Shuwardata* King of Gath claims:
“Moreover, Lab’ayu** who used to take our town, is dead, but now [an]other Lab’ayu is ‘Abdi-Heba***, and he seizes our town.”
Amarna Letter EA 280
* Shuwardata = Biblical Achish (Heb. Akish-imige) [the sun has given]
** Lab’aya = Great Lion [of YHVH] – contemporary name for King Saul, see: Psalm 57:4
*** Abdi-Heba = became the last ruler (king of Jerusalem, which remained an independent enclave, city-state during the time of Saul and the first seven years of David’s reign) of the Jebus prior to the capture of Jerusalem by David. He was also an Amarna correspondent.
To the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Šuwardata, your servant. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times more (i.e. ‘overflowing’-(mīlu)). The king, my lord, has written me, “Enter and pay me homage.” Into the presence of the king, my lord! Would that it were possible to enter into the presence of the king, my lord, to receive the … and the …. of the king, my lord. Since Yanhamu is with you, speak with him. If there are still no archers available, then may the king, my lord, take me away. May the king, my lord, be informed that 30–cities have waged war against me. I am alone! The war against me is severe. The king, my lord, has cast me from his hand. May the king, my lord, send archers. May the king, my lord, ta(k)e me away. Since Yanhamu, that is, the commissioner of the king, my lord, is there, may the king, my lord, spea[k] with him, (asking), “Is the war against Šuwardata severe, –or is it not?”
Amarna Letter EA 283
Message from Balu-UR.SAG :
Say [t]o the king, my lord: Message of Ba c Iu-UR.SAG, your servant. I
fall ar the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times. 4—8 May the
king, my lord, know ft}hat the two sons of rhe rebel against the kin{g],
my [l]ord, the two sons of Lab’afy]u, have made their purpose the loss
of rhe land of the kin[g], my lord, over and above rhe loss that thefir}
father causled]. 1 9-14 May the king, my lord, know that—for how
many days!—the two sons of Lab’ayu have been calling 3 me to account,
(saying), “Why have you handed Gittipadalla [t}o the king, your lord, a
city that Lab’ayu, our father, had taken?” 15-27 And the two sons of
Lab’ayu keep talking to me like this, (saying), “Wage war against the
people of [G]ina (biblical En-Ganim, modern Jenin) for having killed our father. And if you do not wage war, then we will be your enemies .” I have answered the two of them,
“May rhe god of the king, my lord, preserve me from waging war
against the pe{op]le of {G]ina, servants of the king, my lord.” May it
seem rigfhc] in the sight of the king, my lord, and may he sen[d] one
of his magnates to Biryawaza [to tel}J him, “You will ma[r]ch against
the two sons of Lab’ayu or [yo}u are a rebel against the king.”
28-30 After this may the king, my lord, vr[i]te t[o m]e, “D[o) the
work of the [kin]g, your [!ord, against the two son[s of L}ab’ayu.” 331-36 [. ..] .. A 37-39 … in order to > cause the loss, with the
assistance of the two of them, of the ries)t° of the lan[d] of the k[ing,
m]y [l]ord, over and above what Milkilu and Lab’ayu caused to be
lost. 40-47 And thus the two [s]on[s of L]a[b’a]yu keep saying to
me, “Wage war against the king, youc lord, as our father did, when he
attacked Sunama, Bur[q]una, and yarabu, and deported the evil ones,
lilfiling up tlx loyal. 7 He also seized Gittirimmunima, and he cultivated
the fi{el]ds 8 of the king, your lord.” 48-54 But I have answered the
two of them, “May die god of the king, my lord, preserve me from
waging war against the king, my lord. It is the king, my lord, I serve,
along with my brothers that give heed to me.” 9 The messenger of
Milkilu does not move from the two sons of Lab’ayu. 55—60 Now,
Milkilu is indeed crying to cause the loss of the land of the king, my
lord, but I have no ocher purpose: rhe king, my lord, I serve, and the
orders chat the king speaks I obey.
Amarna Letter EA 250
From Biridaya ruler of Megiddo
Assignment of guilt
text: BM 29855
copy: BB 72
Moreover, 1 I urged my brothers, “If the god of che king, our lord,
brings it about’ rhar we overcome Lab’ayu, then we must bring him
alive : ka-ia-nta to the king, out lord.” 8-14 My mare, however, hav¬
ing been put out of action : tu-ra (having been shot), l took my place behind
him : ah-ru-un-ti and rode with YaSdata. > But before ray arrival they had
struck him down : nta-a/o-iu-tl. 15—25 YaSdata being truly your ser¬
vant, he it was that entered with me into batt[le]. May … [..,] the
life 1 of the king, my [lord], that he may br{ing peace to a*ryone> in [ the
lands of the king, [my] lord. 24-35 It had been Surata that took
Lab’ayu from Magidda and said to me, “I will send him to the king by
boat : a-na-yi. ” 6 Surata took him, but he sent him from ilinnatuDu to
his home, for it was Surata that had accepted from him : ha-di-u his
ransom. 36—47 Moreover, what have 1 done to che king, my lord,
that he has created me with contempt : ia^-qi-il-U-ni and honored :
ia s -ka bi-id my less important brothers?” It was Surata that let Lab’ayu
go, and ir was Surara tl>ar lec Ba*Ume|)ir go, (botli) to their homes. And
may rhe king, my lord. know.