er nor my mother, but the oracle (or arm) of the
Mighty King established [me] in the house of [my] fathers.... There have
come to me as a present 13 [women] and 10 slaves. Suta (Seti) the
Commissioner of the king has come to me: 21 female slaves and 20 male
slaves captured in war have been given into the hands of Suta as a gift
for the king my lord, as the king has ordained for his country. The
country of the king is being destroyed, all of it. Hostilities are
carried on against me as far as the mountains of Seir (Joshua xv. 10)
and the city of Gath-Karmel (Joshua xv. 55). All the other governors are
at peace, but there is war against myself, since I see the foe, but I do
not see the tears of the king my lord because war has been raised
against me. While there is a ship in the midst of the sea, the arm (or
oracle) of the Mighty King shall conquer the countries of Naharaim
(Nakhrima) and Babylonia. But now the Confederates (Khabiri) are
capturing the fortresses of the king. Not a single governor remains
among them to the king my lord; all have perished. Behold, Turbazu, thy
military officer, [has fallen] in the great gate of the city of Zelah
(Josh, xviii. 28). Behold, Zimrida of Lachish has been murdered by the
servants who have revolted against the king. Jephthah-Hadad, thy
military officer, has been slain in the great gate of Zelah.... May the
king [my lord] send help [to his country]! May the king turn his face to
[his subjects]! May he despatch troops to [his] country! [Behold,] if no
troops come this year, all the countries of the king my lord will be
utterly destroyed. They do not say before the face of the king my lord
that the country of the king my lord is destroyed, and that all the
governors are destroyed, if no troops come this year. Let the king send
a commissioner, and let him come to me, even to me, with auxiliary
troops, and we will die with the king [our] lord.--[To] the secretary of
the king my lord [speaks] Ebed-Tob [thy] servant. At [thy] feet [I
prostrate myself]. Let a report of [my] words be laid before the king
[my] lord. Thy [loyal] servant am I."

(II.) "To the king my lord thus speaks Ebed-Tob thy servant: at the feet
of the king my lord seven times seven I prostrate myself. What have I
done against the king my lord? They have slandered me, laying wait for
me in the presence of the king, the lord, saying: Ebed-Tob has revolted
from the king his lord. Behold, neither my father nor my mother has