One of the most interesting and instructive of the letters of Abdi-tâba is that which Petrie regards as the latest of the series; and on account of its importance, it is given in full here--
"(To) the king, my lord, (s)ay also thus: 'It is (Abdi)-tâba thy servant. At the feet of the (ki)ng my lord twice seven times and twice seven times I fall down. (Behold, the deed) which Milki-îli and Su-ardatum have done to the land of the king my lord has been successful (?). The men of the city of Gazri (Gezer), the men of the city of Gimti (Gath), and the men of the city of Kîlti (Keilah) have been captured. The land of the city of Rubute has revolted. The land of the king (belongs to) the Habiri. And now, moreover, a city of the land of Jerusalem, the city Beth-Ninip ("House" or "Temple of Ninip")--(this is) its name--has revolted to the people of Kîlti. Let the king hearken to Abdi-tâba thy servant, and let him send hired soldiers, and let me bring back the land of the king to the king. And if there be no hired soldiers, the land of the king will go over to the men, the Habiri. This deed (is the deed of) Su-ardatum (and) Milki-îli ... city ... and let the king care for his land.' "
Whether the fall of Jerusalem followed or not is doubtful; nor is it certain that the Egyptians were ultimately driven out. Other letters seem to show how the influence of those whom Abdi-tâba calls the Habiri, and others the Habati--the "confederates" and the "plunderers"--spread still farther southward. Naturally more information is required to enable it to be known in what manner the Egyptians tried to retrieve their position, and how it was that Amenophis IV. delayed so long the sending of troops. All the governors who were in the least degree faithful to Egypt united in repeatedly warning him as to what was taking place, and urging him to send troops. Had the rebellion or invasion--whichever it was--been nipped in the bud, Palestine would have remained a faithful Egyptian province. All the king did, however, was to send his commissioner, and, occasionally, exhorting and even threatening letters, which had in all probability little or no effect, except to excite a little mild amusement on account of their erratic spelling. A very noteworthy communication of this class is the following--