Monarchy

Iron I and II Ages

I: 1200-1000 BCE

II: 1000-586 BCE

United Monarchy: c. 1000-931 BCE

The “law of the king” in Deut 17

The king must

1. be an Israelite

2. not acquire many horses

3. not take many wives

4. not accumulate silver and gold

5. write for himself and read it all the days of his life

“Sea Peoples”

Philistines, actually immigrants from Greece

Dan Stele

Teledan or David Stele, 850 BCE names King David and his dynasty

Hebron

cradle of the people of Israel, town where David settled after the death of Saul and ruled from here over Judah before being anointed king of Israel

Jerusalem

David captures and centralizes the cult here, David’s capital

Gihon Spring

Axis of many surrounding conflicts, “how do we protect our water source?”

where Solomon was crowned king

1 Kings 9:15

Solomon refortifies Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer with casemate walls and 6-chambered gates

Casemate walls

very effective fortifications until 8th cent BCE when Assyrians used siege engine

6-chambered gates

more innovative than the 4-chambered gates

David

musician, chosen by Samuel, lived in exile from Saul, enthroned in Hebron, captures Jerusalem as king, secures Abraham’s boundaries and centralizes gov and religion

Solomon

makes an empire with bureaucracy, bills, and building projects, Bathsheba’s son, his gov: extensive court personnel and forms 12 tax districts, strong economy, maritime fleet, military innovations, international alliances,, alienation of the north

Rehoboam

divided monarchy king of the south, continued to oppress the North

Jeroboam I

divided monarchy king of the north, champion of the northern cause