OF KINGS!

 AFTER GOD RESCUED ISRAEL FROM EGYPT IN THE EXODUS, HE LED HIS PEOPLE THROUGH THE WILDERNESS INTO THE PROMISE LAND. AFTER  THE CONQUEST, JOSHUA DIVIDED THE LAND UP AMONG THR TRIBES. THE FIRST RULERS WERE JUDGES. THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THE JUDGES RULED SPECIFIC TRIBES OR AREAS,  RATHER THEN THE NATION AS A WHOLE. THEY LED THE PEOPLE INTO BATTLE AGAINST NEIGHBOR NATIONS WHO HARASSED THEM. THE PHILISTINES CONTINUED TO PROVE ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME, AND ISRAEL WAS NOT ABLE TO SUBDUE. MANY OF ISRAEL CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE LEADERSHIP THE JUDGES PROVIDED WAS TOO LIMITED; A MORE CENTRALIZED FORM OF CONTROL WAS NEEDED.
EVENTUALLY SAUL, OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, WAS APPOINTED ISRAEL'S FIRST KING. THE BIBLICAL PASSAGES WHICH DESCRIBES HIS APPOINTMENT ARE COMPLEX. SOME VIEW HIS APPOINTMENT AS A GOOD MOVE, COMMANDED BY GOD.
( 1 SAMUEL 9:1-10:16; 1O :20-24; 11:1-15; 13:13; 15:1). OTHERS VIEW HIS APPOINTMENT A BAD MOVE, SOUGHT BY A REBELLIOUS ISRAEL, (8:4-22).  (10;17-19). THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN "PRINCE" AND "KING" IN THESE TWO PASSAGES IS IMPORTANT. 1 SAMUEL [9: 16] INDICATES THAT SAUL WAS APPOINTED TO DELIVER ISRAEL FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE PHILISTINES, AND THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF HIS RULE HE FOUGHT NUMEROUS BATTLES AGAINST THEM; 1 SAMUEL ( 14:47,48) GIVES A GLOWING ACCOUNT OF HIS MILITARY  SUCCESSES. THE NARATIVE BLAMES HIS DOWN FALL ON  TWO SPECFIC SINS. HE GREW IMPATIENT WHEN SAMUEL DID NOT ARRIVE IN TIME TO OFFER SACRIFICE PRIOR TO BATTLE (1 SAMUEL 13:1- 15;  SEE ALSO
10:8) AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION SPARED THE LIFE OF AGAG THE AMALEKITE, (1 SAMUEL 1-15). THE NARRATIVE MAKES NO MENTION OF SAUL MARRYING NUMEROUS WIVES, LEVYING HARSH TAXES, BUILDING HIMSELF A PALACE, OR MAKING USE OF SLAVE LABOR. THE TURNING POINT IN THE ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE COMES WHEN SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID IN HIS PLACE, (1 SAMUEL 16). SAMUEL LOST HIS LIFE IN A BATTLE. THE PHILISTINES. MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD, WHOM SAUL ONCED HELPED. ( 1 SAMUEL 11), BURIED HIM.
DAVID SAUL'S SUCESSOR, BELONGED TO THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. DURING THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF HIS REIGN, DAVID RULED ONLY JUDAH, THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TOTAL REALM.  HE MADE HEBRON HIS CAPITAL. ONE OF SAUL'S  SONS, ISHBOHETH, RULED THE NORTH. EVENTUALLY THE NORTH (ISRAEL) ALSO SUBMITTED TO DAVID, AND GAVE ITS NAME TO THE UNITED REALM. DAVID NOW MOVED HIS CAPITAL TO JERUSALEM (2 SAMUEL 5:6-10), AND BROUGHT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT INTO THE CITY AS WELL, PLACING IT INTO A SPECIALLY PREPARED,  TENT (2 SAMUEL 6), NOW BECAME THE POLITCAL AND RELIGOUS CENTER OF THE NATION.  DAVID BUILT HIMSELF A PALACE, (2 SAMUEL 5; 11,12).  THEN HE PROPOSED TO BUILD A BETTER HOUSE FOR THE LORD-A TEMPLE. THE LORD RESPONDED BY STATING THAT HE HAD NEVER LIVED IN A HOUSE, AND DID NOT NEED ONE; HE PREFERRED TO LIVE IN A LESS RESTRICTING TENT. HOW EVER, HE SAID HE WOULD BUILD A ( DYNASTY, LINE OF KINGS) OUT OF DAVID. (2 SAMUEL 7: 1-17). THIS PROMISE FEATURES PROMINENTLY THROUGH OUT THE BIBLICAL NARRATIVE. ISRAEL ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THIS COVENANT ( AGAIN ONE OF DIVINE COMMITMENT, AS WAS THAT WITH ABRAHAM).
AND LOOKED ON " THE CITY OF DAVID". WITH GREAT REVERANCE- JERUSALEM WAS THAT CITY IN WHICH DAVID'S DESCENDANTS WOULD RULE!
 AFTER SOLOMON BUILT HIS TEMPLE, JERUSALEM TOOK ON EVEN MORE  IMPORTANCE- GOD LIVED WITHIN ITS WALLS!  DURING THE LONG YEARS  (587 UNTIL THE BIRTH OF JESUS). WHEN THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE CONTINUED TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN THE LORD WOULD FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO DAVID, AND SEND ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS TO RULE HIS PEOPLE.
THE NARRATIVE WHICH DESCRIBES DAVID'S LATER YEARS IS DEVOTED IN LARGE MEASURE TO THE QUESTION OF WHO WILL SUCCEED HIM. WILL IT BE AMNON, ABSALOM, ADONIJAH, OR SOLOMON?  THE OUT-COME OF THE STRUGGLE IS WELL KNOWN (2 SAMUEL 13:1; 1 KINGS 2:46).