Lubim
Identity of the Lubim
Lubim is the Hebrew plural form used to designate the people of ancient Libya, the region of North Africa lying west of Egypt. In most English translations, the word is rendered as 'Libyans.' These people played a significant role in Egyptian military history and appear in the Bible as auxiliaries in Egyptian armies that threatened or invaded Israel and Judah.
Shishak's Invasion of Judah
The most prominent biblical appearance of the Lubim occurs in 2 Chronicles 12:3, during the account of Pharaoh Shishak's invasion of Judah in the fifth year of King Rehoboam (around 925 BC). Shishak brought a massive army that included twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and 'people without number' — among them Lubim, Sukkiim, and Cushites (Ethiopians). This invasion was understood as divine judgment against Rehoboam and Judah for forsaking God's law (2 Chronicles 12:1-2). Shishak captured the fortified cities of Judah and plundered the treasures of the temple and the royal palace.
Alliance with Zerah the Cushite
The Lubim also appear in 2 Chronicles 16:8, where King Asa reminds the prophet Hanani that he had previously defeated the Cushites and Lubim despite their 'huge army with very many chariots and horsemen.' This refers to the earlier battle against Zerah the Cushite recorded in 2 Chronicles 14:9-15, demonstrating that Libyan troops regularly served as part of the Egyptian and Cushite military forces that confronted Judah.
Prophecy Against Egypt
In the prophetic literature, Nahum includes the Lubim among the allies who could not save Thebes (No-amon) from Assyrian destruction: 'Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and the Lubim were her helpers' (Nahum 3:9). This reference to the fall of Thebes in 663 BC at the hands of Ashurbanipal serves as a warning to Nineveh that even the mightiest cities with the strongest allies can fall. Daniel 11:43 also mentions the Libyans alongside the Cushites in a prophetic context.
The Libyan Dynasty in Egypt
Historically, the Lubim were not merely Egyptian auxiliaries but eventually became rulers of Egypt itself. In the tenth century BC, Libyan chieftains who had settled in the western Nile Delta established the Twenty-second Dynasty of Egypt. The most famous of these Libyan pharaohs was Sheshonq I, identified with the biblical Shishak. This means that the very pharaoh who invaded Judah was himself of Libyan origin, making the biblical mention of the Lubim in his army especially fitting.
Significance in Biblical History
The Lubim represent one of several African peoples who intersect with biblical history. Their repeated appearance as part of Egyptian military expeditions illustrates the multinational character of ancient Near Eastern warfare and the geopolitical complexities surrounding Israel and Judah. The biblical writers consistently interpret these foreign invasions through a theological lens, seeing them as instruments of divine discipline or deliverance depending on Israel's faithfulness to God.
Biblical Context
The Lubim appear in 2 Chronicles 12:3 (Shishak's invasion), 2 Chronicles 16:8 (Asa's reminder of victory over them), Daniel 11:43 (prophetic reference to Libyans), and Nahum 3:9 (among the allies of Thebes). In each case they are associated with Egyptian or Cushite military power and serve as part of the larger narrative of foreign threats to God's people.
Theological Significance
The Lubim's role as foreign military forces used against Judah illustrates the biblical principle that God uses nations as instruments of discipline. When Judah was unfaithful, God allowed the Lubim and their Egyptian allies to succeed. When Judah trusted God, as under Asa, even the combined might of the Lubim and Cushites could not prevail. This pattern reinforces the theological message that faithfulness to God determines national security.
Historical Background
The ancient Libyans were a Berber people inhabiting the region west of the Nile Delta. Egyptian records from the New Kingdom period (1550-1070 BC) document multiple Libyan invasions and the gradual settlement of Libyan groups in the western Delta. By the tenth century BC, these settlers had gained enough power to establish the Twenty-second (Libyan) Dynasty, with Sheshonq I (biblical Shishak) as its most prominent ruler. His invasion of Judah is confirmed by his own victory relief at the Temple of Amun in Karnak, which lists numerous conquered Palestinian cities.