Who were the Sukkiim in the Bible?

The Sukkiim were an African people group who, along with the Lubim (Libyans) and Cushites (Ethiopians), formed part of the Egyptian army under Pharaoh Shishak that invaded the Kingdom of Judah. They are mentioned only once in the biblical record (2 Chronicles 12:3).

What is the significance of the Sukkiim in the Bible?

Their significance is primarily historical, illustrating the fulfillment of God's judgment. Their presence in Shishak's multinational army demonstrated the scale of the threat against Judah for King Rehoboam's unfaithfulness, leading to the plunder of the temple treasures (2 Chronicles 12:2-9).

What key event involves the Sukkiim?

The key event is their participation in Pharaoh Shishak's invasion of Judah in the fifth year of King Rehoboam's reign (c. 925 BC). This event is recorded as a consequence of Judah's abandonment of God's law (2 Chronicles 12:1-4).

Sukkiim

Old TestamentFemale

The Sukkiim were an African people who joined Shishak's invasion of Judah.

Sukkiim

Biography

The Sukkiim (also transliterated Sukkites or Sukkiim) are mentioned in 2 Chronicles 12:3 as one of the African contingents that accompanied Pharaoh Shishak (Shoshenq I) on his punitive campaign against Judah during the fifth year of King Rehoboam's reign, approximately 926 BC. Listed alongside Libyan and Cushite troops, the Sukkiim are identified as a North African people, though their precise ethnic and geographic identity remains uncertain among scholars. Some have associated them with Libyan sub-groups or with inhabitants of the Libyan oasis region. Shishak's invasion resulted in the plundering of Jerusalem's Temple and palace treasuries (2 Chronicles 12:9), fulfilling the prophetic warning delivered through Shemaiah as a consequence of Judah's abandonment of the LORD.

Significance

The Sukkiim appear within a narrative explicitly interpreted by the Chronicler as divine judgment upon Rehoboam and Judah for forsaking the law of the LORD (2 Chronicles 12:1–5). Their role as instruments of this judgment illustrates the recurring biblical principle that God can employ foreign nations as agents of covenantal discipline (cf. Isaiah 10:5–6). The episode also demonstrates the Chronicler's theological interest in the immediate consequences of faithfulness or apostasy: when the leaders of Israel humbled themselves before the prophet's rebuke, God's judgment was moderated (2 Chronicles 12:6–7). The Sukkiim thus appear not merely as historical actors but as participants in a narrative designed to teach Israel the inseparable connection between covenant loyalty and national security.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 12:3

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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