ey have uttered slanders against me.
Behold, I am not a governor, a dependent of the king my lord. Behold, I
am the king's friend, and I pay tribute to the king, even I. Neither my
father nor my mother, but the arm of the Mighty King has established me
in the house of my father. [When the governor of the king my lord] came
to me, I gave him 13 prisoners (?) and 10 slaves. Suta (Seti) the
Commissioner of the king came to me; I gave 21 slavewomen and 20 male
prisoners into the hands of Suta as a present for the king my lord. May
the king give counsel to his country! The country of the king is being
destroyed, all of it. Hostilities are being carried on against me.
Behold, the mountains of Seir (see Josh, xv. 10) as far as Gath-Carmel
have united against all the other governors and are at war with myself.
If one looks, shall not one see the tears of the king my lord because
war has been made upon me? While there were ships in the midst of the
sea the arm of the Mighty King possessed Naharaim and Babylonia, but now
the Khabiri possess the cities of the king (of Egypt). Not a single
governor remains (among them) to the king my lord; all are destroyed.
Behold, Turbazu has been slain in the gate of the city of Zilu (Zelah),
and the king does nothing. Behold, Zimrida of Lachish has been thrown to
the ground by (his) servants and murdered. Yaptikh-Addu (Jephthah-Hadad)
has been slain in the gate of the city of Zilu, and the king does
nothing.... Let the king [my lord] send help [to his country], let the
king turn his face [to his servants]. Let him despatch troops to the
country [of Jerusalem]. [Behold], if no troops come this year, all the
provinces of the king my lord will be utterly destroyed. They do not
tell to the face of the king my lord that the country of the king my
lord is destroyed and all the governors are destroyed. If no troops come
this year, let the king send a Commissioner, and let him come to me with
allies, and we will die with the king our lord.--To the Secretary of the
king my lord, Ebed-Tob thy servant: At thy feet [I prostrate myself].
Make a clear report of these my words to the king my lord that thy
faithful servant am I."

III. "To the king my lord thus speaks Ebed-Tob thy servant: at the feet
of my lord the king seven times seven I prostrate myself. Behold, has
not Malchiel revolted to the sons of Labai and the sons of Arzai to
demand the country of the king for themselves? As for the governor who
doe