The Kingdom of Israel

From Tribes to Kingdom: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel

Before a unified Israel, Jewish groups identified by tribe, like Danites or Ephraimites, distinguished mainly by their worship of YHWH. These tribes formed a confederation, uniting under David’s charismatic leadership into a single political entity known as the United Monarchy.

This period, encompassing David and Solomon’s reigns, was the only time all tribes were politically united. A schism occurred due to norther…