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c. 1005 b.c. After securing his reign over all Israel, David moved his capital from Hebron, a southern city of Judah, to a more central and tribally neutral location at Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem (called “the stronghold of Zion”) was held by the Jebusites, and its terraced defensive
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c. 1010 b.c. Immediately after Saul’s death, a struggle for power ensued between David and Ish-bosheth (or Eshbaal), Saul’s youngest and only surviving son. David ruled over his native tribe of Judah from Hebron, while Ish-bosheth ruled over the rest of Israel from Mahanaim across the Jordan
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c. 1000 b.c. The book of 2 Samuel recounts David’s reign over Israel and his battles to establish Israel as the dominant power in Syria and Palestine. David expanded Israel’s borders from Saul’s fledgling territory until, by the end of his reign, he controlled all of
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c. 1010 b.c. Philistine forces advanced to Shunem from Aphek and prepared to attack the Israelites near their camp in Jezreel. Saul, fearing the great army that faced him, slipped away during the night to consult a medium at En-dor in order to seek the counsel of the deceased
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David’s growing reputation among the people as a warrior and leader incited Saul’s jealousy, and Saul began trying to kill David. David fled from Saul in Gibeah (1) and went to Samuel at Naioth in Ramah (2), but soon Saul sought him there, and David fled back to
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Sometime after being anointed as the next king of Israel, David was sent from Bethlehem by his father to take food to his brothers serving in the Israelite army near Socoh and Azekah. When David arrived, he learned of the Philistines’ challenge to the Israelites to send a champion to
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As the Philistines strengthened their grip on the central hill country of Israel, they placed troops at Michmash and sent raiding parties into the countryside. After Saul’s son Jonathan captured the town of Geba, Saul mustered more Israelite forces at Gilgal and joined Jonathan. A daring raid by Jonathan
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c. 1050 b.c. Soon after Saul was anointed king of Israel, the people of Jabesh-gilead were attacked by the Ammonites. When Saul heard the news at Gibeah, he quickly mustered the Israelite forces at Bezek and defeated the Ammonites in battle. Samuel then called upon the people to confirm
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After suffering losses in battle against the Philistines at Ebenezer, the Israelite forces called for the ark of the covenant to be brought to the battle from Shiloh. But the Israelites were defeated again, and the Philistines captured the ark. The ark’s presence in each Philistine city caused the
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c. 1050 b.c. The book of 1 Samuel is set in Israel during the time of transition between the period of the judges and the period of the monarchy. It opens with Samuel’s birth and then describes his role as judge over Israel. When the people ask for
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Set in the period of the judges, the book of Ruth records how a famine in Judah forces Naomi and her husband to leave Israel and move to Moab, where their sons marry Moabite women. When Naomi’s husband and sons die, she decides to return to her home in
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The final chapters of Judges record the migration of the tribe of Dan to the north, and Israel’s war with Benjamin for deeds committed against a Levite passing through Gibeah. After refusing to surrender the perpetrators to judgment, the Benjaminites were defeated by the other tribes, and the remaining