What is "rubutu"

Rubutu was a city, or city-state located in ancient northern Israel, between the city of Gazru-(modern Gezer), and Jerusalem during the time of the Amarna letters correspondence, a 15-20 year period at about 1350- 1335 BC. Some scholars place Rubutu near present-day Arrabah in the northern West Bank.

The Amarna letters were mostly written to the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, and three mayors of Gazru: Abimilku, Milkilu, and Yapahu authored 20 letters of the 382–letter, Amarna letters corpus. The reference to Rubutu is found in 2 letters of Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem, EA 289, and 290, ( EA for 'el Amarna'). They mention the war of various cities, the Habiru, and of: "the seizure of Rubutu".