Is there any reason why the Israelis—who were slaves, after all—were even confronted with the general forgiveness of debts in Babylon? This could indicate that "slavery" wasn't as serious as is commonly claimed. Perhaps the exodus from Palestine was even voluntary, since it offered the opportunity to settle Mesopotamia and even live better than was possible in the bone-dry desert of Palestine. I'm thinking of Catherine the Great's offer to the Germans: land and livelihood if they would come to Russia—which was then happily accepted...
And by the way: the usual treatment of slaves was of that kind, that nobody could reproduce. For that reason there are almost no black people in Arabia.
Great question, Renée! I'm aware of NO evidence that contradicts the biblical account of the Babylonian Captivity, in which the departure from Palestine was anything but voluntary.
But I can point you toward the Al-Yahudu Tablets, which are cuneiform records dating back to the relevant period. These administrative and legal texts describe Judeans engaged in various professions (farmers, artisans, traders), holding property, and even serving in the Babylonian administration.
As you've observed, chattel slaves would hardly have the occasion to familiarize themselves with local commercial customs. It seems beyond dispute that the Jewish captives were integrated into Babylonian society to a much greater extent than that.
The Al-Yahudu Tablets describe the period when the Jews moved to Babylon. It seems as if they were used less as slaves than as operational auxiliaries. Can this theory be supported? And how should the authenticity of the tablets be assessed?
The theory that the Jews deported to Babylon were not primarily used as slaves, but as **operational auxiliaries** can indeed be supported by the Al-Yahudu Tablets** – albeit with important nuances.
### 1. **Social Status: Not Slaves, but Dependent Settlers**
The tablets show that the Jewish deportees were **not treated as slaves** in the classical sense. They were settled in a so-called **land-for-service** system: They received land to cultivate and in return had to pay taxes and perform **labor and military service** – for example, as **archers** or in the cultivation of canals and fields.
This status is often referred to in research as **"Sšānu"** – a type of state-dependent population that was **not free, but also not enslaved**. The Jews could **acquire land**, **conclude contracts**, **arrange marriages**, and **inherit** – all documents preserved in the tablets.
### 2. **Cultural and Religious Autonomy**
The tablets demonstrate that the Jewish community in **Al-Yahudu ("City of Judah")** preserved its **cultural identity**: Names containing the element **"Yahu"** (a shortened form of Yahweh) are common, indicating a **continuing religious tradition**. The fact that they **lived together in their own settlement** also facilitated the **preservation of their traditions**.
### 3. **Authenticity of the Tablets: Controversial, but Scientifically Recognized**
The **Al-Yahudu Tablets** come from **private collections** (e.g., the Sofer Collection), meaning they were **not discovered in controlled excavations**. This makes their **provenance problematic** – they are considered **unprovenanced**. Nevertheless, leading Assyriologists such as **Laurie Pearce** and **Cornelia Wunsch** classify them as **authentic**, as their written form, content, and texture are consistent with other documented Babylonian texts.
---
### Conclusion:
The Al-Yahudu Tablets **support the thesis** that the Jewish deportees were **not used as slaves, but as colonized auxiliaries** – with **limited freedom, but also with certain rights and opportunities for integration**. Their authenticity is **scholarly accepted**, even if their **origin** is uncertain. They offer a **unique insight** into the everyday life of a Jewish exile community in the 6th-5th centuries BC – beyond the biblical depiction.
Is there any reason why the Israelis—who were slaves, after all—were even confronted with the general forgiveness of debts in Babylon? This could indicate that "slavery" wasn't as serious as is commonly claimed. Perhaps the exodus from Palestine was even voluntary, since it offered the opportunity to settle Mesopotamia and even live better than was possible in the bone-dry desert of Palestine. I'm thinking of Catherine the Great's offer to the Germans: land and livelihood if they would come to Russia—which was then happily accepted...
And by the way: the usual treatment of slaves was of that kind, that nobody could reproduce. For that reason there are almost no black people in Arabia.
Great question, Renée! I'm aware of NO evidence that contradicts the biblical account of the Babylonian Captivity, in which the departure from Palestine was anything but voluntary.
But I can point you toward the Al-Yahudu Tablets, which are cuneiform records dating back to the relevant period. These administrative and legal texts describe Judeans engaged in various professions (farmers, artisans, traders), holding property, and even serving in the Babylonian administration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Yahudu_Tablets
As you've observed, chattel slaves would hardly have the occasion to familiarize themselves with local commercial customs. It seems beyond dispute that the Jewish captives were integrated into Babylonian society to a much greater extent than that.
The Al-Yahudu Tablets describe the period when the Jews moved to Babylon. It seems as if they were used less as slaves than as operational auxiliaries. Can this theory be supported? And how should the authenticity of the tablets be assessed?
The theory that the Jews deported to Babylon were not primarily used as slaves, but as **operational auxiliaries** can indeed be supported by the Al-Yahudu Tablets** – albeit with important nuances.
### 1. **Social Status: Not Slaves, but Dependent Settlers**
The tablets show that the Jewish deportees were **not treated as slaves** in the classical sense. They were settled in a so-called **land-for-service** system: They received land to cultivate and in return had to pay taxes and perform **labor and military service** – for example, as **archers** or in the cultivation of canals and fields.
This status is often referred to in research as **"Sšānu"** – a type of state-dependent population that was **not free, but also not enslaved**. The Jews could **acquire land**, **conclude contracts**, **arrange marriages**, and **inherit** – all documents preserved in the tablets.
### 2. **Cultural and Religious Autonomy**
The tablets demonstrate that the Jewish community in **Al-Yahudu ("City of Judah")** preserved its **cultural identity**: Names containing the element **"Yahu"** (a shortened form of Yahweh) are common, indicating a **continuing religious tradition**. The fact that they **lived together in their own settlement** also facilitated the **preservation of their traditions**.
### 3. **Authenticity of the Tablets: Controversial, but Scientifically Recognized**
The **Al-Yahudu Tablets** come from **private collections** (e.g., the Sofer Collection), meaning they were **not discovered in controlled excavations**. This makes their **provenance problematic** – they are considered **unprovenanced**. Nevertheless, leading Assyriologists such as **Laurie Pearce** and **Cornelia Wunsch** classify them as **authentic**, as their written form, content, and texture are consistent with other documented Babylonian texts.
---
### Conclusion:
The Al-Yahudu Tablets **support the thesis** that the Jewish deportees were **not used as slaves, but as colonized auxiliaries** – with **limited freedom, but also with certain rights and opportunities for integration**. Their authenticity is **scholarly accepted**, even if their **origin** is uncertain. They offer a **unique insight** into the everyday life of a Jewish exile community in the 6th-5th centuries BC – beyond the biblical depiction.
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