ys to me I listen to him exceedingly. It is
gracious. But as I fear what shall befall, help thou my region from the
power of the people of the desert lands. And now I hear that the _Pauri_
(chiefs; see the Jerusalem letter B. 103) of the King gather a multitude;
and it suffices for me. And they have enlarged my heart very much."

From these letters we gather that there had been a withdrawal of the
Egyptian troops about the time when the "desert people" attacked _Yapa'a_.
That these desert people were the Hebrews under Joshua, who was the
contemporary of Japhia, we learn more clearly from the Jerusalem letters.
That Gezer submitted to them is also shown by the same.

LETTERS FROM JERUSALEM

105 B.--"To the King my Lord ... thus (says) _Adonizedek_(322) thy servant
... at the feet of my Lord ... seven times and seven times ... Behold
_Milcilu_ is not rid from the sons of _Labaya_, and from the sons of
_Arzaya_, as to their desire of the King's land for themselves. A ruling
man who makes demand thereof, why has he not asked it of the King? Lo!
_Milcilu_ and _Takanu_ have desired the doing thereof. Lo! he has marched
to it. Not having desired to strive ..." The lower half of the front is
here lost, and the rest is on the back.

"So now, failing those who were chiefs of the garrison of the King, let me
fly to the King.(323) Truly _Ben Piru_ (or _Ben Carru_) has fled his being
led captive by my destroyers, he goes from the city _'Azati_ (Gaza): let
him remind the King in his presence of a garrison to guard the land. All
the King's land is rebellious. _Yagu Balaam_ is sent, and let the King's
land know from the King's scribe ... Thus says _Adonizedek_ thy servant
... the messages."

102 B.--"To the King my Lord is mourning thus this _Adonizedek_ thy
servant. At the feet of my Lord, of the King, seven times and seven times
I bow. What shall I ask of the King my Lord? They have prevailed, they
have (taken the fortress of Jericho(324)) they who have gathered against
the King of Kings, which Adonizedek has explained to the King his Lord.
Behold, as to me, my father is not and my army is not.(325) The tribe that
has ground me in this place is very rebellious to the King, the same is
struggling with me for the house of my father. Why has the tribe sinned
against the King my Lord? Behold O King my Lord arise! I say to the _Paka_
(resident) of the King my Lord, 'Why should you tremble before the chief
of the _'Abiri_(326) (Hebrews