What A History of Ancient Israel offers is a synthesis of biblical and extrabiblical evidence to provide a complete account of each historical era. My studies in both master’s and doctoral programs emphasized biblical geography and archaeology in the service of history, and this book is my way of sharing the insights I’ve gained over three decades of teaching in the classroom and guiding students in the field. Today I want to show you how this approach helps illuminate the reign of Solomon.

In looking at the evidence, it’s clear that the descriptions of Solomon’s wealth were not exaggerated:

• New discoveries at the copper mines of Faynan and Timna correspond chronologically with the reign of Solomon
• A network of dozens of fortresses in the Negev corresponds with Solomon’s control of the trade routes for the copper industry
• Archaeological evidence connects the kingdom of Sheba with Jerusalem and supports Solomon’s two maritime trade networks

Solomon’s character has been misunderstood in a number of ways:

• Solomon’s severe actions in securing his throne were not ruthless but righteous
• Solomon’s division of the nation into twelve administrative districts did not favor Judah at the expense of the northern tribes
• Solomon’s sin was not in acquiring great wealth but in how he used it

Archaeological discoveries provide more help in reconstructing Solomon’s temple than many realize:

• Two significant features from Solomon’s temple can be seen on the Temple Mount today
• Temples discovered at Tell Tayinat are similar to Solomon’s temple in design, orientation, twin pillars, and the palace next door
• The ancient temple at Ain Dara sheds light on the temple’s side chambers, the dimensions of the holy of holies, and the puzzling biblical description of its “windows”

There is more information about Solomon’s reign than most readers expect, and I’ve tried to pull it all together in a retelling that answers both old and new questions. I observe that Solomon’s foreign marriages began before he became king, that 1 Kings 6:1 is important for more than its famous reference to 480 years, and that Egypt’s apparently contradictory foreign policy toward Solomon was strategic. I explore the importance of Solomon’s four encounters with the Lord, discuss the high point of his reign, and conclude by noting that “no other period in Israel’s history came closer to realizing the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth.” It is a fascinating era filled with surprising contrasts!

I have on my shelves many books on the history of ancient Israel. So why did I spend years writing a new one?

In Tuesday’s BiblePlaces Newsletter, I explained why we need a new history of ancient Israel that is comprehensive, conservative, and current. Today I want to give you a little sense of what that means, beginning with my chapter on David’s rise to the throne.

What I want to help you to see better is how a careful study of the historical record, archaeological discoveries, and chronological details reveals much that readers may overlook in familiar biblical accounts.

The story of David’s battle with Goliath is familiar even to non-Bible readers, but there is much that is missed without an understanding of the historical and geographical setting. In writing about this event, I explain:

• the geographical dynamic of the Israelites and Philistines meeting in the Elah Valley
• the discovery of an inscription at Gath related to the name of Goliath
• the nature of Goliath’s armor and his proposal of representative combat
• the practice of displaying severed heads in the ancient Near East

In discussing David’s flight from Saul, I ask and answer:

• Why did David seek refuge in the cave of Adullam?
• Where did David hide from Saul and what places did he avoid (and why)?
• How long did David flee from Saul and how we can determine that?
• What was the significance of the time that David spent in Ziklag?

In writing about the chronology of David’s life, I explain:

• why I reject the consensus view that David’s life is disordered in the biblical account
• when the Davidic Covenant was made and why it matters so much
• what happened to the missing five years of Ish-bosheth’s reign
• when every datable event in David’s life occurred

One of my major goals in writing this chapter was to show how all of the details fit together. We should not read David and Goliath, Jonathan’s friendship, David’s flight from Saul, Nabal’s death, and Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor, and the murder of Ish-Bosheth as unrelated stories. They are all part of a larger story: David is God’s choice to be king.

We see that in the famous battle of David and Goliath. I argue that the contest is not really between David and the Philistine giant but David and the Israelite giant (Saul). The king that Israel needs is not the one cowering in his tent but the one who trusts the Lord and fights in his strength.

Jonathan’s friendship with David is so stunning when we realize that David is the greatest obstacle to Jonathan’s own succession to the throne. Abigail’s wisdom is displayed not only in her recognition of David’s future kingship but also in her ability to restrain him from acting rashly. And Saul’s desperate visit to the witch of Endor story makes perfect sense in this context.

My goal in writing this chapter, and the entire book, was to bring the Bible, archaeology, geography, chronology, and theology together so that the reader would better understand and delight in the marvelous story of God’s faithfulness to his people.

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