Shisha (Hastings' Dictionary)

See Shavsha. SHISHAK (pe^T [in 1 K li"^, Keth. pf^o, J^lri p;''!;'j, ZovaaK(e)lii.) — Shishak is Sheshonk I., the first king of the 22nd or Bubastite Dynasty. He belonged to an important family of chiefs of Libyan mercenaries, who by degrees attained to very high position. His grandtather married a princess named Mehtenusecht, doubtless of the 21st or Tanite Dynasty.

The successors of Sheshonk were much attached to Bubastis, and his dynasty is named Bubastite by Manetho ; but it is doubtful whether he himself had much con- nexion with that city. In his 21st year he began building a new court in the great temple of Karnak, and close to it caused to be sculptured a representation of himself sacrificing figures sym- bolic of the conquered cities in Palestine. In all, 156 place, names were thus recorded, and most of them are still legible.

There are few important cities amongst them. They include Rabbath and Hapharaim in Issachar, and Mahanaim on the ea-st of the Jordan, besides towns in Juda-a. From the biblical account (1 K 14^), it had been con- cluded that Shishak attacked only the kingdom of Rehoboam and spared tliat of Jeroboam, who had lived many years in exUe in Egjpt ; but this interpretation is not necessary. Since Ramses lU.

no Pliaraoli had ventured to transport an army across the eastern desert and to attack Palestine. Later, even Taharka and Psammetichus did not go so far ; onlj' Necho went farther. But Sheshonk's expedition was insignificant compared to the ex- peditions of the 18th dynasty. For the absence of the title ' Pharaoh ' in the biblical record see above, vol. iii. p. 819. LiTERATDRB. — For Shishak's campaign against Judah see W. Ma\ Miiller, Asien u. Europa, 166 ff.; Blau in ZVMG xv. ■i.'ua.; .

Meyer, Gesch. i. 385 f.; Stade, Gesch. u 363 f.; Maspero, StruqrjU of the ^atums, 772 ff.; Driver in Hogarth's Authority andArchieolugy.&TL F. Ll. GRIFFITH.