Kingdom Of Israel

The Kingdom of Israel ''Malḫut Yisraʼel'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Malḵûṯ Yiśrāʼēl'') was the Kingdom proclaimed by the Israelite nation around 1030 - 1020 BCE .

BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF ISRAEL'S ORIGINS

According to the Biblical account, Israel is descended from Hebrew slaves who left the Land Of Goshen , Egypt during the Exodus at an uncertain date, often considered to be in the late 13th Century BCE . Prior to the establishment of the kingdom, the Hebrew People , (the Israelites) were led by the Patriarchs and later by Judges. The notion of kingship was for a long time Anathemetised , as it was seen as one man being put in a position of reverence and power that in their faith was reserved for the one true God . According to the Bible, it was Samuel , one of the last of the judges, to whom the nation appealed for a king, as his sons, who had been appointed judges over Israel, misused the office. Although he tried to dissuade them, they were resolute and Samuel anointed Saul Ben Kish from the tribe of Benjamin as king.

Other Biblical references seem more amicable to the regal structure, accepting the eventual reality and putting restrictions on his behaviour in Deuteronomy 17:14.

UNITED MONARCHY

Around 1030 - 1020 BCE (chronology varies), the children of the patriarch Jacob ( Israel ) united to form the Kingdom of Israel. Saul was the first King of Israel. He unified the tribes under a single Israelite authority, but, according to the first book of Samuel, due to his disobedience to God, he ruled for only two years.

David, the second King of Israel, established Jerusalem as Israel's national capital around 3,000 years ago. Before then, Shilo (modern day Tel Shilo ) had been capital of Israel.

David succeeded in truly unifying the Hebrew tribes, and firmly consolidated the monarchical government. He embarked on successful military campaigns against Israel's enemies, and defeated bitter foes such as the Philistines , thus creating secure borders for Israel. David established a central government in Jerusalem, a standing army, judiciaries across the land, and a sophisticated infrastructure.

Under King David, Israel grew from Kingdom to Empire, and its military and political sphere of influence in the Middle East expanded greatly, as it controlled a number of weaker client states around it.

The third King of Israel, Solomon , (meaning "one whose peace is his" in Hebrew), is portrayed as a wise leader in the Hebrew Bible . Solomon constructed the First Temple in Jerusalem. His reign was a time of peace for Israel.

Following Solomon's death, tensions between the northern part of Israel, containing the ten northern tribes, and the southern section, dominated by Jerusalem and the southern tribes, increased, and around in the south. See also History Of Ancient Israel And Judah .

Soon after the death of Solomon, the , the son and successor of Solomon, was scarcely seated on his throne when the old jealousies between Judah and the other tribes broke out anew, and Jeroboam was sent for from Egypt by the malcontents (12:2,3).

Rehoboam insolently refused to lighten the burdensome 10), and Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at Shechem , with the Tribe Of Judah and the Tribe Of Benjamin remaining faithful to Rehoboam. War continued, with varying success, between the two kingdoms for about sixty years, until Jehoshaphat allied himself with the house of Ahab through marriage. Later, his son and successor Jehoram Of Judah married Ahab's daughter Athaliah , cementing the alliance. The sons of Ahab were slaughtered by Jehu following his Coup D'état .

EXTENT OF THE KINGDOM

, c. 800 BCE .]]
The area of , and are popularly known as the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.

: " Judah held its ground against Assyria for yet one hundred and twenty-three years, and became the rallying-point of the dispersed of every tribe, and eventually gave its name to the whole race. Those of the people who in the last struggle escaped into the territories of Judah or other neighbouring countries naturally looked to Judah as the head and home of their race. And when Judah itself was carried off to Babylon , many of the exiled Israelites joined them from Assyria, and swelled that immense population which made Babylonia a second Judah".

After the deportation of the ten tribes, the vacated land was colonized by various eastern tribes, especially Syrians, whom the king of Assyria sent there ( Ezra 4:2, 10; 2 Kings 17:24-29).

THE KINGS OF ISRAEL

For this period, most historians follow either of the older chronologies established by William F. Albright or Edwin R. Thiele , or the newer chronology of Gershon Galil , all of which are shown below. All dates are BCE .

= Notes

1. Jehu: Considered to be a contemporary of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III ( 858 – 824 ) to whom he paid tribute. This is based on an inscription on The Black Obelisk Of Shalmaneser III showing "Yaua" son of Omri paying tribute, dated to 841 BCE .

2. Hoshea: Paid tribute to the Assyrian King Shalmaneser V ( 727 – 722 BCE )
but rebelled in 725 BCE . Shalmaneser besieged the capital, Samaria , but died shortly before the fall of the city. His brother Sargon II ( 722 – 705 BCE ) completed the siege with success in 722, making Judah the sole remaining Hebrew kingdom. The ten tribes were exiled to other parts of the Assyrian Empire and never heard from again in recorded history. A small group of people fled south to take refuge in Judah.

SEE ALSO

EXTERNAL LINKS

Complete Bible Genealogy A synchronized chart of the kings of Israel and Judah

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