Abraham, Ur of Chaldees, Fertile Crescent Travel

Abraham hired an ox, Abraham leased a farm, Abraham paid part of his rent, how Abraham might have moved to Canaan. This Abraham is probably not the Biblical Abraham but from the account "books" we can understand something of his time. The Biblical Abraham had a different father and worshipped only one god.

This version is from George Barton, Archaeology and the Bible 7th edition, American Sunday-School Union. p. 344-345
Abraham Hired an Ox
  1. One ox broken to the yoke,
  2. An ox from Ibri-sin, son of Sin-imgurani,
  3. From Ibni-sin
  4. through the agency of Kishti-Nabium,
  5. son of Eteru,
  6. Abarama, son of Awel-Ishtar,
  7. for one month has hired.
  8. For one month
  9. one shekel of silver
  10. he will pay.
  11. Of it 1/2 shekel of silver
  12. from the hand of
  13. Abarama
  14. Kisti-Nabium
  15. has received.
  16. In the presence of Idin-Urash, son of Idin-Labibaal,
  17. In the presence of Awele, son of Urri-bani,
  18. in the presence of Beliyatum, scribe.
  19. Month of the mission of Ishtar (i.e., Ammizadugga's 11th year).
  20. The year of Ammizadugga, the king (built)
  21. The wall of Ammizadugga, (i.e., Ammizadugga's 11th year).
  22. Tablet of Kisti-Nabium.
This is a copy made for Kishti-Nabium, the agent. The date is 1965 B.C.

Ammizadugga was the tenth king of that first dynasty of Babylon, of which Hammurabi was the sixth

Abraham Leased a Farm
  1. To the patrician
  2. speak,
  3. Saying, Gimil-Marduk (wishes that)
  4. Shamash and Marduk may give thee health!
  5. Mayest thou have peace, mayest thou have health!
  6. May the god who protects thee thy head in luck
  7. Hold!
  8. (To enquire) concerning thy health I am sending.
  9. May thy welfare before Shamash and Marduk
  10. be eternal!
  11. Concerning the 400 shars of land, the field of Sin-idinam,
  12. Which to Abamrama
  13. To lease, thou hast sent;
  14. The land-steward (?) the scribe
  15. Appeared and
  16. On behalf of Sin-idinam
  17. I took that up.
  18. The 400 shars of land to Abamrama
  19. as thou hast directed
  20. I have leased.
  21. Concerning thy dispatches I shall not be negligent.

Abraham Paid His Rent
  1. 1 Shekel of silver
  2. of the rent (?) of his field,
  3. for the year Ammizadugga, the king,
  4. a lordly, splendid statu (set up),
  5. brought
  6. Abamrama,
  7. received
  8. Sin-idinam
  9. and Iddatum
  10. Month Siman, 28th day,
  11. The year Ammizadugga, the king,
  12. a lordly, splendid statu (set up)

This was Amizadugga's 13th year. Abraham is reported as paying part of his rent two years after he hired an ox.

Travel between Babylonia and Palestine

  1. A wagon
  2. from Mannum-balum-Shamash,
  3. son of Shelibia,
  4. Khabilkinum,
  5. son of Appani[bi],
  6. on a lease
  7. for 1 year
  8. has hired.
  9. As a yearly rental
  10. 2/3 of a shekel of silver
  11. he will pay.
  12. As the first of the rent
  13. 1/6 of a shekel of silver
  14. he has received.
  15. Unto the land of Kittim
  16. he shall not drive it.
  17. In the presence of Ibku-Adad,
  18. Son of Abiatum;
  19. in the presence of Ilukasha,
  20. son of Arad-ilishu;
  21. in the presence of ilishu....
  22. Month Ululu, day 25,
  23. the year the king Erech from the flood
  24. of the river as a frienc protected.

This tablet is dated to the time of the migration of Abraham. Kittim is used in Jeremiah 2:10 and Ezekiel 27:6 of the coast lands of the Mediterranean. The contract protects the owner's wagon from being driven the long, scenic route along the coast. This was like a mileage limit on renting a U-Haul for a time period.

 
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