Shishak’s mission against the Kingdom of Judah and his sack of Jerusalem is related in the Hebrew Bible, in 1 Kings 14:25 and 2 Chronicles 12:1-12. As indicated by these records, Shishak had given asylum to Jeroboam during the later long periods of Solomon’s rule. Upon Solomon’s passing, Jeroboam became lord of the clans in the north, which isolated from Judah to turn into the Kingdom of Israel. In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s rule, usually dated ca. 926 BCE, Shishak moved throughout Judah with a vital multitude of 60,000 horsemen and 1,200 chariots on the side of Jeroboam. 

According to the Hebrew Bible, Shishak was an Egyptian pharaoh who terminated Jerusalem in the tenth century BCE. He is generally related to the pharaoh Shoshenq I. He is also known as Sheshonk the Pharaoh, the greatest Pharaoh of all time.

As indicated by Second Chronicles, whenever Shishak, ruler of Egypt, went after Jerusalem, he carted away the fortunes of the sanctuary of the Lord and the fortunes of the illustrious royal residence. He took everything, including the gold safeguards Solomon had made.

Biography of Shishak

[table id=141 /]

Was Sheshonq a native Egyptian?

Sharon was an authority of a Semitic family and a Libyan clan leader. For some time, his family was comfortable in Egyp and had a specific relationship with the town of Bubastis, which turned into their home. Shishak’s granddad (he had a similar name) acquired his higher situation through intermarriage, driving straightforwardly to the imperial house.

Shesonq was a native Egyptian pharaoh of the old Egypt Empire and the organizer of the Twenty-second Dynasty of Egypt. Of Meshwesh family, Shoshenq I was the child of Nimlot A, Great Chief of the Ma, and his significant other Tentshepeh A, a girl of a Great Chief of the Ma herself.

Shoshenq I is as often as possible related to the Egyptian lord Shishak alluded to in the Hebrew Bible in 1 Kings 11:40, 14:25, and 2 Chronicles 12:2-9. According to these sections, Jeroboam escaped from Solomon and remained with Shishaq until Solomon passed. Shishaq attacked Judah, for the most part, the area of Benjamin during the fifth year of the rule of Rehoboam, taking with him the vast majority of the fortunes of the sanctuary worked by Solomon.

When did Shishak invade Israel?

Shishak is referenced in the book of 1 King about Solomon’s worshipful admiration. In light of Solomon’s transgressions, God spread the word about it through a prophet named Ahijah. He arranged to remove ten clans from Solomon. Ranked by this prediction, Solomon plotted to kill Jeroboam. This time, Jeroboam left Solomon’s court and sought asylum in Egypt. Shishak permitted Jeroboam to remain in Egypt while Solomon was the ruler.

Shishak invaded Israel during the fifth year that Rehoboam was best; Shishak accompanied his incredible multitude of Egyptian soldiers and took over many of Israel; this occasion is dated to 926 and 917 BC.

With a large number of chariots and horsemen. He had the option to hold onto the urban areas of Judah and, surprisingly, arrived at Jerusalem. And those from the illustrious royal residence, including Solomon’s gold safeguards. This was in return for saving Jerusalem from his assaults.

Read also: Enoch walked with God for 300 years

Key Verse related to Shishak

” Solomon sought, therefore, to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.”

1 KINGS 11:40 (NIV)

Read also: The Book of Tobit summary. Why is The Book of Tobit not in The Bible?

Did Shishak take the Ark of the Covenant?

According to I Kings 14:25-26, “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak lord of Egypt went after Jerusalem. He took away the fortunes of the Lord’s sanctuary and the illustrious castle’s fortunes. He took everything, including every one of the gold safeguards Solomon had made” (NIV). II Chronicles 12:2-4,9 says, “Since they had been faithless to the Lord, Shishak ruler of Egypt, went after Jerusalem. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam.

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak lord of Egypt went after Jerusalem, and he took away the fortunes of the sanctuary of the Lord, meaning the Ark of Covenant and the ends of the illustrious royal residence. He took everything, including all of Solomon’s gold safeguards. (You can find this in Kings 14:25)

The Ark is referenced later in the times of Josiah. Being conveyed about on your shoulders” (NIV isn’t).” The Book of the Law was found by Hilkiah, the cleric in the Temple. Josiah sets up changes.

Read also: Book of Judith. Spiritual meaning of Judith

Where is the Ark of Covenant today?

Nothing is said about the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament after the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from their bondage. In Babylon assembled the Second Temple during the hour of Ezra and Zachariah. Nonetheless, the Apocrypha. (Books that show up in a few Bible variants yet are not viewed as acceptable.) States that the Ark couldn’t be found. This way, the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple was an empty chamber without the Ark of the Covenant.

Some think that the Ark of the Covenant was taken to Egypt by Shishak when he went after Jerusalem. According to biblical scholars, the Ark of the Covenant is lost nowadays. But its prints are found in the Ararat Mountains. Where could the Ark of the Covenant be? 

Another hypothesis that has prevailed in rabbinic circles is that the Ark was concealed in a cavern. Straightly under the Temple Mount under the Holy of Holies site. Before the intrusion of the Babylonians.

Primary Takeaways

• Shishak was the prince of Libya who founded the 22nd dynasty of Egypt as Pharaoh Sheshonq I. He ruled for 21 years, ca. 945-924 BC. He sheltered Jeroboam as he fled from Solomon after Ahijah’s prophecy of his coming reign (1 Kings 11:29-40).
• Later in his reign, Shishak invaded Palestine in Rehoboam’s 5th year, 925 BC. He conquered Judah, taking tribute to Jerusalem’s treasures (1 Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:2-12), and extended his domains over Israel, according to an inscription on a star fragment at Megiddo.
• Shishak left an inscription with triumphal scenes in relief naming several cities in Palestine at the temple of Amun in Thebes.

Conclusion

Shishak was a good Pharaoh. The egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen asserts that Shoshenq’s replacement, Osorkon I., Pampered 383 tons of gold and silver on Egyptian sanctuaries during the initial four years of his rule. And connect it straightforwardly to the looting.