exalted me in this place; the prophecy of the Mighty King has caused me
to enter the house of my father. Why should I have committed a sin
against the king the lord? With the king my lord is life. I say to the
officer of the king [my] lord: Why dost thou love the Confederates and
hate the governors? And constantly I am sending to the presence of the
king my lord to say that the countries of the king my lord are being
destroyed. Constantly I am sending to the king my lord, and let the king
my lord consider, since the king my lord has appointed the men of the
guard who have taken the fortresses. Let Yikhbil-Khamu [be sent].... Let
the king send help to his country. [Let him send troops] to his country
which protects the fortresses of the king my lord, all of them, since
Elimelech is destroying all the country of the king; and let the king
send help to his country. Behold, I have gone down along with the king
my lord, and I have not seen the tears of the king my lord; but
hostility is strong against me, yet I have not taken anything whatever
from the king my lord; and let the king incline towards my face; let him
despatch a guard [for me], and let him appoint a commissioner, and I
shall not see the tears of the king my lord, since the king [my] lord
shall live when the commissioner has departed. Behold, the countries of
the king [my lord] are being destroyed, yet thou dost not listen to me.
All the governors are destroyed; no governor remains to the king the
lord. Let the king turn his face to his subjects, and let him send
auxiliaries, even the troops of the king my lord. No provinces remain
unto the king; the confederates have wasted all the provinces of the
king. If auxiliaries come this year, the provinces of the king the lord
will be preserved; but if no auxiliaries come the provinces of the king
my lord are destroyed.--[To] the secretary of the king my lord Ebed-Tob
[says:] Give a report of my words to the king my lord: the provinces of
the king my lord are being destroyed by the enemy."

(III.) "[To] the king my lord [speaks] Ebed-Tob [thy] servant: [at the
feet of the king] my lord seven [times seven I prostrate myself. Behold,
let] the king [listen to] the words [of his servant].... Let [the king]
consider all the districts which are leagued in hostility against me,
and let the king send help to his country. Behold, the country of the
city of Gezer, the country of the city of Ashkelon and the city of
La[chish] hav