cohesion effected by the warlike might of David and the wisdom of
Solomon ceased--the ill-assimilated parts fell asunder; and once more
the broad and fertile tract intervening between Assyria and Egypt became
divided among a score of petty States, whose weakness invited a
conqueror.

[Illustration: HEAD OF SHISHAK]

Sheshonk did not live many years to enjoy the glory and honour brought
him by his Asiatic successes. He died after a reign of twenty-one years,
leaving his crown to his second son, Osorkon, who was married to the
Princess Keramat, a daughter of Sheshonk's predecessor. The dynasty thus
founded continued to occupy the Egyptian throne for the space of about
two centuries, but produced no other monarch of any remarkable
distinction. The Asiatic dominion, which Sheshonk had established, seems
to have been maintained for about thirty years, during the reigns of
Osorkon L, Sheshonk's son, and Takelut I., his grandson; but in the
reign of Osorkon II., the son of Takelut, the Jewish monarch of the
time, Asa, the grandson of Rehoboam, shook off the Egyptian yoke,
re-established Judæan independence, and fortified himself against attack
by restoring the defences of all those cities which Sheshonk had
dismantled, and "making about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars"
(2 Chron. xiv. 7). At the same time he placed under arms the whole male
population of his kingdom, which is reckoned by the Jewish historian at
580,000 men. The "men of Judah" bore spears and targets, or small round
shields; the "men of Benjamin" had shields of a larger size, and were
armed with the bow (ib. ver. 8). "All these," says the historian, "were
mighty men of valour." It was not to be supposed that Egypt would bear
tamely this defiance, or submit to the entire loss of her Asiatic
dominion, which was necessarily involved in the revolt of Judæa, without