Southern Palestine

Southern PalestineLetters from JoppaNo. 57 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts, by letter thus (says)Yabitiri(Abiathar?) thy servant, the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts. Seven times and seven times I bow. As thou seest I am among the faithful servants of the King my Lord. I am arraying. But if I am arraying has not he been furious? and I am arraying before the King; and he has been furious. Shall the brick (letter) hide it under deceptions? But I will not conceal under deep sayings (emiki) to the King my Lord. And the King my Lord shall askYankhamuhisPaka. Lo! I am a warrior, and I am casting down the rebellion, O King my Lord, and I am sending out from the pass belonging to the King my Lord. And let the King my Lord ask hisPaka(‘head man’). Lo! I am defending the pass (or great gate) of the city of'Azati(Gaza) and the passage of the city ofYapu(Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo! now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck and I will bear it.”71 B. M.—The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is broken, but readsMus...ni.“I hear the messages of the King my Lord which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (Ka), and (it is)‘Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are with thee.’Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me, and the King my Lord learns of his servant. NowBiiathe son of the womanGulata303was my[pg 253]... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go down from the cityYapu(Joppa), and to be the defenders of the messengers returning to the King my Lord; and nowBiiais the son ofGulata, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me,‘Make him leave thy city, on the appearance ofBiia.’He also indeed is made to leave; and both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till they reach the place.”Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but the“border before (east of) Japho”is noticed in the later topographical charter (Josh. xix. 46).Letters from Ascalon129 B.—“To the Great King my LordDagantacala304thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now beholdDagantacalais thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me,‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’305I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation fromDagantacala, and continues:“Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”118 B.—FromYadayaofAscalon, a captain of the horse of the“King—the Sun from Heaven.”The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues:“Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished[pg 254]greatly the King'sPaka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to thePakaof the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”119 B.—From the sameYadaya, chief of the city ofAscalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues:“The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations.“Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”122 B.—FromYadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to hisPaka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of thePakaof the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”54 B. M.—From the sameYadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”53 B. M.—The same salutation fromYadaya, captain of horse and“dust of the King's feet.”“Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry[pg 255]weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”52 B. M. is very similar to54 B. M.Yadiawatches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)306and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and Ascalon was lost before 1360b.c.Letters from MakkedahThese letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from Megiddo, but the topography (111 B.and72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (nowEl Mughâr); in addition to which Megiddo appears asMakdaniin the letter from Accho (95 B.).113 B.—“To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says)Biridia faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now they guard the city ofMakidah, the chief city of the King my Lord.”The text is broken, but seems to read probably“without rest, and is set right ... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).307The King is my Lord for his land.”114 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia, Chief of the cityMakidda, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they have gathered, and I (too) to fight.”[pg 256]115 B.—Biridiasends the usual salutation without mentioning his city. The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows:“Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) have gone down (or away)Labayamakes war against me and (without cause?) coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has been closed through the appearance ofLabaya. Behold learn this, and there are no men of the Egyptian soldiers with us. So now it is desired to see them sent into the city ofMagiid(da) and let the King see accordingly whether (it is to be) done. Let notLabayaseize the city. If there is no word the city will open its gates. (For two years?) he rebels; and will not the King grant this also—chiefs of his guard as defenders of his chief city. Let not Labaya take her, though those who have fled fromLabayahave failed in this. Moreover those who disgraced the cityMa... are slain.”112 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun thusLabayathy servant, and the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I have heard the message which the King sent to me; and who am I? and the King will afflict his country before me. (I swear?) I am myself a faithful servant, and I have not sinned, and I have not murmured at my tribute, and I have not murmured at the wishes of my friends (or subjects). Lo! this province my destroyers eat up, and I have had no food. The King my Lord (says) it is my fault. Once more he makes it my fault. Lo! I strive with the city Gezer (Gazri)308and I complain of the young men. The King one hears will march. I restrained the band ofMilciluand my band desirous to fight. The quarrel ofMilciluagainst me is relinquished; as toBen Zachariahthe King has sent not to attack. Lo!Ben Zachariahwith men of blood was known to us to march, and I marched, and we are conquering him. He gives upAbukasu. Once more he has made peace. The King has sent to my band (saying)‘I order peace.’I am desirous of peace, since the King has sent to me. Stay thy sword, ponder in thy heart, and is the peace hollow. Nay, the King's messages have been done.”59 B. M.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun and my God[pg 257]thusYasdataa faithful servant to the King, and (he is) dust of the King's feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and Sun and my God seven times and seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! all whatsoever things the King my Lord judges for his servant ... him ... the chiefs of the city ofTabu309have slain a hundred of my oxen, and they have wasted me. And withBiridiaI have caused (men) to go forth. Let the King my Lord know this as to his servant.”This letter shows that the writer lived nearBiridia, who was attacked byLabaya, and that the Hebron hills were inhabited by marauders.72 B. M.—“Lo! a letter as to destruction of my brethren because of what the Gods of the King our Lord have done. And the people ofLabayaare conquered; and so we have orderedKhaia310that this be borne by him to the King our Lord. And a (company?) of my horse was placed, and the people are sent out after him, and he rides withYasdataalso till I come. And he is gone away to smite him, and nowYasdatais thy servant, and he strives mightily with me in battle array, and has not he ... the rule of the King my Lord, and let there be ... to the King my Lord ... andZuratais stopping the way ofLabayafrom the cityMakidda. And he asked me to gather ships—my fleet, and it will go straight to inform the King; andZuratamarches on him and hinders him; from the city of'Ananawhich is his.Zuratais damming the marshes. They have contrived a stoppage of the head (waters) from his drinking. Behold what thus I have done for the King my Lord. Lo! possession is possible for me, but it is difficult. My brethren (have become few?) butZuratadelaysLabaya, andZuratahindersAddumemurfrom them. And does not the King my Lord know this?”This letter (confirmed by154 B.) shows that a town near the sea, not like Megiddo, inland, is intended. Labaya had apparently taken Makkedah from Biridia, who had been afraid of it (115 B.). The writer of the present letter was probably Biridia and he was perhaps blockading the province by sea on the west, while Yasdata, who was on the east (which agrees[pg 258]with59 B. M.), blocked up the stream near 'Anana. This site would be the Enam of the Bible (Josh. xv. 34), which is thus fixed at the ruin ofKefr 'Ain, by the numerous head springs which feed the riverRubîn, which passes close to Makkedah on the south. The marshes here between the hills would easily be dammed, and the water supply of Makkedah (el Mughâr) so cut off. Makkedah is close to the only stream of perennial water south of Joppa, and stands high on a cliff, not far from the sea. It is in the centre of the province, the boundaries of which Labaya's sons describe (154 B.).149 B.—“(To the) King my Lord thus (says)Addu(urbilu) thy servant at the feet of my Lord I bow—to the King my Lord. And know thou, behold I have raised my ... what I desire as toMilcilu. Lo! my chiefs are going against his servants. As toTakanua chief will march out to subject his servants for me.311And I have requited to this slave what they did to us.”The letter then becomes broken, but refers to Milcilu, who was the King of Gezer. Takanu (or Tagi) is mentioned again in connection withGivti(B. 199).61 B. M.—“To the King (my master?) by letter thus (says)Labayathy servant. I bow at the feet of the King my Lord. Lo! a message as to me. Strong were the chiefs who have taken the city. As when a snake coils round one, the chiefs, by fighting, have taken the city. They hurt the innocent, and outrage the orphan. The chief man is with me. They have taken the city (and he receives sustenance?). My destroyers exult in the face of the King my Lord. He is left like the ant whose home is destroyed. You (will be displeased?), but I have extended to the hand of her chief that which is asked of him: like me he is ruined and unfortunate; and this same taking of my city had been stopped if you had spoken against it. This wickedness (or foolishness) you caused, and thou hast destroyed thy city. They have desired to throttle (or persecute) us—the chiefs who have taken the city from him. It is the city of my fathers also (that) they persecute.”154 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Addurbiluthy servant, at the feet of the King my Lord seven[pg 259]times and seven times I bow. The King my Lord will know the hate which is desired by the son of the sinful chief who hated me—the second son ofLabaya. His face is estranged. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. He has plotted as plotted (against me?) the chief who was his father; and the King my Lord shall know it. Lo! he has built a fort ... against me. The second son ofLabaya(says)‘Why has a vain papyrus312taken from us the lowlands of theGitties?... thy Lord, O city of those who besieged the chief our father.’As I am saying speaks to us the second son ofLabaya. He has made war for me with the chiefs of the Land ofGina(causing a chief our friend to be slain?). And when (there was) a battle he has not been confounded, and the fight was great, but he has made it his dwelling, bereaving me in the sight of the King my Lord: for he has made war in ... ofGina(with?) the servants of the King my Lord. And truly alone of the chiefs exceeding strong (is)Biruyapiza.313(And thou shalt hear?) what is said as to him.”The text becomes broken, but still refers to the doings of the second son ofLabaya, and continues with an important passage on the back of the tablet:“And as I say speaks to us the second son ofLabayawho is making war.‘As to our possessions from the King thy Lord, lo! this is the boundary: over against the city ofSunasuand over against the cityBurkuand over against the cityKharabu. And behold the boundary of the dwelling of my race. So it was defined by our Lord; and it includes the city ofGitiRimuna (Gath Rimmon). And the King thy Lord is (breaking the bond of our...?).’And I answered him. It is known that he deprives me of it in sight of the King my Lord. Because of his making wars with the King my Lord—my King my Lord—I and my brethren have gone down as you heard of us by me. And did not the messenger ofMilciluspeak to him before the face of the second son ofLabaya?It was made complete. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. They disturb a peaceful region, and in vain I repeat the letter about me. The guard of my Lord ...[pg 260]to go down, and the King my Lord shall hear what the message says.”This letter settles the site of Gath Rimmon (the full name of Gath, so called as standing on a height)—nowTell es Sâfi. The land ofGinawas near the presentUmm Jîna—probably Engannim of Judah (Josh. xv. 34)—in the low hills about six miles to the northeast. Sunasu isSanasin, a ruin in the hills east of the Valley of Elah. Burka isBurkah, in the plain northeast of Ashdod. Kharabu isel Khurab, a village east of Jaffa, and just north of the Valley of Jaffa. Gath stood over the Valley of Elah, and Burka close to the same. The province extended from the hills of Hebron to the sea, and from the Valley of Elah to the Valley of Jaffa; and just in the middle of this province was Makkedah.111 B., a fragment of a letter fromBiridia. He is a faithful servant, and sends the usual salutation. He has heard of (peace?), and he is marching. The son ofLabayais noticed, and there is a reference to gold. Biridia has already appeared as one of the enemies of Labaya.73 B. M.—This seems to come from the same region on account of its topography. The letter is injured at the top, and probably not addressed to the King himself.“I say the dog is marching ... from their ravages against me. Now behold from (being loosed?) ... from the wastings against ... Lo! consider thou thyself my chief cities. Mighty against me ... he has made ... to the cityMacdalim.314And soldiers of the cityCuuzbe315have destroyed east of me. And now there is no commander to lead me forth from their hands. Moreover,Abbikha(orAbbinebo) smites my western region. They have sinned against me and all the passes he marches against ...Abbikha...”[pg 261]Letters from Gezer63 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Milcilithy servant the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I hear what the King my Lord has sent to me, and the King my Lord despatches Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to his servants, and the King my Lord despatches (them) to dwell as guards. It is apportioned for my honor.”108 B., with the same salutation, is broken. It appears to refer to despatching six females, five chiefs, sons of ... and five trusty chiefs led to the King.316109 B.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“The message of the King my Lord my God my Sun to me being brought, now his command they have done for the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven; and truly the King my Lord my God my Sun knows, that peaceful is the land of the King my Lord which is with me.”110 B.—Begins with the same salutation, and continues:“The King my Lord shall know. Behold mighty is the war against me, and againstSuārdatā;317but the King my Lord shall pluck his land from the hands of men of blood. Since there are none, the King my Lord shall despatch chariots to march to us ... you will restrain our slaves for us ...Yankhamuhis servant...”This may refer to the submission of Gezer to the Hebrews mentioned in a letter from Jerusalem (B. 103).62 B. M.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“Know O King my Lord the demands made to me byYankhamusince my going forth from before the King my Lord. Lo! he ... let him take from my hands. And they say to me (give us?) thy wife and thy sons. And does the King know this? And does the King my Lord demand despatch of chariots, and that I shall go to his presence? Nay! Let it be brought to nothing by thee.”70 B. M., if not from Gezer, must come from near that town. It is written byTakanu, who is mentioned in connection with[pg 262]Milcilu (149 B.) in a letter from near Makkedah, which was the next great town to Gezer on the south.“To the King my Lord thus (says)Takanu318thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Lo! I am the King's servant, and the guard of the whole of my roads was in the hands of my people, but they are now without refuge: they have not come up to guard my roads for the King my Lord; and ask the chiefs thyTarkas,319if they are not now without refuge for my people. Moreover, behold us. My eyes are toward thee when I beseech the God of heaven: for we are cast from the land, and have been needy. We have lacked at thy hand, and behold this now, the guard that guards my roads is in the hands of a chief who hates me because of the King my Lord, and the King my Lord shall instruct; behold send down a host and it shall watch.”Though the date is doubtful, within limits, this letter probably refers to the departure of the Egyptian soldiers mentioned in the Jerusalem letters.155 B.—A much-damaged letter. The name of the writer is lost. He sends the usual salutation, and speaks of a letter: of transgression and sin; and mentions the cityGazri(Gezer). He speaks of the going down of the king (or casting down), and of thePaka. (See note.)50 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun, the Sun from the heavens, thus (says)Yapa'a320the chief of the city ofGazri(Gezer) thy servant, the dust of thy feet, a chief captain of thy horse. At the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun from the heavens, seven times and seven times bow indeed both this heart and this body; and whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to exceeding much. I am the King's servant, the dust of thy feet. And the King my Lord shall learn. Behold the chief of my brethren; fellows foreign to me also strive for the city ofMu(ra)'azi;321and the delivery of the[pg 263]same is the demand of men of blood; and now behold what has arisen against me, and counsel as to thy land. Let the King send to the chief who is his friend against one (who is a foe?).”49 B. M.—After the same salutation fromYapa'a, chief ofGezer, master of the horse, the letter continues:“I hear the message of the messenger of the King my Lord exceeding much. And let the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven, counsel his servant as to his land. Now strong is the chief of the men of blood against us; and send thou to destroy him O King my Lord for me; and will not the King restore from the hand of the chief of bloody ones? We are not quite made an end of by the chief of the bloody ones.”51 B. M.—With the usual salutation fromYapa'a, the letter continues:“Whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that thePauri(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letterB. 103) of the King gather a multitude; and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much.”From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops about the time when the“desert people”attackedYapa'a. That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters. That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.Letters from Jerusalem105 B.—“To the King my Lord ... thus (says)Adonizedek322thy servant ... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... BeholdMilcilu[pg 264]is not rid from the sons ofLabaya, and from the sons ofArzaya, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!MilciluandTakanuhave desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched to it. Not having desired to strive ...”The lower half of the front is here lost, and the rest is on the back.“So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me fly to the King.323TrulyBen Piru(orBen Carru) has fled his being led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city'Azati(Gaza): let him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All the King's land is rebellious.Yagu Balaamis sent, and let the King's land know from the King's scribe ... Thus saysAdonizedekthy servant ... the messages.”102 B.—“To the King my Lord is mourning thus thisAdonizedekthy servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they have (taken the fortress of Jericho324) they who have gathered against the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord. Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.325The tribe that has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to thePaka(resident) of the King my Lord,‘Why should you tremble before the chief of the'Abiri326(Hebrews) and the rulers fear[pg 265]the end? So now they must send from the presence of the King my Lord.’Behold I say that the land of the King my Lord is ruined. So now they must send to the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord know this; behold the King my Lord has placed a garrison to stop the way ... (Bel'amuorYankhamu?) ... of kings ... chiefs of the garrison ... the king as master to his land ... as to his land she has rebelled, the (lands) of the King my Lord—the whole of it.Ilimelec327cuts off all the King's land. And let one warn the King as to his land. I myself speak pleading with the King my Lord and (for once?) let the King my Lord behold the entreaties. And the wars are mighty against me, and (I am not receiving any pledge?) from the King my Lord. And let an order return from the King (my Lord). Whether will he not order chiefs for garrison? And let him be kind, and let the King my Lord regard the entreaties. This tribe behold O King my Lord has risen up. Lo thePakathey have expelled. I say the lands of the King my Lord are ruined. Dost not thou hear this same of me? They have destroyed all the rulers. There is no ruler now O King my Lord. Let the King give his countenance to the chiefs; and whether shall the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) remain at rest? They have lingered O King my Lord. The lands are failing to the King my Lord. TheHebrewchiefs plunder all the King's lands. Since the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away quitting the lands this year O King my Lord, and since there is no chief of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) there[pg 266]is ruin to the lands of the King my Lord. They have ... O King my Lord, andAdonizedek(is) dust ... messages (are asked?) of the King my Lord, there is destruction by the foe of the lands of the King my Lord.”This letter, like others, clearly indicates a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops shortly before the appearance of the Hebrews.106 B.—The salutation is broken, but is the same as before—fromAdonizedek. The text continues:“... which have done for meMilcilu, andSuardata328for the land of the King my Lord. They have hired soldiers of the city ofGezer, soldiers of the cityGivti329and soldiers of the cityKielti.330They have gone out to (or seized) the city ofRubute.331The King's land rebels to the chiefs of theHebrews, and now against this capital cityU-ru-sa-lim(Jerusalem) the city calledBeth Baalath,332a neighbor of the city of the King—has rebelled, to delay the chiefs of the city ofKielti. Let the King hear as toAdonizedek; and will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati), and shall not the King's land turn to the King? And because there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) the King's land has rebelled to the chiefs of the tribe of theHebrews. They have demanded to dwell in the same with me. They have gone out against (or seized)Milcilu... and the city.... And let the King do justice to (or purify) his land.”104 B.—The same salutation fromAdonizedek. He continues:“Lo! the King my Lord has established his law from the (rising?) of the Sun to the going down of the Sun. He is a flatterer who deceives as to me. Lo! am not I a ruler myself, a man allied to the King my Lord? Lo! I myself am a[pg 267]good chief of the King, and I have sent tribute to the King. There is no chief to join me, and my friends (or army) fail; they have been fighting for the King mightily. I remain ... in thisBeth Amilla333... from before me thirteen ... I am giving ten slaves ...Suutathe King'sPaka(resident) takes charge from before me of twenty-one slave women. Twenty chiefs who remain trusty to my handSuutahas led away to the King my Lord,334which the King advises to his country. The whole of the King's country, which is seized from me, is ruined. They have fought against me as far as the lands ofSeeri(Seir)335as far as the cityGivti Kirmil(Gibeah of Carmel?).336They have banded together against all the chiefs of the governments, and they have fought with me. Behold I, the chief of the lords (or of the Amorites), am breaking to pieces,337and the King my Lord does not regard entreaties, while they have fought against me (unceasingly?). Behold array O mighty King a fleet in the midst of the sea. Thou shalt march to our land, the land ofNahrimaand the land ofCazib, and behold these are fortresses of the King.338Thou shalt march against the chieftains of theHebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my Lord. They have destroyed all. LoTuurbazu339(is slaughtered?...): in the great pass of the city ofZiluu340they have bowed down. Behold[pg 268]Zimridiof the city ofLachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose341.... The region ofRimmon342laments: slaughter (is) in the midst ... the fort ofZiluis overthrown ... let the King take heed ... let the King give his countenance to.... Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to the land.... Since there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) in this same year destruction has destroyed the people of all the lands of the King my Lord. Do not they say to the face of the King my Lord,‘Behold the land of the King my Lord has been ruined, and all the rulers have been slain, within this same year.’Will the King not order hisPaka? And let the fleet come to me as helpers, and let them take care of the port (with the King commanding?) ... (to) the scribe of the King my Lord, (lo!)Adonizedekis his servant, at his feet (he bows). Translate the messages now to the King. I am thy ... myself.”103 B.—The salutation is much broken, but part of the name ofAdonizedekis left. It then speaks of messages, and continues:“Let him know that they have fought all the lands that have been at peace with me; and let me warn the King as to his land. Lo! the land of the city ofGezer, and the land of the city ofAscalon, and the land of the city of (Lachish?) they have given (or settled) for themselves. Corn and oil (or fruit), and all things, this race has altogether gathered. And let me warn the King as to Egyptian soldiers (pitati). Will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati) against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my Lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my Lord—since there were no Egyptian soldiers—(pitati) is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King.... Behold the land of the city ofJerusalem.343No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject[pg 269]to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire ofMilciluand the desire of the sons ofLabaya, that the chiefs of theHebrewsbe subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my Lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers.344Let the King ask hisPakas(or let one ask of the King'sPakas). Lo he is strong, very (determined?) and (men) have feared. The sinful fort (or camp) is very arrogant. They have burst forth from their pasture (or border) and ... to the land of the habitation of the people (night?).... Will not there be sent from the land (of Egypt?) ... (soldiers?): thou shalt come up with ... let the servants be defended ... to them. The tribe is pouring out ... lands from the city ofAs(calon). Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty.... Up to the province of my LordPauru345the King'sPakafor the land of the city ofJerusalemmy foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the garrison this chief has surged up. Let the King's (foe) perish by the King ... for me my foe ... revolted from me. Do not desert this ... send me a chief of garrison—aPakaof the King, despatched to this thy people. (The women?) are despatched346to the King my Lord (with) men who have been upright. Four messengers347... to go out. The chiefs of the fort (or camp) are closing the roads of the pass ... the tribe who have caused the destruction of the city ofAjalon.348Let this be known to the King my Lord. Have not I shown the people despatched a road for the King, though it is not easy?349Lo! the King my Lord has established his law in the land of the city ofJerusalemforever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city ofJerusalemmanifest? To the scribe of the King[pg 270]my Lord this lamentation thus (speaks)Adonizedekthy servant—the afflicted. Translate the messages well to the King my Lord. O, scribe of the King my Lord (I am) afflicted, greatly am I afflicted. And thou shalt perform the desire of our people before the chiefs of the land of Cush350(Casi). Truly is not there slaughter with us? Thou shalt make it ... clear to the chiefs of the land of Cush (Casi) ... midst of my land the people to take ... the King to ... seven times and seven times ... my Lord to me...”199 B. appears to be fromAdonizedek, and speaks ofJerusalem. Only the lower third of the tablet remains. The clay is different to that of the preceding, and it may have been written after the city was left.“And lo now! the city ofJerusalemwhen these went away from the land (was) faithful to the King. Lo! the city ofGazahas remained to the King. Behold the land ofHarti Cirmiel351belonging toTakanuand the men of the cityGivti,352they have bowed down, going away from the land quietly. And truly we do so (or but whether do we do so?). BeholdLabaya!353and the landSalabimi354are inhabited by theHebrewchiefs.Milciluhas sent for (tribute?)355and the fellows (say)‘Have we not indeed dwelt in (or spoiled?) this land?’They are adjudging all that they desire to the men of the city ofKeilah. And truly we are leaving the city ofJerusalem. The chiefs of the garrison have left—without an order—through the wastings of this fellow whom I fear. These march toAddasi.356He has remained in his land (or camp) in the city ofGaza... (women?) ... to the land of Egypt...”This letter was written apparently after the defeat of Ajalon,[pg 271]perhaps from Makkedah, where the kings hid in the cave. It is clear from this correspondence that when they fled, after sending away their harems, the intention was to reach Egypt. Gaza is not mentioned as taken by Joshua, and it was here that they expected to find safety.Suyardata's Letters from(Keilah?)35769 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times and seven times I bow. The message which is sent by the King my Lord the Sun from heaven (has come?). His order shall be done for the King my Lord the Sun from heaven.”67 B. M.—Is a broken letter. It appears to begin as follows:“To the King my Lord thus (says) thisSuyardatathy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times this soul and this body bow. An announcement to the King my Lord that I am causing one to make to bring all the soldiers of the King my Lord; and now thisRa358the overseer, my prince, has caused the countries of the King my Lord to be stripped. I am sending them to the King; to (inform myself?) of the King, I am sending to the King my Lord. Let him know this. Who are we ... of the King my Lord to the hands ... it is ruled. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow.”100 B.—“... to the King my Lord ... my Sun ... letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. O King (the message?) is despatched by me, as to there having been made a war. With the city ofCielti(Keilah) I am warring.359My chief city has[pg 272]gathered and has turned to me: against which has sentAdonizedekwho is greedy of silver—against the chiefs of the city ofKeilah. And they have marched on me behind (or to the west of) me. And know O King my Lord lo! he is marching—Adonizedek—to remove my city from my hands. Let the King ask if he is marching—this chief; and if there is one ox or a beast before him.360AndLabayahas deserted his faith. The weak (or the gate) he is marching against we have succored. But nowLabayais withAdonizedek. I march to a city of my brethren.... Know O King as to his servant. Order thou this my desire. And do they not gather? They have put all to shame. The news (is true?): let there be an order of the King for his servant.”107 B.—Begins with the same salutation fromSuyardata. It is much injured, but the following words are clear:“Know O King my Lord lo! his land has ... the city ofKeilah... against me, chiefs ... the ... our ruler ... and truly we ... against them; and truly we guide the friendly chiefs from the land of the King my Lord.”It seems from this that the previous letter brought assistance to the writer.68 B. M.—Perhaps earlier than the preceding; reads:“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says)Suyardatathy servant: seven and seven times this soul and this body bow. Let the King my Lord learn. I am one (put to shame?). There shall be Egyptian soldiers (pitati) despatched of the King my Lord. I am hard pressed; and consider thou me (come out to me?) and I shall be established by the King my Lord.”101 B.—With the usual salutation is fromSuyardata, and, though broken, appears to read:“It is my desire to approach, as taking refuge with the King my Lord. Who am I to regard (being seen?)? Let me approach the King my Lord with these things (articles) of silver—and the silver is pure. O King my LordYankhamu(is) thy right hand; and I am mourning for him, since, wholly having gone away, no Egyptian soldiers (bitati) will come back to me from the King my Lord. Let the King my Lord learn how thirty temples of the gods he has put to shame—he who fights against me. I am left alone. Mightily he has fought against.... Give[pg 273]me rest O King my Lord from his hand. The King my Lord shall send Egyptian soldiers (bitati). NowYankhamualso has returned to the house of the King my Lord. He shall come back—soldiers of the King my Lord with him. Mighty is he who has fought againstSuyardataand (men) fail.”The enemy must have been of another race to destroy the temples. The letter is valuable because it shows thatYankhamuwas a contemporary ofSuyardata, who was a contemporary withAdonizedek, forYankhamuwas also contemporary withAziru, who was living about twenty years after the death of Thothmes IV.Letters of the Lady Basmath137 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu,361thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of blood have sent to the city ofAjalon, and to the city ofZar'a(Zorah),362and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for the two sons ofMilcilu; and know O King my Lord this request.”138 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not I tired marching to the town ofZabuba; and because of not resting O King my Lord?”There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to reach it from her home.[pg 274]This interesting little letter, which shows she was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre, but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a refuge.Other Letters from the South of Palestine136 B.—“To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus (says)Yamirdaganthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message of the King my Lord for me.”Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that this writer was probably a Philistine.151 B.—A letter from the“Chief of the townNaziba”to say he goes with his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This place must, therefore, have been in or near the plains. It may be the Nezib of the Bible (Josh. xv. 43), nowBeit Nusîb, eight miles northwest of Hebron, close to Keilah. The chariots could easily reach this vicinity from the plain, by the broad flat highway of the Valley of Elah.55 B. M.—With the usual salutation,Ben Addu, captain of the King's horse, says:“Now they watch the land of the King my Lord exceedingly. And who am I—a dog.... He will hear the messages of the King my Lord and of theKa-pa(forPaka?) of the King my Lord. To (Sagusi Khasi?) ... thus (says)Ben Addu: I bow at thy feet. All is failing. So now those who are our friends are fleeing to the King; will not he despatch ... the road.... Now they guard the road: it is cleared for thee.”56 B. M.—The usual salutation fromBen Addu, of the city ofPitazza; continues:“Now they guard the city, and land of the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven: all that the King[pg 275]has said they watch—the allies. And the decree of the message of the King my LordBel Anapa(Baal Anubis) thePakaof the King my Lord has uttered. The King my Lord is mighty as the Sun in heaven. Whom I but a dog, and shall such a one not mind the message of the King my Lord the Sun from heaven?”153 B.—From the sameBen Addu, ofPitazza, with the usual salutation, and to the same effect as the preceding, but too broken to read.The only site which seems to be suggested by Pitazza is the important ruin ofFuteis, southeast of Gaza. It is near the road to Egypt and in the plains. The letters probably refer to arrangements for the flight of the kings of Jerusalem and Gezer, or of their wives.77 B. M.—A short broken letter bySatiya, who was apparently chief of the city (or chief town) ofEni-Saam(si), which is perhaps En-Shemesh, close to Zorah, in the Valley of Sorek, now'Ain Shems. It is the Ir-Shemesh of the Bible (Josh. xix. 41), otherwise Beth-Shemesh (Josh. xv. 10). Here, again, we find an Egyptian station in an open valley, on one of the main roads to Jerusalem.133 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) the chief ofKanuthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Thou thyself hast sent to me, to muster to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); and now I with my soldiers and with my chariots (am) in sight of the soldiers of the King my Lord, as far as the place you will march to.”This town cannot well be any of the Kanahs of Palestine, since the word would then be“Kanatu.”It is more probably the important ruinKanya, close to Rabbath of Judah, immediately west of the Valley of Elah; chariots would be possible in this vicinity.[pg 276]Letters from Uncertain Sites33 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Abd Istar(?)363the King's servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, seven times at the feet of the King my Lord, and seven more, both heart and body. And this is to show the King my Lord how mightily he fights against me, and destroys the rulers from the presence of the King my Lord; and the great King shall give orders for my defenders. Moreover, it sends messages to the King my Lord as to me, and I shall hear all the messages of the King my Lord. I will listen. Now ten women (concubines?) I am retaining.”Perhaps these were some of the ladies on their way to Egypt:“tumiki”seems to come from the root“wamak,”an Arabic root meaning“to love.”The Amorite words with an initial“vau”are nearer to Arabic than to Hebrew or Aramaic. One of the commonest is“uras,”“to desire”or“ask,”whence one of the names of Istar, the goddess of desire.34 B. M.—Is a short letter broken at the end; it merely acknowledges a message, and is fromAbd Astati. There was a deityAs, orAst, apparently of Egyptian origin.60 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thusMayaya.”The important part of this short letter is broken, but it appears to say:“Have not they devouredYankhamu... this conquest of all the lands from men of blood, and the devouring of thy land.”65 B. M.—(Sibtiaddu?) writes as a servant of the King with the usual salutation, and has heard the message.“Behold whatYankhamu(says). I am a faithful servant at the foot of the King. Let the King my Lord know it. I guard much the King's city which is with me.”147 B.—From (Khiziri?), the King's servant. He will meet the soldiers, and has received a message fromMayaabout a tax.148 B.—Ruzbanya, ofTaruna, is a servant of the King. The letter is broken. He was of old a servant of the King.150 B.—FromNurtu.... He listens to thePaka, and will fortify until the King comes to his tribe. He fills a good-sized tablet, without giving any information of interest.[pg 277]76 B. M.—Zidriyarawrites, with the usual compliments, to acknowledge a message.141 B.—Zidriyarais faithful, as of old, and a friend of the rulers, and listens to all the King's messages.140 B.—Zidriyarahears the message of the King, whose servant he is—“the Sun from among the Heavenly Gods who has spoken”—and he will not neglect the messages of the King his lord, or of thePakawho is established with him.135 B.—Apparently without a name. He is only a dog, but will march with chariots and horses to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati).130 B.—Sutarnamu, of his cityZicaruenu,364bows to the King. He asks for soldiers of garrison, as they are obstructing the district of the King's land near him. Probably the site is the present villageDhikerîn, near Gath on the south, which was the Caphar Dikerin of the Talmud (Tal. Jer.“Taanith,”iv. 8), in the region of Daroma (nowDeirân), near Ekron (see Ekha ii. 2). He asks for soldiers.131 B.—Samuaddu, of the town ofSama'una, listens to all the King's messages. PerhapsSammûnieh, an ancient and important ruin immediately east of Kirjath Jearim ('Erma), on the way to Jerusalem, by the Valley of Sorek, is the place intended.Nos. 79, 80, 81 B. M. are short and broken letters, which appear only to acknowledge messages received. No. 80 is from a certainNebo...; in No. 79 there appears to be no personal name, and in No. 81 it is destroyed.The names of these villages establish a regular chain of posts from Gaza, by Lachish, to the valleys of Sorek and Elah, which seem to have been the most eastern parts of the country in which chariots were to be found. There is no mention of chariots at Jerusalem, or at any village which was not accessible by a flat valley-road. By these posts communication was kept up, it would seem, with Jerusalem; and the messengers probably travelled by this route, avoiding Ajalon. It was by this route that Adonizedek proposed that Amenophis should come up to help him. Whether any such expedition was attempted,[pg 278]none of the letters seem to indicate. The troops had been withdrawn, and the Egyptian policy seems to have been to call out the native levies of the Amorite charioteers. Perhaps, when the five kings had been killed at Makkedah, no further steps were taken, but the lowlands remained unconquered till the time of Samuel and David. Even in Solomon's time Gezer was only received as the dower of the daughter of the Pharaoh (1 Kings ix. 16) who had burned the place and killed its Canaanite population. In Judges we read that Judah“could not drive out the inhabitants of the Shephelah (or lowlands) because they had chariots of iron”(i. 19). The coast road was still open when Dusratta was writing to his son-in-law Amenophis IV twenty years later; and all lower Galilee was, for some few years, with Philistia and Syria, reconquered by Rameses II, who, however, never entered the Judæan mountains.This concludes the sum of 176 letters from Palestine, the translation of which has occupied me for nearly two years. I have no doubt that it may be improved upon in detail; but the general results seem to be too well corroborated, by comparison of the numerous epistles, which throw light on one another, to admit of any very important changes.[pg 279]

Southern PalestineLetters from JoppaNo. 57 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts, by letter thus (says)Yabitiri(Abiathar?) thy servant, the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts. Seven times and seven times I bow. As thou seest I am among the faithful servants of the King my Lord. I am arraying. But if I am arraying has not he been furious? and I am arraying before the King; and he has been furious. Shall the brick (letter) hide it under deceptions? But I will not conceal under deep sayings (emiki) to the King my Lord. And the King my Lord shall askYankhamuhisPaka. Lo! I am a warrior, and I am casting down the rebellion, O King my Lord, and I am sending out from the pass belonging to the King my Lord. And let the King my Lord ask hisPaka(‘head man’). Lo! I am defending the pass (or great gate) of the city of'Azati(Gaza) and the passage of the city ofYapu(Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo! now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck and I will bear it.”71 B. M.—The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is broken, but readsMus...ni.“I hear the messages of the King my Lord which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (Ka), and (it is)‘Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are with thee.’Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me, and the King my Lord learns of his servant. NowBiiathe son of the womanGulata303was my[pg 253]... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go down from the cityYapu(Joppa), and to be the defenders of the messengers returning to the King my Lord; and nowBiiais the son ofGulata, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me,‘Make him leave thy city, on the appearance ofBiia.’He also indeed is made to leave; and both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till they reach the place.”Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but the“border before (east of) Japho”is noticed in the later topographical charter (Josh. xix. 46).Letters from Ascalon129 B.—“To the Great King my LordDagantacala304thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now beholdDagantacalais thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me,‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’305I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation fromDagantacala, and continues:“Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”118 B.—FromYadayaofAscalon, a captain of the horse of the“King—the Sun from Heaven.”The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues:“Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished[pg 254]greatly the King'sPaka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to thePakaof the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”119 B.—From the sameYadaya, chief of the city ofAscalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues:“The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations.“Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”122 B.—FromYadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to hisPaka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of thePakaof the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”54 B. M.—From the sameYadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”53 B. M.—The same salutation fromYadaya, captain of horse and“dust of the King's feet.”“Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry[pg 255]weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”52 B. M. is very similar to54 B. M.Yadiawatches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)306and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and Ascalon was lost before 1360b.c.Letters from MakkedahThese letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from Megiddo, but the topography (111 B.and72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (nowEl Mughâr); in addition to which Megiddo appears asMakdaniin the letter from Accho (95 B.).113 B.—“To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says)Biridia faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now they guard the city ofMakidah, the chief city of the King my Lord.”The text is broken, but seems to read probably“without rest, and is set right ... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).307The King is my Lord for his land.”114 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia, Chief of the cityMakidda, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they have gathered, and I (too) to fight.”[pg 256]115 B.—Biridiasends the usual salutation without mentioning his city. The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows:“Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) have gone down (or away)Labayamakes war against me and (without cause?) coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has been closed through the appearance ofLabaya. Behold learn this, and there are no men of the Egyptian soldiers with us. So now it is desired to see them sent into the city ofMagiid(da) and let the King see accordingly whether (it is to be) done. Let notLabayaseize the city. If there is no word the city will open its gates. (For two years?) he rebels; and will not the King grant this also—chiefs of his guard as defenders of his chief city. Let not Labaya take her, though those who have fled fromLabayahave failed in this. Moreover those who disgraced the cityMa... are slain.”112 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun thusLabayathy servant, and the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I have heard the message which the King sent to me; and who am I? and the King will afflict his country before me. (I swear?) I am myself a faithful servant, and I have not sinned, and I have not murmured at my tribute, and I have not murmured at the wishes of my friends (or subjects). Lo! this province my destroyers eat up, and I have had no food. The King my Lord (says) it is my fault. Once more he makes it my fault. Lo! I strive with the city Gezer (Gazri)308and I complain of the young men. The King one hears will march. I restrained the band ofMilciluand my band desirous to fight. The quarrel ofMilciluagainst me is relinquished; as toBen Zachariahthe King has sent not to attack. Lo!Ben Zachariahwith men of blood was known to us to march, and I marched, and we are conquering him. He gives upAbukasu. Once more he has made peace. The King has sent to my band (saying)‘I order peace.’I am desirous of peace, since the King has sent to me. Stay thy sword, ponder in thy heart, and is the peace hollow. Nay, the King's messages have been done.”59 B. M.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun and my God[pg 257]thusYasdataa faithful servant to the King, and (he is) dust of the King's feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and Sun and my God seven times and seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! all whatsoever things the King my Lord judges for his servant ... him ... the chiefs of the city ofTabu309have slain a hundred of my oxen, and they have wasted me. And withBiridiaI have caused (men) to go forth. Let the King my Lord know this as to his servant.”This letter shows that the writer lived nearBiridia, who was attacked byLabaya, and that the Hebron hills were inhabited by marauders.72 B. M.—“Lo! a letter as to destruction of my brethren because of what the Gods of the King our Lord have done. And the people ofLabayaare conquered; and so we have orderedKhaia310that this be borne by him to the King our Lord. And a (company?) of my horse was placed, and the people are sent out after him, and he rides withYasdataalso till I come. And he is gone away to smite him, and nowYasdatais thy servant, and he strives mightily with me in battle array, and has not he ... the rule of the King my Lord, and let there be ... to the King my Lord ... andZuratais stopping the way ofLabayafrom the cityMakidda. And he asked me to gather ships—my fleet, and it will go straight to inform the King; andZuratamarches on him and hinders him; from the city of'Ananawhich is his.Zuratais damming the marshes. They have contrived a stoppage of the head (waters) from his drinking. Behold what thus I have done for the King my Lord. Lo! possession is possible for me, but it is difficult. My brethren (have become few?) butZuratadelaysLabaya, andZuratahindersAddumemurfrom them. And does not the King my Lord know this?”This letter (confirmed by154 B.) shows that a town near the sea, not like Megiddo, inland, is intended. Labaya had apparently taken Makkedah from Biridia, who had been afraid of it (115 B.). The writer of the present letter was probably Biridia and he was perhaps blockading the province by sea on the west, while Yasdata, who was on the east (which agrees[pg 258]with59 B. M.), blocked up the stream near 'Anana. This site would be the Enam of the Bible (Josh. xv. 34), which is thus fixed at the ruin ofKefr 'Ain, by the numerous head springs which feed the riverRubîn, which passes close to Makkedah on the south. The marshes here between the hills would easily be dammed, and the water supply of Makkedah (el Mughâr) so cut off. Makkedah is close to the only stream of perennial water south of Joppa, and stands high on a cliff, not far from the sea. It is in the centre of the province, the boundaries of which Labaya's sons describe (154 B.).149 B.—“(To the) King my Lord thus (says)Addu(urbilu) thy servant at the feet of my Lord I bow—to the King my Lord. And know thou, behold I have raised my ... what I desire as toMilcilu. Lo! my chiefs are going against his servants. As toTakanua chief will march out to subject his servants for me.311And I have requited to this slave what they did to us.”The letter then becomes broken, but refers to Milcilu, who was the King of Gezer. Takanu (or Tagi) is mentioned again in connection withGivti(B. 199).61 B. M.—“To the King (my master?) by letter thus (says)Labayathy servant. I bow at the feet of the King my Lord. Lo! a message as to me. Strong were the chiefs who have taken the city. As when a snake coils round one, the chiefs, by fighting, have taken the city. They hurt the innocent, and outrage the orphan. The chief man is with me. They have taken the city (and he receives sustenance?). My destroyers exult in the face of the King my Lord. He is left like the ant whose home is destroyed. You (will be displeased?), but I have extended to the hand of her chief that which is asked of him: like me he is ruined and unfortunate; and this same taking of my city had been stopped if you had spoken against it. This wickedness (or foolishness) you caused, and thou hast destroyed thy city. They have desired to throttle (or persecute) us—the chiefs who have taken the city from him. It is the city of my fathers also (that) they persecute.”154 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Addurbiluthy servant, at the feet of the King my Lord seven[pg 259]times and seven times I bow. The King my Lord will know the hate which is desired by the son of the sinful chief who hated me—the second son ofLabaya. His face is estranged. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. He has plotted as plotted (against me?) the chief who was his father; and the King my Lord shall know it. Lo! he has built a fort ... against me. The second son ofLabaya(says)‘Why has a vain papyrus312taken from us the lowlands of theGitties?... thy Lord, O city of those who besieged the chief our father.’As I am saying speaks to us the second son ofLabaya. He has made war for me with the chiefs of the Land ofGina(causing a chief our friend to be slain?). And when (there was) a battle he has not been confounded, and the fight was great, but he has made it his dwelling, bereaving me in the sight of the King my Lord: for he has made war in ... ofGina(with?) the servants of the King my Lord. And truly alone of the chiefs exceeding strong (is)Biruyapiza.313(And thou shalt hear?) what is said as to him.”The text becomes broken, but still refers to the doings of the second son ofLabaya, and continues with an important passage on the back of the tablet:“And as I say speaks to us the second son ofLabayawho is making war.‘As to our possessions from the King thy Lord, lo! this is the boundary: over against the city ofSunasuand over against the cityBurkuand over against the cityKharabu. And behold the boundary of the dwelling of my race. So it was defined by our Lord; and it includes the city ofGitiRimuna (Gath Rimmon). And the King thy Lord is (breaking the bond of our...?).’And I answered him. It is known that he deprives me of it in sight of the King my Lord. Because of his making wars with the King my Lord—my King my Lord—I and my brethren have gone down as you heard of us by me. And did not the messenger ofMilciluspeak to him before the face of the second son ofLabaya?It was made complete. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. They disturb a peaceful region, and in vain I repeat the letter about me. The guard of my Lord ...[pg 260]to go down, and the King my Lord shall hear what the message says.”This letter settles the site of Gath Rimmon (the full name of Gath, so called as standing on a height)—nowTell es Sâfi. The land ofGinawas near the presentUmm Jîna—probably Engannim of Judah (Josh. xv. 34)—in the low hills about six miles to the northeast. Sunasu isSanasin, a ruin in the hills east of the Valley of Elah. Burka isBurkah, in the plain northeast of Ashdod. Kharabu isel Khurab, a village east of Jaffa, and just north of the Valley of Jaffa. Gath stood over the Valley of Elah, and Burka close to the same. The province extended from the hills of Hebron to the sea, and from the Valley of Elah to the Valley of Jaffa; and just in the middle of this province was Makkedah.111 B., a fragment of a letter fromBiridia. He is a faithful servant, and sends the usual salutation. He has heard of (peace?), and he is marching. The son ofLabayais noticed, and there is a reference to gold. Biridia has already appeared as one of the enemies of Labaya.73 B. M.—This seems to come from the same region on account of its topography. The letter is injured at the top, and probably not addressed to the King himself.“I say the dog is marching ... from their ravages against me. Now behold from (being loosed?) ... from the wastings against ... Lo! consider thou thyself my chief cities. Mighty against me ... he has made ... to the cityMacdalim.314And soldiers of the cityCuuzbe315have destroyed east of me. And now there is no commander to lead me forth from their hands. Moreover,Abbikha(orAbbinebo) smites my western region. They have sinned against me and all the passes he marches against ...Abbikha...”[pg 261]Letters from Gezer63 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Milcilithy servant the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I hear what the King my Lord has sent to me, and the King my Lord despatches Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to his servants, and the King my Lord despatches (them) to dwell as guards. It is apportioned for my honor.”108 B., with the same salutation, is broken. It appears to refer to despatching six females, five chiefs, sons of ... and five trusty chiefs led to the King.316109 B.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“The message of the King my Lord my God my Sun to me being brought, now his command they have done for the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven; and truly the King my Lord my God my Sun knows, that peaceful is the land of the King my Lord which is with me.”110 B.—Begins with the same salutation, and continues:“The King my Lord shall know. Behold mighty is the war against me, and againstSuārdatā;317but the King my Lord shall pluck his land from the hands of men of blood. Since there are none, the King my Lord shall despatch chariots to march to us ... you will restrain our slaves for us ...Yankhamuhis servant...”This may refer to the submission of Gezer to the Hebrews mentioned in a letter from Jerusalem (B. 103).62 B. M.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“Know O King my Lord the demands made to me byYankhamusince my going forth from before the King my Lord. Lo! he ... let him take from my hands. And they say to me (give us?) thy wife and thy sons. And does the King know this? And does the King my Lord demand despatch of chariots, and that I shall go to his presence? Nay! Let it be brought to nothing by thee.”70 B. M., if not from Gezer, must come from near that town. It is written byTakanu, who is mentioned in connection with[pg 262]Milcilu (149 B.) in a letter from near Makkedah, which was the next great town to Gezer on the south.“To the King my Lord thus (says)Takanu318thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Lo! I am the King's servant, and the guard of the whole of my roads was in the hands of my people, but they are now without refuge: they have not come up to guard my roads for the King my Lord; and ask the chiefs thyTarkas,319if they are not now without refuge for my people. Moreover, behold us. My eyes are toward thee when I beseech the God of heaven: for we are cast from the land, and have been needy. We have lacked at thy hand, and behold this now, the guard that guards my roads is in the hands of a chief who hates me because of the King my Lord, and the King my Lord shall instruct; behold send down a host and it shall watch.”Though the date is doubtful, within limits, this letter probably refers to the departure of the Egyptian soldiers mentioned in the Jerusalem letters.155 B.—A much-damaged letter. The name of the writer is lost. He sends the usual salutation, and speaks of a letter: of transgression and sin; and mentions the cityGazri(Gezer). He speaks of the going down of the king (or casting down), and of thePaka. (See note.)50 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun, the Sun from the heavens, thus (says)Yapa'a320the chief of the city ofGazri(Gezer) thy servant, the dust of thy feet, a chief captain of thy horse. At the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun from the heavens, seven times and seven times bow indeed both this heart and this body; and whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to exceeding much. I am the King's servant, the dust of thy feet. And the King my Lord shall learn. Behold the chief of my brethren; fellows foreign to me also strive for the city ofMu(ra)'azi;321and the delivery of the[pg 263]same is the demand of men of blood; and now behold what has arisen against me, and counsel as to thy land. Let the King send to the chief who is his friend against one (who is a foe?).”49 B. M.—After the same salutation fromYapa'a, chief ofGezer, master of the horse, the letter continues:“I hear the message of the messenger of the King my Lord exceeding much. And let the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven, counsel his servant as to his land. Now strong is the chief of the men of blood against us; and send thou to destroy him O King my Lord for me; and will not the King restore from the hand of the chief of bloody ones? We are not quite made an end of by the chief of the bloody ones.”51 B. M.—With the usual salutation fromYapa'a, the letter continues:“Whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that thePauri(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letterB. 103) of the King gather a multitude; and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much.”From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops about the time when the“desert people”attackedYapa'a. That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters. That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.Letters from Jerusalem105 B.—“To the King my Lord ... thus (says)Adonizedek322thy servant ... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... BeholdMilcilu[pg 264]is not rid from the sons ofLabaya, and from the sons ofArzaya, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!MilciluandTakanuhave desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched to it. Not having desired to strive ...”The lower half of the front is here lost, and the rest is on the back.“So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me fly to the King.323TrulyBen Piru(orBen Carru) has fled his being led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city'Azati(Gaza): let him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All the King's land is rebellious.Yagu Balaamis sent, and let the King's land know from the King's scribe ... Thus saysAdonizedekthy servant ... the messages.”102 B.—“To the King my Lord is mourning thus thisAdonizedekthy servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they have (taken the fortress of Jericho324) they who have gathered against the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord. Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.325The tribe that has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to thePaka(resident) of the King my Lord,‘Why should you tremble before the chief of the'Abiri326(Hebrews) and the rulers fear[pg 265]the end? So now they must send from the presence of the King my Lord.’Behold I say that the land of the King my Lord is ruined. So now they must send to the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord know this; behold the King my Lord has placed a garrison to stop the way ... (Bel'amuorYankhamu?) ... of kings ... chiefs of the garrison ... the king as master to his land ... as to his land she has rebelled, the (lands) of the King my Lord—the whole of it.Ilimelec327cuts off all the King's land. And let one warn the King as to his land. I myself speak pleading with the King my Lord and (for once?) let the King my Lord behold the entreaties. And the wars are mighty against me, and (I am not receiving any pledge?) from the King my Lord. And let an order return from the King (my Lord). Whether will he not order chiefs for garrison? And let him be kind, and let the King my Lord regard the entreaties. This tribe behold O King my Lord has risen up. Lo thePakathey have expelled. I say the lands of the King my Lord are ruined. Dost not thou hear this same of me? They have destroyed all the rulers. There is no ruler now O King my Lord. Let the King give his countenance to the chiefs; and whether shall the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) remain at rest? They have lingered O King my Lord. The lands are failing to the King my Lord. TheHebrewchiefs plunder all the King's lands. Since the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away quitting the lands this year O King my Lord, and since there is no chief of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) there[pg 266]is ruin to the lands of the King my Lord. They have ... O King my Lord, andAdonizedek(is) dust ... messages (are asked?) of the King my Lord, there is destruction by the foe of the lands of the King my Lord.”This letter, like others, clearly indicates a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops shortly before the appearance of the Hebrews.106 B.—The salutation is broken, but is the same as before—fromAdonizedek. The text continues:“... which have done for meMilcilu, andSuardata328for the land of the King my Lord. They have hired soldiers of the city ofGezer, soldiers of the cityGivti329and soldiers of the cityKielti.330They have gone out to (or seized) the city ofRubute.331The King's land rebels to the chiefs of theHebrews, and now against this capital cityU-ru-sa-lim(Jerusalem) the city calledBeth Baalath,332a neighbor of the city of the King—has rebelled, to delay the chiefs of the city ofKielti. Let the King hear as toAdonizedek; and will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati), and shall not the King's land turn to the King? And because there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) the King's land has rebelled to the chiefs of the tribe of theHebrews. They have demanded to dwell in the same with me. They have gone out against (or seized)Milcilu... and the city.... And let the King do justice to (or purify) his land.”104 B.—The same salutation fromAdonizedek. He continues:“Lo! the King my Lord has established his law from the (rising?) of the Sun to the going down of the Sun. He is a flatterer who deceives as to me. Lo! am not I a ruler myself, a man allied to the King my Lord? Lo! I myself am a[pg 267]good chief of the King, and I have sent tribute to the King. There is no chief to join me, and my friends (or army) fail; they have been fighting for the King mightily. I remain ... in thisBeth Amilla333... from before me thirteen ... I am giving ten slaves ...Suutathe King'sPaka(resident) takes charge from before me of twenty-one slave women. Twenty chiefs who remain trusty to my handSuutahas led away to the King my Lord,334which the King advises to his country. The whole of the King's country, which is seized from me, is ruined. They have fought against me as far as the lands ofSeeri(Seir)335as far as the cityGivti Kirmil(Gibeah of Carmel?).336They have banded together against all the chiefs of the governments, and they have fought with me. Behold I, the chief of the lords (or of the Amorites), am breaking to pieces,337and the King my Lord does not regard entreaties, while they have fought against me (unceasingly?). Behold array O mighty King a fleet in the midst of the sea. Thou shalt march to our land, the land ofNahrimaand the land ofCazib, and behold these are fortresses of the King.338Thou shalt march against the chieftains of theHebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my Lord. They have destroyed all. LoTuurbazu339(is slaughtered?...): in the great pass of the city ofZiluu340they have bowed down. Behold[pg 268]Zimridiof the city ofLachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose341.... The region ofRimmon342laments: slaughter (is) in the midst ... the fort ofZiluis overthrown ... let the King take heed ... let the King give his countenance to.... Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to the land.... Since there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) in this same year destruction has destroyed the people of all the lands of the King my Lord. Do not they say to the face of the King my Lord,‘Behold the land of the King my Lord has been ruined, and all the rulers have been slain, within this same year.’Will the King not order hisPaka? And let the fleet come to me as helpers, and let them take care of the port (with the King commanding?) ... (to) the scribe of the King my Lord, (lo!)Adonizedekis his servant, at his feet (he bows). Translate the messages now to the King. I am thy ... myself.”103 B.—The salutation is much broken, but part of the name ofAdonizedekis left. It then speaks of messages, and continues:“Let him know that they have fought all the lands that have been at peace with me; and let me warn the King as to his land. Lo! the land of the city ofGezer, and the land of the city ofAscalon, and the land of the city of (Lachish?) they have given (or settled) for themselves. Corn and oil (or fruit), and all things, this race has altogether gathered. And let me warn the King as to Egyptian soldiers (pitati). Will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati) against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my Lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my Lord—since there were no Egyptian soldiers—(pitati) is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King.... Behold the land of the city ofJerusalem.343No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject[pg 269]to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire ofMilciluand the desire of the sons ofLabaya, that the chiefs of theHebrewsbe subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my Lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers.344Let the King ask hisPakas(or let one ask of the King'sPakas). Lo he is strong, very (determined?) and (men) have feared. The sinful fort (or camp) is very arrogant. They have burst forth from their pasture (or border) and ... to the land of the habitation of the people (night?).... Will not there be sent from the land (of Egypt?) ... (soldiers?): thou shalt come up with ... let the servants be defended ... to them. The tribe is pouring out ... lands from the city ofAs(calon). Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty.... Up to the province of my LordPauru345the King'sPakafor the land of the city ofJerusalemmy foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the garrison this chief has surged up. Let the King's (foe) perish by the King ... for me my foe ... revolted from me. Do not desert this ... send me a chief of garrison—aPakaof the King, despatched to this thy people. (The women?) are despatched346to the King my Lord (with) men who have been upright. Four messengers347... to go out. The chiefs of the fort (or camp) are closing the roads of the pass ... the tribe who have caused the destruction of the city ofAjalon.348Let this be known to the King my Lord. Have not I shown the people despatched a road for the King, though it is not easy?349Lo! the King my Lord has established his law in the land of the city ofJerusalemforever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city ofJerusalemmanifest? To the scribe of the King[pg 270]my Lord this lamentation thus (speaks)Adonizedekthy servant—the afflicted. Translate the messages well to the King my Lord. O, scribe of the King my Lord (I am) afflicted, greatly am I afflicted. And thou shalt perform the desire of our people before the chiefs of the land of Cush350(Casi). Truly is not there slaughter with us? Thou shalt make it ... clear to the chiefs of the land of Cush (Casi) ... midst of my land the people to take ... the King to ... seven times and seven times ... my Lord to me...”199 B. appears to be fromAdonizedek, and speaks ofJerusalem. Only the lower third of the tablet remains. The clay is different to that of the preceding, and it may have been written after the city was left.“And lo now! the city ofJerusalemwhen these went away from the land (was) faithful to the King. Lo! the city ofGazahas remained to the King. Behold the land ofHarti Cirmiel351belonging toTakanuand the men of the cityGivti,352they have bowed down, going away from the land quietly. And truly we do so (or but whether do we do so?). BeholdLabaya!353and the landSalabimi354are inhabited by theHebrewchiefs.Milciluhas sent for (tribute?)355and the fellows (say)‘Have we not indeed dwelt in (or spoiled?) this land?’They are adjudging all that they desire to the men of the city ofKeilah. And truly we are leaving the city ofJerusalem. The chiefs of the garrison have left—without an order—through the wastings of this fellow whom I fear. These march toAddasi.356He has remained in his land (or camp) in the city ofGaza... (women?) ... to the land of Egypt...”This letter was written apparently after the defeat of Ajalon,[pg 271]perhaps from Makkedah, where the kings hid in the cave. It is clear from this correspondence that when they fled, after sending away their harems, the intention was to reach Egypt. Gaza is not mentioned as taken by Joshua, and it was here that they expected to find safety.Suyardata's Letters from(Keilah?)35769 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times and seven times I bow. The message which is sent by the King my Lord the Sun from heaven (has come?). His order shall be done for the King my Lord the Sun from heaven.”67 B. M.—Is a broken letter. It appears to begin as follows:“To the King my Lord thus (says) thisSuyardatathy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times this soul and this body bow. An announcement to the King my Lord that I am causing one to make to bring all the soldiers of the King my Lord; and now thisRa358the overseer, my prince, has caused the countries of the King my Lord to be stripped. I am sending them to the King; to (inform myself?) of the King, I am sending to the King my Lord. Let him know this. Who are we ... of the King my Lord to the hands ... it is ruled. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow.”100 B.—“... to the King my Lord ... my Sun ... letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. O King (the message?) is despatched by me, as to there having been made a war. With the city ofCielti(Keilah) I am warring.359My chief city has[pg 272]gathered and has turned to me: against which has sentAdonizedekwho is greedy of silver—against the chiefs of the city ofKeilah. And they have marched on me behind (or to the west of) me. And know O King my Lord lo! he is marching—Adonizedek—to remove my city from my hands. Let the King ask if he is marching—this chief; and if there is one ox or a beast before him.360AndLabayahas deserted his faith. The weak (or the gate) he is marching against we have succored. But nowLabayais withAdonizedek. I march to a city of my brethren.... Know O King as to his servant. Order thou this my desire. And do they not gather? They have put all to shame. The news (is true?): let there be an order of the King for his servant.”107 B.—Begins with the same salutation fromSuyardata. It is much injured, but the following words are clear:“Know O King my Lord lo! his land has ... the city ofKeilah... against me, chiefs ... the ... our ruler ... and truly we ... against them; and truly we guide the friendly chiefs from the land of the King my Lord.”It seems from this that the previous letter brought assistance to the writer.68 B. M.—Perhaps earlier than the preceding; reads:“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says)Suyardatathy servant: seven and seven times this soul and this body bow. Let the King my Lord learn. I am one (put to shame?). There shall be Egyptian soldiers (pitati) despatched of the King my Lord. I am hard pressed; and consider thou me (come out to me?) and I shall be established by the King my Lord.”101 B.—With the usual salutation is fromSuyardata, and, though broken, appears to read:“It is my desire to approach, as taking refuge with the King my Lord. Who am I to regard (being seen?)? Let me approach the King my Lord with these things (articles) of silver—and the silver is pure. O King my LordYankhamu(is) thy right hand; and I am mourning for him, since, wholly having gone away, no Egyptian soldiers (bitati) will come back to me from the King my Lord. Let the King my Lord learn how thirty temples of the gods he has put to shame—he who fights against me. I am left alone. Mightily he has fought against.... Give[pg 273]me rest O King my Lord from his hand. The King my Lord shall send Egyptian soldiers (bitati). NowYankhamualso has returned to the house of the King my Lord. He shall come back—soldiers of the King my Lord with him. Mighty is he who has fought againstSuyardataand (men) fail.”The enemy must have been of another race to destroy the temples. The letter is valuable because it shows thatYankhamuwas a contemporary ofSuyardata, who was a contemporary withAdonizedek, forYankhamuwas also contemporary withAziru, who was living about twenty years after the death of Thothmes IV.Letters of the Lady Basmath137 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu,361thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of blood have sent to the city ofAjalon, and to the city ofZar'a(Zorah),362and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for the two sons ofMilcilu; and know O King my Lord this request.”138 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not I tired marching to the town ofZabuba; and because of not resting O King my Lord?”There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to reach it from her home.[pg 274]This interesting little letter, which shows she was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre, but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a refuge.Other Letters from the South of Palestine136 B.—“To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus (says)Yamirdaganthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message of the King my Lord for me.”Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that this writer was probably a Philistine.151 B.—A letter from the“Chief of the townNaziba”to say he goes with his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This place must, therefore, have been in or near the plains. It may be the Nezib of the Bible (Josh. xv. 43), nowBeit Nusîb, eight miles northwest of Hebron, close to Keilah. The chariots could easily reach this vicinity from the plain, by the broad flat highway of the Valley of Elah.55 B. M.—With the usual salutation,Ben Addu, captain of the King's horse, says:“Now they watch the land of the King my Lord exceedingly. And who am I—a dog.... He will hear the messages of the King my Lord and of theKa-pa(forPaka?) of the King my Lord. To (Sagusi Khasi?) ... thus (says)Ben Addu: I bow at thy feet. All is failing. So now those who are our friends are fleeing to the King; will not he despatch ... the road.... Now they guard the road: it is cleared for thee.”56 B. M.—The usual salutation fromBen Addu, of the city ofPitazza; continues:“Now they guard the city, and land of the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven: all that the King[pg 275]has said they watch—the allies. And the decree of the message of the King my LordBel Anapa(Baal Anubis) thePakaof the King my Lord has uttered. The King my Lord is mighty as the Sun in heaven. Whom I but a dog, and shall such a one not mind the message of the King my Lord the Sun from heaven?”153 B.—From the sameBen Addu, ofPitazza, with the usual salutation, and to the same effect as the preceding, but too broken to read.The only site which seems to be suggested by Pitazza is the important ruin ofFuteis, southeast of Gaza. It is near the road to Egypt and in the plains. The letters probably refer to arrangements for the flight of the kings of Jerusalem and Gezer, or of their wives.77 B. M.—A short broken letter bySatiya, who was apparently chief of the city (or chief town) ofEni-Saam(si), which is perhaps En-Shemesh, close to Zorah, in the Valley of Sorek, now'Ain Shems. It is the Ir-Shemesh of the Bible (Josh. xix. 41), otherwise Beth-Shemesh (Josh. xv. 10). Here, again, we find an Egyptian station in an open valley, on one of the main roads to Jerusalem.133 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) the chief ofKanuthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Thou thyself hast sent to me, to muster to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); and now I with my soldiers and with my chariots (am) in sight of the soldiers of the King my Lord, as far as the place you will march to.”This town cannot well be any of the Kanahs of Palestine, since the word would then be“Kanatu.”It is more probably the important ruinKanya, close to Rabbath of Judah, immediately west of the Valley of Elah; chariots would be possible in this vicinity.[pg 276]Letters from Uncertain Sites33 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Abd Istar(?)363the King's servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, seven times at the feet of the King my Lord, and seven more, both heart and body. And this is to show the King my Lord how mightily he fights against me, and destroys the rulers from the presence of the King my Lord; and the great King shall give orders for my defenders. Moreover, it sends messages to the King my Lord as to me, and I shall hear all the messages of the King my Lord. I will listen. Now ten women (concubines?) I am retaining.”Perhaps these were some of the ladies on their way to Egypt:“tumiki”seems to come from the root“wamak,”an Arabic root meaning“to love.”The Amorite words with an initial“vau”are nearer to Arabic than to Hebrew or Aramaic. One of the commonest is“uras,”“to desire”or“ask,”whence one of the names of Istar, the goddess of desire.34 B. M.—Is a short letter broken at the end; it merely acknowledges a message, and is fromAbd Astati. There was a deityAs, orAst, apparently of Egyptian origin.60 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thusMayaya.”The important part of this short letter is broken, but it appears to say:“Have not they devouredYankhamu... this conquest of all the lands from men of blood, and the devouring of thy land.”65 B. M.—(Sibtiaddu?) writes as a servant of the King with the usual salutation, and has heard the message.“Behold whatYankhamu(says). I am a faithful servant at the foot of the King. Let the King my Lord know it. I guard much the King's city which is with me.”147 B.—From (Khiziri?), the King's servant. He will meet the soldiers, and has received a message fromMayaabout a tax.148 B.—Ruzbanya, ofTaruna, is a servant of the King. The letter is broken. He was of old a servant of the King.150 B.—FromNurtu.... He listens to thePaka, and will fortify until the King comes to his tribe. He fills a good-sized tablet, without giving any information of interest.[pg 277]76 B. M.—Zidriyarawrites, with the usual compliments, to acknowledge a message.141 B.—Zidriyarais faithful, as of old, and a friend of the rulers, and listens to all the King's messages.140 B.—Zidriyarahears the message of the King, whose servant he is—“the Sun from among the Heavenly Gods who has spoken”—and he will not neglect the messages of the King his lord, or of thePakawho is established with him.135 B.—Apparently without a name. He is only a dog, but will march with chariots and horses to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati).130 B.—Sutarnamu, of his cityZicaruenu,364bows to the King. He asks for soldiers of garrison, as they are obstructing the district of the King's land near him. Probably the site is the present villageDhikerîn, near Gath on the south, which was the Caphar Dikerin of the Talmud (Tal. Jer.“Taanith,”iv. 8), in the region of Daroma (nowDeirân), near Ekron (see Ekha ii. 2). He asks for soldiers.131 B.—Samuaddu, of the town ofSama'una, listens to all the King's messages. PerhapsSammûnieh, an ancient and important ruin immediately east of Kirjath Jearim ('Erma), on the way to Jerusalem, by the Valley of Sorek, is the place intended.Nos. 79, 80, 81 B. M. are short and broken letters, which appear only to acknowledge messages received. No. 80 is from a certainNebo...; in No. 79 there appears to be no personal name, and in No. 81 it is destroyed.The names of these villages establish a regular chain of posts from Gaza, by Lachish, to the valleys of Sorek and Elah, which seem to have been the most eastern parts of the country in which chariots were to be found. There is no mention of chariots at Jerusalem, or at any village which was not accessible by a flat valley-road. By these posts communication was kept up, it would seem, with Jerusalem; and the messengers probably travelled by this route, avoiding Ajalon. It was by this route that Adonizedek proposed that Amenophis should come up to help him. Whether any such expedition was attempted,[pg 278]none of the letters seem to indicate. The troops had been withdrawn, and the Egyptian policy seems to have been to call out the native levies of the Amorite charioteers. Perhaps, when the five kings had been killed at Makkedah, no further steps were taken, but the lowlands remained unconquered till the time of Samuel and David. Even in Solomon's time Gezer was only received as the dower of the daughter of the Pharaoh (1 Kings ix. 16) who had burned the place and killed its Canaanite population. In Judges we read that Judah“could not drive out the inhabitants of the Shephelah (or lowlands) because they had chariots of iron”(i. 19). The coast road was still open when Dusratta was writing to his son-in-law Amenophis IV twenty years later; and all lower Galilee was, for some few years, with Philistia and Syria, reconquered by Rameses II, who, however, never entered the Judæan mountains.This concludes the sum of 176 letters from Palestine, the translation of which has occupied me for nearly two years. I have no doubt that it may be improved upon in detail; but the general results seem to be too well corroborated, by comparison of the numerous epistles, which throw light on one another, to admit of any very important changes.[pg 279]

Southern PalestineLetters from JoppaNo. 57 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts, by letter thus (says)Yabitiri(Abiathar?) thy servant, the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts. Seven times and seven times I bow. As thou seest I am among the faithful servants of the King my Lord. I am arraying. But if I am arraying has not he been furious? and I am arraying before the King; and he has been furious. Shall the brick (letter) hide it under deceptions? But I will not conceal under deep sayings (emiki) to the King my Lord. And the King my Lord shall askYankhamuhisPaka. Lo! I am a warrior, and I am casting down the rebellion, O King my Lord, and I am sending out from the pass belonging to the King my Lord. And let the King my Lord ask hisPaka(‘head man’). Lo! I am defending the pass (or great gate) of the city of'Azati(Gaza) and the passage of the city ofYapu(Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo! now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck and I will bear it.”71 B. M.—The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is broken, but readsMus...ni.“I hear the messages of the King my Lord which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (Ka), and (it is)‘Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are with thee.’Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me, and the King my Lord learns of his servant. NowBiiathe son of the womanGulata303was my[pg 253]... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go down from the cityYapu(Joppa), and to be the defenders of the messengers returning to the King my Lord; and nowBiiais the son ofGulata, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me,‘Make him leave thy city, on the appearance ofBiia.’He also indeed is made to leave; and both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till they reach the place.”Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but the“border before (east of) Japho”is noticed in the later topographical charter (Josh. xix. 46).Letters from Ascalon129 B.—“To the Great King my LordDagantacala304thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now beholdDagantacalais thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me,‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’305I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation fromDagantacala, and continues:“Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”118 B.—FromYadayaofAscalon, a captain of the horse of the“King—the Sun from Heaven.”The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues:“Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished[pg 254]greatly the King'sPaka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to thePakaof the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”119 B.—From the sameYadaya, chief of the city ofAscalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues:“The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations.“Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”122 B.—FromYadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to hisPaka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of thePakaof the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”54 B. M.—From the sameYadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”53 B. M.—The same salutation fromYadaya, captain of horse and“dust of the King's feet.”“Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry[pg 255]weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”52 B. M. is very similar to54 B. M.Yadiawatches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)306and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and Ascalon was lost before 1360b.c.Letters from MakkedahThese letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from Megiddo, but the topography (111 B.and72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (nowEl Mughâr); in addition to which Megiddo appears asMakdaniin the letter from Accho (95 B.).113 B.—“To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says)Biridia faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now they guard the city ofMakidah, the chief city of the King my Lord.”The text is broken, but seems to read probably“without rest, and is set right ... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).307The King is my Lord for his land.”114 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia, Chief of the cityMakidda, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they have gathered, and I (too) to fight.”[pg 256]115 B.—Biridiasends the usual salutation without mentioning his city. The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows:“Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) have gone down (or away)Labayamakes war against me and (without cause?) coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has been closed through the appearance ofLabaya. Behold learn this, and there are no men of the Egyptian soldiers with us. So now it is desired to see them sent into the city ofMagiid(da) and let the King see accordingly whether (it is to be) done. Let notLabayaseize the city. If there is no word the city will open its gates. (For two years?) he rebels; and will not the King grant this also—chiefs of his guard as defenders of his chief city. Let not Labaya take her, though those who have fled fromLabayahave failed in this. Moreover those who disgraced the cityMa... are slain.”112 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun thusLabayathy servant, and the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I have heard the message which the King sent to me; and who am I? and the King will afflict his country before me. (I swear?) I am myself a faithful servant, and I have not sinned, and I have not murmured at my tribute, and I have not murmured at the wishes of my friends (or subjects). Lo! this province my destroyers eat up, and I have had no food. The King my Lord (says) it is my fault. Once more he makes it my fault. Lo! I strive with the city Gezer (Gazri)308and I complain of the young men. The King one hears will march. I restrained the band ofMilciluand my band desirous to fight. The quarrel ofMilciluagainst me is relinquished; as toBen Zachariahthe King has sent not to attack. Lo!Ben Zachariahwith men of blood was known to us to march, and I marched, and we are conquering him. He gives upAbukasu. Once more he has made peace. The King has sent to my band (saying)‘I order peace.’I am desirous of peace, since the King has sent to me. Stay thy sword, ponder in thy heart, and is the peace hollow. Nay, the King's messages have been done.”59 B. M.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun and my God[pg 257]thusYasdataa faithful servant to the King, and (he is) dust of the King's feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and Sun and my God seven times and seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! all whatsoever things the King my Lord judges for his servant ... him ... the chiefs of the city ofTabu309have slain a hundred of my oxen, and they have wasted me. And withBiridiaI have caused (men) to go forth. Let the King my Lord know this as to his servant.”This letter shows that the writer lived nearBiridia, who was attacked byLabaya, and that the Hebron hills were inhabited by marauders.72 B. M.—“Lo! a letter as to destruction of my brethren because of what the Gods of the King our Lord have done. And the people ofLabayaare conquered; and so we have orderedKhaia310that this be borne by him to the King our Lord. And a (company?) of my horse was placed, and the people are sent out after him, and he rides withYasdataalso till I come. And he is gone away to smite him, and nowYasdatais thy servant, and he strives mightily with me in battle array, and has not he ... the rule of the King my Lord, and let there be ... to the King my Lord ... andZuratais stopping the way ofLabayafrom the cityMakidda. And he asked me to gather ships—my fleet, and it will go straight to inform the King; andZuratamarches on him and hinders him; from the city of'Ananawhich is his.Zuratais damming the marshes. They have contrived a stoppage of the head (waters) from his drinking. Behold what thus I have done for the King my Lord. Lo! possession is possible for me, but it is difficult. My brethren (have become few?) butZuratadelaysLabaya, andZuratahindersAddumemurfrom them. And does not the King my Lord know this?”This letter (confirmed by154 B.) shows that a town near the sea, not like Megiddo, inland, is intended. Labaya had apparently taken Makkedah from Biridia, who had been afraid of it (115 B.). The writer of the present letter was probably Biridia and he was perhaps blockading the province by sea on the west, while Yasdata, who was on the east (which agrees[pg 258]with59 B. M.), blocked up the stream near 'Anana. This site would be the Enam of the Bible (Josh. xv. 34), which is thus fixed at the ruin ofKefr 'Ain, by the numerous head springs which feed the riverRubîn, which passes close to Makkedah on the south. The marshes here between the hills would easily be dammed, and the water supply of Makkedah (el Mughâr) so cut off. Makkedah is close to the only stream of perennial water south of Joppa, and stands high on a cliff, not far from the sea. It is in the centre of the province, the boundaries of which Labaya's sons describe (154 B.).149 B.—“(To the) King my Lord thus (says)Addu(urbilu) thy servant at the feet of my Lord I bow—to the King my Lord. And know thou, behold I have raised my ... what I desire as toMilcilu. Lo! my chiefs are going against his servants. As toTakanua chief will march out to subject his servants for me.311And I have requited to this slave what they did to us.”The letter then becomes broken, but refers to Milcilu, who was the King of Gezer. Takanu (or Tagi) is mentioned again in connection withGivti(B. 199).61 B. M.—“To the King (my master?) by letter thus (says)Labayathy servant. I bow at the feet of the King my Lord. Lo! a message as to me. Strong were the chiefs who have taken the city. As when a snake coils round one, the chiefs, by fighting, have taken the city. They hurt the innocent, and outrage the orphan. The chief man is with me. They have taken the city (and he receives sustenance?). My destroyers exult in the face of the King my Lord. He is left like the ant whose home is destroyed. You (will be displeased?), but I have extended to the hand of her chief that which is asked of him: like me he is ruined and unfortunate; and this same taking of my city had been stopped if you had spoken against it. This wickedness (or foolishness) you caused, and thou hast destroyed thy city. They have desired to throttle (or persecute) us—the chiefs who have taken the city from him. It is the city of my fathers also (that) they persecute.”154 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Addurbiluthy servant, at the feet of the King my Lord seven[pg 259]times and seven times I bow. The King my Lord will know the hate which is desired by the son of the sinful chief who hated me—the second son ofLabaya. His face is estranged. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. He has plotted as plotted (against me?) the chief who was his father; and the King my Lord shall know it. Lo! he has built a fort ... against me. The second son ofLabaya(says)‘Why has a vain papyrus312taken from us the lowlands of theGitties?... thy Lord, O city of those who besieged the chief our father.’As I am saying speaks to us the second son ofLabaya. He has made war for me with the chiefs of the Land ofGina(causing a chief our friend to be slain?). And when (there was) a battle he has not been confounded, and the fight was great, but he has made it his dwelling, bereaving me in the sight of the King my Lord: for he has made war in ... ofGina(with?) the servants of the King my Lord. And truly alone of the chiefs exceeding strong (is)Biruyapiza.313(And thou shalt hear?) what is said as to him.”The text becomes broken, but still refers to the doings of the second son ofLabaya, and continues with an important passage on the back of the tablet:“And as I say speaks to us the second son ofLabayawho is making war.‘As to our possessions from the King thy Lord, lo! this is the boundary: over against the city ofSunasuand over against the cityBurkuand over against the cityKharabu. And behold the boundary of the dwelling of my race. So it was defined by our Lord; and it includes the city ofGitiRimuna (Gath Rimmon). And the King thy Lord is (breaking the bond of our...?).’And I answered him. It is known that he deprives me of it in sight of the King my Lord. Because of his making wars with the King my Lord—my King my Lord—I and my brethren have gone down as you heard of us by me. And did not the messenger ofMilciluspeak to him before the face of the second son ofLabaya?It was made complete. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. They disturb a peaceful region, and in vain I repeat the letter about me. The guard of my Lord ...[pg 260]to go down, and the King my Lord shall hear what the message says.”This letter settles the site of Gath Rimmon (the full name of Gath, so called as standing on a height)—nowTell es Sâfi. The land ofGinawas near the presentUmm Jîna—probably Engannim of Judah (Josh. xv. 34)—in the low hills about six miles to the northeast. Sunasu isSanasin, a ruin in the hills east of the Valley of Elah. Burka isBurkah, in the plain northeast of Ashdod. Kharabu isel Khurab, a village east of Jaffa, and just north of the Valley of Jaffa. Gath stood over the Valley of Elah, and Burka close to the same. The province extended from the hills of Hebron to the sea, and from the Valley of Elah to the Valley of Jaffa; and just in the middle of this province was Makkedah.111 B., a fragment of a letter fromBiridia. He is a faithful servant, and sends the usual salutation. He has heard of (peace?), and he is marching. The son ofLabayais noticed, and there is a reference to gold. Biridia has already appeared as one of the enemies of Labaya.73 B. M.—This seems to come from the same region on account of its topography. The letter is injured at the top, and probably not addressed to the King himself.“I say the dog is marching ... from their ravages against me. Now behold from (being loosed?) ... from the wastings against ... Lo! consider thou thyself my chief cities. Mighty against me ... he has made ... to the cityMacdalim.314And soldiers of the cityCuuzbe315have destroyed east of me. And now there is no commander to lead me forth from their hands. Moreover,Abbikha(orAbbinebo) smites my western region. They have sinned against me and all the passes he marches against ...Abbikha...”[pg 261]Letters from Gezer63 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Milcilithy servant the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I hear what the King my Lord has sent to me, and the King my Lord despatches Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to his servants, and the King my Lord despatches (them) to dwell as guards. It is apportioned for my honor.”108 B., with the same salutation, is broken. It appears to refer to despatching six females, five chiefs, sons of ... and five trusty chiefs led to the King.316109 B.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“The message of the King my Lord my God my Sun to me being brought, now his command they have done for the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven; and truly the King my Lord my God my Sun knows, that peaceful is the land of the King my Lord which is with me.”110 B.—Begins with the same salutation, and continues:“The King my Lord shall know. Behold mighty is the war against me, and againstSuārdatā;317but the King my Lord shall pluck his land from the hands of men of blood. Since there are none, the King my Lord shall despatch chariots to march to us ... you will restrain our slaves for us ...Yankhamuhis servant...”This may refer to the submission of Gezer to the Hebrews mentioned in a letter from Jerusalem (B. 103).62 B. M.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“Know O King my Lord the demands made to me byYankhamusince my going forth from before the King my Lord. Lo! he ... let him take from my hands. And they say to me (give us?) thy wife and thy sons. And does the King know this? And does the King my Lord demand despatch of chariots, and that I shall go to his presence? Nay! Let it be brought to nothing by thee.”70 B. M., if not from Gezer, must come from near that town. It is written byTakanu, who is mentioned in connection with[pg 262]Milcilu (149 B.) in a letter from near Makkedah, which was the next great town to Gezer on the south.“To the King my Lord thus (says)Takanu318thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Lo! I am the King's servant, and the guard of the whole of my roads was in the hands of my people, but they are now without refuge: they have not come up to guard my roads for the King my Lord; and ask the chiefs thyTarkas,319if they are not now without refuge for my people. Moreover, behold us. My eyes are toward thee when I beseech the God of heaven: for we are cast from the land, and have been needy. We have lacked at thy hand, and behold this now, the guard that guards my roads is in the hands of a chief who hates me because of the King my Lord, and the King my Lord shall instruct; behold send down a host and it shall watch.”Though the date is doubtful, within limits, this letter probably refers to the departure of the Egyptian soldiers mentioned in the Jerusalem letters.155 B.—A much-damaged letter. The name of the writer is lost. He sends the usual salutation, and speaks of a letter: of transgression and sin; and mentions the cityGazri(Gezer). He speaks of the going down of the king (or casting down), and of thePaka. (See note.)50 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun, the Sun from the heavens, thus (says)Yapa'a320the chief of the city ofGazri(Gezer) thy servant, the dust of thy feet, a chief captain of thy horse. At the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun from the heavens, seven times and seven times bow indeed both this heart and this body; and whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to exceeding much. I am the King's servant, the dust of thy feet. And the King my Lord shall learn. Behold the chief of my brethren; fellows foreign to me also strive for the city ofMu(ra)'azi;321and the delivery of the[pg 263]same is the demand of men of blood; and now behold what has arisen against me, and counsel as to thy land. Let the King send to the chief who is his friend against one (who is a foe?).”49 B. M.—After the same salutation fromYapa'a, chief ofGezer, master of the horse, the letter continues:“I hear the message of the messenger of the King my Lord exceeding much. And let the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven, counsel his servant as to his land. Now strong is the chief of the men of blood against us; and send thou to destroy him O King my Lord for me; and will not the King restore from the hand of the chief of bloody ones? We are not quite made an end of by the chief of the bloody ones.”51 B. M.—With the usual salutation fromYapa'a, the letter continues:“Whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that thePauri(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letterB. 103) of the King gather a multitude; and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much.”From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops about the time when the“desert people”attackedYapa'a. That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters. That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.Letters from Jerusalem105 B.—“To the King my Lord ... thus (says)Adonizedek322thy servant ... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... BeholdMilcilu[pg 264]is not rid from the sons ofLabaya, and from the sons ofArzaya, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!MilciluandTakanuhave desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched to it. Not having desired to strive ...”The lower half of the front is here lost, and the rest is on the back.“So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me fly to the King.323TrulyBen Piru(orBen Carru) has fled his being led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city'Azati(Gaza): let him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All the King's land is rebellious.Yagu Balaamis sent, and let the King's land know from the King's scribe ... Thus saysAdonizedekthy servant ... the messages.”102 B.—“To the King my Lord is mourning thus thisAdonizedekthy servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they have (taken the fortress of Jericho324) they who have gathered against the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord. Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.325The tribe that has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to thePaka(resident) of the King my Lord,‘Why should you tremble before the chief of the'Abiri326(Hebrews) and the rulers fear[pg 265]the end? So now they must send from the presence of the King my Lord.’Behold I say that the land of the King my Lord is ruined. So now they must send to the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord know this; behold the King my Lord has placed a garrison to stop the way ... (Bel'amuorYankhamu?) ... of kings ... chiefs of the garrison ... the king as master to his land ... as to his land she has rebelled, the (lands) of the King my Lord—the whole of it.Ilimelec327cuts off all the King's land. And let one warn the King as to his land. I myself speak pleading with the King my Lord and (for once?) let the King my Lord behold the entreaties. And the wars are mighty against me, and (I am not receiving any pledge?) from the King my Lord. And let an order return from the King (my Lord). Whether will he not order chiefs for garrison? And let him be kind, and let the King my Lord regard the entreaties. This tribe behold O King my Lord has risen up. Lo thePakathey have expelled. I say the lands of the King my Lord are ruined. Dost not thou hear this same of me? They have destroyed all the rulers. There is no ruler now O King my Lord. Let the King give his countenance to the chiefs; and whether shall the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) remain at rest? They have lingered O King my Lord. The lands are failing to the King my Lord. TheHebrewchiefs plunder all the King's lands. Since the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away quitting the lands this year O King my Lord, and since there is no chief of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) there[pg 266]is ruin to the lands of the King my Lord. They have ... O King my Lord, andAdonizedek(is) dust ... messages (are asked?) of the King my Lord, there is destruction by the foe of the lands of the King my Lord.”This letter, like others, clearly indicates a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops shortly before the appearance of the Hebrews.106 B.—The salutation is broken, but is the same as before—fromAdonizedek. The text continues:“... which have done for meMilcilu, andSuardata328for the land of the King my Lord. They have hired soldiers of the city ofGezer, soldiers of the cityGivti329and soldiers of the cityKielti.330They have gone out to (or seized) the city ofRubute.331The King's land rebels to the chiefs of theHebrews, and now against this capital cityU-ru-sa-lim(Jerusalem) the city calledBeth Baalath,332a neighbor of the city of the King—has rebelled, to delay the chiefs of the city ofKielti. Let the King hear as toAdonizedek; and will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati), and shall not the King's land turn to the King? And because there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) the King's land has rebelled to the chiefs of the tribe of theHebrews. They have demanded to dwell in the same with me. They have gone out against (or seized)Milcilu... and the city.... And let the King do justice to (or purify) his land.”104 B.—The same salutation fromAdonizedek. He continues:“Lo! the King my Lord has established his law from the (rising?) of the Sun to the going down of the Sun. He is a flatterer who deceives as to me. Lo! am not I a ruler myself, a man allied to the King my Lord? Lo! I myself am a[pg 267]good chief of the King, and I have sent tribute to the King. There is no chief to join me, and my friends (or army) fail; they have been fighting for the King mightily. I remain ... in thisBeth Amilla333... from before me thirteen ... I am giving ten slaves ...Suutathe King'sPaka(resident) takes charge from before me of twenty-one slave women. Twenty chiefs who remain trusty to my handSuutahas led away to the King my Lord,334which the King advises to his country. The whole of the King's country, which is seized from me, is ruined. They have fought against me as far as the lands ofSeeri(Seir)335as far as the cityGivti Kirmil(Gibeah of Carmel?).336They have banded together against all the chiefs of the governments, and they have fought with me. Behold I, the chief of the lords (or of the Amorites), am breaking to pieces,337and the King my Lord does not regard entreaties, while they have fought against me (unceasingly?). Behold array O mighty King a fleet in the midst of the sea. Thou shalt march to our land, the land ofNahrimaand the land ofCazib, and behold these are fortresses of the King.338Thou shalt march against the chieftains of theHebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my Lord. They have destroyed all. LoTuurbazu339(is slaughtered?...): in the great pass of the city ofZiluu340they have bowed down. Behold[pg 268]Zimridiof the city ofLachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose341.... The region ofRimmon342laments: slaughter (is) in the midst ... the fort ofZiluis overthrown ... let the King take heed ... let the King give his countenance to.... Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to the land.... Since there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) in this same year destruction has destroyed the people of all the lands of the King my Lord. Do not they say to the face of the King my Lord,‘Behold the land of the King my Lord has been ruined, and all the rulers have been slain, within this same year.’Will the King not order hisPaka? And let the fleet come to me as helpers, and let them take care of the port (with the King commanding?) ... (to) the scribe of the King my Lord, (lo!)Adonizedekis his servant, at his feet (he bows). Translate the messages now to the King. I am thy ... myself.”103 B.—The salutation is much broken, but part of the name ofAdonizedekis left. It then speaks of messages, and continues:“Let him know that they have fought all the lands that have been at peace with me; and let me warn the King as to his land. Lo! the land of the city ofGezer, and the land of the city ofAscalon, and the land of the city of (Lachish?) they have given (or settled) for themselves. Corn and oil (or fruit), and all things, this race has altogether gathered. And let me warn the King as to Egyptian soldiers (pitati). Will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati) against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my Lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my Lord—since there were no Egyptian soldiers—(pitati) is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King.... Behold the land of the city ofJerusalem.343No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject[pg 269]to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire ofMilciluand the desire of the sons ofLabaya, that the chiefs of theHebrewsbe subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my Lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers.344Let the King ask hisPakas(or let one ask of the King'sPakas). Lo he is strong, very (determined?) and (men) have feared. The sinful fort (or camp) is very arrogant. They have burst forth from their pasture (or border) and ... to the land of the habitation of the people (night?).... Will not there be sent from the land (of Egypt?) ... (soldiers?): thou shalt come up with ... let the servants be defended ... to them. The tribe is pouring out ... lands from the city ofAs(calon). Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty.... Up to the province of my LordPauru345the King'sPakafor the land of the city ofJerusalemmy foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the garrison this chief has surged up. Let the King's (foe) perish by the King ... for me my foe ... revolted from me. Do not desert this ... send me a chief of garrison—aPakaof the King, despatched to this thy people. (The women?) are despatched346to the King my Lord (with) men who have been upright. Four messengers347... to go out. The chiefs of the fort (or camp) are closing the roads of the pass ... the tribe who have caused the destruction of the city ofAjalon.348Let this be known to the King my Lord. Have not I shown the people despatched a road for the King, though it is not easy?349Lo! the King my Lord has established his law in the land of the city ofJerusalemforever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city ofJerusalemmanifest? To the scribe of the King[pg 270]my Lord this lamentation thus (speaks)Adonizedekthy servant—the afflicted. Translate the messages well to the King my Lord. O, scribe of the King my Lord (I am) afflicted, greatly am I afflicted. And thou shalt perform the desire of our people before the chiefs of the land of Cush350(Casi). Truly is not there slaughter with us? Thou shalt make it ... clear to the chiefs of the land of Cush (Casi) ... midst of my land the people to take ... the King to ... seven times and seven times ... my Lord to me...”199 B. appears to be fromAdonizedek, and speaks ofJerusalem. Only the lower third of the tablet remains. The clay is different to that of the preceding, and it may have been written after the city was left.“And lo now! the city ofJerusalemwhen these went away from the land (was) faithful to the King. Lo! the city ofGazahas remained to the King. Behold the land ofHarti Cirmiel351belonging toTakanuand the men of the cityGivti,352they have bowed down, going away from the land quietly. And truly we do so (or but whether do we do so?). BeholdLabaya!353and the landSalabimi354are inhabited by theHebrewchiefs.Milciluhas sent for (tribute?)355and the fellows (say)‘Have we not indeed dwelt in (or spoiled?) this land?’They are adjudging all that they desire to the men of the city ofKeilah. And truly we are leaving the city ofJerusalem. The chiefs of the garrison have left—without an order—through the wastings of this fellow whom I fear. These march toAddasi.356He has remained in his land (or camp) in the city ofGaza... (women?) ... to the land of Egypt...”This letter was written apparently after the defeat of Ajalon,[pg 271]perhaps from Makkedah, where the kings hid in the cave. It is clear from this correspondence that when they fled, after sending away their harems, the intention was to reach Egypt. Gaza is not mentioned as taken by Joshua, and it was here that they expected to find safety.Suyardata's Letters from(Keilah?)35769 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times and seven times I bow. The message which is sent by the King my Lord the Sun from heaven (has come?). His order shall be done for the King my Lord the Sun from heaven.”67 B. M.—Is a broken letter. It appears to begin as follows:“To the King my Lord thus (says) thisSuyardatathy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times this soul and this body bow. An announcement to the King my Lord that I am causing one to make to bring all the soldiers of the King my Lord; and now thisRa358the overseer, my prince, has caused the countries of the King my Lord to be stripped. I am sending them to the King; to (inform myself?) of the King, I am sending to the King my Lord. Let him know this. Who are we ... of the King my Lord to the hands ... it is ruled. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow.”100 B.—“... to the King my Lord ... my Sun ... letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. O King (the message?) is despatched by me, as to there having been made a war. With the city ofCielti(Keilah) I am warring.359My chief city has[pg 272]gathered and has turned to me: against which has sentAdonizedekwho is greedy of silver—against the chiefs of the city ofKeilah. And they have marched on me behind (or to the west of) me. And know O King my Lord lo! he is marching—Adonizedek—to remove my city from my hands. Let the King ask if he is marching—this chief; and if there is one ox or a beast before him.360AndLabayahas deserted his faith. The weak (or the gate) he is marching against we have succored. But nowLabayais withAdonizedek. I march to a city of my brethren.... Know O King as to his servant. Order thou this my desire. And do they not gather? They have put all to shame. The news (is true?): let there be an order of the King for his servant.”107 B.—Begins with the same salutation fromSuyardata. It is much injured, but the following words are clear:“Know O King my Lord lo! his land has ... the city ofKeilah... against me, chiefs ... the ... our ruler ... and truly we ... against them; and truly we guide the friendly chiefs from the land of the King my Lord.”It seems from this that the previous letter brought assistance to the writer.68 B. M.—Perhaps earlier than the preceding; reads:“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says)Suyardatathy servant: seven and seven times this soul and this body bow. Let the King my Lord learn. I am one (put to shame?). There shall be Egyptian soldiers (pitati) despatched of the King my Lord. I am hard pressed; and consider thou me (come out to me?) and I shall be established by the King my Lord.”101 B.—With the usual salutation is fromSuyardata, and, though broken, appears to read:“It is my desire to approach, as taking refuge with the King my Lord. Who am I to regard (being seen?)? Let me approach the King my Lord with these things (articles) of silver—and the silver is pure. O King my LordYankhamu(is) thy right hand; and I am mourning for him, since, wholly having gone away, no Egyptian soldiers (bitati) will come back to me from the King my Lord. Let the King my Lord learn how thirty temples of the gods he has put to shame—he who fights against me. I am left alone. Mightily he has fought against.... Give[pg 273]me rest O King my Lord from his hand. The King my Lord shall send Egyptian soldiers (bitati). NowYankhamualso has returned to the house of the King my Lord. He shall come back—soldiers of the King my Lord with him. Mighty is he who has fought againstSuyardataand (men) fail.”The enemy must have been of another race to destroy the temples. The letter is valuable because it shows thatYankhamuwas a contemporary ofSuyardata, who was a contemporary withAdonizedek, forYankhamuwas also contemporary withAziru, who was living about twenty years after the death of Thothmes IV.Letters of the Lady Basmath137 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu,361thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of blood have sent to the city ofAjalon, and to the city ofZar'a(Zorah),362and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for the two sons ofMilcilu; and know O King my Lord this request.”138 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not I tired marching to the town ofZabuba; and because of not resting O King my Lord?”There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to reach it from her home.[pg 274]This interesting little letter, which shows she was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre, but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a refuge.Other Letters from the South of Palestine136 B.—“To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus (says)Yamirdaganthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message of the King my Lord for me.”Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that this writer was probably a Philistine.151 B.—A letter from the“Chief of the townNaziba”to say he goes with his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This place must, therefore, have been in or near the plains. It may be the Nezib of the Bible (Josh. xv. 43), nowBeit Nusîb, eight miles northwest of Hebron, close to Keilah. The chariots could easily reach this vicinity from the plain, by the broad flat highway of the Valley of Elah.55 B. M.—With the usual salutation,Ben Addu, captain of the King's horse, says:“Now they watch the land of the King my Lord exceedingly. And who am I—a dog.... He will hear the messages of the King my Lord and of theKa-pa(forPaka?) of the King my Lord. To (Sagusi Khasi?) ... thus (says)Ben Addu: I bow at thy feet. All is failing. So now those who are our friends are fleeing to the King; will not he despatch ... the road.... Now they guard the road: it is cleared for thee.”56 B. M.—The usual salutation fromBen Addu, of the city ofPitazza; continues:“Now they guard the city, and land of the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven: all that the King[pg 275]has said they watch—the allies. And the decree of the message of the King my LordBel Anapa(Baal Anubis) thePakaof the King my Lord has uttered. The King my Lord is mighty as the Sun in heaven. Whom I but a dog, and shall such a one not mind the message of the King my Lord the Sun from heaven?”153 B.—From the sameBen Addu, ofPitazza, with the usual salutation, and to the same effect as the preceding, but too broken to read.The only site which seems to be suggested by Pitazza is the important ruin ofFuteis, southeast of Gaza. It is near the road to Egypt and in the plains. The letters probably refer to arrangements for the flight of the kings of Jerusalem and Gezer, or of their wives.77 B. M.—A short broken letter bySatiya, who was apparently chief of the city (or chief town) ofEni-Saam(si), which is perhaps En-Shemesh, close to Zorah, in the Valley of Sorek, now'Ain Shems. It is the Ir-Shemesh of the Bible (Josh. xix. 41), otherwise Beth-Shemesh (Josh. xv. 10). Here, again, we find an Egyptian station in an open valley, on one of the main roads to Jerusalem.133 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) the chief ofKanuthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Thou thyself hast sent to me, to muster to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); and now I with my soldiers and with my chariots (am) in sight of the soldiers of the King my Lord, as far as the place you will march to.”This town cannot well be any of the Kanahs of Palestine, since the word would then be“Kanatu.”It is more probably the important ruinKanya, close to Rabbath of Judah, immediately west of the Valley of Elah; chariots would be possible in this vicinity.[pg 276]Letters from Uncertain Sites33 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Abd Istar(?)363the King's servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, seven times at the feet of the King my Lord, and seven more, both heart and body. And this is to show the King my Lord how mightily he fights against me, and destroys the rulers from the presence of the King my Lord; and the great King shall give orders for my defenders. Moreover, it sends messages to the King my Lord as to me, and I shall hear all the messages of the King my Lord. I will listen. Now ten women (concubines?) I am retaining.”Perhaps these were some of the ladies on their way to Egypt:“tumiki”seems to come from the root“wamak,”an Arabic root meaning“to love.”The Amorite words with an initial“vau”are nearer to Arabic than to Hebrew or Aramaic. One of the commonest is“uras,”“to desire”or“ask,”whence one of the names of Istar, the goddess of desire.34 B. M.—Is a short letter broken at the end; it merely acknowledges a message, and is fromAbd Astati. There was a deityAs, orAst, apparently of Egyptian origin.60 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thusMayaya.”The important part of this short letter is broken, but it appears to say:“Have not they devouredYankhamu... this conquest of all the lands from men of blood, and the devouring of thy land.”65 B. M.—(Sibtiaddu?) writes as a servant of the King with the usual salutation, and has heard the message.“Behold whatYankhamu(says). I am a faithful servant at the foot of the King. Let the King my Lord know it. I guard much the King's city which is with me.”147 B.—From (Khiziri?), the King's servant. He will meet the soldiers, and has received a message fromMayaabout a tax.148 B.—Ruzbanya, ofTaruna, is a servant of the King. The letter is broken. He was of old a servant of the King.150 B.—FromNurtu.... He listens to thePaka, and will fortify until the King comes to his tribe. He fills a good-sized tablet, without giving any information of interest.[pg 277]76 B. M.—Zidriyarawrites, with the usual compliments, to acknowledge a message.141 B.—Zidriyarais faithful, as of old, and a friend of the rulers, and listens to all the King's messages.140 B.—Zidriyarahears the message of the King, whose servant he is—“the Sun from among the Heavenly Gods who has spoken”—and he will not neglect the messages of the King his lord, or of thePakawho is established with him.135 B.—Apparently without a name. He is only a dog, but will march with chariots and horses to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati).130 B.—Sutarnamu, of his cityZicaruenu,364bows to the King. He asks for soldiers of garrison, as they are obstructing the district of the King's land near him. Probably the site is the present villageDhikerîn, near Gath on the south, which was the Caphar Dikerin of the Talmud (Tal. Jer.“Taanith,”iv. 8), in the region of Daroma (nowDeirân), near Ekron (see Ekha ii. 2). He asks for soldiers.131 B.—Samuaddu, of the town ofSama'una, listens to all the King's messages. PerhapsSammûnieh, an ancient and important ruin immediately east of Kirjath Jearim ('Erma), on the way to Jerusalem, by the Valley of Sorek, is the place intended.Nos. 79, 80, 81 B. M. are short and broken letters, which appear only to acknowledge messages received. No. 80 is from a certainNebo...; in No. 79 there appears to be no personal name, and in No. 81 it is destroyed.The names of these villages establish a regular chain of posts from Gaza, by Lachish, to the valleys of Sorek and Elah, which seem to have been the most eastern parts of the country in which chariots were to be found. There is no mention of chariots at Jerusalem, or at any village which was not accessible by a flat valley-road. By these posts communication was kept up, it would seem, with Jerusalem; and the messengers probably travelled by this route, avoiding Ajalon. It was by this route that Adonizedek proposed that Amenophis should come up to help him. Whether any such expedition was attempted,[pg 278]none of the letters seem to indicate. The troops had been withdrawn, and the Egyptian policy seems to have been to call out the native levies of the Amorite charioteers. Perhaps, when the five kings had been killed at Makkedah, no further steps were taken, but the lowlands remained unconquered till the time of Samuel and David. Even in Solomon's time Gezer was only received as the dower of the daughter of the Pharaoh (1 Kings ix. 16) who had burned the place and killed its Canaanite population. In Judges we read that Judah“could not drive out the inhabitants of the Shephelah (or lowlands) because they had chariots of iron”(i. 19). The coast road was still open when Dusratta was writing to his son-in-law Amenophis IV twenty years later; and all lower Galilee was, for some few years, with Philistia and Syria, reconquered by Rameses II, who, however, never entered the Judæan mountains.This concludes the sum of 176 letters from Palestine, the translation of which has occupied me for nearly two years. I have no doubt that it may be improved upon in detail; but the general results seem to be too well corroborated, by comparison of the numerous epistles, which throw light on one another, to admit of any very important changes.[pg 279]

Southern PalestineLetters from JoppaNo. 57 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts, by letter thus (says)Yabitiri(Abiathar?) thy servant, the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts. Seven times and seven times I bow. As thou seest I am among the faithful servants of the King my Lord. I am arraying. But if I am arraying has not he been furious? and I am arraying before the King; and he has been furious. Shall the brick (letter) hide it under deceptions? But I will not conceal under deep sayings (emiki) to the King my Lord. And the King my Lord shall askYankhamuhisPaka. Lo! I am a warrior, and I am casting down the rebellion, O King my Lord, and I am sending out from the pass belonging to the King my Lord. And let the King my Lord ask hisPaka(‘head man’). Lo! I am defending the pass (or great gate) of the city of'Azati(Gaza) and the passage of the city ofYapu(Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo! now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck and I will bear it.”71 B. M.—The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is broken, but readsMus...ni.“I hear the messages of the King my Lord which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (Ka), and (it is)‘Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are with thee.’Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me, and the King my Lord learns of his servant. NowBiiathe son of the womanGulata303was my[pg 253]... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go down from the cityYapu(Joppa), and to be the defenders of the messengers returning to the King my Lord; and nowBiiais the son ofGulata, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me,‘Make him leave thy city, on the appearance ofBiia.’He also indeed is made to leave; and both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till they reach the place.”Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but the“border before (east of) Japho”is noticed in the later topographical charter (Josh. xix. 46).Letters from Ascalon129 B.—“To the Great King my LordDagantacala304thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now beholdDagantacalais thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me,‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’305I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation fromDagantacala, and continues:“Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”118 B.—FromYadayaofAscalon, a captain of the horse of the“King—the Sun from Heaven.”The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues:“Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished[pg 254]greatly the King'sPaka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to thePakaof the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”119 B.—From the sameYadaya, chief of the city ofAscalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues:“The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations.“Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”122 B.—FromYadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to hisPaka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of thePakaof the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”54 B. M.—From the sameYadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”53 B. M.—The same salutation fromYadaya, captain of horse and“dust of the King's feet.”“Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry[pg 255]weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”52 B. M. is very similar to54 B. M.Yadiawatches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)306and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and Ascalon was lost before 1360b.c.Letters from MakkedahThese letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from Megiddo, but the topography (111 B.and72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (nowEl Mughâr); in addition to which Megiddo appears asMakdaniin the letter from Accho (95 B.).113 B.—“To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says)Biridia faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now they guard the city ofMakidah, the chief city of the King my Lord.”The text is broken, but seems to read probably“without rest, and is set right ... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).307The King is my Lord for his land.”114 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia, Chief of the cityMakidda, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they have gathered, and I (too) to fight.”[pg 256]115 B.—Biridiasends the usual salutation without mentioning his city. The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows:“Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) have gone down (or away)Labayamakes war against me and (without cause?) coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has been closed through the appearance ofLabaya. Behold learn this, and there are no men of the Egyptian soldiers with us. So now it is desired to see them sent into the city ofMagiid(da) and let the King see accordingly whether (it is to be) done. Let notLabayaseize the city. If there is no word the city will open its gates. (For two years?) he rebels; and will not the King grant this also—chiefs of his guard as defenders of his chief city. Let not Labaya take her, though those who have fled fromLabayahave failed in this. Moreover those who disgraced the cityMa... are slain.”112 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun thusLabayathy servant, and the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I have heard the message which the King sent to me; and who am I? and the King will afflict his country before me. (I swear?) I am myself a faithful servant, and I have not sinned, and I have not murmured at my tribute, and I have not murmured at the wishes of my friends (or subjects). Lo! this province my destroyers eat up, and I have had no food. The King my Lord (says) it is my fault. Once more he makes it my fault. Lo! I strive with the city Gezer (Gazri)308and I complain of the young men. The King one hears will march. I restrained the band ofMilciluand my band desirous to fight. The quarrel ofMilciluagainst me is relinquished; as toBen Zachariahthe King has sent not to attack. Lo!Ben Zachariahwith men of blood was known to us to march, and I marched, and we are conquering him. He gives upAbukasu. Once more he has made peace. The King has sent to my band (saying)‘I order peace.’I am desirous of peace, since the King has sent to me. Stay thy sword, ponder in thy heart, and is the peace hollow. Nay, the King's messages have been done.”59 B. M.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun and my God[pg 257]thusYasdataa faithful servant to the King, and (he is) dust of the King's feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and Sun and my God seven times and seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! all whatsoever things the King my Lord judges for his servant ... him ... the chiefs of the city ofTabu309have slain a hundred of my oxen, and they have wasted me. And withBiridiaI have caused (men) to go forth. Let the King my Lord know this as to his servant.”This letter shows that the writer lived nearBiridia, who was attacked byLabaya, and that the Hebron hills were inhabited by marauders.72 B. M.—“Lo! a letter as to destruction of my brethren because of what the Gods of the King our Lord have done. And the people ofLabayaare conquered; and so we have orderedKhaia310that this be borne by him to the King our Lord. And a (company?) of my horse was placed, and the people are sent out after him, and he rides withYasdataalso till I come. And he is gone away to smite him, and nowYasdatais thy servant, and he strives mightily with me in battle array, and has not he ... the rule of the King my Lord, and let there be ... to the King my Lord ... andZuratais stopping the way ofLabayafrom the cityMakidda. And he asked me to gather ships—my fleet, and it will go straight to inform the King; andZuratamarches on him and hinders him; from the city of'Ananawhich is his.Zuratais damming the marshes. They have contrived a stoppage of the head (waters) from his drinking. Behold what thus I have done for the King my Lord. Lo! possession is possible for me, but it is difficult. My brethren (have become few?) butZuratadelaysLabaya, andZuratahindersAddumemurfrom them. And does not the King my Lord know this?”This letter (confirmed by154 B.) shows that a town near the sea, not like Megiddo, inland, is intended. Labaya had apparently taken Makkedah from Biridia, who had been afraid of it (115 B.). The writer of the present letter was probably Biridia and he was perhaps blockading the province by sea on the west, while Yasdata, who was on the east (which agrees[pg 258]with59 B. M.), blocked up the stream near 'Anana. This site would be the Enam of the Bible (Josh. xv. 34), which is thus fixed at the ruin ofKefr 'Ain, by the numerous head springs which feed the riverRubîn, which passes close to Makkedah on the south. The marshes here between the hills would easily be dammed, and the water supply of Makkedah (el Mughâr) so cut off. Makkedah is close to the only stream of perennial water south of Joppa, and stands high on a cliff, not far from the sea. It is in the centre of the province, the boundaries of which Labaya's sons describe (154 B.).149 B.—“(To the) King my Lord thus (says)Addu(urbilu) thy servant at the feet of my Lord I bow—to the King my Lord. And know thou, behold I have raised my ... what I desire as toMilcilu. Lo! my chiefs are going against his servants. As toTakanua chief will march out to subject his servants for me.311And I have requited to this slave what they did to us.”The letter then becomes broken, but refers to Milcilu, who was the King of Gezer. Takanu (or Tagi) is mentioned again in connection withGivti(B. 199).61 B. M.—“To the King (my master?) by letter thus (says)Labayathy servant. I bow at the feet of the King my Lord. Lo! a message as to me. Strong were the chiefs who have taken the city. As when a snake coils round one, the chiefs, by fighting, have taken the city. They hurt the innocent, and outrage the orphan. The chief man is with me. They have taken the city (and he receives sustenance?). My destroyers exult in the face of the King my Lord. He is left like the ant whose home is destroyed. You (will be displeased?), but I have extended to the hand of her chief that which is asked of him: like me he is ruined and unfortunate; and this same taking of my city had been stopped if you had spoken against it. This wickedness (or foolishness) you caused, and thou hast destroyed thy city. They have desired to throttle (or persecute) us—the chiefs who have taken the city from him. It is the city of my fathers also (that) they persecute.”154 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Addurbiluthy servant, at the feet of the King my Lord seven[pg 259]times and seven times I bow. The King my Lord will know the hate which is desired by the son of the sinful chief who hated me—the second son ofLabaya. His face is estranged. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. He has plotted as plotted (against me?) the chief who was his father; and the King my Lord shall know it. Lo! he has built a fort ... against me. The second son ofLabaya(says)‘Why has a vain papyrus312taken from us the lowlands of theGitties?... thy Lord, O city of those who besieged the chief our father.’As I am saying speaks to us the second son ofLabaya. He has made war for me with the chiefs of the Land ofGina(causing a chief our friend to be slain?). And when (there was) a battle he has not been confounded, and the fight was great, but he has made it his dwelling, bereaving me in the sight of the King my Lord: for he has made war in ... ofGina(with?) the servants of the King my Lord. And truly alone of the chiefs exceeding strong (is)Biruyapiza.313(And thou shalt hear?) what is said as to him.”The text becomes broken, but still refers to the doings of the second son ofLabaya, and continues with an important passage on the back of the tablet:“And as I say speaks to us the second son ofLabayawho is making war.‘As to our possessions from the King thy Lord, lo! this is the boundary: over against the city ofSunasuand over against the cityBurkuand over against the cityKharabu. And behold the boundary of the dwelling of my race. So it was defined by our Lord; and it includes the city ofGitiRimuna (Gath Rimmon). And the King thy Lord is (breaking the bond of our...?).’And I answered him. It is known that he deprives me of it in sight of the King my Lord. Because of his making wars with the King my Lord—my King my Lord—I and my brethren have gone down as you heard of us by me. And did not the messenger ofMilciluspeak to him before the face of the second son ofLabaya?It was made complete. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. They disturb a peaceful region, and in vain I repeat the letter about me. The guard of my Lord ...[pg 260]to go down, and the King my Lord shall hear what the message says.”This letter settles the site of Gath Rimmon (the full name of Gath, so called as standing on a height)—nowTell es Sâfi. The land ofGinawas near the presentUmm Jîna—probably Engannim of Judah (Josh. xv. 34)—in the low hills about six miles to the northeast. Sunasu isSanasin, a ruin in the hills east of the Valley of Elah. Burka isBurkah, in the plain northeast of Ashdod. Kharabu isel Khurab, a village east of Jaffa, and just north of the Valley of Jaffa. Gath stood over the Valley of Elah, and Burka close to the same. The province extended from the hills of Hebron to the sea, and from the Valley of Elah to the Valley of Jaffa; and just in the middle of this province was Makkedah.111 B., a fragment of a letter fromBiridia. He is a faithful servant, and sends the usual salutation. He has heard of (peace?), and he is marching. The son ofLabayais noticed, and there is a reference to gold. Biridia has already appeared as one of the enemies of Labaya.73 B. M.—This seems to come from the same region on account of its topography. The letter is injured at the top, and probably not addressed to the King himself.“I say the dog is marching ... from their ravages against me. Now behold from (being loosed?) ... from the wastings against ... Lo! consider thou thyself my chief cities. Mighty against me ... he has made ... to the cityMacdalim.314And soldiers of the cityCuuzbe315have destroyed east of me. And now there is no commander to lead me forth from their hands. Moreover,Abbikha(orAbbinebo) smites my western region. They have sinned against me and all the passes he marches against ...Abbikha...”[pg 261]Letters from Gezer63 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Milcilithy servant the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I hear what the King my Lord has sent to me, and the King my Lord despatches Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to his servants, and the King my Lord despatches (them) to dwell as guards. It is apportioned for my honor.”108 B., with the same salutation, is broken. It appears to refer to despatching six females, five chiefs, sons of ... and five trusty chiefs led to the King.316109 B.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“The message of the King my Lord my God my Sun to me being brought, now his command they have done for the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven; and truly the King my Lord my God my Sun knows, that peaceful is the land of the King my Lord which is with me.”110 B.—Begins with the same salutation, and continues:“The King my Lord shall know. Behold mighty is the war against me, and againstSuārdatā;317but the King my Lord shall pluck his land from the hands of men of blood. Since there are none, the King my Lord shall despatch chariots to march to us ... you will restrain our slaves for us ...Yankhamuhis servant...”This may refer to the submission of Gezer to the Hebrews mentioned in a letter from Jerusalem (B. 103).62 B. M.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“Know O King my Lord the demands made to me byYankhamusince my going forth from before the King my Lord. Lo! he ... let him take from my hands. And they say to me (give us?) thy wife and thy sons. And does the King know this? And does the King my Lord demand despatch of chariots, and that I shall go to his presence? Nay! Let it be brought to nothing by thee.”70 B. M., if not from Gezer, must come from near that town. It is written byTakanu, who is mentioned in connection with[pg 262]Milcilu (149 B.) in a letter from near Makkedah, which was the next great town to Gezer on the south.“To the King my Lord thus (says)Takanu318thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Lo! I am the King's servant, and the guard of the whole of my roads was in the hands of my people, but they are now without refuge: they have not come up to guard my roads for the King my Lord; and ask the chiefs thyTarkas,319if they are not now without refuge for my people. Moreover, behold us. My eyes are toward thee when I beseech the God of heaven: for we are cast from the land, and have been needy. We have lacked at thy hand, and behold this now, the guard that guards my roads is in the hands of a chief who hates me because of the King my Lord, and the King my Lord shall instruct; behold send down a host and it shall watch.”Though the date is doubtful, within limits, this letter probably refers to the departure of the Egyptian soldiers mentioned in the Jerusalem letters.155 B.—A much-damaged letter. The name of the writer is lost. He sends the usual salutation, and speaks of a letter: of transgression and sin; and mentions the cityGazri(Gezer). He speaks of the going down of the king (or casting down), and of thePaka. (See note.)50 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun, the Sun from the heavens, thus (says)Yapa'a320the chief of the city ofGazri(Gezer) thy servant, the dust of thy feet, a chief captain of thy horse. At the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun from the heavens, seven times and seven times bow indeed both this heart and this body; and whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to exceeding much. I am the King's servant, the dust of thy feet. And the King my Lord shall learn. Behold the chief of my brethren; fellows foreign to me also strive for the city ofMu(ra)'azi;321and the delivery of the[pg 263]same is the demand of men of blood; and now behold what has arisen against me, and counsel as to thy land. Let the King send to the chief who is his friend against one (who is a foe?).”49 B. M.—After the same salutation fromYapa'a, chief ofGezer, master of the horse, the letter continues:“I hear the message of the messenger of the King my Lord exceeding much. And let the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven, counsel his servant as to his land. Now strong is the chief of the men of blood against us; and send thou to destroy him O King my Lord for me; and will not the King restore from the hand of the chief of bloody ones? We are not quite made an end of by the chief of the bloody ones.”51 B. M.—With the usual salutation fromYapa'a, the letter continues:“Whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that thePauri(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letterB. 103) of the King gather a multitude; and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much.”From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops about the time when the“desert people”attackedYapa'a. That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters. That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.Letters from Jerusalem105 B.—“To the King my Lord ... thus (says)Adonizedek322thy servant ... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... BeholdMilcilu[pg 264]is not rid from the sons ofLabaya, and from the sons ofArzaya, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!MilciluandTakanuhave desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched to it. Not having desired to strive ...”The lower half of the front is here lost, and the rest is on the back.“So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me fly to the King.323TrulyBen Piru(orBen Carru) has fled his being led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city'Azati(Gaza): let him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All the King's land is rebellious.Yagu Balaamis sent, and let the King's land know from the King's scribe ... Thus saysAdonizedekthy servant ... the messages.”102 B.—“To the King my Lord is mourning thus thisAdonizedekthy servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they have (taken the fortress of Jericho324) they who have gathered against the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord. Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.325The tribe that has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to thePaka(resident) of the King my Lord,‘Why should you tremble before the chief of the'Abiri326(Hebrews) and the rulers fear[pg 265]the end? So now they must send from the presence of the King my Lord.’Behold I say that the land of the King my Lord is ruined. So now they must send to the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord know this; behold the King my Lord has placed a garrison to stop the way ... (Bel'amuorYankhamu?) ... of kings ... chiefs of the garrison ... the king as master to his land ... as to his land she has rebelled, the (lands) of the King my Lord—the whole of it.Ilimelec327cuts off all the King's land. And let one warn the King as to his land. I myself speak pleading with the King my Lord and (for once?) let the King my Lord behold the entreaties. And the wars are mighty against me, and (I am not receiving any pledge?) from the King my Lord. And let an order return from the King (my Lord). Whether will he not order chiefs for garrison? And let him be kind, and let the King my Lord regard the entreaties. This tribe behold O King my Lord has risen up. Lo thePakathey have expelled. I say the lands of the King my Lord are ruined. Dost not thou hear this same of me? They have destroyed all the rulers. There is no ruler now O King my Lord. Let the King give his countenance to the chiefs; and whether shall the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) remain at rest? They have lingered O King my Lord. The lands are failing to the King my Lord. TheHebrewchiefs plunder all the King's lands. Since the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away quitting the lands this year O King my Lord, and since there is no chief of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) there[pg 266]is ruin to the lands of the King my Lord. They have ... O King my Lord, andAdonizedek(is) dust ... messages (are asked?) of the King my Lord, there is destruction by the foe of the lands of the King my Lord.”This letter, like others, clearly indicates a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops shortly before the appearance of the Hebrews.106 B.—The salutation is broken, but is the same as before—fromAdonizedek. The text continues:“... which have done for meMilcilu, andSuardata328for the land of the King my Lord. They have hired soldiers of the city ofGezer, soldiers of the cityGivti329and soldiers of the cityKielti.330They have gone out to (or seized) the city ofRubute.331The King's land rebels to the chiefs of theHebrews, and now against this capital cityU-ru-sa-lim(Jerusalem) the city calledBeth Baalath,332a neighbor of the city of the King—has rebelled, to delay the chiefs of the city ofKielti. Let the King hear as toAdonizedek; and will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati), and shall not the King's land turn to the King? And because there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) the King's land has rebelled to the chiefs of the tribe of theHebrews. They have demanded to dwell in the same with me. They have gone out against (or seized)Milcilu... and the city.... And let the King do justice to (or purify) his land.”104 B.—The same salutation fromAdonizedek. He continues:“Lo! the King my Lord has established his law from the (rising?) of the Sun to the going down of the Sun. He is a flatterer who deceives as to me. Lo! am not I a ruler myself, a man allied to the King my Lord? Lo! I myself am a[pg 267]good chief of the King, and I have sent tribute to the King. There is no chief to join me, and my friends (or army) fail; they have been fighting for the King mightily. I remain ... in thisBeth Amilla333... from before me thirteen ... I am giving ten slaves ...Suutathe King'sPaka(resident) takes charge from before me of twenty-one slave women. Twenty chiefs who remain trusty to my handSuutahas led away to the King my Lord,334which the King advises to his country. The whole of the King's country, which is seized from me, is ruined. They have fought against me as far as the lands ofSeeri(Seir)335as far as the cityGivti Kirmil(Gibeah of Carmel?).336They have banded together against all the chiefs of the governments, and they have fought with me. Behold I, the chief of the lords (or of the Amorites), am breaking to pieces,337and the King my Lord does not regard entreaties, while they have fought against me (unceasingly?). Behold array O mighty King a fleet in the midst of the sea. Thou shalt march to our land, the land ofNahrimaand the land ofCazib, and behold these are fortresses of the King.338Thou shalt march against the chieftains of theHebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my Lord. They have destroyed all. LoTuurbazu339(is slaughtered?...): in the great pass of the city ofZiluu340they have bowed down. Behold[pg 268]Zimridiof the city ofLachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose341.... The region ofRimmon342laments: slaughter (is) in the midst ... the fort ofZiluis overthrown ... let the King take heed ... let the King give his countenance to.... Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to the land.... Since there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) in this same year destruction has destroyed the people of all the lands of the King my Lord. Do not they say to the face of the King my Lord,‘Behold the land of the King my Lord has been ruined, and all the rulers have been slain, within this same year.’Will the King not order hisPaka? And let the fleet come to me as helpers, and let them take care of the port (with the King commanding?) ... (to) the scribe of the King my Lord, (lo!)Adonizedekis his servant, at his feet (he bows). Translate the messages now to the King. I am thy ... myself.”103 B.—The salutation is much broken, but part of the name ofAdonizedekis left. It then speaks of messages, and continues:“Let him know that they have fought all the lands that have been at peace with me; and let me warn the King as to his land. Lo! the land of the city ofGezer, and the land of the city ofAscalon, and the land of the city of (Lachish?) they have given (or settled) for themselves. Corn and oil (or fruit), and all things, this race has altogether gathered. And let me warn the King as to Egyptian soldiers (pitati). Will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati) against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my Lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my Lord—since there were no Egyptian soldiers—(pitati) is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King.... Behold the land of the city ofJerusalem.343No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject[pg 269]to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire ofMilciluand the desire of the sons ofLabaya, that the chiefs of theHebrewsbe subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my Lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers.344Let the King ask hisPakas(or let one ask of the King'sPakas). Lo he is strong, very (determined?) and (men) have feared. The sinful fort (or camp) is very arrogant. They have burst forth from their pasture (or border) and ... to the land of the habitation of the people (night?).... Will not there be sent from the land (of Egypt?) ... (soldiers?): thou shalt come up with ... let the servants be defended ... to them. The tribe is pouring out ... lands from the city ofAs(calon). Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty.... Up to the province of my LordPauru345the King'sPakafor the land of the city ofJerusalemmy foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the garrison this chief has surged up. Let the King's (foe) perish by the King ... for me my foe ... revolted from me. Do not desert this ... send me a chief of garrison—aPakaof the King, despatched to this thy people. (The women?) are despatched346to the King my Lord (with) men who have been upright. Four messengers347... to go out. The chiefs of the fort (or camp) are closing the roads of the pass ... the tribe who have caused the destruction of the city ofAjalon.348Let this be known to the King my Lord. Have not I shown the people despatched a road for the King, though it is not easy?349Lo! the King my Lord has established his law in the land of the city ofJerusalemforever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city ofJerusalemmanifest? To the scribe of the King[pg 270]my Lord this lamentation thus (speaks)Adonizedekthy servant—the afflicted. Translate the messages well to the King my Lord. O, scribe of the King my Lord (I am) afflicted, greatly am I afflicted. And thou shalt perform the desire of our people before the chiefs of the land of Cush350(Casi). Truly is not there slaughter with us? Thou shalt make it ... clear to the chiefs of the land of Cush (Casi) ... midst of my land the people to take ... the King to ... seven times and seven times ... my Lord to me...”199 B. appears to be fromAdonizedek, and speaks ofJerusalem. Only the lower third of the tablet remains. The clay is different to that of the preceding, and it may have been written after the city was left.“And lo now! the city ofJerusalemwhen these went away from the land (was) faithful to the King. Lo! the city ofGazahas remained to the King. Behold the land ofHarti Cirmiel351belonging toTakanuand the men of the cityGivti,352they have bowed down, going away from the land quietly. And truly we do so (or but whether do we do so?). BeholdLabaya!353and the landSalabimi354are inhabited by theHebrewchiefs.Milciluhas sent for (tribute?)355and the fellows (say)‘Have we not indeed dwelt in (or spoiled?) this land?’They are adjudging all that they desire to the men of the city ofKeilah. And truly we are leaving the city ofJerusalem. The chiefs of the garrison have left—without an order—through the wastings of this fellow whom I fear. These march toAddasi.356He has remained in his land (or camp) in the city ofGaza... (women?) ... to the land of Egypt...”This letter was written apparently after the defeat of Ajalon,[pg 271]perhaps from Makkedah, where the kings hid in the cave. It is clear from this correspondence that when they fled, after sending away their harems, the intention was to reach Egypt. Gaza is not mentioned as taken by Joshua, and it was here that they expected to find safety.Suyardata's Letters from(Keilah?)35769 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times and seven times I bow. The message which is sent by the King my Lord the Sun from heaven (has come?). His order shall be done for the King my Lord the Sun from heaven.”67 B. M.—Is a broken letter. It appears to begin as follows:“To the King my Lord thus (says) thisSuyardatathy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times this soul and this body bow. An announcement to the King my Lord that I am causing one to make to bring all the soldiers of the King my Lord; and now thisRa358the overseer, my prince, has caused the countries of the King my Lord to be stripped. I am sending them to the King; to (inform myself?) of the King, I am sending to the King my Lord. Let him know this. Who are we ... of the King my Lord to the hands ... it is ruled. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow.”100 B.—“... to the King my Lord ... my Sun ... letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. O King (the message?) is despatched by me, as to there having been made a war. With the city ofCielti(Keilah) I am warring.359My chief city has[pg 272]gathered and has turned to me: against which has sentAdonizedekwho is greedy of silver—against the chiefs of the city ofKeilah. And they have marched on me behind (or to the west of) me. And know O King my Lord lo! he is marching—Adonizedek—to remove my city from my hands. Let the King ask if he is marching—this chief; and if there is one ox or a beast before him.360AndLabayahas deserted his faith. The weak (or the gate) he is marching against we have succored. But nowLabayais withAdonizedek. I march to a city of my brethren.... Know O King as to his servant. Order thou this my desire. And do they not gather? They have put all to shame. The news (is true?): let there be an order of the King for his servant.”107 B.—Begins with the same salutation fromSuyardata. It is much injured, but the following words are clear:“Know O King my Lord lo! his land has ... the city ofKeilah... against me, chiefs ... the ... our ruler ... and truly we ... against them; and truly we guide the friendly chiefs from the land of the King my Lord.”It seems from this that the previous letter brought assistance to the writer.68 B. M.—Perhaps earlier than the preceding; reads:“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says)Suyardatathy servant: seven and seven times this soul and this body bow. Let the King my Lord learn. I am one (put to shame?). There shall be Egyptian soldiers (pitati) despatched of the King my Lord. I am hard pressed; and consider thou me (come out to me?) and I shall be established by the King my Lord.”101 B.—With the usual salutation is fromSuyardata, and, though broken, appears to read:“It is my desire to approach, as taking refuge with the King my Lord. Who am I to regard (being seen?)? Let me approach the King my Lord with these things (articles) of silver—and the silver is pure. O King my LordYankhamu(is) thy right hand; and I am mourning for him, since, wholly having gone away, no Egyptian soldiers (bitati) will come back to me from the King my Lord. Let the King my Lord learn how thirty temples of the gods he has put to shame—he who fights against me. I am left alone. Mightily he has fought against.... Give[pg 273]me rest O King my Lord from his hand. The King my Lord shall send Egyptian soldiers (bitati). NowYankhamualso has returned to the house of the King my Lord. He shall come back—soldiers of the King my Lord with him. Mighty is he who has fought againstSuyardataand (men) fail.”The enemy must have been of another race to destroy the temples. The letter is valuable because it shows thatYankhamuwas a contemporary ofSuyardata, who was a contemporary withAdonizedek, forYankhamuwas also contemporary withAziru, who was living about twenty years after the death of Thothmes IV.Letters of the Lady Basmath137 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu,361thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of blood have sent to the city ofAjalon, and to the city ofZar'a(Zorah),362and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for the two sons ofMilcilu; and know O King my Lord this request.”138 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not I tired marching to the town ofZabuba; and because of not resting O King my Lord?”There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to reach it from her home.[pg 274]This interesting little letter, which shows she was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre, but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a refuge.Other Letters from the South of Palestine136 B.—“To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus (says)Yamirdaganthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message of the King my Lord for me.”Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that this writer was probably a Philistine.151 B.—A letter from the“Chief of the townNaziba”to say he goes with his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This place must, therefore, have been in or near the plains. It may be the Nezib of the Bible (Josh. xv. 43), nowBeit Nusîb, eight miles northwest of Hebron, close to Keilah. The chariots could easily reach this vicinity from the plain, by the broad flat highway of the Valley of Elah.55 B. M.—With the usual salutation,Ben Addu, captain of the King's horse, says:“Now they watch the land of the King my Lord exceedingly. And who am I—a dog.... He will hear the messages of the King my Lord and of theKa-pa(forPaka?) of the King my Lord. To (Sagusi Khasi?) ... thus (says)Ben Addu: I bow at thy feet. All is failing. So now those who are our friends are fleeing to the King; will not he despatch ... the road.... Now they guard the road: it is cleared for thee.”56 B. M.—The usual salutation fromBen Addu, of the city ofPitazza; continues:“Now they guard the city, and land of the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven: all that the King[pg 275]has said they watch—the allies. And the decree of the message of the King my LordBel Anapa(Baal Anubis) thePakaof the King my Lord has uttered. The King my Lord is mighty as the Sun in heaven. Whom I but a dog, and shall such a one not mind the message of the King my Lord the Sun from heaven?”153 B.—From the sameBen Addu, ofPitazza, with the usual salutation, and to the same effect as the preceding, but too broken to read.The only site which seems to be suggested by Pitazza is the important ruin ofFuteis, southeast of Gaza. It is near the road to Egypt and in the plains. The letters probably refer to arrangements for the flight of the kings of Jerusalem and Gezer, or of their wives.77 B. M.—A short broken letter bySatiya, who was apparently chief of the city (or chief town) ofEni-Saam(si), which is perhaps En-Shemesh, close to Zorah, in the Valley of Sorek, now'Ain Shems. It is the Ir-Shemesh of the Bible (Josh. xix. 41), otherwise Beth-Shemesh (Josh. xv. 10). Here, again, we find an Egyptian station in an open valley, on one of the main roads to Jerusalem.133 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) the chief ofKanuthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Thou thyself hast sent to me, to muster to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); and now I with my soldiers and with my chariots (am) in sight of the soldiers of the King my Lord, as far as the place you will march to.”This town cannot well be any of the Kanahs of Palestine, since the word would then be“Kanatu.”It is more probably the important ruinKanya, close to Rabbath of Judah, immediately west of the Valley of Elah; chariots would be possible in this vicinity.[pg 276]Letters from Uncertain Sites33 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Abd Istar(?)363the King's servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, seven times at the feet of the King my Lord, and seven more, both heart and body. And this is to show the King my Lord how mightily he fights against me, and destroys the rulers from the presence of the King my Lord; and the great King shall give orders for my defenders. Moreover, it sends messages to the King my Lord as to me, and I shall hear all the messages of the King my Lord. I will listen. Now ten women (concubines?) I am retaining.”Perhaps these were some of the ladies on their way to Egypt:“tumiki”seems to come from the root“wamak,”an Arabic root meaning“to love.”The Amorite words with an initial“vau”are nearer to Arabic than to Hebrew or Aramaic. One of the commonest is“uras,”“to desire”or“ask,”whence one of the names of Istar, the goddess of desire.34 B. M.—Is a short letter broken at the end; it merely acknowledges a message, and is fromAbd Astati. There was a deityAs, orAst, apparently of Egyptian origin.60 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thusMayaya.”The important part of this short letter is broken, but it appears to say:“Have not they devouredYankhamu... this conquest of all the lands from men of blood, and the devouring of thy land.”65 B. M.—(Sibtiaddu?) writes as a servant of the King with the usual salutation, and has heard the message.“Behold whatYankhamu(says). I am a faithful servant at the foot of the King. Let the King my Lord know it. I guard much the King's city which is with me.”147 B.—From (Khiziri?), the King's servant. He will meet the soldiers, and has received a message fromMayaabout a tax.148 B.—Ruzbanya, ofTaruna, is a servant of the King. The letter is broken. He was of old a servant of the King.150 B.—FromNurtu.... He listens to thePaka, and will fortify until the King comes to his tribe. He fills a good-sized tablet, without giving any information of interest.[pg 277]76 B. M.—Zidriyarawrites, with the usual compliments, to acknowledge a message.141 B.—Zidriyarais faithful, as of old, and a friend of the rulers, and listens to all the King's messages.140 B.—Zidriyarahears the message of the King, whose servant he is—“the Sun from among the Heavenly Gods who has spoken”—and he will not neglect the messages of the King his lord, or of thePakawho is established with him.135 B.—Apparently without a name. He is only a dog, but will march with chariots and horses to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati).130 B.—Sutarnamu, of his cityZicaruenu,364bows to the King. He asks for soldiers of garrison, as they are obstructing the district of the King's land near him. Probably the site is the present villageDhikerîn, near Gath on the south, which was the Caphar Dikerin of the Talmud (Tal. Jer.“Taanith,”iv. 8), in the region of Daroma (nowDeirân), near Ekron (see Ekha ii. 2). He asks for soldiers.131 B.—Samuaddu, of the town ofSama'una, listens to all the King's messages. PerhapsSammûnieh, an ancient and important ruin immediately east of Kirjath Jearim ('Erma), on the way to Jerusalem, by the Valley of Sorek, is the place intended.Nos. 79, 80, 81 B. M. are short and broken letters, which appear only to acknowledge messages received. No. 80 is from a certainNebo...; in No. 79 there appears to be no personal name, and in No. 81 it is destroyed.The names of these villages establish a regular chain of posts from Gaza, by Lachish, to the valleys of Sorek and Elah, which seem to have been the most eastern parts of the country in which chariots were to be found. There is no mention of chariots at Jerusalem, or at any village which was not accessible by a flat valley-road. By these posts communication was kept up, it would seem, with Jerusalem; and the messengers probably travelled by this route, avoiding Ajalon. It was by this route that Adonizedek proposed that Amenophis should come up to help him. Whether any such expedition was attempted,[pg 278]none of the letters seem to indicate. The troops had been withdrawn, and the Egyptian policy seems to have been to call out the native levies of the Amorite charioteers. Perhaps, when the five kings had been killed at Makkedah, no further steps were taken, but the lowlands remained unconquered till the time of Samuel and David. Even in Solomon's time Gezer was only received as the dower of the daughter of the Pharaoh (1 Kings ix. 16) who had burned the place and killed its Canaanite population. In Judges we read that Judah“could not drive out the inhabitants of the Shephelah (or lowlands) because they had chariots of iron”(i. 19). The coast road was still open when Dusratta was writing to his son-in-law Amenophis IV twenty years later; and all lower Galilee was, for some few years, with Philistia and Syria, reconquered by Rameses II, who, however, never entered the Judæan mountains.This concludes the sum of 176 letters from Palestine, the translation of which has occupied me for nearly two years. I have no doubt that it may be improved upon in detail; but the general results seem to be too well corroborated, by comparison of the numerous epistles, which throw light on one another, to admit of any very important changes.

Letters from Joppa

No. 57 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts, by letter thus (says)Yabitiri(Abiathar?) thy servant, the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my God my Lord of Hosts. Seven times and seven times I bow. As thou seest I am among the faithful servants of the King my Lord. I am arraying. But if I am arraying has not he been furious? and I am arraying before the King; and he has been furious. Shall the brick (letter) hide it under deceptions? But I will not conceal under deep sayings (emiki) to the King my Lord. And the King my Lord shall askYankhamuhisPaka. Lo! I am a warrior, and I am casting down the rebellion, O King my Lord, and I am sending out from the pass belonging to the King my Lord. And let the King my Lord ask hisPaka(‘head man’). Lo! I am defending the pass (or great gate) of the city of'Azati(Gaza) and the passage of the city ofYapu(Joppa), and I myself and the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord have marched to the lands. I myself (am) with them, and now, and lo! now, I myself (am) with them. The yoke of the King my Lord (is) on my neck and I will bear it.”

71 B. M.—The usual salutation from a servant of the King, whose name is broken, but readsMus...ni.“I hear the messages of the King my Lord which he sends to his servant, hearing what is spoken by thy chief (Ka), and (it is)‘Strengthen thou the fortresses of the King thy Lord which are with thee.’Now they have minded the message of the King my Lord to me, and the King my Lord learns of his servant. NowBiiathe son of the womanGulata303was my[pg 253]... of my brethren whom I am despatching to go down from the cityYapu(Joppa), and to be the defenders of the messengers returning to the King my Lord; and nowBiiais the son ofGulata, he took them; and the King my Lord shall learn this message of his servant. Thus since the King my Lord said to me,‘Make him leave thy city, on the appearance ofBiia.’He also indeed is made to leave; and both go, and indeed both are sent down O King my Lord day and night till they reach the place.”

Joppa is not mentioned in the history of Joshua's wars in the south, but the“border before (east of) Japho”is noticed in the later topographical charter (Josh. xix. 46).

Letters from Ascalon

129 B.—“To the Great King my LordDagantacala304thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now beholdDagantacalais thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me,‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’305I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”

74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation fromDagantacala, and continues:“Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”

118 B.—FromYadayaofAscalon, a captain of the horse of the“King—the Sun from Heaven.”The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues:“Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished[pg 254]greatly the King'sPaka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to thePakaof the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”

119 B.—From the sameYadaya, chief of the city ofAscalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues:“The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”

121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations.“Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”

122 B.—FromYadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to hisPaka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of thePakaof the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”

54 B. M.—From the sameYadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues:“Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”

53 B. M.—The same salutation fromYadaya, captain of horse and“dust of the King's feet.”“Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry[pg 255]weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”

52 B. M. is very similar to54 B. M.Yadiawatches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)306and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.

It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and Ascalon was lost before 1360b.c.

Letters from Makkedah

These letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from Megiddo, but the topography (111 B.and72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (nowEl Mughâr); in addition to which Megiddo appears asMakdaniin the letter from Accho (95 B.).

113 B.—“To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says)Biridia faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now they guard the city ofMakidah, the chief city of the King my Lord.”The text is broken, but seems to read probably“without rest, and is set right ... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).307The King is my Lord for his land.”

114 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia, Chief of the cityMakidda, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they have gathered, and I (too) to fight.”

115 B.—Biridiasends the usual salutation without mentioning his city. The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows:“Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) have gone down (or away)Labayamakes war against me and (without cause?) coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has been closed through the appearance ofLabaya. Behold learn this, and there are no men of the Egyptian soldiers with us. So now it is desired to see them sent into the city ofMagiid(da) and let the King see accordingly whether (it is to be) done. Let notLabayaseize the city. If there is no word the city will open its gates. (For two years?) he rebels; and will not the King grant this also—chiefs of his guard as defenders of his chief city. Let not Labaya take her, though those who have fled fromLabayahave failed in this. Moreover those who disgraced the cityMa... are slain.”

112 B.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun thusLabayathy servant, and the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I have heard the message which the King sent to me; and who am I? and the King will afflict his country before me. (I swear?) I am myself a faithful servant, and I have not sinned, and I have not murmured at my tribute, and I have not murmured at the wishes of my friends (or subjects). Lo! this province my destroyers eat up, and I have had no food. The King my Lord (says) it is my fault. Once more he makes it my fault. Lo! I strive with the city Gezer (Gazri)308and I complain of the young men. The King one hears will march. I restrained the band ofMilciluand my band desirous to fight. The quarrel ofMilciluagainst me is relinquished; as toBen Zachariahthe King has sent not to attack. Lo!Ben Zachariahwith men of blood was known to us to march, and I marched, and we are conquering him. He gives upAbukasu. Once more he has made peace. The King has sent to my band (saying)‘I order peace.’I am desirous of peace, since the King has sent to me. Stay thy sword, ponder in thy heart, and is the peace hollow. Nay, the King's messages have been done.”

59 B. M.—“To the King my Lord and my Sun and my God[pg 257]thusYasdataa faithful servant to the King, and (he is) dust of the King's feet. At the feet of the King my Lord and Sun and my God seven times and seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord know this. Lo! all whatsoever things the King my Lord judges for his servant ... him ... the chiefs of the city ofTabu309have slain a hundred of my oxen, and they have wasted me. And withBiridiaI have caused (men) to go forth. Let the King my Lord know this as to his servant.”

This letter shows that the writer lived nearBiridia, who was attacked byLabaya, and that the Hebron hills were inhabited by marauders.

72 B. M.—“Lo! a letter as to destruction of my brethren because of what the Gods of the King our Lord have done. And the people ofLabayaare conquered; and so we have orderedKhaia310that this be borne by him to the King our Lord. And a (company?) of my horse was placed, and the people are sent out after him, and he rides withYasdataalso till I come. And he is gone away to smite him, and nowYasdatais thy servant, and he strives mightily with me in battle array, and has not he ... the rule of the King my Lord, and let there be ... to the King my Lord ... andZuratais stopping the way ofLabayafrom the cityMakidda. And he asked me to gather ships—my fleet, and it will go straight to inform the King; andZuratamarches on him and hinders him; from the city of'Ananawhich is his.Zuratais damming the marshes. They have contrived a stoppage of the head (waters) from his drinking. Behold what thus I have done for the King my Lord. Lo! possession is possible for me, but it is difficult. My brethren (have become few?) butZuratadelaysLabaya, andZuratahindersAddumemurfrom them. And does not the King my Lord know this?”

This letter (confirmed by154 B.) shows that a town near the sea, not like Megiddo, inland, is intended. Labaya had apparently taken Makkedah from Biridia, who had been afraid of it (115 B.). The writer of the present letter was probably Biridia and he was perhaps blockading the province by sea on the west, while Yasdata, who was on the east (which agrees[pg 258]with59 B. M.), blocked up the stream near 'Anana. This site would be the Enam of the Bible (Josh. xv. 34), which is thus fixed at the ruin ofKefr 'Ain, by the numerous head springs which feed the riverRubîn, which passes close to Makkedah on the south. The marshes here between the hills would easily be dammed, and the water supply of Makkedah (el Mughâr) so cut off. Makkedah is close to the only stream of perennial water south of Joppa, and stands high on a cliff, not far from the sea. It is in the centre of the province, the boundaries of which Labaya's sons describe (154 B.).

149 B.—“(To the) King my Lord thus (says)Addu(urbilu) thy servant at the feet of my Lord I bow—to the King my Lord. And know thou, behold I have raised my ... what I desire as toMilcilu. Lo! my chiefs are going against his servants. As toTakanua chief will march out to subject his servants for me.311And I have requited to this slave what they did to us.”The letter then becomes broken, but refers to Milcilu, who was the King of Gezer. Takanu (or Tagi) is mentioned again in connection withGivti(B. 199).

61 B. M.—“To the King (my master?) by letter thus (says)Labayathy servant. I bow at the feet of the King my Lord. Lo! a message as to me. Strong were the chiefs who have taken the city. As when a snake coils round one, the chiefs, by fighting, have taken the city. They hurt the innocent, and outrage the orphan. The chief man is with me. They have taken the city (and he receives sustenance?). My destroyers exult in the face of the King my Lord. He is left like the ant whose home is destroyed. You (will be displeased?), but I have extended to the hand of her chief that which is asked of him: like me he is ruined and unfortunate; and this same taking of my city had been stopped if you had spoken against it. This wickedness (or foolishness) you caused, and thou hast destroyed thy city. They have desired to throttle (or persecute) us—the chiefs who have taken the city from him. It is the city of my fathers also (that) they persecute.”

154 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Addurbiluthy servant, at the feet of the King my Lord seven[pg 259]times and seven times I bow. The King my Lord will know the hate which is desired by the son of the sinful chief who hated me—the second son ofLabaya. His face is estranged. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. He has plotted as plotted (against me?) the chief who was his father; and the King my Lord shall know it. Lo! he has built a fort ... against me. The second son ofLabaya(says)‘Why has a vain papyrus312taken from us the lowlands of theGitties?... thy Lord, O city of those who besieged the chief our father.’As I am saying speaks to us the second son ofLabaya. He has made war for me with the chiefs of the Land ofGina(causing a chief our friend to be slain?). And when (there was) a battle he has not been confounded, and the fight was great, but he has made it his dwelling, bereaving me in the sight of the King my Lord: for he has made war in ... ofGina(with?) the servants of the King my Lord. And truly alone of the chiefs exceeding strong (is)Biruyapiza.313(And thou shalt hear?) what is said as to him.”The text becomes broken, but still refers to the doings of the second son ofLabaya, and continues with an important passage on the back of the tablet:

“And as I say speaks to us the second son ofLabayawho is making war.‘As to our possessions from the King thy Lord, lo! this is the boundary: over against the city ofSunasuand over against the cityBurkuand over against the cityKharabu. And behold the boundary of the dwelling of my race. So it was defined by our Lord; and it includes the city ofGitiRimuna (Gath Rimmon). And the King thy Lord is (breaking the bond of our...?).’And I answered him. It is known that he deprives me of it in sight of the King my Lord. Because of his making wars with the King my Lord—my King my Lord—I and my brethren have gone down as you heard of us by me. And did not the messenger ofMilciluspeak to him before the face of the second son ofLabaya?It was made complete. I foresee estrangement of the land of the King my Lord. They disturb a peaceful region, and in vain I repeat the letter about me. The guard of my Lord ...[pg 260]to go down, and the King my Lord shall hear what the message says.”

This letter settles the site of Gath Rimmon (the full name of Gath, so called as standing on a height)—nowTell es Sâfi. The land ofGinawas near the presentUmm Jîna—probably Engannim of Judah (Josh. xv. 34)—in the low hills about six miles to the northeast. Sunasu isSanasin, a ruin in the hills east of the Valley of Elah. Burka isBurkah, in the plain northeast of Ashdod. Kharabu isel Khurab, a village east of Jaffa, and just north of the Valley of Jaffa. Gath stood over the Valley of Elah, and Burka close to the same. The province extended from the hills of Hebron to the sea, and from the Valley of Elah to the Valley of Jaffa; and just in the middle of this province was Makkedah.

111 B., a fragment of a letter fromBiridia. He is a faithful servant, and sends the usual salutation. He has heard of (peace?), and he is marching. The son ofLabayais noticed, and there is a reference to gold. Biridia has already appeared as one of the enemies of Labaya.

73 B. M.—This seems to come from the same region on account of its topography. The letter is injured at the top, and probably not addressed to the King himself.“I say the dog is marching ... from their ravages against me. Now behold from (being loosed?) ... from the wastings against ... Lo! consider thou thyself my chief cities. Mighty against me ... he has made ... to the cityMacdalim.314And soldiers of the cityCuuzbe315have destroyed east of me. And now there is no commander to lead me forth from their hands. Moreover,Abbikha(orAbbinebo) smites my western region. They have sinned against me and all the passes he marches against ...Abbikha...”

Letters from Gezer

63 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Milcilithy servant the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. I hear what the King my Lord has sent to me, and the King my Lord despatches Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to his servants, and the King my Lord despatches (them) to dwell as guards. It is apportioned for my honor.”

108 B., with the same salutation, is broken. It appears to refer to despatching six females, five chiefs, sons of ... and five trusty chiefs led to the King.316

109 B.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“The message of the King my Lord my God my Sun to me being brought, now his command they have done for the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven; and truly the King my Lord my God my Sun knows, that peaceful is the land of the King my Lord which is with me.”

110 B.—Begins with the same salutation, and continues:“The King my Lord shall know. Behold mighty is the war against me, and againstSuārdatā;317but the King my Lord shall pluck his land from the hands of men of blood. Since there are none, the King my Lord shall despatch chariots to march to us ... you will restrain our slaves for us ...Yankhamuhis servant...”

This may refer to the submission of Gezer to the Hebrews mentioned in a letter from Jerusalem (B. 103).

62 B. M.—Begins with the same salutation as the preceding, and continues:“Know O King my Lord the demands made to me byYankhamusince my going forth from before the King my Lord. Lo! he ... let him take from my hands. And they say to me (give us?) thy wife and thy sons. And does the King know this? And does the King my Lord demand despatch of chariots, and that I shall go to his presence? Nay! Let it be brought to nothing by thee.”

70 B. M., if not from Gezer, must come from near that town. It is written byTakanu, who is mentioned in connection with[pg 262]Milcilu (149 B.) in a letter from near Makkedah, which was the next great town to Gezer on the south.

“To the King my Lord thus (says)Takanu318thy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Lo! I am the King's servant, and the guard of the whole of my roads was in the hands of my people, but they are now without refuge: they have not come up to guard my roads for the King my Lord; and ask the chiefs thyTarkas,319if they are not now without refuge for my people. Moreover, behold us. My eyes are toward thee when I beseech the God of heaven: for we are cast from the land, and have been needy. We have lacked at thy hand, and behold this now, the guard that guards my roads is in the hands of a chief who hates me because of the King my Lord, and the King my Lord shall instruct; behold send down a host and it shall watch.”

Though the date is doubtful, within limits, this letter probably refers to the departure of the Egyptian soldiers mentioned in the Jerusalem letters.

155 B.—A much-damaged letter. The name of the writer is lost. He sends the usual salutation, and speaks of a letter: of transgression and sin; and mentions the cityGazri(Gezer). He speaks of the going down of the king (or casting down), and of thePaka. (See note.)

50 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun, the Sun from the heavens, thus (says)Yapa'a320the chief of the city ofGazri(Gezer) thy servant, the dust of thy feet, a chief captain of thy horse. At the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun from the heavens, seven times and seven times bow indeed both this heart and this body; and whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to exceeding much. I am the King's servant, the dust of thy feet. And the King my Lord shall learn. Behold the chief of my brethren; fellows foreign to me also strive for the city ofMu(ra)'azi;321and the delivery of the[pg 263]same is the demand of men of blood; and now behold what has arisen against me, and counsel as to thy land. Let the King send to the chief who is his friend against one (who is a foe?).”

49 B. M.—After the same salutation fromYapa'a, chief ofGezer, master of the horse, the letter continues:“I hear the message of the messenger of the King my Lord exceeding much. And let the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven, counsel his servant as to his land. Now strong is the chief of the men of blood against us; and send thou to destroy him O King my Lord for me; and will not the King restore from the hand of the chief of bloody ones? We are not quite made an end of by the chief of the bloody ones.”

51 B. M.—With the usual salutation fromYapa'a, the letter continues:“Whatever the King my Lord says to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that thePauri(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letterB. 103) of the King gather a multitude; and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much.”

From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops about the time when the“desert people”attackedYapa'a. That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters. That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.

Letters from Jerusalem

105 B.—“To the King my Lord ... thus (says)Adonizedek322thy servant ... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... BeholdMilcilu[pg 264]is not rid from the sons ofLabaya, and from the sons ofArzaya, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!MilciluandTakanuhave desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched to it. Not having desired to strive ...”The lower half of the front is here lost, and the rest is on the back.

“So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me fly to the King.323TrulyBen Piru(orBen Carru) has fled his being led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city'Azati(Gaza): let him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All the King's land is rebellious.Yagu Balaamis sent, and let the King's land know from the King's scribe ... Thus saysAdonizedekthy servant ... the messages.”

102 B.—“To the King my Lord is mourning thus thisAdonizedekthy servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they have (taken the fortress of Jericho324) they who have gathered against the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord. Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.325The tribe that has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to thePaka(resident) of the King my Lord,‘Why should you tremble before the chief of the'Abiri326(Hebrews) and the rulers fear[pg 265]the end? So now they must send from the presence of the King my Lord.’Behold I say that the land of the King my Lord is ruined. So now they must send to the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord know this; behold the King my Lord has placed a garrison to stop the way ... (Bel'amuorYankhamu?) ... of kings ... chiefs of the garrison ... the king as master to his land ... as to his land she has rebelled, the (lands) of the King my Lord—the whole of it.Ilimelec327cuts off all the King's land. And let one warn the King as to his land. I myself speak pleading with the King my Lord and (for once?) let the King my Lord behold the entreaties. And the wars are mighty against me, and (I am not receiving any pledge?) from the King my Lord. And let an order return from the King (my Lord). Whether will he not order chiefs for garrison? And let him be kind, and let the King my Lord regard the entreaties. This tribe behold O King my Lord has risen up. Lo thePakathey have expelled. I say the lands of the King my Lord are ruined. Dost not thou hear this same of me? They have destroyed all the rulers. There is no ruler now O King my Lord. Let the King give his countenance to the chiefs; and whether shall the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) remain at rest? They have lingered O King my Lord. The lands are failing to the King my Lord. TheHebrewchiefs plunder all the King's lands. Since the chiefs of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away quitting the lands this year O King my Lord, and since there is no chief of the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) there[pg 266]is ruin to the lands of the King my Lord. They have ... O King my Lord, andAdonizedek(is) dust ... messages (are asked?) of the King my Lord, there is destruction by the foe of the lands of the King my Lord.”

This letter, like others, clearly indicates a withdrawal of the Egyptian troops shortly before the appearance of the Hebrews.

106 B.—The salutation is broken, but is the same as before—fromAdonizedek. The text continues:“... which have done for meMilcilu, andSuardata328for the land of the King my Lord. They have hired soldiers of the city ofGezer, soldiers of the cityGivti329and soldiers of the cityKielti.330They have gone out to (or seized) the city ofRubute.331The King's land rebels to the chiefs of theHebrews, and now against this capital cityU-ru-sa-lim(Jerusalem) the city calledBeth Baalath,332a neighbor of the city of the King—has rebelled, to delay the chiefs of the city ofKielti. Let the King hear as toAdonizedek; and will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati), and shall not the King's land turn to the King? And because there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) the King's land has rebelled to the chiefs of the tribe of theHebrews. They have demanded to dwell in the same with me. They have gone out against (or seized)Milcilu... and the city.... And let the King do justice to (or purify) his land.”

104 B.—The same salutation fromAdonizedek. He continues:“Lo! the King my Lord has established his law from the (rising?) of the Sun to the going down of the Sun. He is a flatterer who deceives as to me. Lo! am not I a ruler myself, a man allied to the King my Lord? Lo! I myself am a[pg 267]good chief of the King, and I have sent tribute to the King. There is no chief to join me, and my friends (or army) fail; they have been fighting for the King mightily. I remain ... in thisBeth Amilla333... from before me thirteen ... I am giving ten slaves ...Suutathe King'sPaka(resident) takes charge from before me of twenty-one slave women. Twenty chiefs who remain trusty to my handSuutahas led away to the King my Lord,334which the King advises to his country. The whole of the King's country, which is seized from me, is ruined. They have fought against me as far as the lands ofSeeri(Seir)335as far as the cityGivti Kirmil(Gibeah of Carmel?).336They have banded together against all the chiefs of the governments, and they have fought with me. Behold I, the chief of the lords (or of the Amorites), am breaking to pieces,337and the King my Lord does not regard entreaties, while they have fought against me (unceasingly?). Behold array O mighty King a fleet in the midst of the sea. Thou shalt march to our land, the land ofNahrimaand the land ofCazib, and behold these are fortresses of the King.338Thou shalt march against the chieftains of theHebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my Lord. They have destroyed all. LoTuurbazu339(is slaughtered?...): in the great pass of the city ofZiluu340they have bowed down. Behold[pg 268]Zimridiof the city ofLachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose341.... The region ofRimmon342laments: slaughter (is) in the midst ... the fort ofZiluis overthrown ... let the King take heed ... let the King give his countenance to.... Egyptian soldiers (pitati) to the land.... Since there are no Egyptian soldiers (pitati) in this same year destruction has destroyed the people of all the lands of the King my Lord. Do not they say to the face of the King my Lord,‘Behold the land of the King my Lord has been ruined, and all the rulers have been slain, within this same year.’Will the King not order hisPaka? And let the fleet come to me as helpers, and let them take care of the port (with the King commanding?) ... (to) the scribe of the King my Lord, (lo!)Adonizedekis his servant, at his feet (he bows). Translate the messages now to the King. I am thy ... myself.”

103 B.—The salutation is much broken, but part of the name ofAdonizedekis left. It then speaks of messages, and continues:“Let him know that they have fought all the lands that have been at peace with me; and let me warn the King as to his land. Lo! the land of the city ofGezer, and the land of the city ofAscalon, and the land of the city of (Lachish?) they have given (or settled) for themselves. Corn and oil (or fruit), and all things, this race has altogether gathered. And let me warn the King as to Egyptian soldiers (pitati). Will not he order Egyptian soldiers (pitati) against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my Lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers (pitati) have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my Lord—since there were no Egyptian soldiers—(pitati) is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King.... Behold the land of the city ofJerusalem.343No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject[pg 269]to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire ofMilciluand the desire of the sons ofLabaya, that the chiefs of theHebrewsbe subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my Lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers.344Let the King ask hisPakas(or let one ask of the King'sPakas). Lo he is strong, very (determined?) and (men) have feared. The sinful fort (or camp) is very arrogant. They have burst forth from their pasture (or border) and ... to the land of the habitation of the people (night?).... Will not there be sent from the land (of Egypt?) ... (soldiers?): thou shalt come up with ... let the servants be defended ... to them. The tribe is pouring out ... lands from the city ofAs(calon). Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty.... Up to the province of my LordPauru345the King'sPakafor the land of the city ofJerusalemmy foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the garrison this chief has surged up. Let the King's (foe) perish by the King ... for me my foe ... revolted from me. Do not desert this ... send me a chief of garrison—aPakaof the King, despatched to this thy people. (The women?) are despatched346to the King my Lord (with) men who have been upright. Four messengers347... to go out. The chiefs of the fort (or camp) are closing the roads of the pass ... the tribe who have caused the destruction of the city ofAjalon.348Let this be known to the King my Lord. Have not I shown the people despatched a road for the King, though it is not easy?349Lo! the King my Lord has established his law in the land of the city ofJerusalemforever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city ofJerusalemmanifest? To the scribe of the King[pg 270]my Lord this lamentation thus (speaks)Adonizedekthy servant—the afflicted. Translate the messages well to the King my Lord. O, scribe of the King my Lord (I am) afflicted, greatly am I afflicted. And thou shalt perform the desire of our people before the chiefs of the land of Cush350(Casi). Truly is not there slaughter with us? Thou shalt make it ... clear to the chiefs of the land of Cush (Casi) ... midst of my land the people to take ... the King to ... seven times and seven times ... my Lord to me...”

199 B. appears to be fromAdonizedek, and speaks ofJerusalem. Only the lower third of the tablet remains. The clay is different to that of the preceding, and it may have been written after the city was left.

“And lo now! the city ofJerusalemwhen these went away from the land (was) faithful to the King. Lo! the city ofGazahas remained to the King. Behold the land ofHarti Cirmiel351belonging toTakanuand the men of the cityGivti,352they have bowed down, going away from the land quietly. And truly we do so (or but whether do we do so?). BeholdLabaya!353and the landSalabimi354are inhabited by theHebrewchiefs.Milciluhas sent for (tribute?)355and the fellows (say)‘Have we not indeed dwelt in (or spoiled?) this land?’They are adjudging all that they desire to the men of the city ofKeilah. And truly we are leaving the city ofJerusalem. The chiefs of the garrison have left—without an order—through the wastings of this fellow whom I fear. These march toAddasi.356He has remained in his land (or camp) in the city ofGaza... (women?) ... to the land of Egypt...”

This letter was written apparently after the defeat of Ajalon,[pg 271]perhaps from Makkedah, where the kings hid in the cave. It is clear from this correspondence that when they fled, after sending away their harems, the intention was to reach Egypt. Gaza is not mentioned as taken by Joshua, and it was here that they expected to find safety.

Suyardata's Letters from(Keilah?)357

69 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times and seven times I bow. The message which is sent by the King my Lord the Sun from heaven (has come?). His order shall be done for the King my Lord the Sun from heaven.”

67 B. M.—Is a broken letter. It appears to begin as follows:“To the King my Lord thus (says) thisSuyardatathy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times this soul and this body bow. An announcement to the King my Lord that I am causing one to make to bring all the soldiers of the King my Lord; and now thisRa358the overseer, my prince, has caused the countries of the King my Lord to be stripped. I am sending them to the King; to (inform myself?) of the King, I am sending to the King my Lord. Let him know this. Who are we ... of the King my Lord to the hands ... it is ruled. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow.”

100 B.—“... to the King my Lord ... my Sun ... letter thus (says)Suyardatathy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. O King (the message?) is despatched by me, as to there having been made a war. With the city ofCielti(Keilah) I am warring.359My chief city has[pg 272]gathered and has turned to me: against which has sentAdonizedekwho is greedy of silver—against the chiefs of the city ofKeilah. And they have marched on me behind (or to the west of) me. And know O King my Lord lo! he is marching—Adonizedek—to remove my city from my hands. Let the King ask if he is marching—this chief; and if there is one ox or a beast before him.360AndLabayahas deserted his faith. The weak (or the gate) he is marching against we have succored. But nowLabayais withAdonizedek. I march to a city of my brethren.... Know O King as to his servant. Order thou this my desire. And do they not gather? They have put all to shame. The news (is true?): let there be an order of the King for his servant.”

107 B.—Begins with the same salutation fromSuyardata. It is much injured, but the following words are clear:“Know O King my Lord lo! his land has ... the city ofKeilah... against me, chiefs ... the ... our ruler ... and truly we ... against them; and truly we guide the friendly chiefs from the land of the King my Lord.”

It seems from this that the previous letter brought assistance to the writer.

68 B. M.—Perhaps earlier than the preceding; reads:“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says)Suyardatathy servant: seven and seven times this soul and this body bow. Let the King my Lord learn. I am one (put to shame?). There shall be Egyptian soldiers (pitati) despatched of the King my Lord. I am hard pressed; and consider thou me (come out to me?) and I shall be established by the King my Lord.”

101 B.—With the usual salutation is fromSuyardata, and, though broken, appears to read:“It is my desire to approach, as taking refuge with the King my Lord. Who am I to regard (being seen?)? Let me approach the King my Lord with these things (articles) of silver—and the silver is pure. O King my LordYankhamu(is) thy right hand; and I am mourning for him, since, wholly having gone away, no Egyptian soldiers (bitati) will come back to me from the King my Lord. Let the King my Lord learn how thirty temples of the gods he has put to shame—he who fights against me. I am left alone. Mightily he has fought against.... Give[pg 273]me rest O King my Lord from his hand. The King my Lord shall send Egyptian soldiers (bitati). NowYankhamualso has returned to the house of the King my Lord. He shall come back—soldiers of the King my Lord with him. Mighty is he who has fought againstSuyardataand (men) fail.”

The enemy must have been of another race to destroy the temples. The letter is valuable because it shows thatYankhamuwas a contemporary ofSuyardata, who was a contemporary withAdonizedek, forYankhamuwas also contemporary withAziru, who was living about twenty years after the death of Thothmes IV.

Letters of the Lady Basmath

137 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu,361thy handmaid. At the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun, seven times seven times, I bow. Know O King my Lord behold! there has been war in the land, and the land of the King my Lord has been wearied by rebels, by men of blood. And know O King as to his land, and know my foolishness (or disgrace). Behold the men (or chiefs) of blood have sent to the city ofAjalon, and to the city ofZar'a(Zorah),362and (this is) to show that there is no place of refuge for the two sons ofMilcilu; and know O King my Lord this request.”

138 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun by letter thus (says) the Lady whose name isBasmatu, thy handmaid, the dust of thy feet, and at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Let the King my Lord pluck his land from the hands of the men of blood. Am not I tired marching to the town ofZabuba; and because of not resting O King my Lord?”

There is only one place in Palestine called Zabuba; it is the Sububa of the fourteenth century, the modern Ezbuba, south of Taanach, west of the plain of Esdraelon. Poor Basmath had to go some sixty miles by road to reach it from her home.[pg 274]This interesting little letter, which shows she was not one of the ladies sent to Egypt, though probably a person of importance, seems perhaps to indicate that the central part of the country, from which no appeals for help occur in the letters, was undisturbed. The Amorite-Hittite league came down to Bashan and to Tyre, but not apparently as far as Accho. The Hebrews, on the other hand, coming from Seir, are said to have gone as far north as Rimmon and Shiloh, but were mainly fighting southward from Ajalon. Between the two theatres of war lay the whole of Samaria and lower Galilee, in which Basmath found a refuge.

Other Letters from the South of Palestine

136 B.—“To the King my Lord (my God?), the Sun from heaven, by letter thus (says)Yamirdaganthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. I hear the message of the King my Lord to me, and now I will guard the city of the King my Lord till the coming of a message of the King my Lord for me.”

Comparing the name with that of Dagontacala of Ascalon, it appears that this writer was probably a Philistine.

151 B.—A letter from the“Chief of the townNaziba”to say he goes with his chariots and horses to meet the King's soldiers. This place must, therefore, have been in or near the plains. It may be the Nezib of the Bible (Josh. xv. 43), nowBeit Nusîb, eight miles northwest of Hebron, close to Keilah. The chariots could easily reach this vicinity from the plain, by the broad flat highway of the Valley of Elah.

55 B. M.—With the usual salutation,Ben Addu, captain of the King's horse, says:“Now they watch the land of the King my Lord exceedingly. And who am I—a dog.... He will hear the messages of the King my Lord and of theKa-pa(forPaka?) of the King my Lord. To (Sagusi Khasi?) ... thus (says)Ben Addu: I bow at thy feet. All is failing. So now those who are our friends are fleeing to the King; will not he despatch ... the road.... Now they guard the road: it is cleared for thee.”

56 B. M.—The usual salutation fromBen Addu, of the city ofPitazza; continues:“Now they guard the city, and land of the King my Lord, the Sun from heaven: all that the King[pg 275]has said they watch—the allies. And the decree of the message of the King my LordBel Anapa(Baal Anubis) thePakaof the King my Lord has uttered. The King my Lord is mighty as the Sun in heaven. Whom I but a dog, and shall such a one not mind the message of the King my Lord the Sun from heaven?”

153 B.—From the sameBen Addu, ofPitazza, with the usual salutation, and to the same effect as the preceding, but too broken to read.

The only site which seems to be suggested by Pitazza is the important ruin ofFuteis, southeast of Gaza. It is near the road to Egypt and in the plains. The letters probably refer to arrangements for the flight of the kings of Jerusalem and Gezer, or of their wives.

77 B. M.—A short broken letter bySatiya, who was apparently chief of the city (or chief town) ofEni-Saam(si), which is perhaps En-Shemesh, close to Zorah, in the Valley of Sorek, now'Ain Shems. It is the Ir-Shemesh of the Bible (Josh. xix. 41), otherwise Beth-Shemesh (Josh. xv. 10). Here, again, we find an Egyptian station in an open valley, on one of the main roads to Jerusalem.

133 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) the chief ofKanuthy servant: at the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Thou thyself hast sent to me, to muster to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); and now I with my soldiers and with my chariots (am) in sight of the soldiers of the King my Lord, as far as the place you will march to.”

This town cannot well be any of the Kanahs of Palestine, since the word would then be“Kanatu.”It is more probably the important ruinKanya, close to Rabbath of Judah, immediately west of the Valley of Elah; chariots would be possible in this vicinity.

Letters from Uncertain Sites

33 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Abd Istar(?)363the King's servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, seven times at the feet of the King my Lord, and seven more, both heart and body. And this is to show the King my Lord how mightily he fights against me, and destroys the rulers from the presence of the King my Lord; and the great King shall give orders for my defenders. Moreover, it sends messages to the King my Lord as to me, and I shall hear all the messages of the King my Lord. I will listen. Now ten women (concubines?) I am retaining.”

Perhaps these were some of the ladies on their way to Egypt:“tumiki”seems to come from the root“wamak,”an Arabic root meaning“to love.”The Amorite words with an initial“vau”are nearer to Arabic than to Hebrew or Aramaic. One of the commonest is“uras,”“to desire”or“ask,”whence one of the names of Istar, the goddess of desire.

34 B. M.—Is a short letter broken at the end; it merely acknowledges a message, and is fromAbd Astati. There was a deityAs, orAst, apparently of Egyptian origin.

60 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thusMayaya.”The important part of this short letter is broken, but it appears to say:“Have not they devouredYankhamu... this conquest of all the lands from men of blood, and the devouring of thy land.”

65 B. M.—(Sibtiaddu?) writes as a servant of the King with the usual salutation, and has heard the message.“Behold whatYankhamu(says). I am a faithful servant at the foot of the King. Let the King my Lord know it. I guard much the King's city which is with me.”

147 B.—From (Khiziri?), the King's servant. He will meet the soldiers, and has received a message fromMayaabout a tax.

148 B.—Ruzbanya, ofTaruna, is a servant of the King. The letter is broken. He was of old a servant of the King.

150 B.—FromNurtu.... He listens to thePaka, and will fortify until the King comes to his tribe. He fills a good-sized tablet, without giving any information of interest.

76 B. M.—Zidriyarawrites, with the usual compliments, to acknowledge a message.

141 B.—Zidriyarais faithful, as of old, and a friend of the rulers, and listens to all the King's messages.

140 B.—Zidriyarahears the message of the King, whose servant he is—“the Sun from among the Heavenly Gods who has spoken”—and he will not neglect the messages of the King his lord, or of thePakawho is established with him.

135 B.—Apparently without a name. He is only a dog, but will march with chariots and horses to meet the Egyptian soldiers (bitati).

130 B.—Sutarnamu, of his cityZicaruenu,364bows to the King. He asks for soldiers of garrison, as they are obstructing the district of the King's land near him. Probably the site is the present villageDhikerîn, near Gath on the south, which was the Caphar Dikerin of the Talmud (Tal. Jer.“Taanith,”iv. 8), in the region of Daroma (nowDeirân), near Ekron (see Ekha ii. 2). He asks for soldiers.

131 B.—Samuaddu, of the town ofSama'una, listens to all the King's messages. PerhapsSammûnieh, an ancient and important ruin immediately east of Kirjath Jearim ('Erma), on the way to Jerusalem, by the Valley of Sorek, is the place intended.

Nos. 79, 80, 81 B. M. are short and broken letters, which appear only to acknowledge messages received. No. 80 is from a certainNebo...; in No. 79 there appears to be no personal name, and in No. 81 it is destroyed.

The names of these villages establish a regular chain of posts from Gaza, by Lachish, to the valleys of Sorek and Elah, which seem to have been the most eastern parts of the country in which chariots were to be found. There is no mention of chariots at Jerusalem, or at any village which was not accessible by a flat valley-road. By these posts communication was kept up, it would seem, with Jerusalem; and the messengers probably travelled by this route, avoiding Ajalon. It was by this route that Adonizedek proposed that Amenophis should come up to help him. Whether any such expedition was attempted,[pg 278]none of the letters seem to indicate. The troops had been withdrawn, and the Egyptian policy seems to have been to call out the native levies of the Amorite charioteers. Perhaps, when the five kings had been killed at Makkedah, no further steps were taken, but the lowlands remained unconquered till the time of Samuel and David. Even in Solomon's time Gezer was only received as the dower of the daughter of the Pharaoh (1 Kings ix. 16) who had burned the place and killed its Canaanite population. In Judges we read that Judah“could not drive out the inhabitants of the Shephelah (or lowlands) because they had chariots of iron”(i. 19). The coast road was still open when Dusratta was writing to his son-in-law Amenophis IV twenty years later; and all lower Galilee was, for some few years, with Philistia and Syria, reconquered by Rameses II, who, however, never entered the Judæan mountains.

This concludes the sum of 176 letters from Palestine, the translation of which has occupied me for nearly two years. I have no doubt that it may be improved upon in detail; but the general results seem to be too well corroborated, by comparison of the numerous epistles, which throw light on one another, to admit of any very important changes.

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