Egyptian envoy,
on account of the war with the Hebrews.

317 Chief of Keilah, whose letters follow.

318 If Takanu's town was Givti, and Givti was Gibeah of Judah, he is
referring to the southern route by the Valley of Elah.

319 "Tarka" instead of "Paka." In Egyptian the word "tar" means "to
drive" or "compel," preceding the sign of a man with a stick.
"Tarka" is thus apparently an "overseer" of the people.

320 "Yapa'a" is the same name as "Japhia," mentioned as the King of
Lachish (Josh. x. 3), who was the enemy of Joshua. He appears here
as King of Gezer, and the King of Gezer is called in the Bible Horam
(x. 33). The words Gezer and Lachish would not look unlike in the
writing of the earlier Hebrew (about the Christian era), but it is
not impossible that the two towns may have had the same king.
Indeed, the letter seems to show this, as Mer'ash is near Lachish.

321 "Mu(ra)'azi" seems clearly to be "Mer'ash," the Hebrew "Moresheth
Gath" (Micah i. 14). The modern name is nearer to the Amorite than
to the Hebrew, having a guttural at the end; and, as in other cases,
the Amorite "z" stands for a Hebrew "s." The site is south of Gath,
and not far from Lachish, close to Beit Jibrin.

322 The name of the King of Jerusalem is rendered "Abdhiba" by Dr.
Winckler, and "Abd Tobba" by Dr. Sayce. The second reading is
possible in all cases but one (B. 102), when the sign used was not
the syllabic value "Tob," but only "Khi" or "Hi." This would mean
"servant of the Good One." Adonizedek was the name of the King of
Jerusalem killed by Joshua (x. 3). It is to be remembered that many
of the names in these letters are written, not in syllables, but by
ideograms. Ribadda's name is hardly ever spelled syllabically,
though it is rendered certain by the cases in which it is so
spelled. I am inclined, therefore, to suppose that we have to deal,
not with an unusual name, like Abdhiba or Abdtobba, which is unknown
in history, but with the name of Joshua's contemporary, spelled "US"
(= "Adoni" "Lord"), and "KHI" x "BA," "good do" = "zedec"
("justice"). There must, however, always be some doubt as to
personal names, unless checked by variant readings.

323 Adonizedek is meditating flight. His letters speak of a raid on
Gezer, Ascalon, and as far as La