Jar
Certainly doesn't sound like David's son-in-law.
EA252 is Labaya justifying his retaking of his home town (as recounted biblically in I Samuel). It's nothing to do with David (or Saul's sons)!
EA287 writes:
To the king my lord, [say: message from Ab]di-Heba, your servant. [At the feet] of the king my lord seven [and seven times I throw myself. Look], the entire question [..] they have introduced [.. Look] at the thing they have done [against me, which ..] arrows of bronze (?) [..] they have introduced into Qiltu. Let the king know that all the lands are allied, they are enemies against me. May the king provide for his land! Look, the country of Gezer, the country of Ascalon, and Lachish have given food, oil, and every (gloss "their need'. May the king provide troops, send troops against the men who have committed treason against the king my lord. If within this year there are troops, the lands and the regents will stay with the king my lord, but if there are not troops, there will not be lands or regents for the king. Look, this land of Jerusalem, neither my father nor my mother gave me the strong hand (gloss 'arm' [the king] has given me! Look, this action is an action of Milki-Ilu and an action of the sons of Lab'aya, who have given the land of the king to the enemy (habiru).
Again, no indication of some Nation State opposing them but rather city-state political rivalries, all of the city-states still under the rule of Egypt.
But Abdi-Heba is the King oF Jerusalem decribing it's imminent taking by the sons of Labaya (Saul)!
But remember, in addition to these there are also those that deal with normal commerce and politics.
I wouldn't expect anything else.
Throughout the Armana letters there is simply no indication of the existence of David, Saul, Israel or any similar nation-state.
Just a major player in the hill country surrounding Jerusalem called Labaya (= Saul/lebiam) with a son called MutBaal (= man of God in Akkadian = man of God in Hebrew = Ishbaal, biblically King of ISrael in-between Saul and David) and mixed realtions with a leader of the Habiru connected (or equal) in the Amarna letters to DwD = David, Ayab = Joab (biblically David's milatry chief) and Yishua = Jesse (biblically David's father)!
This message has been edited by Tranquility Base, 07-03-2005 09:56 PM