THARACA (Egypt. Taharqa; Heb. Tirhāqāh). - Third Egyptian pharaoh of the Ethiopian XXV Dynasty; he reigned from about 688 to 663 B.C.
In the Bible he is mentioned only once (II Kings 19:9), during Sennacherib’s siege around Jerusalem. As the natural enemy of Assyrian supremacy, he undertook an expedition into Palestine, the outcome of which is unknown. That he must have somewhat disrupted Sennacherib’s plans is apparent from the latter’s insistence on obtaining the capitulation of the king of Judah, Ezechia (v.).
The biblical text gives T. the title of king,
but this is perhaps the result of a simple anticipation. Since he became pharaoh around 690, in 701 he must have acted as a general under his predecessor Sabataka. Moreover, other sources show that T., already in the time of the first pharaoh of the dynasty, Sabaka (716-722 B.C.), held a most important position at court. Consequently, this terminology cannot be used for the question concerning the number of Sennacherib’s campaigns in Palestine.