Egyptian Literature / Comprising Egyptian tales, hymns, litanies, invocations, the Book of the Dead, and cuneiform writings

Northern Palestine

Letters from Beirut

No. 26 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God, to the King my Lord by letter thus Ammunira, chief of the city of Burutu, thy servant, the dust of thy feet: at the feet of the King my Lord my Sun my God—the King my Lord—seven and seven times I bow. I hear the messages of ... of the King my Lord my Sun my God—the ruler of my life, and they have drawn the heart of thy servant, and the dust of the feet of the King my Lord my Sun and my God—the King my Lord—exceeding much. Sufficient is the order of the King my Lord my Sun my God, for his servant and the dust of his feet. Behold the King my Lord my Sun has sent to his servant, and the dust of his feet, ‘Speed to the presence of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) of the King thy Lord.’ I listen exceeding much, and now I have sped, with [pg 242] my horses, and with my chariots, and with all who march with the servant of the King my Lord, to meet the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord. And art not thou confident of the event? The breast of the enemies of the King my Lord my Sun my God shall be troubled. And shall not the eyes of thy servant behold this, through the mastery of the King my Lord; and the King my Lord my Sun my God, the King my Lord, shall see. Thou increasest the favors of thy servant. Now as to the servant of the King my Lord, and the footstool of his feet, now let him fortify the city of the King my Lord my Sun—the ruler of my life, and her gardens (that is to say the mulberries),286 till the eyes behold the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord, and ... the servant of the King I proclaim” (or predict).

27 B. M.—“To the King ... my Lord thus says Ammunira thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven times I bow. I hear the message of the letter, and what is thereby commanded to me O King my Lord. And I hear (the precept?) of the message of the scribe of my Lord, and my heart is eager, and my eyes are enlightened exceedingly. Now I have watched much, and have caused the city of Burutu to be fortified for the King my Lord, until the coming of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord. As to the chief of the city of Gebal who is in trouble together with me, now they defend him till there shall be counsel of the King to his servant. The King my Lord is shown the grief of one's brother, which troubles us both. From the city of Gebal, lo! the sons of Ribaadda who is in trouble with me, are subjected to chiefs who are sinners to the King, who (are) from the land of the Amorites. Now I have caused them to haste with my horses and with my chariots and with all who are with me, to meet the soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord. At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven times I bow.”

Ammunira was Ribadda's friend (see 16 B. M.), and his letter agrees with Ribadda's: clearly, therefore, the seizure of Ribadda's sons comes historically before the loss of BeirÛt, Mearah, and Sidon (54 B., 75 B.).

[pg 243]

Letter from Sidon

90 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun—the King my Lord287—by letter thus Zimridi, the Governor of the city of Sidon (Ziduna): at the feet of the King my Lord my God my Sun—the King my Lord—seven times and seven times I bow. Does not the King my Lord know? Lo! the city of Sidon has gathered. I am gathering, O King my Lord, all who are faithful to my hands (power). And lo! I hear the message of the King my Lord. Behold, he causes it to be sent to his servant, and my heart rejoices, and my head is raised, and my eyes are enlightened; my ears hear the message of the King my Lord; and know O King I have proclaimed in presence of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord, I have proclaimed all, as the King my Lord has spoken; and know O King my Lord lo! mighty has been the battle against me: all ... who are faithful to the King in ... it has come to pass, and the chiefs ... sons, and are faithful to the King ... and her chief who goes out in the presence of the King's Egyptian soldiers (bitati). The greatest of the fortresses deserts to the enemies: which has gone well for the men of blood, and they are gaining them from my hands, and my destruction is before me. O King my Lord as said the chiefs who are my foes have done.”

From the letters of the King of Tyre which follow (99 B. and 28-31 B. M.) we see that Zimridi was a weak ruler. His own letter agrees with one from Ribadda (54 B.) as showing that Sidon fell by treachery, not by war.

Letters from Tyre

These appear to begin early, before the appearance of Aziru, and show that the rivalry of Tyre and Sidon was of early origin. None of the letters mention Tyre except those written by her King.

99 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) Abimelec288 thy servant: seven and seven (times) at the feet of [pg 244] the King my Lord (I bow). The King my Lord sends (to ask) if I have finished what is doing with me. I present to the King my Lord 100 ornaments (or ‘crowns,’ perhaps ‘shekels’—tacilal); and let the King my Lord give his countenance to his servant, and let him give the city Huzu289 to his servant—a fountain to supply water for his drinking: let the King my Lord grant (a chief a subject?)290 to guard his town; and let me plead, and let the face of the King my Lord regard my explanation before the King my Lord. As said behold let the King my Lord confide in me to defend his city. Lo! the King of the city of Sidon is taking the people who are my subjects—a chief who is my inferior (or foe). Let the King give his countenance to his servant, and let him order his Paka (chief), and let him give the city of Huzu for waters to his servant, to take trees for our use for the dwellings. Lo! he has made war: nothing is left. In vain have they threshed corn if the King of Sidon despoils the King's land. The King of the city of Khazura (Hazor)291 is leaving his city, and goes out with men of blood. Let the King show their borders to the hostile (or inferior) chiefs. The King's land is vexed by men of blood. Let the King send his Paka (chief) who is in our land.”

29 B. M.—“To the King my Lord, my God, my Sun thus (says) Abimelec thy servant: seven and seven (times) at the feet of the King my Lord I bow. I (am) the dust beneath the shoes of the King my Lord my master—the Sun-God who comes forth in presence of the world from day to day, as the manifestation of the Sun-God his gracious father: who gives life by his good word, and gives light to what is obscure: who frees all lands from dissensions by just rule of a free country; who gives this his compassion from heaven, like the God Adonis, and causes all lands to rest through his mercy. This is the message of a servant to his Lord. Lo! I hear the gracious messenger of the King who reaches his servant, [pg 245] and the good utterance which comes from the hands of the King my Lord for his servant; and the utterance it makes clear, since the arrival of the messenger of the King my Lord. Does not he make it clear?—the utterance is clear. The lands of my fathers behold it records. Lo! the utterance of the King comes to me, and I rejoice exceedingly and (my heart has risen?) from day to day because the land is not ... Behold I heard the gracious messenger from my Lord, and all my land has been afraid as to my Lord's countenance. Lo! I heard the good utterance; and the gracious messenger who reaches me, behold he said, O King my Lord, that the region (is) to be established by the presence of many soldiers; and the servant says for his Lord that my plain is my land over against my highlands, over against the plain of my cities. He has borne the order of the King my Lord listening to the King his Lord, and has served him (in his integrity?), and the Sun-God he has proclaimed before him; and he makes clear the good utterance from the hands of his Lord, and does he not listen to the order of his Lord? The portion of his town his Lord has divided. His word none shall overthrow in all the lands forever. Behold (this is) the duty that he heard from his Lord. His city will rest, will rest from overthrowing his utterance for all time. Thou art the Sun-God whom he has proclaimed before him; and the decision which shall set at rest is lasting for one. And because she judges that the King my Lord is just our land obeys—the land that I am given. This Abimelec says to the Sun-God. My Lord I am given what appears before the King my Lord. And now the city Zarbitu292is to be guarded by the city of Tyre (Tsuru) for the King my Lord.”

31 B. M.—“To the King the Sun ... thus says Abimel(ec) ... seven times and seven times at the feet ... I am the dust from ... below ... and the King the Sun forever ... The King spoke to his servant (and) to his servant my comrade: he has granted that extension be given, and as to waters for (his servant's) drinking [pg 246] And they did not as the King my Lord has said; and we arrive at no fulfilment. And let the King counsel his servant my comrade. He has granted that the waters be given, because of the abundance there to drink. My Lord the King, behold, there is no one to tend my trees, no one (to tend) my waters, no one to make ... Let the King my Lord know.” The next lines are much broken, and the letter then continues: “... As the King has said. And let the King assign to his servant and to the city of Tyre (Tsuru) the city that my comrade has given, and what the order lays down on the side of the King for his servant, which the King made an order (less than a year ago?). The King is the eternal Sun-God, and to his faithful servant the King my Lord shall ... for guardians of the town that my comrade has granted. My requests as to this town ... Moreover, my Lord ... soldiers against me ... to my desire ... King ... Lo! his heart is evil ... King my Lord; and he turns away from my wish; and O King my Lord (thou knowest the hearts of all those in the land?), and let the King give his countenance to his servant; and to the city of Tyre the town that my comrade has granted (is) to be given ... waters for (irrigation?). Moreover, my Lord ... Let the King ask his Paka. Lo! the chief of the city of Zar(epta) has followed the city of Simyra (with) a ship. I am marching, and the chief of the city of Sidon marches out; and as for me he has marched with all ... and let the King counsel his servant ...”

30 B. M.—Abimelec begins with his ordinary salutation. “Thus far I defend the King's city which he confides to my hands very much. My intention (has been) to walk in sight of the face of the King my Lord, and not to take by force from the hands of Zimridi of the city of Sidon. Lo! I hear me that he will strive, and has made war with me. Let the King my Lord send down to me ... chiefs for guards of the city of the King my Lord; and let me strive (or plead) for the dwellings of the King my Lord, with those who deceive his gracious countenance. I set my face to (encourage?) the region of those who are peaceful with the King my Lord; and let the King my Lord ask his Paka (chief). Lo! I set my face (or, confirm my intention) forever, O King my Lord. Now a [pg 247] messenger I am despatching to ... of the King my Lord, and ... the King my Lord the messenger ... ... his letter ... and may it be the means of ... the King my Lord ... (that) he sets his face ... forever to ... the face of the King my Lord. His servant will not let slip ... from (his) hands ... Let the King my Lord give his countenance ... and (he) shall ... waters for the drawing ... and woods for his servant.... Know O King my Lord behold they are plucking the fruit that we left. There are no waters and no woods for us. Now Elisaru the messenger to the presence of the King my Lord has hasted, and I have made bold to present five precious things of copper, this agate, one throne of gold. The King my Lord sends to me (saying) ‘Send to me all you hear from the land of Canaan’ (Cina'ana). The King of Danuna293 has been destroyed, and his brother is ruling after him, and his land has broken out, and they have seized the King of the town of Hugarit,294 and mighty is the slaughter that follows him. He is strong, and none are saved from him, nor any from the chiefs of the army of the land of the Hittites. The proud Edagama295 of the city Ciidzi (Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the Southern Hittites, now Kades) and Aziru have fought—they have fought with Neboyapiza; they have come to the regions of Zimridi. Lo! he gathers ships of soldiers against me from the fortresses of Aziru. And lo! they have grievously opposed my Lord's subjects, and all will break out. Let the King give countenance to his servant, and let him leap forth to go out a conqueror” (or “to the region”).

28 B. M.—“To the King my Lord my Sun my God thus (says) Abimelec thy servant; seven and seven (times) at the feet of the King my Lord I bow. I am the dust beneath the feet. Consider me O King my Lord. The King my Lord (is) like the Sun; like the air god (or Adonis) in heaven art thou. Let the King advise his servant: the King my Lord [pg 248] confides in me. I watch the city of Tyre the handmaid of the King. And I send a hasty letter to the King my Lord, and no order does he return to me. I am the Paka296 (chief) of the King my Lord, and I have diligently followed what was ordered. But as to our silence to the King my Lord let the King be assured. As a subject I guard his city. And let me plead (or strive) before the King my Lord, and let him see his face. Who shall preserve one born a subject? Lo there has gone forth no command from the hands of the King his Lord; and he may not know when the King sends to his servant. He may never know. As for me ...”

The letter is here too broken to read consecutively. It refers to the “west,” and apparently to “burning,” to Aziru, and to someone, perhaps a king's messenger, called Khabi. The letter becomes readable on the back of the tablet.

“... by Elisaru the messenger it is confirmed that the city of Simyra is Aziru's. And is not the King nourished by his city of Tyre, by his country? Lo! if I shall be destroyed the King is destroyed. But thus his fortress has been wasted, and there has been great fear, and all the lands have feared; for he has not walked after (i.e., obeyed) the King my Lord. O King know: desolation has remained with me—with the Paka in the city of Tyre. Zimridi is gone to the city Irib.297 He has escaped from slavery; and there is no water or wood for us; and alas! there is none remaining to stand up for me. The chief is helpless. And let the King my Lord advise his servant by a letter he sends to me, whom you thus hear. And Zimrida of the city of Sidon has sent to the King, and Aziru is a man sinful against the King, and the chiefs of the city Arada (Arvad) destroy me,298 and (everything is altered?) through their ravages; and they will gather their ships, their chariots, their foot soldiers, to seize the city of Tyre the King's handmaid. She has been very constant to the King's hand, and the city of Tyre has been crushed by them. Were they not violent in taking the city of Simyra? They took from the hands of Zimrida him who bore the King's order to Aziru; [pg 249] and I sent a letter to the King my Lord, and he returns me not an order for his servant. They have fought (for a long time?) against me. There are no waters299 and no trees. Let there be ordered a letter for his servant, and let me plead, and let me see his face, and the King ... to his servant, and to his city, and not ... his city and his land. Why do they ... the King our Lord from the land, and ... and he has known that I honor the King's power, who ... no ... to my letter—a subject before the King my Sun, my Lord; and let the King answer his servant.”

Letters from Accho

93 B.—Surata, chief of Acca, sends the usual formula of compliment, and continues: “What chief is there who when the King his Lord sends to him will not hear? As this is sent out by desire of the Sun-God from heaven, so now it is promised him.”

32 B. M., a short letter from Zitatna, of Accho, merely says that he bows seven times and seven times at the King's feet.

94 B., another short letter by the same, states that he listens to the King's wishes.

95 B.—“To the King my Lord my ... the Sun from heaven thus says Zatatna chief of the city of Acca, thy servant, the King's servant, and the dust at the feet trampled under the feet of the King my Lord—the Sun-God from heaven: seven times and seven times he bows both heart and body. The King my Lord shall hear the message of his servant; the woman my wife ... He has left from ... Neboyapiza ... with Suta ... of the King, in the city of Acca ... to say anything ... him. She has urged (that) soldiers of the King my Lord shall go out with her from the city Magid ... No word is mentioned as to him or explanation before me; and now we two are sending. My reason (is) to assure her—Ziza the woman my wife—as to Neboyapiza, and she has not slept because of him. Behold the city of Acca like the city of Makdani300 (is) with the Land of [pg 250] Egypt, and the King will not refuse ... and will send ... before me, and is it not that the King my Lord ... his Paka, and let him empower him.”

Letters from Hazor

48 B. M.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus says Iebaenu (Jabin) chief of the city Khazura (Hazor) thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord I bow, who behold am one of the faithful servants of the King my Lord; and all those who guard the city of Hazor301 with her fortresses belonging to the King my Lord; and let him expect this. Let him recall to the King my Lord all that the city Hazor—thy city, and thy servant is made to suffer.”

47 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the King of the city of Hazor: I bow at the feet of my Lord. Lo! I am guarding the fortresses belonging to the King my Lord, until the arrival of my Lord my God; and lo! I hear all these messages, and I am departing O Sun-God my God ... and I am being brought low: the ... that they have taken is increased, and the Gods have nodded to his revolt over me, and now I am causing all to be despatched till the coming of the King my Lord. Behold this, lo! they come ... your envoy ... very much ... my Lord ... safety ... the city of Hazor ... when the land ... [pg 251] and all ... Lo ... Moreover behold ... and my place ... with soldiers.”

Unfortunately King Jabin does not mention the nationality of the enemy. From the Tyre letters he seems to have been an enemy of the Phoenicians, being perhaps on the side of Aziru; but the date of the present letters is not fixed by any reference to persons mentioned in the other letters. It is quite possible that the Hebrews, and not the Hittites, were his foes, since the Hebrew conquest took place in the lifetime of Yankhamu and Suta, who are noticed in the northern letters also. If he was a friend of Aziru's, the enemy, though enemies of Egypt, could not well have been Hittites or Amorites; and the name of the King is that of Joshua's enemy, Jabin of Hazor. It is clear that the Egyptians, though expected, were not in Hazor at the time. The kings of Hazor ruled lower Galilee, where they had a force of chariots a century later. In Joshua's time (Josh. xi.) there were also many chariots in and near Hazor.

It is remarkable that none of the letters from Tell Amarna refer to central Palestine. There is no mention of any town in lower Galilee or in Samaria, except Zabuba and Megiddo. Taanach, Shechem, Jezreel, Dothan, Bethel, and other such places are unnoticed, as well as Heshbon, Medeba, Rabbath-Ammon, Ramoth Gilead, and other places in Moab and Gilead. The Egyptians probably had no stations in these wild mountains, where their chariots could not pass. The Egyptian traveller mentions no town between Megiddo and Joppa in the time of Rameses II, and no towns in the regions of Samaria or Gilead or Moab occur in the list of places taken by Thothmes III; nor were there any stations in the Hebron mountains.302 On the other hand, many places in Sharon and [pg 252] Philistia, and in the lower hills to the east, and in the Negeb hills south of Hebron, were conquered by the last-mentioned king, and are again mentioned by the traveller of the time of Rameses II, and these occur in the present letters. We are thus at once transported to the south of the country.

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