[his subjects]! May he despatch troops to [his] country! [Behold,] if no
troops come this year, all the countries of the king my lord will be
utterly destroyed. They do not say before the face of the king my lord
that the country of the king my lord is destroyed, and that all the
governors are destroyed, if no troops come this year. Let the king send
a commissioner, and let him come to me, even to me, with auxiliary
troops, and we will die with the king [our] lord.--[To] the secretary of
the king my lord [speaks] Ebed-Tob [thy] servant. At [thy] feet [I
prostrate myself]. Let a report of [my] words be laid before the king
[my] lord. Thy [loyal] servant am I."

(II.) "To the king my lord thus speaks Ebed-Tob thy servant: at the feet
of the king my lord seven times seven I prostrate myself. What have I
done against the king my lord? They have slandered me, laying wait for
me in the presence of the king, the lord, saying: Ebed-Tob has revolted
from the king his lord. Behold, neither my father nor my mother has
exalted me in this place; the prophecy of the Mighty King has caused me
to enter the house of my father. Why should I have committed a sin
against the king the lord? With the king my lord is life. I say to the
officer of the king [my] lord: Why dost thou love the Confederates and
hate the governors? And constantly I am sending to the presence of the
king my lord to say that the countries of the king my lord are being
destroyed. Constantly I am sending to the king my lord, and let the king
my lord consider, since the king my lord has appointed the men of the
guard who have taken the fortresses. Let Yikhbil-Khamu [be sent].... Let
the king send help to his country. [Let him send troops] to his country
which protects the fortresses of the king my lord, all of them, since
Elimelech is destroying all the country of the king; and let the king
send help to his country. Behold, I have gone down along with the king
my lord, and I have not seen the tears of the king my lord; but