Ber. P. 23158

Judging from the recto, which is clearly erased, the verso may be a hastily erased continuation of the recto palimpsest. Verso, line 1. The name ˀEsḥôr appears frequently in the papyrus contracts and ostraca missives, but this is the first occurrence of the name on a papyrus letter. Line 2. The א in אחיט is effaced, but compared to the א in the previous line, the stroke pattern matches. Intersecting the א is the tale of a long stroke from the previous line. Initially the ח looks like a ה, but when zoomed in, it becomes clear that the top of the left vertical is merely effaced. The word is a D-stem imperfect first common singular form of √חיט, which appears to mean the same as its Akkadian cognate ḫiāṭu “to inspect (administratively), interrogate (officially).” It appears in Ahiqar (P. 13446G i 8), with a human as the object.*1* A G-stem form of the root meaning “to watch over, inspect” with a product as its object may occur in CG no. 152 = TAD D.7.16.6. In that text, the writer claims, ואחט המו בקל “and I shall inspect them as legumes.”*2* I have chosen to read the final legible word as the proper name Ptepî, though it is not known from Elephantine. It otherwise only survives in Aramaic from the Ptolemaic period (Bodl. MS. Heb. a. S = TAD C.3.28.40, 52). Alternatively, one may read here פתפי as “my ration.” *1*All previous editions derive the Ahiqar root from יחט “to set up” and produce a difficult to understand translation. Deriving the meaning from a D-stem like that found in the contemporary Akk. produces a more comprehensible translation. *2*TAD’s readings of the characters are better than others, which are found in Lozachmeur, 304. TAD does not translate אחט.