ʿApiru

ʿApiru (Ugaritic: 𐎓𐎔𐎗𐎎, romanized: ʿprm, Ancient Egyptian: 𓂝𓐰𓊪𓐰𓂋𓅱𓀀𓏪, romanized: Ꜥprw), also known in the Akkadian version Ḫabiru (sometimes written Habiru, Ḫapiru or Hapiru; Akkadian: 𒄩𒁉𒊒, ḫa-bi-ru or *ʿaperu) is a term used in 2nd-millennium BCE texts throughout the Fertile Crescent for a social status of people who were variously described as rebels, outlaws, raiders, mercenaries, bowmen, servants, slaves, and laborers. Due to the linguistic similarity between the term ʿApiru and "Hebrew," early scholars equated them with the Israelites. However, most contemporary scholars now regard the connection as indirect, suggesting that while some early Israelites may have originated from this group, they likely adopted the linguistic label in the process.