Among the documents brought to the caves on the shore of the Dead Sea during Bar Kokhba revolt was this divorce document, prepared in accord with tannaitic practice. The couple had lived at Masada.

RECTO-

On the first of Marheshvan, the year six,¹⁵⁸ at Masada, I divorce and repudiate of my own free will today, I Joseph, son of Naqsan, from [—], living at Masada, you, my wife, Miriam, daughter of Jonathan, from Hanablata, living at Masada, who have been up to this time my wife, so that you are free on your part to go and become the wife of any Jewish man that you please. And now you have from me a bill of repudiation and a writ of divorce. Now I give back the dowry, and for all ruined and damaged goods I reimburse you. So let it be determined and paid fourfold. And at any time that you say to me, I shall replace for you the document, as long as I am alive.

VERSO-

Joseph, son of Naq[san] , for himself[f].

Eliezer, [son] of Malka, witness.

Joseph, son of Malka, witness.

Eleazar, son of Hanana, witness.

157. Trans. J. A. Fitzmeyer and D. J. Harrington, A Manual of Palestinian Aramaic Texts (Rome- Biblical Institute Press, 1978), pp. 139, 141.

158. This document has been dated to either the sixth year of Provincia Arabia, 111 C.E., or to the sixth year of the Great Revolt, 71/2 C.E.