King David - the wise ruler and unifier of Israel

Content

• 1 Kingdom of Israel and Judah (c. 1040-932 BC)
• 2 Judah (Judah) (932-587 BC).
• 3 Israel (Israel) (932-722 BC) 3.1 Dynasty I
• 3.2 Dynasty II
• 3.3 III Dynasty
• 3.4 IV Dynasty
• 3.5 V dynasty
• 3.6 VI Dynasty
• 3.7 Dynasty VII
• 3.8 VIII Dynasty
• 3.9 IX dynasty

The Fall of King Solomon [↑]

The Oral Torah reports that King Solomon lost his throne, wealth, and even his mind for his sins. The basis is the words of Kohelet (1, 12), where he speaks of himself as the king of Israel in the past tense. He gradually descended from the heights of glory to the depths of poverty and misfortune (V. Talmud, Sanhedrin 20 b). It is believed that he again managed to seize the throne and become king. Solomon was overthrown from the throne by an angel who took the image of Solomon and usurped his power (Ruth Rabbah 2, 14). In the Talmud, Ashmadai is mentioned instead of this angel (V. Talmud, Gitin 68 b). Some Talmud sages of the first generations even believed that Solomon was deprived of his inheritance in the future life (V. Talmud, Sanhedrin 104 b; Shir ha-shirim Rabba 1, 1). Rabbi Eliezer gives an evasive answer to the question about the afterlife of Solomon (Tosef. Yevamot 3, 4; Yoma 66 b). But, on the other hand, it is said about Solomon that the Almighty forgave him, as well as his father, David, all the sins he committed (Shir ha-shirim Rabba 1. p.). The Talmud says that King Solomon issued regulations (takanot) about the eruv and washing of hands, and also included words about the Temple in the blessing on bread (V. Talmud, Berakhot 48 b; Shabbat 14 b; Eruvin 21 b).

Kingdom of Israel and Judah (c. 1040–932 BC)[edit]

Palestine. Capital Cities

: Hebron, from 1005 Jerusalem (Irushalayim).

• 1. Saul (Shaol), son of Kish (c. 1040-1012)1
• 2. David, son of Jesse (1012-972). Ishbosheth (Eshbaal), son of Saul (claimant in Mahanaim c. 1012-1010)1
• Absalom (Abshalom), son of David (claimant in Hebron 982-979)*
• Savei bar Bihri (claimant in Shechem 977-976)1

932 BC division into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.

Life of David

David was the youngest son of one of the elders of Bethlehem, Jesse. As a young man, he tended flocks of sheep, showing fearlessness in fights with wild animals. Thanks to his meek character and deep faith, even in adolescence he received a blessing from God to become the king of Israel.

Saul, who ruled the state at this time, became disliked and abandoned by the Lord for disobedience, and was obsessed with fits of uncontrollable anger. Having heard about David, who became a skilled musician, he invited him to the court to pacify his pain.

Soon, at the age of 18, he defeated the most powerful warrior of the Philistines, Goliath, ending the war. After this, he was appointed commander of the Jewish army and married the king’s youngest daughter, Michal. With his courage and military successes, he gained the love and respect of the people, thereby incurring assassination attempts and persecution from King Saul, which continued until the latter’s death.

Fleeing from persecution, David and his supporters (600 soldiers) fled to the lands of their former enemies - the Philistines. King Achish allowed him to settle in the city of Ziklag. David and a small army raided the Amalekites who lived in the area, giving part of the spoils to Achish. Michal was married off in his absence.

Judea (Yuda) (932-587 BC).[edit]

(South Palestine). Capital

: Jerusalem.

• 1. Rehoboam, son of Solomon (913-911).
• 2. Abijah (Abiyam), son (913-911).
• 3. Asa, son (911-870).
• 4. Jehoshaphat (Yehoshapat), son (870-848).
• 5. Joram (Yegoram), son (848-841, co-existing with 853).
• 6. Ahaziah son (841)1
• 7. Athaliah (Atalia), mother (841-835)1
• 8. Joash (Yehoash), son of 6 (835-796)1 Jehoiada (Yehoada) (high priest, reg. 835-825).

• 586-539 BC Babylonian conquest (Babylonian captivity).
• 539-331 BC Persian conquest.

Israel (Israel) (932-722 BC)[edit]

(Northern Palestine.) Capital

: Samaria (Shomron).

Dynasty I[edit]

• 1. Jeroboam I (932-910).
• 2. Nadav, son (910-909/)1

Dynasty II[edit]

• 3. Vaasa (Basha) (909/8-886/).
• 4. Elah (Ila), son (886/5-885/)1

III Dynasty[edit]

• 5. Zamriy (Zimri) (885/4, 7 days)1

IV dynasty[edit]

• 6. Omri (Omri) (885/4-874/).
• Famnius (claimant 884-881)1
• 7. Ahab, son (874/3—853)1
• 8. Ahaziah (Akhazia), son (853-852)1
• 9. Joram (Yegoram), brother (852-842)1

90. HOUSE OF OMRI NEW DYNASTY During the first five years of his reign, Omri did not know peace from internal strife, for part of the people, who sympathized with a certain named Tibni ben Ginat, declared this latter king. However, after a long and difficult struggle, Omri defeated Tibni, and his dynasty was strengthened. For six years Omri lived in Tirez; then he acquired a hill of remarkable beauty in the mountains of Ephraim, on which he built the city of Shomron (Samaria) and made it the capital of his kingdom. Shomron remained the capital and political center of the Kingdom of Israel until its very last days. Omri realized that the rivalry between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel was damaging the power and prestige of both states. Therefore, he invited the king of Judah, Asa, to make peace, which was eventually done, and mutual friendship and respect were established between both kingdoms, secured by the marriage of Asa’s son Jehoshaphat to the daughter of Omri. The most difficult political issue for Omri was his relationship with Aram (Syria), his powerful northern neighbor. To pacify Aram, he was forced to cede lands and cities to him. At the same time, he expelled the Pelishtims from the border cities they had temporarily occupied, and subjugated the people of Moab, forcing them to pay tribute to Israel. One of Omri's most important political achievements was the re-establishment of good relations with Zidon, the country of the Phoenicians, whose friendship had once contributed to the increase in the wealth and power of King David and King Solomon. Here Omri also sealed the political union with marriage. His son Akh'av married Izebel, daughter of King Zidon. However, the close alliance between the two countries had a very bad impact on the religious and cultural life of Israel. Omri himself was no better than his predecessors. Like all the other kings of the kingdom of Israel, starting with Jerusalem, he did not follow the ways of G‑d. Under the increasing influence of the Phoenicians, the degeneration of the royal house of Omri progressed and reached its apogee under the reign of his son Ah'av and Queen Izebel. Omri's reign lasted twelve years. Although the years of Omri's reign can be considered a time of far-reaching political achievements, the consequence of which was a significant strengthening of the kingdom of Israel, it still did not improve the way of life of the people spiritually. On the contrary, the idolatry and depravity of the royal house plunged the entire country into the abyss of spiritual degeneration. Omri died in 3021 from c. m. and was buried in Shomron. He was succeeded by his son Ah'av.

102. THE END OF THE HOUSE OF OMR ANOINTING OF EU At this time, Elisha sent the young prophet Jonah to Ramot Gil'ad to secretly anoint the commander of the Jewish armies, Eu, as the next king on the throne of Israel. Jonah hastened to Ramot Gil'ad, where he found Eu among his commanders. Jonah called this young warrior and, entering with him into one of the inner rooms, took out a cup of oil and anointed the new king. At the same time, the prophet pronounced his prophecy: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And you will destroy the house of Ahab your master, to avenge Me the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of God who fell by the hand of Ezebel. And the whole house of Ah'av will perish...” Having completed his task, Jonah immediately left, following Elisha's instructions exactly. When the astonished Eu emerged from the inner room, the commanders and elders of Israel wanted to know what news the prophet had told him. Ehu told them that he had been anointed king of Israel and was ordered to destroy the house of Ah'av. Immediately the elders of the people and the entire army blew their horns and shouted: “Eu reigns!” Long live King Eub. Eu ordered everyone to remain where they were and not to inform King Joram about what had happened. He took with him a group of people, crossed the Jordan and hurried to Jezreel with the greatest speed. The city guard standing on the tower noticed a quickly approaching group of people and informed the king. Joram sent a horseman to meet them and ask Eu about the reason for such a sudden appearance. The messenger met Eu and asked: “Are you in peace?” Eu’s answer was: “What do you care about the world? Follow me." The city guard shouted that the messenger was not returning. Another messenger was sent, who was also detained by Eu. THE END OF JHORAM Jehoram became alarmed and demanded his chariot. Although he was ill, he nevertheless rode out to meet Eu, accompanied by his nephew Ahazia, who rode separately in his chariot. Jehoram met Eu near the field of Naboth. “Is Eu in peace?” asked King Jehoram. “What kind of peace can there be as long as your mother is allowed to continue doing her shameless deeds and witchcraft?”, Eu exclaimed in response. “Treason!” Joram shouted, and turned and ran back. But then his heart was pierced by a well-aimed arrow fired by Eu, and the king fell dead. “Throw the body on the field of Navot!”, Eu ordered his adjutant Bidkar. And the death of Naboth, innocently tortured by Joram’s father, was again avenged. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, who was present at the murder of his uncle, wasted no time in trying to escape. However, he too was mortally wounded in his chariot, and although he did not stop fleeing, he fell dead near Megiddo. His body was then transported to Jerusalem, where it was buried in the tomb of the kings of the house of David. Ahaziah, Ah'av's grandson on his mother's side, thus shared the fate that befell all the other members of Ah'av's accursed family, who himself, however, was spared the posthumous shame that befell them. THE END OF EZEBEL But Eu's task was not yet fully accomplished. He went to Jehoram's palace in Jezreel, where the rouged face of the doomed Queen Ezebel, looking out the window, greeted Eu with a mockery: “Greetings to you, Zimri, murderer of your sovereign.” She defiantly wanted to remind Eu of the fate of Zimri, the military leader who killed King Eila and was in turn killed after seven days of reign. Ignoring her insults, Eu shouted to the palace servants: “Throw her away!” Immediately Izebel was killed and trampled by horses, and her blood splashed onto the walls of the palace. Eu entered the palace and then sent servants to bury the queen. “She is still the king’s daughter!” he said. But the servants returned with the words: “There was nothing left of her body except the skull, legs, and hands!” Eu, in awe, cried out: “The prophetic words of Eliyahu from Tishbi have come true! He said: In the field of Jezreel the dogs will eat the body of Ezebel!” In the capital Shomron there were many more descendants of the house of Ah'av, including seventy sons of Ah'av. Eu turned to the elders of Shomron with a proposal to elect a king from among the seventy princes if he, Eu, was not pleasing to them. Knowing how easily Eu dealt with both kings, the elders decided to better obey Eu, dooming all seventy sons of Ah'av to death. Now there was no longer anyone left from the royal house of Ah'ab, with the exception of Atalya, the mother of Ahaziah, king of Judah. For some time she managed to consolidate her throne in Judea through terror, but in the end she was dethroned and killed. Thus, the family of Ah'av was completely exterminated, as predicted by the prophets Eliyahu and Elisha, because Ah'av and Ezebel killed hundreds of true prophets of God and filled the Holy Land of Israel with idols, violating all the covenants of God.

V Dynasty[edit]

• 10. Jehu (Yehu) (842-814).
• 11. Joahaz (Yehohahaz), son (814-798).
• 12. Joash (Yehoash), son (798-782).
• 13. Jeroboam II, son (782-753, concurrent with 793).
• 14. Zechariah (Zekariah), son (753-752)1

VI dynasty[edit]

• 15. Shallum (752)1

VII Dynasty[edit]

• 16. Manaim (Menahem) (752-741).
• 17. Fakia (Pekahia), son (741-740)1

VIII Dynasty[edit]

• 18. Pekah (Pekah) (740-732, in Gilead from 752)1

IX Dynasty[edit]

• 19. Hosea (Hoshea) (732-722, vassal of Assyria)1

• 722-612 BC e. Assyrian conquest.
• 612-539 BC e. Babylonian conquest.
• 539-331 BC e. Persian conquest.

The Wisdom of King Solomon [↑]

Solomon is given special credit for the fact that in a dream he asked only for the granting of wisdom to him (Psikta Rabati, 14). Solomon was considered the personification of wisdom, so a saying arose: “He who sees Solomon in a dream can hope to become wise” (Berachot 57 b). He understood the language of animals and birds. When conducting a trial, he did not need to interrogate witnesses, since at one glance at the litigants he knew which of them was right and which was wrong. King Solomon wrote the Song of Songs, Mishlei and Kohelet under the influence of the Ruach HaKodesh (Makot, 23 b, Shir Ha-shirim Rabba, 1. p.). Solomon's wisdom was also manifested in his constant desire to spread the Torah in the Country, for which he built synagogues and schools. Despite all this, Solomon was not distinguished by arrogance and, when it was necessary to determine the leap year, he invited seven learned elders to himself, in whose presence he remained silent (Shemot Rabbah, 15, 20). This is the view of Solomon by the Amoraites, the sages of the Talmud. Tannai, the sages of the Mishnah, with the exception of R. Yoseh ben Khalafta, portray Solomon in a less attractive light. Solomon, they say, having many wives and constantly increasing the number of horses and treasures, violated the prohibition of the Torah (Devarim 17, 16-17, cf. Mlahim I, 10, 26-11, 13). He relied too much on his wisdom when he resolved a dispute between two women about a child without testimony, for which he received a reprimand from the bat-kol. The Book of Kohelet, according to some sages, is devoid of holiness and is “only the wisdom of Solomon” (V. Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 21 b; Shemot Rabba 6, 1; Megillah 7a).

Persian governors of Judah and Israel[edit]

Residence

: Jerusalem.

• Sheshbatzar (c. 539-528).
• Zerubbabel (528-518).
• Ezra (Ezra) (c. 458-445).
• Nehemiah (Nehemiah)(ca. 445-443)(432-430).
• Hanani (c. 419).
• Bagohi (Bagoy) (c. 410).
• Sin-uballit I (c. 405).
• Delayah.
• Sin-uballit II (c. 380).
• Isaiah.
• Hananiah (c. 354).
• Sin-uballit III (c. 345-332).

• 332-312 BC e. Macedonian conquest.
• 312-152 BC e. Judea as part of the Syrian kingdom.

Hasmoneans (Maccabees) (152-37 BC)[edit]

High Priests and Kings of Judah. Capital

: Jerusalem.

• 1. Jonathan, son of Judah Maccabee (ruler 152-143)1
• 2. Simon (Shimon) Tassi, brother (ruler 142-135, king from 141).
• 3. John Hyrcanus I, son (135-103/2).
• 4. Aristobulus I, son (103/2—102/1)1
• 5. Alexander I Yannai, brother (102/1—75/4).
• 6. Alexandra Salome (Shelomit), widow (75/4-70).
• 7. Hyrcanus II, son (70-66)(63-40)1
• 8. Aristobulus II, brother (66-63)1 Antipater the Edomite (actually 63-40)1
• Alexander II, son 8 (co-ruler 56-48)1
• 63 BC BC - 6 AD e. vassal of Rome.

40-37 BC e. tetrarchy (division into four parts).

• 9. Antigonus (Mattathias), son (tetrarch 40-37)1

37 BC e. transfer of power to the Herod dynasty.

King Solomon in Haggadah [↑]

The personality of King Solomon and stories from his life became a favorite subject of the Midrash. The names Agur, Bin, Yake, Lemuel, Itiel and Ukal (Mishlei 30, 1; 31, 1) are explained as the names of Solomon himself (Shir ha-shirim Rabba, 1, 1). Solomon ascended the throne when he was 12 years old (according to Targum Sheni to the book of Esther 1, 2-13 years old). He reigned for 40 years (Mlahim I, 11, 42) and, therefore, died at the age of fifty-two (Seder Olam Rabba, 15; Bereishit Rabba, C, 11. Compare, however, Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, VIII, 7 , § 8, where it is stated that Solomon ascended the throne at the age of fourteen and reigned for 80 years, cf. also Abarbanel’s commentary on Mlahim I, 3, 7). The Haggadah emphasizes the similarities in the fate of Kings Solomon and David: both of them reigned for forty years, both wrote books and composed psalms and parables, both built altars and solemnly carried the Ark of the Covenant, and, finally, both had the Ruach HaKodesh. (Shir Ha-Shirim Rabbah, 1. p.).

Tetrarchy (4 BC - 34 AD)[edit]

• Archelaus, son (tetrarch in Judea 4 BC - 6 AD).
• Aristobulus, brother (tetrarch in Perea 4 BC - 5 AD)1
• Philip, brother (tetrarch in Samaria 4 BC - 34 AD).
• Herod II Antipas, brother (tetrarch in Galilee 4 BC - 39 AD).
• Herod Agrippa I, son (in Samaria 37-44, in Galilee 39-44).
• Herod Chalcedon, brother (in Samaria 44-48).
• Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I (in Samaria 48-76, in Galilee 53-70).

• 6 n. e. Roman annexation of Jerusalem, 70 AD e. final accession

Judea (Roman province 70-395).

• 395-619, 629-640 Byzantine province.
• 619–629 Persian conquest.
• 640 Arab conquest.

Roman governors of Judea[edit]

Procurators (6–66 AD)[edit]

Residence

: Jerusalem.

• Coponius (6-9).
• Mark Ambivius (9-12).
• Annius Rufus (12-15).
• Valery Grat (15-26).
• Pontius Pilate (26-36).
• Cuspius Fad (36-46).
• Tiberius Alexander (46-48).
• Venditius Cumanius (48-52)
• Mark Anthony Felix (52-61).
• Portius Fest (61-62).
• Lucius Albinus (62-64).
• Gessius Flor (64—66)1
• Flavius ​​Vespasian (legate 66-69, emperor Vespasian 69-79).
• Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian, son (legate 70, emperor Titus 79-81).

Proconsuls (70–395)[edit]

Residence

: Caesarea (Caesarea).

Leaders of the Jewish revolts[edit]

Uprising 66-73 AD e. (First Jewish War)[edit]

• Eleazar ben Anan (in Jerusalem 66-67)1
• Simon bar Giora (in Geraz 66-67, in Jerusalem 67-70)1
• Eleazar bar Simon (in Idumea 66-70, in Masada 70-73)1
• John of Gischala (in Galilee 66-70)1

- Roman conquest and destruction of Jerusalem.

Book of David

King David created a book of psalms - the Psalter. This is a collection of 150 hymns of religious and lyrical content, which at one time were performed accompanied by a psaltery, a plucked string instrument - hence the name.

Although the authorship is traditionally attributed to David, it is clearly the result of collective creativity, many of the poems were created much later. The psalms were introduced into temple ritual under King David, and after they were translated into other languages, they became the basis of Christian worship.

The Psalter is divided into 20 sections, each of which, in turn, is divided into three parts. Nowadays, it is read in full in church once during the week, and twice during Lent.