The Israelite Kingdom Lesson 2 Early Kings In

The Israelite Kingdom Lesson 2

Early Kings In 1100 B. C. , the Israelites settled most of Canaan. The Philistines were their last remaining enemy. The Israelites called for a leader to unite the Twelve Tribes and defeat the Philistines.

Saul: The First King According to the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites asked Samuel to choose a king. Samuel chose a young man named Saul helped the Israelites win many battles, but lost the support of his people. According to the Hebrew Bible, God told Samuel to choose a new king.

King David Before he was king, he was well known among the Israelites for his bravery. According to the Hebrew Bible, he killed Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior, by throwing a stone at his forehead. Impressed by his skill, King Saul placed his army under David’s command. When Saul died, David became king. According to the Hebrew Bible, David united the tribes and his army defeated the Philistines. The Israelites established a capital city in Jerusalem.

King David is believed to have written many of the sacred songs found in the Hebrew’s book of Psalms. A psalm is a sacred song or poem used in worship. After David’s death, the Israelites honored him as their greatest king. King David’s son Solomon became the next Israelite king. He was known for his wisdom and is believed to be one of the authors of proverbs or wise sayings that are recorded in the Hebrew Bible. Solomon brought a period of peace in the land.

Two Kingdoms After Solomon’s death, the ten northern tribes rebelled against the government in Jerusalem. Israel was divided into two tribes: Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah’s capital was Jerusalem. Israel’s capital was Samaria. Although split politically, the people of Israel and Judah preserved the Israelite religion.

The Fall of Israel Assyrians spread fear throughout the region. They forced conquered people to move to different areas to start new settlements and they forced them to pay tribute. When the kingdom of Israel refused to pay tribute, he Assyrians invaded in 722 BC.

The Fall of Israel Assyrians brought in people from other parts of their empire to live in Israel. These settlers mixed with the Israelites still living there. A new mingled culture developed called the Samaritans. The Samaritans adopted many of the Israelites religious beliefs. However, they adopted other religious practices that the Israelites did not accept. In time, Samaritans and people of Israel had little in common.

The Fall of Judah The people of Judah survived the Assyrian conquests, but their freedom did not last. In 597 BC the Chaldeans, under King Nebuchadnezzar, forced thousands of people to leave Jerusalem and live in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar chose a new king, a Judean, to rule Judah.

The Fall of Judah At first, Judah’s king did as he was told. Soon he plotted to set Judah free even though a prophet told him not to. The King lead Judeans to revolt against the Chaldeans. The Chaldean king got mad and captured the king, and destroyed the temple. In Jewish history, this time period became known as the Babylonian exile. Exile, is a forced absence from one’s home or country.

What Was the Prophets’ Message? The prophets had an important role in Judean life. They offered hope in times of despair. At times, the prophets explained that the people were not obeying God, according to the Hebrew Bible. The prophets helped people connect with God and they urged people to make the world a better a place. They stressed the importance of leading a moral life.

Lesson 2 Review Questions Why was it important that King David united the tribes of Israel? How did Solomon’s death affect the Israelites? What was the Babylonian Exile?