The campaign of Merneptah in Canaan

THE CAMPAIGN OF MERNEPTAH, 1207 B.C.

The rest of Ramesses II's long reign of 67 years seems to have been relatively peaceful, giving ample time to develop Egypt’s economy; but the expeditions against Moab and the Shasu of Mt. Seir may represent punitive measures in the face of new disturbances. Ramesses’ son, Merneptah, had to ward off an attempted invasion of the delta from the west by a coalition of Libyans and peoples from the Cretan/Aegean area. In his seventh year, Merneptah was forced to quell rebellions in Canaan. The victory poem in his victory stele says: “Plundered is Canaan with every evil; carried off is Ashkelon; seized upon is Gezer; Yanoam has been made as that which does not exist; Israel is laid waste, his seed is not.” The three towns are defined by the standard symbols for city states but Israel is clearly defined by the symbols for a non-urban ethnic group. Pharaoh Merneptah recorded his military activities on the sides of a wall perpendicular to the south side of the Karnak temple; his Libyan war on the east and his Canaanite war on the west. The latter relief had been ascribed to Ramesses II because his famous treaty with the Hittites is also displayed there, but it has been shown that the war reliefs are from Merneptah. Three conquered cities are shown but only the inscription for Ashkelon is preserved: “The wretched town which his majesty seized when it was rebellious, Ashkelon.” Above Ashkelon one sees the Canaanite forces being defeated by Pharaoh; other panels of the relief show prisoners dressed as typical Shasu, the pastoral nomads so frequent in Egyptian texts of this time; these nomadic warriors evidently represent the Israel of the victory hymn.

Article abstract from The Sacred Bridge