History
Megiddo is a hill in Israel near
the modern settlement of Megiddo, known for
theological, historical and geographical reasons.
In ancient times Megiddo was an important city
state. It is also known alternatively as Tel
Megiddo (Hebrew) and Tell al-Mutesellim (Arabic).
Megiddo was a site of great importance in
the ancient world, as it guarded the western
branch of a narrow pass and an ancient trade
route which connected the lands of Egypt
and Assyria. Because of its strategic location
at the crossroads of several major routes,
Megiddo and its environs have witnessed several
major battles throughout history.
Thutmose III Asiatic Campaign
Megiddo is also mentioned in Ancient
Egyptian writings because one of Egypt's
mighty kings,
Thutmose III, waged war upon the city in 1478
BC. The battle is described in detail in the
hieroglyphics found on the walls of his temple
in Upper Egypt.
Thutmose III names two other cities found
in the Bible.
From Ancient Near East
Texts - Volume I - ANET
"Sharuhen" - Joshua 19:6
"Taanach" - Judges 5:19
"Horses of chariots
and gold and silver and of painted work.
His majesty (Thutmose)
commanded
his army for the capturing of Megiddo"
"And by the borders of the children of Manasseh,
Bethshean and her towns, Taanach and
her towns, Megiddo and
her towns, Dor and
her towns. In these dwelt the children of
Joseph
the son of Israel." -
1st Chronicles 7
The Journey of Wen-Amon
to Phoenicia
This papyrus resides in the Moscow Museum.
Wen-Amon was an official from the Egyptian
Temple of Amon at Karnak.
From Ancient Near
East Texts - Volume I - ANET
"I reached Dor, a town
of the Tjeker"
Excavations at Megiddo
Megiddo has been excavated three times.
The first excavations were carried out
between
1903 and
1905 by Gottlieb Schumacher for the German
Society for Oriental Research. In 1925,
digging was resumed
by Oriental Institute of the University
of Chicago, financed by John D. Rockefeller,
Jr. until the
outbreak of the Second World War. During
these excavation it was discovered that
there
were
twenty levels of habitation, and many
of the uncovered remains are preserved
at
the Rockefeller
Museum in Jerusalem and the Oriental
Institute of the University of Chicago.
Scriptures
2 Kings 23:29 In
his days Pharaoh Necho
king of Egypt went
up against
the king of Assyria to
the river Euphrates: and king Josiah
went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo,
when he had seen him.
2 Chronicles 35:22 Nevertheless
Josiah would not turn his face from him,
but disguised himself, that
he might fight with him, and hearkened not
unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God,
and came to fight in the valley
of Megiddo.
2 Kings 23:30 And
his servants carried him in a chariot dead
from Megiddo,
and brought him to Jerusalem
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