Dream Report from Elephantine

Early 5th Century BCE

Now, lo, I saw a dream and since then I am very feverish. May Iahmoliah attend to my welfare.

Now, if you wish, do not sell them. Let the children eat them. Lo, there do not remain any cucumbers.

Translated by Bezalel Porten.

Credits

Dream Report, in Bezalel Porten and Ada Yardeni, eds., Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt, trans. Bezalel Porten (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1999), D7.17, p. 169. Used with permission of Bezalel Porten.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 1.

Engage with this Source

This enigmatic letter, from the first quarter of the fifth century BCE, is addressed to a woman (perhaps the writer's wife) and reports on a dream that left the writer feverish. He gives instructions about providing food for the children. The rest of the letter is unclear and subject to very different translations.

Read more
Restricted
Some content is unavailable to non-members, please log in or sign up for free for full access.

Related Guide

Letters from Elephantine

Biblical Period

The cache of letters from the Persian-period Jewish garrison at Elephantine are a remarkable witness to social and religious life in the early diaspora.

You may also like

Legumes and Barley

The writer of this Aramaic letter provides instructions for a shipment of legumes to be exchanged for barley, noting travel on the Sabbath.

View Source

Dispatch of Food

The author of this letter from Elephantine expresses concerns over ritual purity, requiring food to be sent in sealed vessels to avoid contamination.

View Source