notes s.v. tukkulum. f) LU-DAM (rather than ZU-DAM) unknown as
an object, but see perhaps no. 62 note b to the translation
81. a) The first summa (1. 16) must depend on warkatam para.sum, the final one (1.
22) introduces the alternative, and those 1. 18 and 19 start a conditional sentence,
probably quoting omen apodoses (where tzbum is frequent, see Lexical Notes s.v.).
Less likely the translation of 1. 19ff. by U. Koch-Westenholz,in Festschrift Walker
(2002) 144, "If there are no robbers bring them to me (if the diviner says) 'bring
them to Kish, the enemy will not seize you' (shouldbe 'them' - K.R.V.)"
74 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

82. AO 6338. TCL 17 Pl. XXIII No. 28. a)

1 a-na be-el-su-nu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 [u]m-ma qur-du-sa-ma 4 [du t] u *li-ba-al-lie-
.it-ka 5 lu ba-al-ta-a-ta 6 ki-ma tie-iq-bi-a-am 7 um-ma at-ta-ma 8 0.1.3 iku
a. s a s e. g is . l 9 e-pu-us 10 ki-ma ti-du-u 11 *sa-at-tam see -am u-ul el-qe!
12 u a-na a. s a I s e. g is . l 13 e-pu-is*-im 14 ni-di a-hi-im 15 la ta-ra-as-si 16
*as-sum ki-a-am *ta-as-p[u-ra-am] lo.e. 17 um-ma at 1-ta-m[a] rev. 18 [al-k]a-
am u *ha-ri-x x 19 [xx] as-pu-ra-am 20 [x x x]-ma 21 *[x x]-nu-um 22 [i]-*na
mi-ni-im 23 u-sa-ab-ba-la-ak-kum 24 it-ti ma sa a-na se-e 25 a-ta-ra-da-am 26
u-sa-ab-ba-la-ak-kum 27 a-na g u 4 . hi. a pal-qa-ad-di-im 28 ni-di a-hi 1-im la
ta-ra-as-si 29 [a]-na a. s a! su-~i-im 30 ni-di a-hi-im la ta-ra-as-si 31 Pl r-
s i. gar *kil-a-am 32 is-pu-ra-am [u]m-[m]a [su-m]a 33 a-n[a] a-pa-*al x [x]
X u.e. 34 as-ba-<<ni>>*Jku 1 b) 35 se-am su-li-im 36 *ni 1-di a-hi-im la ta-ra-as-
sil le.e. 37 as-sum a.Sa *l r- Si.gar! (GA.GA)a-na rn-ki U si1-ip-ri 38 nil-di
a-h[i-im la ta-ra-as-si]

83. AO 6342. TCL 17 Pl. XXIV No. 29. a)

1 a-na u g u 1 a mar.tu 2 sa dm ar du k u-ba-al-li-¢-su 3 qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma
dn a Il Il a-u-tu-ni-is 5 Updut U-qar-ra-ad 6 du t U U dm a rd Uk as-su-mi-ni da-
ri-is u 4 -mi 7 li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 8 Pl-li-a-wi-lim* Pku-ku-hu-um-ba-al 9 Pku-du-u
10 Pe-gi-ha-al-ki 11 Pi-bi-dingir 12 Pa-hu-um u-ul ti-de-e 13 a-bu-ka is-pu-ur-su
14 i-na-an-na at-ta UD-da-am x x* 15 ta-sa-pa-ar-su rev. 16 la li-ib-bi i-la-ma 17
mu-tum be-Ii ni-si 18 ma-arl-su it-ba-al 19 ma-arl ba-bi-su sa k a.
ding i r. r a ki 20 a-na a. s a -im giski r i 6 u e 21 ra1 -na ap-lu-ti-su is-ku-un 22
u 4 -ma-am *diLim-ma-su i-ta-ak-la-ni-a-ti 23 as-sum Pa-hu-um i-na e. g a 1

82. a) Scribe different from that of 81. Tablet with many erasures, malformed signs
and mistakes (lines 6, 13, 34); note the use of DUG for ta. b) Perhaps original as-
ba-ni corrected into as-ba-<<ni>>-ku.
83. a) The tablet has deteriorated, parts of lines 1-2, 15-16, 18-28 and 29-31 are now
missing
 LETTERS OF THE LOUVRE 75

82. AO 6338. Ebeling 24-25. a)

Speak to Belsunu: Thus says Qurdusa. 4 May Samas grant you good health.
5 May you be in good health. 6 As you told me in the following terms: 9
"Plant_9 acres of field with sesame. b) 10 As you know, I did not get any
barley this year and (therefore) don't be negligent to plant thefield with
sesame!" 16 Since you wrote to me as follows: 18 "Come here and ... (lacuna)
... 2 2 In what way c) should I have (it) brought to you? 26 I will have (it)
brought to you together with the ship that I am sendingfor the barley. 28 Do
not be remiss in assigning the cattle (to work) d) nor in renting out the
field(s). 31 Warad-Sigarim wrote to me in the following terms: 34 "I am
staying in order to answer for ....." 35 Bring the barley in, do not be
negligent! 37 As for the field of Warad-Sigarim, do not be negligent as
regards the service and the work!

83. AO 6342. Ebeling 25-26

Speak to the general, whom Marduk has kept in good health: 4 Thus says
Nanna-utul-nisi a) and Samas-qarriid. 6 May Samas and Marduk grant you
forever good health forever for our sake! 8 (As for) Ili-awilim, Kuku-
Humbal, Kudu, Egihalki, lbbi-ifi b) - 12 don't you know (about) Al}um? 13
Your father (previously) sent him (and) now, today, c) you want to send him.
16 Unfortunately d) death, master of men, has carried off his son. 20 He has
installed as heir to his field, garden and house someone of his ward e) in
Babylon. 22 Today we are consumed by his moaning. 23 Because Ahum f)

82. a) The writer was not a professional (and different from the one of no. 81),
judging from the erasures, ill-shaped signs and mistakes. Note ti-iq-bi-a-am (6), e-
pu-IS-im (13), and pa-qd-ad-di-im (27), which makes it risky to suggest readings for
broken signs. Note the variation in writing HI (in 14, 28, 30), AD (in 7, 17, 27), SA
(in 8 = 12, 29, 37) etc., and note DA = ta (1. 5) and HI = ta (1. 25). b) a. s a
s e. g is. l epesum, "to cultivate a sesame-field" or "to grow sesame on a field", but
1. lOf. suggests the second meaning. c) In view of line 24 [i]na minim, "in what
way", seems better than [a]-na minim ,"why". d) Or: "to entrust (to a herdsman)"?
83. a) Stamm, Namengebung, 293, DN-utullam-nisu, "Oh DN, we have a shepherd";
but perhaps "DN is the shepherd of men", or "DN, look at mankind!" (utul). b)
Unclear why these persons, several with Elamite names, are mentioned. c) UD-da-
am also 9, 132:7, followed by urram, "tomorrow", hence to all appearances "today".
d) Same expression attested at Mari, also without final -ma, see Lexical Notes s.v.
libbum. e) miir ba-bi-su equals miir biibtisu, see Kraus, Mensch, 68. t) I assume
that Ahum is the foregrounded object, referred to by the acc. suff. of 1. 25. C.
Wilcke, Diebe, Rauber, Marder, in Xenia 32 (Konstanz, 1992) 65, note 98, makes
Ahum subject, who would have killed "seinen Ki:ihler"(whichI do not understand; he
76 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

e-du 24 sa 6.-pf-la-su i-na di-ka-tim 25 us-ta-mi-su ni-is-tap-ra-ak-kum 26 wa-

ar-ka-su pu-ru-6.s 27 ma-ru-u~ 1(AS)-ma 6.-ul il-li-ka-kum 28 i-nu-6.-ma <x> a-
na k a.ding i r. r a ki 29 [ta-al-l]a-ku te-em-su Ii-ma-ad 30 [ma-h]a-ar du tu u
dm a rd u k u.e. 31 [ni-i]k-[t]a-ra-ba-kum

84. AO 6697. TCL 17 Pl. XXV No. 30.

1 a-naugula mar.tu sad[u]tu 2 dmarduk udnin.gfr.su 3 6.-ba-al-
li-tu-su 4 qf-bf-ma 5 um-ma a-wi-il-l-lf [(x)] 6 u g l r. s e. g a e dn [in.
g]fr.su 7 dutu udnin.gfr.su 8 ugula mar.tu da-ri-isu 4 -[mi-i]m9
li-ba-al-li-¢-6. 10 as-sum a-wi-le-e an-nu-ti 11 sa a-na ta-ri-su-nu 12 tu-up-pa
a-na u g u 1a mar.tu 13 6.-sa-bi-lam rev. 14 a-lam 6.-pa-hi-ir-ma 15 ni-da-am

6.-ul i-su 16 6.-sa-al-lim-su-nu-ti 17 6.-ta-am-mi-su-nu-ti 18 mah-ri-ia us-te-si-

ib-su-lnu-ti 19 a-na u g u 1 a mar.tu 20 as-tap-ra-am 21 sa u g u 1a mar.tu
i-qa-ab-bu

85. AO 6695. TCL 17 Pl. XXVI No. 31. a)

1 [a]-na ugula mar. tu 2 sa dmarduk 6.-ba-li-tu-su 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma
a-pil-dmar. tu-ma 5 dutu u b) dmarduk
1 as-su-mi-ia 6 da-ri-is u 4 -mi-im
[l]i-ba-li-tu-ka 7 is-tu pa-na-nu-um-ma 8 a-na-ku u ka-ti a-wi 1(SI)-lum 9 a-na
a-wi-lim na!e_ki-id lO ere n. me S qa-du-um X X c) l1 tu-ur-da-am-ma 12 Se -
e li-is-su-6. rev. 13 i-na an-ni-tim at-hu-ut-ka lu-[mu-ur] 14pdu tu _rx x 1 u 30-
im-gur-an-ni 15dub-pa-at sar-ri-im 16 a-na pa-ta-ri-ka na-su-6. 17 ~i-bi-it te-
mi ri-si 18a-na a-wa-tim sa as-pu-ra-kum 19ni-di a-hi-im la ta-ra-as-si

86. AO 6339. TCL 17 Pl. XXVINo. 32. a)

l a-na U g U 1 a dam.gar. me S sa drma rd Uk 1 ? 2 6.-ba-al-li-tu-su 3 qf-bf-
ma 4 um-ma be-la-nu-um-ma 5 du tu u dm ar du k da-ri-is u 4 -mi 6 li-ba-al-
li-tu-ka 7 227.0.0 g u r f b. t ak 4 s e dam.gar.mes 8 [s]a qa-ti-ka i-na qa-
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 77

was (nearly) killed in the palace, in a scuffle, by the only one he had, whom
he has made his heir, 25 we have written to you, investigate the matter. 27
Because he is ill g) he did not come to you. 29 Take cognizance of what he
has to.report when you go to Babylon. 31 We will not stop praying for you
before Samas and Marduk!

84. AO 6697. Ebeling 26.

Speak to the general, whom Samas, Marduk and Ningirsu have kept in good
health: 5 Thus says Awil-ili and the personnel of the temple of Ningirsu. 7
May Samas and Ningirsu forever grant good health to the general! 10 As
regards those men about whom I sent a letter to the general (requesting him)
to fetch them- 14 I convened the city and there proved to be no ... a) 16 I won
them over, I made them swear an oath (and) I have now made them settle
here with me. b) 20 I have now written (it) to the general, 21 (I am waiting
for) what the general orders.

85. AO 6695. Ebeling 26-27. a)

Speak to the general, whom Marduk has kept in good health: Thus says
Apil-Amurrim. 5 May Samas and Marduk for my sake forever grant you
good health. 7 From of old, you and me, we are concerned b) for each other.
11 Send me troops with ... c) so that they can transport the barley. 13 Let me
experience in this your brotherly attitude! 14 Samas-... and Sin-imguranni are
bringing letters of the king to relieve you. 17 Do reach a decision (and) do
not be lax as regards the matter I wrote you about!

86. AO 6339. Ebeling 27.

Speak to the Overseer of the Merchants, whom Marduk has kept in good
health: Thus says Belanum. 5 May Samas and Marduk grant you forever
good health. 7 227 kor, the remainder of the barley of the merchants under

reads u-bi-la-su). g) Note the broken spelling ma-ru-as.

84. a) CAD Nill 209b, 1, guesses "it had no objection(?)". Read perhaps i-da-am, cf.
idam isum/rasum, "to have an excuse/ argument", see no. 53: 26 and Boyer,
Contribution, HE 122:27, or hi 1-ta-am, "there was no question of failure / guilt"?
b) So rather than taking wasabum ma!Jar as "to serve","to work under".
85. a) The tablet is now in bad shape. b) Nakadum ana, "Herzklopfen bekommen
(fi.ir)" (AHw 717, nakadu I, G, 1), attested in OB, but a reading pa-q{-id is not
excluded. c) This undeciphered word must refer to the tools for transporting barley.
Nasum is used for transport by boat (e.g. 9, 22:8), zabalum for carrying, but we may
perhaps read qd-du tup-si-ki, "together with baskets".
78 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ti-su-nu u-hu-ur 9 ri1-na li-ib-bi-im 10.0.0 g u r s e -a-am 10 dani-qa-am sa a-

na si-bu-tim rev. 11 a-na sa-kae-nim i-re-du-u 12 a-na dEN.W-ur u 4 13 du mu
du tu-mu-se-zi-ib 14 i-di-in

87. AO 6023. TCL 17 Pl. XXVII No. 33.

1 a-na ugula dam.gar 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dmarduk-na-si-ir-ma 4
dutu u dmarduk li-ba-al-li-tu-ka as-sum 300.0.0 s[e] .gur *igi.s[a]
5
1u. kurun. n a 6 saHI.GA[R]ki saqa-ti-ka 7 a-na 300.0.0s e. g ur e. gal a-
pa-li-im 8 qa-tam ta-as-su-uh-ma 9 ma-ti-ma se-eh-ri u-ul as-pu-ra-kum 10
ki-ma ti-du-u 11 a-na s e -e pa-nu ma-di-is 12 da-an-nu rev. 13 s e -am a-na
bad a-pil-dEN.ZU 14 i-ir-ri-su-ni-in-ni 15 300.0.0 se g u r * i g i . s a
HI.GARki 16 lu-u sa-mi-id-ma 17 re-es e. gal li-ki-il 18 s e-am su-a-ti a-na
bad a-pil-dEN.ZU19 *ub-ba-al-su 20 dm ar du k-mu-ba-li-it u *in-xx 21 as-
tap-ra-ak-kum 22 s e -am ki ma-si tu-us-ta-ad-di-in 23 [k]i ma-si uh-hu-ur 24
te4-ma-am ga-am-ra-am 25 me-he-er dub -pi-ia su-bi-lam-1ma le.e. 26
gisma. l. dub lu-us-ki-ba-ak-kum

88. AO 6698. TCL 17 Pl. XXVID No. 34. a)

1 a-na sa-pi-ri-ia qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma da-d[a-a 1 -ma 3 du tu u disk u r da-ri-is
u 4 -mi li-ba-li-tu-ka 4 as-sum gi-ri-im sasa-pi-ri is-pu-ra-an-ni 5 sa-al-ma-a-
ku a-na l. s i. in. n a ki e-te-ru-ub 6 i-na i. s i. in . n a ki it-ti g a 1.
u k kin. n a an-na-me-er-ma 7 a-na zi-ik-ri-ka ih-da-am 8 u 1u mu-qe-ri-bi
is-ku-nam 9 as-sum gi-ri-im sa i-na pa-ni-ia u-si-a-am 10 ru1 -si-a-am gal.
r LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 79

your authority, is still in their possession. a) Give 9 from it 10 kor of barley

of good quality, which can be used for the purpose it is needed for, 12 to Sin-
eres, the son of Samas-musezib. b)

87. AO 6023. Ebeling 27-28; M. Stol, OBO 160/4, 772 (translation).

Speak to the Overseer of the Merchants: Thus says Marduk-na~ir. 4 May
Samas and Marduk grant you good health. 5 As regards the 300 kor of
barley, the igisu-tax a) due from the innkeepers of Damru, b) which is your
responsibility c) - 8 you have given up the effort d) to satisfy the palace
with that 300 k:or of barley, though I never sent my young man to you! e) 10
As you know one is eagerly waiting for barley.14 They are asking from me
barley for Dur-Apil-Sin! Let 15 the 300 kor of barley, the igisu-tax of
Damru, be brought together so that it becomes available for the palace. 19 I
will bring that barley to Dur-Apil-Sin. 21 I am now dispatching to you
Marduk-muballit and In .... 25 Send me in answer to my letter a full report on
how much barley you have collected (and) how much is still due 26 then I
will dispatch to you f) a cargo-boat.

88. AO 6698. Ebeling 28-29.

Speak to my superior: Thus says Dadaya. May Samas and Adad forever
grant you good health. 4 As for the journey on which my superior sent me: a)
I am well, I have just entered Isin. 6 In Isin I had a meeting with the 'director'
and he thanked me b) for your attention c) 8 and also provided me with an es-

86. a) Leemans, Merchant 89, note 231, reads bi-ti-ka and bi-ti-su-nu, but collation
shows twice GA (with two small verticals) and records frequently use sa qiiti I
n f g . su in similar contexts. In 1. 8 sa qiitika can refer both to the barley and to the
merchants, but I prefer the latter since the barley is still in their possession. b) He
also occurs in YOS 12, 334:13 (Samsu-ilunayear 11, ref. M. Stol).
87. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. igisilm. b) See for Damru, D. Charpin, RA 72 (1978)
19 note 26. c) sa qiitika in 6 must refer to the barley and the addressee apparently
had assumed responsibility for collecting (22) what the innkepers owed to the palace
(7) as igisil-tax. d) See for qiitam nasiib,um ana a debt or obligation, H.M. Kiimmel,
AJO 25 (1974-77) 78b and 13, 153, note b. e) $eb,ri,the messenger who delivers this
urgent appeal. f) lu-VS-ki-ba-ak-kum must be a mistake for lusarkibakkum; the
scribe may have hesitated between luskip and lusarkib (see for US= us in sakiipum,
ARMT 14, 5:13).
88. a) I assume that the writer had been sent out to discover what had happened with
an earlier caravan (9) and was not only reporting on his own trip (cf. 13). b) See
Lexical Notes s.v. b,adum. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. zikrum.
80 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

g a 1. u k kin. n a a-sa-al-rna Io.e. 11 urn-rna su-u-rna rni-irn-rna 12 u-ul i-ti-

qu-6: 13 sa-pf-ri a-na gi-ri-ia rev. 14Ia i-n[a]-zi-iq ki b)-rna sa sa-[pf-r]i 15il-l[i-
k]u a-na a-wa-tirn sa i-pa-ri-ka-ni 16 a-na-ku a-ta-na-ap-pa-al 17 u ::;i-bu-ut
s[a]-pf-[r]i-ia e-pu-us 18 te 4-ern-ka darn-q[a-a}rn a-wa-ti-ka 19 a-sa-ar ta-as-
p[u-r]a-[a]n-ni 20 a-da-ab c) -bu-ub i-na pa-ni narn-ru-ti 21 pa-ni-ka a-rna-ar
22 surn-rna a-na sa-pf-ri-ia 23 ta-ab ::;e-eh-he-ru-tu u.e. 24 wa-ar-du-ka la i-rnu-
tu4 25 [s]e li-ip-qf-su-nu-ti

89. AO 5433. TCL 17 Pl. XXVIII No. 35.

1 a-na a-wi-li-irn 2 qf-bf-rna 3 urn-rna sa-at-istar-rna* 4 1/3 rn a. n a
ku.babbar 5 2 gin ku.gi 6 Psig*a)_<lutu us-ta-bi-la-kurn 7 1/3
rna.na har.su ku.bab[bar] 8 Pistar-rnu-ba-li-ta-at 9 uku. babbar
i-pf-ir-ka 10 a-na ha 1 *-ra-ni-irn 11 la i-baJsi1* 12a-na ::;i-If-dutu 13 1/3 rn a.
n a k u. b ab bar g i 4 -surn (rev. uninscribed)

90. AO 6021. TCL 17 Pl. XXIX No. 36. a)

1 a-na a-wi-lirn [s]a drn a r [du k] u-ba-al-la-tu-su 2 qf-bf-rna 3 urn-rna li-pf-it-
istar-rna 4 aru t U * U drn ]a rd Uk da-r 1 i-is U4 -rni li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 lu-u ba-
a[l-ta-a-t]a [lu] sa-al-rna-a-ta 6 dingir na-::;i-ir-ka [::,]i-b[u-ta]rn a-i[a i]r-[si]
7 a-na su-ul-rni-ka as-pu-*[r]a-[a]rn suJiurn*-ka su-up-ra 1 -arn 8 as-surn sa
urn-rna *at-ta-rna 30_rma-gir xx xx e1 -zi-ib 9 i-na qf-bi-ti-ka *ki-rna sa mah-
ra u-sa-ZI-KU-ni-in-ni* 10 is-tu pa-na-nu-urn-rna i-na bi-it a-bi-ka a-na bi-ti-
ni 11 i-na rn u .2.k a rn 1 sag . l r 1 sag . gem e 2 t 6:g . hi . a *tug . g u. e 12
u pf-iq-da-turn a-na bi-ti-ni u-ul pa-ar-sa 13 is-tu a-na-ku *a-tu-r[a-a]rn xx u-
ku-lu-u da-rni-iq 14 rna-ti-rna g[i-rn]il du-urn-qf-[i]rn i-na bi-ti-ka *x x xbL
ba-lu 15u-ul u-te-ru-nirn *rki-rna gi1-rnil d[u-u]rn-qf-ka la i-ba-as-su-u 16gi-

89. a) Different from KO in lines 5 and 6. c) Rather MES than a vertical followed
by 30 (= 3.0.0 iku), because of the small size of the Winkelhaken.
90. a) Parts of the surface damaged and abrased. b) The signs before ba-lu look like
KU.BABBAR, but this does not make sense.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 81

cort. 10 I asked the 'director' about the caravan which left before med) and
he answered: 11 "They have not even passed by (here)" 13 My superior
should not worry about my caravan-journey! 16 I myself will take care of
every obstacle that may hinder me, e) 14 just as well as if f) my superior
himself had set out. 17 I will execute g) my superior's wishes. 18 Your
instruction is fine for me, wherever you commission me I will always speak
your words, 21 (so that) I can face you with a bright face. 22 If it pleases my
superior, then let the juniors, your servants, not die, 25 may he provide them
with barley.

89. AO 3433. Ebeling 29.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Sat-Istar. 6 Herewith I have Ipiq-Samas
bring you 1/3 mina of silver (and) 2 shekels of gold. 7 1/3 mina of silver (in
the shape of) finger-rings (for/of) Istar-muballitat 9 and the silver (for/of)
your ration are not available for the journey. 12 Give back to Silli-Samas 1/3
mina of silver.

90. AO 6021. Ebeling 29

Speak to the gentleman, whom Marduk grants good health: Thus says Lipit-
lstar. 4 May Samas and Marduk forever grant you good health. 5 May you be
in good health, may you be well! 6 May your protective deity have no need
(left). 7 I am writing to wish you well, send me your greetings. 8 As for the
fact that you spoke in the following terms: "Leave Sin-magir .... behind" a)
9 At your order they have ousted me b) just like before. 10 It is now already

some time that in the house of your father no longer every second year one
slave, one slave-girl and two garments and cloaks 12 and other provisions are
set aside for our family! 13 After I had returned ...... the fodder is good. c) 14
One has never returned any favours in your family ....... , and through lack of

89. d) Restoring ii$iam [la] ii$iam, "whether it has already left, yes or no", is
impossible for lack of room for la. The first ii$iam, written on the edge, may have
been repeated for clearness' sake. Wa$um with ina pania should refer to the first
departure, the second U$iamto a subsequent one, from Isin. e) Iparrikanni implies
that awatum is sing., as is the case in no. 205:llf.; see Lexical Notes s.v. parakum.
f) Since a present tense is expected, e-pu-us must be a defective spelling of e-ep-pu-
us (Kouwenberg). g) See for k"imasa with verb in the subjunctive, "as if', R. Stola,
WZKM 63/64 (1972) 95-97.
90. a) One might wish to read 3 (bur) i k u a. sa, but fields are only mentioned
on the rev. b) u-sa/ta-ZI-ZVIBAIKV-ni-in-ni is difficult, not: u-sa-as-tu-ni-in-ni,
"they made me spin", CAD S/11218, a, 3. c) Or read perhaps xx u KV lu-u da-mi-
iq, or XX u KV lu u-da-mi-iq.
82 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

mil lu-um-ni-im im-ti-da 17 sum-ma da-ia-nu *x xx a-na gi-mil du-um-qi-im

18 gi_rmil lu-um-nim 1 [u-te-er-r]u e-ze-en-ni-ma 1 19 [x xx x (x)] rx1 -li-i 20 [x
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning of rev. broken)
O'[x x x x x x] xx [x xx xx x] l' [x x xx] *m e s c) u 2.0.0 i k u a. s a ia-a-
am x 2' [x x x x] x se. g u r te-el-qe 3' [x x x] x x ta-a[q]-bi-a 1-am-ma a-na
ma-ka-si-im 4' [qa-ti as-t]a-ka-an x x x am k u. b ab bar 5' [x x x] x ku-ka
as-sum *3.0.0 i k u a. s a-im sa g is. l 6' [x x x xx] *x a-bu-um-wa-qar 7' [x
xx xx i]q-b[i-a-a]m um-ma su-u-ma 8' [x x xx] xx x[x (x)] x g f n* 9' [x] x
X u-ul wa-as-ba-a-ku 10' X X x-ma-lik u-ul a-si-ib 11' as-sum X X ma
*sag.dun. mes a. s a-am 12' [x xx xx (x)] u *a-na mu-ha-ad-du-um 13'
[aq]-bi-ma [x xx ] ta-pa-hu-ur 14' sa xx a a-n[a xx x] ni-di a-hi-im 15' ta-ar-
su-u-ma [x x x l]i saas-hu-ru 16' ia-a-ah-bu a-na hi-[x x x] x a-ta 17' i-na qa-
be_re 1 dm a rd u k-<a n >.du l us-[t]e-ri-ib-ma 18' a. s a-am su-a-ti li-te-ru-
ni-ik-ku 19' mi-nu-um ia-at-tum e-zu-ub la ka-ta ha-de-e-em u.e. 20' ~e-he-er-
ka ha-da-am u-ul e-le-i 21' sum-mai-na la pi-it-ri-im 22' Pd in g i r-su-na-~ir a-
hi it-ti-ia iz-ze-1 ne 23' u-ul u-sa-la-am-su

91. AO 6022. TCL 17 Pl. XXX No. 37.

1 a-na a-bi-ia sad in g i r-su ba-ni-su 2 la-ma-sa-am da-ri-tam id-di-nu-sum 3
qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma dz a. b a 4 . b a 4 -na-~i-ir-ma 5 du tu u dm ard uk as-su-mi-
ia da-ri-is u 4 -mi 6 a-bi ka-ta li-ba-al-li-tu 7 i-na *pa-le-e 1-em 1 sa sa-am-su-i-
lu-na 8 qa-bu-u-um u ma-ga-rum* 9 lu si-ma-tu-ka 10 as-sum u 4 . hi.in sa a-
bi u-na-hi-da-an-ni 11 Pa-pil-l-li-su 12 a-na-ku u dEN.ZU-i-din-nam 13 a-na
uru SI.MAs-dza.ba 4 .ba 4 -LAGABki 14 ni-il-li-ik-ma 15 *7.3.0 gur u 4 .
hi . in lo.e. 16 a-na ni-di-in-*istar 17 u u-tul-istar a-hi-su- 18 du mu . mes a-li-
wa-aq-rum rev. 19 a-di *egir an.za.gar ni-*is-k[u-un] 20 u 1.2.2 gur
z u .1 um 21 sa 3 qa-ta-tim *sa gis kiri 6 ki. ta 22 *9.0.2 g u r z u .1 um 23 ka-

90. c) Rather MES than a vertical followed by 30 ( = 3.0.0 iku), because of the
small size of the 'Winkelhaken'.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 83

favours on your part 16 deeds of ungratefulness have increased! 17 If the

judges of ... have requited benefactions with misdeeds, I will get angry and ..
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning ofrev. broken off, l.1'-16' damaged)
1' .... and [of] 36 acres of field of mine ..... you took [x] kor barley ...... 3' ......
you talked to me and I applied myself to bringing in (the harvest) ..... , silver
....... 5'_..... because of 54 acres of sesame field.· ...... 6' ..... Abum-waqar .....
talked to me and said: "..... 9' ...I [myself] am not staying [and also .....-
miilik is not staying. 11' [For that] reason the surveyor [will ...... ] the field
..... 12' .. ... I sai'd t o M uh add~um: "You mus t convene ....... 14' you were
negligent ...... and ..... to which I turned, ........ 17' At the behest of Marduk-
$UluJi I have now brought in (the harvest) and they should return that field to
you. 19' What can I do? I cannot even make your boy happy, let alone you
yourself! d) 21' Should Ilsu-nii~ir stay implacably e) angry with me, 23 ' I will
not reconcile myself with him!

91. AO 6022. Ebeling 29-30; Cocquerillat, Pheniculture 209f. a)

Speak to my father, whom the god, his creator, b) gave a never failing
guardian angel: c) 4 Thus says Zababa-nii~ir. d) 5 May Samas and Marduk for
my sake forever grant you, my father, good health. 7 May during the rule of
Samsu-iluna prompt acceptance of your requests be destined for you! e) 10
As for the green dates, about which my father instructed me, Apil-ilisu, I
myself and Sin-iddinam we went 13 to the town of Simas-Zababa-LAGAB 19
and we established 15 an amount of 7 3/5 kor of green dates (as estimated
yield) for Nidin-Istar and Utul-Istar, his brother, the sons of Ali-waqrum,
(for the area) until the rear of the tower f) 20 and an amount of 1 kor and 140
quarts of ripe dates, for 3 shares in the lower garden. 23 We made out a sealed
document for (in all) 9 kor and 2 quarts of dates. g) 24 In the garden of ... of

90. d) See for ezub lii no. 77, note c to translation; I assume that 19 is the majus
("let alone ..."). e) See AHw 871b, s.v. pitru, 4.
91. a) The calculations by Cocquerillat,Pheniculture, 209f., of the "shares" of L 21
do not hold, since the quantities of L 15 and 22 are different. The figure of L 22 is the
addition of those of L 15 (u!Jinnu) and L 21 (suluppu). b) See Lexical Notes s.v.
ilum and Sallaberger, Interaktion 83, with note 116. c) See for lamassum daritum
UVB 18 (1962) Tf. 18 W 19.900.1:2, and my remarks in BiOr 25 (1968) 197f. d)
Zababa-nii~irwas a scribe, cf. YOS 12, 486 and 513, and regularly figures as GIR in
texts dealing with agricultural workers (m. Stol). e) Cf. 1, 61:7f., lamassi qabe u
magiirim ina ekalli Sumulii"el, where "in the palace of RN" indicates that in our text
too to finding favour at court is meant. f) Cf. TCL 1, 63:2, "a garden with a tower"
(gi8k i ri 6 qadu dimtim). g) See for the production of a sealed document after
estimatingthe date harvest also no. 30: 32-33.
84 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ni-kam nu-se-zi-ib 24 i-na giski ri 6 sa ZU-BU-ur-tim sa *a-tap df d 25 o.*3.0

u 4 . hi.in i-ta du mu -HI.GARki 26 ba-ak-ru-tum 27 sa a-nan l'.g. k a 9 la sa-
ak-nu 28 u i-ta-am sa giski r i 6 sa i-ba-as-su 29 i-sa-ri-is u-ul ku-ul-lu-ma-nu
30 1.4.0 u 4 . hi.in sa k a. i 7. did li ki 31 a-na a-pfl-l-li-su nu-ki-in 32
g u 4 . hi. a i-na sa l-li-*u-du tu 33 i-pu-su-ma u.e. 34 [g u 4]. hi. a [s]a-al-mu
u e sa-lim 35 [ki-ma] ra 1-bi i-du-u 36 mu-us-ke-ne-ku le.e. 37 a-bi i-na ni-i-tim
sa a-lim li-te 4-ra-an-ni 38 la u-da-ab-ba-bu-ni-in-ni

92. AO 6752. TCL 17 Pl. XX.XI No. 38. a)

1 a-na a-bi-ia 2 ql'.-bl'.-ma3 um-ma [x x] ]>.-ma4 du tu ~ [dm a rd u k] 5 as-
sum-i[a a-bi ka-ta] 6 l[i-ba-al-l]i-tu 7 [ki-m]a eren na. kad 8 sum-suit-ta-al-
ku-ni 9 u sa-am-mu i-na a.sa-lim 10u-ul i-ba-as-su-u 11 ra 1-na-ku we-e-di-si-
ia-ma 12 ri1-na e-be-er-tam 13 sa-am-mu i-ba-as-su-ma 14 ra 1-na X X mu-ZI-e
15 [x (x)] ba AK-KI-ma 16 [x XX X (x)] la-a 17 [x XX XX (x)] X
(restof obv.,lo. e. and beginningof rev. broken)
1' [x] x [x x x x x] 2' sa us x x 3' pdu tu -ha-zi-ir 4' u-se-~l'.1(GI) -a-ni-ma 5' 1.0.0
g u r s e -a-am it-ti dEN.ZU-x x 6' el-<qe>-e-ma a-na 1u. h u n. g a 7' ad-di-in
8' a-na-ku a. s a -lam-ma 9' a-na-~a-ar ma-am-ma-an 10' tu-ur-da-am-ma 11'
g u 4 . hi. a li-re 12' s[u ]m-ma ~u-ha-ru-u 13' ri-t 1 e-ru-bu-ku-um 14' su-ri-am-
ma 15' 1u .rh u n. g a1 lu-gu-ur

93. AO 6329. TCL 17 Pl. XX.XII No. 39. a)

1 a-na a-bi-ia u um 1 -mi-i[m] 2 ql'.-bl'.-ma 3 um-ma te-mi-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ia 5 da-ri-is u 4 -mi-im li-ba-al-li-tu-ku-nu-ti 6 as-sum a-
na e-be-er-tam a-la-ak-ni 7 *ta-as-mi-a ise-<tu> b a d-a-pil-dEN. zuki 8 ni-tu-
ra-am-ma i-na z i m bi r ki-ma 9 wa-as-ba-nu 10 a-nag u 4 . hi. a a-na giski r i 6
11 [l]a [t]e*-gi-a ix *wa-al-du lo.e. 12 [xx] xx ia-tu 13 [x xx x i]m rev. 14 [ni-
di a]-hi-im r1a ta-ra-as-si1-[a] 15 [a-n]a ~ u a. s a 16la ta-gi-a 17 um-ma a-na-
ku-ma te4-ma-am 18 sa a. s a <za>-ku-*us-sa su-up-ra-nim 19 an-nu-RA
PA.PA ma-ah-ri-ia 20 a-na-ku u su-u ni-id-bu-ub 21 as-sum te 4-ma-am la ta-
as-pu-ra-nim 22 ni-di a-hi-im ar-ta-si 23 te 4-em-ku-nu su-up-ra-nim-ma 24 [a-
n]a a-wi-lim lu-ud-bu-ub 25 [gis]ki r i 6 am-ra-ma BU-RA-xx* u.e. 26 ql'.-bl'.-a-

92. a) The surface of the tablet has deteriorated and is crumbling.

93. a) The tablet has deteriorated and the beginnings of lines 7-12 and large parts of
the reverse are now missing.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 85

the Narum-canal, h) there are 3/5 kor of green dates, adjacent to Miir-Damru,
i)first fruits, 27 which have not been put on the account. 28 Moreover, the
boundary of that garden as it is, has not been duly indicated to us. We fixed
30 1 4/5 kor of green dates of the village of Pi-naratim for Apil-ilisu. 32 The
oxen h~ve worked in the property of Ili-u-Samas (and) the oxen are well, as
is the house. 35 As my father knows, I am a common man. 37 May my father
save me from the pressure by the city (so that) one does not harass me any
longer! j)

92. AO 6752. Ebeling 30-31.

Speak to my father: Thus says ... 4 May Samas and Marduk for my sake
grant you, my father, good health. 7 ... the herdsmen, every single one of
them, have left and there is no herbage on the fields. 11 I am all alone. 13 If
there is herbage on the other side of the river I will ... a) it/him to ....... .
(large break)
[From .......] 3' Samas-hii~ir has ousted me. 6' I obtained 1 kor of barley from
Sin-... and gave it to the hireling. 8' I myself will guard the field. lO' Send me
somebody to herd the oxen. 12' Should the boys keep arriving with you b) 14'
then have (one) brought to me, so that I can rent (him) as a hireling.

93. AO 6329. Ebeling 31-32.

Speak to my father and my mother: Thus says Temi. 4 May Samas and
Marduk for my sake forever grant you good health. 6 As for us going to the
other side (of the river), about which you heard a)_ 8 we have (just) returned
from Dur-Apil-Sin and we are now staying in Sippar. 10 Do not neglect the
oxen and the garden! 11 ... are born ... 13 Do not be remiss! 15 Do not neglect
the house and the field! 17 Thus I said: "Send me a clear report on the field!"
19 Now, the captain is here with me (and) we, he and I, discussed (the

matter). 21 Because you did not send a report I could not deploy activities. 23
Send me your report then I will talk to the gent-leman. 25 Inspect the garden

91. h) Meaning of sl(flzub(b)urtum unknown, see Lexical Notes. Atap dNarim is the
name of a canal, cf. CAD A/II, 484 1,a, end, and atap waklim in JCS 24, 67 no.
68:14. i) PN also in TLB 1, 119:3. j) See for 1.35-38, Kraus, Mensch 124f.
92. a) [x (x)]-ba-AK-Kl-ma, perhaps [a]-ra1-ak-ki-is? b) Or i-qe'-ru-bu-ku-um?
93. a) ta-as-mi-a instead of tesmeii, cf. tiiggiii in 16. According to Kouwenberg,
Veenhof AV (2001) 233ff., the presence of the vowel a in the core of the word
correlates with the presence of a in its ending. b) qatum D-stem.
86 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

ma 1u. s e. K[IN. k u 5] 27 0.2.0 i k u li-qi:f?-tu-ule.e. 28 [a-na re]-es it i ma-ah-

ri-ku-nu a-na-ku 29 [qu-u]r-di-istar i-la-kam te 4-<em>-ku-nu su-up-ra-nim

94. AO 6333. TCL 17 PL XXXIII No. 40. a)

1 a-na be-li-ni qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma an-nu-u u u-bar-rum-ma 3 is-tu be-Ii Pi-tur-
as-du l r-su 4 ik-lu-u wa-ar-ka-at g u 4 . hi. a u mu-ta-lik-tim 5 ma-am-ma-an
u-ul i-pa-ra-as 6 Pip-qu-dna-bi-um wa-si-ib-ma 7 k u. b ab-bar a-na
lu.kurun.na.mes i-na-ad-di-in-ma duh.duru
8 5 gu 4 .hi.a i-ik-ka-
lu 9 lu.kurun.na.mes sa duh.duru 5 u-ka-lu-ni-a-si-im 10 a-di itiziz.a
u 4 .4.kam duh.duru 5 u-ka-al-lu 11 is-tu u 4 .5.kam duh.duru 5 i-pa-
ra-su 12 a-na be-li-ni ni-is-tap-ra-am lo.e. 13 sa e-li be-li-ni ta-a-bu 14 te4 -em
be-li 1-ni li-ra-ha-am-ma rev. 15 g u 4 • hi. a sa be-li-ni la i-be-er-ru-u 16 ki-ma
be-Ii i-du-u sa-at-tam 17 su-ri-pu-um il-li-ik-ma 18 sa-at-tum a-nag u 4 . hi. a
ha-bi?b)(GA)-at 19 Pki-i-iq-ru-u i-na k a.ding i r. r a ki 20 ma-har be-li-ni su-
u be-Ii li-iq-bi-sum-ma 21 dub -pa-su a-na pdutu -na-r:,ir22 li-sa-bi-lam-ma 23
g u 4 . hi. a a-na a-pi li-it-te-eb-bu-u 24 pdutu -na-r:,ira-na a-wa-tim 25 u-pa-
ra-ka-an-ni-a-si-im 26 a-bu-su sa-pa-ra-am li-da 1(MA)-ni-na-sum-ma u.e. 27 ia-
ra-am ru-qa-am a-na g u 4 . hi. a 28 la i-sa-ak-ka-an 29 a-na qe-ru-ub-ti-ni
g u 4 . hi. a sa be-li-ni 30 sa-am-mi li-ku-lu

94. a) Ends of some lines now missing. b) The copy is correct, the sign, which has
two small verticals, is different from BI (lines 15, 20 and 23) which lacks them.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 87

and ..., give orders that harvest-labourers.finish b) 12 acres of field. 28 Before

the beginning of the (next) month I will be with you. 29 When Qur(u)d-Istar
comes, send me your report!

94. AO 6333. Ebeling 32-33; J.-M. Durand - D. Charpin, in: L'Archeologie

de_l'lraq. Perspectives et limites de ['interpretation anthropologique des
documents (Paris, 1980) 151, with note 75
Speak to our lord: Thus says Annft and Ubarum. a) 3 Since my lord
hasdetained his servant Itiir-Asdu a) nobody concerns himself with the oxen
and with the gang.b) 6 Ipqu-Nabium, being stationed here, gives silver to the
innkeepers, so that the oxen get wet draff to eat. c) 9 The inn-keepers who
are providing us with wet draff, will (continue) to do so until the 4th day of
the 11th month, (but) 11 they will stop d) supplying wet draff from the 5th
day onwards. 12 We have now written (this) to our lord. Let a message of
our lord, telling us what he prefers, reach us quickly, so that our lord's oxen
do not starve! 16 As my lord knows, this year the ice is (already) gone and
the season is soft for the cattle. e) 19 Ki-iqrft :f) is staying in Babylon with our
lord. Let my lord speak to him that he may send a letter of his to Samas-
niisir, 23 that the oxen should regularly go up to the reed marsh. g) 24 Samas-
niisir is obstructing us in our activities. 26 Let his father write him a strongly
worded letter h) that he shall not assign the oxen a distant wallow. i) 29 The
oxen of our lord must graze nearer to where we are!

93. b) qatum D-stem.

94. a) These three persons together in YOS 12, 412-416, 422 (and cf. 411 and 463),
with Itiir-Asdu always as the first one (all texts from Si 23). They act as con-veyors
(g i r) of laborers from among the date-gardens of Lower Y ahrurum, who perform
corvee-work on the fields of the official Marduk-musallim (see Charpin, Babylonie,
523ff., archives B 8; he may wel be the addressee of this letter) and are therefore
responsible for his fields. b)g u 4. hi. a u muttalliktum, see also 10, 78: 4 and note
a to translation. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. tuhhu. d) Pariisum does does not mean
"aussondem" (AHw 831a, 3, b). e) See Lexical Notes s.v. b,abum. t) Kz:iqru (see
AHw 918, qeru(m), 3; ref. M. Stol), same man in 1, 67:6ff. (cf. BiOr 23 [1966] 54a),
also involved in grazing and feeding oxen. g) li-it-te-eb-bu-u, taken as a Gtn
precative of tebum, "may they regularly rise to their feet" (to go to the reed marsh).
Neither Charpin-Durand's "qu'ils soient conduits" (in L'archeologie), nor CAD N/11
172, "they may keep distraining" (Gtn nepum, reading ana abi) is convincing. See
also Al-Zeebari, ABIM 9: 22-23, alpz ina apfm usellunikkum. h) See Lexical Notes
s.v. dunnunum. i) See for jarrum ARM 2, 24: 23' (cf. M. Anbar, RA 75 [1981] 187,
2); 6, 75:14.
88 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

95. AO 5426. TCL 17 PL XXXIV No. 41.

1 [a]-na *ha-li-[x x] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma dm ar du k-la-ma-s[a-su-ma] 4
du tu ru1 dmard uk li-ba-al-[li-¢-ka] 5 a-na *10 eren na-da-nim 6 as-pur-
ak-kum 7 me-he-er dub -pf-ia 8 sa ere n. mes a-na-ad-di-in rev. 9 [u-ul ta]-
as-pur-am 10 ~u-ha-ru-u-ia 11 ki-a-am is-pu-ru-nim 12 um-ma su-nu-u-ma 13
eren.mes u-ul da xx x* 14 10 eren *[xx x] 15 tap\PA)-pu-tam 16 Ii-il-li-ku

96. AO 6320. TCL 17 PL XXXIV No. 42.

1 a-na gi-mil-lum 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dumu-ki-ma 4 dutu u dmarduk
5
as-su-mi-ia da-ri-is u 4 -mi 6 li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 7 sum-ma PdEN.ZU-na-di-in-
su-mi 8 ta-ta-ma-ar 9 ki-ma i-ia-ti lo.e. 10 *hue-du-su-um rev. 11 *pf-ka la te-
pe-su12 a-na-ku at-ru-da-as-su
97. AO 6326. TCL 17 PL XXXV No. 43.
1 a-na a-hu-su-nu 2 u GE 6 -lf-dct am. k i. n a 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma [P]lu-mur-sa-
dm a rd u k-ma 5 drx (x)*] li-ba-al-li-it-ku-nu-ti 6 a-nu-[um-m]a as-tap-ra-ku-
nu-si-im 7 ae-na g[iski] r i 6 sa urugfr. s u ki 8 a-na su-<ku>-un-ne-e-em sa-ka-
a-nim 9 it-ta-al-ku-nim 10 [k]i-ma sa-na-as-su al-ka-[m]a lo.e. 11 [g]iski r i 6 su-
a-ti su-ku-un-na-am* 12 su-uk-na-a rev. 13 as-sum ta-ri-ba-tum 14 u a-pil-
dm a r. tu i~-~a-ba-tu-u* 15 u um-ma su-u-ma hi-ta-am sa giski r i 6 16 u-ka-al-
la-am 17 ri-da-a-ma hi-ta-am sa giski r i 6 18 am-ra-a-ma te4 -ma-am ga-am-ra-
am 19 a-na ma-ah-ri-ia te-e-ra-nim 20 u su-ku-un-na-am 21 a-na ta-ri-ba-tum
su-uk-na-a
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 89

95. AO 5426. Ebeling 33.

Speak to Hali ... : Thus says Marduk-lamassasu. 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 I wrote to you to give me 10 workers, 7 but you did
not send me an answer to my letter saying: "I will give you the workers." 10
My servants wrote me in the following terms: 13 "The workers are not equal
to the task. a) Let 14 10 ... workers come to (our) aid."

96. AO 6320. Ebeling 33-34.

Speak to Gimillum: Thus says Mar-er~etim. 4 May Samas and Marduk for
my sake forever grant you good health. 7 Should you see Sin-nadin-sumi, 9
greet him with joy a) as if b) he were me. 11 Do not argue with him, c) it is me
who has dispatched him to you.

97. AO 6326. Ebeling 34; Coquerillat, Pheniculture, 211 (1. 6-21)

Speak to A.gusunu and Silli-Damkina: 4 Thus says Lii.mur-sa-Marduk. a) 5
May the god ... b) grant you good health. 6 Herewith I am writing you 9 that
one has arrived 8 to establish the estimate yield of the date-garden(s) of the
city of Girsu. 10 Set out and establish the estimated yield of the(se) date-
garden(s) just like every year. c) 13 As for Taribatum and Apil-Amurrim,
they are quarreling d) and he said: 15 "I will point out the damage done to the
date-garden." 17 Go down and assess the damage done to the date-garden
and send back to me here a full report. 20 Moreover, establish the estimated
yield for Taribatum.

95. a) See the collation; the negation ul requires a verbal complement.

96. a) See nos. 122:7 and 88, note b to translation. b) kima for kima sa,"as if'?
c) pam epesum ana,"to protest against, argue with", cf. 11, 103:14 and 135:10?
97. a) Other letters by Lumur-sa-Marduk are 6, 185 (to Silli-Damkina and lbbi-
Ilabrat), 9, 3; 10, 183 (to Silli-Damkina and the others); and 193 (same address as
our letter). He is the superior of a group of date-growers (s ant an a), see Charpin,
Babylonie, 523f. The addressees Ahusunu and Silli-Damkina are known as
supervisors of gardeners in the Lower Yahrurum (Charpin, 522f., B 2 and B 7, like
Taribatum, 524, B 7bis), and occur as overseers (u g u 1a) of groups of agricultural
workers (e.g. in YOS 12, 486 and 509, from Samsu-iluna years 27 and 28). Charpin
is justified in asking whether the town of Girsu (1. 7) is really the much more
southern city of Girsu = Tello. b) See collations. c) kima sanassumma, cf. 10,
54:7.
90 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

98. AO 6328. TCL 17 Pl. XXXVI No. 44.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-a-ia-ba-as 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma *[dutu-na 1-~i-ir-ma 4 du tu u
dm ar du k as-su-mi-ia 5 li-ba-al-l[i-tu]-ka 6 as-sum te4-em a. s a-im 7 sa
dEN.ZU-ma-gir ag a.us 8 pdEN.ZU-ma-gir [ag] a. [u] s 9 in-na-bi-it-ma 10
a. Sa-su a-na *mu-na-wi-ri-im l1 *na-di-in rev. l3 ru41 -ma-am ma-ru-su l3 i-
lu-ni-im-ma um-ma su-nu-u-ma 14 a. s a a-bi-ni ni-ka-al 15 u i-li-ik a-bi-ni
ni-la-ak 16um-ma sar-rum-ma a. s a-su-nu 17tu-ur-su-nu-si-im 18u i-li'-ik a-
bi-su-nu 19i-la-ku

99. AO 6327. TCL 17 Pl. XXXVII No. 45.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-sa-mu-uh 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma e-tel-pi-dm a rd u k-ma 4 du tu
li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5 mi-nu-um an-ni-it-ta-an 6 sa ik-ta-na-sa-da-ni-in-ni
7 ere n. mes sa ta-ri-ba-tum 8 sa mah-*ri x x x 9 ta-as-ta-ka-na rev. 10 mi-
im-ma la ta-la-ap-pa-at 11Pta-ri-ba-tum-ma 12ere n. mes -su li-is-pu-ur

100. AO 5440. TCL 17 Pl. XXXVII No. 46.

1 [a-na xx] rx1 [x] 2 [qi-b]i-[ma] 3 um-ma e-ri-ib-dEN.ZU 4 *mi-nu-um an-nu-
um 5 sa k u 6 . hi. a ma-as-ku-tim 6 tu-sa-bi-lam-ma 7 ~u-ha-ra-am lo.e. 8 i-na
*e . bur. sag ik-lu-u 9 a-di a-na-ku is-muaLma rev. 10 as-pu-ru-ma u-se-~u-
ni-is-su 11[k ]u 6 • h [i ]. a da-am-qu-tim 12[li-q{]-a-am-ma 13 [a]t-ta-al-kam

100. a) There is no vertical after MU, only a scratch.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 91

98, AO 6328. Ebeling 34-35; M. Stol, BiOr 56 (1999) 672 and OBO
160/4, 789 (translation). Probably a school letter. a)
Speak to Sin-ajabas: Thus says Samas?-nar:;ir. 4 May Sam.as and Marduk for
roy sake grant you good health. 6 As regards the report on the field of Sin-
roagir the soldier: 8 "The soldier Sin-magir has fled and his field has been
given to Munawwirum". 13 Today his sons turned up here and said: 14 "We
wish to have the usufruct of our father's field and we will perform our
father's service." 16 The king said: "Their field is herewith given back to
them and they will perform the service of their father." b)

99. AO 6327. Ebeling 35.

Speak to Sin-samuh: Thus says Etel-pi-Marduk. a) 4 May Samas grant you
good health. 5 What are these facts b) that keep coming to my knowledge?
Do not interfere with c) 7 the workers of Taribatum, which you (plur.) try
time and again to put at the disposal of ... 11 It is Taribatum who must direct
his workers!

100. AO 6334. Ebeling 35.

Speak to ... : Thus says Erib-Sin. 4 What is this that you have sent me bad
fish and that one has detained 7 the boy in the storehouse a) 10 and one has let
him go away 9 before I myself had heard it and had given a written order ? 11
Get me good fish and come you yourself here!

98. a) Donbaz-Yoffee, OB Kish, 34, claim that the writer of this letter is [Marduk-
n]ii(>ir,the royal official of that name known from Kish, and that the case treated in
our letter is also the subject of PRAK 2: D 46 (J.-R. Kupper, RA 53 [1959] 180),
which would "reflect an earlier investigation into the matter". Stal (BiOr 56 [1999]
98f.; see now OBO 160/4, 789) considers both letters school exercises. J. Nougayrol
(apud Kupper, RA 53 [1958] 21, note 2) observed "que pour l'ecriture, la tablette AO
6328 ne presentait aucun des traits dominants a Kis." Moreover, in view of the space
available in 1. 3, <lUtuis the more likely than <lMarduk. b) Compare CH § 28,
although the flight of the ilku-holder resulted in a measure as described in CH § 30
(nadiinum resulting in $abiitum), which subsequently was cancelled by the king after
an appeal.
99. a) Other letters of Etel-pi-Marduk to Sin-samuh are 9, 120; 10, 59, and no. 143.
Etel-pi-Marduk was an administrative official (he probably also occurs in no.
142:17ff.), Sin-samuh (also addressee in 9, 92) was one of the supervisors of the
date-growers (s ant an a) in Lower Yahrurum, see Charpin, Babylonie, 526 and 523,
B 6, respectively). b) Not annittiin, "hiermit, so" (GAG§ 120c), since it must be the
subject of the following verb. c) lapiitum, "to assign (personnel)", see AHw 535b, 4;
CAD L 87b, k; also 5, 135:10; 9, 49:35; 10, 193:9; 13, 49:8, and no. 139:13.
100. a) See for bur . s a g, Lexical Notes, s.v.
 92 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

101. AO 6334. TCL 17 Pl. XXXVIII No. 47.

1 a-na dmarduk-d[a xx x] 2 qi-bi-m[a] 3 um-ma hu-za-lum u *rma-du-t 1um-

ma 4 <lutuu dmarduk li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 a-na la-bi-ru-ti-ka 6 es 15-su-tim ni-il-

te-qe 7 li-ib-ba-ni ta-ab 8 ki-ma li-ib-ba-ni *u-ti-bu rev. 9 Phu-x-rum 10 u a-hu-
ni 11 i-sae-ri-is a-pu-ul 12 ki-ma la na-za-qi-im

102. AO 6335. TCL 17 Pl. XXXVIII No. 48.

1 a-na a-li-wa-qar-tum 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ib-ni-dm a r. tu -ma 4 as-sum dna-

bi-um-su-ul-li-ma-an-ni 5 ~u-ha-ri-ia as-pu-ra-ak-ki-im-ma 6 um-ma at-ti-ma

7 Pi-tur-as-du-um ik-la-a-su 8 Pi-tur-as-du-um ki-ma it-ta-al-kam 9 ~u-ha-ra-

am su-a-ti 10 u-sa-ar-ra-ak-kum 11 i-na-an-na a-na i-tur-as-du-um 12 dub -pi

it-ta-al-ka-as-su 13 P<lna-bi-um-su-ul-li-ma-an-ni 14 ~u-ha-ri su-ri-i-im rev. 15
[x xx] Ii x e 16 [x xx s]u-ri-im 17 [x xx lu-t]e-ra-ki-i[m]
(restof rev.uninscribed)

103. AO 6337. TCL 17 Pl. XXXIX No. 49.

1 a-na lu-ub-lu-ut-dingir 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ri-is*-dmarduka)_ma 4
<lutu u dmarduk li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 as-sum a-wi-le-e sa sar-ri-im a-hi-ia 6
a-na 5.0.0 s e . g u r ka-ni-kam b) 7 u-ul te-zi-ib 8 a-na pi-i ka-ni-ki-ka 9 s e -a-
am am-mi-ni 10 la ta-pu-ul-su-nu-ti 11 an'-ni-ki-a-am ma-di-is ud-da-bi-bu-
ni-in-ni rev. 12 a-nu-um-ma Pl-li-*ma-a-bi* 13 u Ii-pi-it-disk u r 14 at-tar-
da'(RA)-ak-kum 15 a-na pi-i ka-ni-ki-ka 16 s e -a-am a-pu-ul-su-nu-ti 17 a-wi-
lu-u* la u-da-ab-ba-bu-ni-in-ni 18 ka-ni-ik-ka a-wi-lu-u 19 u-ka-al-lu 20 s e -a-
am u-ul ta-ap-pa-al-su-nu-ti-ma 21 u 4 -um ta-al-la-ka-am an-ni-*ki-am 22 u-
da-ab-ba-bu-ka

103. a) Contra W. Sommerfeld, Marduk 111 with note 1. b) The sign KAM is
written over an erased KUM.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 93

101. AO 6334. Ebeling 35-36.

Speak to Marduk-da ... : Thus say Huzalum and the others. 4 May Samas and
Marduk grant you good health. 5 For your old ones we have acquired new
ones, a) we are satisfied. Since they have satisfied us, give due satisfaction to
Hu ...~m and Ahuni 12 so that there will be no reason for worrying.

102. AO 6335. Ebeling 36

Speak to Ali-waqartum: Thus says Ibni-Amurrum. 4 I wrote to you
concerning my boy Nabium-sullimanni and you answered: 7 "ltiir-Asdum
has detained him, but as soon as Itur-Asdum has come here 9 I will have that
boy brought to you." 12 A letter of mine now has gone off to ltur-Asdum (of
the following content:) 14 "Have my boy Nabium-sullimanni brought here!"
15 ... send ... to me, then I will return ... to you.

103. AO 6337. Ebeling 36-37; Sommerfeld, Marduk, 111 note 1.

Speak to Lublut-ili: Thus says Ris-Marduk. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 As regards the men of the king, my brother, you did
not leave behind a sealed quittance for the amount of 5 kor of barley.b) 9
Why did you not pay them the barley due to them in accordance with the
record sealed by you? 11 Here they have lodged serious complaints with me.
12 I am now dispatching Ilima-abi and Lipit-Adad to you. 16 Pay them the
barley to which they are entitled in accordance with the wording of your
sealed record. 17 The gentlemen must not keep complaining to me! 18 The
gentlemen have in their possession the document sealed by you. 20 If you
don't pay them the barley due to them the very day you arrive here they will
put you to inconvenience.

101. a) What masc. plural object is meant?

103. a) The writer is a prince according to 1. 5, but I do not follow the reading of his
name in Sollllllerfeld, Marduk 111 with note 1. b) The "gentlemen" are entitled to
an amount of barley on the basis of a document sealed by the addressee (1. 18),
perhaps a debt-note or the official assignment of a ration. The absence of a sealed
quittance indicates that no payment had yet been made.
94 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

104. AO 6340. TCL 17 Pl. XXXIX No. 50.

1 a-na ib-ni-dm a r. tu 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l-H-ma-d in g i r -ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 su-lum na-bi-dn in . sub u r su-up-ra-am 6 te-
em e u s a g . gem e u s a g . l r I u *mi-im-ma 7 sa e-zi-ba-ku-um su-up*-
ra-am 8 i-na *e mi-im-ma lu-6 i-le-qe 9 u g u 1 a dam.gar lu-6 6-da-bi-ib-
ka 10 *sa-akJnu-um 1 lu-6 6-da-bi-ib-ka 11 su-up-*r[a-am]-ma 12 an-ni-ki-a-
am a-na-ku *IuJpu-u.fl rev. 13[x xx x i]k-la-su 14[x xx x u]r-ba-am* 15 [xx]
x ru [xx] x ru-6 16*ra-di 1 a-la-ka-ar m a-na] na-bi-dn in . sub u r 17ru1 e la
te-gi 18u sum-ma a-hu-ia mi-im-ma 196-[d]a-bi-bu te-em-su-nu su-up-ra-am
20 Pdu-mu-uq-du tu qa-du-um 21 *ma-x-nim is-tu 6-sa-abki! 22 ri1-ta-b[i-t]a-
am 23 [te-e]m-su <su>-up-ra-am

105. AO 6341. TCL 17 Pl. XL No. 51. a)

1 a-na ib-ni-dm a rd u k 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma ib-ni-dm a r . tu -ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li 1-¢-ka 5 a-nu-um-ma Pi-din-disk u r 6 at-tar-da-kum 7
a. s a -am li-ih-ta-pu-ud-ma 8 te 4-em-su li-te-ra-am 9 te4-em s e . g is . l su-
up-ra-am 10 wa-ar-ka-at s e. g is . l 11pu-ru-6s 122 g u li-ib-bi lo. e. 13it-ti
s e. g is . l su-bi-lam rev. 14 20 gisze . n a g is i mm a r wa-~f-tam 15 dam-
qa-ti gi-it-ma-IabLtim 16 su-bi-lam 17 a-na a. s a la te-gi 18 ap-pu-na-ma la
ta-AK-DA-x 19la-a is-sa-ak-ka-an 20 du-um-mi-qa-am-ma 21 lu-da-am-mi-qa-
ku 22 as-sum g u 4 . e g i r la te-gi 1 23 s a. g a 1 dam-qa-am su-ku-un-ma 24
si-ru-su la i-na-zi-qu 25 te4-em se-ri sa g U 4 . e g i r u. e. 26Pi-din-di Sk Ur a-
sa-al-ma 27 na-az-qu-us-su i-qa-ab-1 bi-a-kum le. e. 28 6-ul a-ta-ar-ma 29 6-ul
a-sa-ap-pa-ra-ku 30 a-na-ku u at-ta-ma 31 du-um-mi-qa 32 1 su-si g u . u n 6-
re-e su-lbi-lam

105. a) Tablet now largely disintegrated. b) These signs look like BA-SV-tim
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 95

104, AO 6340. Ebeling 37.

Speak to lbni-Amurrum: Thus says Ilima-ilum. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 Write me how it is with Nabi-Ilabrat. 6 Write me
inform~tion about the house and the slave-girls and the slaves and
everything I left behind for you. 8 Should anything be taken from the house,
should a creditor harrass you 10 or an official harrass you, write (it) to me,
then I will act here ..... (3 lines too broken for translation) .... 16 Until I arrive,
do not be careless about Nabi-Ilabrat and the house! 18 And if my brothers
harrass you in any way, report their actions to me. 20 Dumuq-Samas has fled
from U sab together with Ma ...num. 23 Send me information on him.

105. AO 6341. Ebeling 37-38.

Speak to lbni-Marduk: Thus says lbni-Amurrum. 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 I have now dispatched Iddin-Adad to you. 7 Let
him carefully inspect (the cultivation of) the field a) and report back to me. 9
Write me a report about the sesame, 11 investigate how it is with the sesame.
12 Send me two loads of fronds (of the date palm) together with the sesame.
16 Send me (also) twenty fine, perfect upper ribs. b) Do not neglect the field.
18 Moreover ... c) shall not be placed. 20 Do me a favor and I will do you one
in return. 22 Do not be careless about the rear-ox, d) provide it with good
fodder so that its condition does not give concern. e) 26 I will ask Iddin-
Adad for a report on the condition of the rear-ox (and) 27 if its condition is
worrisome, he will tell you so. 28 I will not again write to you. 30 You and
me, let us do (each other) favors! :f) 32 Send me 60 talents of frond-leaves.

104. a) The same writer and addressee in 10, 163, where 1. 19ff. are comparable
with our 1. 5ff., while both letters also deal the harrassment sufferedby the addresse
(1. 10 and 23ff.). Of the other letters of Ilima-ilum, addressed to Idd1(nos. 73-75),
no. 73 mentions some of the same persons (Dumuq-Samas and Nabi-Ilabrat) and
issues as our letter.
105. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. kapadum. b) See for 1. 12ff., Landsberger, Date
Palm, 1la, Db and 27ff., and for zinu, "ribs", also 6, 57:23 and CAD Z 124a, 1 b 2';
wa~itam is an adverbial acc. c) Not understood, either appuna-ma la ta- etc., or at-
ta- etc., or appuna ma-la ta- etc. d) Landsberger' s proposal la bu-ri-im (MSL 8/1
43 ad 290), which could not be checked by collation, was not acceptedby CAD A/II
289b, d 2' a', and one would have expected *la berem. Note, however, that egum
assum + noun seems to be unattested elsewhere. e) See Lexical Notes s.v.
nazaqum. t) The imp. plural dummiqa is remarkable, since the writer in a way
addresses himself, we would have expected *i nudammiq.
96 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

106. AO 6343. TCL 17 Pl. XLI No. 52.

1 a-na ni-id-na-tum 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dna-bi-um-na-r:;i-ir-ma 4 du tu u

dm a rd u k l[i-ba-a]l-li-tu-ka 5 i-na qa-ti [x-(x)-d]bu-ne-ne sa-ki-nim 6 0.4.3

z u. I [um x] z u. I um 7 mi-da-at su-ku-u[n-n]e-em Ii-di-ma 8 a-na su-tu-
um a-na s am r:;i-pa-tim9 a-na 0.1.4 z u .1 um su-um-hi-ir-su 10 r:;i-bu-utr:;i-
pa-tim ma-di-is i-su 11 as-su-mi-ia u 4 . 2 . k am ri-iq-ma 12 r:;i-pa-tamsu-a-ti
sa-ma-am-ma lo. e 13 su-bi-lam rev. 14 sum-ma a-hi at-ta i-na ki-na-tim 15 a-na
sa as-pur-ak-kum 16 ni-di a-hi-im la ta-<ra>-as-si-ma 17 i-na an-ni-tim at-hu-
ut-ka lu-mur 118 a-nu-um-ma ri-im-di s k u r 19 at-tar-da-ak-kum 20 a-di ta-sa-
am-ma-am 21 u-lu u 4 . 2 . k am u-lu u 4 . 3 . k am 22 a-di ta-sa-am-mu-ma
23 ta-na-ad-di-na-as-sum 24 Ii-qf-ka

107. AO 6696. TCL 17 Pl. XLII No. 53. a)

1 a-na da-nu-um-mu-ba-lf-it 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dm a rd u k -na-$ir-ma 4

dEN.ZUu du tu li-ba-li-tu-ka 5 e dEN.ZU ru1 dn in.gal! (PA) sa-lim 6 u

u rim ki sa-lim as-sum hu-ub-tim sa a-ah-hi-ia 8 ki-i-ma nu-ma-tum sa it-
7
ta-na-[a]h1-ba-lu 9 nu-ma-ti-ma u-ul ti-d[e-e 1 10 nu-ma-su-nu ti-zi 1bLib-ma 11
rte1 -er-su 1-nu-si-im-ma b) 12 [wa-a]r 1-ka-ti u rim ki lo. e. 13 u I a rs am ki la-a
ip-pa-lar-ra-as rev. 14 a-bu-um i-x* [a-hi-i]m 15 li-ib-b[a* x] x [x] 16 a-nu-um-
ma *PBI[xJ ka xx 17 dub -pf us-ta 1-bi-la-kum 18 Iu-u 0.0.1 di\KI)-is-pa-am 19
lu-u 0.1.0 z u .1 um dam-qu-tim 20 a-na ni-din-tim su-bi-lam-ma 21 mi-im-
ma sa ha-as-ha-a-ti 22 Iu-sa-bi-la-ak-kum

107. a) Obverse now almost umeadable. b) Taking SA+HI as a malformed ZI.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 97

106. AO 6343. Ebeling 38-39.

Speak to Nidnatum: Thus says Nabium-na~ir. 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 6 270 litres of dates are in the possession of ...-
Bunene, a) the date contractor. Let him deliver ... dates according to the
measure used for estimating (the dates on the trees) 9 and make him accept
(it) as sutu-tax b) for the purchase of $ippatu-fibres c) (for (a value of) 100
quarts of dates. 10 I have a great need of $ippatu-fibres. 11 Take two days off
d) for my sake to buy and send me those fibres! 14 If you truly are my
brother, do not be negligent in the matter I wrote you about! 17 Let me
experience in this your brotherly attitude! 18 I have now dispatched Rim-
Adad to you in anticipation of your purchase. 24 Let him wait for you e) two
or three days until you can buy it and give it to him.

107. AO 6696. Ebeling 39-40.

Speak to Anum-muballit: Thus says Marduk-na$ir. 4 May Sin and Samas
grant you good health. 5 The temple of Sin and Ningal are well and the city
of Ur is well. 7 As regards the robbery committed on my brothers, don't you
know that the household goods which they are accustomed to use a) belong
to me? 10 Their own household goods ... 11 give back to them b) to prevent
an investigation from being made about Ur and Larsa. 14 They must ... each
other ..... 16 ......... Herewith I am sending Bl... with my letter to you. 20 Let
him bring me as a gift either 10 quarts of honey or 60 quarts of fine dates
and 22 I will send you whatever you need.

106. a) Reading [dlSe-rum-1-ff is possible, but DINGIR does not fill the lacuna. b) If
the sutu-tax (ana sutum taken as pleonastic ana + locative) attested in connection
with dates, is meant, the figure in 1. 9, 1/3 kor, equal to one-third of the real value,
could makes sense (see M. Stol, JCS 34 [1982] 148) and we might restore [1.0.0
g u r] in the lacuna in 1. 6. Less likely W.R. Mayer, OrNS 72 (2003) 382, 2, who
takes the beginning of line 8 as "As for the Sutean", a forgrounded object of
sum!Jir). c) See for $ippatum Lexical Notes s.v. d) Contra CADS 203b I take ri-
iq-ma as an imperative, parallel to siimamma. e) li-qf-ka, from qu::i::ium.
107. a) CAD N/ll 335b, ittana!Jbalu, "which they keep stealing", as a passive form
is impossible and the tablet has no AH. I propose to read [A]B (the obv. of the
tablet has much deteriorated and is difficult to read) and take wabiilu Gtn as "to
handle, to use". b) See note b to the transcription.
98 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

108. AO 6699. TCL 17 PL XLIII No. 54. a)

1 a-na du tu -[x x x] 2 [qi-bi]-ma 3 um-m[a ib]-nib) -e-a Ku R RA [x-m]a 4
du tu dm a rd u k u dn in. sub u r 5 as-sum-ia da-ri-is u 4 -mi 6 li-ba-al-li-
¢-ka 7 as-sum a-wi-le-e du mu . mes I bad - ti bi r a ki 8 sa mah-ri-i-ka
wa-as-bu 9 Pap-lum rin1-na-di-ir-l ma 1 10 ka-rum sa mah-ri-ia 11 wa-asJbu 1 -u
12 ki-a-am iq-bu-nim 13 [u]m-[m]a su-nu-ma lo. e. 14 ra1 -wi-le-e x-ta-su-nu
15 la tu-qa-at-ti 16 i-x [x x x] s u . ha. mes rev. 17 a-na UD a-na sar-ri-im
18 tam-nu-u-ma a-na x x x di 19 dub -pi us-ta-bi-lam-ma 20 a-wi-le-e su-nu-
u-ti 21 u PA.PA.mes -ka 22 i-na bi-ri-su-nu x 23 1/3 ma. n a k u. b ab bar
x-ni-i-ma? 24 s i m ku6ka. mar<ku6> u ku 6 . a.ab.< ba > 25 ra1 -na ta-ma-ar-
ti-ka 26 li-qi-a-am-ma it-ti s[ar-r]i-i[m] 27 na-an- mi-ir 28 u-ku-ul-tam sa tu-
sa-bi-lam u. e. 29 e-a - an . du 1-li a-na sar-r[i-im] 30 u-se-ri-im-ma su-um-ka
31 nu zu [x xx] x 1.e. 32 [xx] xx [x] ka la tax [xx] 33 [xx] x za xx [xx]

109. AO 6700. TCL 17 PL XLN No. 55. a)

1 a-na l-li-i-qi-sa-am [qi-bi-ma] 2 um-ma i-bi-du tu a-hu-ka-m[a] 3 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 4 u-ul ti-di-i ki-ma u-la-nu-uk-ka 5 a-ha-am la i-
su-u 6 u-ul ti-di-i ki-ma ma-tum ka-lu-sa 7 sa dm a rd u k u sa-am-su-i-lu-na
1u g a 1 8 is-tum u . 7 . k am. am i-na k a. ding i r. r a ki 9 wa-as-ba-a-ku-
u-ma 10 di-a-ha-ti u-ul ta-sa-al 11 u di-a-ha-at il-ki-ka u-ul ta-sa-al 12 a-nu-
um-ma as-tap-ra-[ku]m 13 5 gin k u. b ab bar su-bi-[lam] 14 u-ul tu-sa-ba-
Iam lo. e. 15 u-la il-x x (two lines broken) rev. 18 [x xx xx xx] x 19 [x xx] x a-na
[sa]r-ri-im 20 [at-he]-e-em-ma 21 [(x) a-na] se-pi-su am-qu-ut-ma 22 [x xx] ia
[xx] x 23 [x xx] x-la-am 24 1/2 gin [k u]. b ab bar -ma 25 tug. b a [r. s]i
sa tu-sa-bi-la-am 26 u-x x ru-x-ma 27 1 tug su-bi-lam 28 a-nu-um-ma ip-qu-
ia-tum 29 it-ti u g u I a mar.tu it-ta-al-ka-kum 30 ~i-im-da-as-su-u-ma 31
k u. b ab bar u 1 tug su-bi-[la]m u. e. 32 Pip-qu-ia-tum ma-[x x (x)] 33 e-
ri-su-u-ma u-ul x [x x] 34 [s]a tu-sa-bi-la-am-ma 35 id-di-nam L e. 36 [l]u-u
hu-se-e 37 1 ma. n a 38 lu-u 1 pa-sa-am 39 su-bi-lam

108. a) Tablet has disintegrated, not collated. b) Or restore [GE6]-U-.

109. a) The tablet has disintegrated and could not be collated. Note the use of GU
for quin line 21, but KU= quin line 28.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 99

108. AO 6699. Ebeling 40.

Speak to Samas- ... : Thus say [lb]ni-Ea the [ ].4 May Samas, Marduk and
Jlabrat for my sake grant you forever good health. 7 As regards the men,
citizens of Bad-Tibira, who are in your service, 9 Aplum became annoyed, a)
10 whereupon the kiirum, which is stationed with me, 12 spoke as follows: 14
"These men, you have not finished their ..." l6 As for the ... of the
fishermen, (which) you delivered b) as provisions to the king, 19 I have now
sent a tablet of mine to ....... 20 These men and your captains, collect c)
among them 1/3 mina of silver. 24 Take "swallow-fishes", kamaru-fishes
and salt-water-fishes along as your gift and 27 have an audience with the
king. 29 Ea-~uliili has brought the food which you sent me to the king and
your name ..... . d)

109. AO 6700. Ebeling 40-41.

Speak to Hi-iqisam: Thus says Tobi-Samas, your brother. 3 May Samas and
Marduk grant you good health. 4 Don't you know that I have no brother
apart from you? 6 Don't you know that the whole of the country belongs to
Marduk and Samsu-iluna the king? a) 8 Since seven years I live in Babylon,
but you have never shown any concern for me or for your service. 12 I have
now written to you: Send me 5 shekels of silver. 14 If you do not send it to
me ... not ...
(lines 15b to 19a too broken for a translation)
l9 I approached the king and threw myself at his feet and b) ... 24 it was 1/2
shekel of silver. 25 The shawl which you sent me ... 27 Send me one
garment. 2 8 Ipquyatum has just left for you in the company of the general. 30
Make him ready and send with him the silver and one garment. 33 I
asked Ipquyatum for ... 33 but he did not ... , but he gave me what you had
made him take along. 36 Send me either metal scraps, one mina, or one axe.

108. a) Reading uncertain; PAp-lum sag in a DI xx, "the governor Aplum ....." is
perhaps also possible. b) If indeed manum ana, which can mean "to deliver to" and
"to charge something to somebody". c) One expects an imperative, parallel to
liqiamma (1. 26), but the verb is not clear. d) Perhaps "we mentioned your name
name" (as donor), but I cannot make sense of the traces.
109. a) See Sommerfeld, Marduk, 75 with note 3. These lines are an argument for
condemning his brother's behaviour: communication should have been no problem!
b) See 11, 15:6f. and no. 128: 17f.
100 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

110. AO 6730. TCL 17 Pl. XLV-XLVI No. 56. a)

1 a-na a-ia-*x x 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma se-rum-l-li-ma 4 du tu u dn in .
s i 4 1 • an. n a as-sum-ia 5 mu. s a r. k am li-ba-al-li-tu-ki 6 sa-al-ma-ku
su-lum-ki su-up-ri-im 7 as-sum Pbi-tu-u 8 u sa-at-<lEN.ZU 9 ta-ra-di-im as-pu-
ra-ki-im 10Pli-is-ta-si-im-dingir lu.sa-gu4 1l as-pu-ra-kim 12am-mi-nim
it-ti-su-u 13 la ta-at-ru-di-is-si-<na-ti> 7 14 an-ni-ki-a-am i-na a-li wa-as-ba-
k[u] 15 u lu.sa.gu4.mes 16 is-di-ia tu-uq-ta-al-li-li 17 *dannana XX us-
ta-ma-ha-ra-am-ma 18 19
e-ru-ba-am-ma i-nu-ma r:;a-bu-um a-na a-*ka-li-im
a-ka-li-im 20 a-na-ku-u a-na bi-ti-im i-na e-re-bi-lia 21pa- ni-ia u-la-wa-a-ma
at-ta-ti- al 22 *i[s-t]u it i 3 . k am ki/su-ma su-mi 23 li-[i]b-bi an-ni-ti-im li-
ta-si-i 24 rAN 1-x 1 -nu-um di-ni it-ti-k[i] 25 l[i]-di-in lo. e. 26 [x] ta-ma-ar ki-i-
ma x [x (x)] 27 i-na ba-ta-at ma ❖ [x (x)] 28 ki-i-ma la ri-x [x x (x)] rev. 29 ta-
as-ta-li u [x xx x] 30 am-mi-ni mi-mu-ki [x xx] x 31wa-ar-ka-ti la rta-ap-ru 1 -
si20(SI) 32 ra 1 -na r:;e-e[r wa-ar-k]a*-ti la ta-ap-ru-si 20 33 [x] d an n a na
1u . h u n . g a a-na reJ~u 5 (HU)-tim] 34 u 4 8 . k am a-gu-ra-am-ma 35 re-qu-
su-u tu-ta-ri-im 36 as-sum is-tu it i 3 . k am e ta-di-i 37 *pi-qa-at a-na ma-
ame-ma-an 38 ni-di 1-<in> pi-im ta-ar-ta-si-i 39 um-ma at-ti-i-ma 40 ma-ar-ti
lu-ud-di-kum-ma a-hu-uz 41 Pse-rum-l-li 42 is-tu i-na-a[n-n]a a-na 1 a rs am ki
43u-ul i-la-[k]a-am ta-aq 1-bi-i 44 *a-wa-at pi-i-[ki] u-ul u-qa-la-al 45x (x)* si-
i-ma l[i-i]b-ba-si-i_r a1 -l[a]m 46 a-nu-um-ma Pli-is-ta-si-im-d in g i r 47 u
dEN.ZU-ma-gir 1u . s a. g u 4 48 sa at-ta-ar-da-k[i-i]m 49 1 tug g i bi l 1
tug u-tup-lum g i bi 1 50 ma-ah-ra-am n a 4 . u r 5 pi-i-sa-am 51 sa a-li-a-bu-
sa u-sa-bi-l[a]m 52 u tu-ka-na-am sa *g i. x [(x)] 53 su-bi-li-im 54 a-wi-lu-u
*O.1.O s e a.bi ma-ah-ru 55 la ta-ka-l[i]-su-nu-ti u. e. 56 lu ti-de-e 57 ma-di-
is ta-ap-ta-ra-ki-ni-ma

110. a) Long, narrow tablet, 11,6 x 4,9 ems. b) The scribe uses two forms of the
sign PI, the one normal (lines 14, 38, 44b, and 50), the other shaped like PA (lines 31,
37 and 44a).
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 101

110. AO 6730. Ebeling 41-43.

Speak to Aja-...: Thus says Serum-ili. 4 May Samas and Ninsianna a) for my
sake grant you (fem.) good health for countless years. 6 I am well, send me
your greetings. 7 As regards Bitu and Sat-Sin, I wrote you to dispatch them
(to me) b) 10 (and) I sent Listasim-ili, the ox-driver to you - 12 why did you
not send them c) to me with him? 14 Here, in the town where I live and
(among) the ox-drivers you have now damaged my status! l7 With
difficulty ... , while trying to uphold my status, d) 18 I entered (the town) and
when the workers (are going) e) to eat their meal 20 I, when entering the
house wrap my face and lay myself down. f) 22 Since three months ... let this
(woman) constantly desire (it/him). g) 24 The god .... should judge the case I
have with you. h) 26 [/] have seen that ... 29 you have asked and ... why
everything of you ... 31 you have not taken my matter up i) (and) on top of
not having taken my matter up, 33 when I had, with great difficulty,
managed to hire somebody to work as herdsman for eight days, you sent
him back to me empty-handed! 36 As for the fact that you have given up the
house since three months, was it perhaps because you have made a promise
to somebody? j) 39 Thus you said: "I will give you my daughter, marry
(her)!" 41 "Serum-ili henceforth will no longer come to Larsa," you said. 44
I will not scorn the words you spoke, ... may arise for me. 46 Now, as for
Listasim-ili and Sin-magir, the ox-driver(s), which I have dispatched to you
- 49 one new garment, one new utuplu-garrnent, k) 50 a spade, a (lower)
mill-stone l) (and) a winnowing shovel m) 51 which Ali-abusa sent to me,
and the bag of ..., 53 send them to me. 54 The men have already received 60
litres of barley, their wages. 55 Do not detain them. 56 Take warning, (since)
you have seriously hindered me!

110. a) See for Ninsianna, Lexical Notes. b) The construction of 7f. mixes up
*assum tariidim aspur and *tariidam aspur. c) Emendation to -si-<na-ti> sugges-
ted by Kouwenberg. d) See for danna Lexical Notes s.v.; sutam!Jurum, "to
compete with" (itti or ana, see J.-M. Durand in Melanges Perrot [1990], 102f., A
3080:23f.), here probably "to assert one's rank". e) Omission of erebum or
wasiibum? f) See Lexical Notes s.v. itulum; notwithstanding the long vowels in a-
na-ku-u and u-la-wa-a-ma, the sentence probably is not a question. g) li-ta-si-i,
precative Gtn (with subject libbum, cf. CAD N/II 105a) or Gt, "to depart" (CAD
N/II 103, b). h) See Lexical Notes s.v. d[num; at the beginning of 24 perhaps
ding i r m[i]-nu-um. i) Contra M.B. Rowton, INES 21 (1962) 258, no. 197. j) I
follow with hesitation AHw 786, nidnu(m), 3 (ref. Stol); see for nidin pfm rasum
ana, 9, 1:9. k) See for ufuplum I, 66: 6' and J.-M. Durand, ARMT 21 (1983) 403-
406. l) CADS 219 s.v. semeru, considers NA4 .HARa variant of single ha r,
102 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

111. AO 6731. TCL 17 Pl. XLVII No. 57. a)

1 ~-na dEN.ZU-[x]4 [x xx] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma dfi-im-dEN.[ZU-xx (x)]-su-
ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-[li-it-ka] 5 e-pe-sum sa *t[e-pu-su] rda 1-mi-i-iq 6 as-sum
ma?*-ha-[ri-i]m 7 ki-a-am riq1-[bu]-kum 8 um-ma su-nu-u-ma [i-nu-ma] ni-
ma-ha-ru 9 si-ib-ta-am *sa-d[u-up-ta]-am 10 *e-ni-is-[ta-am] 11 u nu-pu-!!h-
ta 1-am rx u-ul] ni-ma-ha-ar 12 *rx-bu-r[u]-um 1 13 at-t[a] xx am [x]-ma 14 a-
na *[du] tu - na-~i-ir r a.gab a 15 a-na 1 su-ta-[x x]-ma* 16 u [x x 1 a-na ma-
ha-~f *lax x-su* 17 e-z[i-x xx x (x)] rx xx] 18 *r a.gab a [x xx xx xx] 19
sa-am-ma DU um x su x* [x] 20 na-a-ra-am [x x x *l]i-re-u 21 at-ta u-ul ti-
[d]e-[e] 22 at-ta e-pf-[is X x] sa[r-ri-i]m 23 sa a-sa-ri-is wa 1-as-ba-a-t[i] 24 a-
na im-me-er-tim 25 la e-ni-is-tim sa-du-up-tim 26 u nu-pu-uh-tim 27 la ma-ha-
ri lu-u wa-as-ba-a-ti 28 a-na en-se 20 -tim rev. 29 su-um-hu-ri-im wa-as-ba-a-at
30 at-ta a-na i-di sar-ri-im 31 ta-ap-pa-al 32 a-na i-di u-tu-ul-la-tim 33 ta-ap-
pa-al 34 pa-na-nu-um i-nu-u-ma 35 pdEN.ZU-ma-gir36 u 8 . u du . hi . a im-
hu-ru-su-nu-ti 37 7 su-si s e . g u r a-na ki-sa-ti-si-na 38 il-qe a-na 3 u 8 .
u du . hi. a 39 <sa> i-na hu-nu-qf-im i-mu-u-tu 40 u a-na la *ka-as-di-im 41
*bi-ri-tim ru-ka-an-nu 1 42 iJx 1[x x] rx1[x x (x)] x 43 sa-di-ta-am *ri1-[n]a qa-
ti-su1 44 ri-ma-ah 1-ha-ru-u-su 45 ki-ma pa-na-nu-um 1s-*hu-tu-su-nu-ti 46 i-
na-an-na i-ZA-ah-*ha-tu-su-ma 47 u 8 .u du . hi . a da-am-qa-tim *i-x-x-ku-u
48 uki-sa-sf-na u-sa-da-nu-u-su 49 at-ta u-ul ti-de-e 50 ki-ma u 8 . u du . hi . a
si-na-ti 51 a-na-ku-u-ma na-si-a-ku 52 u 8 . u du . hi . a da-am-qa-tim i-di-in
53 pa-ag-ra-am la ta-na-di-in 54 ki-ma i-na *bi-it xx rim1 55 hi-ti-tum la ib-ba-
as-su 56 a-na a-wa-at ta-ad-*bu-bu u. e. 57 a-na e . g a 1-lim lu-uq-bi 58 a-pa-
al-si-na u-ul *te-l[e]-l~e(HI)59 me-he-er un-ne-du-uk-[ki-ia] 60 su-bi-lam
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 103

111, AO 6731. Ebeling 43-44.

Speak to Sm- ... : Thus says Rim-Sin- ...su. a) 4 May Samas grant you good
health. 5 What you did is fine! b) 6 As regards the taking delivery c) they
spoke, to you in the following terms: "When we take delivery we do not
accept 9 oId, ... , d) we ak or bl own up ewes... 13 you to ... -na~rr, - . th e
rakbum, to treat [him/the matter lightly] and to fell ... 18 the rakbum ... 19
[Jfyoufindlneed] grass 20 [let them cross] the river and graze. 21 Don't you
know (that) you are the executor of the king's .... 23 who has ...... 23 who has
been stationed over there. 27 Be in attendance to prevent that 24 any ewe
which is <<not>> e) weak, ...,d) or blown up is accepted. 28 Are you
stationed (there) to let weak ones be accepted? 31 You are responsible to f)
the king (and) you are responsible to the managers of the herds. 34
Previously when Sin-magir accepted the sheep from them, g) 37 he acquired
4200 kor of barley as their fodder. 38 They established ... for 3 sheep which
had died through constriction 40 and for insufficient (numbers) ... 43 they
will receive from his hand ... 45 Justlike they ... h) them previously they will
... h) (them) now and 47 they will select the sheep of good quality and collect
from him i) their fodder. 49 Don't you know that I am the one who bears the
responsibility for these sheep? 52 Give me sheep of good quality, don't give
me an emaciated one, so that there occur no failures in the ... j) building. 56 I
will talk to the palace on the basis of the matter you discussed. 58 You are
unable to answer for it (the sheep). 60 Send me an answer to my letter.

111. a) Closely related to YOS 15, 23 (its 1. 20-25 are identical to our 1. 30-33), a
letter from dRim-Srn-dNinurta-uballitsuto Ea-~illi,which also deals with selection
end acceptance, but 1. 3 is too short for his long name. b) One expects sat[e-pu-
su], but the lacuna is too small. c) Collation supports $Ubarim, but mabarim, "to
receive", the issue of the letter, makes better sense. d) See Lexical Notes s.v.
sadblpum. e) See for problematic la and for 1. 28f. as a question, Lexical Notes s.v.
ensum. t) ana idi is often used like simple ana, see CAD 1/J 13 idu A 2 b 2'. g)
The king and the managers of the herds. h) $abatum (a/u), "to extract a liquid, to
press", does not fit; the verb designates the action that precedes or leads to the
selection of 1. 47. i) Refers to Sin-miigir. j) See note d to transliteration.
104 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

112. AO 6732. TCL 17 Pl. XL VIII No. 58.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-a-a-ba-as 2 sa dm a rd u k u-ba-al-la-¢-su 3 qi-bf-ma 4 um-ma
a-hu-wa-qar-ma 5 du tu u dn in. sub u r da-ri-is u 4 -mi 6 li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 7
as-sums e -e-em sa Pb a 1-a 8 tu-sa-bi-lam 9 ~u-ha-ri sa is-tu su-ub-ti-ia 10 *sa
k a u rim ki sa ma-har su-ti-i 11 wa-as-ba-a-ku 12 a-na 1 a rs am ki as-ta-na-
ap-pa-ra-as-su 13 ki-ma 1.0.0 g u r s e -a-am Pb a 1-a tu-sa-bi-lam 14 iq-bi-a-
am 15 a-nu-um-ma Pl-lf-ib-ni-a-ni 16 k u . b ab b a r us-ta-bi-la-ak-kum
17s e-a-am sa k u. b ab bar ma-la ub-ba-la-ak-kum 18u si-it-ti s e-e-em sa
*x x a) lo. e. 19 ik-su-da-an-ni 20 gi~ma sa qe-er-bi-ka *a-gu[r-ma] b) rev.
21 [s]u-ta-a~-bi-it-[ma] 22 rki1 -ma itig u 4 . s [i . s a x x x] rx-im 1 *ra-na 1
23 [SES].UNUokisu-uk-si-dam-ma 24 [ki]-is-sa-ti sa ka-as-sa-*ap-ti c) 25 [x]-
pu-il26 *[dp] a 4 • n umun. KA dnin. su bur d) 27u [dn] in. gfr. su mi-
im-ma u-ul na-du-ni-in-ni 28 ki-m[a t]i-du-u-ma 29 *su-[un-qu-u]m ib-ba-as-
si 30 *a-b[a-al-l]u-ut u gi-mil-la-ka 31 u-ta-a-ar 32 Pa-hu-*ta-bu l . du 8 sa be-
lf-ia 33 u a-wi-le-e sa ti-du-u 34 si-ta-:ij.A-al-ma 35 te 4-ma-am 1(DAM)
*dam 1(AM)-qa-am su-up-ra-am 36 dub -pf si-me-e-ma hi-pf 37 dub -pf ma-Ii
u-sa-ab-ba-la-ak-kum 38 la ta-na-a~-~a-ar u. e. 39 u pi-qa-at pdEN.ZU-re-me-ni
40 a-sar wa-as-bu a-na e . dub . b a 41 a-na ~e-ri-ka i-re-ed-*du-ni-lis-su 1. e.
42 la te-gi-i-su 2 s l l a k as li-is-ti

113. AO 6736. TCL 17 Pl. XLIX No. 59.

1 [a]-na i-din-dEN.Z[U] 2 [q]f-bf-ma 3 um-ma li-iq-tum-<<tum>>-ma 4 du tu
li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5 e-li a-wa-ti-im an-ni-tim 6 a-wa-tum sa-ni-tum 7 su-um-ru-
us-tum i-ba-as-si 8 pdEN.zu-a-sa-re-ed a-hu-su 9 1 m a . n a k u . b ab b a r u
5 g f n *k u . g [i] 10 u-sa-bi-lam-m[a] 11 um-ma su-u-m[a] 12 *u 4 -ma-ti te4-
ni-i[m] 13 li-mu-*x [(x)] 14 a-wi-lum u-ul sa a-*r[a]-ar-ri 15 ~f-ri-im-su-um 16
li-si-~u-ni-is-s[u] 17 i-na i-wi-tim la i-ma-at 18 ur-ra-am u-ul ta-la-am-ma-ad
19ki-i-ma a-di-i-ni la zi-i-zu 20 a-wa-tum hu-ur-ru-mu-um hu-ru-ma 21

112. a) These damaged signs are not b a I. a. b) Alternative reading: saqe-er-bi

k a id. [ d a J. c) The word is written over erasures; the two Winkelhaken drawn
by Dossin in AB belong to the sign KUM at the end of line 17. d) Erasure of -0
written again at the beginning of 1. 17.
 LETTERSIN THE LOUVRE 105

112. AO 6732. Ebeling 45-46.

Speak to Sin-ajabiis, whom Marduk grants health: Thus says Ahu-waqar. 5
May Samas and Ilabrat grant you forever good health. 7 As for the barley
which_you had Balii bring me - 9 my servant, 12 whom I always send to
Larsa from my post - which is the gate of Ur, where I am stationed opposite
the Suteans - 13 told me that you had sent Balii with one kor of barley to me.
15 I have now sent you silver with Ili-ibnianni. 17 Barley for the whole
amount of silver he is bringing you and the rest of the barley, which ... has
accrued to me - 20 rent a) a boat in your proximity, make it ready and as
soon as the second month is past b) let it reach me in Ur. 24 The fodder
of/which the witch c) ... , Panumunaka,d) Ilabrat and Ningirsu have not let me
down! 28 As you know there will be a famine, but when I survive I will
repay the favor you bestowed on me. 32 Interrogate Ahu-tiibu, the gate-
keeper of my lord, and the men you know, each of them and send me a
positive report! 36 Destroy my letter after you have read it. 37 Do not
preserve any of the letters I am sending you. 39 Moreover, perhaps one will
bring Sin-remeni from the place where he lives to you, to the edubba. 42 Do
not be remiss towards him, let him drink two quarts of beer.

113. AO 6736. Ebeling 46.

Speak to Iddin-Sin: Thus says Liqtum. 4 May Samas grant you health. 5 Is
there anything more terrible than this? a) 8 Sin-asared, his b) brother, sent me
1 mina of silver and 5 shekels of gold, and said: 12 "The days of grinding
must [come to an end], c) the man does not belong to the millers. 15 Apply
yourself for him to get him out , 17 he must not die due to fraud. d) 18 Save
yourself from having to learn tomorrow that he has not yet received his
share in the division. 20 However much the affair is covered up, e) you will

112. a) Or: "make a boat ready in the proximity of the mouth of the canal".
b) Hypothetical reconstruction, reading [la]-ma, "before", instead of [ki]-ma, but
[u 4 x k am] or constructions with nasii!Jum, etequm, or erebum in the break are
also possible. c) See collations, and for "witch". Lexical Notes s.v. d) The traces
traces in 1. 25 might hide a fork of supelum, "to exchange". See for the god
Panumunaka, Lexical Notes s.v.
113. a) Or "Could ... happen?". b) In his emotion the writer fails to identify the
person he is writing about. c) I have no convincing proposal for the last (two)
sign(s) of this line, neither R[U-...] nor D[U-....] are possible. The work as miller
apparently (see 1. 26f.) meant forced labour as penalty. d) See for iwitum also
Etudes Garelli, 168 A 96:4' and ARMT 26/2, 404:53. e) See JCS 11 (1957) 81b,
s.v. hariimu, "held up"; CAD A/ll 40, 5, b, "kept in complete secrecy",cf. 230, b, 5.
106 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ta-la-ma-is-sf-na-ti 22 ri1-na a-la-k:i-im rev. 23 sa-la-as-ti-su-nu 24 il-le-qu-u 2 5

si-na u-ta-as-si-ru 26 sa-a-ti i-na *pi-ti-iq-tim 27 ik-ta-lu-u 28 a-ah-ka la ta-
na'(AS)-ad-di 29 ~f-ri-im-ma su-~f-a-as-su (restofrev. uninscribed)

114. AO 6739. TCL 17 Pl. L No. 60.

1 a-na l-H-ba-ni-i 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dm a rd u k -mas-su-*ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 as-sum te 4 -em na-sa-hi-im sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 6
[u]m-ma at-ta-ma 7 us-ha-am-ma at-la-kam a-wa-at na-ak-ri-im 8 im-qu-ta-
ni-a-si-im-ma i-na u r u ki *si-ri-im-tumki 9 ba-ka-tim sa u-pa-hi-ru *hal-qa-a
*hal-qa-a 10 sa ae-di u 4 -mi-im an-ni-im i-na mu-uh-hi-si-na 11 ar-ta-bi-~u
um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 12 [x] x l]i-ib-ba-su *x x x 13 [u 4 -m]a-at u 4 . 1 0. k am
u-ul *x X [x] X lo. e. 14 u 1 g f n k u . b ab bar it-ti dam. gar *el-qe 1 15
Se -a-am a-sa-am-ma a-ta-ka-al rev. 16 U Ur U ki sa wa-as-ba-ku *li-bu-su XX
17 a-na at-lu-k:i-im pa-ni-ia as-ku-na-am-ma 18 10 s a r sum. s a r as-ku-
um-ma u-ki-il-ma 19 ma-am-ma-an u-ul im-hu-*ra-an-ni 20 sum . s a r
a . s a ka-lu-ni-in-ni 21 as-sum pdb a. u -mah 22 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am zi-ka-

rum sa *le-qu-u 23 as-su-mi-su ~a-la-la u-ul *~a-la-ak i-da-liJpa-an-ni]* 24

~e-eh-he-ru-tu sa i-na mu-uh-hi-ia-ma 25 *uh-hu-ru 1 pf-qa-at i-la-ka-ak-kum
26 te-ri-*iq-tam a-na ma-am-ma-an 27 la ta-na-di-in 28 sum . s a r -ia a-na-pa-
al-ma u. e. 29 a-la-kam e-pu-sa-am

115. AO 6741. TCL 17 Pl. LI No. 61. a)

1 a-na be-la-ni-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma di-sum-u-*ZA-x-ma 4 du tu 1 u dEN.ZU
as-sum-ia 5 a-n[a d]a-ri-a-tim 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-u-ka 7 a-wi-lum sa 1.0.0 g u r
s e -a-am 8 iq-bi-a-am 0.0.5 s e 1-a-am i-di-nam-ma 9 [u] si-ta-am a-na sa-he-
e 10 [xx] *x-hu 11 [x xx xx x 1 an-ni-k:i-a-am 12 [x xx xx] *ul i-di-nam 13 [x

115. a) Coarse script, many erasures and misshapen signs.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 107

learn about it. 22 Upon their arrival the three of them were arrested, 25 two
of them have been released, but him they have detained in the mud-brick
enclosure. f) 28 Don't fail to apply yourself to get him out!

114. AO 6739. Ebeling 46-47.

Speak to Iff-biini: Thus says Marduk-massu. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you health. 5 As for the matter of breaking up, about which you wrote
me in the following terms: 7 "Come here immediately,b) news about the
enemy has reached us and in the town of Sirimtum c) 9 the .... d) ,which I had
gathered ...... and had always carefully guarded e) until this very day, of
them I said/thought "[Whatever] he liked he has carried off!". 13 For a full
ten days I did not ...... I borrowed one single shekel of silver from a
merchant to buy barley and thus I could eat. 16 And the town where I am
staying [has lost all] courage, 17 hence I decided to go away. 18 Now I had
planted a plot of 360 m 2 of onions and I offered it (for sale), but nobody
wished to take it over from me. The onions in the field are detaining me. 21
As for Ba=>u-mah,about whom you wrote me, a boy who is an adoptee,
because of him I am deprived of all sleep and he keeps me awake. 24 As for
the minor crop which is my overdue obligation, f) perhaps he will come to
you. 26 Do no give the vegetable plots (in the garden) to anybody. I will dig
out my onions and then I will do my best to come to you.

115. AO 6741. Ebeling 47-48.

Speak to Beliinia: Thus says lsuatum. a) 4 May Samas and Sm grant you
forever health. 7 The gentleman who promised me 1 kor of barley has given
me (only) 1/6 kor of barley, for the rest [he had fed to] the pigs b) ... 11 here

113. f) Cf. AHw 869b, s.v. pitiltu, unlikely; I prefer with a slight emendatieons ina
pi-ti-iq'-tim ik-ta-lu'-u, "they have detained in a brick enclosure".
114. a) See for this name Sommerfeld,Marduk, 141, note 11 and 143 no. 84. b)
See the use of nasiihum, Kouwenberg,ZA 95 (2005) 81 note 9. c) Reading not cer-
tain, cf. collation, and correct the reading in Rep. geogr. 3 (1980) 223. d) Meaning
of ba-ka?-tim unkown. e) See Lexical Notes s.v. rabii$um. f) An attempt, instead
of CAD All 187a, 1, which reads a!J,-bu-zu, "even if his (entire) brotherhood
comes....". I take ina muhhi as referring to a liability, and see for uhhuru + ana +
infin. to express "still has to be ..." , JCS 11 (1957) 33, no. 25:12, barley [sa an]a
ana suddunim uhhuru, and 10, 177:23f.,eqlum ana makiirim uhhur.
115. a) The same address etc. in 10, 184, where the writer's name is a clear d/-sum-
u-a-tum, perhaps meant to render Isu"atum? Kouwenberg considers the possibility
of an original dJsum-usati(Stamm,Namengebung 212, but no OB example). b) SA
as first sign more probable than TA, which would yield ta-he-e, "substitutes".
 108 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

xx xx x 1 -ma 14 [x xx xx I]T-ka-ma 15 [x] xx [x x n]a-ka-*ma-at 16 [x xx x

x x x]-um 17 [x x x] ma *x x [x x] x 18 [x x x] *x s a . g a 1 *re-"i-ka 19 [ x
xx i]m* a-na-ku s e -a-am 1 rev. 20 [ma-l]i u-ku-le-e-ka 21 [u]-*se 20-li-a-ma 22
[se ]-um* i-na a-la-ki-im 23 [a]-na-ku a-la-ka-ku-ma 24 [s] e. nu mun u
s [a] . g a I 25 ta-na-di-nam-ma 26 a-la-kam 27 mi-im-ma la ta-na-su-us 28 a-
na ba-la-ti-ka-ma 29 ku-ru-ub 30 as-sum Pa-pil-dEN.ZU31 a. s a -lum id-da-al-
pa-ni 32 s e. nu mun saka-ra-si 33 *su-mi su-hu-ti-ni 34 u sa-ma-as-ki-li 35
su-bi-lam-ma 36 a-na *hi-t1.4l-tim*ap-la-an-ni

116. AO 6743. TCL 17 Pl. LIi No. 62. Two letters on one tablet.
1 1).-[napu]-~f-ia-tum 2 q[f]-bf-ma 3 [um-max x]-*~fJli1-ia-ma 4 d[x x as-su-

mi-i]a li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5 x [x xx xx a-pil]-*db a. u 6 [x xx xx x]-ka 7 [x xx

x] X *6.0.0 g Ur s e -a-am 8 [x X Xx] li-ib-lam 9 1 [x X XX x]-a 10 2 [x XX X X
x1 X 1l ~XX X x]-*am ZI-ka-li-im 12 X [x XX x]-a-ku-u 13 U [x XX x]-ri-im 14
ma-[x xx la] te-e-gi 15 P [x xx] *x-pf-ih-ma 16 a-[x xx] mu-lu 1-u 17 [x x]-am
x [k u].b ab bar la i-ba-as-si-i-ku-um rev. 18 *se1-er-ka-am is-te-en li-qe-e-
ma 19 a-na sa i-na pa-ni me-e 1 i-ta-1 na-la-ku 20 i-di-in-[m]a a. s a -lam mu-
*ku-ur 21 u *a-pil-db a. u la ta-ka-la-su-x (blank line with ruling)
22 a-na pu-~f-ia-tum 23 qf-bf-ma um-ma wa-aq-rum-ma 24 du tu as-sum-ia li-

ba-al-li-it-ka 25 is-tu-ma tu-us-ta-ak-li-lu-ma 26 mi-sa-ra-am tu-us-te-<<te>>-

ep-sa-am 27 mi-sa-ru-um a-na qa-ab-li-ia 28 ha-mi-is u-ba-na-tim 29 a-ri-ik 30
a-n[u]-um-ma Pa-da-a us-ta-bi-la-ak-ku-um 31 ha-mi-is u-ba-na-tim 32 li-qe-
ma 6-su-u-*ru1r 33 U si-e-ni sa-ma-am-ma34 su-bi-lam 35 ap-pu-tumi-na an-
ni-i-tim 36 a-hu-ut-ka a-ma-ar

117. AO 6744. TCL 17 Pl. LIii No. 63.

1 a-na i-din-e-a 2 du mu mu . b a 1 . n am . h e 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma ha-am-

mu-ra-bi-ma 5 a-nu-um-ma a-wi-le-e 6 a-na z 6 . s i . g a 7 sali-i-tim k i . ta

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 109

he did not give me ..... (1. 13-17 too fragmentary for translation). 18 .... the
fodder for ...... 19 I will produce all the barley of your food allowance and
when barley arrives 23 I myself will come to you and you can give me (in
retum) the seed-com and the fodder and 26 stop complaining about my
corning, c) rather pray for your own well-being! 30 As for Apil-Sin, the field
has given me sleepless nights. 32 Send me seed of leek, garlic, bulb-leek and
onions d) and be accountable to me for what is missing! e)

116. AO 6743. Ebeling 48-49. a)

1 Speak to Pu~iatum: Thus says .....-~illia. 4 May the god [ ] keep you in
good health for my [sake]. 5 ... Apil-Ba:,u ..... .7.....6 kor of barley .....
(lines 8-17 a too fragmentary for translation)
there will be no .....for you. 18 Take one string of fruit b) along for the one
who directs the (division of the) water, 20 give it (to him) and get the field
irrigated and do not detain Apil-Ba:,u.
22 Speak to Bu~iatum, thus W aqrum. 24 May Samas for my sake grant you
health. 25 After you had completely finished c) the belt for my waist, 28 it
proved to be five inches (too) long. 30 I have now sent it (back) to you with
Ada. 31 Shorten it by taking five inches off. 33 Moreover, buy a pair of
sandals and send them to me. 35 Please, let me experience in this that you
are my brother.

117. AO 6744. Ebeling 49

Speak tot Iddin-Ea, the son of Balmunamhe: a) 3 Thus says Hammurabi. 5
Herewith I dispatch to you men with the instruction 8 to carry out the shear-

115. c) Assuming that alakam is an indirect object of nasasum; taking it as allakam

is im- possible, since this would repeat line 23. d) See Lexical Notes s.v.
suhutinnum. e) Not ta-ba-tim, "vinegar", because in Southern Babylonia HI= ta is
uncommon and the second sign is not a good BA.
116. a) Two different letters addressed to the same man on one tablet here are
rather proof of cooperation between two writers than of an addressee making
archive copies. b) Rather serkam, "string of fruit", than zirkam, "?", with CAD Mil
125, 1, a, I'. c) I take tustakliluma + tustepsam (instead of tetepsam) as a
"Koppelung" with stem attraction, CAD S/III 224, b, maintains tustetepsam, but a
perfect of a St-stem seems unlikely.
117. a) A letter of almost the same contents, 4, 86, was sent by Hammurabi to
Samas-hai;;ir.
 110 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14
1
8 su-ub-qu-mi-im 9 u-wa-e-ra-am-ma 10 at-tar-dam 11 it-ti-su-~u lo. e. 12 i-zi-
iz-ma rev. 13 z u . s i . g a 14 su-ub-qf-im

118. AO 6745. TCL 17 Pl. LIII No. 64. a)

1 a-na a-ti-ia-a 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma a-hu-si-na-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k li-
ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 I u sar-ri-im 6 ar-hi-is u-ul ik-su-da-an-ni-ma 7 ul-ta-ap-pf-
tam 8 itis u . nu mun . a u 4 *rl2. k am 1 9 li-is-su-uh-[ma] 10 gisma.
l . dub gisma. g u r 8 11 gisma.hi. a sa i-ba-as-si-a 12 li-i~-mi-du- nim-
ma rev. 13 li-ir-ka-bu-n[i]m-[m]a 14 a-la-kam li-pu-su-nim 15 gisma du mu -
er-~e-tim 16 ki-ir-ra-a-sa su-pu-uk-ma 17 ra-na ia 1 -si-im 18 rli-iP-li-kam

119. AO 6751. TCL 17 Pl. LIV No. 65. a)

1 a-na din an n a. ding i r. mu 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-i-qf-sa-am-ma
4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5 as-sum 3 tug . hi . a *ne-me-et-ti-ka 6 i-na li-ib-bi

3 tu g .*hi . a -ka 7 is-te-en na-ad-na-a-ti 8 u sa-ni-a-am a-na-ku 9 an-ni-ki-a-

a[m] at-ta-di-in 10 is-te-en-ma ~u-ba-at-ka *uh-hu-ur 11 u un-ne-du-*uk-ki 12
sa ~u-ba-at-kaisJte 1 -en-ma 13 uh-hu-ur14 a-na a-pil-1-lf-suus-ta-*bi-la-as-su
15 at-ta ~[u]-ba-ta-am 16 a-na Pma-at-tum 17 i-di-in 18 u sa-al-[s]a-am ~u-ba-

at-ka 19 i-di-im-ma 20 te4 -e-em-ka *su-up'-ra-a[m]-ma rev. 21 k is i b . f b .

r a -ka lu-sa-bi-la-ak-kum 22 i-na wa-at-ri-im 23 Pma-at-tum u-sa-ad-di-nu-ma
24 um-ma a-na-ku-ma 25 is-tu sa-ni-i-im 26 *~u-ba-ta-am u-sa-a-al 27 a-na

din an n a*. ding i r. mu 28 lu-us-ku-um-ma 29 su-u ul-li-ki-a-am 30 Pma-

at-tum *li-pu-ul 31 me-he-er un-[n]e-du-*uk-ki-ia 32 su-bi-lam

119. a) Salt crystals on the surface of the tablet.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 111

shearing (of the sheep) b) of the Lower District. c) 11 Assist them to have the
shearing carried out.

118. AO 6745. Ebeling 49.

Speak to Atiaya: Thus says Ahusina. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
health. 5 Because the man of the king did not reach me quickly I suffered
delay. 8 At the end of day 12 of month IV a) 12 they must make ready (all)
10 cargo boats, deep-going boats (and other) boats that are available, b) go
on board and come here. 15 As for Miir-err;;etim'sboat, arrange its transfer c)
and let it come here to me.

119. AO 6751. Ebeling 49-50.

Speak to Inanna-dingirmu: Thus says Sin-iqisam. May Samas grant you
health. 5 As regards the three garments, your impost a) - of these three
garments of yours you have given one, 8 a second one I myself have now
given here, (so that) only one garment is still due. 11 I have also sent a letter
of mine to Apil-ilisu stating that only one garment of yours is still due. 15
You yourself must give a garment to Mattum and give also your third
garment, 20 then send me a message to that effect, then I will have your
sealed receipt b) brought to you. 22 In addition, they made Mattum give
(one), but I said: 25 "I will ask c) a garment from somebody else, I will put it
at Inanna-dingirmu's disposal 29 so that he can satisfy Mattum over there".
31 Send me an answer to my letter.

117. b) m u. b a 1 must be a mistake for b a 1. mu . See for the genealogy of the

family Charpin, Babylonie, 546f. and for Balmunamhe, M. van de Mieroop, AJO 34
(1987) lff. According to YOS 8, 71 (Rim-Sin year 58) Iddin-Ea used his father's
seal. b) See for z u . s i . g a = buqiimum, Kraus, Viehhaltung, 46ff. c) See for the
"Lower District", whose governors (siipir miitim) were under the authority of Sin-
iddinam, 13, 8 with note a.
118. a) Due to mode attraction with lines 12-14 issu!Jin 1. 9 is also in the precative.
b) Alternative translation: "cargo boats and/or deep-going boats, whatever boats are
available", cf. CAD M/11, 69, 5, b (where one may add gisma.hi. a naspak =
gism a. l. dub from no. 63:8). c) See Lexical Notes s.v. kirrum.
119. a) Correct AHw 786a, nidintum, l, a. b) k is i b. fb. r a -ka, "the receipt sealed
(by the recipient) to which you are entitled", or "the sealed record by means of
which you have acknowledged your liability" to deliver the textiles. c) sfilum in the
D-stem, rare in OB, but also in no. 140:17.
 112 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

120. AO 6753. TCL 17 Pl. LV No. 66.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-is-me-a-ni 2 u ip-qu-dna-bi-um 3 qi-bi-ma 4 um-ma

dm a rd u k -la-ma-sa-su-ma 5 Pri-im-di s k u r na-as-par 6 Pap-pa ere n .

s a. g u 4 a-na ma-ah-ri-ku-nu ki-a-am* 7 *ip-qi-da-ak-ku-nu-si-im-ma 8 i-na
dub -pi-ku-nu sa ap-pa er en . s a . g u 4 ma-ah-ra-nu 9 u-ul ta-as-pu-ra-nim
10 dub -pa-ku-nu saap-pa ere n. s a. g u 4 ma-ah-ra-nu 11 su-bi-la-nim 12

as-sum *nu mun s e. g is . l a-na ma-ah-ri-ku-nu su-bu- li-im 13 sata-as-

pu-ra-nim 14 [x xx] *x xx xx at-ta
(lacunaof ca. 3 lines)
rev. 1' a-x [X X X X X X X X X] 2' U-ul U-Wa-as-sa-ar-ku-nu-ti 3' as-sum Se -e Sa
a-na a ere n . h u n . g a 4 ' *Plu-us-ta-mar la id-di-nu-ku-nu-si-im-ma 5' ta-
as-pu-ra-nim 6' a-na lu-us-ta-mar as-tap-ra-am 7' 2.0.0 s e. g u r a-na a *
ere n . h u n . g a. mes 8' i-na-ad-di-na-ak-ku-nu-si-im 9' (erasure)*

121. AO 6754. TCL 17 Pl. LVI No. 67.

1 a-na b a 1 '.mu . n am. he 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ha-ri-ia-ma 4 Prr-dEN.ZU5

16 u r u ki is-ku-un-dEN.ZU6 i-na re-di-i 7 i-il-la-ak 8 um-ma sabra -ma 9 a-

na b a I'. mu. n am.he 10 a-qa-ab-bi-ma 11 i-na re-di-i 12 qa-at-ka u-*se-
13
l[e] rev. a-na qa-ti-[ia] 14 u-ta-ra-s[u-ma] 15 a-na al-pi a-x [x] 16 re-du-su-
ma 17 li-il-li-ik 18 a-na s ab r a la tu-te 4-hi-su 19 a-wi-lum ia-u-um

122. AO 6756. TCL 17 Pl. LVI No. 68.

1 a-na *a-x_rx 1 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma nu-ur-dutu-ma 4 du tu li-ba-a[l]-li-it-ka 5
a-nu-um-ma Pbe-li'-mu-de r a . g ab a as-tap-ra-ak-kum 7 hu-du-u-sum 8
6
sa1/2 ma.na *k u.b ab bar 9 u ru du su-bi-lam 10 i-na i-ni-ka 11 la i-iq-qi-ir
rev. 12 u a-wi-lam g i . hi . a 13 i-~e-en-na-am 14 1 su-si g i hi . a 15 su-<bi-
lam
r
I
I
LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 113

i·
120. AO 6753. Ebeling 50-51.
Speak to Sin-isme:ianni and lpqu-Nabium: Thus says Marduk-lamassasu. 5
The messenger a) Rim-Adad (by now) surely must have handed over to you
(plur}the ox-driver Appa, but 8 you failed to write in your letter "We have
received Appa, the ox-driver". 10 Send me a letter of yours stating: "We
have received Appa, the ox-driver". 12 As for the sesame seed, which you
asked me by letter to send to you ...
(lacuna of ca. 4 lines)
2' I will not let you alone! 3' As for the barley for the wages of the hired
workers, of which you wrote that Lustamar did not hand them over to you, 6'
I have now written to Lustamar. He will hand over to you 7' 2 kor of barley
for wages for the hired workers.

121. AO 6754. Ebeling 51.

Speak to Balmunamhe: Thus says Haria. 4 Warad-Sin, a man from the town
of Iskun-Sin, serves among the soldiers. 8 The chief administrator said: "I
will talk to Balmunamhe and then 11 he will withdraw the soldier(s) a) from
your authority b) and 13 transfer him to (those under) [my] authority 15 and I
will [assign him] to the oxen to perform his military service there". 18 Do
not bring him c) to the chief administrator, the man belongs to me!

122. AO 6756. Ebeling 51-52.

Speak to A..... : Thus says Nur-Samas. May Samas grant you health. 5 I
have now sent to you Beli-mude, the mounted servant. 7 Greet him friendly.
a) Send me copper for a value of 1/2 mina of silver. 10 Do not hesitate to
spend money on it. b) 12 Moreover, the gentleman c) has to load reed; let him
bring me 60 bundles of reed.

120. a) nasparum, written with the pseudo-logogram n a-as-par, see the referen-
ces with D. Charpin, IA 270 (1982) 28, footnote.
121. a) The context suggests that re-di-i is singular. b) See Lexical Notes s.v.elum.
c) te!Jum, D-stem, in OB (see 9, 48, note g to translation) usually means "to bring
before an authority in order to be tried", but this notion is absent here.
122. a) See for hudusum no. 96:10. b) So rather than "see to it that the price is not
too high", see Lexical Notes under waqarum. c) awz1am as a casus pendens in the
accusative must refer to the afore-mentioned rakbum ("as for ..."), but it is perhaps
simply a mistake.
114 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

123. AO 6755. TCL 17 Pl. LVII No. 69.

1 a-na be-la-nu-um qf-[b]f-ma 2 um-ma i-tur-as-du-um-ma 3 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-*rka 1 4 as-sum a-Ii-a-am as-pu-ra-k[u]-nu-si-im 5
um-ma a-na-ku-ma a-li-a-nim 6 l[u]-ha-as-sf-is-ma g u 4 . hi . a 7 lu-ul- qf-
a-ku-nu-si-im 8 u-ul ta-li-a-nim 9 sum-mag u 4 . hi . a ti-sa-a *a-na ut-tu-u-
ur 10 g u 4 . hi . a le-qi-a-am u-ul *li-ib-ba-ku-nu 11 *ki-ma ti-du-u 12
rgi1Pma i-na Ufllin-da-ha-*as lo. e. l3 e-ep-pu-us-ma 14 *rgism a 1 [x]-ti-bi rev.
15 is-pu-[r]u-nim l6 a-nu-um-ma Pdu tu -*x-x 17 at-tar-da-ak-kum 18 at-ta
u im-hu-*<x-x> 19 *su-ta-ti-a-ma 20 8 gisnae-ti g u 4 i-na * x x x 21 *rli-ik-
ki-s 16-ma e fen . me S *id-na-a-m[a] 22 a-na uruin-da-ha-as/rumki rli-is-su 1 -
u* 23 1u. nag ar. mes la ik-ka-al-lu-u 24 s e-am sa pdm ard u k-*na-~ir
x x x 25 am-mi-nim *a-di 1 ri1-na-an-na* u. e. 26 *la ta x x x x a) 27 a-sa-am-
s[u] 28 as-sum du mu . mun us dEN.zu-re-me-ni 29 *i-na pa-ni g u .
Z a .1 a 3o qa-qa-di *at-ta-na-ba-a[l] le. e. 31 ~u-ha_rar1-tam su-a-ti 32 *it-ti-ka
su-l[i-ma] 33 a-wa-tu-sa 34 [li-ig]-ga-am-ra

124. AO 6757. TCL 17 Pl. LVID No. 70.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-im-gur-an-ni 2 u b a 1-a 3 qi-bf-ma 4 um-ma gi-mil-d in g i r -
ma 5 e-a li-ba-al-li-it-ku-nu-ti 6 as-sum k u. b ab bar zag . mu -ki sa Ii-
tum k i 1.t [a] 7 sa qa-ti-ku-nu 8 n f g . k a 9 i-na e. g a 1-lim *i-se-[u-n]i-a-ti 9
a-na i-pf-is n f g. k [a 9] 10 a-na k a.ding i r. r a ki! lo.e. 11 i-te-li 12 Pl u.
den . k i. k a rev. dub -pa- tim a-na sa-pf-ra-at ma-t[im] 14 ad-di-in-sum-
13

123. a) The copy in TCL 17 omits line 26.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 115

123. AO 6755. Ebeling 52-53.

Speak to Belanum: Thus says ltur-Asdum. May Samas and Marduk grant
you health. 4 As for the fact that I wrote to you (plur.) to come here, a)
saying:. "Come here, 6 then I will think of a way to get b) you (plur.) oxen" -
you did not come here. 9 If you already have oxen and you have no intention
of acquiring oxen in excess - 11 as you know I am constructing c) a boat in
the town of lndahas d) and 14 that boat ... , e) that is the message one sent
me. 16 I have now dispatched Samas- ....... to you 18 You and Imhu ...... must
get together and 20 one should cut 8 wooden, ... for oxen in[ ....... ] and you
must provide workers to carry them to the town of Indahas. 23 The
carpenters must not be delayed (in their work)! 24 As for the barley of/which
Marduk-na~ir ........ , why have you not [supplied it] up till now, so that I
have to buy it? 28 Because of Sin-remeni's daughter I constantly have to
excuse myself t) in front of the 'chair-bearer'. g) 31 Bring that girl with you,
when you come here and let her affair be settled.

124. AO 6757. Ebeling 53; Kraus, Verfiigungen, 192, with note 326
(translation of lines 6-21).
Speak to Sin-imguranni and Bala: Thus says Gimil-ilim a) 5 May Ea b) keep
you in good health. 6 As for the 'New Year's silver' c) of the Lower District,
of which you take charge, 8 we are required to render account in the palace.
11 I have now gone up to Babylon for settling the accounts. 12 As for Lu-En-

123. a) Kouwenberg notes: See for the acc. a-li-a-am instead of a genitive also 12,
11:6 (assum .. su-qd-al-p{-a-am), ARM 3, 22:6 (assum ... le-q{-a-am), and Tall Bi"a
no. 148:7 (ana le-q{-a-am), but note also no.127:5 (assum a-la-kam) and no. 155:15
(ka-li-a ...aqbi). The vowel i in the second syllable shows that verbs Illiinf.
frequently do not make a distinction between the infinitive and the verbal adjective.
b) hussusum + lequm, a "Koppelung" of the type Kraus, Koppelungen, 23 § 17, cf.
11, 60:15. c) e-ep-pu-us, a form already attested in late OB sources, must be a
present tense. d) A reading Indaharum is of course also possible. e) [x]-ti-bi
cannot be derived from tebum, "to sink". f) See for qaqqadam wabalum, Lexical
Notes. g) See Lexical Notes s.v. guzalum.
124. a) The persons of this letter are known from records from the early years of
Samsu-iluna, from southern Babylonia. cf. Stol, JCS 34 (1982) 153. Bala was a
grandson of Balmunamhe. In YOS 12, 35 and 67 he receives silver which the writer
of our letter, 'captain' Gimil-ilim, had to collect, and in 77:19 Lu-Enkika (ofl. 12 of
our letter) also receives such silver. b) See for the relation between the addressees
and the god Ea/Enki, Ch. Dyckhoff, CRRAI 43 (Prague 1998) 122f. c) See for
kasap zagmukkim, "New Year's silver", Lexical Notes.
116 AL TBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE

ma 15 a-na ~e-ri-ku-nu 16 at-tar-da-as-su 17 k u. b ab bar su-ud-du-na-am

18 sa i-na qa-ti-ku-nu i-ba-as-su-u 19 u ka-ni-ki sa bi-ti-ku-nu 20 li-qf-a-nim-

ma 21 a-na k a. ding i r. r a ki ku-us-da-ni-in-ni 22 u-ul ta-ha-am-mu-ta-ni-

ma 23 lu-u ti-di-a

125. AO 6758. TCL 17 Pl. LIX No. 71.

1 a-na li-pf-it-istar 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma i-bi-dn in . sub u r -ma 4 du tu u

dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 is-tu *a-na-ku u ka-a-ta 6 ni-in-nam-ru ma-ti-

ma 7 te4 -em-ka u-ul ta-as-pur-am 8 pda-nu-mu-ba-lf-it u g u 1 a mar.tu 9
ut-ta-ah-hi-da-ak-kum 10 0.1.0 i k u giski r i 6 sa ma-aq-tim lo. e. 11 li-id-di-ik-
kum-ma 12 5.0.0 g u r z u . 1um 13 pu-uh-hi-ra-am rev. 14 Pd in g i r -su-ra-
ma a-ha-at-ka 15 at-tar-da-ak-kum 16 si-te-i-ma i-na 4. k am is-te-en 17 e-i-
il-si 18 la tu-us-ta-a-ha-si* 19 ki-ma sa a-na-ku wa-as-ba-a-ku 20 pa-nu-sa
*lu naJ at- x 1 21 te 4 -em-ka a-na *ma-ah-[r]i-ia 22 a-la-ak-tam sa i-il-la-[ku] u.
e. 23 su-up-ra-am

126. AO 6884. TCL 17 Pl. LX No. 72

1 a-na dEN.ZU-re-me-ni 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-e-ri-ba-am-ma 4 dub -pf

an-ni-a-am 5 i-na a-ma-ri-im 6 a-nu-um-ma pdEN.ZU-e-mu-qf7 a-na ~e-ri-ka 8

at-tar-dam 9 5 su-si gissag 1. k u 1 * mar. g f d. d a 10 da-mi-iq-x 11 i-na *e
de [n- xx x] x 12 su-ur-[ki-ba-am] 13 ap-p[u-tum xx x] 14 u *x [x xx xx] 15
*as-sum [x X X X x] 16 [x X X X X X x] rev. 17 sa 1 r l-[lf-x x] l8 sa a-wi-il-
di S k Ur -m[a] 19 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 20 te-er-sum 21 a. S a -am a-na mi-nim
22 a-na a-wi-li-im 23 la tu-<te>-er 24 i-ta-ar sa-pf-ir na-ri-im 25 i-ma-ha-ar-ma
26 as-su-mi-ka 27 u-ul a-pa-al 28 a. s a -am a-na a-wi-l[i]-im 29 te-er la i-ta-ar-

ma 30 la i-ma-ha-ar
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 117

kika, a) 14 after having given him letters for the governors d) of the country, I
have sent him to you. 17 Take the silver which has been collected, which is
in your possession, together with the sealed records e) in your houses 21 and
come to. Babylon to meet me. 23 You ·are warned if you do not hasten hither!

125. AO 6758. Ebeling 53-54.

Speak to Lipit-Istar: Thus says Ibbi-Ilabrat. May Samas and Marduk grant
you health. 5 Since you and I met you have never sent me any report of
yours! 9 I have now instructed general Anum-muballit on your behalf a) 11
that he must give you 6 iku of date-garden belonging to a fallen person b)
and then you must gather for me 5 kor of dates. 15 I have now sent your
sister Ilii.ssu-rama to you. Find a way to bind her by contract c) on the basis
of a one-fourth (share) d) agreement. 18 Do not be lax towards her, she
should be as well respected e) as if I myself were present! 23 Write me to
inform me which caravan she will be joining. f)

126. AO 6884. Ebeling 54.

Speak to Sin-remeni: Thus says Sin-eribam. 4 I have now, when you read
this letter of mine, sent Sin-emu.qi to you. 12 Ship [to me] 9 300 wooden rein
guides a) for wagons of good quality b) from En..... 's house/ with the boat of
.... 13 Plea[se, ........ ] and [..... ] 15 As for the [field ........] d) 17 which
Warad-i[li... ], it belongs to Awil-Adad. I told (you): "Give it back to
him!" 21 Why have you not returned the field to the gentleman? 24 Should
he again appeal to the governor of the river (district), I will not answer for
you. 28 Give the field back to the gentleman, lest he appeals again.

124. d) Cf. Lexical Notes s.v. siipirum. e) Records of payments still to be collected.
125. a) The dative suffix, which anticipates the one after nadiinum in line 11. b)
See for maqtum, Lexical Notes. c) See for e"elum, Lexical Notes. d) "One out of
"four", see Lexical Notes s.v. rabiiitum. If the sister is the owner of the field there is
no connection with lines lOff., but she could also be a (limited) partner of the
addressee in an case of joint-tenancy. e) The wish expressed by lii + stative is not
clear; the signs between LU and A[D] look more like U UD than NA, lii na-a[t-l]u
(cf. lii daglii, "let be respected" in 9, 230: 13) and lu wal-a[b 1-l]u are unlikely
without emendation. f) Not "the route she will take" (CAD A/I, 298, 3, a), since a
lady would join a caravan (see 2, 160:20 and 9, 37:24: itti alaktim suta$butum).
126. a) See Lexical Notes under siksum. b) da-mi-iq-x (x perhaps T[I]M) is diffcult,
one would anyhow expect a plural. c) The reading of this line is suggested by 9, 4
(addressed to Sin-enbam!), with in 1. 23f. ina gism a ....surkibam, which makes it
tempting to emend the beginning of 1. 11 into ina gism [a....]. d) There are faint
traces of a line of writing on the edge after 1. 15. This feature, the fact that exercise
118 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

127. AO 6885. TCL 17 Pl. LXI No. 73. a)

1 a-na na-bi-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dLAL-na-~i-ir-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 as-sum a-la-kam as-pu-ra-ak-kum 6 a-wi-lum
sa a-la-kam is-ku-nam 7 u a-an'(NA)-nam i-pu-la-an-ni 8 it-ta-ba-a[l- k]i-ta-
an-ni 9 ri.f'-tu ta x x x sa dEN.ZU-i-din-nam 10 x x bi in *a x x ip-pe-ti-ma 11
it-tar-da-an-ni 12 a-na bi-tim la te-gu 13 u a-na g u 4 . hi . a a-ni-im-mu-tim
lo. e. 14 X i-ik-ka-lu-u *paJ qa-di-im 1 rev. 15 U *z id ! . d a -SU te4-nim 16 ni-di
a-hi-im la ta-ra-as-si 17 a-nu-um-ma Pd in g i r -su*-ba-ni 18 at-tar-da-ak-kum
19 3.0.0 s e. g u r 0.1.0 *b a pp i r ?_h i. a 20 id-na-as-sum-ma 21 wa-ar-hi-is
tu-ur-da-as-su 22 la u-uh-ha-ra-am

128. AO 6886. TCL 17 Pl. LXII No. 74. a)

1 a-na dEN.ZU-ma-lik 2 qi-bi-[m]a 3 um-ma ri-is-d[u tu -m]a 4 is-tu *u 4 -mi-
im 5 sa a-na ha-ra-nim 6 tu-~u-u 7 wa-ar-ki-ka-ma 8 pdEN.ZU-*ub-lam 9 il-li-
kam-ma 10 as-sa-at-ka 11 *ma-re-e-ka 12 u a-ma-ti-ka rev. 13 a-na * <<x>>b)
~i-bi-ti[m] 14 us-te-ri-ib 15 hu-um-ta-am 16 al-<<x>>-kam-ma 17 a-na se-[e]p
c) <ib>-ni-di s k u r 18mu-qu-ut-ma 19 as-sa-at-ka 20 ma-re-e-ka 21 u a-ma-ti-
ka 22 i-na ~i-bi-tim 23 su-~i-a-am 24 ap-pu-tum (double ruling)

129. AO 6887. TCL 17 Pl. LXIII No. 75. a)

1 a-na ding i r -ra-bi 2 q[i]-bi-ma 3 um-m[a] rs i g 1 -di s k u r -ma 4 dub -pi
an-ni-a-am 5 i-na a-ma-ri-im 6 [I+] 1.0.0 s e . g u r [s] e-a-am 7 a-na si-ra-si-
im 8 i-di-im-ma 9 si-ka-ra-am 10a-na pa-ni-ia lo. e. 11li-is-*te-er-su 12 ru 1 a-na

127. a) Beginning and end of first lines of the obverse now missing.
128. a) The forms of the signs IM, MA and KA are 'archaic'. b) Possibly an erased
ZI. c) Haplography of IB.
129. a) Coarse and irregular writing.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 119

127. AO 6885. Ebeling 54-55. a)

Speak to Nabi-Samas: Thus says Alammus-na~ir. May Samas and Marduk
grant you health. 5 As for the fact that I wrote you that I would come, b) the
gentlerµan who arranged c) my trip and also gave me permission, 8 has bro
ken his word to me. 9 After the ..... of Sin-idinnam ...... had been opened, 11
he has now dispatched me. Do not be careless about the household and also
16 do not grow lax in providing 13 the oxen in question with what they can
eat and in grinding his flour. 17 I have now dispatched Hsu-bani to you. 20
Give him 3 km of barley and 60 litres of ....... d) and send him quickly,
without delay to me.

128. AO 6886. Ebeling 55; Kraus, Briefschreibiibungen, 29 no. 6. a)

Speak to Sin-malik: Thus Ris-[Samas]. 4 Since the day b) you left on a
journey, 7 after your departure Sin-ublam came here and put 10 your wife,
your sons and your slave-girls in jail. 15 Hurry to come here and 18 throw
yourself at the feet of Sep-Adad c) and so get 19 your wife, your sons and
your slave-girls out of jail! 24 Urgent!.

129. AO 6887. Ebeling 55-56. a)

Speak to Iff-rabi: Thus says /piq-Adad. 4 When you read this letter of mine,
give 2 kor of barley to the brewer and 11 let him have the beer ready when I

letters also contain the order ina g i 8 ma surkibam (Kraus, Briefschreibiibungen,

21f., nos. f and g, lines 13' and 8'), and the scribal mistakes (1. 10 and 23) indicate
that this is a school exercise
127. a) See for the letters of Alammus-na~ir, nearly all addressed to Nabi-Samas,
alntroduction, § 2,f. Some of them also contain the injunction "not to be negligent"
and an instruction about flour (9, 144:8"). b) In A 3521 A. writes that his departure
is imminent and asks to have flour (z id and z id. sag) ready. c) For iskunsm,
Aro, Infinitiv, 78.3.2 assumes an abbreviation of panisu iskunam, "he planned", but
in view of the dative suffix I prefer "he proposed to me". d) Unclear logo gram, see
collation, perhaps b a p p i r .
128. a) Clear script, but many erasures, obviously a school exercise, which has
good parellels with Ki 604 and UET 5, 9 (Kraus, Briefschreifiibungen, nos. rand s),
and 7, 68, whose subject is "Auf Reise - komm wegen Schuldhli.ftlingen", cf.
Sallaberger, Interaktion 152 note 217. b) See for istumim (in no. 132:16 istumum)
as a compound preposition, Stol, BiOr 59 (2002) 575 on no. 374:4. c) Sep-Adad
must be a man of high status, who can help the victim, in whose place in 7, 68:13
the king appears.
129. a) Probably another school exercise, but the subject matter is not known from
other school letters, but attested in normal letters (cf. Kienast, Kisurra, no. 154). A
simple drawing follows the last line, not in Dossin's copy, see under collations.
120 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

su-ha-re-e rev. 13 sa it-ti-ku-nu 14 il-[l]i-ku-nim 15 la [te]-gi-a 16 is-tu i-na~

a[n]-na 17 a-na u 4 10. k am 18 a-la-kam 19 [lu]-p[u-sa-am]
(drawing overfull width of tablet)*

130. AO 6899. TCL 17 Pl. LXIV No. 76.

1 a-na e-tel-k a _dma rd u k 2 qi-bi-ma* 3 um-ma sa-am-su-i-lu-na-ma 4
sar*-rum a-bi *ma-[ru-u],\'-ma 5 as-sum *ma-tim s[u-te-su]-ri-im 6 i-na
g u. z a sa * e [a-bi-ia] 7 at-ta-[sa-ab] 8 u as-sum na-si* [g u. u n] 9 du-un-
[nu-nim] 10 ri-ib-ba-a[t (x x)] 11 ens i. mes *x x x Io. e. 12 [u-t]a*-se-er 13
*[ d] U b rhu-bu 1 -ul-li rev. 14 sa a g a.US *s U. PES U mu-us-ke-ni 15 e-eh-te-
pi mi-sa-ra-am i-na ma-ti 16 as-ta-ka-an 17 i-na ma-ti *x x x x 18 a-na e
a g a.us s u. PBS u mu-*u[s-ke-ni] 19 ma-am-ma-an la *ri-sa 1 -[as-si] 20 ki-
ma dub-pi *rta-am-<ma>-ru 1 21 at-tau *si-bu-ut maJti-im 1 22 sa ta-sa-pa-
ru 23 a-li*-a-nim-ma 24 it-ti-ia na-an-me-ra

131. AO 6888. TCL 18 Pl. LXV No. 77.

1 a-na a-bi-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma l r _dEN.ZU-ma4 ma-tu[m] e-di-is-si-sa 5
na-<<x>>-dae-at-ti 6 du-ru-*um na-di 7 u sa-bu-um sa a-bu-ul-[l]a-tim 8 10
ere n sa-bu-um sa a-bu-ul-la-tim 9 i-na-sa-ru u-ul *ma-si 10 ta-am-tum na-
ru-um 11 u hi-ri-tum ma-ta-a 12 u sa-bu-um sa i-na zu-mu-ur ma-tim rev. 13 i-
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 121

arrive. 12 Moreover, do not neglect the boys who have come with you
(plur.). 18 I will do my best to come within 10 days! b)

130. AO 6899. Ebeling 56; Kraus, Veifiigungen, 66, 1; W. L.Moran, ANET 3

·627; D. Charpin in: F. Joannes (ed.), Rendre la justice en Me-
. sopotamie (Saint-Denis, 2000) 89, no. 44. a)
Speak to Etel-pi-Marduk: Thus says Samsu-iluna. 4 My father, the king, is
ill b) and 7 I have now sea[ted myself] 6 on the dynastic throne 5 inorder to
provide justice c) to the land. 8 And in order to make those who have to
deliver a yield strong, 12 I have now remitted the arrears d) [ .... ] 11 of the
tenant-farmers (and) the fellmongers. e) 13 The tablets of the debts of
soldiers, 'fishermen' and of ordinary citizens I have broken, 16 I have
established equity in the land. 17 In the province ...... f) nobody shall hold a
demand against the household of a soldier, a 'fisherman' and a common
citizen. 20 As soon as you read my letter, you and the elders of the province
you administer must come here and meet me! g)

131. AO 6888. Ebeling 56-57.

Speak to my father: Thus says W arad-Sin. 4 The country is left all a) on its
own, the city-wall b) is abandoned and the troops of the city-gates - 8 10
soldiers to protect the city-gates is not enough! 10 The level of the lagoon,
the river and the (city)-moat is low c) 12 And you yourself know (how it is

129. b) In view of 1. 10 I prefer the 1st pers. cohortative ([lu]pus) over an im-
perative ([e]pus).
130. a) Compare the opening statements of the misaru-decrees of Samsu-iluna and
Ammi-~aduqa (Kraus, Veifugungen, 154 § 1 and 168 § 1); differences with Kraus'
readings are based on collation. b) In view of the traces. c) Reading suggested
by clear -ri-lim (on the edge), cf. CH V:16 and XLI:77. d) Both decrees mention
ens i, sip ad, s u 1• s i. i g (mes) nawe, and niisi g u.u n (in that order), the last
of which figures in 1. 8 of our letter as a general designation of all beneficiaries. At
the .end of 1. 10 there is room for s i p a d . me s (restored by Charpin), but then the
order would be different. e) s r u ! . s1 [i. i g] likely on the basis of the traces (which
exclude s i p a d), but no room for m e s or na-we. f) Uncertain, possible
restorations are "which you/I rule" (sa (t)asapparu, cf. 1. 22), and "of Marduk", cf.
no. 109:6f. g) To receive instructions on the implementation of the decree, which
was not always easy (cf. e.g. 7, 153).
131. a) DA, over erasure, is certain, hence not na-aq-da-at-ti (AHw 743a); nadatti is
in the "i-mode", see F.R. Kraus, Symbolae Bohl, 254, 11. b) durum is certain,
hence neither diirusa (CAD D 193, c, 1'), nor isrum, "the open country" (CAD N/1
77, 2'). c) Because a low water level in the city-moat makes access to the city more
easy, not an (indirect) reference to drought; 1. 16ff. too describe defensive meaures.
122 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ba-as-su-u *li-ib-<ba>-ka-ma i-de-e 14 u ma-la i-du-ma 15 as-pu-ra-ak-ku-um

16 u a-na hi-ri-tim me-e ab-tu-uq-ma 17 i-na bi-ri-it *x [x] x 18 is-se-eh-ru-
*[ni]m 19 um-ma dEN.ZU-ga-mil-ma 20 i-qa-ab-bi-a-am 21 um-ma su-u-ma li-
bi-it-tam 22 sae. g a 1 [tu]-ha-la-*aq-ma 23 *ur-ra-am ame-ru-um-ma-am 24
i-pe-tu-ma Ii-bi-it-tum 25 la ru UB

132. AO 6898. TCL 18 Pl. LXVI No. 78.

1 a-na be-li-ia-a qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma gur 1-ru-dua)_um-ma 3 du tu u dEN.ZUas-
su-mi-ia da-ri-is u 4 -m[i] 4 be-li-ia-a li-ba-al-li-tu 5 a-lum hal-sum u mu-ut-
ta-li-ka-t[um] 6 sabe-li-ia-a sa-al-ma 7 as-sum te 4 -em ka-ma-si-ia sa be-li-ia-
a <<x>> 8 um-ma g u 4 im-me-er-tam u sa-al-ha-am 9 ki-mi-is'(As)* 10 is-tu
itigan.gan.e* u 4 20.kam ba.zal-ma 11 e-re-sa-am ak-ta-mi-is 1 12

g u 4 . hi. a a-na me-e sa-te-em lu us-si 13 ul-li-is a-bu-ul-lam u-ul *us-si-

am-lmi rev. 14 u im-me-er-tum is-tu rre-i-im 7* 15 us-si-i-ma 16 is-tu u 4 -mu-
um* [m]a-la-ak be-ra-am 17 i-ter-*ru-[b]a-<<x>>-am 18 sabe-li-ia-a is-tap-
ra-am 19 u 4 3 . k am an-ni-a-am a-di *rte4 -mu 1-[u]m ga-am-rum 20 i-il-la-
*1$am1x [x xx] 21 g u 4 • hi. a u im-me-er-[tum xx] 22 er-re-tum sa k [a xx
x] 23 g U *{d X k a X [x Xx] 24 la-maid id i g n a *is-q[u-u]25 1 me ere n
be-li-ia-a l[i-it-ru-da-am-ma] 26 u 4 3 . k am as-sum [x x] g u [x x i]-*sa-
ba-tu 27 u k a id *u-k[a-al-lu] u. e. 28 i-na mu-uh-hi du mu . mes *a-x x
29 Ii-iz-zi-zu
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 123

with) the troops which are in the country-side. d) 15 I, for my part have
written you all I know. 16 Further, I have diverted water into the (city-)moat,
so that it(s mass) has now diminished e) between 0 ........ 19 Sin-gamil speaks
g) to me in the 21 following terms: "[You] destroy the brickwork of the
palace,· 23 so to-morrow one will open the water conduct to prevent the
brickwork from .... " h)

132. AO 6898. Ebeling 57.

Speak to my lord a): Thus says Qurrudum. 3 May Samas and Sin for my
sake grant my lord forever health. 5 The town, the province, and the gangs
of my lord are well. 7 As regards my lord's message, that I should finish,
which read: 9 "Assemble the cattle, the sheep and finish (the work in) the
suburban area." b) 10 - since the 20th of month IX I am now ready with
plowing and sowing. c) 12 The cattle now truly leaves (the town only) to
drink water and does not get out of the city-gate any further. 14 And the
sheep do go out after ....., 16 but they always come back (in town) from d)
over a distance of a double hour. 18 In accordance with what my lord wrote
me, now, for three days, until a full re[port] arrives, the cattle and the sheep
are ....... [until] the dam at the point where [the canal] branches off, 23 on the
bank of..... 24 Before the Tigris had ri[sen], my lord should [dispatch] a
troop of 100 men and .... 26 for three days, because ..., they must occupy the
bank of .. 27 and the point where the (canal) branches off. 29 Let them keep
watch over e) the sons of ....

131. d) zumur miitim rather "deep in the country-side", far from the city, than
"(scattered) all over the country" (CAD Z 160, 2'). e) Because of the clear SI
sekerum is impossible. f) The copy might suggest UD.UNUG= Larsa, but the first
sign is rather like SA,and with ina birit one would expect two geographical names.
g) umma PN-ma iqabbiam umma suma is an irregular construction, not found in
G.Deutscher, Syntactic Change, ch. 5. h) 23f. are either a counter measure to stop
the damage to the brickwork, or a warning for the dangerous consequences of what
the writer is doing. Final la ru ub not < lii + stative, because libittum is feminine;
Kraus suggested la ru-<tu>-ub.
132. a) be-li-ia-a in the address and in 1. 4, 18, and 25, notwithstanding Kraus in 10,
p. 13 note n, cannot be a personal name here. b) See for salhum, Lexical Notes. c)
This must refer to the late sowing, in December, cf. INES 8 (1949) 285. d) See
no. 128 note b. The combination of istumum and miilak ber(am) - an adverbial
accusative referring to a distance covered in a specific time, attested in Assyrian
royal inscriptions - might be rendered by "at the end of every day over a distance of
one double hour". e) See for izuzzum ina mub,b,i,"to keep watch over, to super-
vise", 9, 137:9f.
 124 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

133. AO 6900. TCL 18 Pl. LXVII No. 79.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-din g i r * 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma a-hu-*nie-ma 4 a-nu-um-ma s

Pl-If-a-bi 6 a-na mah-ri-ka 7 at-ta-ar-da-kum 8 *1/3 ma. n a k u. b ab bar

rev. 9 *na-si-k[u-um] 10 sa 1/3 ma. n a *k u . [b ab bar] 11 1 sag . l r 12
sa 1-[maJ-am 1-ma 13 su-r[i]-a 14 ap-pu-tum

134. AO 6901. TCL 18 PL LXVII No. 80. a)

I a-na dx* [x] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma *x x x x-ma 4 du tu u d[m a rd] u k l[i-
b]a-l[i-t]u-ka 5 as-sum sa ta-*asJpu-ra-am 1 6 ~i-bu-ti g is *x xx (x) 7 u 112x
Ii x Ii* 8 di-ib-ba-ti xx xx ha-ta 9 ki-ma *ta-ab-ba-[t]a 10 e-pu-us II a-na i-la-
l[i]-ia 12 Ia te-gu 13 i-na ha-di lo. e. u ¢-ub s [ aJ-bi 15 a-na ma-har *dz a.
b a 4 . b a 4 16 u din an n a rev. 17 a-la-ka 18 mi-im-ma la ta-pa-la-ah

135. AO 6902. TCL 18 Pl. LXVID No. 81.

I a-na dEN.ZU-mu-us-ta-al 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l r -er-~e-tim-ma 4 a-ha-at-ka
im-tu-ut 5 um-ma-ka-a ma-ar-~a-at-ti 6 u dEN.ZU-ma-girma-ri-i im-tu-ut 7 ku-
us-da-an-ni-ma 8 *[k]i-im-ti-i la i-ha-li-iq 9 [ta-amJ-ka-ru-tu-um la i-ta-ba-
lu* 10 [a-ha-a]t-ka qf-bi-ir 11 [x xx xx x] xx
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning of rev. broken)
1'
[x xx x] xx [x xx) 2' na-pf-is-ti ume--mi-kaku-us-*da-am 3' dub -pf an-ni-
am i-na a-ma-ri-ka 4' la tu-ha-ra-am

136. AO 6903. TCL 18 Pl. LXVID No. 82. a)

1 [a-na xx xx x}Jx 1 2 [qf-bf-m]a 3 um-ma [x]-*x-na-~i-ir-ma 4 a-nu-um-ma

im-gur-du tu -ma 5 a-n[a] ~e-ri-ka at-tar-[da]m (break, 1 line missing?) 1' li-
*z[i-x x] 2 ' sa i-pa-ar-ri-ku-sum 3' *a-sa-ri-is-ma 7 lu-mi x * 4 ' a-na a. s a a-ah-
ka la ta-n[a)-di rev. 5' e-re-sum qe-ru-u[bJ 6' xx xx AS tax x 7' a 1-ha-x xx 8'
u-ul te-x X

134. a) Right side of obverse damaged

136. a) The tablet consists of two pieces - the first, with lines 1-5, without writing on
the rev., and the second with lines l'-8' - which have been glued together, but there
is no direct join. A small piece with 3 fragmentary lines of script is glued upside
down on the damaged surface of the left side of the obv., it contains twice the word
giskiri 6 •
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 125

133. AO 6900. Ebeling 58.

Speak to Sin-ilum: Thus says Ahuni. 4 Herewith I am sending Ili-abi to you.
8 He is bringing you 1/3 mina of silver. 10 Buy for me one slave with a value
· of 1/3 mina of silver and 13 have him brought to me.a) Please!

134. AO 6901. Ebeling 58.

4 V
Speak to ...... : Thus says ......... . May Samas and Marduk grant you
health. 5 As regards the fact that you wrote to me: "I am in need of ..... (two
lines too damagedfor translation) 9 Do as you like.a) 11 Do not neglect Ilalia.
13 Have no fear at all to come before Zababa and Inanna in joy and
happiness. b)

135. AO 6902. Ebeling 58-59. a)

Speak to Sin-mustal: Thus says Warad-er~etim. 4 Your sister has died, your
mother is ill b) and my son Sin-magir has also died. 7 Come to me lest my
(whole) family perishes (and) the creditors take (them) along! c) 10 Bury
your [sist]er .....
(end of obv., edge and beginning rev. missing)
2' Come here as long as your mother is still alive! e) 3' Do not wait when you
read this letter of mine.

136. AO 6903. Ebeling 59.

[Speak to .......... ]: Thus says [Alam]mus-na~ir. a). 4 I have now dispatched to
you lmgur-Samas. (small lacuna) .... 2 ' inform the ..... who is obstructing
him over there. b) 4 ' Do not be careless about the field, cultivation has to start
soon. (remainder too damaged for translation).

134. a) Cf. kirna ta-ba-ta in 2, 178:18, ta-ab-k[um], 9, 226:6. and summa ta-ba-ak-
kum in no. 80:19. b) Probably meaning "Do not be afraid that you cannot come".
The gods named show that the visit is to the city of Kish.
135. a) The description of the accumulation of misery in combination with an
urgent request to come in order to take counter measures suggests a school letter; cf.
for these subjects Kraus, Briefschreibubungen, 28f. nos. s and t. The sender could
be the (assumed) brother of the addressee. b) Mar$atti, in the "i-mode". c) See
Lexical Notes s.v. tamkarutum. d) Rather an imperative than a stative (CAD Q
202, c. e) Correct CAD N/1297, b, since collation confirrns um-mi-ka.
136. a) Reading suggested by F. van Koppen; see for Alammus-nii~irno. 127 note
a. b) asarisma also in Al-Zeebari,ABIM 26:30.
126 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

137. AO 6907. TCL 18 Pl. LXIX No. 83.

1 a-na sa-mi-im 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma li-pf-it-dEN.ZU-lma4 as-sum ri-ti-im 5 sa
a. s a -ti-ku-nu 6 i-tur-ha-ad-nu-u 7 ku-nu-kam u-us-ta-bi-1 lam rev. 8 [ma-
a]m-ma-an 9 [su-u]p-ra-am-ma 10 i-na a. s a -*ka 11 li-iz-zi-iz 12 ur-ra-am si-
ra-am 13 ee-le-ni-ia 14 la ta-ra-as-si (double ruling)

138. AO 6910. TCL 18 Pl. LXIX No. 84.

1 a-na a-hi-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma ap-lum-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k 5 li-b[a-
a]l-li-it1-ka 6 ki-ma *tug ~u-ba-ta-am 7 Ia la-ab-sa-a-ku 8 u-ul ti-de-e 9 a-nu-
um-ma 10 pdEN.ZU-a-sa-r[e-e]d 11 tug ~u-ba-te-e-i[a] rev. 12 it-ba-la-a[n-ni]
13 sum-ma *te-[em-ka] 14 tug ~u-ba-ta-[am] 15 is-te-en su-bi-[lam] 16 ap-pu-

tum 17 a-ah-ka la ta-na-*a[d-di] 18 u sum-mat u g ~u-ba-ta-am 19 ni-su-u-a 20

it-ba-lu-ni 21 tug ~u-ba-ta-am 22 u-ta-ar-ra-ak-kum

139. AO 6969. TCL 18 Pl. LXX No. 85.

1 a-na GE6-Ii-du t [u sa dx] 2 u-ba-a[l-la/i-tu-su] 3 qi-bf-ma 4 um-ma dEN.ZU-
re-me-ni-ma 5 du tu u dn in.sub u r li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 ki-ma a-na ni-ik-ka-
as-sf-[i]m [l]a na-di-a-ak-kum i-na dub -pf-ka-ma 8 an-ni-i-im a-mu-u[r] 9
7
a-na a. s a s u k u ra-ma-ni-ka-a 10 ki-a-am ta-sa-ap-pa-ra 11 sum-ma a-na a-
i-im-ma ki-a-am 12 ta-aq-ti-is-su lo. e. 13 a-na-ku mi-nam a-qa-*abJbi1 14 sa
a-an-nam a-ap-pa-l[u] rev. 15 du tu a-na di-na-an e-pi-ri 16 sa ta-ak-bu-su 17
Ii-id-di-in 18 i-na a-lim sa-ti ki-im-ti 19 u a-hi *at-ta-ma 20 nu-uh-hi-id-ma 21
e-li-a-ti-su la i-na-ad-du-u 22 me-e li-il-pu-tu 23 i-na su-ul-mi-im u ba-la-ti-
1i[m] 24 e-~i-is-su 25 a-na du tu u dn in. sub u r u. e. 26 du-um-mi-iq-ma 27
[s ]e-a-am a-nu-um-mi_r a-am] 1. e. 28 Ii-bi-it-tam *x x [x] x
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 127

137. AO 6907. Ebeling 59.

Speak to Siimum: Thus says Lipit-Sin. 4 As for the herbage of your (plur.)
fields, I have now sent a) ltur-hadnfi to you with a sealed doc
ument.. 8 Send somebody to post on your field.b) 12 (Realize) that now and
in the future you will have nobody (to help you) but me! c)

138. AO 6910. Ebeling 59-60. a)

Speak to my brother: Thus says Aplum. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
health. 6 Don't you know that I have no garment to wear? 9 Just now Sin-
asared has deprived me of my garments. 13 If you [are willing], send me one
garment. Please do not be remiss! 18 And when my people have brought b)
me a garment I will return you the garment.

139. AO 6969. Ebeling 60.

Speak to Silli-Samas, whom the god [ keeps/has kept] in good health: 4
Thus says Sin-remeni. 5 May Samas and Ilabrat grant you health. 6 Look in
that tablet of yourself a) to see that I have charged nothing b) to your
account! Is this the way you write me concerning your own sus- sustenance
field? 11 If you had simply donated it to somebody else, c) what could I say?
14 May Samas tum me into the soil you stepped on if I would approve that!
d) 18 In that town you are my family and brother. 20 Give instructions so that
one does not let its higher parts lie fallow. 22 One should water them, then
you can harvest it safe and sound. 25 For Samas' and Ilabrat's sake, e) [fill]
the brickwork with the barley in question.

137. a) His name, *jitur- cadnuhu (cf. I.J. Gelb, AS 21 [1980] 259 and 590 no. 2480)
identifies him as an Amorite and this links up with the use of BAD = us in the verb,
common at Mari, but the spelling with u-us- is strange. b) Obviously to prevent
illegal grazing. c) Taking la in a main sentence as an emphatic denial; an
alternative is to make elen an equivalent of eli, "henceforth (now that I have done
my duty) you will have no claim on me".
138. a) The signs MA, UD and TE show archaic features. b) The context demands
to take itablun(m) as perfect of wabalum, but in 1. 12, with acc. suff. and after
anumma, a perfect of tabalum, "to take away", is required.
139. a) Not this letter, but one by the addressee or rather an administrative record.
A-mu-ur could also be "I have seen (in your own tablet which I have here)". b) See
for ana nikkassfm nadum Lexical Notes s.v. nikkassu. c) Taking ajjimma kiam (not
sejam, CAD A/II, 149, a) as two separate words, with ffjam meaning "just, simply"
(see RA 70 [1976] 156f.); see Lexical Notes s.v. ajumma. d) L. 14 could belong
with 13 (CAD A/II 134, 1, a, "what should I say to express my approval") or with
15 (CAD D 149, 1, a, b', cf. E 186, c, 3', "should I say yes, let Samastum me into").
 128 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

140. AO 7013. TCL 18 Pl. LXXI No. 86. Tablet missing, not collated.
1 a-na ma-an-na-si q[i-bi-m]a 2 um-ma dna-bi-um-ma-lik-ma 3 du tu u

dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ia 4 li-ba-al-li-tu-ki 5 pi-qi-tu sa ere n . mes is-sa-ki-

im-ma 6 a. s a a-na 1;,a-ba-ti-imi-ba-as-si 7 sak u . b ab b a r na-su-u ih-ru-
up-ma i-1;,a-ba-at8 a. s a ma-ah-re-em-ma a-na qe-ru-ub-ti-ki 9 im-qu-ta-am-
ma i-ma-ki k u . b ab bar a-ta-na-sa-as 10 ba-lu mu-we-rum an-na-am ap-
i
I,
la-an-ni 11 1 g in k u . b ab b a r lu na-si-a-ku 1 u du . nit a ma an x x ma
12 sum-ma i-ni-a-ti i-di-nu-ni-ki-im 13 k u . b ab bar sa qa-ti-ki su-bi-li-im-
I, i ,
ii I ma 14 1;,i-bu-tilu-uk-su-ud tu se x x lu ka x rx 1 15 sum-ma la ki-a-am ar-hi-is
I I
! tu-ur-di-ma 16 a-na si-ri na-tu-ti-im ku. babbar li-di-nu-ni-im x rx 1 17
PUG-da-na u-sa-[i]l 1°- e. ki-a-am iq-bi-a-am 19 um-ma su-u-ma 20 gisna-am-
zi-ta-am na-am-ha-ra rev. 21 u 1 ah tan sa si-ka-ri-im 22 at-ta-di-is-si a-sa-
ri-is Ii-te-er 23 u ki-ma a-sar-sa-na 24 tu-uh-hi e-el-qu-u 25 5.0.0 s e . g u r lu-
um-du-si-im-ma 26 tu-uh-hi li-ki-il-la-am 27 ki-ma a-na pi-ka-si-iki ta-li-ki 28
ma-tu-um ka-lu-sa is-teJx-m]a 29 u in-ni-ki-a-am i-tapaP-ra-as-ma 30 la da
pa U um wa X sa X X im 31 sa-aq-lu-su Se -am su-uh-ri-ma sa-mi 32 as-tapap_
ra-ak-ki-im lu ti-<de>-e 33 u r u u-ul ki-a-su hu-uh-hi-a-ti-im 34 im~mu-uh-
hi-ia la tu-ta-ba-ki 35 a-nu-um-ma pdma rd u k -du-um-qi 36 0.0.1 s e. g is. l

I j

,1 I
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 129

140. AO7013. Ebeling 61-62. a)

Speak to (lady) Mannasi: Thus says Nabium-malik. 3 May Samas and
Marduk for my sake grant you health. 5 The inspection of the troops has
taken p\ace and there are (still) fields to be taken. 7 Whoever has silver with
him, if he is early may take (one). b) 8 At first c) a field in your vicinity fell
to my share, but for lack of silver I keep feeling distressed. Give d) me
permission over the head of the director. e) 11 I wish I had one shekel of
silver with me, one lamb .... f) 12 If they have given you the rent for the ox-
teams, g) then send me the silver you have available, so that I can reach my
goal ... 15 If not, quickly send somebody so that one may give me silver for
appropriate meat. h) 17 I interrogated U gdana an9- he told me: 20 "The
fermenting vat, the namharu-container and the beer vat i) (which) I gave her
she must return over here. 23 And just as I (thusfar) obtained the draff
elsewhere, so I will (now) measure out to her 5 kor of barley so that she
makes the draff available to me". 27 The whole country has now heard that
you went to Pikasi j) and here it flew around ...... 31 scarce as it is, k) search
for barley and buy it. 32 I have now written to you, you have been warned!
The town is not as it should be, l) do not spit on me! 35 I have now sent Mar
duk-dumqi to you with 60 quarts of sesame (and) millet, m) 5 quarts of lard,

I prefer the second alternative, taking sa .... appalu as object of liddin, which we
can translate as a conditional sentence. Frankena (SLB 4, 62 ad 17) missed the
meaning of nadiinum ana, ''to tum into''. Note the surprising preterite akbusu
instead of akabbasu. e) See for the meaning of this expression the present writer in
JCS 30 (1978) 188, note 5 (variant to DN gimilma).
140. a) The same address in 10, 169, which also deals with barley and "ox-teams"
(iniiitum) and mentions Nii.r-Samas (cf. our letter 1. 39). b) Reading suggested by
Stol; AHw 323a emends into <i>-har?1-ru-up-ma, in hendiadys with sabiitum, "to
take early" (cf. perhaps the Mari letter quoted CAD H 90, b). c) mahremma, an
adverb thusfar attested only at Mari. d) Are the imperative masc. and other masc.
forms in lines 46f. of this letter, addressed to a woman, mistakes? e) Not declined
as title? See for the spelling with -we also 1, 52:27. f) Or perhaps e ding i r x
x -ma. g) See for the meaning and monetary value of iniiitum, Stol in De Meyer
AV, 229ff. h) With doubts, following AHw 768, nafu(m), I, 1, a, and CAD N/11
130, natu A, perhaps linking up with 1. 11, where the lamb may have been meant
as a gift or offering. i) See for these jars Stol, 'Beer in Neo-Babylonian Times', in
L. Milano (ed.), Drinking in Ancient Societies (Padova 1994}, 172f. with notes 183
and 185. j) See no. 68 note b). k) innikt)am by-form of annila-~am;naprusum,
IV/3, "to fly (around)", used metaphorically in no.164:24 (said of barley) and might
be applied to people, but the writing with phonetic complement and the unclear line
30 suggest caution. See for saqlussu, CAD S/11 15, saqlu. I) See for kiasu, CAD K
329 s.v. and Kraus, Nominalsate, 41 note 128, cf. no. 18, noted. m) See CADS/II
130 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

si-gu-si 5 s l l a z. s ah 37 u i-na ma-as-ha-ar-ti-im l . g i s 38 us-ta-bi-la-

ak:-ki-im u. e. 39 a-na Pnu-ur-du tu qf-bf-ma 40 giski r i 6 sa na-an-ni-me-na
a-mu-ur 41 tu-ka-ti-ka i-ta-ad-di 1. e. 42 ba-ma-at giski r i 6 te-le-qe 43 i-ti-su
ti-is-bu-ta-ku 44 di-a-ti ma-am-ma-an la ta-sa-li 45 u a-na a. s a ni-di a-hi-im
la ta-ra-si 46 sum-ma i-ni-a-ti-im la i-di-nu-ni-ku 47 a-li-ka-na-am su-up-ra-
am-ma 48 lu-sa-zi-iq

141. AO 7014. TCL 18 Pl. LXXII No. 87. a)

1 a-na a-bi-ia u be-li-i[a] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma ha-bil-ke-nu-um-ma 4 du tu
dm a rd Uk de-a u dd am. r k i . n a 1 * 5 as-sum e -ti-ka li-baJ al-li-tu.1 -ka 6
as-sum ta-as-pu-ra-am um-ma at-ta-a-ma 7 a-wi-lum a-hi li-iz-zi-iz-ma 8 i-na
g u r 7 1.0.0 s e. g u r li-sa-si-a-am 9 ka-ni-ik-su li-zi-ib-ma 10 Pgu-ru-ur-tum
li-il-qf-a-am-ma 11 a-na e-re-si-im li-ik-su-da-a[m] 12 ki-ma ta-as-pu-ra-am
*ma-har s a.tam . mes g u r 7 * 13 ni-zi-iz-ma a-di-ni u-za-ba-lu-na-ti 14 i-
ta-zu-za-am sa-tu at-ta ti-de-e 15 ka-ni-ik 4.0.0 s e. g u r sa sf-lf-*x x x 16
<sa> sa-da-aq-di-im te-el-qu-u at-ba-lam 17 ni-ta-na-za-az ki-ma s e -am sa-
tu 18 *[u]s-te-su-u a-sa-mi-dam-ma a-ta-ra-*da-lkum lo. e. 19 sum-m[a l]a te-
ri-is 20 sa BI rx X a]m lu-pu-us 21 si-ni-su dub -pa-tim u-sa-*bi-la-1 kum rev.
22 te 4 -em-ka sa gi-ir-sa-nim 23 ma-ha-hi-im u-ul ta-as-pu-ra-am 24 u a-na-ku 1
ni-di a-hi-im u-ul i-su 25 sum-ma a-di u-te 4 -ti-ka 26 a-ka-mi-su* wa-as-ba-a-
ku 27 su-up-ra-am-ma ha-as-hu-ri 28 sum-ma sa-ba-tum lu 1-us-ba-at 29 i-na-
tim la a-da-ga-al 1 30 am-mi-nim <d u b-pa-ka> a-na a-ah-hi-ka *<~u-bi-
lam>> b) 31 la i-la-kam dub -pa-ka a-na a-ah-hi-ka* <su-bi-lam> b) 32 as-
sum te 4-em giski r i 6 si-ib-ti-ka 33 sum-ma wa-as 1(SI)-ba-ku a-na-ku lu-us-
ba-at 34 sum-ma la ki-a-am te 4 -ma-am su-up-ra-am 35 a . s a -lam sa wa-ar-

141. a) Note the use of HI for ta (I. 18, 48) and the contraction of ia>a in -no.ti(14)
and inti.tum(29), which indicates a northern origin. b) The three signs copied by
Dossin at the end of line 31 are not on the tablet. They might be Dossin's alternative·
copy of the last signs of line 30 (where rDVB1 -pi-ka indeed must be read *su-bi-
lam), or he may have inserted them because tuppaka in line 31 requires a verb.
Anyhow, we have to insert a tuppaka at the end of line 30 as subject of illakam.
r LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE

and with oil in a mashartu-container. 39 Say to Nii.r-Samas: "Inspect the

131

garden of Nanni-mena and spread (fem.) the rumour about your action
around and (then) you must take half of the garden". 43 I have a fight with
him, don't take (fem.) notice of anybody's reaction and do not be careless
about the field. 46 If they refuse to give you (masc.) the rent for the ox-
teams, send me a message via who happens to travel here, n) then I will
make trouble!

141. AO 7014. Ebeling 62-64.

Speak to my father and lord: Thus says Habil-kenum. 4 May Samas,
Marduk, Ea and Damkina grant you health for the sake of your family! 6 As
for the fact that that you wrote me in the following terms: "The gentleman,
my brother, should take action and get 1 kor of barley out of the granary for
me.19 He should make out a receipt and Gurrurtum should take it along a), so
that it reaches me before the cultivation starts". 12 As you asked in your
letter we applied to the administrators of the granary b), but they still keep us
waiting. 14 You know what it is to keep applying time and again! 15 I took
along the receipt for the 4 kor of barley of Silli- ..... , which you got last year.
17 We keep applying (and) as soon as they release that barley I will pack it
and send (somebody with it) to you. l9 If you don't wish to have it, I will do
........ 21 Twice I have sent you a letter, c) but you have failed to send me
your instruction 23 about soaking the bulb-leek seed, d) but I am not giving
up! 25 Send me a message whether I have to stay here until I can make your
barley-corns ready for shipment, and I will apply myself to the apples, e) if
that is possible, (but) I will not wait for the ox-teams. f) 30 Why does no
<letter of yours> come to your brothers? <Send> a letter to your brothers. 32
As regards the matter of the garden which is your holding, if I have to stay

s.v. segussu; according to Stol, RIA 8 (1993f.) 348f., s.v. "Mohrhirse"most probably
"millet". n) iilikum with the ending -iinum (also in 6, 79:31) perhaps "the one who
happens to travel there in this case".
141. a) In 6, 130:5-12 Sm-samuh (who could be the one called "my father and lord"
in our letter) asks Habil-kenum to send the woman Gurrurtum to him with barley
seed. b) See M. Gallery, AJO 27 (1980) 16f. and note 70, for satamu as "inventory
comptrollers", who supervise i.a. the disbursement of grain and are associated with
the granary. c) The plural "letters" probably is due to logical attraction by "twice",
but the writer probably meant "twice a letter". d) Cf. CAD MIi 49 1, b, and 3, 65:2
(correct CAD G 96, s.v. girsiinu, "to prepare the soil"). See for girsiinu-seeds, Stol,
BSA 3 (1987) 62f. e) Or "apricots", Gelb, Kraus AV, 78f., criticized by M. Powell,
BSA 3 (1987) 153-6. f) Note the contraction iniiitum > iniitum, also in -niiiti > nati
in line 13.
 132 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ka-tim e-te-ri-is 36 *si-ki-in mu-sa-ri sa i-na i-ni-ti-su 37 i-na bi-ti-ka a-hu-ka

i-te-ki-im 38 um-ma su-ma a-na ti-bi ta-ri-ba-tum *e-ru-1 ub 39 ma-ga-tim sa
giski r i 6 u. e. 40 sa pa-na-nu-um te-te-pe-su 41 e-te-ri-is hi-tu-um 42 u-ul i-
ba-as-si le. e. 43 dub -pa-ka a-na a-ah-hi-ka 44 su-up-ra-am-ma ni-di a-hi-im
45 la i-ra-su-nim 46 0.0.4 z ii .1 um u l. g is su-bi-lam 47 Ia ta-na-zi-iq ba-la-
at e -ti-k[a] 48 lu ba-al-ta-ta up-pa-am ib-ni-d[x] 49 us-ta-bi-la-kum *tug x
BU us-ta-bi-la-sum

142. AO 7015. TCL 18, PL. LXXIII No. 88.

1 a-na a-gu-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma di s k u r -sar-rum-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 5 g u 4 . hi. a u du.hi. a u :;;u-ha-ru-u sa-al-
mu 6 as-sum ki-a-am ta-as-pu-ra-am 7 um-ma at-ta-[m]a a-na tu-ku-ul-*ti-ku-
nu 8 lu-us-sii-*ha-am [a/i]-na a. s a s e -em 9 us-ta-:;;i-a-ku-um u a-na uruha-
*ri-nu-umki 10 al-li-ik-ma te 4 -ern-su-nu-u 11 a-na ka-sum-ma tu-ru-*ni-ku 12
um-ma su-nu-ma a-bu-ni li-il-li-kam 13 ki-ma pa-na-nu-um-ma li-is-pu-ra-ni-
a-*si-i[m] lo. e. 14 sa-ap-ti-su-nu ki-a-am is-me 15 *b u r i k u a. s a s e .
g is. l su-te-er rev. 16 as-sum giski r i 6 :;;a-ba-tim sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 17 a-na
:;;e-ere-tel-k a _dma rd u k 18 ru1 * id-na-tum i-ru-um-ma 19 *gi.l'ki r i 6 sa pu-
i:;;-:;;i-imii-sa-*:;;i-a-1nim 20 pdi s k u r -sar-rum a-na e-tel-k a _dma rd u k 21
giski r i 6 i-na-*ad-<din>-ma giski r i 6 re1 -il 22 e-tel-ka-dmarduk il-te-qe

I I
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 133

here I will take care g) of it, if not, send me your decision. 35 I have now
seed-ploughed the field at the rear. Your brother has deprived your
household h) of the vegetable plantation which is situated in (the area
worked by) his ox-team. 38 He said: "I became the owner as Taribatum's
successor. i) I have now cultivated the .... j) of the garden, which previously
you always worked. 43 Nothing has been done wrong. Send a letter of yours
to your brothers, that they must not get careless. 46 Send me 40 litres of
dates .and oil. 47 Do not worry, may you share in the prosperity of your
household! k) Toni-.... hereby sends you a ...., l) I have sent him a ..... .

142. AO 7015. Ebeling 64-65.

Speak to Aguja: Thus says Adad-sarrum. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant
you health. 5 The oxen, the sheep and the boys are well. 6 As for the fact
that you wrote me thus: "Relying on you (plur.) I will move away" - 9 I have
now rented the barley field for you. a) I also went to the town of Harinum
and (discovered that) it is to you that they have swung their opinion. 12 This
is what they say: "Let our father come here to give us instructions, just as
before". 14 This is literally what I heard them say. b) Make an additional 181
iku of sesame field available. c) 17 As regards the acquisition of a garden,
about which you wrote me, I visited Etel-pi-Marduk and Idnatum and they
(fem.) have rented a garden which has to be cleared. d) 20 Adad-sarrum is
giving a garden to Etel-pi-Marduk, the contract for the garden has been con-

141. g) sabiitum said of a date-garden can mean "to take care of, to take into cul-
tivation" (Stol). h) CAD M/II, 262 s.v. musarii, reads ina qiitika, but the only clear
GA in 1. 39 is different" from BL i) See Lexical Notes s.v. tibum; Stol: perhaps "at
the instigation of". j) Meaning un-known; CAD M/I 253 s.v. reads maqqiitu
(plur.), correcting CAD E 229, 4' (ur-qa-tim, "vegetables"). k) Paranomasis to
express the wish that both the addressee and his household may enjoy prosperity.
I) Difficult, see Lexical Notes s.v. uppum. A reading TUG [k]ip7-pu (A.D. Kilmer)
of the damaged word of 1. 49 was not accepted by CAD K, but see my collation).
142. a) Difficult, because a .sa is preceded by [ali]?-na, but "rented for you" more
likely than "I got rid of (siisum ina) ... for you". b) Is-me must be first pers. sing.;
in combination with ki"am "it rounds of a reported communication" (CAD K 326,
2'). c) Lack of a pron. suff. makes the interpretation difficult. Not suffer, but either
siitir (for siitir[sum]), "give him ...extra", or, as suggested by Kouwenberg, su-te-er-
[si], "make ready", which would fit the spelling with te. d) BU-IZ-ZI-im rather
not a PN, but an infin. of the D-stem of pesum, "to be white, clear", cf. eqlum
pesum, "a cleared field'', the state in which it has to be returned to the owner after
the harvest.
134 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

23 0.2.0 i k u giski r i 6 sa same-eh-re-et 24 ta-wi-ir-tim sa du mu mu-na-ni

25 giski r i 6 sa-tu i~-ba-at 26 u 4 . hi . in 1 su-si na-si 27 mi-im-ma la ta-na-
zi-iq 28 ar-hi-is at-la-kam-ma u. e. 29 i-na a-ah sa-at-tim 30 *pa-ga-ar-ka e-il

143. AO 7265. TCL 18 PL LXXN No. 89. a)

1 a-na dEN.ZU-sa-mu-uh 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma re1-tel-k a _dma rd u k -ma 4
du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka 5 a-nu-um-ma dub -pf us-ta-bi-la-a[k-ku]m 6 5.0.0
g u r *sa pf-qf-it-ti um [x x] 7 e-ri-is-tam ta-bi-Ii [(x)] 8 u ha-at-ti qa-ti-ka 9
le-qf-a-am-ma a-la-kam *ep-sa-am 10 1 gisg an. ur 11 1 gisha-ar-bu 12 10
gisni-ru lo. e. 13 ki-ma pa-ni-ka 14 Ii-qf-a-am rev. 15 Pri-is-d in g i r *we-du-um
16 Pa-at-ta-su d U ID U tu-bi-ia 17 U dpa-an-ni-ga-ra-se-mi 18 d Um U gur-ru-u
19 it-ti-ka c) 20 a-la-kam c) 21 li-pu-sue-n[im] 22 Pl-lf-a-ia-b[a-as] 23 *sa as-pu-

ra-a[k-kum] 24 la ta-ka-al-la-a-am 25 1.0.0 g u r nu mun g a. r as . s a r 26

ki-ma pa-ni-ka li-qf-a-am

144. AO 7266. TCL 18 PL LXXV No. 90. a)

1 a-na s e. g a _den . 1f 1 . 1 a 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l-lf-i-din-nam 4 a-lu-um u
si-bu-tum-ma 5 du tu mu . s a r. k am li-ba-al-li-it-ka 6 i-nu-ma wa-ar-du-
um i-na bi-tim i~-~a-ab-tu 7 a-lu-um i-sa-al-su-ma 8 du mu nu-ur-
d in g i r. mah -ma ih-su-us 9 du mu a . z u u-ul ih-su-us 10 u *u 4 4 .
k am ik-ka-li-ma 11 u-u~-~i-~u-su-ma du mu nu-ur-d in g i r. m a h *-ma 12
ih-su-us a-na pi-i wa-ar-di-im 13 ma-ar a-wi-li it-ta-na-ad-di-nu 14 i-nu-ma
Pu-bar-rum a-na 1 a rs am ki 15 as-sum wa-ar-*r di-su l il-li-ku 16 wa-ra-as-su
ki-a-am i-sa-al-ma 17 um-ma su-ma ma-an-nu-um it-ti-ka 18 du mu nu-ur-
din gir. mah *-ma it-ti-ia 19 du mu a. z u u-ul il-li-ik zoi-na-an-na Pu-bar-

143. a) Surface deteriorated, lines 10-14 crumbling. b) No sign under AM. c)

Lines 19-21 are written over erasures.
144. a) Fine, small script (24 lines on 10 cm).
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 135

concluded e) and Etel-pi-Marduk has just obtained it. 23 The 12 iku of garden
land, which lies opposit the clearing f) of the son of Munani, that garden he
has taken into cultivation. 26 He is under the obligation of delivering 60 kor
of gre~n dates. 27 Do not worry in any way, depart and come here quickly.
29 Bind yourself by contract e) at the turn of the year.

143. AO 7265. Ebeling 65.

Speak to Sin-samuh: Thus says Etel-pi-Marduk. 4 May Samas grant you
health. Herewith I am sending you my letter. 6 Take 5 kor of provisions for
....... what has been requested, dried vegetables a) 8 and your walking stick b)
and see to it that you come here! 10 Get me also, as soon as you can, c) 1
harrow, 1 deep plough (and) 10 yokes. 15 Rts-ili the wedum,Attasu, the son
of Tiibia, and Pannigara-semi, the son of Gurrfi, must come together with
you. 22 Ili-ajabas, about whom I wrote you, you must not detain! 25 Take
also, as soon as you can, 1 kor of leek seeds along for me.

144. AO 7266. Ebeling 65-66. C. Wilcke, Diebe, Rauber, Marder, in: Xenia
32 (Konstanz 1992) 66 and 77, notes 111-112, and Wu Yuhong,
NABU 1995/97. a)
Speak to Sega-Enlila: Thus say Ili-idinnam, the town and the elders. 5 May
Samas grant you health for countless years! 6 When the slave was caught
inside the house, the town interrogated him and 8 he only mentioned the son
of Dingirmah; he did not mention the son of the physician. b) 10 And after he
had been detained for four days and while they questioned him sharply he
still only mentioned the son of Nur-Dingirmah. 12 Is it customary to extra-
dite c) free citizens on the basis of what a slave says? 14 When Ubarum went
to Larsa because of his slave, he put the following questionto his slave: 17
"Who was with you?" <He answered>: "Only the son ofNur-Dingirmah

142. e) A reading ugiirka, "your polder", proposed in Kraus AV 352, is excluded;

see for "binding by contract", Lexical Notes s.v. e::ielum. f) See for taw(w)irtum, M.
Stol, BSA 4 (1988) 177ff.
143. a) tiibilum, "dried (plants/vegetables)", with Stol, BSA 3 (1987) 66, who refers
to JCS 34 (1982) 160 no. 11:4-7, where garlic, onions and za.ha.din are sub-
sumed under the deisgnation tiibilu 8 ar. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. hattum. c) kiina
piinika in this context not "nach Belieben" (AHw 819b, 14, a; 13, 171, note e), but
"immediately", with lequm in the ventive, cf. 2, 104:12.
144. a) See also S. Lafont, RA 92 (1988) 117 note 61. b) Taking a. z u as a
professional and not as a personal name. c) "Customary" renders the iterative; mar
awi1im must be plural.
 136 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

rum sa-al 21 [x xx] i-na pa-ni-ka 22 [xx] *la i-na-hi-is* i-na s e -e sa-ra-qu-
tim rev. 23 u-ul ih-ha-sf-is 24 as-sum l-li-tu-ra-[a}m 25 a-wi-lum sag. l r e
! I
d[ mar d] u k b) 26 is-tu i-na a-li-ni wa-as-bu 27 i-na sa-ar-tim ma-ti-ma su-
um-s[u] 28 u-ul ha-sf-is 29 a-wi-lum pa-na-nu-um u-ul ha-sf-is 30 i-na-an-na
ma-an-nu-um ih-su-sa-ku-us-su 31 sum-ma ta-sa-pa-ra-am 32 a-lu-um ka-lu-
su li-il-li-ka-ma 33 ki-ma at-ta tap-pu-ut a-li-im 34 ta-al-la-ku a-la-am tu-ur-
ra-ar

145. AO 7472. TCL 18 Pl. LXXVI No. 91.

1 a-na nam-ra-tum qf-bf-[ma] 2 um-ma u-bar-dEN.ZU-m[a] 3 dutu u
dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ia da-ri-[i]s u 4 -mi 4 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 is-tu an-ni-is al-
li-kam 6 am-ra-a~-ma na-pf-is-tam ak-su-ud 7 i-na ki-a-am-ma ma-ti-ma te 4-
mi u-ul as-pur-ak-kum\SUM) 8 Pli-pf-it-istar du mu ip-qu-sa 9 ii tap-pu-su
il-li-ku-nim-ma 10 i-na z i m bi r ki ere n -am sa sa-at-ru-su-nu-si-im 11 i-sa-
ah-hu-ru 12 pf-qa-at a-na ~e-ri-ka i-il-la-ku-nim-ma 13 e na-ap-ta-ri-ia u-da-
ab-ba-bu Io. e. 14 ki-a-am qf-bi-su-nu-si-im 15 um-ma at-ta-a-ma rev. 16 a-wi-
lum bi-is-su bi-ti 17 a-na u 4 -um tam-li-tim re-es-ku-nu *u-ka-a-al 18 ha-al-
qu-ti-ku-nu-ma su-uh-ra 19 ki-a-am qf-bi-su-nu-si-im 20 e la u-da-ab-ba-bu 21
ii a-na pf-qa-at i-la-ku-nim 22 i-nu-u-ma i-te-er-bu-nim 23 a-na e na-ap-ta-ri-
ia qf-bi-ma 24 ~u-ha-ra-am ii s a g . g em e . me s 25 i-dam li-sa-a~-bi-tu 26
ul-[l]a-nu-uk-ka a-na ma-an-nim 27 a-sa-ap-pa-ra-am 28 la tu-us-ta-a

145. b) [mar d] u kin view of the distance between ding i r and "UD", but u tu
perhaps not impossible, if the scribe wrote the last sign at the end of the line.
146. a) There is no sign before DI.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 137

was with me, the physician's son did not go (with us)". 20 Now, question
Ubarum [and if] he does not back off before you, d) he was indeed not
mentioned e) in connection with the stolen barley. 24 As for Ili-turam, the
man is a slave of the Marduk temple. 26 Since he lives in our town his name
has ne~er been mentioned in connection with a criminal act. 29 Previously,
the man has never been mentioned, so who has now mentioned him to you?
31 If you write (such things) to us, the whole town might come and instead
of helping the town, you actually frighten it! f)

145. AO 7472. Ebeling 66-67. Cf. J.J. Finkelstein, AS 16 (1965) 238, note
17.
Speak to Namratum: Thus says Ubar-Sin. 3 May Samas and Marduk for my
sake grant you forever health. 5 After I had come here I fell ill and I nearly
died. 7 For that reason I never sent you any report of mine. 8 Lipit-Istar, the
son of Ipqusa, and his colleagues came here and 11 they are now rounding
up in Sippar the troops which have been assigned to them in writing. 12
They might also tum to you and pester my residence. a) 14 Then tell them as
follows: 16 "The gentleman's house is my house. 17 I am at your disposal
when the time of filling the ranks b) is there, but (first) round up those which
you have lost!". 19 Speak to them in this way, so that they do not pester the
house. 21 And in case c) they come and have actually already entered (the
town), then tell the people of my residence that they must keep 24 the boy
and the slave-girls out of sight d)_ 26 To whom else but you can I write? Do
not let me down!

144. d) Restoration and interpretation conjectural; ina piinika could also mean
"personally". e) The subject must be the physician's son and I take ihhasis, contra
Wilcke, as past tense have made random accusations which the authorities reject,
reproaching him for stirring up panic. f) See for urrurum, Wu Yuhong, NABU
1995/97 (ref. Stol).
145. a) bft naptiirim, see Lexical Notes s.v. naptiirum; 2, 97:2 shows that
inhabitants of a man's residence in another town could be called up for service
duties. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. tamhtum. c) ana piqat rare for simple piqat, cf.
2, 39:6; 3, 39:16, and A 1101:28 (La Voix de ['Opposition, 185). d) See for idam
SU$butum,Kraus in 10, 16 note h.
138 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

146. AO 7473. TCL 18 Pl. LXXVII No. 92.

1 a-na ba-li-e-ra-ah 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-i-qi-sa-am-ma 4 du tu li-ba-
al-li-it-ka 5 as-sum ~u-ha-ri-im 6 [s]a ta-as-pu-ra-am 7 sa um-ma at-ta-a-ma 8
hu-ub-tam ih-bu-ut 9 a-na-ku a-la-kam 10 a-di a-la-ka-am-ma 11 a-wa-as-su a-
la-ma-du 12 *re 1 -sa-am-ma 13 [l]a tu-sa-r[a]-a-su 14 i-na a-la-ki-ia 15 a-wa-as-
su lu-ul-ma-ad 16 g u 4 . hi. a -u-a la i-ha-li-qu-u 17 a-na dEN.ZU-ra-bi 18 a-na
qa-ta-a-tim rev. 19 DI a) xx (rest ofrev. uninscribed)

147. AO 7471. TCL 18 Pl. LXXVII No. 93. a)

1 a-na ba-li-e-ra-[ah] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-mu-ba-li-it-[ma] 4 as-sum
s e -e-em sa s u. ha. e. n e 5 sa Psa-du-ni 6 il-qu-u 7 un-ne-du-uk-ka-am 8 u-
sa-am-ri-~a-as-su-um-ma 9 us-ta-bi-la-as-sum 10 u Pe-ri-ib-dEN.ZU r a.
gab a 11 as-tap-ra-sum 12 1 s i 1 a s e a-na ga-am-ri-im-ma 13 u-ul ta-na-an-
di-is-sum 14 u as-sum s a. g a 1 ere n s u . ha 1• e . n e 15 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am
16 s a. g a 1-su-nu i-na s e -e sa i-le-qu-u 17 ta-ha-ra-a~

148. AO 7474. TCL 18 Pl. LXXVIII No. 94. a)

1 a-na ba-le-ra-ah 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma ~i-su-na-aw-ra-at-ma 4 dingir. mah
dbara lb) .ni 9 .gar .ra 5 da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-li-tu-k[a] 6 a. sa -lum sa ta-
at-ta-na-al-la-a-ku 7 na-hi-id ra-ma-an-ka u-~u-ur 8 su-lum-ka su-up-ra-am 9
as-sum *[s]a ki-a-am ta-as-pu-ra-am 10 um-ma at-ta-a-ma 11 i-na uz-zi-im ta-
ar-da-a-ku 12 a-na Pli-pi-it-istar 13 as-su-mi-ka ha-am-si-su aq-[bi] 14 um-ma
a-na-ku-u-ma Pba-le-ra-a[h] 15 is-tu ~e-eh-ru *sa-AB-UD-ti i-de a-wi-lu-[tam]
16 *i-le-e-~i a-sar ta-sa-ak-ka-nu 17 is-ti-a-at e-pe-e-sa-am 18 i-le-i-kum 19 ki-

a-am i-pu-la-an-ni 20 um-ma su-u-ma 21 si-te 4 -er-ta-am i-na sa-ka-a-nim rev.

22 a-sar i-di-im a-sa-ak-ka-[an]-su 23 a-nu-u[m]-ma 24 ~u-ha-ru-u *ma-x [x

l]i-im 25 * [s]a mah-ri-ka si-[i]p-ra-am* ri1 -ip-pu-su 26 ki-ma is-tu *x AK-ri-im

27 *an-ni-tim x u x x u x [x] da- su* 28 su-um-ru-~u-ma a-na [li-i]b-bi ma-

a-tim 29 it-ta-as-pa-h[u xx

147. a) The text covers only ca.two-thirds of the obverse; parts of lines 1-3 and 9-10
are now missing
148. a) Surface of tablet has deteriorated sind Dossin copied it. b) The sign looks
like AB, but should be BARA.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 139

146. AO 7473. Ebeling 67-68.

Speak to Bali-Brah: Thus says Sin-iqisam. 4 May Samas grant you health. 5
As regards the boy about whom you wrote me in the following terms: 8 "He
has co:i;nmitteda robbery!" - I myself am coming 10 But until I arrive and
learn about his case, you must not have him brought somewhere (else). a) 14
When I arrive I will inform myself about his case. l6 My oxen should not
get lost! 17 Hand [him/them] over to Sin-rabi as guarantor. b)
(reminder of rev. uninscribed)

147. AO 7471. Ebeling 68.

Speak to Bali-Brah: Thus says Sin-muballit. 4 As for the barley for the
fishermen, a) which Sanuni took,7 I wrote and sent him an angry letter. lO
Moreover, I have now sent Enb-Sin, the mounted messenger, to him. 12 Do
not give him anything, not even one quart of barley! 14 And as for the food
for the fishermen, about which you wrote me, l6 you must deduct their food
from the barley they (are entitled to) receive. b)

148. AO 7474. Ebeling 68-69.

Speak to Bali-Brah: Thus says Sissu-nawrat. 4 May Dingirmah and Panigin-
gara a) grant you forever health. 6 The region you use to travel in gives
cause for concern. Take good care of yourself and write me how you are
doing. 9 As for the fact that you wrote me as follows: 11 "I have been chased
away in anger!" - I have talked four times to Lipit-Istar because of you,
saying: 15 "Ever since his youth Bali-Brah has known ...., b) he is able to
behave like a gentleman 17 (and) to cooperate with you c) wherever you
station him". l9 This is what he answered me: 21 "When the list d) is drawn
up I will put him at the appropriate place". e) 23 Right now all the servants of
the ....... , who are performing their work there with you, 26 because
from/since this ...., f) 28 they have been hurt and have become dispersed over

146. a) esamma = ajisamma, cf. CAD All 234, c and 234a, ajisam. b) See for ana
qiitiitim nadiinum, CAD Q 169, b, 2'; the robber of 1.5ff. should be its object.
147. a) Cf 9, 246:13ff. b) Or, perhaps, "he will receive", if we assume that Saduni
himself and not the fishermen should suffer from his illegal action.
148. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. b) sa-AB-UD(not:RU)-ti not identified. c) See
Lexical Notes s.v. istiat. d) Sitertum (cf. siterti tuppia in no 160:10, usually sitir
fuppim) perhaps a duty-rota, a written order or an assignment of a position or task.
e) asar idim, CAD S/111, 144, a, "a suitable post"; Kraus in 2, 108, note b to
translation, "am verabredeten Ort". t) The traces do not support a reading nakrim;
cf. perhaps the statement in ARM 3, 8:20f., epistum sf issapphma siprum inneu,eb.
 140 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

(x)] X 30 la i-ba-as-su-u [x X x] ki 31 i-na si-ip-re-t[im X X x] 32 *k u.

[ b ab bar xx] x* 33 sabra u-u[l] x [x xx x] 34 *a-n[a] ka-bi [x xx x]-ba-
am 35 u-ma-x [x xx xx] *x x 36 PNI-[xxx xx x] x-ka-1kum* 37 Ii-[x xx xx
x x]-nu-ma 38 su-up-[ra-am xx x x]-ka 39 l[i xx xx xx] ip-pa-ra-[x] 40 li-[x
xx xx x-b]a-ak-kum 41 gisx [x xx xx] xx u 42 5 gis[xxx xx] xx x 43 su-bi-
la[m xx x x]-ak-kum 44 u ~u-ha-ra-a[m xx xx xx] u. e. 45 k u. b ab bar u-
ul il-qe 46 sum-ma *ta-qa-ab-bi 47 mah-ri-ka li-zi-iz le. e. 48 [ki-m]a ni-it-li-ka!
e-pu-us

149. AO 7475. TCL 18 PL LXXIX No. 95. a)

1 a-na su-ul-la-li 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma *l u . ding i r -ma 4 is-tu pa-na-nu-um
5 a-na wa-ar-ka-nu-um 6 sa la ka-a-ti 7 a-ba-am u be-la-am 8 u-ul i-su 9

<gis>ma -am sa wa-ar-ki-ia IO a-na ha-ra-ni-im it-ta-na-la-ku 11 *a-na ha-bi-i-

ii i~-baJtu 1-ma* 12 *ha-bi-lu pral-la 1-ra-pi 13 im-hu-ru-u-ma 14 ma u-la-mi
e-re-du-ni-a-si-im15 pral-la-ra-pi16 X x-si-na 17 [x XX x] x-ma rev. 18 U u-bar-
du tu 19 il-li-ik-ma 20 ma 6-wa-se-ru 21 a-nab a I . mu . * n am . he 22 ka-
ar-~i i-ku-lu-6-ma 23 is-pu-ru-ni-im-ma 24 a-bu-la-tim su-da-a-k[u] 25 pu-ul-
lu-ha-a-ku 26 u le-em-ni-is 27 ep-se 20 -e-ku 28 a-na b a I.mu . n am . he 29
qi-bi-i-ma 30 sa ar-hi-is su-*-i]a 31 e-pu-us 32 uh-ta-an-na-aq 33 6-lu e-el-li-i-
ma 34 is-tu u-ri-im a-ma-aq-qu-ut 35 [x] *x as-lu-ut-ma u. e. 36 *hal-qaJku-
ma 1 37 lu-ul-l[i-ik-m]a a-na *x x 38 a-ra-an re-si-im *x x 1. e. 39 [as-.s]um
1 [6] . nag a r. mes 40 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 41 ha-am-si-su a[q-bi-s]um-ma X
[xx] 42 u ~6-ha-ru-um a-di i-na-an-na xx x

150. AO 6968. TCL 18 PL LXXXNo. 96. a)

1 a-na ip-qu-dNE x 2 qi-bi-m.a 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-la-sa-na-an-ma 4 du tu as-
sum-ia mu. s a r. k am 5 li-ba-al-li-it-ka 6 pdEN.ZU-sar-ru-um u dz a.
b a 4. b a 4 -ga-mil 7 is-tu u 4 . 3 . k am a-na a. s a-lim 8 sa uruhu-ba-biki9 a-
na e-re-si-im IO it-ta-na-la-ku-nim-ma 11 as-sum pi-i-ka la sa-ma-ku 12 6-ul
ma-ag-raJ ak 1 -su-nu-ti 13 u a-na-ku 6-ul a-pa-al 14 un-ne-du-ki an-ni-[tam] 15
I-na ra1 -ma-ri-ka 16 an-ni-ta la an-ni-i[t]-ka 17 su-up-ra-am-ma 18 rsa1 ki-ma
ta-sa-pa-ra lu-p[u-u]s-si rev. 19 6-ul ta-as-pu 1-ra 20 la ta-qa-b[a]

149. a) Tablet brittle and in two pieces, with some loose fragments.
150. a) Tablet has disintegrated
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 141

and have become dispersed over the countryside [and] there are no [...........]
from the work tasks ...... silver ..... 33 the manager
(lines 34-40 too damaged for translation)
for you. 41 Send me a ..... and five ..... 44 [so that I ....] for you and the
servant ..... that he did not receive the silver. 46 If you order so, he must
serve you. 48 Do as you consider right.

149. AO 7475. Ebeling 69-70.

Speak to Sullali: Thus says Lu-dingira. 4 All along a) I have had no father
and lord but you! 9 The boat (on) which one used to travel, after my
departure has been seized for criminals. b) 12 The criminals turned to Alla-
rapi, but they will by no means conduct the boat to us. 15 Alla-rapi ......
them c) .......... , 18 but when Ubiir-Samas came they released the boat. 21 To
Balmunamhe they sent a message full of slander in consequence of which 24
I am confined to the city (gates); I am terribly afraid and have been treated
badly. 2 8 Speak to Bahnunamhe in order to get me released quickly, d)
(otherwise) I will strangle myself 33 or mount on the roof and throw myself
down!". e) ... I controlled and ..... 36 (since) I am lost I would like to go and
...... my personal guilt. 39 As for the carpenters, about whom you wrote me,
I talked to him five times but up till now the boy ...... .

150. AO 6968. Ebeling 70.

Speak to Ipqu- ...... : Thus says Sin-la-saniin. 4 May Samas for my sake
grant you health for countless years. 6 Sin-sarrum and Zababa-giimil since
three days 10 keep coming to me (with the request) to cultivate the field of
the town of Hubabi, a) 11 but because I have not yet learned b) your decision,
I have not granted their request c) 13 since (lit. "and") I myself cannot
answer them. 14 When you read this letter of mine, write 16 me yes or no,
then I will do d) whatever you order me. 19 Do not tell me e) (later): You
did not write to me!"

149. a) I assume (pace CAD A/II, 373, b) a temporal meaning, as in 1, 53:23. b)

!Jiibilii,"criminals", not simply "robbers", used to disqualify the anonymous "they"
who took the boat c) Plural fem., but it remains unclear what its referent is, since
"boat" (I. 9) is sing. d) Cf. no. 183:14f. e) The same threats in ARM 10, 33:9.
150. a) See already Rep. geogr. 3, 99, s.v. b) Instead of semeku, cf. 1, 30:12, sa-
me-a-ku, and 10, 208:5, sa-mi-a-ta, and see the reference in no. 93 note a. c) See
OrNS 33 (1963) 340; the stative serves as perfect tense. d) Not for liipussi (with -
si as pleonastic object), but a so-called "i-mode" (Kraus, Symbolae Bohl, 253ff and
259). e) The verbal form ends in -b[a], short for -ham< -biam.
142 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

151. AO 7583. TCL 18 Pl. LXXX No. 97 (fragment of tablet).

1 []xx ha x [ ] 2 [] lu du x [] 3 []xx as-pu-r[a]-am [] 4 [] ma-har du tu u
dx ku da [ ] 5 [ ] am a [ ] 6 [ ] a ka-6 u x x x [ ] 7 [ ] x* a-wa-tum [ ] 8 [il-l]i-
ka-ak-kum-m[a] 9 [ ]x k u . b ab bar la ap-pu-ul-su* 10 [] x su-6 11 [] x di-i
12[ ] ki-a-am iq-bi-a lo. e 13[um-ma] su-6-ma rev. 14[ ] s e -e [] 15[] i1 [ ] 16
[] x us x di nam x [] 17[g] u . u n k u run . mes 18[ i]l-la-ku-ni-is-sum [ ]
19[mi-i]m-mu-u-su ma-la n i g . k a 9 [ ] 20 [ ]-di-in [ ] 21 [ ] x ul ni-i-[ ] 22 [ ]
uni [ ] 23 (rest broken)

152. AO 7586. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXI No. 98. a)

1 *a-na li-pi-[it-dx] 2 [qi]-[bi-ma] 3 [um-m]a dEN.ZU-[xx x x] 4 as-sum
ab . g u 4 . hi . a x x [x x x] 5 a-na a-wi-lim dm a rd u k -la-ma-[sa-su] 6 a-
an-nam *i-pu-u[l-ma] 7 TI-ta-wa-ar sum-ma x [x x x] x x 8 s e ut-te4-ti-ia I
szla [xxx]x 9 a-di ab.gu 4 .hi.a i-[la-ku-ni-k]um 10 i-nagu 4 .sa.. gu 4 .
hi.a-*ka rx x1 x us 11 di-is-ma ta-ab-lam 12 ra1 -na s e ut-te4-ti-ia di xx ki-
im na-a-ri 13[xx] xx x [x xx x] x a
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning of rev. broken)
l'[x XX XX x] XX [x Xx] 2' [x XX XX x] la a ta bi X 3' [xx] i-ru 1 -bu-nim-ma
a-na k a. ding i r. r a ki 4' 6-se-el-lu-ni-ik-ka-ma 5 ' [s]e-re-et'-ka 6-ka-ab-ba-
at 6' u a-na du mu . mes a-wi-lim 6-um-ma-aq'-ka (ruling)
Fragment: 1" [xx] x [x] 2" [xx] ra ta [xx] 3" [x a1 -di 6-ub-ba-l[u] 4" [xx] 6-
ul 6-ub-ba-al 5" [x x]-ki a-na pa-ti-ia 6" [x x]-am-ma a-[n]a ba-a[b x

153. AO 7587. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXI No. 99_a)

1' ki-ma a[t-ta x xx x] 2' tu-sa-bi-[lam x x x x] 3' u be-Ii ki-a-am iq-[bi-a-am]
4' ma-ah-ra a UD i-na x [x x x] 5' u 4 . 1 . k am NI [x] x [x x x] 6' be-Ii x ~ x1
iq-bi-[a-am] 7' *5 mu . hi . a [x xx x] 8' a-ka-x-[x x xx] 9' x x [x x xx x] 10'
x [x xx xx xx] (at least three lines broken)
lo.e. 1' [x xx xx] x ta IK- [xx] 2' [ki]-ma b[e]-li-ia ka-ta i-mu-[x] rev. 3' i-na-
an-na dm a rd u k -mu-ba-li-it a-sar x x I x 4' [i]s-tu' u 4 -mi sa be-Ii us?-rta1 -
zi-zu-su 5' x x 6-ul x x-ba-an-ni 6' i-na-an-na ki-a-am is-me x dm a rd u k -
mu-ba-li-it 7' a-hu-ka it-ti du mu.mes rzu1 -dEN.zux xx 8' [a]. s a pa a -
x tau ZI e-ma a. s a il-qe 9' [xx] xx us ba na ta la da la ni ku rna1 10' [x] x
XX 6-ki'(DI)-in U X ta im XX la ka ll' [n ]a/. k i Sib su-mi-ka u-sa-as-te4-er-
ma 12' [d] u b -pi-ka 1 us-ta-ak-ni-ik 13' [du mu]. mes xx sa ma-har be-li-
ia i-zi'-zu 14' [dm a rd u k]-mu-ba-li-it a-hi su-a-ti 15' [xx] x be-li-ia xx xx x
16'[xx] xx (rest ofrev. broken)

152. a) Severly damaged part of a tablet together with an unplaced fragment.

i
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 143

151. AO 7583. Not in Ebeling.

Damaged fragment of a letter in very cursive writing, which allows no translation.

152. AO 7586. Not in Ebeling.

Speak to Lip[it- 2 a) [ ]: Thus says Sin-[ ]. 4 [I spoke] about the
oxen to the gentleman Marduk-lama[ssasu] and he gave his consent [and]
..... If ....... 8 my barley corns, every single quart ...... 9 Until the oxen arrive
with you, thresh [the grain .....] with your plow oxen and take (it.) along. 12
For my barley corns .... of the river .....
(13 until rev. 2' too damaged for translation)
[When ] arrive (plur.) here and will force you go up to Babylon, I will
impose on you a heavy penalty and I will humiliate you b) before those who
are gentlemen.

153. AO 7587. Not in Ebeling. a)

(gap) 1' like you ..... sent to me ...... 3' and my lord told me as follows:
"First.. ... one day .... ", my lord .... told me. 5' For five years ......
(at least 6 lines damaged or missing)
2' .... h e ...... JUS . t lik e you, my 1ord . rev· 3 ' N ow m . th e p1ace wh ere
Marduk-muballit, since the day my lord ....... ed him, has not .... one single
.... 6' Now I have heard the following: Marduk-muballit, your brother,
together with the sons of Awz1-Sfn-...... 8' has ....the field and has taken the
field 9 ' . . . . . . . 11' I had a seal with your name inscribed and had your tablet
sealed ..... 13' The ..... who served before my lord ..... that brother of mine,
[Marduk]-muballit .... .

152. a) Second line indented, but first sign neither (r nor -0. b) See for
ummuqum,"to humiliate", Stol in 9, 49, note a, but there is no contrast with resam
kubbutum, since the object of the verb is seretka.
153. a) The tablet, in a very cursive script, has deteriorated since Dossin copied it
and it difficult to read because it has been varnished.
 144 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

154. AO 7675. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXII No. 100.

1 a-na dEN.ZU-u-se-li qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma disk u r -ri-im-l-li-ma 3 dEN.ZUu

dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-k[a] 4 *i-ba-as-si-i an-nu-um e-qe-el 5 bi-ra-am a-

la-ka-am-ma 6 na-az-ka-ku-ma wa-ar-ka-ti 7 u-ul ta-pa-ra-as 8 a-na-ku mu-
sa-am u ka-~a-tam 9 su-na-ti-ka-ma a-na-ta-al 10 *ru e 1 -ma-ka at-ta ki-ma 11
la *ni-in-na-am-ru-ma 12 u la a-ba-as-su-u *wa-ar-ka-ti-i* 13 a) u-ul ta-ap-
*r[u-us (x)] lo. e 14 a-na-ku mi-KI-ir-*tu[m (x)] 15 ni-zi-iq-tam as-*s.[um xJ 16
*se-me-e-k[u] rev. 17 u [x] x am a ba [xx] 18 a-nu-um-ma dEN.ZU-tab. b a-
[x x] 19 sa iq-bi-a-am a-na [x x] 20 as-tap-ra-ku rte4-em 1 -ka 21 su-[up-ra-a]m
22 u-[us-s]a-ab-ma 23 u-ul a-la-ka-ku 24 ki-ma dEN.ZUu dLALu-ZA-ZU-ka 25

ru-ug-ba-am pf-te-[ma] 26 ka-ar-pa-at es i r su-[;Yfx] 27 u si'-i-iq hi-it-ma 28

ki-ma ni-iHi-ka 29 e-pu-us 30 ra1-na bi-tim la te-gu u.e 31 ru.1 te 4 -em *qa-di-
is-tiin 32 su-up-ra-am

155. AO ....... a)_ TCL 18 Pl. LXXX:ill No. 101.

1 [a-n]a a-bi-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-re-me-ni-ma 4 du tu u dm a r -

du k da-ri-is u 4 -mi a-bi ka-ta li-ba-al-li-tu 5 a-bi at-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta lu sa-al-

ma-ta 6 ding i r na-~i-ir a-bi-ia re-es da-mi-iq-tim 7 sa a-bi-ia ka-ta li-ki-il 8
a-na su-lum a-bi-ia as-pu-ra-am 9 su-Ium a-bi-ia ma-har d[u tu u
dm a r] du k 10 lu da-ri 11 i-nu-ma i-na z i m bi r ki ia-ah-ru-rum 12 a-na-ku u
a-bi-ia ka-ta nu-us-ta-tu-u 13 siJta 1 ni-pa-ti sa [s]u-mu-um-li-ib-si d U ill U
dm a f d Uk -mu-sa-lim 14 ris-ti 1 -a-at us-su-ri-im-ma lo. e 15 is-ti-a-at ka-li-a
rev. 16 a-na a-bi-ia ka-ta aq-bi-ma 17 a-an-na ta-pu-la-an-ni 18 i-na-an-na l r -
dbu-ne-ne 19 a-na ma-harl a-bi-ia at-tar-dam 20 Pk il_dinan n a -z i m bi r ki -
na-ah-ra-ri s u . i 21 a-bi li-it-ru-TA-NIM-ma 22 sa-ni-tam sa it-ti-sa li-se-[s]i-
ib

154. a) Parts of signs are still readable at the end of lines 13 and 16, after the line of
fracture indicated in the copy.
155. a) Not AO 7798 (which is an administrative document from the first year of
Bur-Sm of Isin), as indicated by Dossin, but I have been unable to identify the
original ofTCL 18, 101.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 145

154. AO 7675. Ebeling 70f. a)

Speak to Sin-uselli: Thus says Adad-rim-ili. May Sin and Marduk b) grant
you health! 4 Is this possible, that I come to you from a distance c) of two
hours, full of worry, d) without you showing any concern for me? 8 While I,
for my part, dream of you every night and morning and also am your son-in-
law, you show no concern for me, as if e) 11 we had never met and I did not
exist! 14 As for me, insolence t) ..... , because of ... it is only worries that I
hear about ...... 18 I have now sent Sin-tappa-[wedim], who talked to me, to
you for ..... 21 Write me your decision then g) I will stay here and not come
to you. 24 Open the loft as if Sin and Alammus ........h) you and produce a jar
full of bitumen, 27 strike it off, i) inspect it and act according to your insight.
30 Don't be negligent to the house 3l and write me a report on j) the
hierodule.

155. Not AO 7798. Ebeling 71f.

Speak to my father: Thus says Sin-remeni. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant
my father forever health! 6 May you, my father, be in good health and well,
may the god who protects my father support you, my father, to good effect. I
write to wish my father well. 9 May my father's well being in the presence of
Samas and Marduk be everlasting. 11 When I and you, my father, a) met in
Sippar-Yahrurum, 16 I proposed to you, my father, concerning the two
female distrainees taken from Sumum-libsi, the son of Marduk-musallim, b)
to release c) one and to keep the other and you gave me your consent. 20 I
am now sending Warad-Bunene to my father, let my father send to med) the
'barber' Itti-Inanna-Sippar-nahrari e) and let him make the other girl, her
companion, stay.

154. a) The translation by J.M. Sasson, JAOS 103 (1983) 283 2 cannot be accepted;
the long vowel of ibasff indicates a question. b) Stol suggests that dMarduk (cf. 1.
24) is a mistake for dLAL, also because the signs are similar. c) See Lexical Notes
s.v. eqlum. d) Spelling with KA instead of expected GA/QA also in 1, 54:10, 6,
1:34, and 11, 106:5. e) Taking kzma as kzma sa. f) migirtum as variant of magi-
rtum, cf. a lexical list in CAD MIi, 45a, top. g) Or perhaps "whether I should stay
or come". h) Difficult, neither WU$$U$Um (no. 144:11) nor uzzuzum, "be furious",
make good sense h) Taking siq is an imperative of sequm, attested in no. 50:2'f.,
see Lexical Notes s.v. sequm. i) Or "what the decision/mood of the hierodule is".
155. a) abia kiita, in the oblique state, see Lexical Notes s.v. kiita. b) He occurs
also in MHET I, 50:llf. and TLB 1, 276:6f. (ref. Stol). c) wussurim asks for
assum + inf. + qabiim, but the scribe switched to qabiim + acc., if ka-li-am stands
for kalii::,am. d) A mistake, one expects lifrudassi or litrussi. e) This is one of the
146 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

156. AO 7799. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXIV No. 102.

1 a-na a-wi-[lim] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma e-tel-k a _dna*-[bi-um-ma] 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-[a]l-[l]i-tu-ka 5 lu sa-al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta
6 ding i r na-~i-ir-ka re-es-ka a-na da-mi-[i]q-tim 7 li-ki-il 8 a-na su-ul-mi-
ka as-pu-ra-am 9 su-lum-ka ma-har du tu u dm a rd u k 10 lu da-ri 11 Pib-ni-
dm a rd u k mas . s u . g f d . g f d 12ma-ah-ri-ia ki-a-am i-da-ab-bu-ub um-
ma su-ma 13 1 s a g . * g em e a-na a-bi-zu a-na 10 g f n k u . b ab b a r 14
ad-di-in-si-ma 15 i-na li-ib-bi sa 4 g f n k u . b ab bar 16l . g is id-di-nam
17a-na *fb. tak 4 ku. bab bar-ia i ti.1.kam du mu.mun u s-su *a-pa-
ad-ma 18 a-wi-lum dEN.ZU-re-me-ni19 sag . gem e *suJ a-ti1 u-se-~i-si-ma
lo.e20xa-naxxxx-qf-u-ma rev. 21 [xxgf]n*ku.babbar sag.geme [x
x x x x] 22 [x g] f n ku. b ab bar u 0.2.J s e -am iq-ta-bi-ak-kum* 23 an-ni-
tam iq-bi-a-am-ma 24 sag.gem e su-a-ti a-na qa-be-e a-wi-lim dEN.ZU-re-
me-ni 25u-se-~i 26ki-a-am u-lam-mi-da-an-ni 27 i-na-an-na ib-ni-dm a rd u k
mas . s u . g f d . g f d 28 a-na z i m bi r ki a-na ma-ah-ri-ka it-ta-al-kam 29
dub -pf disk u r -ma. an . sum a-na ma-ah-ri-ka 30 us-ta-bi-lam 31 ki-ma
[r]a-bu-ti-ka a-bi-zu su-a-ti 32 a-na ma-ah-ri-ka *li-qe-er-ri-bu-nime 33 i-na
mu-uh-hi-susi-si-i-ma 34 6 gfn ku.babbar uO.2.1 se *fb.tak 4 sam
s a g . gem e 35 a-na ib-ni-dm a rd u k i-di-in 36 sum-ma a-bi-zu su-u *k u .
b ab bar la i-na-ad-di-in 37Pa-bi-zu su-a-ti u *du mu . mun us -su 38 a-na
disk u r -ma. an . sum pf-qf-id-ma 39 a-na ma-ah-ri-ia li-ib-lam 40 la i-ta-
ar-ma ib-ni-d[m ard] uk mas. su.g [f d]. g [f d] 41la i-da-ab-b[u-ub]
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 147

156. AO 7799. Ebeling 72f.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Etel-pi-Na[bium]. 4 May Samas and
Marduk grant you forever good health. 5 May you be well and in good
health, may the god who protects you support you to good effect. 8 I write
to wish you well, may your well-being be everlasting in the presence of
Samas -and Marduk. 11 The diviner lbni-Marduk is making the following
complaint before me: 13 "I sold a slave-girl to Abizu for 10 shekels of silver
and 15 of the price he gave me oil for a value of 4 shekels of silver. 17 For
the rest of my silver I held his daughter for one month in jail, but 18 the
gentleman Sin-remeni tried to obtain the release a) of that slave-girl b) and
[told me:] "They ....... took 21 and [we agreed on x] c) shekels of silver for
the slave-girl and he (Abizu) then promised you [6] shekels of silver and
130 quarts of barley". 23 This is what he told me, whereupon I released that
slave-girl b) at the behest of the gentleman Sin-remeni". 26 This he brought
to my knowledge. The diviner lbni-Marduk has now left for Sippar d) to see
you (and) 29 I send you this letter of mine with Iskur-mansum. 31 Be so kind
as to have this Abizu brought before you, 33 enveigh against him, saying:
"Give 6 shekels of silver and 130 quarts of barley, the remainder of the price
of the slave-girl, to lbni-Marduk!" 36 If the said Abizu refuses to give the
silver, then entrust that Abizu and his daughter to Iskur-mansum, to bring
them before me. 40 The diviner lbni-Marduk must not again have reason to
complain!

hostages, a slave-girl (see for her name Stamm, Namengebung 367 ad S. 83), a
fermale "barber", cf. 4, 152:31.
156. a) SU$Ummight be "to hire (a person)", cf. CAD A/II, 379, 4', but in view of
lines 24f. a meaning "to (obtain a person's) release" seems better. b) "That slave-
girl" must refer to the daughter of the buyer taken in debt-bondage, whom the seller
eventually is ready to release (1. 25). c) Restorations are hypothetical, but "he has
promised you" (I. 22) is a quote of what Sin-remeni told Toni-Marduk (1. 23), to
inform him about the solution worked out. L. 21f. may have mentioned that they
agreed on the size of debt still to be paid and the amounts of barley mentioned in 1.
22 and 34 may have been default interest. d) This letter was apparently sent to and
probably also dug up at Sippar.
 148 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

157. AO 7797. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXV No. 103.

1 a-na a-wi-lim 2 qi-bi-ma 3 u[m-m]a *ba-as-d in g i r 4 u ga-mil-
dm a rd u k-ma 5 du tu u dm a rd u k da-ri-is u 4-mi li-ba-al-li-¢-ka 6 lu sa-
al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta 7 ding i r na-~i-ir-ka re-es-ka a-na da-mi-iq-tim 8 li-
ki-il 9 a-na su-ul-mi-ka ni-is-pu-ra-am 10 su-lum-ka ma-har du tu u
dm a rd u k lu da-ri II i-na qa-be-e a-wi-lim dEN.ZU-i-din-nam *I u .
SIM+GAR a) e a-bi-ni 12ni-is-pu-ra-ak-kum 13 21.4.2 8 s l la s e . g u r 14sa
11 U4-mima-az-za-zi-su* 15faitine.ne.gar rev. l 6 uitigan.gan.e l7 a-
na dEN.ZU-i-din-nam1u . 1u n g a i-di-in-ma 18ka-ni-ik-su li-qi 19 sa a-ta-
pa-al-su 20 me-he-er du b-pi-ni! su-bi-la-an-ni-a-si

158. AO 7800. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXV No. 104.

1 a-na a-wi-le-e sa dm a rd u k n_-ba-al-la-¢-su1 -[nu-ti] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma
~EN.ZU 1 -im-gur-an-ni-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-¢-ku-nu-ti 5 lu
<<sa>> sa-al-ma-tu-nu 6 as-sum *di-ib-ba-at s e . g is . l 7 sa a-wi-lim
gal.ukkin.na eren ka e.gal 8 sau-bar-rumpa-a-du 9 a-disi-ni-su
as-pu-ra-ak-ku-nu-si-im-ma 10 di-a-at sa-pa-ri-ia II u-ul ta-sa-la 12ar-ki i-na-
an-na da-ba-ba-bu su-u 13 i-k[a]-ab-bi-ta-ak-ku-nu-si 14 [ki-ma dub -p]i* ta-
<ta>-am-ra rev. 15 ar-hi-is a-na k a. ding i r. r a ki al-ka-nim-ma 17 da-ba-
ba-ab s e . g is. l su-nu-ti 18li-ik-ka-mi-is

159. AO 7801. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXVI No. 105.

1 a-na a-wi-lim 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma *dEN.ZU-im-gur-an-ni-maa) 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k *da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 5 lu sa-al-ma-ta lu ba-al-ta-ta 6
dingir na-~i-ir-ka re-es-ka a-na da-mi-iq-tim 7 li-ki-il 8 a-na su-ul-mi-ka as-
pu-ra-am 9 su-lum-ka ma-har du tu u dm a rd u k lu da-ri 10 ki-ma {1 si-ma-
at i-din-de-a di . k u 5 11 sa i-na ti-tu-ur-d in g i r su-mi-a-hi-ia 12 a-na
k u. b ab bar tu-ka-al-lu 13 Pel-me-sum iq-bi-a-am 14ka-ni-ka-at e su-a-t[i]

1:,
i 159. a) Name of sender omitted in the copy.

'

:I
 LETTERSIN THE LOUVRE 149

157. AO 7797. Ebeling 73-74.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus say Bas-ilum a) and Ga.mil-Marduk. 5 May
Samas and Marduk grant you forever good health. May you be well and
healthy. 7 May the god who protects you support you to good effect. 9 We
are writing to wish you well, may your well-being last forever before Samas
and Marduk. 11 At the instruction of the gentleman we sent Sin-idinnam, the
brewer b) of our father's household to you. 13 Give Sin-idinnam, the brewer,
21 kor and 268 quarts of barley for serving in his position c) for eleven days
during months V and VI and 18 get a sealed quittance from him. l9 Send us
an answer to this letter, saying: "I have given him what he was entitled to".

158. AO 7800. Ebeling 74.

Speak to the gentlemen, to who Marduk grants good health: Thus says Sin-
imguranni. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you good health, may you be
well. 6 As for the case a) of the sesame of the honorable per-sonnel director
of the workers attached to the palace organization, b) for which he keeps
Ubarrum in jail - 9 I have written twice to you (plur.), but you have ignored
my messages. 12 Soon this conflict a) may get beyond your (plur.) control. 14
Come, as soon as you have seen my letter, quickly to Babylon, 17 so that the
conflict about this sesame may be settled.

159. AO 7801. Ebeling 74f.; C. Wilcke, Kraus AV, 478.

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Sin-imguranni. 4 May Samas and
Marduk grant you forever good health. May you be well, may you be
healthy. 6 May the god who protects you support you to good effect. 8 I am
writing to wish you well, may your well-being last forever before Samas
and Marduk. 13 Elmesum told me that you offer for sale 10 the house ac-
quired by purchase by the judge lddin-Ea, a) which is located in Titur-ilim,

157. a) The name Ba-as-DJNGIR=Basl1um,also in 9, 107:11, writtenBa-si-DIN-GIR

in 10, 73:12, see Stamm, Namengebung 135, d. b) The man's profession, written
on the edge of the tablet, must be the same as that given in I. 17. c) See CT 6,
23c:4, malt given ana mazzaz sirasiitim.
158. a) See for dibbatum, Lexical Notes. b) See for this official, his tasks and the
various men attested in this position (in our letters he remains anonymous),Stol, OB
History, ch. VII, N. Yoffee, The Economic Role of the Crown in the OB Period
(BiMes5, 1977), ch. 4, and D. Charpin,JAOS 100 (1980) 462-66.
159. a) The judge lddin-Ea is perhaps attested in texts from Sippar,from the reign of
150 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

a-t[i] 15 *rse-er-di 1 -a-am u um-ma-ta 16 [x x i-din]-*de-a i-bi-tim* rev. 17 [x x

x x a]-ha-ti-ka 18 [li-q]f-a-am-ma 19 [x x x a]-na k a. ding i r . r a ki 20 ra1 -
na ma-ah-ri-ia li-ib-lam 21 lu-mu-ur-ma 22 k u. b ab bar e su-a-ti 23 lu-sa-
bi-la-ak-ku

160. AO 8846. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXVII No. 106. a)

1 a-n[a] a-bi-ni [qi-bi-ma] 2 um-ma I u _dnin. u rt a [u x x x -ma] 3
den. Ii I* u dn in. u rt a as-su-m[i-ni] 4 da-ri-is u 4 -mi li-ba-al-l[i-tu/tu]-
k[a] 5 Pni-si-i-ni-su du mu . mun us ap-lum 6 I u k u r dn in . u rt a ki-a-
am u-lam-mi-da-ni-a-ti 7 8 s a r e na-di-it-ti lug a l k a na-kam-tum 8 sa a-
bi a-na x* dn in. u rt a *is-tu'-ra-am 9 a-na du tu -si-ia su-up-ra-ma 10 si-ti-
ir-ti dub -pi-ia 11 ma-am-ma-an la i-la-ap-pa-at 12 dub -pa-sa ni-mur-ma lo.
e 13 [bJi-tum su-u rev. 14 i-na x * dn in . u rt a 15 sa-ti-ir 16 a-na a-bi-ni ni-is-
tap-ra-am 17 sa a-bu-ni i-qa-ab-bu-u
Case: a-na rx 1 [ •...••.•. ]

161. AO 8887. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXVIII No. 107. Edited as AbB 4, 78.a)
1 a-na du tu -ha-~i-ir 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma I u _dnin . u rt a -ma 4 du tu li-ba-
al-li-it-ka 5 as-suma.sa-limsauruki su.ha. 1e.ne 6 saPib-ni-dEN.ZU

160. a) Surface has deteriorated, difficult to read.

161. a) Identical to AbB 4, 78. See Introduction, footnote 1. The surface is very
worn and ends of lines 9-10 are now missing. b) The single line on the rev. runs
parallel to line 14 of the obv., so that ca. two-thirds of the rev. was not inscribed.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 151

to b) Sumi-ahia. 14 Get me the sealed records pertaining to that house, both

those on its transmission and the 'mother tablet', c) 16 [which belongedJ to
Iddin-Ea, [which are with] d) your sister, and 19 let [ ] bring them to
Babylon to deliver them to me, so that I can inspect them and 22 then I will
send you the silver for that house.

160. AO 8846. Ebeling 75. a)

[Speak] to our father: Thus says Lu-Ninurta [and .........]. 3 May Enlil and
Ninurta grant you for our sake forever good health. 5 Nisi-inisu, the
daughter of Aplum, the naditum of Ninurta, has brought the following to
our knowledge. 7 "A house plot measuring 290 m2, a gift of the king, b)
situated near the entrance of the Storehouse, c) which my father deeded to
me in writing as/for ....... Ninurta d) - 9 write to Samsiaja that no one shall
tamper with what is written in my tablet!". 12 We have inspected her tablet
and this house has indeed been deeded in .... of Ninurta d). 16 We have now
written to our father, we are at our father's orders.
Case: "To ... d) [ •••••.•••• ].

161. AO 8887. Ebeling 76. Previously published by F. Thureau-Dangin in

RA 21 (1924) 147, and as AbB 4, 78.
Speak to Samas-ha::;ir:a),Thus says Lu-Ninurta. May Samas grant you good
health. 5 Concerning the field in Al-ba=>iriitim,whose ownership lbni-Sin and

reign of Ammi-ditana, see JCS 25 (1973) 228, IX, 4. b) Difficult, unless one
assumes that Sumi-ahia was a woman and tukallu an archaic form with a third pers.
sing. fem. subject or that the combination Titur-Ili-Sumiahia is a geographical name
(Wilcke, Zoe.cit.). I assume that the scribe omitted ana before the name. c) See for
these nouns, Lexical Notes s.v. serdum. d) Uncertain, Wilcke, loc. cit., "[the son of]
your sister".
160. a) The letter was written in Nippur. b) So CAD NII, 62 s.v. nadintu, but
doubtful, since the form is unique. c) The gate may have been called after a part of
Ninurta's temple in Nippur, the E Nakkamtum (see I. Bernhardt - S.N. Kramer, OrNS
44 [1975] 98, line 17). A storehouse to indicate the location of a house also in Tell
Sifr 56:20, DA nakkamtim. d) The sign before <lNinurta in 1. 8 and 14 is not clear
(see the collations), also because the prepositional constructions (satiirum ana or
ina) differ. The one in 14 could be URU and is similar to the third sign on the case,
which must denote the addressee, not "our father" (as on the tablet) or "the city", but
his unidentified name to aloow the messenger to deliver the letter.
161. a) See for Samas-hii~ir's letters, Introduction § 2 g. This well-known official of
Hammurabi in TCL 11, 154:4 (Ha 36) was called "administrator of the fields (of
the crown)" (dub. s ar a. sa. g a). According to M. Gallery, AJO 27 (1980) 15b,
 152 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

zu U dEN.ZU-ur U 4 7 bi-it-qu-ru 8 Pib-ni-dEN.ZUki-a-am im-hu-ra-an-ni 9

um-ma su-u-ma 10 a . s a -lam sa i-na bi- x x x [x] x 11 pdu tu -ha-~f-ir i-[ki-
ma-an-ni-ma] 12 a-na dEN.ZU-ur u 4 it-t[a-di-in] 13 u dEN.ZU-ur u 4 ki-a-am
i[m-hu-ra-an-ni] 14 um-ma su-u-[ma] 15 pdu tu -ha-~f-ir a. s a -[lam xx x] 16
Pib-ni-dEN.[ZUXX XX x] 17 XX [
(break of ca. 8 to 10 lines)
ii rev. l'te_rei-[er] b) (ruling; rest not inscribed)

162. AO 8369. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXVIII No. 108.

1 [a-na] zi-nu-u 2 [qf-b]f-ma 3 [um-ma] du tu -ha-~f-ir-ma 4 [du tu] u
dn in . sub u r li-ba-al-li-tu-ki 5 as-sum a. s a -im ur-ru-qf-im 6 sa ta-as-pu-
ri-im 7 al-ki-i*-ma a. s a -el uru*hu-du-uki 8 u a. s a -el urura-ka-b[atki] 9 ur-
ri-qf 2 a p in * [x x] 10 li-il-qu-ni-ik-ki-[im-ma] 11 a-na sa-ma-di li-is-ku-nu
12 2 p i h u a) a-na uruhu-du-uki 13 2 p i h u a-na ur[ur]a-ka-batki 14 'i . g i s u

z u . 1 um rev. 15 li-il-qu-ni-[ki-im-ma] 16 a. s a -lam!(LUM) i-sa-ri-is rur-ri 1 -

qf*
'I
iI
163. AO 8370. TCL 18 Pl. LXXXIX No. 109. a)
1 a-na zi-nu_ru 1 qf-bf-m[a] 2 um-ma du tu -ha-~f-ir-ma 3 du tu u dn in e .

sub u r 4 li-ba-al-li-tu-u-ki 5 as-sum 10 b u r i k u a. s a sa *Ap-qum-ma-

am 6 s e. g is . 'i i-pu-su 7 50 g u r s e n f g . k u 5 it-ti-su 8 s e -a-am a-na
dEN.ZU-mu-us-ta-al 9 na-da-nam aq-bi-sum-ma 10 um-ma su-u-ma 11 s e -a-
am at-ta-di-in 12 mi-im-ma e-li-ia lo. e 13 u-ul i-su 14 a-na dEN.ZU-mu-us-ta-al
!
15 ki-a-amiq-bi rev.l 6 se.gis.'i sa*lO bur ikue a.sasa-ti 17 saib-ba-
1. i!

162. a) DUG.(J.SA.KA.DO.
163. a) Coarse and brittle due to salt crystals.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 153

lbni-Sin and Sin-eris are contesting each other, 8 lbni-Sin has appealed to
me saying: 10 "Samas-ha~ir has [taken away from me] the field which is in
..... , and has given it to Sin-eris!". 13 And Sin-eris too has appealed, as
follows:• 15 "Samas-ha~ir [has given to me] a field, but lbni-Sin [claims it
from me] ........ .
(gap of 8 to 10 lines)
rev. 1 give it back (to him)! b) (ruling, rest ofrev. not inscribed)

162. AO 8369. Ebeling 76.

Speak to Zinu a): Thus says Samas-ha~ir. May [Samas] and Ilabrat grant you
good health. 5 As for the "greening" b) of the field, about which you wrote
me: "Go and make the field in the town of Hudu c) and the field in the town
of Rakabat "green". 10 Let one take there for you two .... d) and put them in
place for grinding. 12 Let one take along [for you] to the towns of Hudu and
Rakabat each two jars of beer-rnix, e) with oil and dates. 16 Then make the
field(s) properly "green".

163. AO 8370. Ebeling 77.

Speak to Zinu: Thus says Samas-ha~ir. May Samas and Ilabrat grant you
good health. 5 As regards the field of 180 a) acres, where Apkummam
cultivated sesame, he owes 50 kor of grain as rent b) . 8 When I told him to
give that barley to Sin-musal, he answered: 11 "I have already given it, I do
not owe anything (more)!" 14 Thus he told Sin-mustal. c) Thesesame which

this would make him the superior of the "land registrars" (s a g . dun . mes ,
sassukii), but 13, 43:7 shows that S. himself was also a sassukum, perhaps early in
his career (see 13, 48:9, with note a). He originated from Larsa and his seal,
impressed on OECT 15 65ff. (from Rim-Sin year 29), shows him to be the son of
Sin-bel-ili, which, as observed by S. Dalley in the Intro-duction to OECT 15, made
him a brother ofBalmunamhe's son-in-law. b) Reading suggested by 4, 16:20.
162. a) Zinfi is the wife of Samas-hiisir. See for comments on her correspondence,
Kraus, JEOL 31 (1989-90) 47f. b) See for (w)urruqum, Lexical Notes. c) Correct
Rep. geogr ..3, 174, which reads Namsa. d) The sign resembles APIN, but it must be
an item which to be used for grinding (cereals?). e) pi h u, a standardized jar
containing a mix for making "instant beer", cf. Kraus, Veifugungen, 253ff. The
ingredients suggest a ceremony which involves a meal or perhaps an offering.
163. a) Probably 10 bur, notwithstanding the form of the sign in 1. 16 (collated;
not a clear bur -gun-a as in 4, 17:10 or Birot, Tablettes, no. 5:7), because a miksum
of 50 kor of barley requires a field much larger than 1 b u r. b) n f g . k u 5 =
miksum, the share in the yield of a field due to the owner. c) This man man, also at-
tested in no. 166:22, couldbetheugula dam.gar ofUr, knownfrom2,33:5;4,
154 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

as-su-u 18a-na er-re-si-im lu-u id-di-in 19 su-u lu-u i-ri-is 20 sa ie-qf-ni u le-
qf-su* 21 su-ri-ba*-ma i-na *uruas. dub. b a ki 22 pi-hi-a 23 0.0.1 s e. g is. l
la ta-na-ad-di-1 na-sum 24 u a-na nu-ur-dnin. su bur 25 dub -pf us-ta-bi-lam
26 a. s a -lam sa-eti 27 a-na-ku-u-ma e-er-ri-is-su 28 ma-am_r ma-an a-na a. s
a1 u.e 29 la ta-[x XX XX x] 30 U as-sum [x XX Xx] 31 sa urur[a-ka-batki] le. e. 32
pdutu-a-bid u b-pf a-na se-ep-dEN.ZUus-ta-bi-I il 33 ta-"l-ta-am tu-ur-di'*-
ma 34 a-di la i-ri-su la i-il-la-kam

164. AO 8371. TCL 18 Pl. XC No. 110. a)

1 a-na zi-nu-u qf-bf-ma 2 um-ma du tu -ha-~f-ir-ma 3 du tu u dn in .
sub u r li-ba-al-li-tu-ki 4 as-sum s e -e-em sa ta-as-pu-ri-im 5 um-ma at-ti-
ma a-na s a . g a 1 e . u du . g u 4 . n i g a 6 s a . g a 1 e u ~e-eh-ru-ti-ka 7 s e -
um u-ul i-ba-as-si ga-me_rer 1 8 a-na su-qf-im lu-u-~i ma-an-nu b) 9 sa s e -a-
am a-na *s a. g a 1 bi-ti-ka ni-ha-ab-ba-ta-am* 10 su-up-ra-am-ma 10.0.0
g u r s e -a-am u a-sar ta-sa-ap-pa-ra-am 12 li-id-di-nu-nim 13 sa ki-a-am ta-
as-pu-ri-im 14 la-ma a-na an-ni-is a-al-la-ka-am 15 20.0.0 g u r s e -a-am i-na
gisban e s . NINDA lo. e 16 im-ma-di-id-ma 17 i-zi-bu-ni-ik-ki 18 e-zi-ib s e -e-
em la-bi-ri-im 19 sa i-na bi-ti i-ba-as-si rev. 20 mi-nu sa a-na s e -e-em ta-as-
pu-ri-im 21 ki ma-~i i-na u 4 . 1 . k am ku-ru-ma-tu-um-ma 22 *20 g u r s e -
um a-di i-na-an-na 23 ig-ga-ma-ar s e -um i-na bi-ti *sa-a-ti 24 i-ta-ap-ru-su-u
it-ta-na-ap-ra-as 25 dub -pf a-na du tu -ga-mil us-ta-bi-lam <<su>> 26 su-ue
a-bi-li-i u dEN.ZU-ma-girx27 a-na u rim ki li-il-li-ku-ma 28 10 g u r s e -a-am
li-il-qu-ni-ik-ki 29 u pi-qa-at ~i-bu-tum 30 ib-ba-as-si-ma is-tu e . g a 1-lim 31
i-sa-ap-pa-ru-u-ni 32 5 g u r dab in u sf-im-ma-nu-u 33 sa i-ba-as-su-u re-
sa-am li-ki-il (ruling)

164. a) Obv. is disintegrating, difficult to read. b) The whole word is written over
erasures.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 155

was the yield of that 180 1 acres field, 18 irrespective of whether he has given
it to a tenant or has cultivated it himself, 20 bring it in, both what we and
what he are entitled to take, 2 2 and lock it up in Asdubba d) 23 (and) don't
give him even one single sutu of sesame! 24 I have also sent a letter to Niir-
Ilabrat, stating that I myself will henceforth cultivate that field. 28 Don't
[give] anybody [access] to that field. 30 Moreover, as for the field of
Rakabat, 32 I had Samas-abi bring along a letter for Sep-Sin, send it to him
with the warning e) 34 that he must not come here before he has cultivated it.

164. AO 8371. Ebeling 77f. a)

Speak to Zinfi: Thus says Samas-ha~ir. May Samas and Ilabrat grant you
good health. 4 As for the barley about which you wrote me as follows:
"There is no barley as fodder for the cattle fattening farm,b) nor as food for
the household and your youngsters. All has been spent! 8 Should I go out
into the street (to beg for it)? 10 Write me from whom we could borrow c)
barley to feed your household, so that at the place"you write me one may
give us 10 kor of barley." 13 Since you wrote me thus - before I came here
20 kor of barley were measured out with the 3-sutu-measure d) and they left
it behind for you, apart from the old barley which was still available in the
house. 20 How then could you write me for barley? 21 How big are the daily
rations that the 20 kor of barley are now already spent? Barley truly keeps
flying out of this house! e) 25 I have now sent a letter to Samas-gamil; let he,
Abi-ili and Sin-magir go to Ur and get for you 10 kor of barley. 29 And in
case the need for more should arise, they will write to you from the palace.
t) 32 Five kor of tappinnu-flour and the available beer ingredients should
(also) be at your disposal.

3:7f; and 11, 169:4. d) City located in the Larsa district, cf. Birot, Tablettes, 62 ad
23:6. e) ta::,ittam(also in 4, 111:17) is an adverbial accusative, since it cannot be
the object of taradum.
164. a) Obv. now crumbling. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. namratum. c) See for the
construction of habatum, Kraus, RA 69 (1975) 35, II,1. d) A measure gisAs.NINDA
is unique, but probably means the ~imdum of 30 litres. e) I do not believe the
sentence is a question, as assumed by G. Buccellati, A Structural Grammar of
Babylonian (1996) 385 note 53. t) Probably the local administrative centre to which
Samas-hii~ir was attached.
 156 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14
1ijJ

I: 165. AO 8372. TCL 18 Pl. XCI No. 111.

1 a-na zi-nu-11 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma i-din-dEN.ZU-ma 4 du tu dm a rd u k u

dn in.sub u r 5 as-sum-ia a-na da-ri-a-tim 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-ki 7 t 11g r:;11-ba-a-at

a-wi-le-e 8 sa-at-tam a-na sa-at-tim 9 i-da-am-mi-q11 10 at-ti t 11g r:;11-ba-a-ti
11
ii
I' rev. 11 sa-at-tam a-na sa-at-tim 12 tu-qa-al-la-li 13 i-na t 11g r:;11-ba-ti-ia14 qu-
1'1

I:
ul-lu-lim* u *KU-UZ-ZI15 ta-as-ta-ri-i 16 i-na sf k. hi. a i-na bi-ti-ni 17 ki-
ii' ma a-ka-lim in-na-ka-la 18 at-ti t 11g r:;11-ba-titu-qa-al-li-li 19 du mu
I
:1 pdi s k u r -i-din-nam 20 sa a-bu-su r:;11-ha-ara-bi~ia 21 rsi-na 1 t 11g r:;11-ba-te-e
es-su-tim 22 [la-b ]i-is *a[t-ti] ra 1 -na t 11g r:;11-ba-ti-ia23 [is]-*te-en *ta-ta-na-
Alj-da-ri 24 ki-ma at-ti ia-ti 25 tu-ul-*di-in-ni le. e. 26 [s]a-a-ti um-ma-su 27 r a1-
na* Ie-qf-tim 28 [il-qe]-e-su 29 u* ki-ma sa-a-ti 30 um-ma-su <i>-ra-a-mu-su
31 at-ti [ia]-a-ti 11-ulI ta-ra-am-mi-in-ni a)

166. AO 8373. TCL 18 Pl. XCII No. 112. a)

1 a-na a-wi-lim 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma zi-nu-11-ma 4 du tu u dn in . sub u r 5

as-sum-ia a-na da-ri-a-tim 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 7 as-sum u du . n ft a. hi . a 8

sa a-na u 4 . b a I . n a. n am . he 9 ta-as-pu-ru 10 u du . n ft a . hi . a sa 11-
sa-bi-lam 11 11-ulta-ak-lu 12 da-am-q11-tu-um-ma 13 u 2 u du. n ft a sa nu-sa-
bi-lu 14 ut-te-er-ra rev.l 5 u du . n ft a.hi . a sa a-li-ik *i-di-ka 16 u du .
n ft a.hi. a 2 '·ta. am 17 mu. 3 . k am na-ba-al-ku-tu-tu 18 sa i-na pa-ni
u du . nit a -su-nu 19 i-il-la-ku 20 11-ulta-mu-ur-ma 21 a-ah-ka na-di 22 a-na
dEN.ZU-mu-us-ta-a[l] 23 su-pu-ur-ma 2 u du . n ft a 24 mu . 3 . k am na-ba-
al-ku-tu-ti 25 li-il-q11-ni-ik-ku-um-ma 26 i-na pa-ni u du . n ft a. rh i. a 1 -ka 2 7
li-il-li-ku 28 a-na s11-ur-ri-i-ma 29 i-na e. g a 1-lim i-da-la-hu-ka

','11'

165. a) Last word written on lower edge.

166. a) Tablet covered by salt crystals.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 157

165. AO 8372. Ebeling 78-79; Oppenheim, Letters, 84f., no. 16; and W.L.
Moran, ANET 3 , 629b.
Speak to Zinfi: Thus Iddin-Sin. a) May Samas, Marduk and Ilabrat formy
sake forever grant you good health. 7 While the gentlemen's clothes improve
year by year, you make my clothes cheaper year by year. 13 By cheapening
and scrimping b) my clothes you have become rich! l6 While c) wool is being
consumed in our house like bread, d) you have made my clothes always
cheaper. l9 The son of Adad-idinnam, whose father is a servant of my father,
has two new garments 22 to wear, but you keep getting upset over just one
garment for me. 24 While you gave birth to me, his mother got him by
adoption, e) 29 but you do not love me in the way his mother loves him. f)

166. AO 8373. Ebeling 79f. a)

Speak to the gentleman: Thus says Zinu. May Samas and Ilabrat forever
grant you good health. 7 As regards the wethers for which you wrote to
Ubalananamhe, b) 10 the wethers he sent here are not reliable, though of good
quality. c) 13 Moreover, he has now returned the two wethers we sent him. 15
As for the wethers of your companion, d) you have been careless in not
selecting a pair of wethers 17 which have passed the age of three years and
serve as bellwethers of their sheep. 22 Write to Sin-mustal that one may
obtain for you two wethers which have passed the age of three years, 2 6 so
that they can act as bellwethers of your sheep. 28 (Otherwise) the risk is that
e) one embarrasses you in the palace! f)

165. a) The writer may have been a student at a scribal school, living elsewhere. b)
Collation refutes sussi(m), "letting them out? (by the seams?)" (CAD Q 56, 3, from
nesum? Not repeated in N/11 s.v.) and SU$$f(m), from i$um, "to reduce" (Moran).
KU-UZ-ZI could be kussf(m), "to bind", perhaps "to make tight", or kU$$U(m),"to
strip off" (thusfar not attested in OB). c) ina could be a conjunction, cf. Frankena,
SLB 4, 216 adz. 26, and 7, 60:11 with note a. d) Unless akalim is a paranomastic
infin. after kiina (GAG § 105c; CAD K 379, c, 3'), meaning "wool is consumed
without any restriction". e) Leqitum is unique (CAD L 206 s.v. liqitu), one expects
ana lequtim. t) Emendation suggested by Kouwenberg: the stative is rare and
should have had a feminine ending (*ramassu).
166. a) Cf. 11, 168. b) Also 4, 69:16; 138:3; 150:33. Not an abnormal writing of
Bal(a)-munarnhe's name, but (Van de Mieroop, AJO 34 [1987] 2 16) a different
person, cf. 13, 5 with note a. c) ul taklu damqutumma is difficult; taklum probably
refers to their function as bellwethers (1. 18f., 26f.). d) "Companion" may refer to
Ubalananamhe. e) See for ana surriina = assurrfma, N. Wasserman, Flor. Mar. 2
(1994) 328 (used like simple assurri). t) See for the "palace", no. 164 noted.
158 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

167. AO 8374. TCL 18 Pl. XCIII No. 113. a)

1 a-na a-bi-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma im-gur-dn in . u rt a -ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k 5 as-sum-ia a-na da-ri-a-tim 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-u-ka 7 i-na 5 su-si
ere n. hi. a sa es-ha-a[m] 8 20 ere n. hi. a ma-*ti-a-am-ma 9 as-ta-na-
ap-pa-ra-ak-kum-ma 10 u-ul ta-as-pu-ra-am dam . gar u-ul id-di-I *nu-nim
11 a-diam-sa-liPa-pil-dingir 12 5eren.hi.a glr.se.ga dne.eri 11.gal
13 sa mas . g an -s ab r a ki id-di-nam 14 i-na ere n . hi . a ma-ti-im lo. e
15 si-ip-ra-am e-ep-pu-us 16 u dam.gar mas. g an-sabra ki rev. 17 16
ere n . hi . a i-sf-hu-nim-ma 18 5 k ask a I . mes ma-*ti-a-nim 19 as-sum
Pap-lum u u-bar-a-KU/MAJSAJTA-na1 20 ma-am-ma-an a-na bi-ti-su-nu 21 u-ul
is-si 22 i-nu-ma la wa-as-ba-a-ku 23 Pnu-ur-istar ig-ri-su-nu-<ti> 24 aq-ta-bi-
sum 25 i-na a-la-ki-ia a-na *mah-ri-ka 26 a-qa-bi-kum-ma ta-na-sa-ah-su-nu-ti

168. AO 8375. TCL 18 Pl. XCN Nb. 114. a)

1 a-na a-bi-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma *ku_ruh-bu-tum-ma 1 -ma 4 dEN.ZUdu tu u

dn in . SU b Ur as-sum-ia 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-u-ka 6 as-sum te-e-em e-ta-*x X X X

7 mi-im-ma ut-te 6-tum u-ul i-ba-as-si 8 5 su-si mu-u it-ta-su-nim 9 u ~u-ha-ru*
um-ma su-nu-u-ma lO relki-ma 1 a-wi-lum iq-bi-an-ni-a-si-im ll *it X X a a-
wi-le-e 12 ni-na 1-an-di-ik-kum-ma 13 ru 1 ni-nu u-ul ni-te 6 -eh-l hi-ak-kum-ma
15 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma rev. 16 sum-ma pi-ha-tum it-tab-si 17 u-ul te-te 6-eh-

hi-<a>-ni-i-im 18 a-wi-lu-u is-sa-at-ta-ru 19 as-sum fdha-ha-ru-um 20 *x tu bi

il Ii ~a-ab-ta-a-ku 21 *x ae i-il-le-em 22 sa a-na tu-ur-ri-im 23 la na-tu-u 24 ki-i!
lu-pu-us-su-nu-ti 25 pi-ha-tum ta-ad-di-a-a[m] 26 fdINx x x* 1/2 n ind a 27 u
fdha-ha-ru-um mu-u-ma 28 *x-x na-pi-is-tim *x x-ta-as-sa-ah 29 u 1 d U b. Sar
mah-ri-ia 3o u-ul i-ba-as-si le. e 31 a-na Pzi-im-ru-il-KI su-up-ra-am-ma 32 si-
na re-di-[i7] li-id-di-nam

167. a) Tablet covered by salt crystals.

168. a) Brittle and covered by salt cristals; the surface has deteriorated since Dossin
copied the tablet.
 LETTERSIN THE LOUVRE 159

167. AO 8374. Ebeling 80.

Speak to my father: Thus says Imgur-Ninurta. May Samas and Marduk for
my sake forever grant you good health. 7 I have 20 workers less than the 300
workers which have been assigned to me. 9 While I keep writing to you
(about it), you have not answered me. The traders have not given me any
(workers). 11 Until yesterday (only) Apil-ilim has given me 5 workers,
menials of the god Nergal of Maskan-sapir. a) 14 I am now carrying out the
work with too little workers. 16 And while the traders of Maskan-sapir have
assigned me 16 workers, I still have five work gangs too little. l9 As for
Aplum and Ubar-A. ....na, nobody had issues a summons against their
houses, but when I was absent 23 Nur-Istar has sued them. I have talked to
him and when I come I will talk to you in person, then you can remove
them from their task.

168. AO 8375. Not in Ebeling.

Speak to my father: Thus says Kubbutum. 4 May Sin, Samas and llabrat a)
for my sake grant you good health. 6 As for the matter/report of ......, no
grain of barley is available. 8 The water has carried off 300 (kor). And the
servants say: 10 "As the gentleman has told us, we will give you the .... of
the gentlemen and we ourselves, we will not approach you." 15 I answered:
rev. "Will you really not approach me b) should a liability arise? The
gentlemen will be registered." 19 As for the Haharum canal, I am now
engaged in ....... 21 Should a .... come up, which it is impossible to tum back,
how should I treat them? 25 It is a liability, but you have forsaken (it). 26
The ... canal c) [has risen by] three cubits and the Haha-rum canal, the water
has ....... the ...... of life. d) 29 Moreover, I have no scribe available. le.e.31
Write to Zimru-ilKI e) that he may give me two soldiers.

167. a) See Lexical Notes s.v. Maskan-sapir.

168. a) Combinationof these three gods not attestedin other letters. b) Taken as a
question because of the lengthening of the ending -ni-i-im. c) Rep. geogr. 3, 290
reads tentativelyIN.LID.SI.A,but see the collation; the two signs before 1/2 NINDA
probably also belong to the name. d) Perhaps a statementthat the water ruined the
source oflife, or a form of the expressionina napistim nadum, attestedin nos. 43: 18
and 177:18f. e) An Amorite name, not recorded in Gelb, AS 21 (1980) 651, but the
second element, il-Kl, is strange.
 160 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

169. AO 8376. TCL 18 Pl. XCV No. 115.

1 a-na a-bi-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma a-pil-l-lf-su-ma 4 du tu u dn in . sub u r
5 a-na da-ri-a-tim 6 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 7 a-na k a . ding i r. r a ki 8 Pd in g i r -
ba-ni 9 as-pu-ra-ak-kum-ma 10 i-si-it-ka-a-ma rev. 11 it-ti-ka u-ul *in-na-1 me-
I, er 12 i-na-an-na Pd in g i r -su-ba-ni 13 [a-n]a su-ul-mi-k[a] 14 [as-pu-r]a-am
II
15 [x] x [x]-ka u su-lum-ka 16 su-up-ra-am
:,I Case: a-na a-bi-[ia]
I
,,
iii (anepigraphic seal impression on the left side of the obv, of the case, at right angles
with the direction of writing; in the lower right comer of the obv. a cross is drawn)

170. AO 8465. TCL 18 Pl. XCVI No. 116.

1 a-na ma-1;,i-din g i r 2 u wa-tar-du tu 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma a-pil-l-lf-su-ma 5
a-nu-um-ma un-ne-du-uk-ki 6 us-ta-bi-la-ku-nu-si 7 u 4 -um un-ne-du-uk-ki 8
ta-am-ma-ra 9 at-tu-nu u be-e-lf-ia-a 10 la ta-bi-ta 11 al-ka-a-ma u 8 .udu.
hi. a 12 sa Pma-an-nu-um-[k]i-ma-a-bi 13 bu-uq-[m]a a) 14 a-na si-pa-tim la
te-gi-a 15 ki-ma ta-ab-ta-aq-ma 16 a-na I a rs am ki ta-ab-la-an-ni 17 u 8 •
u du . hi . a sa a-wi-il-tim 18 si-pa-ti-<si>-na a-hi-i-ta 19 <<u 8 . u du . hi.
a sa a-wi-i[l-ti]m 20 si-pa-ti-<si>-na a-hi-i-[ta]>> rev. 2 1 u a-pil-dEN.[ZU] 22
it-ti-i-ku-nu

171. AO 8377. TCL 18 Pl. XCVII No. 117.

1 a-na na-am-rumJl-li'. 1 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma l-lf-ma-na-tum-[ma] 4
dn in . sub u r li-ba-li-i-it-ka 5 a-nu-um-ma *Pi-ri-is-su-ma-tum a) 6 i[t]-ta-
al-ka-ak-kum 7 s[i-k]a-ra-am 8 ma-Ii i-ri-su-ka rev. 9 la ta-ka-al-[la] 10 re-qu-
su il-li-1 kam 11 la tu-us-ta-ha-su 12 pi-ha-tum

172. AO 8467. TCL 18 Pl. XCVII No. 118. a)

1 a-na i-ku-un-k a -[x xx] 2 u l-lf-i-qf-sa-am 3 qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma ig-[m]iI-dx-
x-ma 5 du tu as-sum-ia 6 mu . s ar. k am li-ba-al-li-it-ka 7 e-le-ep tu-na-
nu-um 8 ha-al-x [x] ni (remainder broken?)

170. a) Copy correct, but the first horizontal (now?) invisible.

171. a) Name written over erasures.
172. a) Tablet has disintegrated, not collated.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 161

169. AO 8376. Ebeling 81.

Speak to my father: Thus says Apil-ilisu. 4 May Samas and llabrat grant you
forever good health. 7 I sent Ili-biini to you to Babylon, 10 but he missed you
a) and failed to have a meeting with you. 12 I have now sent Ilsu-biini to
inquire after your well-being. Write me about your ..... and your well-being.
Case: To [my] father ....

170. AO 8465. Ebeling 81.

Speak to Ma~i-ili and Watar-Samas: Thus says Apil-ilisu. 5 I herewith send
you a letter of mine. 7 The day you see my letter, you and Belijii a) 10 must
come here that same day b) and shear the sheep of Mannum-kima-abi. 14 Be
careful with the wool and take it along c) to Larsa as soon as you have shorn
the sheep. 17 As for the sheep which belong to the lady, <keep> their wool
separate. d-e) rev. 21 Furthermore, is Apil-Sin with you? f)

171. AO 8377. Ebeling 8 lf.

Speak to Namrum-ili: Thus says Iff-manatum. a) 4 May llabrat grant you
good health. 5 Irissu-miitum b) is hereby comes to you 7 Don't refuse him
any beer he asks you for. 10 He has come here empty-handed, do not act
nonchalantly toward him. 12 It is (your) responsibility! c)

172. AO 8467. Ebeling 82.

Speak to Ikun-pi- ... and Ili-iqisam: Thus says Igmil- .... 5 May Samas for my
sake grant you a) good health for an infinte number of years. 7 The boat of
Tunanum b) got lost .....

169. a) Cf. no. 46:11 and CADS/II, 343, 1.

170. a) See for the PN, 4, 146:3 and 6, 34:3. b) Lit. "do not pass the night". c)
tablanni for tablanim? d) ahita for ahitam(ma), cf nos. 27:14 and 45:12. e) L.
19-21 contain dittography and the repetition of the mistake in sipatisina is curious.
f) A question because of the long vowel in ittikunu.
171. a) PN unknown. b) Spelling with -IS- abnormal, cf. E-ri-sum-ma-tum. etc.
(CAD R, 211, 2'). c) pihatum alone, a nominal sentence, also 2, 94:20.
172. a) Mistake, verbal suffix should be -kunuti. b) Tuniinu(m) attested as PN at
Sippar, in BM 81617.
162 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

173. AO 8598. TCL 18 Pl. XCVIII No. 119.

1 a-na ke-es-i-din-nam 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma b a I . mu . [n] am . he -ma 4 a-
nu-[um]-ma 5 6[+3 xx x] x a-hi zi-ir-tum
6 pdEN.ZU-i-ri-[b]a-amd Um U dEN.ZU-na-da
7 Pim-gur-dEN.Z[Udu] mu na-aw-ru-um-1-lf
8 pdEN.ZU-ra-bidu mu ha-la-li-ia
9 Psa-sum du mu a-pil-ku-bi
IO Pmi-it-li-ik-d in g i r du mu la-q'i-pu-um

11 Pa-ap-pa-a du mu e-a-ra-bi
12 Pna-bi-1-lf-su du mu dEN.ZU-i-qf-sa-am
13 Pmu-na-wi-ru-um du mu dEN.ZU-[g]a-mil
14 pdEN.ZU-i-qf-sa-amdu mu a-ra-ru-um
15 u tu I ~e-ni. me 16 *u tu I g u 4 . mes u rim ki 17 n i g . s u u-bar-du tu
dumu dingir-su-ba-ni 18 us-ta-bi-la-kum 19 Ii-ip-qi-du 20 u 5 gi.gur.
mes rev. 21 ru sa-an-ku-ut-ti a-si-ir-ti[m] 22 [i-na] ku-nu-uk-ka-at s a.
1

tam. e. n e * 23 ak-nu-ka-am-ma 24 it-ba-lu-ni-ik-kum

174. AO 8601. TCL 18 Pl. XCIX No. 120. a)

1' iq-bi-ma xx [x xx] 2' ma-ah-ru-[x xx xx x] 3' mu-u ma-di-is x [xx] 4' [k]i-
ma is-tu ma-ah-r[i-ka] 5' a-nae re n a-na xx [x xx] lo. e 6' [x] x ri im [x xx]
7' [x x] ni [x x x] 8' [x] x iq-bi-a-am u[m]-m[a su-u-ma] rev. 9 ' [k]i-ma te-es-
ki-ru u-ul X [xx] lO' ab. g U 4. hi. a U U 8 . U d U. hi. a sa d[x (x)] ll' i-mu-
ut-ta i-na-an-na 12' te-se-ek-ki-ir-ma e-pi-is [x] 13' a-na mu-ri su-a-ti u a-lim
14' ma-an-nu-um is-si-i-ka 15' a-wi-lum pi-ir-~a-am ra-bi-a-am 16' ip 1-ta-ra-a~
u qa-ti it-ta-sa-ah 17' ra-na 1 la-ma-di-ka as-pu-ra-am 18' [x xx x] xx [x xx]
(rest of rev. broken)

175. AO 8488. TCL 18 Pl. XCIX No. 121. a)

1 [a-n]a wa-tar-du tu 2 u 1-lf-s u k k a I* 3 qi-bf-ma 4 um-ma dri-im-dEN.ZU-
*qa1-ar-du-ma 5 a-[nu]-um-ma un-ne-du-uk-ki 6 us-ta-bi-la-ku-nu-TI b) 7 un-
ne-[d]-u-k]-ki 8 i-na a-ma-ri-ku-nu 9 *0.4.0 x s e a-na la-la-ha-tum IO id-na-
sum (reversenot inscribed)

174. a) Tablet disintegrating.

175. a) Only obverse inscribed, eroded. b) TI mistake for si-im.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 163

173. AO 8598. Ebeling 82f ..

Speak to Kes-idinnam: Thus says Balmunamhe. 4 Herewith 18 I am sending
.
to you nine ..... : a)
6 Sin-eribam, son of Sin-nada; Imgur-Sin, son of Nawrum-ili;
8 Sin-rabi, son of Halalia; Sasum, son of Apil-Kubi;
10 · Mitlik-ili, son of Laqipum; Ajappa, son of Ea-rabi;
12 Nabi-ilisu, son of Sin-iqisam; Munawwirum, son of Sin-gamil;
14 Sin-iqisam, son of Ararrum -
herdsmen of sheep b) and of oxen of Ur, who range under Ubar-Samas, son
of Ilsu-bani. 19 Let one provide (for them). c) They also 24 bring along for
you, under my seals, five reed baskets and the balance of the asirtu-
offerings, d) 22 [provided] with the sealings e) of the clerks.

174. AO 8601. Ebeling 83.

(Beginning missing) ..... he said and ...... 3' The water has ...... very much. 4'
When he [arrived here] from you, in order to ..... the workers ...... 8' he told
me [as follows]: 9' "That you closed (the flow of water] was not [good]. 10'
The cattle and the sheep of the god .... will die. Now you can close off and
..... 13' Who has called you up for this .... a) and for the city?" 15' The man
has caused much havoc b) and has shut me out. l7' I am writing this to you
to keep you informed ... .. (remainder missing)

175. AO 8488. Ebeling 83.

Speak to Watar-Samas and Ili-sukkal: Thus says Rim-Sin-qardum. a) 5 I am
sending you herewith my written instruction. 7 When you see it, you must
give b) 0,8 kor of barley to Lalahatum.

173. a) The number refers to the men of l. 6-14 and the end of l. 5 must qualifiy them
in some way, but I have no solution. b) Taking $e-ni. me as a hybrid writing with
the plural marker. c) Hardly "let one entrust (to them their herds/tasks)", but "let
one provide (them with what they need)", or "let them inspect/take stock of" (the
animals), as in 2, 15:14; cf Kraus, Viehhaltung, 40-42. d) See CAD s.v. asirtu B, 6,
57:38f. and 187:6; cf. Hh 9, 220, for a basket sa asirti. e) CAD S, s.v. sakkuttu,
takes kunukkatum as "seals", but "sealed records" (cf. TCL 10, 40:20, kunukkatim
tabakum) is not impossible if one reads [sa] at the beginning of l. 22.
174. a) Meaning of murum unknown, "calf, foal" impossible. b) pir$am para$um
used metaphorically, as in 3, 52:29, 6, 179: 9, and no. 180:19.
175. a) The tablet seems to have -qar-ar-du-ma, perhaps a mistake for qarradma, cf.
Rim-Sfn-qa-ra-ad in NBC 5313:3 and no. 181:2. b) The copy suggests i-na-sum =
innasum < idnasum, cf. JCS 24 (1972) 68cno.74:15 (OB Tell Harmal, courtesy Kou-
 164 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

176. AO 8197. TCL 18 Pl. C No. 122.

1 a-na a-bi-i[a] 2 qi-bi-[ma] 3 um-ma si-mu-ut-pa-[x x] 4 ma-ru-ka-a-[ma] 5
du tu u disk u r as-s[um-ia] 6 li-ba-al-li-¢-[ka] 7 a-nu-um-ma 8 pdsu-bu-la-
ha-~i-ir 9 wa-ar-du-um ia-u-um 10 i-na ma-ah-ri-ka 11 bad.ti bi r a ki a) 12
i-na e Pi-din-di skur 1u. lung a 13 wa-si-ib sa i-mur-ru-su 14 i-li-ku-ni!
(GIS)-kum-ma um-ma su-u-ma 15 i-na bad.ti bi r a ki 16 wa-si-ib lo. e 17 a-
ha-mar-si b) rev. sum-ma i-na ki-it-tim 19 a-bi at-ta-a 20 a-na mi-im-mu-su
18
21 i-in-ka la ta-*na 1-si 22 a-wi-il-lam u *bi-il-x 23 su-up-ra-a-am 24 ap-pu-tum

177. AO 8847. TCL 18 Pl. CI No. 123. a)

1 a-na a-Ii-tum qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma ap-lum-ma 3 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ki 4 a-na

pa-ni-ia Pia-ma-sum 5 u ni-si-i-ni-su i-ba-ki-a 6 u le-ta-si-na qu-ud-du-da 7

um-ma si-na-a-ma 8 te 1-zi-ba-an-ni-a-ti-ma 9 a-na k a. ding i r. r a ki ta-al-
la-ak lO ru1 [s]a U 4. 1 . k am ba-Ia-ti-im 11 [u]-ul te-zi-ba-an-ne-si-im 12 tu-
up-pi i-na a-ma-ri-ki lo. e 13 [x s e . g] u r e-zi-ib 14 s u k u ~u-ha~ar-tim'(TUM)
rev. 15 na-da-<na>-am aq-bi-ki-im 16 ib-ki-a e-si-ra-ni-in-1 ni-ma 17 um-ma
si 1(WA)-ma i-na sa-at-tim 18 an-ni-<<im>>-tim i-na na-pi-is-tim 19 na-di-a-
ku qa-ti ~a-ba-at 20 qa-du-um s u k u ~u-ha-ar-tim 21 a-na 30 s e . g u r a-
an-nam 22 us-ta-pi-la-an-ni 23 30 s e . g u r a-na a-ha-ti-ki 24 su-ur-ki-im-ma
25 ka-la sa-at-tim la u-na-lah'-a-an-ne-ti (ruling)

178. AO 8872. TCL 18 Pl. CII No. 124.

1 a-na ku-uk-ku-u 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma *u4 -um-tum-ma 4 dutu u dmar-

d uk da-ri-is u4 -mi 5 li-ba-al-[l]i-[t]u-ka 6 Iu sa-al-ma-a-ta [lu ba-a]l-ta-[a-t]a

176. a) KI immediately after the place-name was erased and written again at the end
of the line. b) Name written in the middle of the lower edge.
177. a) Surface crumbling.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 165

176. AO 8197. Ebeling 83f..

Speak to my father: Thus says Simut-pa ..... , your son. 5 May Samas and
Adad for my sake grant you good health. 7 Now, Subula-ha~ir, a slave of
mine, is staying where you live, in Bad-Tibira, 12 in the house of the brewer
Iddin-Adad. 13 People who have seen him have come to you and he -
Aham-atsi - said: a) "He is staying in Bad-Tibira". rev. l8 If you are truly my
father, do not cast your eye on anything he has. 22 Send the man and what
he carries b) to me. Please!

.177. AO 8847. Ebeling 84; Oppenheim, Letters, 86, no. 20.

Speak to the lady Alitum: Thus says Aplum. May Samas grant you good
health. 4 Lamassum and Nisi-inisu came before me in tears, very depressed,
7 and said: "You want to abandon us a) and go to Babylon 10 without
leaving us food to survive even one single day!". 12 When you see my letter,
(remember that) I had told you to provide [x kor] b) of barley, apart from 14
the provisions for the girl. 16 They were in tears and put pressure on me and
she c) said: "This year my life really is in danger, help me!". 20 She made
me give my consent for 30 kor of bar-ley, including the rations for the girl.
2 3 Donated) to your sister 30 kor of barley, 25 lest she keeps complaining e)
against us the whole year long.

178. AO 8872. Ebeling 85.

Speak to Kukkfi: Thus says Umtum. a) 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
forever good health. 6 May you be well and healthy, may the god who pro-

wenberg), but collation supports id-na-sum

176. a) The scribe made some mistakes: wrongly doubled consonants (imurrii,
aw(llam) and the use of GISfor NI in lines 14. b) The scribe switched from a plural
("they saw ... ") to a singular, when quoting one of these men, and secondarily added
his name, the only word written on the lower edge. c) Perhaps biltam?
177. a) Uncontracted -niati alongside -nesim in 11, and -neti in 25. Note other
scribal mistakes in lines 14, 15, 17, 18, and 25. b) Obviously less than in 1. 21,
where the amount is "including the provisions". c) Apparently Lamassum, the
senior and spokeswoman of the two, the sister (1. 23) of the addressee; Nisi-inisu, a
name typical for naditu's, could be her daughter, the $Uhartum. d) So contra
Oppenheim, cf. Kraus, JESHO 12 (1969) 208 a. 1. e) A present tense of na~a D-
stem, hence presumably u-na-ah 1-a-an-ne-ti for una~~anneti ( Kouwenberg).
178. a) Collation does not allow Uddutum, but Umtum is unique. b) Uncertain, but
166 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

[a-t]a 7 ding i r na-~i-ir-ka re-[es-ka a-n]a da-mi-iq-tim 8 li-ki-il 9 su-su-

lum-ka ma-har du tu u dm a rd u k lu da-a-ri 10u-na-ah-hi-id-ka-ma ta-al-li-
ik 11 te 4-em-ka u-ul ta-as-pu-ra-am 12 a-na k u . b ab b a r sa du mu
sit i m u-ka-al-lu-ni-in-ni 13 as-sum *sa k u . b ab b a r i g i . s a u-sa-ad-
da-nu 14 a-na k a. ding i r. r a ki e-re-ba-am 15 u-ul e-le-i 16 4 gin
k u. b ab bar a-na i g i. s a 17 su-ud-di-in-ma su-bi-lam lo. e 18 1 g f n
k u . b ab bar sa a-wi-il-du r as rev. 19u 1 g f n k u. b ab b a r sa aq-bi-a-
ak-kum 20 su-bi-lam 21 e-si-ir du-un-ni pa-ni ri-si-ma 22 k u . b ab bar su-
bi-lam-ma la u-ba-az-za-hu-ni-in-ni 23s u k u u-ul i-su 24 *O.O.2z l. d a u 1/2
s ll a l. g is 25 su-bi-lam

179. AO 8873. TCL 18 Pl. CIII No. 125.

1 a-na be-li-ni 2 qi-bf-ma 3 um-ma na-bu-di-ia u x-[x xx-ma] 4 as-sum Pa-hu-
*ia-tu[m] 5 be-el-ni r a1 -na ~i-lf-[x x] 6 is-pu-ra-am um-ma su-u-ma 7 i-na is-
ku-un1(UR)-dma rd u k ki 8 u 8 . u du . hi . a -ia u gu-za-la-tu 9 r u 18. [h i. a]
li-su-hu 1 u 8 . u du i-~a-at 10 be-[e]l-n[i] ki-a-am is-pu-ra 11 u 8 . u du.
hi . a sa be-li-[ni] 12u du tu-ding i r 1 * a-na Ii-bi ma-tim 13 it-ta-as-ha 14
[k]i-ma be-[e]l-ni i-du-u 15 1 su-si u 8 . u du.hi. a *sa a-lim rev. 16a-sa-ar
2 u 8 . hi. a a-sa-ar 3 u 8 .<hi. a> 17 a-sa-ar 5 u 8 . hi. a i-su-u 18 a-na
s i 1 a 4 . nit a mas . s u . g f d . g f d 19i-da-an-na ka-as-da 20 u i-na Ii-bi a-
lim ma ka-11-a-ku* 21 i-na zu-na-ti-su-nu ra-bi-i-ku I ka-mu-nim-ma u-sa-ka-
lu 22 be-el-ni a-na du tu -ding i r 23 li-is-pu-ra-am-ma gu-za-lum sa a-lim
24 la u-da-ba-ab 25 u as-sum be-el ki-a-am is-pu-ra-am 26um-ma su-u-ma ki-
sa-ta-am ta-na-di-na 27 ki-ma be-el-ni i-du-u 28 be-ri-a-nu ki-sa-<ta>-am u-
ul ni-s[u] 29 sa-mi-ir su-bi-el si-ra-am [x (x)] 30 li-za-ki-ma u Pme-na-[x x]
u. e 31 li-it-m-dam-m[a] 32 [u 4].l O. k am u 8 . u du. hi. a sa [a-lim] 33 li-
ku1-[la] le. e. 34 itiab.e.a u4.4.kam
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 167

tects you support you to good effect. 9 May your well being in the presence
of Samas and Marduk be everlasting. 10 It was at my instruction that you
went, but you have not sent me your report. 12 For the silver which the
house builders b) are offering me, 13 because I have to collect the silver of
the igisu-tax, c) I am unable to enter Babylon. 17 Collect 4 shekels of silver
for the-igisu-tax and send it me. 18 Send me (also) the one shekel of silver of
Awil-Uras and the one shekel of silver about which I talked to you. 21
Enforce payment with severity d) and send me the silver so that one does
press me for payment. 23 Send me 2 litres of flour and half a litre of oil,
since I have no provisions available.

179. AO 8873. Ebeling 85f.

Speak to our lord: Thus say Nabudia and ...... 4 Our lord has written the
following to Silli-..... concerning Ahuyatum: 7 "In lskun-Marduk there are
sheep of mine, now let the shepherds a) transfer the sheep; every single
sheep counts!" b) 10 Thus our lord wrote. The sheep of our lord and those of
Samas-ili have now been transferred to the hinterland. 14 As our lord
knows, the sixty sheep of the town are scattered in groups of two, three and
five ewes. l9 There are hardly enough to supply the diviner with lambs. 20
And I am stuck c) inside the town. 21 During the rainy season they even
feed (the sheep) a mash of mushrooms. d) 22 Let our lord write to Samas-ili,
so that the town's shepherd does start complaining. 25 And as for the fact
that our lord wrote us: "You must give (me) fodder!" - as our lord knows
we suffer hunger, y.,e have no fodder. 29 ............ .let him clear e) and also
send Mena ......, 32 so that the sheep [of the town] get something to eat on
the tenth day.
le. e. 34 Day 4 of month X.

house builders may depend on the palace, cf. AJSL 39, 141, quoted CAD I/1 296, b,
l'. c) See Lexical Notes s.v. igisum. d) See Kraus, RA 64 (1970) 58f. and no.
87: l lf. The periphrastic construction instead of piinam dunnunum (cf. temam
$abiitum II $ibit temim rasum) may lend more emphasis to the request.
179. a) See CAD K 613, s.v. kuzallu A, in the fem. plural, as in the Lu Excerpt. b)
An attempt, since "there is one sheep too little" hardly makes sense. c) The best
solution is to read ka-l'i-a-ku, "I am stuck (within the town)", cf. J. Renger, ZA 61
(1971) 43 (261). d) With CAD R 20, s.v. rabiku, which maintains the interpretator
of zunniitum of CAD Z 160, but prefers kamunu B, "fungus, mushrooms", over A,
"cumin". Von Soden's proposals, OrNS 33 (1964) 441 and AHw 104, baqiimum G,
1, cannot be maintained. e) Meaning obscure; siram, "meat", might be the object
of zukkum.
 168 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

180. AO 8875. TCL 18 Pl. CIV No. 126. a)

1 a-na i-lf-i-r[i-ba-am] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma si-ru-u-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka
5 as-sum da-bae-AB-im 6 i-na si-ip-ri-im 7 sa i-[b]a-as-su-u
16(UM) 8 ma-am-
ma-<an> u-<ul> i-pa-BA/DI-im a-wi-lum is-te-in!(E-NI) sa ku-ur-si-na-su-
9 10
u II da-na-a u a-na sa-pa-rie-ime 12 a-wi-lum sa ta-ka-li-im 13 ma-am-ma-
<an> sa i-la-ka(KA-LA)-ku-um 14 u-ul i-ba-as-si-i 15 sum-ma i-na ki-tim rev.
16 a-hi at-t[a] 17 a-wa-ti-su GA-AB-ra-[tim] 18 sa ib-su-u-ma 19 pi-ir-~a-am la-

ma *e-bu-ri-1 im 20 li-ik-su-ur 21 as-sum su-<ub>-qu-um u 8 • hi . a 22 u

a. s a -li-i-ka 23 as-[p]u-ra-ku-su-u 24 <<x>>

181. AO 8876. TCL 18 Pl. CV No. 127. a)

1 a-na lu-mur-gi-mil-du tu qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma dz a. b a 4 . b a 4 -qar-ra-ad-ma
3 du tu u dm a rd u k li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 4 ma-ti-i-ma a-na mi-im-ma 5 u-ul as-
l pu-ra-ak-kum ~i1(TE)-bu-ut 6 10 gin k u . b ab b a r ka-an-ki-im 7 ar-si-i-ma
as-pu-ra-ak-kum 8 10e gin k u . b ab b a r ka-an-kam su-bi-lam 9 sa 10 gin
k u . b ab b a r sa tu-sa-ba-lam 10 s e -a-am dam-qa-am ta-ak-lam II i-na e i-
na pi a-ap-tim 12 i-<<na>>-ma-da-du-ni-ik-kum 10· e 13 a 1-nu-um-ma a-wi-il-
di s k u r rev. 14 at-tar-da-ak-kum xx (erasure?) b) 15 k u. b ab bar an-ni-a-
am la ta-ka-al!-la-su I su-bi-lam 16 ~il(rn)-bu-ut ma-di-is 17 pz'l-it-ra-am la tu-
sa-ba-lam 18 ka-an-kam-ma su-bi-lam 19 d/ki-x

182. AO 8877. TCL 18 Pl. CVI No. 128. a)

1 r a 1-na s[a]-pi-[r]i-i[a] 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma *[x]-ur-sa-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd Uk as-su-mi-ia r da-ri-is uJmi li1-ba-al-li-tu-<ka> 6 X X r a-*wi1-
5 1

le-e sa ka-ti* 7 is-pu-ra-am *a-na rxx] at-ta-ad-na 8 ere n ka-lu-su sa sa-pi-

ri-ia-ma 9 u a-na-ku sag. i r *ki-nu-u[m s]a be-li-[ia] 10 am-mi-ni a-wi-le
pa-nu-ti-im sa-pi-r[i]* 11 u-te-ra-am-[ma i]t7-ti-su-nu-ma 12 li-ru-bu u li_r~u1-
u lo. e 13 ki-sa-ma sa-pi-ri i-na *BI_rx X114 }al i-ha-ra-a~-su-nu-ti rev. 15 u ere n
ka-lu-su sa sa-pi-ri-ia-lma 16 as-sum ~i-di-it u 4 15. kam 17 sa-pi-ri la-qe-a-
am

180. a) Tablet with many mistakes and erasures.

181. a) Tablet not available for collation. b) The signs drawn look like A-KUM.
182. a) Top of obverse (lines 1-7) damaged.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 169

180. AO 8875. Ebeling 86f. a)

Speak to Ili-enbam: Thus says Sim. May Samas grant you good health. 5 As
for the complaints which were uttered in connection with the work, nobody
..•...• 8 Not a single man whose calfs are strong and who is reliable enough
to direct (the work), comes to you. 15 If you are truly my brother - the ..... b)
matters which have occurred, let him repair the breach before the summer.
21 I have sent him to you because of the shearing of the sheep and because
of your field.

181. AO 8876. Ebeling 87.

Speak to Liimur-gimil-Samas: Thus says Zababa-qarrad. May Samas and
Marduk grant you good health. 4 I have never written to you for anything,
but (now) I have got a need of 10 shekels of sealed silver and therefore I
write to you. 8 Send me 10 shekels of sealed silver and for these 10 shekels
of silver which you will send me 10 one will measure out for you, in the
house, at the window, a) barley of good and reliable quality for a value of 10
shekels of silver. 13 I herewith send Awil-Adad to you, don't refuse him that
silver, let him bring it to me, I urgently need it! Do'n send me loose b) silver,
send only sealed silver.

182. AO 8877. Ebeling 88f.

Speak to my superior: Thus says .....ursa. May Samas and Marduk for my
sake grant you forever good health. 6 The ...... of the men, about which he
wrote to you, I have now given to ..... 8 All the troops range under my
superior, and I myself, I am a faithful servant of my lord. 10 Why has my
superior sent back the previous (group of) men, so that they now come and
go together with them? 13 My superior apparently will not deduct them
from the garrison a) and, indeed, all the troops range under my superior. 16
As for the provisions for 15 days, which my superior had told me to take, I

180. a) Various scribal mistakes and erasures. b) Difficult, because of masc. ibsu,
but perhaps awiitisu is a proleptic object, with adjective, resumed by pir$am,
depending on kasiirum.
181. a) Suggestion of MSL 1, 253 ad S. 142 not acceptable. The implication of ina
pl aptim is not clear (R. Harris, Studies Oppenheim, 130f., a "scribal fad"), but in
our text no nadztu is involved. Perhaps payment in such a way that quality and
quantity of the barley can be checked in daylight? b) See for "sealed" and "loose"
(unsealed) silver, Stol, JCS 34 (1982) 150f. and OBO 160/4, 903.
182. a) Perhaps birtum?
170 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

iq-bi-a-am 18 $f-di-it u 4 15. kam al-qf-a-am 19 it i 1 . k am u u 4 15. kam

is-tu i-na JMki20 wa-as-ba-ku u lu-lu-mu-ba-lf-it 21 ka-du-um ere n -su wa-
si-ib 22 be-lf-i a. s a-lam a-na a g a. u s . mes 23 id-di-in-ma i-na me-e te 4 -
bi!-i-ma 24 pa-ni a. s a u-ul a-mu-ur is-tu u 4 1 5 . k am 25 a. s a me-e is-ta-
ha-at 26 wa-ar-ka-nu-um sa-pf-ri da 7-li-u-ti 27 i-sa-ka-an be-Ifs a g a. s a *te
X (x) I zu X u.e 28 u-ul te-pu-us sa-pf-ri 29 li-ip-tu-ra-an-ni-ma a. S a -l[am] 30
rX 1 ka-ri IiJpu-ul!u:fl le.e. 31 as-sa-tu-su *x ri/hu-sa (ruling)

183. AO 8874. TCL 18 Pl. CVII No. 129.

1 a-na *b[e-lf]-ia 2 qf-[bf]-ma 3 um-ma *an -k a -sa-ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k
5 as-sum [bi]-it a-bi-ia 6 be-If [da]-ri-is u 4 -mi 7 li-b[a]-li-tu 8 e-li Psu*-ma-
tum 9 wa-ar-di-su 10 be-If a-ah-su rev. 11 la i-na-a[d]-di 12 bi- it a-bi-ia 13 u-ul
wa-ar-*du-ka-a 14 sa su-$f-i Psu-ma-tum 15 be-If li-pu-us

184. AO 8878. TCL 18 Pl. CVII No. 130·

1 a-na di. k u 5 . mes UD.xki2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-i-din-nam-[ma] 4
du tu li-ba-al-li-it-[ku-nu-ti] 5 a-wa-a-at dna-[n]a-a-sa-amJha-at 1 6 am-ra-a-
ma 7 di-nam 8 ki-ma $i-im-da-at be-lf-ia lo. e 9 su-hi-za-a-ni[m]
(reverse not inscribed)
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 171

have now taken provision for 15 days. 19 It is now 35 days since I encamped
in Karkar b) and Lulu-muballit c) too, with his troops, is staying there. 22 My
lord has made a field available to the soldiers, but it was submerged under
water so that I could not see its surface. 25 But since 15 days the field has
emerged from the water. d) 26 Later my superior must provide water
hoisters.e) 27 My lord ..... the top end of the field f) ..... you have not acted.
Let my superior 29 deliver me and let ............ g) that field. Their wives .....

.183. AO 8874. Ebelin,g 89.

Speak to my lord: Thus says Anum-pisa. May Samas and Marduk, for the
same of our family, grant my lord forever good health. 8 My lord should not
be negligent towards his slave Summatum. a) 12 Are the members of my
family not your servants? 14 Let my lord take action to obtain the release of
Summatum.

184. AO 8878. Ebeling 89.

Speak to the judges of Adab? a) : Thus says Sin-idinnam. b) 4 May Samas
grant you good health. 5 Evaluate the affair of Naniiya-samhat c) and
provide [her] d) with a verdict in accordance with the decree of my lord.

182. b) Or Murum; see for the towns, both written IMki, Char-pin, OBO 160/4, 121,
note 521. c) <lLuluheads the section on Lugalmarada in the god-list TCL 15, 10: VI
40; Stol, RlA 7 (1987-90) 148, calls attention to the theophoric element Lulu in
personal names from Marad. d) Not is-sa-ha-at (CAD Sil 86, 9), because the
second sign is a clear TA, therefore betterr to be connectd with meaning 1, "to
drain". e) The first sign is not DA, but "water drawers" fits well. f) With the verb
unreadable the meaning of res eqlim, which can be used metaphorically
("destination, goal"), remains unclear. g) Perhaps [t]tim-ka-ri, in which case the
verb might be lfpul, but reading and meaning remain unclear.
183. a) A (the same?) Summatum also in 2, 170:11,18, where his wife and children
are in debt bondage.
184. a) Uncertain, but the most likely reading in view of the signs. b) Perhaps the
well known administator of the Larsa province under Hammurabi, who could give
such instructions to local authorities. c) Nanaya-samhat is the subject of a lawsuit,
BBVOT 1, 23, (ref. Stol), studied by C. Wilcke in Festschrift Rollig (AOAT 247,
1997), 413-427. d) Perhaps suhizani[ssi], cf. 6, 142:12 and 9, 6:12.
172 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

185. AO 8879. TeL 18 Pl. eVIII No. 131.

1 a-n[a l-l]i-ki-im-ti 2 qi-b[i]-ma 3 um-ma x-[x]-du tu -ma 4 *m[u-un-n]a-ab-
tum 5 is-tu mas . g an -s ab r a 6 *in-[n]a-bi-tu-nim-ma 7 ki-a-a[m i]q-bu-
nim 8 um-ma *s[u]-nu-u-ma 9 *a_rx x n 1u-um 10 a-nag u r 7 . mes 11 sa-ha-
<<ti>>Jtim 1 * 12pa-nu-su rev. 13sa-ak-nu 14a-na ha-al-~i-ka 15la te-gi 16[x x
~]u-ha-re-e 17 KU-*u[b-x]-am-ma 18 KU-x-am li-dam-mi-qu-nim-ma 19 [x xi
sar-ri-im 20 *[l]i-bi-il 21 gi-il-la-tum 22 mi-im-ma ib-ba-as-si-ma 23 sar-ra-am
ta-ta-na-ap-pa-al

186. AO 8881. TeL 18 Pl. eIX No. 132. a)

1 [a-n]a sa-pi-ri-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-im-gur-ra-an-ni-ma 4 du tu u
dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ia 5 da-ri-is u 4 -mi-im sa-pi-ri 6 li-ba-al-li-<<tu>>-tu 7
Pha-bil-ke-nu-um *ia-xki 8 sa is-tu u 4 -mi-im <<ha>>e 9 mu . 3 . k am ha-al-
qu 10 i-na l . s i . in ki a-mur-su-ma a,s--ba-su 11 a-na ka 1-ri-im ar-di-a-su-ma
12 i-na kaLri-im pdm a rd u k-a-zi-ir rug u la 1 mar.tu 13 ri1-[n]a bi-ti-ia

i-te-ti-ir-su* 14 um-ma su-u-ma 1 si-te 4-[er dub -p]i-a* 15 a-nu-um-ma a-na

sa-pi-ri-ia 16 as-tap-ra-am 17 sum-ma si-te 4-er dub -pi-ni 18 i-na pa-nu
Pdm a rd u k -a-zi-ir 19 lu-di-ine-ma 20 *rpi1-qa-at i-na bi-ti 21 [s]a-pi-ri-ia Ia1
u-~i22 [su]m-ma i-na *pa-ne-ni 1 23 i-na dub -pi Pdm a rd u k -a-zi-ir 24 sa-
te4-er mi-im-ma la a-di-a-an 25 a-na sa-pi-ri-ia as-tap-ra-am 26 [sa e]-li sa-pi-
ri-ia *rta-bu l

187. AO 8880. TeL 18 Pl. ex No. 133.

1 a-na a-hu-ni qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma be-la-nu-um-ma 3 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka 4
gisa . z u u g i ta-ba-am 5 sa aq-bu-kum 6 u gism a sa gisge s tin 7 a-na
z i m bi r ki 8 ls-ni-qa-am 9 gisgest in sa 10 gin k u . b ab bar lo. e 10 sa-
ma-am-ma rev. 11 Ii-qi-a-am-ma 12 i-na li-ib-bu ur-ra-am 13 a-na k a .
ding i r. r a ki 14 si-in-qa-am 15ku-us-da-an-ni

188. AO 8882. TeL 18 Pl. ex No. 134. a)

1 [a-n]a ta-ri-bu-um 2 [q]i-bi-ma 3 [u]m-ma i-din-ia-tum-ma 4 rd1u tu li-ba-
aI-IiJit-ka 1 5 as-sum i-din-de n .1 i I 6 bi-tam a-na a-bi-su 7 a-na-ku ad-di-in 8
am-mi-nim i-na bi-tim' 9 wa-sa-ba-am 10 tu-se-si-ib 11qi-bi-ma [w]a-sa-bu-
um lo. e 12i-na bi-tim li-~i 13 ru.11 a-na bi-ti-su rev. 14ma-am 1-ma-an 15la He-
eh-hi

186. a) Note the typical shape of some signs, especially of KA (lines 11, 12).
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 173

185. AO 8879. Ebeling 89f.

Speak to [ll]i-kimti: a) Thus says .......-Samas. 4 Fugitives have escaped
from Maskan-sapir and have arrived here. 8 They said: "A. .....sanum is
determined to plunder the granaries". 14 Don't be careless with regard to
your district! 16 Instruct b) the servants that they handle the ..... well, so that
he can bring it [to] the king. 21 For ~y misdeed that may occur you will
have to answer the king!

186. AO 8881. Ebeling 90 .

. To my superior speak: Thus says Sin-imguranni. 4 May Samas and Marduk
for my sake grant good health to my1superior. 7 I have discovered Habil-
kenum of the town of Ya ....., who is missing since three years, 10 in Isin. I
seized him and brought him to the commercial district, 12 but there Marduk-
azir, the general, has taken him out of my house. 14 He said: "I have a
written record (to prove my claim)". 15 I now write to my superior. If we
have a (relevant) written record, I am ready to confront Marduk-azir in a
lawsuit. But, perhaps he has not yet a) left the household of my superior. 22
If, contrary to what we assume, he is indeed registered in the records of
Marduk-azir, I can in no way start a lawsuit. 25 I have now written to my
superior, it is at the dis-cretion of my superior.

187. AO 8880. Ebeling 90f.; Oppenheim, Letters, 83, no. 13.

Speak to Ahuni: Thus says Belanum. May Samas grant you good health. 10
Buy for me a) 4 the myrtle and the sweet-smelling reeds, of which I spoke to
you, 6 and also - now that a boat of wine has arrived in Sippar - 9 wine for
ten shekels of silver, 11 take it along and come sometime tomorrow to
Babylon and 15 meet me there.

188. AO 8882. Ebeling 91.

Speak to Tanoum: Thus says Iddinyatum. 4 May Samas grant you good
health. 5 As for Iddin-Enlil, to whose father I myself sold the house, 8 why
have you installed a tenant live in that house? 10 Order the tenant to leave
the house and that nobody shall approach his house!

185. a) The only name ending in -kimtz-which fits the traces. b) kabiisum does not
yield a suitable meaning; one expects something like "instruct".
186. a) Taking lii in a main clause, with Stol, OB History 53, note 30, as "not yet".
187. a) The products mentioned are objects of siimam, I. 6-8 are an interjection.
174 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

189. AO 8884. TCL 18 PL CXI No. 135. a)

1 a-na sa-pi-ri-ni qi-bi-ma 2 um-ma nam-ra-am-sa-ru-ur 3 u si-bu-ut a-lim-
ma 4 du tu u dm a rd u k as-su-mi-ni da-ri-is u 4 -mi 5 li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 a-na
su-lu-um sa-pi-ri-ni ni-is-pur-am 7 sa-pi-ir-ni su-lu-um-su li-is-pur-an-ni-a-si
8 *i[s]-tu a-wa-tim sa as-sum PA.PA. me s 9 *su-te-ni-im dam ri-is-dsu-bu-
la is-mu-u a-wi-il-tum a-wa-tim ma-di-is
10 11 *uk-ta-ab-bi-it lo. e 12 a-na i;,e-
ru-ma u 4 -mi-sa-am 13 ri-ta-qu-di-im rev. 14 i-na ru-te-es-si-im 15 qa-qa-ad-ni
ma-di-is uq-ta-li-il 16 ki-a-am iq-ta-na-ab-bi 17 um-ma si-ma sa an-ni-a-am
*ru1-ni-KU 18 pi-su-nu u pi-i i;,a-bi-itpu-ti-su-nu 19 Ii-ni-IK ki-a-am iq-ta-na!-
bi 20 rxx x wa 1-ar-ka-at a-wa-tim 21-24 (tracesof the endsof 3 lines)

190. AO 8885. TCL 18 PL CXII No. 136. a)

1 [a-na a-wi]-il-l-Ii-su 2 [qi-b]i-ma 3 [um-ma i]b-ni-du r as -ma 4 [distar] ru
d]z a. b a 4 . b a 4 da-ri-is u 4 -<mi> 5 [li]-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 [a]s-sum Pil-ta-ni sa
ib-bu-ni-kum 7 wa-ar-ka-tam [p]u-ru-us 8 ki-ma a-wi-lum mi-im-ma 9 [l]a i-
*naeJdi-<nu>-si1-im 10 [a]-wi-lum ki-ma na-di-tim 11 [i]l-ta-pa-si-i-ma 12 u
a-lum *im-ta-li-ik lo. e 13 u sum-ma-an la ka-a-ti rev. 15 a-wi-il-tum si-i ih-ta-
li-iq-ma 16 [s]a dz a. b a 4 . b a 4 u-ba-la-tu-ka 17 u a-wi-il-tum u-ul i-na
a. s a-Iim 1(WA) 17 u u-ul i-na ki-ri-im sa-ak-na-at 18 wa-ar-ka-tam pu-ru-us-
ma 20 sa dz a. b a 4. b a 4 [u-ba]-al-la-tu-ka 21 e-pu-[u]s 22 U g i S X [x X x]
x* 23 u sum-m[a xx x]-IB-si-im 24 [wa-a]r-k[a-tam pu-ru-u]s-ma* 25 [x] ha
ba [x x x x] x il-li-kam* 26 [x] x [x xx] x u-ul *ni- di-si-im 27 [x x x] x a-na
bi-ti i-ru-ub 1 28 [a-wi]-lum il-ta-pa-as'-si* 29 [wa-ar-ka-tam] pu-ru-us! [xx]
Fragment of case: a-n[a xx xx]

188. a) Tablet has disintegrated, not collated.

189. a) Lines 13-15 and the beginning of line 19 are now missing.
190. a) A piece of the envelope, with the beginning of the address, sticks to parts of
lines 20-27 of the tablet, which are hence unreadable.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 175

189. AO 8884. Ebeling 91f.

Speak to our superior: Thus say Namram-sarur and the elders of the town.
May Samas and Marduk for, our sake grant you forever good health. 6 We
write to wish our superior's well, may our superior send us his greetings. 8
Since the wife of Ris-Subula had heard about the matter of the substitution
a) of the·captains, the lady has greatly aggravated the affair. 12 Not only has
she seriously discredited us by prancing around every day and by her
inconsiderate behaviour, l6 she also keeps saying this: "Who has ....... b) this
one, may his mouth and the mouth of his protector .... !" 19 This is what she
'
keeps saying. 20 [Please],
. take the matter [in hand]!
~

190. AO 8885. Ebeling 92. a)

Speak to Awil-ilisu: Thus says lbni-Uras. 4 May [lstar] and Zababa b)
forever grant you good health. 6 As for Iltani, whom they mentioned to you,
investigate (the complaint that) c) the gentleman does not give her anything,
10 (that) the man has laid a hand on her as if she were a naditum 12 and
(that) the town has taken counsel. 13 Indeed, had it not been for you, the
lady would have perished! And, by Zababa, d) grants you life, that lady
owns e) neither a field nor a garden. 18 Investigate the matter and, by Zababa
who grants you li.c1e, 21 t ake action.
. And f) ........ 24 mvest1gate
. . the matter .....
25 .... has come here who ...... 26 we have not given her .... she went into the
h9use, the [ma]n has laid his hand on her! 29 Investigate [the matter]!.
Case: To[ .......]

189. a) Sutenum as causative of itnu, "to substitute for", used in Mari for soldiers
"taking shifts" (CADE 176, 2). The lady causing trouble may have been the wife of
one of the captains affected by the measure. b) rzt1-ni-KUfrom the same verb as li-
ni-IK in 1. 19 (punishment matches crime), but neither naqu (inuq), "to groan", nor
naku (inik), "to fornicate", have a D-stem or make sense. c) putam $abatum used
for the actions of a sorcerers; CAD S 42, s.v. $abit puti, assumes an idiom, but
perhaps haplography of $abit abbutisunu, with the same meaning.
190. a) The syntax is affected by the emotion of the wrtiter and the translation
reflects the logic of the message. b) The gods of the city of Kish, cf. 10, 158:3. c)
I take 1. 8-11 (12?), introduced by kima, as logical object of warkatam parasum,
although the verbs are not in the subjunctive. d) Sa 'Zababa uballatuka functions as
an oath-like interjection, "By Z ..... ", to emphasize the imperative purus, but in 20f.
one might opt for "Act so that Z ...". e) Meaning of ina eqlim saknat unclear,
perhaps colloquial for "to hold, to own"; lady the has nothing to live from. f) See
note a to the transliteration.
176 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

191. AO 8886. TCL 18 Pl. CVIII No. 137.

1 ra 1-n[a xx x] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma nu-ur-du tu -ma 4 as-sum ki-a-am ta-as-
pu-ra-am 5 um-ma at-ta-a-ma 6 ka-ni-ik *2.3.3 s e . g u r s e -em 7 su-bi-lam
s e -um sa tu-up*-si-ka-tim 8 sa *qa-ti-ka ki ma-~f 9 *sa tu-up*- si-ka-tim lo. e
10 u ki ma-~f sa qa-ti-ka 11 s e -a-am sa qa-ti-ka rev. 12 bi-ra-am-ma ka-ni-
*kame 13 lu-sa-bi-la-kum-ma 14 0.1.4 z l. d a sa qa-ti ~u-ha-ra-am 15 su-bi-
lam 16 *ha-ad-nu-u[m] x x x da 17 is-sa-[ak-n]a-kum 18 a-na [sag.
geme.mes] i-di-im-ma 19 *xpi-ti-il-ti li-pu-sa 1 20 [x x] sag.geme.mes
x ma-na 2 TA? 21 [x xx x] * x sfk .hi. a u. e 22ra [x xx] le .e. 23 *us-ta-bi-la-
kum su-qu-ul 24 ri-na 1 a-ba-an ki-ti-im

192. AO 8888. TCL 18 Pl. CXIV No. 138.

1 [a-n]a x-d[x x] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma li-pf-it-istar-ma 4 as-sum te41-e-mi-im 5
sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 6 um-ma [at-ta]-a-ma 7 [a-nu]-um-ma Pim-gur-du tu 8 [a-
na ~]e-ri-ka 9 [at-tar]-dam 10 [at-t]a Pa-bu-wa-qar 11 [u si]-bu-ut a-lim 12 [i-na
*e,, dEN.ZUi-zi-iz-za-ma* 13 [x x x] s e . b a su-hi-iz-za 14 [x x x]-am 15 [x x
x] mah-ri-su lo. e 16[d U b ]-fpf *an 1-nim rev. 17 [as]-sum te4-e-em 18 [er en]
sa a-na Se .*[b] a i-sa-ta 1-ru-u * 19i-na *u 4-<<lni>>-mi-im! 20 sa a-sa-pa-ra-
kum 21 ere n sa ma-la i-na qa-ti-ka 22 i-ba-as-su-u 23 lu sa-te 4-er-ma 24 li-il-
li-ka-am-ma 25 s e. b a I li-im-hu-[u]r 26 «s [ e. b] a li-im-hu-ur x >>

193. AO 8889. TCL 18 Pl. CXV No. 139.

l a-na im-gur-du t U qf-bf-ma 2 um-ma 1 r _dm a r. t U -ma 3. as-sum me-e sa
ta-as-pu-ra-am 4 is-[tu] ta-aq-bi-a-am-ma 5 a-na *[x]-ra-bi ki-a-am aq-bi 6
um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 7 me-e e-li-ia Pim-gur-du t U <i-su>8 ru1 ki-ma U g U 1a
s u . i i-na i-ni-ia 9 *rka-ab1-tu ka-la-a-am 10 *x x x DI u-ul im- gu-ra-an-ni
lo. e 11um-ma su-u-ma 12u 4 5 . k am qf-ia-an-ni 13i-na-an-na it-ti rev. 141 u
[x x]-umki sa as-su-mi-su-nu 15da-[na-t]um sa-ak-na 16x [xx] x i-ri-sa-an-ni
17 [u ki-a 1 -am i-da-bu-bu 18 [um-ma su-nu]-ma me-e ni-sa-qf 19 [x x x]-bu*
u-ul a-wa-at-ni 20 [x x x-t]um i-na ma-tim 21 [i-sa-a]t-tu-u-ma 22 [x xx]
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 177

191. AO 8886. Ebeling 92f.

Speak to [......]: Thus says Nur-Sarnas. As for the fact that you wrote me 6
"Send me a sealed record for 2 kor and 210 quarts of barley" - The barley for
the (people performing) corvee duties, who are under your authority, a) how
1
much (has been assigned) for the corvee duties and how much is (actually)
available to you? 12 Specify the amount of barley available to you and then
I will send you a sealed record. And send me (also) 1/3 kor of flour, which
is at hand, with the servant. 16 ......... (which) has been made available to
you, b) give (it?) to the slave-girls c) in order to produce ....... 20 [Give] the
. slave-girls wooz?, two minas each ..... I have now sent you soft d) wool,
weigh it out 24 using a reliable weighig stone.

192. AO 8888. Ebeling 93.

Speak to .......: Thus says Lipit-Istar. 4 As for the matter about which you
wrote me as follows: "I herewith send Imgur-Samas to you. You, Abu-
waqar and the elders of the town must take up position in the temple of Sin
and give instructions a) [concerning] the barley rations". 14 ....... before him
of this letter. 17 As for the matter of the workers, who are to be registered
for (receiving) barley rations, 19 the very day I send you my letter every
worker who is under your authority must be registered 24 so that he can
come here to receive his ration. (26 dittography)

193. AO 8889. Ebeling 94.

Speak to Imgur-Samas: Thus says Warad-Amurrim. 3 As for the water,
about which you wrote me, after you spoke to me, I talked to ...-rabi and
said: 7 "Imgur-Samas has a [claim] for water on me and since a) the
foreman of the 'barbers' enjoys my esteem, I [cannot] refuse. 10 But he did
not agree with me, saying: 12 "Wait for me five days. 13 Right now I am
(busy) with the men of the town of ...., concerning who strict orders have
been given." 16 ......... he has asked from me 17 and they declare: "We will
provide irrigation water, l9 (but) ........ is not our business." 20 [The fields]

191. a) The repeated fa qatika is confusing, the first must refer to the corvee
workers, the second to part of the amount of barley. b) One could also read
issa[ql]akkum. c) Subject of the following verb, which is third pers. plur. fem. d)
Reading ra[bbatim], but RA could also be the beginning of a personalname.
192. a) suhizza, with double final consonant,patterned after izizza in line 12.
193. a) Difficult, since the damagedfirst sign is neither LI nor IL, which might yield
leqima or ilqema, as proposed by CAD 1/J 156, b, and M.B. Rowton in INES 21
(1962) 275 [342]). A conjunction(kima) is necessary to explain a likely subjunctive
178 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

ra1da-an-nu e 23 [x x x x] r1i1-ula-ka-la* 24 [x x li-l]i-kam-ma* 25 *rx x lu

n 1i-di

194. AO 8890. TCL 18 Pl. CXVI No. 140. a)

1 [a-na] ha-[>i-ir-tum 2 [q]i-bf-ma 3 [um]-ma a-ta-na-ah-l-li-ma 4 du tu as-
sum-ia li-ba-al-li-it-ki 5 2 un-ne-du-uk-<ka>-tim 6 sa-mu-ta-am ub-lam 7 ki-
a-am iq-bi-a-am 8 um-ma su-u-ma 9 is-ti-a-at sa Pzu-zu-um 10 is-ti-a-at sa Pl-
li-se-i* 11 as-si-i-ma ki-la 1-at-tum 12 ia-tum-ma sa Pzu-zu-um 13 u Pl-li-se-i*
14 mi-im-<ma> tu-sa-bi-li-im 15 an-ni-tam la an-ni-tam su- up-ri-im 16 u a-na
pa-hi-lu-mu-ur 17 un-ne-du-uk-ka-am 18 u-sa-am-ri-[>a-am-ma 19 it-ti un-ne-
du-uk-ki-im 20 [sa] a-na ka-si-im u-sa-bi-la-ki-im 21 [x xx] rx 1-i 22 [x x x x]-
lam 23 [x xx x] x
(rest of obv. and lo. e. broken, first 2 lines of rev. unreadable)
3' u-ul qi-ip 4' as-sum pdal-la-l-li X 5' is-ti-a-at qi-is-ta-am ...... .
(ca. 15 lines unreadable)
as-sum-ia a-lam le.e. a)
21 ' 22 ' rxl XX XX da-bi X x1 23 ' [x] X lu-sa-ni si-ni-su
as-pu-ra-a[k-ki-im]

195. AO 8891. TCL 18 Pl. CXVII No. 141. a)

1 a-n[a] dEN.ZU-a-sa-re-ed 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma i-bi-dEN.ZU-ma4 du tu li-ba-
al-li-it-ka 5 as-sum a. s a -lim sa ta-ri-bu-um 6 tee-ki-mu-ma a-na i-bi-du tu 7
ta-ad-di-nu 8 il-l[i-i]k ta-ri-bu-um 9 sar-ra im-hu-ur-[m]a 10 sar-rum ree-da-
am it-[ta-ad-na-sum] 11 hu-mu-ut la-ma re-[du-um] 12 ik-su-da-ak-[kum] rev.
13 a. s a -lam a-na be-li-s[u te-er] 14 a. s a -lam a-na be-li-[su] 15 u-ul tu-ta-

ar-[ma] 16 is-tu a-na re-di-i [x (x)] 17 5 gin k u. [b ab] bar ta-xx [x] 18
ar-h[i-is x] x-ka 19 bur i k u r a. s a1 s e-a-am 20 ta-ma-da-ad 21 ap-pu-tum

194. a) Rev. nearly unreadable. b) Division of the lines on the left edge into two
columns unlikely; the vertical line drawn by Dossin is rather a scratch resulting from
damage.
195. a) Tablet has disintegrated.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 179

in the countryside are now being irrigated and since the [waters] are
massive, I will not hold back [water]. 24 Let .... come here, so that we may
know.

194. AO 8890. Ebeling 94.

Speak to Ha:;;irtum:Thus says Atanah-ili. May Samas for my sake grant you
good health. 5 Samutam a) brought me two letters and he told me: 9 "One is
for Zuzum, the other for Ili-sei. 11 When I read them both turned out to be
for me! Did you send here any letter for Zuzum and Ili-sei? 15 Write me
yes or no. 16 Moreover, I wrote an angry letter to Pahi-lumur and [shipped
it] together with the letter which I sent to you yourself.
(from line 21 until line 3 7 of the rev. unreadable or broken away)
3' .... is not reliable. Because of Alla-ili, one single gift .....
(ca. 15 lines unreadable)
21' Formy sake he [appealed to] the town ....... 23' ·
...... I have now wntten
twice to you.

195. AO 8891. Ebeling 95. a)

Speak to Sin-asared: Thus says Tobi-Sin. May Samas grant you good
health. 5 As for the field of Taribum, which you took away and gave to lbbi-
Samas, 8 Tanoum went to appeal to the king and the king has now provided
him with a soldier. 11 Quickly, before the soldier arrives with you, give the
field back to its owner. 14 If you don't give back the field to its owner, after
you have been [brought before] the soldier, [you will have to pay] 5 shekels
of silver! 18 Quickly measure out your [rent] in barley for a field of 18 iku.
Urgent!

kabtu. CAD 1/J, 156, b, 1' reads tu-ka-la-a-am, taken as a question (with final long a),
but I prefer an infinitive of kalii::,um(cf. line 23), also because ina 1niadoes not mean
"in my presence, under my eyes".
194. a) Presumably an (unknown) personal name in the accusative. The letter
mentions other remarkable names: Ili-se°i, Pahi-lumur and Alla-ili.
195. a) A school letter, comparable to Kraus, Briefschreibiibungen, 22, nos. h-j, all
from Adab (read in h: 2' te 1-ki1-mu; i and j are now edited as 5, 48 and 36). See also
UET 5, 45 (which qualifies the silver of 1. 17 as nebah eqlim ), 8, 111, and in par-
ticular 8, 17. The last text has in 1. 13 (// our 1. 10) ittadissum (UET 5, 45:8,
ittadnassum), omits illik of 1. 8 (present in 8, 111: 10), and writes in 1. 5 assum tern
eqlim. UET 5, 45:13ff. has lama redi sarrim illikamma nebah eqlim usaddinuka.
 180 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

196. AO 8883. TCL 18 PL CXVII No. 142.

1 a-na e-te-el-pi-du tu 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma li-pi-it-e-a-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-

it-ka 5 a-nu-um-<<x x>>-ma 6 Pma-nue-um 7 as-tap-ra-ak-ku 8 dub -pi i-na

a-ma-ri-ka 9 na-ah-la-ap-tam 10 a-na ma-nue-um 11 i[d-i]n 1-su rev. 12 a-wi-lam
sa as-pu-ra-ku 13 la ta-ka-la-a-ma 14 a 1(ZA)-wi-lam1 sa ti-si-it 15 k ask a I -ni-
ia na-ah-la-ap-tam 16 su-bi-la-su
i
I
197. AO 8892. TCL 18 PL CXVIII No. 143.
1 a-na na-aw-ra-am-sa-ru-ur 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma I u -1 [u g] a I . band a - ma
4 dn in . g i r. s u li-ba-li-it-ka 5 as-sum Peri du ki-li-wi-ir 6 s [a] g . l r * x
i
I,
a-ta-x-ba-la-a[m]/k[um]7 [sa pdE]N.ZU-ub-lamsabra 8 ri1 -zi-ba-ak-ku-u[m]-
ma 9 sag.lr ia-u-um 10 bi-ti ip-lu-us-ma 1 11 sa *1/21 ma.na ku.babbar
I ii
I ,I ub-ba-lu 12 il-qeJ e1 * [x xx] 13 i ti 5. [kam xx xx] 14 x [x xx x]
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning ofrev. broken)
1' i [x xx x xx] 2 ' a-na-k[u u at-ta] 3' ni-il-la-k[a-am] 4' a-wa-ti *x (x) ni ni-
ga-lam-ma-ar* 5' a-di a-al-*la-ka-ak-ku 6' a-na ma-am-*ma-an 7' k u.
b ab bar u s e -a-am la ta-na 1-ldi-in 8' ta-na-an-di-in-ma 9' e-li-a-tu-ka-ma
10' sag. l r ia-u-um 11' na-bu-tum na-bu-tam 12' la ta-na-ad-di-is-su* u.e 13' u-

ul ta-as-pu-ra-am 14' la ta-qa-ab-bi

:111.i
li'i 198. AO 8893. TCL 18 PL CXIX No. 144.
I''
( ca. 3 lines broken) l' du t U ru 1* dx] 2' li-ba-al-[li-tu-ka] 3' is-tu U 4 -mi-im sa a-
: I
I': na k [a. ding i r. r a ki] 4 ' e-ru-ba-am a-na urubi-ra-*t[umki] 5' it-ba-lu-ni-in-
Ii
111,
1 ni-ma i-na *x [ x x] 6' ka-li-a-ku um-ma su-u-ma 7' um-mi-a-na-am sa-ni-a-a-
'•,,11
am ta-*as-hu-u[r] 8 ' ap-la-an-ni-ma at-la-ak 9 ' ge-er-ra-am ta-al-li-ik lO' sa-

f
'\','!
<<x>>-al-ma-ta 11' um-ma a-na-<ku>-u-ma at-ta u-ul ta-qi-pa-an-ni 12' u bi-ti
ta-ah-su-us-ma 13' tu-us-te-ri-ib rev. 14' mi-i[m-ma XX XX x] X 15' [x XX X XX
x-k]um 16' [x X X X XX x-n]u l7' [x X X X X X x]-ra-an-ni 18' [x X X X X Xx]-
kum*
(rest of rev. broken)
le.e. 1 [x x1 -bi na-ad-na-at *me-he-er dub -pi li-ik-su-ud 2 [x] rx a-na-kam
p{-q{l-ti a-na mu-na-wi-rum 3 [xx xx]
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 181

196. AO 8883. Ebeling 95.

Speak to Etel-pi-Samas: Thus says Lipit-Ea. May Samas grant you health. 5
Herewith I send to you Manum. 8 When you see my letter, give Manum a
cloak. 12 Do not detain the man I am sending to you. 14 The gentleman is
about to be summoned (to join) my caravan, let him take the cloak along for
me.

197. AO 8892. Ebeling 95f.

Speak to Nawram~sarur: Thus says Lu-Lugalbanda. May Ningirsu grant you
good health. 5 As concerns Eridu-liwwir, the slave ........ , 7 [whom] Sin-
ublam, the manager, left to you - 9 that slave of mine has broken into my
house and 11 has taken goods worth half a mina of silver. [Since] 13 five
months ....
(end of obv., lo. e. and beginning ofrev. missing)
2 ' You and me, let us come (together) to settle our affair .... 5' Don't give
anyone silver and barley until I arrive with you. 8 If you do, it will count as
your liability. 10' That slave of mine is apt to run away, a) don't let him do
that under any circumstance. 13' (Now) you cannot tell me: "You have not
informed me!".

198. AO 8893. Ebeling 96f.

May Samas and .. .. grant you good health. 3' Since the day I entered
Babylon and they took me along to the town of Biratum, 5' I am detained in
. . . . a) He said: 7' "You have turned to another principal. Satisfy me, then
depart!". You went away on a trip, safe and sound, 11' (but) I said: "You did
not trust me, 13' you have brought (me) quickly inside. b) Any .....
(substantial lacuna)
My .... has been given/sold. Let an answer to this letter reach (me).
Le. 1 2
Over here my provisions for Munawwirum .....

197. a) This interpretation of niibutum was suggested by N.J.C. Kouwenberg.

198. a) The broken first sign perhaps the beginning of BI: (biltim], biltisu] or Mt
....], which could link up with 1. 13', where erebum S-stem is used in absolute sense
and we might supply "into jail" (ana nurpiirim, ana $ibittim), or the like. b) See for
hasiisum, "to hurry", used in hendiadys, ARMT 26/1 no. 187 note b, and Flor. mar.
6, 261, no. 26:7 (also ihsusma ... usterib; ref. M. Stol).
182 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

199. AO 6806 a). TCL 18 Pl. CXIX No. 145.

1 a-na dm a rd u k -da-ia-an 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma e-tel-k a _dm a rd u k -ma 4
Pgur-ru-rum* qa-du gism a 5 a-na s ah a r. hi . a se-e-nim 6 it-ta-al-kam 7 ki-
ma it-ta-al-kam 8 2 su~ha-re-e ku-ut-ti-in 9 u at-ta i-zi-iz-ma 10 s ah a r.
hi . a li-se-nu-nim 11 a-na pf-ha-at s ah a r. hi . a dam-qu-tim 12 it-ti-ka a-
ta-u (lo. e. not inscribed) rev. 13 a-na gism a la ma-li-tim 14 it-*ti-ka a-da-ab-
bu-ub (rest of rev. uninscribed)

200. AO 9074. TCL 18 Pl. CXX No. 146.

1 a-na dm a rd u k -di . k u 5 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma a-bu-um-wa-qar-ma 4 a-
nu-um-ma 1 gism a 40 g u r 5 a-na e-pe-ri ~e-nim 6 [a]t-ru-dam 1 rev. 7 1
gism a a-na ba-ma-tim 8 e-pe-ri li-~e-nu-nim 9 la ta-ka-la-a
Case: a-[n]a d[m a]r du k - di . k u 5 (under this line a cross)
Seal impression over the length of the reverse of the case: 1 k i s i b a-bu-
um-wa-qar 2 dumu rdm a r d u k 1 -ni-su 3 l r dna-bi-um

201. AO 9090. TCL 18 Pl. CXXI No. 147. a)

~-n1 [a gur-ru-ru-um] 2 qf-bf-[ma] 3 um-ma dbu-ni-ni-qar-du-u[m]-m[a] 4
du t U U dm a rd Uk as-su-mi-ia 5 [da-ri-is U41 -mi li-ba-al-li-tu-ka 6 e-esw
me-ma i-na a-li 7 as-ba-at 8 a-hi-it-ma du tu u dm a rd u k 9 lu sa x hu-ma
lu-x x* li-bi 10 li-di-na-ku 11 a-nu-um-ma sa'-lu'-ra-am 12 as-tap-ra-am 13
sum-ma a-ta lu-pu-ta-at 14sa a-pa-li-su i-na qa-ti-ka lo. e. 1s sa-ba-at rev. 16a-
na mi-im-ma a-sa-ri-is 17 a-na ka-ra-at i-ba-su 18u-up-pf-is'(IS) 19 z u. l um
i-ba-su 20 sa 2 5/6 g fn k u.b ab bar mas a-na ka-qa-di 21 i-tu-ur-ma 22 3
igi. 6. gal u 6 s e kit. b ab bar 23 a-na ka-ra-at i-ba-su 24 zu .1 um su-bi'-la

199. a) Not AO 9089, as mentioned by Dossin.

201. a) Tablet has disintegrated.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 183

199. AO 9089. Ebeling 97. a)

Speak to Marduk-dajjan: Thus says Etel-pi-Marduk. 4 Gurrurum has left for
you together with a boat in order to load earth. 7 As soon as he has arrived
there, you must present yourself, with two servants of yours, in order to load
the earth. 11 I will hold you responsible for the quality of the earth 13 ( and) I
will take you to account if the boat has not been fully loaded.

200. AO 9074. Ebeling 97.

Speak to Marduk-dajjan: Thus says Abum-waqar. 4 I have now sent to you
one boat with a capacity of 40 kor in order to load earth. 7 Let one boat (go)
to the levee in order to load earth, a, do not detain it.
Case: To Marduk-dajjan.
Seal iinsciption: Seal of Abum-waqar, son of Marduk-nisO., servant of
Nabium.

201. AO 9090. Ebeling 97-98.

Speak to [Gurrurum]: Thus says Bunene-qardum. 4 May Samas and Marduk
for my sake grant you forever good health. 6 When I heard (your letter) I
explored in the town where you a) live and Samas and Marduk are in-
deed ....... , b) 10 let them (dual) give you .... of heart. 11 I am now sending
Sallurum c) to you. 13 If you yourself are delayed, d) have available what is
needed to satisfy him. 16 Make a calculation over there for everything on the
basis of the prevailing rate of exchange. l9 Dates are available. 20 The
interest due on 2 5/6 shekels of silver has been added to the principal, which
now is 3 1/5 shekels and 6 grains of silver. e) 23 Send me dates according to
the prevailing rate of exchange.

199. a) The same writer and recipient in no. 200 and 6, 100, where Marduk-dajjiinis
informed that he has to leave to perform his corvee duties, g i . s a g . i 1, probably a
variant of g i . dub . f 1 and g i . du s u = tupsikkum (not mentioned by Stol, Studies
Houwink ten Cate, 293ff.). Transport of earth by boat also in 9, 95:Sff.
200. a) The verb is in the plural and the rev. of the letter is in telegraphese.
201. a) Asbat for (w)asbata, a stative with a short ending, like lupputat in 1. 13 (see
for this form 13, 66, note a to translation), but note wasbata in no. 202:7, of the
same sender. b) The third sign of the verb unclear (DI7or -0, cf. 1. 8 and 22);
sadahum, "to move in procession", would fit with two gods as subject, but the
prefix lu- excludes a plur. subject and a D-stem is only attested in late literary texts.
At the end a reading lumun libbim does not match the signs and one expects
something positive. c) A person(al name) required by saparum, which allows
neither itquram nor iskuram as object. d) See note a. e) The interest at the nor-
mal rate of 20 % per year for silver would cover a period of eight months.
 184 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

202. AO 9088. TCL 18 Pl. CXXII No. 148. a)

a-na gur-ru-ru-[um] 2 qf-bf-m[a] 3 um-ma dbu-ni-ni-qa[r-du-um-ma] 4 du tu
u dm a rd u k li-ba-al-l[i-tu-ka] 5 is-me 1-e-ma ah-du-u 6 sum-ma i-na a-li-im
7 sa wa-as-ba-a-ta 8 ~f-bu-ut k u . b ab b a r lo. e. 9 ta-ar-ta-si 10 su-up-ra-am-
ma rev. 11 ku. babbar ma-la ha-as-ha-ta 12 lu-[s]a-bi-la-kum 13 ru1 [t]e4-
em-ka ga-am-ra-am 14 su-up-ra-am 15 Ii-ib-bi um-m[i-k]a 16 ne-[eh]

203. AO 11124. TCL 18 Pl. CXXII No. 149. a)

a-na nam-ra-am-sa-ru-ur 2 u dEN.ZU-im-gur-an-ni 3 sadm a rd u k u-ba-al-
l[a-tu-su-n]u-ti 4 qf-bf-ma 5 um-ma su-mu-um-li-ib-si-ma 6 du tu u dg u .1 a
da-ri-is u 4 -mi-im 7 li-ba-al-li-tu-ku-nu-ti 8 du mu.mes e. dub. b a. a.
mes s[a] e . g a 1 9 i-te-er-bu-n[im] 10 ki-ma dub -pf ta-am-ma-ra rev. 11 a-
n[a] ra-pf-q[u]mki 12 a-la-kam [ep-s]a-nim (rest ofrev. uninscribed)
Case: a-na nam-ra-am-sa-ru-[ur] 2 [u d]E[N.ZU-im]-gur-an-ni sa d[m a r -
du k] 3 [u-ba-al-la]-tu-su-nu-t[i] (rest of case broken)

204. AO 11122. TCL 18 Pl. CXXIII No. 150.

a-na PA.PA sa dI u g a 1. mar ad e. d a 2 u du r. ma.sum su-um-su u-
dam-m[i-qu] qf-bf-ma um-ma da-da-a ma-ru-ka-ma dg u . 1 a dI u g a 1
3 4 5
!I
I mar ad . d a dcta. mu u du r. ma. sum 6 as-su-mi-ia a-na da-ri-a-ti 7 li-
ba-al-li-¢-ka 8 as-sum 5.0.0 s e . g u r sa ma-hae-ar 9 pdp a 5 . n i 9 . gar. r a -
qar-ra-ad sa-ak-nu 10 is-tu pa-na-nu-um-ma ma-ti-ma 11 1.0.0 s e . g u r 2.0.0
s e . g u r s e -a-am 12 ise-tu a-sa-ri-is u-ul al-qf-a-am-ma 13 a-na l . s i . in ki
u-ul al-li-kam 14 at-ta tie-de 15 a-na a-la-ki-im pa-ni-ia lo. e. 16 as-ku-nam-ma
bi-it be-lf-i[a] 17 i~1(AS)-~u-ra-an-ni-ma rev. 18 u-ul al-lie-kame 19 i-nu-ma lu-
ul-li-kame-ma-ane 20 a-wa-at na-ak-ri im-ta-aq-tam-ma 21 a-la-kam u-ul e-li
22 fi),1 * i-na l.si.inki 23 ro.2.0 1 iku a.Sa e-ri-is-ma ki-ma ti-du-u 24
10[+x 1].0.0 s e. g u r ma-li-a-am u-ul el-qe 25 a-na u 4 . 5. kam nam-ra-at
l. s i. in ki 26 u ma-tim* d g u. I a i-sa-ak-ka-an 27 a-al-la-kam-ma a-na-ku
1.0.0 se.gur 28 lu-ul-qe-e-ma re-es d um u. mes a-lim 29 sa i-il-la-ku-nim

I
202. a) Tablet has disintegrated.
203. a) Crumbling, parts oflines 4-6 and 10-12 now missing, case in fragments.
ii I
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 185

202. AO 9088. Ebeling 98.

Speak to Gurrurum: Thus says Bunene-qardum. 4 May Samas and Marduk
grant you good health. 5 When I heard it, a) I became glad. 6 Should you, in
the town where you are staying, come to need silver, just write me and I will
send you 11 as much silver b) as you need. 13 And send me a full report. 15
Put your mother's mind at rest.

203. AO 11124. Ebeling 98-99. a)

Speak to Namramssarur and Sin-imguranni, who are granted good health by
Marduk: 5 Thus says Sumum-libsi. May Samas and Gula grant you forever
good health. 8 The administrators of the palace have just eneered (the city).
10 Make, as soon as you see this letter of mine, that you come to Rapiqum!
Case: To Namram-sarur and Sin-imguranni who are granted good health by
Marduk.

204. AO 11122. Ebeling 99-100. a)

Speak to the Captain, whom Lugalmarada and Urmasum have given a good
reputation: Thus says your son Dadaya. 5 May Gula, Lugal-marada, Damu
and Urmasum b) for my sake grant you forever good health. 8 As for the 5
kor of barley, which have been stored with Panigara-qarrad, 10 never before
did I 13 come to Isin and obtain even one or two kor of barley from there. 15
As you know, I had planned to go (there), but my lord's household kept me
under guard, so that I could not come. 19 Even if I might have come, news
about the enemy came in, so that I could not go. 22 Now, in Isin I have cul-
tivated a barley field of 12 iku, but, as you know, 24 I did not even get from
it a full IO kor of barley. 25 Now, in five days Gula will celebrate the festival
of Isin and the country. c) 27 Then I will come and myself collect one kor of
barley in order to have it available d) for beer for the citizens who will come.

202. a) By reading a letter (as in 6, 109:5f. and 7, 94:4), by oral message, or

hearsay. See also Sallaberger, Interaktion, 116 note 166. b) This reading makes
more sense than kz-sa mala proposed by CADS 168, b, l', which would be unique
203. a) Letter 9, 237, by Gimil-Gula, is addressed to the same persons and its 1. lOf.
quote Sumu-libsi, the addressee of our letter. Both probably were written in Isin.
204. a) From Isin, cf. Kraus, JCS 3 (1951) 49-55, with the family tree of Dadaya,
son of Kubbulum, who also figures in BIN 7, 191-205 during Samsu-iluna's years
16-24; cf. also Charpin, RA 74 (1980) 189. b) Gula, Darou and Urmasum (Gula's
vizier) point to Isin. If Lugalmarada did not have a temple there (cf. Richter,
Panthea, note 1037) Dadaya may have written from Marad. c) See Lexical Notes
s.v. namratum. d) See Lexical Notes s.v. resam kullum.
186 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

a-na k as* 30 lu-ki-il u ki-ma pa-<na>-nu-um-ma 31 *a-na d 0.1.0 s e * id-

di-na[m xx] 320.1.0 s e lu-ud-di-is-su[m (xx)] u.e. 33 sum-ma a-na na-as-pa-
ki-i[m] x x] 34 su-*ul-li-im x [x x] 35lu-ii u-sa-tum [x x] le. e. 36 a-na da-ri-a-
tim me-he-er dub -pf-ia su-bi-lam 37u dp a 5 . n i 9 . gar. r a -qar-ra-ad a-na
s e -em sa *f a-wi1-lim 38la te-e-gi ti-si-su-ma *nu-uh-[hi]-szi?*

205. AO 11123. TCL 18 Pl. CXXIV No. 151.

a-na da-da-a qf-bf-[ma] 2 um-ma dEN.ZU-e-ri-ba-a[m-ma] 3 du tu u dm a r -
du k da-ri-is ru 1 4-[mi li-ba]-li-tu-ka 4 as-sum a-wa-a-tim sa li-ib-ba-ka im-
ra-~u-ma 5 dub di . k u 5 . mes l. s i . in ki a-na Pe-ga-tum 6 tu-sa-bi-lam
a-na ~e-er Pe-ga-tum is-su-ni-i[n]-ni-ma 7 ma-har du tu -ga-mil sa ta-as-pu-
ra-as-su 8 a-na Pe-ga-tum ki-a-am aq-bi um-ma a-na-ku-ma 9 1/3 m a . n a 2
g f n k u . b ab bar sa a-wi-lim su-a-ti 10 a-na si-mi-im sa-a-mi al-qi-a-am
11 is-tu al-li-kam a-wa-tum a-na pa-ni-ia 12 ip-ri-ik-ma at-ta-an-sa-ak lo. e. 13

[i]-na li-ib-bu ku. babbar su-a-ti 144 gin ku. babbar e-a-ma-*d in g i r-
H* 15u-sa-bi-il-surev. 16 18* gin ku.babbar si-ta-atku. babbar i-na
qa-ti-ia 17dub -pa-su u-ul u-sa-bi-lam-ma 18a-na sa-pa-ri-su k u . b ab bar
u-ul ak-la 19ki-a-am Pe-ga-tum a-pu-ul 20 sum-ma la k u . b ab bar su-a-ti
a-na ~i-bu-ti-ka 21 a-na 10 g f n k u . b ab bar ta-as-tap-ra-am e-pe-sa-am u-
ul e-le-i 22 am-mi-ni ia-si-im a-wi-le-e 23 ta-sa-ah-hu-ra u as-sum sa um-ma
at-ta-ma 24 4.4.0 s e *x x BI sa Pzu-*ub/bi-li-tum 25 *il-qu-[ni-i]s-si-ma um-
ma si-ma 26 is-tu wa-ar-ka 1 s l la s e 27 u 1 s l la k as i-na *re -su 1 u-ul*
el-qe iq-[bi] 28 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka u r u x [x] u.e. 29 sa 8 g f n k u .
b ab b a r si-ta-at k u . b ab b a r [x x] 30 a-na ia-im-ma i-na du m u . me s
l . s i . i [n ki] 31 na-da-nim su-bi-lam-ma le.e. col. 1 32 rki1 -ma pf-i du b-*pfe_
ka a-na dumu * 1l. si.inki 33 lu-u a-na sa k a.din [g ir. r] aki sa ta-sa-pa-
ra* col.Il 34 k u . b ab bar lu-ud-di-lin 35 *ra-pu-tu 1m
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 187

30 And just like earlier on he gave me 1/5 kor of barley for wages, e) I will
(now) give him 1/5 kor of barley. 33 If it [has to be returnedJ to the granary,
compensate f) [it] , it will surely forever count as kind favor! 36 Send me an
answer t.o my letter. 37 And, as for Panigarra-qarrad, don't be careless about
the barley of the gentleman, summon him and give him instructions. g)

205. AO 11123. Ebeling 100-101. a)

Speak to Dadaya: Thus says Sin-inoam. May Samas and Marduk grant you
forever good health. 4 As for the affair about which you became angry and
had a tablet of the judges of Isin delivered to Egatum - one summoned me to
confront Egatum 7 and in the presence of Samas-gamil, whom you had sent
to him, I said to Egatum: 9 "I obtained 22 shekels of silver belonging to this
gentleman in order to make a purchase. After I had come here I ran into
problems and was thrown out. b) 13 Of that silver I had Eama-ili bring 4
shekels of silver. c) 16 The remainder of the silver, 18 shekels, is still in my
possession. 17 He did not send me a letter, hence I did not hold the silver
back on his instruction" 19 Thus I said to Egatum: "Had this silver not been
there, I could not have acted when you wrote me for 10 shekels of silver
which you needed! d) 22 Why is it that you tum to the gentlemen e) for my
sake? 23 And as for the fact that you said: "4 4/5 kor of barley, the ..... of
Zub(i)litum, they have taken along for her", she said: 26 "I have never
obtained even one single quart of barley or one single quart of beer from his
house!". 28 By Samas, who may grant you health, send me something worth
8 shekels of silver, the remainder of [the afore mentioned] silver, 30 which
can be sold to some citizen of Isin, 34 then I will give the silver, 32 in
accordance with the wording of your letter, to a citizen of Isin or to one of
Babylon, as you will instruct me.

204. e) Perhaps a, "wages, rent". f) Collation does not allow kullims[uma] of CAD
N/II, 69. I assume a request (usiitum) to advance barley, to be paid back to the
granary (ana naspakim [turrum]). g) Uncertain, on the assumption that the last
word was nuhhissu.
205. a) From Isin and closely related to BIN 7, 44 = 9, 231, which states that the
silver was given by Dadaya to Sin-enbam (who probably was in Babylon, hence the
blessing by Marduk) a year ago in order to buy a slave. Egatum (1.5) also occurs in
BIN 7, 183:2 (neighbour of Dadaya's father) and 195:3. b) CAD Mil, 332 derives
ittansak from masiikum, "to be blamed", but derivation from nasiikum is also
possible. c) According to 9, 231:13 he brought 12 shekels. d) The question is
not marked and a statement is also possible; the following epesam without object is
abnormal. e) "Gentlemen", i.e. judges or authorities, who might provide help.
II
I
I

188 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

206. AO 11137. TCL 18 Pl. CXXV No. 152.

a-na a-bi-ia sa dg U . 1a [x] 1 a 2 dd a. ill U U du r . ill a ..sU ill 3 u-ba-la-tu-
su qf-bf-ma 4 um-ma l r _dgu . 1 a -ma 5 dg u . 1 a dcta . mu u
du r. ma. sum 6 a-bi li-ba-al-li-tu i-na ma-za-zi-im sa ta-az-za-zu lu-ta-
7 8

ab-bi-ir 9 as-sum i-na wa-~e-e-ia 10 te 4 -mi la u-te-er-ra-am 11 u it-ti-ka la an-

nam-ru 12 g u . z a. 1a i-si-ra-an-ni 13 a-li-ik i-di-im lo. e. 14 it-ti-ia a-na
l. s i. in ki 15 is-ku-nam-ma rev. 16 na-pa-ar-ka-a-am 17 u it-ti-ka na-an-mu-
ra-am 18 u-ul e-li 19 mi-im-ma la ta-na-az 1(ZA)-zi-iq 20 k u . b ab b a r sa as-
su-mi-ia 21 qa-ba-a-am ta-as-ku-nu 22 a-~a-am-mi-id 23 re-sa-am u-ka-al-ma
24 a-la-ak dd a.mu -re-me-ni 25 i-ba-as-si 26 su-a-ti u-sa-ba-la-ku-us-su 27

sum-ma la ki-a-am-ma 28 ki-ma s e -a-am sa pf-ha-ti-ia 29 a-na ma-as-ka-nim

u.e. 30 us-te-lu-u 31 a-na u 4 10. k am le. e. 32 a-na-ku-ma a-la-qf-a-am-ma 33
ma-ah-ri-ka a-na-ku i-na ni-zi-iq-ti-ka 34 mu-si-a-tim 35 u-ul a-~a-la-al

207. AO 6768. TCL 18 Pl. CXXVI No. 153. Ze::,pum.

[as]-sum di-nim sa du tu-tab . b a -e 2 sa ta-as-pu-ra-as-si-im 3 *r a.
gab a is-tu um-ma-su 4 ez-be-et sa-nu-um 5 i-hu-zu-si-ma 6 i-na bi-it a-hi-
zi-i-sa 7 wa-ar-ki-im 8 u-li-is-su 9 a-na mu-ti-i-sa wa-ar-ki-im 10 ki-a-am iz-
ku-ur um-ma si-i-ma 11 a-na ka-si-im-ma 12 [lu] wa-li-da-ku 13 [as-su]m ki-
a-am iz-ku-ru 14 [x x] i-ta(-)bi-it du tu-tab .b a-e 15 [x x] i-ha-a-uz 16 [x x
s] a g. l r -su u-x* 17 [e-pe-sum] an-nu-um rev. 18 i-na 1 a rs am ki ma-ti-i-ma
19 u-ul ib-ba-si 20 a-bi ma-ri sag. lr- su 21 a-na ma-ru-ti-im 22 u-ul i-sa-ka-an

208. AO 21105. J. Nougayrol, RA 73 (1979) 80; replaces TCL 18, 154, AO

6770. a)
a-na be-lf-ia 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma u-bar-dEN.ZU-ma 4 Pa-bu-wa-qar 5 sa as-ta-
pa-ru-ku-su 6 sad am a-hi-ia 7 u-sa-ri-su 1(SU)-ma b) 8 a-na ~e-ri-ka 9 um-ma
at-ta-ma 10 we-di-se-ka-a-ma 11 tu-ur a-wa-ta-am 12 ~u-ha-ru-um la i-ra-se 13
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 189

206. AO 11137. Ebeling 101-102; Oppenheim, Letters, 85, no. 18.

Speak to my father, whom Gula, ... , a) Damu, and Urmasum grant good
health: Thus says Warad-Gula. 5 May Gula, Damu and Urmasum grant my
father good health. Grow old in the office which you are now holding! 9
Because, due to my departure, I did not report back nor meet you, the
guzalum b) has put me under detention, 13 he has assigned me an escort to
bring me to Isin, so that I am unable to get away and meet you. l9 Do not
worry in any way. 20 I will bring together the silver for which you have
vouched on my account. 23 It will be ready and if the trip of Damu-remeni c)
takes place, I will have him bring it to you. 27 If not, as soon as one has
brought the barley for which I am responsible to the threshing floor, I
myself will take it along to you within ten days and appear 33 before you.
Worry about you deprives me from sleep at night.

207. AO 6768. Not in Ebeling. M. David in Symbolae Bohl, 90-94.

As for the lawsuit of Samas-tappe, about which you wrote to her, 3 the
mounted messenger, a) after his mother had been divorced and another man
had married her, 6 she gave birth to him in the house of her second spouse. 9
And to her second bridegroom she declared under oath: 11 "It is truly to you
that I have borne (him)!" b) Because she swore this oath .... c) Samas-tappe
... he ... his slave ..... d) 18 Such an [act] has never occurred in Larsa. 20 A
father with'.sons does not adopt his slave as son.

208. AO 21105. D. Charpin - J.-M. Durand, RA 75 (1981) 103-6. a)

Speak to my lord: Thus says Ubar-Sin. 4 Abu-waqar, about whom I wrote
you many times, whom I had bring my brother's wife to you, you said (to
him): 10 "Go back, all alone, the boy should not get a reason to complain!"

206. a) Unclear which god could be hidden under [x] 1 a and comparison with line 5
and no. 204 suggests an incomplete erasure. b) See Lexical Notes s.v. guzalum. c)
Thus and not doamu-NUN.ME-ff, read by Ebeling and Oppenheim.
207. a) r a.gab a is the foregrounded object, resumed by the pron. suff. of ulissu.
b) wiilidiiku must be a stative of the particple. c) i-ta-bi-it without doubled -t- is
problematic and ID damaged, but the second sign is not NA, hence ina bit excluded.
d) One might read i-ha-a-az 1 (for ihhaz), but a reference to a marriage does not make
sence. L. 14-16 must mention the adoption, which is questioned in 1. 17ff., but the
verb(?) at the end of 1. 16 is unclear, hardly u-pil for uppil, "he appointed as heir"
(attested in CH§ 178, cf. Kouwenberg, Gemination, 312, uppulu A).
208. a) Note the use of -0-(7, 24, 27) for fut, SE (10, 12, 35) for /si/, and DAM (26)
for /tam/; scribal mistakes in lines 7 and 28 (TE for SE); note also usiirisu (7) and
usiirianni (22) alongside useriam (28), and the unusual word order in 1. 7-8 // 28-29.
190 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

ta-aq-bi-sum 14 su i-na pa-ni-su 15 3 a-wi-la-ti-im 16 i-re-di-a-ma 17 [i],v-ba-

tu-su-ma 18 a-na Psu-mu-bi-na-sa 19 ir-du-su-ma 20 um-ma su-ma 21 Pu-bar-
dEN.ZUdam a-hi-su 22 u-sa-ri_r a 1-ni 23 sum-ma la-ma-sa-ka 24 u ni-ni-ia la
i-le-qe 25 i-du-ku-ni-ni-ma 26 sa-ni-tam um-mi 27 is-tu u-za-ar-~u-ha-lar 28 u-
se1(TE)-ri-a-am 29 a-~e-er a-ni-ti-im 30 i-bi-su-ma 31 um-ma su-ma 32 sum-ma
ne-er-ta-a[m] 33 ra-bi-ta-a[m] le. e. 34 la e-ne-er-ma 35 e-li-ia 36 la ta-ra-se 37 Ia
a-ta-la-ak 38 a-wi-lum i-ta-la-lak

209. AO 6771. TCL 18 Pl. CXXVIII No. 155.

un-ne-du-uk-kum 2 u-ul ik-su-dam-ma 3 u-ul as-tu-ra-ak-kum 4 as-sum te4 -e-
em g i. hi. a 5 sa wa-ar-ka-su-nu ip-pa-ar-su 6 pdEN.ZU-ma-gir dub. s a r il-
li-ik-ma 7 5x3600+4x600+1 su-si g i. hi. a 8 ip-qi-da-am 9 600 a-na ki-ki-is
giski r i 6-im 10 5 su-si a-na u r u ki Be-ku-a 11 s u . n i gin 5x3600+5x600+6
su-<si> g i . hi. a 12 nam-ha-ar-tum u b a. z i 13 i-na 7x3600+3x600+5 su-si
gi.hi.a lo. e. 14 sa 1/2 ma.na 5 gin ku. babbar rev. 15 si-tum 3600+3x
600+9 su-si g i . h i . a 16 sa la i-ba-as-su-u 17 um-ma su-nu-ma i-na e . g a 1 -
im 18 il-tee-qu-su-nu-ti 19 u as-sum 1 u gism a . tu r . me s 20 sa [ta]- as-pu-
ra-am 21 g i u * rx x 1 i-te-ri-su* 22 g i bu-re-e ~a-[a]b-t[a]-a-ku 23 e-ep-pe-e-
es 24 na-ka-am-ti g i . hi . a 25 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am *i-[sa-k]a-a[n] 26 u 3
d um u. mes mas. su.gid. gid 27 1u. l. si. in. na 'lti1 28 it-ti sa-al-la-tim
an-nu-tim 29 is-pu-ru-nim a-na k a e. g a 1-im u.e. 30 ir-de-su-nu-ti-ma 31 ip-
qi-du-su-nu-ti-ma 32 u. 1(E)-te-ru-ni-is-su-nu-t[i]

208. a) AO 6770 is a mathematical text, edited by Thureau-Dangin in TMB (1939)

71f., no. 145. b) Difficult, since one would expect a subjunctive or ventive; final -
ma is written over an erasure.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 191

This you said to him. 14 He personally was escorting here three ladies, but
they seized him b) and led him before Sumu-binasa, c) and he declared: 21
"Ubar-Sin made me escort his brother's wife, 23 (but) if your guardian angel
does ;not accept my prayers, they might kill me!" 26 Another matter: I
escorted my mother from Uzar-~uhar. d) In addition to this 30 ...... he said:
"If I have e) 36 not committed a terrible murder and 34 consequently you
cannot charge me anything, 37 I will not depart". 38 But the gentleman has
departed.

209. AO 6771. Ebeling 102-103.

The letter did not reach me and therefore I did not write to you. 4 As for the
matter of the reed, which has been investigated: 6 The scribe Sin-magir came
and he entrusted to me 20.460 bundles ~) of reed. 9 600 bundles were used for
a reed fence for the garden b) and 300 bundles went to the town of Bekua 11
The total of the bundles received and issued amounts to 21.360. 13 Of the
(original) 27.300 reed bundles, with a value of 35 shekels of silver, c) there
are 5940 missing. 17 They told me: "They have taken them in / out of the
palace". 19 And as for what you wrote me on the men of the small boats, that
they kept asking for reed and bitumen? d) 22 I am now occupied with making
reed mats. 24 The stock of reed, about which you wrote me, is now being
laid in. 26 Further-more, they sent here three diviners, men of Isin, together
with these other captives. 30 He has conducted them to the gate of the
palace, where they gave them their provisions e) and sent them back.D

208. b) Charpin-Durandread r21 su-tu-su-ma, "ses deux Suteens",but then the added
-ma is strange. c) A king of Uruk, see now OBO 160/4, 76 with note 248. d) Cf.
Rep. geogr. 3, 252; probably near the border between Larsa and Uruk, cf. RA 75, 104
a.I. e) Difficult, Charpin-Durand "nomme-le (pour cette affaire)", but I prefer to
take a$$er annztim i-BI-su-ma as introducing umma siima, although a$$eT annilim
could also be taken as "towards this (woman)". f) I follow a suggestion of
Kouwenberg, that la enerma must be the direct continuation of lines 32-33 (see the
occurrences of nertam nerum, in 7, 84:14' and AUAM 73.3210 [HTS 20], ne-er-tam
rabztam te-te-er) and la atallak the apodosis.
209. a) g i for g i. s a = kissum, "bundle", the standard measure of reed. b) See
for reed fences, M. Civil, CRRAI 41 (1999) 259f. c) 780 bundles for 1 shekel is
very cheap, cf. BSA 6 (1992) 128 bottom (Ur III: 300 to 420 per shekel). d) Perhaps
A.ESIR= ittum, "bitumen"? e) Paqadum could be "to inspect, to muster"and "to
given provisions". f) Emendation proposed by CAD B, 17, 2', a'.
 192 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

210. AO 3233. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 15. a)

a-na be-li-ia 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma Ii-pi-it- l r . r a' -ma* 4 um-ma-nu* b) 5 sa
urukue-ru-ruki 6 u 4 7 . k am 7 pi-Ii-ik u 4 2 e. k am 8 na-du-u-ma rev. 9 a-di-ni
u-la 10 i-li-u-ni-im 11 as-sum la-pu-te-e 12 mi-im-ma 13 qa-ba-a-am 14 u-la e-
le-i 15 su-up-ra-su-nu-si-im

211. AO 3234. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 16. a)

a-na bu-ut-ta*-tim 1 2 u [dE]N.ZU-ka-si-id3 qi-[b]i-ma 4 [u]m-ma a-hu-um-ma
5 [b]i-it X* SU e. i 6 pi-ti-a-ma? 2x6QQ(jX8 lQ g i Il SiJim X1 gu !* lo. e. 9
za. ba.l[um] rev. 10 10 ma.na si-im. ri i1 11 rit1 -ti 1u. mes 12 li-qi-
«a>-ni-im-ma 13 [i]d-na-ni-im-ma 14 [Ii]-ih-mu-tu-nim*

212. AO 3235. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 17.

a-na ding i r -na-da 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma a-hu-um-ma 4 [a]-wi-lam 5 [i-n]u-
ma a-sa-pa-ra-ku[m] 6 *x-li-sa 7 tu-sa-ak-sa-a[d] 8 ra1 -nu-um-ma 9 I u - * x x
a) 10 [xx] xx lo. e. 11 xx [xx] rev. 12 [x xx x] 13 [xx] rak 1 [x] 14 [x? m]u-ul
su-u[m] 15 qa-du ~i-If-d[x] 16 u as-sa-ti-su l7 hi-ri-im-su-ma 18 a-na a-li:-i[m]
19 ta-*ru-su 20 i-na an-ni-tim 21 a-wi-lu-ut-ka u.e. 22 a-ma-ar 23 la te-gi 24 a-
pu-tum

213. AO 3236. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 18.

a-na I u _dba. u 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma a-hu-um-ma 4 am-si-i-ma 5 u-la aq-]2.i-
kum] 6 hu-mu-ut 7 i-na te4 -he-e-ka 8 pi-qfJtam 1 9 su-ud-di-*rna 1 -su-nu-t[i] 10
piJiq-da 1-ma rev. II su-ni-iq-su-nu-ti-ma 12 is-ka-ra-ti-su-nu l3 e-ri-is-su-nu-
ti-ma 14 is-tu ne-ba-ha-tim 15 qa-at-na-tim 16 re-es 15-tam 17 u ka-ab-ra-tim 18
at-tau li-pi-it-istar 19 su-ni-qa-a-ma u. e. 20 i-na gip is an 21 ku-un-ka-ni-im-
ma 22 su-bi-la-ni-im

210. a) NU written over erased UM.

211. a) See for some collations and readings, not all of which are acceptable to me,
N. Wasserman's review of BBVOT l in JAOS 115 (1995) 534f.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 193

210. AO 3233.
Speak to my lord: Thus says Lipit-Erra. 4 The troops of the town of Kururu,
(assigned for) for seven days, have abandoned the work assignment a) of
two days and have thusfar not turned up here. 11 Because of the lieutenants I
could not say anything. You must write to them.

211. AO 3234. a)
Speak to Buttatum and Sin-kasid: Thus says Ahum. 5 Open the house of the
"barber" and 12 take b) for me 7 1200 .... plants, 8 10 shekels of purified
juniper oil, c) 10 pounds of juniper (grains) 11 together with the men, 13
hand it over (to them) and let them come here quickly.

212. AO 3235. a)
Speak to Ili-nada: Thus says Ahum. 5 When I write to you, you must make
the man in question reach/obtain ...... 8 Now I [am sending] Lu-... .(lines 10-
14 largely broken away) ..... .,15 together with Silli- .... and his wife, register
°
him in an encased tablet b) 18 and take him along to the city. 2 From this I
will see that you are a gentleman. 23 Don't be remiss, please!

213. AO 3236. a)
Speak to Lu-Ba:,u: Thus says Ahum. 4 (Since) I forgot to tell you so, 6
immediately when you arrive, you must collect from them the provisions. 11
Inspect and check them and ask from them what has been assigned to them.
14 And with b) the fine scarfs c) you and Lipit-Istar must check the first class
and the thick wooz?, d) 20 put it under seal in a box and send it to me.

210. a) Syntactically and lexically difficult, pilkum A, "border", does not fit, per-haps
pilkum B, connected with "two days", but this is only attested in later periods.'
211. a) Nos. 211-213 are from Ahum, an early acquisition, part of a lot or archive to
which also 2, 117-129 and 13, 54-59 belong, probably originating from Kisurra (see
Introduction § 2 j). Most are addressed to Lu-dBa"u; Buttatum (no. 211:1) occurs
also in 2, 122:6. b) Reading and interpretation proposed by Stol, who refers to
ARMT 22/2 no. 26i:8; see for z a. b a .1 um, CAD S 390f., supiilu. c) On the
assumption that si-im 1 i stands for s i m . 1 i = buriisum, "juniper" (see for this
tree and its products also Studies Garelli [1991] 293). Products qualified ass i m can
be measured for capacity or weight, cf. e.g. TCL 10, 71: obv. 16ff.
212. a) See no. 211 note a. b) The translation assumes that hariimum is an abbrev-
iation for ina tuppim satiirum + hariimum, as frequent in OAss.
213. a) See no. 211, note a. b) istu is used instead of itti? c) See Lexical Notes s.v.
nebahum. d) kabrum is used of wool and the sing. noun restam might mean a
garment, but in the sequence here and alongside kabriitim it too may refer to wool.
194 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

214. AO 3965. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 21.

[a-na a-wi-lim sa du] tu? u-ba-la-tu-su 2 [qf-bf-ma] 3 [um-ma ...-ma] 4 [x x
xx xx x] 5 [x xx li-b]a-al-l[i-it-ka] 6 [x xx x] x-am la i-fo-[xF [x xx xx x]
8 [x x x x x x] x ru-nim 9 [x x x x x x] x rx 1 10 [x x x x x] rx 1 11 a-na a. s a
ba-aq-r[i xx] rev. 12 a-na [x xx i-k]a-a[l] 13 [t]u-ur-dam-[m]a 14 ma-ha-ar mu
x (x) 15 r1u11-us-ku-un-ma 16 ba-aq-ri(-)i-sa ax 17 lu-u su lam a) 18 *Pib-ba-ia-
as 19 as-ta-ap_rra 1 -kum 20 *ra 1 -ta-ra-ad

215. AO 5462A. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 55.

a-na n[a-x]-gi-x 2 qf-b[f]-ma 3 um-ma ra1 -bi-du tu -ma 4 du tu u1
dm a rd u k li-ba-[a]l-li-tu-ka 5 as-sum [t]e4-em k u. b ab bar -im sa ta-
[as]-pu-[ra-am] (rest of obv. and rev. broken)

216. AO 6897B. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 76.

(beginningbroken)1' [xx x] zi 7 x 2 ' [x] x ri 3 ' aJli 1 -ik-[ma] 4 ' na-pa-al-ta-a[m]
5' ma-la i-ip-pa-lu-ka rev. 6' me-he-[er] 7' ze-[eh-pi-ia] 8' [x] ta-am xx [x]
(remainderrev. damaged and broken away)

217. AO 29691. Arnaud, BBVOT 1, 160.

a-na ba-li-e-ra-ah 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma dEN.ZU-im-gur-an-ni-ma 4 du tu mu .
s a r. k am li-ba-li-it-ka 5 as-sum 1u . h u n . g a sa um-ma a-na-ku-u 6 wu-
si-ra-as-su 7 aq-bu-ku-um 8 um-ma a-na-ku-u-ma 9 a-di te4 -em-su i-~a- ba-
tu 10 la a-da 1-la-ah-su 11 i-na-an-na si-ip-ra-am-mi 12 ta-a~-~a-ba-at 13 sum-
ma i-na ki-tim 14 a-hi at-<<ta>>-ta 15 Pa-bu-um-ding i r 1u . h u n . g a
<<sa>> 16 sa dEN.ZU-ni-ia rev. 17 [a]-na re n s i 1 . mes 18· a-na u r u ki an.
za.gar-ku-na-nu-umki 19 wu-us-si-ra-as-su 20 U a-na *u[r U X g]uJnu 1 -
umki 21 a-li-ik-ma 22 s e -a-am am-[t]a-da-ad 23 u s e -a-am rsa ta-a 1 q-bi-a-
am 24 a-hiJta-a 1 -ma 25 as-*rta-ka 1 -an-mi 26 s e -um x rx x 1-mi 27 u-KU-x [x]
28 su-up-ra-am-ma 29 a-sa-ar *ki-ma ta-qa 1-bu-u 30 lu-ud-di-in

212. a) One might think of 1u. u r. mah, who occurs in Ahum's letter 2, 124:5, but
the traces do not allow this, see the collation.
214. a) The final LAM ofl. 17 might be the continuation of the end ofline 16 (u-ka!-
lam.
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 195

214. AO 3965.
Speak [to the gentleman whom Sa]mas grants good health: [Thus says .... 5
May [the god ........... ] grant you good health .... .
(most of obv. too fragmentary for translation)
for the field a claim .... rev. ........ 13 send to me and then I will submit it to
...... 18 and he shall pay the claim ... 21 I have now sent to you lbbayas ...... .
20 you/I will send.

215. AO 5462A.
Speak to Na ...... : Thus says Abi-Samas. 4 May Samas and Marduk grant you
good health. 5 As for the matter of the silver, about which you wrote me .....
(rest of letter missing)

216. AO 6897B .
............... go to ....... and [write to me] exactly what he will answer you in
reaction to my note ........ (remainder missing)

217. AO 29691. a)
Speak to Bali-erah: Thus says Sin-imguranni. 4 May Samas grant you good
health for countless years. 5 Concerning the hireling, of whom Thad told you
b) "Let him go!" 8 I now say to you: "Untill he makes up his mind, I will not
embarrass him. 11 Now (I think) c) you have started with the work. 13 If you
are truly my brother, Abum-ili is the hireling of Sinniya, 17 allow him to go
to the cultivators, to the town of Dimat-Kunanum. d) 20 Also, I went to the
town of ...... gunum and I have now measured the barley. 23 And the barley
you mentioned to me I have stored separately. e) 26 The barley ...... 28 Write
me then I will deliver it wherever you tell me.

217. a) Other letters addressed to (the same?) Bali-erah are nos. 146-148;219; 1, 56,
124; and 9, 80. b) See for the construction of umma aniiku(ma) + direct speech+
aqbukum, Deutscher, Syntactic Change, 73f. In our letter we have a relative clause
im.beddedin a main clause: assum agrim {sa umma anakii "wussirassu" aqbukum}
umma aniikuma, to state that the earlier order (the im.beddedclause) is superseded by
a new one, introduced by umma aniikuma. This construction m.ay explain the
omission of -ma after the first aniiku and its long final vowel in a dependent clause.
c) The writer several times (1. 11, 25, 26) uses the postfix -mi, indicating direct
speech, which suggests that 1. 11 phrases what he said to him.self. d) Also in 1,
47:1. e) Cf. no. 27:17.
 196 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

218. AO 20334. Arnaud, BBVOT l, 174.

a-na nu-ur-du t [u] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma du tu -na-~i-ir-ma 4 mi-nu-um sa ni-is
1u g a 1 i-pf a-wi-le-e 5 tu-ur-gul-la 1ki. mes ta-as-ta-na-ka-nu 6 um-ma at-ta-
a-ma ni-is 1u g a 1 sa a-na a. s a -ma 7 u-ra-du 8 a-na na-sa-hi-im u sa-ka-
nim 9 qa-at-ka-a i-te-*li lo. e. 10 na-sa-hu u sa-ka-nu 11 sa qa-ti sa qa-ti-x*
rev. 12 a-nu-um-ma as-tap-ra-am 13 a-wi-le-e i-na is-ka-ri-su-nu 14 ma-am-
ma-an la u-da-ab-1 ba-ab-su-nu 15 u a-na tu-ur-gul-laki 16 la ta-ta-ar-ma 17 la
ta-la-ak 18 i-na a-ka-li u sa-ti-im 19 a-wi-le-e ta-ad-da-al-[pa] 20 sa 3 su-si z u .
1um u.e. 21 mi-nu-um-ma *x-du-um 22 at-tu-nu u 4 . 10. k am 23 tu-us!aLba-
ma a-wi-le-e ta-da-al-pa

219. AO 24159. Arnaud, BBVOT l, 176.

a-na ba-li-e-ra-[ah] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma qf-is-tum-ma 4 du tu li-ba-al-li-it-ka
5 as-sums e -e-em 6 sa ta-as-pu-ra-am 7 mi-im-ma la ta-ta-na-as-sa-as-si 8 ur-
ra-am sum-ma P~i-lf-dgu . 1 a 9 sum-ma a-na-ku-u 10 ni-il-la-kam-ma 11 s e -
a-am *[(x)] bi-si-le-e-tim 12 nu-s[a]-ar-sa
(rest of obv. and rev. uninscribed)

220. AO 21938. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et :JOueili. Travaux
de 1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 259, 2.
a-na ku-ru-n[a-x] 2 qf-bf-ma 3 um-ma e-te-lu[m-m]a 4 ka-ta-a-am 5 a-mu-ur-
ma 6 a-sa-ar 7 a-na bu-lu-ti-im 8 i-l[i- x x k]i-a-su lo. e. 9 bu-l[i-is-su-ma] rev.
10 a-sa-ar i-i[n-ka] 11 ill ma 1 -ah-ra-at 12 x x Ii KU x 13 u na-ra-am [ x 1 ]14 is-du
gu 1 -un-gu-l nu-um 15 im-ta-ag-ru-ka 16 se-ke-er
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 197

218. AO 20334. a)
Speak to Nur-Samas: Thus says Samas-na~ir. 4 What is this that you keep
trying to make the men of Tur-(U)gulla pronounce the following oath by the
king: b) ,6 "The curse by the king on whoever goes down to that field!" 8
Have you really obtained the authority c) to remove and install people? 10
Removing and installing people is in fact only my responsibility! 12 I have
now written to you. 14 Nobody shall pester the men in performing their
assigned tasks 15 and you shall not again go to Tur(u)gulla! 18 You (plur.) d)
have harassed the men while they were eating and drinking. 21 What really
is the ..... e) of 180 kor of dates? 22 You have now been staying f) and
· harassing the men for ten days!

219. AO 24159.
Speak to Bali-erah: Thus says Qistum. 4 May Samas grant you good health.
5 As for the barley, about which you wrote me, there is absolutely no a)
reason to keep worrying about it. 8 Tomorrow either Silli-Gula or I myself
will come and provide the .... b) with barley.

220. AO 21938. a)
Speak to Kuruna ..... : Thus says Etellum. 4 Watch your own business b) and
where it is possible to bring it to life ......., do so. 10 Where it does not appeal
to you, let ..... c) 13 Moreover, close off the canal, after d) Gungunum e) has
given you permission to do so.

218. a) Same address and same people as in nos. 66-71. Nos .. 66:23 and 69:22, 26
also deal with the "removal" (nasiihum) of workers and no. 66:5, 17 also mentions
Tur(u)gulla. Note some "Assyriasms" in the spelling: i-pf, 4; As= as, 5, 12 (rare in
OB); -0 instead of -0, 8; -sunu instead of -sunuti, 14. b) See Lexical Notes s.v.
nisum. c) On the assumption that 1. 8-11 contrast the action of the addressee with
the authority of the writer, taking 1. 9 as a question because of the lengthening of
qiitkii,the subject of zteli. The use of nasiihum in nos. 66:23 and 69:22, excludes
qiitam nasiihum/sakiinum. d) The plural refers to the\addressee and his staff, per-
haps the miidutum of nos. 70:2 and 71:1. e) MA perhaps the beginning of the second
word of 1. 21, but a reading madiidum is impossible. f) A reading tu-sa!-ba-ma is
also possible, but tusbiima betters suits the consecutio temporum.
219. a) "Absolutely not" to render mimma lii + asiisum, I/3 stem, in the "i-mode", cf.
F.R. Kraus, Symbolae Bohl, 253ff. b) Not understood; the first sign after the small
break is not GUD and pisiltum, "lump of clay", is excluded.
220. a) Cf. Syria 58 (1981) 72 no. 10. b) katam unclear, see Lexical Notes. c) The
end could be likul[a], or lj_hlliqum[a]. d) Is-du taken as istu. e) Perhaps king
Gungunum of Larsa and/or identical with the addressee of no. 221.
198 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

221. AO 21944. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et ::,Oueili. Travaux
de 1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 260, 1 a)_
a-na gu-un-gu-nim 2 um-ma i-pa-um-ma 3 sum-ma a-bi 4 u be-Ii at-ta 5 is-tu
8 mu . me 6 sa du mu . mun u s 1-li-is-lma-ni-a 7 5 gin k u . b ab bar
rev. 8 k i Pku-ba-sa 9 i-ba-as-si-ma 10 a-na a-wi-lim 11 6.-la ip-pa-al-lla-as 12
si-ni-iq-su-ma 13 k u . b ab b a r -am u mas .lb i 14 su-ud-d'i-is-lsum

222. AO 21965. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et ::,Oueili. Travaux
de 1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 260, 2.
a-na pa-na a)_1-li-su2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma su-dd um u. z i 4 tu-ta-ki-la-ni-ma 5
a[s]-su-mi-ka 6 as a g -lam 6.-la 6.-se-i>i7 [s]um-ma 8 i-ki-[t]i-im 9 a-hi at-ta 10
as ag ma-*x (remainder of obv. an reverse missing)

223. AO 21962. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et ::,Oueili. Travaux
de
1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 260, 3 + 261,1.
a-na den .1 i 1- i-su 2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma im-gur-dEN.ZU-ma4 ta-al-li-kam-ma 5
mi-ri-is-ti ta-[m]u-ur 6 6.-ul e-gi-i-ma 7 as a g -lam 6.-le-ri-is-ma 8 i-na a-wa-
tim 9 6.-ul ta-i>a-ba-ta-an-ni 10 [s]um-ma i-na ki-tim 11 be-Ii at-ta rev. 12 s e
g 6.. u n 13 a-na re-ba-tim 14 i>6.-hi-ir-ma15 a-na ba-la-at 16 lu-um-du-ud 17
mi-im-ma-a-a 18 lu-di-in-ma 19 10.0.0 s e . g u r 20 al-pi lu-sa-ki-il 5 21 sum-
ma mi-im-ma 22 re-di sar-ri-im 23 ta-sa-pa-ra-am lo. e. 24 i-na-na-a-ma 25 lu-
ta-al-kam-ma le. e. 26 wa-ar-ki al-pi-ka 27 lu-ul-li-ik

224. AO 21963. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et ::,Oueili. Travaux
de 1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 261, 2.
a-na dEN.ZU-eri-ba2 qi-bi-ma 3 um-ma a-pil- xx ma 4 at-ta a-na [xx] 5 [x] x
- dn ann a
(rest of obv., lo. e. and beginning of rev. broken)
1' 6. x a bi i [x] a-wi-lam *6.-ha-di-ir 3' ru1 ni-pi-at ra-wi-li1-[im] 4 ' rip-pe-e 1
2'
5' [x?] ba ri X 6' si-ni/ir-ka da IAS/UKle. e. 7' [x] *is-si rx X 1 8' [x] X SU *ma rx

X X1

219. a) Copy correct, the sign looks like TA and is neither a good SA nor a good
US, see note f) to the translation.
221. a) Note the use of the signs SI for sf (line 9) and TI for df (line 14).
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 199

221. AO 21944.a)_Sallaberger, Interaktion, 189 with note 252.

Speak to Gungunum: Thus says Ipa=>um.4 If you are my father and lord, 5 it
is already eight years that the daughter of Ilis-mania has a claim of 5 shekels
of silver. on Kubasa 10 and she no longer looks at the man. a) 12 Approach
him and collect for him b) the silver and the interest on it.

222. AO 21965. a)
Speak to Pana-ilisu: Thus says Su-Dumuzi. 4 Encouraged by you I have,for
your sake not rented a field. 7 If you are really my brother, a field ..... .
(rest of obv. missing)

223. AO 21962. a)
Speak to Enlil-issu: Thus says lmgur-Sin. 4 When you came here, you have
seen my cultivation. 6 It is not by negligence that I have not cultivated b) the
field and 8 you cannot make me any reproach. 10 If you are truly my lord,
please reduce the amount of barley to be paid as rent 13 to one-fourth, c) then
I will measure it out next year. 17 How could I give it all (now), since I need
10 kor of barley to feed the oxen? 21 Should you anyhow send a soldier of
the king to me, then I would rather leave 24 immediately in order to go
behind your oxen! d)

224. AO 21963. a)
Speak to Sin-en1>a: Thus says Apil- ..... 4 You to ..... (rest of obv. and
beginning of rev. too fragmentary for translation) ...... 2' He has grieved the
gentleman and taken hostages from the gentleman ........ .
(remainder too fragmentary for translation).

221. a) Cf. Syria 58 (1981) 72 no. 11. b) She cannot face him or, rather, has given
up the hope of recovering the money. c) "For him" must refer to the girl's father,
and it is attractive to assume a mistake for suddissu, with Kubasa as object.
222. a) Cf. Syria 58 (1981) 72 no. 12.
223. a) Cf. Syria 58 (1981) 72 no. 13. b) Crasis < ul eris. c) Since the meaning
"arrears" does not fit and the combination ana ribbatim ~uhhurum is strange, I
follow a suggestion by M. Stol, by taking re-ba-tim, as "one fourth", normally
rendered by rabiatim (see Lexical Notes s.v.). d) The writer means that he would
rather be a hired laborer than a tenant.
224. a) Cf. Syria 58 (1981) 72 no. 14.
 200 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

225. AO 5420. D. Arnaud in J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et :JOueili. Travaux de

1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 267, 3-268, 1.
a-na dEN.ZU-i-din-namqi-[bi-ma] 2 um-ma [ha-am-m]u-r[a-bi-ma] 3 dub -pi
an-[ni-a-am i-na] ra1 -maJri-im 1 4 i-na h[a-x xx] rx1 ugula.mes ma.l.
d U b. hi. a 5 sa l[e-e[t X X sa] qa-ti-ka 6 sa a-na naJ X 1 [x x]. hi . a 7 in-[na-
ad]-nu
8 5 ma. 1 ah 5 . me s s[a a-n]a ta-ri-ba-tum 9 in-na-ad-nu
10 u g u 1 a du tu -[m]a-gir

l l 5 a-na dn all n a -tum ru1 se-ep-dEN.ZU

12 3 a-hu-ia-tum u l-li-i-[di]n-nam
13 2 an -pi _dutu u na-ra-[am-dE]N.ZU
14 5 u g u I a a-bu-um-wa-qar
15 4 dna-bi-um-ma-lik lo. e.
16 4 u 4 . b a I. n i. n am. h [e]
17 8 u g u I a i-din-dm ar. t [u] rev.
18 3 x u g u I a din g i r . di n g i r -se-me-a

19 3 x u g u I a du tu -ma-gir
20 2 x* u g u I a i-din-dm a r . tu

21 6 k i du tu -mu-sa-lim
22 33 ma. I ah 5 . mes 23 ep-pe-si an-nu-tim
24 sa li-ti-ka 25 a-na pi-i dub -pi-im 26 (erasure) an-ni-i-im 27 sa u-sa-bi-la-

ak-kum 28 r1i1-pa-ah-hi-ru-ni-ik-kum-ma 29 a-na k a.ding i r. r a ki 30 tu-ur-

da1-as-su-nu-ti 31 *lu ti-de as-tap-ra-ak-kum 32 i-[n]a ma .1 ah 5 . mes ep-
pe-si an-nu-tim 33 1 [I] u la te-ez-zi-ba-am
 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 201

225. AO 5420. a)
Speak to Sin-idinnam: Thus says Hammurabi. When you see this letter of
mine, 4 in Ha ....... (there are) overseers of the cargo boats of ....... b),
5 who are under your authority, who have been assigned for ...... : c)
8 5 boatmen, who have been assigned to Tanbatum -
10 their foreman Samas-magir.
11 5 to N annatum and Sep-Sin,
12 3 (to) Ahuyatum and Ili-idinnam,
13 2 to Annum-pf-Samas and Naram-Sin
14 5 (under) foreman Abum-waqar.
15 4 (to) Nabium-malik,
16 4 (to) Ubalani-namhe
17 8 (under) foreman lddin-Amurrum.
18 3 .... , d) foreman Ilan-semea,
19 3 ...., foreman Samas-magir,
20 2 ...., foreman Iddin-Amurrum
21 6 witµ Samas-musallim.
22 33 e) boatmen, these experts of your district, 25 following the instruc
tion given in this letter which I send you 28 one has to assemble them for
you and 29 then send them to Babylon. 31 Realize well that this is an order,
32 don't let even one single of these expert boatmen stay behind!

225. a) Related to 2, 40 and 59, The first orders Sin-idinnam to summon all
u g u 1 a's, "captains", to come to Babylon with their boats on 30 Addar; the second
instructs him to speed up the construction of new boats (cf also 13, 23; 13, 42,
mentions Tanbatum, who also occurs in 2, 59), which should be ready within one
month. The year is unknown, but the fleet may have been needed for one of the
military campaigns after 1763 B. C. (Esnunna, Mari, Malgium ?) . b) No vertical
visible after SE, hence hardly KA[R], or sa l[i-]-t[i-ka]; perhaps sa let, as a
topographical indication? c) Final HI.A suggests products or animals (to be
transported?). d) Unidentified sign, too flat for UDU and also not GIN or sA. Note
that two of the three foremen of 18-20 occur already already in 1. 10 and 17. e)
The figure 33 creates a problem, as the numbers of the boatmen (lines 8, 11-13, 15-
16, and 18-20) add up to 31, and the indented lines (1. 14, 17. 21; summaries per
foreman?) to 19 (or 20, if we add 1 for 1. 10). The descriptions of the crews varies
from "x boatmen who were assigned to PN" (8) to "x PN" and "x with PN" (21).
The qualification eppesum, "expert", thusfar not attested in OB.
 202 ALTBABYLONISCHEBRIEFE 14

226. AO 24211. D. Arnaud in: J.-L. Huot (ed.), Larsa et ::,Oueili.Travaux de

1978-1982 (Paris 1983) 281, 2.
[a-na x]-da-a-a 2 q[i-bi]-ma 3 um-ma [x]-x-k i -<ma> 4 sum-ma b[e-l]i at 1-
t[a] 5 a-na-ku g em e-am 6 ad-di-in 7 [g] em e-am a-na be-li-ia I [a-n]a rev.
8 [s]i-pi-ir e 9 i-di-im-ma 10 a-na I a rs am ki 11 Ii-ir-de-si (ruling)

226. a) Badly written tablet.

 LETTERS IN THE LOUVRE 203

226. AO 24211.
Speak to [Da 7]daya: Thus says .......-er~etim7. 4 Please, my lord, I was the
one who gave the slave-girl. Give 7 the slave-girl for/to my lord for domestic
work 10 and let him bring her along to Larsa.
 V. LEXICAL NOTES
(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Letters in this volume are referred to by 'no. 1: 1' (etc.), letters

'i~ other volumes of the series by 'l, 1:1' (etc.), omitting AbB.

ajumma (139:11) in "to donate to ajimma kr"am". CAD A/I 238 a, 3', and Q 159 e,
1', take ajimmak["am ("possibly for ajik["amma") as one word, "somewhere/
somebody else". But when an adverbial ending is added to ajum (-sam or -kf"am)
affixed -ma, which marks the indefinite aspect, is always at the end of the
combination. Therefore it is better to keep both words apart and render by "to simply
(kr"am) donate to somebody".
ana + infinitive + prohibition/threat (31:29ff., see s.v. appum) expresses that
somebody should be deterred from undertaking an action. The same type of
construction with an oath in BBVOT 1, 79: 26f., ana $Crdajjanim alakim n'is sarrim
ina pi PN askun, which is a strong prohibition to appeal to the judges, as is clear
from 1. 18ff., n"isRN sa ... la illakiima (see also below s.v. nisum).
ana $eT (74:9). See for the preposition ana $Cr, "in addition to", 9, 40:23; 10, 2:12;
14, 57:13, and for ana $Crumma as adverb 9, 19:15 and 14, 189:12. Old Assyrian
uses ana $Cralso as conjunction, "in addition to the fact that .. ".
andurarum (68:4), in the combination andurar suluppi- (sakanum). Kraus,
Veifiigungen, 64-66, avoids a translation, but prefers "exemption" over "remission",
since there is no question of "arrears". M. Stol, JAOS 102 (1982) 162b, connects our
letter with the fact that, as we know from several records, the managers of the date-
gardeners were in arrears in paying their dues for the years ijammurabi 43 and
Samsu-iluna 1-4 and assumes that andurarum refers to "a release of the debts
payable in dates". These records, however, do not mention a remission of these
arrears. See for arrears in delivering dates also no. 70 and for andurarum D.
Charpin, AJO 34 (1987) 38ff.
appum (16:6 and 31:30). The meaning of nidit appim (16:16), which is to be "given"
(or caused) to a woman, is unknown and also the particle(?) preceding the verb is
unclear, but a metaphoric meaning, such as "dejection", suggested by CAD N/ll 208,
3, seems likely. I take appasu lii sebir (31:30), "may his nose be broken", not
literally (as CAD S 141a, b does), but, also in view of the stative, as an idiom
expressing a threat which has to prevent an action.
babbilum (70:12), "bearer" (sing. or coll.). Probably refers to the persons who had
contracted to ship the dates, annually, who also occur in YOS 12, 271:4. Therefore
rather "Frachtftihrer" (Kraus, Veifiigungen 238), as they occur in the royal edict,
than the (simple) bearers themselves.
balalum (60:10). Used in connection with the brewing of beer, to express that the
crumbled and soaked (ruttubum, for which also $apum is used, see 1, 8: 12, but note
that both verbs are more or less synonymous according to 10, 170: 15-18) malt is
"stirred and mixed" with sour "beer bread" (bappirum, which can also be soaked in
order to cause fermentation, see CAD B 96, e), cf. M. Stol, BiOr 28 (1971) 168f.
206 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

bit naptarim, see naptarum.

basamum (41: 14). First occurrence of this verb in the G-stem, but already attested in
the D-stem as "to gladden" in 8, 69:8 (cf. StBoT7 [1968] 21 on IV:12),.
bur.sag (100:8). According to PSD B, 187.2 (where this reference can be added)
a kind of storehouse, frequently belonging to a temple, where material for offerings
was kept and issued; in late Bab. texts bursaggu occurs as "a kind of offering
consisting of a meal" (CAD B 333).
danna (110: 17), spelled d an n a na, with phonetic complement, as in 1. 33. Probably
not a logo gram for be rum, "double hour", to refer to the voyage made before arriving
(erebum), but rather the equivalent of ina danna/iddanna, "hardly, with difficulty",
mainly attested in texts from Mari (see CAD D s.v.), but also in no. 179:19 (iddanna
kasda, the ewes "are hardly sufficient in number") and inAUWE 23, 76:9.
dibbatum (158:6) usually "complaint", "lawsuit", but also "agreement" (CAD D s.v.,
also in 13, 64:20 and 89:45). Difficult in our case (unless it is a broken agreement
for which somebody is put in jail), hence CAD's translation "settling the matter"
(also as translation of dabababum in lines 12 and 17; a root extension by
reduplication, rather than a scribal mistake). But in 11, 90: 13 Stol translates
"complaints", from the well-known meaning of the verb.
dfnum (110:24f.) in "the god dznz-ittika lidin". Also in 5, 156:17f., d1n muslalim
ittisu luazn, but they also write (6, 102:4f., 7, 187:1) azn1 u d1nk1DN lid1n, both
a (rhetorical) appeal for divine arbitration. See CAD D 101b, 3', for two later (NA)
examples of d1nam dianum itti, with gods as subjects, rendered by "to decide in my
favor against".
dunnunum (94: 26) in saparam lidanninassum, instead of the usual construction
*lidanninamma lispurassum, cf. Kraus, Koppelungen, 21 (saparum may have been
used because the sending of the letter was already mentioned in 1. 21f.). Compare
qibltam dunninsuniisimma in OBTI 23: 35'.
e::,elum (50:12f., 125:17 and 142:30), in e::,il<t7>am ana e::,elim, "to make a
contract", e::,ilsi, "bind her", and pagarka e::,il, "bind yourself". The last two
occurrences refer to a cultivation contract which binds the tenant, as is the case in
10, 96, edge If., eqlam ina ahi sattim ul te::,il,and 10, 191:18'f. (different JCS 9
[1955] 96, no. 82:17, a. s a e-el, "the field is free of claims").
ebbum (63:9). See for the role of the persons called ebbum, J.-M. Durand, MARI 2
(1983) 124 and C. Michel, MARI 6 (1990) 181-218, and for their task of checking
(determining) the amount and quality of the barley harvested and made ready for
shipment, i.a. 8, 130:ll'f.; 10, 74:6f. and 12, 20:4f.
elum (121:12) in ina redz-qatka uselle. Elum S-stem with qatam as object, thusfar
not attested for OB, can mean "to remove, to make somebody give up", e.g. qat
sajimanim siilum, "to make a buyer loose his claim" (CADE 134a, c.). In our letter
is means that the person addressed looses his authority over the soldiers.
ensum (111:10, 25,28), "weak", said of sheep. In 1. 9 ensum is parallel to "old,
saduptum and blown up", and hence negative, as it is in other cases where it
qualifies cattle (also in ARM 26/1, 20:rev. 6,8; ARM 27, 110:16; Studies Garelli,
22, A 4347:12 - courtesy M. Stol). But in l. 25 "not weak" is parallel to the other
negative designations. Is the addition / omission of the negation a mistake or can en-
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 207

sum also be positive, e.g. "lean"? See CAD 1/J 128a, immertu 1, a, 1', and CADE
171b, c, with some lexical support ([h u. u n. z u. a / h u. nu.me. a / s i g, g a =
ensu, ramu]).
eqlum (154:4f.) in eqel beram (aliikum), where eqel could be taken as construct and
as absolute state. The combination is usually written logographically, both as beram
A.SAand as A.SAberam, where A.SAindicates that the reference is to a distance;
see my observations in JEOL 27 (1983) 66ff.
g i (. n a) (76: 12) in gi~ban. g i dTasmetum. G i must be an abbreviation of g i . n a,
"normal, standard", which also occurs as n i g . g i . n a and kittim, used to qualify
measures, see CAD K 4 71b, d, and for additional examples my observations in
Melanges Birot, 301, note 37. See for measures qualified as those of various gods,
ibidem, 300, note 36.
guzalum (g u . z a. 1 a, 123:29 and 206:12). The function of g u . z a . 1 a, lit.
"chair bearer" (also in 2, 15:5; 5, 264:7', 11'; 7, 153:31; 9, 89:4; 12, 157:5') is not
very clear and needs a full analysis. He could exercise administrative powers, in no.
206 place a man under escort and force him to go somewhere; in his comments on
Atrachasis OB 1:9, Lambert (Lambert-Millard, Atra-hasis, 147, ad loc.) supposes
supervision of the forced labor.
habum (94:18), in sattum ha-bi1(GA)-at for the cattle. Identity and meaning of the
verb were suggested by B. Landsberger, INES 8 (1949) 255 note 42, cf. CAD H 19b
s.v. lJ,abuB, "the season is balmy", but CAD All, 306,c, "the spring (grass) is fine".
Uncertainty remains, because collation indicates that the second sign is rather GA
than BI, while the (related?) adjective habam, "soft" according to AHw 306a (also
used of dates in Late Bab.), for CAD H 18f. means "thick". The meaning proposed
by Landsberger fits our letter, because it states that (at the beginning of month XI)
the mild weather allows the cattle to graze, which is good news because soon wet
draff will no longer be available as fodder.
hadum (88:7). Hadum with personal dative, "to be glad, to greet friendly" (cf. nos.
96:10 and 122:7, but note 1, 46:9, lJ,udusu, "freue dich fiber ihn"), perhaps also "to
welcome somebody". With added ana + object "to thank somebody for something".
See for this verb in OB letters also Sallaberger, Interaktion, 116f.
hapiidum (105:7), see kapiidum.
hattum (143:8) in the expression hatti qiitika leqiamma aliikam epsam. "Taking
one's staff along" means to go on a trip, comparable to OAss kakk,,-alaqqe:Jamma
(atabbe:;amma) atallak (etc.), "I will take my weapon and depart" (ATHE 27:llff.,
TIC 5:llff., TC 3, 25:18f., LB 1206:7f.), a common safety measure when leaving
on a journey. The meaning is different in 11, 101:16, where the possessive suffix
does not refer to the subject of the action. Here a woman mimma hatfi qatia ilqe and
entered the house of somebody else, which Stol (note c ), following Landsberger,
explained as "sie entzog sich vollig meiner Gewalt". Here hattum serves a a mark of
authority, as in 10, 145:8-14, hattum qiitisu ana panisa nadi ..... hatti qati awi1im Iii
ihalliq, where Kraus translates by "Autoritat".
bepum (59:5). The tentative reading lJ,e-ep-su-nu, assumes lJ,epum,"broken, halved",
used as noun (CAD H 170b, and see for the verb 173b-174a).
herretum (17:5) in a.sa herretum. Fields provided with furrows by digging instead
208 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

of by ploughing, cf. tenancy contracts ana IJ,ariiri(m) (YOS 13 369: 8), and ana
IJ,ariirim + ana erresutim (YOS 13, 10:1; 335:1; 491:1, a.sa ab.sfn), and see
MSL 1, 157 and 182f.
igisiim (87:5), Sum. i g i . s a. A tax, cf. 13:19, where Sin-iddinam is charged by
Hammurabi "to collect the arrears on the igisum of the governors of his district" (due
by them personally or rather which they had to collect in their realms?), that had
built up over a period of three years. The addressee of no. 87 had to collect (1. 22)
the barley due to the palace (1. 7) as igisu-tax from innkeepers for which he was
responsible (fa qiitika; see D. Charpin, JA 270 [1982] 35 note 26, for the use of fa
qiiti to designate the responsibility of the 'intermediaries' engaged by the palace). In
5, 275, quoted in CAD I/J 79a, there is question of depositing silver, designated as
igisu-tax and tiimartum, with merchants instead of bringing it (directly?) to the
palace. The tax of the innkeepers in our text may refer to what OB royal edicts call
"the silver of the barley" (variant: "the barley and the silver") of the innkeeper(s)"
(Kraus, Verfiigungen, 161 § F and 178 § 16, with comments on 249, but Kraus'
translation "brewers is better reserved for I ti .SIM(xGAR) = siriisum); innkeepers
were probably taxed because thy sold beer. Note also the text published by Goetze
in AS 16 (1965) 21 lf. (time of Ammiditana), where innkeepers and cookshop oper-
ators have to be registered in order to collect from them "the silver, their impost"
(kasap nemettisunu). Whether this amounts to what our text calls igisum is not clear,
since edicts do not us this term. See now also OBO 160/4, 771ff., § 9.2.5, and below
under kasap zagmukkim and siipirum. lgisum at Mari denotes contributions to royal
offerings, especially oxen, but also silver as compensation for animals not delivered,
see J.-M. Durand, Documents episolaiires du palais de Mari, III (LAPO 18, Paris
2000) 115-119.
ilkum (38:2ff.), in 2 ilk,- aliikum. The translation of ilkum here depends on the
understanding of the situation. We can imagine two different scenarios: 1) L(ipit-
Ea), an officer of the paramilitary organization, is the superior of a number of
persons (e.g. redum's) who have to "render services" (ilkam aliikum) for the state.
He has to answer his superior for the fact that two of these services are not rendered,
perhaps because the servants have disappeared (see no. 36: 8), by bringing the two
culprits (8) along. 2) Two fields, given out by the state in compensation for services
rendered, either to two of L's subordinates or to L. himself, are presently not under
cultivation. L. 's superior now summons him with his two subordinates or the
documents stating their assignment, in order to justify the situation. The uncertainty
results from the double meaning of ilkum, "service rendered" and "field given as
compensation for this service", see Kraus in 4, 22 note a to the translation.
ilum (83:16), in the combination Iii libbi ilama, "unfortunately". It is remarkable in
comparison with OA Iii libbim ilimma, and same form occurs in Mari, ARMT 28,
49:18, with crasis, la li-ib-bi-la-ma, but ARMT 26, 275:18, 405:21, and 409:41 have
a form without final -ma (iii libbi ila). The expression may have been nominal
phrase which developed into an adverbial adjunct. (91:2), in the combination ilsu
biinisu, "his god, his creator". Frequently mentioned in OB letters, see 1, 46:3; 2,
86:14; 3, 22:8; 7, 165:5; 9, 132:4; 10, 148:6; 11, 119:30; 12, 99:20f.; Boyer,
Contribution, HE 119:3; and UET 5, 82:4. DN fa ibnuka!ibnika is found in 1, 105:2;
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 209

111:36; 9, 182:1; OLA 13 35:lf.; DN tabnanni in 12, 99:5. See also Sallaberger,
Interaktion 83.
istiat ( 148: 17) in the expression istiat epesum + pers dat. suff. (affixed to the
auxiliary verb; see Veenhof, in: Scripta Signa Vocis, Studies Hospers, [Groningen
1986] 245, 2.3.3) "to assist, cooperate with", also in 3, 62:20 and 4, 146:9. On the
basis of 6, 21: 17 it can be considered an abbreviation of $ibiitam istiat epesum.
Without pers. dat. suff. the expression means "to cooperate", "to join forces", cf. 5,
165:5; 8, 15:28; ARM 26/2, 483:24; and Flor. marl (1992) 117, A 1146:30 (ref. M.
Stol ).
itulum (110:21). I follow CAD L 76a, 7, in interpreting at-ta-ti-al (not recorded in
AHw and GAG) as an un-contracted form of the durative of the Gt-stem of nialum,
attested as it-te-e-el at Mari and as it-ta-al at Nuzi. Interpretation as durative Gtn is
excluded by the lack of -n-, and a preterite or perfect tense of the Gt- or Gtn-stem
very unlikely after the durative ulawwiima.
ka. bar = kaparrum (1:6, 10, 35), "shepherd". Usually (in herding contracts) the
person who actually accompanies the grazing animals, but in no. 1 apparently used
as a general designation for shepherds, since in the quote from the palace registers
(lines 12ff.), they are designated as n a.gad. See also below under u. tu l.
kapadum (69:17f. and 105:7). In the first letter eqlam kapadum, "to plan a field",
means "to design, to develop" rather than simply "to take care of' (CAD K 173, 2).
If in 105:7, eqlam lihtappudma temsu literram, we follow CAD Kloc.cit. by taking
the f'o/ as fricative allophone of /k/. The verb in the Gtn-stem might refer to a check,
an evaluation, which could mean a plan for (next year's?) cultivation, about which
the writer expects to be informed.
kasap zagmukkim (124:6) = ku.babbar zag.mu-k i, "silver of the New Year".
According to Kraus, Ve,fiigungen 193, perhaps only a designation of "die am
Jahresende noch offenstehende Steuerschuld .... , welche die Obrigkeit sich entschloss
eintreiben zu lassen". But according to Charpin, Clerge 238f. (who suggests a
possible equation with igisu), a specific tax due to the palace by traders and priests
(correcting Stol, JCS 34 [1982] 152ff.), whose nature, however, remains unclear. Its
arrears were collected by officials (in no. 124:13 the regional governors), via "tax
collectors" (musaddinum), in view of a settlement of accounts in Babylon.
kassaptum (112:24), "sorceress, witch". Here a malicious reference to the woman
who interferes with the writer's interests. Cf. 9, 268 and 269 (first published by S.D.
Walters, JCS 23 (1970) 27ff.), where the term characterizes women (a man's wife
and his mother-in-law) who "enchant" a man's son, so that he behaves as his
father's enemy. See for usakla in 9, 268:24 and 27, rather "I will stop" than "I will
have detained", the parallel in M. Held, JCS 15 (1961) 7 ii:15, where "gossiping
women" are its object.
kata (155:12), in iniima anaku u abija kata nustatu, also in 1, 21:13ff. 9, 108:lOf.,
76:12f. (nidbubu), 129:8 (la nizenne), and no. 125:5f. (ninnamru), always with verbs
expressing a reciprocal action, and see also no. 85:8f., anaku u kati awz7um ana
awz7im nakid, "I and you, we are concerned for each other". The oblique state of
kata (alongside anaku), "as the second of a pair of coordinated subjects" (CAD 210
K305, c), might be due to the preceding u,cf. also combinations like summan la kati
210 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

(no. 190:13), and GAG § 114i assumes a prepositional use of u "im Sinne von
'mit' ". I prefer a syntactical explanation, with the oblique state (in our letter by
attraction also applied to abz) expressing a certain emphasis in a contrast or pairing
(cf. the English "you and me"). My main argument is that it is not obligatory, as it
would be after a preposition, since we also have aniiku u attii in no. 77:6 and 23; 8,
40:6f.; UET 5, 70:8 (nidbubu), 4, 143:7f., 152:6f. (ninnamru), 7, 110:23f. (nustiitii),
and perhaps 5, 266:10.
katum (220:4) in ka-ta-a-am iimurma asar ana bullufim ..... bul[lissu]. The two
options are: 1) kat(t)um, "guarantor", and 2) the 2nd pers. possessive suffix fem.,
kattum, "your". The first, presumably related to more frequent OA katii::,umand MA
kattu, is rare in OB. Moreover, two references given in CAD K 307 have to be
omitted (read in TIM 2 [=AbB 8], 101:7, 1 u su-tu-u.m es, and in TLB 4 [= AbB
3], 83:20, mahar ka-ab-ti-im). It is not treated in R. Westbrook - R. Jasnow (eds.),
Security for Debt in Ancient Near Eastern Law (2001 79ff.); M. Stol, Een
Babylonier maakt schulden (inaugural lecture, Amsterdam 1983) 9, suggests that it
may be a loan from Sumerian k a . ta (usually read in i m. ta), "at the order of".
However that may be, it occurs in OB, with doubled or single t and with a construct
state spelled ka-ta and ka-ta-a. In our letter it might fit if bullutum refers to
economic recovery (see K.R. Veenhof in: M. Mindlin e.a. (eds.), Figurative
Language in the Ancient Near East (London 1987) 56ff.), which in our letter should
refer to agriculture, since the alternative to bullutum implies closing off a canal. But
"find a guarantor" seems out of place as the first line of a letter, even if we assume
that it was an answer to a question. Hence 2) looks better, "inspect/consider your
own (business)", if we assume an independently used impersonal kattum, recorded
in CAD K 480 s.v. ku b, 1', a', where we also find the spellings ka-ta-am and ka-tam.
kirrum (118:16) in kirrasu supuk, frequently used of a boat. This reference can be
added to CAD K 410, b, and is to be interpreted, with Kraus, Briefschreiubungen
24f. and B. Landsberger, Symbolae M. David II (1968) 77f., as "eine (bescheidene)
Initia-tionsfeier beim vom Stapel Lassen eines Schiffes", hence "to launch".
kut/fiU (23:21) in kUfifiUikta<s>diininni, reading following CAD Q 44f (an implicit
correction of CAD K 594, 1, b, and Landsberger ZDMG 69 [1915] 512, who read
iqtaddiininni), which assumes a scribal mistake, in view of other occurrences where
kU$$iiis subject of kasiidum, in OAss (where also saniiqum is used) and in Mari.
ludf.tum (62, b). A mark on animals, preferred because it cannot disappear, hence
presumably either a brand, a perforation or notch (in the ear?). The latter meaning is
more likely if we connect our word with letum I lutum, "split" (CAD L 151b), and
perhaps even with g i r . z u = lutum, a kind of knife or scalpel, frequently made of
bronze, in Mari also g i r. g i. z u (ARM 21, 222:37ff. with p. 345), cf. also M.
Stol, Birth in Babylonia and the Bible (Cun. Mon. 14, Groningen 2000) 113, note
24, in connection which the "seed-sliver of the canebrake", lutii appiiri, which cuts
the umbilical cord in the Atrachasis myth. For the marking of animals ARMT 24,
260: 43f. uses simtam mabiifium instead of the more neutral sakiinum (cf. also
simtam wabiilum in Mari, see J.-M. Durand, MARI 3 [1984] 267f.), which suggests a
kind of stamp (see CAD Mil 77a, 4'), which occurs as simtum in 7, 74: 7. See also
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 211

D. Charpin AJO 40/41 (1993-94) 19, s.v. simtu, who considers a translation "red
marking". See for a transferred meaning, a mark of ownership applied to a field, 9,
212:15f., and for markings (z a. s ii) in third millennium texts, R. de Maaijer, JEOL
33 (1993-94) 121 and D.A. Foxvog, ZA 85 (1995) 1-7.
makkilm (62:21). CAD Mil 133, makku, "possibly a boat, and in that case a con-
nection with ma.gud4, see makkiitu, may be considered." J.-M. Durand, MARI 3
(1984) 140, translates "la barque". The word is found, always in the plural, also in
TCL 10, 28:10, YOS 5, 185:9, 192:9, and in YBC 6231:10 (AJO 42/3 [1995-96] 82),
from the same archive as our letter. It is used in connection with bulk transport of
barley, as a small, irregular expenditure, alongside regular expenses for the hire of
boats, drinks for the crew, and wages for porters (see Breckwoldt, Grain Storage
74). Since our letter calls expenses for makkum "hire, rent" (idum, occasionally in
the singular, CAD I/J 18, 2'), one could think of a payment for additional facilities.
maqtum (125:10), in "a garden samaqtim". CAD Mil, 255b, on the basis of a single
occurrence in Mari, takes maqtum as "fugitive" (from maqiitum, "to arrive
suddenly"). In the context of allotment of fields to servicemen, presumably (though
thus far as its only occurrence) "fallen (in battle)", comparable to designations like u
u g x I mztum, "dead", and z a h / halqum, "missing, fled" (Akkadian terms in ARM
1, 6:42 and 42:20).
Maskan-sapir (167:16). See for this city and its chief deity Nergal, P. Steinkeller,
in: E.C. Stone - P. Zimansky (eds.), The Anatomy of a Babylonian City. Survey and
Soundings at Mashkan-shapir (2004), 26-42, and the interesting statement in TIM 2,
16:63ff. See for the possible existence of OB tablets found there before the official
investigation, D. Charpin, Contribution a la redecouverte de Maskan-sapir, in De
Meyer AV (Louvain 1994) 205-211.
meh$um (55:32, broken spelling). Wooden door frame; see, CAD M/II s.v. mih$U
11, to which one can add 0. Rouault, ARMT 18, 156 and F. van Koppen,
Feschtschrift Walker (2002) 159, note 17, BM 78600:1, 1 gisig me-eh-$i for 4
shekels of silver (ref. M. Stol).
muqqum (40:9), in seretka ... ul u-ma-aq. Derived from muqqum, "to delay", see
CAD M/II 214a, which corrects CAD I/J 79a and Landsberger, ZDMG 69 (1915)
523 note 1. See now also ARM 26, 38:9 (la umaqqam), 416:7 (aliikam umtiq) and
OBTI 23:32'. The verb is used here in a transitive meaning, for which I propose "to
pardon/forgive (somebody's guilt)".
muspalkilm (36:6) in a field sa ah muspalkfm. Participle or verbal adjective of
napalkum S-stem, "to open wide", but not in CAD. According to Stamm,
Namengebung, 265, a personal name, "der den Mund weit offen hat", but a"!Jin
descriptions of fields introduces adjoining topographical features, not named
neighbours. It may refer to a wide opening between two levees or canals, cf. also its
use with a canal and a barrage as object (CAD NII, 270f.).
nadihtm (26). That the writer of this letter was a nadztum is clear from the blessing,
from the complaint "it is for your sake (18, addinanikunu; see for ana diniin now
also Sallaberger, Interaktion 201 note 261) that I am starving" and because she
expects to receive traditional provisions (piqittum) from her family. She functioned
as surinnum, "emblem", of her family in the temple, with the duty of praying there
 212 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

for and in the name of them (she acts as karibtum), as is shown by the
I
:, I correspondence of Eristi-Aya from Mari, who was in a similar position in Sippar
(ARM 10, 36-43, with my observations in BiOr 25 [1968] 197f., and those B.F.
Batto, Studies on Women at Mari [1974] 96f., and by J.-M. Durand, LAPO 18,
390ff.). Samsuiluna's by now famous "letter on the hungry naditums" (C. Janssen,
NAPR 5, 1991), proves that insufficient provisions (~uddum, eperum) had become a
real problem. See for nadiium now also M. Stol in Studies Oelsner (2000) 458-466.
nahsatum (70:26), meaning unknown. The word occurs also in Boyer Contribution,
HE 208:7, 13, a letter from the same 'archive', in a context where also a storehouse
(naspakum, 1. 9, 12) and Nur-Samas (1. 11) are mentioned.
namratum (204:25) in nam-ra-at /sin u matim dGula isakkan. CAD NII 239 takes
the word as a plural of namntu, festival", and a derivative of namarum, "to shine
brightly", separating it from namr(i)atum, "fattening" (also the name for the
"fattening station", e. g u ; see below under namriatum). This derivation is
confirmed by 3, 37:14f., which uses the stative of naw/marum: in five days Marduk
uBabi1um namru. Two texts from Kisurra have the singular (ana namritim) and it is
not clear whether 3, 39:18 (adi nam-ra-tum sa Marduk is-sa-ka-nu, quoted CAD N,
Zoe. cit.) has the plural (Frankena in note b to 3, 39: 'sic'), because that requires a
verbal form issakkana. The construct state in our letter leaves the number unclear
and the verbal construction is also different, since the goddess Gula is the subject of
isakkan, who celebrates the festival of (and with) her city and land. See on such
festivals and their material requirements also Frankena, SLB 4, 135 and 196.
namriiitum (164, 5), the equivalent of e . u du . g u 4 . n i g a . Known as an estab-
lishment for fattening animals at Larsa, to which according to Kraus, Viehhaltung,
animals are delivered (e.g. in TCL 10, 24:38). The Akk:adian equivalent (in Mari bit
mari) according to Stol, OBO 160/4, 957, note 2227, with references to occurrences
in OB letters. See ARM 1, 34:4ff. for the combination of oxen and sheep sa
namriiim and JCS 2 (1950) 92 no. 20:4 for fodder for such an institution.
napsartum, see pasarum.
napfarum (145:13, 23) in bit naptarim. The term has been discussed several times,
see the bibliography in D. Charpin OBO 160/4, 294, note 1549), with my
observations in Studies Garelli (1991) 294f., with note 8, and D. Charpin, AJO 44/45
[1997/8] 342 on no. 110. The occurrences show that a bit napfarim was a residence
(rented or owned) in a foreign city, notably by traders. The issue in our letter is
whether members of such a household can be recruited (our letter uses dubbubum,
"to pester") for performing certain corvee duties. This is also at stake in 2, 97, where
the b. n. is said to have never been confronted with such a summons (sisum), but is
now being unduly pressed (buv.u) for services.
naspakum (63:8), a noun which can be preceded bye, dug, and gism a to refer to a
building, a jar or a boat used for storing goods. gism a . h i . a naspak must be the
equivalent of or the Akk:adianrendering of gisma .l . dub, cf. CAD N/II 69f., 5 and
the discussion (also on 6, 186:3'ff.), which rejects an Akk:adian reading *mani-
duppum and points out its use as a collective, but the evidence of our text is not
used. Naspak as an apposition must be in the absolute state.
nebahum (213:14) in nebahatim qatnatim. The context and especially the adjective
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 213

do not suggest neba/ehum, "bakshish, compensatory gift", treated by CAD N/11 s.v.
nebehu B, by N. Ziegler in Flor. mar. 2 (1994) 15f. ,note o (translates our reference
with "petits 7 nebehum"), and by B. Lafont in Amurru 2 (2001) 250, with note 162.
CAD lists two occurrences of a plural, nebahatum, one in broken context. In CT 43,
118:8, •a memorandum on items given out, 2 ne-ba'-ha-tim are listed as "for the
gentlemen who brought (them/it) here" (ana awi7e sa issunim). Therefore not two
"small gifts", but "(woollen) belts/scarves", which suits the adjective qatnum, "fine,
thin", used of such items (CAD Q 174, e). Stol refers me to the equation gad a. sa.
g a.du = nebehu in the Emar version of Hh XIX (cf. CAD S/1 158 s.v. *sakattu,
lexical part), and to D. Charpin, RA 96 (2002) 88, 4.3, who links the two meanings
of the word: "une sorte de ceinture, a fini par decrire au figure une somme d'argent
remise a quelqu'un en dedommagement ou pour obtenir sa faveur".
nikkassii (139:6) in ana nikkassfm nadum. See for this expression (also with the
verb sakanum) my observations in Aspects of Old Assyrian Trade and its Ter-
minology (Leiden 1972) 434f., with note 549. Nadum means "to deposit, to submit
items" when the accounts are settled or claims tabled for future settlement (UET 5,
686:3ff.). Stol refers me to two OB examples, where it is used in the Gtn without
nikkassum: 10, 86:14, manahat eqlim i-ta-ad-di-ima, and TCL 11, 173:8, the sons of
I hubullasunu u sa e ad . d a . n e . e it-ta-ad-du-u-ma to arrive at the total amount
of the debt. As 2, 158:7 shows, also the administration of the allotment of fields was
taken care of in a bit nikkassfm, which may also be at stake in no. 139, since a
(hypothetical) alternative is the donation of a field.
Ninsianna (110:4). This astral deity, attested a.o. in Sippar and Larsa (see Kupper
AV, 35 no. 1:5, oath; 55 no. 11:3, temple), normally invoked in blessings together
with and after Samas, see 1, 79; 2, 60; 4, 149; 5, 140, 159, 172; and 10, 57:4, where
the writer's seal bears the inscription <lNin s i an n a u dK ab ta . Only in 11, 191,
adressed to one Nur-Kabta, she occurs alone.
nisum (45:15 and 218:4f.) in ms sarrim ina p{PN sakanum, "to make PN pronounce
an oath". Documented in CAD N/11, 292, a, 3' (add 10, 81:llf.), and 290f., b', also
with ms ilim, with the variant ina sapti PN sakanum, which occurs also in 12,
142:9f. In TIM 4, 42:14ff., sibu annuttum ina e DN ms du tu u Hammurabi
1 u g a 1 ina p{ A u B iskunii, is followed by statements in the indicative. In BBVOT
1, 79:15ff. the action is described by tummum with personal object (atta erresi-nis
sarrim tutammi), in 1. 18ff. by the contents of the oath, expressed by ms sarrim +
relative clause introduced by fa: ms dHammurabi l u g a 1 fa ana $er dajjanim ittia
la illakuma. This same construction occurs in 8, 149:16, ms DN u belia RN sa
iturruma ... isassu, and in our no. 218:4f., fa ana eqlim urradu. This same wording
is used in the oath formula in early contracts from Northern Babylonia (VAS 8, 4-
5:26ff.; BAP 35:22f.), which has a functional parallel in lemun DN u RN sa ..., "An
enemy of god ..... and of king ... is, who ... ". Since in these clauses nisum invokes
divine and royal punishment over who breaks the oath, the focus is on the
(conditional) curse contained in the oath, hence my translation "The curse of .... on
who ... ".
paliisum (36:4'). PN ana nounpulus, "'pierce' PN in view of ....", must be an idiom,
perhaps "unmask his behavior" , "refute his claims", unless pu-lu-us is a defectively
214 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

written stative of the D-stem, "PN is pierced in view of". Note that pullusum occurs
also with "words" (awiitum) and "intentions" (temum) as objects (ARM 26, 373:37;
451:7, ref. Stol), and the D-stem also as administrative term in connection with
service fields, see M. deJong Ellis, JCS 29 (1977) 150, FLP 1810: 12', l. dab P N
u g u I a mar.tu pu-ul-lu-su. Cf. H. Hirsch, AJO 27 (1980) 428a: "Verwal-
tungsterminus bzw. Hinweis auf der Tafel ("gelocht")."
Panigingara (148:4), the child of the mother-goddess Dingirmah, at home in Adab,
but also venerated at Larsa. See for the names Richter, Panthea, 332ff., and for this
god in PNs, 13, 2:1 and nos. 143:17 (Panigara-semi) and 204:37 (Panigara-qarriid).
Pa 4. nu mun .KA (112:26) a god, see Stal in 9, 61 note a, and Richter, Panthea
298, 2.3, with note 1213. The latter reads KA as d u11, but a genitive ending,
(a) k a is also possible. Stal considers the possibility that NUMUN stands for
n i g i nx, and Krispijn refers me to Matous Festschrift II, 54, s.v. nu g u (n)x- The
god, equated with Samas in later god-lists, as the name P.-tajjarat (TLB 1, 34:7)
shows, was female.
pariikum (88:15), "to obstruct", usually construed with pers. dat. suff. (cf. no. 94:
25) or with ana piini, but the person/object obstructed occasionally is in the acc., e.g.
3, 48:18(?); 7, 84:10'; 86:38; 9, 19:32; 10, 42:42(!); no.110:57. No. 15:9f. has the
unique combination nikkassz-purrukum, which may refer to the fact that the records
and claims of the two parties who settle accounts are placed opposite each other, are
"squared", to establish the balance.
pasiirum (56:15) means "to measure" and "to make ready for transport", see my
remarks in Melanges Birot 302 with note 44 and now also YBC 6974:3
(Breckwoldt, Grain Storage 85), x g u r s a u r u k i - PN ippasru). Pasiirum
makes it possible to determine the yield of the harvest, and in no. 58: 5 -ma after the
verb introduces the resulting figure, while 8, 78: 14f. state which measure was used.
Cf. also 'The Farmer's Instructions' line 105, "When the grain is clean, lay it down
"under the stick" (to measure it"), which M. Civil (Aula Orientalis Suppl. 5, 1994,
commentary ad Zoe.) describes as: " Once the grain was completely clean, the
conical piles of grain were approximately measured by vertically inserting a stick in
the center all the way to the bottom", adding that "this preliminary measurement is
always followed by a more precise one with gauged containers", which is pasiirum.
Its result is called napsartum in 56: 30, a term also used in YOS 5, 202:6, Cornell
149: 1 (x gur napsartum, courtesy Sigrist), and in the plural in YBC 5585:4f.
(s u . n i gin 2225.2.0 g u r napsariitum; see Breckwoldt, Grain Storage 80). Cf.
perhaps also pisertum, discussed in Labat, Calendrier, 144. note 1, and see 11, 114,
note b, and S. Jakob, Mittelassyrische Verwaltung und Sozialstrukter (CM 29,
Leiden/Boston 2003) 270, piserti karu"e (ref. M. Stal). The basic meaning of
pasiirum (b ur ), "to loose, release", leads to the meaning of dispensing
goods in fixed, manageable or desired quantities, hence its use in commercial
contexts as "to retail" (see Kraus, Edikt 83 and Veenhof, BiOr 22 [1965] 37a ad
S.183.2). In this way pasiirum implies that products were put in baskets (etc.) of
standard size (cf. g i. g u r. s e. b a I = napsaru, MSL 7, 37 = Hh IXc, 1), which
allowed establishing their exact quantity. YOS 15, 67:9 states that barley of the
'field facing the town' and of the 'Hissar field' will be measured and ready for trans-
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 215

port not later than the 13th day of month III (May - June), but according to 12, 31: 6
this took only place in the month of V (July-August).
Pf-kasi (68:5), spelled k a -ka-siki. Narne of a town meaning "The inlet of the Kasfi(-
canal)". Sarne spelling in YBC 6189:4 (JCS 5 [1951] 96, Ae v), written Pi-ka-si-iki
in YOS 12, 271:8 (Si 7), Boyer, Contribution, HE 221:8 (Si 28), 9, 68:5, and no.
140:27. See now also ZAR 9 (2003) 167 on line 12.
piqat (145:21), rarely ana piqat, cf. 2, 39:6; 3, 39:6; and A 1101 (Voix de
!'opposition 185): 28.
qaqqadum (66:20) in the combination qaqqad tertim. Translated as "original job",
cf. qaqqad redfm, the prirnary/rnain conscripted serviceman, contrasted with his
substitute (ta!;"!Jum),see B. Landsberger, JCS 9 (1955) 122a. CAD Q 112a, 6',
however, assumes the existence of an idiom qaqqadam pasiisum, "to cancel" and
apparently takes qaqqadum as the ledger heading in an account of personnel.
qaqqadam wabalum (123:30), also in 3, 3:24, 6, 104:9, and 7, 71:llf., according to
CAD Q lllb, 1', b', "to act impudently" (see also D. Charpin, AJO 36/37 [1989/90]
97 a.I.), but better, with AHw 899b, 1, k, "Pflicht vemachlassigen", which is also
used by Kraus in 7, 71 and in ARM 27, 161:10 (ref. M. Stol; both texts use Gtn-
forms). In our letter a meaning "to excuse oneself" would fit.
raba$Um (114:11), with ina mu/J!Ji, "to lie down upon", as a bird on its eggs or
young, metaphorically "to protect and guard carefully", "to refuse to give up", better
attested in OAss, with ina $CT,see BIN 4, 35:26 and CCT 3,22:22.
rabiatum (125: 16), where renting a field ina 4. Karn isten rnust equal ana
rabiiitim, "for one-fourth (of the yield)", rarely attested, cf. G. Mauer, Boden-
pachtvertrage 131, notes 129f.; in TIM 5, 45 it is the tariff for a field irrigated frorn
a well. Ana re-ba-tim $Uhhir (no. 223:13), said of the rent of a field, must mean,
"reduce to one-fourth (of the yield). See for OB spellings with e, CAD R 222, d.
raqum (15:20) in umu i-re-qu-u. Often translated as if it were identical with umu
irriku, "the days will be prolonged, it will take a long time", e.g. by Kraus,
Veifugungen, 74, "viel Zeit wird vergehen". The latter expression is used in omen
predictions about sick persons (cf. murussu irrik) and note also the meaning "to be
delayed, to become too late for ... " (CAD A/II 224, 1, 1' and 3' and 2). Raqum
means "to become empty, idle" and is normally used with a personal subject, but
also occurs with umu, which CAD R 178, 4, translates as "to be unprofitable, to be
wasted". For umu i-RI-KU (without indication of the long final vowel) we may
hesitate between the two possibilities, but the absence of a possessive suffix after
umu (as in ARM 26, 58:24) suggests irriku, "if it lasts too long/ there is too much
delay", The minimal graphic distinction between the two verbal forms, whose
meanings are somewhat comparable, and possibly also the use of the expression
umum requm in OB omens (used adverbially to introduce an alternative prognosis, a
different fate) may well have contributed to some confusion between the two.
resam kullum (204:28ff.) in "I need barley, res mar{ iilim ..... ana sikiirim lukz1".The
expression usually has the goods available as subject, but there are also occurrences
with a personal subject, e.g. no. 145:17; 6, 104:17; 8, 140:17; 11, 94:23 (construction
in no. 70:24f. not clear), where CAD K 517, b', translates with "to take care of". In
no. 204 a translation "I want to have it available for beer for the citizens" fits.
216 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

resam nasum (54:27f.) ."To assess", "to check and establish", used of goods and
persons, see my remarks in Melanges Birot 298. Numbers and identities of persons
were presumably checked by comparing lists of workers, the attendance lists, and the
chits or "dockets".
sad/tb/pum* (111:9, 25). Since collation confirms a reading SA of the first sign, we
seem to have here an unknown adjective used as a negative qualification of sheep (in
combination with nuppub,tum, "blown up"). Could there be a link with Hebrew sdp,
"to dry up"? (Stol). A more attractive alternative is emending SA to -0,in order to ar-
rive at uddup(t)um, a verbal adjective D-stem of edepum, accepted by AHw 1401a
and CADE 171b, which translates "filled with gas".
salbum (132:8). Primarily a topographical term, according to J.-M. Durand, ARM
26/1 338f., note 20, the area around a city, but at times also referring to the animals
and people there (in ARM 26, 422:27 a razzia on a town aims at its salb,um, animals
and people). J. Eidem, RA 85 (1991) 13, defines it as "the flocks (and their
shepherd/guards belonging to fixed "urban type" units", ... "a mobile entity of
animals and men issuing from towns/camps".
sebutum (80:16) in sebut sattim. A variant of sebutum, the name of the first month
in the OB Sippar calendar (S. Greengus, JAOS 107 [1987] 217a, with note 35) and
also attested as a festival, cf. CAD S 232, a. Why sebut sattim in ARM 6, 27:11'
would refer to the calendar ofEsnunna (LAPO 16 [1997] 619f., h) is not clear to me.
See also D. Charpin, AJO 40/41 (1993/4) 15f. for the sebu(t) sebim festival in Mari,
which took place on day 7 of the month of Kinunum and therefore means "the
seventh day of the seventh month" (ref. M. Stol).
s1$/zub(b)purtum (91:24). Qualifies an orchard, meaning unknown, presumably a
geographical feature, D. Cocquerillat "la boucle", without arguments; see also CAD
S 396b.
serdum (159:15) in the combination serdiam u ummata .. .leqiam, "take for me the
tablet of transmission and the 'mother tablet'". See for these types of records,
handed over to the new owner when real estate was sold, C. Wilcke, Kraus AV
450ff., D. Charpin, CRRAI 30 (1986) 122ff., and C. Janssen, CRRAI 40 (1996)
240ff. I assume that surde and serde, used in combination with tuppiitum, are
variants with identical meaning. The actual handing over of such records, never
stated in OB deeds of sale, has now turned up in an OAss deed of sale of a house,
see K.R. Veenhof, Festschrift Kienast (AOAT 274, 2003), 693f. no. 1:15-19.
sum. s a r (47:1), "garlic", occurs alongside onions (sum. s i k i I. s ar) also in
12, 82:4'. Normally sum. s ar and sum. el .1 um. s ar occur together, e.g. in 2,
99 passim, 116:14; 7, 157:8, 159:6, 160:16, and 169:11. "White" onions do not seem
to be attested, see M. Stol, BSA 3 (1987) 57-80.
s1$/zepum (62:10), in "the mark (simtum) applied to the cattle IZ-ZI-e-pe/i, so that
it/they cannot be identified", stated after a report that a boat with cattle sank and the
cattle marks disappeared right off (ihtaliq). The boat may have contained cattle of
various owners, provided with marks in different colors or shapes, which can no
longer be identified (ul wuddu; but note that grammatically neither the cattle nor the
mark, both feminine, can be its subject). The spelling with WA= pi asks for a verb
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 217

SISIZPY, with an e-vowel, either a perfect or a preterite of the N-stem, but there are
many possibilities. After ihtaliq the verb may describe more precisely the effect of
the water on the paint of the marks, "it has dissolved". But it could also be a more
general observation, suggested by the accident reported, that all such painted marks
(mala• .... sakna) create problems, because "they have become pale, have faded
away". The verb $ab/pum, u/u, "to soak, irrigate" (CADS 45f., AHw 1082b $apu(m)
II; according to Stol, OBO 160/4, 827 note 1322, comparable to ratabum), with the
forms i$pU,$Upu (1, 8: 17),1) $api (no. 59: 17 eqlum $a-a-pi), D-stem (2, 127 :7, 18), is
a candidate, but the e-vowel in our form is a problem. Forms of the verbal adjective
with -e-, listed in AHw 1082b and CAD S 171 s.v. $ibutu B (cf. also 205, $lpu A,
"soaking, dying", MB and later) are late; OB has $a-pu-um. Landsberger, JCS 21
(1967) 145f., note 30, criticizes CADS, $aha, rejecting a variant with -b- and a link
with common Semitic $be, "to dye". He distinguishes: 1) z/$apum, iii, for irrigating
fields; 2) z/$apum, u/u (which should include $apu, CADS 98), meaning unclear, "to
soak" is too specific; 3) $ebum - i$ebbe, $ebi - "to dye", later variants with -p-. Of
these 1) does not fit in no. 62:10 because of thee-vowel, and 3) not because of the -
b-. Option 2) is problematic, because two comparable OB occurrences (CADS 98)
have both hapum and $apum (cf. CAD S/III, 339, s.v. suramu; in 11, 26:14 Stol
wants to emend into ihappam and translates "to pack"). In ARMT 18, 19:7 (new
bows maskf $arputim lihappu) the D-stem might mean "to wrap" for transport (AHw
1559a, s.v.), for protection, or to keep them flexible, but why in dyed hides? Hence
presumably C. Wilcke's (NABU 1991/17) preference for "einweichen" based on a
proposed restoration of ARMT 18, 21:10 (to be done in hot water), but he also
hesitates between suppum and huppum. Other possibilities could be a link with
$Uppu (CADS 250), MA, "to rub (down)", listed in a group with pasatu, "to wipe
off", with serum, "to rub down", or with sepu (CADS 226, SB) probably "to cut,
crop", used of wool and hair. I cannot solve the problem but, arguing from the
context, I opt for "has faded away", a feature which explains the proposal to stop
with painted cattle marks and to switch to brands or notches, which cannot get lost
or be undone (sa la nukkurim).
;iippatum (106:8, 10). CADS 202-203 has four different entries $ippatu and lists our
text under $ippatu C, a metal or alloy. I rather follow W.R. Mayer, OrNS 72 (2003)
382, 2, who identifies $- as a "Textilfaser".
sapirum (124:13) in sapirat matim. The use of a fem. plur. participle instead of
expected sapir matim (construct state, used for a plural, as in 2, 27:5 and 9, 192:3,7)
or sapirut (not in CAD Sil456, 2) is remarkable. The sapir matim or sapir GN (the
mayor town of a district) probably was a regional governor and representative of the
central administration (cf. now also D. Charpin, OBO 160/4, 268). In 2, 68:19 a
sapir matim was instructed by the king to collect silver of the igisfi-tax from traders.
sarum (79:14). The verb (collated) must be a D-stem of sarum, and CADS/II 132,b,
2, s.v. saru, "to become rich", translates "to provide plentifully". The translation
proposed here, "to advance (money)", assumes a specific meaning in a financial con-

1) i-ZU-UB-BU in ARMT 26, 199:21 must be from the verb zabum I zuabum, "to ooze away"
(courtesy Kouwenberg).
218 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

context and probably belongs to the verb surrum (CADS/III, surru A), "to begin, to
start", the opposite of which is zubbulum, "to delay".
sequm (51:2'; 154:27). The basic meaning of this verb is "to strike / level off a
measure" (s u - ur), see my remarks in Melanges Birot, 303f. The D-stem is attested
in Syria 59 (1982) 143:118, suqqum u hesum, "to smooth out and press" (pace S.
Lackenbacher, courtesy Kouwenberg). Problems of different or ungauged measures
are mentioned in 8, 78:6f; 11, 67:15f; 85:lf and 12, 142:3f. That the sutu of Marduk
was smaller than that of Samas, as implied by the context, is known from CT 47, 80,
analysed in Melanges Birot, 286f.
siksum (126:9) = gisKA.k u 1 gism a r. g f d . d a. Notwithstanding the OB writings
with initial KA (nowhere a trace of a vertical in the first part of the sign, in our letter
only one 'Winkelhaken'), also in 9, 4:21, YOS 12, 64:2, and in the Nippur
Forerunner of Hh V (MSL 6, 40:6; but note giss a g. k u 1 . gig i r , ibidem, 37:21),
we must identify the object with Akkadian siksu (CAD S/II 440f., with lexical
equivalents beginning with gissa g . k u 1), "probably ... a wooden ... rein guide, or
the like", which also occurs in CBS 1325:4 (courtesy Stol), 2 su-si 20
gisKA.ku 1 . m a r . g f d . d a .
sinsarium (77:10), in the expression sinsariam ana nerisu (baqamum). A. Goetze's
"(during) the twelfth (month)" (INES 5 [1949] 199), i.e. "even though it is already
the 12th month", is possible, since numerals of this type are also used as fractions
and ordinals (GAG § 70 d, m). Landsberger, INES 8 (1949) 255f. note 42 ("ein
Dutzend auf 600"), AHw 1243b s.v., and CAD N/II, 178 s.v. neru A, 1, b (to which
CADS/III 54 s.v. sinseru refers back) prefer a fraction, "one twelfth", and AHw 779,
s.v. ner, and CAD N, foe. cit., assume an idiomatic use of ana nerisu (AHw: "ganz
und gar"), not simply "per 600". It remains puzzling why, if in a sexagesimal system
"12 on 600" (= 2%), as interpreted by Landsberger, could mean "a tiny fraction, a
trifle", it is never used elsewhere.
sirum (105:24), in sirusu la inazziqu. Sirum occurs "in metonymic use for body,
person, self, also 'in figurative sense"' (CAD S/III, 115f., sfru, b). In this last use,
with a human referent (frequently designated by a possessive suffix) and with
nazaqum as predicate, sirum is in the singular (cf. 1, 124:5-7; 5, 42:2'f.; 8, 86:7,
102:32; references from Mari, quoted CADS/III, foe. cit., and CAD N/II 136 b), the
expressions means worry, annoyance, irritation. With a plural subject it refers to the
physical condition, cf. 1, 139:4', said of slave-girls, sirusina matu, and this applies
also in this letter, because sirusu inazziqu, said of an ox, should be prevented by
feeding the animal well. Therefore, in I. 25ff., "ask PN for a report on the siru of the
ox and he will tell you its nazqutum", the last word also refers to the physical
condition of the ox and not to the worries of the reporter, although nazqutum can be
used with a personal referent (11, 14:16, cf. 19f., PN ana minim naziq). Confusing is
that sirum in the singular may also refer to physical well-being, as ina sirim (la)
tabim in 6, 140:8 and 7, 144:3, but the use of tabum instead of damqum indicates (at
least for OB) that a more general well-being is meant, good health and happiness
(cf. 11, 36:6f., s1r1-matimaul itib).
suhutinnu (115:33) in sumf suhutinm-u samaskilff subilam. This line was discussed
by M. Stol, BSA 3 (1987) 57ff, who hesitates (63) to equate suhutinnu with bulbleek.
 V. LEXICAL NOTES 219

But note that, contrary to his statement, its seed is mentioned in our letter. See for
seed of leek also no. 143:25 and already OAkk, HSS 10, 11:3, and also B.
Landsberger, AJO 18 (1957/8) 337 ad 1. 82.
sunnum (11:16, 19, 26), "to measure out again, to check". See my remarks in
Melanges Birot 292, with note 11. It also occurs with a personal dative suffix (in
no.11: 15 with ana qati PN) to express that products are delivered by measuring out
the exact quantity for the recipient. In this meaning sanaqum, "to check", can be a
synonym of sunnum and cover the notions of both madadum and sunnum.
tabliltum (32:9, 12 and 37:11). Starting from bullulum, "to mix"> "to smear" (CAD
B s.v. balalu A, 4, a), a meaning "caulking" is rather obvious when a boat is treated,
as in nos. 32:12 and 37:11. Its use of a plough in no. 32:9 suggests a more general
meaning, "to overhaul, repair". Cf. BA 5 (1906) 493 no. 15:7.
tamkariitum (135:9) in [tam]karutum la itabbalu. If the restoration and translation
are correct, the noun would be an abstract used as collective, "the traders", as
attested in OAss. Since "trader" frequently has the meaning "creditor", tabalum "to
take away", with persons, especially family members (note kimtz~"my family", in 1.
8 of our letter) as object must refer to hostages or pledges (ana ittisu 2 IV:46'; YOS
8, 78:8) taken along by a creditor. The unlikely alternative is to take [tam]karutum
as "commercial assets", in which case the verb would have to be taken as passive,
"they will be carried off" (ittabbalu, N-stem).
tamlitum (145:17) in ana um tamlztim reskunu ukfil. Tamlztum means filling up,
supplementing (sutamlum) a deficiency, e.g. in fodder for cattle (OECT 13, 166:5,
ref. M. Stol). It is most frequent when referring the vacancies of troops, corvee
workers and service men, caused by flight, illness, death, etc., as is very clear in
ARM 6, 32:13ff., $iibum mitztam irsima u adi tamlztam $iibam umallu, 2, 90:19,
tuppi tamlztim sa mztutim, and OBTI 313:1, igi.du8 tamfif_t ....] eren ka
e. g a 1 (ref. M. Stol, and see for additional examples M. Stol, OBO 160/4, 745 note
726 and 785 note 991). See also note a to the translation of 12, 13 (also with
dubbubum) and 12, 69:8. The expression of no. 145:17 recurrs in RA 62 (1968) 19,
HE 191:7', ana tamlz1tim] resam likillu.
tenqtum (69:9), uncultivated, "empty space", here, as in 9, 97:10, perhaps due to
lack of irrigation water. Frequently used of the open space between the young palm-
trees, which could be used for growing smaller crops, especially vegetables
(terzqtum sa Libbi kirem).
ttoum (81:18), in tzbi habbatim/nakrim, "attack, raid". Attacks are predicted in
omens, cf. AHw 1355b, A 4, and U. Jeyes, Old Babylonian Extispicy (1989) 118,
commentary to 3', though not with the mention of nakrum or habbatum, but note
nakrum itebbi etc., CAD N/1195, and Landsberger, IEJ 14 (1964) 212.
ttoum (76:6 and 141:38) in the expression ana ti-bi a person. In both cases the
context suggests a meaning "to replace/ succeed" or "as successor of", where tibum
seems to refer to the departure of the previous holder of a field or office. The first
letter mentions an appointment (sumsu izkur) ana tibi abika, the second the taking
over (erebum) of a field ana tibi PN. This is different from ina tzbi eqlim tebum, in
4, 60:8 (cf. no. 124:7), translated as "einen Anschlag auf das Feld untemehmen", in
order to acquire it, but also referring to a change in status.
220 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

tuhhu (94:8), duh (du r u5), "(wet) draff". A waste product of the brewing process
(see Stol, BiOr 28 [1971] 170f.), obtained as fodder of the cattle from the
"innkeepers" (siibum) and not from the brewers (siriisum) themselves (because the
latter worked with barley received from innkeepers, who kept the waste product?).
See for its use as fodder, alongside herbs (sammii), J.-M.Durand - D. Charpin,
"Elevage intensif" (full title in the heading ofno. 94) 150ff., also for its purchase (in
1, 118:22f. one obtains 5 kor of draff for 1 shekel of silver) and the need to "reserve"
it (SU$$Urum)in advance, so that is will be available (7, 183:13-16).
tukkulum(80:23) in tukkilma kaspam lusqul. AHw 1305b, 3, "feste Zahlungszusage
machen?", in a commercial context probably "to make a reliable offer", also in TIM
2, 16:65.
uppum (141:48). Meaning difficult, see A.D. Kilmer, Finkelstein Mem. Vol., 133f.,
"uppu of uncertain meaning or unclear relation to A ("socket") or B ("drum")
above", lists our occurrence under 4, "uppu as a gift article".
usummum (67:6). See for a discussion of the possible identification of this rodent
(=p es _gisgi), R. Englund, AoF 22 (1995) 37-55. Al-Rawi-Dalley, Old Babylonian
Texts from Private Houses at Abu Habbah, Ancient Sippir (E-DUB-BA-A 7,
London 2000) no. 13:2, mentions that 3 usummii cost 20 grains of silver.
u.tu I = utullum (2:9, 5'), "manager of the herds", the same persons designated in
no. 1:4 as s i p ad . See for their function and for the variation in the designation,
also on the alternation between n a . g a d and ii . t ii 1 , H. W aetzoldt in Kraus AV
393, with note 27. See also above, under k a . b a r = kaparrum.
waqarum (122:11), "to be valuable", in ina ineka lii iqqir, also in 1, 96:14, where
the expression follows the order to issue 10 kor of barley and the reference is not to
its price, but to the barley itself. Hence "do not attach too much value to, do not
hesitate to issue/spend", a meaning which links up with that of waqiirum Sin OAss,
see my Aspects of Old Assyrian Trade and its Terminology (1972) 443f., c.
wurruqum (162:9, 16), in eqlam wurruqum. Also attested in lists of expenditures
from the state herds of Larsa, see Kraus, Viehhaltung 33, with note 8, and his note a
to the translation of 5, 66. A few sheep are delivered ana (eqlim) wurruqim (YOS 5,
212:35). Our letter suggests that wurruqum is a ceremony of some kind, probably a
meal for a group of people or an offering, for which flour(?), beer, oil, and dates
were used, and this is similar to YBC 7065: lOff. (courtesy T. Breckwoldt), where
one quart of oil and one jar of beer-mix (pihum) are used ana eqlim wurruqim The
ceremony may have marked a specific event, related to the agricultural year or to a
change in the legal status of the field.
z id (19:7f.) in z id.sag. g ii and z id. g u. s i g. g a. Not attested elsewhere, but
z id . g u . s i g . g a may be identified with z id . g u . s i g 5 , attested in lexical
sources (MSL 11, 118, no. 5: 6, cf. 17), and note z id.sag = takkasu.
zikrum (88:7) in ana zikrika ibdam, must be the equivalent of zikir sumika, not
simply "the mentioning of your name" (CAD M/II 213, a), but with F.R. Kraus (RA
65 [1971] 99-112), a gift as t~ngible proof of gratitude.
 VI. COLLATIONS

1,10 MES//4:6!~.LfJff 25,34 ~~.# ·k. ...,T \(f{ = end28

., ~~ "~--
1,27 SU 0-~ 27,13 ~T)jJ~ ni-is ov:r
·· lu-us
2,12 1/,441,(ef~#dr 27,25 an-ni ~$I. ..
:<.mi-ir

2,7' ·~~~ 29,36~

4,1 DUMU~~ 30,19 MARDUK~

4,29 BAD ,-,- -<-f/z;{ 30,27~7(

6,19 ~~ 'lf-4!T 31,11 W" 26~

8,11 li-ru~ 32,4 %,q$/

10,5' 4:ffY~ 33,16 ,,?;Y~T
10,6·~4! 34,7 am~

10,14'
V
sa-li
• ,Y~
~ 34,3' end~~#

15,8 .¢{-- 14 a$ ;EI:£{ u 34,15' ~;T 16' ~

15,28 )£//,¢'~ ni-iq 36,9 ~/,,)f//4',,J

16,23 #<'--l:Ji-.
[1 39,8 ~
16,17 ~ over erasure 41,13 J!>l~~ 20 ~

17,12 a-na if.'/~..?Y.JE

Yr-> ..~.,. 45,18 it~, 24 .~ lu

17,18 }4:-l~//~ mu 49,17 tu~li

17 ,19 ul ~~"- 49,32 ~~'(:5i:~1ilt::~

17,22 i-ri ~q 53,5 /:?Jjr~#~,,ff //f'T
11,23 ~;:::::.T 53,6 ~?(r- an-ni (cf. i+na in 1.14)

18,13 u ~~~= 9 53,24 a-na J::=r,#'~ 'fPt==!"

25,22 -1if'pa-al 31 ~',;EJ" 53,18 ~~~A
 222
ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

~ 'fr(,«. (-<over T)
55,7
63,6 -<(~ ····· ~~
55,7 f:ij_~ B H(#URU)
63,10 ~ 13 ~
55,23 im-ha ~-u-ma
63,14 u~ u 19 li f¥l
55,26 ~~~ (no MA)
64,4-S ~~ 3 1ft
55,27 29 ?'-Cf 64,7 t1f:{fjlu-ni-im 9-<~~

S5,32
64,8 is-tu 'f:fftr;t!.,J!/~}r
56,6 -4-j?:P
4l{ 11 f!e )#p
64,10 ka-lu P~/,fjfff
S6,17 ~~ 30-'<>-lef=arl
64,11 ~;:$[~~~
56,20 rnn~
.......
~14'~ 64,13 .::f
120+40 GUR "ff ~41[
56,37 41~
64,17 a~ 19 ~
57,5 ~SE.GUR 64,20 u-!Ja-ba ~-ak-ku[ ml
S8,13 19 j€l=se
~SAR 64,30 kam,4 31 ~~~I/It
S9,5
64,32 mi #rpef/p~
59,12 sa J/14'ri-im ,t:::TH' 36 1 r.JtJ~sz·c.r
64,3S bi-ti~ "Y'7i"{"/ '
59,15 ri J?ffP~ 18 ~--+(-<
64,40 tir~'ffG....rt:r
S9,23 wa-ar~
64,41 q-sa-ar :=f~,f ;t:::;{
60,4 d/4~ 65,8 ~~$~;/P-
60,12 uj::J:'~1~ be-et
65,11 tab-be-e ~
61,4 ~
65,14 ~ ,-,(:- j:::ilJ:::{
over erasures
61,12 Tfff-- lu-u
62
TA=kr sA=JR{ 66,2
62,20 i-li-i J?J
(no vertical) 66,13
\
 VI. COLLATIONS 223

67,5 gul ~r 6 ~=7? 73,15 ruling after 15, space before 16

67,10 is-te~ 73,19 nothing after ~

67,22 73,22 as-pur-ra /'iJ_Tfend line 10 obv.J

68,9 ~~ over erasures 73,23 su-bi ( over LAM)-lam

68,6' a-na if A over erasures 74,8 bi-ti }::f

68,10' 74,32 at (over erasure)-ta

68,11' ~>-J--F
~ over erasures 75,6 w
~ ;;;;g~
68,13'

69,7

69,13 r!TciN 26
over erasures

tu-ur~la
75,25

75,27

76,8
-;tr
after -ia erasure

copy correct!

10,2 w~ 77 ,6 end: f:tT 18 ;;f, fift.!

70,10 i-ma "J;J,Jfi/.}IJ-P,-- 77,20 end:~

14
70,13 ~ end correct 11,23 u~..llf

70,16 ~~-4 18g;a__ 78,5 ~tu-zi JY~ na-di

10,21 JFr~T pa-am 78,17 T/111:~18 -~

ffll ~,Hfii!,-

70,23 ma-ti ~ 79,1 end: gu ~

70,26 end: na~?,cf.line 9 79,11 sic! 13 ~t={

70,27 s(~ 79,14 lu sa-bi W/ZP/4,f'Jl#T

71,5 ;r!1I:{
fr tum 80,12 rf.ff~
71,7 t:1ft.~ 81,5 end: ~ 7 ;t[J=:i-...JH,f>-

72,3 ~ 5~~ 81,9 us~~ 4=f

72,6 Hf<;-~ 81,15 pu-ur ~ 16 ~
 224 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

81,20 ·
l ast sign erase d 90,7 as-pu~~g etc.

81,23

82,4

82,13 e-pu ~ im 90,11 TUG.ij.I.A~1~

82,18 u 11(/~~ 90,14 bi-ti-ka ~R'i.f1{:ETJ!I

82,21 ::ff~--<
um 22 ,/>-y" 90,15 nim4f#):~

82,31
"'-era-am
~/
33
al ~hr 90,17 ia-nu ~~

82,34 90,1' 5, V V
as-sum~
11,/A-4°

82,36 90,6' 8' P]lll. + end obv. 14!

82,37 ?4(;t! ~
83,8 a-wi-lim over erasure 91,7 tf~i[µf.,.q..
83,14 copy correct 91,8 /Ef'ffl:f)-j=end 28 15,ttJ!:-fr

83,18-19 !Rf-{4-(=ma-ar
ma >fF4T J) 91,16 -<.~ 19 ~--~

83,22 KI-im >-gj-}![

1 91,21 tltt14itt#J:Jtl
86,8 i-na m_ ti-su-nu 91,22 j:;tc ~ 24 'Tfb+fI7
87,5 4-4'1 15-14/ 91,25 fr
32 ,
I-l {-4?!1={

87,19 ~
-<
ba-al-su 93,7 m-~rr$,il 11 ~gi-a
87,20 93,11 i~~ 18 AT~
4.# ,::.(J'.-~/~.,.__
89,3 -ma complete 6 T~>ffe-:j 93,25 ~~

89,10 a-na ~ 11 la i E/_iJb,/ 95,1 5 a-na 4._fj

95,13 da#~~ 14 4,)f
 VI. COLLATIONS 225

96,10 110,22 ~}f 25 ~ di-in

97,5 110,31 la ~~ft/I~ 32 :frl'>f<

97,11 14 fth:+end 11 110,37 Jf~:::J

98,3 · um-ma ~
'j"fo'Pp} over erasure 110,45 ~ i-ma 44 'ff1{-at
98,10 )IP'#{"~ 11 ~ 110,52 ~~ 54 u ~~t'f-'/J=.z
111,5 sa ~_,,, 6JE['!J-a
,.,,,¥'

101,3 u ,~~ ma

101,8 ni ~-<;:,- 111,14 ,#pf'~~p- 15 endJ!=r

103,3 ri JE!{ 12 over erasures 111,16 Plf~[~ 18 t:;./~

103,17 a-wi-lu::f/t (U over UM?) 111,19 su}:# 20 end ~jFf,,,JJ!ffl-

103,21 an-ni ~ 111,40 ZJ::[ over erasures

104,6 ~ 7~ 8 t--!f 111,41 ~ ri-tim ~~)'~/

104,10
h-.h-,;a,~,,:r
=t=.1~
11 ~ #',1,:;
su-up:,;~~ 111,43 am ~:£*~ 45.t/k[1¢{

104,12 ~ 14 ~,J,$ am 111,46 1Ja:i{i..';:::fP~ 47 ~JfV!'P:

104,16 #fPa-la-ka ~~PN 111,54 bi-it ~Pil): 56 ;>?--~

104,21 JE'!Rf~ 111,58 te ~/'lfp
107,14 15 li-ib ~ 112,10 sat:Jf 18 end~

107,16 p~~ 112,22 end:~4'

110,1 a-ia~ 112,24 sa ka-as-sa t::::::{~

110,17 KASKALGID.NA~ ta 112,26 M';> 29 ~------~

110,19
24 ~;,:{um 112,30 'jf~At/'1$'
226 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

115,36 ~~~'fi:1 la

112,35 copy correct 116,3 µ?~~ 5 4Ef:iflr_

112,41 i-re-ed ~~ 116, 7
~,</~A-#
~:f?r~

113,9 end: 5 GIN Jff-• 116,11 ~ zi $;J~p[im

113,12 first sign: 1[over erasure 116,15 ~~ma
14
113,13 end:~ a~ 116,18 ~.~ am

113,26 ff-~~/ 116,20 ~ ku-ur

114,3 end:~ 9 ru~y 116,21 uff~ 32 1ift~

114,8 URU.KI~ 118,8 end:~/

114,12 su~~ 13 uz~ 119,5 ,1i>jfF- ~

et 6 IJ.I=

114,14 f:/if~~ 119,10 ~!Ju-ur 1~ ki

U:4,16 ba-ku~~ 119,14 bi. 20 _,E:f.1;5{ra

114,19 im-!Ju~ 119,26 1:l.W'I21 H

114,22 sali ~ +end7 119,30 li ~ 31uk= ~

114,23 120,6 end over erasures

114,25 #~ 26 ~ 120,7 fol over erasure

115,3 W~R_.Gf
>;J1f. 120,12 as-sum ~

12
115,10 ~
~"T ~A.
~~ z- d'z-nam

~~ 17 >-:,l'f,c,::j-
ka P"P~I P over erased lu
115,15 .,u-,- 120,4'

115,18 tf1;Jft....ri ~ ka 120,7' 9'~

115,19 ~a-na 121,12 zif~

115,22
..._::::;,.,~
, ~ 122,1 fr~ 8 ..
 VI. COLLATIONS 227

123,3 tu ~r- 9 ti-saTf ?7 127,15 u ~'fM SU 17 >4,}i

123,10 ~~>:,(__ -<~d

11 121,19 rt;l#lf.§._1
123,12 in-da-lJ.a p-.,tt{14,,/:f'f?!J 128,4 tf 8 dEN.ZU~,,#1
123,16 duru~ 128,11 :1=T
ri 13 a-na ~

123,18 im-lJ.u b,=T (rest=end 10!) 129,11 is /2fer-su

123,19 Jt/1/"~ a-ma 129,20 drawing: IZl

123,20 JPfl!f. ...i-na ~~ 130,2 end--,S- 4 ~)--

123,21 ~~J!/ 130,4 'J:Jffff:ifftr:1:£

123,21 MES~4 130,5 ;EI -"v<_~~~A
123,22 end:~;/?#4f 130,6 µ f 8>-i;,4-
GU.ZA f::_.,_"f

123,24 dMarduk~ 130,11 MES~,(&' 12 #';!rt

123,25 a/#~ 130,13 'fftf"~ 1~

123,31 fJ!5Tti-ka su ~~/ 130,21 si-bu-ut ~~

124,8 i ~~ 19 J::<<correct 130,23 jjp:{ 24 ><J'an-me-ra

125,5 1f4Jilf 18 ta-a ~ 131,6 Jt=-,

TU>-:,= 9 ma~

125,20 ~T~ 131,13 li-ib-ka :i!/JT

17 it /4:'P,#'
125,21 p---ia 131,18 ru~ 22~~

126,9 qis*~ 11E'$~ 131,23 }.d. (not IB = }!l!t-TJ l.13)

126,14 u~ 15 ,t>-» 132,9 4 sic lO ~'Tk:J"
127,10 a~ 14 ~ 132,13 -u-ul ~ 14~
-<),;j;;'
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 VI. COLLATIONS 229

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 VI. COLLATIONS 231

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232 ALTBABYLONISCHE BRIEFE 14

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