ABDI-CHIBA, ab'de-chefba. A governor of Jerusalem in the time of Amenophis IV. (1403 1385 tic.). If correctly read, his name probably designates him as a of Hadad," the storm-gud: hut it possibly was pronounced "Ardu-hipa," and may have been of Mitanian origin (compare Pu-hipa, Tadu-hipa, Giln-hipa). Among the letters found at El Amarna, the site of .Ainenophis,'s capital, Chut-t-Aten, in 1888, Abdi-chiba was the author of at least six (I79 184, edition Winckler) and possibly of two more (185, 186). He is also mentioned in a letter of Slatwardata (165). These letters are written in cuneiform characters and in a Babylonian Ian• gunge that was no doubt spoken by a part of the population in Syria. Abdi-chiba apparently came from a family that had reigned over Jerusalem before the Egyptian conquest, as he repeatedly reminded Amenophis of the fact that his father and mother had not made him a ruler, but the strong arm of the great king, probably Ameno phis III., bad given him the territory of his ancestors, who may have been Mitanians or IIit tites. As king he seems to have had a certain control over the governors of Palestine. With his neighbors, Shuwardata at Kilti-Keilah and Mil kili at (ath, he was often at war. He was accused by them of having plotted with the Khabiri and taken possession of Kilti, while he charged them with the capture of Bit Ninib, a town belonging to the country of Urnsalim, and with betraying the land into the hands of the Khabiri. These were, perhaps, the Hebrews in
the widest sense, including Israel itish, Edom itish, Moabitish, and Ammonitish clans. The term Abiru probably means simply a "nomad," a "wanderer." Neither the Egyptian resident, nor the king himself, seems to have trusted Abdi chiba. and the correspondence leaves it doubtful whether the relief he asked for was finally grant ed. These Amarna letters have hcen published by Winckler, in Der Thontafelfund von El A7nar9ia (Berlin. ISS9-90), and Keilinsehriftliehe Biblio thek. Volume V. (1896). They have also been translated or discussed by Ilal(wy in Journal is/al/rine (Paris, 1891). and in PeMle Seln t iqUe (Paris, 1893), by Zimmerli in Zeitseh•ift fur As snriologie (Leipzig. IS91, vi : 245-2631, by ,Jas trew in Journal of Biblical Literature (Boston, 1892. 93-124). and Hebraicn, ix : 24-46 ( Chicago). by Delattre in Benue des questions historiques (Paris, 1896), and by Eduard Meyer in (Berlin. 1897).