Archaeological evidence of Shishak's invading the area of Palestine was
found on a fragment of stele atMegiddoand mentions Sheshonk as a victory
of his. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, pp. 263,
264) A relief on a temple wall at Karnak, the north part of the ancient
Egyptian city of Thebes, lists numerous cities and villages that Shishak
conquered. (Supplements to Vetus Testamentum, Leiden, 1957, Vol. IV, pp.
59-60) It is likely that his campaign was not so much to assist the ten tribe
kingdom but to gain control of the trade routes located in the territory of
that kingdom, thus extending Egypt's power and influence.
Necho[h] was a pharaoh of Egypt, who, according to Herodotus (II, 158, 159;
IV, 42) was the son of Psammetichus (Psammetichos, Psamtik I) and
succeeded his father as ruler of Egypt. He began construction on a canal
linking the Nile with the Red Sea but didn't complete the project, though he
did send a Phoenician fleet on a voyage around Africa in three years.
At the close of Josiah's 31 year reign (659 - 629 BCE) he was on his way to
help the Assyrians at the river Euphrates. Josiah disregarded "the words of
Necho from the mouth of God" and was killed while attempting to turn the
Egyptians back at Megiddo. Three months later Necho took Jehoahaz,
Josiah's successor, captive and made 25 year old Eliakim his vassal,
changing his name to Jehoiakim. He (Necho) also put a heavy fine on Judah.
(2 Chronicles 35:20-36:4;2 Kings 23:29-35) About 3 or 4 years later Necho's
forces were defeated at Charchemish at the hands of the Babylonians under
Nebuchadnezzar. (Jeremiah 46:2)
