KING OF ETHIOPIA (CUSH) · TWO KINGDOMS

Tirhakah. The news of his march made Sennacherib write to Hezekiah.

REIGNEDi

Not given c. 690–664 BC (dates vary)

CAPITAL

Memphis

HOUSE

Not stated 7th of 9 in Egypt

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent…”

PROPHETS

Isaiah

EGYPT: 9 RULERS PHARAOH OF JOSEPH'S DAY → HOPHRA

ON THE WORLD STAGE

The powers of the day

JUDAH

Hezekiah

ASSYRIA

Sennacherib · Esar-haddon

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 701 BC

Sennacherib's annals: the battle near Eltekeh

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · TAHARQA'S REIGN

Taharqa's stela at Tanis

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ESARHADDON'S REIGN

Esarhaddon's Senjirli stele

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ASHURBANIPAL'S FIRST CAMPAIGN

Ashurbanipal's annals

SUCCESSION

Before and after

THE REALM

Memphis and the places of the account

Egypt. Only places Scripture names are shown, each where the Atlas puts it.

WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS

What Scripture says of him

  • "And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah." 2 Kings 19:9
  • Isaiah's book gives the same report in nearly the same words. Isaiah 37:9
  • Before this, Rab-shakeh had mocked Judah's trust in Egypt: "thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt ... so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him". He names no Pharaoh. 2 Kings 18:21 Isaiah 36:6

DEALINGS

Dealings with God's people

  • Hezekiah spread Sennacherib's letter before the LORD and prayed. 2 Kings 19:14–19
  • Rab-shakeh accused Hezekiah of putting his "trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen". 2 Kings 18:24 Isaiah 36:9

EVENTS

Wars, works and turning points

UNDATED IN SCRIPTURE

PROPHETS

The prophets who spoke about him

  • Is Isaiah “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many”

DATES DIFFER

When was it?

SCRIPTURE'S NUMBERS

No years given

No regnal years. Sennacherib's campaign against Judah, when Scripture names him, is fixed at 701 BC by the Assyrian annals.

HORNUNG, KRAUSS AND WARBURTON (2006), FOR TAHARQA

c. 690–664 BC[1]

Tables, pp. 494 and 496: 690–664.

BREASTED (1906), FOR TAHARKA

c. 688–663 BC[2]

Chronological table: 688–663 B.C.

T. G. PINCHES, ISBE (1915)

c. 693–667 BC[18]

He died "after a reign of at least 26 years, in 667 BC", so came to the throne "about 693 BC".

A commander under Shabaka, called king by a later writer

J. H. Breasted (1906)

Taharqa came north at twenty with Shabaka and became king about thirteen years after 701; Shabaka must have sent him in command, and "the Hebrew writer, reporting the matter at a later date ... supposes him to have been already king". 2 Kings 19:9 [5]

Acting for the reigning Pharaoh before his own reign

W. M. F. Petrie, as reported by T. G. Pinches (1915); Ellicott's commentary; the Pulpit Commentary

Petrie supposed he acted at first for his kinsman Shabataka; Ellicott suggests he commanded in his father's name; the Pulpit Commentary has him ruling from Napata and over Egypt from about 700 with Shabatok as "a sort of puppet-king", succeeding about 693. 2 Kings 19:9 [18][49][50]

Two campaigns of Sennacherib have been run together

A "general opinion" reported by T. G. Pinches (1915)

Pinches reports "a general opinion" that the Assyrian historians, like those of Kings and Isaiah, "have mingled two campaigns made by Sennacherib, one of them being after the accession of Tirhakah". 2 Kings 19:9 [18]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 4

2 Kings 18 2 Kings 19 Isaiah 36 Isaiah 37

PASSAGES · 6

2 Kings 18:21 2 Kings 18:24 2 Kings 19:8–13 Isaiah 36:6 Isaiah 36:9 Isaiah 37:8–13

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture does not say that Tirhakah's army met the Assyrians, or what became of it.
  • Scripture does not say that Hezekiah asked Tirhakah for help.
  • Scripture calls him "king of Ethiopia", never "Pharaoh"; the Pharaoh Rab-shakeh mocked as "this bruised reed" is not named.

IDENTIFICATIONS THIS PAGE RELIES ON

  • Scholars' viewTirhakah is identified with Taharqa of the 25th (Kushite) dynasty, the "Tarkû, king of Egypt and Ethiopia" of Ashurbanipal's annals. 2 Kings 19:9 [5][18][24]

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • E. Hornung, R. Krauss and D. A. Warburton (eds.), Ancient Egyptian Chronology (Handbook of Oriental Studies 83; facts only) (2006), Chronological table for the dynastic period, pp. 490–495; Kushite rulers, p. 496.
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. I (Chronology) (1906), §§67–75, pp. 44–47 (chronological table).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. III (1906), §§603–605, 617, pp. 257–258, 264 (Merneptah's Hymn of Victory).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§701–724A, pp. 344–358 (Silsileh stela; great Karnak relief; Karnak stela).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §892, pp. 454–455 (Tanis stela of Taharka).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§974–975, 984, pp. 497–501 (Serapeum stelae of Necho's and Apries' reigns).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§996–1007, pp. 509–512 (Elephantine stela of Amasis).
  • J.-F. Champollion, Lettres écrites d'Égypte et de Nubie en 1828 et 1829 (1833), seventh letter (Thebes, 24 November 1828), p. 99.
  • W. M. Flinders Petrie, "Egypt", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. II (1915), pp. 911–913 (§§4–19, the connections with the Old Testament).
  • C. R. Conder, "Exodus, The", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. II (1915), pp. 1053–1055 (§§II–III, the date; the theory of Lepsius).
  • Edward Mack, "Chronology of the Old Testament", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. I (1915), p. 641.
  • M. G. Kyle, "Pharaoh", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2359.
  • M. G. Kyle, "Joseph", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. III (1915), pp. 1738–1739.
  • T. Nicol, "Shishak", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), pp. 2777–2778.
  • T. Nicol, "So", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2820.
  • T. Nicol, "Pharaoh Hophra", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), pp. 2359–2360.
  • T. Nicol, "Pharaoh-necoh", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2360.
  • T. G. Pinches, "Tirhakah", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. V (1915), p. 2986.
  • C. M. Cobern, "Zerah (the Ethiopian)", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. V (1915), pp. 3146–3147.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Exodus (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1911), Introduction §4, p. xxx; p. xlii, note 5.
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book II, §§158–159, 161, 169; Book IV, §42.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§5, 18, 55, pp. 5, 7–8, 26–27 (Sargon's annals and display inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§573, 580, pp. 224–227 (the Senjirli stele).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§770–771, 778, pp. 292–296 (Ashurbanipal's first campaign against Egypt); §906, p. 351.
  • D. D. Luckenbill (after C. J. Gadd, The Fall of Nineveh, 1923), Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§1166, 1183, pp. 416, 421.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), pp. 31–32 (Oriental Institute Prism, col. II, ll. 73–81).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 324–327 (Sargon at Raphia); pp. 361–362 (Hophra).
  • D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldaean Kings (626–556 B.C.) in the British Museum (facts only) (1956), BM 21946 (Babylonian Chronicle 5).
  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (facts only) (1975), Chronicle 5, obverse 1–11; reverse 5–8 (read in Livius's reproduction).
  • James Ussher, The Annals of the World (English edition) (1658), Part One, p. 68.
  • L. McFall, "A Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles", Bibliotheca Sacra 148 (facts only) (1991), numbered texts 1–68; page numbers of the author's PDF.
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch, vol. 2 (1864), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. R. Lumby, The First Book of the Kings (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1886), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Kgs 11:19 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 1 Kgs 11:19 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Chr 12:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Kgs 14:25 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 12:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. R. Lumby, The Second Book of the Kings (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1887), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 19:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 19:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Chr 35:20 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 35:20 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Jer 37:5 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • A. W. Streane, The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1881), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. D. Patrick and J. Kennedy, The Prophecies of Jeremiah (Keil and Delitzsch) (1874), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (1871), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Ezek 29:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Ezek 29:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • James Ussher, The Annals of the World (English edition) (1658), Part One, pp. 12–13 (Rameses Miamun and his son Amenophis), p. 20 (Amenophis "drowned in the red Sea").

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