Babatha’s Loan to Her Second Husband, Judah

In the consulship of Publius Metilius Nepos for the 2nd time and Marcus Annius Libo ten days before the kalends of March, and by the compute of the new province of Arabia year twenty-second on the sixth of the month Dystros, in Maoza, Zoara district, of his own free will and consent Judah son of Eleazar also known as Khthousion, En-gedian, acknowledged to Babatha daughter of Simon, his own wife, present with her as her guardian for the purpose of this matter being Jacob son of Jesus, all of them residing here, to the effect that Judah has received from her on account of a deposit three hundred denarii of silver in coin of genuine legal tender, on condition that he have and owe them [as a debt] on deposit until such time as it may please Babatha, or anyone acting through her or for her, to request the aforesaid denarii of the deposit from the said Judah. And if Judah when so requested does not promptly repay, in accordance with the law of deposit he shall be liable to repay the deposit to her twofold in addition to damages, and he shall also be answerable to a charge of illegality in such matters, the said Babatha or anyone producing this contract on her behalf having the right of execution upon Judah and all his possessions everywhere—both those which he possesses and those which he may validly acquire in addition—in whatever manner the executor may choose to carry out the execution. In good faith the formal question was asked and it was agreed in reply that this is thus rightly done.

[2nd hand, Aramaic] Yehudah son of Elazar: I acknowledge that I have received from Babatha my wife, with the knowledge of Jacob her “lord” son of Yeshu‘a, on account of deposit, three hundred silver denarii, and I will return them to her at any time that she will wish, as is written above, with nothing withheld(?) according to the law of deposit. Yehudah son of Elazar wrote it.

[1st hand] I, Theenas son of Simon, librarius, wrote [this].

On the back, individual signatures

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Tomah son of Shim‘on, witness

? son of Yehudah, witness

Yohsef son of Ḥananiah, witness

Elazar son of ?, witness