Amarna letter EA 147, titledA Hymn to the Pharaoh,[1] is a moderate lengthclay tabletAmarna letter (mid 14th century BC) fromAbimilku ofTyre-(calledṢurru in the Abimilku letters, and anisland, until the time ofAlexander the Great, 330 BC). The letter is a twin letter toEA 149, which is identical in length, and complexity, and EA 147 appears to precede EA 149.
The letter concerns the intrigues of neighboringcity-states and their rulers; however the letter is a missive on the religious setting of Tyre, and the personal explanation of the view of the Pharaoh of Egypt, in a religious, and righteous 'way of life' of the people of Tyre towards Egypt, and the Pharaoh, as the Sun God.
Theclay tablet letter is written on theObverse, Bottom, Reverse,Top (which is bottom of Reverse), andLeft Side, leaving no spaces, not inscribed. TheBritish Museum website for the EA 147 letter (with photo of Reverse), gives the approximated dimensions as:3+1⁄4 ×2+1⁄4 in (3.25 inches (83 mm) / 2.25 inches (57 mm), or 8.3 cm × 5.7 cm).
Amarna letter EA 147 is a missive (a letter sent), but more accurately, atreatise oressay, on theRole of the Pharaoh as Sun-God, and "Protector", etc.
Letter 147 is in the category ofAmarna letters, which has the following specifics:
EA 147 is undamaged (with few minor surface scrapes).
It is of moderate length, a singleclay tablet (not part of a series, ex 2-tablet letter, or a listing likeEA 13,14 or22).
It has clarity ofcuneiform characters, probably for two reasons: A–The execution of the scribe; and B–The preparation of aclay mixture (probably with added ingredients), which caused a hardenedclay tablet. (Thescribe's story, demanded a higher performing clay tablet.(?))
The Letter 147 story contains:Obverse:—Introduction & Clause 1; Bottom—An ending to the Obverse, and transition to Reverse; Reverse-(Clause 2 & 3), which begins (line 30), with theAkkadian word for "Help!" (and standing alone, with the next 2-words ofline 30 beginning the start of Clause 2), and with the Reverse ending with twoglossenkeils (line 56, only 2 words), translated as ':gl "I am at rest"; and:gl "I am confident"[2] (end of line). (Note: there are multipleparagraphs and sub-paragraphs in EA 147, a 4-section letter, & see theAkkadian cuneiform section.)
The story of EA 147, is that it is a missive (ortreatise oressay), onA Hymn to the Pharaoh (in 3 "duplicating clauses"). Clause 4 is the information to the Pharaoh, and the EA 147 ending. (Note: one would have to predict whether the layout of the letter was totally planned. The actualinformation in the letter (to thePharaoh, or his post office—Bureau of Correspondence), only begins after the Reverse Side (beginning of the closing-(tablet ending) Clause 4 section), continuing from lines57-60, and then continuing to theLeft Side, for 8 lines, lines64-71, (longer lines, due to the tallness of thetablet). The very last line (71), the Scribe writes:Enūma idû, "Now (at this time), know!" ("Now, be informed!").
The reverse (Clauses 2 – 3), is separated by anExclamation, (anInterjection), line 40: [line 39: "Upon front-mine, upon (glossenkeil):back-mine!], "I carry (bring), the Causes (intentions) (Akkadian: amatu (word, matter)),[3] King-LordLi-mine!" (Almost certainly, thescribe—(orAbimilku):–A, intended to get to the reverse side in the manner that he did; B, had to get through "Clause 3" to the ending of theReverse, with its 2 closingglossenkeils). How he continued to the end of the letter would have to be speculation. And,.. remembering whetherAbimilku played a part in the formation of this great story, letter 147. (Another minor Exclamation occurs on line 24.6: "Look at this!" [the start of Paragraph 2-c])
Because Letter 147 contains3-duplicating clauses,Akkadian language words, and some phrases, are repeated. For example 3 times for the phraseday-by-day ("day and day", in the letter). It is used twice in Clause 1,Obverse (paragraph I-b) & theBottom transition to theReverse (the ending of Clause 1). The third usage is in the letter's ending, (Clause 4). Other repeated words are for example: "returns" (Akkadiansahāru, (3 times)), "breath" (hašû, (5)), "emerges/returns" (aṣû, (5)), and "now" (enūma, (numerous)).
Letter 147 uses 7glossenkeils (a high number usage).
(57-60) I indeed said to the Sun, the father of the king, my lord, "When shall I see the face of the king my lord?"
Side (left)
(61-71) I am indeed guarding Tyre, the principal city,11 for the king, my lord, until the powerful arm of the king comes forth over me, to give me water to drink and wood to warm myself. Moreover, Zimredda, the king of Sidon, writes daily to the rebelAziru, the son of 'Abdi-Ašratu, about every word he has heard from Egypt. I herewith write to my lord, and it is good that he knows.12 (end of letter (few, or no lacunae))
(Lines 1-8) the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message ofAbi-Milku, your servant. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times. I am the dirt under the sandals (and "shoes") of the king, my lord. My lord is the Sun who comes forth over all lands day by day,1 according to the way (of being) of the Sun, his gracious father.
(9-15) who gives life by his sweet breath and returns with his north wind;2 who establishes the entire land in peace, by the power of his arm:(gl–𒃵)ha-ap-ši; who gives forth his cry in the sky likeBaal,3 and all the land is frightened4 at his cry.
(16-21) The servant herewith writes to his lord that he heard the gracious messenger of the king who came to his servant, and the sweet breath that came forth from the mouth of the king, my lord, to his servant—his breath came back!
(22-28) Before the arrival of the messenger of the king, my lord, breath had not come back; my nose was blocked.5
(Obverse)-Bottom
(25-29) Now that the breath of the king has come forth to me, I am very happy and:(gl–𒃵):ha-ru-u (he is satisfied), day by day.6
(29-38) Because I am happy, does the earth notpr[osp]er?7 (i.e. (minus 3 cuneiform characters for "Help!"), "Don't worry, just be happy")
(30.4-38) When I heard the gracious me[sse]nger from my lord, all the land was in fear of my lord, when I heard the sweet breath and the gracious messenger who came to me. When the king, my lord, said:(gl–𒃵)ku-na "(Prepare)8 before the arrival of a large army," then the servant said to his lord:(gl–𒃵)ia-a-i—ia ("Yes, yes, yes"__(( Yaaay ! )) )9
(39-51) On my front and onsú-ri-ia (my back) I carry the word of the king, my lord. Whoever gives heed to the king, his lord, and serves him in his place, the Sun com(e)s forth over him, and the sweet breath comes back from the mouth of his lord. If he does not heed the word of the king, his lord, hiscity is destroyed, his house is destroyed, never (again) does his name exist in all the land. (But) look at the servant who gives heed to ((to)) his lord. His city prospers, his house prospers, his name exists forever.
(52-60) You are the Sun who comes forth over me, and a brazen wall set up for him,10 and because of the powerful arm:nu-uh—ti (I am at rest): ha-ti-i-ti (I am confident).
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