To the king my lord, [say]: message from Abdi-Heba, your servant. At the feet of the king my lord I throw myself, seven and seven times. Look, Milki-Ilu does not separate himself from the sons of Lab’aya [Ish-Bosheth and son in law David] and the sons of Arzaya, in the desire of the king’s land for themselves. A regent who commits a similar act, why does the king not interrogate him? Look, Milki-Ilu and Tagi, the action which they have committed is this, that they took Rubuta. And now Jerusalem: if this land belongs to the king, then why ever — while Gaza remained the king’s — look: the land of Ginti-kirmil to Tagi and the men of Ginti are the garrison at Beth-Shean!? Should we do as Lab’aya, who gave Shechem to the enemy {habiru}? Milki-Ilu wrote to Tagi and to the sons: “Be men! Give to the men of Qiltu that which they desire! Let us abandon Jerusalem!” The garrison troops that you sent, by the hand of Haya son of Miyare, were taken by Addaya, and he put them in his house at Gaza, and sent twenty men to Egypt. Let the king know that there are no garrison troops with me. So live the king, his nobleman. Pawuru has left me and is at Gaza. May the king remember, with him (Pawuru) before him. May the king send fifty garrison men to protect the land. All the king’s land deserted! Send Yanhamu, who knows the land of the king. To the scribe of the king [my lord], message of Abdi-Heba your esrvant. Present good words before the king. I would really die for you, I am your servant!
Amarna Letter EA 289
[Sajy [t]o the king, my lord: Message of [‘AbdiJ-^eba, your servant. I
fell at che feet (of the kinjg, my lord, 7 times and 7 times. 5-13 Here
is the deed against the land that Milkilu [King of Gezer] and Suardatu [King of Gath] did: against the
land of the king, my lord, they ordered 2 troops from Gazru, troops from
Gimcu, and troops from Qiltu. They seized Rubutu. The land of the
king deserted to the IJapiru. [King David] 14-21 And now, besides this, a town
belonging to Jerusalem, Bit-^NiN.URTA by name, a city of the king, has
gone over to the side of the men of Qiltu. May the king give heed to
f Abdi-IJeba, your servant, and send archers to restore the land of the
king to the king. 22-30 If there are no archers, the land of the king
will desert to the yapiru. This deed against the land 3 was [a}t the order of
Milkiflu and a}t the order 1 of [Suard]atu, [together with Gint{i].> So
may the king provide for (his) land.
Amarna Letter EA 290
[To the king] my lord, [say: message from Ab]di-Heba, your servant. [At the feet] of the king my lord seven [and seven times I throw myself. Look], the entire question [..] they have introduced [.. Look] at the thing they have done [against me, which ..] arrows of bronze (?) [..] they have introduced into Qiltu. Let the king know that all the lands are allied, they are enemies against me. May the king provide for his land! Look, the country of Gezer, the country of Ascalon, and Lachish have given food, oil, and every (gloss:) “their need’. May the king provide troops, send troops against the men who have committed treason against the king my lord. If within this year there are troops, the lands and the regents will stay with the king my lord, but if there are not troops, there will not be lands or regents for the king. Look, this land of Jerusalem, neither my father nor my mother gave me the strong hand (gloss:) ‘arm’ [the king] has given me! Look, this action is an action of Milki-Ilu and an action of the sons of Lab’aya, who have given the land of the king to the enemy (habiru).
Amarna Letter EA 287
Sav ftjo the king, my lord, [my Su]n: [M]essage of ‘Abdi Heba, your
servant. 1 fall at the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times.
5-10 Behold, the king, my lord, lias placed his name at the rising of the
sun and at che setting of the sun. It is, therefore, impious what they
have done to me. Behold, 1 am not a mayor; J am a soldier of the king,
my lord. ‘ 11-15 Behold, 1 am a friend of the king and a tribute-bearer-*i of the king. It was neither my father nor my mother, but rhe strong
arm of the king that [pjlaced me in che house of {my] f.ith L er].’
16-22 {… c]ame to me. I gave over [ro bis char]ge to slaves.Sura, the commissioner of the king, cafme t]o me; I gave over to Suta 5
charge 21 girls ,‘ [8]o prisoners, as 0 gift for the king, my lord.
23-28 May the king give thought to his laodt the land of the king is
Inst. AH of it tees attacked me. s I am at war as far as the land of Betu and
as far as Ginri-kirmil All the mayors ace at peace, buc I am at war.
29-33 I am treated like an ‘Apiru , 6 and I do not visit the king, my
lord, since I am at war. i am situated like a ship’ in the midst of the
sea. 34-40 The strong hand (arm) of the king took the land of
Na|)rima and the land of Kttsi, 8 hut now the ‘Apiru have taken the very
cities of the king. -‘ Not a single mayor remains to che king, my lord: al!
ate iosr. 41-47 Behold, Turbazu was slain in the city gate of Silu. The
king did nothing. Behold, servants who were joined to che ( Api[r}u
smote ‘ 0 Zimredda of Iatkisu, and Yaptih-i ladda was slain in the city gate
of Silo. The king did norhing. Wh]y lias he not called them to
account? 48-53 May the king (projvide tot [his land] and may lie
[se]e to it thaft] archers [come oujt to h{is] land.” If there ate no ateliers
this year, all the lands of che king, my lord, ate lost. 54-61 They have-
not reported to rhe king thar rhe lands of the king, my lord, are lost and
all che mayors lost. If there are no archers this year, may the king send a
commissioner to fetch me, me along with my brothers, and then we
will die near the king, our lord. 62- 66 [To] the scribe of the king,
my lord: [Message] of ‘Abdi-Heba, (your) servant, [i fa]ll a[c (your)
feet]. Present [the words that I hav]e offered 12 to (the king, my lord]: I
am your servant [and] your [s]on.