A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

The texts record theft or misuse of state property. In O. Florence

2625, for example, a worker is apparently charged with failure to

return tools to the proper authorities in Deir el-Medina.^517

The “wrath of god,” a somewhat enigmatic term appearing sev-

eral times in Deir el-Medina texts, afflicts those confessing to per-

jury or theft.^518 It seems, for example, to denote illness or blindness

perceived as divine punishment by those guilty of sins.

8.4.1 The receiving of stolen goods was punished by mutilation and

impalement.^519

8.4.2 Abuse of authority, by taking or misappropriating exempted

persons or property of temple institutions, was regarded as the equiv-

alent of theft from the state. A good example is P. Salt 124, which

deals with Paneb using state workers for his own purposes.^520

8.4.3 The penalty in the Horemheb or Nauri Decrees for “requi-

sitioning free personnel or slaves” (probably cultivators) is two hun-

dred blows, five open wounds, and replacement of the work-days

lost.^521

8.4.4 The penalty for detention of a boat belonging to the temple

foundation or any of its agents is two hundred blows, five open

wounds, and replacement of the lost work-days.

8.4.5 The penalty for stealing an animal of the foundation is the

cutting offof the nose and ears and setting the offender as a culti-

vator on foundation land. The offender’s family also become culti-

vators or serfs.

8.4.6 The penalty for stealing goods of the foundation is the restora-

tion of goods and payment of additional penalty, at a rate of a hun-

dred to one.

(^517) Allam, Hieratische Ostraka.. ., 149–50, and Verfahrensrecht.. ., 17.
(^518) See Borghouts, “Divine Intervention...”
(^519) At least in the case of the Tomb Robberies (Lorton, “Treatment.. .,” 35).
(^520) Théodoridès, “Dénonciation.. .,” 47; Eyre, “Work.. .,” 175.
(^521) Following examples excerpted from Lorton, “Treatment.. .,” 24–27.
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