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.).
90 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun—the King my Lord(287)—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.”
