Amarna letter EA 287, titled: "A Very Serious Crime,"[1] is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 8 in tall, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 287 is a moderately long, and involved letter.
The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1350 BC and 20–25 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.
(4-9)--Consider] the ent(ire)affair.1,[ Milkilu and Tagibrought[troop]sinto[Qiltu] against me.2[Consider] the deed that they did[to your servant].3Arrow(s)4[ ... ]
( ... lacuna )
( ... lacuna )
(10-12)--[..] they brought into[Qilt]u.May the [kin]g know (that) all the lands are [at] peace (with one another), but I am at war.
(14-19)--Consider the lands of Gazru, Ašqaluna, and L[akis]i.5They have given them food, oils, and any other requirement. So may the king provide for archers and 6 send the archers against men that commit crimes against the king, my lord.
(20-24)--If this year there are archers, then the lands and the mayors will belong to the king, my lord. But if there are no archers, then the ki[ng] will have neither lands nor mayors.
(29-31)--Consider the deed! This is the deed of Milkilu and the deed of the sons(=cohorts) of Lab'ayu, who have given the land of the king (to) the 'Apiru.
(32-32)--Consider, O king, my lord!I am in the right!8
(33-42)--With regard to the Kašites, may the king make inquiry of the commissioners. Though the house is well fortified, they attempted a very serious crime. They [t]ook their tools, andI had to seek shelter by a support9for the roof:(gloss) ga-ag-gi. A[nd so i]fhe is going to sendtroop]sinto[Jerusalem],let them come with[a garrison for] (regular) service.10May the king provide for them;[all]of the landmight be in dire straits11on their account.
bottom, obverse: 38–40:
Reverse: (line 41)
(43-49)--May the king inquire about the[m. Let there be]12much food, much oil, much clothing until Pauru, the commissioner of the king, comes up to Jerusalem. Gone13is Addaya together with the garrison of soldiers [that] the king [pro]vided. May the king know (that) Addaya [sa]id to me,
(50-52)--"[Beh]old, he has dismissed me."14Do not abandon it, [and] send this [year] a garrison, and send right here15the commissioner of the king.
(53-59)--I sent [as gift]s16to the king, my lord, [x] prisoners, 5000...[...],17[and] 8 porters18for the caravans of the k[ing, my lord], but they have been taken in the countryside:a-de4-eof Ayyaluna. May the king, my lord, know (that) I am unable to send a caravan to the king, my lord. For you information!
(60-63)--As the king has placed his name in Jerusalem forever, he cannot abandon it—the land of Jerusalem.19
(64-70)--Say to the scribe of the king, my lord: Message of 'Abdi-Heba, your servant. I fall at (your) feet. I am your servant. Present eloquent words to the king, my lord: I am a soldier of the king. Iam always yours.20
(71-78)--And please make the Kašites responsible for the evil deed.21I was almost killed by the Kašites [i]n my own house. May the king[make an inquiry]in the[ir] regard. [May the kin]g, my lord,[provide]for them. 7 times and 7 times my the king, my lord,[provide]for me.22(complete, EA 287, many minor, restored lacunae, lines 1–78)
Akkadian text
The Akkadian language text: (starting at line 1, obverse, and line 39, reverse)[3]
Akkadian:
Obverse:
(Line 1)--[ Ana 1.dišŠÀR ]RU Bēlu-iaqabû ]--(To 1.-King-Lord-mine,..Speak!)
![[1]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120313163629/http://amarna.ieiop.csic.es/amarna/Tablillas/EA%20287/EA%20287-VAT%201644%20(1).jpg){kind=link}