"To the king my lord, my gods, my Sun-god, thus speaks Suwardata thy
servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the king my lord, my gods,
my Sun-god, seven times seven I prostrate myself. The king my lord
directed me to make war in the city of Keilah; I made war; it is (now)
at peace with me; my city is restored to me. Why does Ebed-Tob send to
the men of Keilah, saying: 'Take silver and march after me'? And the
king my lord knows that Ebed-Tob has taken my city out of my hand. Again
let the king my lord inquire whether I have taken a man, or an ox, or an
ass from him or his jurisdiction. Again Labai is the conspirator who had
taken our cities, and now Labai has taken Ebed-Tob, and they have taken
our cities. And the king knows. To his servant let him grant power, for
I did not know they had done anything until the king had sent an account
of it to his servant."

* * * * *

LETTER FROM LABAI TO AMENOPHIS IV.

"To the king my lord and my Sun-god thus (speaks) Labai thy servant and
the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the king my lord and my Sun-god,
seven times seven I prostrate myself. I have heard the words which the
king has sent to me, and here am I, and the king apportions his country
unto me. Behold, I am a faithful servant of the king, and I have not
sinned, and I have not offended, and I do not withhold my tribute, and I
do not refuse the requests of the Commissioner that is set over me.
Behold, they have slandered me, and the king my lord will not be hard on
my offence. Again it is an offence in me that I have entered the city of
Gezer and ordered the city to assemble, saying, 'The king has taken my
property and the property of Malchiel.' How could I know what Malchiel
has done against me? Again the king has written to Bin-Sumya; he does
not know that Bin-Sumya has marched along with the Bedawin, and lo, I
have delivered him into the hand of Adda-dan. Again, if the king sends
for my wife, how shall I withhold her; and if the king writes to myself,
'Plunge an iron sword in thy heart and die,' how shall I not perform the
commandment of the king?"

IV

THE MOABITE STONE

(_See page 112_)

1. I am Mesha the son of Chemosh-melech, king of Moab, the Dibonite.

2. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned

3. after my father. I made this monument to (the god) Chemosh at
Korkhah, as a monument

4. of salvation, for he saved me from all invaders, and l