A common criticism of conservative histories of ancient Israel is that they merely retell the biblical account. I think there are some books that are guilty as charged. But the book that I co-wrote with Michael Grisanti is much more than a retelling of the biblical narrative. We draw upon a broad range of ancient sources, both literary and archaeological, and bring them together to illuminate the historical record in ways that would not otherwise be possible. To illustrate the value of our approach, I am writing a series of posts highlighting insights gained from each era of Israel’s history. Today our focus is on the early years of the Divided Monarchy.

Beginning with the division of Solomon’s kingdom, one point I’m eager to make is that we should not reduce the causes of this division to a single factor:

• Rehoboam played the fool, to be sure, in spurning the counsel of the elder advisers.
• Yet the fault lines had begun to form earlier in the reign of Solomon, and even earlier in the reign of his father David.
• Few observers at the time would have recognized the decisive factor: divine judgment for Solomon’s idolatry.

Chronological reckoning is as difficult as it is important. I want readers to understand:

• Three key principles that help us make sense of the sometimes-confusing chronological records of the kings of Israel and Judah.
• How Asa’s remarkable faith in the Lord that led to his victory over Zerah was followed only one year later by his shocking lack of faith when Baasha attacked.
• Why Asa’s debilitating foot disease may explain the timing of Jehoshaphat’s accession to the throne.

The first fifty years of the Divided Kingdom were characterized by some striking trends:

• The northern kingdom experienced assassination after assassination and repeated dynastic upheaval, while the southern kingdom enjoyed relative stability under the Davidic dynasty.
• Of all of the kings during these fifty years, only one is said to have done what was right in the Lord’s eyes, and even he ended his reign under the shadow of divine rebuke.
• The two kingdoms were at war with each other for most of these fifty years, but the rise of a new dynasty in Israel under Omri paved the way for peace.

Pharaoh Shishak’s campaign against Judah and Israel provides a remarkable example of how biblical, Egyptian, and archaeological data can be brought together:

• Both Kings and Chronicles report that the Lord raised up Shishak to invade Judah as punishment for turning away from the Lord.
• The Egyptian records are much more extensive than the biblical ones. At the temple of Karnak, Shishak inscribed a list of more than 150 places associated with his campaign, providing evidence for reconstructing his route and revealing something the Bible does not tell us: he also invaded the northern kingdom.
• Archaeological evidence further illuminates the campaign. Scholars have associated destruction at as many as two dozen sites with Shishak’s invasion, and a remarkable fragment of a stela bearing his name was found at Megiddo.

What I have found over and over in my study of Israel’s history is that bringing individual facts and seemingly isolated events together often reveals more than studying them separately. When we weave the evidence into a coherent historical narrative, we discover connections that would otherwise remain hidden and gain clarity about events that once seemed inexplicable or confusing.

I’ve had many “aha” moments while studying, traveling, teaching, and writing, and I’ve tried my best to capture them in the pages of this book. My hope is that readers will experience some of those same moments of discovery—and share in the delight of seeing the history of ancient Israel come into sharper focus.

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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