Thou shalt march to our land, the land of

midst of the sea.

Nahrima and the land of Cazib, and behold these are

fortresses of the King.36 Thou shalt march against the chieftains of the Hebrew. There is not a single ruler for the King my lord. They have destroyed all. Lo Tuurbazu 37 is slaughtered . . .: in the great pass of the city of Ziluu 38 they have bowed down. Behold Zimridi of the city of Lachish. The slaves have subjected him; they have done as they chose 39... The region of Rimmon 40 laments: slaughter is in the midst. . . the fort of Zilu is overthrown

let the King take heed . . . let the King give his countenance to... Egyptian soldiers to the land . . . Since there are no Egyptian soldiers 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 his Paka? 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! Adonizedek is 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 of Adonizedek is 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 of Gezer, and

36 What is meant is that the Egyptians, having come by sea to Ascalon or Gaza, are to march to Jerusalem by the Valley of Elah, the highway by which the Philistines came up against Saul. Cazib (Chezib) is in this valley, now 'Ain Kezbeh.

87 66

Tu-ur ba-zu" appears to be spelled phonetically, but does not sound like a Semitic name. If it were taken as an ideogram it might be rendered "Ben Zicaru."

38" Zelah" has been proposed. There were two Zelahs, one being Petra, the other north of Jerusalem (now probably the ruin of Salah); it appears to me more probable that Shiloh is intended.

39 There was a siege of Lachish by Joshua (Josh. x. 33).

40 Rimmon is probably the Rimmon of Benjamin, not far south of Shiloh, now the village of Rummon (Judges xx. 45, etc.).

VOL. I.-21.

the land of the city of Ascalon, 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. Will not he order Egyptian soldiers against the chiefs who have done wrong to the King my lord? Since within this year the Egyptian soldiers have gone away, and quit the lands, the ruler of the King my lord - since there were no Egyptian soldiers is brought to naught. Yea and the rulers of the King... Behold the land of the city of Jerusalem.41 No man is my subject. No people is subject to me. His tribe is arrayed (or prepared). They are not subject to me. Lo! my desire is the same as the desire of Milcilu and the desire of the sons of Labaya, that the chiefs of the Hebrews be subject to the King's land. Lo! the King my lord will be just to me, because the chiefs are sorcerers. Let the King ask his Pakas or let one ask of the King's Pakas. 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 of Ascalon. Let the King ask about them. Plenty of corn, plenty of fruit (or oil), plenty . . . Up to the province of my Lord Pauru 43 the King's Paka for the land of the city of Jerusalem my foe is rebelling. Up to the chiefs of the gar

42

41 The name spelled in other cases "U-ru-sa-lim" is here spelled "Uru-sa-lim," showing that the usual explanation, "city of peace," is probable.

42 Casipi. It has been read Casia (“Cushites "), but the word before is in the plural, and the plural could not end in "a." Any great suc cess is still attributed to sorcery in the East. It may, however, only mean "malicious," according to its use in Hebrew.

43 There was an Egyptian known to history who bore the name of Paur (Brugsch, "Hist." i. p. 462); he was a governor in Nubia, somewhat later than the present events. The name, however, must have been common, since Paur stands for Paka in some cases. It has been already explained as an Egyptian word.

44

45

rison 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-a Paka of the King, dispatched to this thy people. The women are dispatched to the King my lord with men who have been upright. Four messengers .. 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 of Ajalon.40 Let this be known to the King my lord. Have not I shown the people dispatched a road for the King, though it is not easy? 47 Lo! the King my lord has established his law in the land of the city of Jerusalem forever, and is not the desertion of the lands of the city of Jerusalem manifest? To the scribe of the King my lord, this lamentation, thus speaks Adonizedek, thy 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 Cush (Casi).48 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

my lord to me

. seven times and seven

[199 B. appears to be from Adonizedek, and speaks of Jerusalem. 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.]

44 The participle is feminine.

45 There had been four previous letters, agreeing with my arrangement.

46 Ajalon (now Yalo) is at the foot of the Bethhoron Pass, where the battle against the five kings occurred. The women were apparently sent away before the battle of Ajalon, after which the easiest road to the plains, by Bethhoron and Ajalon, was closed. The flight of Adonizedek took place, according to the Biblical account, after the battle of Ajalon, while Joshua was at Gilgal, where the news was brought.

47 This appears to be the meaning, and refers to the road, mentioned in the last letter, by the Valley of Elah less easy than that by Ajalon. 48 Casi, or Cush, as in Egyptian records, appears to mean upper Egypt. See what has been said as to this name in Ribadda's letter (61 B.).