gibêtu
51. Used in combination with or in apposition to ṣābu
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) ṣābum kalûšu gi-bé-tum ARM 26/1, 158 no. 27: 10 ARCHIBAB “the whole troop is (made up of) conscripts”. new
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) ṣāb PN gi-bé-e-tum ṣāb kīdim u neʾrārānum ittenmid ARM 26/2, 366: 8 ARCHIBAB “the troops of PN, conscripts, the troops from outside, and the reinforcements have linked up”. new
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) ṣāb PN gi-bé-e-tum ana kakkī ana panišu ittašab ARM 26/2, 363: 6 ARCHIBAB “the troops of PN, conscripts, have positioned themselves for battle against them”. new
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) warkat ṣābim anāku parsāku ša ina ṣābim gi-⸢bé-tim⸣ bēlī illakma FM 2, 206: 44 ARCHIBAB “I myself inspected the troops, so that my lord might go with the troops, the conscripts”. (= ARM 33, 154: 44). new
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) ṣābūšu gi-bé-e-tum ARM 26/2, 370: 22 ARCHIBAB “his troops, conscripts”. In broken context. new
12. Used independently
OBOB: Old Babylonian (ca. 2000–1600 BCE) — new attestation (not in AHw/CAD) gi-be*-a-tum-ma itebbēʾā Shemshara 1, 64: 60 ARCHIBAB “conscripts will set out”. Reading after Ziegler 2006, 132. new
Discussion
See Durand 1988, 94; Streck 2000, 89f.; SAD G 15. The meaning “conscripts” fits the etymology of the word (“to gather”) better than “recruits” (which implies soldiers at the beginning of their military service). The word is frequently used in combination with or in apposition to ṣābu but is not an adjective. Rather, gibêtu is a plurale tantum substantive. Its feminine gender is perhaps connected to the underlying notion of the feminine noun nišu (or a similar word).