Shishak
Egyptian pharaoh who invaded Judah
Shishak (also known as Shoshenq I) was an Egyptian pharaoh from the 22nd dynasty who invaded the kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Rehoboam. He plundered the temple and the royal palace in Jerusalem, taking with him treasures, including the golden shields that Solomon had made. His invasion is seen as a tool of God to discipline Judah because of their unfaithfulness.
Key events
Jeroboam flees to Egypt
Jeroboam fled to Shishak in Egypt to escape King Solomon's anger and remained there until Solomon died.
40Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam got up and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and stayed there until Solomon's death.
וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְהָמִ֣ית אֶת־יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַיָּ֣קָם יָרָבְעָ֗ם וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־שִׁישַׁ֣ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיְהִ֥י בְמִצְרַ֖יִם עַד־מ֥וֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
Shishak's invasion of Judah
In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak marched against Jerusalem with a vast army, including 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen.
25In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem.
וַיְהִ֛י בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֖ית לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֑ם עָלָ֛ה *שושק **שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
26He carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.
וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־כָּל־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
2In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD.
וַיְהִ֞י בַּשָּׁנָ֤ה הַֽחֲמִישִׁית֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֔ם עָלָ֛ה שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֥י מָעֲל֖וּ בַּיהוָֽה׃
3He came with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen, and troops beyond counting who came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.
בְּאֶ֤לֶף וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּבְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֗ר לָעָ֞ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤אוּ עִמּוֹ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לוּבִ֥ים סֻכִּיִּ֖ים וְכוּשִֽׁים׃
4He captured the fortified cities of Judah and advanced as far as Jerusalem.
וַיִּלְכֹּ֛ד אֶת־עָרֵ֥י הַמְּצֻר֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֖א עַד־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ס
The prophet Shemaiah warns Rehoboam
The prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah and explained that Shishak's invasion was the Lord's punishment because they had abandoned Him.
5Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the officials of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD says: You have abandoned me, so I in turn have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak."
וּֽשְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה הַנָּבִיא֙ בָּ֣א אֶל־רְחַבְעָ֔ם וְשָׂרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם מִפְּנֵ֣י שִׁישָׁ֑ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אַתֶּם֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וְאַף־אֲנִ֛י עָזַ֥בְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־שִׁישָֽׁק׃
6Then the officials of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is righteous."
וַיִּכָּנְע֥וּ שָׂרֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְהַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ צַדִּ֥יק ׀ יְהוָֽה׃
7When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them. I will grant them a measure of deliverance, and my wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.
וּבִרְא֤וֹת יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י נִכְנָ֔עוּ הָיָה֩ דְבַר־יְהוָ֨ה אֶל־שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר נִכְנְע֖וּ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִיתֵ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֤ם כִּמְעַט֙ לִפְלֵיטָ֔ה וְלֹא־תִתַּ֧ךְ חֲמָתִ֛י בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בְּיַד־שִׁישָֽׁק׃
Judah humbles himself before the Lord
When Rehoboam and the leaders humbled themselves, the Lord's anger turned away, but they still became servants of Shishak to learn the difference between serving the Lord and serving foreign kings.
6Then the officials of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is righteous."
וַיִּכָּנְע֥וּ שָׂרֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְהַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ צַדִּ֥יק ׀ יְהוָֽה׃
7When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them. I will grant them a measure of deliverance, and my wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.
וּבִרְא֤וֹת יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י נִכְנָ֔עוּ הָיָה֩ דְבַר־יְהוָ֨ה אֶל־שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר נִכְנְע֖וּ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִיתֵ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֤ם כִּמְעַט֙ לִפְלֵיטָ֔ה וְלֹא־תִתַּ֧ךְ חֲמָתִ֛י בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בְּיַד־שִׁישָֽׁק׃
8Yet they will become his servants, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other lands."
כִּ֥י יִהְיוּ־ל֖וֹ לַעֲבָדִ֑ים וְיֵדְעוּ֙ עֲב֣וֹדָתִ֔י וַעֲבוֹדַ֖ת מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃ ס
Plundering of the temple and the royal palace
Shishak took the treasures from the house of the Lord and the king's house, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields.
25In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem.
וַיְהִ֛י בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֖ית לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֑ם עָלָ֛ה *שושק **שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
26He carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.
וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־כָּל־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
27So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and entrusted them to the commanders of the guard who kept watch at the entrance of the royal palace.
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ רְחַבְעָם֙ תַּחְתָּ֔ם מָגִנֵּ֖י נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְהִפְקִ֗יד עַל־יַד֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרָצִ֔ים הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
28Whenever the king went to the house of the LORD, the guards carried the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.
וַיְהִ֛י מִדֵּי־בֹ֥א הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה יִשָּׂאוּם֙ הָֽרָצִ֔ים וֶהֱשִׁיב֖וּם אֶל־תָּ֥א הָרָצִֽים׃
9So Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem and carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.
וַיַּ֨עַל שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם֮ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם֒ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃
10King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and entrusted them to the officers of the guard who kept watch at the entrance of the royal palace.
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ רְחַבְעָם֙ תַּחְתֵּיהֶ֔ם מָגִנֵּ֖י נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְהִפְקִ֗יד עַל־יַד֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרָצִ֔ים הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
11Whenever the king went to the house of the LORD, the guards would carry the shields, and afterward they would return them to the guardroom.
וַיְהִ֛י מִדֵּי־ב֥וֹא הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בָּ֤אוּ הָרָצִים֙ וּנְשָׂא֔וּם וֶהֱשִׁב֖וּם אֶל־תָּ֥א הָרָצִֽים׃
Shishak's campaign documented at Karnak
Shishak's military campaign against cities in both Judah and Israel is mentioned as part of his conquests and is confirmed by historical sources outside the Bible.
2In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD.
וַיְהִ֞י בַּשָּׁנָ֤ה הַֽחֲמִישִׁית֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֔ם עָלָ֛ה שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֥י מָעֲל֖וּ בַּיהוָֽה׃
3He came with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen, and troops beyond counting who came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.
בְּאֶ֤לֶף וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ רֶ֔כֶב וּבְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֗ר לָעָ֞ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤אוּ עִמּוֹ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לוּבִ֥ים סֻכִּיִּ֖ים וְכוּשִֽׁים׃
4He captured the fortified cities of Judah and advanced as far as Jerusalem.
וַיִּלְכֹּ֛ד אֶת־עָרֵ֥י הַמְּצֻר֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֖א עַד־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ס
9So Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem and carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.
וַיַּ֨עַל שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם֮ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם֒ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃