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The Kingdom of Israel (Malchut Yisrael in Hebrew), according to the Bible was the nation formed around 1021BC from the descendants of Jacob, son of Isaac, who was given the name Israel, meaning Struggles With God.

Following the death of King Solomon, c922BC, the realm was divided into a Northern Kingdom, known as Israel and a Southern Kingdom, known as Judah. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah.

Soon after the death of Solomon, Ahijah's prophecy (1 Kings 11:31-35) was fulfilled with the division of the kingdom. Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, was scarcely seated on his throne when the old jealousies between Judah and the other tribes broke out anew, and Jeroboam was sent for from Egypt by the malcontents (12:2,3). Rehoboam insolently refused to lighten the burdensome taxation and services which his father had imposed on his subjects (12:4), and the rebellion became complete. Ephraim and all Israel raised the old cry, "Every man to his tents, O Israel" (2 Samuel 20:1). Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:1-18; 2 Chronicles 10), and Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at Shechem, with Judah and Benjamin remaining faithful to Rehoboam. War continued, with varying success, between the two kingdoms for about sixty years, till Jehoshaphat allied himself with the house of Ahab by marrying his daughter Athaliah. Ahab's sons were slaughtered by Jehu following his coup.

Extent of the Kingdom

The area of Solomon's kingdom, excluding the Phoenician territories on the shore of the Mediterranean, did not much exceed 34,000 km² (13,000 square miles). The kingdom of Israel comprehended about 24,000 km² (9,375 square miles). Shechem was the first capital of this kingdom (1 Kings 12:25), afterwards Tirza (14:17). Samaria was subsequently chosen as the capital (16:24), and continued to be so till the destruction of the kingdom by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5). During the siege of Samaria (which lasted for three years) by the Assyrians, Shalmaneser died and was succeeded by Sargon, who himself thus records the capture of that city: "Samaria I looked at, I captured; 27,280 men who dwelt in it I carried away" (2 Kings 17:6) into Assyria. Thus after a duration of two hundred and fifty-three years the kingdom of the ten tribes came to an end. They were scattered throughout the East, and are known as the lost tribes of Israel.

"Judah held its ground against Assyria for yet one hundred and twenty-three years, and became the rallying-point of the dispersed of every tribe, and eventually gave its name to the whole race. Those of the people who in the last struggle escaped into the territories of Judah or other neighbouring countries naturally looked to Judah as the head and home of their race. And when Judah itself was carried off to Babylon, many of the exiled Israelites joined them from Assyria, and swelled that immense population which made Babylonia a second Judah."

After the deportation of the ten tribes, the deserted land was colonized by various eastern tribes, whom the king of Assyria sent thither (Ezra 4:2, 10; 2 Kings 17:24-29).

The Kings of Israel

For this period, most historians follow either the chronology established by William F. Albright or Edwin R. Thiele, both of which are shown below. All dates are BC.

Notes

1. Jehu: Considered by Theiele to be a contemporary of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (858–824) who paid tribute to him. This is based on an inscription which says that Jehu son of Omri paid tribute. This dating is opposed by some because it disagrees with an earlier date required by a stricter reading of the biblical record. The dissenting scholars point out that all Israelite kings were called "son of Omri" whether they were of the Omrite dynasty or not, that the date of the inscription is in question, and that Assyrian kings frequently "stole" accomplishments from their predecessors to increase their own glory in the eyes of history.

2. Hoshea: Paid tribute to the Assyrian King Shalmaneser V (727–722) but rebelled in 725. Shalmaneser besieged the capital, Samaria, but died shortly before the fall of the city. His brother Sargon II (722–705) completed the siege with success in 722, making Judah the sole Hebrew kingdom. The ten tribes were exiled to other parts of the Assyrian Empire and never heard from again. A small group of people fled south to assimilate into Judah.

See also

• Government of ancient Israel
• Kingdom of Judah
• History of ancient Israel and Judah

• Ancient Israel and Judah