Editing Taharqa (section)

== Biblical references ==
Mainstream scholars agree that Taharqa is the Biblical "Tirhakah" (Heb: תִּרְהָקָה), king of [[Kingdom of Kush|Nubia]] (Kush), who waged war against [[Sennacherib]] during the reign of King [[Hezekiah]] of [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]] ([[Books of Kings|2 Kings]] [[2 Kings 19|19:9]]; [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] [[Isaiah 37|37:9]]).<ref>{{JewishEncyclopedia|title=Tirhakah |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14403-tirhakah}}</ref><ref name="The Rescue of Jerusalem" />

The events in the [[biblical]] account are believed to have taken place in 701 BC, whereas Taharqa came to the throne some ten years later. If the title of king in the biblical text refers to his future royal title, he still may have been too young to be a military [[commander]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stiebing |first1=William H. Jr. |title=Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-315-51116-0 |page=279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DoyTDAAAQBAJ&q=Taharqa+Tirhaka&pg=PA279 |access-date=23 December 2018 |language=en |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125093951/https://books.google.com/books?id=DoyTDAAAQBAJ&q=Taharqa+Tirhaka&pg=PA279 |url-status=live }}</ref> although this is disputed.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Ancient Israelite World |last=Pope |first=Jeremy |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-000-77324-8 |pages=675–92 |editor-last=Keimer |editor-first=Kyle H. |chapter=Reconstructing the Kushite Royal House |doi=10.4324/9780367815691-48 |editor-last2=Pierce |editor-first2=George A. |chapter-url=https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/pdf/doi/10.4324/9780367815691-48}}</ref> According to the egyptologist Jeremy Pope, Taharqa was probably between 25 and 33 years old in 701 BC and, following Kushite custom to delegate actual leadership in combat to a subordinate, was sent by his predecessor	Shabako as a military commander to fight against the Assyrians.{{sfn|Pope|2022|p=689}}

Aubin mentions that the biblical account in Genesis 10:6-7 (Table of Nations) lists Taharqa's predecessors, Shebitku and
Shabako (סַבְתְּכָ֑א and סַבְתָּ֥ה).<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rescue of Jerusalem|date=2002|publisher=Soho Press, Inc.|isbn=1-56947-275-0|location=New York, NY|pages=x, 178|last1=Aubin|first1=Henry T.}}</ref> Concerning Taharqa's successor, the sack of Thebes was a momentous event that reverberated throughout the Ancient Near East. It is mentioned in the [[Book of Nahum]] chapter 3:8-10:

[[File:Pharaoh Taharqa of Ancient Egypt's 25th Dynasty.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Profile of Taharqa on the Taharqa Shrine, Ashmolean Museum]]
{{cquote|text=Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea? Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers. Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains}}