Billet of the Anglo-Isreel Archaeological Society 2001-2002 Volumes 19-20 The Habirul ‘Apiru and ‘ibrim and the Connection with I Samuel ‘SIMCHA SHALOM BROOKS ‘he issue of the identification ofthe Hebrews” with the Habiru sa complex sube and it has been discussed for over a century, ever since the discovery of ts, expression in the Amama Letters. These letters provide rich evidence for the soci ind political history of Syria and Palestine in the fourteenth century BC. Its a sregtion inthis article to propose a new perspective on the Habivu question in iiullartis between the name Habiru and Hebrews, some scholars suggested thy these were in fac the Israelite tribes in the process of conquest. But this uggeotio Fron. on rejected because these Habiru were only mentioned inthe carrespondenes fom the King of Jerusalem and this contradicted the biblical passage inf Sermo $:6°9 stating that David conquered Jerusalem early on in his reign that isin bog 1000 Bc, However, the Habiru also appear in additional ancient Near Eastern documents Has gPecific social component, that is as a people who were forced to fice thei fomeland or hometown through desperate circumstances, suchas famine, heavy taxation, raids and prolonged wars, to seek ther livelihood elsewhere. Theae aes, iscoveries, therefore, led some scholars to reject any connection whaisercer between the Habiru and the Israelites. The Habiru appear in over 200 veteea Fast. However, asa general Western Asiatic phenomenon they ceased te ia historically speaking by the end of the second millennium ac [he Semitic root on which this expression is based may either be “br 2-9) or P.Gj2,%) depending on the correct reading ofthe consonant. If we decide te pad ins Habira, en must bea derivation from the verb “br (13.¥) = meaning vo Fase oF to trespass (For example, a border). This meaning would enforce the fice that Hlabirameansfaptve’ or immigrant If we readitas in Akkadian ‘pire then 65SIMCHA SHALOM BROOKS it derives fom the nou ‘pr (1B ¥) = mesning dus. that case “piru may have the mening of Tow (Social) tang” Isao quite posable te te homed imumigrants were regarded as bing of low sanding an Ws would phe ‘tition ast appear inthe ancient documents has bee suggested that the abr came rom a sedentary population and not from a nomadic background. Hence, they oruinted from iyo pales eer sncion Ne Eat soley utah snd bal There Were of oon wai ca who fled fom thei homeland to neighboring sates, Bt te maa of a, ‘moved in small bands, often under te leadersip of one man Hloweoee eons of whether they moved as individuals or in band, they did Toon av icone social group between the tial and the urban groyps and as sich sey here Sane "egarded ax people of low standing, a suggested sve ‘The Habirhad neither tribal terry nor Resor herds, and so often they posed 8 treat to sedentary society. Document from Marian hom lies oe Babylonia, indicate that on occasion, during the coume Of tie mineeenas tighten centuries xc, the Habiru served as mercenaries inthe tem Be vatious established kingdoms. Sometimes they served inthe public we pexen Seco, which gave them the opportunity torent back into fedenasy 1c would seem tecfor, ht te Habre props appeared in varus paces throughout the Westem Asiatic rpion, though they Ned nothing neceearhe ig Common wit each othe, except for their oval status. Ths, tary Ke ec thatthe Habiru phenomenon isto be explained asa process during whic sag were forced to fee from their own society and had to adapt to tow ete ng foreigners or immigrants, and tha eventually they became tentepsted eaeatt Seemphaad tat once the stats ad ben recogni, iy wes wot apparel Persecuted or extradited, but allowed to say and aisimlnte ine ey Environment, ‘At this point I should ike to tur othe main purpose ofthis paper, whichis to understand the connection between the Habiru andthe “ebrons! (ibvng he Fit Hook of Samuel, The term bri appears even tines in| Sauces have previously noted that T Samuel 131-22 i sgnfcat fs he wee understanding of tat expression, reds as fellows ‘As forthe Hebrews (rim) who had sided previously wih the Philistines and gone up into their camp, they too ured to be wit Isael under Saul and Jonathans and hen all he Israelites (sh-ysrae) who had boen hing in the hill country of Eplvain heard ‘bat the Philistines had fled, they too porsued them in the Aghiang Nadav Na‘aman (1986:279) has claimed that this passage relates to two. separate {groups who joined the batt on the side of the victor; the Hebrews who served in {he camp of ie Philistines and the Israelites who hid themselves in Mount Ephaitn (Samuel 13:6) In that story two groups (Hebrews and Israelites) are clearly Slistinguished, making it clear thatthe difference was not merely a literary device inthe text 66 ‘TRE HABIRUI ‘APIRU AND “IBRIMY AND THE CONNECTION WITH 1 SAMUEL jn other references the name ‘Hebrews’ is used by the Philistines, tha i in the conan and 9: 13:3 and 18; 14:1; 29:3. The text deliberately empresa Ee gamfempt tha the Pilstines had forthe uprooted Hebrews whe mere ee inecot thee .2ete clearly looked down upon as an inferior group. In any coos, srr ofthe cases where this tem was applied, the reference wie dicted eee, the Isiacites who were the rivals ofthe Philistins Jf Soasideting the discussion ofthe abirw sofa, the application of the term to descet tes May now be explained. InI Samuel 39:3, David and hie bean sroeea by the Phtiotine as ‘Hebrews’. Indeed Na'aman correc sieges teeclary of David and his band represents the best example inal te cies root To peed io the detailed description ofthe whole Habiru process: haw Dana Tater foals ts serving in Saul’s army, marrying the king's daughter ond des Messed toe fom Saul when he sought to Kl hin. As aves, Desde saree until after Sal's death, when be was anointed bythe people at Maes ‘nd became re-integrated into Isralite society, itough Na’aman's explanation is convincing there is sll one issue which has een overlooked, We know about the story of David. but what sea ae identity of meenacbtews under David's leadership (sin I Samuel 293) and the wee ee question. yang account of the battle of Michmash? In order to answer hes erchacoloear nite set aside the textual sources, and turn tothe more een, Pre niomstcal daa from the Highlands of Palestine, where the races eveeee Pre Monarchic times, data which has not been considered belese mnie specific Israelites ot nich does shed much light on the socio-economic situatin af ne Israelites at that time, sist seer to survey published by Finklestein 1980s43-74), though forthe carnal ay Baber shal focus on only one aspect—that ofthe populagon oe tne Sseoummen aunty during the Iron 1 Period (about 1200-1000 s6} The eget of the cleat ane bee about 20,000 individuals at that ime, whereas by the enc consideration, namely that character of the family in the archaeological data as discussed by Lav {interior ofa farm house but inthe highland was actually ite seals (averaging than ature meters), and a house inthe steppe region was langer bat hone ee than 73 sate meters In both examples the group occupying he sae oe Eten larger than a nuclear family. The most interesting houses ee ae Shawellings discovered at Radda, ‘Ai and Mashash, conisting of multi-family “omPounds, made up of two or thes inividual houses in each case-The compere, orWA SHALUM BROOKS oases were either completely independent or linked to one another by a number fcommon walls. However, each house had a separate entrance vhich wes ceed {Tom the other by streets, paths or stone enclosures. Ithas been demorntrated thee Lis residential pattern denotes the presence of the patriarchal family, thes ln citation where descent and inheritance was determined according to patrilineal aan ois extra funerary expenses. Hence, itis possible, therefore that cay cosets ghattels were shared amongst the sons, while ancestral land holdings ne shou ae up but given in their entirety tothe eldest son. At the same tine ors cguld temember, thatthe multifamily household did continue to grow a: i Want through the various phases of the domestic cycle, and gradually becera overcrowded. What is apparent from this discussion is that because heads of household and iter lineage members exercised complete rights over inheritance i laniolines Jone pales within the various groups in Israel would inevitably have develoned Jong before the Monarcy. Hence, in this new economic situation, there wie og Tre cue istribution of land and an unequal accumulation of property. Therefore Treohnoctnts of the group could no longer depend merely upon famaing for tne, {iclhood, but had to adapt toa bartering system in order supply themeslvo rnc the necessities of life. Sith the further growth of population, survival in the highlands probably became srieerna tatcult There was no chance to acquire land any fonger and this meg sin Guetow of desperate young men in search of new opportunities reminds ‘sof the Habiru and might expiain how so many Hebrews came wo ome Than 68 ‘THE HARIRU‘APIRU AND ‘II AND THE CONNECTION WITH 1 SAMUEL Wan tated eee Sepia where members of David's band came from, Was stated: ‘Everyone who was in di Acknowledgements Ea yin De Sieh Daly of he Oren nse, Oxon or ished per me. tiene pti ey rons BGO eset. ln wo an Snes Cnn EB Uap Tce elias CT aie ado ote fave ee Ss etl ‘Literature in Cambridge in July 2003). & a » fceuturl Teraces and Setement Expansion inthe Higham of Caroma Coeleion Beiven the TWOP Pp{S-e6 ce het Archaeology of the Iron Age in Israel and Jordan ShethSIMCHA SHALOM BROOKS Naam. (1986, Hab and Hebrows: he Transfer af Socal Term othe Litany ire THES Asc eae wot, 91)‘ Siac nde Plan oft ‘arc lnng eg Tabb ; Stages LE. (1985). The Archaeology ofthe Family in Ancients BASOR 2601-3, 0 i | Bulletin ofthe Anglo Isael Archaeological Society 2001-2002 Volumes 19-20 Ein Gedi Water Mills GIDEON HADAS ‘The Byzantine water mill Fone any, 2998 a wate mill was investigated two-thicsof the way up the slope the se Goren the spring of Fin Ged. This mils clearly ofan se than channel bri excavating beneath the floors and exposing parts fhe channel that fed the mill, ne mills a square tvo- storied building (55 m), of which only the two rooms Sia Bou floor have survived, with walls preserved to's helgeene ne and hth one opening leading to the south room. The main water tees passes next ml fe all ofthe mil, with a sloping branch bringing the wees crowd: The mill was builtin wo sages. The suroundg vets eee on atuntation layer made of small feldstones that prot betsecn D nn b 20 m, Above it the exterior walls ofthe mill were built of ahha ig, 2), while the a