At least seven letters were addressed to the Pharaoh by Abdi-Khepa of
Jerusalem, asking help in resisting the encroachments of a people known
as 'Apiru. He notes:
As sure as there is a ship in the midst of the sea, the mighty arm of
the king conquers. Nahrim and Kapasi, but now the 'Apiru are taking
the cities of the king. There is not a single governor remaining to
the king, my lord. All have perished.[42]
Abdi-Khepa tends to classify all his enemies as 'Apiru, a word which in
such contexts is practically synonymous with outlaw, or bandit. Things
are so bad, Abdi-Khepa states, that the tribute which he sent to Egypt
was captured by these marauders on the plain of Ajalon.[43] This may
have happened, but reports concerning Abdi-Khepa himself suggest that it
would not have been beneath his dignity to concoct such a story to avoid
paying tribute.
A neighboring king, Suwardata, thought to have been ruler of Hebron,
complained:
And the king, my lord, should know that Abdi-Khepa has taken my city
out of my hand. Further, let the king, my lord, ask if I have taken a
man, or even an ox or an ass from him.... Further, Lab'ayu who had
taken our cities is dead, but verily Abdi-Khepa is another Lab'ayu and
he takes our cities.[44]
On other occasions, however, Suwardata and Abdi-Khepa were allied
against a common foe, the 'Apiru. Suwardata wrote:
The king, my lord, should know that the 'Apiru have arisen in the land
which the god of the king, my lord, has given me, and they have
attacked it, and the king my lord, should know that all my brothers
have abandoned me. I and Abdi-Khepa alone are left to fight against
the 'Apiru, and Zurata, the prince of Akko, and Indurata the prince of
Achsaph, were the ones who hastened to my help.[45]