Shishak's Campaign and Egyptian Sources
Sources
Biblical Texts
Melakhim I 11:26-32,40מלכים א׳ י״א:כ״ו-ל״ב,מ׳
(26) And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king. (27) And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of David his father. (28) And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labour of the house of Joseph. (29) And it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijahhad clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field. (30) And Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces. (31) And he said to Jeroboam: 'Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee— (32) but he shall have one tribe, for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel— (40) Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. | (כו) וְיָרׇבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט אֶפְרָתִי מִן הַצְּרֵדָה וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ צְרוּעָה אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה עֶבֶד לִשְׁלֹמֹה וַיָּרֶם יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ. (כז) וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בָּנָה אֶת הַמִּלּוֹא סָגַר אֶת פֶּרֶץ עִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו. (כח) וְהָאִישׁ יָרׇבְעָם גִּבּוֹר חָיִל וַיַּרְא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת הַנַּעַר כִּי עֹשֵׂה מְלָאכָה הוּא וַיַּפְקֵד אֹתוֹ לְכׇל סֵבֶל בֵּית יוֹסֵף. (כט) וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְיָרׇבְעָם יָצָא מִירוּשָׁלִָם וַיִּמְצָא אֹתוֹ אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילֹנִי הַנָּבִיא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא מִתְכַּסֶּה בְּשַׂלְמָה חֲדָשָׁה וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לְבַדָּם בַּשָּׂדֶה. (ל) וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֲחִיָּה בַּשַּׂלְמָה הַחֲדָשָׁה אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָעֶהָ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר קְרָעִים. (לא) וַיֹּאמֶר לְיָרׇבְעָם קַח לְךָ עֲשָׂרָה קְרָעִים כִּי כֹה אָמַר י"י אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנְנִי קֹרֵעַ אֶת הַמַּמְלָכָה מִיַּד שְׁלֹמֹה וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֵת עֲשָׂרָה הַשְּׁבָטִים. (לב) וְהַשֵּׁבֶט הָאֶחָד יִהְיֶה לּוֹ לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי דָוִד וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (מ) וַיְבַקֵּשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה לְהָמִית אֶת יָרׇבְעָם וַיָּקׇם יָרׇבְעָם וַיִּבְרַח מִצְרַיִם אֶל שִׁישַׁק מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וַיְהִי בְמִצְרַיִם עַד מוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה. |
Melakhim I 12:22-24מלכים א י״ב:כ״ב-כ״ד
(22) But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying: (23) 'Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying: (24) Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel; return every man to his house; for this thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the word of the Lord, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the Lord. | (כב) וַיְהִי דְּבַר הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל שְׁמַעְיָה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר. (כג) אֱמֹר אֶל רְחַבְעָם בֶּן שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וְאֶל כׇּל בֵּית יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין וְיֶתֶר הָעָם לֵאמֹר. (כד) כֹּה אָמַר י״י לֹא תַעֲלוּ וְלֹא תִלָּחֲמוּן עִם אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוּבוּ אִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ כִּי מֵאִתִּי נִהְיָה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת דְּבַר י״י וַיָּשֻׁבוּ לָלֶכֶת כִּדְבַר י״י. |
Melakhim I 14:22-26מלכים א׳ י״ד:כ״ב-כ״ו
(22) And Judah did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; and they moved Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. (23) For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every leafy tree; (24) and there were also sodomites in the land; they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord drove out before the children of Israel. (25) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; (26) and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all; and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. | (כב) וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוּדָה הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי י"י וַיְקַנְאוּ אֹתוֹ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבֹתָם בְּחַטֹּאתָם אֲשֶׁר חָטָאוּ. (כג) וַיִּבְנוּ גַם הֵמָּה לָהֶם בָּמוֹת וּמַצֵּבוֹת וַאֲשֵׁרִים עַל כׇּל גִּבְעָה גְבֹהָה וְתַחַת כׇּל עֵץ רַעֲנָן. (כד) וְגַם קָדֵשׁ הָיָה בָאָרֶץ עָשׂוּ כְּכֹל הַתּוֹעֲבֹת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִישׁ י"י מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (כה) וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית לַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם עָלָה [שִׁישַׁק] (שושק) מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם. (כו) וַיִּקַּח אֶת אֹצְרוֹת בֵּית י"י וְאֶת אוֹצְרוֹת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת הַכֹּל לָקָח וַיִּקַּח אֶת כׇּל מָגִנֵּי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה. |
Divrei HaYamim II 11:5-12דברי הימים ב׳ י״א:ה׳-י״ב
(5) And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. (6) He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, (7) and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam, (8) and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, (9) and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, (10) and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities. (11) And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine. (12) And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin adhered to him. | (ה) וַיֵּשֶׁב רְחַבְעָם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיִּבֶן עָרִים לְמָצוֹר בִּיהוּדָה. (ו) וַיִּבֶן אֶת בֵּית לֶחֶם וְאֶת עֵיטָם וְאֶת תְּקוֹעַ. (ז) וְאֶת בֵּית צוּר וְאֶת שׂוֹכוֹ וְאֶת עֲדֻלָּם. (ח) וְאֶת גַּת וְאֶת מָרֵשָׁה וְאֶת זִיף. (ט) וְאֶת אֲדוֹרַיִם וְאֶת לָכִישׁ וְאֶת עֲזֵקָה. (י) וְאֶת צׇרְעָה וְאֶת אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת חֶבְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר בִּיהוּדָה וּבְבִנְיָמִן עָרֵי מְצֻרוֹת. (יא) וַיְחַזֵּק אֶת הַמְּצוּרוֹת וַיִּתֵּן בָּהֶם נְגִידִים וְאֹצְרוֹת מַאֲכָל וְשֶׁמֶן וָיָיִן. (יב) וּבְכׇל עִיר וָעִיר צִנּוֹת וּרְמָחִים וַיְחַזְּקֵם לְהַרְבֵּה מְאֹד וַיְהִי לוֹ יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן. |
Divrei HaYamim II 12:2-12דברי הימים ב׳ י״ב:ב׳-י״ב
(2) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had dealt treacherously with the Lord, (3) with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen; and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. (4) And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came unto Jerusalem. (5) Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them: 'Thus saith the Lord: Ye have forsaken Me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.' (6) Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said: 'The Lord is righteous.' (7) And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying: 'They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. (8) Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know My service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.' (9) So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all away; he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. (10) And king Rehoboam made in their stead shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the door of the king's house. (11) And it was so, that as oft as the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber. (12) And when he humbled himself, the anger of the Lord turned from him, that He would not destroy him altogether; and moreover in Judah there were good things found. | (ב) וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית לַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם עָלָה שִׁישַׁק מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם כִּי מָעֲלוּ בַּי"י. (ג) בְּאֶלֶף וּמָאתַיִם רֶכֶב וּבְשִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף פָּרָשִׁים וְאֵין מִסְפָּר לָעָם אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ עִמּוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם לוּבִים סֻכִּיִּים וְכוּשִׁים. (ד) וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת עָרֵי הַמְּצֻרוֹת אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה וַיָּבֹא עַד יְרוּשָׁלִָם. (ה) וּשְׁמַעְיָה הַנָּבִיא בָּא אֶל רְחַבְעָם וְשָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה אָמַר י"י אַתֶּם עֲזַבְתֶּם אֹתִי וְאַף אֲנִי עָזַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּיַד שִׁישָׁק. (ו) וַיִּכָּנְעוּ שָׂרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ צַדִּיק י"י. (ז) וּבִרְאוֹת י"י כִּי נִכְנָעוּ הָיָה דְבַר י"י אֶל שְׁמַעְיָה לֵאמֹר נִכְנְעוּ לֹא אַשְׁחִיתֵם וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם כִּמְעַט לִפְלֵיטָה וְלֹא תִתַּךְ חֲמָתִי בִּירוּשָׁלִַם בְּיַד שִׁישָׁק. (ח) כִּי יִהְיוּ לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים וְיֵדְעוּ עֲבוֹדָתִי וַעֲבוֹדַת מַמְלְכוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת. (ט) וַיַּעַל שִׁישַׁק מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם עַל יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּקַּח אֶת אֹצְרוֹת בֵּית י"י וְאֶת אֹצְרוֹת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַכֹּל לָקָח וַיִּקַּח אֶת מָגִנֵּי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה. (י) וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם תַּחְתֵּיהֶם מָגִנֵּי נְחֹשֶׁת וְהִפְקִיד עַל יַד שָׂרֵי הָרָצִים הַשֹּׁמְרִים פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ. (יא) וַיְהִי מִדֵּי בוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ בֵּית י"י בָּאוּ הָרָצִים וּנְשָׂאוּם וֶהֱשִׁבוּם אֶל תָּא הָרָצִים. (יב) וּבְהִכָּנְעוֹ שָׁב מִמֶּנּוּ אַף י"י וְלֹא לְהַשְׁחִית לְכָלָה וְגַם בִּיהוּדָה הָיָה דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים. |
Ancient Near Eastern Texts
Inscriptions on the Shoshenq Relief (J. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt (Chicago, 1906): 356-357)
Welcome! my beloved son, Sheshonk, ––– mighty in strength. Thou hast smitten the lands and the countries, thou hast crushed the Nubian Troglodytes, [thy] sword was mighty among the Asiatics; they were made fragments every moment. Thy victorious fame — all lands. Thou wentest forth in victory, and thou hast returned in might; thou hast united ––; I have –– for thee the countries that knew not Egypt, that had begun to invade [thy] boundaries, in order to cut off their heads. Victory is given into thy hands, all lands and all countries are united –– the fear of thee is as far as the four pillars [of heaven], the terror of thy majesty is among the Nine Bows: thou hast — the hearts of the countries. Thou art Horus over the Two Lands, thou art — against thy enemies, when thou hast smitten the foe. Take thou my victorious sword, thou whose war-mace has smitten the chiefs of the countries. |