Patriarchal PalestineSayce, A. H. (Archibald Henry)
History
Patriarchal Palestine
Sayce, A. H. (Archibald Henry)
Jews -- History -- To 953 B.C.; Palestine -- History
A curious letter to Khu-n-Aten from Burnaburyas, the Babylonian king,
throws a good deal of light on the nature of the Egyptian government in
Canaan. Between the predecessors of the two monarchs there had been
alliance and friendly intercourse, and nevertheless the Canaanitish
subjects of the Pharaoh had committed an outrageous crime against some
Babylonian merchants, which if left unpunished would have led to a
rupture between the two countries. The merchants in question had entered
Palestine under the escort of the Canaanite Ahitub, intending afterwards
to visit Egypt. At Ên-athôn, near Acre, however, "in the country of
Canaan," Sum-Adda, or Shem-Hadad, the son of Balumme (Balaam), and
Sutatna, or Zid-athon, the son of Saratum, [His name is written Zurata
in the letter of Biridî, the governor of Megiddo; see above, p. 135.]
who was governor of Acre, set upon them, killing some of them,
maltreating others, and carrying away their goods. Burna-buryas
therefore sent a special envoy, who was instructed to lay the following
complaint before the Pharaoh: "Canaan is thy country and the king [of
Acre is thy servant]. In thy country I have been injured; do thou punish
[the offenders]. The silver which they carried off was a present [for
thee], and the men who are my servants they have slain. Slay them and
requite the blood [of my servants]. But if thou dost not put these men
to death, [the inhabitants] of the high-road that belongs to me will
turn and verily will slay thy ambassadors, and a breach will be made in
the agreement to respect the persons of ambassadors, and I shall be
estranged from thee. Shem-Hadad, having cut off the feet of one of my
men, has detained him with him; and as for another man, Sutatna of Acre
made him stand upon his head and then stood upon his face."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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