Bible Map of Gibeon
Bible Map of Gibeon
Pharaoh Shishak attacks Israel
Pharaoh Shishak attacks Israel
Pharaoh Shishak raids Judah, Israel
Egypt's ruler, Pharaoh Shishak, saw a chance to enrich his kingdom when King Solomon's Israel fell apart, collapsing into two competing nations. Shishak attacked scattered cities throughout both nations, Judah in the south and Israel in the north. Israel broke in half when Solomon's son and successor, Rehoboam, refused to lighten up on the forced labor and high taxes Solomon had imposed, to maintain his aggressive building projects. Instead, he threatened to get tougher. The northern tribes took a walk and never came back. Rehoboam was left ruling only his own tribe of Judah, in the south.On the Bible's record
Bible writers report only that Shishak threatened Jerusalem and that Judah's king Rehoboam saved the city by emptying the Temple treasury and giving it to Shishak. This payoff convinced the Egyptian to go home. The story appears in 1 Kings 14:25-28 and in 2 Chronicles 12:2-12."During the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, Egypt’s King Shishak invaded and attacked Jerusalem. 26He stole everything of value from the Temple. And he took the golden shields Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaced the shields, but he used bronze instead of gold. And he ordered the royal palace guards at the front door to keep them safe. Whenever the king went to the Temple, the guards who escorted him brought the shields with them. When they returned, they stored the shields in a guarded room." (1 Kings 14:25-28)This could have been when the Israelites lost their most sacred relic, the chest with the stones of the Ten Commandments. The gold-covered chest is also known as the Ark of The Covenant. King Shishak, usually linked with Pharaoh Shoshenq I, allied himself with King Jeroboam of Israel instead of Rehoboam of Judah. Some of his war records were found, with lists of Judean cities he conquered. Jerusalem isn’t among them. Bible writers say he attacked with too many soldiers to count, a cavalry of 60,000, and a chariot corps of 1,200 (2 Chronicles 12).
On the Egyptian record
Egyptian records are more involved than the short snippet in the Bible. An ancient inscription on the Amon temple in the Egyptian city of Luxor reports a military campaign that took him throughout both nations of Judah and Israel. The inscription identifies many target cities by name.For more Bible features
Stephen M. Miller's website , The Casual English Bible, and Bible YouTube channelJoab murders Abner
Joab murders Abner
Joab murders Abner, Israel's general
2 Samuel 3:17-27 PREPING TO DECLARE DAVID KING OF ISRAEL
17Abner sent a message to leaders throughout the northern tribes of Israel. He said, “You’ve been wanting David as your king for a long time. 18Now is the time to make it happen. God gave David this promise: ‘I’m going to save my people of Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies. I’m going to use you to do it.’”19Abner delivered this message in person to leaders of his tribe, Benjamin. Then he went to David, in Hebron, and told him that Israel was ready to transfer power to him.
20David threw a feast to welcome Abner and the 20 men who came with him. 21Abner said, “Let me go back and call the people together so everyone in Israel can pledge their allegiance to you. Then you can begin to rule wherever you like.” David sent Abner on his way to do that.
JOAB MURDERS ABNER
22Abner left peacefully about the time Joab and his men returned from raiding enemies. They came loaded with property they stole from places they raided.23Someone told Joab, “Just so you know, Abner the son of Ner was here to see the king. Afterward, the king sent him on his way in peace.” 24Joab went to the king and said, “What are you doing? Abner came here and you let him go? Why did you do that? 25Don’t you realize he came here on a scouting mission, to learn as much as possible about you and what you’re up to?”
26Joab stormed out of that meeting with David and secretly sent messengers to Abner. They caught up with him at the cistern well of Sirah. 27Abner went back to Hebron. Joab met him at the city gate and asked him to step to the side so they could have a private talk. Instead, Joab stabbed him in the stomach. It was payback for killing Joab’s brother, Asahel.
David’s kingdom of Judah
David's kingdom of Judah
David becomes king of his own tribe
The map of Israel and Judah changed after Philistines killed King Saul and most of his sons in battle. David's tribe of Judah crowned him king of the powerful tribe. The other tribes up north and east of the Jordan River stayed with Saul's son Ishbosheth. He was a weak king, easily intimated by his commanding general, who seems to have slept with one of the woman in the king's herem. Not kosher. Initially, the general, Abner, supported Ishbosheth. He even went to battle against David, to defend the crown for Saul's family. But Abner lost to David's forces, and would later broker a deal to join forces with David.Battle for Israel and Judah
That didn't work out so well, David's general, Joab, murdered him. It was revenge for Abner reluctantly killing Joab's brother in battle. After the battle, Joab's brother, Asahel, who "ran like a wild gazelle," targeted Abner, who was retreating for home.Asahel refused to fight anyone else. He kept eyes on his bullseye, the enemy commander running away. Abner looked back and yelled, “Is that you, Asahel?” He said, “You bet it’s me.” Abner said, “Go after one of these other men and take what you want.” Asahel kept gaining on him. Abner said, “Pick someone else. I don’t want to kill you. If I do, how could I ever face your brother Joab?” Asahel kept running. He ran right into the butt end of Abner’s spear. It bore through his stomach and broke through his back. Asahel, David’s nephew, dropped dead. When fellow warriors came to his body, they stood for a time in silence. (2 Samul 2:19-23)Before long, the map of Israel and Judah would change again. David would unite the tribes and use the force of his armies to pacify Israel's neighbors.
For other Bible versions see Bible Gateway. Website of Casual English Bible paraphraser and mapmaker, Stephen M. Miller.