The troublemaker in the region around Shechem was a man named Lab'ayu
who, in league with the 'Apiru people, sought to control the central
hill country of Canaan. Like Aziru, farther north, Lab'ayu sent letters
to Egypt affirming his loyalty:
Behold, I am a faithful servant of the king, and I have not committed
a crime, and I have not sinned, and I do not refuse my tribute, and I
do not refuse the demand of my deputy. Behold, I have been slandered
and evil entreated but the king, my lord, has not made known to me my
crime.[38]
Biridya of Megiddo, however, saw things differently:
To the king, my lord and my sun, say: Thus says Biridya, the faithful
servant of the king. At the feet of the king, my lord and my sun,
seven and seven times I fall. Let the king know that ever since the
archers returned, Lab'ayu has carried on hostilities against me, and
we are not able to pluck the wool, and we are not able to go outside
the gate in the presence of Lab'ayu since he has learned that you have
not given archers, and now his face is set to take Megiddo, but let
the king protect his city lest Lab'ayu seize it. Indeed, the city is
destroyed by death from pestilence and disease. Let the king give one
hundred garrison troops lest Lab'ayu seize it. Verily there is no
other purpose in Lab'ayu. He seeks to destroy Megiddo.[39]
Biridya succeeded in capturing Lab'ayu, and plans were made to send him
to Egypt. He was turned over to Zurata of Akko, an ally of Biridya, who
was to send him to Egypt by ship. Zurata, however, accepted a bribe and
released Lab'ayu.[40] His freedom was brief for Lab'ayu was murdered
before he could reach home, but lawlessness continued as the sons of
Lab'ayu continued to terrorize the countryside.[41]