What was going on in Canaan?

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2 What was going on in Canaan? By 1100 B.C., the Israelites had settled much of Canaan. They were thriving. They had developed a prosperous culture, and they were creating an alphabet and a calendar based on Canaanite ideas. They had one problem...their very powerful enemy...the Philistines. When the Philistines came into conflict with the Israelites, many of the Israelites wanted a king to help them unite the Twelve Tribes and lead them into battle with the Philistines.

3 Saul: The First King According to the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites asked a judgenamed Samuel to choose a king. Samuel was reluctant to choose a king because he feared being taxed and/or enslaved. After receiving much pressure from the Israelites, Samuel chose a man named Saul to be king. Samuel anointed Saul as king by pouring holy oil on him to show that God had blessed him.

4 What did Saul do? Will he remain the king? Under Saul s leadership, the Israelites won many battles against the Philistines. Saulbecame very popular with the people as he won battles. According to the Hebrew Bible, Sauleventually lost the support of the people because he disobeyed some of God s commands. God then instructed Samuel, the judge, to choose and anoint another someone else as king. Who will Samuel choose?

5 David the Young, Brave Shepherd Davidwas a young shepherd known for his bravery. The Hebrew Bible provides an account of Davidand his victory over Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior: Goliath dared any Israelite to fight him one-on-one. Young David stepped forward with his shepherd s staff, a slingshot, and five smooth stones. With a large in hand, Goliath charged forward. David hurled one stone straight at the giant s forehead, and Goliath immediately dropped dead. spear

6 What else did David do? Before taking over as king, Davidwas placed in charge of King Saul s army. David won more and more battles as time passed. The women of Israel began singing David s praises: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. Saul became VERY jealous of David. He even attempted to kill David, but David escaped. When Saul died in battle against the Philistines, David returned and Samuel chose David as the king.

7 Was David a successful king? According to the Hebrew Bible, once David was in power, he united the Israelite tribes. David and his army defeated the Philistines. He established Jerusalem as the capital city for Israel. Davidwas a fine musician and poet. He is believed to have written many of the sacred songs found in the Hebrew Bible s Book of Psalms. The Israelites enjoyed prosperous times under King David s rule.

8 After King David s Death The Israelites honored David as their greatest king, as do Jews today. His son, Solomon, known for his vast wisdom became the next Israelite king. Through trade and treaties, Solomonbrought a long period of peace to the region. In addition to constructing many cities, according to the Hebrew Bible, Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem. Solomon s temple also called the First Temple held the Ark of the Covenant and other sacred objects.

9 What happened to Solomon? Despite his great accomplishments, many Israelites turned against him. They didn t like working on his building projects or paying his high taxes. After Solomon s death, the Israelites entered a troubled period. Deep disagreements split their kingdom, and powerful neighbors threatened their survival.

10 Review 1. Why did the Israelites want a king? 2. Who did Samuel, the judge, first appoint as the king? 3. Prior to becoming a king, why was David, the shepherd, known for his bravery? 4. Explain why King Saul was jealous of David and attempted to kill him? 5. List three accomplishments of King David. 6. Who was king after David? List two of his accomplishments.