Shishak was a king of Egypt contemporary with Jeroboam, to whom he gave
an asylum when he fled from Solomon. This was indicative of his politic
disposition to encourage the weakening of the neighboring kingdom, the
growth of which under David and Solomon was probably regarded by the
kings of Egypt with some alarm.
After Jeroboam had become king of Israel, and probably at his suggestion,
Shishak invaded the kingdom of Judah (B. C. 971) at the head of an
immense army, and after having taken the fortified places advanced
against Jerusalem.
Satisfied with the submission of Rehoboam and with the immense spoils
of the Temple, the king of Egypt withdrew without imposing any onerous
conditions on the humbled grandson of David.
Shishak has been identified as the first king of the twenty-second or
Diospolitan dynasty, the Sesonchis of profane history. His name has been
found on the Egyptian monuments in the form of Sheshonk. He is said to
have been of Ethiopian origin, and it is thought that, with the aid of
the military caste, he dethroned the Pharaoh who gave his daughter to
Solomon.