Elhu (died 1199 BC) was a Canaanite general in the service of the shasu warlord Irsu during the Late Bronze Age.
Biography[]
Elhu was born into slavery in Syria, but, after being freed from his bondage, he became a warrior and rose to be one of the shasu warlord Irsu's chief lieutenants. In 1204 BC, Elhu was given command of an army raised to defend Retjenu's northern borders as Irsu campaigned against Shechem and Urushalim to the south, and Elhu was entrusted with the conquest of Emar, Amurru, Halab, and Ugarit. Elhu distinguished himself as one of Irsu's best generals, but he was slain in desperate fighting during the Siege of Ugarit in 1199 BC; Elhu and most of his men were killed, but the Ugarite sortie was defeated and the city captured shortly after. Baldassare succeeded Elhu as the army's commander.
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