the King my Lord thirty bands to carry weapons. Moreover,
who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King
my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun--Son of the Sun whom you adore."

52 B. M. is very similar to 54 B. M. _Yadia_ watches the land and the
city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink
(beer, according to one value of the sign--and the Egyptians drank
beer)(306) and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King
requires for the soldiers.

It is to be remarked that Ascalon was not among the cities that Joshua
took, but we learn that the region submitted to the Hebrews (B. 103) and
Ascalon was lost before 1360 B.C.

LETTERS FROM MAKKEDAH

These letters appear to be early. They have been supposed to come from
Megiddo, but the topography (111 B. and 72 B. M.) cannot be reconciled
with the latter, and applied exactly to the former town (now _El Mughar_);
in addition to which Megiddo appears as _Makdani_ in the letter from Accho
(95 B.).

113 B.--"To the King my Lord ... and my Sun by letter thus (says) _Biridi_
a faithful servant, that I bow at the feet of the King my Lord and my Sun
and my God, seven times and seven times. I have heard (literally, the
servant has heard) the messages of the King my Lord and my Sun, and now
they guard the city of _Makidah_, the chief city of the King my Lord." The
text is broken, but seems to read probably "without rest, and is set right
... without rest they watch with chariots, and they guard with chariots of
the King my Lord, from those who do injury. And now behold a battle of
chiefs in (or from) the land (below Mizpah?).(307) The King is my Lord for
his land."

114 B.--"To the King my Lord and my Sun by letter thus (says) Biridia,
Chief of the city _Makidda_, a faithful servant of the King. At the feet
of the King my Lord and my Sun seven times and seven times prostrated. I
have been obedient then, zealous for the King ... thirty oxen ... they
have gathered, and I (too) to fight."

115 B.--_Biridia_ sends the usual salutation without mentioning his city.
The text is rather worn and broken, but may be read as follows: "Let the
King my Lord know this. Lo! since the Egyptian soldiers (_bitati_) have
gone down (or away) _Labaya_ makes war against me and (without cause?)
coming angrily and (without cause?). Thereupon the entrance (of gate) has
been closed through the appearance of _Labaya_. Behold learn this, and
there a