Warfare

 Jeremiah and Ezra also mentioned the invasion of Judah by Pharaoh Shishak, specifically stating that it occurred "in the fifth year of [Judean] King Rehoboam," or in 993 B.C.E. ( 1Kings 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 12:1-12) For a long time, the only record of that invasion as the one found in the Bible.  Then there came to light a relief on the wall of an Egyptian temple at Karnak (ancient Thebes).

The relief depicts Shishak standing before the god Amon, Shishak's arm raised the act of smiting captives. Also recorded are the names of the conquered Israelite towns, many of which have been identified with Biblical sites. Additionally, the document mentions "The Field of Abram"-the earliest reference to the Biblical patriarch Abraham in Egyptian records. - GENESIS 25:7-10. 

Clearly, the Bible writers did not pen fiction. Recognizing their accountability to God, they wrote truth, even when doing so was unflattering-as in the case of Shishak's victories in Judah. Such candor contrasts sharply with the varnished, exaggerated chronicles of the ancient Egyptian scribes, who refused to record anything that might be uncomplimentary to their rules or people.

Next time: Trustworthy Prophecy

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