BES20 2191

Image © OCIANA; CC BY
Siglum
BES20 2191
Transliteration
l ḥy bn ʾys¹ bn ks¹ṭ w wgd ʾs¹fr h- ʾwln f ngʿ w rʿy {ʾ}- ḍʾn f h lt s¹lm w ts²wq ʾl- ʾḫw -h f s²ʿhqm q<<>>{b}ll s¹lm
Josef Bloomfield and Ahmad Al-Jallad
Translation
By Ḥy son of ʾys¹ son of Ks¹ṭ and he found the writing of the ancients and grieved in pain; and he pastured the sheep so, O Lt, may he be secure; and he longed for his brothers so, O S²ʿhqm, may there be a safe reunion
Ahmad Al-Jallad
Language and Script
Safaitic 2

Interpretation

Commentary

The phrase ʾs¹fr h-ʾwln /ʾasfār haʾ-ʾawwalīn/ 'writing of the ancients' foreshadows the Quranic phrase, أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ /ʾasāṭīru l-ʾawwalīn/, usually translated as 'the tales of the ancients.' Note that the root s¹ṭr gives rise to verbs of writing across the ancient languages of Arabia (e.g. YBHI 1).

Ahmad Al-Jallad

Editio Princeps
OCIANA
Field Collector
BES20 team

Technique
Incised
Direction of Script
Curving boustrophedon

  • [BES20] Inscriptions recorded during the Badia Epigraphic Survey 2020 and published here
Site
Wādī Miqāṭ, Al-Mafraq Governorate, Jordan
Date Found
2020
Current Location
In situ
Subjects
Genealogy, Writing, Grieving, Pasturing, Domestic animals, Prayer, Deity, Definite article (unusual)
Updated 11 Aug, 2026 by Ahmad Al-Jallad

Cite this Site

Josef Bloomfield and Ahmad Al-Jallad and Ahmad Al-Jallad, 'BES20 2191,' ed. A. Al-Jallad and M.C.A. Macdonald, OCIANA, 11 Aug, 2026. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/46414. Accessed: 12 Aug, 2026.