Amarna letter EA 366 is from the king of Gath ( Šuwardata) to the king of Egypt. The letter (part of the Amarna letters correspondence) reports of the king having smote down the uprising of the Habiru. [1]
The letter begins with an address which is thought typical of the usual beginning of reportage of intelligence. [2]
The Habiru/ 'Apiru
The mention of the Habiru shows the conflict of the time, as the takeover of city-states or regions by the Habiru. The map shows various cities and regions, and their respective dealings with the Habiru. (There are only 3 letters from Labaya of Šakmu/ Shechem.) The next closest mention of the Habiru is from the Jerusalem letters of Abdi-Heba, directly south at Jerusalem, letters EA 286, 287, 288, 289, and EA 290.
Spellings for Habiru in the Amarna letters
- EA 100, l. 26— KUR,.. ša ìl- qú LÚ. MEŠ GAZ,.. [ iš tu ]–.]–( LÚ-MEŠ GAZ )
- EA 271, l. 16—.. lú- meš Sa-GaZ- meš .. ( Men (pl), SA.GAZ MEŠ(pl)
- EA 290, l. 24—.. Ha- Pí- Ri .. ( Hapiru ( 'Apiru ))
- EA 299, l. 18—.. da- an- nu LÚ- SA- GAZ- meš .. ( "Strengthening" - LÚ.SA.GAZ.MEŠ ..( "Strengthening Habiru" )
- EA 366, l. 21—.. {LÚ} SA- GAZ .. ( LÚSA-GAZ (Habiru))
References
- ^ A. Lyle - Revised Chronology of the Bible Author House, 2013, 440 pages, ISBN 1491816112 [Retrieved 2015-07-04]
- ^ Raymond Cohen, Raymond Westbrook - Amarna Diplomacy: The Beginnings of International Relations (Intelligence in the Amarna Letters - p.91) JHU Press, 18 Sep 2002, 328 pages, ISBN 0801871034 [Retrieved 2015-07-03]